whenwaifsoftoastedcheeseandstraysofsardinesfriedinbatterslidlanguidlytoandfrointhetable-racks；whenthemanwhoalwaysreadhadshutuphisbook，andblownouthiscandle；whenthemanwhoalwaystalkedhadceasedfromtroubling；whenthemanwhowasalwaysmedicallyreportedasgoingtohavedeliriumtremenshadputitofftillto-morrow；whenthemanwhoeverynightdevotedhimselftoamidnightsmokeondecktwohoursinlength，andwhoeverynightwasinbedwithintenminutesafterwards，wasbuttoninghimselfupinhisthirdcoatforhishardyvigil:forthen，aswefelloffonebyone，and，enteringourseveralhutches，cameintoapeculiaratmosphereofbilge-waterandWindsorsoap，thevoicewouldshakeustothecentre。Woetouswhenwesatdownonoursofa，watchingtheswingingcandleforevertryingandretryingtostanduponhishead！orourcoatuponitspeg，imitatingusasweappearedinourgymnasticdaysbysustainingitselfhorizontallyfromthewall，inemulationofthelighterandmorefaciletowels！
Thenwouldthevoiceespeciallyclaimusforitsprey，andrendusalltopieces。
Lightsout，weinourberths，andthewindrising，thevoicegrowsangrieranddeeper。Underthemattressandunderthepillow，underthesofaandunderthewashing-stand，undertheshipandunderthesea，seemingtorisefromthefoundationsundertheearthwitheveryscoopofthegreatAtlanticandoh！whyscoopso？，alwaysthevoice。Vaintodenyitsexistenceinthenightseason；
impossibletobehardofhearing；screw，screw，screw！Sometimesitliftsoutofthewater，andrevolveswithawhirr，likeaferociousfirework，-exceptthatitneverexpendsitself，butisalwaysreadytogooffagain；sometimesitseemstobeinanguish，andshivers；sometimesitseemstobeterrifiedbyitslastplunge，andhasafitwhichcausesittostruggle，quiver，andforaninstantstop。Andnowtheshipsetsinrolling，asonlyshipssofiercelyscrewedthroughtimeandspace，dayandnight，fairweatherandfoul，CANroll。
Didsheevertakearollbeforelikethatlast？Didsheevertakearollbeforelikethisworseonethatiscomingnow？Hereisthepartitionatmyeardowninthedeepontheleeside。Areweevercomingupagaintogether？Ithinknot；thepartitionandIaresolongaboutitthatIreallydobelievewehaveoverdoneitthistime。Heavens，whatascoop！Whatadeepscoop，whatahollowscoop，whatalongscoop！Williteverend，andcanwebeartheheavymassofwaterwehavetakenonboard，andwhichhasletlooseallthetablefurnitureintheofficers’mess，andhasbeatenopenthedoorofthelittlepassagebetweenthepurserandme，andisswashingabout，eventhereandevenhere？Thepursersnoresreassuringly，andtheship’sbellsstriking，Ihearthecheerful’All’swell！’ofthewatchmusicallygivenbackthelengthofthedeck，asthelatelydivingpartition，nowhighinair，triesunsoftenedbywhatwehavegonethroughtogethertoforcemeoutofbedandberth。
’All’swell！’Comfortingtoknow，thoughsurelyallmightbebetter。Putasidetherollingandtherushofwater，andthinkofdartingthroughsuchdarknesswithsuchvelocity。Thinkofanyothersimilarobjectcomingintheoppositedirection！
Whethertheremaybeanattractionintwosuchmovingbodiesoutatsea，whichmayhelpaccidenttobringthemintocollision？
Thoughts，too，arisethevoiceneversilentallthewhile，butmarvellouslysuggestiveofthegulfbelow；ofthestrange，unfruitfulmountainrangesanddeepvalleysoverwhichwearepassing；ofmonstrousfishmidway；oftheship’ssuddenlyalteringhercourseonherownaccount，andwithawildplungesettlingdown，andmakingTHATvoyagewithacrewofdeaddiscoverers。Now，too，onerecallsanalmostuniversaltendencyonthepartofpassengerstostumble，atsometimeorotherintheday，onthetopicofacertainlargesteamermakingthissamerun，whichwaslostatsea，andneverheardofmore。Everybodyhasseemedunderaspell，compellingapproachtothethresholdofthegrimsubject，stoppage，discomfiture，andpretenceofneverhavingbeennearit。
Theboatswain’swhistlesounds！Achangeinthewind，hoarseordersissuing，andthewatchverybusy。Sailscomecrashinghomeoverhead，ropesthatseemallknotditto；everymanengagedappearstohavetwentyfeet，withtwentytimestheaverageamountofstampingpowerineach。Graduallythenoiseslackens，thehoarsecriesdieaway，theboatswain’swhistlesoftensintothesoothingandcontentednotes，whichratherreluctantlyadmitthatthejobisdoneforthetime，andthevoicesetsinagain。
Thuscomeunintelligibledreamsofuphillanddown，andswingingandswaying，untilconsciousnessrevivesofatmosphericalWindsorsoapandbilge-water，andthevoiceannouncesthatthegianthascomeforthewater-cureagain。
SuchweremyfancifulreminiscencesasIlay，partofthatday，intheBayofNewYork，O！AlsoaswepassedclearoftheNarrows，andgotouttosea；alsoinmanyanidlehouratseainsunnyweather！AtlengththeobservationsandcomputationsshowedthatweshouldmakethecoastofIrelandto-night。SoIstoodwatchondeckallnightto-night，toseehowwemadethecoastofIreland。
Verydark，andtheseamostbrilliantlyphosphorescent。Greatwayontheship，anddoublelook-outkept。Vigilantcaptainonthebridge，vigilantfirstofficerlookingovertheportside，vigilantsecondofficerstandingbythequarter-masteratthecompass，vigilantthirdofficerpostedatthesternrailwithalantern。Nopassengersonthequietdecks，butexpectationeverywherenevertheless。Thetwomenatthewheelverysteady，veryserious，andveryprompttoanswerorders。Anorderissuedsharplynowandthen，andechoedback；otherwisethenightdragsslowly，silently，withnochange。
Allofasudden，attheblankhouroftwointhemorning，avaguemovementofrelieffromalongstrainexpressesitselfinallhands；thethirdofficer’slanterntinkles，andhefiresarocket，andanotherrocket。Asullensolitarylightispointedouttomeintheblackskyyonder。Achangeisexpectedinthelight，butnonetakesplace。’Givethemtwomorerockets，Mr。Vigilant。’Twomore，andablue-lightburnt。Alleyeswatchthelightagain。Atlastalittletoysky-rocketisflashedupfromit；and，evenasthatsmallstreakinthedarknessdiesaway，wearetelegraphedtoQueenstown，Liverpool，andLondon，andbackagainundertheoceantoAmerica。
Thenupcomethehalf-dozenpassengerswhoaregoingashoreatQueenstownandupcomesthemail-agentinchargeofthebags，andupcomethemenwhoaretocarrythebagsintothemail-tenderthatwillcomeoffforthemoutoftheharbour。Lampsandlanternsgleamhereandthereaboutthedecks，andimpedingbulksareknockedawaywithhandspikes；andtheport-sidebulwark，barrenbutamomentago，burstsintoacropofheadsofseamen，stewards，andengineers。
Thelightbeginstobegainedupon，beginstobealongside，beginstobeleftastern。Morerockets，and，betweenusandtheland，steamsbeautifullytheInmansteamshipCityofParis，forNewYork，outwardbound。WeobservewithcomplacencythatthewindisdeadagainstheritbeingWITHus，andthatsherollsandpitches。
Thesickestpassengeronboardisthemostdelightedbythiscircumstance。Timerushesbyaswerushon；andnowweseethelightinQueenstownHarbour，andnowthelightsofthemail-tendercomingouttous。Whatvagariesthemail-tenderperformsontheway，ineverypointofthecompass，especiallyinthosewhereshehasnobusiness，andwhysheperformsthem，Heavenonlyknows！Atlengthsheisseenplungingwithinacable’slengthofourportbroadside，andisbeingroaredatthroughourspeaking-trumpetstodothisthing，andnottodothat，andtostandbytheother，asifshewereaverydementedtenderindeed。Then，weslackeningamidstadeafeningroarofsteam，thismuch-abusedtenderismadefasttousbyhawsers，andthemeninreadinesscarrythebagsaboard，andreturnformore，bendingundertheirburdens，andlookingjustlikethepasteboardfiguresofthemillerandhismeninthetheatreofourboyhood，andcomportingthemselvesalmostasunsteadily。Allthewhiletheunfortunatetenderplungeshighandlow，andisroaredat。ThentheQueenstownpassengersareputonboardofher，withinfiniteplungingandroaring，andthetendergetsheavedupontheseatothatsurprisingextentthatshelookswithinanaceofwashingaboardofus，highanddry。Roaredatwithcontumelytothelast，thiswretchedtenderisatlengthletgo，withafinalplungeofgreatignominy，andfallsspinningintoourwake。
Thevoiceofconscienceresumeditsdominionasthedayclimbedupthesky，andkeptbyallofuspassengersintoport；keptbyusaswepassedotherlighthouses，anddangerousislandsoffthecoast，wheresomeoftheofficers，withwhomIstoodmywatch，hadgoneashoreinsailing-shipsinfogsandofwhichbythattokentheyseemedtohavequiteanaffectionateremembrance，andpasttheWelshcoast，andpasttheCheshirecoast，andpasteverythingandeverywherelyingbetweenourshipandherownspecialdockintheMersey。Offwhich，atlast，atnineoftheclock，onafaireveningearlyinMay，westopped，andthevoiceceased。Averycurioussensation，notunlikehavingmyownearsstopped，ensueduponthatsilence；anditwaswithanolesscurioussensationthatIwentoverthesideofthegoodCunardship’Russia’whomprosperityattendthroughallhervoyages！andsurveyedtheouterhullofthegraciousmonsterthatthevoicehadinhabited。So，perhaps，shallweall，inthespirit，onedaysurveytheframethatheldthebusiervoicefromwhichmyvagrantfancyderivedthissimilitude。
Ihadbeenlooking，yesternight，throughthefamous’DanceofDeath，’andto-daythegrimoldwoodcutsaroseinmymindwiththenewsignificanceofaghastlymonotonynottobefoundintheoriginal。Theweirdskeletonrattledalongthestreetsbeforeme，andstruckfiercely；butitwasneveratthepainsofassumingadisguise。Itplayedonnodulcimerhere，wascrownedwithnoflowers，wavednoplume，mincedinnoflowingrobeortrain，liftednowine-cup，satatnofeast，castnodice，countednogold。Itwassimplyabare，gaunt，famishedskeleton，slayinghiswayalong。
ThebordersofRatcliffandStepney，eastwardofLondon，andgivingontheimpureriver，werethesceneofthisuncompromisingdanceofdeath，uponadrizzlingNovemberday。Asqualidmazeofstreets，courts，andalleysofmiserablehousesletoutinsinglerooms。A
wildernessofdirt，rags，andhunger。Amud-desert，chieflyinhabitedbyatribefromwhomemploymenthasdeparted，ortowhomitcomesbutfitfullyandrarely。Theyarenotskilledmechanicsinanywise。Theyarebutlabourers，-dock-labourers，water-sidelabourers，coal-porters，ballast-heavers，such-likehewersofwoodanddrawersofwater。Buttheyhavecomeintoexistence，andtheypropagatetheirwretchedrace。
Onegrislyjokealone，methought，theskeletonseemedtoplayoffhere。Ithadstuckelection-billsonthewalls，whichthewindandrainhaddeterioratedintosuitablerags。Ithadevensummedupthestateofthepoll，inchalk，ontheshuttersofoneruinedhouse。ItadjuredthefreeandindependentstarverstovoteforThismanandvoteforThatman；nottoplump，astheyvaluedthestateofpartiesandthenationalprosperitybothofgreatimportancetothem，Ithink；but，byreturningThismanandThatman，eachnaughtwithouttheother，tocompoundagloriousandimmortalwhole。Surelytheskeletonisnowheremorecruellyironicalintheoriginalmonkishidea！