Титаник
Chapter 16
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AndforthreedayswhiletheCarpathiawasploughingherway,nowslowlythroughice-strewnseas,andnowatfullspeedthroughopenwater,andwhileEnglandlayunderthecloudofanunprecedenteddisaster,NewYorkwasinafermentofgrief,excitement,andindignation.CrowdsthrongedthestreetsoutsidetheofficesoftheWhiteStarLine,whilegradually,inlistsofthirtyorfortyatatime,thenamesofthesurvivorsbegantocomethroughfromtheCarpathia.Andatlast,whenallthenameshadbeenspelledout,andinterrogated,andcorrected,thegrimtotalofthefiguresstoodoutinappallingsignificancesevenhundredandthreesaved,onethousandfivehundredandthreelost.
Itisnotpossible,norwoulditbeveryprofitable,todescribethescenesthattookplaceonthesedaysofwaiting,thealternationsofhopeandgrief,ofthankfulnessandwilddespair,ofwhichtheshippingofficeswerethescene.TheyculminatedontheThursdayeveningwhentheCarpathiaarrivedinNewYork.Thegreatestprecautionshadbeentakentopreventtheinsatiablethirstfornewsfromturningthatsolemndisembarkationintoabattlefield.Theentrancetothedockwascarefullyguarded,andonlythosewereadmittedwhohadbusinessthereorwhocouldprovethattheyhadrelationsamongtherescuedpassengers.Similarprecautionsweretakenontheship;shewasnotevenboardedbytheCustomofficials,norwereanyreportersallowedonboard,althoughafleetofsteamlauncheswentoutinthecoldrainyeveningtomeether,bearingpressmenwhowerepreparedtorunanyriskstogetafootingontheship.
