Титаник

           Somecarriedonstretchers,somesupportedbynurses,andsomehandeddownbymembersofthecrew,theycame,eithertomeetingsthatwereagonizingintheirjoy,ortoblanklonelinessthatwouldlastuntiltheydied.Fiveorsixbabieswithoutmothers,someofthemutterlyunidentifiedandunidentifiable,werehandeddownwiththerest,sostrangelypreserved,inalltheirtendernessandhelplessness,throughthatterribletimeofconfusionandexposure.

           Andinthemindsofthosewholookedonatthissadprocessiontherewasonetragic,recurrentthought:thatforeveryonewhocamedownthegangway,illperhaps,maimedperhaps,destituteperhaps,butaliveandonsolidearthagain,thereweretwoeitherdriftingintheslowArcticcurrent,orlyinginthegreatsubmarinevalleytowhichtheshiphadgonedown.Theywereapoorremnantindeedofallthatcompositeworldofpride,andstrength,andriches;forDeathwinnowswithastrangefan,andalthoughonewouldsuithispurposeaswellasanother,heoftenchoosesthebestandthestrongest.Therewerecard-sharpers,andorphanedinfants,anddestituteconsumptivesamongthesaved;andtherewerehundredsofheroesandstrongmenamongthedrowned.Therewereamongthesavedthosetowhomdeathwouldhavebeennogreatenemy,whohadnoloveforlifeortiestobindthemtoit;andtherewerethoseamongthedrownedforwhomlifewasatitsverybestanddearest;loversandworkersintheverymorningoflifebeforewhomtheyearshadstretchedforwardrichwithpromise