Титаник
Chapter 17
Butthereisampleevidencethatthesemenstoodthetestequallyaswellasthosewhoseoccupationandtrainingmadethemfamiliarwiththerisksofthesea,towhichtheywerecontinuallyexposed,andthroughwhichtheymightreasonablyexpecttocometojustsuchanend.Therewasnotheatricalheroism,nostrikingofattitudes,orattempttoescapefromthedreadrealityinanyformofspiritualhypnosis;theysimplystoodaboutthedecks,smokingcigarettes,talkingtooneanother,andwaitingfortheirhourtostrike.Thereisnothingsohard,nothingsoentirelydignified,astobesilentandquietinthefaceofanapproachinghorror.
Thatwasoneformofheroism,whichwillmaketheinfluenceofthisthingdeathlesslongafterthememoryofithasfadedascompletelyfromthemindsofmenassightorsignofithasfadedfromthatareaofoceanwhere,twomilesabovethesunkenship,therollingbluefurrowshavesmoothedawayalltraceofthestrugglesandagoniesthatembitteredit.Buttherewasanotherheroismwhichmustberegardedasthefinalcrownandgloryofthiscatastrophenotbecauseitisexceptional,forhappilyitisnot,butbecauseitcontinuedandconfirmedatraditionofEnglishsealifethatshouldbeatinglinginspirationtoeveryonewhohasknowledgeofit.
