Титаник

           Therearethesamedayandnightofdisturbance,thevacantplacesattable,thepronefigures,swathedandmotionlessindeck-chairs,themorningofbrilliantsunshine,whenthelightthatstreamsintothecabinshasavernalstrangenessandwonderfortown-dimmedeyes;thegradualemergenceofnewfacesanddoubtfulstaggeringbackofthedemoralizedtotheblessedfreshnessoftheupperair;thetentativeformationofgroupsandexperimentalalliances,therapiddisintegrationoftheseandre-formationonentirelynewlines;andthenthatmiracleofunendinginterestandwonder,thatthefacesthatwereonlytheblurredmaterialofacrowdbeginonebyonetoemergefromthebackgroundanddetachthemselvesfromthemass,totakeonidentity,individuality,character,tillwhatwasacrowdofuninteresting,unidentifiedhumanitybecomesacollectionofindividualpersonswithwhomone’sdestiniesforthetimearestrangelyandunaccountablyboundup;amongwhomonemayhaveacquaintances,friends,orperhapsenemies;whofortheinsideofaweekareallone’sworldofmenandwomen.

           Therearefewalterativeagentssopowerfulandsureintheirworkingaslatitudeandlongitude;andasweslideacrossnewdegrees,habit,association,custom,andideassliponebyoneimperceptiblyawayfromus;wecomereallyintoanewworld,andifwehadnoheartsandnomemoriesweshouldsoonbecomedifferentpeople.Buttheheartlivesitsownlife,spinninggossamerthreadsthatfloatawayasternacrosstimeandspace,joiningusinvisiblytothatwhichmadeandfashionedus,andtowhichwehopetoreturn.