Титаник
Chapter 4
Therearetwoliveslivedsidebysideonsuchavoyage,thelifeofthepassengersandthelifeoftheship.Fromaplacehighupontheboat-deckourtravellercanwatchtheprogressofthesetwolives.Thepassengersplaygamesorwalkabout,orsitidlingdrowsilyindeckchairs,withtheireyesstrayingconstantlyfromtheunheededbooktothelonghorizon,ornotingthetrivialdoingsofotheridlers.Thechatteroftheirvoices,thesoundoftheirgames,thefainttinkleofmusicfloatingupfromthemusic-roomareeloquentofoneofthesedoublelives;thereonthebridgeisanexpressionoftheotherthebridgeinallitsspick-and-spansanctities,withtheofficersofthewatchintheirtrimuniform,thestolidquartermasteratthewheel,andhisequallystolidcompanionofthewatchwhodreamshisfourhoursawayonthestarboardsideofthebridgealmostasmotionlessasthebrightbrassbinnaclesandstandards,andthetelegraphsthatpointunchangeablydowntoFullAhead....
TheOfficerofthewatchhasasextantathiseye.OnebyonetheCaptain,theChief,theSecondandtheFourth,allcomesilentlyupanddirecttheirsextantstothehorizon.Thequartermastercomesandtoucheshiscap:“Twelveo’clock,Sir.”Thereissilenceadeepsunnysilence,brokenonlybythelowtonesoftheCaptaintotheChief:“Whathaveyougot?”saystheCaptain.“Thirty,”saystheChief,“Twenty-nine,”saystheThird.Thereisanotherspaceofsunnysilentseconds;theCaptaintakesdownhissextant.“Makeiteightbells,”hesays
