Титаник
Chapter 5
Themessagescomefromnearandfar,nowliketheraspofafileinyourear,andnowinathreadofsoundasfineasthewhineofamosquito;andifthemosquitovoiceistheonethatisspeakingtoyoufromfaraway,youmayoftenbeinterruptedbytheloudandemptybuzzingofonenearerneighbourspeakingtoanotherandloudlyinterruptingthemessagewhichconcernsyou.
ListeningtothesevoicesintheMarconiroomoftheTitanic,andcontrollingherarticulationandhearing,weretwoyoungmen,littlemorethanboys,butboysofararequality,childrenofthegoldenageofelectricity.Educatedinanabstruseanddelicatescience,andlovingtheseaforitslargenessandadventure,theyhadcomePhillipsattheageoftwenty-six,andBrideintheripematurityoftwenty-onetowieldfortheTitanictheelectricforcesoftheether,andtodirectherutteranceandhearingontheocean.AndastheysattherethatFridayandSaturdaytheymusthaveheard,aswastheirusualroutine,allthewhispersoftheshipsfortwohundredmilesroundthem,theirtrainedfacultiesalmostautomaticallyrejectingtheunessential,receivingandattendingtotheessential.
