Титаник
Chapter 5
Theyheardtalkofmanythings,talkinfragmentsandinthestrangerhythmiclanguagethattheyhadcometoknowlikeamothertongue;talkofcargoes,talkofmoneyandbusiness,oftransactionsinvolvingthousandsofpounds;trivialtalkoftheemotions,greetingsandgoodwishesexchangedonthehighseas;endlessfiguresoflatitudeandlongitudeforashipisaneternalegoistandbeginsallhercommunicationsbyanannouncementofWhosheisandWheresheis.Shipsarechieflyinterestedinweatherandcargo,andtheirwirelesstalkontheirownaccountisconstantlyofthesethings;butmostoftenoftheweather.Oneshipmaybepursuingherwayunderacalmskyandinsmoothwaters,whiletwohundredmilesawayaneighbourmaybeinthemiddleofastorm;andsotheshipstalktooneanotheroftheweather,andcombinetheirforcesagainstit,and,byalteringcoursealittle,orrushingahead,orhangingback,cheatanddodgethosemalignantforceswhichareeverpursuingthem.
ButintheseAprildaystherewasnothingmuchtobesaidabouttheweather.Thewindsandthestormswerequiethere;theywerebusyperhapsupinLabradororfuriouslyragingaboutCapeHorn,buttheyhaddesertedforthetimetheNorthAtlantic,andalltheshipsploughedsteadilyoninsunshineandsmoothseas.Hereandthere,however,awhispercametoPhillipsorBrideaboutsomethingwhich,thoughnotexactlyweather,wasasdeeplyinterestingtothejourneyingshipsice.Justawhisper,nothingmore,listenedtoupthereinthesunnyMarconiroom,recorded,dealtwith,andforgotten.
