Титаник

           Intheirpridetheyhadsaid“theTitaniccannotspringaleak.”Sotherewasnoboatmuster,andtheroutineoccupationsofSundaywentonunvariedandundisturbed.OnlyintheMarconiroomwasthemonotonyvaried,forsomethinghadgonewrongwiththedelicateelectricalapparatus,andthewirelessvoicewassilent;andthroughoutthemorningandafternoon,forsevenhours,PhillipsandBridewerehardatworktestingandsearchingforthelittlefaultthathadcutthemofffromtheworldofvoices.Andatlasttheyfoundit,andthewhiningandbuzzingbeganagain.Butittoldthemnothingnew;onlythesamestory,whisperedthistimefromtheCalifornian­thestoryofice.

           Thedayworeon,theduskfell,lightsonebyonesprangupandshonewithintheship;theyoungmoonroseinacloudlessskyspangledwithstars.Peopleremarkedonthelovelinessofthenightastheywenttodressfordinner,buttheyremarkedalsoonitscoldness.Therewasanunusualchillintheair,andlightlycladpeopleweregladtodrawintothebigfireplacesinsmoke-roomordrawing-roomorlibrary,andtokeepwithinthecomfortofthewarmandlamplitrooms.Thecoldwaseasilyaccountedfor;itwastheiceseason,andtheairsthatwereblowingdownfromthenorth-westcarriedwiththemabreathfromtheice-fields.Itwassocoldthatthedeckswereprettywelldeserted,andtheusualeveningconcert,insteadofbeingheldontheopendeck,washeldinthewarmth,undercover.