Титаник
Chapter 7
Andgraduallypeopledriftedawaytobed,leavingonlyafewlatebirdssittingupreadinginthelibrary,orplayingcardsinthesmoking-rooms,orfollowingarestaurantdinner-partybyquietconversationintheflower-deckedlounge.
Theshiphadsettleddownforthenight;halfofhercompanywerepeacefullyasleepinbed,andmanylyingdownwaitingforsleeptocome,whensomethinghappened.Whatthatsomethingwasdependeduponwhatpartoftheshipyouwerein.Thefirstthingtoattracttheattentionofmostofthefirst-classpassengerswasanegativethingthecessationofthattrembling,continuousrhythmwhichhadbeentheundercurrentofalltheirwakingsensationssincetheshipleftQueenstown.Theenginesstopped.Somewondered,andputtheirheadsoutoftheirstate-roomdoors,oreventhrewawrapaboutthemandwentoutintothecorridorstoseewhathadhappened,whileothersturnedoverinbedandcomposedthemselvestosleep,decidingtowaituntilthemorningtohearwhatwasthecauseofthedelay.
Lowerdownintheshiptheyheardalittlemore.Thesuddenharshclashoftheengine-roomtelegraphbellswouldstartlethosewhowerenearenoughtohearit,especiallyasitwasfollowedalmostimmediatelyafterwardsbythesimultaneousringingallthroughthelowerpartoftheshipofthegongsthatgavewarningoftheclosingofthewater-tightdoors.
