Chapter 9

           Wemustnowvisitinimaginationsomeotherpartsoftheship,partsisolatedfromthebridgeandthespacioustempleofluxuryamidships,andtrytounderstandhowtheeventsofthishalfhourappearedtothedenizensofthelowerquartersoftheship.Theimpactthathadbeenscarcelynoticedinthefirst-classquartershadhadmuchmoreeffectdownbelow,andespeciallyforward,wheresomeofthethird-classpassengersandsomeofthecrewwereberthed.Aripping,grindingcrashstartledallbuttheheaviestsleepershereintowakefulness;butitwasoversosoonandwassucceededbysopeacefulasilencethatnodoubtanymomentarypanicitmighthavecausedwassoonallayed.Oneofthefiremendescribingitsaid:“Iwasawakenedbyanoise,andbetweensleepingandwakingIthoughtIwasdreamingthatIwasonatrainthathadrunoffthelines,andthatIwasbeingjoltedabout.”Hejumpedoutandwentondeck,wherehesawthescatteredicelyingabout.“Oh,wehavestruckaniceberg,”hesaid,“that’snothing;Ishallgobackandturnin,”andheactuallywentbacktobedandsleptforhalfanhour,untilhewasturnedouttotakehisstationattheboats.

           Thesteeragepassengers,whowereberthedrightaft,heardnothingandknewnothinguntilthenewsthatanaccidenthadhappenedbeganslowlytofilterdowntothem.Buttherewasnooneinauthoritytogivethemanyofficialnews,andforatimetheywerelefttowonderandspeculateastheychose.