Титаник
Chapter 9
Andrewshadtosay,andconsultedwiththeengineer,andsoonfoundthatthewholeoftheship’sbottomwasbeingflooded.Therewereothercircumstancescalculatedtomakethemostsanguineship-masteruneasy.Already,withinhalfanhour,theTitanicwasperceptiblydownbythehead.Shewouldremainstationaryforfiveminutesandthendropsixinchesorafoot;remainstationaryagain,anddropanotherfootacircumstanceominoustoexperiencedminds,suggestingthatsomeofthesmallercompartmentsforwardwereonebyonebeingflooded,andlettingthewaterfartherandfartherintoherhull.
Thereforeatabouttwenty-fiveminutespastmidnighttheCaptaingaveordersforthepassengerstobecalledandmusteredontheboatdeck.Alltheship’screwhadbythistimebeensummonedtotheirvariousstations;andnowthroughallthecarpetedcorridors,throughthecompanion-waysandupanddownstaircases,leadingtothesteeragecabins,anarmyofthreehundredstewardswashurrying,knockingloudlyondoors,andshoutingupanddownthepassages,“Allpassengersondeckwithlife-beltson!”Thesummonscametomanyintheirsleep;andtosomeinthecurtainedfirelightluxuryoftheirdeckstate-roomsitseemedanordersoabsurdthattheyscornedit,andactuallywentbacktobedagain.These,however,wererareexceptions;formostpeopletherewasnomistakingtheurgencyofthecommand,eventhoughtheywereslowtounderstandthenecessityforit
