Титаник

           Theboatsswungandswayedinthedavits;eventhecalmsea,nowthattheylookedatitmoreclosely,wasseentobenotabsolutelylikeamillpond,buttohaveacertainmovementonitssurfacewhich,althoughutterlyhelplesstomovethehugebulkoftheTitanic,againstwhosesidesitlapped,asineffectuallyasagainstthewallsofadock,wasenoughtoimpartaswingingmovementtothesmallboats.Butatlast,whatwithcoercionandpersuasion,aboatwashalffilledwithwomen.Oneofthethingstheylikedleastwasleavingtheirhusbands;theyfeltthattheywerebeingsacrificedneedlesslytoover-elaborateprecautions,anditwashardtoleavethemenstandingcomfortablyonthefirmdeck,shelteredandinafloodofwarmyellowlight,andinthesafetyofthegreatsolidshipthatlayasstillasarock,whiletheyhadtogoout,half-cladandshivering,ontheicywaters.

           Buttheinexorablemovementsofthecrewcontinued.Thepulleyssquealedinthesheaves,thenewropeswerepaidout;andjerkingdownwards,afootortwoatatime,thefirstboatdroppeddowntowardsthewater,paststoreyafterstoreyofthegreatstructure,pastrowsandrowsoflightedportholes,untilatlast,bystrangeunknownregionsoftheship’sside,wherecataractsandwaterfallswererushingintothesea,itrestedonthewaves.Theblockswereunhooked,theheavyashoarswereshipped,andtheboatheadedawayintothedarkness.Andthen,andnottillthen,thoseintheboatrealizedthatsomethingwasseriouslywrongwiththeTitanic.