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II
InthemomentofprofoundsilencewhichfollowsuponthehandsgoingtotheirstationsIheardonthepoophisraisedvoice:“Hardalee!”andthedistantshoutoftheorderrepeatedonthemain-deck.Thesails,inthatlightbreeze,madebutafaintflutteringnoise.Itceased.Theshipwascomingroundslowly:Iheldmybreathintherenewedstillnessofexpectation;onewouldn’thavethoughtthattherewasasinglelivingsoulonherdecks.Asuddenbriskshout,“Mainsailhaul!”brokethespell,andinthenoisycriesandrushoverheadofthemenrunningawaywiththemainbracewetwo,downinmycabin,cametogetherinourusualpositionbythebedplace.
Hedidnotwaitformyquestion.“Iheardhimfumblinghereandjustmanagedtosquatmyselfdowninthebath,”hewhisperedtome.“Thefellowonlyopenedthedoorandputhisarmintohangthecoatup.Allthesame—”
“Ineverthoughtofthat,”Iwhisperedback,evenmoreappalledthanbeforeattheclosenessoftheshave,andmarvelingatthatsomethingunyieldinginhischaracterwhichwascarryinghimthroughsofinely.Therewasnoagitationinhiswhisper.Whoeverwasbeingdrivendistracted,itwasnothe.Hewassane.Andtheproofofhissanitywascontinuedwhenhetookupthewhisperingagain.
“Itwouldneverdoformetocometolifeagain.”
Itwassomethingthataghostmighthavesaid.Butwhathewasalludingtowashisoldcaptain’sreluctantadmissionofthetheoryofsuicide.Itwouldobviouslyservehisturn—ifIhadunderstoodatalltheviewwhichseemedtogoverntheunalterablepurposeofhisaction.
