Титанік
Chapter 2
NotuntilshewaswithinfifteenfeetoftheTitanic,whenacollisionseemedimminent,didtheever-presenttugslayholdofherandhaulherbacktocaptivity.
Eventothemostexperiencedtravellerthefirstfewhoursonanewshipareveryconfusing;inthecaseofashiplikethis,containingthepopulationofavillage,theyarebewildering.SotheeighthoursspentbytheTitanicincrossingfromSouthamptontoCherbourgwouldbespentbymostofherpassengersintakingtheirbearings,tryingtofindtheirwayaboutandlookingintoallthewondersofwhichthevoyagemadethemfree.Therewereluxuriesenoughinthesecondclass,andcomfortsenoughinthethirdtomaketheshipawonderonthataccountalone;butitwasthefirst-classpassengers,usedastheyweretoalltheextravagantluxuriesofmoderncivilizedlife,onwhomthediscoveriesofthatfirstdayofsunandwindintheChannelmusthavecomewiththegreatestsurprise.Theyhadheardtheshipdescribedasafloatinghotel;butastheybegantoexplorehertheymusthavefoundthatshecontainedresourcesofaperfectionunattainedbyanyhotel,andluxuriesofakindunknowninpalaces.ThebeautiesofFrenchchateauxandofEnglishcountry-housesofthegreatperiodhadbeendexterouslycombinedwiththatsupremeformofcomfortwhichthemodernEnglishandAmericanshaveraisedtothedignityofafineart.
