Титанік
Chapter 17
Itwasassumedtooreadilythat,inthecaseoftheTitanic,thesethingscouldnothappen;itwasassumedtooreadilythatifintheextremeeventtheydidhappen,themanifoldappliancesforsavinglifewouldbeamplysufficientforthesecurityofthepassengers.Thustheylivedinasereneconfidencesuchasnoship’scompanyeverenjoyedbefore,orwillenjoyagainforalongtimetocome.Andthereweregatheredaboutthemalmostallthoseaccessoriesofmateriallifewhicharenecessarytotheparadiseoffools,andareextremelyagreeabletowisermen.
Itwasthisperfectserenityoftheirconditionwhichmadesopoignantthetragedyoftheirsuddenmeetingwithdeaththatpaleangelwhomeverymanknowsthathemustsomedayencounter,butwhommostofushopetofindattheendofsomeroadaverylongwayoffwaitingforuswithcomfortingandsoothinghands.Wedonotexpecttomeethimsuddenlyturningthecornerofthestreet,orinanenvironmentofrefinedandelegantconviviality,orinthemidstofournoondayactivities,oratmidnightonthehighseaswhenwearedreamingonfeatherpillows.ButitwasthusthatthoseontheTitanicencounteredhim,waitingthereintheiceandthestarlight,arrestingtheship’sprogresswithhisout-stretchedarm,andstandingby,waiting,whilethesenseofhiscoldpresencegraduallysanklikeafrostintotheirhearts.
TosaythatallthemenwhodiedontheTitanicwereheroeswouldbeasabsurdastosaythatallwhoweresavedwerecowards.
