Титанік
Chapter 1
AndwhenyouhavepassedthegatesthattheyguardyouareinBelfastHarbour,instillandmuddywaterthatsmellsofthelandandnotofthesea;foryouseemalreadytobefarfromthethingsofthesea.
Asyouhaveenteredthenarrowchannelanewsound,alsofardifferentfromtheliquidsoundsofthesea,fallsonyourear;atfirstalowsonorousmurmuringlikethesoundofbeesinagianthive,thatrisestoaringingcontinuousmusicthemultitudinousclamourofthousandsofblowsofmetalonmetal.Andturningtolookwhencethesoundarisesyouseemindeedtohaveleftthelastofthethingsoftheseabehindyou;foronyourleft,ontheflattestofthemudflats,arisesaveritableforestofiron;aleaflessforest,ofthousandsuponthousandsofbarerustytrunksandbranchesthattowerhigherthananyforesttreesinourland,andlookliketheruinsofsomegiantgrovesubmergedbytheseainthebrownautumnofitslife,strippedofitsleavesandlaidbareagain,thedeadandrustyremnantsofaforest.Thereisnothingwithanybroadorcontinuoussurfaceonlythousandsandthousandsofironbrancheswiththegrayskyandthesmokeshowingthroughthemeverywhere,giantcobwebshangingbetweenearthandthesky,intricate,meaninglessnetworksoftrunksandbranchesandsticksandtwigsofiron.
Butasyouglidenearerstillyouseethattheforestisnotlifeless,noritsbranchesdeserted.
