Титанік
Chapter 1
Fromthebottomtothetopmostboughsitiscrowdedwithalifethatatfirstseemslikethatofmitesintheintersticesofsomerottingfabric,andthenlikebirdscrowdingthebranchesoftheleaflessforest,andfinallyappearsasamultitudeofpigmymenswarmingandtoilingamidtheskeletonironstructuresthatareasvastascathedralsandseemasfrailasgossamer.Itisfromthemthattheclamourarises,theclamourthatseemedsogentleandmusicalamileaway,andthatnow,asyoucomecloser,growsstridentanddeafening.Ofallthesoundsproducedbyman’slabourintheworldthissoundofagreatshipbuildingyardisthemostpainful.Onlytheharshestmaterialsandtheharshestactionsareengagedinproducingit:ironstruckuponiron,orsteelsmittenuponsteel,orsteeluponiron,orironuponsteelthatandnothingelse,dayin,dayout,yearinandyearout,amilliontimesaminute.Itisanendless,continuousbirth-agony,thatshouldheraldtheappearanceofsomegiantsoul.Andgreatindeedshouldbetheoverturetosuchanagony;foritisherethatoffireandsteel,andthesweatandpainofmillionsofhoursofstrongmen’slabour,werebornthosetwogiantchildrenthatweredestinedbymanfinallytoconquerthesea.
InthisawfulwombtheTitanictookshape.Formonthsandmonthsinthatmonstrousironenclosuretherewasnothingthathadthefaintestlikenesstoaship;onlysomethingthatmighthavebeentheironscaffoldingforthenavesofhalf-a-dozencathedralslaidendtoend.
