CHAPTER VI. LONDON.

ofvesselsforacertaincontinentalport,Boue-Marine.Notime,Ifound,wastobelost:thatverynightImusttakemyberth.Imight,indeed,havewaitedtillthemorningbeforegoingonboard,butwouldnotruntheriskofbeingtoolate. “Bettertakeyourberthatonce,ma’am,”counselledthewaiter.Iagreedwithhim,andhavingdischargedmybill,andacknowledgedmyfriend’sservicesataratewhichInowknowwasprincely,andwhichinhiseyesmusthaveseemedabsurd—andindeed,whilepocketingthecash,hesmiledafaintsmilewhichintimatedhisopinionofthedonor’ssavoir-faire—heproceededtocallacoach.Tothedriverhealsorecommendedme,givingatthesametimeaninjunctionabouttakingme,Ithink,tothewharf,andnotleavingmetothewatermenwhichthatfunctionarypromisedtoobserve,butfailedinkeepinghispromise:onthecontrary,heofferedmeupasanoblation,servedmeasadrippingroast,makingmealightinthemidstofathrongofwatermen. Thiswasanuncomfortablecrisis.Itwasadarknight.Thecoachmaninstantlydroveoffassoonashehadgothisfare:thewatermencommencedastruggleformeandmytrunk.TheiroathsIhearatthismoment:theyshookmyphilosophymorethandidthenight,ortheisolation,orthestrangenessofthescene.Onelaidhandsonmytrunk.Ilookedonandwaitedquietlybutwhenanotherlaidhandsonme,Ispokeup,shookoffhistouch,steppedatonceintoaboat,desiredausterelythatthetrunkshouldbeplacedbesideme—“Justthere,”—whichwasinstantlydonefortheowneroftheboatIhadchosenbecamenowanally:Iwasrowedoff. Blackwastheriverasatorrentofinklightsglancedonitfromthepilesofbuildinground,shipsrockedonitsbosom.TheyrowedmeuptoseveralvesselsIreadbylantern-lighttheirnamespaintedingreatwhitelettersonadarkground.“TheOcean,”“ThePhoenix,”“TheConsort,”“TheDolphin,”werepassedinturnsbut“TheVivid”wasmyship,anditseemedshelayfurtherdown. Downthesablefloodweglided,IthoughtoftheStyx,andofCharonrowingsomesolitarysoultotheLandofShades.Amidstthestrangescene,withachillywindblowinginmyfaceandmidnightcloudsdroppingrainabovemyheadwithtworuderowersforcompanions,whoseinsaneoathsstilltorturedmyear,IaskedmyselfifIwaswretchedorterrified.Iwasneither.OfteninmylifehaveIbeenfarmoresoundercomparativelysafecircumstances.“Howisthis?”saidI.“MethinksIamanimatedandalert,insteadofbeingdepressedandapprehensive?”Icouldnottellhowitwas. “THEVIVID”startedout,whiteandglaring,fromtheblacknightatlast.—“Hereyouare!”saidthewaterman,andinstantlydemandedsixshillings. “Youasktoomuch,”Isaid.HedrewofffromthevesselandsworehewouldnotembarkmetillIpaidit.Ayoungman,thestewardasIfoundafterwards,waslookingovertheship’ssidehegrinnedasmileinanticipationofthecomingcontesttodisappointhim,Ipaidthemoney.ThreetimesthatafternoonIhadgivencrownswhereIshouldhavegivenshillingsbutIconsoledmyselfwiththereflection,“Itisthepriceofexperience.” “They’vecheatedyou!”saidthestewardexultinglywhenIgotonboard.Iansweredphlegmaticallythat“Iknewit,”andwentbelow. Astout,handsome,andshowywomanwasintheladies’cabin.Iaskedtobeshownmyberthshelookedhardatme,mutteredsomethingaboutitsbeingunusualforpassengerstocomeonboardatthathour,andseemeddisposedtobelessthancivil.Whatafaceshehad—socomely—soinsolentandsoselfish! “NowthatIamonboard,Ishallcertainlystayhere,”wasmyanswer.“Iwilltroubleyoutoshowmemyberth.” Shecomplied,butsullenly.Itookoffmybonnet,arrangedmythings,andlaydown.Somedifficultieshadbeenpassedthroughasortofvictorywaswon:myhomeless,anchorless,unsupportedmindhadagainleisureforabriefrepose.Tillthe“Vivid”arrivedinharbour,nofurtheractionwouldberequiredofmebutthen….Oh!Icouldnotlookforward.Harassed,exhausted,Ilayinahalf-trance. Thestewardesstalkedallnightnottomebuttotheyoungsteward,hersonandherverypicture.Hepassedinandoutofthecabincontinually:theydisputed,theyquarrelled,theymadeitupagaintwentytimesinthecourseofthenight.Sheprofessedtobewritingaletterhome—shesaidtoherfathershereadpassagesofitaloud,heedingmenomorethanastock—perhapsshebelievedmeasleep.Severalofthesepassagesappearedtocomprisefamilysecrets,andborespecialreferencetoone“Charlotte,”ayoungersisterwho,fromthebearingoftheepistle,seemedtobeonthebrinkofperpetratingaromanticandimprudentmatchloudwastheprotestofthiselderladyagainstthedistastefulunion.Thedutifulsonlaughedhismother’scorrespondencetoscorn.Shed