The herald., 1897-08-22
JOSEPH CONRAD
author of WINNERS FOLLT. Iie

the main deck Mr.. Baker grunted in
manner bloodthirsty and innocuous;
and kept all our noses to the grind
stone, being-as he once remarked
paid for doing that very thing. The
men working about the deck were
healthy and contented-as most seamen
are when once well out to sea.
| In the evening the cleared decks had
a reposeful aspect like the autumn of
the earth. The sun was sinking to rest,
wrapped in a mantle of warm clouds.
Forward, on the end of the spare spars,
the boatswain and the carpenter sat to-
gether with crossed arms; two men
| friendly powerful. and deep -chested.
Beside them the short, dumpy sailmak-
er-who had been in the Navy-invent-
ed. between the whiffs of his pipe. i'm
possible stories about Admirals. Cou
| plies tramped backward and forward.
keeping step and balance without ef
fort, in a confined space. Pigs grunted
in the big pigstye. Belfast, leaning
| thoughtfully on his elbow, above the
bars communed with them through the
silence OF his meditation. Fellows with
shirts open wide on sunburnt breasts
sat upon the mooring bits, and all up
the steps of the forecastle ladders.
|
circle the characteristics of gentle
man. One said. ITS money as does it."
Another maintained, mo, it's the way
they speak" Lame Knowles stumped
up with an unwashed face Che had the
| distinction of being the dirty man of
the forecastle) and. showing a few vel
low fangs in a shrewd smile, explained
craftily that it was all appearance. 1T
was" he said. "bloomin' easy to be a
gentleman when you had a clean job
for life.''
They disputed endlessly, obstinate
and childish. They were forgetting
| their toll they were forgetting them
selves. The cook approached to hear,
and stood by, beaming with the inward
consciousness of his faith, like a con-
ceited saint unable to forget his glor-
ious reward; Donkin, solitary and
brooding over his wrongs on the fore
castle-head, moved closer to catch the
drift of the discussion below him; he
turned his sallow face to the sea, and
| his thin nostrils moved, shifting the
breeze, as he lounged negligently by the
rail. The walking couples stood still
suddenly, with broad grins; man.
bending over washtub, sat up, en-
tranced, with the soapsuds flecking his
wet arms. Even the three petty officers
listened leaning back, comfortably prop
ped, and with superior smiles. Belfast
left off scratching the ear of his favor
ite pig, and open mouthed, tried with
eager eyes to have his say. He lifted
his arms, grimacing and baffled. From
Il distance Charley screamed at the
ring:
Il know about gentlemen morn any
of you. I've been hintymate with EN-
I've blacked their boots.'
| The cook, craning his neck to hear
| better, was scandalised. Keep your
mouth shut when your elders speak,
you impudent young heathen-you!"
"All right, old Hallelujah, I'm DONE"
answered Charley, soothingly.
The face of Donkin leaning high
shouldered over the after-rail suddenly
became grave. Something like a weak
rattle was heard through the forecas-
tie door. 1t became murmur; 1t ended
in signing groan. The washerman
plunged both his arms into his tub
abruptly; the cook became more crest
fallen than an exposed backslider; the
boatswain moved his shoulders un-
easily; the carpenter got up with a
spring and walked away; while the
sailmaker began to puff at his pipe
with sombre determination. In the
blackness of the doorway u pair of eyes
glimmered white, and big, and staring.
Then James Waits head protruding.
became visible, as if suspended between
the two hands that grasped door post
on each side of the face The tassel of
his blue woollen nightcap. cooked for
ward, danced gaily over his left eye
lid. He stepped out in a tottering
stride. He looked powerful as ever, but
showed a strange and affected unstead-
mess in his gait. His face was perhaps
a trifle thinner, and his eyes appeared
rather startlingy prominent.
The circle broke up. The joy of laugh
ter died on stiffened lips. There was not
a smile left among all the ships COM