’Butwhathasthistodowiththepicture？’
　　’WaitaminuteShehadbeenintheChinapassengertradeandherlowerdeckshadbunksfortwothousandpigtailsThosewerealltakendown，andshewasemptyuptohernose，andthelightscamethroughtheportholes——mostannoyinglightstoworkintillyougotusedtothemI
　　hadn’tanythingtodoforweeksTheship’schartswereinpiecesandourskipperdaren’trunsouthforfearofcatchingastormSohedidhisbesttoknockalltheSocietyIslandsoutofthewateronebyone，andI
　　wentintothelowerdeck，anddidmypictureontheportsideasfarforwardinherasIcouldgoTherewassomebrownpaintandsomegreenpaintthattheyusedfortheboats，andsomeblackpaintforironwork，andthatwasallIhad。’
　　’Thepassengersmusthavethoughtyoumad。’
　　’Therewasonlyone，anditwasawoman；butitgavemethenotionofmypicture。’
　　’Whatwasshelike？’saidTorpenhow。
　　’ShewasasortofNegroid-Jewess-Cuban；withmoralstomatch。
　　Shecouldn’treadorwrite，andshedidn’twantto，butsheusedtocomedownandwatchmepaint，andtheskipperdidn’tlikeit，becausehewaspayingherpassageandhadtobeonthebridgeoccasionally。’
　　’IseeThatmusthavebeencheerful。’
　　’ItwasthebesttimeIeverhadTobeginwith，wedidn’tknowwhetherweshouldgouporgodownanyminutewhentherewasaseaon；
　　andwhenitwascalmitwasparadise；andthewomanusedtomixthepaintsandtalkbrokenEnglish，andtheskipperusedtostealdowneveryfewminutestothelowerdeck，becausehesaidhewasafraidoffire。
　　So，yousee，wecouldnevertellwhenwemightbecaught，andIhadasplendidnotiontoworkoutinonlythreekeysofcolour。’
　　’Whatwasthenotion？’
　　’TwolinesinPoe——
　　NeithertheanglesinHeavenabovenorthedemonsdownunderthesea，CaneverdissevermysoulfromthesoulofthebeautifulAnnabelLee。
　　Itcameoutofthesea——allbyitselfIdrewthatfight，foughtoutingreenwateroverthenaked，chokingsoul，andthewomanservedasthemodelforthedevilsandtheangelsboth——sea-devilsandsea-angels，andthesoulhalfdrownedbetweenthemItdoesn’tsoundmuch，butwhentherewasagoodlightonthelowerdeckitlookedveryfineandcreepyItwassevenbyfourteenfeet，alldoneinshiftinglightforshiftinglight。’
　　’Didthewomaninspireyoumuch？’saidTorpenhow。
　　’Sheandtheseabetweenthem——immenselyTherewasaheapofbaddrawinginthatpictureIrememberIwentoutofmywaytoforeshortenforsheerdelightofdoingit，andIforeshorteneddamnably，butforallthatit’sthebestthingI’veeverdone；andnowIsupposetheship’sbrokenuporgonedownWhew！Whatatimethatwas！’
　　’Whathappenedafterall？’
　　’ItallendedTheywereloadingherwithwoolwhenIlefttheship，buteventhestevedoreskeptthepicturecleartothelastTheeyesofthedemonsscaredthem，Ihonestlybelieve。’
　　’Andthewoman？’
　　’ShewasscaredtoowhenitwasfinishedSheusedtocrossherselfbeforeshewentdowntolookatitJustthreecoloursandnochanceofgettinganymore，andtheseaoutsideandunlimitedlove-makinginside，andthefearofdeathatopofeverythingelse，OLord！’Hehadceasedtolookatthesketch，butwasstaringstraightinfrontofhimacrosstheroom。
　　’Whydon’tyoutrysomethingofthesamekindnow？’saidtheNilghai。
　　’BecausethosethingscomenotbyfastingandprayerWhenIfindacargo-boatandaJewess-Cubanandanothernotionandthesameoldlife，Imay。’
　　’Youwon’tfindthemhere，’saidtheNilghai。
　　’No，Ishallnot。’Dickshutthesketch-bookwithabang’Thisroom’sashotasanovenOpenthewindow，someone。’
　　Heleanedintothedarkness，watchingthegreaterdarknessofLondonbelowhimThechambersstoodmuchhigherthantheotherhouses，commandingahundredchimneys——crookedcowlsthatlookedlikesittingcatsastheyswunground，andotheruncouthbrickandzincmysteriessupportedbyironstanchionsandclampedby8-piecesNorthwardthelightsofPiccadillyCircusandLeicesterSquarethrewacopper-colouredglareabovetheblackroofs，andsouthwardbyalltheorderlylightsoftheThamesAtrainrolledoutacrossoneoftherailwaybridges，anditsthunderdrownedforaminutethedullroarofthestreetsTheNilghailookedathiswatchandsaidshortly，’That’stheParisnight-mail。
　　YoucanbookfromheretoStPetersburgifyouchoose。’
　　DickcrammedheadandshouldersoutofthewindowandlookedacrosstheriverTorpenhowcametohisside，whiletheNilghaipassedoverquietlytothepianoandopeneditBinkie，makinghimselfaslargeaspossible，spreadoutuponthesofawiththeairofonewhoisnottobelightlydisturbed。
　　’Well，’saidtheNilghaitothetwopairsofshoulders，’haveyouneverseenthisplacebefore？’
　　Asteam-tugontheriverhootedasshetowedherbargestowharf。
　　ThentheboomofthetrafficcameintotheroomTorpenhownudgedDick。
　　’Goodplacetobankin——badplacetobunkin，Dickie，isn’tit？’
　　Dick’schinwasinhishandasheanswered，inthewordsofageneralnotwithoutfame，stilllookingoutonthedarkness——’“MyGod，whatacitytoloot！”’
　　Binkiefoundthenightairticklinghiswhiskersandsneezedplaintively。
　　’WeshallgivetheBinkie-dogacold，’saidTorpenhow’Comein，’
　　andtheywithdrewtheirheads’You’llbeburiedinKensalGreen，Dick，oneofthesedays，ifitisn’tclosedbythetimeyouwanttogothere——buriedwithintwofeetofsomeoneelse，hiswifeandhisfamily。’
　　’Allahforbid！IshallgetawaybeforethattimecomesGiveamanroomtostretchhislegs，MrBinkie。’DickflunghimselfdownonthesofaandtweakedBinkie’svelvetears，yawningheavilythewhile。
　　’You’llfindthatwardrobe-caseverymuchoutoftune，’TorpenhowsaidtotheNilghai’It’snevertouchedexceptbyyou。’
　　’Apieceofgrossextravagance，’Dickgrunted’TheNilghaionlycomeswhenI’mout。’
　　’That’sbecauseyou’realwaysoutHowl，Nilghai，andlethimhear。’
　　’ThelifeoftheNilghaiisfraudandslaughter，HiswritingsarewateredDickensandwater；
　　ButthevoiceoftheNilghairaisedonhighMakeseventheMahdiehgladtodie！’
　　DickquotedfromTorpenhow’sletterpressintheNungapungaBook。
　　’HowdotheycallmooseinCanada，Nilghai？’
　　ThemanlaughedSingingwashisonepoliteaccomplishment，asmanyPress-tentsinfar-offlandshadknown。
　　’WhatshallIsing？’saidhe，turninginthechair。
　　’“MollRoeintheMorning。”’saidTorpenhow，ataventure。
　　’No，’saidDick，sharply，andtheNilghaiopenedhiseyesTheoldchantywhereofhe，amongaveryfew，possessedallthewordswasnotaprettyone，butDickhadhearditmanytimesbeforewithoutwincing。
　　Withoutpreludehelaunchedintothatstatelytunethatcallstogetherandtroublestheheartsofthegipsiesofthesea——
　　’Farewellandadieutoyou，Spanishladies，Farewellandadieutoyou，ladiesofSpain。’
　　Dickturneduneasilyonthesofa，forhecouldhearthebowsoftheBarralongcrashingintothegreenseasonherwaytotheSouthernCross。
　　Thencamethechorus——
　　’We’llrantandwe’llroarliketrueBritishsailors，We’llrantandwe’llroaracrossthesaltseas，UntilwetakesoundingsintheChannelofOldEnglandFromUshanttoScilly’tisforty-fiveleagues。’
　　’Thirty-five-thirty-five，’saidDick，petulantly’Don’ttamperwithHolyWritGoon，Nilghai。’
　　’ThefirstlandwemadeitwascalledtheDeadman，’
　　andtheysangtotheendveryvigourously。
　　’Thatwouldbeabettersongifherheadwereturnedtheotherway——totheUshantlight，forinstance，’saidtheNilghai。
　　’Flinginghisarmsaboutlikeamadwindmill，’saidTorpenhow。
　　’Giveussomethingelse，NilghaiYou’reinfinefog-hornformtonight。’
　　’Giveusthe“GangesPilot“；yousangthatinthesquarethenightbeforeEl-MaghribBytheway，Iwonderhowmanyofthechorusarealiveto-night，’saidDick。
　　Torpenhowconsideredforaminute’ByJove！IbelieveonlyyouandI。
　　Raynor，Vicery，andDeenes——alldead；VincentcaughtsmallpoxinCairo，carriedithereanddiedofitYes，onlyyouandIandtheNilghai。’
　　’Umph！Andyetthemenherewho’vedonetheirworkinawell-warmedstudioalltheirlives，withapolicemanateachcorner，saythatI
　　chargetoomuchformypictures。’
　　’Theyarebuyingyourwork，notyourinsurancepolicies，dearchild，’
　　saidtheNilghai。
　　’IgambledwithonetogetattheotherDon’tpreachGoonwiththe“Pilot。”Whereintheworlddidyougetthatsong？’
　　’Onatombstone，’saidtheNilghai’OnatombstoneinadistantlandI
　　madeitanaccompanimentwithheapsofbasechords。’
　　’Oh，Vanity！Begin。’AndtheNilghaibegan——
　　’Ihaveslippedmycable，messmates，I’mdriftingdownwiththetide，Ihavemysailingorders，whileyetananchorride。
　　AndneveronfairJunemorninghaveIputouttoseaWithclearerconscienceorbetterhope，oraheartmorelightandfree。
　　’Shouldertoshoulder，Joe，myboy，intothecrowdlikeawedgeStrikewiththehangers，messmates，butdonotcutwiththeedge。
　　CriesCharnock，“Scatterthefaggots，doublethatBrahminintwo，Thetallpalewidowforme，Joe，thelittlebrowngirlforyou！”
　　’YoungJoeyou’renearingsixty，whyisyourhidesodark？
　　Katiehassoftfairblueeyes，whoblackenedyours？——Why，hark！’
　　Theywereallsingingnow，Dickwiththeroarofthewindoftheopenseaabouthisearsasthedeepbassvoiceletitselfgo。
　　’Themorninggun——Ho，steady！thearquebusestome！
　　Iha’soundedtheDutchHighAdmiral’sheartasmyleaddothsoundthesea。
　　’Sounding，soundingtheGanges，floatingdownwiththetide，MooremeclosetoCharnock，nexttomynut-brownbride。
　　MyblessingtoKateatFairlight——Holwell，mythankstoyou；
　　Steady！Westeerforheaven，throughsand-driftscoldandblue。’
　　’Nowwhatisthereinthatnonsensetomakeamanrestless？’saidDick，haulingBinkiefromhisfeettohischest。
　　’Itdependsontheman，’saidTorpenhow。
　　’Themanwhohasbeendowntolookatthesea，’saidtheNilghai。
　　’Ididn’tknowshewasgoingtoupsetmeinthisfashion。’
　　’That’swhatmensaywhentheygotosaygood-byetoawomanIt’smoreeasythoughtogetridofthreewomenthanapieceofone’slifeandsurroundings。’
　　’Butawomancanbe——’beganDick，unguardedly。
　　’Apieceofone’slife，’continuedTorpenhow’No，shecan’tHisfacedarkenedforamoment’Shesaysshewantstosympathisewithyouandhelpyouinyourwork，andeverythingelsethatclearlyamanmustdoforhimselfThenshesendsroundfivenotesadaytoaskwhythedickensyouhaven’tbeenwastingyourtimewithher。’
　　’Don’tgeneralise，’saidtheNilghai’Bythetimeyouarriveatfivenotesadayyoumusthavegonethroughagooddealandbehavedaccordingly。
　　Shouldn’tbeginthesethings，myson。’
　　’Ishouldn’thavegonedowntothesea，’saidDick，justalittleanxioustochangetheconversation’Andyoushouldn’thavesung。’
　　’Theseaisn’tsendingyoufivenotesaday，’saidtheNilghai。
　　’No，butI’mfatallycompromisedShe’sanenduringoldhag，andI’msorryIevermetherWhywasn’tIbornandbredanddeadinathree-pairback？’
　　’Hearhimblaspheminghisfirstlove！Whyintheworldshouldn’tyoulistentoher？’saidTorpenhow。
　　BeforeDickcouldreplytheNilghailifteduphisvoicewithashoutthatshookthewindows，in’TheMenoftheSea，’thatbegins，asallknow，’Theseaisawickedoldwoman，’andafterradingthrougheightlineswhoseimageryistruthful，endsinarefrain，slowastheclackingofacapstanwhentheboatcomesunwillinglyuptothebarswherethemensweatandtrampintheshingle。
　　’“Yethatboreus，Orestoreus！
　　Sheiskinderthanye；
　　Forthecallisonourheart-strings！”
　　SaidTheMenoftheSea。’
　　TheNilghaisangthatversetwice，withsimplecunning，intendingthatDickshouldhearButDickwaswaitingforthefarewellofthementotheirwives。
　　’“Yethatloveus，canyemoveus？
　　Sheisdearerthanye；
　　Andyoursleepwillbethesweeter。”
　　SaidTheMenoftheSea。’