Charliehadneverfalleninlove，butwasanxioustodosoonthefirstopportunity；hebelievedinallthingsgoodandallthingshonorable，but，atthesametime，wascuriouslycarefultoletmeseethatheknewhiswayabouttheworldasbefittedabankclerkontwenty-fiveshillingsaweekHerhymed“dove“with“love“
　　and“moon“with“June。”anddevoutlybelievedthattheyhadneversobeenrhymedbeforeThelonglamegapsinhisplayshefilledupwithhastywordsofapologyanddescriptionandswepton，seeingallthatheintendedtodosoclearlythatheesteemeditalreadydone，andturnedtomeforapplause。
　　Ifancythathismotherdidnotencouragehisaspirations，andI
　　knowthathiswriting-tableathomewastheedgeofhiswashstand。
　　Thishetoldmealmostattheoutsetofouracquaintance；whenhewasravagingmybookshelves，andalittlebeforeIwasimploredtospeakthetruthastohischancesof“writingsomethingreallygreat，youknow。”MaybeIencouragedhimtoomuch，for，onenight，hecalledonme，hiseyesflamingwithexcitement，andsaidbreathlessly：
　　“Doyoumind-canyouletmestayhereandwriteallthisevening？
　　Iwon’tinterruptyou，Iwon’treallyThere’snoplaceformetowriteinatmymother’s。”
　　“What’sthetrouble？”Isaid，knowingwellwhatthattroublewas。
　　“I’veanotioninmyheadthatwouldmakethemostsplendidstorythatwaseverwrittenDoletmewriteitouthereIt’ssuckanotion！”
　　TherewasnoresistingtheappealIsethimatable；hehardlythankedme，butplungedintotheworkatonceForhalfanhourthepenscratchedwithoutstoppingThenCharliesighedandtuggedhishairThescratchinggrewslower，thereweremoreerasures，andatlastceasedThefineststoryintheworldwouldnotcomeforth。
　　“Itlookssuchawfulrotnow“hesaid，mournfully“AndyetitseemedsogoodwhenIwasthinkingaboutit~~hat’swrong？”
　　IcouldnotdisheartenhimbysayingthetruthSoIanswered：
　　“Perhapsyoudon’tfeelinthemoodforwriting。”
　　“YesIdo-exceptwhenIlookatthisstuffUgh！”
　　“Readmewhatyou’vedone。”IsaidHeread，anditwaswondrousbadandhepausedatallthespeciallyturgidsentences，expectingalittleapproval；forhewasproudofthosesentences，asIknewhewouldbe。
　　“Itneedscompression。”Isuggested，cautiously。
　　“IhatecuttingmythingsdownIdon’tthinkyoucouldalterawordherewithoutspoilingthesenseItreadsbetteraloudthanwhenIwaswritingit。”
　　“Charlie，you’resufferingfromanalarmingdiseaseafflictinganumerousclassPutthethingby，andtackleitagaininaweek。”
　　“IwanttodoitatonceWhatdoyouthinkofit？”
　　“HowcanIjudgefromahalf-writtentale？Tellmethestoryasitliesinyourhead。”
　　Charlietold，andinthetellingtherewaseverythingthathisignorancehadsocarefullypreventedfromescapingintothewrittenwordIlookedathim，andwonderingwhetheritwerepossible，thathedidnotknowtheoriginality，thepowerofthenotionthathadcomeinhisway？ItwasdistinctlyaNotionamongnotionsMenhadbeenpuffedupwithpridebynotionsnotatitheasexcellentandpracticableButCharliebabbledonserenely，interruptingthecurrentofpurefancywithsamplesofhorriblesentencesthathepurposedtouseIheardhimouttotheendItwouldbefollytoallowhisideatoremaininhisowninepthands，whenIcoulddosomuchwithitNotallthatcouldbedoneindeed；but，ohsomuch！
　　“Whatdoyouthink？”hesaid，atlast“IfancyIshallcallit’TheStoryofaShip。’“
　　“Ithinktheidea’sprettygood；butyouwon’theabletohandleitforeversolongNowI“-“Woulditbeofanyusetoyou？
　　Wouldyoucaretotakeit？Ishouldbeproud。”saidCharlie，promptly。
　　Therearefewthingssweeterinthisworldthantheguileless，hot-headed，intemperate，openadmirationofajuniorEvenawomaninherblindestdevotiondoesnotfallintothegaitofthemansheadores，tiltherbonnettotheangleatwhichhewearshishat，orinterlardherspeechwithhispetoathsAndCharliedidallthesethingsStillitwasnecessarytosalvemyconsciencebeforeI
　　possessedmyselfofCharlie’sthoughts。
　　“Let’smakeabargainI’llgiveyouafiverforthenotion。”Isaid。
　　Charliebecameabank-clerkatonce。
　　“Oh，that’simpossibleBetweentwopals，youknow，ifImaycallyouso，andspeakingasamanoftheworld，Icouldn’tTakethenotionifit’sanyusetoyouI’veheapsmore。”
　　Hehad-noneknewthisbetterthanI-
　　buttheywerethenotionsofothermen。
　　“Lookatitasamatterofbusiness-betweenmenoftheworld。”I
　　returned“Fivepoundswillbuyyouanynumberofpoetry-books。
　　Businessisbusiness，andyoumaybesureIshouldn’tgivethatpriceunless“-“Oh，ifyouputitthatway。”saidCharlie，visiblymovedbythethoughtofthebooksThebargainwasclinchedwithanagreementthatheshouldatun>statedintervalscometomewithallthenotionsthathepossessed，shouldhaveatableofhisowntowriteat，andunquestionedrighttoinflictuponmeallhispoemsandfragmentsofpoemsThenIsaid，“Nowtellmehowyoucamebythisidea。”
　　“Itcamebyitself。”Charlie’seyesopenedalittle。
　　“Yes，butyoutoldmeagreatdealabouttheherothatyoumusthavereadbeforesomewhere。”
　　“Ihaven’tanytimeforreading，exceptwhenyouletmesithere，andonSundaysI’monmybicycleordowntheriverallday。
　　There’snothingwrongaboutthehero，isthere？”
　　“TellmeagainandIshallunderstandclearlyYousaythatyourherowentpiratingHowdidhelive？”
　　“Hewasonthelowerdeckofthisship-thingthatIwastellingyouabout。”
　　“Whatsortofship？”
　　“Itwasthekindrowedwithoars，andtheseaspurtsthroughtheoar-holesandthemenrowsittinguptotheirkneesinwaterThenthere’sabenchrunningdownbetweenthetwolinesofoarsandanoverseerwithawhipwalksupanddownthebenchtomakethemenwork。”
　　“Howdoyouknowthat？”
　　“It’sinthetableThere’saroperunningoverhead，loopedtotheupperdeck，fortheoverseertocatchholdofwhentheshiprolls。
　　Whentheoverseermissestheropeonceandfallsamongtherowers，remembertheherolaughsathimandgetslickedforit。
　　He’schainedtohisoarofcourse-thehero。”
　　’~Howishechained？”
　　“Withanironbandroundhiswaistfixedtothebenchhesitson，andasortofhandcuffonhisleftwristchaininghimtotheoar。
　　He’sonthelowerdeckwheretheworstmenareent，andtheonlylightcomesfromthehatchwaysandthroughtheoar-holesCan’tyouimaginethesunlightjustsqueezingthroughbetweenthehandleandtheholeandwobblingaboutastheshipmoves？”
　　“Ican，butIcan’timagineyourimaginingit。”
　　“Howcoulditbeanyotherway？NowyoulistentomeThelongoarsontheupperdeckaremanagedbyfourmentoeachbench，theloweronesbythree，andthelowestofallbytwoRememberit’squitedarkonthelowestdeckandallthementheregomad。
　　Whenamandiesathisoaronthatdeckheisn’tthrownoverboard，butcutupinhischainsandstuffedthroughtheoar-holeinlittlepieces。”
　　“Why？”Idemanded，amazed，notsomuchattheinformationasthetoneofcommandinwhichitwasflungout。
　　“TosavetroubleandtofrightentheothersItneedstwooverseerstodragaman’sbodyuptothetopdeck；andifthemenatthelowerdeckoarswereleftalone，ofcoursethey’dstoprowingandtrytopullupthebenchesbyallstandinguptogetherintheirchains。”
　　“You’veamostprovidentimaginationWherehaveyoubeenreadingaboutgalleysandgalley-slaves？”
　　“NowherethatIrememberIrowalittlewhenIgetthechance。
　　But，perhaps，ifyousayso，Imayhavereadsomething。”
　　Hewentawayshortlyafterwardtodealwithbooksellers，andI
　　wonderedhowabankclerkagedtwentycouldputintomyhandswithaprofligateabundanceofdetail，allgivenwithabsoluteassurance，thestoryofextravagantandbloodthirstyadventure，riot，piracy，anddeathinunnamedseasHehadledhisheroadesperatedancethroughrevoltagainsttheoverseas，tocommandofashipofhisown，andultimateestablishmentofakingdomonanisland“somewhereinthesea，youknow“；and，delightedwithmypaltryfivepounds，hadgoneouttobuythenotionsofothermen，thatthesemightteachhimhowtowriteIhadtheconsolationofknowingthatthisnotionwasminebyrightofpurchase，andIthoughtthatIcouldmakesomethingofit。
　　Whennexthecametomehewasdrunk-royallydrunkonmanypoetsforthefirsttimerevealedtohimHispupilsweredilated，hiswordstumbledovereachother，andhewrappedhimselfinquotationsMostofallwashedrunkwithLongfellow。
　　“Isn’titsplendid？Isn’titsuperb？”hecried，afterhastygreetings。
　　“Listentothis-
　　“’Would~tthou，’sothehelmsmananswered，’Knowthesecretofthesea？
　　OnlythosewhobraveitsdangersComprehenditsmystery。’
　　Bygum！
　　“’OnlythosewhobraveitsdangersComprehenditsmystery。’“
　　berepeatedtwentytimes，walkingupanddowntheroomandforgettingme“ButIcanunderstandittoo。”hesaidtohimself“I
　　don’tknowhowtothankyouforthatfiverAndthis；listen-
　　“’IremembertheblackwharvesandtheshipsAndthesea-tidestossingfree，AndtheSpanishsailorswithbeardedlips，Andthebeautyandmysteryoftheships，Andthemagicofthesea。’
　　Ihaven’tbravedanydangers，butIfeelasifIknewallaboutit。”
　　“YoucertainlyseemtohaveagripoftheseaHaveyoueverseenit？”
　　“WhenIwasalittlechapIwenttoBrightononce；weusedtoliveinCoventry，though，beforewecametoLondonIneversawit，’WhendescendsontheAtlanticThegiganticStorm-windoftheEquinox。’“
　　Heshookmebytheshouldertomakemeunderstandthepassionthatwasshakinghimself。
　　“Whenthatstormcomes。”hecontinued，“IthinkthatalltheoarsintheshipthatIwastalkingaboutgetbroken，andtherowershavetheirchestssmashedinbythebuckingoar-headsBytheway，haveyoudoneanythingwiththatnotionofmineyet？”
　　“NoIwaswaitingtohearmoreofitfromyouTellmehowintheworldyouresocertainaboutthefittingsoftheshipYouknownothingofships。”
　　“Idon’tknowIt’sasrealasanythingtomeuntilItrytowriteitdownIwasthinkingaboutitonlylastnightinbed，afteryouhadloanedme’TreasureIsland’；andImadeupaawholelotofnewthingstogointothestory。”
　　“Whatsortofthings？”
　　“Aboutthefoodthemenate；rottenfigsandblackbeansandwineinaskinbag，passedfrombenchtobench。”
　　“Wastheshipbuiltsolongagoasthat？”
　　“Aswhat？Idon’tknowwhetheritwaslongagoornotIt’sonlyanotion，butsometimesitseemsjustasrealasifitwastrueDoI
　　botheryouwithtalkingaboutit？”
　　“NotintheleastDidyoumakeupanythingelse？”
　　“Yes，butit’snonsense。”Charlieflushedalittle。
　　“Nevermind；let’shearaboutit。”
　　“Well，Iwasthinkingoverthestory，andafterawhileIgotoutofbedandwrotedownonapieceofpaperthesortofstuffthemenmightbesupposedtoscratchontheiroarswiththeedgesoftheirhandcuffsItseemedtomakethethingmorelifelikeItissorealtome，y’know。”
　　“Haveyouthepaperonyou？”