“Ye-es，butwhat’stheuseofshowingit？It’sonlyalotofscratchesAllthesame，wemighthave’emreproducedinthebookonthefrontpage。”
　　“I’llattendtothosedetailsShowmewhatyourmenwrote。”
　　Hepulledoutofhispocketasheetofnote-paper，withasinglelineofscratchesuponit，andIputthiscarefullyaway。
　　“WhatisitsupposedtomeaninEnglish？”Isaid。
　　“Oh，Idon’tknowPerhapsitmeans’I’mbeastlytired。’It’sgreatnonsence。”herepeated，“butallthosemenintheshipseemasrealpeopletomeDodosomethingtothenotionsoon；Ishouldliketoseeitwrittenandprinted。”
　　“Butallyou’vetoldmewouldmakealongbook。”
　　“MakeitthenYou’veonlytositdownandwriteitout。”
　　“GivemealittletimeHaveyouanymorenotions？”
　　“NotjustnowI’mreadingallthebooksI’veboughtThey’resplendid。”
　　WhenhehadleftIlookedatthesheetofnote-paperwiththeinscriptionuponitThenItookmyheadtenderlybetweenbothhands，tomakecertainthatitwasnotcomingofforturninground。
　　ThenbutthereseemedtobenointervalbetweenquittingmyroomsandfindingmyselfarguingwithapolicemanoutsideadoormarkedPrivateinacorridoroftheBritishMuseumAllI
　　demanded，aspolitelyaspossible，was“theGreekantiquityman。”
　　ThepolicemanknewnothingexcepttherulesoftheMuseum，anditbecamenecessarytoforagethroughallthehousesandofficesinsidethegatesAnelderlygentlemancalledawayfromhislunchputanendtomysearchbyholdingthenote-paperbetweenfingerandthumbandsniffingatitscornfully。
　　“Whatdoesthismean？H’mm。”saidhe“SofarasIcanascertainitisanattempttowriteextremelycorruptGreekonthepart“-hereheglaredatmewithintention-“ofanextremelyilliterate-ah-
　　person。”Hereadslowlyfromthepaper，“Pollock，Erckman，Tauchnitz，Henniker“-fournamesfamiliartome。
　　“Canyoutellmewhatthecorruptionissupposedtomean-thegistofthething？”Iasked。
　　“Ihavebeen-manytimes-overcomewithwearinessinthisparticularemploymentThatisthemeaning。”Hereturnedmethepaper，andIfledwithoutawordofthanks，explanation，orapology。
　　ImighthavebeenexcusedforforgettingmuchTomeofallmenhadbeengiventhechancetowritethemostmarveloustaleintheworld，nothinglessthanthestoryofaGreekgalley-slave，astoldbyhimselfSmallwonderthathisdreaminghadseemedrealtoCharlieTheFatesthataresocarefultoshutthedoorsofeachsuccessivelifebehindushad，inthiscase，beenneglectful，andCharliewaslooking，thoughthathedidnotknow，wherenevermanhadbeenpermittedtolookwithfullknowledgesinceTimebeganAboveallhewasabsolutelyignorantoftheknowledgesoldtomeforfivepounds；andhewouldretainthatignorance，forbank-clerksdonotunderstandmetempsychosis，andasoundcommercialeducationdoesnotincludeGreekHewouldsupplym~hereIcaperedamongthedumbgodsofEgyptandlaughedintheirbatteredfaces-withmaterialtomakemytalesur~sosurethattheworldwouldhailitasanimpudentandvampedfict~onAndI-Ialonewouldknowthatitwasabsolutelyandliterallytrue1，-I
　　aloneheldthisjeweltomyhandforthecuttingandpolishing。
　　ThereforeIdancedagainamongthegodstillapolicemansawmeandtookstepsinmydirection。
　　ItremainednowonlytoencourageCharlietotalk，andheretherewasnodifficultyButIhadforgottenthoseaccursedbooksofpoetryHecametometimeaftertime，asuselessasasurchargedphonograph-drunkonByron，Shelley，orKeatsKnowingnowwhattheboyhadbeeninhispastlives，anddesperatelyanxiousnottoloseonewordofhisbabble，IcouldnothidefromhimmyrespectandinterestHemisconstruedbothintorespectforthepresentsoulofCharlieMears，towhomlifewasasnewasitwastoAdam，andinterestinhisreadings；andstretchedmypatiencetobreakingpointbyrecitingpoetry-nothisownnow，butthatofothersIwishedeveryEnglishpoetblottedoutofthememoryofmankindIblasphemedthemightiestnamesofsongbecausetheyhaddrawnCharliefromthepathofdirectnarrative，andwould，later，spurhimtoimitatethem；butIchokeddownmyimpatienceuntilthefirstfloodofenthusiasmshouldhavespentitselfandtheboyreturnedtohisdreams。
　　“What’stheuseofmytellingyouwhatIthink，whenthesechapswrotethingsfortheangelstoread？”hegrowled，oneevening。
　　“Whydon’tyouwritesomethingliketheirs？”
　　“Idon’tthinkyou’retreatingmequitefairly。”Isaid，speakingunderstrongrestraint。
　　“I’vegivenyouthestory。”hesaid，shortlyreplunginginto“Lara。”
　　“ButIwantthedetails。”
　　“ThethingsImakeupaboutthatdamnedshipthatyoucallagalley？They’requiteeasyYoucanjustmakeemupyourselfTurnupthegasalittle，Iwanttogoonreading。”
　　IcouldhavebrokenthegasglobeoverhisheadforhisamazingstupidityIcouldindeedmakeupthingsformyselfdidIonlyknowwhatCharliedidnotknowthatheknewButsincethedoorswereshutbehindmeIcouldonlywaithisyouthfulpleasureandstrivetokeephimingoodtemperOneminute’swantofguardmightspoilapricelessrevelation：nowandagainhewouldtosshisbooksaside-hekepttheminmyrooms，forhismotherwouldhavebeenshockedatthewasteofgoodmoneyhadsheseenthem-andlaunchedintohisseadreamsAgainIcursedallthepoetsofEnglandTheplasticmindofthebank-clerkhadbeenoverlaid，coloredanddistortedbythatwhichhehadread，andtheresultasdeliveredwasaconfusedtangleofothervoicesmostlikethemutteredsongthroughaCitytelephoneinthebusiestpartoftheday。
　　Hetalkedofthegalley-hisowngalleyhadhebutknownit-withillustrationsborrowedfromthe“BrideofAbydos。”Hepointedtheexperiencesofhisherowithquotationsfrom“TheCorsair。”andthrewindeepanddesperatemoralreflectionsfrom“Cain“and“Manfred。”expectingmetousethemallOnlywhenthetalkturnedonLongfellowwerethejarringcross-currentsdumb，andI
　　knewthatCharliewasspeakingthetruthasherememberedit。
　　“Whatdoyouthinkofthis？”Isaidoneevening，assoonasI
　　understoodthemediuminwhichhismemoryworkedbest，and，beforehecouldexpostulatereadhimthewholeof“TheSagofKingOlaf！”
　　Helistenedopen-mouthed，flushedhishandsdrummingonthebackofthesofawherehelay，tillIcametotheSongsofEmarTamberskelverandtheverse：
　　“Emarthen，thearrowtakingFromtheloosenedstring，Answered：’ThatwasNorwaybreaking’Neaththyhand，OKing。’“
　　Hegaspedwithpuredelightofsound。
　　“That’sbetterthanByron，alittle。”Iventured。
　　“Better？Whyit’strue！Howcouldhehaveknown？”
　　Iwentbackandrepeated：
　　“’Whatwasthat？’saidOlaf，standingOnthequarter-deck，’SomethingheardIlikethestrandingOfashatteredwreck。’“
　　“Howcouldhehaveknownhowtheshipscrashandtheoarsripoutandgoz-zzpallalongtheline？Whyonlytheothernight。
　　Butgobackpleaseandread’TheSkerryofShrieks’again。”
　　“No，I’mtiredLet’stalkWhathappenedtheothernight？”
　　“IhadanawfulnightmareaboutthatgalleyofoursIdreamedI
　　wasdrownedinafightYouseeweranalongsideanothershipinharborThewaterwasdeadstillexceptwhereouroarswhippeditupYouknowwhereIalwayssitinthegalley？”Hespokehaltinglyatfirst，underafineEnglishfearofbeinglaughedat。
　　“NoThat’snewstome。”Ianswered，meekly，myheartbeginningtobeat。
　　“OnthefourthoarfromthebowontherightsideontheupperdeckTherewerefourofusattheoar，allchainedIrememberwatchingthewaterandtryingtogetmyhandcuffsoffbeforetherowbeganThenweclosedupontheothership，andalltheirfightingmenjumpedoverourbulwarks，andmybenchbrokeandI
　　waspinneddownwiththethreeotherfellowsontopofme，andthebigoarjammedacrossourbacks。”
　　“Well？”Charlie’seyeswerealiveandalightHewaslookingatthewallbehindmychair。
　　“Idon’tknowhowwefoughtThemenweretramplingallovermyback，andIlaylowThenourrowersontheleftside-tiedtotheiroars，youknow-begantoyellandbackwaterIcouldhearthewatersizzle，andwespunroundlikeacockchaferandIknew，lyingwhereIwas，thattherewasagalleycomingupbow-on，toramusontheleftsideIcouldjustliftupmyheadandseehersailoverthebulwarksWewantedtomeetherbowtobow，butitwastoolateWecouldonlyturnalittlebitbecausethegalleyonourrighthadhookedherselfontousandstoppedourmovingThen，bygum！therewasacrash！Ourleftoarsbegantobreakastheothergalley，themovingoney’know，stuckhernoseintothem。
　　Thenthelower-deckoarsshotupthroughthedeck-planking，butfirst，andoneofthemjumpedcleanupintotheairandcamedownagainclosetomyhead。”
　　“Howwasthatmanaged？”
　　“Themovinggalley’sbowwasplunkingthembackthroughtheirownoarholes，andIcouldhearthedevilofashindyinthedecksbelowThenhernosecaughtusnearlyinthemiddle，andwetiltedsideways，andthefellowsintheright-handgalleyunhitchedtheirhooksandropes，andthrewthingsontoourupperdeck-arrows，andhotpitchorsomethingthatstung，andwewentupandupandupontheleftside，andtherightsidedipped，andItwistedmyheadroundandsawthewaterstandstillasittoppedtherightbulwarks，andthenitcurledoverandcrasheddownonthewholelotofusontherightside，andIfeltithitmyback，andIwoke。”
　　“Oneminute，CharlieWhentheseatoppedthebulwarks，whatdiditlooklike？”IhadmyreasonsforaskingAmanofmyacquaintancehadoncegonedownwithaleakingshipinastillsea，andhadseenthewater-levelpauseforaninstantereitfellonthedeck。
　　“Itlookedjustlikeabanjo-stringdrawntight，anditseemedtostaythereforyears。”saidCharlie。
　　Exactly！Theothermanhadsaid：
　　“Itlookedlikeasilverwirelaiddownalongthebulwarks，andI
　　thoughtitwasnevergoingtobreak。”Hehadpaideverythingexceptthebarelifeforthislittlevaluelesspieceofknowledge，andIhadtraveledtenthousandwearymilestomeethimandtakehisknowledgeatsecondhandButCharlie，thebank-clerk，ontwenty-fiveshillingsaweek，hewhobadneverbeenoutofsightofaLondonomnibus，knewitallItwasnoconsolationtomethatonceinhisliveshehadbeenforcedtodieforhisgainsIalsomusthavediedscoresoftimes，buthebiname，becauseIcouldhaveusedmyknowledge，thedoorswereshut。
　　“Andthen？”Isaid，tryingtoputawaythedevilofenvy。
　　“Thefunnythingwas，though，inallthemessIdidn’tfeelabitastonishedorfrightenedItseemedasifI’dbeeninagoodmanyfights，becauseItoldmynextmansowhentherowbeganButthatcadofanoverseeronmydeckwouldn’tunlooseourchainsandgiveusachanceHealwayssaidthatwe’dallhesetfreeafterabattle，butweneverwere；Weneverwere。”Charlieshookhisheadmournfully。
　　“Whatascoundrel！”
　　“IshouldsayhewasHenevergaveusenoughtoeat，andsometimesweweresothirstythatweusedtodrinksalt-waterI
　　cantastethatsalt-waterstill。’’
　　“Nowtellmesomethingabouttheharborwherethefightwasfought。”
　　“Ididn’tdreamaboutthatIknowitwasaharbor，though；becabseweweretieduptoaringonawhitewallandallthefaceofthestoneunderwaterwascoveredwithwoodtopreventourramgettingchippedwhenthetidemadeusrock。”
　　“That’scuriousOurherocommandedthegalley？Didn’the？”
　　“Didn’thejust！Hestoodbythebowsandshoutedlikeagood’un。
　　Hewasthemanwhokilledtheoverseer。”
　　“Butyouwerealldrownedtogether，Charlie，weren’tyou？”
　　“Ican’tmakethatfitquite。”hesaidwithapuzzledlook“ThegalleymusthavegonedownwithallhandsandyetIfancythattheherowentonlivingafterwardPerhapsheclimbedintotheattackingshipIwouldn’tseethat，ofcourseIwasdead，youknow。”
　　Heshiveredslightlyandprotestedthathecouldremembernomore。
　　Ididnotpresshimfurther，buttosatisfymyselfthathelayinignoranceoftheworkingsofhisownmind，deliberatelyintroducedhimtoMortimerCollins’s“Transmigration。”andgavehimasketchoftheplotbeforeheopenedthepages。
　　“Whatrotitallis！”hesaid，frankly，attheendofanhour“Idon’tunderstandhisnonsenseabouttheRedPlanetMarsandtheKing，andtherestofitChuckmetheLongfellowagain。”
　　IhandedhimthebookandwroteoutasmuchasIcouldrememberofhisdescriptionofthesea-fight，appealingtohimfromtimetotimeforconfirmationoffactordetailHewouldanswerwithoutraisinghiseyesfromthebook，asassuredlyasthoughallhisknowledgelaybeforeflintontheprintedpageIspokeunderthenormalkeyofmyvoicethatthecurrentmightnotbebroken，andI。