you as a sort of impostor. You might have had to decline that berth for
some very valid reason. From sheer necessity perhaps. The notice was
too uncommonly short. But under the circumstances you'd have covered
yourself with ignominy."

Our new friend knocked the ashes out of his pipe.

"Quite a mistake," he said. "I am not of the declining sort, though I'll
admit it was something like telling a man that you would like a bath and
in consequence being instantly knocked overboard to sink or swim with
your clothes on. However, I didn't feel as if I were in deep water at
first. I left the shipping office quietly and for a time strolled along
the street as easy as if I had a week before me to fit myself out. But
by and by I reflected that the notice was even shorter than it looked.
The afternoon was well advanced; I had some things to get, a lot of small
matters to attend to, one or two persons to see. One of them was an aunt
of mine, my only relation, who quarrelled with poor father as long as he
lived about some silly matter that had neither right nor wrong to it. She
left her money to me when she died. I used always to go and see her for
decency's sake. I had so much to do before night that I didn't know
where to begin. I felt inclined to sit down on the kerb and hold my head
in my hands. It was as if an engine had been started going under my
skull. Finally I sat down in the first cab that came along and it was a
hard matter to keep on sitting there I can tell you, while we rolled up
and down the streets, pulling up here and there, the parcels accumulating
round me and the engine in my head gathering more way every minute. The
composure of the people on the pavements was provoking to a degree, and
as to the people in shops, they were benumbed, more than half
frozen--imbecile. Funny how it affects you to be in a peculiar state of
mind: everybody that does not act up to your excitement seems so