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His old； thin hands loosely clasped resting on his crossed legs；
he began by an elementary question； in a mild voice； and went on；
went on。 。 。 。 It lasted for hours； for hours。 Had I been a
strange microbe with potentialities of deadly mischief to the
Merchant Service I could not have been submitted to a more
microscopic examination。 Greatly reassured by his apparent
benevolence； I had been at first very alert in my answers。 But
at length the feeling of my brain getting addled crept upon me。
And still the passionless process went on； with a sense of untold
ages having been spent already on mere preliminaries。 Then I got
frightened。 I was not frightened of being plucked； that
eventuality did not even present itself to my mind。 It was
something much more serious and weird。 〃This ancient person；〃 I
said to myself； terrified； 〃is so near his grave that he must
have lost all notion of time。 He is considering this examination
in terms of eternity。 It is all very well for him。 His race is
run。 But I may find myself coming out of this room into the
world of men a stranger； friendless； forgotten by my very
landlady； even were I able after this endless experience to
remember the way to my hired home。〃 This statement is not so
much of a verbal exaggeration as may be supposed。 Some very
queer thoughts passed through my head while I was considering my
answers； thoughts which had nothing to do with seamanship； nor
yet with anything reasonable known to this earth。 I verily
believe that at times I was light…headed in a sort of languid
way。 At last there fell a silence； and that； too； seemed to last
for ages； while； bending over his desk； the examiner wrote out my
pass…slip slowly with a noiseless pen。 He extended the scrap of
paper to me without a word； inclined his white head gravely to my
parting bow。 。 。 。
When I got out of the room I felt limply flat； like a squeezed
lemon； and the doorkeeper in his glass cage； where I stopped to
get my hat and tip him a shilling； said：
〃Well！ I thought you were never coming out。〃
〃How long have I been in there？〃 I asked； faintly。
He pulled out his watch。
〃He kept you； sir； just under three hours。 I don't think this
ever happened with any of the gentlemen before。〃
It was only when I got out of the building that I began to walk
on air。 And the human animal being averse from change and timid
before the unknown； I said to myself that I really would not mind
being examined by the same man on a future occasion。 But when
the time of ordeal came round again the doorkeeper let me into
another room； with the now familiar paraphernalia of models of
ships and tackle； a board for signals on the wall； a big； long
table covered with official forms and having an unrigged mast
fixed to the edge。 The solitary tenant was unknown to me by
sight； though not by reputation； which was simply execrable。
Short and sturdy； as far as I could judge； clad in an old brown
morning…suit； he sat leaning on his elbow； his hand shading his
eyes； and half averted from the chair I was to occupy on the
other side of the table。 He was motionless； mysterious； remote；
enigmatical； with something mournful； too； in the pose； like that
statue of Giugliano （I think） de Medici shading his face on the
tomb by Michael Angelo； though； of course； he was far； far from
being beautiful。 He began by trying to make me talk nonsense。
But I had been warned of that fiendish trait； and contradicted
him with great assurance。 After a while he left off。 So far
good。 But his immobility； the thick elbow on the table； the
abrupt； unhappy voice； the shaded and averted face grew more and
more impressive。 He kept inscrutably silent for a moment； and
then； placing me in a ship of a certain size； at sea； under
conditions of weather； season； locality； etc。all very clear and
preciseordered me to execute a certain manoeuvre。 Before I was
half through with it he did some material damage to the ship。
Directly I had grappled with the difficulty he caused another to
present itself； and when that； too； was met he stuck another ship
before me； creating a very dangerous situation。 I felt slightly
outraged by this ingenuity in piling trouble upon a man。
〃I wouldn't have got into that mess；〃 I suggested； mildly。 〃I
could have seen that ship before。〃
He never stirred the least bit。
〃No； you couldn't。 The weather's thick。〃
〃Oh！ I didn't know；〃 I apologized blankly。
I suppose that after all I managed to stave off the smash with
sufficient approach to verisimilitude； and the ghastly business
went on。 You must understand that the scheme of the test he was
applying to me was； I gathered； a homeward passagethe sort of
passage I would not wish to my bitterest enemy。 That imaginary
ship seemed to labour under a most comprehensive curse。 It's no
use enlarging on these never…ending misfortunes； suffice it to
say that long before the end I would have welcomed with gratitude
an opportunity to exchange into the Flying Dutchman。 Finally he
shoved me into the North Sea （I suppose） and provided me with a
lee shore with outlying sand…banksthe Dutch coast； presumably。
Distance； eight miles。 The evidence of such implacable animosity
deprived me of speech for quite half a minute。
〃Well；〃 he saidfor our pace had been very smart； indeed； till
then。
〃I will have to think a little； sir。〃
〃Doesn't look as if there were much time to think；〃 he muttered；
sardonically； from under his hand。
〃No； sir；〃 I said； with some warmth。 〃Not on board a ship； I
could see。 But so many accidents have happened that I really
can't remember what there's left for me to work with。〃
Still half averted； and with his eyes concealed； he made
unexpectedly a grunting remark。
〃You've done very well。〃
〃Have I the two anchors at the bow； sir？〃 I asked。
〃Yes。〃
I prepared myself then； as a last hope for the ship； to let them
both go in the most effectual manner； when his infernal system of
testing resourcefulness came into play again。
〃But there's only one cable。 You've lost the other。〃
It was exasperating。
〃Then I would back them； if I could； and tail the heaviest hawser
on board on the end of the chain before letting go； and if she
parted from that； which is quite likely； I would just do nothing。
She would have to go。〃
〃Nothing more to do； eh？〃