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from December to April inclusive。
This was the clearest gain he had out of life。 Nothing
could rob him of this kind of fame。 The piercing of the
Isthmus of Suez； like the breaking of a dam； had let
in upon the East a flood of new ships； new men； new
methods of trade。 It had changed the face of the East…
ern seas and the very spirit of their life； so that his
early experiences meant nothing whatever to the new
generation of seamen。
In those bygone days he had handled many thousands
of pounds of his employers' money and of his own； he
had attended faithfully； as by law a shipmaster is ex…
pected to do； to the conflicting interests of owners；
charterers； and underwriters。 He had never lost a ship
or consented to a shady transaction； and he had lasted
well； outlasting in the end the conditions that had gone
to the making of his name。 He had buried his wife （in
the Gulf of Petchili）； had married off his daughter to
the man of her unlucky choice； and had lost more than
an ample competence in the crash of the notorious Tra…
vancore and Deccan Banking Corporation； whose down…
fall had shaken the East like an earthquake。 And he
was sixty…five years old。
II
His age sat lightly enough on him； and of his ruin
he was not ashamed。 He had not been alone to believe
in the stability of the Banking Corporation。 Men whose
judgment in matters of finance was as expert as his sea…
manship had commended the prudence of his invest…
ments； and had themselves lost much money in the great
failure。 The only difference between him and them was
that he had lost his all。 And yet not his all。 There
had remained to him from his lost fortune a very pretty
little bark； Fair Maid； which he had bought to occupy
his leisure of a retired sailor〃to play with；〃 as he ex…
pressed it himself。
He had formally declared himself tired of the sea the
year preceding his daughter's marriage。 But after the
young couple had gone to settle in Melbourne he found
out that he could not make himself happy on shore。 He
was too much of a merchant sea…captain for mere yacht…
ing to satisfy him。 He wanted the illusion of affairs；
and his acquisition of the Fair Maid preserved the con…
tinuity of his life。 He introduced her to his acquaint…
ances in various ports as 〃my last command。〃 When
he grew too old to be trusted with a ship； he would
lay her up and go ashore to be buried； leaving directions
in his will to have the bark towed out and scuttled
decently in deep water on the day of the funeral。 His
daughter would not grudge him the satisfaction of
knowing that no stranger would handle his last command
after him。 With the fortune he was able to leave her；
the value of a 500…ton bark was neither here nor there。
All this would be said with a jocular twinkle in his eye：
the vigorous old man had too much vitality for the sen…
timentalism of regret； and a little wistfully withal； be…
cause he was at home in life； taking a genuine pleasure
in its feelings and its possessions； in the dignity of his
reputation and his wealth； in his love for his daughter；
and in his satisfaction with the shipthe plaything of
his lonely leisure。
He had the cabin arranged in accordance with his
simple ideal of comfort at sea。 A big bookcase （he was
a great reader） occupied one side of his stateroom； the
portrait of his late wife； a flat bituminous oil…painting
representing the profile and one long black ringlet of
a young woman； faced his bedplace。 Three chronometers
ticked him to sleep and greeted him on waking with
the tiny competition of their beats。 He rose at five every
day。 The officer of the morning watch； drinking his
early cup of coffee aft by the wheel； would hear through
the wide orifice of the copper ventilators all the splash…
ings； blowings； and splutterings of his captain's toilet。
These noises would be followed by a sustained deep
murmur of the Lord's Prayer recited in a loud earnest
voice。 Five minutes afterwards the head and shoulders
of Captain Whalley emerged out of the companion…
hatchway。 Invariably he paused for a while on the
stairs； looking all round at the horizon； upwards at the
trim of the sails； inhaling deep draughts of the fresh
air。 Only then he would step out on the poop； acknowl…
edging the hand raised to the peak of the cap with a
majestic and benign 〃Good morning to you。〃 He
walked the deck till eight scrupulously。 Sometimes； not
above twice a year； he had to use a thick cudgel…like
stick on account of a stiffness in the hipa slight touch
of rheumatism； he supposed。 Otherwise he knew nothing
of the ills of the flesh。 At the ringing of the breakfast
bell he went below to feed his canaries； wind up the
chronometers； and take the head of the table。 From
there he had before his eyes the big carbon photographs
of his daughter； her husband； and two fat…legged babies
his grandchildrenset in black frames into the maple…
wood bulkheads of the cuddy。 After breakfast he dusted
the glass over these portraits himself with a cloth； and
brushed the oil painting of his wife with a plumate kept
suspended from a small brass hook by the side of the
heavy gold frame。 Then with the door of his state…
room shut； he would sit down on the couch under the
portrait to read a chapter out of a thick pocket Bible
her Bible。 But on some days he only sat there for
half an hour with his finger between the leaves and the
closed book resting on his knees。 Perhaps he had re…
membered suddenly how fond of boat…sailing she used
to be。
She had been a real shipmate and a true woman too。
It was like an article of faith with him that there never
had been； and never could be； a brighter； cheerier home
anywhere afloat or ashore than his home under the poop…
deck of the Condor； with the big main cabin all white
and gold； garlanded as if for a perpetual festival with
an unfading wreath。 She had decorated the center of
every panel with a cluster of home flowers。 It took her
a twelvemonth to go round the cuddy with this labor
of love。 To him it had remained a marvel of painting；
the highest achievement of taste and skill； and as to
old Swinburne； his mate； every time he came down to
his meals he stood transfixed with admiration before the
progress of the work。 You could almost smell these
roses； he declared； sniffing the faint flavor of turpentine
which at that time pervaded the saloon； an