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of fortune came sweeping up and landed him safely on
the high shore of his ambition。
It was now to do nothing； nothing whatever； and have
plenty of money to do it on。 He had tasted of power；
the highest form of it his limited experience was aware
ofthe power of shipowning。 What a deception！
Vanity of vanities！ He wondered at his folly。 He had
thrown away the substance for the shadow。 Of the
gratification of wealth he did not know enough to excite
his imagination with any visions of luxury。 How could
hethe child of a drunken boiler…makergoing
straight from the workshop into the engine…room of a
north…country collier！ But the notion of the absolute
idleness of wealth he could very well conceive。 He
reveled in it； to forget his present troubles； he imagined
himself walking about the streets of Hull （he knew their
gutters well as a boy） with his pockets full of sov…
ereigns。 He would buy himself a house； his married
sisters； their husbands； his old workshop chums； would
render him infinite homage。 There would be nothing
to think of。 His word would be law。 He had been out
of work for a long time before he won his prize； and he
remembered how Carlo Mariani （commonly known as
Paunchy Charley）； the Maltese hotel…keeper at the
slummy end of Denham Street； had cringed joyfully
before him in the evening； when the news had come。
Poor Charley； though he made his living by ministering
to various abject vices； gave credit for their food to
many a piece of white wreckage。 He was naively over…
joyed at the idea of his old bills being paid； and he
reckoned confidently on a spell of festivities in the
cavernous grog…shop downstairs。 Massy remembered
the curious； respectful looks of the 〃trashy〃 white men
in the place。 His heart had swelled within him。 Massy
had left Charley's infamous den directly he had realized
the possibilities open to him； and with his nose in the air。
Afterwards the memory of these adulations was a great
sadness。
This was the true power of money；and no trouble
with it； nor any thinking required either。 He thought
with difficulty and felt vividly； to his blunt brain the
problems offered by any ordered scheme of life seemed
in their cruel toughness to have been put in his way
by the obvious malevolence of men。 As a shipowner
everyone had conspired to make him a nobody。 How
could he have been such a fool as to purchase that ac…
cursed ship。 He had been abominably swindled； there
was no end to this swindling； and as the difficulties of his
improvident ambition gathered thicker round him； he
really came to hate everybody he had ever come in con…
tact with。 A temper naturally irritable and an amazing
sensitiveness to the claims of his own personality had
ended by making of life for him a sort of infernoa
place where his lost soul had been given up to the tor…
ment of savage brooding。
But he had never hated anyone so much as that old
man who had turned up one evening to save him from
an utter disaster；from the conspiracy of the wretched
sailors。 He seemed to have fallen on board from the
sky。 His footsteps echoed on the empty steamer； and
the strange deep…toned voice on deck repeating inter…
rogatively the words； 〃Mr。 Massy； Mr。 Massy there？〃
had been startling like a wonder。 And coming up from
the depths of the cold engine…room； where he had been
pottering dismally with a candle amongst the enormous
shadows； thrown on all sides by the skeleton limbs of ma…
chinery； Massy had been struck dumb by astonishment
in the presence of that imposing old man with a beard
like a silver plate； towering in the dusk rendered lurid
by the expiring flames of sunset。
〃Want to see me on business？ What business？ I am
doing no business。 Can't you see that this ship is laid
up？〃 Massy had turned at bay before the pursuing
irony of his disaster。 Afterwards he could not believe
his ears。 What was that old fellow getting at？ Things
don't happen that way。 It was a dream。 He would
presently wake up and find the man vanished like a
shape of mist。 The gravity； the dignity； the firm and
courteous tone of that athletic old stranger impressed
Massy。 He was almost afraid。 But it was no dream。
Five hundred pounds are no dream。 At once he became
suspicious。 What did it mean？ Of course it was an
offer to catch hold of for dear life。 But what could
there be behind？
Before they had parted； after appointing a meeting
in a solicitor's office early on the morrow； Massy was
asking himself； What is his motive？ He spent the night
in hammering out the clauses of the agreementa
unique instrument of its sort whose tenor got bruited
abroad somehow and became the talk and wonder of the
port。
Massy's object had been to secure for himself as many
ways as possible of getting rid of his partner without
being called upon at once to pay back his share。 Cap…
tain Whalley's efforts were directed to making the money
secure。 Was it not Ivy's moneya part of her fortune
whose only other asset was the time…defying body of her
old father？ Sure of his forbearance in the strength of
his love for her； he accepted； with stately serenity；
Massy's stupidly cunning paragraphs against his in…
competence； his dishonesty； his drunkenness； for the sake
of other stringent stipulations。 At the end of three
years he was at liberty to withdraw from the partner…
ship； taking his money with him。 Provision was made
for forming a fund to pay him off。 But if he left the
Sofala before the term； from whatever cause （barring
death）； Massy was to have a whole year for paying。
〃Illness？〃 the lawyer had suggested： a young man
fresh from Europe and not overburdened with business；
who was rather amused。 Massy began to whine unctu…
ously； 〃How could he be expected？ 。 。 。〃
〃Let that go；〃 Captain Whalley had said with a
superb confidence in his body。 〃Acts of God；〃 he
added。 In the midst of life we are in death； but he
trusted his Maker with a still greater fearlessnesshis
Maker who knew his thoughts； his human affections； and
his motives。 His Creator knew what use he was making
of his healthhow much he wanted it 。 。 。 〃I trust
my first illness will be my last。 I've never been ill that
I can remember；〃 he had remarked。 〃Let it go。〃
But at this early stage he had already awakened
Massy's hostility by refusing to make it six hundred
instead of five。 〃I cannot do that；〃 was