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what he was saying； gave his name （it was something like Archbold
but at this distance of years I hardly am sure）； his ship's name；
and a few other particulars of that sort； in the manner
of a criminal making a reluctant and doleful confession。
He had had terrible weather on the passage outterribleterrible
wife aboard； too。
By this time we were seated in the cabin and the steward brought in a
tray with a bottle and glasses。 〃Thanks！ No。〃 Never took liquor。
Would have some water； though。 He drank two tumblerfuls。
Terrible thirsty work。 Ever since daylight had been exploring
the islands round his ship。
〃What was that forfun？〃 I asked； with an appearance of polite interest。
〃No！〃 He sighed。 〃Painful duty。〃
As he persisted in his mumbling and I wanted my double to hear every word；
I hit upon the notion of informing him that I regretted to say I was
hard of hearing。
〃Such a young man； too！〃 he nodded； keeping his smeary blue；
unintelligent eyes fastened upon me。 〃What was the cause of it
some disease？〃 he inquired； without the least sympathy and as
if he thought that； if so； I'd got no more than I deserved。
〃Yes； disease；〃 I admitted in a cheerful tone which seemed to shock him。
But my point was gained； because he had to raise his voice to give
me his tale。 It is not worth while to record his version。
It was just over two months since all this had happened； and he had thought
so much about it that he seemed completely muddled as to its bearings；
but still immensely impressed。
〃What would you think of such a thing happening on board your own ship？
I've had the Sephora for these fifteen years。 I am a well…known shipmaster。〃
He was densely distressedand perhaps I should have sympathized
with him if I had been able to detach my mental vision
from the unsuspected sharer of my cabin as though he were my
second self。 There he was on the other side of the bulkhead；
four or five feet from us； no more； as we sat in the saloon。
I looked politely at Captain Archbold （if that was his name）；
but it was the other I saw； in a gray sleeping suit； seated on
a low stool； his bare feet close together； his arms folded；
and every word said between us falling into the ears of his
dark head bowed on his chest。
〃I have been at sea now； man and boy； for seven…and…thirty years；
and I've never heard of such a thing happening in an English ship。
And that it should be my ship。 Wife on board； too。〃
I was hardly listening to him。
〃Don't you think；〃 I said； 〃that the heavy sea which；
you told me； came aboard just then might have killed the man？
I have seen the sheer weight of a sea kill a man very neatly；
by simply breaking his neck。〃
〃Good God！〃 he uttered； impressively； fixing his smeary blue eyes on me。
〃The sea！ No man killed by the sea ever looked like that。〃
He seemed positively scandalized at my suggestion。 And as I gazed
at him certainly not prepared for anything original on his part；
he advanced his head close to mine and thrust his tongue out at me
so suddenly that I couldn't help starting back。
After scoring over my calmness in this graphic way he nodded wisely。
If I had seen the sight； he assured me； I would never forget it as long
as I lived。 The weather was too bad to give the corpse a proper sea burial。
So next day at dawn they took it up on the poop； covering its face
with a bit of bunting； he read a short prayer； and then； just as it was；
in its oilskins and long boots； they launched it amongst those mountainous
seas that seemed ready every moment to swallow up the ship herself
and the terrified lives on board of her。
〃That reefed foresail saved you；〃 I threw in。
〃Under Godit did；〃 he exclaimed fervently。 〃It was by a special mercy；
I firmly believe； that it stood some of those hurricane squalls。〃
〃It was the setting of that sail which〃 I began。
〃God's own hand in it；〃 he interrupted me。 〃Nothing less could have done it。
I don't mind telling you that I hardly dared give the order。
It seemed impossible that we could touch anything without losing it；
and then our last hope would have been gone。〃
The terror of that gale was on him yet。 I let him go on for a bit；
then said； casuallyas if returning to a minor subject：
〃You were very anxious to give up your mate to the shore people； I believe？〃
He was。 To the law。 His obscure tenacity on that point had in it
something incomprehensible and a little awful； something； as it
were； mystical； quite apart from his anxiety that he should
not be suspected of 〃countenancing any doings of that sort。〃
Seven…and…thirty virtuous years at sea； of which over twenty
of immaculate command； and the last fifteen in the Sephora；
seemed to have laid him under some pitiless obligation。
〃And you know；〃 he went on； groping shame…facedly amongst his feelings；
〃I did not engage that young fellow。 His people had some
interest with my owners。 I was in a way forced to take him on。
He looked very smart； very gentlemanly； and all that。
But do you knowI never liked him； somehow。 I am a plain man。
You see； he wasn't exactly the sort for the chief mate of a ship
like the Sephora。〃
I had become so connected in thoughts and impressions with the secret
sharer of my cabin that I felt as if I； personally； were being
given to understand that I； too； was not the sort that would
have done for the chief mate of a ship like the Sephora。
I had no doubt of it in my mind。
〃Not at all the style of man。 You understand；〃 he insisted；
superfluously； looking hard at me。
I smiled urbanely。 He seemed at a loss for a while。
〃I suppose I must report a suicide。〃
〃Beg pardon？〃
〃Suicide！ That's what I'll have to write to my owners directly I get in。〃
〃Unless you manage to recover him before tomorrow；〃
I assented； dispassionately。 。 。 。 〃I mean； alive。〃
He mumbled something which I really did not catch； and I turned my ear
to him in a puzzled manner。 He fairly bawled：
〃The landI say； the mainland is at least seven miles off my anchorage。〃
〃About that。〃
My lack of excitement； of curiosity； of surprise； of any
sort of pronounced interest； began to arouse his distrust。
But except for the felicitous pretense of deafness I had not tried
to pretend anything。 I had felt utterly incapable of playing
the part of ignorance properly； and therefore was afraid to try。
It is also certain that he had brought some ready…made suspicions
with him； and that he viewed my politeness as a strange and
unnatural phenomenon。 And yet how else could I have received him？
Not heartily！ That was impossible for psychological reasons；
which I need not state here。 My only object was to keep off
his inquiries。 Surlily？ Yes； but surliness might have provoked
a point…blank question。 From its novelty to him and from its nature；
punctilious courtesy was the manner best calculated to restrain the man。
But there was the danger of his breaking through my defense bluntly。
I could not； I think； have met him by a direct lie； also for psychological
（not moral） reasons。 If he had only known how afraid I was of
his putting my feeling of identity with the other to the test！
But； strangely enough（I thought of it only afterwards）
I believe that he was not a little disconcerted by the reverse
side of that weird situation； by something in me that reminded
him of the man he was seekingsuggested a mysterious similitude
to the young fellow he had distrusted and disliked from the first。
However that might have been； the silence was not very prolonged。
He took another oblique step。
〃I reckon I had no more than a two…mile pull to your ship。
Not a bit more。〃
〃And quite enough； too； in this awful heat；〃 I said。
Another pause full of mistrust followed。 Necessity； they say； is mother
of invention； but fear； too； is not barren of ingenious suggestions。
And I was afraid he would ask me point…blank for news of my other self。
〃Nice little saloon； isn't it？〃 I remarked； as if noticing for the first
time the way his eyes roamed from one closed door to the other。
〃And very well fitted out； too。 Here； for instance；〃 I continued；
reaching over the back of my seat negligently and flinging the door open；
〃is my bathroom。〃
He made an eager movement； but hardly gave it a glance。
I got up； shut the door of the bathroom； and invited him to have
a look round； as if I were very proud of my accomodation。
He had to rise and be shown round； but he went through the business
without any raptures whatever。
〃And now we'll have a look at my stateroom；〃 I declared；
in a voice as loud as I dared to make it； crossing the cabin
to the starboard side with purposely heavy steps。
He followed me in and gazed around。 My intelligent double had vanished。
I played my part。
〃Very convenientisn't it？〃
Very nice。 Very comf 。 。 。〃 He