Rites of Passage – William Golding - bzelbublive.info

of the voyage I might sell it back to him at second hand i f Ichose. I closed there and then with this very advantageousoffer, for the air was stifling me and I longed for the open.He eased and tied me into the suit, thrust India rubberhoots on my feet and adjusted an oilskin hat on my head. Iwish your lordship could have seen me for I must havelooked a proper sailor, n o matter ho w unsteady I felt!Wheeler assisted me into the lobby, which was running withwater. He kept up his prattle as, for example, that we shouldlearn to have one leg shorter than the other like mountainsheep. I told him testily that since I visited France during thelate peace, I knew when a deck was atilt, since I had notwalked across on the water. I got out into the waist andleaned against the bulwarks on the larboard, that is thedownward, side of the deck. The main chains and the hugespread o f t h e ratlines-oh Falconer, Falconer!-extendedabove m y head, and above that a quantity o f namelessropes hummed and thrummed and whistled. There was aneye of light showing still, but spray flew over from the high,starboard side and clouds that raced past us seemed nohigher than the masts. We had company, of course, the resto f the convoy being o n our larboard hand a nd alreadyshowing lights, though spray and a smoky mist mixed withram obscured them. I breathed With exquisite ease afterthe fetor of my hutch and could not out hope that thisextreme, even violent, weather would blow some of thestench out of her. Somewhat restored I gazed about me,and found for the first time since the anchor was raised myintellect and interest reviving. Staring up and back, I could