Rites of Passage – William Golding - bzelbublive.info

Steward!He left me then with as courteous an inclination of the headas you would expect from a man leaning like the pitch of aroof. It was a sight to make one bosky out of hand. Indeed,the warming properties o f strong drink gi ve i t a moreseductive appeal at sea than it ever has ashore, I think. So Idetermined with that glass to regulate my use of it. I turnedwarily in my fastened seat and inspected the world offurious water that stretched and slanted beyond our stemwindow. I must own that it afforded me the scantiestconsolation; the more so as I reflected that in the happiestoutcome of our voyage there was not a single billow, wave,swell, comber that I shall cross in one direction withouthaving, in a few years time, to cross it in the other! I sat fora great while eyeing m y brandy, staring into its aromaticand tiny pool of liquid. I found little comfort in sight at thattime except the evident fact that our other passengers wereeven more lethargic than I was. The thought at oncedetermined me to eat. I got down some nearly fresh breadand a little mild cheese. On top of this I swallowed mybrandy and gave my stomach a dare to misbehave; and sofrightened it with the threat of an addiction to small ale,thence to brandy, then to Wheeler's paregoric and after thatt o the ultimate destructiveness o f an habitual recourse,Lord help us, to laudanum that the poor, misused organ layas quiet as a mouse that hears a kitchen-maid rattle the fireA glass of brandy for Mr Talbot!"