The Unknown Sea

for the sun. Flawless order reigned in the simple habitation. No sign of want was there, but comforts were few, and of touch or tint for mere pleasure there was none. Ov

wide, not ungently, before Christian flushed and breathless, and a flash of broad day framed w

I done? O

and hers he felt ever so slightly tremble. He knel

you trouble

or pardon. 'Christian,' she said

es

or more to f

e have you been? W

u were pray

r, Chr

, perturbed, and looked in her eyes for exoneration. There he re

I mean not such a venture as you think,' he corrected, for among the

have done nothing amiss-nothing

eddening, 'done amiss-without

, and still lower at his mothe

gh I should question, you wo

to utter the word

nd went pacing to and fro. Helplessly he stood and wat

tian: I knew this day must come-though it seems oversoon to me-and I was resolved tha

s pained protes

hy man as now; little good was known of him, and there was bad guessed at. But there w

tence. After eighteen years her voic

nce-never after. We were two living rebukes, that he but no other could read plain enough. 'Twas in those days that my man Giles went seafaring, so the blame was the more all mine. He indeed, knowing all from me, would have had the child away to be baptized of other hands. But in those days the nearest were far, and I put him off with this plea and that; and co

aid underground God

children's feet we traced how the smallest went straying, how little hands shell filled went grasping for mor

at I, who had not wrapped it for christening, should never wrap it meetly for the grave. Most just, most merciful! afterwards He sent yo

s inscribed, and your sole name "Christian," and on the reverse a date. Like a rebuff to me then it was, not reali

nt of thoughts and deeds, good and ill; you have shared no secret, no promise apart from me.

now you must now, that in you I present to God my great contrition; in you I dare look fo

ainful shame, confronted by the bared remorse of this austere woman, whom his heart

she said, 'so I p

ed, 'what did you kno

me. Last night I dreamed you lay dead, and not alone; by you lay my little one, a small, white, naked shape crouched dead at your side. I woke i

ant as she condemned him. The omniscience of God had been faint sustenance then compared with this

, and a voice hailed Christi

Giles, empty-handed, made for the rear li

vil have you

paces,' sa

lame then-y

n hastily, jealous for the c

hould be bred up by me,' grumbled Gile

his mouth and

ool. As it is, you've set the

car

's head within two minute

e were just carrion for them to rummage like crabs. So I hitched one out again-the biggest by preferenc

g enough to break your head for you as w

re,' said Christian,

took this as a

ody against his victuals; and I saying where was the sense? had you never before been gone over a four-and-twenty hours? And no

apped to his crown, and he points at your other piece of work, and he says, says Philip: "Look you there now, he was never born to drown," and he laughs in his way. Well, I thoug

old man and the boy had come to a footing strangely fraternal, se

head. Giles reached up a k

o show a cross grain. A poor spirit it

aughed, ang

ll. Have your say. Give me a taste of the sort o

cks in perplexity, and s

-no,' he thought aloud

aken her between the Tortoises

o shout derision at the char

ou've gone for the Land's End, sheared within the Siniste

an said, hoping his cou

ome if you don'

et them pra

rk, but I will own that for a while gone I had coun

as I should have earned a boat of my own

word of the Sinister buoys, or not a soul b

d to speak. Giles

't be forgot with your outlandish hair and eyes. Then your strength outdoes every man's; then

ed and shrank. He said very

r liked but for a way you have sometimes of

till Christi

here's a penance ready against conceit. The Tor

ng behind; you've let out as much. I don't ask-there, keep your mystery if

n, bent, shrunken, halt, and s

ingle-handed? just for display of her excellent parts, worked the boat and the nets

ously. 'A show off for an hour or two.

. He saw the head of Lois l

her sight. 'She does not tr