Come, Baby!' 'M'm m'm m'm.' 'Now, you won't want me to carry a great boy like you, surely.' Baby flung himself round the bollard and burst into tears. 'It always ends like this,' said Mrs March as she detached him. 'You all
behave foolishly and selfishly and then Baby cries. No, Olive?don't help me. Mother would rather do everything herself.'
'Sorry,' said Lionel gruffly. Baby's shrieks rent the air. Thoroughly naughty, he remained clasping an invisible bollard.4 As she bent him into a portable shape, another mishap occurred. A sailor?an Englishman?leapt out of the hatchway with a piece of chalk and drew a little circle round her where she stood. Cocoanut screamed, 'He's caught you. He's come.'
'You're on dangerous ground, lady,' said the sailor respectfully. 'Men's quarters. Of course we leave it to your generosity.'
Tired with the voyage and the noise of the children, worried by what she had left in India and might find in England, Mrs March fell into a sort of trance. She stared at the circle stupidly, unable to move out of it, while Cocoanut danced round her and gibbered.
'Men's quarters?-just to keep up the old custom.'
'I don't understand.'
'Passengers are often kind enough to pay their footing,' he said, feeling awkward; though rapacious he was independent. 'But of course there's no compulsion, lady. Ladies and gentlemen do as they feel.'
'I will certainly do what is customary?Baby, be quiet.'
'Thank you, lady. We divide whatever you give among the crew. Of course not those chaps.' He indicated the Lascar. 'The money shall be sent to you. I have no purse.'
5. Peter and Andrew, Jesus' disciples, were fish-9. Pith helmets worn for protection from sun and ermen on the Sea of Galilee. heat. 6. Historical term for region of the eastern Med-1. I.e., the British. iterranean. 2. Nickname for British soldiers. 7. Jesus' disciples. 3. Lunch (Anglo-Indian). 8. Major port on the English Channel. 4. Post on a ship for securing ropes to.
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THE OTHER BOAT / 2063
He touched his forelock' cynically. He did not believe her. She stepped out
of the circle and as she did so Cocoanut sprang into it and squatted grinning. 'You're a silly little boy and I shall complain to the stewardess about you,' she told him with unusual heat. 'You never will play any game properly and you stop the others. You're a silly idle useless unmanly little boy.'
II
S. S. Normannia Red Sea October, 191
Hullo the Mater!
You may be thinking it is about time I wrote you a line, so here goes, however you should have got my wire sent before leaving Tilbury6 with the glad news that 1 got a last minute passage on this boat when it seemed quite impossible I should do so. The Arbuthnots are on it too all right, so is a Lady Manning who claims acquaintance with Olive, not to mention several remarkably cheery subalterns,7 poor devils, don't know what they are in for in the tropics. We make up two Bridge tables every night besides hanging together at other times, and get called the Big Eight, which I suppose must be regarded as a compliment. How I got my passage is curious. I was coming away from the S.S.S office after my final try in absolute despair when I ran into an individual whom you may or may not remember?he was a kid on that other boat when we cleared all out of India on that unlikely occasion over ten years ago?got called Cocoanut because of his peculiar shaped head. He has now turned into an equally weird youth, who has however managed to become influential in shipping circles, I can't think how some people manage to do things. He duly recognized me?dagoes9 sometimes have marvellous memories?and on learning my sad plight fixed me up with a (single berth) cabin, so all is well. He is on board too, but our paths seldom cross. He has more than a touch of the tar-brush, so consorts with his own dusky fraternity, no doubt to their mutual satisfaction.
The heat is awful and I fear this is but a dull letter in consequence. Bridge I have already mentioned, and there are the usual deck games, betting on the ship's log, etc., still I think everyone will be glad to reach Bombay and get into harness.1 Colonel and Mrs Arbuthnot are very friendly, and speaking confidentially I don't think it will do my prospects any harm having got to know them better. Well I will now conclude this screed2 and I will write again when I have rejoined the regiment and contacted Isabel. Best love to all which naturally includes yourself from
Your affectionate first born, Lionel March
PS. Lady Manning asks to be remembered to Olive, nearly forgot.
5. Lock of hair growing from the front of the head. 9. Disparaging term for foreigners. 6. Port on the river Thames estuary. 1. Get to work, especially w<ith military undertak7. Junior officers. ings. 8. Steamship. 2. Gossipy letter.
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2064 / E. M. FORSTER
When Captain March had posted this epistle he rejoined the Big Eight. Although he had spent the entire day with them they were happy to see him, for he exactly suited them. He was what any rising young officer ought to be? clean-cut, athletic, good-looking without being conspicuous. He had had wonderful professional luck, which no one grudged him: he had got into one of the little desert wars that were becoming too rare, had displayed dash and decision, had been wounded, and had been mentioned in despatches and got his captaincy early. Success had not spoiled him, nor was he vain of his personal appearance, although he must have known that thick fairish hair, blue eyes, glowing cheeks and strong white teeth constitute, when broad shoulders support them, a combination irresistible to the fair sex. His hands were clumsier than the rest of him, but bespoke hard honest work, and the springy gleaming hairs on them suggested virility. His voice was quiet, his demeanour assured, his temper equable. Like his brother officers he wore a mess3 uniform slightly too small for him, which accentuated his physique?the ladies accentuating theirs by wearing their second best frocks and reserving their best ones for India.
Bridge proceeded without a hitch, as his mother had been given to understand it might. She had not been told that on either side of the players, violet darkening into black, rushed the sea, nor would she have been
