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at length the feeling of my brain getting addled crept upon me。
And still the passionless process went on； with a sense of untold
ages having been spent already on mere preliminaries。 Then I got
frightened。 I was not frightened of being plucked； that
eventuality did not even present itself to my mind。 It was
something much more serious； and weird。 〃This ancient person；〃 I
said to myself； terrified； 〃is so near his grave that he must
have lost all notion of time。 He is considering this examination
in terms of eternity。 It is all very well for him。 His race is
run。 But I may find myself coming out of this room into the
world of men a stranger； friendless； forgotten by my very
landlady； even were I able after this endless experience to
remember the way to my hired home。〃 This statement is not so
much of a verbal exaggeration as may be supposed。 Some very
queer thoughts passed through my head while I was considering my
answers； thoughts which had nothing to do with seamanship； nor
yet with anything reasonable known to this earth。 I verily
believe that at times I was lightheaded in a sort of languid way。
At last there fell a silence； and that； too； seemed to last for
ages； while； bending over his desk； the examiner wrote out my
pass…slip slowly with a noiseless pen。 He extended the scrap of
paper to me without a word； inclined his white head gravely to my
parting bow。 。 。
When I got out of the room I felt limply flat； like a squeezed
lemon； and the door…keeper in his glass cage； where I stopped to
get my hat and tip him a shilling； said：
〃Well！ I thought you were never coming out。〃
〃How long have I been in there？〃 I asked faintly。
He pulled out his watch。
〃He kept you； sir； just under three hours。 I don't think this
ever happened with any of the gentlemen before。〃
It was only when I got out of the building that I began to walk
on air。 And the human animal being averse from change and timid
before the unknown； I said to myself that I would not mind really
being examined by the same man on a future occasion。 But when
the time of ordeal came round again the doorkeeper let me into
another room； with the now familiar paraphernalia of models of
ships and tackle； a board for signals on the wall； a big long
table covered with official forms； and having an unrigged mast
fixed to the edge。 The solitary tenant was unknown to me by
sight； though not by reputation； which was simply execrable。
Short and sturdy as far as I could judge； clad in an old； brown；
morning…suit； he sat leaning on his elbow； his hand shading his
eyes； and half averted from the chair I was to occupy on the
other side of the table。 He was motionless； mysterious； remote；
enigmatical； with something mournful too in the pose； like that
statue of Giuliano （I think） de' Medici shading his face on the
tomb by Michael Angelo； though； of course； he was far； far from
being beautiful。 He began by trying to make me talk nonsense。
But I had been warned of that fiendish trait； and contradicted
him with great assurance。 After a while he left off。 So far
good。 But his immobility； the thick elbow on the table； the
abrupt； unhappy voice； the shaded and averted face grew more and
more impressive。 He kept inscrutably silent for a moment； and
then； placing me in a ship of a certain size； at sea； under
certain conditions of weather； season； locality； &c。 &c。all
very clear and preciseordered me to execute a certain
manoeuvre。 Before I was half through with it he did some
material damage to the ship。 Directly I had grappled with the
difficulty he caused another to present itself； and when that too
was met he stuck another ship before me； creating a very
dangerous situation。 I felt slightly outraged by this ingenuity
in piling up trouble upon a man。
〃I wouldn't have got into that mess；〃 I suggested mildly。 〃I
could have seen that ship before。〃
He never stirred the least bit。
〃No； you couldn't。 The weather's thick。〃
〃Oh！ I didn't know；〃 I apologised blankly。
I suppose that after all I managed to stave off the smash with
sufficient approach to verisimilitude； and the ghastly business
went on。 You must understand that the scheme of the test he was
applying to me was； I gathered； a homeward passagethe sort of
passage I would not wish to my bitterest enemy。 That imaginary
ship seemed to labour under a most comprehensive curse。 It's no
use enlarging on these never…ending misfortunes； suffice it to
say that long before the end I would have welcomed with gratitude
an opportunity to exchange into the 〃Flying Dutchman。〃 Finally
he shoved me into the North Sea （I suppose） and provided me with
a lee…shore with outlying sandbanksthe Dutch coast presumably。
Distance； eight miles。 The evidence of such implacable animosity
deprived me of speech for quite half a minute。
〃Well；〃 he saidfor our pace had been very smart indeed till
then。
〃I will have to think a little； sir。〃
〃Doesn't look as if there were much time to think；〃 he muttered
sardonically from under his hand。
〃No； sir；〃 I said with some warmth。 〃Not on board a ship I could
see。 But so many accidents have happened that I really can't
remember what there's left for me to work with。〃
Still half averted； and with his eyes concealed； he made
unexpectedly a grunting remark。
〃You've done very well。〃
〃Have I the two anchors at the bow； sir？〃 I asked。
〃Yes。〃
I prepared myself then； as a last hope for the ship； to let them
both go in the most effectual manner； when his infernal system of
testing resourcefulness came into play again。
〃But there's only one cable。 You've lost the other。〃
It was exasperating。
〃Then I would back them； if I could； and tail the heaviest hawser
on board on the end of the chain before letting go； and if she
parted from that； which is quite likely； I would just do nothing。
She would have to go。〃
〃Nothing more to do； eh？〃
〃No； sir。 I could do no more。〃
He gave a bitter half…laugh。
〃You could always say your prayers。〃
He got up； stretched himself； and yawned slightly。 It was a
sallow； strong； unamiable face。 He put me in a surly； bored
fashion through the usual questions as to lights and signals； and
I escaped from the room thankfullypassed！ Forty minutes！ And
again I walked on air along Tower Hill； where so many good m