ld was about to become a mother. Even a stranger's heart might have
yearned with pity for her: how much more her miserable husband's!

The capstan was manned, and worked to a merry tune that struck chill to
the bereaved; yards were braced for casting, anchor hove, catted, and
fished, sail was spread with amazing swiftness, the ship's head dipped,
and slowly and gracefully paid off towards the breakwater, and she stood
out to sea under swiftly-swelling canvas and a light north-westerly
breeze.

Staines only felt the motion: his body was in the ship, his soul with
his Rosa. He gazed, he strained his eyes to see her eyes, as the ship
glided from England and her. While he was thus gazing and trembling all
over, up came to him a smart second lieutenant, with a brilliant voice
that struck him like a sword. "Captain's orders to show you berths;
please choose for Lord Tadcaster and yourself."

The man's wild answer made the young officer stare. "Oh, sir! not
now--try and do my duty when I have quite lost her--my poor wife--a
child--a mother--there--sir--on the steps--there!--there!"

Now this officer always went to sea singing "Oh be joyful." But a strong
man's agony, who can make light of it? It was a revelation to him; but
he took it quickly. The first thing he did, being a man of action, was
to dash into his cabin, and come back with a short, powerful double
glass. "There!" said he roughly, but kindly, and shoved it into
Staines's hand. He took it, stared at it stupidly, then used it, without
a word of thanks, so wrapped was he in his anguish.

This glass prolonged the misery of that bitter hour. When Rosa could no
longer tell her husband from another, she felt he was really gone, and
she threw her hands aloft, and clasped them above her head, with the
wild abandon of a woman who could never again be a child; and Staines
saw it, and a sharp sigh burst from him, and he saw her maid and others
gather round her. He saw the poor young thing led away, with her head
all down, as he had never seen her before, and supported to the inn; and
then he saw her no more.

His heart seemed to go out of his bosom in search of her, and leave
nothing but a stone behind: he hung over the taffrail like a dead thing.
A steady foot-fall slapped his ear. He raised his white face and filmy
eyes, and saw Lieutenant Fitzroy marching to and fro like a sentinel,
keeping everybody away from the mourner, with the steady, resolute,
business-like face