Морган Робертсон - The Wreck of the Titan Or Futility

“You infernal, lying scoundrel!” roared Captain Bryce. He strode toward Rowland with threatening face. Half-way, he was stopped by the impact of a huge brown fist which sent him reeling and staggering across the room toward Mr. Selfridge and the child, over whom he floundered to the floor—a disheveled heap,—while the big Captain Barry examined teeth-marks on his knuckles, and every one else sprang to their feet.

“I told you to look out,” said Captain Barry. Treat my friend respectfully.” He glared steadily at the first officer, as though inviting him to duplicate the offense; but that gentleman backed away from him and assisted the dazed Captain Bryce to a chair, where be felt of his loosened teeth, spat blood upon Mr. Meyer’s floor, and gradually awakened to a realization of the fact that he had been knocked down—and by an American.

Little Myra, unhurt but badly frightened, began to cry and call for Rowland in her own way, to the wonder, and somewhat to the scandal of the gentle old man who was endeavoring to soothe her.

“Dammy,” she cried, as she struggled to go to him; “Iwant Dammy—Dammy—Daamay.”

“Oh, what a sad little girl,” said the jocular Mr. Meyer, looking down on her. “Where did you learn such language?”

“It is my nickname,” said Rowland, smiling in spite of himself. “She has coined the word,” he explained to the agitated Mr. Selfridge, who had not yet comprehended what had happened; “and I have not yet been able to persuade her to drop it—and I could not be harsh with her. Let me take her, sir.” He seated himself, with the child, who nestled up to him contentedly and soon was tranquil.

“Now, my friend,” said Mr. Meyer, “you must tell us about this drugging.” Then while Captain Bryce, under the memory of the blow he had received, nursed himself into an insane fury; and Mr. Austen, with his hand resting lightly on the captain’s shoulder ready to restrain him, listened to the story; and the attorney drew up a chair and took notes of the story; and Mr. Selfridge drew his chair close to Myra and paid no attention to the story at all, Rowland recited the events prior to and succeeding the shipwreck. Beginning with the finding of the whisky in his pocket, he told of his being called to the starboard bridge lookout in place of the rightful incumbent; of the sudden and strange interest Mr. Austen displayed as to his knowledge of navigation; of the pain in his stomach, the frightful shapes he had seen on the deck beneath and the sensations of his dream—leaving out only the part which bore on the woman he loved; he told of the sleep-walking child which awakened him, of the crash of ice and instant wreck, and the fixed condition of his eyes which prevented their focusing only at a certain distance, finishing his story—to explain his empty sleeve—with a graphic account of the fight with the bear.

“And I have studied it all out,” be said, in conclusion. “I was drugged—I believe, with hasheesh, which makes a man see strange things—and brought up on the bridge lookout where I could be watched and my ravings listened to and recorded, for the sole purpose of discrediting my threatened testimony in regard to the collision of the night before. But I was only half-drugged, as I spilled part of my tea at supper. In that tea, I am positive, was the hasheesh.”

“You know all about it, don’t you,” snarled Captain Bryce, from his chair, “‘twas not hasheesh; ‘twas an infusion of Indian hemp; you don’t know —” Mr. Austen’s hand closed over his mouth and he subsided.

“Self-convicted,” said Rowland, with a quiet laugh. “Hasheesh is made from Indian hemp.”

“You hear this, gentlemen,” exclaimed Mr. Meyer, springing to his feet and facing everybody in turn. He pounced on Captain Barry. “You hear this confession, captain; you hear him say Indian hemp? I have a witness now, Mr. Thompson. Go right on with your suit. You hear him, Captain Barry. You are disinterested. You are a witness. You hear?”

“Yes, I heard it—the murdering scoundrel,” said the captain.

Mr. Meyer danced up and down in his joy, while the attorney, pocketing his notes, remarked to the discomfited Captain Bryce: “You are the poorest fool I know,” and left the office.

Then Mr. Meyer calmed himself, and facing the two steamship officers, said, slowly and impressively, while be poked his forefinger almost into their faces:

“England is a fine country, my friends—a fine country to leave behind sometimes. Dere is Canada, and der United States, and Australia, and South Africa—all fine countries, too—fine countries to go to with new names. My friends, you will be bulletened and listed at Lloyds in less than half an hour, and you will never again sail under der English flag as officers. And, my friends, let me say, that in half an hour after you are bulletened, all Scotland Yard will be looking for you. But my door is not locked.”

Silently they arose, pale, shamefaced, and crushed, and went out the door, through the outer office, and into the street.

MR SELFRIDGE had begun to take an interest in the proceedings. As the two men passed out he arose and asked:

“Have you reached a settlement, Mr. Meyer? Will the insurance be paid?”

“No,” roared the underwriter, in the ear of the puzzled old gentleman; while he slapped him vigorously on the back; “it will not be paid. You or I must have been ruined, Mr. Selfridge, and it has settled on you. I do not pay der Titan ’s insurance—nor will der other insurers. On der contrary, as der collision clause in der policy is void with der rest, your company must reimburse me for der insurance which I must pay to der Royal Age owners—that is, unless our good friend here, Mr. Rowland, who was on der lookout at der time, will swear that her lights were out.”

“Not at all,” said Rowland. “Her lights were burning—look to the old gentleman,” be exclaimed. “Look out for him. Catch him! “

Mr. Selfridge was stumbling toward a chair. He grasped it, loosened his hold, and before anyone could reach him, fell to the floor, where be lay, with ashen lips and rolling eyes gasping convulsively.

Heart failure,” said Rowland, as he knelt by his side. “Send for a doctor.”

“Send for a doctor,” repeated Mr. Meyer through the door to his clerks; “and send for a carriage, quick. I don’t want him to die in der office.”

Captain Barry lifted the helpless figure to a couch, and they watched, while the convulsions grew easier, the breath shorter, and the lips from ashen gray to blue. Before a doctor or carriage had come, he had passed away.

“Sudden emotion of some kind,” said the doctor when he did arrive. “Violent emotion, too. Hear bad news?”

“Bad and good,” answered the underwriter. Good, in learning that this dear little girl was his granddaughter—bad, in learning that he was a ruined man. He was der heaviest stockholder in der Titan . One hundred thousand pounds, he owned, of der stock, all of which this poor, dear little child will not get.” Mr. Meyer looked sorrowful, as he patted Myra on the head.

Captain Barry beckoned to Rowland, who, slightly flushed, was standing by the still figure on the couch and watching the face of Mr. Meyer, on which annoyance, jubilation, and simulated shock could be seen in turn.

“Wait,” he said, as he turned to watch the doctor leave the room. “Is this so, Mr. Meyer,” he added to the underwriter, “that Mr. Selfridge owned Titan stock, and would have been ruined, had he lived, by the loss of the insurance money?”

“Yes, he would have been a poor man. He had invested his last farthing—one hundred thousand pounds. And if he had left any more it would be assessed to make good his share of what der company must pay for der Royal Age , which I also insured.”