Complete Works

all you know — like... like a dirty white cockatoo.”
    Donkin waited. He could hear the other’s breathing, long and slow; the breathing of a man with a hundredweight or so on the breastbone. Then he asked calmly: — ”What do I know?”
    “What?... What I tell you... not much. What do you want... to talk about my health so...”
    “It’s a blooming imposyshun. A bloomin’, stinkin’, first-class imposyshun — but it don’t tyke me in. Not it.”
    Jimmy kept still. Donkin put his hands in his pockets, and in one slouching stride came up to the bunk.
    “I talk — what’s the odds. They ain’t men ‘ere — sheep they are. A driven lot of sheep. I ‘old you up... Vy not? You’re well orf.”
    “I am... I don’t say anything about that....”
    “Well. Let ‘em see it. Let ‘em larn what a man can do. I am a man, I know all about yer....” Jimmy threw himself further away on the pillow; the other stretched out his skinny neck, jerked his bird face down at him as though pecking at the eyes. “I am a man. I’ve seen the inside of every chokey in the Colonies rather’n give up my rights....”
    “You are a jail-prop,” said Jimmy, weakly.
    “I am... an’ proud of it, too. You! You ‘aven’t the bloomin’ nerve — so you inventyd this ‘ere dodge....” He paused; then with marked afterthought accentuated slowly: — ”Yer ain’t sick — are yer?”
    “No,” said Jimmy, firmly. “Been out of sorts now and again this year,” he mumbled with a sudden drop in his voice.
    Donkin closed one eye, amicable and confidential. He whispered: — ”Ye ‘ave done this afore’aven’tchee?” Jimmy smiled — then as if unable to hold back he let himself go: — ”Last ship — yes. I was out of sorts on the passage. See? It was easy. They paid me off in Calcutta, and the skipper made no bones about it either.... I got my money all right. Laid up fifty-eight days! The fools! O Lord! The fools! Paid right off.” He laughed spasmodically. Donkin chimed in giggling. Then Jimmy coughed violently. “I am as well as ever,” he said, as soon as he could draw breath.
    Donkin made a derisive gesture. “In course,” he said, profoundly, “any one can see that.” — ”They don’t,” said Jimmy, gasping like a fish. — ”They would swallow any yarn,” affirmed Donkin. — ”Don’t you let on too much,” admonished Jimmy in an exhausted voice. — ”Your little gyme? Eh?” commented Donkin, jovially. Then with sudden disgust: “Yer all for yerself, s’long as ye’re right...”
    So charged with egoism James Wait pulled the blanket up to his chin and lay still for a while. His heavy lips protruded in an everlasting black pout. “Why are you so hot on making trouble?” he asked without much interest.
    “‘Cos it’s a bloomin’ shayme. We are put upon... bad food, bad pay... I want us to kick up a bloomin’ row; a blamed ‘owling row that would make ‘em remember! Knocking people about... brain us indeed! Ain’t we men?” His altruistic indignation blazed. Then he said calmly: — ”I’ve been airing yer clothes.” — ”All right,” said Jimmy, languidly, “bring them in.” — ”Giv’ us the key of your chest, I’ll put ‘em away for yer,” said Donkin with friendly eagerness. — ”Bring ‘em in, I will put them away myself,” answered James Wait with severity. Donkin looked down, muttering.... “What d’you say? What d’you say?” inquired Wait anxiously. — ”Nothink. The night’s dry, let ‘em ‘ang out till the morning,” said Donkin, in a strangely trembling voice, as though restraining laughter or rage. Jimmy seemed satisfied. — ”Give me a little water for the night in my mug — there,” he said. Donkin took a stride over the doorstep. — ”Git it yerself,” he replied in a surly tone. “You can do it, unless you are sick.” — ”Of course I can do it,” said Wait, “only... “ — ”Well, then, do it,” said Donkin, viciously, “if yer can look after yer clothes, yer can look after yerself.” He went on deck without a look back.
    Jimmy reached out for the mug. Not a drop. He put it back gently with a faint sigh — and closed his eyes. He thought: — That lunatic Belfast will bring me some water if I ask. Fool. I am very thirsty.... It was very hot in the cabin, and it seemed to turn slowly round, detach itself from the ship, and swing out smoothly into a luminous, arid space where a black sun shone, spinning very