Fables | Page 4

and smoke our pipes for all the
world like reality? Very well, then, who am I to pipe up with my
opinions? I know the Author's on the side of good; he tells me so, it
runs out of his pen as he writes. Well, that's all I need to know; I'll take
my chance upon the rest."
"It's a fact he seemed to be against George Merry," Silver admitted,
musingly. "But George is little more'n a name at the best of it," he
added, brightening. "And to get into soundings for once. What is this
good? I made a mutiny, and I been a gentleman o' fortune; well, but by
all stories, you ain't no such saint. I'm a man that keeps company very
easy; even by your own account, you ain't, and to my certain
knowledge you're a devil to haze. Which is which? Which is good, and
which bad? Ah, you tell me that! Here we are in stays, and you may lay
to it!"
"We're none of us perfect," replied the Captain. "That's a fact of
religion, my man. All I can say is, I try to do my duty; and if you try to
do yours, I can't compliment you on your success."
"And so you was the judge, was you?" said Silver, derisively.
"I would be both judge and hangman for you, my man, and never turn a
hair," returned the Captain. "But I get beyond that: it mayn't be sound
theology, but it's common sense, that what is good is useful too - or
there and thereabout, for I don't set up to be a thinker. Now, where
would a story go to if there were no virtuous characters?"
"If you go to that," replied Silver, "where would a story begin, if there
wasn't no villains?"
"Well, that's pretty much my thought," said Captain Smollett. "The
Author has to get a story; that's what he wants; and to get a story, and
to have a man like the doctor (say) given a proper chance, he has to put
in men like you and Hands. But he's on the right side; and you mind
your eye ! You're not through this story yet; there's trouble coming for
you."

"What'll you bet?" asked John.
"Much I care if there ain't," returned the Captain. "I'm glad enough to
be Alexander Smollett, bad as he is; and I thank my stars upon my
knees that I'm not Silver. But there's the ink-bottle opening. To
quarters!"
And indeed the Author was just then beginning to write the words:

CHAPTER XXXIII
.

II. - THE SINKING SHIP.
"SIR," said the first lieutenant, bursting into the Captain's cabin, "the
ship is going down."
"Very well, Mr. Spoker," said the Captain; "but that is no reason for
going about half-shaved. Exercise your mind a moment, Mr. Spoker,
and you will see that to the philosophic eye there is nothing new in our
position: the ship (if she is to go down at all) may be said to have been
going down since she was launched."
"She is settling fast," said the first lieutenant, as he returned from
shaving.
"Fast, Mr. Spoker?" asked the Captain. "The expression is a strange one,
for time (if you will think of it) is only relative."
"Sir," said the lieutenant, "I think it is scarcely worth while to embark
in such a discussion when we shall all be in Davy Jones's Locker in ten
minutes."
"By parity of reasoning," returned the Captain gently, "it would never
be worth while to begin any inquiry of importance; the odds are always
overwhelming that we must die before we shall have brought it to an
end. You have not considered, Mr. Spoker, the situation of man," said
the Captain, smiling, and shaking his head.
"I am much more engaged in considering the position of the ship," said
Mr. Spoker.
"Spoken like a good officer," replied the Captain, laying his hand on
the lieutenant's shoulder.
On deck they found the men had broken into the spirit-room, and were
fast getting drunk.

"My men," said the Captain, "there is no sense in this. The ship is going
down, you will tell me, in ten minutes: well, and what then? To the
philosophic eye, there is nothing new in our position. All our lives long,
we may have been about to break a blood-vessel or to be struck by
lightning, not merely in ten minutes, but in ten seconds; and that has
not prevented us from eating dinner, no, nor from putting money in the
Savings Bank. I assure you, with my hand on my heart, I fail to
comprehend your attitude."
The men were already too far gone to pay much heed.
"This is a very painful sight, Mr. Spoker," said