spirit　of　gossiping　idleness。　　For　myself；　I　was　in　no　haste　to
  leave　that　room。　　Not　in　the　least。　　The　era　of　examinations　was
  over。　　I　would　never　again　see　that　friendly　man　who　was　a
  professional　ancestor；　a　sort　of　grandfather　in　the　craft。
  Moreover；　I　had　to　wait　till　he　dismissed　me；　and　of　that　there
  was　no　sign。　　As　he　remained　silent；　looking　at　me；　I　added：
  〃But　I　have　heard　of　one；　some　years　ago。　　He　seems　to　have　been
  a　boy　serving　his　time　on　board　a　Liverpool　ship；　if　I　am　not
  mistaken。〃
  〃What　was　his　name？〃
  I　told　him。
  〃How　did　you　say　that？〃　he　asked；　puckering　up　his　eyes　at　the
  uncouth　sound。
  I　repeated　the　name　very　distinctly。
  〃How　do　you　spell　it？〃
  I　told　him。　　He　moved　his　head　at　the　impracticable　nature　of
  that　name；　and　observed：
  〃It's　quite　as　long　as　your　ownisn't　it？〃
  There　was　no　hurry。　　I　had　passed　for　Master；　and　I　had　all　the
  rest　of　my　life　before　me　to　make　the　best　of　it。　　That　seemed　a
  long　time。　　I　went　leisurely　through　a　small　mental　calculation；
  and　said：
  〃Not　quite。　　Shorter　by　two　letters；　sir。〃
  〃Is　it？〃　　The　examiner　pushed　the　signed　blue　slip　across　the
  table　to　me；　and　rose　from　his　chair。　　Somehow　this　seemed　a　very
  abrupt　ending　of　our　relations；　and　I　felt　almost　sorry　to　part
  from　that　excellent　man；　who　was　master　of　a　ship　before　the
  whisper　of　the　sea　had　reached　my　cradle。　He　offered　me　his　hand
  and　wished　me　well。　　He　even　made　a　few　steps　towards　the　door
  with　me；　and　ended　with　good…natured　advice。
  〃I　don't　know　what　may　be　your　plans　but　you　ought　to　go　into
  steam。　　When　a　man　has　got　his　master's　certificate　it's　the
  proper　time。　　If　I　were　you　I　would　go　into　steam。〃
  I　thanked　him；　and　shut　the　door　behind　me　definitely　on　the　era
  of　examinations。　　But　that　time　I　did　not　walk　on　air；　as　on　the
  first　two　occasions。　　I　walked　across　the　Hill　of　many　beheadings
  with　measured　steps。　　It　was　a　fact；　I　said　to　myself；　that　I　was
  now　a　British　master　mariner　beyond　a　doubt。　　It　was　not　that　I
  had　an　exaggerated　sense　of　that　very　modest　achievement；　with
  which；　however；　luck；　opportunity；　or　any　extraneous　influence
  could　have　had　nothing　to　do。　　That　fact；　satisfactory　and
  obscure　in　itself；　had　for　me　a　certain　ideal　significance。　　It
  was　an　answer　to　certain　outspoken　scepticism；　and　even　to　some
  not　very　kind　aspersions。　　I　had　vindicated　myself　from　what　had
  been　cried　upon　as　a　stupid　obstinacy　or　a　fantastic　caprice。　　I
  don't　mean　to　say　that　a　whole　country　had　been　convulsed　by　my
  desire　to　go　to　sea。　　But　for　a　boy　between　fifteen　and　sixteen；
  sensitive　enough；　in　all　conscience；　the　commotion　of　his　little
  world　had　seemed　a　very　considerable　thing　indeed。　　So
  considerable　that；　absurdly　enough；　the　echoes　of　it　linger　to
  this　day。　　I　catch　myself　in　hours　of　solitude　and　retrospect
  meeting　arguments　and　charges　made　thirty…five　years　ago　by
  voices　now　for　ever　still；　finding　things　to　say　that　an　assailed
  boy　could　not　have　found；　simply　because　of　the　mysteriousness　of
  his　impulses　to　himself。　　I　understood　no　more　than　the　people
  who　called　upon　me　to　explain　myself。　　There　was　no　precedent。　　I
  verily　believe　mine　was　the　only　case　of　a　boy　of　my　nationality
  and　antecedents　taking　a；　so　to　speak；　standing　jump　out　of　his
  racial　surroundings　and　associations。　　For　you　must　understand
  that　there　was　no　idea　of　any　sort　of　〃career〃　in　my　call。　　Of
  Russia　or　Germany　there　could　be　no　question。　　The　nationality；
  the　antecedents；　made　it　impossible。　　The　feeling　against　the
  Austrian　service　was　not　so　strong；　and　I　dare　say　there　would
  have　been　no　difficulty　in　finding　my　way　into　the　Naval　School
  at　Pola。　　It　would　have　meant　six　months'　extra　grinding　at
  German；　perhaps；　but　I　was　not　past　the　age　of　admission；　and　in
  other　respects　I　was　well　qualified。　　This　expedient　to　palliate
  my　folly　was　thought　ofbut　not　by　me。　　I　must　admit　that　in
  that　respect　my　negative　was　accepted　at　once。　　That　order　of
  feeling　was　comprehensible　enough　to　the　most　inimical　of　my
  critics。　　I　was　not　called　upon　to　offer　explanations；　the　truth
  is　that　what　I　had　in　view　was　not　a　naval　career；　but　the　sea。
  There　seemed　no　way　open　to　it　but　through　France。　　I　had　the
  language　at　any　rate；　and　of　all　the　countries　in　Europe　it　is
  with　France　that　Poland　has　most　connection。　　There　were　some
  facilities　for　having　me　a　little　looked　after；　at　first。
  Letters　were　being　written；　answers　were　being　received；
  arrangements　were　being　made　for　my　departure　for　Marseilles；
  where　an　excellent　fellow　called　Solary；　got　at　in　a　roundabout
  fashion　through　various　French　channels；　had　promised　good…
  naturedly　to　put　le　jeune　homme　in　the　way　of　getting　a　decent
  ship　for　his　first　start　if　he　really　wanted　a　taste　of　ce　metier
  de　chien。
  I　watched　all　these　preparations　gratefully；　and　kept　my　own
  counsel。　　But　what　I　told　the　last　of　my　examiners　was　perfectly
  true。　　Already　the　determined　resolve；　that　〃if　a　seaman；　then　an
  English　seaman；〃　was　formulated　in　my　head　though；　of　course；　in
  the　Polish　language。　　I　did　not　know　six　words　of　English；　and　I
  was　astute　enough　to　understand　that　it　was　much　better　to　say
  nothing　of　my　purpose。　　As　it　was　I　was　already　looked　upon　as
  partly　insane；　at　least　by　the　more　distant　acquaintances。　The
  principal　thing　was　to　get　away。　　I　put　my　trust　in　the　good…
  natured　Solary's　very　civil　letter　to　my　uncle；　though　I　was
  shocked　a　little　by　the　phrase　about　the　metier　de　chien。
  This　Solary　（Baptistin）；　when　I　beheld　him　in　the　flesh；　turned
  out　a　quite　young　man；　very　good…looking；　with　a　fine　black；
  short　beard；　a　fresh　complexion；　and　soft；　merry　black　eyes。　　He
  was　as　jovial　and　good…natured　as　any　boy　could　desire。　　I　was
  still　asleep　in　my　room　in　a　modest　hotel　near　the　quays　of　the
  old　port；　after　the　fatigues　of　the　journey　via　Vienna；　Zurich；
  Lyons；　when　he　burst　in　flinging　the　shutters　open　to　the　sun　of
  Provence　and　chiding　me　boisterously　for　lying　abed。　　How
  pleasantly　he　startled　me　by　his　noisy　objurgations　to　be　up　and
  off　instantly　for　a　〃three　years'　campaign　in　the　South　Seas。〃　　O
  magic　words！　　Une　campagne　de　trois　ans　dans　les　mers　du　sud〃
  that　is　the　French　for　a　three　years'　deep…water　voyage。
  He　gave　me　a　delightful　waking；　and　his　friendliness　was
  unwearied；　but　I　fear　he　did　not　enter　upon　the　quest　for　a　ship
  for　me　in　a　very　solemn　spirit。　　He　had　been　at　sea　himself；　but
  had　left　off　at　the　age　of　twenty…five；　finding　he　could　earn　his
  living　on　shore　in　a　much　more　agreeable　manner。　　He　was　related
  to　an　incredible　number　of　Marseilles　well…to…do　families　of　a
  certain　class。　　One　of　his　uncles　was　a　ship…broker　of　good
  standing；　with　a　large　connection　amongst　English　ships；　other
  relatives　of　his　dealt　in　ships'　stores；　owned　sail…lofts；　sold
  chains　and　anchors；　were　master…stevedores；　caulkers；
  shipwrights。　　His　grandfather　（I　think）　was　a　dignitary　of　a
  kind；　the　Syndic　of　the　Pilots。　　I　made　acquaintances　amongst
  these　people；　but　mainly　amongst　the　pilots。　　The　very　first
  whole　day　I　ever　spent　on　salt　water　was　by　invitation；　in　a　big
  half…decked　pilot…boat；　cruising　under　close　reefs　on　the　look…
  out；　in　misty；　blowing　weather；　for　the　sails　of　ships　and　the
  smoke　of　steamers　rising　out　there；　beyond　the　slim　and　tall
  Planier　lighthouse　cutting　the　line　of　the　wind…swept　horizon
  with　a　white　perpendicular　stroke。　　They　were　hospitable　souls；
  these　sturdy　Provencal　seamen。　　Under　the　general　designation　of
  le　petit　ami　de　Baptistin　I　was　made　the　guest　of　the　Corporation
  of　Pilots；　and　had　the　freedom　of　their　boats　night　or　day。　　And
  many　a　day　and　a　night　too　did　I　spend　cruising　with　these　rough；
  kindly　men；　under　whose　auspices　my　intimacy　with　the　sea　began。
  Many　a　time　〃the　little　friend　of　Baptistin〃　had　the　hooded　cloak
  of　the　Mediterranean　sailor　thrown　over　him　by　their　honest　hands
  while　dodging　at　night　under　the　lee　of　Chateau　d'If　on　the　watch
  for　the　lights　of　ships。　　Their　sea…tanned　faces；　whiskered　or
  shaved；　lean　or　full；　with　the　intent　wrinkled　sea…eyes　of　the
  pilot…breed；　and　here　and　there　a　thin　gold　hoop　at　the　lobe　of　a
  hairy　ear；　bent　over　my　sea…infancy。　　The　first　operation　of
  seamanship　I　had　an　opportunity　of　observing　was　the　bo