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“No, no, no, bless you, sir In the forward baggage room is where you’ll find crates That’s where they stow crates, whip thee room, they do In the bows, sir The front”
“On which deck will I find this room?”
“Lower deck, sir Directly under the main deck”
“This plethora of decks — upper, lower, orlop, shelter — appear designed to breed confusion,” said Beiderbecke, taking out his wallet “Could I possibly prevail upon you to show me the way?”
“Bless you, sir, I wish I could But passengers really oughtn’t to be down here”
“I’ a pound note
The seaman stared at the money, wet his lips, then sadly shook his head “I’m afraid that the best I can do for you, sir, is lead you up to the shelter deck There I’ll point you forward on the Third Class proo down three decks to the lower deck and perhaps soe room”
Franz Bised up narrow stairs after the sea the Third Class prorants — Croats, Bohearians, and Czechs, as if half the Austro-Hungary Eroup in A room near the front of the ship He found the way down blocked by a scissors gate and cli note persuaded a rough-looking steward to let him around a barrier
Beyond that barrier, he looked out a porthole down onto the open foredeck and saw, between the o hatch There! That h which the cranes had lowered his crates He headed downstairs for several decks Racking his memory of the builders’ plans, he finally opened a door on what could be, hopefully, the forward baggage room
His heart froze
The Akrobat, who sure-footedly along the passageway, peering into every nook and cranny Slung over his back was an enor by how effortlessly the Akrobat carried it, the trunk was empty
7
Isaac Bell promised Marion “… to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part”
When Marion pro voice, “with all my heart, forever and ever and ever,” and Bell’s blue-violet eyes sith eold wedding ring he had purchased long ago in San Francisco Then Captain Turner repeated their vows in sea them to “sail in coh, in vessels great and shty voice, “By the powers I hold as master of Mauretania I pronounce you man and wife”
Hastily, he added, “You may kiss the bride”