One of these, an elderly managing woman, hailed me with
counsels. Of course I had to reply; and as the talk went on, I began
to discover that the whole group took me for the husband. I looked
upon my new wife, poor creature, with mingled feelings; and I must
own she had not even the appearance of the poorest class of city
servant-maids, but looked more like a country wench who should have
been employed at a roadside inn. Now was the time for me to go and
study the brass plate.
To such of the officers as knew about me - the doctor, the purser,
and the stewards - I appeared in the light of a broad joke. The fact
that I spent the better part of my day in writing had gone abroad
over the ship and tickled them all prodigiously. Whenever they met
me they referred to my absurd occupation with familiarity and breadth
of humorous intention. Their manner was well calculated to remind me
of my fallen fortunes. You may be sincerely amused by the amateur
literary efforts of a gentleman, but you scarce publish the feeling
to his face. 'Well!' they would say: 'still writing?' And the smile
would widen into a laugh.
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