Naval Occasions, and Some Traits of the Sailor-manBartimeus
History
Naval Occasions, and Some Traits of the Sailor-man
Bartimeus
Great Britain -- History, Naval -- 20th century -- Fiction; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Fiction; Sailors -- Fiction; Sea stories, English
"Lord!" he ejaculated, "to think this is the last night! Look at it
all...." Dusk had fallen, and with it a wet mist closed down on the
town. The lights from the shop windows threw out a warm orange glow
that was reflected off the wet pavements and puddles in the street. The
shrill voice of a paper-boy, hawking the evening paper, dominated all
other sounds for a moment. "Eve ... nin’ Er-r-rald!" he called. Then,
seeing the two figures standing irresolute on the kerb, ran towards
them.
"Evenin’ ’Erald! sir? Naval ’Pointments, sir ... To-night’s Naval
’Point——"
The Lieutenant shook his head half impatiently, then added as if
speaking to himself, "No—not yet." It was such a familiar evening
feature of life ashore in a Dockyard Port, that hoarse, "jodelling" cry.
One bought the paper and glanced through the columns over a
gin-and-bitters at the Club. But this was the last night: every
familiar sensation and experience should be flavoured in their turn—ere
they two went hence and were no more seen!
The Young Doctor at his elbow gave a curt laugh: "We shan’t be very
interested in the Appointments to-morrow night, Jerry!" An itinerant
seller of violets drifted down the pavement and thrust his fragrant
merchandise upon them.
"What shall we do first?" asked the Junior Watch-keeper. "Let’s go and
have our hair cut and a shampoo."
"I hate having my hair cut," pleaded the Surgeon.
"Never mind: it’s all part of the show. You won’t get another chance of
talking football to a barber for years.... And that awful green stuff
that he rubs in with a bit of sponge—oh, come on!"
Together they drifted up the familiar street, pausing to stare into shop
windows with a sudden renewal of interest that was half pathetic. A
jeweller’s shop, throwing a glittering white arc of light across the
pavement arrested their progress.
"I never realised before," mused the Surgeon, "how these fellows cater
for the love-lorn Naval Officer. Look at those brooches: naval crowns;
hat-pins made of uniform buttons, bracelets with flags done in
enamel—D-E-A-R-E-S—" he spelt out, and broke off abruptly, "Pouf! What
tosh!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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