Blakeney stares at the empty hammock, thinking of nothing.
Then he closes his eyes, and sees Hollom disappearing under the
water. Then he opens his eyes.
He hears the whispers from the other middies…
"Poor Hollom…" "Blakeney saw him do it…" "I wished I'd been kinder
to him…" "I'd never have known he would…"
Blakeney wishes he could close his ears as well as his eyes.
If Hollom was still here, he thinks, If he was sleeping in his
hammock, you would be sniggering behind his back. Hapless Hollom,
with his too-short uniform and his shy smile and his clumsiness.
Hollom who'd failed the exam twice all ready. Hollom who could never
make up his mind.
JONAH.
Blakeney doesn't want to believe that Hollom was a JONAH. But he
remembers the wind after Hollom's funeral, and feels cold inside.
And Killick's expression of smugness.
"Glad he's gone…"
He caught the whisper while he was walking below. He is glad he
doesn't know who said it.
That night, Blakeney doesn't sleep. He remembers guitar music, soft
and sweet, and Hollom's voice, quiet and comforting. He remembers
letters from his father, cold and empty, and Hollom's sad smile.
"I had a father like yours. But don't worry; I think you'll do well."
Not like me, his sad eyes said.
Those same eyes, looking up at him through green-grey water, smiling
happily. Hollom's hat, abandoned on the deck.
And his own voice, calling.
The Captain had talked to him after it happened:
"It wasn't your fault, lad."
Wasn't it? Then whose fault was it? He wanted to ask. But he held
his tongue and stared at the floor.
Calamy, who had disliked Hollom, now refused to even mention his
name around Blakeney. Many of the other crewmen did the same.
He squeezes his eyes shut again., hoping that he could cry. But he
can't.
Poor,sad, Hollom. Imagine killing yourself in front of you only
friend, who knows that he will never hear the guitar played without
feeling the cold, dark pangs of grief.And seeing an upturn, smiling
face blurred through the water.
Then he closes his eyes, and sees Hollom disappearing under the
water. Then he opens his eyes.
He hears the whispers from the other middies…
"Poor Hollom…" "Blakeney saw him do it…" "I wished I'd been kinder
to him…" "I'd never have known he would…"
Blakeney wishes he could close his ears as well as his eyes.
If Hollom was still here, he thinks, If he was sleeping in his
hammock, you would be sniggering behind his back. Hapless Hollom,
with his too-short uniform and his shy smile and his clumsiness.
Hollom who'd failed the exam twice all ready. Hollom who could never
make up his mind.
JONAH.
Blakeney doesn't want to believe that Hollom was a JONAH. But he
remembers the wind after Hollom's funeral, and feels cold inside.
And Killick's expression of smugness.
"Glad he's gone…"
He caught the whisper while he was walking below. He is glad he
doesn't know who said it.
That night, Blakeney doesn't sleep. He remembers guitar music, soft
and sweet, and Hollom's voice, quiet and comforting. He remembers
letters from his father, cold and empty, and Hollom's sad smile.
"I had a father like yours. But don't worry; I think you'll do well."
Not like me, his sad eyes said.
Those same eyes, looking up at him through green-grey water, smiling
happily. Hollom's hat, abandoned on the deck.
And his own voice, calling.
The Captain had talked to him after it happened:
"It wasn't your fault, lad."
Wasn't it? Then whose fault was it? He wanted to ask. But he held
his tongue and stared at the floor.
Calamy, who had disliked Hollom, now refused to even mention his
name around Blakeney. Many of the other crewmen did the same.
He squeezes his eyes shut again., hoping that he could cry. But he
can't.
Poor,sad, Hollom. Imagine killing yourself in front of you only
friend, who knows that he will never hear the guitar played without
feeling the cold, dark pangs of grief.And seeing an upturn, smiling
face blurred through the water.