The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from 'Twixt Land & Sea by Joseph Conrad: literally not big enough to swing a cat in. My voice died in my
throat and I went stony all over. I expected to hear a yell of
surprise and terror, and made a movement, but had not the strength
to get on my legs. Everything remained still. Had my second self
taken the poor wretch by the throat? I don't know what I would
have done next moment if I had not seen the steward come out of my
room, close the door, and then stand quietly by the sideboard.
"Saved," I thought. "But, no! Lost! Gone! He was gone!"
I laid my knife and fork down and leaned back in my chair. My head
swam. After a while, when sufficiently recovered to speak in a
steady voice, I instructed my mate to put the ship round at eight
 'Twixt Land & Sea |