--"Give me a little
water for the night in my mug--there," he said. Donkin took a stride
over the doorstep.--"Git it yerself," he replied in a surly tone. "You
can do it, unless you _are_ sick."--"Of course I can do it," said Wait,
"only... "--"Well, then, do it," said Donkin, viciously, "if yer can
look after yer clothes, yer can look after yerself." He went on deck
without a look back.
Jimmy reached out for the mug. Not a drop. He put it back gently with a
faint sigh--and closed his eyes. He thought:--That lunatic Belfast will
bring me some water if I ask. Fool. I am very thirsty.... It was very
hot in the cabin, and it seemed to turn slowly round, detach itself from
the ship, and swing out smoothly into a luminous, arid space where
a black sun shone, spinning very fast. A place without any water! No
water! A policeman with the face of Donkin drank a glass of beer by the
side of an empty well, and flew away flapping vigorously. A ship
whose mastheads protruded through the sky and could not be seen, was
discharging grain, and the wind whirled the dry husks in spirals along
the quay of a dock with no water in it. He whirled along with the
husks--very tired and light.
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