have made of the world. A dam' poor job of it and
that's plain. It's a confoundedly ugly place, Mr. Franklin. You don't
know anything of it? Well--no, we sailors don't. Only now and then one
of us runs against something cruel or underhand, enough to make your hair
stand on end. And when you do see a piece of their wickedness you find
that to set it right is not so easy as it looks . . . Oh! I called you
back to tell you that there will be a lot of workmen, joiners and all
that sent down on board first thing to-morrow morning to start making
alterations in the cabin. You will see to it that they don't loaf. There
isn't much time."

Franklin was impressed by this unexpected lecture upon the wickedness of
the solid world surrounded by the salt, uncorruptible waters on which he
and his captain had dwelt all their lives in happy innocence. What he
could not understand was why it should have been delivered, and what
connection it could have with such a matter as the alterations to be
carried out in the cabin. The work did not seem to him to be called for
in such a hurry. What was the use of altering anything? It was a very
good accommodation, spacious, well-distributed, on a rather old-fashioned
plan, and with its decorations somewhat tarnished. But a dab of varnish,
a touch of gilding here and there, was all that was necessary. As to
comfort, it could not be improved by any alterations. He resented the
notion of change; but he said dutifully that he would keep his eye on the
workmen if the captain would only let him know what was the nature of the
work he had ordered to be done.

"You'll find a note of it on this table. I'll leave it for you as I go
ashore," said Captain Anthony hastily. Franklin thought there was no
more to hear, and made a movement to leave the saloon. But the captain
continued after a slight pause, "You will be surprised, no doubt, when
you look at it. There'll be a good many alterations. It's on account of
a lady coming with us. I am going to get married, Mr. Franklin!"

CHAPTER TWO--YOUNG POWELL SEES AND HEARS

"You remember," went on Marlow, "how I feared that Mr. Powell's want of
experience would stand in his way of appreciating the unusual. The
unusual I had in my mind was something of a very subtle sort: the unusual
in marital relations. I may well have doubted the capacity of a young
man too much concerned with the creditable performance of his
professional duties