"Why, 'of course,'
Charlie?
Kipling - Poems
Make him black-haired of course.
You've no
imagination. "
Seeing that I had just discovered the entire principles upon which the
half-memory falsely called imagination is based, I felt entitled to
laugh, but forbore, for the sake of the tale.
"You're right. You're the man with imagination. A black-haired chap in a
decked ship," I said.
"No, an open ship--like a big boat. "
This was maddening.
"Your ship has been built and designed, closed and decked in; you said
so yourself," I protested.
"No, no, not that ship. That was open, or half decked because--By Jove
you're right. You made me think of the hero as a red-haired chap.
Of course if he were red, the ship would be an open one with painted
sails. "
Surely, I thought he would remember now that he had served in two
galleys at least--in a three-decked Greek one under the black-haired
"political man," and again in a Viking's open sea-serpent under the
man "red as a red bear" who went to Markland. The devil prompted me to
speak.
"Why, 'of course,' Charlie? " said I. "I don't know. Are you making fun
of me? "
The current was broken for the time being. I took up a notebook and
pretended to make many entries in it.
"It's a pleasure to work with an imaginative chap like yourself," I said
after a pause. "The way that you've brought out the character of the
hero is simply wonderful. "
"Do you think so? " he answered, with a pleased flush. "I often tell
myself that there's more in me than my--than people think. "
"There's an enormous amount in you. "
"Then, won't you let me send an essay on The Ways of Bank Clerks to
Tit-Bits, and get the guinea prize? "
"That wasn't exactly what I meant, old fellow: perhaps it would be
better to wait a little and go ahead with the galley-story. "
"Ah, but I sha'n't get the credit of that. Tit-Bits would publish my
name and address if I win.
imagination. "
Seeing that I had just discovered the entire principles upon which the
half-memory falsely called imagination is based, I felt entitled to
laugh, but forbore, for the sake of the tale.
"You're right. You're the man with imagination. A black-haired chap in a
decked ship," I said.
"No, an open ship--like a big boat. "
This was maddening.
"Your ship has been built and designed, closed and decked in; you said
so yourself," I protested.
"No, no, not that ship. That was open, or half decked because--By Jove
you're right. You made me think of the hero as a red-haired chap.
Of course if he were red, the ship would be an open one with painted
sails. "
Surely, I thought he would remember now that he had served in two
galleys at least--in a three-decked Greek one under the black-haired
"political man," and again in a Viking's open sea-serpent under the
man "red as a red bear" who went to Markland. The devil prompted me to
speak.
"Why, 'of course,' Charlie? " said I. "I don't know. Are you making fun
of me? "
The current was broken for the time being. I took up a notebook and
pretended to make many entries in it.
"It's a pleasure to work with an imaginative chap like yourself," I said
after a pause. "The way that you've brought out the character of the
hero is simply wonderful. "
"Do you think so? " he answered, with a pleased flush. "I often tell
myself that there's more in me than my--than people think. "
"There's an enormous amount in you. "
"Then, won't you let me send an essay on The Ways of Bank Clerks to
Tit-Bits, and get the guinea prize? "
"That wasn't exactly what I meant, old fellow: perhaps it would be
better to wait a little and go ahead with the galley-story. "
"Ah, but I sha'n't get the credit of that. Tit-Bits would publish my
name and address if I win.
