大象传媒

The Mersey drizzle soaked my duffle coat and woolly hat, and from this, rivulets of rain ran down my nose on to my chin. I was cold, but I would not leave the Pier Head. The Liver Building, in keeping with the streets, showed not a glimmer of light, but I knew the clock was there, ticking away the minutes.
I walked to the pier head and peered across the black river. The GEORGIC was there, a sombre bulk barely causing ripples on the water. Muffled sounds touched my ears, but I could place no reality in what I heard. For comfort I willed myself to make out a silhouette on the upper deck, and I waved.
Dark, gaunt, shapeless Lowry-like figures with umbrellas well down over their heads splashed past me, adding a deeper gloom to that already around . By invisible hands, and a flutter, the Red Duster was lowered. The port and starboard lights twitched and played tricks with my eyes as the black shadow of the ship convulsed into movement as she slipped her moorings and made for the Bar and the Atlantic Sea.
I turned away, now there was nothing left in the darkness to imagine. My watch showed me that with luck I could make the midnight London train from Lime Street. I did - and got a sleeper berth, so life was not all bad鈥�
I spread my duffle coat and hat out to drain. Pulled my candlewick dressing-gown from my night bag, and snuggled into its folds. With hands deep in the pockets, I quickly warmed up, and the 鈥檆huckety-chuck鈥� of the train wheels soon lulled me to sleep.
A bang on the compartment door, and a cheerful voice called, 鈥淲e are approaching Euston Station.鈥� I raised the window-blind; it was a lovely morning. I thought, 鈥淎lready, he is nearly a day nearer home, and his first letter might go ashore with the Pilot, and that could arrive tomorrow.鈥�
Tidying myself ready to go straight to the office, I was pleased to feel that my duffle-coat and hat had dried out. I felt almost happy - at least confident that this 鈥檛rip鈥� was going to be alright.

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