He had
entered the Occidental service because he had fallen in love with a
pretty girl, and thought it his duty to become a "regular," and thus have
the chance of seeing her every three months in London. He had conceived a
liking for me, reciprocated on my part; the more so, because I knew that
behind his blunt exterior there was a warm and manly heart. When he left
me I went to my cabin and prepared for dinner, laughing as I did so at
his keen, uncompromising criticism, which I knew was correct enough; for
of all official posts that of a ship-surgeon is least calculated to make
a man take a pride in existence. At its best, it is assisting in the
movement of a panorama; at its worst, worse than a vegetation.
Hungerford's solicitude for myself, however, was misplaced, because this
one voyage would end my career as ship-surgeon, and, besides, I had not
vegetated, but had been interested in everything that had occurred,
humdrum as it was. With these thoughts, I looked out of the port-hole, to
see the shores of Colombo, Galle Face, and Mount Lavinia fading in the
distance, and heard seven bells--the time for dinner.
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