The Ghost Ship Page #4

Mr. Merriam made certain statements.

I called this informal hearing

to prove to him how unfounded they were.

I felt it my duty

as the company agent...

...to prevent public investigation

of a baseless charge.

Thank you all

for cooperating so splendidly.

Have a good time.

I'm sorry this had to happen, Tom.

Ellen will be wanting to see you.

I'm sure she's been waiting for you

since she saw the Altair...

...come into the harbor last night.

Ellen?

- Does she watch for my ship?

- She's always watching for your ship.

She's got good news.

Is Captain Stone aboard?

No, ma'am. He'll be back

in an hour or so. He's with Mr. Roberts.

You're the new third officer,

aren't you?

I was, but how did you know?

Captain Stone wrote me about you.

A long letter even before he met you.

He was most enthusiastic

about your training ship record.

I know.

I'm Ellen Roberts,

an old friend of the captain.

Because of his letters,

I feel as if I knew you too.

- Tom Merriam.

- How do you do?

Where in the world

are you going with that bag?

Doesn't the Altair

sail tomorrow night?

She sails without me, Ms. Roberts.

That sounds serious.

While I'm waiting,

won't you let me give you a lift?

- Then you can tell me all about it.

- No, thank you.

That bag will be awfully heavy

by the time you reach the hotel.

- Come along.

- All right.

And so you're dreadfully disappointed

and dreadfully hurt.

The whole world seems

to have turned against you...

...just because you made a mistake.

- I didn't make a mistake.

That's almost the captain's voice, Tom.

"I didn't make a mistake."

"I couldn't make a mistake."

"I'm authority." "I'm the captain."

"I'm the third officer."

I've heard it all so often.

It's all so wrong.

You're just like the captain, Tom.

Lonely, austere, bitter.

Without family or friends.

Condemning yourself to a bloodless,

ghost-like existence.

And in the end, it will be

only a ghost ship you will command.

How long do you think

I've known the captain, Tom?

I don't know.

I've known him for 15 years.

For 15 years, I've tried to give him love

instead of loneliness.

You mustn't be like him.

You've got to embrace warmth and life.

- A good joke, a pretty girl.

- I don't know any girls.

That's clear enough, but you will.

I have a younger sister in San Pedro.

She's a secretary for the Dunham Line.

She'll meet you on your next trip north.

I'll see to that.

If you don't like her,

she'll introduce you to other girls...

...and other young men.

Young men who don't even know...

...what the word "authority" means.

I'll see that you don't become

another Captain Stone.

I'm going to change him too.

I can now.

I have the right.

But this is not like you, Will.

I've never known you to hold grudges.

I don't want him on my ship.

People seem to be turning against me.

The boy...

...some of the crew.

I feel their dislike.

- Their distrust.

- Oh, nonsense.

You're only imagining things.

You work too hard, too long, Will.

This voyage down without

a second officer, standing watches.

It's been hard on you.

When you get back to the States,

have a good checkup. Take a rest.

It isn't my health that I'm worried about.

I've lived a lonely life.

A hard life.

You and Ellen are the only friends

I've ever had.

All you need's a rest.

See a good doctor, just as I've said.

You'll see Ellen tonight.

Find new interests.

There are no new interests.

Just authority.

Authority.

- I have something to tell you, Will.

- That's what Charlie said.

I wanted to be here,

aboard the Altair, when I told you.

I want my rival

to hear and feel my triumph.

I've always loved your fancies, Ellen.

This isn't a fancy.

I want the old Altair to know

that I'm a free woman.

That I can take you from her

and keep you from her.

- You won your case.

- Yes. He finally gave in.

The final papers came through last week.

I'm a free woman.

I expected a different response, Will.

I thought we were both waiting for this.

I had waited.

I had wanted this.

But now there's little I can do or say.

I'm afraid.

- Afraid of me, Will?

- Of my mind, Ellen.

I don't trust it anymore.

- Your mind?

- Don't come close to me. Stand there.

But, Will, l...

I remember Captain Blaker of the Ajax.

She's my first ship.

I was a mess boy.

I watched him lose his mind,

little by little.

He knew it

and could do nothing about it.

It was awful, Ellen.

I've never forgotten it.

We were run down

in a fog off the coast of the Mersey.

The Ajax sank like a rock.

Blaker went with her.

He was lucky.

It's only your memory

that frightens you.

It's more than that.

I felt strange.

Why, I've done things

that I couldn't remember doing.

I've had moments that I felt

that I was on the verge...

...of losing control.

Doing some terrible, stupid, ugly thing.

This morning, when the boy

testified against me...

...I could barely keep my seat.

Give me a chance to get over this.

This feeling that I don't know myself.

That I don't control my thoughts,

my actions.

You can have all the time

in the world.

I'll be waiting here

for the Altair on her return voyage.

I'm a British subject,

and I'll not sing for you or any Heinie.

- Mr. Merriam.

- What goes on here? What are you up to?

Are you hurt, Mr. Merriam?

This man is my officer from the Altair.

He's been hurt.

I've got to get him back aboard.

Naturally, had I had anything to say

about it, I wouldn't be here.

Evidently, Billy had the policeman

bring me aboard.

Of course, sir, I realize I have no right

whatsoever to be aboard the Altair.

I'll be glad to make arrangements to pay

my passage when we reach San Pedro.

I don't wanna be aboard

any more than you want me here.

But I can't do anything about it.

You can't expect me to swim.

That's quite the wrong tone, Merriam.

I was just gonna say

that you'd be my guest on the trip north.

That you'll have no duties.

We'll do everything to make the voyage

as comfortable as possible.

- Thank you.

- In fact, Merriam...

...l'm rather glad that you're onboard.

It will give me a chance to prove

certain theories of mine.

You know, I'm sure you'll find them

very interesting and instructive.

- You can learn many things from me.

- I never doubted that, sir.

I'm sure you never doubted it

when you told Mr. Roberts...

...that I was a murderer

and incompetent.

But we'll forget all that, Mr. Merriam.

- Thank you, captain.

- Mr. Merriam.

You know, there are some captains

who would hold this against you.

Oh, Raphael.

I was wondering

if you got me to bed last...

Hiya, Sparks.

- I seem to have gotten myself in a kind of...

- Don't come in here.

I don't want any funny business

with you.

Look, Sparks, we're friends.

I need your help. Stop kidding

and listen to me, will you?

Yeah, I'll stop kidding.

But as for listening...

...I tell you I'm dead serious,

and I don't wanna hear a word you say.

Captain's gonna kill me, Sparks.

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