mydearEugenius，……canbefresherthanthouart，andinwhatpasturesnewshallIfindEliza，orcallher，Eugenius，ifthouwilt，Annie？“’-IsayImighthavedonethis；butEugeniuswasgone，andIhadn’tdoneit。
Iwasrestingonaskylightonthehurricane-deck，watchingtheworkingoftheshipveryslowlyabout，thatshemightheadforEngland。ItwashighnoononamostbrilliantdayinApril，andthebeautifulbaywasgloriousandglowing。Fullmanyatime，onshorethere，hadIseenthesnowcomedown，down，downitselflikedown，untilitlaydeepinallthewaysofmen，andparticularly，asitseemed，inmyway，forIhadnotgonedry-shodmanyhoursformonths。WithintwoorthreedayslastpasthadIwatchedthefeatheryfallsettinginwiththeardourofanewidea，insteadofdraggingattheskirtsofaworn-outwinter，andpermittingglimpsesofafreshyoungspring。Butabrightsunandaclearskyhadmeltedthesnowinthegreatcrucibleofnature；andithadbeenpouredoutagainthatmorningoverseaandland，transformedintomyriadsofgoldandsilversparkles。
Theshipwasfragrantwithflowers。SomethingoftheoldMexicanpassionforflowersmayhavegraduallypassedintoNorthAmerica，whereflowersareluxuriouslygrown，andtastefullycombinedintherichestprofusion；but，bethatasitmay，suchgorgeousfarewellsinflowershadcomeonboard，thatthesmallofficer’scabinondeck，whichItenanted，bloomedoverintotheadjacentscuppers，andbanksofotherflowersthatitcouldn’tholdmadeagardenoftheunoccupiedtablesinthepassengers’saloon。Thesedeliciousscentsoftheshore，minglingwiththefreshairsofthesea，madetheatmosphereadreamy，anenchantingone。Andso，withthewatchaloftsettingallthesails，andwiththescrewbelowrevolvingatamightyrate，andoccasionallygivingtheshipanangryshakeforresisting，Ifellintomyidlestways，andlostmyself。
As，forinstance，whetheritwasIlyingthere，orsomeotherentityevenmoremysterious，wasamatterIwasfartoolazytolookinto。WhatdiditsignifytomeifitwereI？ortothemoremysteriousentity，ifitwerehe？Equallyastotheremembrancesthatdrowsilyfloatedbyme，orbyhim，whyaskwhenorwherethethingshappened？Wasitnotenoughthattheybefellatsometime，somewhere？
Therewasthatassistingatthechurchserviceonboardanothersteamship，oneSunday，inastiffbreeze。Perhapsonthepassageout。Nomatter。Pleasanttoheartheship’sbellsgoaslikechurch-bellsastheycould；pleasanttoseethewatchoffdutymusteredandcomein:besthats，bestGuernseys，washedhandsandfaces，smoothedheads。Butthenaroseasetofcircumstancessorampantlycomical，thatnocheckwhichthegravestintentionscouldputuponthemwouldholdtheminhand。Thusthescene。Someseventypassengersassembledatthesaloontables。Prayer-booksontables。Shiprollingheavily。Pause。Nominister。Rumourhasrelatedthatamodestyoungclergymanonboardhasrespondedtothecaptain’srequestthathewillofficiate。Pauseagain，andveryheavyrolling。