Зима тревоги нашей

           Bythetimeelectriclightscame,hedidn’tcaremuchormaybewascontentjusttoremember.Hisdeathdidn’tshockme.Theoldmanhaddrilledmeinhisdeathashehadinships.Iknewwhattodo,insidemyselfandout.

           OntheedgeofthesiltedandsandedupOldHarbor,rightwheretheHawleydockhadbeen,thestonefoundationisstillthere.Itcomesrightdowntothelow-tidelevel,andhighwaterlapsagainstitssquaremasonry.Tenfeetfromtheendthereisalittlepassageaboutfourfeetwideandfourfeethighandfivefeetdeep.Itstopisvaulted.Maybeitwasadrainonetime,butthelandwardentranceiscementedinwithsandandbrokenrock.ThatismyPlace,theplaceeverybodyneeds.Insideityouareoutofsightexceptfromseaward.There’snothingatOldHarbornowbutafewclammers’shacks,rattletythings,mostlydesertedinthewinter,butclammersareaquietlotanyway.Theyhardlyspeakfromday’sendtoendandtheywalkwiththeirheadsdownandtheirshouldersbowed.

           ThatwastheplaceIwasheadedfor.IspentnighttidetherebeforeIwentintheservice,andthenighttidebeforeImarriedmyMary,andpartofthenightEllenwasbornthathurthersobad.IwascompelledtogoandsitinsidethereandhearthelittlewavesslapthestoneandlookoutatthesawtoothWhitsunrocks.Isawit,lyinginbed,watchingthedanceoftheredspots,andIknewIhadtositthere.It’sbigchangestakemethere—bigchanges.