Prologue, Chapter 1-4 Summary

The Prologue begins with a train traveling through the New York countryside. Richard Essex is resting in the luxurious Pullman, writing a letter to his wife to pass the time. There are five soldiers dressed in civilian garb playing cards in the ornately-decorated Pullman car.

Harry Shields is in the middle of a nightmarish situation aboard a Canadian luxury liner. He is on his way to England. He sees the corpse of the girl and knows what is going to be his fate. A man appears and they talk about the collision, and Shields tells the man that there is a piece of paper in Shields' luggage that must be taken to the Foreign Office in London. The boat continues to sink, and Shields tastes the cold foul water as he drowns.

Sam Harding is a ticket agent for...