The Vultures

On a broad Atlantic liner, two solitary passengers drift together in a world of commerce and chatter. Mr. Mangles, a thin, sharp‑tongued man with a perpetual cigar, carries a weary contempt for the bustling deck, while the younger Reginald Cartoner moves quietly, his dreamy eyes hinting at deeper thoughts. Their conversation is sparse, each a stranger even to themselves, as the ship’s routine hums around them.

The arrival of a young woman, Netty Cahere, the niece of Mangles, stirs a subtle tension. Mangles, with his dry humor, predicts that every man will fall for her, while Cartoner watches from a distance, his detachment barely masking curiosity. As the Atlantic breeze eases, listeners are invited to follow the uneasy companionship and the unspoken currents that may pull these men toward unexpected encounters.