The Count of Monte Cristo

“Eh, it was that that wrecked us; after having been tossed about for twelve hours, we sprung a leak. ‘Penelon,’ said the captain, ‘I think we are sinking; give me the helm, and go down into the hold.’

“I gave him the helm, and descended; there was already three feet of water. I cried, ‘All hands to the pumps!’ but it was too late, and it seemed the more we pumped the more came in.

“‘Ah!’ said I, after four hours’ work, ‘since we are sinking, let us sink; we can die but once.’

“‘That’s the example you set, Penelon,’ cries the captain, ‘very well, wait a minute.’

“He went into his cabin, and came back with a brace of pistols.

“‘I will blow the brains out of the first man who leaves the pump,’ said he.”

“Well done!” said the Englishman.

“There’s nothing gives you so much courage as good reasons,” continued the sailor; “and during that time the wind had abated, and the sea gone down, but the water kept rising; not much, only two inches an hour, but still it rose. Two inches an hour does not seem much, but in twelve hours that makes two feet, and three we had before, that makes five.

“‘Come,’ said the captain, ‘we have done all in our power, and M. Morrel will have nothing to reproach us with; we have tried to save the ship, let us now save ourselves. To the boats, my lads, as quick as you can.’

“Now,” continued Penelon, “you see, M. Morrel, a sailor is attached to his ship, but still more to his life: so we did not wait to be told twice; the more so, that the ship was sinking under us, and seemed to say, Get along, save yourselves.

“We soon launched the boat, and all eight of us got into it. The captain descended the last, or, rather, he did not descend, he would not quit the vessel; so I took him round the waist, and threw him into the boat, and then I jumped after him. It was time, for just as I jumped, the deck burst with a noise like the broadside of a man-of-war. Ten minutes after she pitched forward, then the other way, spun round and round, and then good-bye to the Pharaon. As for us, we were three days without anything to eat or drink, so that we began to think of drawing lots who should feed the rest, when we saw La Gironde; we made signals of distress, she perceived us, made for us, and took us all on board. There now, M. Morrel, that’s the whole truth, on the honour of a sailor; is not it true, you fellows there?”

A general murmur of approbation showed that the narrator had faithfully detailed their misfortunes and sufferings.

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