The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas [142]
"Draw nearer, Penelon," said the young man, "and tell us all about it."
An old seaman, bronzed by the tropical sun, advanced, twirling the remains of a tarpaulin between his hands. "Good–day, M. Morrel," said he, as if he had just quitted Marseilles the previous evening, and had just returned from Aix or Toulon.
"Good–day, Penelon," returned Morrel, who could not refrain from smiling through his tears, "where is the captain?"
"The captain, M. Morrel,—he has stayed behind sick at Palma; but please God, it won't be much, and you will see him in a few days all alive and hearty."
"Well, now tell your story, Penelon."
Penelon rolled his quid in his cheek, placed his hand before his mouth, turned his head, and sent a long jet of tobacco–juice into the antechamber, advanced his foot, balanced himself, and began,—"You see, M. Morrel," said he, "we were somewhere between Cape Blanc and Cape Boyador, sailing with a fair breeze, south–south–west after a week's calm, when Captain Gaumard comes up to me—I was at the helm I should tell you—and says, "Penelon, what do you think of those clouds coming up over there?" I was just then looking at them myself. "What do I think, captain? Why I think that they are rising faster than they have any business to do, and that they would not be so black if they didn't mean mischief."—"That's my opinion too," said the captain, "and I'll take precautions accordingly. We are carrying too much canvas. Avast, there, all hands! Take in the studding–sl's and stow the flying jib." It was time; the squall was on us, and the vessel began to heel. "Ah," said the captain, "we have still too much canvas set; all hands lower the mains'l!" Five minutes after, it was down; and we sailed under mizzen–tops'ls and to'gall'nt sails. "Well, Penelon," said the captain, "what makes you shake your head?""Why," I says, "I still think you've got too much on.""I think you're right," answered he, "we shall have a gale.""A gale? More than that, we shall have a tempest, or I don't know what's what." You could see the wind coming like the dust at Montredon; luckily the captain understood his business. "Take in two reefs in the tops'ls," cried the captain; "let go the bowlin's, haul the brace, lower the to'gall'nt sails, haul out the reef–tackles on the yards.""
"That was not enough for those latitudes," said the Englishman; "I should have taken four reefs in the topsails and furled the spanker."
His firm, sonorous, and unexpected voice made every one start. Penelon put his hand over his eyes, and then stared at the man who thus criticized the manoeuvres of his captain. "We did better than that, sir," said the old sailor respectfully; "we put the helm up to run before the tempest; ten minutes after we struck our tops'ls and scudded under bare poles."
"The vessel was very old to risk that," said the Englishman.
"Eh, it was that that did the business; after pitching heavily 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. "All hands to the pumps!" I shouted; 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