he comes up again," said another; "but his strength is
leaving him."

"On! on!" cried Wilhelm; "he will be drowned if we do not come to his
help. Only see--he sinks!"

Otto had lost all power; his head disappeared beneath the water. The
friends had nearly reached him; Wilhelm and several of the best swimmers
flung from themselves boots and coats, sprang into the sea, and dived
under the water. A short and noiseless moment passed. One of the
swimmers appeared above water. "He is dead!" were the first words heard.
Wilhelm and the three others now appeared with Otto; the boat was near
oversetting as they brought him into it. Deathly pale lay he there,
a beautifully formed marble statue, the picture of a young gladiator
fallen in the arena.

The friends busied themselves about him, rubbing his breast and hands,
whilst two others rowel toward the land.

"He breathes!" said Wilhelm.

Otto opened his eyes; his lips moved; his gaze became firmer; a deep
crimson spread itself over his breast and countenance; he raised himself
and Wilhelm supported him. Suddenly a deep sigh burst from his breast;
he thrust Wilhelm from him, and, like a madman, seized an article of
dress to cover himself with; then, with a convulsive trembling of the
lips, he said to Wilhelm, who held his hand, "I HATE YOU!"

CHAPTER VI

--"Art thou Prometheus, pierced with wounds?
The Vulture thou that tugs at his heart?"
J. CHR. V. ZEDLITZ'S Todtenkraenze.

Not half an hour after this adventure a carriage rolled toward the
city--a large carriage, containing three seats, but, beside the
coachman, there was only one person within. This was Otto; his lips were
pale; death, it is true, had touched them. Alone he dashed forward; his
last words to Wilhelm had been his only ones.

"He has lost his wits," said one of the friends.

"It is a fit of madness," answered another, "such as he was seized with
at the examination, when he only sent in a scrap of white paper for
the mathematical examination, because he felt himself offended by the
inspector."

"I could quite vex myself about my stupid joke," said Wilhelm. "I ought
to have known him better; he is of a strange, unhappy character. Give me
your hands! We will mention to no one what has occurred; it would only
give occasion to a deal of gossip, and wound him deeply, and he is an
excellent, glorious fellow."

They gave their hands upon it, and drove toward the city.

T