e was crouched upon the coffin, with
the water on the cabin floor whirling and splashing about him as the
ship heaved and plunged. I saw a warning brightness in his eyes, a
warning flush on his cheek, as I approached and said to him:

"There is nothing left for it, Alfred, but to bow to our misfortune, and
do the best we can to save our lives."

"Save yours," he cried, waving his hand to me, "for _you_ have a future
before you. Mine is gone when this coffin goes to the bottom. If the
ship sinks, I shall know that the fatality is accomplished, and shall
sink with her."

I saw that he was in no state to be reasoned with or persuaded, and
raised myself again to the deck. The men were cutting away all obstacles
so as to launch the longboat placed amidships over the depressed bulwark
of the brig as she lay on her side, and the captain, after having made
a last vain exertion to restore his authority, was looking on at them
in silence. The violence of the squall seemed already to be spending
itself, and I asked whether there was really no chance for us if we
remained by the ship. The captain answered that there might have been
the best chance if the men had obeyed his orders, but that now there was
none. Knowing that I could place no dependence on the presence of mind
of Monkton's servant, I confided to the captain, in the fewest and
plainest words, the condition of my unhappy friend, and asked if I might
depend on his help. He nodded his head, and we descended together to
the cabin. Even at this day it costs me pain to write of the terrible
necessity to which the strength and obstinacy of Monkton's delusion
reduced us in the last resort. We were compelled to secure his hands,
and drag him by main force to the deck. The men were on the point of
launching the boat, and refused at first to receive us into it.

"You cowards!" cried the captain, "have we got the dead man with us
this time? Isn't he going to the bottom along with the brig? Who are you
afraid of when we get into the boat?"

This sort of appeal produced the desired effect; the men became ashamed
of themselves, and retracted their refusal.

Just as we pushed off from the sinking ship Alfred made an effort to
break from me, but I held him firm, and he never repeated the attempt.
He sat by me with drooping head, still and silent, while the sailors
rowed away from the vessel; still and silent when, with one accord, they
paused at a little distance off, and we all w