"I give you my word to do what you wish, provided that you are mortally
wounded, with no hope of recovery. In that case I consent to spare you
further suffering."
"I shall be mortally wounded or I shall be killed outright."
He held out his hand to me, and I shook it firmly. After that he was
calmer, and even a kind of martial cheerfulness shone in his face.
Towards three o'clock in the afternoon the enemy's guns began to play in
our rigging. We then clewed up some of our sails, crossed the bows of
the _Alcestis_, and started a rattling fire, which the English returned
vigorously. After about an hour's fight our captain, who did nothing
methodically, wanted to try to board the enemy; but we had already many
dead and wounded, and the remainder of our crew had lost heart. Our
rigging, besides, had suffered severely, and our masts were badly
damaged. Just as we were taking in sail, to approach the English
vessel, our large mast, which had nothing to stay it, fell with a
horrible noise. The _Alcestis_ took advantage of the confusion into
which this accident threw us. She came broadside up to our stern and
opened fire upon us within half a pistol range of us; she riddled shot
through our unfortunate frigate fore and aft, and we were only in a
position to point two small guns at her. At that moment I was standing
near Roger, who was busy trying to cut the shrouds which still held the
fallen mast. I felt my arm pressed forcibly; I turned round and saw him
laid flat on the deck covered with blood. He had received a charge of
grape-shot in the stomach.
"What can we do, lieutenant?" cried the captain, running up.
"Nail our flag to this piece of mast and sink the ship."
The captain left him at that, for he did not in the least relish the
advice.
"Come," said Roger, "remember your promise."
"It is nothing," I said; "you will get over it."
"Throw me overboard!" he cried, and he swore fearfully and seized me by
my coat-tails; "you see well enough that I cannot recover. Throw me into
the sea; I do not want to see our flag taken."
Two sailors came up to carry him below.
"To your guns, you knaves!" he cried with all his strength: "use
grape-shot, and aim on the deck. And as for you, if you fail to keep
your word I will curse you and think of you as the most cowardly and
vile of men!"
His wound was certainly mortal. I saw the captain call a midshipman and
give him the order to lower the flag.
"Give me a shake of the hand," I said to Roger.
And at that moment our flag was lowered....
* * * * *
"Captain, there is a whale to larboard!" interrupted an ensign, running
to us.
"A whale?" cried the captain joyfully and leaving his story unfinished.
"Quick! launch the longboat and the yawl, too! All longboats into the
water! Bring the harpoons and ropes!" ...