Page:De Amicis - Heart, translation Hapgood, 1922.djvu/369

Rh screened the engine was destroyed, and the water dashed in with a terrible roar; the fires were put out; the engineers fled; huge and raging streams forced their way everywhere. A voice of thunder shouted:—

“To the pumps! ”

It was the captain's voice. The sailors rushed to the pumps. But a sudden burst of the sea, striking the vessel on the stern, demolished bulwarks and hatchways, and sent a flood within.

All the passengers, more dead than alive, had taken refuge in the grand saloon. At last the captain appeared.

“Captain! Captain!” they all shrieked together. “What is taking place? Where are we? Is there any hope? Save us!”

The captain waited until they were silent, then said coolly; “Let us be resigned.”

One woman uttered a cry of “Mercy!” No one else could give vent to a sound. Terror had frozen them all. A long time passed thus, in a silence like that of the grave. All gazed at each other with blanched faces. The sea continued to rage and roar. The vessel pitched heavily. At one moment the captain attempted to launch one life-boat; five sailors entered it. The boat sank; the waves turned it over, and two of the sailors were drowned, among them the Italian. The others contrived with difficulty to catch hold of the ropes and draw themselves up again.

After this, the sailors themselves lost all courage. Two hours later, the vessel was sunk in the water to the port-holes.