Its breath pours out through its hundred and twenty cannons as through enormous trumpets； and replies proudly to the thunder。
The ocean seeks to lead it astray in the alarming sameness of its billows； but the vessel has its soul； its pass； which counsels it and always shows it the north。 In the blackest nights； its lanterns supply the place of the stars。 Thus； against the wind； it has its cordage and its canvas； against the water； wood； against the rocks； its iron； brass； and lead； against the shadows； its light； against immensity； a needle。
If one wishes to form an idea of all those gigantic proportions which； taken as a whole； constitute the ship of the line； one has only to enter one of the six…story covered construction stocks； in the ports of Brest or Toulon。
The vessels in process of construction are under a bell…glass there； as it were。
This colossal beam is a yard； that great column of wood which stretches out on the earth as far as the eye can reach is the main…mast。 Taking it from its root in the stocks to its tip in the clouds； it is sixty fathoms long； and its diameter at its base is three feet。
The English main…mast rises to a height of two hundred and seventeen feet above the water…line。 The navy of our fathers employed cables； ours employs chains。 The simple pile of chains on a ship of a hundred guns is four feet high； twenty feet in breadth； and eight feet in depth。
And how much wood is required to make this ship？
Three thousand cubic metres。 It is a floating forest。
And moreover； let this be borne in mind； it is only a question here of the military vessel of forty years ago； of the simple sailing…vessel； steam； then in its infancy； has since added new miracles to that prodigy which is called a war vessel。 At the present time； for example； the mixed vessel with a screw is a surprising machine； propelled by three thousand square metres of canvas and by an engine of two thousand five hundred horse…power。
Not to mention these new marvels； the ancient vessel of Christopher Columbus and of De Ruyter is one of the masterpieces of man。 It is as inexhaustible in force as is the Infinite in gales； it stores up the wind in its sails； it is precise in the immense vagueness of the billows； it floats； and it reigns。
There es an hour； nevertheless； when the gale breaks that sixty…foot yard like a straw； when the wind bends that mast four hundred feet tall； when that anchor； which weighs tens of thousands； is twisted in the jaws of the waves like a fisherman's hook in the jaws of a pike； when those monstrous cannons utter plaintive and futile roars； which the hurricane bears forth into the void and into night； when all that power and all that majesty are engulfed in a power and majesty which are superior。
Every time that immense force is displayed to culminate in an immense feebleness it affords men food for thought； Hence in the ports curious people abound around these marvellous machines of war and of navigation； without being able to explain perfectly to themselves why。
Every day； accordingly； from morning until night； the quays； sluices； and the jetties of the port of Toulon were covered with a multitude of idlers and loungers； as they say in Paris； whose business consisted in staring at the Orion。
The Orion was a ship that had been ailing for a long time； in the course of its previous cruises thick layers of barnacles had collected on its keel to such a degree as to deprive it of half its speed； it had gone into the dry dock the year before this； in order to have the barnacles scraped off； then it had put to sea again； but this cleaning had affected the bolts of the keel： in the neighborhood of the Balearic Isles the sides had been strained and had opened； and； as the plating in those days was not of sheet iron； the vessel had sprung a leak。
A violent equinoctial gale had e up； which had first staved in a grating and a porthole on the larboard side； and damaged the foretop…gallant…shrouds； in consequence of these injuries； the Orion had run back to Toulon。
It anchored near the Arsenal； it was fully equipped； and repairs were begun。
The hull had received no damage on the starboard； but some of the planks had been unnailed here and there； according to custom； to permit of air entering the hold。
One morning the crowd which was gazing at it witnessed an accident。
The crew was busy bending the sails； the topman； who had to take the upper corner of the main…top…sail on the starboard； lost his balance； he was seen to waver； the multitude thronging the Arsenal quay uttered a cry； the man's head overbalanced his body； the man fell around the yard； with his hands outstretched towards the abyss； on his way he seized the footrope； first with one hand； then with the other； and remained hanging from it：
the sea lay below him at a dizzy depth； the shock of his fall had imparted to the foot…rope a violent swinging motion； the man swayed back and forth at the end of that rope； like a stone in a sling。
It was incurring a frightful risk to go to his assistance； not one of the sailors； all fishermen of the coast； recently levied for the service； dared to attempt it。
In the meantime； the unfortunate topman was losing his strength； his anguish could not be discerned on his face； but his exhaustion was visible in every limb； his arms were contracted in horrible twitchings； every effort which he made to re…ascend served but to augment the oscillations of the foot…rope； he did not shout； for fear of exhausting his strength。
All were awaiting the minute when he should release his hold on the rope； and； from instant to instant； heads were turned aside that his fall might not be seen。 There are moments when a bit of rope； a pole； the branch of a tree； is life itself； and it is a terrible thing to see a living being detach himself from it and fall like a ripe fruit。
All at once a man was seen climbing into the rigging with the agility of a tiger…cat； this man was dressed in red； he was a convict； he wore a green cap； he was a life convict。
On arriving on a level with the top； a gust of wind carried away his cap； and allowed a perfectly white head to be seen：
he was not a young man。
A convict employed on board with a detachment from the galleys had； in fact； at the very first instant； hastened to the officer of the watch； and； in the midst of the consternation and the hesitation of the crew； while all the sailors were trembling and drawing back； he had asked the officer's permission to risk his life to save the topman； at an affirmative sign from the officer he had broken the chain riveted to his ankle with one blow of a hammer； then he had caught up a rope； and had dashed into the rigging： no one noticed； at the instant； with what ease that chain had been broken； it was only later on that the incident was recalled。
In a twinkling he was on the yard； he paused for a few seconds and appeared to be measuring it with his eye； these seconds； during which the breeze swayed the topman at the extremity of a thread； seemed centuries to those who were looking on。 At last； the convict raised his eyes to heaven and advanced a step： the crowd drew a long breath。
He was seen to run out along the yard： on arriving at the point； he fastened the rope which he had brought to it； and allowed the other end to hang down； then he began to descend the rope； hand over hand； and then；and the anguish was indescribable；instead of one man suspended over the gulf； there were two。
One would have said it was a spider ing to seize a fly； only here the spider brought life； not death。
Ten thousand glances were fastened on this group； not a cry； not a word； the same tremor contracted every brow； all mouths held their breath as though they feared to add the slightest puff to the wind which was swaying the two unfortunate men。
In the meantime； the convict had succeeded in lowering himself to a position near the sailor。
It was high time； one minute more； and the exhausted and despairing man would have allowed himself to fall into the abyss。
The convict had moored him securely with the cord to which he clung with one hand； while he was working with the other。
At last； he was seen to climb back on the yard； and to drag the sailor up after him； he held him there a moment to allow him to recover his strength； then he grasped him in his arms and carried him； walking on the yard himself to the cap； and from there to the main…top； where he left him in the hands of his rades。
At that moment the crowd broke into applause：
old convict…sergeants among them wept； and women embraced each other on the quay； and all voices were heard to cry with a sort of tender rage； 〃Pardon for that man！〃
He； in the meantime； had immediately begun to make his descent to rejoin his detachment。
In order to reach them the more speedily； he dropped into the rigging； and ran along one of the lower yards； all eyes were following him。
At a certain moment fear assailed them； whether it was that he was fatigued； or that his head turned； they thought they saw him hesitate and stagger。
All at once the crowd uttered a loud shout：
the convict had fallen into the sea。
The fall was perilous。
The frigate Algesiras was anchored alongside the Orion； and the poor convict had fallen between the two vessels： it was to be feared that he would slip under one or the other of them。 Four men flung themselves hastily into a boat； the crowd cheered them on； anxiety again took possession of all souls； the man had not risen to the surface； he had disappeared in the sea without leaving a ripple； as though he had fallen into a cask of oil：
they sounded； they dived。
In vain。
The search was continued until the evening： they did not even find the body。
On the following day the Toulon newspaper printed these lines：
〃Nov。 17； 1823。
Yesterday； a convict belonging to the detachment on board of the Orion； on his return from rendering assistance to a sailor； fell into the sea and was drowned。
The body has not yet been found； it is supposed that it is entangled among the piles of the Arsenal point：
this man was mitted