Alexandre Dumas: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 29: The House of Morrel & Son. (continued)

"The captain, M. Morrel, -- he has stayed behind sick at Palma; but please God, it won't be much, and you will see him in a few days all alive and hearty."

"Well, now tell your story, Penelon."

Penelon rolled his quid in his cheek, placed his hand before his mouth, turned his head, and sent a long jet of tobacco-juice into the antechamber, advanced his foot, balanced himself, and began, -- "You see, M. Morrel," said he, "we were somewhere between Cape Blanc and Cape Boyador, sailing with a fair breeze, south-south-west after a week's calm, when Captain Gaumard comes up to me -- I was at the helm I should tell you -- and says, `Penelon, what do you think of those clouds coming up over there?' I was just then looking at them myself. `What do I think, captain? Why I think that they are rising faster than they have any business to do, and that they would not be so black if they didn't mean mischief.' -- `That's my opinion too,' said the captain, `and I'll take precautions accordingly. We are carrying too much canvas. Avast, there, all hands! Take in the studding-sl's and stow the flying jib.' It was time; the squall was on us, and the vessel began to heel. `Ah,' said the captain, `we have still too much canvas set; all hands lower the mains'l!' Five minutes after, it was down; and we sailed under mizzen-tops'ls and to'gall'nt sails. `Well, Penelon,' said the captain, `what makes you shake your head?' `Why,' I says, `I still think you've got too much on.' `I think you're right,' answered he, `we shall have a gale.' `A gale? More than that, we shall have a tempest, or I don't know what's what.' You could see the wind coming like the dust at Montredon; luckily the captain understood his business. `Take in two reefs in the tops'ls,' cried the captain; `let go the bowlin's, haul the brace, lower the to'gall'nt sails, haul out the reef-tackles on the yards.'"

"That was not enough for those latitudes," said the Englishman; "I should have taken four reefs in the topsails and furled the spanker."