longing indeed to recover the man, not only because it pleased me to
think of my being an instrument under God of calling a human being, so
to speak, out of his grave, but because I yearned for a companion, some
one to address, to lighten the hideous solitude of my condition and to
assist me in planning our deliverance.

I built up a great fire, and with much trouble, for he was very heavy,
disposed him in such a manner before it that the heat was reflected all
over the front of him from his head to his feet. I likewise continued to
chafe his extremities, remitting this work only to rest, and finding
that the brandy had stolen down his throat, I poured another dram in and
then another, till I think he had swallowed a pint. This went on for an
hour, during which time he never exhibited the least signs of life; but
on a sudden he sighed deep, a tremor ran through him, he sighed again
and partly raised his right hand, which fell to the deck with a blow;
his lips twitched, and a small convulsion of his face compelled the
features into the similitude of a grin that instantly faded; then he
fetched a succession of sighs and opened his eyes full upon me.

I was warm enough with my work, but when I observed him looking at me I
turned of a death-like cold, and felt the dew of an intolerable emotion
wet in the palms of my hands. There was no speculation in his stare at
first; his eyes lay as coldly upon me as those of a fish; but as life
quickened in him so his understanding awoke; he slightly knitted his
brows, and very slowly rolled his gaze off me to the furnace and so over
as much of the cook-room as was before him. He then started as if to sit
up, but fell back with a slight groan and looked at me again.

"What is this?" said he in French, in a very hollow feeble voice.

I knew enough of his language to enable me to know he spoke in French,
but that was all. I could not speak a syllable of that tongue.

"You'll be feeling better presently; you must not expect your strength
to come in a minute," said I, taking my chance of his understanding me,
and speaking that he might not think me a ghost, for I doubt not I was
as white as one; since, to be plain, the mere talking to a figure that I
had got to consider as sheerly dead as anybody in a graveyard was
alarming enough, and then again there was the sound of my own voice,
which I had not exerted in speech for ages, as it seemed to me.

He faintly nodded his head, by which I