lambered now toward the hinder part of the vessel, where a
little boat floated after. One of them sprang into it.

"My daughter!" cried the elder, and bent himself toward the narrow
entrance into the cabin. "Sidsel, save thy life!" and so saying, he
sprang into the boat.

"We must have my daughter out," cried he. One of the ship's cabin
windows was under water; he burst in the other window.

"We are sinking!" cried he, and a horrible scream was heard within.

The old man was German Heinrich, who was about to come with this vessel
from Copenhagen to Jutland: Sidsel was his daughter, and therefore he
wished now to save her life a second time.

The water rushed more and more into the ship. Heinrich thrust his arm
through the cabin-window, he grasped about in the water within; suddenly
he caught hold on a garment, he drew it toward him; but it was only the
captain's coat, and not his daughter, as he had hoped.

"The ship sinks!" shrieked the other, and grasped wildly on the rope
which held the boat fast: in vain he attempted to divide it with his
pocket-knife. The ship whirled round with the boat and all. Air and
water boiled within it, and, as if in a whirlpool, the whole sunk into
the deep. The sea agitated itself into strong surges over the place, and
then was again still. The moon shone tranquilly over the surface of the
water as before. No wreck remained to tell any one of the struggle which
there had been with death.

The bell tolled a quarter past twelve; and at that moment the last light
at the hall was extinguished.

"I will go to Paris," said Wilhelm, "to my glorious Switzerland; here
at home one is heavy-hearted; the gillyflowers on the grave have an odor
full of melancholy recollections. I must breathe the mountain air;
I must mingle in the tumult of men, and it is quite the best in the
world."

Otto closed his eyes; he folded his hands.

"Louise loves me," said he. "I am so happy that I fear some great
misfortune may soon meet me; thus it used always to be. Whilst German
Heinrich lives I cannot assure myself of good! If he were away, I should
be perfectly tranquil, perfectly happy!"

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of O. T., by Hans Christian Andersen

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