A soul—strange to say， one would have thought the cannonalso had a soul； but a soul full of hatred and rage. Thissightless thing seemed to have eyes. The monster appearedto lie in wait for the man. One would have at least believedthat there was craft in this mass. It also chose its time. It wasa strange， gigantic insect of metal， having or seeming to havethe will of a demon. For a moment this colossal locust wouldbeat against the low ceiling overhead， then it would comedown on its four wheels like a tiger on its four paws， and beginto run at the man. He， supple， nimble， expert， writhed awaylike an adder from all these lightning movements. He avoideda collision， but the blows which he parried fell against thevessel， and continued their work of destruction.
An end of broken chain was left hanging to the carronade.
This chain had in some strange way become twisted about thescrew of the cascabel. One end of the chain was fastened to thegun-carriage. The other， left loose， whirled desperately aboutthe cannon， making all its blows more dangerous.
The screw held it in a firm grip， adding a thong to a batteringram，making a terrible whirlwind around the cannon， an iron lashin a brazen hand. This chain complicated the contest.
However， the man went on fighting. Occasionally， it was theman who attacked the cannon； he would creep along the sideof the vessel， bar and rope in hand； and the cannon， as if itunderstood， and as though suspecting some snare， would fleeaway. The man， bent on victory， pursued it.
Such things can not long continue. The cannon seemed tosay to itself， all of a sudden， “Come， now！ Make an end ofit！” and it stopped. One felt that the crisis was at hand. Thecannon， as if in suspense， seemed to have， or really had—forto all it was a living being—a ferocious malice prepense. Itmade a sudden， quick dash at the gunner. The gunner sprangout of the way， let it pass by， and cried out to it with a laugh，“Try it again！” The cannon， as if enraged， smashed a carronadeon the port side； then， again seized by the invisible sling whichcontrolled it， it was hurled to the starboard side at the man，who made his escape. Three carronades gave way under theblows of the cannon； then， as if blind and not knowing whatmore to do， it turned its back on the man， rolled from stern tobow， injured the stern and made a breach in the planking of theprow. The man took refuge at the foot of the steps， not far fromthe old man who was looking on. The gunner held his iron barin rest. The cannon seemed to notice it， and without taking thetrouble to turn around， slid back on the man， swift as the blowof an axe. The man， driven against the side of the ship， waslost. The whole crew cried out with horror.
But the old passenger， till this moment motionless， dartedforth more quickly than any of this wildly swift rapidity. Heseized a package of counterfeit assignats， and， at the risk ofbeing crushed， succeeded in throwing it between the wheels ofthe carronade. This decisive and perilous movement could nothave been made with more exactness and precision by a mantrained in all the exercises described in Durosel’s “Manual ofGun Practice at Sea.”
The package had the effect of a clog. A pebble may stop alog， the branch of a tree turn aside an avalanche. The carronadestumbled. The gunner， taking advantage of this criticalopportunity， plunged his iron bar between the spokes of one ofthe hind wheels. The cannon stopped. It leaned forward. Theman， using the bar as a lever， held it in equilibrium. The heavymass was overthrown， with the crash of a falling bell， and theman， rushing with all his might， dripping with perspiration，passed the slipnoose around the bronze neck of the subduedmonster.
It was ended. The man had conquered. The ant had controlover the mastodon； the pygmy had taken the thunderboltprisoner.
The mariners and sailors clapped their hands.
The whole crew rushed forward with cables and chains， andin an instant the cannon was secured.
The gunner saluted the passenger.
“Sir，” he said， “you have saved my life.”
The old man had resumed his impassive attitude， and madeno reply.