CHIVALROUS SELF-SACRIFICE. 395 



going to their breakfasts, when the sister of the swim- 

 mer rushed out of the house with a scream of distress. 

 *'A lady is drowning behind! who will save her?" 

 was her eager demand, as she passed one young man 

 after another. None replied, for the weather was 

 tremendous; till a poor shoemaker offered himself. 

 "Ill save her, if I can," said he ; and he followed her 

 swiftly through the house and yard to the head of 

 the steps. 



There indeed was the lady still bravely breasting 

 the rolling waves ; she had taken her outward range, 

 and was returning, but the rebound of the sea from 

 the cliffs was so powerful that she could not come in 

 to the steps ; her strength too was failing fast, and 

 it failed all the faster because she was thoroughly 

 frightened. 



The young cordwainer, throwing off his coat and 

 shoes, and taking a rope in his hand, leaped at once 

 into the waves, and being himself a skilful swimmer, 

 he quickly reached the drowning lady. He managed 

 to pass the noose of the cord round her, by means of 

 which she was presently drawn up by other men who 

 had congregated on the steps. "Take care of the 

 poor man !" was her first exclamation, even before 

 her own feet had touched the firm ground. But "the 

 poor man" was past their care ; he had saved her life 

 chivalrously, but it was with the sacrifice of his 

 own. 



As soon as he had secured the lady's hold of the 

 rope, he sought the shore for himself, but scarcely 

 had he swam half a dozen strokes, when the specta- 

 tors on shore beheld his arms suddenly cease their 



