4i6                    "ET TU BRUTE!"                [pt.u.
"Four hundred tons short! Here we are catching-them out, these fellows in the Alexander, who were always first at coaling ! Eighty tons for every coaling. . . . 400 tons. ... If she were to take these in now at sea, we should lose two or three days. And would this be possible ? Where are the Japanese ? Perhaps quite near. Who can tell ? Shall we now be obliged to go to Kamranh and tie ourselves to the telegraph cable ? "
It was pitiful to see the Admiral. He who even in trifling matters could get quite beside himself, who used to shake his fist at a ship performing an evolution badly, launching out into the most uncomplimentary remarks about her (it was as well that at the distance he could neither be heard nor seen), now could hardly get out a word.
Stooping slightly, his hands grasping the bridge rails nervously, he stood on the bridge and stared with a frown at the signal flying from the Alexander's foreyard-arm—he could hardly believe his own eyes.
The explanation which followed by semaphore admitted of no doubt. We replied: "Understood," and the Alexander hauled down the signal.
The Admiral recovered his composure, waved his hand, and went below.
'' Et tu Brute! "  said Lieutenant S----- with a bitter
smile, looking at the Alexander, which he as well as many others (myself included) had always looked upon as the pattern ship of the squadron. "Well, and what do you say ? " he added, turning round to me.
" What can I say?—He won't be able to go on now."
It was clear that the scheme of steaming straight to Vladivostok had now come to nought.
As I know the Admiral's character to a certain extent, and know that, with all his energy, he is not quite free
be no question of any pecuniary advantages to either the one who supplied or to the one who received the coal. The coal was ours, the property of the State, paid for long ago at St Petersburg. Whether it was on board a transport or on board a man-of-war was quite immaterial; any percentages of its money value could not possibly be pocketed by any one in the squadron. If those who kept the Alexander's coal accounts were inclined, when estimating the weight of the sacks, to add the doubtful pounds instead of subtracting them, this was due to the (certainly shortsighted) endeavours to present favourable figures, but in no way from selfish motives.