The last part was the hardest of all. She bent down and took hold of the lower strap. She took a deep breath and lifted.
She was not taking the whole weight of the trunk, for the other end was resting on the rail; but still it took all her strength to lift the thing an inch off the deck, and then her cold fingers slipped and she let it fall back.
She was not going to be able to manage it.
She rested, feeling drained and numb. But she could not give up. She had struggled so hard to bring the trunk this far. She had to try again.
She bent down and seized the strap again.
Micky spoke again. "Augusta, what are you doing?"
She answered in a low, clear voice. "Remember how Peter Middleton died," she said.
She paused. There was no sound from inside the trunk.
"You're going to die the same way," she said.
"No, please, Augusta, my love," he said.
"The water will be colder, and it will taste salty as it fills your lungs; but you'll know the terror he knew as death closes its fist over your heart."
He began to shout. "Help! Help! Someone, save me!"
Augusta grabbed the strap and lifted with all her strength. The bottom of the trunk came up off the deck. As Micky realized what was happening his muffled shouts became louder and more terrified, sounding above the engines and the sea. Soon someone would come. Augusta gave another heave. She lifted the foot of the trunk to chest level and stopped, exhausted, feeling she could do no more. Frantic scrabbling sounds came from inside as Micky tried hopelessly to get out. She closed her eyes, clenched her jaw, and pushed. As she strained with all her might, she felt something give way in her back, and she cried out with pain, but she kept lifting. The bottom of the trunk was now higher than the top, and it slid forward on the rail several inches; but it stopped. Augusta's back was in agony. Any moment now a passenger would be roused from a half-drunk sleep by Micky's cries. She knew she could only lift one more time. This had to be final. She gathered her strength, closed her eyes, gritted her teeth against the pain in her back, and heaved.
The trunk slid slowly forward on the rail, then fell into space.
Micky screamed a long scream that died into the wind.
Augusta slumped forward, leaning on the rail to ease the agony in her back, and watched the big trunk fall slowly, tumbling end over end through the air with the snowflakes. It hit the water with a mighty splash and went under.
