Amongst this elegant audience were seven to eight young couples back from their honeymoon : several were not unknown to us, we had met them in our stay in Egypt.

On the afternoon of April 12th, it was a Sunday, the music played on board had been playing on several occasions Gounod’s Ave Maria, La Veuve joyeuse, etc. It was very cold : we were near Newfoundland. I had to go downstairs [one the lower decks] in my cabin to warm me up.

A French boat, « Le Touraine », je crois I think, had transmitted « Beware. Icebergs. » But! The president Bruce Ismay assured us that nothing was to be afraid of, that the Titanic was [invicible? unsinkable]. The last evening was particularly turbulent animated: concerts, ball, festivity.

And yet all this couldn’t chase the indistinct anxiety that was still tourmenting me.

I even did not change my clothes, I didn’t feel like it even if all around me the ladies were competing in style between themselves.

Towards eleven o’clock: Mrs. Stone and I went to bed.

Three quarters of an hour later, as the liner was cruising at full speed, a terrifying shock threw us out of bed.

We were intending to find out what was happening, when a passing officer told us “It is nothing, return to your cabin.” I answered “Listen to that loud noise, it sounds like water is flowing into the ship.”

Upon our return to the cabin I saw that our [female] neighbor from across the passageway had gone back to bed.

Her daughter arrived in a panic, yelling “Mommy, quick quick, get up it’s very serious.”
I helped Mrs. Stone to dress, she took her lifebelt and told me “come quickly.”

I was trembling, and still in my dressing gown, I took a coat, my lifebelt, and followed her on deck.