It was his sea-chest that gave him most trouble: it had two trays and a little inner chest or till, and time and again he filled the whole and forced down the lid, only to find that one of these three was lying on his bed or behind the door. Towards midnight he had the entirety closed and locked, and then he perceived that the pair of pocket-pistols he meant to take with him in the morning were in the lowest compartment of all. 'Life is not worth it,' he said, and went to bed with Martin's pamphlet
In this passage, the protagonist is struggling with the organization of his sea-chest, which has multiple compartments. Despite his efforts to put everything in order, he keeps finding items misplaced, indicating his frustration with the situation. His attempts to close the chest are thwarted by items that seem to escape their designated spaces, symbolizing the chaos in his life as he prepares for an impending journey.
As he finally manages to lock the chest, he remembers that he needs his pocket-pistols for the morning, only to realize they are tucked away in the lowest section of the chest. This realization leads him to a moment of despair, as he reflects on the futility of his preparations. Ultimately, he chooses to seek solace in reading a book, indicating a desire for escape from his troubles.
