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diff --git a/2798-h/2798-h.htm b/2798-h/2798-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3bab394 --- /dev/null +++ b/2798-h/2798-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1264 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + The Queen of the Pirate Isle, by Bret Harte + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Queen of the Pirate Isle, by Bret Harte + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Queen of the Pirate Isle + +Author: Bret Harte + +Release Date: May 27, 2006 [EBook #2798] +Last Updated: March 5, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE QUEEN OF THE PIRATE ISLE *** + + + + +Produced by Donald Lainson; David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto" cellpadding="4" border="3"> +<tr> +<td> +THERE IS AN ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THIS TITLE WHICH MAY VIEWED AT EBOOK <big><b><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17168"> +[# 17168 ]</a></b></big> +</td> +</tr> +</table> + + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h1> + THE QUEEN OF THE PIRATE ISLE + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + by Bret Harte + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <p> + I first knew her as the Queen of the Pirate Isle. To the best of my + recollection she had no reasonable right to that title. She was only nine + years old, inclined to plumpness and good humor, deprecated violence, and + had never been to sea. Need it be added that she did NOT live in an island + and that her name was Polly? + </p> + <p> + Perhaps I ought to explain that she had already known other experiences of + a purely imaginative character. Part of her existence had been passed as a + Beggar Child,—solely indicated by a shawl tightly folded round her + shoulders, and chills; as a Schoolmistress, unnecessarily severe; as a + Preacher, singularly personal in his remarks, and once, after reading one + of Cooper's novels, as an Indian Maiden. This was, I believe, the only + instance when she had borrowed from another's fiction. Most of the + characters that she assumed for days and sometimes weeks at a time were + purely original in conception; some so much so as to be vague to the + general understanding. I remember that her personation of a certain Mrs. + Smith, whose individuality was supposed to be sufficiently represented by + a sunbonnet worn wrong side before and a weekly addition to her family, + was never perfectly appreciated by her own circle although she lived the + character for a month. Another creation known as “The Proud Lady”—a + being whose excessive and unreasonable haughtiness was so pronounced as to + give her features the expression of extreme nausea—caused her mother + so much alarm that it had to be abandoned. This was easily effected. The + Proud Lady was understood to have died. Indeed, most of Polly's + impersonations were got rid of in this way, although it by no means + prevented their subsequent reappearance. “I thought Mrs. Smith was dead,” + remonstrated her mother at the posthumous appearance of that lady with a + new infant. “She was buried alive and kem to!” said Polly with a + melancholy air. Fortunately, the representation of a resuscitated person + required such extraordinary acting, and was, through some uncertainty of + conception, so closely allied in facial expression to the Proud Lady, that + Mrs. Smith was resuscitated only for a day. + </p> + <p> + The origin of the title of the Queen of the Pirate Isle may be briefly + stated as follows:— + </p> + <p> + An hour after luncheon, one day, Polly, Hickory Hunt, her cousin, and Wan + Lee, a Chinese page, were crossing the nursery floor in a Chinese junk. + The sea was calm and the sky cloudless. Any change in the weather was as + unexpected as it is in books. Suddenly a West Indian Hurricane, purely + local in character and unfelt anywhere else, struck Master Hickory and + threw him overboard, whence, wildly swimming for his life and carrying + Polly on his back, he eventually reached a Desert Island in the closet. + Here the rescued party put up a tent made of a table-cloth providentially + snatched from the raging billows, and, from two o'clock until four, passed + six weeks on the island, supported only by a piece of candle, a box of + matches, and two peppermint lozenges. It was at this time that it became + necessary to account for Polly's existence among them, and this was only + effected by an alarming sacrifice of their morality; Hickory and Wan Lee + instantly became PIRATES, and at once elected Polly as their Queen. The + royal duties, which seemed to be purely maternal, consisted in putting the + Pirates to bed after a day of rapine and bloodshed, and in feeding them + with licorice water through a quill in a small bottle. Limited as her + functions were, Polly performed them with inimitable gravity and + unquestioned sincerity. Even when her companions sometimes hesitated from + actual hunger or fatigue and forgot their guilty part, she never faltered. + It was her real existence; her other life of being washed, dressed, and + put to bed at certain hours by her mother was the ILLUSION. + </p> + <p> + Doubt and skepticism came at last,—and came from Wan Lee! Wan Lee of + all creatures! Wan Lee, whose silent, stolid, mechanical performance of a + pirate's duties—a perfect imitation like all his household work—had + been their one delight and fascination! + </p> + <p> + It was just after the exciting capture of a merchantman, with the + indiscriminate slaughter of all on board,—a spectacle on which the + round blue eyes of the plump Polly had gazed with royal and maternal + tolerance,—and they were burying the booty, two tablespoons and a + thimble, in the corner of the closet, when Wan Lee stolidly rose. + </p> + <p> + “Melican boy pleenty foolee! Melican boy no Pilat!” said the little + Chinaman, substituting “l's” for “r's” after his usual fashion. + </p> + <p> + “Wotcher say?” said Hickory, reddening with sudden confusion. + </p> + <p> + “Melican boy's papa heap lickee him—s'pose him leal Pilat,” + continued Wan Lee doggedly. “Melican boy Pilat INSIDE housee. Chinee boy + Pilat OUTSIDE housee. First chop Pilat.” + </p> + <p> + Staggered by this humiliating statement, Hickory recovered himself in + character. “Ah! Ho!” he shrieked, dancing wildly on one leg, “Mutiny and + Splordinashun! 'Way with him to the yard-arm.” + </p> + <p> + “Yald-alm—heap foolee! Alee same clothes-horse for washee washee.” + </p> + <p> + It was here necessary for the Pirate Queen to assert her authority, which, + as I have before stated, was somewhat confusingly maternal. + </p> + <p> + “Go to bed instantly without your supper,” she said seriously. “Really, I + never saw such bad pirates. Say your prayers, and see that you're up early + to church tomorrow.” + </p> + <p> + It should be explained that in deference to Polly's proficiency as a + preacher, and probably as a relief to their uneasy consciences, Divine + Service had always been held on the Island. But Wan Lee continued:— + </p> + <p> + “Me no shabbee Pilat INSIDE housee; me shabbee Pilat OUTSIDE housee. + S'pose you lun away longside Chinee boy—Chinee boy make you Pilat.” + </p> + <p> + Hickory softly scratched his leg; while a broad, bashful smile almost + closed his small eyes. “Wot?” he asked. + </p> + <p> + “Mebbe you too flightened to lun away. Melican boy's papa heap lickee.” + </p> + <p> + This last infamous suggestion fired the corsair's blood. “Dy'ar think we + daresen't?” said Hickory desperately, but with an uneasy glance at Polly. + “I'll show yer to-morrow.” + </p> + <p> + The entrance of Polly's mother at this moment put an end to Polly's + authority and dispersed the pirate band, but left Wan Lee's proposal and + Hickory's rash acceptance ringing in the ears of the Pirate Queen. That + evening she was unusually silent. She would have taken Bridget, her nurse, + into her confidence, but this would have involved a long explanation of + her own feelings, from which, like all imaginative children, she shrank. + She, however, made preparation for the proposed flight by settling in her + mind which of her two dolls she would take. A wooden creature with + easy-going knees and movable hair seemed to be more fit for hard service + and any indiscriminate scalping that might turn up hereafter. At supper, + she timidly asked a question of Bridget. “Did ye ever hear the loikes uv + that, ma'am?” said the Irish handmaid with affectionate pride. “Shure the + darlint's head is filled noight and day with ancient history. She's after + asking me now if Queens ever run away!” To Polly's remorseful confusion + here her good father, equally proud of her precocious interest and his own + knowledge, at once interfered with an unintelligible account of the + abdication of various queens in history until Polly's head ached again. + Well meant as it was, it only settled in the child's mind that she must + keep the awful secret to herself and that no one could understand her. + </p> + <p> + The eventful day dawned without any unusual sign of importance. It was one + of the cloudless summer days of the Californian foothills, bright, dry, + and, as the morning advanced, hot in the white sunshine. The actual, + prosaic house in which the Pirates apparently lived was a mile from a + mining settlement on a beautiful ridge of pine woods sloping gently + towards a valley on the one side, and on the other falling abruptly into a + dark deep olive gulf of pine-trees, rocks, and patches of red soil. + Beautiful as the slope was, looking over to the distant snow peaks which + seemed to be in another world than theirs, the children found a greater + attraction in the fascinating depths of a mysterious gulf, or canyon, as + it was called, whose very name filled their ears with a weird music. To + creep to the edge of the cliff, to sit upon the brown branches of some + fallen pine, and, putting aside the dried tassels, to look down upon the + backs of wheeling hawks that seemed to hang in mid-air was a never-failing + delight. Here Polly would try to trace the winding red ribbon of road that + was continually losing itself among the dense pines of the opposite + mountains; here she would listen to the far-off strokes of a woodman's + axe, or the rattle of some heavy wagon, miles away, crossing the pebbles + of a dried-up watercourse. Here, too, the prevailing colors of the + mountains, red and white and green, most showed themselves. There were no + frowning rocks to depress the children's fancy, but everywhere along the + ridge pure white quartz bared itself through the red earth like smiling + teeth; the very pebbles they played with were streaked with shining mica + like bits of looking-glass. The distance was always green and summer-like, + but the color they most loved, and which was most familiar to them, was + the dark red of the ground beneath their feet everywhere. It showed itself + in the roadside bushes; its red dust pervaded the leaves of the + overhanging laurel; it colored their shoes and pinafores; I am afraid it + was often seen in Indian-like patches on their faces and hands. That it + may have often given a sanguinary tone to their fancies I have every + reason to believe. + </p> + <p> + It was on this ridge that the three children gathered at ten o'clock that + morning. An earlier flight had been impossible on account of Wan Lee being + obliged to perform his regular duty of blacking the shoes of Polly and + Hickory before breakfast,—a menial act which in the pure republic of + childhood was never thought inconsistent with the loftiest piratical + ambition. On the ridge they met one “Patsey,” the son of a neighbor, + sun-burned, broad-brimmed hatted, red-handed, like themselves. As there + were afterwards some doubts expressed whether he joined the Pirates of his + own free will, or was captured by them, I endeavor to give the colloquy + exactly as it occurred:— + </p> + <p> + Patsey: “Hallo, fellers.” + </p> + <p> + The Pirates: “Hello!” + </p> + <p> + Patsey: “Goin' to hunt bars? Dad seed a lot o' tracks at sun-up.” + </p> + <p> + The Pirates (hesitating): “No—o—” + </p> + <p> + Patsey: “I am; know where I kin get a six-shooter?” + </p> + <p> + The Pirates (almost ready to abandon piracy for bear-hunting, but + preserving their dignity): “Can't! We've runn'd away for real pirates.” + </p> + <p> + Patsey: “Not for good!” + </p> + <p> + The Queen (interposing with sad dignity and real tears in her round blue + eyes): “Yes!” (slowly and shaking her head). “Can't go back again. Never! + Never! Never! The—the—eye is cast!” + </p> + <p> + Patsey (bursting with excitement): “No-o! Sho'o! Wanter know.” + </p> + <p> + The Pirates (a little frightened themselves, but tremulous with gratified + vanity): “The Perleese is on our track!” + </p> + <p> + Patsey: “Lemme go with yer!” + </p> + <p> + Hickory: “Wot'll yer giv?” + </p> + <p> + Patsey: “Pistol and er bananer.” + </p> + <p> + Hickory (with judicious prudence): “Let's see 'em.” + </p> + <p> + Patsey was off like a shot; his bare little red feet trembling under him. + In a few minutes he returned with an old-fashioned revolver known as one + of “Allen's pepper-boxes” and a large banana. He was at once enrolled, and + the banana eaten. + </p> + <p> + As yet they had resolved on no definite nefarious plan. Hickory, looking + down at Patsey's bare feet, instantly took off his own shoes. This bold + act sent a thrill through his companions. Wan Lee took off his cloth + leggings, Polly removed her shoes and stockings, but, with royal + foresight, tied them up in her handkerchief. The last link between them + and civilization was broken. + </p> + <p> + “Let's go to the Slumgullion.” + </p> + <p> + “Slumgullion” was the name given by the miners to a certain soft, + half-liquid mud, formed of the water and finely powdered earth that was + carried off by the sluice-boxes during gold-washing, and eventually + collected in a broad pool or lagoon before the outlet. There was a pool of + this kind a quarter of a mile away, where there were “diggings” worked by + Patsey's father, and thither they proceeded along the ridge in single + file. When it was reached they solemnly began to wade in its viscid + paint-like shallows. Possibly its unctuousness was pleasant to the touch; + possibly there was a fascination in the fact that their parents had + forbidden them to go near it, but probably the principal object of this + performance was to produce a thick coating of mud on the feet and ankles, + which, when dried in the sun, was supposed to harden the skin and render + their shoes superfluous. It was also felt to be the first real step + towards independence; they looked down at their ensanguined extremities + and recognized the impossibility of their ever again crossing (unwashed) + the family threshold. + </p> + <p> + Then they again hesitated. There was a manifest need of some well-defined + piratical purpose. The last act was reckless and irretrievable, but it was + vague. They gazed at each other. There was a stolid look of resigned and + superior tolerance in Wan Lee's eyes. + </p> + <p> + Polly's glance wandered down the side of the slope to the distant little + tunnels or openings made by the miners who were at work in the bowels of + the mountain. “I'd like to go into one of them funny holes,” she said to + herself, half aloud. + </p> + <p> + Wan Lee suddenly began to blink his eyes with unwonted excitement. + “Catchee tunnel—heap gold,” he said quickly. “When manee come + outside to catchee dinner—Pilats go inside catchee tunnel! Shabbee! + Pilats catchee gold allee samee Melican man!” + </p> + <p> + “And take perseshiun,” said Hickory. + </p> + <p> + “And hoist the Pirate flag,” said Patsey. + </p> + <p> + “And build a fire, and cook, and have a family,” said Polly. + </p> + <p> + The idea was fascinating to the point of being irresistible. The eyes of + the four children became rounder and rounder. They seized each other's + hands and swung them backwards and forwards, occasionally lifting their + legs in a solemn rhythmic movement known only to childhood. + </p> + <p> + “It's orful far off!” said Patsey with a sudden look of dark importance. + “Pap says it's free miles on the road. Take all day ter get there.” + </p> + <p> + The bright faces were overcast. + </p> + <p> + “Less go down er slide!” said Hickory boldly. + </p> + <p> + They approached the edge of the cliff. The “slide” was simply a sharp + incline zigzagging down the side of the mountain used for sliding goods + and provisions from the summit to the tunnel-men at the different openings + below. The continual traffic had gradually worn a shallow gully half + filled with earth and gravel into the face of the mountain which checked + the momentum of the goods in their downward passage, but afforded no + foothold for a pedestrian. No one had ever been known to descend a slide. + That feat was evidently reserved for the Pirate band. They approached the + edge of the slide, hand in hand, hesitated, and the next moment + disappeared. + </p> + <p> + Five minutes later the tunnel-men of the Excelsior mine, a mile below, + taking their luncheon on the rude platform of debris before their tunnel, + were suddenly driven to shelter in the tunnel from an apparent rain of + stones, and rocks, and pebbles, from the cliffs above. Looking up, they + were startled at seeing four round objects revolving and bounding in the + dust of the slide, which eventually resolved themselves into three boys + and a girl. For a moment the good men held their breath in helpless + terror. Twice one of the children had struck the outer edge of the bank, + and displaced stones that shot a thousand feet down into the dizzy depths + of the valley; and now one of them, the girl, had actually rolled out of + the slide and was hanging over the chasm supported only by a clump of + chamisal to which she clung! + </p> + <p> + “Hang on by your eyelids, sis! but don't stir, for Heaven's sake!” shouted + one of the men, as two others started on a hopeless ascent of the cliff + above them. + </p> + <p> + But a light childish laugh from the clinging little figure seemed to mock + them! Then two small heads appeared at the edge of the slide; then a + diminutive figure, whose feet were apparently held by some invisible + companion, was shoved over the brink and stretched its tiny arms towards + the girl. But in vain, the distance was too great. Another laugh of + intense youthful enjoyment followed the failure, and a new insecurity was + added to the situation by the unsteady hands and shoulders of the + relieving party, who were apparently shaking with laughter. Then the + extended figure was seen to detach what looked like a small black rope + from its shoulders and throw it to the girl. There was another little + giggle. The faces of the men below paled in terror. Then Polly,—for + it was she,—hanging to the long pigtail of Wan Lee, was drawn with + fits of laughter back in safety to the slide. Their childish treble of + appreciation was answered by a ringing cheer from below. + </p> + <p> + “Darned ef I ever want to cut off a Chinaman's pigtail again, boys,” said + one of the tunnel-men as he went back to dinner. + </p> + <p> + Meantime the children had reached the goal and stood before the opening of + one of the tunnels. Then these four heroes who had looked with cheerful + levity on the deadly peril of their descent became suddenly frightened at + the mysterious darkness of the cavern and turned pale at its threshold. + </p> + <p> + “Mebbee a wicked Joss backside holee, he catchee Pilats,” said Wan Lee + gravely. + </p> + <p> + Hickory began to whimper, Patsey drew back, Polly alone stood her ground, + albeit with a trembling lip. + </p> + <p> + “Let's say our prayers and frighten it away,” she said stoutly. + </p> + <p> + “No! no!” said Wan Lee, with a sudden alarm. “No frighten Spillits! You + waitee! Chinee boy he talkee Spillit not to frighten you.” * + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + * The Chinese pray devoutly to the Evil Spirits NOT to + injure them. +</pre> + <p> + Tucking his hands under his blue blouse, Wan Lee suddenly produced from + some mysterious recess of his clothing a quantity of red paper slips which + he scattered at the entrance of the cavern. Then drawing from the same + inexhaustible receptacle certain squibs or fireworks, he let them off and + threw them into the opening. There they went off with a slight fizz and + splutter, a momentary glittering of small points in the darkness, and a + strong smell of gunpowder. Polly gazed at the spectacle with undisguised + awe and fascination. Hickory and Patsey breathed hard with satisfaction: + it was beyond their wildest dreams of mystery and romance. Even Wan Lee + appeared transfigured into a superior being by the potency of his own + spells. But an unaccountable disturbance of some kind in the dim interior + of the tunnel quickly drew the blood from their blanched cheeks again. It + was a sound like coughing, followed by something like an oath. + </p> + <p> + “He's made the Evil Spirit orful sick,” said Hickory in a loud whisper. + </p> + <p> + A slight laugh, that to the children seemed demoniacal, followed. + </p> + <p> + “See!” said Wan Lee. “Evil Spillet he likee Chinee; try talkee him.” + </p> + <p> + The Pirates looked at Wan Lee, not without a certain envy of this manifest + favoritism. A fearful desire to continue their awful experiments, instead + of pursuing their piratical avocations, was taking possession of them; but + Polly, with one of the swift transitions of childhood, immediately began + to extemporize a house for the party at the mouth of the tunnel, and, with + parental foresight, gathered the fragments of the squibs to build a fire + for supper. That frugal meal, consisting of half a ginger biscuit divided + into five small portions, each served on a chip of wood, and having a + deliciously mysterious flavor of gunpowder and smoke, was soon over. It + was necessary after this that the pirates should at once seek repose after + a day of adventure, which they did for the space of forty seconds in + singularly impossible attitudes and far too aggressive snoring. Indeed, + Master Hickory's almost upright pose, with tightly folded arms and darkly + frowning brows, was felt to be dramatic, but impossible for a longer + period. The brief interval enabled Polly to collect herself and to look + around her in her usual motherly fashion. Suddenly she started and uttered + a cry. In the excitement of the descent she had quite overlooked her doll, + and was now regarding it with round-eyed horror. + </p> + <p> + “Lady Mary's hair's gone!” she cried, convulsively grasping the Pirate + Hickory's legs. + </p> + <p> + Hickory at once recognized the battered doll under the aristocratic title + which Polly had long ago bestowed upon it. He stared at the bald and + battered head. + </p> + <p> + “Ha! ha!” he said hoarsely; “skelped by Injins!” + </p> + <p> + For an instant the delicious suggestion soothed the imaginative Polly. But + it was quickly dispelled by Wan Lee. + </p> + <p> + “Lady Maley's pigtail hangee top side hillee. Catchee on big quartz stone + allee same Polly; me go fetchee.” + </p> + <p> + “No!” quickly shrieked the others. The prospect of being left in the + proximity of Wan Lee's evil spirit, without Wan Lee's exorcising power, + was anything but reassuring. “No, don't go!” Even Polly (dropping a + maternal tear on the bald head of Lady Mary) protested against this + breaking up of the little circle. “Go to bed!” she said authoritatively, + “and sleep till morning.” + </p> + <p> + Thus admonished, the Pirates again retired. This time effectively; for, + worn by actual fatigue or soothed by the delicious coolness of the cave, + they gradually, one by one, succumbed to real slumber. Polly, withheld + from joining them by official and maternal responsibility, sat and blinked + at them affectionately. + </p> + <p> + Gradually she, too, felt herself yielding to the fascination and mystery + of the place and the solitude that encompassed her. Beyond the pleasant + shadows where she sat, she saw the great world of mountain and valley + through a dreamy haze that seemed to rise from the depths below and + occasionally hang before the cavern like a veil. Long waves of spicy heat + rolling up the mountain from the valley brought her the smell of + pine-trees and bay, and made the landscape swim before her eyes. She could + hear the far-off cry of teamsters on some unseen road; she could see the + far-off cloud of dust following the mountain stagecoach, whose rattling + wheels she could not hear. She felt very lonely, but was not quite afraid; + she felt very melancholy, but was not entirely sad; and she could have + easily awakened her sleeping companions if she wished. + </p> + <p> + No; she was a lone widow with nine children, six of whom were already in + the lone churchyard on the hill, and the others lying ill with measles and + scarlet fever beside her. She had just walked many weary miles that day, + and had often begged from door to door for a slice of bread for the + starving little ones. It was of no use now—they would die! They + would never see their dear mother again. This was a favorite imaginative + situation of Polly's, but only indulged when her companions were asleep, + partly because she could not trust confederates with her more serious + fancies, and partly because they were at such times passive in her hands. + She glanced timidly around. Satisfied that no one could observe her, she + softly visited the bedside of each of her companions, and administered + from a purely fictitious bottle spoonfuls of invisible medicine. Physical + correction in the form of slight taps, which they always required, and in + which Polly was strong, was only withheld now from a sense of their weak + condition. But in vain; they succumbed to the fell disease,—they + always died at this juncture,—and Polly was left alone. She thought + of the little church where she had once seen a funeral, and remembered the + nice smell of the flowers; she dwelt with melancholy satisfaction of the + nine little tombstones in the graveyard, each with an inscription, and + looked forward with gentle anticipation to the long summer days when, with + Lady Mary in her lap, she would sit on those graves clad in the deepest + mourning. The fact that the unhappy victims at times moved as it were + uneasily in their graves, or snored, did not affect Polly's imaginative + contemplation, nor withhold the tears that gathered in her round eyes. + </p> + <p> + Presently, the lids of the round eyes began to droop, the landscape beyond + began to be more confused, and sometimes to disappear entirely and + reappear again with startling distinctness. Then a sound of rippling water + from the little stream that flowed from the mouth of the tunnel soothed + her and seemed to carry her away with it, and then everything was dark. + </p> + <p> + The next thing that she remembered was that she was apparently being + carried along on some gliding object to the sound of rippling water. She + was not alone, for her three companions were lying beside her, rather + tightly packed and squeezed in the same mysterious vehicle. Even in the + profound darkness that surrounded her, Polly could feel and hear that they + were accompanied, and once or twice a faint streak of light from the side + of the tunnel showed her gigantic shadows walking slowly on either side of + the gliding car. She felt the little hands of her associates seeking hers, + and knew they were awake and conscious, and she returned to each a + reassuring pressure from the large protecting instinct of her maternal + little heart. Presently the car glided into an open space of bright light, + and stopped. The transition from the darkness of the tunnel at first + dazzled their eyes. It was like a dream. + </p> + <p> + They were in a circular cavern from which three other tunnels, like the + one they had passed through, diverged. The walls, lit up by fifty or sixty + candles stuck at irregular intervals in crevices of the rock, were of + glittering quartz and mica. But more remarkable than all were the inmates + of the cavern, who were ranged round the walls,—men who, like their + attendants, seemed to be of extra stature; who had blackened faces, wore + red bandana handkerchiefs round their heads and their waists, and carried + enormous knives and pistols stuck in their belts. On a raised platform + made of a packing-box on which was rudely painted a skull and cross-bones, + sat the chief or leader of the band covered with a buffalo robe; on either + side of him were two small barrels marked “Grog” and “Gunpowder.” The + children stared and clung closer to Polly. Yet, in spite of these + desperate and warlike accessories, the strangers bore a singular + resemblance to “Christy Minstrels” in their blackened faces and attitudes + that somehow made them seem less awful. In particular, Polly was impressed + with the fact that even the most ferocious had a certain kindliness of + eye, and showed their teeth almost idiotically. + </p> + <p> + “Welcome!” said the leader,—“welcome to the Pirates' Cave! The Red + Rover of the North Fork of the Stanislaus River salutes the Queen of the + Pirate Isle!” He rose up and made an extraordinary bow. It was repeated by + the others with more or less exaggeration, to the point of one humorist + losing his balance! + </p> + <p> + “Oh, thank you very much,” said Polly timidly, but drawing her little + flock closer to her with a small protecting arm; “but could you—would + you—please—tell us—what time it is?” + </p> + <p> + “We are approaching the middle of Next Week,” said the leader gravely; + “but what of that? Time is made for slaves! The Red Rover seeks it not! + Why should the Queen?” + </p> + <p> + “I think we must be going,” hesitated Polly, yet by no means displeased + with the recognition of her rank. + </p> + <p> + “Not until we have paid homage to Your Majesty,” returned the leader. + “What ho! there! Let Brother Step-and-Fetch-It pass the Queen around that + we may do her honor.” Observing that Polly shrank slightly back, he added: + “Fear nothing; the man who hurts a hair of Her Majesty's head dies by this + hand. Ah! ha!” + </p> + <p> + The others all said ha! ha! and danced alternately on one leg and then on + the other, but always with the same dark resemblance to Christy Minstrels. + Brother Step-and-Fetch-It, whose very long beard had a confusing + suggestion of being a part of the leader's buffalo robe, lifted her gently + in his arms and carried her to the Red Rovers in turn. Each one bestowed a + kiss upon her cheek or forehead, and would have taken her in his arms, or + on his knees, or otherwise lingered over his salute, but they were sternly + restrained by their leader. When the solemn rite was concluded, + Step-and-Fetch-It paid his own courtesy with an extra squeeze of the curly + head, and deposited her again in the truck, a little frightened, a little + astonished, but with a considerable accession to her dignity. Hickory and + Patsey looked on with stupefied amazement. Wan Lee alone remained stolid + and unimpressed, regarding the scene with calm and triangular eyes. + </p> + <p> + “Will Your Majesty see the Red Rovers dance?” + </p> + <p> + “No, if you please,” said Polly, with gentle seriousness. + </p> + <p> + “Will Your Majesty fire this barrel of gunpowder, or tap this breaker of + grog?” + </p> + <p> + “No, I thank you.” + </p> + <p> + “Is there no command Your Majesty would lay upon us?” + </p> + <p> + “No, please,” said Polly, in a failing voice. + </p> + <p> + “Is there anything Your Majesty has lost? Think again! Will Your Majesty + deign to cast your royal eyes on this?” + </p> + <p> + He drew from under his buffalo robe what seemed like a long tress of blond + hair, and held it aloft. Polly instantly recognized the missing scalp of + her hapless doll. + </p> + <p> + “If you please, sir, it's Lady Mary's. She's lost it.” + </p> + <p> + “And lost it—Your Majesty—only to find something more + precious. Would Your Majesty hear the story?” + </p> + <p> + A little alarmed, a little curious, a little self-anxious, and a little + induced by the nudges and pinches of her companions, the Queen blushingly + signified her royal assent. + </p> + <p> + “Enough. Bring refreshments. Will Your Majesty prefer wintergreen, + peppermint, rose, or acidulated drops? Red or white? Or perhaps Your + Majesty will let me recommend these bull's-eyes,” said the leader, as a + collection of sweets in a hat were suddenly produced from the barrel + labeled “Gunpowder” and handed to the children. + </p> + <p> + “Listen,” he continued, in a silence broken only by the gentle sucking of + bull's-eyes. “Many years ago the old Red Rovers of these parts locked up + all their treasures in a secret cavern in this mountain. They used spells + and magic to keep it from being entered or found by anybody, for there was + a certain mark upon it made by a peculiar rock that stuck out of it, which + signified what there was below. Long afterwards, other Red Rovers who had + heard of it came here and spent days and days trying to discover it, + digging holes and blasting tunnels like this, but of no use! Sometimes + they thought they discovered the magic marks in the peculiar rock that + stuck out of it, but when they dug there they found no treasure. And why? + Because there was a magic spell upon it. And what was that magic spell? + Why, this! It could only be discovered by a person who could not possibly + know that he or she had discovered it; who never could or would be able to + enjoy it; who could never see it, never feel it, never, in fact, know + anything at all about it! It wasn't a dead man, it wasn't an animal, it + wasn't a baby!” + </p> + <p> + “Why,” said Polly, jumping up and clapping her hands, “it was a Dolly.” + </p> + <p> + “Your Majesty's head is level! Your Majesty has guessed it!” said the + leader, gravely. “It was Your Majesty's own dolly, Lady Mary, who broke + the spell! When Your Majesty came down the slide, the doll fell from your + gracious hand when your foot slipped. Your Majesty recovered Lady Mary, + but did not observe that her hair had caught in a peculiar rock, called + the 'Outcrop,' and remained behind! When, later on, while sitting with + your attendants at the mouth of the tunnel, Your Majesty discovered that + Lady Mary's hair was gone, I overheard Your Majesty, and dispatched the + trusty Step-and-Fetch-It to seek it at the mountain side. He did so, and + found it clinging to the rock, and beneath it—the entrance to the + Secret Cave!” + </p> + <p> + Patsey and Hickory, who, failing to understand a word of this explanation, + had given themselves up to the unconstrained enjoyment of the sweets, + began now to apprehend that some change was impending, and prepared for + the worst by hastily swallowing what they had in their mouths, thus + defying enchantment, and getting ready for speech. Polly, who had closely + followed the story, albeit with the embellishments of her own imagination, + made her eyes rounder than ever. A bland smile broke on Wan Lee's face, as + to the children's amazement, he quietly disengaged himself from the group + and stepped before the leader. + </p> + <p> + “Melican man plenty foolee Melican chillern. No foolee China boy! China + boy knowee you. YOU no Led Lofer. YOU no Pilat—you allee same + tunnel-man—you Bob Johnson! Me shabbee you! You dressee up allee + same as Led Lofer—but you Bob Johnson—allee same. My fader + washee washee for you. You no payee him. You owee him folty dolla! Me + blingee you billee. You no payee billee! You say, 'Chalkee up, John.' You + say, 'Bimeby, John.' But me no catchee folty dolla!” + </p> + <p> + A roar of laughter followed, in which even the leader apparently forgot + himself enough to join. But the next moment springing to his feet he + shouted, “Ho! ho! A traitor! Away with him to the deepest dungeon beneath + the castle moat!” + </p> + <p> + Hickory and Patsey began to whimper, but Polly, albeit with a tremulous + lip, stepped to the side of her little Pagan friend. “Don't you dare touch + him,” she said with a shake of unexpected determination in her little + curly head; “if you do, I'll tell my father, and he will slay you! All of + you—there!” + </p> + <p> + “Your father! Then you are NOT the Queen!” + </p> + <p> + It was a sore struggle to Polly to abdicate her royal position; it was + harder to do it with befitting dignity. To evade the direct question she + was obliged to abandon her defiant attitude. “If you please, sir,” she + said hurriedly, with an increasing color and no stops, “we're not always + Pirates, you know, and Wan Lee is only our boy what brushes my shoes in + the morning, and runs of errands, and he doesn't mean anything bad, sir, + and we'd like to take him back home with us.” + </p> + <p> + “Enough,” said the leader, changing his entire manner with the most sudden + and shameless inconsistency. “You shall go back together, and woe betide + the miscreant who would prevent it! What say you, brothers? What shall be + his fate who dares to separate our noble Queen from her faithful Chinese + henchman?” + </p> + <p> + “He shall die!” roared the others, with beaming cheerfulness. + </p> + <p> + “And what say you—shall we see them home?” + </p> + <p> + “We will!” roared the others. + </p> + <p> + Before the children could fairly comprehend what had passed, they were + again lifted into the truck and began to glide back into the tunnel they + had just quitted. But not again in darkness and silence; the entire band + of Red rovers accompanied them, illuminating the dark passage with the + candles they had snatched from the walls. In a few moments they were at + the entrance again. The great world lay beyond them once more with rocks + and valleys suffused by the rosy light of the setting sun. The past seemed + like a dream. + </p> + <p> + But were they really awake now? They could not tell. They accepted + everything with the confidence and credulity of all children who have no + experience to compare with their first impressions and to whom the future + contains nothing impossible. It was without surprise, therefore, that they + felt themselves lifted on the shoulders of the men who were making quite a + procession along the steep trail towards the settlement again. Polly + noticed that at the mouth of the other tunnels they were greeted by men as + if they were carrying tidings of great joy; that they stopped to rejoice + together, and that in some mysterious manner their conductors had got + their faces washed, and had become more like beings of the outer world. + When they neared the settlement the excitement seemed to have become + greater; people rushed out to shake hands with the men who were carrying + them, and overpowered even the children with questions they could not + understand. Only one sentence Polly could clearly remember as being the + burden of all congratulations. “Struck the old lead at last!” With a faint + consciousness that she knew something about it, she tried to assume a + dignified attitude on the leader's shoulders, even while she was beginning + to be heavy with sleep. + </p> + <p> + And then she remembered a crowd near her father's house, out of which her + father came smiling pleasantly on her, but not interfering with her + triumphal progress until the leader finally deposited her in her mother's + lap in their own sitting-room. And then she remembered being “cross,” and + declining to answer any questions, and shortly afterwards found herself + comfortably in bed. Then she heard her mother say to her father:— + </p> + <p> + “It really seems too ridiculous for anything, John; the idea of those + grown men dressing themselves up to play with children.” + </p> + <p> + “Ridiculous or not,” said her father, “these grown men of the Excelsior + mine have just struck the famous old lode of Red Mountain, which is as + good as a fortune to everybody on the Ridge, and were as wild as boys! And + they say it never would have been found if Polly hadn't tumbled over the + slide directly on top of the outcrop, and left the absurd wig of that + wretched doll of hers to mark its site.” + </p> + <p> + “And that,” murmured Polly sleepily to her doll as she drew it closer to + her breast, “is all that they know of it.” + </p> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Queen of the Pirate Isle, by Bret Harte + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE QUEEN OF THE PIRATE ISLE *** + +***** This file should be named 2798-h.htm or 2798-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/9/2798/ + +Produced by Donald Lainson; David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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