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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/75314-0.txt b/75314-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d458135 --- /dev/null +++ b/75314-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5989 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75314 *** + +Transcriber’s Note: Obvious printing errors have been corrected. Original +period spelling, though, has been maintained. There are two CHAPTER +XXIIIs. + + + + + EMMANUEL APPADOCCA; + OR, + BLIGHTED LIFE. + + A TALE OF THE BOUCANEERS. + + BY + MAXWELL PHILIP. + + Φεῦ. ὦ μῆτερ ἥτις ἐκ τυραννικῶν δόμων + δούλειον ἦμαρ εἶδες, ὡς πράσσεις κακῶς, + ὅσονπερ εὖ ποτ᾽· ἀντισηκώσας δέ σε + φθείρει θεῶν τις τῆς πάροιθ᾽ εὐπραξίας. + + EURIPIDES. + + IN TWO VOLUMES. + VOL. II. + + LONDON: + CHARLES J. SKEET, PUBLISHER, + 10, KING WILLIAM STREET, CHARING CROSS. + + MDCCCLIV. + + + + +EMMANUEL APPADOCCA; + +OR, + +BLIGHTED LIFE. + +A TALE OF THE BOUCANEERS. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + “O conspiracy! + Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night + When evils are most free?” + + JULIUS CÆSAR. + + +The small cutter that was carrying Agnes and the other captives held her +course towards the land. + +It could not but occur to the priest and to his ward, unaccustomed as +they were to encounter dangers, that their position was one which was in +itself highly, if not imminently perilous. There they were, thrown in an +open vessel on the ocean, and sent on a voyage which was to consist of +three days’ or more beating up against the wind and the waves, while +their little vessel was every moment subjected to the accidents of a very +tedious and difficult navigation. + +These thoughts were the more forcibly thrust upon the priest, when after +the lapse of a day, and on the approach of night, it was to be perceived +that no progress towards the land had been made. The little cutter had +tossed about on the high billows, had tacked and re-tacked, still at +the close of the day she was not much nearer the end of her voyage than +when she was thrown off by the schooner. Under the influence of these +thoughts, the priest lost much of his cheerful equanimity. He looked +concerned, and his conversation did not flow so freely as it was wont to +do. Perhaps this was a happy accident for Agnes; for that young lady, +apparently disinclined to speak or to listen, still leaned over the side +of the cutter, and, from time to time, cast a side-long look at the +schooner that was sailing away in another direction. + +The first night of the voyage came, and augmented still more the alarm +of the priest. He felt his isolation among the other men whose pursuits +and habits were different from his, and now freely allowed his mind to +conjure up fears of assassination and robbery. To add to his suspicions, +the sailors of the captured ship seemed to herd closely together, and to +sympathise but little with their fellow passengers. The master fisherman, +true to his promise, paid the greatest attention both to the sailing of +his little vessel, and to the safety and comparative comfort of those who +had been placed under his especial care. + +When the sun, that true and never disordered timekeeper of the tropics, +had on the next morning illumined the ocean, the first thought and first +action of Agnes, was to cast her eyes around and survey the horizon. +Nothing was to be seen; the Black Schooner had disappeared. Scarcely +believing her eyes, she looked and looked again; it was as the eyes +made it out, and not as the wish would have it; there was no vessel to +be seen. Dejected, wretched, sad, and disappointed, she suspended her +further survey, and began again to contemplate the blue waters that was +rushing pass the jumping cutter. A sad feeling was that of Agnes, the +feeling which arises when we lose the last memento of some dear and +cherished creature: the memento which, in the absence of the object that +it recalls to our memory, receives, perhaps, the same amount of worship +as the being itself which it represents. Whatever be the nature of such +a token, it is all the same: a golden toy, a lock of hair, a favourite +pin, a prayer-book, these are amply sufficient to strike up within us +the active feelings of grief-clothed happiness, and to awake anew the +recollections of periods whose real and unbroken felicity never permitted +us to contemplate or fear a change. To lose one of these imaging toys, +is the breaking away of the last link that binds us, in one way at +least, to the objects which they symbolize. On such sad occasions the +heart is stricken with a prophetic fear, which like the canker-worm ever +afterwards eats deeply, and more deeply into our spirits, until there is +nothing more to eat away. + +Agnes felt this when she could no longer see the Black Schooner. As long +as she could gaze on the vessel, there was still a little consolation, +or, perhaps her grief was still subdued, but when that vessel disappeared +from her view, it reached its height and preyed upon her without +mitigation. Who has not stood on the sea-washed strand and watched the +careering ship that was bearing away father, lover, or child, and felt +his tears restrained as long as a waving handkerchief could convey the +ardour of a last “farewell,” but who, a few moments after, experienced +the bitter misery that followed, when the ship had disappeared from +the view, when an unsympathising horizon had veiled in silence and in +obscurity his lost and lonely friends, and his damp spirits were left +free to recoil upon themselves? What person is there, who in the hey-day +of existence, at the age when the heart is fresh, and the spirits are +high, when necessity intervened to drive him away from among friends and +relatives, has not felt the pang of separation more and more as every +familiar object was, one by one, left behind, and gradually disappeared +from his view. + +“Agnes, you are sad,” said the priest, who notwithstanding his own +anxiety, and disquiet of mind, could not but mark the unsettled and +unhappy state of his ward. + +“Not very, sir,” the young lady replied, “though our present condition is +not the most pleasant.” + +“Truly not,” answered the priest, “still we must hope that we shall +soon arrive on land. Recollect, that, although we are not now very +comfortable, we are still on a voyage towards home, and that thought +ought to support us under greater inconveniences than the present.” + +“Yes,” replied Agnes, “we are returning home, and that is a comfort.... +How beautiful this water is,” she continued, falling naturally into that +romantic train which was necessarily called forth by the present state +of her sentiments, “how remarkably beautiful are those blue waters, and +how pure and transparent is that thin foam which now fringes yon crystal +wave!” + +“All the works of the Creator are beautiful, my child,” answered the +priest. + +“Yes,” continued Agnes, “and the ocean is so still and quiet: who could +ever imagine that it contained so many terrible monsters.” + +“True;” remarked the priest, “surfaces, my child, are, alas! too +frequently deceptive. For instance, take the appearance of the ocean this +beautiful and blessed morning; it looks as pure and unspotted as when +the sun first dawned upon it on the fourth day of creation; still, how +many murderous deeds have there not been done upon it since that time, +and over how many wrecks of human fabrics has it not rolled? If we could +penetrate its depth, and see its bed, we should probably behold the +skeletons of the fierce Caraibs that first inhabited this part of the +world, and their rude instruments of war, blended confusedly together +with the bones and elaborate weapons of their more polished conquerors; +while the large fishes that still hold possession of their medium of +existence, now peer with meaningless eyes into the naked skulls, or +rummage for their food the rotting wrecks of the bristling war-vessels +that once rode these seas.” + +Agnes felt thankful for this long and solemn observation, which gave her +time to think on one of the vessels that had not as yet become a wreck +beneath the ocean. + +After a pause, the priest continued: + +“This basin over which we are now sailing, my dear Agnes, may have once +been high and dry land, and the islands which are scattered about in this +horse-shoe fashion, may have been—.” + +“Stop, sare,” interrupted the master fisherman, who the reader may +recollect was constituted the captain and proprietor of the cutter +when it was dispatched from the schooner, and who was now sitting +between Agnes and the priest, steering the boat, “stop, sare,” he said, +endeavouring to make himself understood in English, “me wees hear +something they say there,” and he made an almost imperceptible sign +towards the bows of the cutter, where the sailors of the captured ship +were sitting together, and speaking among themselves in a sort of half +whisper. The master fisherman’s attention had been attracted towards them +by a few words which he had overheard, and being suspicious lest they +should presume upon their numerical strength, and make an attempt to take +possession of the cutter, he was anxious to make himself acquainted with +their plans in order to anticipate them. + +“We will never get ashore at this rate, Bill,” said one sailor to another. + +“I’ll be d—n—d, if we will,” answered the other, “what the devil does +that d—n—d jack Spaniole know about steering a boat.” + +“Don’t speak so loud,” whispered another. + +“He don’t understand English, and I don’t care if he did,” answered the +other. + +“Yes, I think it is a devilish hard case,” joined in another, “that we +should be obliged to sit here and let that fellow, who don’t know a jib +from a paddle-box, steer the boat.” + +“What do you say if we take the management, my hearties?” inquired a +lean, long-featured individual. + +“Hum,” groaned one. + +“Suppose we do?” inquired another. + +They whispered still lower among themselves for a moment. + +“I say, you sir—you sir, keep her off, will you, don’t you see the wind +is right a-head?” shouted one to the master fisherman, in a tone of +derision. + +“Keep her head up, Mr. Spaniole, d’ye hear? don’t you see the wind is +turning her round?” cried another. + +These insults seemed lost on the master fisherman, for he took them with +marvellous fortitude. + +“My good men,” said the priest, “forbear: consider where we are, and +under what circumstances we are placed; pray, do no not endeavour to +cause any quarrel.” + +“Mind your own business, parson, will you?” shouted a bolder sailor than +the others, “it is you who already prevents us going any faster; so, if +you don’t wish to be sent to Davy Jones, hold your tongue.” + +The priest became now quite alarmed: + +“Do not answer them,” he whispered to the fisherman. + +“Hollo! there; ready about,” continued one of the sailors, apparently +bent on provoking a quarrel, “ready about,” and he proceeded to let go +the jib-sheet. + +The master fisherman now quickly stood up, with the marks of anger +already becoming visible in his eyes. + +“Stop, or me kill you,” he cried, while he levelled one of the pistols, +with which he was armed, at the audacious sailor. + +“Kill him, will you,” simultaneously shouted two of the sailors, and +rushed together towards the stern of the cutter, “kill him, will you, you +cut-throat Spaniard?” + +The master fisherman stood firm where he was. He now held both of the +pistols, which Appadocca had given him, and raising them to a small +distance before him, awaited the two men. + +Undeterred by the weapons, they rushed on. + +“Stop for your life!” cried the master fisherman, highly excited. + +“Be reasonable men,” cried the priest, as he also stood up to defend +himself. + +The men came on;—flash,—a report—and the bullet pierced the foremost +one. He fell into the bottom of the cutter, and rolled over the master +fisherman’s other man, who had been wrapped in sleep in that part from +the very moment that he had got into the cutter. + +“Hon!” he groaned and awoke, as the sailor that was shot rolled heavily +upon him, when, seeing the blood, he jumped up. + +The shrieks of Agnes, the fierce and deep Spanish oaths of the master +fisherman at once told him how matters stood. He grasped the first of the +sailors that came within his reach, and wrestled with him. Both fell into +the bottom of the cutter, and rolled about on the ballast. + +The quarrel had now assumed a serious aspect; furious at the death of +their comrade, the other sailors rushed to the stern of the cutter. The +master fisherman discharged the other pistol: it told, another sailor +fell. But the shot was no sooner fired, than one of the two other +sailors, closed with the master fisherman. They wrestled: each pressed +successively his adversary on the side of the cutter, endeavouring to +throw him overboard; but they were well matched: their strength was +equal: now, the master fisherman was down, and seemed to be about to be +thrown overboard; now he had the sailor down in the same position. Both +fought with desperation, and clung with the pertinacity of iron to the +side of the vessel. The cutter, having no one to steer it, had flown into +the wind, its sails were flapping, and its boom was swinging violently, +from one side to the other. The master fisherman was now down; over, +over, the sailor was gradually pressing him; his grasp began to relax: +he was bending farther towards the water; the sailor raised himself a +little, so that he might have a better purchase to strike the final blow: +as he did so, the boom swung violently, and struck him on the temple, +with a great splash, he fell a yard or two into the water. The master +fisherman quickly rose, and went to the assistance of the priest, who had +met the attack of the remaining sailor, and was now holding him down in +the bottom of the cutter. The master fisherman clutched a stone, and in +his passion, was going to dash out the brains of the prostrate sailor. + +“Hold!” cried the priest, “no more violence: bring a rope, and let us tie +him.” + +The master fisherman drew back his arm, and let fall the stone. Even in +his fury he felt the force of his natural veneration. He brought a rope, +and tied the sailor down. + +“Do the same to the other,” said the priest, now almost exhausted by his +effort, “tie him too.” + +The remaining sailor, who was still languidly rolling at the bottom of +the cutter, with the fisherman, was next pinioned. + +“See now to the wounded,” said the priest, who now, when his first terror +was over, displayed great presence of mind. + +The two men who had been shot were examined. They still breathed, +although their wounds were very serious. + +The attention of the priest was now turned towards Agnes, who sat almost +petrified with fear in the place where she was. + +“Thank God, this danger is also past,” said the priest to her, “I must be +guilty of some grievous sin, indeed,” continued the good father, “to have +thus drawn down upon us the chastisement of Providence. Twice have we +passed through bloodshed and death, and who knows what new perils we may +still have to encounter before we reach Trinidad.” + +“Yes: and when shall we reach it? It looks as if we were never to get +back,” and Agnes was overwhelmed by a multiplicity of different feelings. + +“Let me see,” said the priest, “I think it would be easier to proceed +straight towards it, than to be beating about on these seas.” + +“Have you any object to go to Granada in preference to any other place?” +he inquired of the master fisherman, who had now adjusted the sails of +the cutter, and resumed the tiller. + +“No, he had not,” was the reply: “he was endeavouring to make that island +because it was the nearest land indicated to him by the pirate captain.” + +“Would it not be easier to sail at once to Trinidad?” again asked the +priest. + +“Most decidedly,” was the answer; “the distance was greater, it was +true,” added the master fisherman, but that was overbalanced by the +fairness of the wind, because they would then be able to sail with a free +sheet and should gain Trinidad within an infinitely shorter space of time +than it would take to make Granada, by beating up against the wind from +the position in which they then were. + +“Then let us steer to Trinidad,” said the priest. + +“Very well,” replied the master fisherman. + +The cutter was kept off, the sheets and tacks were slackened, and the +little vessel, now feeling the full force of the wind began to tear +through the water. + +Away, away, it went. During day and during night the master fisherman sat +gravely at the tiller; neither fatigue nor want of sleep could induce him +to entrust for a moment the command of the little vessel to his man; “He +had taken an oath,” he said to the priest, when he requested him to take +some rest. + +It was on a beautiful morning when the priest and Agnes, on awaking from +their uncomfortable slumbers, beheld themselves within the Gulf of Paria. + +They looked with highly-pleased astonishment at the master fisherman, who +wearied and worn, still sat at the rudder. He returned the glance with +the same visible contentment and pleasure. + +“We are indebted to you, my good fisherman, for your incomparable conduct +towards us. We shall scarcely be ever able to show you sufficient +gratitude,” he said. + +“Not at all: we must deal well towards those who conduct themselves in a +proper manner to us,” said the fisherman, in the best manner he could; +“now I am at home again; I am on my own gulf,—where do you wish to be +landed, sir?” + +“Land us wherever you please: we will be always able to make our way to +Cedros,” answered the priest. + +“To Cedros? I shall take you there at once,” answered the master +fisherman, and then turned the cutter’s head to that part of the island. + +“Agnes,” whispered the priest, “I have always found much that is to be +admired in the humbler classes; they require but proper treatment, as all +other men do.” + +“This seems to be a very worthy man,” replied Agnes, more in respect to +the priest than from any desire to converse, for Agnes had ceased to be +over communicative since the capture of the vessel in which she had been +a passenger. + +The sugar-cane fields arose more conspicuous and beautiful to the view +as the vessel drew nearer and nearer to the land; and within a few hours +Agnes arrived on the plantation and was locked in the affectionate +embrace of her aged father. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + “And winds of all the corners kissed your sails + To make your vessel nimble.” + + CYMBELINE. + + “Had not their bark been very slow of sail.” + + COMEDY OF ERRORS. + + +The grey dawn of the morning found the crew of the man-of-war busily at +work. The unwieldly machines clanked and reclanked as the sturdy sailors +heartily threw their whole strength upon them, in raising the heavy sails +and weighty anchor. + +As soon as there was sufficient light to see, watches, who were provided +with the most powerful telescopes, were sent up to the very top of the +tall masts to survey the horizon, in order to discover, if possible, +the pirate vessel, which was supposed to be hovering about at no great +distance. + +After a careful survey, the report was made, that far out to leeward +there was a sail—that it was apparently a vessel which was lying to. + +“Look again,” shouted out the officer of the watch, “what is she like? is +she square-rigged?” + +“No, your honor.” + +“What sort of a thing is she?” + +“She looks to be a fore-and-aft, your honor.” + +Willmington was called, and, on being required to do so, gave the best +description he could of the pirate vessel. + +“It is likely the same vessel,” the officer remarked, after he had heard +Willmington. + +“Cheerily, men, look active.” + +The sailors scarcely required any exhortation. They went through their +work with more than ordinary good-will. In the first place, the idea +of something like active service excited them, for they felt oppressed +under the ennui of leisurely sailing from one port to another; and they +longed to chastise the rash temerity of those degraded wretches who had +the insolence to make an attempt of rescuing a prisoner from their lordly +ship. + +The majestic structure, therefore, was soon put in motion, and was now +to be seen sailing magnificently before the wind. Gradually it gained +on what was at first distant and obscure. As the ship drew nearer and +nearer to it, the vessel grew more and more distinct, and could now be +clearly made out as a long, low, rakish schooner. It was, in fact, the +Black Schooner. + +The huge vessel-of-war approached nearer and still nearer, but the +schooner remained still stationary where she was. The sailors of the +man-of-war prepared for action with enthusiasm. They could easily judge, +from the shape of the schooner, and its peculiar rig, that she was the +vessel of a pirate, if not of the pirate of whom they had so often heard. +They saw their prize before them. The schooner, they thought, must yield +to the superior strength of the man-of-war, and her conquest would be +the easiest thing in the world. Besides, the little vessel could not +but perceive their approach, and as she did not sail away, they argued +there must needs be some cause, either mutiny or some other disagreement +on board, which neutralized the authority of those in power, and which, +consequently, would make her a still easier prize. They prepared their +guns, on this account, with the keenest alacrity and lightness of heart, +for men are always the more enthusiastic and brave when they are pretty +well assured that they can command success. + +The large vessel sailed down on the small schooner, that was still lying +to, the standard of England was already waving from the spanker, the men +were standing at their several stations, and the commander himself, who +had now come on deck, was anxiously waiting until he came within gun-shot +of the schooner, to signal her to surrender. The ship drew still closer, +the order was given to make ready to fire, when ... like the shadowy +fleetness of a dream, the masts of the Black Schooner at once became +clothed in canvass, the black ensign with the cross bones and skull ran +up the line on her gaff in chilling solemnity, while on the top of her +raking masts floated two long pendant flags as red as blood, and the +sharp vessel began to glide like a serpent silently over the waters. + +Fearful of losing his prize, which was well-nigh within his reach, the +commander of the ship-of-war observing the movements of the little +vessel, quickly gave the order to fire. A loud and rending report of +several guns at once echoed over the waves, and the shots dipped, and +dipped, and dipped again, and fell harmless within a short distance of +the schooner. The flag of the pirate schooner was lowered and hoisted, +lowered and hoisted, lowered and hoisted again, in derision, as she +steadily held her course. Another discharge ... and the shots sank as +harmless as before: again the pirates lowered and hoisted their flags. + +Every sail was set on the unwieldly ship, and her enormous studding-sails +covered her yards and booms. Her hull could scarcely be seen, under the +vast sheets that shaded her. The waves boiled up on each side of her +bows, and like a whale, furious with a wound, she left behind her a wake +of foam. + +The Black Schooner glided along like a slender gar. Confident of the +fleetness of their vessel, the pirates seemed inclined to mock the large +and threatening fabric that was pursuing them. Ever and anon they changed +their tack, and the vessel itself, which seemed to anticipate their +wishes, played gracefully on the blue surface. + +When all the ship’s studding-sails were set, and she was sailing rapidly +before the wind, they would suddenly change their course, and draw their +obedient vessel as close as possible up to the wind. As soon again as the +man-of-war went through the labour of taking in her superfluous sails, +again they would change their course. Now they shortened their sails, and +then, as the ship gained on them, they had them up again as if by magic. +Now they sailed away to a great distance, and then tacked and returned as +if to meet and brave the pursuers; all the time, however, they kept out +of the reach of the man-of-war’s guns with astonishing precision. + +The chase continued thus the whole day, until night came and veiled +pursuer and pursued. + +Vexed with disappointment, and irritated by the taunts of the pirates, +the commander of the man-of-war ordered the sails to be taken in, and the +vessel to be luffed up into the wind. The order was immediately obeyed, +and the crew, in thorough disgust, went away from the station to which +they had that morning rushed with so much buoyancy. + +It was, indeed, sufficient, to try the moral fortitude of the +most philosophical. On one side there was a large heavy vessel, +of size sufficiently huge to have crushed two such vessels as the +pirate-schooner, from mere contact: on the other was that small and light +vessel, which could be so easily destroyed, but which, notwithstanding +the most eager desire on the part of the commander and crew to capture +her, had so tantalizingly escaped them. After the continued chase of +a whole day, the large vessel had proved as impotent and as incapable +of carrying out their wishes, as a piece of floating timber; and +what was still more galling, they had, in addition, been exposed to +the most annoying derision of the pirates. Worse again, there was no +probability of her being able, at any time, to overtake the schooner; +for it was too clear that their large vessel could not sail so fast as +she. The only chance of their capturing her was, in their taking her +by surprise, an event which could not be reasonably calculated upon, +when the pirates exhibited so much prudence and precision. The sailors, +therefore, doggedly retired to their respective cots, muttering all the +while, strong and complicated oaths against the individual who built the +fast-sailing schooner. + +As for the commander himself, he bore the disappointment with the less +dumb patience, as the discipline of the ship did not bind him down to +so much silence, as it did the crew. He fumed only as seamen can fume, +and vowed, in the extremity of his anger, that he would perpetrate, +Heaven only knew, what extent of cruelty,—which he never meant,—upon the +insolent pirates, if he once had them in his power. + +When calmer moments, however, succeeded to his wrathful feelings of +disappointment, he began to think deeply on the course which it was +prudent to adopt, in order to have a probable chance of capturing or +destroying the schooner. The batteries and the crew of the ship, he +rightly concluded, were of no use against an enemy that was sufficiently +wise and experienced always to keep beyond the range of his guns; and, as +for overtaking the schooner, it was a matter of absolute impossibility. +He could decide on no clear plan. He, therefore, resolved, in that +conjuncture, to sail about in those parts under little canvass, and trust +to accident for a means of capturing the pirate vessel. The ship was, +therefore, kept under only a part of her sails that whole night, and she +moved almost imperceptibly. + +At the first dawn of the next morning, watches were sent up the masts, +and the horizon was carefully surveyed in search of the enemy which +night had shrouded. Nothing was to be seen. The watch was, nevertheless, +continued. + +About four hours after sunrise, a vessel could be barely distinguished +on the horizon. It was steering in the direction of the man-of-war. It +rapidly approached, and as it drew nearer and nearer, it was discovered +to be a long, low, sharp-built brig, with white port-holes, apparently a +Mediterranean trader. She sailed so fast, that within three hours from +the time when she was first discovered, she was opposite the large ship. +She passed her at a short distance, but beyond the range of her guns. + +The man-of-war immediately hoisted her ensign as a signal to the brig to +show her colours; in answer to this signal, the strange vessel hoisted +the Mexican flag. + +The extraordinary speed of the strange brig, her low hull, the more than +ordinary symmetry of her make and rigging, could not pass unobserved. +They at once attracted the notice, and called forth the admiration of +the sailors on board of the man-of-war; and leaning carelessly on the +bulwarks, they were studying the beautiful brig before them, and were +viewing her with the delight that seamen experience when they see a fine +vessel. + +“If that ain’t that ere identical pirate customer as we chased +yesterday,” said an old grey-headed sailor, gravely, as he stood looking +at her, “it’s one of the same sort, I know.” + +“What are you saying, now,” asked a young man next to him. + +“Why, the vessel we chased yesterday was a fore-and-aft schooner, and +this one is a brig: where are your eyes?” + +“Is this all you know?” inquired the old tar, indifferently, with a +slight satirical smile. “Well, let me tell you, younker, that them ere +customers change their skins, just like snakes, by G—d; and these eyes of +mine that you inquire of, winked at a sou-wester long before you knowed +what was what, my boy,” and the old seaman walked away to attend to some +passing occupation, while, from time to time, he cast a stealthy look +from under his spreading straw hat, at the vessel he seemed to hold in +suspicion. + +This feeling towards the Mexican brig was not confined to the common +sailors alone: all seamen have an eye for the beautiful in ships. The +commander himself was struck by the remarkably fine proportions of the +vessel. He interrupted his habitual walk to gaze at her. + +“A fine craft that is, Charles,” said he to his son. + +“Yes, sir,” replied the latter, “a very beautiful model.” + +“Look at her run, what a beautiful stern, and how sharp at the bows!” +continued the old gentleman, with enthusiasm. + +“And how remarkably fast she sails, too,” rejoined Charles. + +“Hum!” remarked the old gentlemen, “she seems very light to be a trader.” + +“It strikes me so, too,” replied Charles. + +“The merchant who could have built that vessel to carry cocoa and coffee, +must have been a very great fool, Charles,” continued the commander, +still looking at the tidy brig that was sailing away magnificently before +him. + +“Yes, sir.” + +“I begin to have my suspicions, Charles,” resumed the commander, after a +pause, “that Mexican flag protects many a rascal: I shall make the fellow +heave to.” + +So saying, he ordered a gun to be fired, as a signal to the brig to lie +to. The report of the huge machine of destruction rang over the waters, +and the shot skipped the waves and sank. The suspicious brig paid no +attention to it, but held her course, and, in four hours’ time, went out +of sight, leaving the commander in now stronger suspicion with regard to +her nature and character, and, in a furious rage into which he was thrown +by the cool contempt with which his command was treated. He looked at the +brig that was leaving his vessel behind, as if the latter was at anchor, +and fretted, when he considered that his large ship was unable to enforce +his order on account of its comparative slowness. With greater impatience +than reason he looked only at what was, for the moment, a defect in the +large man-of-war, and forgot, at the time, that if the two small vessels +which had so mortified him, those two consecutive days, had over his ship +the accident of speed, she, in her turn, possessed the infinitely more +serviceable advantage of greater strength and more heavy metal. + +“Well, younker,” said the same old sailor of the morning, to the same +young man who had doubted his penetration, “well, younker, what do you +think of that ere customer now, eh? He has the wind in his maintopsail, +has’nt he? and seems to have plenty of pride of his own, and won’t speak +to nobody. Ay, ay, them customers, never throw away words or shots, I +know. Come, younker, I’ll give you another wrinkle,” continued the old +tar. + +“Well, let’s have it?” + +“Mark my word,” continued the old sailor, in a low and mysterious tone, +“if you don’t see that ere customer again, before long, my name is not +what it is, I know,” and winking impressively on his hearers, he rolled +away chuckling with self-satisfaction. + +The man-of-war continued there the remaining portion of that day and the +night which ensued: nothing happened, during that period of time, to +relieve the longing anxiety of the man-of-war’s people. + +The next morning the usual watches were again sent up the masts. About +noon, a vessel came in sight. It was steering, like the one of the +previous day, directly towards the man-of-war; and seemed to approach her +with an equal degree of speed. As she drew nearer and nearer, she was +made out to be a light brigantine, such as those that are to be seen on +the Mediterranean. Strange, however, the hull and make seemed to be the +same as those of the vessel spoken the day before: but the new comer, +instead of painted port-holes, had but a plain white streak. + +The men evinced the same admiration for this “craft,” to use their own +term, as they did for the one of the day before. There was, however, +such a striking similarity in the hulls of the two vessels, that their +admiration soon gave place to a feeling of mixed surprise and suspicion. + +“What can those two crafts be?” they mutually asked each other. + +“They are men-of-war,” some answered: “but where are the port-holes of +this customer?” + +“By jingo! I think they are pleasure boats,” said one. + +“Oh, no, they look to me like Malaga boats,” said another. + +“But they are of the same make,” observed a third. + +“Ay, ay, don’t you see they are sister-vessels, fools, and are on the +same voyage?” said another, gravely, who, up to that time, had maintained +unbroken silence, and had, with the aid of a serious aspect, looked +wisdom itself. + +“Ay, that’s it, that’s it,” they all cried, at this suggestion, “they +belong to the same owner, and are on the same voyage.” + +All seemed to concur in this opinion, except the same old sailor, who, on +the previous day, regarded the Mexican brig with so much suspicion. He +seemed to entertain doubts about this new vessel, as he did with regard +to the other. + +“Well, younker, what do you think of this fresh gentleman, now?” he +said, satirically, to the unfortunate young man who had offended his +self-esteem, and who seemed now to be entirely devoted to the revengeful +ridicule of that elder son of Neptune. + +“Don’t know,” was the crabbed reply. + +“Don’t know, eh? you will know, perhaps, when them young eyes of yours +have squinted oftner at the sun, my hearty, hi, hi, hi!” + +The brigantine drew nearer and nearer, and seemed carefully to measure +the same distance at which the brig of the day before had passed. She +came with her sails filled with the fresh breeze, and was passing the +man-of-war, when one of the heavy guns of the large vessel was fired. The +shot fell across the brigantine’s bows, but at some distance from her. + +Her sails still bellied with the wind; she still skipped along, and the +beautiful and pure white wavelets of foam still swelled on each of her +sides. + +“Who the devil you may be, I shall have you to-day,” said the commander, +looking intently fierce at the brigantine. “Give him another shot.” + +Another deafening report was heard, and the grey smoke shrouded for a +moment the dark riggings of the war-vessel, and then grew thinner and +thinner, and rose above her masts. + +A moment after, four flags ran up the peak of the brigantine. + +“Ho! read what the fellow says, Mr. Cypher,” cried the commander, with no +small degree of excitement, “he hears what we can say, I see.” + +Mr. Cypher took the telescope. + +“Y,” he said, “O,” he continued, “U,”—“YOU,” he proclaimed, with a loud +voice. + +“Hoist the answering pendant:” it was done. + +The first four flags of the brigantine were now lowered, and four others +hoisted in their place. + +“A,” proceeded Mr. Cypher, deciphering the new signal, “R,” +“E,”—“ARE,”—“you are.” + +“Hoist the answering pendant:” it was done again. + +The four flags were again lowered on board the brigantine, and four new +ones were again hoisted. They were read, and were found to signify ‘too.’ + +“What can the fellow want to say?” inquired the commander, vaguely: +“answer his signal.” + +The signal was answered, and other flags were again hoisted on board the +brigantine. When all the signals were taken together, they read— + +“You are too far, your guns don’t carry.” + +While at the conclusion of the process of exchanging signals, the broad +black flag, with its head and bones, was spread over the mainsail. + +“The rascals,” muttered the old commander, as he moved away from the +bulwarks, with indignant disgust, “it is the same set, may the devil take +them!” + +“Ha, younker, what d’you see now, eh? You will believe old Jack Gangway +another time, I know,” said the same old sailor, who all along had been +so knowing and so suspicious. + +“Crack on, crack on,” cried the old commander, “and haul your wind, we +may edge up to her on a close bowline, and let her feel our metal.” + +All the sails of the large vessel were now set. She was drawn closely to +the wind, and leaned under the fresh breeze. + +No sooner was this manœuvre completed, than the brigantine’s sails were +also trimmed, her long yards were braced sharp; her vast mainsail was +pulled in almost on a line with her rudder, and her head was put almost +into the point of the wind itself, or, as seamen would designate it, +into the “eye of the wind,” her stern was turned to the ship-of-war, and +as she gradually left the latter behind, other four flags ran along the +signal line. When read they said— + +“Au revoir.” + +And the black flag rose and fell, rose and fell again, at the mocking +ceremony, that was intended to accompany this salutation. + +This chase continued the rest of the day. The hours quickly fleeted by, +and when gauzy twilight had shed its soothing and dreamy haze around, a +few waves of the pirate’s flag, might still be dimly perceived, like the +trembling of the phantom—leaves of dream; and then darkness spread its +shrouding mantle over the ocean. + + * * * * * + +The sun had risen, the man-of-war was lying-to under one or two sails, +the others had been taken in during the night; at some distance in the +direction, in which the brigantine had disappeared, a vessel, apparently +a wreck, was to be seen. She was a barque: portions of her masts were +broken away; her rigging was slack, loose, and dry; her racketty yards +waved from one direction to the other, as she clumsily rolled into the +trough of the sea, or rose heavily on its crest. Their braces dangled +loosely and neglectedly about, and either dragged overboard, or swung +with a spring from one part of the deck to the other. In keeping with +her disordered gear, her hull itself exhibited the greatest neglect and +uncleanliness: the barnacles grew unmolested, to a considerable height, +and the marks of the lee-water from the cuppers, stained her sides. The +few sails which still remained on the unsteady yards were tattered and +worn, and tied up in the oddest manner imaginable. The vessel had her +English ensign tied upside down, in token of distress, on the little that +remained of the mainmast’s rigging: an indication, which was not by any +means required, in as much as the miserable manner in which she rolled +about, was quite sufficient in itself, to tell that she was in a wretched +condition. + +As soon as the distressed vessel was perceived, signals were made to her +to launch her boats, and to send alongside; but they seemed to be either +not understood, or the people of the barque had no means of answering +them. + +But one solitary individual was to be seen standing on its deck, at the +gangway, and wistfully looking towards the man-of-war. + +The commander was not willing to launch any of his boats, he had, +during the three or four days that had lately expired been so much +cheated by pirates, that he was now made more than ordinarily cautious, +and he repeated his signals, and waited many hours, either to have them +answered, or to force the people of the distressed ship to launch their +boat and come alongside his vessel: but neither the one thing or the +other was done. + +“These fellows can’t be cheats,” he said, “else they would have sailed +away, though, it strikes me, it would be difficult for them to spread a +sail on those yards of theirs,” said the commander, as his good feelings +began to press upon him. + +“They may be starved to death, or ill, have a boat launched, sir,” said +he to the officer, after this short soliloquy, “and let them pull to +those poor fellows. Tell the officer he must not let any of the men go on +board, he may do so himself, if he thinks it necessary.” + +Joyfully the true-hearted sailors, eager to succour their suffering +brothers, lowered a boat, which a moment afterwards was bounding away in +the direction of the distressed vessel. + +They soon approached near enough to admit of speaking, and at his order, +the men rested on their oars to allow the midshipman in command to hail +the barque. + +“What ship is that?” asked the midshipman. + +“The Sting,” answered the solitary individual, who was standing at the +gangway. + +“Where from, and whither bound?” + +“From Pernambuco to Liverpool,” answered the individual. + +“What cargo?” demanded the midshipman. + +“Cayenne pepper,” answered the individual. + +“What is the matter with you?” asked the midshipman. + +“Have been boarded by pirates—by a Black Schooner—men cut down in +defending the vessel—the pirates left but me and another man, who is now +ill below—they took away every thing,” answered the individual. + +“It must be those same devils of pirates,” whispered the boatmen one to +the other, “who have raked that cove; what fellows they seem to be, we +will singe them some of those days though—be damn’d if we don’t.” + +“If you would only let one of your men come on board for a moment to help +me trim the yards, I should be all right,” added the individual at the +gangway. + +“Hum!” muttered the young midshipman; “that’s not much, but I fancy, old +boy, you will do yourself no good in setting your sails, unless you wish +the wind to help you take them in. Pull along side, men,” he said, after +a second or two, “I shall go on deck and help him.” + +The boat soon boarded the vessel. + +“Keep the boat off,” said the officer, as he grasped the ropes of the +steps. + +“Ay, ay, sir,” said the boatswain, and the boat was shoved off from the +vessel. + +A shrill sound was heard, the apparent sides of the distressed barque +opened, the stern fell heavily into the water, the racketty yards and old +ropes went over the side, and from amidst the wreck of the skeleton ship, +the Black Schooner sprang forth as she felt the power of her snow-white +sails, which, with the rapidity of lightning, had now clothed her tall +masts. + +This metamorphosis was so sudden, that the schooner had already begun +to move before the boatmen comprehended the change. They quickly pulled +alongside, and fastened their hooks, but no hand of man could hold them. +They were all torn away by the speed with which the schooner went. Every +man in his turn let go his hold, and the boat, with its angry crew, was +left floating far behind in the wake of the flying schooner. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + “Demand me nothing; what you know you know; + From this time forth I never will speak word.” + + OTHELLO. + + “Torments will ope your lips,” + + IBID. + + +After he had been defeated by the untoward accident of the shark in his +attempt to rescue his captive chief, Lorenzo betook himself on board the +schooner, a victim to disappointment and disgust. + +He felt irresistibly inclined to break out in the most violent terms, +and hurried down into his cabin as soon as he got on the deck of the +schooner. He then partially gave vent to his feelings by speaking almost +aloud. + +“It would have been bearable,” he said, “bearable, if we had fought, and +had been driven back; but to be foiled at the very moment when we were +completing a breach, by a brute of a shark: confound it, and all other +sharks, the brutes!” and thrusting his hand deeply into the bosom of his +coat, he paced rapidly up and down his narrow cabin, while, from time +to time, his lips moved violently as if he were repeating his anathemas +against the particular shark and all the others. + +This fit, however, did not continue long. + +Schooled under the continual insecurity and danger which attended the +life that he led, in which safety itself demanded the exercise of the +greatest foresight and calmness, he speedily curbed his instinctive +impulses of rage, and immediately began to deliberate with coolness and +precision on the next measures which it was requisite for him to take. + +He did not deliberate long. Accustomed to act in the face of danger, +and to oppose his ready resources to sudden contingencies, he never +required much time to debate with himself on the best and most prudent +course to be adopted under unforeseen circumstances of danger. At this +conjuncture, he resolved to watch the man-of-war closely, and to embrace +the very first opportunity either to steal away Appadocca, or to rescue +him at a calculated sacrifice of some of his men. For that purpose, the +schooner was kept in the same position in which she was, until, as we +have seen, the man-of-war made the descent upon her. Lorenzo purposely +awaited the approach of the large vessel, so that he might have the +opportunity of keeping, as he intended, close to the man-of-war. Nothing +ever escaped the disciplined vigilance of the pirates, and although they +seemed to be taken by surprise, still they had their eyes all the time +on the movements of the pursuing vessel; and, as the reader has seen, +disappointed so signally the encouraged expectations of its crew and +commander. + +When night had put an end to the chase of that day, Lorenzo put his men +busily at work. + +In a few moments, the ordinary sails of the Black Schooner were +symmetrically folded within the smallest imaginable size, and carefully +covered up at the foot of each of the masts, and from under the deck, +yards, cordage, and sails for a square-rigged vessel were brought up, +and, in as short a time, the thin tapering masts were seen garnished +with the numerous ropes, yards, and sails of a full-rigged brig; while, +to complete the metamorphosis, stripes of new canvass were carefully cut +in the shape of the imitation port-holes, which are generally painted on +the sides of merchant vessels, and were closely fastened to the sides of +the Black Schooner, and adjusted in such a careful manner as to conceal +completely the guns of the disguised vessel. + +It was in this guise that the Black Schooner passed before the +man-of-war, and showed Mexican colors. + +After Lorenzo had closely reconnoitered his pursuer, and had raised the +suspicion which procured him the salute of a gun, he again sailed away +out of sight, and with the same expedition as of the night before, the +mainmast of the apparent brig was immediately divested of its yards, and, +in their places, the sharp sails of a schooner were again set. In the rig +of a brigantine, the Black Schooner again passed before the man-of-war. + +But these distant surveys, for caution prevented him from going within +the range of the ship’s guns, were not sufficient to satisfy Lorenzo, who +now began to suffer under the most impatient anxiety with regard to the +safety of his chief and friend. + +The brave officer feared, that annoyed by his inability to overtake the +schooner, the commander of the ship might, perhaps, have immediately +ordered the execution of his prisoner; that Appadocca might, by that +time, have been dealt with in the summary manner in which pirates were +usually treated, and had been hanged on the yard-arm without accusation, +hearing, or judgment. + +“If so,” cried Lorenzo, as this fear grew more and more upon him, “if so, +I swear, by the living G—d, that I shall burn that large vessel to the +very keel, and shall not spare one, not a single one of its numerous +crew to tell the tale—cost what it may, by G—d, I’ll do it.” + +To procure information, therefore, about the fate of one whom he loved +as a brother: and in order to satisfy his doubts, he resolved at once on +taking one or two of the man-of-war’s men, and settled on the expedient +of the distressed barque, with which the reader has just been made +acquainted. + +The young midshipman had no sooner laid his foot on the deck of the +disguised schooner, before he was strongly grasped by the powerful arm of +a man who had been carefully concealed behind the false bulwarks of the +skeleton barque, while the voice of Jim Splice—it was the man—whispered +in his ear,— + +“Don’t resist, young countryman, all right.” + +But as soon as the first impulse of the young officer had passed away, +and he discovered that he was left on board a vessel which presented +an unmistakable appearance of being engaged in some forbidden trade, +and when he saw before him numbers of fierce-looking, armed men, he +struggled for a moment, and succeeded in drawing his sword. But Lorenzo, +the formerly solitary man on the deck of the distressed vessel, calmly +stepped up to him, and said,— + +“Young gentleman, be not alarmed, no violence will be done to you: +sheath your sword,” and casting his eyes around on the men, continued, +“you see, it will not be of much service to you against such odds.” + +“Who are you?” peevishly inquired the young officer, “what do you intend +to do with me?” + +“I shall soon tell you,” replied Lorenzo, “if you will be good enough to +accompany me to my cabin.” + +“What cabin? and what to do? You may cut my throat here,” said the +midshipman, angrily. + +“Perhaps you would not be so unreasonable,” remarked Lorenzo, softly, “if +you were to hear the little that I have to inquire of you: pray, come +with me.” + +“I shall not go with you,” angrily rejoined the midshipman, “I am in the +hands of pirates, I know. You may murder me, where I am, but I shall not +go down with you to any cabin.” + +“Then stay where you are,” coolly answered Lorenzo, and he walked away +to the after part of the schooner, and ordered Jim Splice to let go the +young man. + +The older sailor relaxed his grasp, but availed himself of the +opportunity which he now had, to whisper in the ears of the midshipman— + +“Don’t attempt to crow too high here, shipmate, else you will get the +worst of it, ’d’ye hear?” + +And the old tar winked his eye to the young midshipman. The familiar +sign of knowingness contrasted strangely with the terrible moustachios +and beard with which Jim Splice had deemed it characteristic to ornament +his homely and good-natured old face. + +In the mean time all sail was set, and the man-of-war was left far +behind. The sailors had now again posted themselves at their regular +stations, and the ordinary quiet had now succeeded to the short +excitement of making sail. The midshipman was still standing in the same +spot where Lorenzo had left him. His anger, however, had evaporated to +a considerable extent, under the wise prescription of leaving the angry +man to himself, which Lorenzo was wise enough to make, and like all men +who are not absolutely fools, the midshipman had thrown off as much as +possible of that wasting and useless attendant—rage, as soon as his first +impulses had somewhat subsided. + +Instead of continuing in that dogged sulkiness, in which he had been +left by Lorenzo, he was now examining, with an interested eye, the make, +rigging, and equipment of the strange schooner. + +It was at this moment that a steward approached him, and inquired if he +was then at leisure to attend his master in his cabin, and led the way +to the part of the vessel in which that was situated. The midshipman, +without answering, followed. Lorenzo was already there, waiting for him. +The officer politely stood, bowed to the stranger, pointed to a cabin +chair: the midshipman seated himself. + +“Before mentioning the business for which I have entrapped you, young +gentleman,” said Lorenzo, “I must tell you, that you need be under no +apprehension as long as you are on board this schooner, and that you +shall receive the proper treatment that one gentleman owes to another, +unless, it is understood, you force us, by your own conduct, to act +otherwise than we usually do.” + +“Gentleman! how dare you compare yourself to me, and call yourself a +gentleman?” said the midshipman, with more of impulse than of reason. + +Like one who has disciplined his mind to pursue his purposes with a +stedfast straightness which is not to be diverted by any accident, though +not, perhaps, without some disdain for the immoderation of the young man, +the pirate officer heeded not his last remark, but proceeded as if he had +not heard it. + +“My purpose for enticing you on board this vessel, is to procure +information about my chief, who is now a prisoner on board the ship to +which you belong. You will be good enough to give clear and categorical +answers to the questions which I shall put to you.” + +This was said in a firm, although cool tone. + +“What? do you imagine,” inquired the young officer, with scorn, “I am +going to tell to a pirate what takes place on board a vessel in which I +have the honor to serve? By Jove, no!—it is hard enough to be kidnapped +by a set of rascals, without being asked to play traitor and spy, to +boot. But—” + +“Cease this nonsense,” interposed Lorenzo, “you waste time, answer me +first, is Appadocca alive?” + +“I shall not give you any information,” peevishly replied the young +officer. + +“I do not see,” remarked Lorenzo, mildly, and almost paternally, “I do +not see that it can possibly affect your honor if you give me a very +simple answer to a very simple question. I ask, if Emmanuel Appadocca is +alive?” + +“I shall answer you nothing,” said the midshipman, insultingly. + +“Shall answer me nothing,” calmly echoed Lorenzo, while, like the still +and steady terrors of an earthquake, the signs of anger were now fast +gathering on his brow. He reflected a moment. + +“Young man,” he said firmly, “men do not usually speak with negatives to +me, or such as I am. You seem disposed to run great risks—risks, of the +nature of which you are not, perhaps, aware. Let me caution you again; +I put my former question,—is the captain of this schooner, who is now a +prisoner on board the ship to which you belong, alive and safe?” + +“I have said I shall answer none of your questions,” replied the +midshipman, “trouble me no more.” + +The pirate officer rose, and drew forth a massive gold watch. + +“You see,” said he, pointing to the time-piece, “that the minute-hand +is now on twelve, when it reaches the spot which marks the +quarter-of-an-hour, I shall expect an answer. In the meantime make your +reflections. If you wish for any refreshment speak to the man outside, +and you shall have whatever you desire.” So saying, the officer rose, +made a slight bow, and left the cabin. + +The young officer being left alone, seemed by no means inclined to +trouble himself about the last speech of the pirate officer. He moved +about the cabin restlessly. Sometimes he stopped to examine one object, +and then another. + +No further thought than that of the moment seemed to intrude on his +mind; and the consequence of his persistence in refusing to answer the +questions of the pirate officer never seemed to break in upon him. The +levity of youth was, perhaps, one of the principal causes of this strange +carelessness. He was also highly swayed by the notions which he had +gathered from among those in whose society he lived. These led him to +entertain an extravagant idea of his own importance, which, among other +things, could not admit of accepting terms from the officer of any nation +that was lower than his own, and, least of all, from a villainous pirate. +He, therefore, affected to treat the pirate officer with a contempt, +which it was as inexpedient to show, as it was silly to entertain. + +He was moving about in the temper which we have described, when the door +of the cabin opened, and Lorenzo entered. He moved up to the upper part +of the cabin, and seated himself. + +“Will you now answer my question?” he demanded, “the hand is on the +quarter.” + +“I have already told you, no,” replied the youth. + +Lorenzo called—an attendant appeared. + +“Let the officer of the watch send down four men,” he said. + +The attendant retired. In a few moments four men, under the command +of a junior officer, entered the cabin. Lorenzo stood—pointed to the +midshipman— + +“Torture him until he speaks,” he said, and abruptly left the cabin. + +The pirates silently advanced on their victim. + +“The first man that dares approach me, shall die under this sword,” +shrieked the midshipman, furiously, and brandished his sword, madly. +Still the pirates advanced more closely to him. They beat down his guard, +surrounded him, and, in the twinkling of an eye, he was bound hand and +foot. Lifting him bodily, the pirates carried him on their shoulders out +of the cabin. + +He was then taken to a narrow compartment at the very bows of the vessel, +that was, it seemed, the torture-room. + +The appearance of the room was sufficient to strike one at once with an +idea of the bloody and cruel deeds that might be perpetrated there. It +was a narrow cabin into which the light could never penetrate; for there +was no opening either for that or for fresh air. The small door which +led into it was narrow and low: it turned on a spring, and seemed so +difficult to be opened, that one was forced to imagine that it was either +loth to let out those that had once got in, or that it was eager to close +in for ever upon those that might enter through it. + +The deck was scoured as white as chalk, and, like the shops of cleanly +butchers in the morning, was scattered over with sand. The sides of the +cabin, as if to augment the darkness that already reigned, were painted a +dark, sombre, and gloomy colour, which was here and there stained by the +damp. + +In contrast to this prevalent hue of frightful black, hung a variety of +exquisitely-polished torturing instruments. Cruelty, or expediency, or +necessity, seems to have exhausted its power of invention in designing +them, so different were they in form, and so horridly suited to the +purpose of giving pain. + +These seemed to frown malignantly on those who entered that narrow place; +and the imagination might even trace, in their burnished hue, and high +efficient condition, a morbid desire, or longing, to be used. + +To make the “darkness visible,” and to reveal the horror of the place, an +old bronzed lamp hung from the beams of the upper deck, and threw a faint +and sickly light around. + +In the centre of this cabin lay a long, narrow, and deep box, which was +garnished within with millions of sharp-pointed spikes. The torture which +the victim suffered in this machine, was a continued pricking from the +spikes, against which he was every moment suddenly and violently driven +by the lurching of the vessel. + +In this the midshipman was immediately thrown, and he shrieked the shriek +of the dying when he was roughly thrown on the sharp instruments. + +“Hell! hell! the torments of hell,” he yelled out, as the sharp spikes +pierced him to the quick. + +As he made an effort to turn, he increased his agony, and as the vessel +heaved, the points went deeper and deeper into his flesh. + +Already the suffering of the young man was at its height, and by the +livid light of the glimmering lamp, large drops of death-like sweat, +could now be seen flowing over his pallid face, which was locked in +excruciating pain. + +“Oh, God!” he cried, frantic with suffering, “Heaven save me.” + +His executioners stood around immovable, calm, and fierce, as they always +were, more like demons sucking in the pleasure of mortals’ pains, than +men. + +The young man seemed maddened with pain, his shrieks pierced through even +the close sides of the torture-room. + +“Will you speak?” inquired the officer. + +“Yes—no. Oh, good God! No—yes: curse you all—you devils; you demons—d—n +you,” were the frenzied replies. + +An hour passed; his pains and shrieks continued; albeit the latter now +grew fainter and fewer. Nature could endure no more; his nervous system +sank under pain and exhaustion, and he swooned. + +The pirates removed him, and plied him with restoratives, and he +gradually revived. + +The suffering of the midshipman had produced a weakening effect upon him, +such as disease produces on the strongest minds; it had destroyed his hot +and fierce spirit. Yes, the pain of the body had conquered the resolution +of the mind, and after the first torturing, the young officer was less +spirited, less boisterous, and less impatient. + +Animation had scarcely returned, when the wretched victim was again +thrown on the spikes which, piercing through his fresh wounds, added +still more to the agony which he had before endured. The pain this time +was not bearable. + +“Oh! save me from this,” the young man cried, convulsively, “kill me at +once.” + +“We want not your life, what good is that to us?” replied the junior +officer in command of the pirates, “we wish only to hear about our +captain, who may be at this moment undergoing the same pains as you.” + +“Then remove me, and I shall speak. No, yes, no, yes.” + +“You will then cease to play the fool at your own cost,” was the laconic +and unsympathising reply of the above-mentioned officer, who, at the same +time, dispatched one of his men to report that the prisoner was willing +to speak. + +Lorenzo, in a few moments, crept into the narrow room. + +“Will you now answer my question?” he inquired of the victim. + +“Yes.” + +“Is the captain alive and safe?” + +“Yes.” + +“What are the intentions of your captain about him?” + +“To—oh! take me away from these spikes: oh! these cursed spikes.” + +“Speak.” + +“To take him to Trinidad, to be tried.” + +“When is your ship to direct her course to that place?—Take him out, men.” + +The victim was taken out. + +“She was—oh! what happiness—she was to do so, to-day.” + +“That’s enough. Young man, I admire your spirit: it might be developed +into something useful under proper discipline; as you are, at present, +you are only a slave of impulses, that are as wild as your original self. +Take him to the surgeon’s room.” + +Giving this order to his men, Lorenzo left the cabin of torture. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + “If I do lose thee, I do lose a thing + That none but fools would keep; a breath thou art, + Servile to all the skyey influences, + That dost this habitation where thou keepest + Hourly afflict:” + + MEASURE FOR MEASURE. + + +When the men of the man-of-war pulled on board, after their young officer +had been entrapped into the schooner, and reported the occurrence to +the commander, notwithstanding the great command which, considering his +life and avocation, he had over himself, he flew into a violent passion. +The success which had, up to that time, attended the pirates, either in +flying from him, or in outwitting him, had already tried his patience to +the utmost. To have met an enemy equally armed, to have tried the fortune +of a fight with him, and to have been beaten would not, perhaps, have +had such a mortifying effect on the mind of the old commander as to have +been subjected to the tantalizing deceptions and mocking cunning of the +pirates. + +He walked the deck as furiously as his gouty old limbs would carry him, +and spoke to himself in a voice that was hoarse with passion. + +“First,” said he, “the blackguards waited until I was just about to +give the order to fire, and then sprang out of my reach. Then their +d—n—d schooner sailed so fast, and this tub of a thing was so slow, +that by G—d, by making the masts creak again, I could not force her to +move faster; while all the time those d—n—d villains were playing about +me, and amusing themselves at my expense: the devil take them. Then +the rascals went, and took down their own sails, and rigged themselves +up in a brig’s canvass, and passed by me—fool as I was. I showed the +blackguards bunting, instead of sending a broad-side into them at once, +d—n them; and now, at noon-day, when the sun is high in the heavens, when +every man can see fifty miles before him, I have let those rascals come +almost alongside, and kidnap one of my officers. D—n them, d—n them. + +“I tell you what it is, Charles,” continued the old gentleman, red in the +face with rage, “the weight of a feather in my mind would make me hang—by +G—d, yes—hang at once that astronomical friend of yours; hang, I say, on +one yard-arm, and that d—n—d rascally looking father of his on the other: +for it is these fellows, d—n them, that have been the cause of my being +insulted and duped by a set of ruffianly cut-throats,” and the old man +walked the deck even still more violently than before. + +His son, who had listened to this explosion, was too prudent to interrupt +it or to reply to it. + +He knew his father: he knew that, like the generality of persons of +a warm, generous, frank and open disposition, his outbreaks were as +furious and unmeaning, while they lasted, as they were short-lived; he, +therefore, remained silent, and permitted the fit to exhaust itself. + +“Hark you,” continued the commander in a tone that indicated a subsiding +of the paroxysm, “let the course of the vessel be changed immediately, +and let us go to Trinidad. I shall not be lumbered with rascally pirates, +and villainous planters, on board my ship. My vessel was made to fight +better foes than these scurvy sea-thieves. Crowd on canvass, crowd on +canvass, and let us steer for Trinidad at once, and deliver these foul +fellows into the hands of the lawyers. But first, call up that friend of +yours: a fine companion for a British officer, Mr. Charles—a very fine +companion!” + +“You forget, sir,” meekly remarked his son, “that when I knew Appadocca +he was not a pirate.” + +“Well, well, that will do, let the man be brought before me.” + +In a short time Appadocca, under the charge of two marines, was led into +the presence of the commander. + +Imprisonment and anxiety, if he was still capable of of feeling the +latter, seemed to have had no effect upon him. His calmness, his cynicism +was the same. Solitude, which to other men is at best but dreary, and +is ordinarily but the provocative of reflections which may, perhaps, be +embittered by the events and scenes which they recall—solitude which, +to Appadocca in particular, one might suppose could have been only an +encouragement to musings, which were likely to be attended if not with +sorrow, at least with but little happiness, appeared to have had no +effect on him. He seemed, if we can use the expression, but to enjoy +his own misanthropic seclusion, and as for the circumstance that he was +a prisoner, that made no change in him. He looked upon every position +with the eye of fatalism, ay, and of that fatalism which does not arise +from the obligation of any religious creed, but which is the tasteless +fruit of a long series of disappointments and calamities—the fatalism of +despondent resignation. + +Such a feeling has influenced more than one mortal in his earthly career. +Full many a warrior, whose praises are now chimed through an admiring +world, has gone forth to achieve wonders, to conquer, and to be great, +with such a sentiment rooted in his heart. Full many a conqueror has let +loose the eaglet of his ambition, without seeing the rock or prominence +on which the still young and strengthless master of the far skies could +rest, save, indeed, the shadowy foot-hold that hope could fancy to +discover in the sombre workings of inscrutable fate. + +Such was the feeling of Emmanuel Appadocca, the pirate captain: such was +the strengthening thought which buoyed and supported him in the unnatural +career into which cruelty and unkindness had drawn him, and that idea +imparted to him equanimity under all adversities, courage and valour in +the fight, unscrupulousness in according judgment, boldness in working +retribution, and stoicism in imprisonment. + +“Tell me, sir,” said the commander, endeavouring to resume as much of his +native dignity as his heated blood would permit him; “tell me, sir, in +what bay those lawless men—the pirates who follow you—hide themselves, +and where I can surprise them. I expect the truth from you, sir, although +you may denounce your associates by speaking it.” + +The lips of Appadocca curled a little. + +“My lord,” he answered, “as long as I was on board my schooner, we sought +no other shelter than that which was afforded us by the high and wide +seas.” + +The commander looked at Appadocca fiercely in the eyes. + +“I should be sorry,” he said, “to suspect you of falsehood or +prevarication, since you have been the fellow-student of my son: but your +answer is vague and unsatisfactory. Do you mean to say that you have +no harbour, no creek whither you were accustomed to resort, after your +piratical cruizes?” + +“None, my lord: after our ‘piratical cruizes,’ as you, I dare say justly, +call them, we were in the habit of taking our booty for sale to the +nearest port and of depending upon our own skill and watchfulness for +safety.” + +“Hum!” muttered the commander, after a pause, “you are aware, sir, that +one of my officers has been kidnapped by your rascally associates, as I +presume them to be,” continued the commander, with his temper evidently +breaking through the composed dignity which he endeavoured to retain. + +“Now, sir, the punishment that I should feel justified in inflicting upon +you, would be to have you hanged, at once, on that yard,” and he pointed +to the main yard. + +“My lord,” calmly replied Appadocca, “I am in your power, the yard is +before you, you have men at your command, do whatever you may choose with +me.” + +The commander looked at him steadfastly for a moment or two. + +“D—n him!” he muttered, and turned away. + +The frankness and generosity of his nature were again gaining ground upon +his temper. + +“I should not like to have anything to do with the death of this fellow, +after all. It is a pity that his bravery is thrown away among those +rascally devils,” he whispered to his son. Then, addressing the two men +who guarded Appadocca, “take the prisoner away. See that canvass be put +on the ship, and steer for the Island of Trinidad, Mr. Charles.” + +“If you will allow me the liberty, my lord,” said Appadocca, as the +marines were about to lead him away, “I would tell your lordship that you +need be under no apprehension on account of your officer: we are not in +the habit of using violence, or of ill-treating our captives when there +is no occasion for doing so.” + +“Hum!” groaned the commander somewhat incredulously. + +“And, if you allow me, my lord, I shall request my officer to be +especially careful of putting any restraint whatever upon your +midshipman,” continued Appadocca. + +“What the devil do you mean, sir?” briskly inquired the commander, “do +you wish to insult me?” + +“By no means, my lord,” answered Appadocca. + +“And how do you tell me, then,” continued the commander, “that you will +‘request your officer,’ when there is no officer to be requested?” + +“Although there is no officer to be seen, my lord,” answered Appadocca, +“still I can request him: all things can be done by a variety of ways, my +lord.” + +“How am I to understand you, sir?” inquired the commander. + +“Simply in this manner,” replied Appadocca, “that if you allow me, I +shall communicate with my chief officer, and request him to take care of +your officer.” + +“And how do you propose to do so,” asked the commander, after a +considerable pause. + +“Only with four flags,” answered Appadocca. + +“What will you do with those?” + +“I shall make signals with them.” + +“But there is no vessel in sight.” + +“No, my lord.” + +“How, then, can your signals be of service?” inquired the commander. + +“Pardon me, my lord, if I decline to answer this question. The sparrow +by caution flies the heavens with the hawk.” + +“I should suppose, sir, when you have now no prospect of ‘flying the +heavens’ again,” said the commander, “you could have no objection to +give us a piece of information, which cannot but be serviceable to us. +However, make the signals, sir. Bring four flags there.” + +Appadocca took the flags and adjusted them in a particular manner on the +line. + +“Stop!” cried the commander, when they were about to be hoisted. “What +warrant have I that you will not say more than is necessary?” he inquired +of Appadocca. + +“None, my lord, except my word,” cooly replied Appadocca, “if you +consider this of any value, take it, if not, reject it. But recollect, +my lord, if I had been inclined to be a deceiver, I should have remained +in the society of mankind, and should have prospered by coating over my +rascality with the varnish either of mock benevolence or of sanctimony; +I should not have openly braved the strength and ordinary notions of the +world.” + +“Very well, sir, proceed,” said the commander. + +“Within a few minutes after the completion of the signals, you will +hear the answer—the report of many guns fired at the same time,” said +Appadocca, and made a sign to hoist. + +“What is the fellow going to do?” inquired the sailors one of the other. + +“He is going to speak to the ‘old boy,’ I suppose,” answered one. + +“He won’t do him much good, I fancy,” remarked the other. + +“No, he will leave him in the hands of the landsharks, I guess,” said +another. + +In the mean time, continuing to make the signals, Appadocca adjusted and +re-adjusted the four flags in a great variety of ways, and, at last, said +to the commander:— + +“Now, my lord, listen.” + +In a few moments the report of distant guns fell on the ear. + +“Magic, by G—d!” each sailor exclaimed. + +“How very strange,” the commander remarked. + +“Bring up all the glasses, there,” he said, “and send up there Charles, +and see where that firing comes from.” + +Men immediately climbed the masts, and surveyed the horizon. No telescope +of the man-of-war could discover whence came the report of the guns. + +After this Appadocca was led back to his cabin, and sails were put on the +huge vessel that now began to move majestically through the water. + +There is a soft and sweet pleasure in sailing among the West India +Islands. He who has not sailed in the Caribean sea, he who has not stood +on the deck of his gliding vessel, and felt the cooling freshness of the +trade winds, and seen the white winged birds plunge and rise in silent +gracefulness, he who has not marked the shining dolphin in its playing +course, and seen the transparent foam rise and melt before the scattering +breeze, with the blue waters below, a high smiling sky above, and the +rich uninterrupted beams of a fierce and powerful sun, gilding the scene, +can scarcely say that he knows what nature is. For, he who has not seen +the tropics has not seen her as she is in her most perfect form. + +The ship held her course through the waters which, reflecting the rays +of the sun, undulated like a sheet of molten silver, in which she seemed +but the gathered dross floating on its surface. As she moved and broke +that shining surface, the waters frothed for a time about her and then +closed in smoothness again; while the sea birds playfully gathered in the +silvery wake, the weeds which shone, like golden drops, in the pebbly bed +of some clear and limped stream. + +With nature smiling thus around him, with the silence which brings not +gloom surrounding him, with the balmy breeze rising fresh and sweet +from the bosom of the waters, fanning him into contemplation, the +hardest-natured man must feel if only for a moment, the chastening +quietude, which only nature, and he who is mirrored in nature, can impart +and bestow. + +The bosom in which the snakes of envy or hatred have long nestled and +brooded, may feel itself relieved of half its oppression and suffering +whilst gazing at nature’s beautiful works, as manifested among the +islands of the tropics, and beholding in its embodiment of splendour the +omnipotence of the Creator. How many a heart whose life-blood has been +frozen under the influence of ingratitude, cruelty, revenge, and pride, +or, perhaps, of the sad consciousness of a country’s thankfulness—a +country in whose cause youth, energy, wealth, and talents—may all have +been spent, has not been soothed into mild quiescence by scenes like +these? + +There are countries around which the works of man have thrown a veil of +enchantment; there are climes that are sacred, because some Heaven-born +poet sang there; there are spots about which the memory of mankind +has clung, and will for ever cling: such countries and such places +are made famous, great and enchanting by man alone. Their beauties +sprang from his hand. The idea which plants on them the ever-enduring +standard of veneration arose from his valour, his heroism, or perhaps +his benevolence, but whatever charm or interest the tropics possess they +derive from nature, and from nature only. + +For three days together, the ship continued her course, amidst the +horse-shoe formed islands of the West-Indian Archipelago, which, at a +distance at sea, appear merely like heavy clouds where nothing is real, +nothing is animated, resting on the surface of the waters. + +On the morning of the fourth, the towering mountain-peaks of Trinidad +which inspired in the devout Columbus, the name which the island now +bears, appeared in sight. + +Gradually the bold and rocky coast which girds the island on the north, +grew more and more distinct and as the day waned, the ship entered the +channel that separates the small island of Tobago from Trinidad, and +bears the name of the latter. + +The old commander, with necessary caution, ordered the greater part of +the sails to be taken in; the vessel moved along slowly, and was borne +down principally by the strength of the current. + +The commander stood on the quarter-deck admiring the romantic scenery +which presented itself on the left to his view. There the overhanging +rocks rose perpendicularly from the heaving ocean, whose long lasting +and lashing billows broke on their rugged base, and shrouded them in one +constant sheet of white bubbling foam, and as they towered and seemed to +lose themselves in the clouds, they bore on their hoary heads forests +of gigantic trees, whose many colored blossoms appeared far out at sea; +while down their furrowed sides torrents of the purest water fell foaming +in angry precipitance. Here some cave hollowed by no hand of man—the home +of the untiring pelicans that ply the wing the live-long day, would send +forth its hollow murmurs, as it regurgitated some heaving rolling wave +that had intrusively swept into its inmost recess. There some rock from +whose side time had torn away its fellows, stood naked and bare, sullen +in its solitude, and resisting the powerless waves that dashed themselves +into a thousand far-flying sprays upon its jagged front; and here +again some secluded creek, eaten deeply into the heart of the frowning +highlands, in which the waters lay smooth and quiet, like tired soldiers +after the toil and strife of battle. + +Such scenes might well make an impression on those who looked on; and +even the rough weather-beaten sailors, to whose eyes nature may have long +grown familiar, stood leaning on spar or anchor viewing the awe-inspiring +scene. + +Among those on deck stood also James Willmington: and what were his +feelings, he whose memory had been so recently recalled to deeds which +could not render him an easier-minded man, if they had not had the effect +of making him a better one? Nature is itself an accuser! To the bosom +where all is not right, she speaks in terror. The trembling of a leaf, +the sudden flight of a startled insect, the gliding of a lizard appals +the guilty conscience. Could the man on whose head the crime of huge +injustice pressed heavily—the man whose cruelty had blasted the life +which he gave, and who was at that moment conducting to the gallows, the +child whom he had begotten—could such a man mingle the stirred sentiments +of his soul with the sublime grandeur of nature, and send them forth with +the voice of the mighty proclaimer, in mute veneration to the throne of +God. No! nature is not cruel, nature deserts not its humblest offspring, +she, therefore, could receive no sympathy from the heart of such a man. + +Let us now go to the cabin of Appadocca. He was sitting on the rude +accommodation which had been afforded him, with his arms crossed over +his breast, and his earnest eyes fixed on the mountains of Paria, which +he could see on the right, through the port-hole that admitted air and +light into his cabin, and which had now been opened, inasmuch as it was +considered a matter of impossibility for him to escape, while the ship +was under sail on the high seas. + +He was absorbed in deep thought; and he watched the neighbouring +mountains with more and more earnestness, as they rose higher and higher +to the view, on the gradual approach of the vessel. Twilight came, and +threw its mellow hue around. It soon departed, and the scene, which was +but a short time before enlivened by the powerful sun, was left in gloomy +silence. + +As the ship approached the little islands of the Bocas, nothing could +be heard but the roars of the lashing surges, as they broke at regular +intervals on the rocks. + +Night came, dark and dreary. The ship approached the largest of the +three small outlets. Every one on board was fixed in silent attention +to his duty. The senior officer stood at the shrouds, trumpet in hand, +with the aged commander by his side. Every man was at his post, awaiting +in anxiety the command to trim sails, in order to enter the difficult +passage. + +That was always a moment of anxiety in every vessel going through it; +for such was its narrowness, and the strength of the current that swept +down the channel along the Venezuelan coast, that if a ship once went but +a yard further down than where she ought to trim her sails, and luff up +through the passage, it became a labour of many weeks to beat up against +the wind and current to the proper place. + +The critical moment came; the ship was within the Dragon’s Mouth; she +trembled as if she had been lashed by the tail of some sea-monster, ten +times larger than herself, as she mounted the cross chopping seas, which +always run high and heavy at that entrance to the Gulf of Paria. + +“Lee braces all,” the commanding officer trumpeted forth. + +“Luff.” + +The ropes glided through a thousand pullies, and the heavy chains of +the tacks clanked through their iron blocks as they were eased away. +The sailors moved in disciplined order from rope to rope, and the deck +sounded with their rolling foot-falls. The serious marine intermitted his +monotonous and limited march for a moment, and leaned in a corner to give +room to the busy mariners. + +Appadocca had continued to sit in the same position as we have mentioned +a few lines back, from the fading of the short twilight up to that time, +which was now near midnight. + +Although he could not see, nevertheless he seemed during the whole time +to use his ears for the same earnest purpose as he had done his eyes; and +as soon as he felt the heaving labours of the vessel, and heard the noise +that was made by the falling of the blocks on the deck, he sprang from +his seat like a young horse when it is goaded. + +“Ha! this is the time at last,” he exclaimed, in a subdued tone, and +springing towards the port-hole with one effort of impulsive strength, he +tore down its framework: next, he grasped the stool on which he had sat. + +“Confusion,” he cried, “it will not yield:” the stool was tied to a ring +on the deck. + +When Appadocca discovered this, he seemed slightly alarmed: he stood for +a moment thinking how he could unfasten the stool. To undo it with his +hands was a labour of hours, and he had nothing with which he could cut +it. His eyes quickly surveyed the cabin; he rushed towards a basin which +had been allowed him, he placed it on the deck, and jumped upon it. With +the pieces of the brittle ware, he began to saw at the lashing of the +stool. + +It was a tedious labour, one which required an unconquerable perseverance +to overcome. + +Full ten minutes—minutes that on such occasions are more precious than +years—had expired, and he had made scarcely any progress. As he sawed +through one fold of twine, another appeared, but still he persevered, and +blunted every piece of the broken basin in succession. + +The stout heart and persevering hand will conquer immensities of +obstacles. + +At last, at last, the folds were sawed through. Appadocca seized the +stool with both hands. + +“Now for life again, and the accomplishment of my design,” he said, and +endeavoured to pitch it through the hole, but ill-fortune stepped in +again to baulk him. The stool was too large to pass through the opening, +he tried it various ways, but with no success. + +“Destiny,” he calmly muttered, as he put it down with the fortitude of a +Diogenes. + +He cast his eyes around him; there was a large Spanish pitcher of clay, +such as are used in the tropics, in which water was brought to him: a +drowning man, they say, will grasp at a straw: he laid hold of it, he +tried it, it passed the opening. + +“Now, farewell, good ship,” he said, and leaned over the side of the +vessel. He allowed the pitcher to fall quietly into the water, and he +himself, plunged after it into the unfathomable waste. + +“A man overboard!” some one cried on deck. + +“No, no:” said another, “it’s only the slack of the main-brace.” + +“Are you sure of that?” + +“Quite sure.” + +“All right.” + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + “The torrent roar’d; and we did buffet it + With lusty sinews; throwing it aside + And stemming it with hearts of controversy.” + + JULIUS CÆSAR. + + +On jumping into the sea, Appadocca swam dexterously after the pitcher, +which he had thrown before him; then resting one hand upon it, and moving +the other easily through the water, he paused a moment to gaze at the +large ship that was now looming in the darkness, and was rapidly leaving +him far behind. + +The vessel continued her course. It was evident no one on board of her +had seen his escape. He was left alone on the sea. He now began to +swim in the direction in which long habit had taught him the coast of +Venezuela was situated. As he progressed through the water he pushed +the pitcher before him. Now and then he paused, and rested as before, +with one hand on the pitcher, while he lightly floated himself with the +other. Hours passed, and every succeeding one found the indefatigable +Appadocca buffetting the waves with a heart of resolution, and an eye of +determination. The thick darkness of the night was fast passing away, the +gray dawn of morning was appearing, and the dark mountains of Venezuela +began to rise to the view with that cheating delusion which mountains at +that early hour of the morning present, and by their apparent nearness, +one moment seduce the weary oarsman into the grateful belief that he is +fast approaching the end of his irksome labour, only to irritate him the +next by their constant and still greater recession. + +The swimming fugitive felt encouragement and support from these two happy +circumstances. More and more vigorously he stretched out his arms. Only +three miles now seemed to separate him from the land. The currents and +the sweep of the waves were in his favour. + +On, on he pushed his befriending pitcher, and swam and rested +alternately. The desperate hazard which he had incurred in throwing +himself overboard in a boiling sea in a part where all the sharks of the +neighbouring waters assemble to feed upon the refuse that is borne down +by the gulf-current, seemed about to terminate happily and prosperously, +and the act which at first may have borne the appearance of a voluntary +seeking of death on his part, was about to result in deliverance and +safety. + +Perhaps even the seared, stoical heart of the cynical Appadocca, under +these happy forebodings, throbbed a little more highly than usual. + +But the grounds on which pleasure and hope are built, are too often +sandy: our highest subjects of joy and congratulation are, alas! too +liable to be converted, in the imperceptible space of a second, into +those of misery and woe. So it proved with Emmanuel Appadocca. + +When, as we have remarked, these prospects dawned in reality upon him, +his strokes were made with more vigour; he became, consequently, the +sooner tired, and was obliged to pause for rest more frequently. + +After one of these intervals, after having “screwed up his courage to +the sticking point,” he gave his pitcher a push before him. The vessel +floated to a considerable distance in front, then suddenly melted to +pieces and sank for ever. + +The soft clay of which it was made was dissolved by the water, and could +no longer hold together. + +If Appadocca had, a moment before, permitted his cynicism to incline +beyond its medium point towards joy, so now he could not prevent it +from verging to an equal distance on the opposite side. He had, but a +few minutes ago, been induced to hope that he should be able to reach +the land. Prospects of once more heading his faithful followers warmed +his heart; and the prospect, too, of still being able to execute his +design upon the man whose heart was too bad to open to repentance and +justice from the lessons of his victim-judge, and from the perils out +of which only the sheerest hazard had delivered him: but now, with the +assisting pitcher his hopes also sank. It was now next to impossible +that he could reach the shore; for although like the pedestrian who, +with certain intervals of rest, may walk the whole globe, he could swim +a considerably greater distance than seven miles—the distance which now +intervened between him and the land—by now and then holding to something +which could assist him in floating until he had rested, still it was +impossible now for him to accomplish, much fatigued as he already was, at +the utmost more than a mile; and the shore was still three miles away. +Despair, utter despair would have seized a mind that was more susceptible +of ungovernable influences, but Appadocca made up his mind not to be +drowned, and continued to swim. He had not swum to any great distance, +when he began to experience the want of his pitcher; his limbs began to +feel exhaustion, he muttered something to himself, and went on still; +his limbs became more tired; sensibility began to diminish; his arms +grew stiffer and stiffer; on, on, still he went; his features manifested +exhaustion, his respiration grew shorter and shorter; already nature +could bear no more; his eyeballs glared like those of one in the last +agony of drowning; his strokes became weaker and still weaker; already +he swam more heavily; his chest sank deeper and deeper into the water; +the mountains before him began to wheel, and pass, and vanish like clouds +floating over a mist; his vision was indistinct, and nature drooped, +exhausted with one long breathing; he was sinking, sinking, sinking ... +when ... something met his feet, and Appadocca stood on a sunken rock +with the water to his chin. + +Surprised to a certain extent by such an unexpected occurrence, he at +once remained where he was, fearful less the first step he would take +should lead him again into the danger which he had, at least temporarily, +escaped. + +He stood there for a considerable time; but although the position was +one, which, on the point of drowning, might be very advantageous, still +it ceased to be so when the immediate danger had passed; and now, on +the contrary, presented another peril; for Appadocca was now exposed, in +his motionless state, to become the prey of the very first hungry shark +that might happen to swim in that direction, and what was still worse, +he felt that the sea was every moment rising higher and higher. It was +therefore clear that he could not stay much longer where he was. He began +to resolve, but before he could determine on any definite resolution, a +large wave broke over him; for mere safety, he was again obliged to swim. +He had not gone far, when in spite of his strong will, his limbs would +not move. Thus with his resolution still strong, and his volition still +active, Appadocca, nevertheless, found himself rapidly sinking. + +“Oh! destiny,” he bubbled out, as the water now almost choked him, “is +there such a thing as destiny?” He was sinking, sinking, sinking, when +something, something again met his feet. + +Appadocca quickly planted his nerveless feet as firmly as he could, upon +the support which it would appear that destiny, which he had well nigh +invoked for the last time, had again placed under them. He concluded at +once, that he had fortunately alighted on a layer of rocks, which ran far +out to sea, and of which the one that first received him, was about the +beginning. To ascertain the correctness of his judgment he ventured, +after he had rested a little, to put one foot forward, it rested also on +the rock; the other, it rested too. + +Appadocca now waded along towards the shore, swimming now and then, +when a larger chasm than usual intervened. As he approached the land, +however, the rocks began to sink lower and lower, until at last he was +left without a footing. There was yet a considerable distance between +where he was, and the shore, and in his condition, the prospect of being +saved, even after the succession of unexpected auxiliary accidents was +but slight and precarious. Nevertheless, he was obliged to hazard all; +so he began to swim again. His arms after the rest they had had, were +more powerful. On—on, he went—closer, and closer—he drew to the land; +still the distance was immense to a well-nigh exhausted man. His strength +began again to fail; but a few strokes Appadocca, and you are on land. +His strength diminished more and more, shadows again began to flit across +his vision, his senses reeled; he was sinking, no befriending rock now +met his feet; he disappeared.... In a moment he rose again, in the second +stage of drowning, with his features locked in despairing agony. As he +came to the surface the rolling volume of a sweeping billow met him, +carried him roughly to the shore, and threw him high and dry on the +white sandy beach, that was glimmering under the scorching rays of a +fiery sun. + +The tide ebbed away and left Appadocca on that which was now dry land. +Nature was overwhelmed, and he seemed scarcely strong enough to rally +from the swoon. There he lay, far from human succour, with the land +rising perpendicularly from the beach, for a great distance away along +the shore, and thus shutting out to those who might inhabit that part +of the country, any immediate view of the sea, or the shore below. The +fugitive might, have lain in this state until nature, by an effort +scarcely to be expected in his condition, might have suddenly revived, +or what was the more probable, life might have quietly departed from +the miserable man, had not the same fortune which seemed all along to +befriend him, again interposed to foster still the spark of life which +now scarcely lived in him. + +A wild bull, maddened with fury, came bounding over the heights. The +animal was so headlong in its race, that rushing to the ridge of the +precipitous highlands, ere it could abate its speed, it was borne away by +its own impetus over the ledge, and with a tremendous bound, it rolled +dead at the foot of the still insensible Appadocca. + +In a few moments two horsemen appeared above, and reining up their +horses carefully at the edge, looked down on the late object of their +chase. They were children of the Savannahs—the Bedouins of South America. +They were two Llaneros, their lassos were coiled in wide circles round +one arm, while with the other, they clutched a short spear and the +powerful reins with which they governed their still unbroken horses. +They looked carefully at the now motionless animal, which but a second +before careered so proudly over the plain, and was so formidable to them, +shrugged their shoulders, and were turning their horses’ heads to return, +when the attention of one of them, seemed attracted by an object at the +foot of which the body of the dead bull lay. + +“Es un hombre—’Tis a man,” both of them said, with great excitement. +“’Tis a man, go you and look at him, Juancito.” + +One dismounted, and, leaving his horse in charge of the other, scrambled +down the rocks to the beach. He examined the body and cried out to his +companion above, that life was still in it. + +“Esta un hombre de cualidad, he is a great man,” he added. + +Moved by their spirit of native hospitality, and partly influenced by +the not unselfish motive of saving the life of a great man, the two +Llaneros began to devise the means of getting Appadocca on the dry land +above, and of conveying him to the house of the Ranchero, whose oxen they +tended. But it was next to impossible to carry him up those rocks on +which only the most steady-footed could manage to move; besides, it was +necessary for one to remain above to hold the horses which, unguarded and +unrestrained, would have obeyed their strong instinct and scampered off +to their native wilds. + +In this difficulty the natural recourse of the Llaneros was to their +lassos. But those could scarcely be used, as the projections of the rocks +would have shattered in a thousand pieces the person whom they designed +to save, if they undertook to hoist him up along their rugged surface. +They, therefore, had to think of some other expedient: but no other +occurred to them, and they were obliged to recur to their lassos, in the +use of which they were so long and perfectly practiced. They thought, +however, in conjunction with the resolution of adopting this expedient, +of removing Appadocca to another part of the beach, from which the rocks +did not rise so roughly. This was easily done, and having fastened their +lassos together, they secured one end to Appadocca, and the other to one +of the horses; one of the Llaneros spurred the animal forward, while the +other remained at the edge to guide the rope as much as it was in his +power to do. + +By this means the still insensible Appadocca, was brought safely on the +table land. After the violent shaking he had received, he seemed to come +to himself a little; he opened his eyes, but it was only for a moment. He +was no longer insensible, but he was totally prostrated, and sank again +into an inactive condition. He was then placed on the saddle before one +of the Llaneros, and they rode off towards the house, whose roof could +be barely discerned from amidst the clustering branches of the trees by +which it was surrounded. + +The Llaneros soon alighted at the door, where they were met by the +Ranchero, and the insensible stranger was carried in. + +Like all the houses of the Ranchas of South America, this was an +extensive wooden building, built of only one storey—a necessary measure +against the ravages of the frequent earthquakes which shake so terribly +those tropical regions. + +The large and shady fronds of the beautiful palms that decorate the level +and grassy Savannahs, were cleverly sewn together to form a covering, +which was as effectual in excluding the dews and rains, as it was +in itself romantic. No ceiling concealed the beams and rafters which +supported this primitive roof; but from the exigences of the climate, +and probably from the unwillingness to raise highly finished structures +in the wilds, where the inhabitant scarcely ever saw the face of any +one beside those of the Llaneros who tended his numerous and half-wild +herds, the space between the low flooring and the roof was entirely +unoccupied. The apartments were extensive, and as airy as such a climate +required. Windows opened in all directions, and the winds of heaven +swept freely through every crevice of the house. The furniture seemed to +be as simple and as primitive as the building that contained it. A few +heavy chairs, made of the hides of the oxen, that formed the wealth of +the Ranchero, were placed about, here and there, more for the service of +the few individuals who occupied the place, than for the accommodation +of visitors or strangers, both of whom were exceedingly rare, if ever +seen in those solitary wilds. Indian hammocks hung in several places, +and moved to and fro, before the power of the wind that blew into the +apartment; and on supports from the walls, rested beautiful Spanish +saddles, whose bows and stirrups of massive silver, attracted immediate +attention. Around the house stood some magnificent trees, under the +shady boughs of which, herds of oxen, which were partially reclaimed +from the wild state in which they had been bred, now quietly chewed their +cud, not without, however, casting from time to time, a wistful look on +the strong pallisades that fenced them in. Wild looking undressed horses, +restively cropped the short grass that grew around the house, and now +and then tugged with evident impatience, the tethers of cowskin, that +restrained their liberty. + +Away, at a short distance from the inhabited house itself, stood also +pens for cattle, and apparently a slaughter-house, on whose roof the +large heavy vultures of South America, pressed and fought and nibbled +each other for a footing, while around it were strewed a thousand horns, +the spoils of the fierce natives of the plains, that had fallen there +under the Picador’s knife. To complete the peculiarity of the scene a +few half naked and fierce looking individuals, loitered here and there, +carelessly smoking their cigars; or leaned against the fences, and +criticised the ruminating oxen within, as objects among which their +entire life had been spent, and with such apparent skill and earnestness, +as to leave one to fancy that the world contained nothing that deserved +so much interest in their estimation as the animals which formed the +tissue of their associations, and of their fathers’ before them. The +horses that were tied in their rude accoutrements, to the posts of the +fences, and the huge spurs of solid silver, which were tightly thonged to +the naked heels of those men, showed that they belonged entirely to the +plains, and were probably there, only for the purpose of receiving the +orders of the master. + +“Feliciana,” cried the Ranchero, as Appadocca was carried into the large +chamber that formed, what in Europe, would be called the with-drawing +room—“Feliciana ben aca,—Feliciana, come hither.” + +At this call, a beautiful young lady appeared, and started back as she +beheld the pallid, wasted, and haggard, but still beautiful face of +Appadocca, while, at the same time, the low interjection of “Jesu!” +escaped her lips. + +“Que se haga todo necessario por ese infeliz,” “Let every thing be done +for this unhappy man,” said the Ranchero, who even in the half barbarous +life that he led, did not entirely lose the distinguishing politeness of +his people. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + “O, thou didst then ne’er love so heartily: + If thou remember’st not the slightest folly + That ever love did make thee run into, + Thou hast not loved:” + + AS YOU LIKE IT. + + +Appadocca, under the care of the fair Venezuelan, was carried into an +extensive chamber, which was much more comfortable than any one would +have imagined any part of the house could be. He was laid on a couch that +was unornamented, but that was as white as the flock of the cotton-tree. +It was not to rest, however, that he was thus accommodated. His fatigues +and privations overpowered the strength which his peculiar philosophy +had tended to maintain, and the movement and exercise of the hoisting, +and transporting on horseback, had completed what they had begun. He was +seized with a violent fever, which now terribly manifested itself in the +wildest ravings. + +Alarmed at the state of the stranger, Feliciana called every one into +service. Peons flew here and there and everywhere, for herbs and weeds, +while she herself remained by the bedside of the delirious sick man, +watching every movement that he made, and listening to every word that he +uttered. + +Nature overcame even this passing madness, and Appadocca fell into a +light slumber. Feliciana, with looks even more serious than when she went +to attend her unknown patient, left the apartment. + +Feliciana was a little above the middle size, exceedingly well formed, +and majestic in her appearance. Her face was in itself a study, on +account of the many different expressions which it wore at one and the +same time. Her forehead was large and expansive, indicative of a large +amount of intellect. Her nose was slightly elevated at the centre, and +at the same time full and rounded at its termination; her lips were full +and well formed, while the compression which marked the slight pout +that they possessed, pointed to much firmness of character. To heighten +all these separate individual expressions, nature had bestowed upon her +large melting eyes, that swam like the gazelle’s, in a bed of transparent +moisture, and in which, it would be difficult to say, whether sentiment, +or the serious contemplation of the Spanish character prevailed the most. + +Upon the whole, a student of physiognomy would have pronounced, on seeing +the beautiful Venezuelan, that Heaven had bestowed on her a high degree +of intellect, a high degree of sentiment, and a high degree of firmness. +She would have been at once pronounced one who was capable of great +discernment, of forming high designs, and of overcoming every obstacle +that might oppose their execution; while, at the same time, the sentiment +which was clearly perceptible in her eyes, could be very accurately +predicated as that, which, from its decided prevalence and preponderance, +would always act as the leader of her mental and more solid endowments. + +Her dress, in addition, was calculated to make these striking features, +and her handsome person still more conspicuous. It was of dark materials, +and adjusted in a manner that attracted from the general idea of +simplicity that prevailed in it, while, at the same time, it displayed to +advantage the gracefulness of the wearer. As a head-dress, a dark veil or +mantilla, hanged loosely from a high and valuable comb, down along the +side of her face over her shoulders, and enhanced by the contrast her +beautiful and clear complexion. + +Nature in youth, especially when such youth has been weakened by no +unphilosophical propensities, ever inclines to amendment. In Appadocca, +especially, whose life-time had, up to that period, been spent in the +practice of that strengthening discipline which consists in the happy +combination of exercise for mind and body, it turned towards health with +extraordinary vigour; so that the stranger, who but a few days ago had +been as near death as mortal man could be, and during whose feverish +paroxysms one would have imagined that the reason which regulated the +form that still writhed in its madness, was about to take a last farewell +of the machinery which it had up to that time animated and guided, now +presented the clear eye, the earnest look, and the same stern resolution +that usually compressed his lips. The only remaining indication of the +fatigue which he had undergone, and of the subsequent illness, was the +increased pallor of his complexion, and the slight attenuation of his +body; in a word, it was in body and not in mind that Appadocca now showed +signs of illness. + +It was a day or two after this gratifying change had shown itself, when +Appadocca and the beautiful daughter of the house were seated together in +the large apartment which we have before described. + +The stranger was sitting in one of the peculiar but luxurious chairs of +cow-hide at one side of the wide window, and Feliciana at the other. + +Politeness and gratitude, independently of a sense of duty, called forth +the gallantry of Appadocca in entertaining the lady. He discoursed on +a life in the wilds, on the marvels that nature can there continually +display to the eyes of the wondering spectator, of the free and +independent life of those who inhabited the “Llanos;” and from this high +and general theme he descended to the particular beauties that surrounded +the romantic abode of his host himself. + +He spoke on. But his greatest and most graceful eloquence could not draw +a word from his beautiful auditor, or even secure a silent nod. She sat +with her head turned away towards the window, her eyes fixed on the +ground, and wore an air of more than ordinary seriousness. She seemed +entirely wrapped in a web of her own reflections. + +Appadocca could not but remark this reverie. After having yielded several +times to his habit of silence, and given way to his own abstracted moods, +he would awake himself suddenly, and seeming to feel the embarrassment +of the situation, would address the young lady again on some new and +interesting topic. But it was in vain. + +“Senora, I hope, is not ill?” he at last inquiringly observed. + +“No, senor,” was the laconic reply. + +“Then senora is a little melancholy,” rejoined Appadocca, after a moment +or two. + +No answer. + +“Banish, senora, that pernicious feeling. Life is itself sufficiently +insipid and sour, and does not require to be made more bitter by +melancholy. Look out, see how nature softly smiles before you. The birds +fly from branch to branch, and chirp, and are happy; the insects—listen +to the hoarse cicada—seem enjoying their insect happiness; even the very +grass, as the breeze turns its blades to the beams of the beautiful sun, +reflect on our minds an idea of felicity. How can you be melancholy when +you look out?” + +Feliciana turned and bent her large eyes fully on Appadocca, looked at +him intently for a few moments, and then turned away again. + +Struck by the action, and not feeling himself as indifferent as he +usually was, Appadocca said nothing. + +A long interval ensued. + +Feliciana kept her head in the same direction: at the side of her eyes +two drops began to gather; they grew larger and larger, and in a few +moments stood like two crystal beads ready to burst. Not a muscle, +however, not a fibre of the beautiful weeper, seemed to sympathise, or +quiver in unison with this silent grief. Like a statue of alabaster +she remained rooted where she sat, and one could judge of the emotions +which might affect her, only by the two transparent drops which balanced +heavily at the corners of her eyes. + +Appadocca saw this, and remained silent from respect to the sorrow of +Feliciana. He thought of leaving the room, and giving the young lady +freedom to indulge in that grief which seemed so deep and overpowering. +Although prompted to do so by his sense of propriety, still he found +himself detained by he knew not what, and seemed half to suspect that the +sorrow had some sort of connexion with himself,—“Else,” he reasonably +argued, “the young lady would have concealed her grief in the privacy of +her own apartment.” + +Appadocca, therefore, remained where he was, in deep silence, watching +the tear drops that now again grew gradually smaller and smaller. + +“Can one who owes, senora, a large amount of gratitude,” he at last said, +in a mild, subdued tone, “be of any service to her?” + +She was still silent. + +“Can I do anything to dry these tears?” Appadocca again inquired. + +Feliciana suddenly turned her head, and fixed her expressive eyes +steadily on the inquirer. She maintained her earnest look for some time, +then rising, said, with great excitement,— + +“Yes, you can dry these tears. Shun the wicked pursuit in which you are +engaged, and then these tears may never again escape to betray me. Nature +could never have intended you for a pirate.” + +At this sudden action, and unexpected language of Feliciana, Appadocca +required all his self-command to conceal the surprise which he felt. + +“I a pirate, senora!” he said, “may I ask how it is you have been induced +to suppose me one?” + +“Put no idle questions,” she quickly replied, “I feel that you have +sacrificed yourself to such a life. You, too, have confessed it. Why was +it, that in your ravings, you called on your men to board, to cut down, +to make prisoners? that you spoke of blood, of booty, and still worse, +of revenge; and revenge, too, it would seem, on your own father? Do you +think, to persons as I am, in my position, the least word of those—of +those—of those—” she contended with herself for the expression, “those +whom we wish well, can fail of its meaning. I am a stranger to you: but +let me not prevail the less on that account; let me pray and beseech you, +in the name of God and the saints,” she continued, clasping her hands, +“to promise me to abandon a life that is hateful both to Heaven and +earth, and to think no more of those terrible projects of slaughter and +revenge, about which you spoke so much in your sleep.” + +“Pray, senora, sit down,” said Appadocca, as he rose quickly from his +seat to conduct her to hers. + +“No, leave me,” she exclaimed, more excited, “I shall not sit down till +you pass your word. Remember the dear person whose picture you now wear +on your heart, and which you so affectionately pressed to your bosom, +when the fever was on you. Can you suppose that she can look down from +heaven, with joy or pleasure, on the son that she nourished, when he +has abandoned himself to a course that God and man alike reprobate and +condemn? Picture her in the society of the saints and angels looking down +upon you, at the head of your lawless and cruel men, red with the blood +of your murdered victims, and rushing forward to plunder, and to spread +misery around as you go. Do you think that the sight of her child—her +son, in this position, can impart to her either happiness or pleasure? +Think of that: and, when ever you press her picture to your heart, +recollect you only go through a cheating mockery, that the life you +lead takes away from her happiness, from the happiness even of heaven. +Remember the tears that she may have shed for you while here: remember +the cares and anxieties she may have suffered for you; those, surely, +were enough: and, if death ended her miseries on earth, do not you spoil +the joy which she may now enjoy in heaven?” + +“Enough—enough,” cried Appadocca, with more warmth than was his habit, +“stop, stop, I implore you.” + +“Then promise me.” + +“My vow is recorded in heaven, I cannot promise,” answered Appadocca, +drily. + +Feliciana staggered stupified to her seat, while she gazed, without the +power of utterance, on the person before her. + +“You will not promise!” she said, recovering herself, “you will not +promise! Well, I shall promise,—I now vow,—that I shall follow you to +the end of the world, until you consent to renounce for ever this wicked +life.” + +So saying, she sprang violently from her chair, and rushed out of the +room. + +Appadocca, after the disappearance of the agitated Feliciana, sank back +into the cow-hide chair, almost confounded by the scene which had just +been enacted, and well-nigh distracted by the thousand reflections which +it made to rush upon him. The first thought was of his safety. + +“Suppose,” he quickly reasoned, “others beside Feliciana, should have +heard his disclosures during the fever; what could he expect under such +circumstances, but to see the kindness with which he had been treated, +suddenly changed into a most ferocious spirit of revenge.” For he knew, +too well, what cruelties the pirates of the West-Indian sea had, under +Llononois and other captains, practiced on the unfortunate inhabitants of +those coasts. + +Those atrocities could not be blotted out from the memory for centuries, +and it was likely, that at the very name of pirate, the revenge of the +Spaniards would break out as uncontrollably as fire in its favourite food. + +And it was probable, that not stopping to consider whether he was +actually what he was supposed to be, they would at once immolate him, to +the memory of their slaughtered and plundered countrymen. This thought, +however, soon gave way to those of a different nature,—to those which +in his own manner of thinking, affected the most important accident +of existence, and was, in his estimation, higher in value than life +itself—namely, his honour. + +It had not escaped him from the very moment that his convalescence had +permitted him to exercise his discernment, that his beautiful and kind +nurse, was in love with him. That could not but strike him; and though +his stoicism balanced violently on the contemplation of the handsome +form, and on appreciating the character of the mind which was as pure, +as simple, and as artless, as the flourishing wilds which had reared +and still surrounded it, still it required no great restraint over +himself—himself, who had long banished from his heart the sentiment, +that lends to life a charm, and who was now well exercised in choking to +instant death any fresh feeling as it began to spring—to renounce for +ever every desire to encourage or foster the affection that showed itself +to him as clear as the sun at noonday. It would have been dishonor to +steal away the heart of the innocent creature that watched over him with +a mother’s fondness and anxiety. He resolved, therefore, to be always on +his guard, and to maintain more than ordinary restraint in conversing +with her, in the hopes that the feeling which evidently animated her, +might perish from the absence of sympathy. + +It was, consequently, with alarm that he beheld the violence of feelings +which Feliciana exhibited during the scene which we have depicted. +“No ordinary interest,” thought Appadocca, “could call forth such an +impassioned remonstrance as Feliciana had made, and make her surmount +all maidenly timidity, and speak to him as she did. For in what could +it interest a stranger? whether an unhappy man, whom she had accidently +succoured was a pirate or not: and those tears; persons of her race, +he thought, weep only on deep subjects. And, finally, the desperate +resolution of following him all over the world, professedly to hold back +his hand from crime, was a thought that only one great feeling could +inspire.” + +Such were the reflections of Appadocca, they were made in a moment: and +they immediately produced a resolution as firm as it was sudden. “I must +leave the house of this good Ranchero,” said Appadocca to himself, with +much energy of mind. “God knows, I am already pledged to the causing of +sufficient misery. I shall not stay here to add any more to the necessary +amount. Not in this place particularly, where I have met with so much +hospitality and kindness.” + +These reflections had scarcely been ended, and Appadocca’s brow was still +knit in the energy of his own thoughts, and his eyes still glimmered +forth the fire of his excited mind, when soft footsteps were heard +within the room, and on turning his head, he beheld Feliciana, who had +again entered the room, and was now advancing towards him. + +She was, by this time, comparatively calm; the paroxysm of her feeling +had passed, but she appeared still determined on one purpose. Feliciana +walked to the window as she entered, and said to Appadocca, who stood up +to receive her: + +“Pray forgive me, sir, for the lengths to which I, a mere stranger, was +bold enough to proceed just now.” + +“There needs no forgiveness, senora,” quickly rejoined Appadocca, as he +led her to the other cow-hide chair at the window, “where no offence +has been given: on the contrary, might I speak so freely, I should say, +that the warmth you have so lately manifested, can be taken only as the +indication of a high degree of feeling.” + +Appadocca spoke in a calm and serious strain. The young lady coloured +slightly at the end of this speech. + +“Among different persons, senora,” continued Appadocca, with the apparent +purpose of bringing about an intended end, “it would, perhaps, be a +breach of civilized politeness to speak with the same latitude that I +now intend to do. But, I think as we understand each other, it would +be well nigh folly to keep back a few necessary words, simply from the +circumstance that the laws of polished social intercourse may tend +to render their plainness awkward. It is very clear, senora, that I +have been fortunate enough to enlist in my favour, your most friendly +sympathy, perhaps I should be justified in mentioning a much stronger +feeling.” + +Feliciana coloured deeply. + +“For my part, I cannot but express myself sensible to the existence of +such a sentiment, and can only say, that from a self-same affection, I +am capable of appreciating and responding to yours. But, senora, there +are but few instances of real happiness under the sun. The beautiful sky +that frequently enlivens our spirit, and cheers us up for a moment, is, +alas! but too frequently, suddenly darkened and obscured by the dark +clouds that bring tempests in their course. The innocent and snowy lily +that gladdens our sight to-day, decays and falls away to-morrow. The days +and years on which we may have been counting, during a long life-time, +for the realization of a few moments of joy, may arrive at last, loaded +with bitterness. The thoughts and sentiments which oft gladden us in our +waking dreams, wean us away for a time from care, and foster in us the +hope of undecaying felicity, then pass like the flashes of the lightning +away, to leave only gloom and desolation behind. + +“For my own part senora, I have long sacrificed myself to one object. I +have long banished away Emmanuel Appadocca, from Emmanuel Appadocca: it +boots not to tell the reason why. The world to me, it is true, is the +world; the stars, the stars; but the halo that once surrounded them is +gone—the feeling with which I may have regarded them is gone from them, +and has centred itself in the now single end of my existence. For a long +time mental anguish and I have been companions, and from its constant +proximity it has chased away the softer feelings, whose aspect is too +cheerful to bear the approaching shadow of that demon. My heart is +wasted and its tenderness gone; gratitude for you, senora, is all that +I dare encourage in my bosom. Let me exhort you, for your own sake, to +forget the unfortunate man whom accident and distress brought into your +presence. Forget him, and by doing so, avoid much suffering on your part, +and, at the same time, confer much happiness on him. For if at the hour +when this existence of mine will be about to terminate, there should +linger in my fading memory some object that I could not look upon with +cold indifference; if when the breath of life shall be on the point of +passing I should not be able to shut my eyes and say, ‘mankind, you have +among you nothing that is dear to me,’ the pains of succumbing nature +would be tenfold heavier than they might.” + +In speaking thus, Appadocca had unwittingly to himself risen from his +seat, and approached Feliciana, who, deeply affected, hanged down her. + +Warming more than usual, Appadocca caught her hand as he spoke. + +“To throw away a thought on a person of this temper, Feliciana,” he +proceeded, “I need not tell you, is doing an injustice to yourself, but +fear not that I am insensible to your kindness. I feel it as much as I am +now permitted to feel such things, and may destiny,” continued he, with +more warmth, “be ever propitious to you;” so saying, he abruptly let fall +her hand, and walked towards the door. + +“Stay,” cried Feliciana, as she rose to keep him back: but Appadocca +rushed out of the room. + +The young lady resumed her seat; her high temper had now yielded to +a more tender feeling: one that buoys not up, nor supports so much, +for there is a spirit of pride in high wrought vexation, that imparts +strength to the other faculties and to the body. Like the last convulsion +of the dying madman, it derives from its very extremity and excess, +uncontrollable strength; but when that is broken—when it is softened +down by tenderness or pity, the mind which was but now strong under a +fierce influence is left weak, impressible, and like the vision of a man +rising from a swoon, when that influence is removed. Thus the feelings +of Feliciana instead now of following the course of her stronger and +more predominant powers, yielded entirely to the softer endowments of +her nature, and her affection vented itself in a more seductive, more +natural, more overcoming way. She no longer endeavoured to disguise to +herself the extent to which her affection had already gone. She perceived +at once that the sorrow which the involuntary revelations of Appadocca +had cost her, had a different source from that which she would fain have +believed at first; and that her apparently chivalrous denunciation of +his course of life, and her resolution to follow him, and like a good +angel, to stay his piratical hand, did not spring from a mere instinct of +abstract right and wrong, but rose from a more interesting and personal +feeling. + +This great point being laid bare, she at once considered the +circumstances, and the recollection of the last speech of Appadocca +fell upon her heart, like the chilling hand of death. She sat in silent +sorrow, and the evening had long yielded to night, when her father +returned from the Savannahs to interrupt her grief, and to divert for a +few moments the dark and troubled currents of her thoughts. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + “This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad, + And much, much different from the man he was; + But till this afternoon, his passion + Ne’er brake into extremity of rage.” + + COMEDY OF ERRORS. + + +The night was far advanced, when Appadocca undertook to carry into +execution, the design which he had formed of leaving the Rancha. He +cautiously went out of the apartment which he occupied, and found no +difficulty in opening the carelessly fastened door of the house. He +went out softly, and when he had got outside, he had to stand still for +a moment, in order to have recourse to his memory to help him to form +some sort of idea of the position in which he found himself: such was +the excessive darkness. Had he previously petitioned nature for a night, +which might effectually shroud him from any one that might pursue him, +she could not have sent one that was more dark or dismal. The blackness +of the wilds, heightened a thousand-fold that of the night, which itself +required no augmentation. Objects seemed heaped together in one pitchy +chaos, and nature seemed to sleep heavily under a canopy of gloom. The +fire flies that flew low and lonely on the level Savannahs, seemed to +show their light, merely to point out the surrounding darkness. In the +same proportion with this thick gloom was the silence of the hour, which +permitted the faintest sounds to be heard. At long intervals the brief +but sonorous cry of the owl, as it signaled to its mate, would fall upon +the ear; or there might be heard the hoarse and unearthly shriek of the +night raven, as it vented its rage at the falling of some fruit, which +it carried in its beak; or, perhaps, the low sound of some tethered and +invisible horse that cropped the short grass hard by. + +Incapable of seeing one foot before him, Appadocca could not proceed. +He remembered well where he was, but the darkness confounded his +calculation, and he knew not in what direction to move. + +“The pen lies there,” he said, “no there—no there,” and vainly pointed +where he could not see his own hand before him. + +In this dilemma he bethought him of the stars: full of hope he quickly +looked up: the heavens were as dark as the earth, not a star was to be +seen. + +“Shall I stay where I am,” he inquired of himself, “until the morning +star shows itself? this gloom will not, it cannot last!” No there might +be a chance of his being discovered, and who knew the inconveniences, +that such a circumstance would bring. + +“The wind—there is no wind.” + +Appadocca wet the tip of his index finger with his saliva and turned it +round. + +“Ha! there is a breath,” he said, as he felt the chill, on the tip of the +moistened finger. “The wind,” he argued, “blows at this hour in these +regions, at a point varying from north-east to east. Following such a +course, I shall assuredly open on the ocean: good.” + +Appadocca now began to move along, keeping his index finger straight +before him, and taking care to moisten it from time to time. He proceeded +under the pilotage of his sense of feeling, and heard the drowsy dialogue +of some Llaneros, as they lazily turned in their hammocks, in some +neighbouring pen, and asked each other, if he did not hear some one +walking. + +The soft breeze still gently blew, and afforded the same means of +directing himself. He tumbled here and there into the deep farrows +which the heavy rains had made. The severe shocks and bruises which he +received, as he fell into those holes, were quite sufficient to try +the endurance of a strong man, much less that of one who was but just +recovering from illness. Fortunately the point to be attained was not far +off, and Appadocca, after having groped his way for an hour, heard the +low moaning of the ocean before him. He approached as much as he thought +he could with prudence, for he conjectured that the ground would be the +more broken and torn, as it verged nearer toward the sea; and, finally, +sat down on the grass to await the approach of morning. + +The gray light which temporarily chases away darkness immediately before +the advent of morning, to leave a moment afterward the gloom which it +dispelled for a time, came. Careful not to lose one favourable moment, +Appadocca immediately got up, and advanced in the direction in which the +sea was rolling. Again, however, he was obliged to suspend his progress, +for darkness again returned. + +At the approach of the real light Appadocca felt his sensibility deeply +moved by the view which opened before him. The great Atlantic rolled +heavily below, and it was only where the horizon limited vision that its +silently rising mountains would appear as if they were at last levelled +into easy quietness. Its moving volumes were as yet undisturbed by the +wind, and the transparent haze that still floated over its surface, +imparted an air of repose that well befitted the hour. The mountain-peaks +of the little islands that lined the shore, rose forth to contrast the +wild waste of waters, and then came the high land on which he stood, that +verged to the north-west into capacious bays and havens, and pointed +out towards the east, and advanced high and lofty like a battalion of +fearless soldiers, against the billows that lashed them, and that had +likely lashed them long long before they bore the adventurous Columbus to +its foot. At his back, also, lay the level and wide-spreading Savannahs, +where, too, only the horizon bourned the sight. + +Solitary and alone in such a situation, Appadocca could not refuse to +his heart the pleasure of admiring such a scene; and, although prudence, +not to say safety, pressed him to hie away from the Rancha, he could not +resist the temptation of resting and feasting his eyes upon that which +was before and around him. + +Rousing himself, however, from the influence of this feeling, he +endeavoured, and succeeded in descending the cliffs, and resolved to wait +until fortune, or, to use his own expression, destiny, should send in his +way, one of the numerous little vessels that trade along that coast. + +That day passed, and destiny—the broken reed—was not kind enough to send +a vessel his way. Worn out with anxiety, and weakened by the want of +food, he drew himself up in the chasm of a rock, with the intention of +resting himself there in the best way that his unbroken fast, and the +uninviting accommodation would permit. + +Despite these two unfavourable circumstances, he fell into a deep sleep, +and had been under its influences for some hours, when he was startled by +a most terrifying noise. It seemed that numbers of savage animals were +assembled immediately above his head, and were designedly giving vent in +one unbroken roar to their dismal and fearful howlings, that rose above +the measured breakings of the billows below. + +“What can this be,” said Appadocca to himself, as he awoke; “what now +comes to break this slumber that weans me from the sense of hunger?” So +saying, he jumped up and walked a little way from the foot of the cave, +across the beach, and looked up. He perceived the dark outlines of some +large animals, that were moving about restlessly on the ridge, and were +howling in the manner we have described. + +“Ha!” he exclaimed, “shall I have escaped from the scaffold, the waves of +the Atlantic ocean, and from the jaws of the sharks that fill the bocas, +to be, at last, ignominiously devoured by wild beasts; by Heaven, then, +whatsoever you be, if you attack me, I warn you, you will attack one that +is prepared for you, and one who is ready, at this moment, to make any +one, or any thing, bear a heavy amount of chastisement.” + +This was spoken in a resolute and even fierce and over-confident tone. +The speaker seemed impatient. + +There has not been, perhaps, a single philosopher since the human race +began, to ruminate on rules and plans of human excellence, who can be +said to have entirely controlled the emotion of anger. All our other +feelings seem to give way, and yield to the discipline of a well-watched +life, and to the strong volition of our reason, but that passion alone +still remains uncontrollable; smothered it may be for a time, it is true, +but it is liable on the very first occasion, to be fiercely kindled. +It seems to be so intimately connected, although negatively with the +pleasures of the mind and body, and consequently with the gratification +of the actual cultivation of philosophy itself, that any derangement of +any of these things acts in producing the feeling which human perfection +is too weak to avoid. + +Notwithstanding his cynicism, Appadocca was irritated by the numberless +difficulties that fell to his lot to surmount. + +‘But a feather breaks the loaded camel’s back’: he had undergone +privations, borne sufferings, staked life, happiness—all that was dear +and solacing to man—on the accomplishment of a design; after exerting +himself to an extent that such as he, only, could exert themselves; after +sacrificing the happiness that a lovely and angelic being was willing to +confer, he was, at the eleventh hour, of his suffering, when hope began +to beam again, now exposed to be devoured by vile unreasonable creatures. + +These reflections might have been made on another occasion, without +endangering the temper of the person who made them. But Appadocca was +now almost maddened by fatigue and hunger. Famine makes the most steady +violent, and human nature has already a sufficiently hard duty to contain +itself, even when starvation is not present to gall it into rage. + +In this mood he stood boldly on the shore, looking up at the wild beasts, +with his chest heaving highly and quickly, and apparently desiring that +they should rush upon him at once, and afford a but to his fury, and put +an end to his unsweetened existence. His wishes were partly fulfilled. + +The animals rushed to and fro and seemed to be looking for a footing +to descend the crag; but their instinct apparently did not deem it +sufficiently secure for that purpose, for they drew back and howled as +if disappointed of their prey. + +“Fools,” cried Appadocca, addressing them with more rage than reason, “go +further down the ridge if you would have me to feast upon.” + +One of the animals, bolder than the others, went as far forward as +possible, and seemed to have found a means of descending, but as the +creature endeavoured to rest the weight of its body on the projection, +on which it had laid one of its paws, it gave way. Its balance was lost +and headlong it tumbled down the precipice. It had no sooner reached the +ground, than Appadocca, wild as the animals themselves, threw himself +upon it and buried his thumb and finger into its neck. + +“Now you must either kill me, or I shall kill you, vile creature that +assails me, as if mankind could not inflict sufficient injury without +your coming from your native wilds and forests to aid them. Die, by +Heaven! or I shall”—saying this, he contracted his muscles as tightly as +the sinews of a convulsive man. + +The animal lay for awhile stunned by the fall; but as soon as the blood +commenced to circulate again, it felt the pressure on its wind-pipe, and +began to kick violently. + +“Kick your spirit away, vile brute, I shall not budge,” cried Appadocca, +now half mad with fury. + +On its legs the creature stood, and shook its head and plunged, and away +it went with Appadocca still clutching its wind-pipe with the grasp of +the dying crocodile. The animal staggered a few paces and fell heavily to +the ground, strangled to death. + +Appadocca got up from the ground to which he had been borne by the beast +in its fall, and walked round his prey in triumph. + +“Whatever you are,” said he, “provided you are flesh and blood, I shall +have a meal of you.” + +He groped about among the small stones that strewed the upper part of +the beach, and found what he seemed to have been searching for, a flint. +He dashed it against a larger one and with the sharp pieces of it he +began to cut through the hide of the animal that he had killed. He then +succeeded in cutting a large portion of the still quivering flesh, and +eat it. + +What will not famine relish? Oh! hunger, that eternally tells us of our +lowliness. Hunger levels. Hunger brings down the highest and proudest +individuals to the standard of the meanest creature, whose instinct is to +eat, whose life is concentrated in devouring, and whose death comes by +over-feeding. + +After Appadocca had fed upon the reeking flesh of his victim, he seemed +recalled to himself: the madness of famine was past. He now looked upon +the carcass before him with the indifference that formed the greater part +of his nature, and the faint glimmerings of the fact that he had defied +that beast which was now before him, and had engaged it in mortal combat, +disgusted him: he contemned himself, too, when he recollected a little, +the vain boastful and undignified language that he had held, and bent his +steps in much sadness towards the same crevice where he had slept away +the first part of the night. The other animals had fled after the fall of +the one we have mentioned, and the stillness of the night was, as before, +broken upon only by the moans of the ocean. + +The next morning revealed to Appadocca the extent of the danger that +he had escaped the night before. The animal was discovered to be one +of those American tigers or jaguars, which pervade the plains of +South America, and whose hunger has not unfrequently surmounted their +instinctive cowardice so far as to bring them to the very houses of the +Rancheros. The huge and powerful jaws of the animal, in which his bones +could have been ground to pieces, attracted the attention of Appadocca; +and when he observed the wound on the animal—the rude incision that he +had made with the flint, and recollected the bloody meal that he had made +of its flesh, he shuddered in disgust. + +It was now that, withdrawing his eyes from the jaguar, he perceived at +a distance a small craft tossing about on the heavy billows. He nimbly +climbed the eminence to have a better view of what he feared his fancy +may have too flatteringly pictured to him. It was in reality a small +_fallucha_ that was labouring on the heavy seas. Her course was under +the land, but on the reach she was edging sea-ward. Alarmed at this +appearance, he came down the cliff and ran along the beach towards the +little vessel. Having got nearly opposite, he halloed as loudly as he +could. He was not heard; again he cried, but with as little success as +before. + +“Am I destined again to meet with other misfortunes?” he muttered, +calmly. “Am I destined to be left to perish on this unfrequented shore! +Oh my father! how many events seem to arise to befriend you. Were I not +sufficiently grounded in my belief, I would be almost tempted to believe +that destiny, or Providence, or something else, exerted itself to shield +you from your merited chastisement. But avaunt, vain, and stupid thought, +the fatalities that have befallen thee, Emmanuel Appadocca, are only the +acting of one of the grand laws by which yon sun stands where it is, +while the earth wheels around it; or by which thou thyself throttled +the huge beast last night. Dost thou not see that the distance is too +far for thy voice to reach? Providence has instruments enough among his +creatures, he does not interfere with our little concerns.” + +Muttering this, Appadocca climbed the heights, took off the jacket with +which the hospitable Ranchero had provided him, and waved it in the air. + +The mariners on board the _fallucha_ held their oars in mid-air. + +“They have seen me,” said Appadocca, and waved the jacket again. + +The _fallucha_ had discovered the signal. + +Casting away the jacket, Appadocca threw himself at once from an +overhanging rock into the sea, and began to swim boldly out to meet the +vessel that was now slowly approaching him. + +His eagerness however, was now well nigh proving his death; for +miscalculating the distance as well as his strength, he had ventured +farther than his fatigues could justify. He was just sinking from +exhaustion, when the powerful arm of a sailor from on board the +_fallucha_ grasped him. + +He was laid on one of the rower’s benches, where he lay insensible. +The sailors gravely bent over him, and tried every means for producing +re-animation, which was not easily attained, for the Spaniards had no +effectual restoratives, and Appadocca was now so overwhelmed, that the +healthy elasticity of nature was almost destroyed. + +Appadocca proffered his thanks to the four men who formed the crew of +that little vessel for their kindness, as soon as he had come to himself. + +“Who are you?” asked the captain, after receiving the thanks, “and where +do you come from, you do not seem to me to be a seaman?” + +“No,” readily answered Appadocca, “I went out from Trinidad in my +pleasure boat, together with some friends; we were taken through the +bocas by the force of the currents, and having inadvertently approached +too near a whirlpool, we were capsized. My friends have been drowned. I +am the only one who have survived: I managed to swim ashore, and had to +encounter a number of accidents, and a large amount of suffering. I at +last saw your vessel.” + +“And where are you going,” he demanded in his turn, anxious to divert +further inquiry. + +“To Trinidad.” + +“To which port,” again demanded Appadocca. + +“To any one where I may be able to sell my cargo,” answered the captain +of the _fallucha_. + +Appadocca yielded himself up to his reflections. + +The captain could not withdraw his eyes from the stranger. He looked at +him with the peculiar expression of the face, which indicates the absence +of entire mental satisfaction, with regard to the reality of the object +gazed upon. Still there was nothing in the appearance of Appadocca that +could warrant any definite suspicion; but there was a combination in it, +nevertheless, which forcibly attracted attention, and inspired a peculiar +sort of feeling that probably was akin to awe. + +The morning gradually passed. When the strong trade-wind sprang about +eleven o’clock, the rowers pulled in their sweeps; the feather-like sails +of the _fallucha_ were hoisted; her head was pointed towards the bocas, +and the little vessel began to mount over the waves under her closely +boarded sheets. The sailors now carelessly threw themselves at full +length on the rowers’ benches; the captain kept his eye on the bows of +the little vessel; and Appadocca gazed pensively on the ocean before him. +Had any of those who were on board the _fallucha_ cast his eyes towards +the land that lay on the lee, he would probably have made out the dim +outlines of a female form that was waving a white handkerchief in the +air. + +At night-fall, the _fallucha_ was in the chops of the outlets. + +Appadocca thus saw himself, by a strange coincidence, in the same place +and about the same time that he had jumped from the man-of-war. He gazed +on the rolling waves which nature had surrounded with the terrors both of +the animated and unanimated portions of creation. For the rocks beneath +the impending mountains, together with the waves that looked merciless +and unrelenting, raised at first sight the idea of sure destruction: +while the huge repulsive sharks that are there to be seen in thousands +reminded one of a still more painful and frightful death. + +“Nil arduum,” muttered Appadocca, as he gazed on the scene of his +daring adventure, “said the Roman poet, and no mortal ever enunciated a +greater truth. Here are these overwhelming waves that seem to carry sure +destruction on their frowning crest, that roll over an abyss, which if +it were dry, would be difficult for man to fathom, that contain within +themselves all sorts of huge and destructive monsters, in comparison to +the smallest fins of which, man, enterprizing, achieving man, dwindles +to the insignificance of the rose-twig by the side of the towering +magnolia: still the human race subjugates them even in their fiercest +mood, and from their frail fabric of boards and pitch, men make war on +their dangerous denizens. Not only that, but I, my very self, at the +hour of midnight, when man and beast retire to their habitations, and +sleep away darkness and its horrors, I plunged into the terrific waters +with only a clay-pot to help me through, and here I am, principally +by dint of perseverance, safe and sound. Oh, human race, you know not +your power; you know not what you could do if you would only throw away +the superstitious fears in which you have enthralled yourselves, and +venture to assume a position, which the indefiniteness of your intellect +assuredly intends you for. But you must study the law of nature: until +you do that, you cannot be fit to achieve great things; as you are, you +are living merely like brutes, with this aggravation, that the resources +of your reason give you a greater facility of corrupting yourselves, and +of becoming cowardly and base, the natural effect of corruption. + +“Had I permitted myself,” continued Appadocca, “to be nursed in the +lap of an enervating luxury, either mental or bodily, to be surrounded +with numbers of base menials, whose care was to prevent even the dew of +heaven from falling too heavily upon me, who were to prepare the couches +of indolence for me, who were to pamper my body, beyond the power of +endurance, and at last transform me into an animal lacking thews and +muscles? if I had been tutored to look upon the falling of a picture as +a calamity, or been taught to tremble at the ramblings of a mouse; and +more, had I permitted my mind to be enslaved by the ignorant notions +of fiends, of horrors after death, and of all those things by which +the world is made to quake in utter fear, should I have undertaken the +execution of a design that would have been made to appear, even more +terrible than that death in which its entire failure could have resulted? +No, decidedly not. + +“And, my good father,” a sardonic smile might have been marked about +his lips, “rejoice while you can, amidst vain pomps and ceremonies, +surrounded as you are again by smiling and sympathising sycophants, for +your time of merry-making will be but short.” + +Such were the half-muttered reflections of Appadocca as the _fallucha_ +crossed the bocas. + +Having once cleared the straits, the little vessel drew closely under +the land on the left side with her sails filled by the cool and gentle +land breeze. She was sailing up to Port-of-Spain, among the beautiful +little islands with which the reader was made acquainted at the beginning +of this narrative. The curling wavelets of the smooth gulf broke on +the sharp prow of the fast-sailing _fallucha_, and kept up a soothing +music that invited to repose. The rustling of the trees that grew to the +water’s edge, charmed the ear of the mariner; the land breeze wafted far +out to sea the sweet perfumes of the wild flowers, which nature has known +to create only in the tropics. + +The little vessel was doubling a small promontory, and entering the +beautiful bay which indents the coast about that part, and is known as +“Chaguaradmas Bay,” when the hasty splashes of several oars were suddenly +heard, while, from the darkness of the night, the approaching boat was +still unseen. + +The splashes every moment grew more and more loud and distinct, they +sounded more and more near, and suddenly a large boat, pulled by ten +armed men, appeared, and the next instant the _fallucha_ was boarded; as +nimbly as antelopes the men jumped into the little craft. + +“Que es ese?” the Spaniards simultaneously cried, and each drew his knife. + +“Lorenzo,” exclaimed Appadocca, with more warmth than his cynicism could +justify, and, in a moment, that officer—for it was he—was affectionately +shaking his chief by the hand: they were both much affected. + +How sweet it is when loving relatives have died away, one by one, when +lover has been inconstant, and has shot the arrow—coldness—through the +loving heart; when the ingratitude of professed friends has frozen the +limpid currents of our feelings, when the world has heaped upon us +miseries on miseries, and then has cast us forth; when father shews the +front of enmity to filial deservedness, when we are isolated in ourselves +in this great world of numbers of movements and of alacrity; how sweet +it is to meet, after separation, the friend whose heart-strings throb in +sympathy with ours, and about whose head the shadows of suspicion could +never play. + +At the sound of the captain’s well-known voice, a loud and prolonged +cheer from the men in the boat, echoed in the silence of the night far +and wide over the gulf, and was repeated long and loudly by the ringing +dales on the shore. + +“Thanks, thanks,” exclaimed Lorenzo, in his joy, “to the chance that sent +us after this vessel.” + +“Where is the schooner?” inquired Appadocca. + +“Behind that promontory, that you barely see: she is there safely hidden.” + +“Then take the helm,” said Appadocca, “and steer to her.” + +Lorenzo attempted to take the tiller out of the hands of the captain, but +met with strong resistance. + +The captain of the _fallucha_ brandished his knife, and called on his men +to assist. + +“Stop,” coolly said Appadocca, “do not resist: I shall give you five +hundred dollars for your little vessel and its cargo. Submit, I am +Appadocca, the young pirate.” + +“Jesu!” cried the captain of the _fallucha_, “whom did I receive on board +my vessel?” and he resignedly gave up the tiller. + +The command of the _fallucha_ was now taken by the pirate party. She was +immediately put about. On making two or three tacks she headed the small +promontory, and discovered the long Black Schooner that lay enshrouded, +in the silence of night, on the smooth and deepening bay. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, + Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” + + HAMLET. + + +After Lorenzo had been satisfactorily informed, by the confessions of +the midshipman, with regard to the safety of his chief, deeming it no +longer necessary to hazard any nearer approach to the man-of-war, he kept +the schooner where she was: while, at the same, he continued to keep the +ship-of-war still within sight. He was enabled to do so by an instrument +of a very peculiar and strange device. From the tall masts of the +schooner, there were reared to an immense height into the air long poles +of steel that were joined and joined again to each other, and were, at +the same time, carefully secured on all sides; at the top of these were +adjusted large globe-shaped metallic mirrors, that were filled with a +thick white liquid, which was continuously agitated by a small electric +engine, which received its power from a battery on deck. These mirrors, +when the sun was at a certain height, were made, by a trigonometrical +principle, to receive impressions of objects that were beyond the scope +of the human eye, and by conveying those impressions to other mirrors, +that were fixed in a thousand different ways, to the several parts of the +vessel, gave the power to an individual on deck to see every movement of +any vessel which would otherwise be invisible, while his own remained +unseen. + +Thus, by the force of the same genius with which he might have shone +among men on the side of good, Appadocca was enabled to excel, to be +unapproachable and irresistible in his career of crime and evil. The +firmness of mind which enabled him to curb the natures of even pirates, +and to establish a discipline on board the Black Schooner that made +his men simultaneously act as if they were but the individual members +of only one single body moved but by one spirit, might, perhaps, have +procured for him the reputation of a wise and great leader; the powers +of invention, which supplied even the deficiencies of human nature, and +permitted him to make almost every element his servant, could again have +handed down his name to posterity as that of a profound philosopher, if +his talents had been turned to a proper object. But the combination of +circumstances—destiny, decided otherwise, and instead of finding himself +in the high position of good, Appadocca found himself, by the very +necessity of those self-same talents, in the high position of evil. + +It is not Emmanuel Appadocca alone that has been thus doomed to bury a +high intellect in obscurity, or been impelled by circumstances to expend +its force in guilt. No: the world seems scarcely as yet prepared for +genius, a higher humanity is required and must exist, before the man who +possesses it can find a congenial place of existence on this planet. Mere +chance now moves the balance in which he is weighed; circumstances either +hazardously call him forth, or he is left to feed upon his own disgust, +until his rough sands are run, then earth covers over the fire that ought +to burn only in the skies. From among one hundred men of genius scarcely +one ever goes beyond the boundary of the desert on which so many flowers +are destined to “blush unseen.” + +It was two hours after noon, on the day which we have above mentioned, +that Lorenzo was standing by the helmsman of the schooner, eagerly +reading the reflections of the mirrors, when the signals of Appadocca +from the man-of-war fell upon his eyes. + +“What is this?” involuntarily exclaimed the officer, as he read the +well-known symbols of his chief. + +“Too late, too late! his stupidity has already made him undergo the +torture,” he exclaimed, as he deciphered,— + +“TREAT WELL THE OFFICER, FOR THEY TREAT ME WELL.—SCORPION.” + +Lorenzo gave an order to the officer on duty; a piercing sound was then +heard; in a moment or two, the sides of the schooner became peopled with +men, whose brawny arms were bared up to the shoulders. Not a word was +spoken. The polished and shining guns of the schooner were immediately +pointed, they seemed to thrust their muzzles through the port-holes, as +if they worked by one impulse, by their own choice and their own action, +for the slightest difference could not be traced either in the time or in +the manner in which each separate piece was moved to its proper place. + +Another piercing sound: each gun was fired at the precise moment. The +schooner shook under the deafening explosion that followed, and the ocean +rang, and rang again with the echo. + +This was Lorenzo’s reply to the request of Appadocca. + +By the aid of the same machine, that officer perceived when the +man-of-war set all her sails, and began her voyage to Trinidad, as +he concluded, both from the revelation of the young officer, and the +direction in which she was steering. He rejoiced when he observed this, +for he was persuaded that, in the event of the man-of-war entering the +Gulf of Paria, he would be able triumphantly to rescue his chief. For +the thousand bays and creeks which diversify the shore, the distance at +which large vessels are obliged to remain on account of the harbour’s +shallowness, and the lukewarmness of the inhabitants of the town with +regard to pirates, for they have seldom or never been subjected to the +ravages of those people, he calculated, would afford him all assistance, +while they should, on the contrary, tend to perplex, hinder, and +embarrass the enemy. + +He immediately ordered a certain quantity of sails to be put on the +schooner, and began to follow the man-of-war. He kept always out of +sight, and at noon on each day, the sails were lowered, the same machine +was erected, and he made his observations on the ship-of-war, which +sailed away majestically, its commander little knowing that he was +followed by a cunning, vigilant, and determined enemy. + +Four hours had not elapsed since the man-of-war had crossed the bocas, +before the Black Schooner also passed them, and thus left in the water +behind her the person to whose rescue she was going. + +Lorenzo kept her head still towards the centre of the gulf, then went +about, and, with one tack, gained the headland, behind which the schooner +now lay concealed. + +In that position, Lorenzo quickly disguised himself, and taking +possession of one of the many little vessels that sail along the shore +from the Spanish main, went up to Port-of-Spain, and heard the confused +intelligence that Appadocca had committed suicide. + +His cargo was sold, and he could remain no longer in the harbour for fear +of detection, so he resolved upon the plan of taking another _fallucha_, +and of returning to Port-of-Spain as a different captain. He lay in watch +for the first vessel which might pass, and destiny willed that the one +which he should board should carry Appadocca. + + * * * * * + +As soon as Appadocca had arrived on board of the schooner, after +having bowed to the officer and men, who saluted him, he descended the +companion-steps and requested Lorenzo to follow. + +They arrived at the Captain’s cabin: and Jack Jimmy, who met Appadocca +at the door, stood on tiptoe, threw his head forward, opened his eyes, +and was just on the point of venting some exclamation, when Appadocca +made a sign to him to be silent. The little man, almost bursting with the +internal ebullition of the greeting which he was obliged to restrain, +retreated into an angle, and Appadocca passed on. + +“Sit down,” said he to Lorenzo, when they had arrived into the cabin, +“and allow me to express my approval of the brave and wise manner in +which you have discharged your duty during my absence.” + +The officer bowed modestly. + +“Has the crew always acted up to its office?” Appadocca demanded. + +“Yes, your excellency,” replied Lorenzo. + +“The unfortunate accident,” proceeded Appadocca, “which happened, +deprived us of our last booty: but, in two days’ time I shall let the +men have as much as they can desire. I shall let them have pleasure +to-morrow. Lorenzo, let us drink together.” + +Appadocca pressed a spring, and one of his attendants appeared and laid +on a table wine and drinking-cups. Appadocca filled a goblet and passed +the decanter to Lorenzo. + +“Thanks to you, Lorenzo,” said Appadocca, and drank. + +“To the joy of your return, your excellency,” said Lorenzo, and did the +same. + +In a few moments after the officer left the cabin. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + “For valour, is not love a Hercules, + Still climbing trees in the Hesperides?” + + LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST. + + +At early dawn on the morning that followed the departure of Appadocca, +Feliciana was sitting in the principal apartment of the Rancha. She was +occupying her favourite chair by the window, and with her cheek resting +upon her hand, was gazing listlessly and absently on the green grass +without, on which the dew still sparkled in the silvery rays of the +rising sun. + +She seemed occupied by her own thoughts, although the beautiful picture +of waking nature—a scene always enchanting in the tropics—was before +her, and every moment, as she heard the rustling of the _carat_ that +roofed the house, or the creaking of the cedar windows as they became +heated with the sun, or any other sound which might resemble a footfall, +she turned her head eagerly to look, and turned away again, evidently +disappointed when she saw nothing. + +The morning merged more and more towards noon, she more and more +frequently turned round to look, but seemed every time disappointed as +before, for Appadocca, whom she was expecting, did not appear. + +“Can he be ill,” thought Feliciana, “Maria, Maria!” she cried, as she +became more and more alarmed by the idea. + +An old servant appeared, and was immediately sent to see if the stranger +was well. + +She soon returned, and said that there was no one in the room. + +Feliciana jumped up and rushed into the apartment which Appadocca had +occupied. No one had slept on the bed. + +The truth now broke in upon the young lady. Her countenance fell; she +walked back dejectedly to her chair, and looked out as before. + +“What shall I do?” asked the old domestic, who had now a long time waited +in vain for the orders of her absent mistress. + +Feliciana started: “Tell my papa,” she said, and turned away her head. + +The old domestic went slowly and in a side-long manner out of the +apartment, gazing at the young lady the whole time, and muttering “what +is the matter with the child?” + +Feliciana remained where she was the greater part of the day, closed +her ears to the repeated exhortations of her old servant to take food, +and declared, in answer to her pressing questions, that she had had +a disagreeable dream the night before, which had thrown a feeling of +melancholy over her the whole of that day. When she retired to her +apartment in the evening, the young lady hastily gathered her valuables, +and wrote a letter, which she addressed to her father, and sat quietly +and pensively until the night was half spent. She then rose, and +carefully let herself out of the house, and walked slowly and cautiously +away, until she got to a considerable distance from the Rancha. Once +in the open field, the bold Feliciana began to run, for it was only by +running that she could keep pace with the rapidity and activity of her +thoughts. The next day she was by the sea shore, and was just in time to +catch a glimpse of the little _fallucha_ which had received Appadocca on +board, as she was sailing away. She waved her handkerchief, but no one on +board saw her, and the _fallucha_ left her behind. + +Undaunted by this accident, the young lady continued her journey along +the shore, moving, however, in an easterly direction. + +Oppressed with fatigue, she sat for a moment, in the evening, on the +grass, to rest herself. + +The dull sounds of horses’ hoofs in a short time were distinctly heard. + +“I am undone,” Feliciana exclaimed, and turned to look. + +Two horsemen were seen rapidly approaching in the direction by which she +herself had come. + +“They are my father’s men,” she said to herself, and looked about for +some tree, or other object, behind which she might conceal herself: but +there was not a thing at hand. + +The horsemen drew closer and closer again; she looked round once more: at +a short distance, the grass seemed to grow richer and thicker. She crept +along towards this point, and threw herself flat into the tuft: but she +was barely concealed, and durst not hope to escape being seen. + +“I cannot avoid being taken,” she said to herself, and seemed unnerved +by the thought. The horsemen approached nearer and nearer. The thoughts +of Appadocca crowded on her; the conflict of undefined feelings which +had taken place in her mind, had ended in leaving her a being that was +devoted to that mysterious man, and one who could now form no idea of +life in which he was not the beginning and the end. Her fears now yielded +to a stronger feeling; she drew from her bosom a gilded poniard, and +vowed that she would not be deterred from fulfilling her vow as long as +she lived. The horsemen had almost arrived to where she was, they came +opposite to her, they looked neither on one side nor on the other, but +seemed entirely absorbed by the subject on which they were conversing in +a loud tone of voice. + +From her hiding place Feliciana could see them distinctly. Joy, joy! they +were not her father’s men. But may they not be other persons that were +sent after her in one direction, while her father’s own Llaneros went in +another? She remained quiet and listened. + +“No, I shall not take less than seven piastres each for my oxen; and, as +for my jack-asses, I shall not let them go for less than four piastres +a-head,” said one of the horsemen. + +“You are quite right,” replied the other; “those people in Trinidad can +afford to pay a good price for their bullocks. By-the-bye, have you +remarked what a number more of beasts we sell since the English took that +island. I understand these fellows live entirely on beef, and that is +the reason why they are such good soldiers.” + +“Good or bad soldiers,” answered the other, “if they eat beef, and make +us sell our cattle, that is all we care about.” + +“They are merchants,” said Feliciana to herself, and resolved at once to +speak to them. + +“Yes, continued the first speaker, I shall not—” + +“Ho!” cried Feliciana, springing from the ground, “senores, senores, ho!” + +The horsemen looked round, and crossed themselves, and at the same time, +cried, “Jesu!” + +“Stop, stop, I wish to speak to you,” Feliciana continued. + +The horseman reined up their horses, and remained apparently under the +effect of some powerful fear. + +“What may she be?” + +“Who knows what she may be! that’s just the reason why we should obey +her,” replied the other. + +In the mean time Feliciana came up. + +“Shall we speak to her?” one inquired of the other. + +“Where are you riding to, senores?” she inquired. + +They looked inquiringly at each other, and then asked each other in a +whisper, “Shall I answer?” + +“Where are you going to, senores?” she repeated. + +“To Guiria, beautiful lady,” one at last answered. + +“Be good enough to take me with you,” said Feliciana. + +The horsemen looked amazed at each other. + +“I shall give you two hundred piastres.” + +The two horsemen opened their eyes. + +“Two hundred piastres?” they repeated inquiringly. + +“Yes.” + +“And who are you, beautiful lady, that are thus solitary in the +Savannahs? are you one of us or some blessed spirit that is permitted +to walk the earth. We are good and true catholics, do not harm us, +we beseech you.” The two horsemen here devoutly crossed themselves +respectively. + +“I am no spirit,” answered Feliciana, “but an unfortunate lady, who is +flying to the rescue of—of—her—husband: pray take me on with you, and I +shall reward you, as I have said.” + +The horsemen mused, and whispered to each other for a moment. Then one of +them dismounted. + +“Senora,” he said, “Heaven forbid that we should ever commit the crime of +leaving a lady in the wilds without shelter or protection. Allow me to +assist you in mounting my horse.” + +Feliciana was supported on the saddle. The three persons then proceeded +on their journey. The horsemen changed places alternately at the various +stages of the journey; and while one walked at the side of Feliciana’s +horse, the other rode by turns, until they arrived in the environs of +the town of Guiria, where Feliciana found a number of opportunities to +continue her wanderings in search of Appadocca. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + “How would you be, + If He, who is the top of judgment, should + But judge you as you are? O, think on that; + And mercy then will breathe between your lips, + Like men new made.” + + MEASURE FOR MEASURE. + + +After Appadocca had jumped overboard, the large ship passed the bocas +safely, entered upon the still waters of the gulf, and within a few hours +afterwards her large Anchor was cast off the harbour of Port-of-Spain. + +As the vessel approached nearer to her port of destruction, Charles +Hamilton had become more and more anxious, and uneasy about the fated +doom which he saw every moment hanging lower and lower over his friend. +He reasonably argued that, with such a willing witness as James +Willmington, and with such a stoical disposition as his friend had formed +to himself, there would not be the slightest chance of Appadocca’s +acquittal when he should be tried. For Willmington, it was to be +supposed, would not attenuate the least feature of the case, nor would +Appadocca descend from his high notions of philosophy to conceal or deny +the charges that would be brought against him. + +In this state of mind, Charles Hamilton considered a long time, and +endeavoured to think of some means of still saving his friend. It was, +however, a difficult and perplexing matter, for the only available +measures that he could adopt, were doggedly repudiated by Appadocca +himself. + +“Confound his obstinacy,” the young officer muttered, when he thought of +his friend’s infatuation; “he might have been saved long ago if it were +not for that.” + +Among a number of expedients and plans, Hamilton at last adopted the +one of having an interview with James Willmington, of endeavouring to +soften down his persecuting feeling, and of establishing, if not terms +of kindness and affection, at least those neutrality and indifference +between him and Appadocca. + +It was in this disposition, that long before the sun had risen on the +morning after the man-of-war had come to an anchor, Charles Hamilton +requested a servant to ask James Willmington to be good enough to attend +him in his cabin. Willmington, whose excitement had kept him awake the +whole night, shortly appeared. + +“Be good enough to sit down, sir,” said Hamilton. + +Willmington sat down. + +“I have taken the liberty, sir, of asking you to my cabin, to speak to +you on a subject that I am aware must be very delicate; but my great +anxiety for my friend, and the just apprehension that I entertain with +regard to his life itself, have led me to put aside whatever reluctance I +should otherwise feel, and to speak to you on that head.” + +Willmington looked stolidly and vaguely at Hamilton, and said not a word. + +“You are aware, sir,” continued Hamilton, “that Appadocca runs, at this +moment, the risk of his life.” + +“I am aware, sir,” replied Willmington, briefly. + +“Well, sir, shutting my eyes to all family quarrels—” + +“There are no quarrels in my family that I know of, sir,” interrupted +Willmington. + +“Perhaps you will hear me out,” remarked Hamilton. + +Willmington exhibited the rudiments of a bow. + +“Shutting my eyes to all private quarrels between you, I say, I cannot +but consider it a misfortune that a young man, like Appadocca, should be +brought to a disgraceful death on a scaffold at such an early age. You +will be the only prosecutor in this case, and, to a certain extent, you +hold his life in your hands; will you suspend—suspend your animosity, and +give Appadocca a chance of escape?” + +“I do not understand you, sir,” said Willmington. + +“I do not think there is much obscurity about what I said,” remarked +Hamilton, in his turn. + +“Do you mean, sir, to ask me to connive at a felony, and to permit a +criminal to escape?” + +“Call it what you choose, sir; I ask you to save Appadocca from an +ignoble and untimely death,” answered Hamilton. + +“Then, sir, I must tell you at once, I cannot. The law must take its +course. Beside, sir, I feel called upon by public justice and morality, +to bring to punishment the individual in whose favour you are making +these representions.” + +“Hum,” groaned Hamilton—“you forget one great point,” he said after a +short pause. + +“What is that, sir?” inquired Willmington. + +“That by bringing Appadocca to the scaffold, you will disgrace your own +blood,” answered Hamilton. + +“I do not care much for that, sir,” answered Willmington. + +“But you might show some consideration, at least, to your own son,” said +Hamilton. + +“He did not show any to me,” sullenly replied Willmington. + +“That is no reason why you should not: and you must recollect, he +justified his harshness to you precisely on the same grounds as you now +do yours. Besides, he may again, one day, justify any vengeance that he +may be inclined to wreak upon you by your conduct to day.” + +“There will not be much chance left of his doing so, I warrant you,” +replied Willmington, with a sardonic smile. + +“There is many a slip between the cup and the lip,” said Hamilton. + +A pause ensued. + +“Beside,” continued Willmington, re-opening the dialogue—“besides, he is +my son only of a sort.” + +“What do you mean,” inquired Hamilton. + +“That his mother was not Mrs. Willmington,” answered Willmington. + +“Do you mean to say, then, that you do not consider you owe any duty to +your children that may not have been born in wedlock?” inquired Hamilton. + +“Scarcely,” answered Willmington. + +“You consider, therefore, that where the word of a priest has not been +pronounced on your union, you are absolved from your honor, and from +natural obligations?” inquired Hamilton. + +“I do,” answered Willmington. + +The lips of the young officer curled up with scorn, as he stood up and +said, with ill-concealed disgust: + +“Leave my cabin, sir; leave my cabin. By G—d you are not made worse than +you are. If I were Appadocca, I should have hanged you outright, and not +sent you with a philosophical scheme to float on a cask and to be picked +up. + +“Hark you, sir,” continued Hamilton, in a suffocating temper, “if you +have a son that resembles you more than Appadocca does, born of Mrs. +Willmington, understood—send him to me, sir, and, by his own appointment, +I shall give him satisfaction for ordering you out of my cabin.” + +Willmington turned to leave, but met face to face a servant that came +rushing it. + +“Your honour, your honour,” the man cried with much excitement, “the +pirate prisoner has drowned himself.” + +“What?” exclaimed Hamilton, and fell back into his chair. + +“The pirate prisoner, your honour, has jumped overboard. When the +steward went into his cabin this morning, he was not to be found: on +examination, the skylight was discovered to be open.” + +The officer leaned his forehead on his hand. + +“There, sir,” he said, “your vengeance is satisfied: public justice and +morality are vindicated.” + +“Scarcely,” muttered Willmington between his teeth, and left the cabin. + +Charles Hamilton was deeply affected by the supposed suicide of his +friend; recollections of bygone days crowded on his mind. He recalled +vividly to himself the happy hours which he and his friend Appadocca +had spent together in the lightheartedness and warm fellowship which +only students can feel, when strong and mutual sympathy links them, and +carries them together through study and through recreation: he pictured +to his mind, the ardent and aspiring youth, such as his friend then +was, with a mind that was stored with learning, and a heart that was +overflowing with abundant benevolence, and then contrasted him with +the cold soured, cynical man, whose mind was now entirely engrossed +with schemes of death and revenge, and whose heart now beat but in +cold indifference, or throbbed with a more active feeling, only when +retribution and punishment quickened its action. He then thought of the +career which hope would have foretold on the one picture—a career, that +like the stars themselves which Appadocca measured, was to be ever bright +and brilliant, that might have shed its light on humanity, and might, +perhaps, have signalized an epoch of philosophy and certain truth: and +he thought, on the other hand, of the actual reality of a life spent in +the degrading society of the reputed scum of mankind, with its energies +and powers exercised and lost in devising methods for robbing others, and +closed at last in immorality and crime. + +Such thoughts weighed heavily on Charles Hamilton, and when he proceeded +on deck, his step might be observed to be less light, and his eye less +quick than they were wont to be. + +As for James Willmington he walked on one side of the deck restlessly, +and bit his nails. + +“The fellow,” he interjected to himself, “to go and drown himself when +I expected to have made him feel the consequences of his insolence, in +having me put on a cask and set adrift. The villain! to go and drown +himself, when the gallows and the hangman’s hand ought to have sent him +to his account. Never mind, he is out of the world, and one way is as +good as another, there is no fear now of being judged again in the name +of nature.” + +Willmington smiled satanically. + +“He is gone, and that is one blessing, at least, and he will, no doubt, +meet those in the other world who will be better able to answer his +philosophy than I.” + +And a diabolical smile played on the lips of that heartless and selfish +man. + +“Have that man landed at once, Charles?” said the commander dryly, who +was attentively watching Willmington, from the quarter-deck. + +His attention had been at first attracted by the restless and impatient +movements of Willmington. He had remarked the workings of his lips, and +had noticed the bitter sneer that settled upon them at the end. The +dislike which he had always entertained for that man, was worked up to +its height by this exhibition. + +“He could not have been uttering a prayer for his son,” he justly +thought; “prayers do not end so. No—no—he must be truly a vile +individual. Death ought to suspend, at least, the enmity of the bitterest +foes. It is a strange father that can curse the memory of his own son, +however great a reprobate he may have been. Have that gentleman landed +immediately, Charles,” he again said to his son. + +In a few moments, James Willmington was made acquainted with this order, +and was told that a boat was ready to take him ashore. + +“Thank God, thank God!” he cried, almost aloud, and quickly ascended the +steps of the quarter-deck, to take leave of the commander. + +“My lord, I have to bid you, good morning,” said he, as he approached the +commander. + +“Good morning,—good morning,” quickly replied the person addressed, +apparently desiring to have as little as possible to say to the +individual, who was taking his leave. + +“I am much obliged to you,” continued Willmington, “for the protection +and assistance, and—” + +“Not at all, sir,” dryly rejoined the commander, “I have only discharged +the duty which I owe to all His Majesty’s subjects on these seas.” + +“Yes, my lord,” pursued Willmington, “and I trust my lord, when you land, +you will condescend to remember your former guest.” + +“I thank you, sir,” replied the commander, as dryly, as before. + +“Good morning, my lord.” + +“A very good morning, sir.” + +The boat, soon bore Willmington away from the ship. + +“If the world possessed many more like that man,” said the commander +to his son, while he pointed to Willmington, who was now on his little +voyage toward the shore, “it would indeed be worse than a den of thieves.” + +“I am afraid there are many more of this sort, sir, than you imagine,” +replied Charles, “and that the world is not even as good as a den of +thieves, for they say, those individuals recognize a certain code of +honor.” + +“Things were not so in my time,” replied the commander; “when I was +young, Charles, we feared God, honored the king, and dealt justly and +honorably by all men.” + +“The times, then, are changed, sir,” said Charles, “and the greatest +misfortune is, that such characters as that Willmington, unluckily for +humanity, make as many Appadoccas.” + +“True,” observed the commander, “it is a misfortune. I always thought I +perceived much to be admired in that unfortunate Appadocca. I am rather +glad, I must say, that he has drowned himself rather than permit himself +to be dealt with by the executioner.” + +On landing, Willmington hurried up the magnificent walk of almond-trees, +which lead from King’s-wharf, into Port-of-Spain. He pursued his way +through the city, and scarcely recognised the many wondering friends and +acquaintances, who proceeded forward to congratulate him on his return, +for they had heard of the accident which had befallen the ship in which +he had taken passage; and also of the manner in which he, in particular, +was treated. + +When he had arrived at the beautiful Savannah which lies at the +Northern-end of the city, he diverged into a footpath that led to the +beautiful villas with which Saint Ann’s-road is ornamented. He quickly +walked up the road a little way, and immediately stopped at the gate of a +magnificent and romantic suburban house that stood in solitary grandeur, +amidst the beautiful trees that belted it. + +He rang at the gate-bell, and was immediately admitted by the servant, +who started back, and almost went into hysterics at seeing his master +back again. + +“Gad bless me, massa, da you, or you ’pirit?” inquired that official, +as he opened the gate and let his master in, who, without noticing the +wonderment of the man, rushed into the house. + +“Ah! is it you, Mr. Willmington?” said his wife, with fear, surprise, and +joy, all confusedly pictured on her face. + +“Heavens be praised, and thanked,” and she embraced him affectionately. + +“Tell me, tell me all about the accident that befell you,” she asked. + +“Not to-day, dear,” answered Willmington; “not to-day, dear. Only thank +Providence that I am again safe. I shall relate everything when I am more +composed.” + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + + “Avaunt! and quit my sight! let the earth + Hide thee! + Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold! + Thou hast no speculation in those eyes + Which thou dost glare with.” + + MACBETH. + + +It was with the greatest difficulty that James Willmington succeeded in +restraining the curiosity of his wife until the period which he himself +had appointed to tell her the particulars of the capture of the ship, and +also the singular circumstance of his trial, punishment and rescue. + +The period had now arrived. + +In a beautiful and fantastic pavilion, into which the soft evening breeze +wafted the sweet perfume of a thousand delicate flowers which bloomed +around, sat James Willmington. He was seated at the head of a vast, +spreading table that was loaded with the choicest and most delicious +fruits that the tropics produce. Opposite to him sat Mrs. Willmington, on +whose side two very beautiful infant daughters were respectively placed. +On the right hand of Willmington was his son, a youth of about eighteen, +who was dressed in the uniform of an officer. + +The pure wax tapers that burnt in chaste and elegant candlesticks of +solid silver, shed a cheerful and soft light around. The faint music of +a small fountain that played hard by, fell soothingly on the ear, as it +grew louder and louder, or fell fainter and still fainter, according +to the direction and strength of the lulling breeze that seemed to +sport with its jets. The old family pictures that hung on the walls +looked down fiercely and frowningly, or smiled upon the happy and quiet +group, according to the stern and warlike disposition or the benignant +characters of each. + +The servants had all retired for the time to their own apartments; and +Willmington sat quietly smoking an exquisite cigar, and sipping from time +to time the crystal iced water that stood in a tumbler by his side. + +“I shall now tell you,” he said, “the succession of accidents which has +brought me back to Trinidad,” and he began to relate the particulars of +the capture of the merchant vessel, the distribution of the shares, +his trial, his being thrown overboard, the agony that he suffered on +the cask, and finally his providential rescue, the capture of the +pirate captain and his supposed suicide. He narrated circumstance on +circumstance, quickly passed over the alleged causes of his sufferings, +and mentioned Appadocca as one who claimed to be his son. + +“Confound his impudence,” cried the youth of eighteen. “I wish I had been +there, I should have caned his insolence out of him. The idea! to call +my father, his father, vile cut-throat as he was. I wish I had him now. +But do you know anything at all of him? How came he to claim you as his +father, sir?” he inquired, after a time. + +“Do not interrupt me;—do not interrupt me,” was the only answer +Willmington made to this home and embarrassing question. + +Time had flown during his long narrative. The clock had already struck +eleven—a late hour in the tropics—when he was concluding. + +“Yes, my children,” he said at the end, with great solemnity, +endeavouring to make the contemplated impression, “there is one above to +punish evil doers.” + +“Ay, and he never slumbers,” replied a deep sonorous voice from without, +and in a moment afterwards the pirate captain stood before James +Willmington. + +The cigar fell from his jaws, that palsied with terror, now gaped +asunder. His hands trembled, and threw over the glass of iced water +towards which it was being stretched, his silvery hair seemed to stand +on end, and with a sudden bound, Willmington started from his seat and +reeled over his chair towards a corner of the apartment. + +“Get out of my sight, get out of my sight, accursed, damned spirit; in +the name of Christ, I conjure you!” he cried, while his eyeballs glared, +and large drops of sweat trickled down his forehead that was almost green +with fear. + +Appadocca calmly raised the chair from the floor, drew it to the head of +the table, folded his thin cloak around him and sat down. + +“I did not design to deliver you up to the authorities,” shrieked +Willmington, almost inarticulately. “No, no! I had only intended to +frighten you, I would have allowed you to escape. Oh, yes, I would have +protected you; yes, yes, I would have protected you like a father. +Forgive, forgive me, and scare me no more.” + +Appadocca looked round upon the miserable Willmington, who, contracted +with terror within the smallest possible heap, crouched in a corner. + +“Do not look at me,” cried Willmington still more terrified, “vanish, +vanish, in the name of Heaven and all the saints. If you come from +Hell—to-to haunt me,—return, return. It was not I that wronged you. +Forgetfulness, forgetfulness—I intended—I intended always—always to find +you out. Your mother, aye, your—your mother loved me. Have mercy—mercy—on +me,—the vessel—the vessel took me by—by chance to St. Thomas. I did +not—I did ask him: no—no—I was sorry—sorry, when—when—you were drowned. +Mercy—mercy.” + +“Come here and make your will,” said Appadocca, authoritatively, without +paying the slightest attention to the cries of the wretched and almost +distracted man. + +“Make my will? will!” recommenced Willmington, “do you intend to murder +me? Hence, hence, I am a christian, you have no power on me. No, no,—do +not—do not—out, out of my sight, damned, reprobate spirit.” + +“I am no spirit. Speak not to me so sillily. Make your will, I say,” said +Appadocca, with more authority, “and do not let these children suffer +from your loss. The minutes that you can remain with them are counted.” + +“Will, will!” exclaimed Willmington, as if already staggering in his +intellect. + +“Will? I have no will to make. My will is made already. Do not speak to +me of wills—do not speak to me of wills, I do not wish to die—I will not +die. Leave my sight—leave my sight—leave my sight.” + +“Then settle your other affairs,” said Appadocca with the same authority +as before. “I allow you five minutes; at the end of that time you must go +with me.” + +“No—no, I will not go with you,” shrieked Willmington, “I did you no +harm——I intended you no harm. Let me live a little longer—give me but +seven years to live—five—two;—half a year;—a month—a week, a day;—do not +take me away so soon. Let me live, let me live. Do not take me with you. +It was not I that drowned you.” + +“It would be prudent on your part to fill the five minutes, which are +accorded you more profitably than by these vain petitions. I—” + +“Vain petitions! Let them not be vain; look at the children that I +have to maintain and protect: do not take me away from them,” cried +Willmington, interrupting Appadocca. + +“I am no ghost,” continued Appadocca, “but something worse.” + +“Was he not drowned?” Willmington began to mutter. “Did he not jump into +the sea—at the bocas—or farther out?—Can he—could he have been saved? +no, no, delusion—delusion. His face is as pale as death. He is still +and quiet as the grave;” continued Willmington, as he gazed intently on +Appadocca, who was still sitting calmly at the table. + +The period had elapsed, the moment of doom had now arrived. + +“The period is past, your time is come,” said Appadocca, “rise and go +with me.” + +“No—no,” shrieked Willmington, madly,—“no—no—no.” + +And with a sudden spring he jumped from the corner to one of the doors: +he was roughly thrown back by some person who was outside: he then +rushed to another, and was again repelled—to another, and he was once +more forced back. He sprang on to the jalousies, and as he succeeded in +opening one, he was quickly shoved back by some powerful arm from the +outside, into the room again. + +Like one who endeavours to flee from devouring flames, that rush in +merciless fury to close him in, and finds every passage, every outlet, +or crevice for escape barred against him, the unhappy man reeled back +into the room in the madness of despair. + +“Murder—murder,” he shouted, +“John!—Charles!—James!—Edward!—Murder!—Murder!—pirates!—fiends, pirates, +robbers, police, police.” + +“Ho! there! Domingo,—Gregoire!—Alphonso!—Jose!” called Appadocca, with +his habitual calmness. + +Four men on the call entered the room. Their flashing eyes shone from +beneath their overhanging red caps, and their long beards and mustachios +exhibited a peculiar appearance under the silvery light of the tapers, +which tended to display to the full their dark and dry complexions. + +“Secure him,” said Appadocca pointing to Willmington, as the men entered. + +“Do not touch him for your lives,” cried the young officer, the son of +James Willmington, that sat on his right. + +He, like his father, had been under the power of a supernatural terror +from the moment that Appadocca entered, and had been addressed as a +visitant from another world; but when he became awake to the fact that +the intruder was a being of flesh and blood, he grasped his sword that +lay on a table, and rushed at Appadocca. + +“Do not touch him for your lives,” he cried, while he made a lunge at +the breast of the pirate-captain who still retained his seat. The point +was already touching the cloak of Appadocca, when the heavy weapons of +some unseen individuals from without, shattered the slender sword into a +thousand pieces. + +“Secure you the young man, Baptiste,” said Appadocca, unmoved by the +danger which he had so narrowly escaped. + +A man immediately stepped into the room and threw his arm round the +unresisting young officer. + +The four men had rushed upon Willmington. Despair had maddened him into +a sort of courage: he met the foremost one of them half way, and grasped +him around the throat, with the clutch of death. The pirate also seized +him, and the two men, animated with passions which though different in +their natures were equally fierce in themselves, grappled like madmen, +and staggered violently to and fro. The strong effort of the pirate, +could not throw off Willmington, who clung to him with the tenacity of +the serpent that tightens its refolded coils around the triumphant tiger +that still presses its paw on its bruised head. + +Lashed into rage, the pirate drew his knife: it gleamed for a moment +overhead, and was descending, with certain death upon its point, when—— + +“Hold!” cried Appadocca, “no blood; help him Gregoire, Jose, help him, +there.” + +The voice of the captain arrested the disciplined arm. + +Spurred by the immediate commands of their chief, the other pirates +closed in upon Willmington, and by the exercise of violent force tore him +away from their comrade, who stood for a moment with his eyes fiery and +glaring from anger, and with his chest heaving heavily and quickly. + +The prisoner kicked and shouted until the words rattled hoarsely in his +throat; but he was now in no soft or gentle hands. Sooner than we can +write it, he was tied hand and foot; his cries, nevertheless, still +resounded through the place. + +“Gag him,” was the immediate order. + +The prisoner’s neckcloth was roughly undone, and violently thrust into +his mouth. + +“Away with him.” + +The pirates stretched out two pikes: the prisoner was laid across them, +they raised him on their shoulders, and walked silently out of the +apartment. + +“Now unhand your prisoner, Baptiste,” said Appadocca, to the man who held +young Willmington. Baptiste let go his hold. + +“My father, my father,” shouted young Willmington and rushed first to one +door, and then to the other, all of which he found guarded on the outside. + +“Sir, you cannot go out,” said Appadocca. + +“I will go out—I will go after my father,” ejaculated young Willmington. + +“You cannot, and shall not,” answered Appadocca. + +The young officer rushed to all the doors in succession, and was rudely +pushed back at each. + +“You see you cannot go out,” observed Appadocca. + +“Who are you? what do you wish to do with my father?” inquired the young +Willmington, as he turned disappointedly from the door. + +“I shall tell you, by-and-bye,” answered Appadocca. + +“Tell me at once, and let me out,” cried young Willmington. + +“That cannot be.” + +“That must be: I must rescue my father,” rejoined young Willmington. + +“Banish the idea: you will never be able to do so,” replied Appadocca. + +“Why not?” + +“Because you will be prevented,” answered Appadocca. + +“Prevented?—prevented? Hell, itself, with all its legions, shall not +prevent me,” shouted young Willmington. “I will rescue my father.” + +“Do so,” answered Appadocca. + +The young man rushed to the doors again, and was thrust back as before. +After a series of vain attempts, he staggered, almost exhausted, into the +centre of the room. + +“You see, sir, I make no ungrounded assertions. It is impossible for you +to follow your father,” said Appadocca. + +“Why impossible? Confound you as a cut-throat—murderer,” asked young +Willmington. + +“Because,” answered Appadocca, without noticing the harsh epithets, +“because he is implicated in a vow that must be fulfilled.” + +“I understand no such vow,” said young Willmington, “and if I had a +sword, I should force my way in spite of you.” + +“Ha! we shall now understand each other, sir,” said Appadocca, then threw +aside his cloak, unbelted his richly-ornamented sword, and laid it on the +table. “You can use that, sir,” he said to young Willmington, while he +pointed to it, and stepping towards the door— + +“Lend me your sword,” he said to one of the men. + +The person gave up his sword at once to Appadocca, who went round the +room, and carefully bolted every door, one after the other. After that, +he said to his men. + +“Retire into the high road, and remain there until I call.” + +The men retired from the doors, and Appadocca closed with the same care +the one by which he had entered. + +He was now left in the apartment only with young Willmington, Mrs. +Willmington, who lay insensible on the floor, where she had fallen at the +appearance of Appadocca, and her two infant daughters, who stared on in a +state of absolute stupefaction. + +“Now, sir,” said Appadocca to young Willmington, standing by the table, +and leaning on the sword which he had borrowed, “allow me to speak to +you. I am your father’s son.” + +“You are not,” indignantly remarked young Willmington. + +“It is an honor,” said Appadocca with a smile, while he bowed to the +young man, “which I have never prized, I believe your stock is stamped +with a peculiar mark: behold it!” and Appadocca opened his little finger +as widely apart as possible from the other, and pointed to something +between the two fingers. + +Young Willmington looked, stared, and started back in astonishment, but +spoke not a word. + +“He,” continued Appadocca, after this disclosure, “treated me with +harshness, injustice, and cruelty, and wronged, in addition, one whose +place I now supply, and in whose name I seek vengeance. I owe him nothing +except punishment. I am, therefore, your father’s sworn persecutor, and +retributioner. You, he has always treated with kindness and affection; +the bonds of natural obligation have been drawn the tighter on you by +good deeds. You are, therefore, by the principles of justice, his natural +defender. Now he is named in a vow that I have made, and I cannot let +you rescue him. I have the power to prevent you from making any attempt +to that effect, and I shall do it. But there is yet a satisfaction which +I can give you, and I shall do so. With my life, the persecution which +is now carried on against your father will cease; for I shall leave none +behind me to take up my cause. I am willing, therefore, to throw life +and death on a hazard, and to afford you as fair a chance as possible +of purchasing your father’s deliverance by your valour and bravery. My +sword, which I offer you, is of the finest metal, you may rely upon its +fidelity. I challenge you to mortal combat.” + +Appadocca put himself in an attitude of defence, bent his left arm over +his back, raised his head proudly, and held his sword straight before +him. + +Young Willmington was undecided: he seemed to be under the power of a +thousand different and conflicting feelings. There was no possibility of +denying the well-known family mark with which Appadocca was stamped; he +saw, consequently, before him his brother, by the laws which nature had +made, whatever he might be by those which man had framed, and was forced +to recognize in that brother the prosecutor, enemy, and almost murderer +of his father. He was divided between two duties, the duty which he owed +to a father, and that which he owed to a brother. + +“I shall not fight with you,” he said after a long pause. “If you grudge +us any of his property, take as much as you please, but render us back +our father.” + +“Will not fight!” exclaimed Appadocca, “I had imagined that your father +was the only selfish coward in an old race of reputedly brave men.” + +“Coward do you call me?” inquired young Willmington, with a frown. + +“Ay, coward,” answered Appadocca. “First you made a thrust at me when my +attention was directed otherwise, and now you seek to wound my feelings +by supposing the possibility that I could grudge you your father’s +wealth. Grudge, indeed! his most precious jewels would disgrace me. My +men, however—the friends that received me, shall enjoy it. Coward, ay, +thrice four times coward; again, and again, I proclaim you as such.” + +“No more, defend yourself,” cried young Willmington, and he clutched the +sword which Appadocca had laid on the table. + +Young Willmington warmly pressed on Appadocca who still stood on +the defensive. Thrust after thrust, lunge after lunge came in rapid +succession from young Willmington. Respiration came short and quickly. +He made a desperate thrust at Appadocca, who with a slight but quick +movement of the wrist at once disarmed his adversary. + +Young Willmington bowed haughtily, while his face grew crimson with +vexation. + +Appadocca quickly picked up the sword and presented it again to the young +officer. + +“No, no, I am satisfied,” said the last-mentioned person, and refused it. + +“You ought scarcely to be so, sir. Recollect this is the only chance +that will probably be afforded you,” replied Appadocca, “to recover your +father. Try it again.” + +“Have you any object in pressing me to fight longer? By the law of arms +you are not justified in thus asking me again when I am defeated,” said +young Willmington. + +“Perhaps not,” answered Appadocca, “but you must recollect this is a very +particular case. To be frank, I must confess I am scarcely satisfied with +the chance that I have afforded you, I like to satisfy justice, sir. Pray +try it again.” + +“Strange man, I shall,” answered young Willmington, and then began to +prepare himself more deliberately for this second combat. + +The swords were again crossed. Willmington no longer thrust so widely +as he did—he fenced more cautiously. Appadocca still maintained the +defensive. The combat proceeded but coldly—Willmington tried every +skilful pass and cunning trick. He had contrived to edge his sword, as he +imagined, imperceptibly to Appadocca, within but a short distance from +his adversary’s hilt, and was just inclining his hand inwards to thrust +home, when Appadocca met the inclination by an opposite movement, and by +a sudden jerk again unarmed his adversary. + +“Sir, destiny seems to favour me at these. I presume you have pistols, +shall we try them?” inquired Appadocca. + +“It strikes me you are longing for my blood?” remarked young Willmington. + +“By no means,” answered Appadocca, “I have waded through too much of +that already. But I am willing to give you the greatest opportunity of +redeeming your father. Then am I to understand that you will fight no +more?” + +“No more,” answered young Willmington. + +Appadocca drew forth a small silver whistle, he blew it, and in a moment +the pavilion was again surrounded by his men. + +“Sir,” said Appadocca, on the arrival of the men, “the safety of my +followers require that you should be rendered incapable of alarming the +town. You must consent to be gagged and bound. Ho! outside there.” + +Three or four pirates entered the room, + +“Gag and pinion him,” said Appadocca, and pointed to young Willmington. + +In less than a few minutes the order was executed upon him. + +“Take him to the remotest room in the house.” + +Young Willmington was carried bodily out of the apartment. + +“Ho! Jack Jimmy,” cried Appadocca. + +That individual immediately rushed into the room, trembling with +excitement. + +“Rummage the whole house, and bring all the silver and gold. Pedro, help +him.” + +“Yes, massa,” Jack Jimmy answered, and hurried out of the apartment. + +While Jack Jimmy and the other man were intent on searching for whatever +valuables the villa contained, Appadocca seated himself on the same chair +that still stood at the head of the table. + +His eyes had become gradually more and more intently fixed on the two +beautiful children, who clung in wakeful unconsciousness to their pale +and still insensible mother. + +They seemed actually petrified with fear, while their large interesting +eyes were firmly rivetted in a vacant stare on the terrible being whose +coming had brought so much horror to the happy villa. + +“Yes, it is too true,” muttered Appadocca, “the sins of the fathers are +visited on their children. Were it not for the injustice of your father, +my little ones, I should not be here to-night to terrify you with my +fierce and unfriendly looks. If my heart had not been long seared, if +there was still in it one single portion that continued as fresh as once +the whole was, your silent looks, your unspeaking terror, would move me +more than the eloquence of a thousand glib-tongued orators. Nay, I might, +perhaps, forget my vow. + +“How poisonously bitter are the cups that others season for our lips? +Still, may Heaven preserve in your minds the deeds of to-night, and when +you shall have grown up, always recollect this sad retribution, and speak +a word whenever you may be able, and say that you know, by the experience +of a scene of your childhood, that certain creatures who are branded and +repudiated by society are beings who possess feelings, and who claim the +same measure of justice as is meted out to all.” + +“Me get all, massa,” said Jack Jimmy, who now came in with an air of +serious importance. + +Appadocca rose and pointed to the door; the two men then walked off from +the villa, and were immediately followed by the captain himself. + +The villa which, but a short time before, presented a scene of domestic +happiness, was now left in the desolation of death, with the lights still +burning, and the superfluity of luxury still scattered about. The gate +was heavily drawn after them by the three persons that had just passed +through, and silence settled over the place. + +The pirates, who with their prisoner and booty, awaited the captain in +the road, were drawn up in order, and after saying a few words to an +officer, Appadocca gave the word to march, and they silently went down +the road. He himself remained behind. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + + “How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags, + What is’t you do?” + + MACBETH. + + +It was dark, on a certain evening, to which the attention of the reader +is now called, when, amidst the rocks and bushes of the mountainous +district that flanks Port-of-Spain on the east, and that is known by name +of La-vantille, two female forms might be perceived. + +They were following a rough and narrow path which led up to the mountains +through a thousand rugged ascents and yawning and frightful precipices. +The two travellers seemed foot-sore and exhausted, and were compelled +now and then to grasp a root or twig of the Guava-bushes that grew here +and there to assist them, as they arrived at a more broken and difficult +part of the small road. The air was also oppressive—the rocks were still +radiating the beams which the sun, that had not long set, had shot full +upon them as it was sinking in the west. Nature was hushed: but the +distant and faint barking of the cur that guarded some invisible hut, and +bayed at some imaginary danger, fell on the ear. + +The two persons still followed the path, and ascended still higher and +higher up the mountain that overlooks Port-of-Spain. + +“You are tired, madame,” said one of the persons, whose dress indicated +an humble condition in life, and who was evidently conducting the other. + +“Yes,” replied the other, who appeared to be of a different class. + +“We shall not have very much farther to go,” said the guide. + +“The place is certainly a great distance from town,” remarked the other. + +“Yes, it is, and the path is very rough and unpleasant; but we shall +presently come to a beautiful spot, where we shall be able to rest for a +few moments.” + +“No, no,” answered the other; “it would be better to proceed at once: the +night is now quickly coming on, and we do not know what dangers there may +be among these solitary rocks. What, if robbers were to attack us?” + +“Robbers,” replied the other; “madame needs not fear robbers; bless me, +people would not take the trouble to come and remain here for the purpose +of robbing others. Robbers are never heard of in Trinidad, I assure you.” + +“Indeed,” replied the other. + +“Yes, indeed: I know persons who have traversed this place at all hours +of the night. I myself have passed here on one of the darkest nights, and +quite alone, also: you need not be under any fear, I assure you.” + +In the mean time the wayfarers arrived at a small level piece of ground +that was covered with grass. It was quite an “oasis” in those rough and +flinty parts. + +“Ah,” cried the guide, “here is the place, let us rest here,” and sat +down on the grass. The lady did the same. + +“This is a beautiful little spot, is it not, madame?” remarked the guide +interrogatingly. + +“It seems so,” answered the lady. + +“If it was day, you should be able to see the whole country round from +this,” proceeded the guide: “on that side is Caroni, where we first +settled when my master and his family came from Carriacou; a disagreeable +and muddy place, madame; there is Maraval, a sweet pretty spot, with +beautiful hills and scenes; and straight before us lies the sea. If it +were light, you would be able to perceive the five islands, and the large +bay where Admiral Appadocca—” + +At this name the lady started suddenly. + +“What is the matter, madame?” asked the guide. + +“Nothing, nothing,” hastily replied the lady. + +“Do not be alarmed; it is, no doubt, a cricket, that has jumped on you. +There are not many snakes here: Caroni is the place for them,” observed +the female cicerone. + +“Well, as I was saying, madame,—what was I saying?—I was telling you +about the large bay where Admiral Appadocca—” + +The lady started again, but more slightly than before. + +“Let me drive it away for you,” said the guide, “these crickets are +sometimes very troublesome; but they are a sign of good luck—they are a +sign of good luck. People say, those on whom they may happen to jump, are +sure to have money—plenty of money. Where is it? let me catch it.” + +“Oh, never mind, never mind,” the lady said hastily, “continue, continue +your story.” + +“When Admiral Appadocca, I was saying, set the Spanish ships on fire, +at the time when the English took the island, I remember the blaze they +made. People say they were laden with gold: what a pity that was.” + +“Why did he set them on fire?” inquired the lady. + +“Because he would not let the money fall into the hands of the English,” +answered the guide. + +“And what became of the admiral himself?” the lady inquired again. + +“I really cannot say,” answered the guide. + +A short pause ensued. + +“Had he any son, do you know?” asked the lady after a time, + +“I do not know, madame,” answered the guide. + +“The money that I spoke of just now, has been all lost. They say that +sometimes the fishermen manage to bring up a portion. I don’t think that +is true,” said the guide. + +“Do you not think we had better go on,” inquired the lady—“I wish very +much to see that old woman, as soon as possible.” + +“Come, then,” answered the guide, and the two travellers continued their +journey. As they proceeded, the path became still more rough, steep, and +trying. They, however, went on. + +“I should be very much disappointed,” said the lady, “if after all this +trouble and labour, the person that you tell me of, should not be able +to give me the information I require.” + +“Never fear that, madame, never fear that,” replied the guide, “she is a +wonderful woman.” + +“Do you know of any instance in which, what she said, turned out to be +the truth?” asked the lady. + +“Bless me, yes, madame, great many, I can assure you. She has often +foretold what would happen, and what she said, proved as true as +possible.” + +“She may be able,” said the lady, “to speak about what is to come, but +can she say any thing about the present?” + +“All,” replied the guide. + +“Do you think, she will be able, to give me any information, about the +person whom I am now seeking?” inquired the lady. + +“I am sure she will,” answered the guide. + +“Let us walk faster,” said the lady, and, at the same time, quickened her +pace. + +“I should not advise you to walk faster, madame,” said the guide, “we +have still a considerable way to go.” + +“True,” said the lady, and fell again into the measured and leisurely +pace of the guide. + +“You are sure she will give me the information, you say?” observed the +lady. + +“Quite sure,” answered the guide, dryly, “I can point you out a hundred +families in town, who were landed here as poor myself, and who made the +great fortunes they now possess, only by consulting her. In the time of +slavery, when a planter lost any of his slaves, he had nothing else to +do, but to come to her, and she would send him to the very corner, where +he would be sure to find his run-a-way.” + +“Indeed!” cried the lady. + +“It is true,”—replied the guide, “beside, she can cure all sorts of +disorders. Those that are pronounced incurable by the doctors in town, +resort to her, and are sure to be restored to health.” + +“I remember one case in particular,” said the guide, seriously, “of a +man who had been suffering for two years, from a hand that was swollen +to a very great size. He could not get any rest, either night or day, +but groaned continually. He consulted every doctor—they did everything +in their power but could not relieve him. His hand grew daily worse and +worse: and he was reduced to the size of a nail. Well, some one told him +about this old woman, and he came to her. She examined the hand, then +pressed the fingers; from under the nails of each she took out a rusty +pin. Next day the hand was perfectly cured.” + +“Impossible,” said the lady. + +“Quite true,” replied the guide. + +“There is another case,” continued the guide, “that is as striking. There +was once an unfortunate man who was afflicted with madness; sometimes +he was quiet, at others he would break out in the greatest violence and +beat his wife and children almost to death. All the doctors saw him and +said he was quite gone, there was no curing him. His illness daily gained +ground upon him, until at last he went violently mad. His friends were +grieved on his account, and were at last persuaded to take him to the +old woman. They did so: as soon as she saw him, she took a little stick +and struck him on the head; his skull opened: she took out twenty small +fishing hooks that were stuck into his brains; and closed the skull +again. In a few moments the man was cured.” + +“Is that possible?” exclaimed the lady. + +“It is remarkable,” observed the guide. + +“Did you see the cure yourself?” inquired the lady. + +“No, I did not,” answered the guide, “but every one in the town knows it.” + +The path in the meantime became more rugged, broken, and steep. + +“Ha, we are now arrived,” said the guide, taking a long inspiration. + +The travellers made two or three steps forward, and they immediately +perceived a faint light that glimmered indistinctly through the brushwood. + +“Now, madame, you must disguise yourself, or else she won’t speak to +you,” said the guide. + +“Why so?” + +“Because,” replied the guide, “there is a law in this country against +those who tell fortunes. If it was to be known that she told anything to +any one, she would be burnt alive. Leave your veil here, madame, there, +so, and hide your comb with it. That’s it, that’s it; now take this +handkerchief, tie it round your head—let me do it.” + +The guide tied and adjusted a Madras handkerchief on the head of the lady. + +“Now let us go: and recollect let me speak.” + +The two travellers diverged into a still narrower part that was almost +entirely hidden by the bush which grew thickly and fully about it. + +The angry barking of a dog was now heard. The travellers still went on, +until they could now distinguish the outlines of a low and narrow hut, +in the open part of which the embers of a wood fire still smouldered. By +its faint light, was to be indistinctly seen, the form of the wakeful +watch-dog, that stood determinedly a little way in front of the hut, and +barked fiercely and fretfully. + +The two women stood, afraid of approaching nearer. The dog still barked +noisily. + +“Ho, mother! mother Celeste,” called the guide. “Mother Celeste!” + +No one answered. + +“She does not hear,” observed the lady, “she is asleep; call louder.” + +“Ho, Mother Celeste! Mother Celeste! it is I, it is I,” repeated the +guide. + +Still there was no answer,—the dog barked still more loudly. + +“Heavens! I hope we have not come all this way for nothing,” exclaimed +the lady, in a voice that faltered with anxiety. + +“It is to be hoped not,” answered the guide, and she began to call out +more loudly than before. “Mother Celeste! Mother Celeste!” + +“Who is is that comes to disturb me at this lonely hour of the night?” +said a weak and obscure voice, that came from within the fragile hut. + +“It is I, it is I, and another person, who wish to see you,” answered the +guide. + +“You cannot see me to-night. I do not know what you have to see me +about,” answered the same voice. + +“We have come a great distance, and we cannot return without seeing you: +let us in.” + +“I cannot open my door at this hour of the night,” replied the voice: +“return.” + +“That we cannot,” replied the guide. “Call your dog, Mother Celeste, and +open the door to us; you will see what a present we have brought you.” + +“What present can you bring me this time of night?” + +“Fifty dollars, Mother Celeste, fifty dollars.” + +“I can’t open to you,” replied the voice, “I can’t open to you.” + +“Say a hundred,” said the lady. + +“Well, a hundred dollars,” cried the guide. + +“It is very late, I do not know who you may be; I shall consider—I shall +consider,” said the same voice. + +“She will open now,” said the guide, “that is what she always says, she +is now hiding all her things.” + +Truly enough, in a short time, the voice from within was again heard. + +“Approach, my children; come and tell me your woes,” it said. + +“But the dog, the dog,” cried the guide. + +“True,” replied the same voice, “Fidele, Fidele,” it called, and the dog +immediately became silent and disappeared. + +The two females now approached the hut. It was a little cabin, that was +built of a few pieces of round timber, which were now black with smoke. +Palmeto leaves formed a slight covering to it. A few reeds roughly +fastened to the primitive posts, fenced in the part which lay in the +direction from which the wind usually came. The other, or inner part of +the hut, however, was fenced entirely in, and covered, as the sleeping +apartment. + +“Wait until I strike a light,” said the same voice. + +In a few moments a rudely constructed old door opened. + +“Enter, enter, quickly, my children,” said the same voice. + +The lady hesitated a moment. + +“Go in, go in, madame,” said the guide, and gently pushed her. + +The two travellers entered. + +The hut presented as peculiar an appearance on the inside as it did on +the outside. The rough pieces of Palmeto bark that boarded it, was hung +with drapery of spider’s webs, that either floated black with time and +dust, or was still spread in the process of extension, under the industry +of the master insect himself. From crooked nails, that were driven into +this primitive wall, a number of bottles, of peculiar fashions and makes, +hung suspended by cord that had long lost its colour under the many dyes +which it may have received from the black, yellow, green, brown, and +bluish liquors which those bottles seemed to contain. + +In one corner stood a rough bed, that seemed constructed of four branches +of a Guava-bush; and around, a number of nasty, greasy, barrels were +ranged, and had their heads carefully covered over by pieces of plastered +old canvass. + +In one of the deep angles of the hut there burnt a lamp, constructed of +a hollow gourd, in which some cotton and some oil were adjusted, and +was made to throw around a dim light, whose faint radii did not extend +farther than a foot or two beyond its centre. + +At the side of this lamp was huddled up a being which at first view, +might appear to be one from whom life had long departed, and whom the +veneration of friends or kindred persisted in still retaining among them. +She was a little black woman of diminutive size, with an old greasy +dress, that lay slack and loose about her. Her knees were drawn up to +her jaws, which protruded largely and hideously. Her skin was shrivelled +and dry, and seemed to flap as she moved her toothless jaws. A Madras +handkerchief was tied carelessly round her head, and from a corner, or a +hole here and there, her short gray and matted hair peeped out. + +“Good night to you, Mother Celeste,” said the guide, as she drew a +three-legged stool for the lady, and sat, herself, on the ground. + +“Good night to you, my children, good night,” said Mother Celeste. + +“I have brought this friend of mine,” said the guide, “to see you on a +matter of great importance.” + +“To see me? to see me, my child,” mumbled Mother Celeste: “what can I do +for her, poor old woman as I am, except give her my blessing?” + +“She wants some information about a person she is seeking,” said the +guide. + +“How can I give it, how can I give it, my child?” answered Mother Celeste. + +“Try, mother, try,” remarked the guide. + +A pause ensued, during which Mother Celeste seemed thoughtful. + +“What friend of yours is this, my child?” inquired Mother Celeste. + +“She is from the Spanish main,” answered the guide. + +Mother Celeste raised the rude lamp to the face of the lady: “Yes, yes,” +she muttered, and replaced it on the ground, and then grasped her hand: +the lady started when she felt the rough hacked skin of the sorceress. + +“Do not start, my child,” said Mother Celeste, “do not start; and now +tell me your story,” she mumbled. “Will you go into the front awhile?” +she added to the guide. + +The latter opened the little door, and went out. + +“I love,” said Feliciana, whom the reader may have recognised before +this, “I love a man—a stranger to me—I cannot tell you how I love him. He +was taken to my father’s house, from the beach on which he was found half +drowned. I loved him the very first moment I saw him, he is so handsome. +He suddenly left my father’s house, and now I wish to know where to find +him. Do tell me: there are a hundred dollars for you.” + +The sorceress clutched the money and pressed her flabby lips to it again +and again, then tottered towards her rude bed and laid it under her +pillow. + +“Yours is a difficult case, child,” mumbled the old woman. + +“What is the man?” + +“Alas, mother,” answered Feliciana, “I fear he is a pirate.” + +“Is he short or tall?” + +“Tall.” + +“Dark or fair?” + +“Pale.” + +“Retire for a moment, child,” said mother Celeste. + +Feliciana went out of the small apartment. + +An hour passed. During this time, Feliciana and her guide were alarmed by +the horrible noises that were heard from the room of the sorceress. Now +the most fearful yells—now the most heart-rending groans broke forth—the +violent stamping of several individuals were at one time heard, at +another, the strangest jargon grated harshly on the ear, while, at the +same time, the stench that penetrated through the chinks in the partition +almost suffocated those without. + +Feliciana and her guide trembled in utter fear. + +“Shall we run away?” said one to the other. + +“No, no,” answered Feliciana, her whisper almost inarticulate with terror. + +Even at this trying moment the thought of Appadocca was the most powerful +in her mind. The hope of finding him, sustained her against all terrors. + +At the end of the hour the little door of the hut was violently opened, +and the little sorceress was seen standing in a body of flame. + +“Seek your lover, amidst the tombstones to-morrow, at the lonely hours of +night,” she said, and the door was violently closed. + +This uncertain answer fell on the ears of Feliciana like a thunderbolt. + +“Oh, he is dead—he is dead,” she cried, and wept bitterly. + +The guide stood aside and allowed the young lady to give vent to her +sorrow. + +“Who knows, madame,” she said, after a few moments, “the answer may not +mean that.” + +The young lady raised her head for a moment, a new thought seemed to +strike her. + +“Let us ask,” she said, “let us ask?” + +“Oh, she will not open the door now, for the world,” the guide replied. + +“Will she not? Mother Celeste, Mother Celeste,” cried Feliciana. + +The barking of the dog that now reappeared drowned their voices. + +“I tell you, madame, she will not open the door,” said the guide. “I +ought to know her, since I bring people to her almost every day.” + +Feliciana remained buried in thought where she was for a moment. “Let us +go,” she shortly said. + +The two travellers began to retrace their steps towards Port-of-Spain. + +Feliciana was sad and pensive; the guide was less talkative than before, +and after half-an-hour’s walk, the barking of the dog still reached their +ears. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + + ——“Who’s there? + Who is it that consorts, so late, the dead?” + + ROMEO AND JULIET. + + +Appadocca stood for a while, and watched his men, who, in military order, +were marching down the dark and solitary road. When even their footsteps +could no longer be heard; he cast one more look on the desolated villa, +that still shone resplendently under the many lights which burnt within, +and that now presented the appearance of a place, in which the pleasures +of a marriage feast, may have been broken in upon, by some unexpected and +chilling calamity. + +What ever reflections he may have made, while he gazed at the house +before him, were short and transitory and perhaps unpleasant, for he +suddenly turned away his head, and bent his steps rapidly towards the +beautiful Savannah, that opened before the splendid house of James +Willmington. + +Having immediately approached the Savannah, Appadocca climbed over the +iron rails that enclose it, and got within. + +The night was one of a peculiar sort. It was dark, but the air was soft +and dry, and the numberless stars that shone, seemed to twinkle more, and +more, and more brightly, and by their brilliant light, the imaginative, +may have seen, or fancied to have seen, to a vast depth into the bluish +ethereal fluid, in which they were suspended. Appadocca directed his +steps immediately across the Savannah. He walked on pensively and +moodily, without even raising his head for a moment, to gaze on the stars +above; or, to listen to the faint and peculiar insect-sounds, that might +now be heard, amidst the general calm and lull of nature. + +When he had arrived at the western end of the Savannah, he again climbed +over the railing, and found himself in the road which runs parallel in +that direction, with the Saint Ann’s road, on the opposite side. He then +diverged towards the left, and continued down the road, until he had +arrived to a certain street, which ran to the right. + +Appadocca walked along this street, and was obliged to stop from time to +time, in order to drive away the numbers of dogs that followed, and that +kept up an unceasing noise at his heels. + +The street opened on the extensive cemetery, that lies to the west-ward +of Port-of-Spain, and that looks picturesque and beautiful by day, under +the grove of magnificent trees, that shelter it; but which, by night, +looks as dark and as gloomy, as the thoughts themselves which it calls up. + +Appadocca stood for a moment, and looked over the wall; no one, nothing +was to be seen, save a few white and spotted goats, that silently cropped +the grass at a distance, or frisked capriciously over the tombstones. + +He scaled the wall, and held his way straight down the road, which lies +concealed beneath the thickly knotted branches of the trees that overhang +it, and that unseen, leads into the innermost parts of that long and +lasting home of thousands. + +Having reached the utmost end of this road, he turned towards the left, +into one of the many cross-formed paths, that bisect the cemetery. He +walked carefully along, and examined attentively every tomb that he +passed, until he had arrived at a simple grave, that with a plain cross +at its head, lay sheltered beneath the rich spreading foliage, of a thick +cluster of bamboos. Here Appadocca stood, and remained motionless and +entranced, at the foot of that unornamented tomb; his arms were folded +over his breast, and he was in the attitude of one whose thoughts were +veiled in an absorbing and holy feeling. + +In a moment he approached nearer and nearer; then seated himself down at +the head of the grave, and remained there, his brow resting on his hand, +as if his spirit was in communion with that of the body which the grave +contained. + +Time fled, still the pirate captain remained in the same position. The +deeds of a whole life-time, one would have said, were returning in rapid +succession on his memory. The pursuits, the pleasures and pains, the +endearments and enjoyments of childhood, of boyhood, of youth, of all, +seemed to fly back like administering angels, or like fiends of hell upon +his mind; for his recollections were freshened, his sensibilities were +awakened by his mother’s grave:—his mother’s grave, which he approached +now a different man from what he was, when he bade the farewell which +proved the last on earth to that mother. He had left her with the halo +of those virtues, which she had taught more by example than by precepts, +still surrounding his head, with his spirits fresh and expanding, +with his heart good and at ease, with his intellect aspiring higher +and higher; now he revisited her in the cold tomb, with a callous +indifference either to virtue or to vice, with a heart that was poisoned +to the centre, with spirits lacerated and torn to shreds and tatters. How +to wreak retribution now engrossed his whole intellect—retribution on the +man whom that mother had once too fondly loved, and whose placid nature +had, no doubt, long long forgiven. How could he be certain that her +spirit now looked down upon him with pleasure, the spirit of her whose +life was a speaking lesson of patient endurance. + +Such might be the feelings and thoughts of Emmanuel Appadocca, whose +manhood could not restrain the tears that trickled down his cheeks, and +flowed, as it were, in mockery over the hilt of the sword that lay across +his knees, and moistened the mound before him. + +The fleeting hours glided by, Appadocca was in the same position. The +brilliant stars shone beautifully above him, the fire-flies played about +the tombstones, the tall dark trees rustled, and the pliant bamboos +creaked melancholily before the gentle night breeze. + +“I may not look upon you again: still, let me—let me perform, perhaps, +the last office that I may be permitted,” said Appadocca, as if speaking +to some one by his side, and began to pluck the weeds that grew over the +grave. + +Time passed quickly. His labour was completed. Appadocca took one last +and earnest gaze at the grave, then muffled his cloak leisurely around +him, and turned moodily away. + +He followed the same path that led to the grave, and came out on the +wide gravelly walk. His footsteps echoed in the silence of the hour, and +he proceeded with his eyes fixed upon the ground. From time to time, +however, he raised them to look at the morning star. He had now done so, +when he beheld before him a tall female form, that was clad in black, +standing under the branches of a rose-apple tree, which edged the road. + +“Heavens!” muttered Appadocca, “is there, then, such a thing as a spirit?” + +He stood for a moment. + +“Oh, human mind,” he cried, “how weak thou art in all thy greatness! how +imperfectly thou canst cut away the indifferent portions of thyself. +Behold, whither imagination now hurries thee. Can there be such a thing +as a spirit?” + +Appadocca began again to walk. The form began to advance towards him. +They met. + +“Appadocca,” it cried, and grasped the hand of the pirate captain. + +“Feliciana! impossible: my ears play upon me,” said Appadocca. + +“No, no: it is—it is Feliciana; Feliciana, who has tracked you from +her father’s humble house, and who will still follow you as long as +life continues under the labours she will undertake for you, and the +privations she may have to endure on your account.” + +“At this place, and at this dismal hour!” remarked Appadocca. + +“Better this place with all its horrors than the palace in which I could +not find you,” answered Feliciana. + +“Strange devotedness,” muttered Appadocca. + +“But how came you to know that I was here,” asked Appadocca. + +“A sorceress told me you would be,” answered Feliciana. “I entered this +cemetery. Heavens, how I trembled! and trod its solitary walk, and +examined each whitened monument until—until—I—saw you—at—at—a grave. +Return, return, with me, let me pray with you, let me join my prayers +with yours.” + +On saying this, Feliciana proceed down the walk, and led the unresisting +captain after her. + +Arrived at the simple grave, she threw herself on her knees, and began to +pray. Appadocca stood by, now resting on his sword. + +“Oh grant,” said the lady, in conclusion to her prayer; and she repeated +the part aloud, “grant that his heart may be turned from the unholy +pursuit which now throws his soul into the hands of demons, and let the +spirit of his mother inspire him with the thoughts that she possessed.” + +This loud conclusion sounded solemnly in the silence of the night. The +sternness of Appadocca’s character could scarcely resist it. + +“Come and join me; say you renounce the life you now lead,” said +Feliciana. + +Appadocca made no answer. + +“Come, come—for your mother’s sake, come,” said Feliciana. + +“Pray you, senora. I will not pray, and I cannot renounce.” + +“I entreat you: imagine you behold the mother that you have loved so +much, making the same petition to you. Could you refuse her?” + +“Senora, speak no more on this theme, I say I cannot renounce; my vow is +made.” + +“Heaven looks not upon unholy vows; not on vows of vengeance,” said +Feliciana, “renounce your life and forget that oath.” + +“Senora, the morning star is sinking; my followers must be growing +impatient. I must go;” and Appadocca moved a step. + +Feliciana sprang from her knees and grasped him by the hand; “do not go +from this spot the same man as you came to it. Wash yourself by prayer +from the blood which you may have shed, and ask—ask her spirit to forgive +you, if you offended it.” + +Appadocca drew his hand quickly across his brow. “Feliciana, your are +ungenerous, unkind: my—feelings—require—no—further laceration. Life and +my miseries have already made me too, too well acquainted with anguish. +Spare me, spare me the thought of an offended mother—the only—the +only—the only—friend that I had in this bitter, bitter, world.” + +“Say—say not so,” quickly rejoined Feliciana, still more melted by +the grief of one who appeared always so indifferent. “You have still, +still a friend. Oh fly, fly with me to some wilderness; there enjoy +your thoughts, your silence, your feelings. I shall be your slave, your +dog, that will gather the inkling of the wish from your very eyes. My +_fallucha_ is by the shore; Appadocca will you go?” + +A pause ensued. + +“No, no, Feliciana,” said Appadocca; “I shall not: lean not, good, good +girl, upon a broken reed. To me all things, save one idea, are stale and +indifferent. My life is gloomy, dark, and troublesome: my existence is +already a heavy, heavy oppression. My soul, like the cumbrous tower, fell +but once, it can never rise again. Your presence would create a new grief +in me, for I could not see you love one whose blood was chilled.” + +“I require no love—I require no love,” quickly rejoined Feliciana, “I +shall be your slave.” + +“That, I shall not endure; my idol is woman. I ought to worship, not she.” + +“Still you will let me follow you?” eagerly inquired Feliciana. + +“No, no, my career may still lie through blood,” answered Appadocca. + +“Speak no more of blood,” cried Feliciana, “forswear your vengeance.” + +“Never,” answered Appadocca sternly. + +“Say, why doom yourself for ever,” Feliciana was going to inquire—when— + +“That the world may profit by my conduct,” answered Appadocca. + +“But the world will not know, will not attend to what you do.” + +“I care not, I care not,” answered Appadocca, “my word is passed and I +shall fulfil it. I am resolved, the sacrifice must be made.” + +“But see, the morning star is sinking fast. I must away.” + +“But do not——” + +“Come, come, let me lead you hence,” so saying Appadocca grasped the arm +of the faint Feliciana, and hurried out of the cemetery. + +They walked down the street that runs from north to south on the western +side of Port-of-Spain, and soon reached the principal landing-place, +where the crew of the Black Schooner were impatiently waiting for their +captain. + +“Feliciana, I bid you a long, long adieu,” said Appadocca, as they +stopped under one of the almond trees that form the shady walk we have +already mentioned. + +“Do not say so,” said Feliciana indistinctly, as she leaned against the +tree, “oh do not say so.” + +There was no answer, not a word. + +“Feliciana let me ask you—to—to—place this near your heart, and whenever +you gaze upon it, let one thought return—to—to—the—the sick man of your +father’s house.” So saying, Appadocca drew his sword and cut off a lock +of his flowing hair, and presented it to the lady. + +“Look—look—there,” she cried faintly, as she received the token. + +Appadocca turned round and beheld a crowd of people who, with torches and +lanterns, were following a company of soldiers that were marching quickly +down the walk. + +“Flee,” cried Feliciana. + +“One more request,” said Appadocca. “Forget not, Feliciana, the place +where you first saw me to-night. If foul and rank weeds grow upon it, +pluck them as you pass by. Farewell, farewell.” + +Appadocca walked down the wharf and was received by his men. + +“Shove off,” he cried, as he threw himself on the stern sheets of the +boat, and folded his cloak around him. + +The soldiers arrived at the wharf just in time to see the boat disappear +in the gray light of the morning. + +They fired—the air resounded with their repeated volleys. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + + “Go back again thou slave, and fetch him home.” + + COMEDY OF ERRORS. + + +It was not until an early hour of the morning, when Mrs. Wilmington +recovered from her swoon, that it was possible to give any alarm of the +outrage that had been committed at the villa of James Willmington. + +When the lady recovered from her state of insensibility, and saw before +her the scattered and disordered furniture, the flickering wax candles +that had now burnt down to the very sockets, and her children, who, +after the departure of the pirate party, had fallen asleep around her, +recollections of the supposed apparition, and of the terror of her +husband, flashed across her mind. Alarmed at the silence that reigned +around, and not being able to understand why she had been permitted +to remain in the same place where she had fainted away, she rushed +impulsively to the bell, that lay on the sideboard, and rang it violently. + +No one came. + +She rang again—no one came: she rang again, and again, more and more +violently; still no one came. + +She then looked out of the parlour, and beheld the whole house still +lighted up. She ventured out a little, and still a little farther, until +she summoned sufficient courage, traversed the court yard, and entered +the servant’s apartments. + +In the principal room nothing was to be seen. Mrs. Willmington raised the +light high up, while she stood at the entrance, and looked into every +corner and hole. She could see nothing. + +“Good God! can I be abandoned here with my children,” she said in a low +tone, fearful to hear even her own voice, in such a silent and deserted +situation. + +She entered the room, and proceeded towards a door, which opened into +another apartment. She turned the handle, and went into that room also; +nothing was to be seen. She was turning to leave, when a low groan was +heard. Mrs. Willmington started two paces backwards, but raised the light +and looked back intently towards the part from which the groan came. In +a dark recess, that lay in a remote corner of a room, two white shining +balls seemed to glare upon her. She started still farther back: another +groan was heard; she raised the light still higher; it fell upon a part +of the recess, and discovered the shining face of the individual to whom +the eyes belonged and from whom the groans proceeded. + +“It is Jack, it is Jack!” cried Mrs. Willmington, and walked up towards +the recess. + +It was, indeed, Jack, who had his mouth as well filled with grass and +cloths as it could possibly hold, and whose arms were as tightly tied +behind his back, as mortal arms could be: and whose short legs were +stretched straighter than they had ever been stretched before in Jack’s +life. He was lying on his side, and his eyes were playing in their +sockets like those fierce-looking things which German ingenuity has +designed to represent the visual apparatus of man, and which are to be +seen every day in some of the back streets of London in full play, to the +infinite excitement and gratification of the awe-struck and wondering +urchins. + +“Jack, cook!” cried Mrs. Willmington, “what state is this you are in?” + +“Jack, cook,” groaned, and his eyes played still more rapidly. + +“How can I assist?” said Mrs. Willmington, “I think of it!” she ran +hastily out of the room, and returned a few moments afterwards, with a +large knife. + +With this, she cut the cords which bound the limbs of the unfortunate +Jack. A task of no little labour, for those who secured him, had done so +with a marvellous amount of skill and success. + +“Do the rest for yourself, now,” she said, when she had completed part of +the work. + +Jack required no exhortation, but as soon as his arms were free, he began +with all his might to pluck out the number of things, with which his not +incapacious mouth had been filled. + +“Tenk Gad,” he cried, as he nimbly jumped on his legs, and shook himself +like a newfoundland dog coming from the water. + +“Where is your master?” quickly inquired Mrs. Willmington. + +“Me massa, ma’am!” answered Jack in the manner that is rather peculiar to +his class. + +“Yes, your master; and where are the other servants?” Mrs. Willmington +asked again. + +“Dem gane?” asked Jack again, in his turn. + +“Who, gone?” inquired Mrs. Willmington. + +“De paniole, ma’am:” answered Jack. + +“Tell me, Jack, will you; tell me quickly,” said Mrs. Willmington, now +waxing impatient, “where is your master and the other servants?” + +“Let me see if dey gane,” said Jack, and he walked on tiptoe towards the +door, then carefully and cautiously peeped out, then ventured a little +way into the courtyard, then ran hurriedly towards the great gate, and +bolted it and rebolted it. + +“Awh!” he cried, “Garamighty! Dey gane now! awh! me, neber see such ting +in all my barn days. Wha dat? Me hab time foo blow now: put big, big, +bundle so nan me mout! tap my breath, awh! But me can blow now—tshwh, +tshwh!” and Jack took along breath in the fashion which seems to be +peculiar to his people—a fashion which compresses a vast quantity of +air, and sends it vehemently forth, so that the same hissing noise which +the steam makes when it comes through the valve of a railway engine, is +produced. A fashion which, be it said within parentheses, may be very +economical, inasmuch as it affords a certain large amount of respiration +within a certain small period of time. + +This soliloquy, in the making of which, the illustrious cook by no means +limited himself as to time, being over, and after having cast searching +glances about the gate, and having looked and relooked above, below, +sideways, before, and behind, Jack then, and not till then, deemed it +proper to return to his mistress, who had also come to the door, and was +endeavouring to discover what the cook was about. + +“Me shet it, ma’am, me shet it,” cried Jack, as he returned. + +“Now, perhaps, you will tell me what I ask,” said Mrs. Willmington, +getting still more excited and angry, “where is your master?” + +“Tap, missus,” answered Jack, “I’ll tell you all bout it.” + +“Make haste, then.” + +“Yes, missus,” said Jack, and began to tell all about it. He had the +preliminary caution, however, of looking carefully round to see if no +more “paniole,” as he called the pirates, were concealed thereabouts. +Being for the time satisfied on that point, he proceeded— + +“Last night, ma’am—no, the night before the night, ma’am, ee already dis +ma’aning, Bekky come in, and find me da smoke me pipe. ‘Good night.—’” + +“What has that to do with Mr. Willmington, Jack? Tell me where your +master is, will you,” said Mrs. Willmington, still more angry. + +“Me da tell you, missus,” answered Jack. “‘Good night, buddee Jack,’ +say Bekky, says she. ‘Good night, sissee Bekky,’ me say, says I. ‘Awh! +Jack!’ Bekky say, ‘wha tobacca you da smoke dey Jack, ee smell bad! da——’” + +“No more of this, Jack,” said Mrs. Willmington; “tell me.” + +“Tap, missus, tap, if you plase; me da come to it, me da come to it now,” +said Jack. + +Mrs. Willmington looked resignation itself. + +“‘Da tobacca I buy dis ma’aning, Bekky,’ me say ma’am,” continued Jack; +“and dat was all. Last night wen me finish de fowl, and bin da clean the +kitchen, who me see, but Bekky. ‘Good even, buddee Jack,’ she said, says +she. ‘Good even, sissee,’ I say, says I. ‘Look, some good tobacca a bring +foo you, Jack,’ she say; and give me a bundle tobacca. So last night, +when I sen in the dinna, I went into the garden foo try dis tobacca. + +“Me sit down unda de bread-fruit tree; me tink me see somebody walk in +de garden. Garamighty! me say, wha jumbee want early, early so. Me look +agin, and me see de purson hab big, big beard like Paniole. Me frieghten! +Da who you, me bin go halla out, and bin da go run away, when somebody +hold me fram behind, and chucked grass and ivery ting into my mout, tie +me han an foot, and trow me into the little room way you fin’ me ma’am.” + +“And where is your master?” asked Mrs. Willmington. + +“Me no know, ma’am,” answered Jack. + +“And where are the servants?” + +“Me no know, ma’am,” again answered Jack. + +“Rummage the house, you simpleton,” said Mrs. Willmington, and lighted +him the way to the other parts. Jack went cautiously, and turned his head +round in all directions. + +They entered another room. “Garamighty! Jim, dey tie you, too,” exclaimed +Jack, as his eyes alighted upon the “Jim” who was exactly in the same +predicament from which Jack himself had but a short time ago been +delivered. + +The only intimation of intelligence that Jim could make was, rolling his +eyes about. + +All the apartments were now searched, and the servants were found, +one here, the other there, among them. They said that they were all +simultaneously laid hold of by a number of “panioles,” and were gagged, +bound hand and foot, and deposited separately in the different rooms. + +“And where is your master; and your young master?” asked Mrs. Willmington. + +“Dey carry old massa away pon their shoulders, ma’am, and dey took young +massa up-stairs.” + +“Heavens!” cried Mrs. Willmington, “and was it not then a spirit?” she +asked. + +“He looked more like a paniole than a pirit, ma’am,” said the individual +who gave the information, who was the chief servant in the house, and +whose especial destiny it had been to be gagged and otherwise dealt with +in his pantry, wherein he was at the moment busy about some particulars +connected with his avocation. + +“Run up stairs. Go you, Edward, to—to—Mr. ——, the magistrate; alarm the +town; tell the soldiers at the fort,” exclaimed Mrs. Willmington, while +she herself rushed up-stairs with a servant. + +Young Willmington was found duly gagged and tied in the favourite style +of the pirates. He was immediately released, and he got up from the bed +on which the kind consideration of the unwelcome visitors had laid him. +He exhibited less pleasure at his freedom than one would have expected to +see. + +“What is the matter with you, James?” said Mrs. Willmington, not a little +surprised at the strange calmness of her son. “Do you know that your +father has been carried away from his house?” + +“Yes, mother, I know it.” + +“Then why not make more haste, James, and go to see about it?” rejoined +Mrs. Willmington. + +No answer. + +“I shall go,” said young Willmington, after a pause, “but my mind +misgives me about this whole affair. My father ought not to have +concealed the truth from us. The man who came into the house, last night, +is my brother.” + +“Your brother!” + +“Yes, dear mother; he possesses the family peculiarity,” answered James. +“However, I shall go and alarm the authorities.” + +The magistrates were awakened, the alarm was given at the forts, and the +whole town was shortly in commotion. The streets were searched, but no +pirates could be found. A body of soldiers was then marched down to the +wharf, as the reader already knows. + + * * * * * + +At early dawn the magistrates went alongside the English man-of-war, and +related to the commander what had taken place. + +“There is not much mystery about all this, gentlemen,” said the +commander, after he had reflected a moment, “I shall promise you, +that when it is clear, you will be able to see a long, sharp, and +strange-looking schooner in these waters. I have, unfortunately, been +made too familiar of late with the boldness of that set of pirates. I +am so certain of what I am telling you, that I shall at once give orders +for weighing anchor: so that I shall be ready, as soon as it is light, to +give chase, and I shall see,” muttered the commander to himself; “if I +cannot get to windward of those fellows this time.” + +True enough, the pirate schooner was seen in the light of the morning +opposite the harbour of Port-of-Spain, but at an immense distance out at +sea. + +The heavy sails of the large ship then began leisurely to ascend its +encumbered masts, in preparation for the chase of the pirate vessel. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + + “The deed is done.” + + MACBETH. + + +When Appadocca with his party had gained the schooner, he immediately +ordered the prisoner Willmington to be taken to the torture-room and to +be there kept in custody: at the same time the men were summoned to the +main deck, and the booty of the previous night, was distributed in the +same manner as we have described at the beginning of this tale. + +In the meantime the morning dawned more brightly, and the waters of the +gulf lay smooth and shining before the piercing rays of the morning sun, +unbroken as they were by the faintest breath. + +The heavy sails of the man-of-war were still seen to ascend one by one, +and fall, as they were spread, heavily against the masts. + +They reflected the sunbeams from their white and clear surface, far +and wide: and amidst the number of vessels in the harbour, the huge +ship-of-war, with all its canvass spread, and its stern decorated with +the fiery ensign of England, looked like a gigantic monarch of the sea +that floated at the head of its smaller subjects. + +She was now ready to weigh anchor, and was now evidently only waiting +for the wind which was certain to spring about the hour of ten in the +forenoon. + +When Appadocca had superintended the division of the spoil amongst his +followers, he ordered the young midshipman to be brought before him. + +That individual, in a few moments, made his appearance. He had scarcely +as yet recovered from the effects of his torture; he was pale, and +appeared still weak and emaciated. Yet in his eye there could now be +read a more earnest seriousness—the fruit of the self dependent position +in which he had for some time so accidentally found himself, and the +consequence of the example to whose power he had been exposed, in the +stern and manly society into which he had been thrown. + +From a boy whose yearnings had been continually after excitement and +pleasure, he was suddenly transformed into a man, whose thoughts began to +be characterised by the seriousness of purpose which alone can be worthy +of the highest of the animal creation. + +A change was marked on his face, and his demeanour was more subdued and +more self-possessed. + +“Young man,” said Appadocca, as he stood before him, “I set you at +liberty, you shall have a small boat, which will in a moment be ready for +you, you will be able to skull to your ship. I cannot, I am sorry to say, +spare any of my men to help you. I see she is preparing to weigh anchor. +Take my compliments to the commander himself, and tell him, to take the +advice of one, who has experienced much kindness at his hands, and by no +means to move from his anchorage to-day. Ask him to consult a calculation +which I made on the partition of the cabin in which I was confined, and +he will know the reason. Before you leave the schooner, ask the officer +of the watch for a letter which I shall send to your commander’s son.” + +Appadocca then descended into his cabin and wrote thus:— + + “DEAR HAMILTON, + + “The consummation of my existence is now fast approaching; + I, therefore, write to you, as I fear it will be the last + time that I may have the opportunity of communicating with + a dear friend, from whose heart I have experienced so much + consideration, and from whose hands I have received so much + kindness! It is scarcely necessary for me to tell you, that + destiny preserved me from the perils from which few could have + hoped to escape. + + “I am at the head of my faithful followers once more, and it + rejoices me to think that my escape was effected entirely by my + own efforts and quite unknowingly to one on whose escutcheon + I should not have even virtue itself accidentally to paint a + blot. I shall lead the men who have followed me so bravely, and + who have served me so faithfully, to some remote spot on the + fertile and vast continent that lies on our right, and build + them a city in which they may live happily, quietly, and far + removed from the world, whose sympathy they cannot hope, and + care not, to possess. For myself.... + + Receive, my dear Charles, the sincere good wishes of one who + esteems you. + + “EMMANUEL APPADOCCA.” + + “N.B.—Recollect and prevail upon your father not to set sail + to-day. Remember the tempest of which I spoke, it will come + within these twenty-four hours. + + “E. A.” + +The young midshipman was withdrawn and in a few moments he pushed off +gladly from the schooner, and was soon seen gradually leaving it behind. + +Ten o’clock came, and with it the steady trade wind. The placid gulf +curled before it—the vessels at anchor in the harbour, swung to and fro +on their long cables, as they felt its force, and the vessel-of-war +sheered off under her canvass that swelled and looked full and turgid +with the wind. The sprays flew about her broad bows, and she was bearing +straight down on the schooner with the wind on her quarter. Every sail +that could be hoisted was set, and her commander seemed again determined +to make another powerful effort, in order to have a chance of bringing +his batteries to bear against the Black Schooner. As for that vessel +herself, she remained in the same place where she was, and seemed quite +indifferent to the movements of the man-of-war. + +Appadocca pensively paced her deck, and looked from time to time towards +the eastern shore. + +“The rash and fiery old man,” he muttered, with an expression half +anxious, half indignant, when he saw the large vessel fall off from her +anchorage. + +When the wind had become fairly settled in, the order was given to set +sail. + +With the usual rapidity, the masts of the schooner became sheeted in her +ample sails, her small kedges were let go, and she turned gracefully +to the wind. Her bow pointed to the southern outlet of the gulf—the +Serpent’s Mouth. + +The calm and placid picture which the two vessels presented, as they +sailed in the same direction, bore in itself but a faint resemblance to +the fierce passions that might animate their crews, or the bloody deeds +which might be done if once they came within gun-shot of each other. + +The usually quiet gulf smiled under the freshness of the morning: the two +vessels sailed smoothly on its even bosom. There was no labouring, no +plunging, no heaving of terrible seas, to call forth any feeling, akin to +terror. + +The dark blue waves appeared through the thin vapours of the morning +like a landscape in a picture, and the light slender fishing canoes, +with their feather-like sails, which seemed to play on the waters, like +butterflies in the beams of a sunny day, added a peculiar and peaceful +appearance to the scene. + +The high and solitary mountain of Naparima, with a few scattered and +scathed trees on its crown, rose in the distance; while the low sloping +shores before, seemed entirely to enclose the gulf, and to hem it round +against the violence of intrusive winds. Upon the whole, a beholder, +on seeing the two vessels together, with the thousand sailing boats and +sloops that followed in the wake of the man-of-war in order to witness +the exciting scene of an action, might have taken them to be the pleasure +ships of luxurious lordlings, who had launched forth on the deep to seek +another subject of excitement, in order to cheat monotony of some of its +victim-days. + +The pirate schooner held its course with an indifference that would not +have led one to believe she was pursued. The watchful chief stood by the +shroud of the mainmast, with his arms folded on his breast, calm and +impassable as he was at almost all the moments of his life. + +Not so the pursuing man-of-war. Ever and anon, as any of the small +sailing vessels that navigate the gulf came in sight, signals upon +signals went up her masts, to intimate that the vessel ahead was a +pirate, and to command it to be harassed and hindered in its course. But +all these were lost on the simple skippers of those simple crafts. + +The chase continued. The terrible rock that is known by the name of +the “soldier,” and that true to its appellation, seems to guard with +unsurprizeable vigilance the passage of the Serpent’s Mouth, was passed. +Point Icacos, too, was doubled, and the two vessels were now riding on +the atlantic billows, with the low Orinoco marshes on the right, and the +rocky and wild coast of Trinidad on the left. + +The sun was setting, when, suddenly, as if some monster screen had been +abruptly raised from earth to heaven, in order to keep one part of the +globe from the other, the wind fell, and the sails lay like humid sheets +against the masts. + +“Nature will now begin to speak,” said Appadocca to himself, with a +certain air of contentment now lighting up his stern brow, and then +looked aloft and around. + +At his order, the spars were instantaneously armed with steel spears, +from whose feet, conducting wires hung down along the shrouds and dipped +into the sea. At another order, the large jibs, foresail, and mainsail +of the schooner were stripped from the masts, and in their place, small +narrow sails, which, from their size, could not have been supposed to be +capable of having the least effect, were set. + +The guns were doubly secured in their places, and the arms were fastened +with even greater care than usual in their cases, in the bulwarks. + +The two vessels now lay on the ocean, that now heaved as if from its own +convulsions; for the lightest vane hung straight and stiffly down. There +was not a breath of air. The vessels turned round and round helplessly +on the seas, and as they rose on this wave, and were beaten athwart, or +astern by the other, for the billows rolled at this time in no regular +course, they fell into the troughs, or rose on the brows of the waves +with such sudden and straining movements, that the wood and iron that +formed them, seemed scarcely strong enough to hold together. + +Night closed in; with it came a darkness that in itself was awful. No man +could see his hand before him, shipmate could not see even the shipmate +that stood at his side; which was the sea, which the deck, no one could +tell, save when some counter-running wave broke suddenly on the side or +bow of the schooner, and threw up the myriads of shining insects that +inhabited its full and swollen bosom. + +Those that were obliged to move about, clung cautiously to the bulwarks, +and set one foot carefully before the other, that they might not throw +themselves over. + +The cries of the terror-stricken sea-birds, as they wandered on the still +and suffocating air, with even instinct failing to lead them to their +resting place on the shore, sounded hoarse and ominous to the ear. + +Not a sound was heard on board the schooner, except the creaks of the +straining cordage, as the vessel violently and madly plunged. + +Now, like molten lead, the rain began to fall in large, heavy, and +leisurely drops. Then distant sounds, like the groans of a labouring +world, when earthquakes shake it to its base, were heard. A sudden and +faint gush of wind, like the fluttering of gigantic wings, came and +turned the schooner round and round, and passed away, leaving the deadly +calm as it was before. Flash—flash—the lightning came, and by its lurid +light, the ocean to the southward shone in one sheet of foam. + +“How is your helm?” inquired Appadocca of the steersman. + +“Very slack, your excellency. She does not feel it,” the man replied. + +The sounds increased; they approached nearer and nearer; they came, and +like a toy in the hand of a giant, the schooner was suddenly thrown on +her beam-ends. The water washed one-half of her long deck, and the first +gust of the hurricane swept with a terrible noise, over the prostrate +vessel, and seemed to crush her, like a mountain that had fallen from its +base, and had met some paltry obstacle in its way, while it was rolling +along to find its level. + +“Luff,” cried the chief to the steersman. + +“Luff.” + +The schooner lay on her side for a few minutes, as if she would never +right again: at last, like an impatient steed, whose course has been +arrested by some temporary barrier, after sustaining the violence of +the gust, she sprang forth into the face of the wind, and seemed like a +thing of passion and pride, roused to brave the power of the overwhelming +hurricane. + +With the scanty storm sails, which the foresight of Appadocca had had +bent, she shot through the mountain billows with her usual speed, +cleaving them through, and throwing the sprays mast high. + +On—on, she went, as if actuated by the bold spirit of the man who +commanded her, she sought to penetrate the very bosom of the hurricane. + +Her slender masts bent like willows to and fro, as she mounted the +mountains of rushing water, that struck and shook her to the very keel. + +By the flashes of glaring and frequent lightning, the fierce sailors +could now and then be seen standing stolidly at their respective +stations, their red caps drawn far down over their puckered brows, and +their black beards dripping with spray and rain. + +A rope fastened each man to his post, and unmoved, like carved wood, +they stood in the terrors of the howling winds: the bonds of discipline +were still on them. + +As for Appadocca himself far from evincing any anxiety, he seemed to +take pleasure in the terrible convulsions of nature. With the dark +heavens above him re-echoing far and wide with the rolls of the loud +and never-ceasing thunder; with the balancing ocean below him, and the +terrifying howls of the devastating hurricane around him, he was the same +unimpassioned, collected, intrepid man, as when the schooner rode on the +calmest sea, under the most smiling sky. He seemed to take pleasure—if +his nature could receive pleasure—in the awe-striking scene. Ever and +anon he took up his red cap, and pressed his hand over his brow in +apparent delight. + +The schooner still laboured in the seas that now began to grow higher and +higher, and heavier and heavier. The lightnings came and played about +her masts, like the spirits of the tempest, that seemed marking her as +their victim; but the fluid glided down the wires, and lost itself in the +foaming deep. + +Still on—on—on she went. A terrible gust.... She was laid on her beams +again. The wind was gone: the air was calm and close: not a breath;—her +narrow sails hung to her masts, and she was tossed about without wind +enough to feel her helm. + +At this frightful interval the echoes of rending broadsides were heard +towards the north. They were the reports of the man-of-war’s distress +guns. + +“Take in the fore and mainsail,” cried Appadocca, in a voice that seemed +to sound solitary and lonely amidst the terrors of the night. + +“Reef the jib.” + +The order was scarcely executed, when the rumbling sounds were again +heard. It was coming—it was coming; the schooner was thrust forward, as +if some immense rock had been let to fall against her; her bows were +dashed through the approaching billows; as she emerged for a moment, +the same power thrust her backwards; her stern sank under the volumes +of water that washed over her decks; and then, as quick as thought, +she was lifted from the surface, and twisted, and twisted, and turned +reelingly round in mid-air, and was let to fall with a tremendous crash +again. Crack—crack—her two tapering masts snapt from the deck. They were +overboard, and the lately resisting schooner was now borne with the +rapidity of lightning before the hurricane. + +“Get up the anchors,” the voice of Appadocca was again heard; as he +recovered from the concussion of the whirlwind. + +The prostrate sailors scrambled from the corners into which they had been +thrown; the hatches were raised, and the only hope of the schooner,—the +anchors—were quickly drawn on deck. + +The hurricane was now at its height. Like a feather on the overturning +currents of an overflowing cataract, the vessel was furiously borne away +before the sweeping wind. + +The anchors, with their immense coils of chain-cable were thrown +overboard, to arrest the progress of the vessel for a time, until +jury-masts could be rigged. + +It was of no avail.—Fast—fast—before the wind the schooner went; and then +a grating noise, and a dreadful shock;—every man fell on his face—she was +ashore—on the rocks. + +“Save yourselves, my brave men,” the deep-toned Appadocca cried, as he +stood boldly prominent amidst the surrounding rack and ruin. + +The ocean was fringed with foam, as it broke on the rocks of Trinidad, +on which the once beautiful schooner was at this moment being dashed to +pieces. + +The sailors now thought of saving themselves. The distance from dry land +was not much, and it might be gained on the crest of the waves, if no +rock dashed to pieces the daring fugitives in their attempt. + +Each bold pirate watched his time, and leapt boldly on the crest of the +billow, as it came washing by, and in the twinkling of an eye, was thrown +up high and dry, alive or dead, on the top of the rocks. + +Already every man had left the schooner, and had perished or been tossed +up alive. + +Appadocca still stood leaning on the bulwarks, contemplating the sad +remnants of his once all but animated vessel. + +Lorenzo and Jack Jimmy drew together imperceptibly to his sides. They +stood around him silent, and unperceived. + +The schooner was breaking up; still Appadocca stood where he was. + +“Will not your excellency go on shore?” Lorenzo at last ventured to say. + +Appadocca started slightly, as if awakened from a dream or reverie. + +“Yes, Lorenzo; but save yourselves first. Watch the wave; here it is—jump +in—you, too, Jack Jimmy, quickly, so, so.” + +The two men jumped on the billow as it swept by the schooner, Appadocca +followed, and they reached the shore. + +Now the wind suddenly ceased as before. + +Appadocca, with Lorenzo and Jack Jimmy, were sitting on the top of a +lofty rock: they were viewing the last struggles of their vessel. + +“A terrible night, this is, Lorenzo,” said Appadocca. + +“It is, indeed, your excellency, a frightful night! for——hark! What cry +is that? It is from the schooner,” cried Lorenzo, as he stood up. + +A supernatural shriek fell on the ear. It came from the schooner. Again +it came—again—and again—as she was battered against the rock. + +The three persons were silent. + +“Oh, I know,” cried Lorenzo. + +“It is the prisoner—I may save him yet—I may save him yet,” said Lorenzo. + +They were the shrieks of James Willmington, who was still battened down +in the narrow torture-room, into which he had been thrown, and was +undergoing more than a thousand deaths; dying as he was, thus cooped up +in a dark narrow cabin, and the vessel breaking asunder under him. + +The cabin was so close, that his terrified shrieks could not be heard +before; but now, when the seams were opened, they alone, prolonged, and +agonizing as they were, were now to be heard in the lull of the wind, on +the silent, close, and death-strewn air. + +Lorenzo rushed down the rock, but ere he could devise a means to rescue +him, the schooner broke in two, and the unhappy Willmington sank for +ever, still a prisoner in the torture-room. + +The schooner went to pieces, and soon the billows rolled on the rocks +over her once graceful form. + +Appadocca silently watched the gradual destruction of his vessel, and +silently listened to the shrieks of his father. + +When not a timber of her remained above water, he heaved a heavy sigh. +The first, that Lorenzo had ever heard from him. It was the sigh that +came from a hurricane of feelings within him, which equalled the raging +hurricane of nature without. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + + “I ’gin to be aweary of the sun, + And wish the estate o’ the world were now undone.” + + MACBETH. + + +“Lorenzo,” said Appadocca to his officer who had returned to the wreck, +“that was a good and faithful vessel.” + +“Ay, your excellency,” replied Lorenzo, sorrowfully, “she was.” + +“All things must end, Lorenzo,” continued Appadocca. + +“True, your excellency,” answered Lorenzo. + +“If so, Lorenzo, the honours and greatness of men are scarcely to be +longed after. The pursuits that engross us during an entire lifetime, and +lead us too frequently, to sacrifice health, happiness, and sometimes +even drag us into crime, must all—all end in this—in nothing.” + +“True, your excellency,” answered Lorenzo. + +“You know not, Lorenzo, how different the world appears to me now, from +what it did when I was a happy student of eighteen. It was then tinged +with golden hues, and shone in whatever light I viewed it. Greatness: +oh, greatness, seemed so captivating to me! My nights were devoted to +its attainment, my days the same. Now, the world is charmless, scarcely +tolerable, and my beautiful dreams have all passed away like the crystal +dew before the sucking sun.” + +“There is still hope, your excellency,” remarked Lorenzo. + +“What among all things seems the most deserving of preservation, +Lorenzo,” continued Appadocca, “is our honour, our consciousness of +acting right. How many a mind that is curbed down by misfortune and +sorrow, finds its own little relief in the simple idea, that it has acted +up to the dictates of its honor.” + +Lorenzo made no reply, he saw that his chief was deeply affected. + +“Lorenzo,” resumed Appadocca, after a pause, “there is destiny—there is +destiny—there is a synchronism of events and a simultaneousness of the +actings of nature’s general laws that constitute destiny; against which +no men from the absence of any power to read the future can provide. +Thus, in the whirlwind, that raises in mid-air the light feather, there +is to be seen the hand of destiny, for there is the synchronism of the +feather’s being separated from the bird with the acting of the law of +nature that produces the wind. It would have been as impossible to the +bird, granting that its reasoning powers were less limited, to have +provided against the falling of its feather and the eventual taking of it +up by storm, as it was impossible to foresee the whirlwind that overcame +the schooner which was made to pass through every danger.” + +“Too true, your excellency,” answered Lorenzo. + +“So that it follows,” continued Appadocca, “that since men are subject +to the former of this destiny, their most strenuous efforts must always +prove impotent in restraining its action, and that they are liable every +moment, whether they are good, or whether they are bad, to be subjected +to misfortune and calamity. And this corroborates what I have already +said, that the only thing which we are bound to consider in life, is our +honor, which alone is, or ought to be, the source of satisfaction or +misery to us.” + +Lorenzo assented to the philosophy of Appadocca. + +“If ever I should be suddenly overtaken by the hand of this destiny +recollect, beneath the solitary fig-tree that grows on the Island of +Sombrero, you will find a treasure. Devote half to the erection of a +college for abandoned children, and with the rest provide for my men who +have served me truly. Do not forget that peculiar old servant,” he said +in a low tone, and pointed to Jack Jimmy. + +“Your excellency is growing melancholy,” observed Lorenzo, with some +anxiety. + +“No, no,” replied Appadocca. “Still, who knows how soon destiny may end +his days.” + +“For you, Lorenzo, you have acted towards me in a manner that I have duly +appreciated,” continued Appadocca, while he grasped his officer’s hand, +“here is my sword, wear it, and may the time soon arrive when you may use +it in the cause to which you are pledged, farewell!” + +With a spring Appadocca jumped from the rock and threw himself headlong +into the thundering waves below. + +His movement was so sudden that Lorenzo, and Jack Jimmy, who sprang to +their feet at once, were too late to hold him back and save him. + +The little negro silently returned to the spot where he had sat since he +had come on shore, and hid his face in his hands. Not a word—not a sob +escaped him. His grief was too deep and strong for tears. + +Morning dawned on the devastated scene of the late hurricane. + +Like a strong man who is recovering from illness, nature presented a +smiling, though languid look. The billows still ran high, but unlashed +now by the wind, they rolled heavily against the rocks. + +High and dry lay the bodies of the dead, their pallid faces still locked +in the grim passions which had attended the departure of life. + +The dawn had scarcely come, when Jack Jimmy might have been seen moving +totteringly along the ruffled beach, with a dead body on his shoulders. +Away into a solitary recess of the picturesque little bay, he bore his +burden. He lay it down, and then slowly began to scoop a hole. + +Solemnly he worked—his arms rose and fell like his heart—heavily. + +But who comes to interrupt the sacred work! Lorenzo! It was Lorenzo. He +had followed Jack Jimmy to the spot. The officer began to dig, too. + +“Tap, massa—tap,” said Jack Jimmy, solemnly grasping his arm—“let me one +do it.” + +The hole was dug:—Jack Jimmy adjusted the uniform and hair of the corpse, +composed its features, and laid it carefully in it. + +His arms again rose and fell as heavily as before:—the grave was closed, +and made even with the ground. Jack Jimmy knelt at its foot, raised his +eyes to heaven—his lips rapidly moved, and a heavy tear fell on the +simple grave of the pirate captain. + +It was about this time that a little _fallucha_ came labouring over the +still perturbed waves under four powerful sweeps. At its stern sat the +captain and a lady. + +Attracted by the signs of the shipwrecked pirates, she drew towards the +shore. + +The tale of the wreck was soon told. The lady raised her hands and held +her forehead as if it were about to split asunder. She landed, and walked +along the strand and studied each dead man’s face that she passed by. She +arrived at the spot where Jack Jimmy was completing the grave, and was +adjusting each tiny pebble in its proper place. + +Her heart sank within her. Quickly she approached the one who was toiling +in so sad a mood. + +“Whose grave is this?” the lady quickly asked. + +“My young massa’s,” Jack Jimmy slowly answered, without raising his eye +from his work. + +“What was his name?” again asked the lady. + +“Emmanuel Appadocca,” again answered Jack Jimmy, as slowly as before. + +“Emmanuel Appadocca!” + +The lady raised her hands to her burning brows, and pressed her eyes. She +remained for a few moments in this position. Then her arms fell languidly +by her sides, an expression of vagueness spread itself over her face, she +looked absently around, a ringing laugh broke forth from her lips, her +jaws then hung mopingly. Feliciana fell mad over Appadocca’s grave. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + + + “Of that, and all the progress, more and less, + Resolvedly more leisure shall express: + All yet seems well; and if it end so meet, + The bitter past, more welcome is the sweet.” + + ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. + +Feliciana was taken to her _fallucha_, which immediately changed her +course, and returned to Trinidad. + +Lorenzo built a camp on the shore for the protection of his men, until +he should be able to send a vessel to their rescue, and then began to +traverse the island under the guidance of Jack Jimmy, whose excitability +had now yielded to a melancholy and dull sombreness. + +One evening the sun had set, the twilight was passing away, and gloom was +settling over the forests, when Lorenzo, exhausted and fatigued, thought +of going to ask shelter on a plantation, which he knew to be near at +hand, by the repeated crowings of cocks, that noisely vented their loud +farewell-clarions to the departing day. + +“Jack Jimmy, do you know who is the proprietor of the estate which I +think we are approaching?” + +“No, massa,” answered Jack Jimmy. + +“Do you think they would give us shelter for to-night?” inquired Lorenzo. + +“Yes, massa,” answered Jack Jimmy. + +“Then will you endeavour to find your way to it?” + +“Yes, massa.” + +In about half an hour, Lorenzo and Jack Jimmy came out amidst a number +of flourishing gardens, that lay smiling at the back of a village of +labourer’s houses. + +The two travellers quickly crossed there, and opened into a long lane +that was shaded by tall tamarind and sappodilla trees. + +An ecclesiastic was seen calmly pacing this umbrageous retreat, while his +lips rapidly moved as he pored over the dark and riband-marked breviary, +which he held open before. + +The father was so wrapped up in what he was reading, that he did not +perceive the two strangers until they had almost met face to face. + +The priest started back, as he came on Lorenzo. “Mercy on us! the pirate +officer!” he cried. + +“What, what new deed is it, sir;” he said, after a pause: “which now +tarnishes your soul again, and draws you to this peaceful and quiet +retreat?” + +“Pirate officer no longer, good father,” answered Lorenzo, “and I bring +no outrage on your peaceful retreat. My spirit now itself requires too +much calm to break it wherever it already exists.” + +The priest folded his arms across his breast, and looked silently and +sympathisingly on the unhappy man before him. + +“My son,” he said, with a countenance that beamed with charity; “my son, +there is one above that can relieve our bitterest woes. Seek consolation +in the afflictions which, press upon your soul from His hand.” + +“I am now in your power, good father,” said Lorenzo. “The schooner is +wrecked on these shores; Appadocca is no more.” + +“Is he dead?” cried the priest. + +“Yes.” + +The priest turned towards heaven, and prayed for the soul of the pirate +captain. + +“God forbid that I should ever refuse charity to the afflicted: +come with me, sir, and my good patron will, I doubt not, afford you +hospitality.” + +The three persons walked up the lane, and discovered a comfortable +planter’s house, that stood in an open space amidst a number of orange +trees. They quickly approached the house; and Agnes, who was sitting +at the open window enjoying the evening breeze, fell senseless to the +ground, as she beheld Lorenzo. + + * * * * * + +“Accommodate the stranger as soon as possible,” said a fiery looking +old man, whose gray hair floated over his shoulders, and fell over a +large and turned-down collar, while the boots which had not crossed the +threshold for many a day, still shone with heavy and immense silver spurs. + +“Accommodate the stranger, and get him a guide as soon as possible,” he +said, as soon as the priest told him of Agnes’s illness, and had no doubt +expressed his own surmises. + + * * * * * + +The time for Lorenzo’s departure approached. He was informed that a +guide and a mule awaited his leisure. + +“I must see the master of the house,” he said. + +The servant withdrew, and shortly afterwards conducted the officer into +the presence of the old man, who stood up as well as he could, bowed, and +asked Lorenzo to be seated. + +“Sir,” said Lorenzo, speaking without any preliminaries; “your daughter +and I love each other.” + +“What, sir! mention my daughter!” cried the old man, furiously, without +hearing any more. “Sir, the mule and guide are ready.” + +But there was a softening balm even for the inflammable spirit of the old +gentleman. He, like all other men, had the particular point by which he +could be lead! + +The pirate officer immediately disclosed that his real name was not +Lorenzo, but St. James Carmonte; and that he was the lineal descendant of +the Carmontes, who fell fighting for the Prince. He went on to explain +that his people before him had vegetated in a number of corners all over +Europe; but that he and the others that then survived had been eventually +expelled from France at the epoch of the great revolution. That he had +then taken to the sea, there to seek adventures; as he imagined he had +been long-enough on the enduring side. + +“What! the descendant of Carmonte,” cried the old man, who was touched +in a sensitive part: “Carmonte, whose fathers fought at the side of mine. +How can you vouch this, sir?” + +Lorenzo presented a ring. + +“The word, sir.” + +Lorenzo said something. + +“Agnes, Agnes, come hither, Agnes,” vociferated the old man. + +The young lady appeared. She was still pale and emaciated. + +“Take her, take her, man,” cried the old cavalier. “May God bless you, +and preserve you to see the day when the king shall enjoy his own again.” + +The priest blessed the union, and Lorenzo, after disposing of Appadocca’s +followers, lived happy in the retreat of the plantation. + +Jack Jimmy served the officer of his young master with fidelity. A smile, +however, was never seen more on his face; and when the winds howled more +loudly than usual, the drops calmly fell from his now aged eyes. + +In a certain city of Venezuela, Feliciana might be seen in her white +veil, and her sombre dress, amidst the abodes of the heart-stricken and +afflicted; she was known as the “Succouring Mother.” Twice a-year she +might also be seen on her pilgrimage to Trinidad, when she plucked the +weeds from off his mother’s tomb, and tended the sea-grape tree that grew +over the lonely grave of EMMANUEL APPADOCCA. + + +THE END. + +LONDON: SAMUEL BIRD, PRINTER, BOW STREET, COVENT GARDEN. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75314 *** diff --git a/75314-h/75314-h.htm b/75314-h/75314-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2f1436f --- /dev/null +++ b/75314-h/75314-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7769 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + Emmanuel Appadocca; or, Blighted Life. Volume 2 of 2. | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +a { + text-decoration: none; +} + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +h1,h2 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; +} + +h2.nobreak { + page-break-before: avoid; +} + +hr.chap { + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + clear: both; + width: 65%; + margin-left: 17.5%; + margin-right: 17.5%; +} + +div.chapter { + page-break-before: always; +} + +p { + margin-top: 0.5em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; + text-indent: 1em; +} + +.blockquote { + margin: 1.5em 10%; +} + +.center { + text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em; +} + +.larger { + font-size: 150%; +} + +.noindent { + text-indent: 0em; +} + +.pagenum { + position: absolute; + right: 4%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; +} + +.poetry-container { + text-align: center; +} + +.poetry { + display: inline-block; + text-align: left; +} + +.poetry .stanza { + margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em; +} + +.poetry .verse { + padding-left: 3em; +} + +.poetry .indent0 { + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poetry .indent6 { + text-indent: 0em; +} + +.poetry .indent8 { + text-indent: 1em; +} + +div.right { + text-align: right; +} + +p.right { + text-align: right; + margin-right: 1em; +} + +.smaller { + font-size: 80%; +} + +.smcap { + font-variant: small-caps; + font-style: normal; +} + +.allsmcap { + font-variant: small-caps; + font-style: normal; + text-transform: lowercase; +} + +.tb { + margin-top: 2em; +} + +.titlepage { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 3em; + text-indent: 0em; +} + +.transnote { + background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + text-align: center; + font-size: smaller; + padding: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 5em; +} + +.x-ebookmaker .poetry { + display: block; + margin-left: 1.5em; +} + +.x-ebookmaker .blockquote { + margin: 1.5em 5%; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75314 ***</div> + +<div class="transnote"> + +<p>Transcriber’s Note: Obvious printing errors have been corrected. Original +period spelling, though, has been maintained. There are two CHAPTER XXIIIs.</p> + +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<p class="titlepage larger">EMMANUEL APPADOCCA;<br> +<span class="smaller"><span class="smaller">OR,</span><br> +BLIGHTED LIFE.</span></p> + +<p class="titlepage">A TALE OF THE BOUCANEERS.</p> + +<p class="titlepage"><span class="smaller">BY</span><br> +MAXWELL PHILIP.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container titlepage"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">Φεῦ. ὦ μῆτερ ἥτις ἐκ τυραννικῶν δόμων</div> + <div class="verse indent0">δούλειον ἦμαρ εἶδες, ὡς πράσσεις κακῶς,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">ὅσονπερ εὖ ποτ᾽· ἀντισηκώσας δέ σε</div> + <div class="verse indent0">φθείρει θεῶν τις τῆς πάροιθ᾽ εὐπραξίας.</div> + <div class="verse right allsmcap">EURIPIDES.</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="titlepage"><span class="smaller">IN TWO VOLUMES.</span><br> +VOL. II.</p> + +<p class="titlepage"><span class="smaller">LONDON:</span><br> +CHARLES J. SKEET, PUBLISHER,<br> +<span class="smaller">10, KING WILLIAM STREET, CHARING CROSS.</span></p> + +<p class="titlepage smaller">MDCCCLIV.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_1"></a>[1]</span></p> + +<h1>EMMANUEL APPADOCCA;<br> +<span class="smaller"><span class="smaller">OR,</span><br> +BLIGHTED LIFE.<br> +<br> +A TALE OF THE BOUCANEERS.</span></h1> + +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“O conspiracy!</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night</div> + <div class="verse indent0">When evils are most free?”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Julius Cæsar.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The small cutter that was carrying Agnes and the +other captives held her course towards the land.</p> + +<p>It could not but occur to the priest and to his ward, +unaccustomed as they were to encounter dangers, that +their position was one which was in itself highly, if not +imminently perilous. There they were, thrown in an +open vessel on the ocean, and sent on a voyage which +was to consist of three days’ or more beating up against<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_2"></a>[2]</span> +the wind and the waves, while their little vessel was +every moment subjected to the accidents of a very tedious +and difficult navigation.</p> + +<p>These thoughts were the more forcibly thrust upon +the priest, when after the lapse of a day, and on the +approach of night, it was to be perceived that no progress +towards the land had been made. The little +cutter had tossed about on the high billows, had tacked +and re-tacked, still at the close of the day she was not +much nearer the end of her voyage than when she was +thrown off by the schooner. Under the influence of +these thoughts, the priest lost much of his cheerful +equanimity. He looked concerned, and his conversation +did not flow so freely as it was wont to do. Perhaps +this was a happy accident for Agnes; for that young +lady, apparently disinclined to speak or to listen, still +leaned over the side of the cutter, and, from time to +time, cast a side-long look at the schooner that was +sailing away in another direction.</p> + +<p>The first night of the voyage came, and augmented +still more the alarm of the priest. He felt his isolation +among the other men whose pursuits and habits were +different from his, and now freely allowed his mind to +conjure up fears of assassination and robbery. To add +to his suspicions, the sailors of the captured ship seemed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_3"></a>[3]</span> +to herd closely together, and to sympathise but little +with their fellow passengers. The master fisherman, +true to his promise, paid the greatest attention both to +the sailing of his little vessel, and to the safety and +comparative comfort of those who had been placed +under his especial care.</p> + +<p>When the sun, that true and never disordered timekeeper +of the tropics, had on the next morning illumined +the ocean, the first thought and first action of Agnes, +was to cast her eyes around and survey the horizon. +Nothing was to be seen; the Black Schooner had disappeared. +Scarcely believing her eyes, she looked and +looked again; it was as the eyes made it out, and not +as the wish would have it; there was no vessel to be +seen. Dejected, wretched, sad, and disappointed, she +suspended her further survey, and began again to contemplate +the blue waters that was rushing pass the +jumping cutter. A sad feeling was that of Agnes, the +feeling which arises when we lose the last memento of +some dear and cherished creature: the memento which, +in the absence of the object that it recalls to our memory, +receives, perhaps, the same amount of worship as the +being itself which it represents. Whatever be the +nature of such a token, it is all the same: a golden toy, +a lock of hair, a favourite pin, a prayer-book, these are<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_4"></a>[4]</span> +amply sufficient to strike up within us the active +feelings of grief-clothed happiness, and to awake anew +the recollections of periods whose real and unbroken +felicity never permitted us to contemplate or fear a +change. To lose one of these imaging toys, is the breaking +away of the last link that binds us, in one way at +least, to the objects which they symbolize. On such +sad occasions the heart is stricken with a prophetic fear, +which like the canker-worm ever afterwards eats deeply, +and more deeply into our spirits, until there is nothing +more to eat away.</p> + +<p>Agnes felt this when she could no longer see the +Black Schooner. As long as she could gaze on the +vessel, there was still a little consolation, or, perhaps +her grief was still subdued, but when that vessel disappeared +from her view, it reached its height and preyed +upon her without mitigation. Who has not stood on the +sea-washed strand and watched the careering ship that was +bearing away father, lover, or child, and felt his tears +restrained as long as a waving handkerchief could convey +the ardour of a last “farewell,” but who, a few +moments after, experienced the bitter misery that +followed, when the ship had disappeared from the view, +when an unsympathising horizon had veiled in silence +and in obscurity his lost and lonely friends, and his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_5"></a>[5]</span> +damp spirits were left free to recoil upon themselves? +What person is there, who in the hey-day of existence, +at the age when the heart is fresh, and the spirits are +high, when necessity intervened to drive him away +from among friends and relatives, has not felt the pang +of separation more and more as every familiar object +was, one by one, left behind, and gradually disappeared +from his view.</p> + +<p>“Agnes, you are sad,” said the priest, who notwithstanding +his own anxiety, and disquiet of mind, could +not but mark the unsettled and unhappy state of his +ward.</p> + +<p>“Not very, sir,” the young lady replied, “though our +present condition is not the most pleasant.”</p> + +<p>“Truly not,” answered the priest, “still we must +hope that we shall soon arrive on land. Recollect, that, +although we are not now very comfortable, we are still +on a voyage towards home, and that thought ought to +support us under greater inconveniences than the +present.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” replied Agnes, “we are returning home, and +that is a comfort.... How beautiful this water is,” +she continued, falling naturally into that romantic train +which was necessarily called forth by the present state +of her sentiments, “how remarkably beautiful are those<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_6"></a>[6]</span> +blue waters, and how pure and transparent is that thin +foam which now fringes yon crystal wave!”</p> + +<p>“All the works of the Creator are beautiful, my +child,” answered the priest.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” continued Agnes, “and the ocean is so still +and quiet: who could ever imagine that it contained so +many terrible monsters.”</p> + +<p>“True;” remarked the priest, “surfaces, my child, +are, alas! too frequently deceptive. For instance, take +the appearance of the ocean this beautiful and blessed +morning; it looks as pure and unspotted as when the +sun first dawned upon it on the fourth day of creation; +still, how many murderous deeds have there not been +done upon it since that time, and over how many wrecks +of human fabrics has it not rolled? If we could penetrate +its depth, and see its bed, we should probably +behold the skeletons of the fierce Caraibs that first +inhabited this part of the world, and their rude instruments +of war, blended confusedly together with the +bones and elaborate weapons of their more polished +conquerors; while the large fishes that still hold possession +of their medium of existence, now peer with meaningless +eyes into the naked skulls, or rummage for their +food the rotting wrecks of the bristling war-vessels that +once rode these seas.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_7"></a>[7]</span></p> + +<p>Agnes felt thankful for this long and solemn observation, +which gave her time to think on one of the vessels +that had not as yet become a wreck beneath the ocean.</p> + +<p>After a pause, the priest continued:</p> + +<p>“This basin over which we are now sailing, my dear +Agnes, may have once been high and dry land, and the +islands which are scattered about in this horse-shoe +fashion, may have been—.”</p> + +<p>“Stop, sare,” interrupted the master fisherman, who +the reader may recollect was constituted the captain +and proprietor of the cutter when it was dispatched from +the schooner, and who was now sitting between Agnes +and the priest, steering the boat, “stop, sare,” he said, +endeavouring to make himself understood in English, +“me wees hear something they say there,” and he made +an almost imperceptible sign towards the bows of the +cutter, where the sailors of the captured ship were sitting +together, and speaking among themselves in a sort of +half whisper. The master fisherman’s attention had +been attracted towards them by a few words which he +had overheard, and being suspicious lest they should +presume upon their numerical strength, and make an +attempt to take possession of the cutter, he was anxious +to make himself acquainted with their plans in order to +anticipate them.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_8"></a>[8]</span></p> + +<p>“We will never get ashore at this rate, Bill,” said +one sailor to another.</p> + +<p>“I’ll be d—n—d, if we will,” answered the other, +“what the devil does that d—n—d jack Spaniole know +about steering a boat.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t speak so loud,” whispered another.</p> + +<p>“He don’t understand English, and I don’t care if he +did,” answered the other.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I think it is a devilish hard case,” joined in +another, “that we should be obliged to sit here and let +that fellow, who don’t know a jib from a paddle-box, +steer the boat.”</p> + +<p>“What do you say if we take the management, my +hearties?” inquired a lean, long-featured individual.</p> + +<p>“Hum,” groaned one.</p> + +<p>“Suppose we do?” inquired another.</p> + +<p>They whispered still lower among themselves for a +moment.</p> + +<p>“I say, you sir—you sir, keep her off, will you, don’t +you see the wind is right a-head?” shouted one to the +master fisherman, in a tone of derision.</p> + +<p>“Keep her head up, Mr. Spaniole, d’ye hear? don’t +you see the wind is turning her round?” cried another.</p> + +<p>These insults seemed lost on the master fisherman, for +he took them with marvellous fortitude.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_9"></a>[9]</span></p> + +<p>“My good men,” said the priest, “forbear: consider +where we are, and under what circumstances we are +placed; pray, do no not endeavour to cause any +quarrel.”</p> + +<p>“Mind your own business, parson, will you?” shouted +a bolder sailor than the others, “it is you who already +prevents us going any faster; so, if you don’t wish to +be sent to Davy Jones, hold your tongue.”</p> + +<p>The priest became now quite alarmed:</p> + +<p>“Do not answer them,” he whispered to the fisherman.</p> + +<p>“Hollo! there; ready about,” continued one of the +sailors, apparently bent on provoking a quarrel, “ready +about,” and he proceeded to let go the jib-sheet.</p> + +<p>The master fisherman now quickly stood up, with the +marks of anger already becoming visible in his eyes.</p> + +<p>“Stop, or me kill you,” he cried, while he levelled one +of the pistols, with which he was armed, at the audacious +sailor.</p> + +<p>“Kill him, will you,” simultaneously shouted two of +the sailors, and rushed together towards the stern of the +cutter, “kill him, will you, you cut-throat Spaniard?”</p> + +<p>The master fisherman stood firm where he was. He +now held both of the pistols, which Appadocca had +given him, and raising them to a small distance before +him, awaited the two men.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_10"></a>[10]</span></p> + +<p>Undeterred by the weapons, they rushed on.</p> + +<p>“Stop for your life!” cried the master fisherman, +highly excited.</p> + +<p>“Be reasonable men,” cried the priest, as he also +stood up to defend himself.</p> + +<p>The men came on;—flash,—a report—and the bullet +pierced the foremost one. He fell into the bottom of +the cutter, and rolled over the master fisherman’s other +man, who had been wrapped in sleep in that part from +the very moment that he had got into the cutter.</p> + +<p>“Hon!” he groaned and awoke, as the sailor that was +shot rolled heavily upon him, when, seeing the blood, +he jumped up.</p> + +<p>The shrieks of Agnes, the fierce and deep Spanish +oaths of the master fisherman at once told him how +matters stood. He grasped the first of the sailors that +came within his reach, and wrestled with him. Both +fell into the bottom of the cutter, and rolled about on +the ballast.</p> + +<p>The quarrel had now assumed a serious aspect; furious +at the death of their comrade, the other sailors +rushed to the stern of the cutter. The master fisherman +discharged the other pistol: it told, another sailor fell. +But the shot was no sooner fired, than one of the two +other sailors, closed with the master fisherman. They<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_11"></a>[11]</span> +wrestled: each pressed successively his adversary on +the side of the cutter, endeavouring to throw him overboard; +but they were well matched: their strength was +equal: now, the master fisherman was down, and seemed +to be about to be thrown overboard; now he had the +sailor down in the same position. Both fought with +desperation, and clung with the pertinacity of iron to +the side of the vessel. The cutter, having no one to +steer it, had flown into the wind, its sails were flapping, +and its boom was swinging violently, from one side to +the other. The master fisherman was now down; over, +over, the sailor was gradually pressing him; his grasp +began to relax: he was bending farther towards the +water; the sailor raised himself a little, so that he might +have a better purchase to strike the final blow: as he did +so, the boom swung violently, and struck him on the +temple, with a great splash, he fell a yard or two into +the water. The master fisherman quickly rose, and +went to the assistance of the priest, who had met the +attack of the remaining sailor, and was now holding +him down in the bottom of the cutter. The master +fisherman clutched a stone, and in his passion, was going +to dash out the brains of the prostrate sailor.</p> + +<p>“Hold!” cried the priest, “no more violence: bring +a rope, and let us tie him.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_12"></a>[12]</span></p> + +<p>The master fisherman drew back his arm, and let fall +the stone. Even in his fury he felt the force of his +natural veneration. He brought a rope, and tied the +sailor down.</p> + +<p>“Do the same to the other,” said the priest, now +almost exhausted by his effort, “tie him too.”</p> + +<p>The remaining sailor, who was still languidly rolling +at the bottom of the cutter, with the fisherman, was +next pinioned.</p> + +<p>“See now to the wounded,” said the priest, who now, +when his first terror was over, displayed great presence +of mind.</p> + +<p>The two men who had been shot were examined. +They still breathed, although their wounds were very +serious.</p> + +<p>The attention of the priest was now turned towards +Agnes, who sat almost petrified with fear in the place +where she was.</p> + +<p>“Thank God, this danger is also past,” said the +priest to her, “I must be guilty of some grievous sin, +indeed,” continued the good father, “to have thus +drawn down upon us the chastisement of Providence. +Twice have we passed through bloodshed and death, +and who knows what new perils we may still have to +encounter before we reach Trinidad.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13"></a>[13]</span></p> + +<p>“Yes: and when shall we reach it? It looks as if we +were never to get back,” and Agnes was overwhelmed +by a multiplicity of different feelings.</p> + +<p>“Let me see,” said the priest, “I think it would be +easier to proceed straight towards it, than to be beating +about on these seas.”</p> + +<p>“Have you any object to go to Granada in preference +to any other place?” he inquired of the master fisherman, +who had now adjusted the sails of the cutter, and +resumed the tiller.</p> + +<p>“No, he had not,” was the reply: “he was endeavouring +to make that island because it was the nearest land +indicated to him by the pirate captain.”</p> + +<p>“Would it not be easier to sail at once to Trinidad?” +again asked the priest.</p> + +<p>“Most decidedly,” was the answer; “the distance +was greater, it was true,” added the master fisherman, +but that was overbalanced by the fairness of the wind, +because they would then be able to sail with a free sheet +and should gain Trinidad within an infinitely shorter +space of time than it would take to make Granada, by +beating up against the wind from the position in which +they then were.</p> + +<p>“Then let us steer to Trinidad,” said the priest.</p> + +<p>“Very well,” replied the master fisherman.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14"></a>[14]</span></p> + +<p>The cutter was kept off, the sheets and tacks were +slackened, and the little vessel, now feeling the full force +of the wind began to tear through the water.</p> + +<p>Away, away, it went. During day and during night +the master fisherman sat gravely at the tiller; neither +fatigue nor want of sleep could induce him to entrust +for a moment the command of the little vessel to his +man; “He had taken an oath,” he said to the priest, +when he requested him to take some rest.</p> + +<p>It was on a beautiful morning when the priest and +Agnes, on awaking from their uncomfortable slumbers, +beheld themselves within the Gulf of Paria.</p> + +<p>They looked with highly-pleased astonishment at the +master fisherman, who wearied and worn, still sat at the +rudder. He returned the glance with the same visible +contentment and pleasure.</p> + +<p>“We are indebted to you, my good fisherman, for +your incomparable conduct towards us. We shall +scarcely be ever able to show you sufficient gratitude,” +he said.</p> + +<p>“Not at all: we must deal well towards those who +conduct themselves in a proper manner to us,” said the +fisherman, in the best manner he could; “now I am at +home again; I am on my own gulf,—where do you wish +to be landed, sir?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15"></a>[15]</span></p> + +<p>“Land us wherever you please: we will be always +able to make our way to Cedros,” answered the priest.</p> + +<p>“To Cedros? I shall take you there at once,” answered +the master fisherman, and then turned the +cutter’s head to that part of the island.</p> + +<p>“Agnes,” whispered the priest, “I have always found +much that is to be admired in the humbler classes; they +require but proper treatment, as all other men do.”</p> + +<p>“This seems to be a very worthy man,” replied Agnes, +more in respect to the priest than from any desire to +converse, for Agnes had ceased to be over communicative +since the capture of the vessel in which she had +been a passenger.</p> + +<p>The sugar-cane fields arose more conspicuous and +beautiful to the view as the vessel drew nearer and +nearer to the land; and within a few hours Agnes +arrived on the plantation and was locked in the affectionate +embrace of her aged father.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16"></a>[16]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“And winds of all the corners kissed your sails</div> + <div class="verse indent0">To make your vessel nimble.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Cymbeline.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“Had not their bark been very slow of sail.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Comedy of Errors.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The grey dawn of the morning found the crew of the +man-of-war busily at work. The unwieldly machines +clanked and reclanked as the sturdy sailors heartily +threw their whole strength upon them, in raising the +heavy sails and weighty anchor.</p> + +<p>As soon as there was sufficient light to see, watches, +who were provided with the most powerful telescopes, +were sent up to the very top of the tall masts to survey +the horizon, in order to discover, if possible, the pirate +vessel, which was supposed to be hovering about at no +great distance.</p> + +<p>After a careful survey, the report was made, that far<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17"></a>[17]</span> +out to leeward there was a sail—that it was apparently +a vessel which was lying to.</p> + +<p>“Look again,” shouted out the officer of the watch, +“what is she like? is she square-rigged?”</p> + +<p>“No, your honor.”</p> + +<p>“What sort of a thing is she?”</p> + +<p>“She looks to be a fore-and-aft, your honor.”</p> + +<p>Willmington was called, and, on being required to do +so, gave the best description he could of the pirate +vessel.</p> + +<p>“It is likely the same vessel,” the officer remarked, +after he had heard Willmington.</p> + +<p>“Cheerily, men, look active.”</p> + +<p>The sailors scarcely required any exhortation. They +went through their work with more than ordinary good-will. +In the first place, the idea of something like active +service excited them, for they felt oppressed under the +ennui of leisurely sailing from one port to another; and +they longed to chastise the rash temerity of those degraded +wretches who had the insolence to make an +attempt of rescuing a prisoner from their lordly ship.</p> + +<p>The majestic structure, therefore, was soon put in +motion, and was now to be seen sailing magnificently +before the wind. Gradually it gained on what was at +first distant and obscure. As the ship drew nearer and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18"></a>[18]</span> +nearer to it, the vessel grew more and more distinct, and +could now be clearly made out as a long, low, rakish +schooner. It was, in fact, the Black Schooner.</p> + +<p>The huge vessel-of-war approached nearer and still +nearer, but the schooner remained still stationary where +she was. The sailors of the man-of-war prepared for +action with enthusiasm. They could easily judge, from +the shape of the schooner, and its peculiar rig, that she +was the vessel of a pirate, if not of the pirate of whom +they had so often heard. They saw their prize before +them. The schooner, they thought, must yield to the +superior strength of the man-of-war, and her conquest +would be the easiest thing in the world. Besides, the +little vessel could not but perceive their approach, and +as she did not sail away, they argued there must needs +be some cause, either mutiny or some other disagreement +on board, which neutralized the authority of those +in power, and which, consequently, would make her a +still easier prize. They prepared their guns, on this +account, with the keenest alacrity and lightness of heart, +for men are always the more enthusiastic and brave +when they are pretty well assured that they can command +success.</p> + +<p>The large vessel sailed down on the small schooner, +that was still lying to, the standard of England was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19"></a>[19]</span> +already waving from the spanker, the men were standing +at their several stations, and the commander himself, +who had now come on deck, was anxiously waiting +until he came within gun-shot of the schooner, to signal +her to surrender. The ship drew still closer, the order +was given to make ready to fire, when ... like the +shadowy fleetness of a dream, the masts of the Black +Schooner at once became clothed in canvass, the black +ensign with the cross bones and skull ran up the line on +her gaff in chilling solemnity, while on the top of her +raking masts floated two long pendant flags as red as +blood, and the sharp vessel began to glide like a serpent +silently over the waters.</p> + +<p>Fearful of losing his prize, which was well-nigh +within his reach, the commander of the ship-of-war +observing the movements of the little vessel, quickly +gave the order to fire. A loud and rending report of +several guns at once echoed over the waves, and the +shots dipped, and dipped, and dipped again, and fell +harmless within a short distance of the schooner. The +flag of the pirate schooner was lowered and hoisted, +lowered and hoisted, lowered and hoisted again, in +derision, as she steadily held her course. Another discharge +... and the shots sank as harmless as before: +again the pirates lowered and hoisted their flags.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20"></a>[20]</span></p> + +<p>Every sail was set on the unwieldly ship, and her +enormous studding-sails covered her yards and booms. +Her hull could scarcely be seen, under the vast sheets +that shaded her. The waves boiled up on each side of +her bows, and like a whale, furious with a wound, she +left behind her a wake of foam.</p> + +<p>The Black Schooner glided along like a slender gar. +Confident of the fleetness of their vessel, the pirates +seemed inclined to mock the large and threatening fabric +that was pursuing them. Ever and anon they changed +their tack, and the vessel itself, which seemed to anticipate +their wishes, played gracefully on the blue surface.</p> + +<p>When all the ship’s studding-sails were set, and she +was sailing rapidly before the wind, they would suddenly +change their course, and draw their obedient vessel as +close as possible up to the wind. As soon again as the +man-of-war went through the labour of taking in her +superfluous sails, again they would change their course. +Now they shortened their sails, and then, as the ship +gained on them, they had them up again as if by magic. +Now they sailed away to a great distance, and then +tacked and returned as if to meet and brave the pursuers; +all the time, however, they kept out of the +reach of the man-of-war’s guns with astonishing precision.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21"></a>[21]</span></p> + +<p>The chase continued thus the whole day, until night +came and veiled pursuer and pursued.</p> + +<p>Vexed with disappointment, and irritated by the +taunts of the pirates, the commander of the man-of-war +ordered the sails to be taken in, and the vessel to be +luffed up into the wind. The order was immediately +obeyed, and the crew, in thorough disgust, went away +from the station to which they had that morning +rushed with so much buoyancy.</p> + +<p>It was, indeed, sufficient, to try the moral fortitude +of the most philosophical. On one side there was a +large heavy vessel, of size sufficiently huge to have +crushed two such vessels as the pirate-schooner, +from mere contact: on the other was that small and +light vessel, which could be so easily destroyed, but +which, notwithstanding the most eager desire on the +part of the commander and crew to capture her, had so +tantalizingly escaped them. After the continued chase +of a whole day, the large vessel had proved as +impotent and as incapable of carrying out their wishes, +as a piece of floating timber; and what was still +more galling, they had, in addition, been exposed to +the most annoying derision of the pirates. Worse +again, there was no probability of her being able, at +any time, to overtake the schooner; for it was too<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22"></a>[22]</span> +clear that their large vessel could not sail so fast as she. +The only chance of their capturing her was, in their +taking her by surprise, an event which could not be +reasonably calculated upon, when the pirates exhibited +so much prudence and precision. The sailors, therefore, +doggedly retired to their respective cots, muttering all +the while, strong and complicated oaths against the +individual who built the fast-sailing schooner.</p> + +<p>As for the commander himself, he bore the disappointment +with the less dumb patience, as the discipline +of the ship did not bind him down to so much silence, +as it did the crew. He fumed only as seamen can +fume, and vowed, in the extremity of his anger, that +he would perpetrate, Heaven only knew, what extent +of cruelty,—which he never meant,—upon the insolent +pirates, if he once had them in his power.</p> + +<p>When calmer moments, however, succeeded to his +wrathful feelings of disappointment, he began to think +deeply on the course which it was prudent to adopt, in +order to have a probable chance of capturing or destroying +the schooner. The batteries and the crew of the +ship, he rightly concluded, were of no use against an +enemy that was sufficiently wise and experienced always +to keep beyond the range of his guns; and, as for overtaking +the schooner, it was a matter of absolute impossibility.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23"></a>[23]</span> +He could decide on no clear plan. He, therefore, +resolved, in that conjuncture, to sail about in those +parts under little canvass, and trust to accident for a +means of capturing the pirate vessel. The ship was, +therefore, kept under only a part of her sails that +whole night, and she moved almost imperceptibly.</p> + +<p>At the first dawn of the next morning, watches +were sent up the masts, and the horizon was carefully +surveyed in search of the enemy which night had +shrouded. Nothing was to be seen. The watch was, +nevertheless, continued.</p> + +<p>About four hours after sunrise, a vessel could be +barely distinguished on the horizon. It was steering +in the direction of the man-of-war. It rapidly approached, +and as it drew nearer and nearer, it was discovered to +be a long, low, sharp-built brig, with white port-holes, +apparently a Mediterranean trader. She sailed so fast, +that within three hours from the time when she was first +discovered, she was opposite the large ship. She passed +her at a short distance, but beyond the range of her +guns.</p> + +<p>The man-of-war immediately hoisted her ensign as a +signal to the brig to show her colours; in answer to this +signal, the strange vessel hoisted the Mexican flag.</p> + +<p>The extraordinary speed of the strange brig, her low<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24"></a>[24]</span> +hull, the more than ordinary symmetry of her make and +rigging, could not pass unobserved. They at once +attracted the notice, and called forth the admiration of +the sailors on board of the man-of-war; and leaning +carelessly on the bulwarks, they were studying the +beautiful brig before them, and were viewing her with +the delight that seamen experience when they see a fine +vessel.</p> + +<p>“If that ain’t that ere identical pirate customer as we +chased yesterday,” said an old grey-headed sailor, gravely, +as he stood looking at her, “it’s one of the same sort, I +know.”</p> + +<p>“What are you saying, now,” asked a young man +next to him.</p> + +<p>“Why, the vessel we chased yesterday was a fore-and-aft +schooner, and this one is a brig: where are your +eyes?”</p> + +<p>“Is this all you know?” inquired the old tar, indifferently, +with a slight satirical smile. “Well, let me tell +you, younker, that them ere customers change their +skins, just like snakes, by G—d; and these eyes of mine +that you inquire of, winked at a sou-wester long before +you knowed what was what, my boy,” and the old +seaman walked away to attend to some passing occupation, +while, from time to time, he cast a stealthy look<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25"></a>[25]</span> +from under his spreading straw hat, at the vessel he +seemed to hold in suspicion.</p> + +<p>This feeling towards the Mexican brig was not confined +to the common sailors alone: all seamen have an eye +for the beautiful in ships. The commander himself was +struck by the remarkably fine proportions of the vessel. +He interrupted his habitual walk to gaze at her.</p> + +<p>“A fine craft that is, Charles,” said he to his son.</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir,” replied the latter, “a very beautiful +model.”</p> + +<p>“Look at her run, what a beautiful stern, and how +sharp at the bows!” continued the old gentleman, with +enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>“And how remarkably fast she sails, too,” rejoined +Charles.</p> + +<p>“Hum!” remarked the old gentlemen, “she seems +very light to be a trader.”</p> + +<p>“It strikes me so, too,” replied Charles.</p> + +<p>“The merchant who could have built that vessel to +carry cocoa and coffee, must have been a very great +fool, Charles,” continued the commander, still looking +at the tidy brig that was sailing away magnificently +before him.</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir.”</p> + +<p>“I begin to have my suspicions, Charles,” resumed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26"></a>[26]</span> +the commander, after a pause, “that Mexican flag protects +many a rascal: I shall make the fellow heave to.”</p> + +<p>So saying, he ordered a gun to be fired, as a signal to +the brig to lie to. The report of the huge machine of +destruction rang over the waters, and the shot skipped +the waves and sank. The suspicious brig paid no +attention to it, but held her course, and, in four hours’ +time, went out of sight, leaving the commander in now +stronger suspicion with regard to her nature and character, +and, in a furious rage into which he was thrown by +the cool contempt with which his command was treated. +He looked at the brig that was leaving his vessel behind, +as if the latter was at anchor, and fretted, when he considered +that his large ship was unable to enforce his +order on account of its comparative slowness. With +greater impatience than reason he looked only at +what was, for the moment, a defect in the large man-of-war, +and forgot, at the time, that if the two small +vessels which had so mortified him, those two consecutive +days, had over his ship the accident of speed, +she, in her turn, possessed the infinitely more serviceable +advantage of greater strength and more heavy +metal.</p> + +<p>“Well, younker,” said the same old sailor of the +morning, to the same young man who had doubted his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27"></a>[27]</span> +penetration, “well, younker, what do you think of that +ere customer now, eh? He has the wind in his maintopsail, +has’nt he? and seems to have plenty of pride +of his own, and won’t speak to nobody. Ay, ay, them +customers, never throw away words or shots, I know. +Come, younker, I’ll give you another wrinkle,” continued +the old tar.</p> + +<p>“Well, let’s have it?”</p> + +<p>“Mark my word,” continued the old sailor, in a low +and mysterious tone, “if you don’t see that ere customer +again, before long, my name is not what it is, I +know,” and winking impressively on his hearers, he +rolled away chuckling with self-satisfaction.</p> + +<p>The man-of-war continued there the remaining portion +of that day and the night which ensued: nothing +happened, during that period of time, to relieve the +longing anxiety of the man-of-war’s people.</p> + +<p>The next morning the usual watches were again sent +up the masts. About noon, a vessel came in sight. It +was steering, like the one of the previous day, directly +towards the man-of-war; and seemed to approach her +with an equal degree of speed. As she drew nearer and +nearer, she was made out to be a light brigantine, such +as those that are to be seen on the Mediterranean. +Strange, however, the hull and make seemed to be the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28"></a>[28]</span> +same as those of the vessel spoken the day before: but +the new comer, instead of painted port-holes, had but a +plain white streak.</p> + +<p>The men evinced the same admiration for this “craft,” +to use their own term, as they did for the one of the +day before. There was, however, such a striking +similarity in the hulls of the two vessels, that their +admiration soon gave place to a feeling of mixed surprise +and suspicion.</p> + +<p>“What can those two crafts be?” they mutually +asked each other.</p> + +<p>“They are men-of-war,” some answered: “but where +are the port-holes of this customer?”</p> + +<p>“By jingo! I think they are pleasure boats,” said one.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, they look to me like Malaga boats,” said +another.</p> + +<p>“But they are of the same make,” observed a third.</p> + +<p>“Ay, ay, don’t you see they are sister-vessels, fools, +and are on the same voyage?” said another, gravely, +who, up to that time, had maintained unbroken silence, +and had, with the aid of a serious aspect, looked wisdom +itself.</p> + +<p>“Ay, that’s it, that’s it,” they all cried, at this suggestion, +“they belong to the same owner, and are on the +same voyage.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29"></a>[29]</span></p> + +<p>All seemed to concur in this opinion, except the same +old sailor, who, on the previous day, regarded the +Mexican brig with so much suspicion. He seemed to +entertain doubts about this new vessel, as he did with +regard to the other.</p> + +<p>“Well, younker, what do you think of this fresh +gentleman, now?” he said, satirically, to the unfortunate +young man who had offended his self-esteem, and +who seemed now to be entirely devoted to the revengeful +ridicule of that elder son of Neptune.</p> + +<p>“Don’t know,” was the crabbed reply.</p> + +<p>“Don’t know, eh? you will know, perhaps, when +them young eyes of yours have squinted oftner at the +sun, my hearty, hi, hi, hi!”</p> + +<p>The brigantine drew nearer and nearer, and seemed +carefully to measure the same distance at which the brig +of the day before had passed. She came with her sails +filled with the fresh breeze, and was passing the man-of-war, +when one of the heavy guns of the large vessel was +fired. The shot fell across the brigantine’s bows, but at +some distance from her.</p> + +<p>Her sails still bellied with the wind; she still skipped +along, and the beautiful and pure white wavelets of +foam still swelled on each of her sides.</p> + +<p>“Who the devil you may be, I shall have you to-day,”<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_30"></a>[30]</span> +said the commander, looking intently fierce at the +brigantine. “Give him another shot.”</p> + +<p>Another deafening report was heard, and the grey +smoke shrouded for a moment the dark riggings of the +war-vessel, and then grew thinner and thinner, and rose +above her masts.</p> + +<p>A moment after, four flags ran up the peak of the +brigantine.</p> + +<p>“Ho! read what the fellow says, Mr. Cypher,” cried +the commander, with no small degree of excitement, +“he hears what we can say, I see.”</p> + +<p>Mr. Cypher took the telescope.</p> + +<p>“Y,” he said, “O,” he continued, “U,”—“YOU,” +he proclaimed, with a loud voice.</p> + +<p>“Hoist the answering pendant:” it was done.</p> + +<p>The first four flags of the brigantine were now lowered, +and four others hoisted in their place.</p> + +<p>“A,” proceeded Mr. Cypher, deciphering the new +signal, “R,” “E,”—“ARE,”—“you are.”</p> + +<p>“Hoist the answering pendant:” it was done again.</p> + +<p>The four flags were again lowered on board the +brigantine, and four new ones were again hoisted. They +were read, and were found to signify ‘too.’</p> + +<p>“What can the fellow want to say?” inquired the +commander, vaguely: “answer his signal.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_31"></a>[31]</span></p> + +<p>The signal was answered, and other flags were again +hoisted on board the brigantine. When all the signals +were taken together, they read—</p> + +<p>“You are too far, your guns don’t carry.”</p> + +<p>While at the conclusion of the process of exchanging +signals, the broad black flag, with its head and bones, +was spread over the mainsail.</p> + +<p>“The rascals,” muttered the old commander, as he +moved away from the bulwarks, with indignant disgust, +“it is the same set, may the devil take them!”</p> + +<p>“Ha, younker, what d’you see now, eh? You will +believe old Jack Gangway another time, I know,” said +the same old sailor, who all along had been so knowing +and so suspicious.</p> + +<p>“Crack on, crack on,” cried the old commander, “and +haul your wind, we may edge up to her on a close bowline, +and let her feel our metal.”</p> + +<p>All the sails of the large vessel were now set. She +was drawn closely to the wind, and leaned under the +fresh breeze.</p> + +<p>No sooner was this manœuvre completed, than the +brigantine’s sails were also trimmed, her long yards +were braced sharp; her vast mainsail was pulled in +almost on a line with her rudder, and her head was put +almost into the point of the wind itself, or, as seamen<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_32"></a>[32]</span> +would designate it, into the “eye of the wind,” her +stern was turned to the ship-of-war, and as she gradually +left the latter behind, other four flags ran along the +signal line. When read they said—</p> + +<p>“Au revoir.”</p> + +<p>And the black flag rose and fell, rose and fell again, +at the mocking ceremony, that was intended to +accompany this salutation.</p> + +<p>This chase continued the rest of the day. The hours +quickly fleeted by, and when gauzy twilight had shed its +soothing and dreamy haze around, a few waves of the +pirate’s flag, might still be dimly perceived, like the +trembling of the phantom—leaves of dream; and then +darkness spread its shrouding mantle over the ocean.</p> + +<p class="tb">The sun had risen, the man-of-war was lying-to under +one or two sails, the others had been taken in during +the night; at some distance in the direction, in which +the brigantine had disappeared, a vessel, apparently a +wreck, was to be seen. She was a barque: portions of +her masts were broken away; her rigging was slack, +loose, and dry; her racketty yards waved from one +direction to the other, as she clumsily rolled into the +trough of the sea, or rose heavily on its crest. Their<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_33"></a>[33]</span> +braces dangled loosely and neglectedly about, and either +dragged overboard, or swung with a spring from one +part of the deck to the other. In keeping with her +disordered gear, her hull itself exhibited the greatest +neglect and uncleanliness: the barnacles grew unmolested, +to a considerable height, and the marks of the +lee-water from the cuppers, stained her sides. The +few sails which still remained on the unsteady yards +were tattered and worn, and tied up in the oddest +manner imaginable. The vessel had her English ensign +tied upside down, in token of distress, on the little that +remained of the mainmast’s rigging: an indication, +which was not by any means required, in as much +as the miserable manner in which she rolled about, was +quite sufficient in itself, to tell that she was in a +wretched condition.</p> + +<p>As soon as the distressed vessel was perceived, signals +were made to her to launch her boats, and to send alongside; +but they seemed to be either not understood, or +the people of the barque had no means of answering +them.</p> + +<p>But one solitary individual was to be seen standing +on its deck, at the gangway, and wistfully looking +towards the man-of-war.</p> + +<p>The commander was not willing to launch any of his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_34"></a>[34]</span> +boats, he had, during the three or four days that had +lately expired been so much cheated by pirates, that he +was now made more than ordinarily cautious, and he +repeated his signals, and waited many hours, either to +have them answered, or to force the people of the +distressed ship to launch their boat and come alongside +his vessel: but neither the one thing or the other was +done.</p> + +<p>“These fellows can’t be cheats,” he said, “else they +would have sailed away, though, it strikes me, it would +be difficult for them to spread a sail on those yards of +theirs,” said the commander, as his good feelings began +to press upon him.</p> + +<p>“They may be starved to death, or ill, have a boat +launched, sir,” said he to the officer, after this short +soliloquy, “and let them pull to those poor fellows. +Tell the officer he must not let any of the men go on +board, he may do so himself, if he thinks it necessary.”</p> + +<p>Joyfully the true-hearted sailors, eager to succour +their suffering brothers, lowered a boat, which a moment +afterwards was bounding away in the direction of the +distressed vessel.</p> + +<p>They soon approached near enough to admit of speaking, +and at his order, the men rested on their oars to +allow the midshipman in command to hail the barque.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_35"></a>[35]</span></p> + +<p>“What ship is that?” asked the midshipman.</p> + +<p>“The Sting,” answered the solitary individual, who +was standing at the gangway.</p> + +<p>“Where from, and whither bound?”</p> + +<p>“From Pernambuco to Liverpool,” answered the individual.</p> + +<p>“What cargo?” demanded the midshipman.</p> + +<p>“Cayenne pepper,” answered the individual.</p> + +<p>“What is the matter with you?” asked the midshipman.</p> + +<p>“Have been boarded by pirates—by a Black Schooner—men +cut down in defending the vessel—the pirates +left but me and another man, who is now ill below—they +took away every thing,” answered the individual.</p> + +<p>“It must be those same devils of pirates,” whispered +the boatmen one to the other, “who have raked that +cove; what fellows they seem to be, we will singe them +some of those days though—be damn’d if we don’t.”</p> + +<p>“If you would only let one of your men come on +board for a moment to help me trim the yards, I +should be all right,” added the individual at the gangway.</p> + +<p>“Hum!” muttered the young midshipman; “that’s +not much, but I fancy, old boy, you will do yourself no +good in setting your sails, unless you wish the wind to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_36"></a>[36]</span> +help you take them in. Pull along side, men,” he said, after +a second or two, “I shall go on deck and help him.”</p> + +<p>The boat soon boarded the vessel.</p> + +<p>“Keep the boat off,” said the officer, as he grasped the +ropes of the steps.</p> + +<p>“Ay, ay, sir,” said the boatswain, and the boat was +shoved off from the vessel.</p> + +<p>A shrill sound was heard, the apparent sides of the +distressed barque opened, the stern fell heavily into the +water, the racketty yards and old ropes went over the side, +and from amidst the wreck of the skeleton ship, the Black +Schooner sprang forth as she felt the power of her snow-white +sails, which, with the rapidity of lightning, had +now clothed her tall masts.</p> + +<p>This metamorphosis was so sudden, that the schooner +had already begun to move before the boatmen comprehended +the change. They quickly pulled alongside, and +fastened their hooks, but no hand of man could hold +them. They were all torn away by the speed with which +the schooner went. Every man in his turn let go his +hold, and the boat, with its angry crew, was left +floating far behind in the wake of the flying schooner.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_37"></a>[37]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“Demand me nothing; what you know you know;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">From this time forth I never will speak word.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Othello.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“Torments will ope your lips,”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Ibid.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>After he had been defeated by the untoward accident +of the shark in his attempt to rescue his captive +chief, Lorenzo betook himself on board the schooner, a +victim to disappointment and disgust.</p> + +<p>He felt irresistibly inclined to break out in the most +violent terms, and hurried down into his cabin as soon +as he got on the deck of the schooner. He then partially +gave vent to his feelings by speaking almost +aloud.</p> + +<p>“It would have been bearable,” he said, “bearable, if +we had fought, and had been driven back; but to be +foiled at the very moment when we were completing a +breach, by a brute of a shark: confound it, and all<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_38"></a>[38]</span> +other sharks, the brutes!” and thrusting his hand +deeply into the bosom of his coat, he paced rapidly up and +down his narrow cabin, while, from time to time, his lips +moved violently as if he were repeating his anathemas +against the particular shark and all the others.</p> + +<p>This fit, however, did not continue long.</p> + +<p>Schooled under the continual insecurity and danger +which attended the life that he led, in which safety +itself demanded the exercise of the greatest foresight +and calmness, he speedily curbed his instinctive impulses +of rage, and immediately began to deliberate with coolness +and precision on the next measures which it was +requisite for him to take.</p> + +<p>He did not deliberate long. Accustomed to act in +the face of danger, and to oppose his ready resources to +sudden contingencies, he never required much time to +debate with himself on the best and most prudent course +to be adopted under unforeseen circumstances of danger. +At this conjuncture, he resolved to watch the man-of-war +closely, and to embrace the very first opportunity +either to steal away Appadocca, or to rescue him at a +calculated sacrifice of some of his men. For that purpose, +the schooner was kept in the same position in which +she was, until, as we have seen, the man-of-war made +the descent upon her. Lorenzo purposely awaited the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_39"></a>[39]</span> +approach of the large vessel, so that he might have the +opportunity of keeping, as he intended, close to the +man-of-war. Nothing ever escaped the disciplined +vigilance of the pirates, and although they seemed to be +taken by surprise, still they had their eyes all the time +on the movements of the pursuing vessel; and, as the +reader has seen, disappointed so signally the encouraged +expectations of its crew and commander.</p> + +<p>When night had put an end to the chase of that day, +Lorenzo put his men busily at work.</p> + +<p>In a few moments, the ordinary sails of the Black +Schooner were symmetrically folded within the smallest +imaginable size, and carefully covered up at the foot of +each of the masts, and from under the deck, yards, +cordage, and sails for a square-rigged vessel were brought +up, and, in as short a time, the thin tapering masts were +seen garnished with the numerous ropes, yards, and sails +of a full-rigged brig; while, to complete the metamorphosis, +stripes of new canvass were carefully cut in the +shape of the imitation port-holes, which are generally +painted on the sides of merchant vessels, and were closely +fastened to the sides of the Black Schooner, and adjusted +in such a careful manner as to conceal completely the +guns of the disguised vessel.</p> + +<p>It was in this guise that the Black Schooner<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_40"></a>[40]</span> +passed before the man-of-war, and showed Mexican +colors.</p> + +<p>After Lorenzo had closely reconnoitered his pursuer, +and had raised the suspicion which procured him the +salute of a gun, he again sailed away out of sight, and +with the same expedition as of the night before, the +mainmast of the apparent brig was immediately divested +of its yards, and, in their places, the sharp sails of a +schooner were again set. In the rig of a brigantine, the +Black Schooner again passed before the man-of-war.</p> + +<p>But these distant surveys, for caution prevented him +from going within the range of the ship’s guns, were not +sufficient to satisfy Lorenzo, who now began to suffer +under the most impatient anxiety with regard to the +safety of his chief and friend.</p> + +<p>The brave officer feared, that annoyed by his inability +to overtake the schooner, the commander of the ship +might, perhaps, have immediately ordered the execution +of his prisoner; that Appadocca might, by that time, +have been dealt with in the summary manner in which +pirates were usually treated, and had been hanged on +the yard-arm without accusation, hearing, or judgment.</p> + +<p>“If so,” cried Lorenzo, as this fear grew more and +more upon him, “if so, I swear, by the living G—d, that +I shall burn that large vessel to the very keel, and shall<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_41"></a>[41]</span> +not spare one, not a single one of its numerous crew to +tell the tale—cost what it may, by G—d, I’ll do it.”</p> + +<p>To procure information, therefore, about the fate of +one whom he loved as a brother: and in order to satisfy +his doubts, he resolved at once on taking one or two of +the man-of-war’s men, and settled on the expedient of +the distressed barque, with which the reader has just +been made acquainted.</p> + +<p>The young midshipman had no sooner laid his foot on +the deck of the disguised schooner, before he was strongly +grasped by the powerful arm of a man who had been +carefully concealed behind the false bulwarks of the +skeleton barque, while the voice of Jim Splice—it was +the man—whispered in his ear,—</p> + +<p>“Don’t resist, young countryman, all right.”</p> + +<p>But as soon as the first impulse of the young officer +had passed away, and he discovered that he was left on +board a vessel which presented an unmistakable appearance +of being engaged in some forbidden trade, and +when he saw before him numbers of fierce-looking, +armed men, he struggled for a moment, and succeeded +in drawing his sword. But Lorenzo, the formerly +solitary man on the deck of the distressed vessel, calmly +stepped up to him, and said,—</p> + +<p>“Young gentleman, be not alarmed, no violence will<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_42"></a>[42]</span> +be done to you: sheath your sword,” and casting his +eyes around on the men, continued, “you see, it will +not be of much service to you against such odds.”</p> + +<p>“Who are you?” peevishly inquired the young +officer, “what do you intend to do with me?”</p> + +<p>“I shall soon tell you,” replied Lorenzo, “if you will +be good enough to accompany me to my cabin.”</p> + +<p>“What cabin? and what to do? You may cut my +throat here,” said the midshipman, angrily.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you would not be so unreasonable,” remarked +Lorenzo, softly, “if you were to hear the little +that I have to inquire of you: pray, come with me.”</p> + +<p>“I shall not go with you,” angrily rejoined the midshipman, +“I am in the hands of pirates, I know. You +may murder me, where I am, but I shall not go down +with you to any cabin.”</p> + +<p>“Then stay where you are,” coolly answered Lorenzo, +and he walked away to the after part of the schooner, +and ordered Jim Splice to let go the young man.</p> + +<p>The older sailor relaxed his grasp, but availed himself +of the opportunity which he now had, to whisper in +the ears of the midshipman—</p> + +<p>“Don’t attempt to crow too high here, shipmate, +else you will get the worst of it, ’d’ye hear?”</p> + +<p>And the old tar winked his eye to the young midshipman.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_43"></a>[43]</span> +The familiar sign of knowingness contrasted +strangely with the terrible moustachios and beard with +which Jim Splice had deemed it characteristic to ornament +his homely and good-natured old face.</p> + +<p>In the mean time all sail was set, and the man-of-war +was left far behind. The sailors had now again posted +themselves at their regular stations, and the ordinary +quiet had now succeeded to the short excitement of +making sail. The midshipman was still standing in the +same spot where Lorenzo had left him. His anger, +however, had evaporated to a considerable extent, under +the wise prescription of leaving the angry man to himself, +which Lorenzo was wise enough to make, and like +all men who are not absolutely fools, the midshipman +had thrown off as much as possible of that wasting and +useless attendant—rage, as soon as his first impulses had +somewhat subsided.</p> + +<p>Instead of continuing in that dogged sulkiness, in +which he had been left by Lorenzo, he was now examining, +with an interested eye, the make, rigging, and +equipment of the strange schooner.</p> + +<p>It was at this moment that a steward approached him, +and inquired if he was then at leisure to attend his +master in his cabin, and led the way to the part of the +vessel in which that was situated. The midshipman,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_44"></a>[44]</span> +without answering, followed. Lorenzo was already +there, waiting for him. The officer politely stood, +bowed to the stranger, pointed to a cabin chair: the +midshipman seated himself.</p> + +<p>“Before mentioning the business for which I have +entrapped you, young gentleman,” said Lorenzo, “I +must tell you, that you need be under no apprehension +as long as you are on board this schooner, and that you +shall receive the proper treatment that one gentleman +owes to another, unless, it is understood, you force us, +by your own conduct, to act otherwise than we usually +do.”</p> + +<p>“Gentleman! how dare you compare yourself to me, +and call yourself a gentleman?” said the midshipman, +with more of impulse than of reason.</p> + +<p>Like one who has disciplined his mind to pursue his +purposes with a stedfast straightness which is not to be +diverted by any accident, though not, perhaps, without +some disdain for the immoderation of the young man, +the pirate officer heeded not his last remark, but proceeded +as if he had not heard it.</p> + +<p>“My purpose for enticing you on board this vessel, is +to procure information about my chief, who is now a +prisoner on board the ship to which you belong. You +will be good enough to give clear and categorical<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_45"></a>[45]</span> +answers to the questions which I shall put to +you.”</p> + +<p>This was said in a firm, although cool tone.</p> + +<p>“What? do you imagine,” inquired the young officer, +with scorn, “I am going to tell to a pirate what takes +place on board a vessel in which I have the honor to +serve? By Jove, no!—it is hard enough to be kidnapped +by a set of rascals, without being asked to play +traitor and spy, to boot. But—”</p> + +<p>“Cease this nonsense,” interposed Lorenzo, “you +waste time, answer me first, is Appadocca alive?”</p> + +<p>“I shall not give you any information,” peevishly +replied the young officer.</p> + +<p>“I do not see,” remarked Lorenzo, mildly, and almost +paternally, “I do not see that it can possibly affect your +honor if you give me a very simple answer to a very +simple question. I ask, if Emmanuel Appadocca is +alive?”</p> + +<p>“I shall answer you nothing,” said the midshipman, +insultingly.</p> + +<p>“Shall answer me nothing,” calmly echoed Lorenzo, +while, like the still and steady terrors of an earthquake, +the signs of anger were now fast gathering on his brow. +He reflected a moment.</p> + +<p>“Young man,” he said firmly, “men do not usually<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_46"></a>[46]</span> +speak with negatives to me, or such as I am. You seem +disposed to run great risks—risks, of the nature of which +you are not, perhaps, aware. Let me caution you again; +I put my former question,—is the captain of this +schooner, who is now a prisoner on board the ship to +which you belong, alive and safe?”</p> + +<p>“I have said I shall answer none of your questions,” +replied the midshipman, “trouble me no more.”</p> + +<p>The pirate officer rose, and drew forth a massive gold +watch.</p> + +<p>“You see,” said he, pointing to the time-piece, “that +the minute-hand is now on twelve, when it reaches the +spot which marks the quarter-of-an-hour, I shall expect +an answer. In the meantime make your reflections. +If you wish for any refreshment speak to the man outside, +and you shall have whatever you desire.” So saying, +the officer rose, made a slight bow, and left the cabin.</p> + +<p>The young officer being left alone, seemed by no +means inclined to trouble himself about the last speech +of the pirate officer. He moved about the cabin restlessly. +Sometimes he stopped to examine one object, and +then another.</p> + +<p>No further thought than that of the moment seemed +to intrude on his mind; and the consequence of his persistence +in refusing to answer the questions of the pirate<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_47"></a>[47]</span> +officer never seemed to break in upon him. The levity +of youth was, perhaps, one of the principal causes of this +strange carelessness. He was also highly swayed by the +notions which he had gathered from among those in +whose society he lived. These led him to entertain an +extravagant idea of his own importance, which, among +other things, could not admit of accepting terms from +the officer of any nation that was lower than his own, +and, least of all, from a villainous pirate. He, therefore, +affected to treat the pirate officer with a contempt, +which it was as inexpedient to show, as it was silly to +entertain.</p> + +<p>He was moving about in the temper which we have +described, when the door of the cabin opened, and +Lorenzo entered. He moved up to the upper part of +the cabin, and seated himself.</p> + +<p>“Will you now answer my question?” he demanded, +“the hand is on the quarter.”</p> + +<p>“I have already told you, no,” replied the youth.</p> + +<p>Lorenzo called—an attendant appeared.</p> + +<p>“Let the officer of the watch send down four men,” +he said.</p> + +<p>The attendant retired. In a few moments four men, +under the command of a junior officer, entered the cabin. +Lorenzo stood—pointed to the midshipman—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_48"></a>[48]</span></p> + +<p>“Torture him until he speaks,” he said, and abruptly +left the cabin.</p> + +<p>The pirates silently advanced on their victim.</p> + +<p>“The first man that dares approach me, shall die +under this sword,” shrieked the midshipman, furiously, +and brandished his sword, madly. Still the pirates +advanced more closely to him. They beat down his +guard, surrounded him, and, in the twinkling of an eye, +he was bound hand and foot. Lifting him bodily, the +pirates carried him on their shoulders out of the cabin.</p> + +<p>He was then taken to a narrow compartment at the +very bows of the vessel, that was, it seemed, the torture-room.</p> + +<p>The appearance of the room was sufficient to strike +one at once with an idea of the bloody and cruel deeds +that might be perpetrated there. It was a narrow cabin +into which the light could never penetrate; for there +was no opening either for that or for fresh air. The +small door which led into it was narrow and low: it +turned on a spring, and seemed so difficult to be opened, +that one was forced to imagine that it was either loth to +let out those that had once got in, or that it was +eager to close in for ever upon those that might enter +through it.</p> + +<p>The deck was scoured as white as chalk, and, like the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_49"></a>[49]</span> +shops of cleanly butchers in the morning, was scattered +over with sand. The sides of the cabin, as if to augment +the darkness that already reigned, were painted a +dark, sombre, and gloomy colour, which was here and +there stained by the damp.</p> + +<p>In contrast to this prevalent hue of frightful black, +hung a variety of exquisitely-polished torturing instruments. +Cruelty, or expediency, or necessity, seems to +have exhausted its power of invention in designing them, +so different were they in form, and so horridly suited to +the purpose of giving pain.</p> + +<p>These seemed to frown malignantly on those who +entered that narrow place; and the imagination might +even trace, in their burnished hue, and high efficient +condition, a morbid desire, or longing, to be used.</p> + +<p>To make the “darkness visible,” and to reveal the +horror of the place, an old bronzed lamp hung from +the beams of the upper deck, and threw a faint and +sickly light around.</p> + +<p>In the centre of this cabin lay a long, narrow, and +deep box, which was garnished within with millions of +sharp-pointed spikes. The torture which the victim +suffered in this machine, was a continued pricking from +the spikes, against which he was every moment suddenly +and violently driven by the lurching of the vessel.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_50"></a>[50]</span></p> + +<p>In this the midshipman was immediately thrown, and +he shrieked the shriek of the dying when he was roughly +thrown on the sharp instruments.</p> + +<p>“Hell! hell! the torments of hell,” he yelled out, as +the sharp spikes pierced him to the quick.</p> + +<p>As he made an effort to turn, he increased his agony, +and as the vessel heaved, the points went deeper and +deeper into his flesh.</p> + +<p>Already the suffering of the young man was at its +height, and by the livid light of the glimmering lamp, +large drops of death-like sweat, could now be seen +flowing over his pallid face, which was locked in excruciating +pain.</p> + +<p>“Oh, God!” he cried, frantic with suffering, “Heaven +save me.”</p> + +<p>His executioners stood around immovable, calm, and +fierce, as they always were, more like demons sucking +in the pleasure of mortals’ pains, than men.</p> + +<p>The young man seemed maddened with pain, his +shrieks pierced through even the close sides of the +torture-room.</p> + +<p>“Will you speak?” inquired the officer.</p> + +<p>“Yes—no. Oh, good God! No—yes: curse you +all—you devils; you demons—d—n you,” were the +frenzied replies.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_51"></a>[51]</span></p> + +<p>An hour passed; his pains and shrieks continued; +albeit the latter now grew fainter and fewer. Nature +could endure no more; his nervous system sank under +pain and exhaustion, and he swooned.</p> + +<p>The pirates removed him, and plied him with restoratives, +and he gradually revived.</p> + +<p>The suffering of the midshipman had produced a +weakening effect upon him, such as disease produces on +the strongest minds; it had destroyed his hot and fierce +spirit. Yes, the pain of the body had conquered the +resolution of the mind, and after the first torturing, the +young officer was less spirited, less boisterous, and less +impatient.</p> + +<p>Animation had scarcely returned, when the wretched +victim was again thrown on the spikes which, piercing +through his fresh wounds, added still more to the agony +which he had before endured. The pain this time was +not bearable.</p> + +<p>“Oh! save me from this,” the young man cried, convulsively, +“kill me at once.”</p> + +<p>“We want not your life, what good is that to us?” +replied the junior officer in command of the pirates, “we +wish only to hear about our captain, who may be at this +moment undergoing the same pains as you.”</p> + +<p>“Then remove me, and I shall speak. No, yes, no, yes.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_52"></a>[52]</span></p> + +<p>“You will then cease to play the fool at your own +cost,” was the laconic and unsympathising reply of the +above-mentioned officer, who, at the same time, dispatched +one of his men to report that the prisoner was +willing to speak.</p> + +<p>Lorenzo, in a few moments, crept into the narrow +room.</p> + +<p>“Will you now answer my question?” he inquired +of the victim.</p> + +<p>“Yes.”</p> + +<p>“Is the captain alive and safe?”</p> + +<p>“Yes.”</p> + +<p>“What are the intentions of your captain about +him?”</p> + +<p>“To—oh! take me away from these spikes: oh! these +cursed spikes.”</p> + +<p>“Speak.”</p> + +<p>“To take him to Trinidad, to be tried.”</p> + +<p>“When is your ship to direct her course to that +place?—Take him out, men.”</p> + +<p>The victim was taken out.</p> + +<p>“She was—oh! what happiness—she was to do so, +to-day.”</p> + +<p>“That’s enough. Young man, I admire your spirit: +it might be developed into something useful under<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_53"></a>[53]</span> +proper discipline; as you are, at present, you are only a +slave of impulses, that are as wild as your original self. +Take him to the surgeon’s room.”</p> + +<p>Giving this order to his men, Lorenzo left the cabin +of torture.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_54"></a>[54]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“If I do lose thee, I do lose a thing</div> + <div class="verse indent0">That none but fools would keep; a breath thou art,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Servile to all the skyey influences,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">That dost this habitation where thou keepest</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Hourly afflict:”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Measure for Measure.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>When the men of the man-of-war pulled on board, +after their young officer had been entrapped into the +schooner, and reported the occurrence to the commander, +notwithstanding the great command which, considering +his life and avocation, he had over himself, he flew into +a violent passion. The success which had, up to that +time, attended the pirates, either in flying from him, or +in outwitting him, had already tried his patience to the +utmost. To have met an enemy equally armed, to have +tried the fortune of a fight with him, and to have been +beaten would not, perhaps, have had such a mortifying +effect on the mind of the old commander as to have been<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_55"></a>[55]</span> +subjected to the tantalizing deceptions and mocking +cunning of the pirates.</p> + +<p>He walked the deck as furiously as his gouty old +limbs would carry him, and spoke to himself in a voice +that was hoarse with passion.</p> + +<p>“First,” said he, “the blackguards waited until I was +just about to give the order to fire, and then sprang out +of my reach. Then their d—n—d schooner sailed so +fast, and this tub of a thing was so slow, that by G—d, +by making the masts creak again, I could not force her +to move faster; while all the time those d—n—d +villains were playing about me, and amusing themselves +at my expense: the devil take them. Then the rascals +went, and took down their own sails, and rigged themselves +up in a brig’s canvass, and passed by me—fool as +I was. I showed the blackguards bunting, instead of +sending a broad-side into them at once, d—n them; and +now, at noon-day, when the sun is high in the heavens, +when every man can see fifty miles before him, I have +let those rascals come almost alongside, and kidnap one +of my officers. D—n them, d—n them.</p> + +<p>“I tell you what it is, Charles,” continued the old +gentleman, red in the face with rage, “the weight of a +feather in my mind would make me hang—by G—d, +yes—hang at once that astronomical friend of yours;<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_56"></a>[56]</span> +hang, I say, on one yard-arm, and that d—n—d rascally +looking father of his on the other: for it is these fellows, +d—n them, that have been the cause of my being +insulted and duped by a set of ruffianly cut-throats,” +and the old man walked the deck even still more violently +than before.</p> + +<p>His son, who had listened to this explosion, was too +prudent to interrupt it or to reply to it.</p> + +<p>He knew his father: he knew that, like the generality +of persons of a warm, generous, frank and open disposition, +his outbreaks were as furious and unmeaning, while +they lasted, as they were short-lived; he, therefore, +remained silent, and permitted the fit to exhaust +itself.</p> + +<p>“Hark you,” continued the commander in a tone +that indicated a subsiding of the paroxysm, “let the +course of the vessel be changed immediately, and let us +go to Trinidad. I shall not be lumbered with rascally +pirates, and villainous planters, on board my ship. My +vessel was made to fight better foes than these scurvy +sea-thieves. Crowd on canvass, crowd on canvass, and +let us steer for Trinidad at once, and deliver these foul +fellows into the hands of the lawyers. But first, call up +that friend of yours: a fine companion for a British +officer, Mr. Charles—a very fine companion!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_57"></a>[57]</span></p> + +<p>“You forget, sir,” meekly remarked his son, “that +when I knew Appadocca he was not a pirate.”</p> + +<p>“Well, well, that will do, let the man be brought +before me.”</p> + +<p>In a short time Appadocca, under the charge of two +marines, was led into the presence of the commander.</p> + +<p>Imprisonment and anxiety, if he was still capable of +of feeling the latter, seemed to have had no effect upon +him. His calmness, his cynicism was the same. Solitude, +which to other men is at best but dreary, and is +ordinarily but the provocative of reflections which may, +perhaps, be embittered by the events and scenes which +they recall—solitude which, to Appadocca in particular, +one might suppose could have been only an encouragement +to musings, which were likely to be attended if not +with sorrow, at least with but little happiness, appeared +to have had no effect on him. He seemed, if we can use +the expression, but to enjoy his own misanthropic seclusion, +and as for the circumstance that he was a prisoner, +that made no change in him. He looked upon every +position with the eye of fatalism, ay, and of that fatalism +which does not arise from the obligation of any religious +creed, but which is the tasteless fruit of a long series of +disappointments and calamities—the fatalism of despondent +resignation.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_58"></a>[58]</span></p> + +<p>Such a feeling has influenced more than one mortal +in his earthly career. Full many a warrior, whose +praises are now chimed through an admiring world, has +gone forth to achieve wonders, to conquer, and to be +great, with such a sentiment rooted in his heart. Full +many a conqueror has let loose the eaglet of his ambition, +without seeing the rock or prominence on which +the still young and strengthless master of the far skies +could rest, save, indeed, the shadowy foot-hold that +hope could fancy to discover in the sombre workings +of inscrutable fate.</p> + +<p>Such was the feeling of Emmanuel Appadocca, the +pirate captain: such was the strengthening thought +which buoyed and supported him in the unnatural +career into which cruelty and unkindness had drawn him, +and that idea imparted to him equanimity under all adversities, +courage and valour in the fight, unscrupulousness +in according judgment, boldness in working retribution, +and stoicism in imprisonment.</p> + +<p>“Tell me, sir,” said the commander, endeavouring to +resume as much of his native dignity as his heated blood +would permit him; “tell me, sir, in what bay those +lawless men—the pirates who follow you—hide themselves, +and where I can surprise them. I expect the +truth from you, sir, although you may denounce your +associates by speaking it.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_59"></a>[59]</span></p> + +<p>The lips of Appadocca curled a little.</p> + +<p>“My lord,” he answered, “as long as I was on board +my schooner, we sought no other shelter than that which +was afforded us by the high and wide seas.”</p> + +<p>The commander looked at Appadocca fiercely in the +eyes.</p> + +<p>“I should be sorry,” he said, “to suspect you of falsehood +or prevarication, since you have been the fellow-student +of my son: but your answer is vague and +unsatisfactory. Do you mean to say that you have no +harbour, no creek whither you were accustomed to +resort, after your piratical cruizes?”</p> + +<p>“None, my lord: after our ‘piratical cruizes,’ as you, +I dare say justly, call them, we were in the habit of +taking our booty for sale to the nearest port and of depending +upon our own skill and watchfulness for safety.”</p> + +<p>“Hum!” muttered the commander, after a pause, +“you are aware, sir, that one of my officers has been +kidnapped by your rascally associates, as I presume them +to be,” continued the commander, with his temper evidently +breaking through the composed dignity which he +endeavoured to retain.</p> + +<p>“Now, sir, the punishment that I should feel justified +in inflicting upon you, would be to have you hanged, at +once, on that yard,” and he pointed to the main yard.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_60"></a>[60]</span></p> + +<p>“My lord,” calmly replied Appadocca, “I am in your +power, the yard is before you, you have men at your +command, do whatever you may choose with me.”</p> + +<p>The commander looked at him steadfastly for a +moment or two.</p> + +<p>“D—n him!” he muttered, and turned away.</p> + +<p>The frankness and generosity of his nature were again +gaining ground upon his temper.</p> + +<p>“I should not like to have anything to do with +the death of this fellow, after all. It is a pity that +his bravery is thrown away among those rascally devils,” +he whispered to his son. Then, addressing the two +men who guarded Appadocca, “take the prisoner away. +See that canvass be put on the ship, and steer for the +Island of Trinidad, Mr. Charles.”</p> + +<p>“If you will allow me the liberty, my lord,” said +Appadocca, as the marines were about to lead him away, +“I would tell your lordship that you need be under no +apprehension on account of your officer: we are not in +the habit of using violence, or of ill-treating our captives +when there is no occasion for doing so.”</p> + +<p>“Hum!” groaned the commander somewhat incredulously.</p> + +<p>“And, if you allow me, my lord, I shall request my +officer to be especially careful of putting any restraint<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_61"></a>[61]</span> +whatever upon your midshipman,” continued Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“What the devil do you mean, sir?” briskly inquired +the commander, “do you wish to insult me?”</p> + +<p>“By no means, my lord,” answered Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“And how do you tell me, then,” continued the commander, +“that you will ‘request your officer,’ when there +is no officer to be requested?”</p> + +<p>“Although there is no officer to be seen, my lord,” +answered Appadocca, “still I can request him: all +things can be done by a variety of ways, my lord.”</p> + +<p>“How am I to understand you, sir?” inquired the +commander.</p> + +<p>“Simply in this manner,” replied Appadocca, “that +if you allow me, I shall communicate with my chief +officer, and request him to take care of your officer.”</p> + +<p>“And how do you propose to do so,” asked the commander, +after a considerable pause.</p> + +<p>“Only with four flags,” answered Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“What will you do with those?”</p> + +<p>“I shall make signals with them.”</p> + +<p>“But there is no vessel in sight.”</p> + +<p>“No, my lord.”</p> + +<p>“How, then, can your signals be of service?” inquired +the commander.</p> + +<p>“Pardon me, my lord, if I decline to answer this<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_62"></a>[62]</span> +question. The sparrow by caution flies the heavens +with the hawk.”</p> + +<p>“I should suppose, sir, when you have now no prospect +of ‘flying the heavens’ again,” said the commander, +“you could have no objection to give us a piece of +information, which cannot but be serviceable to us. +However, make the signals, sir. Bring four flags +there.”</p> + +<p>Appadocca took the flags and adjusted them in a +particular manner on the line.</p> + +<p>“Stop!” cried the commander, when they were about +to be hoisted. “What warrant have I that you will not +say more than is necessary?” he inquired of Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“None, my lord, except my word,” cooly replied +Appadocca, “if you consider this of any value, take it, +if not, reject it. But recollect, my lord, if I had been +inclined to be a deceiver, I should have remained in the +society of mankind, and should have prospered by coating +over my rascality with the varnish either of mock +benevolence or of sanctimony; I should not have openly +braved the strength and ordinary notions of the world.”</p> + +<p>“Very well, sir, proceed,” said the commander.</p> + +<p>“Within a few minutes after the completion of the +signals, you will hear the answer—the report of many<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_63"></a>[63]</span> +guns fired at the same time,” said Appadocca, and made +a sign to hoist.</p> + +<p>“What is the fellow going to do?” inquired the +sailors one of the other.</p> + +<p>“He is going to speak to the ‘old boy,’ I suppose,” +answered one.</p> + +<p>“He won’t do him much good, I fancy,” remarked the +other.</p> + +<p>“No, he will leave him in the hands of the landsharks, +I guess,” said another.</p> + +<p>In the mean time, continuing to make the signals, +Appadocca adjusted and re-adjusted the four flags in a +great variety of ways, and, at last, said to the commander:—</p> + +<p>“Now, my lord, listen.”</p> + +<p>In a few moments the report of distant guns fell on +the ear.</p> + +<p>“Magic, by G—d!” each sailor exclaimed.</p> + +<p>“How very strange,” the commander remarked.</p> + +<p>“Bring up all the glasses, there,” he said, “and send +up there Charles, and see where that firing comes +from.”</p> + +<p>Men immediately climbed the masts, and surveyed the +horizon. No telescope of the man-of-war could discover +whence came the report of the guns.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_64"></a>[64]</span></p> + +<p>After this Appadocca was led back to his cabin, and +sails were put on the huge vessel that now began to +move majestically through the water.</p> + +<p>There is a soft and sweet pleasure in sailing among +the West India Islands. He who has not sailed in the +Caribean sea, he who has not stood on the deck of his +gliding vessel, and felt the cooling freshness of the trade +winds, and seen the white winged birds plunge and rise +in silent gracefulness, he who has not marked the shining +dolphin in its playing course, and seen the transparent +foam rise and melt before the scattering breeze, +with the blue waters below, a high smiling sky above, +and the rich uninterrupted beams of a fierce and powerful +sun, gilding the scene, can scarcely say that he +knows what nature is. For, he who has not seen the +tropics has not seen her as she is in her most perfect form.</p> + +<p>The ship held her course through the waters which, +reflecting the rays of the sun, undulated like a sheet of +molten silver, in which she seemed but the gathered +dross floating on its surface. As she moved and broke +that shining surface, the waters frothed for a time about +her and then closed in smoothness again; while the sea +birds playfully gathered in the silvery wake, the weeds +which shone, like golden drops, in the pebbly bed of +some clear and limped stream.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_65"></a>[65]</span></p> + +<p>With nature smiling thus around him, with the silence +which brings not gloom surrounding him, with the +balmy breeze rising fresh and sweet from the bosom of +the waters, fanning him into contemplation, the hardest-natured +man must feel if only for a moment, the chastening +quietude, which only nature, and he who is mirrored +in nature, can impart and bestow.</p> + +<p>The bosom in which the snakes of envy or hatred +have long nestled and brooded, may feel itself relieved of +half its oppression and suffering whilst gazing at nature’s +beautiful works, as manifested among the islands of the +tropics, and beholding in its embodiment of splendour +the omnipotence of the Creator. How many a heart +whose life-blood has been frozen under the influence of +ingratitude, cruelty, revenge, and pride, or, perhaps, +of the sad consciousness of a country’s thankfulness—a +country in whose cause youth, energy, wealth, and +talents—may all have been spent, has not been +soothed into mild quiescence by scenes like these?</p> + +<p>There are countries around which the works of man +have thrown a veil of enchantment; there are climes +that are sacred, because some Heaven-born poet sang +there; there are spots about which the memory of +mankind has clung, and will for ever cling: such +countries and such places are made famous, great and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_66"></a>[66]</span> +enchanting by man alone. Their beauties sprang from +his hand. The idea which plants on them the ever-enduring +standard of veneration arose from his valour, +his heroism, or perhaps his benevolence, but whatever +charm or interest the tropics possess they derive from +nature, and from nature only.</p> + +<p>For three days together, the ship continued her +course, amidst the horse-shoe formed islands of the +West-Indian Archipelago, which, at a distance at sea, +appear merely like heavy clouds where nothing is real, +nothing is animated, resting on the surface of the +waters.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the fourth, the towering mountain-peaks +of Trinidad which inspired in the devout +Columbus, the name which the island now bears, appeared +in sight.</p> + +<p>Gradually the bold and rocky coast which girds the +island on the north, grew more and more distinct and +as the day waned, the ship entered the channel that +separates the small island of Tobago from Trinidad, and +bears the name of the latter.</p> + +<p>The old commander, with necessary caution, ordered +the greater part of the sails to be taken in; the vessel +moved along slowly, and was borne down principally +by the strength of the current.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_67"></a>[67]</span></p> + +<p>The commander stood on the quarter-deck admiring +the romantic scenery which presented itself on the left +to his view. There the overhanging rocks rose perpendicularly +from the heaving ocean, whose long lasting +and lashing billows broke on their rugged base, and +shrouded them in one constant sheet of white bubbling +foam, and as they towered and seemed to lose themselves +in the clouds, they bore on their hoary heads +forests of gigantic trees, whose many colored blossoms +appeared far out at sea; while down their furrowed +sides torrents of the purest water fell foaming in angry +precipitance. Here some cave hollowed by no hand of +man—the home of the untiring pelicans that ply the +wing the live-long day, would send forth its hollow +murmurs, as it regurgitated some heaving rolling wave +that had intrusively swept into its inmost recess. There +some rock from whose side time had torn away its +fellows, stood naked and bare, sullen in its solitude, and +resisting the powerless waves that dashed themselves +into a thousand far-flying sprays upon its jagged front; +and here again some secluded creek, eaten deeply into +the heart of the frowning highlands, in which the waters +lay smooth and quiet, like tired soldiers after the toil +and strife of battle.</p> + +<p>Such scenes might well make an impression on those<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_68"></a>[68]</span> +who looked on; and even the rough weather-beaten +sailors, to whose eyes nature may have long grown +familiar, stood leaning on spar or anchor viewing the +awe-inspiring scene.</p> + +<p>Among those on deck stood also James Willmington: +and what were his feelings, he whose memory had been +so recently recalled to deeds which could not render him +an easier-minded man, if they had not had the effect of +making him a better one? Nature is itself an accuser! +To the bosom where all is not right, she speaks in terror. +The trembling of a leaf, the sudden flight of a startled +insect, the gliding of a lizard appals the guilty conscience. +Could the man on whose head the crime of +huge injustice pressed heavily—the man whose cruelty +had blasted the life which he gave, and who was at that +moment conducting to the gallows, the child whom he +had begotten—could such a man mingle the stirred +sentiments of his soul with the sublime grandeur of +nature, and send them forth with the voice of the +mighty proclaimer, in mute veneration to the throne of +God. No! nature is not cruel, nature deserts not its +humblest offspring, she, therefore, could receive no +sympathy from the heart of such a man.</p> + +<p>Let us now go to the cabin of Appadocca. He was +sitting on the rude accommodation which had been<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_69"></a>[69]</span> +afforded him, with his arms crossed over his breast, and +his earnest eyes fixed on the mountains of Paria, which +he could see on the right, through the port-hole that +admitted air and light into his cabin, and which had +now been opened, inasmuch as it was considered a +matter of impossibility for him to escape, while the ship +was under sail on the high seas.</p> + +<p>He was absorbed in deep thought; and he watched +the neighbouring mountains with more and more +earnestness, as they rose higher and higher to the view, +on the gradual approach of the vessel. Twilight came, +and threw its mellow hue around. It soon departed, +and the scene, which was but a short time before enlivened +by the powerful sun, was left in gloomy silence.</p> + +<p>As the ship approached the little islands of the Bocas, +nothing could be heard but the roars of the lashing +surges, as they broke at regular intervals on the rocks.</p> + +<p>Night came, dark and dreary. The ship approached +the largest of the three small outlets. Every one on +board was fixed in silent attention to his duty. The +senior officer stood at the shrouds, trumpet in hand, +with the aged commander by his side. Every man was +at his post, awaiting in anxiety the command to trim +sails, in order to enter the difficult passage.</p> + +<p>That was always a moment of anxiety in every vessel<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_70"></a>[70]</span> +going through it; for such was its narrowness, and the +strength of the current that swept down the channel +along the Venezuelan coast, that if a ship once went but +a yard further down than where she ought to trim her +sails, and luff up through the passage, it became a labour +of many weeks to beat up against the wind and current +to the proper place.</p> + +<p>The critical moment came; the ship was within the +Dragon’s Mouth; she trembled as if she had been lashed +by the tail of some sea-monster, ten times larger than +herself, as she mounted the cross chopping seas, which +always run high and heavy at that entrance to the Gulf +of Paria.</p> + +<p>“Lee braces all,” the commanding officer trumpeted +forth.</p> + +<p>“Luff.”</p> + +<p>The ropes glided through a thousand pullies, and the +heavy chains of the tacks clanked through their iron +blocks as they were eased away. The sailors moved in +disciplined order from rope to rope, and the deck sounded +with their rolling foot-falls. The serious marine intermitted +his monotonous and limited march for a moment, +and leaned in a corner to give room to the busy mariners.</p> + +<p>Appadocca had continued to sit in the same position +as we have mentioned a few lines back, from the fading<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_71"></a>[71]</span> +of the short twilight up to that time, which was now near +midnight.</p> + +<p>Although he could not see, nevertheless he seemed +during the whole time to use his ears for the same +earnest purpose as he had done his eyes; and as soon +as he felt the heaving labours of the vessel, and heard +the noise that was made by the falling of the blocks on +the deck, he sprang from his seat like a young horse +when it is goaded.</p> + +<p>“Ha! this is the time at last,” he exclaimed, in a subdued +tone, and springing towards the port-hole with one +effort of impulsive strength, he tore down its framework: +next, he grasped the stool on which he had sat.</p> + +<p>“Confusion,” he cried, “it will not yield:” the stool +was tied to a ring on the deck.</p> + +<p>When Appadocca discovered this, he seemed slightly +alarmed: he stood for a moment thinking how he could +unfasten the stool. To undo it with his hands was a +labour of hours, and he had nothing with which he could +cut it. His eyes quickly surveyed the cabin; he rushed +towards a basin which had been allowed him, he placed +it on the deck, and jumped upon it. With the pieces of the +brittle ware, he began to saw at the lashing of the stool.</p> + +<p>It was a tedious labour, one which required an unconquerable +perseverance to overcome.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_72"></a>[72]</span></p> + +<p>Full ten minutes—minutes that on such occasions +are more precious than years—had expired, and he had +made scarcely any progress. As he sawed through one +fold of twine, another appeared, but still he persevered, +and blunted every piece of the broken basin in succession.</p> + +<p>The stout heart and persevering hand will conquer +immensities of obstacles.</p> + +<p>At last, at last, the folds were sawed through. Appadocca +seized the stool with both hands.</p> + +<p>“Now for life again, and the accomplishment of +my design,” he said, and endeavoured to pitch it +through the hole, but ill-fortune stepped in again to +baulk him. The stool was too large to pass through +the opening, he tried it various ways, but with no +success.</p> + +<p>“Destiny,” he calmly muttered, as he put it down +with the fortitude of a Diogenes.</p> + +<p>He cast his eyes around him; there was a large +Spanish pitcher of clay, such as are used in the tropics, +in which water was brought to him: a drowning man, +they say, will grasp at a straw: he laid hold of it, he +tried it, it passed the opening.</p> + +<p>“Now, farewell, good ship,” he said, and leaned over +the side of the vessel. He allowed the pitcher to fall<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_73"></a>[73]</span> +quietly into the water, and he himself, plunged after it +into the unfathomable waste.</p> + +<p>“A man overboard!” some one cried on deck.</p> + +<p>“No, no:” said another, “it’s only the slack of the +main-brace.”</p> + +<p>“Are you sure of that?”</p> + +<p>“Quite sure.”</p> + +<p>“All right.”</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_74"></a>[74]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“The torrent roar’d; and we did buffet it</div> + <div class="verse indent0">With lusty sinews; throwing it aside</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And stemming it with hearts of controversy.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Julius Cæsar.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>On jumping into the sea, Appadocca swam dexterously +after the pitcher, which he had thrown before him; +then resting one hand upon it, and moving the other +easily through the water, he paused a moment to gaze +at the large ship that was now looming in the darkness, +and was rapidly leaving him far behind.</p> + +<p>The vessel continued her course. It was evident no +one on board of her had seen his escape. He was left +alone on the sea. He now began to swim in the direction +in which long habit had taught him the coast of +Venezuela was situated. As he progressed through the +water he pushed the pitcher before him. Now and +then he paused, and rested as before, with one hand on<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_75"></a>[75]</span> +the pitcher, while he lightly floated himself with the +other. Hours passed, and every succeeding one found +the indefatigable Appadocca buffetting the waves with +a heart of resolution, and an eye of determination. +The thick darkness of the night was fast passing away, +the gray dawn of morning was appearing, and the dark +mountains of Venezuela began to rise to the view with +that cheating delusion which mountains at that early +hour of the morning present, and by their apparent +nearness, one moment seduce the weary oarsman into +the grateful belief that he is fast approaching the end of +his irksome labour, only to irritate him the next by their +constant and still greater recession.</p> + +<p>The swimming fugitive felt encouragement and support +from these two happy circumstances. More and +more vigorously he stretched out his arms. Only three +miles now seemed to separate him from the land. The +currents and the sweep of the waves were in his +favour.</p> + +<p>On, on he pushed his befriending pitcher, and swam +and rested alternately. The desperate hazard which he +had incurred in throwing himself overboard in a boiling +sea in a part where all the sharks of the neighbouring +waters assemble to feed upon the refuse that is borne +down by the gulf-current, seemed about to terminate<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_76"></a>[76]</span> +happily and prosperously, and the act which at first may +have borne the appearance of a voluntary seeking of +death on his part, was about to result in deliverance +and safety.</p> + +<p>Perhaps even the seared, stoical heart of the cynical +Appadocca, under these happy forebodings, throbbed +a little more highly than usual.</p> + +<p>But the grounds on which pleasure and hope are +built, are too often sandy: our highest subjects of joy +and congratulation are, alas! too liable to be converted, +in the imperceptible space of a second, into those of +misery and woe. So it proved with Emmanuel Appadocca.</p> + +<p>When, as we have remarked, these prospects dawned +in reality upon him, his strokes were made with more +vigour; he became, consequently, the sooner tired, and +was obliged to pause for rest more frequently.</p> + +<p>After one of these intervals, after having “screwed up +his courage to the sticking point,” he gave his pitcher +a push before him. The vessel floated to a considerable +distance in front, then suddenly melted to pieces and +sank for ever.</p> + +<p>The soft clay of which it was made was dissolved by +the water, and could no longer hold together.</p> + +<p>If Appadocca had, a moment before, permitted his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_77"></a>[77]</span> +cynicism to incline beyond its medium point towards +joy, so now he could not prevent it from verging to an +equal distance on the opposite side. He had, but a few +minutes ago, been induced to hope that he should be +able to reach the land. Prospects of once more heading +his faithful followers warmed his heart; and the prospect, +too, of still being able to execute his design upon the +man whose heart was too bad to open to repentance and +justice from the lessons of his victim-judge, and from +the perils out of which only the sheerest hazard had +delivered him: but now, with the assisting pitcher his +hopes also sank. It was now next to impossible that he +could reach the shore; for although like the pedestrian +who, with certain intervals of rest, may walk the whole +globe, he could swim a considerably greater distance +than seven miles—the distance which now intervened +between him and the land—by now and then holding to +something which could assist him in floating until he had +rested, still it was impossible now for him to accomplish, +much fatigued as he already was, at the utmost more +than a mile; and the shore was still three miles away. +Despair, utter despair would have seized a mind that +was more susceptible of ungovernable influences, but Appadocca +made up his mind not to be drowned, and continued +to swim. He had not swum to any great distance,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_78"></a>[78]</span> +when he began to experience the want of his pitcher; his +limbs began to feel exhaustion, he muttered something to +himself, and went on still; his limbs became more tired; +sensibility began to diminish; his arms grew stiffer and +stiffer; on, on, still he went; his features manifested +exhaustion, his respiration grew shorter and shorter; +already nature could bear no more; his eyeballs glared +like those of one in the last agony of drowning; his +strokes became weaker and still weaker; already he +swam more heavily; his chest sank deeper and deeper +into the water; the mountains before him began to +wheel, and pass, and vanish like clouds floating over +a mist; his vision was indistinct, and nature drooped, +exhausted with one long breathing; he was sinking, +sinking, sinking ... when ... something met his +feet, and Appadocca stood on a sunken rock with the +water to his chin.</p> + +<p>Surprised to a certain extent by such an unexpected +occurrence, he at once remained where he was, fearful +less the first step he would take should lead him again into +the danger which he had, at least temporarily, escaped.</p> + +<p>He stood there for a considerable time; but although +the position was one, which, on the point of drowning, +might be very advantageous, still it ceased to be so +when the immediate danger had passed; and now, on<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_79"></a>[79]</span> +the contrary, presented another peril; for Appadocca +was now exposed, in his motionless state, to become +the prey of the very first hungry shark that might +happen to swim in that direction, and what was still +worse, he felt that the sea was every moment rising +higher and higher. It was therefore clear that he could +not stay much longer where he was. He began to +resolve, but before he could determine on any definite +resolution, a large wave broke over him; for mere safety, +he was again obliged to swim. He had not gone far, +when in spite of his strong will, his limbs would not +move. Thus with his resolution still strong, and his volition +still active, Appadocca, nevertheless, found himself +rapidly sinking.</p> + +<p>“Oh! destiny,” he bubbled out, as the water now +almost choked him, “is there such a thing as destiny?” +He was sinking, sinking, sinking, when something, +something again met his feet.</p> + +<p>Appadocca quickly planted his nerveless feet as firmly +as he could, upon the support which it would appear +that destiny, which he had well nigh invoked for the +last time, had again placed under them. He concluded +at once, that he had fortunately alighted on a layer of +rocks, which ran far out to sea, and of which the one +that first received him, was about the beginning. To<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_80"></a>[80]</span> +ascertain the correctness of his judgment he ventured, +after he had rested a little, to put one foot forward, it +rested also on the rock; the other, it rested too.</p> + +<p>Appadocca now waded along towards the shore, swimming +now and then, when a larger chasm than usual intervened. +As he approached the land, however, the +rocks began to sink lower and lower, until at last he was +left without a footing. There was yet a considerable +distance between where he was, and the shore, and in +his condition, the prospect of being saved, even after +the succession of unexpected auxiliary accidents was but +slight and precarious. Nevertheless, he was obliged to +hazard all; so he began to swim again. His arms after +the rest they had had, were more powerful. On—on, +he went—closer, and closer—he drew to the land; still +the distance was immense to a well-nigh exhausted man. +His strength began again to fail; but a few strokes +Appadocca, and you are on land. His strength diminished +more and more, shadows again began to flit across +his vision, his senses reeled; he was sinking, no befriending +rock now met his feet; he disappeared.... +In a moment he rose again, in the second stage of +drowning, with his features locked in despairing agony. +As he came to the surface the rolling volume of a sweeping +billow met him, carried him roughly to the shore,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_81"></a>[81]</span> +and threw him high and dry on the white sandy beach, +that was glimmering under the scorching rays of a fiery +sun.</p> + +<p>The tide ebbed away and left Appadocca on that which +was now dry land. Nature was overwhelmed, and he +seemed scarcely strong enough to rally from the swoon. +There he lay, far from human succour, with the land +rising perpendicularly from the beach, for a great distance +away along the shore, and thus shutting out to +those who might inhabit that part of the country, any +immediate view of the sea, or the shore below. The +fugitive might, have lain in this state until nature, by an +effort scarcely to be expected in his condition, might +have suddenly revived, or what was the more probable, +life might have quietly departed from the miserable man, +had not the same fortune which seemed all along to befriend +him, again interposed to foster still the spark of +life which now scarcely lived in him.</p> + +<p>A wild bull, maddened with fury, came bounding over +the heights. The animal was so headlong in its race, that +rushing to the ridge of the precipitous highlands, ere it +could abate its speed, it was borne away by its own impetus +over the ledge, and with a tremendous bound, it +rolled dead at the foot of the still insensible Appadocca.</p> + +<p>In a few moments two horsemen appeared above, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_82"></a>[82]</span> +reining up their horses carefully at the edge, looked down +on the late object of their chase. They were children +of the Savannahs—the Bedouins of South America. +They were two Llaneros, their lassos were coiled in wide +circles round one arm, while with the other, they clutched +a short spear and the powerful reins with which they +governed their still unbroken horses. They looked carefully +at the now motionless animal, which but a second +before careered so proudly over the plain, and was so +formidable to them, shrugged their shoulders, and were +turning their horses’ heads to return, when the attention +of one of them, seemed attracted by an object at the +foot of which the body of the dead bull lay.</p> + +<p>“Es un hombre—’Tis a man,” both of them said, with +great excitement. “’Tis a man, go you and look at +him, Juancito.”</p> + +<p>One dismounted, and, leaving his horse in charge of +the other, scrambled down the rocks to the beach. He +examined the body and cried out to his companion above, +that life was still in it.</p> + +<p>“Esta un hombre de cualidad, he is a great man,” he +added.</p> + +<p>Moved by their spirit of native hospitality, and partly +influenced by the not unselfish motive of saving the life +of a great man, the two Llaneros began to devise the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_83"></a>[83]</span> +means of getting Appadocca on the dry land above, and +of conveying him to the house of the Ranchero, whose +oxen they tended. But it was next to impossible to +carry him up those rocks on which only the most steady-footed +could manage to move; besides, it was necessary +for one to remain above to hold the horses which, unguarded +and unrestrained, would have obeyed their +strong instinct and scampered off to their native +wilds.</p> + +<p>In this difficulty the natural recourse of the Llaneros +was to their lassos. But those could scarcely be used, +as the projections of the rocks would have shattered +in a thousand pieces the person whom they designed to +save, if they undertook to hoist him up along their +rugged surface. They, therefore, had to think of some +other expedient: but no other occurred to them, and they +were obliged to recur to their lassos, in the use of which +they were so long and perfectly practiced. They +thought, however, in conjunction with the resolution of +adopting this expedient, of removing Appadocca to +another part of the beach, from which the rocks did not +rise so roughly. This was easily done, and having +fastened their lassos together, they secured one end to +Appadocca, and the other to one of the horses; one of +the Llaneros spurred the animal forward, while the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_84"></a>[84]</span> +other remained at the edge to guide the rope as much +as it was in his power to do.</p> + +<p>By this means the still insensible Appadocca, was +brought safely on the table land. After the violent +shaking he had received, he seemed to come to himself +a little; he opened his eyes, but it was only for a +moment. He was no longer insensible, but he was +totally prostrated, and sank again into an inactive condition. +He was then placed on the saddle before +one of the Llaneros, and they rode off towards the +house, whose roof could be barely discerned from amidst +the clustering branches of the trees by which it was +surrounded.</p> + +<p>The Llaneros soon alighted at the door, where they +were met by the Ranchero, and the insensible stranger +was carried in.</p> + +<p>Like all the houses of the Ranchas of South America, +this was an extensive wooden building, built of only +one storey—a necessary measure against the ravages of +the frequent earthquakes which shake so terribly those +tropical regions.</p> + +<p>The large and shady fronds of the beautiful palms +that decorate the level and grassy Savannahs, were +cleverly sewn together to form a covering, which was as +effectual in excluding the dews and rains, as it was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_85"></a>[85]</span> +in itself romantic. No ceiling concealed the beams +and rafters which supported this primitive roof; but +from the exigences of the climate, and probably from +the unwillingness to raise highly finished structures in +the wilds, where the inhabitant scarcely ever saw the +face of any one beside those of the Llaneros who tended +his numerous and half-wild herds, the space between +the low flooring and the roof was entirely unoccupied. +The apartments were extensive, and as airy as such a +climate required. Windows opened in all directions, +and the winds of heaven swept freely through every +crevice of the house. The furniture seemed to be as +simple and as primitive as the building that contained +it. A few heavy chairs, made of the hides of the oxen, +that formed the wealth of the Ranchero, were placed +about, here and there, more for the service of the few +individuals who occupied the place, than for the accommodation +of visitors or strangers, both of whom were +exceedingly rare, if ever seen in those solitary wilds. +Indian hammocks hung in several places, and moved to +and fro, before the power of the wind that blew into the +apartment; and on supports from the walls, rested beautiful +Spanish saddles, whose bows and stirrups of +massive silver, attracted immediate attention. Around +the house stood some magnificent trees, under the shady<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_86"></a>[86]</span> +boughs of which, herds of oxen, which were partially +reclaimed from the wild state in which they had been +bred, now quietly chewed their cud, not without, however, +casting from time to time, a wistful look on the +strong pallisades that fenced them in. Wild looking +undressed horses, restively cropped the short grass that +grew around the house, and now and then tugged with +evident impatience, the tethers of cowskin, that +restrained their liberty.</p> + +<p>Away, at a short distance from the inhabited house +itself, stood also pens for cattle, and apparently a +slaughter-house, on whose roof the large heavy vultures +of South America, pressed and fought and nibbled +each other for a footing, while around it were strewed +a thousand horns, the spoils of the fierce natives of the +plains, that had fallen there under the Picador’s knife. +To complete the peculiarity of the scene a few half +naked and fierce looking individuals, loitered here and +there, carelessly smoking their cigars; or leaned against +the fences, and criticised the ruminating oxen within, +as objects among which their entire life had been spent, +and with such apparent skill and earnestness, as to leave +one to fancy that the world contained nothing that +deserved so much interest in their estimation as the +animals which formed the tissue of their associations,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_87"></a>[87]</span> +and of their fathers’ before them. The horses that were +tied in their rude accoutrements, to the posts of the +fences, and the huge spurs of solid silver, which were +tightly thonged to the naked heels of those men, showed +that they belonged entirely to the plains, and were probably +there, only for the purpose of receiving the orders +of the master.</p> + +<p>“Feliciana,” cried the Ranchero, as Appadocca was +carried into the large chamber that formed, what in +Europe, would be called the with-drawing room—“Feliciana +ben aca,—Feliciana, come hither.”</p> + +<p>At this call, a beautiful young lady appeared, and +started back as she beheld the pallid, wasted, and haggard, +but still beautiful face of Appadocca, while, at the +same time, the low interjection of “Jesu!” escaped her +lips.</p> + +<p>“Que se haga todo necessario por ese infeliz,” “Let +every thing be done for this unhappy man,” said the +Ranchero, who even in the half barbarous life that he +led, did not entirely lose the distinguishing politeness +of his people.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_88"></a>[88]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“O, thou didst then ne’er love so heartily:</div> + <div class="verse indent0">If thou remember’st not the slightest folly</div> + <div class="verse indent0">That ever love did make thee run into,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Thou hast not loved:”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">As You Like It.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>Appadocca, under the care of the fair Venezuelan, +was carried into an extensive chamber, which was much +more comfortable than any one would have imagined +any part of the house could be. He was laid on a couch +that was unornamented, but that was as white as the +flock of the cotton-tree. It was not to rest, however, +that he was thus accommodated. His fatigues and +privations overpowered the strength which his peculiar +philosophy had tended to maintain, and the movement +and exercise of the hoisting, and transporting on horseback, +had completed what they had begun. He was +seized with a violent fever, which now terribly manifested +itself in the wildest ravings.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_89"></a>[89]</span></p> + +<p>Alarmed at the state of the stranger, Feliciana called +every one into service. Peons flew here and there and +everywhere, for herbs and weeds, while she herself +remained by the bedside of the delirious sick man, watching +every movement that he made, and listening to +every word that he uttered.</p> + +<p>Nature overcame even this passing madness, and +Appadocca fell into a light slumber. Feliciana, with +looks even more serious than when she went to attend +her unknown patient, left the apartment.</p> + +<p>Feliciana was a little above the middle size, exceedingly +well formed, and majestic in her appearance. +Her face was in itself a study, on account of the many +different expressions which it wore at one and the same +time. Her forehead was large and expansive, indicative +of a large amount of intellect. Her nose was +slightly elevated at the centre, and at the same time +full and rounded at its termination; her lips were full +and well formed, while the compression which marked +the slight pout that they possessed, pointed to much +firmness of character. To heighten all these separate +individual expressions, nature had bestowed upon her +large melting eyes, that swam like the gazelle’s, in a bed +of transparent moisture, and in which, it would be difficult +to say, whether sentiment, or the serious contemplation<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_90"></a>[90]</span> +of the Spanish character prevailed the +most.</p> + +<p>Upon the whole, a student of physiognomy would have +pronounced, on seeing the beautiful Venezuelan, that +Heaven had bestowed on her a high degree of intellect, +a high degree of sentiment, and a high degree of firmness. +She would have been at once pronounced one +who was capable of great discernment, of forming high +designs, and of overcoming every obstacle that might +oppose their execution; while, at the same time, the +sentiment which was clearly perceptible in her eyes, +could be very accurately predicated as that, which, from +its decided prevalence and preponderance, would always +act as the leader of her mental and more solid endowments.</p> + +<p>Her dress, in addition, was calculated to make these +striking features, and her handsome person still more +conspicuous. It was of dark materials, and adjusted in +a manner that attracted from the general idea of simplicity +that prevailed in it, while, at the same time, it +displayed to advantage the gracefulness of the wearer. +As a head-dress, a dark veil or mantilla, hanged loosely +from a high and valuable comb, down along the side of +her face over her shoulders, and enhanced by the contrast +her beautiful and clear complexion.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_91"></a>[91]</span></p> + +<p>Nature in youth, especially when such youth has been +weakened by no unphilosophical propensities, ever inclines +to amendment. In Appadocca, especially, whose +life-time had, up to that period, been spent in the practice +of that strengthening discipline which consists in the +happy combination of exercise for mind and body, it +turned towards health with extraordinary vigour; so that +the stranger, who but a few days ago had been as near +death as mortal man could be, and during whose feverish +paroxysms one would have imagined that the reason +which regulated the form that still writhed in its madness, +was about to take a last farewell of the machinery +which it had up to that time animated and guided, now +presented the clear eye, the earnest look, and the same +stern resolution that usually compressed his lips. The +only remaining indication of the fatigue which he had +undergone, and of the subsequent illness, was the increased +pallor of his complexion, and the slight attenuation of +his body; in a word, it was in body and not in mind +that Appadocca now showed signs of illness.</p> + +<p>It was a day or two after this gratifying change had +shown itself, when Appadocca and the beautiful daughter +of the house were seated together in the large apartment +which we have before described.</p> + +<p>The stranger was sitting in one of the peculiar but<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_92"></a>[92]</span> +luxurious chairs of cow-hide at one side of the wide +window, and Feliciana at the other.</p> + +<p>Politeness and gratitude, independently of a sense of +duty, called forth the gallantry of Appadocca in entertaining +the lady. He discoursed on a life in the wilds, +on the marvels that nature can there continually display +to the eyes of the wondering spectator, of the free and +independent life of those who inhabited the “Llanos;” +and from this high and general theme he descended to +the particular beauties that surrounded the romantic +abode of his host himself.</p> + +<p>He spoke on. But his greatest and most graceful +eloquence could not draw a word from his beautiful +auditor, or even secure a silent nod. She sat with her +head turned away towards the window, her eyes fixed +on the ground, and wore an air of more than ordinary +seriousness. She seemed entirely wrapped in a web of +her own reflections.</p> + +<p>Appadocca could not but remark this reverie. After +having yielded several times to his habit of silence, and +given way to his own abstracted moods, he would awake +himself suddenly, and seeming to feel the embarrassment +of the situation, would address the young lady again +on some new and interesting topic. But it was in +vain.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_93"></a>[93]</span></p> + +<p>“Senora, I hope, is not ill?” he at last inquiringly +observed.</p> + +<p>“No, senor,” was the laconic reply.</p> + +<p>“Then senora is a little melancholy,” rejoined Appadocca, +after a moment or two.</p> + +<p>No answer.</p> + +<p>“Banish, senora, that pernicious feeling. Life is +itself sufficiently insipid and sour, and does not require +to be made more bitter by melancholy. Look out, see +how nature softly smiles before you. The birds fly from +branch to branch, and chirp, and are happy; the insects—listen +to the hoarse cicada—seem enjoying their insect +happiness; even the very grass, as the breeze turns its +blades to the beams of the beautiful sun, reflect on our +minds an idea of felicity. How can you be melancholy +when you look out?”</p> + +<p>Feliciana turned and bent her large eyes fully on +Appadocca, looked at him intently for a few moments, +and then turned away again.</p> + +<p>Struck by the action, and not feeling himself as indifferent +as he usually was, Appadocca said nothing.</p> + +<p>A long interval ensued.</p> + +<p>Feliciana kept her head in the same direction: at the +side of her eyes two drops began to gather; they grew +larger and larger, and in a few moments stood like two<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_94"></a>[94]</span> +crystal beads ready to burst. Not a muscle, however, not +a fibre of the beautiful weeper, seemed to sympathise, or +quiver in unison with this silent grief. Like a statue of +alabaster she remained rooted where she sat, +and one could judge of the emotions which might +affect her, only by the two transparent drops +which balanced heavily at the corners of her +eyes.</p> + +<p>Appadocca saw this, and remained silent from respect +to the sorrow of Feliciana. He thought of leaving the +room, and giving the young lady freedom to indulge in +that grief which seemed so deep and overpowering. +Although prompted to do so by his sense of propriety, +still he found himself detained by he knew not what, +and seemed half to suspect that the sorrow had some +sort of connexion with himself,—“Else,” he reasonably +argued, “the young lady would have concealed her +grief in the privacy of her own apartment.”</p> + +<p>Appadocca, therefore, remained where he was, in deep +silence, watching the tear drops that now again grew +gradually smaller and smaller.</p> + +<p>“Can one who owes, senora, a large amount of gratitude,” +he at last said, in a mild, subdued tone, “be of +any service to her?”</p> + +<p>She was still silent.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_95"></a>[95]</span></p> + +<p>“Can I do anything to dry these tears?” Appadocca +again inquired.</p> + +<p>Feliciana suddenly turned her head, and fixed her +expressive eyes steadily on the inquirer. She maintained +her earnest look for some time, then rising, said, +with great excitement,—</p> + +<p>“Yes, you can dry these tears. Shun the wicked +pursuit in which you are engaged, and then these tears +may never again escape to betray me. Nature could +never have intended you for a pirate.”</p> + +<p>At this sudden action, and unexpected language of +Feliciana, Appadocca required all his self-command to +conceal the surprise which he felt.</p> + +<p>“I a pirate, senora!” he said, “may I ask how it is +you have been induced to suppose me one?”</p> + +<p>“Put no idle questions,” she quickly replied, “I feel +that you have sacrificed yourself to such a life. You, +too, have confessed it. Why was it, that in your ravings, +you called on your men to board, to cut down, to +make prisoners? that you spoke of blood, of booty, +and still worse, of revenge; and revenge, too, it would +seem, on your own father? Do you think, to persons +as I am, in my position, the least word of those—of +those—of those—” she contended with herself for the +expression, “those whom we wish well, can fail of its<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_96"></a>[96]</span> +meaning. I am a stranger to you: but let me not prevail +the less on that account; let me pray and beseech +you, in the name of God and the saints,” she continued, +clasping her hands, “to promise me to abandon a life +that is hateful both to Heaven and earth, and to think +no more of those terrible projects of slaughter and +revenge, about which you spoke so much in your sleep.”</p> + +<p>“Pray, senora, sit down,” said Appadocca, as he rose +quickly from his seat to conduct her to hers.</p> + +<p>“No, leave me,” she exclaimed, more excited, “I shall +not sit down till you pass your word. Remember the +dear person whose picture you now wear on your heart, +and which you so affectionately pressed to your bosom, +when the fever was on you. Can you suppose that she +can look down from heaven, with joy or pleasure, on the +son that she nourished, when he has abandoned himself +to a course that God and man alike reprobate and condemn? +Picture her in the society of the saints and +angels looking down upon you, at the head of your lawless +and cruel men, red with the blood of your murdered +victims, and rushing forward to plunder, and to spread +misery around as you go. Do you think that the sight +of her child—her son, in this position, can impart to her +either happiness or pleasure? Think of that: and, when +ever you press her picture to your heart, recollect you<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_97"></a>[97]</span> +only go through a cheating mockery, that the life you +lead takes away from her happiness, from the happiness +even of heaven. Remember the tears that she may +have shed for you while here: remember the cares and +anxieties she may have suffered for you; those, surely, +were enough: and, if death ended her miseries on earth, +do not you spoil the joy which she may now enjoy in +heaven?”</p> + +<p>“Enough—enough,” cried Appadocca, with more +warmth than was his habit, “stop, stop, I implore you.”</p> + +<p>“Then promise me.”</p> + +<p>“My vow is recorded in heaven, I cannot promise,” +answered Appadocca, drily.</p> + +<p>Feliciana staggered stupified to her seat, while she +gazed, without the power of utterance, on the person +before her.</p> + +<p>“You will not promise!” she said, recovering herself, +“you will not promise! Well, I shall promise,—I +now vow,—that I shall follow you to the end of the +world, until you consent to renounce for ever this wicked +life.”</p> + +<p>So saying, she sprang violently from her chair, and +rushed out of the room.</p> + +<p>Appadocca, after the disappearance of the agitated +Feliciana, sank back into the cow-hide chair, almost<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_98"></a>[98]</span> +confounded by the scene which had just been enacted, +and well-nigh distracted by the thousand reflections +which it made to rush upon him. The first thought was +of his safety.</p> + +<p>“Suppose,” he quickly reasoned, “others beside Feliciana, +should have heard his disclosures during the fever; +what could he expect under such circumstances, but to +see the kindness with which he had been treated, suddenly +changed into a most ferocious spirit of revenge.” +For he knew, too well, what cruelties the pirates of the +West-Indian sea had, under Llononois and other captains, +practiced on the unfortunate inhabitants of those +coasts.</p> + +<p>Those atrocities could not be blotted out from the +memory for centuries, and it was likely, that at the very +name of pirate, the revenge of the Spaniards would +break out as uncontrollably as fire in its favourite +food.</p> + +<p>And it was probable, that not stopping to consider +whether he was actually what he was supposed to +be, they would at once immolate him, to the memory of +their slaughtered and plundered countrymen. This +thought, however, soon gave way to those of a different +nature,—to those which in his own manner of thinking, +affected the most important accident of existence, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_99"></a>[99]</span> +was, in his estimation, higher in value than life itself—namely, +his honour.</p> + +<p>It had not escaped him from the very moment that +his convalescence had permitted him to exercise his discernment, +that his beautiful and kind nurse, was in love +with him. That could not but strike him; and though +his stoicism balanced violently on the contemplation of +the handsome form, and on appreciating the character of +the mind which was as pure, as simple, and as artless, as +the flourishing wilds which had reared and still surrounded +it, still it required no great restraint over himself—himself, +who had long banished from his heart the sentiment, +that lends to life a charm, and who was now well exercised +in choking to instant death any fresh feeling as it began +to spring—to renounce for ever every desire to encourage +or foster the affection that showed itself to him as clear +as the sun at noonday. It would have been dishonor +to steal away the heart of the innocent creature that +watched over him with a mother’s fondness and anxiety. +He resolved, therefore, to be always on his guard, and +to maintain more than ordinary restraint in conversing +with her, in the hopes that the feeling which evidently +animated her, might perish from the absence of sympathy.</p> + +<p>It was, consequently, with alarm that he beheld the violence +of feelings which Feliciana exhibited during the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_100"></a>[100]</span> +scene which we have depicted. “No ordinary interest,” +thought Appadocca, “could call forth such an impassioned +remonstrance as Feliciana had made, +and make her surmount all maidenly timidity, and +speak to him as she did. For in what could it interest +a stranger? whether an unhappy man, whom she had +accidently succoured was a pirate or not: and those +tears; persons of her race, he thought, weep only on +deep subjects. And, finally, the desperate resolution of +following him all over the world, professedly to hold +back his hand from crime, was a thought that only one +great feeling could inspire.”</p> + +<p>Such were the reflections of Appadocca, they were +made in a moment: and they immediately produced a +resolution as firm as it was sudden. “I must leave the +house of this good Ranchero,” said Appadocca to himself, +with much energy of mind. “God knows, I am already +pledged to the causing of sufficient misery. I shall not +stay here to add any more to the necessary amount. +Not in this place particularly, where I have met with +so much hospitality and kindness.”</p> + +<p>These reflections had scarcely been ended, and Appadocca’s +brow was still knit in the energy of his own +thoughts, and his eyes still glimmered forth the fire of +his excited mind, when soft footsteps were heard within<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_101"></a>[101]</span> +the room, and on turning his head, he beheld Feliciana, +who had again entered the room, and was now advancing +towards him.</p> + +<p>She was, by this time, comparatively calm; the +paroxysm of her feeling had passed, but she appeared +still determined on one purpose. Feliciana walked to +the window as she entered, and said to Appadocca, who +stood up to receive her:</p> + +<p>“Pray forgive me, sir, for the lengths to which I, a +mere stranger, was bold enough to proceed just now.”</p> + +<p>“There needs no forgiveness, senora,” quickly rejoined +Appadocca, as he led her to the other cow-hide chair at +the window, “where no offence has been given: on the +contrary, might I speak so freely, I should say, that the +warmth you have so lately manifested, can be taken +only as the indication of a high degree of feeling.”</p> + +<p>Appadocca spoke in a calm and serious strain. The +young lady coloured slightly at the end of this speech.</p> + +<p>“Among different persons, senora,” continued Appadocca, +with the apparent purpose of bringing about an +intended end, “it would, perhaps, be a breach of civilized +politeness to speak with the same latitude that I +now intend to do. But, I think as we understand each +other, it would be well nigh folly to keep back a few +necessary words, simply from the circumstance that the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_102"></a>[102]</span> +laws of polished social intercourse may tend to render their +plainness awkward. It is very clear, senora, that I have +been fortunate enough to enlist in my favour, your most +friendly sympathy, perhaps I should be justified in mentioning +a much stronger feeling.”</p> + +<p>Feliciana coloured deeply.</p> + +<p>“For my part, I cannot but express myself sensible +to the existence of such a sentiment, and can only say, +that from a self-same affection, I am capable of appreciating +and responding to yours. But, senora, there are +but few instances of real happiness under the sun. The +beautiful sky that frequently enlivens our spirit, and +cheers us up for a moment, is, alas! but too frequently, +suddenly darkened and obscured by the dark clouds +that bring tempests in their course. The innocent and +snowy lily that gladdens our sight to-day, decays +and falls away to-morrow. The days and years +on which we may have been counting, during a long +life-time, for the realization of a few moments of +joy, may arrive at last, loaded with bitterness. +The thoughts and sentiments which oft gladden us +in our waking dreams, wean us away for a time from +care, and foster in us the hope of undecaying felicity, +then pass like the flashes of the lightning away, to leave +only gloom and desolation behind.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_103"></a>[103]</span></p> + +<p>“For my own part senora, I have long sacrificed myself +to one object. I have long banished away Emmanuel +Appadocca, from Emmanuel Appadocca: it boots not to +tell the reason why. The world to me, it is true, is the +world; the stars, the stars; but the halo that once surrounded +them is gone—the feeling with which I may +have regarded them is gone from them, and has centred +itself in the now single end of my existence. For a +long time mental anguish and I have been companions, +and from its constant proximity it has chased away the +softer feelings, whose aspect is too cheerful to bear the +approaching shadow of that demon. My heart is wasted +and its tenderness gone; gratitude for you, senora, is all +that I dare encourage in my bosom. Let me exhort +you, for your own sake, to forget the unfortunate man +whom accident and distress brought into your presence. +Forget him, and by doing so, avoid much suffering on +your part, and, at the same time, confer much happiness +on him. For if at the hour when this existence of mine +will be about to terminate, there should linger in my +fading memory some object that I could not look upon +with cold indifference; if when the breath of life shall +be on the point of passing I should not be able to shut +my eyes and say, ‘mankind, you have among you +nothing that is dear to me,’ the pains of succumbing +nature would be tenfold heavier than they might.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_104"></a>[104]</span></p> + +<p>In speaking thus, Appadocca had unwittingly to +himself risen from his seat, and approached Feliciana, +who, deeply affected, hanged down her.</p> + +<p>Warming more than usual, Appadocca caught her +hand as he spoke.</p> + +<p>“To throw away a thought on a person of this temper, +Feliciana,” he proceeded, “I need not tell you, is +doing an injustice to yourself, but fear not that I am +insensible to your kindness. I feel it as much as I am +now permitted to feel such things, and may destiny,” +continued he, with more warmth, “be ever propitious to +you;” so saying, he abruptly let fall her hand, and +walked towards the door.</p> + +<p>“Stay,” cried Feliciana, as she rose to keep him back: +but Appadocca rushed out of the room.</p> + +<p>The young lady resumed her seat; her high temper +had now yielded to a more tender feeling: one that +buoys not up, nor supports so much, for there is a spirit +of pride in high wrought vexation, that imparts strength +to the other faculties and to the body. Like the last convulsion +of the dying madman, it derives from its very +extremity and excess, uncontrollable strength; but when +that is broken—when it is softened down by tenderness +or pity, the mind which was but now strong under a +fierce influence is left weak, impressible, and like the +vision of a man rising from a swoon, when that influence<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_105"></a>[105]</span> +is removed. Thus the feelings of Feliciana instead now +of following the course of her stronger and more +predominant powers, yielded entirely to the softer endowments +of her nature, and her affection vented itself +in a more seductive, more natural, more overcoming +way. She no longer endeavoured to disguise to herself +the extent to which her affection had already gone. +She perceived at once that the sorrow which the +involuntary revelations of Appadocca had cost her, had +a different source from that which she would fain have +believed at first; and that her apparently chivalrous +denunciation of his course of life, and her resolution to +follow him, and like a good angel, to stay his piratical +hand, did not spring from a mere instinct of abstract +right and wrong, but rose from a more interesting and +personal feeling.</p> + +<p>This great point being laid bare, she at once considered +the circumstances, and the recollection of the +last speech of Appadocca fell upon her heart, like the +chilling hand of death. She sat in silent sorrow, and +the evening had long yielded to night, when her father +returned from the Savannahs to interrupt her grief, and +to divert for a few moments the dark and troubled +currents of her thoughts.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_106"></a>[106]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And much, much different from the man he was;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">But till this afternoon, his passion</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Ne’er brake into extremity of rage.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Comedy of Errors.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The night was far advanced, when Appadocca undertook +to carry into execution, the design which he had +formed of leaving the Rancha. He cautiously went out +of the apartment which he occupied, and found no +difficulty in opening the carelessly fastened door of the +house. He went out softly, and when he had got outside, +he had to stand still for a moment, in order to +have recourse to his memory to help him to form some +sort of idea of the position in which he found himself: +such was the excessive darkness. Had he previously +petitioned nature for a night, which might effectually +shroud him from any one that might pursue him, she +could not have sent one that was more dark or dismal. +The blackness of the wilds, heightened a thousand-fold<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_107"></a>[107]</span> +that of the night, which itself required no augmentation. +Objects seemed heaped together in one pitchy +chaos, and nature seemed to sleep heavily under a +canopy of gloom. The fire flies that flew low and +lonely on the level Savannahs, seemed to show their +light, merely to point out the surrounding darkness. +In the same proportion with this thick gloom was the +silence of the hour, which permitted the faintest sounds +to be heard. At long intervals the brief but sonorous +cry of the owl, as it signaled to its mate, would fall +upon the ear; or there might be heard the hoarse and +unearthly shriek of the night raven, as it vented its rage +at the falling of some fruit, which it carried in its beak; +or, perhaps, the low sound of some tethered and invisible +horse that cropped the short grass hard by.</p> + +<p>Incapable of seeing one foot before him, Appadocca +could not proceed. He remembered well where he was, +but the darkness confounded his calculation, and he +knew not in what direction to move.</p> + +<p>“The pen lies there,” he said, “no there—no there,” +and vainly pointed where he could not see his own hand +before him.</p> + +<p>In this dilemma he bethought him of the stars: full of +hope he quickly looked up: the heavens were as dark +as the earth, not a star was to be seen.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_108"></a>[108]</span></p> + +<p>“Shall I stay where I am,” he inquired of himself, +“until the morning star shows itself? this gloom will +not, it cannot last!” No there might be a chance of +his being discovered, and who knew the inconveniences, +that such a circumstance would bring.</p> + +<p>“The wind—there is no wind.”</p> + +<p>Appadocca wet the tip of his index finger with his +saliva and turned it round.</p> + +<p>“Ha! there is a breath,” he said, as he felt the chill, +on the tip of the moistened finger. “The wind,” he +argued, “blows at this hour in these regions, at a point +varying from north-east to east. Following such a +course, I shall assuredly open on the ocean: good.”</p> + +<p>Appadocca now began to move along, keeping his +index finger straight before him, and taking care to +moisten it from time to time. He proceeded under the +pilotage of his sense of feeling, and heard the drowsy +dialogue of some Llaneros, as they lazily turned in their +hammocks, in some neighbouring pen, and asked each +other, if he did not hear some one walking.</p> + +<p>The soft breeze still gently blew, and afforded the +same means of directing himself. He tumbled here and +there into the deep farrows which the heavy rains had +made. The severe shocks and bruises which he +received, as he fell into those holes, were quite sufficient<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_109"></a>[109]</span> +to try the endurance of a strong man, much less that of +one who was but just recovering from illness. Fortunately +the point to be attained was not far off, and +Appadocca, after having groped his way for an hour, +heard the low moaning of the ocean before him. He +approached as much as he thought he could with prudence, +for he conjectured that the ground would be the +more broken and torn, as it verged nearer toward the +sea; and, finally, sat down on the grass to await the +approach of morning.</p> + +<p>The gray light which temporarily chases away darkness +immediately before the advent of morning, to leave +a moment afterward the gloom which it dispelled for a +time, came. Careful not to lose one favourable moment, +Appadocca immediately got up, and advanced in the +direction in which the sea was rolling. Again, however, +he was obliged to suspend his progress, for darkness +again returned.</p> + +<p>At the approach of the real light Appadocca felt his +sensibility deeply moved by the view which opened +before him. The great Atlantic rolled heavily below, +and it was only where the horizon limited vision that its +silently rising mountains would appear as if they were +at last levelled into easy quietness. Its moving volumes +were as yet undisturbed by the wind, and the transparent<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_110"></a>[110]</span> +haze that still floated over its surface, imparted an +air of repose that well befitted the hour. The mountain-peaks +of the little islands that lined the shore, rose +forth to contrast the wild waste of waters, and then +came the high land on which he stood, that verged to +the north-west into capacious bays and havens, and +pointed out towards the east, and advanced high and +lofty like a battalion of fearless soldiers, against the +billows that lashed them, and that had likely lashed them +long long before they bore the adventurous Columbus +to its foot. At his back, also, lay the level and wide-spreading +Savannahs, where, too, only the horizon +bourned the sight.</p> + +<p>Solitary and alone in such a situation, Appadocca +could not refuse to his heart the pleasure of admiring +such a scene; and, although prudence, not to say safety, +pressed him to hie away from the Rancha, he could not +resist the temptation of resting and feasting his eyes +upon that which was before and around him.</p> + +<p>Rousing himself, however, from the influence of this +feeling, he endeavoured, and succeeded in descending +the cliffs, and resolved to wait until fortune, or, to +use his own expression, destiny, should send in his +way, one of the numerous little vessels that trade +along that coast.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_111"></a>[111]</span></p> + +<p>That day passed, and destiny—the broken reed—was +not kind enough to send a vessel his way. Worn out +with anxiety, and weakened by the want of food, he +drew himself up in the chasm of a rock, with the intention +of resting himself there in the best way that his +unbroken fast, and the uninviting accommodation would +permit.</p> + +<p>Despite these two unfavourable circumstances, he fell +into a deep sleep, and had been under its influences for +some hours, when he was startled by a most terrifying +noise. It seemed that numbers of savage animals were +assembled immediately above his head, and were designedly +giving vent in one unbroken roar to their dismal +and fearful howlings, that rose above the measured breakings +of the billows below.</p> + +<p>“What can this be,” said Appadocca to himself, as he +awoke; “what now comes to break this slumber that +weans me from the sense of hunger?” So saying, he +jumped up and walked a little way from the foot of the +cave, across the beach, and looked up. He perceived +the dark outlines of some large animals, that were moving +about restlessly on the ridge, and were howling in the +manner we have described.</p> + +<p>“Ha!” he exclaimed, “shall I have escaped from +the scaffold, the waves of the Atlantic ocean, and from<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_112"></a>[112]</span> +the jaws of the sharks that fill the bocas, to be, at last, +ignominiously devoured by wild beasts; by Heaven, +then, whatsoever you be, if you attack me, I warn you, +you will attack one that is prepared for you, and one +who is ready, at this moment, to make any one, or any +thing, bear a heavy amount of chastisement.”</p> + +<p>This was spoken in a resolute and even fierce and +over-confident tone. The speaker seemed impatient.</p> + +<p>There has not been, perhaps, a single philosopher +since the human race began, to ruminate on rules and +plans of human excellence, who can be said to have entirely +controlled the emotion of anger. All our other +feelings seem to give way, and yield to the discipline of a +well-watched life, and to the strong volition of our +reason, but that passion alone still remains uncontrollable; +smothered it may be for a time, it is true, but it is liable +on the very first occasion, to be fiercely kindled. It +seems to be so intimately connected, although negatively +with the pleasures of the mind and body, and consequently +with the gratification of the actual cultivation +of philosophy itself, that any derangement of any of these +things acts in producing the feeling which human perfection +is too weak to avoid.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding his cynicism, Appadocca was irritated +by the numberless difficulties that fell to his lot to surmount.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_113"></a>[113]</span></p> + +<p>‘But a feather breaks the loaded camel’s back’: he had +undergone privations, borne sufferings, staked life, happiness—all +that was dear and solacing to man—on the +accomplishment of a design; after exerting himself to an +extent that such as he, only, could exert themselves; after +sacrificing the happiness that a lovely and angelic being +was willing to confer, he was, at the eleventh hour, of his +suffering, when hope began to beam again, now exposed +to be devoured by vile unreasonable creatures.</p> + +<p>These reflections might have been made on another +occasion, without endangering the temper of the person +who made them. But Appadocca was now almost maddened +by fatigue and hunger. Famine makes the most +steady violent, and human nature has already a sufficiently +hard duty to contain itself, even when starvation +is not present to gall it into rage.</p> + +<p>In this mood he stood boldly on the shore, looking up +at the wild beasts, with his chest heaving highly and +quickly, and apparently desiring that they should rush +upon him at once, and afford a but to his fury, and put +an end to his unsweetened existence. His wishes were +partly fulfilled.</p> + +<p>The animals rushed to and fro and seemed to be +looking for a footing to descend the crag; but their +instinct apparently did not deem it sufficiently secure<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_114"></a>[114]</span> +for that purpose, for they drew back and howled as if +disappointed of their prey.</p> + +<p>“Fools,” cried Appadocca, addressing them with +more rage than reason, “go further down the ridge if +you would have me to feast upon.”</p> + +<p>One of the animals, bolder than the others, went +as far forward as possible, and seemed to have +found a means of descending, but as the creature +endeavoured to rest the weight of its body on the +projection, on which it had laid one of its paws, +it gave way. Its balance was lost and headlong it +tumbled down the precipice. It had no sooner reached +the ground, than Appadocca, wild as the animals themselves, +threw himself upon it and buried his thumb and +finger into its neck.</p> + +<p>“Now you must either kill me, or I shall kill you, +vile creature that assails me, as if mankind could not +inflict sufficient injury without your coming from your +native wilds and forests to aid them. Die, by Heaven! +or I shall”—saying this, he contracted his muscles as +tightly as the sinews of a convulsive man.</p> + +<p>The animal lay for awhile stunned by the fall; but as +soon as the blood commenced to circulate again, it +felt the pressure on its wind-pipe, and began to kick +violently.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_115"></a>[115]</span></p> + +<p>“Kick your spirit away, vile brute, I shall not budge,” +cried Appadocca, now half mad with fury.</p> + +<p>On its legs the creature stood, and shook its head and +plunged, and away it went with Appadocca still clutching +its wind-pipe with the grasp of the dying crocodile. +The animal staggered a few paces and fell heavily to the +ground, strangled to death.</p> + +<p>Appadocca got up from the ground to which he had +been borne by the beast in its fall, and walked round his +prey in triumph.</p> + +<p>“Whatever you are,” said he, “provided you are flesh +and blood, I shall have a meal of you.”</p> + +<p>He groped about among the small stones that strewed +the upper part of the beach, and found what he seemed +to have been searching for, a flint. He dashed it +against a larger one and with the sharp pieces of it he +began to cut through the hide of the animal that he had +killed. He then succeeded in cutting a large portion of +the still quivering flesh, and eat it.</p> + +<p>What will not famine relish? Oh! hunger, that +eternally tells us of our lowliness. Hunger levels. Hunger +brings down the highest and proudest individuals to the +standard of the meanest creature, whose instinct is to +eat, whose life is concentrated in devouring, and whose +death comes by over-feeding.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_116"></a>[116]</span></p> + +<p>After Appadocca had fed upon the reeking flesh of +his victim, he seemed recalled to himself: the madness +of famine was past. He now looked upon the carcass +before him with the indifference that formed the greater +part of his nature, and the faint glimmerings of the fact +that he had defied that beast which was now before him, +and had engaged it in mortal combat, disgusted him: +he contemned himself, too, when he recollected a little, +the vain boastful and undignified language that he had +held, and bent his steps in much sadness towards the +same crevice where he had slept away the first part of +the night. The other animals had fled after the fall of +the one we have mentioned, and the stillness of the +night was, as before, broken upon only by the moans of +the ocean.</p> + +<p>The next morning revealed to Appadocca the extent +of the danger that he had escaped the night before. +The animal was discovered to be one of those American +tigers or jaguars, which pervade the plains of South +America, and whose hunger has not unfrequently surmounted +their instinctive cowardice so far as to bring +them to the very houses of the Rancheros. The huge +and powerful jaws of the animal, in which his bones +could have been ground to pieces, attracted the attention +of Appadocca; and when he observed the wound<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_117"></a>[117]</span> +on the animal—the rude incision that he had made with +the flint, and recollected the bloody meal that he had +made of its flesh, he shuddered in disgust.</p> + +<p>It was now that, withdrawing his eyes from the +jaguar, he perceived at a distance a small craft tossing +about on the heavy billows. He nimbly climbed the +eminence to have a better view of what he feared his +fancy may have too flatteringly pictured to him. It +was in reality a small <i>fallucha</i> that was labouring on the +heavy seas. Her course was under the land, but on the +reach she was edging sea-ward. Alarmed at this appearance, +he came down the cliff and ran along the beach +towards the little vessel. Having got nearly opposite, +he halloed as loudly as he could. He was not heard; +again he cried, but with as little success as before.</p> + +<p>“Am I destined again to meet with other misfortunes?” +he muttered, calmly. “Am I destined to be +left to perish on this unfrequented shore! Oh my +father! how many events seem to arise to befriend you. +Were I not sufficiently grounded in my belief, I would +be almost tempted to believe that destiny, or Providence, +or something else, exerted itself to shield you from your +merited chastisement. But avaunt, vain, and stupid +thought, the fatalities that have befallen thee, Emmanuel +Appadocca, are only the acting of one of the grand<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_118"></a>[118]</span> +laws by which yon sun stands where it is, while the +earth wheels around it; or by which thou thyself +throttled the huge beast last night. Dost thou not see +that the distance is too far for thy voice to reach? +Providence has instruments enough among his creatures, +he does not interfere with our little concerns.”</p> + +<p>Muttering this, Appadocca climbed the heights, took +off the jacket with which the hospitable Ranchero had +provided him, and waved it in the air.</p> + +<p>The mariners on board the <i>fallucha</i> held their oars in +mid-air.</p> + +<p>“They have seen me,” said Appadocca, and waved +the jacket again.</p> + +<p>The <i>fallucha</i> had discovered the signal.</p> + +<p>Casting away the jacket, Appadocca threw himself +at once from an overhanging rock into the sea, and +began to swim boldly out to meet the vessel that was +now slowly approaching him.</p> + +<p>His eagerness however, was now well nigh proving +his death; for miscalculating the distance as well as his +strength, he had ventured farther than his fatigues +could justify. He was just sinking from exhaustion, +when the powerful arm of a sailor from on board the +<i>fallucha</i> grasped him.</p> + +<p>He was laid on one of the rower’s benches, where he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_119"></a>[119]</span> +lay insensible. The sailors gravely bent over him, and +tried every means for producing re-animation, which +was not easily attained, for the Spaniards had no effectual +restoratives, and Appadocca was now so overwhelmed, +that the healthy elasticity of nature was almost destroyed.</p> + +<p>Appadocca proffered his thanks to the four men who +formed the crew of that little vessel for their kindness, +as soon as he had come to himself.</p> + +<p>“Who are you?” asked the captain, after receiving +the thanks, “and where do you come from, you do not +seem to me to be a seaman?”</p> + +<p>“No,” readily answered Appadocca, “I went out +from Trinidad in my pleasure boat, together with some +friends; we were taken through the bocas by the force +of the currents, and having inadvertently approached too +near a whirlpool, we were capsized. My friends have +been drowned. I am the only one who have survived: +I managed to swim ashore, and had to encounter a +number of accidents, and a large amount of suffering. +I at last saw your vessel.”</p> + +<p>“And where are you going,” he demanded in his +turn, anxious to divert further inquiry.</p> + +<p>“To Trinidad.”</p> + +<p>“To which port,” again demanded Appadocca.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_120"></a>[120]</span></p> + +<p>“To any one where I may be able to sell my cargo,” +answered the captain of the <i>fallucha</i>.</p> + +<p>Appadocca yielded himself up to his reflections.</p> + +<p>The captain could not withdraw his eyes from the +stranger. He looked at him with the peculiar expression +of the face, which indicates the absence of entire +mental satisfaction, with regard to the reality of the object +gazed upon. Still there was nothing in the appearance +of Appadocca that could warrant any definite suspicion; +but there was a combination in it, nevertheless, which +forcibly attracted attention, and inspired a peculiar sort +of feeling that probably was akin to awe.</p> + +<p>The morning gradually passed. When the strong +trade-wind sprang about eleven o’clock, the rowers +pulled in their sweeps; the feather-like sails of the +<i>fallucha</i> were hoisted; her head was pointed towards +the bocas, and the little vessel began to mount over +the waves under her closely boarded sheets. The +sailors now carelessly threw themselves at full length +on the rowers’ benches; the captain kept his eye on +the bows of the little vessel; and Appadocca gazed pensively +on the ocean before him. Had any of those who +were on board the <i>fallucha</i> cast his eyes towards the +land that lay on the lee, he would probably have made +out the dim outlines of a female form that was waving +a white handkerchief in the air.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_121"></a>[121]</span></p> + +<p>At night-fall, the <i>fallucha</i> was in the chops of the +outlets.</p> + +<p>Appadocca thus saw himself, by a strange coincidence, +in the same place and about the same time that he +had jumped from the man-of-war. He gazed on the +rolling waves which nature had surrounded with the +terrors both of the animated and unanimated portions +of creation. For the rocks beneath the impending +mountains, together with the waves that looked merciless +and unrelenting, raised at first sight the idea of +sure destruction: while the huge repulsive sharks that +are there to be seen in thousands reminded one of a +still more painful and frightful death.</p> + +<p>“Nil arduum,” muttered Appadocca, as he gazed on +the scene of his daring adventure, “said the Roman +poet, and no mortal ever enunciated a greater truth. +Here are these overwhelming waves that seem to +carry sure destruction on their frowning crest, that +roll over an abyss, which if it were dry, would be difficult +for man to fathom, that contain within themselves +all sorts of huge and destructive monsters, in comparison +to the smallest fins of which, man, enterprizing, +achieving man, dwindles to the insignificance of the rose-twig +by the side of the towering magnolia: still the +human race subjugates them even in their fiercest mood,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_122"></a>[122]</span> +and from their frail fabric of boards and pitch, men make +war on their dangerous denizens. Not only that, but I, my +very self, at the hour of midnight, when man and beast +retire to their habitations, and sleep away darkness and its +horrors, I plunged into the terrific waters with only a +clay-pot to help me through, and here I am, principally +by dint of perseverance, safe and sound. Oh, human +race, you know not your power; you know not what you +could do if you would only throw away the superstitious +fears in which you have enthralled yourselves, and venture +to assume a position, which the indefiniteness of your intellect +assuredly intends you for. But you must study +the law of nature: until you do that, you cannot be fit +to achieve great things; as you are, you are living merely +like brutes, with this aggravation, that the resources +of your reason give you a greater facility of corrupting +yourselves, and of becoming cowardly and base, the +natural effect of corruption.</p> + +<p>“Had I permitted myself,” continued Appadocca, “to +be nursed in the lap of an enervating luxury, either +mental or bodily, to be surrounded with numbers of base +menials, whose care was to prevent even the dew of +heaven from falling too heavily upon me, who were to +prepare the couches of indolence for me, who were to +pamper my body, beyond the power of endurance, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_123"></a>[123]</span> +at last transform me into an animal lacking thews and +muscles? if I had been tutored to look upon the falling +of a picture as a calamity, or been taught to tremble at +the ramblings of a mouse; and more, had I permitted +my mind to be enslaved by the ignorant notions of fiends, +of horrors after death, and of all those things by which +the world is made to quake in utter fear, should I have +undertaken the execution of a design that would have +been made to appear, even more terrible than that death +in which its entire failure could have resulted? No, +decidedly not.</p> + +<p>“And, my good father,” a sardonic smile might have +been marked about his lips, “rejoice while you can, amidst +vain pomps and ceremonies, surrounded as you are again +by smiling and sympathising sycophants, for your time +of merry-making will be but short.”</p> + +<p>Such were the half-muttered reflections of Appadocca +as the <i>fallucha</i> crossed the bocas.</p> + +<p>Having once cleared the straits, the little vessel drew +closely under the land on the left side with her sails +filled by the cool and gentle land breeze. She was sailing +up to Port-of-Spain, among the beautiful little islands +with which the reader was made acquainted at the +beginning of this narrative. The curling wavelets of +the smooth gulf broke on the sharp prow of the fast-sailing<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_124"></a>[124]</span> +<i>fallucha</i>, and kept up a soothing music that invited +to repose. The rustling of the trees that grew to the +water’s edge, charmed the ear of the mariner; the land +breeze wafted far out to sea the sweet perfumes of the +wild flowers, which nature has known to create only in +the tropics.</p> + +<p>The little vessel was doubling a small promontory, +and entering the beautiful bay which indents the coast +about that part, and is known as “Chaguaradmas +Bay,” when the hasty splashes of several oars were suddenly +heard, while, from the darkness of the night, the +approaching boat was still unseen.</p> + +<p>The splashes every moment grew more and more loud +and distinct, they sounded more and more near, and +suddenly a large boat, pulled by ten armed men, +appeared, and the next instant the <i>fallucha</i> was boarded; +as nimbly as antelopes the men jumped into the little +craft.</p> + +<p>“Que es ese?” the Spaniards simultaneously cried, +and each drew his knife.</p> + +<p>“Lorenzo,” exclaimed Appadocca, with more warmth +than his cynicism could justify, and, in a moment, that +officer—for it was he—was affectionately shaking his +chief by the hand: they were both much affected.</p> + +<p>How sweet it is when loving relatives have died away,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_125"></a>[125]</span> +one by one, when lover has been inconstant, and has +shot the arrow—coldness—through the loving heart; +when the ingratitude of professed friends has frozen the +limpid currents of our feelings, when the world has +heaped upon us miseries on miseries, and then has cast +us forth; when father shews the front of enmity to filial +deservedness, when we are isolated in ourselves in this +great world of numbers of movements and of alacrity; +how sweet it is to meet, after separation, the friend +whose heart-strings throb in sympathy with ours, and +about whose head the shadows of suspicion could never play.</p> + +<p>At the sound of the captain’s well-known voice, a +loud and prolonged cheer from the men in the boat, +echoed in the silence of the night far and wide over the +gulf, and was repeated long and loudly by the ringing +dales on the shore.</p> + +<p>“Thanks, thanks,” exclaimed Lorenzo, in his joy, “to +the chance that sent us after this vessel.”</p> + +<p>“Where is the schooner?” inquired Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“Behind that promontory, that you barely see: she +is there safely hidden.”</p> + +<p>“Then take the helm,” said Appadocca, “and steer +to her.”</p> + +<p>Lorenzo attempted to take the tiller out of the hands +of the captain, but met with strong resistance.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_126"></a>[126]</span></p> + +<p>The captain of the <i>fallucha</i> brandished his knife, and +called on his men to assist.</p> + +<p>“Stop,” coolly said Appadocca, “do not resist: I +shall give you five hundred dollars for your little vessel +and its cargo. Submit, I am Appadocca, the young +pirate.”</p> + +<p>“Jesu!” cried the captain of the <i>fallucha</i>, “whom +did I receive on board my vessel?” and he resignedly +gave up the tiller.</p> + +<p>The command of the <i>fallucha</i> was now taken by the +pirate party. She was immediately put about. On +making two or three tacks she headed the small promontory, +and discovered the long Black Schooner that +lay enshrouded, in the silence of night, on the smooth +and deepening bay.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_127"></a>[127]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXIIIa">CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Hamlet.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>After Lorenzo had been satisfactorily informed, by +the confessions of the midshipman, with regard to the +safety of his chief, deeming it no longer necessary +to hazard any nearer approach to the man-of-war, +he kept the schooner where she was: while, at the same, +he continued to keep the ship-of-war still within sight. +He was enabled to do so by an instrument of a very +peculiar and strange device. From the tall masts of the +schooner, there were reared to an immense height into +the air long poles of steel that were joined and joined +again to each other, and were, at the same time, carefully +secured on all sides; at the top of these were +adjusted large globe-shaped metallic mirrors, that were +filled with a thick white liquid, which was continuously<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_128"></a>[128]</span> +agitated by a small electric engine, which received its +power from a battery on deck. These mirrors, when +the sun was at a certain height, were made, by a trigonometrical +principle, to receive impressions of objects +that were beyond the scope of the human eye, and by +conveying those impressions to other mirrors, that were +fixed in a thousand different ways, to the several parts +of the vessel, gave the power to an individual on deck +to see every movement of any vessel which would +otherwise be invisible, while his own remained unseen.</p> + +<p>Thus, by the force of the same genius with which he might +have shone among men on the side of good, Appadocca +was enabled to excel, to be unapproachable and irresistible +in his career of crime and evil. The firmness of mind +which enabled him to curb the natures of even pirates, +and to establish a discipline on board the Black Schooner +that made his men simultaneously act as if they were +but the individual members of only one single body +moved but by one spirit, might, perhaps, have procured +for him the reputation of a wise and great leader; the +powers of invention, which supplied even the deficiencies +of human nature, and permitted him to make almost +every element his servant, could again have handed +down his name to posterity as that of a profound philosopher, +if his talents had been turned to a proper object.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_129"></a>[129]</span> +But the combination of circumstances—destiny, decided +otherwise, and instead of finding himself in the high +position of good, Appadocca found himself, by the very +necessity of those self-same talents, in the high position +of evil.</p> + +<p>It is not Emmanuel Appadocca alone that has been +thus doomed to bury a high intellect in obscurity, or been +impelled by circumstances to expend its force in guilt. +No: the world seems scarcely as yet prepared for genius, +a higher humanity is required and must exist, before the +man who possesses it can find a congenial place of existence +on this planet. Mere chance now moves the +balance in which he is weighed; circumstances either +hazardously call him forth, or he is left to feed upon his +own disgust, until his rough sands are run, then earth +covers over the fire that ought to burn only in the skies. +From among one hundred men of genius scarcely +one ever goes beyond the boundary of the desert +on which so many flowers are destined to “blush +unseen.”</p> + +<p>It was two hours after noon, on the day which we +have above mentioned, that Lorenzo was standing by +the helmsman of the schooner, eagerly reading the +reflections of the mirrors, when the signals of Appadocca +from the man-of-war fell upon his eyes.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_130"></a>[130]</span></p> + +<p>“What is this?” involuntarily exclaimed the officer, +as he read the well-known symbols of his chief.</p> + +<p>“Too late, too late! his stupidity has already made +him undergo the torture,” he exclaimed, as he deciphered,—</p> + +<p>“<span class="smcap">Treat well the officer, for they treat me +well.—SCORPION.</span>”</p> + +<p>Lorenzo gave an order to the officer on duty; a +piercing sound was then heard; in a moment or two, +the sides of the schooner became peopled with men, +whose brawny arms were bared up to the shoulders. +Not a word was spoken. The polished and shining +guns of the schooner were immediately pointed, they +seemed to thrust their muzzles through the port-holes, +as if they worked by one impulse, by their own choice +and their own action, for the slightest difference could +not be traced either in the time or in the manner in +which each separate piece was moved to its proper +place.</p> + +<p>Another piercing sound: each gun was fired at the +precise moment. The schooner shook under the deafening +explosion that followed, and the ocean rang, and +rang again with the echo.</p> + +<p>This was Lorenzo’s reply to the request of Appadocca.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_131"></a>[131]</span></p> + +<p>By the aid of the same machine, that officer perceived +when the man-of-war set all her sails, and began her +voyage to Trinidad, as he concluded, both from the +revelation of the young officer, and the direction in +which she was steering. He rejoiced when he observed +this, for he was persuaded that, in the event of the man-of-war +entering the Gulf of Paria, he would be able +triumphantly to rescue his chief. For the thousand +bays and creeks which diversify the shore, the distance +at which large vessels are obliged to remain on account +of the harbour’s shallowness, and the lukewarmness of +the inhabitants of the town with regard to pirates, for +they have seldom or never been subjected to the ravages +of those people, he calculated, would afford him all +assistance, while they should, on the contrary, tend to +perplex, hinder, and embarrass the enemy.</p> + +<p>He immediately ordered a certain quantity of sails to +be put on the schooner, and began to follow the man-of-war. +He kept always out of sight, and at noon on each +day, the sails were lowered, the same machine was erected, +and he made his observations on the ship-of-war, which +sailed away majestically, its commander little knowing +that he was followed by a cunning, vigilant, and determined +enemy.</p> + +<p>Four hours had not elapsed since the man-of-war<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_132"></a>[132]</span> +had crossed the bocas, before the Black Schooner also +passed them, and thus left in the water behind her the +person to whose rescue she was going.</p> + +<p>Lorenzo kept her head still towards the centre of the +gulf, then went about, and, with one tack, gained the +headland, behind which the schooner now lay concealed.</p> + +<p>In that position, Lorenzo quickly disguised himself, +and taking possession of one of the many little vessels +that sail along the shore from the Spanish main, went +up to Port-of-Spain, and heard the confused intelligence +that Appadocca had committed suicide.</p> + +<p>His cargo was sold, and he could remain no longer in +the harbour for fear of detection, so he resolved upon +the plan of taking another <i>fallucha</i>, and of returning to +Port-of-Spain as a different captain. He lay in watch +for the first vessel which might pass, and destiny willed +that the one which he should board should carry Appadocca.</p> + +<p class="tb">As soon as Appadocca had arrived on board of the +schooner, after having bowed to the officer and men, who +saluted him, he descended the companion-steps and +requested Lorenzo to follow.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_133"></a>[133]</span></p> + +<p>They arrived at the Captain’s cabin: and Jack +Jimmy, who met Appadocca at the door, stood on tiptoe, +threw his head forward, opened his eyes, and was +just on the point of venting some exclamation, when +Appadocca made a sign to him to be silent. The little +man, almost bursting with the internal ebullition of the +greeting which he was obliged to restrain, retreated into +an angle, and Appadocca passed on.</p> + +<p>“Sit down,” said he to Lorenzo, when they had +arrived into the cabin, “and allow me to express my +approval of the brave and wise manner in which you +have discharged your duty during my absence.”</p> + +<p>The officer bowed modestly.</p> + +<p>“Has the crew always acted up to its office?” Appadocca +demanded.</p> + +<p>“Yes, your excellency,” replied Lorenzo.</p> + +<p>“The unfortunate accident,” proceeded Appadocca, +“which happened, deprived us of our last booty: but, +in two days’ time I shall let the men have as much as +they can desire. I shall let them have pleasure to-morrow. +Lorenzo, let us drink together.”</p> + +<p>Appadocca pressed a spring, and one of his attendants +appeared and laid on a table wine and drinking-cups. +Appadocca filled a goblet and passed the +decanter to Lorenzo.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_134"></a>[134]</span></p> + +<p>“Thanks to you, Lorenzo,” said Appadocca, and +drank.</p> + +<p>“To the joy of your return, your excellency,” said +Lorenzo, and did the same.</p> + +<p>In a few moments after the officer left the cabin.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_135"></a>[135]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXIIIb">CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“For valour, is not love a Hercules,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Still climbing trees in the Hesperides?”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Love’s Labour’s Lost.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>At early dawn on the morning that followed the +departure of Appadocca, Feliciana was sitting in the +principal apartment of the Rancha. She was occupying +her favourite chair by the window, and with her cheek +resting upon her hand, was gazing listlessly and absently +on the green grass without, on which the dew still +sparkled in the silvery rays of the rising sun.</p> + +<p>She seemed occupied by her own thoughts, although +the beautiful picture of waking nature—a scene always +enchanting in the tropics—was before her, and every +moment, as she heard the rustling of the <i>carat</i> that +roofed the house, or the creaking of the cedar windows +as they became heated with the sun, or any other sound +which might resemble a footfall, she turned her head<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_136"></a>[136]</span> +eagerly to look, and turned away again, evidently disappointed +when she saw nothing.</p> + +<p>The morning merged more and more towards noon, +she more and more frequently turned round to look, but +seemed every time disappointed as before, for Appadocca, +whom she was expecting, did not appear.</p> + +<p>“Can he be ill,” thought Feliciana, “Maria, Maria!” +she cried, as she became more and more alarmed by the +idea.</p> + +<p>An old servant appeared, and was immediately +sent to see if the stranger was well.</p> + +<p>She soon returned, and said that there was no one in +the room.</p> + +<p>Feliciana jumped up and rushed into the apartment +which Appadocca had occupied. No one had +slept on the bed.</p> + +<p>The truth now broke in upon the young lady. Her +countenance fell; she walked back dejectedly to her +chair, and looked out as before.</p> + +<p>“What shall I do?” asked the old domestic, who had +now a long time waited in vain for the orders of her +absent mistress.</p> + +<p>Feliciana started: “Tell my papa,” she said, and +turned away her head.</p> + +<p>The old domestic went slowly and in a side-long<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_137"></a>[137]</span> +manner out of the apartment, gazing at the young lady +the whole time, and muttering “what is the matter +with the child?”</p> + +<p>Feliciana remained where she was the greater part of +the day, closed her ears to the repeated exhortations of +her old servant to take food, and declared, in answer +to her pressing questions, that she had had a disagreeable +dream the night before, which had thrown a feeling +of melancholy over her the whole of that day. +When she retired to her apartment in the evening, the +young lady hastily gathered her valuables, and wrote +a letter, which she addressed to her father, and sat +quietly and pensively until the night was half spent. +She then rose, and carefully let herself out of the house, +and walked slowly and cautiously away, until she got to +a considerable distance from the Rancha. Once in the +open field, the bold Feliciana began to run, for it was +only by running that she could keep pace with the rapidity +and activity of her thoughts. The next day she was by the +sea shore, and was just in time to catch a glimpse +of the little <i>fallucha</i> which had received Appadocca on +board, as she was sailing away. She waved her handkerchief, +but no one on board saw her, and the <i>fallucha</i> left +her behind.</p> + +<p>Undaunted by this accident, the young lady continued<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_138"></a>[138]</span> +her journey along the shore, moving, however, +in an easterly direction.</p> + +<p>Oppressed with fatigue, she sat for a moment, in the +evening, on the grass, to rest herself.</p> + +<p>The dull sounds of horses’ hoofs in a short time were +distinctly heard.</p> + +<p>“I am undone,” Feliciana exclaimed, and turned to +look.</p> + +<p>Two horsemen were seen rapidly approaching in the +direction by which she herself had come.</p> + +<p>“They are my father’s men,” she said to herself, and +looked about for some tree, or other object, behind +which she might conceal herself: but there was not a +thing at hand.</p> + +<p>The horsemen drew closer and closer again; she +looked round once more: at a short distance, the grass +seemed to grow richer and thicker. She crept along +towards this point, and threw herself flat into the tuft: +but she was barely concealed, and durst not hope to +escape being seen.</p> + +<p>“I cannot avoid being taken,” she said to herself, and +seemed unnerved by the thought. The horsemen approached +nearer and nearer. The thoughts of Appadocca +crowded on her; the conflict of undefined feelings +which had taken place in her mind, had ended in leaving<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_139"></a>[139]</span> +her a being that was devoted to that mysterious man, +and one who could now form no idea of life in which he +was not the beginning and the end. Her fears now +yielded to a stronger feeling; she drew from her bosom +a gilded poniard, and vowed that she would not be deterred +from fulfilling her vow as long as she lived. The +horsemen had almost arrived to where she was, they +came opposite to her, they looked neither on one side +nor on the other, but seemed entirely absorbed by the +subject on which they were conversing in a loud tone of +voice.</p> + +<p>From her hiding place Feliciana could see them +distinctly. Joy, joy! they were not her father’s men. +But may they not be other persons that were sent after +her in one direction, while her father’s own Llaneros +went in another? She remained quiet and listened.</p> + +<p>“No, I shall not take less than seven piastres each for +my oxen; and, as for my jack-asses, I shall not let them +go for less than four piastres a-head,” said one of the +horsemen.</p> + +<p>“You are quite right,” replied the other; “those +people in Trinidad can afford to pay a good price for +their bullocks. By-the-bye, have you remarked what +a number more of beasts we sell since the English took +that island. I understand these fellows live entirely on<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_140"></a>[140]</span> +beef, and that is the reason why they are such good +soldiers.”</p> + +<p>“Good or bad soldiers,” answered the other, “if they +eat beef, and make us sell our cattle, that is all we care +about.”</p> + +<p>“They are merchants,” said Feliciana to herself, and +resolved at once to speak to them.</p> + +<p>“Yes, continued the first speaker, I shall not—”</p> + +<p>“Ho!” cried Feliciana, springing from the ground, +“senores, senores, ho!”</p> + +<p>The horsemen looked round, and crossed themselves, +and at the same time, cried, “Jesu!”</p> + +<p>“Stop, stop, I wish to speak to you,” Feliciana continued.</p> + +<p>The horseman reined up their horses, and remained +apparently under the effect of some powerful fear.</p> + +<p>“What may she be?”</p> + +<p>“Who knows what she may be! that’s just the reason +why we should obey her,” replied the other.</p> + +<p>In the mean time Feliciana came up.</p> + +<p>“Shall we speak to her?” one inquired of the other.</p> + +<p>“Where are you riding to, senores?” she inquired.</p> + +<p>They looked inquiringly at each other, and then +asked each other in a whisper, “Shall I answer?”</p> + +<p>“Where are you going to, senores?” she repeated.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_141"></a>[141]</span></p> + +<p>“To Guiria, beautiful lady,” one at last answered.</p> + +<p>“Be good enough to take me with you,” said Feliciana.</p> + +<p>The horsemen looked amazed at each other.</p> + +<p>“I shall give you two hundred piastres.”</p> + +<p>The two horsemen opened their eyes.</p> + +<p>“Two hundred piastres?” they repeated inquiringly.</p> + +<p>“Yes.”</p> + +<p>“And who are you, beautiful lady, that are thus +solitary in the Savannahs? are you one of us or some +blessed spirit that is permitted to walk the earth. We +are good and true catholics, do not harm us, we beseech +you.” The two horsemen here devoutly crossed themselves +respectively.</p> + +<p>“I am no spirit,” answered Feliciana, “but an unfortunate +lady, who is flying to the rescue of—of—her—husband: +pray take me on with you, and I shall +reward you, as I have said.”</p> + +<p>The horsemen mused, and whispered to each other +for a moment. Then one of them dismounted.</p> + +<p>“Senora,” he said, “Heaven forbid that we should +ever commit the crime of leaving a lady in the wilds +without shelter or protection. Allow me to assist you +in mounting my horse.”</p> + +<p>Feliciana was supported on the saddle. The three<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_142"></a>[142]</span> +persons then proceeded on their journey. The horsemen +changed places alternately at the various stages of the +journey; and while one walked at the side of Feliciana’s +horse, the other rode by turns, until they arrived in the +environs of the town of Guiria, where Feliciana found +a number of opportunities to continue her wanderings +in search of Appadocca.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_143"></a>[143]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent8">“How would you be,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">If He, who is the top of judgment, should</div> + <div class="verse indent0">But judge you as you are? O, think on that;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And mercy then will breathe between your lips,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Like men new made.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Measure for Measure.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>After Appadocca had jumped overboard, the large +ship passed the bocas safely, entered upon the still +waters of the gulf, and within a few hours afterwards +her large Anchor was cast off the harbour of Port-of-Spain.</p> + +<p>As the vessel approached nearer to her port of destruction, +Charles Hamilton had become more and +more anxious, and uneasy about the fated doom which +he saw every moment hanging lower and lower over his +friend. He reasonably argued that, with such a willing +witness as James Willmington, and with such a stoical +disposition as his friend had formed to himself, there would<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_144"></a>[144]</span> +not be the slightest chance of Appadocca’s acquittal when +he should be tried. For Willmington, it was to be +supposed, would not attenuate the least feature of the +case, nor would Appadocca descend from his high +notions of philosophy to conceal or deny the charges +that would be brought against him.</p> + +<p>In this state of mind, Charles Hamilton considered +a long time, and endeavoured to think of some means +of still saving his friend. It was, however, a difficult +and perplexing matter, for the only available measures +that he could adopt, were doggedly repudiated by +Appadocca himself.</p> + +<p>“Confound his obstinacy,” the young officer muttered, +when he thought of his friend’s infatuation; “he might +have been saved long ago if it were not for that.”</p> + +<p>Among a number of expedients and plans, Hamilton +at last adopted the one of having an interview with +James Willmington, of endeavouring to soften down +his persecuting feeling, and of establishing, if not terms +of kindness and affection, at least those neutrality and +indifference between him and Appadocca.</p> + +<p>It was in this disposition, that long before the sun +had risen on the morning after the man-of-war had come +to an anchor, Charles Hamilton requested a servant to +ask James Willmington to be good enough to attend<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_145"></a>[145]</span> +him in his cabin. Willmington, whose excitement had +kept him awake the whole night, shortly appeared.</p> + +<p>“Be good enough to sit down, sir,” said Hamilton.</p> + +<p>Willmington sat down.</p> + +<p>“I have taken the liberty, sir, of asking you to my +cabin, to speak to you on a subject that I am aware +must be very delicate; but my great anxiety for my +friend, and the just apprehension that I entertain with +regard to his life itself, have led me to put aside whatever +reluctance I should otherwise feel, and to speak to +you on that head.”</p> + +<p>Willmington looked stolidly and vaguely at Hamilton, +and said not a word.</p> + +<p>“You are aware, sir,” continued Hamilton, “that +Appadocca runs, at this moment, the risk of his life.”</p> + +<p>“I am aware, sir,” replied Willmington, briefly.</p> + +<p>“Well, sir, shutting my eyes to all family quarrels—”</p> + +<p>“There are no quarrels in my family that I know of, +sir,” interrupted Willmington.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you will hear me out,” remarked Hamilton.</p> + +<p>Willmington exhibited the rudiments of a bow.</p> + +<p>“Shutting my eyes to all private quarrels between +you, I say, I cannot but consider it a misfortune that +a young man, like Appadocca, should be brought to a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_146"></a>[146]</span> +disgraceful death on a scaffold at such an early age. +You will be the only prosecutor in this case, and, to a +certain extent, you hold his life in your hands; will you +suspend—suspend your animosity, and give Appadocca +a chance of escape?”</p> + +<p>“I do not understand you, sir,” said Willmington.</p> + +<p>“I do not think there is much obscurity about what +I said,” remarked Hamilton, in his turn.</p> + +<p>“Do you mean, sir, to ask me to connive at a felony, +and to permit a criminal to escape?”</p> + +<p>“Call it what you choose, sir; I ask you to save +Appadocca from an ignoble and untimely death,” +answered Hamilton.</p> + +<p>“Then, sir, I must tell you at once, I cannot. The +law must take its course. Beside, sir, I feel called +upon by public justice and morality, to bring to punishment +the individual in whose favour you are making +these representions.”</p> + +<p>“Hum,” groaned Hamilton—“you forget one great +point,” he said after a short pause.</p> + +<p>“What is that, sir?” inquired Willmington.</p> + +<p>“That by bringing Appadocca to the scaffold, you +will disgrace your own blood,” answered Hamilton.</p> + +<p>“I do not care much for that, sir,” answered Willmington.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_147"></a>[147]</span></p> + +<p>“But you might show some consideration, at least, to +your own son,” said Hamilton.</p> + +<p>“He did not show any to me,” sullenly replied +Willmington.</p> + +<p>“That is no reason why you should not: and you +must recollect, he justified his harshness to you precisely +on the same grounds as you now do yours. Besides, he may +again, one day, justify any vengeance that he may be +inclined to wreak upon you by your conduct to day.”</p> + +<p>“There will not be much chance left of his doing so, +I warrant you,” replied Willmington, with a sardonic +smile.</p> + +<p>“There is many a slip between the cup and the lip,” +said Hamilton.</p> + +<p>A pause ensued.</p> + +<p>“Beside,” continued Willmington, re-opening the +dialogue—“besides, he is my son only of a sort.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean,” inquired Hamilton.</p> + +<p>“That his mother was not Mrs. Willmington,” +answered Willmington.</p> + +<p>“Do you mean to say, then, that you do not consider +you owe any duty to your children that may not have +been born in wedlock?” inquired Hamilton.</p> + +<p>“Scarcely,” answered Willmington.</p> + +<p>“You consider, therefore, that where the word of a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_148"></a>[148]</span> +priest has not been pronounced on your union, you are +absolved from your honor, and from natural obligations?” +inquired Hamilton.</p> + +<p>“I do,” answered Willmington.</p> + +<p>The lips of the young officer curled up with scorn, as +he stood up and said, with ill-concealed disgust:</p> + +<p>“Leave my cabin, sir; leave my cabin. By G—d you +are not made worse than you are. If I were Appadocca, +I should have hanged you outright, and not +sent you with a philosophical scheme to float on a cask +and to be picked up.</p> + +<p>“Hark you, sir,” continued Hamilton, in a suffocating +temper, “if you have a son that resembles you more +than Appadocca does, born of Mrs. Willmington, understood—send +him to me, sir, and, by his own appointment, +I shall give him satisfaction for ordering you out of my +cabin.”</p> + +<p>Willmington turned to leave, but met face to face a +servant that came rushing it.</p> + +<p>“Your honour, your honour,” the man cried with +much excitement, “the pirate prisoner has drowned +himself.”</p> + +<p>“What?” exclaimed Hamilton, and fell back into his +chair.</p> + +<p>“The pirate prisoner, your honour, has jumped<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_149"></a>[149]</span> +overboard. When the steward went into his cabin +this morning, he was not to be found: on examination, +the skylight was discovered to be open.”</p> + +<p>The officer leaned his forehead on his hand.</p> + +<p>“There, sir,” he said, “your vengeance is satisfied: +public justice and morality are vindicated.”</p> + +<p>“Scarcely,” muttered Willmington between his teeth, +and left the cabin.</p> + +<p>Charles Hamilton was deeply affected by the supposed +suicide of his friend; recollections of bygone days +crowded on his mind. He recalled vividly to himself +the happy hours which he and his friend Appadocca had +spent together in the lightheartedness and warm fellowship +which only students can feel, when strong and +mutual sympathy links them, and carries them together +through study and through recreation: he pictured to +his mind, the ardent and aspiring youth, such as his +friend then was, with a mind that was stored with learning, +and a heart that was overflowing with abundant +benevolence, and then contrasted him with the cold +soured, cynical man, whose mind was now entirely engrossed +with schemes of death and revenge, and whose +heart now beat but in cold indifference, or throbbed with +a more active feeling, only when retribution and punishment +quickened its action. He then thought of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_150"></a>[150]</span> +career which hope would have foretold on the one picture—a +career, that like the stars themselves which Appadocca +measured, was to be ever bright and brilliant, that might +have shed its light on humanity, and might, perhaps, +have signalized an epoch of philosophy and certain truth: +and he thought, on the other hand, of the actual reality +of a life spent in the degrading society of the reputed +scum of mankind, with its energies and powers exercised +and lost in devising methods for robbing others, and +closed at last in immorality and crime.</p> + +<p>Such thoughts weighed heavily on Charles Hamilton, +and when he proceeded on deck, his step might be observed +to be less light, and his eye less quick than they +were wont to be.</p> + +<p>As for James Willmington he walked on one side of +the deck restlessly, and bit his nails.</p> + +<p>“The fellow,” he interjected to himself, “to go and +drown himself when I expected to have made him feel the +consequences of his insolence, in having me put on a cask +and set adrift. The villain! to go and drown himself, +when the gallows and the hangman’s hand ought to have +sent him to his account. Never mind, he is out of the +world, and one way is as good as another, there is +no fear now of being judged again in the name of +nature.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_151"></a>[151]</span></p> + +<p>Willmington smiled satanically.</p> + +<p>“He is gone, and that is one blessing, at least, and he +will, no doubt, meet those in the other world who will be +better able to answer his philosophy than I.”</p> + +<p>And a diabolical smile played on the lips of that heartless +and selfish man.</p> + +<p>“Have that man landed at once, Charles?” said the +commander dryly, who was attentively watching Willmington, +from the quarter-deck.</p> + +<p>His attention had been at first attracted by the +restless and impatient movements of Willmington. +He had remarked the workings of his lips, and had +noticed the bitter sneer that settled upon them at the +end. The dislike which he had always entertained for +that man, was worked up to its height by this exhibition.</p> + +<p>“He could not have been uttering a prayer for his +son,” he justly thought; “prayers do not end so. No—no—he +must be truly a vile individual. Death ought +to suspend, at least, the enmity of the bitterest foes. It is +a strange father that can curse the memory of his own +son, however great a reprobate he may have been. +Have that gentleman landed immediately, Charles,” +he again said to his son.</p> + +<p>In a few moments, James Willmington was made<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_152"></a>[152]</span> +acquainted with this order, and was told that a boat was +ready to take him ashore.</p> + +<p>“Thank God, thank God!” he cried, almost aloud, +and quickly ascended the steps of the quarter-deck, to +take leave of the commander.</p> + +<p>“My lord, I have to bid you, good morning,” said +he, as he approached the commander.</p> + +<p>“Good morning,—good morning,” quickly replied the +person addressed, apparently desiring to have as little +as possible to say to the individual, who was taking his +leave.</p> + +<p>“I am much obliged to you,” continued Willmington, +“for the protection and assistance, and—”</p> + +<p>“Not at all, sir,” dryly rejoined the commander, “I +have only discharged the duty which I owe to all His +Majesty’s subjects on these seas.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, my lord,” pursued Willmington, “and I trust +my lord, when you land, you will condescend to remember +your former guest.”</p> + +<p>“I thank you, sir,” replied the commander, as dryly, +as before.</p> + +<p>“Good morning, my lord.”</p> + +<p>“A very good morning, sir.”</p> + +<p>The boat, soon bore Willmington away from the ship.</p> + +<p>“If the world possessed many more like that man,”<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_153"></a>[153]</span> +said the commander to his son, while he pointed to +Willmington, who was now on his little voyage toward +the shore, “it would indeed be worse than a den of +thieves.”</p> + +<p>“I am afraid there are many more of this sort, sir, +than you imagine,” replied Charles, “and that the +world is not even as good as a den of thieves, for they +say, those individuals recognize a certain code of +honor.”</p> + +<p>“Things were not so in my time,” replied the commander; +“when I was young, Charles, we feared God, +honored the king, and dealt justly and honorably by +all men.”</p> + +<p>“The times, then, are changed, sir,” said Charles, +“and the greatest misfortune is, that such characters as +that Willmington, unluckily for humanity, make as many +Appadoccas.”</p> + +<p>“True,” observed the commander, “it is a misfortune. +I always thought I perceived much to be admired in +that unfortunate Appadocca. I am rather glad, I must +say, that he has drowned himself rather than permit +himself to be dealt with by the executioner.”</p> + +<p>On landing, Willmington hurried up the magnificent +walk of almond-trees, which lead from King’s-wharf, +into Port-of-Spain. He pursued his way through the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_154"></a>[154]</span> +city, and scarcely recognised the many wondering friends +and acquaintances, who proceeded forward to congratulate +him on his return, for they had heard of the accident which +had befallen the ship in which he had taken passage; and +also of the manner in which he, in particular, was treated.</p> + +<p>When he had arrived at the beautiful Savannah +which lies at the Northern-end of the city, he diverged +into a footpath that led to the beautiful villas with +which Saint Ann’s-road is ornamented. He quickly +walked up the road a little way, and immediately stopped +at the gate of a magnificent and romantic suburban +house that stood in solitary grandeur, amidst the beautiful +trees that belted it.</p> + +<p>He rang at the gate-bell, and was immediately admitted +by the servant, who started back, and almost +went into hysterics at seeing his master back again.</p> + +<p>“Gad bless me, massa, da you, or you ’pirit?” inquired +that official, as he opened the gate and let his +master in, who, without noticing the wonderment of the +man, rushed into the house.</p> + +<p>“Ah! is it you, Mr. Willmington?” said his wife, +with fear, surprise, and joy, all confusedly pictured on +her face.</p> + +<p>“Heavens be praised, and thanked,” and she embraced +him affectionately.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_155"></a>[155]</span></p> + +<p>“Tell me, tell me all about the accident that befell +you,” she asked.</p> + +<p>“Not to-day, dear,” answered Willmington; “not +to-day, dear. Only thank Providence that I am again +safe. I shall relate everything when I am more composed.”</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_156"></a>[156]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“Avaunt! and quit my sight! let the earth</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Hide thee!</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold!</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Thou hast no speculation in those eyes</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Which thou dost glare with.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Macbeth.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>It was with the greatest difficulty that James Willmington +succeeded in restraining the curiosity of his +wife until the period which he himself had appointed to +tell her the particulars of the capture of the ship, and also +the singular circumstance of his trial, punishment and +rescue.</p> + +<p>The period had now arrived.</p> + +<p>In a beautiful and fantastic pavilion, into which +the soft evening breeze wafted the sweet perfume +of a thousand delicate flowers which bloomed around, +sat James Willmington. He was seated at the head of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_157"></a>[157]</span> +a vast, spreading table that was loaded with the choicest +and most delicious fruits that the tropics produce. Opposite +to him sat Mrs. Willmington, on whose side two +very beautiful infant daughters were respectively placed. +On the right hand of Willmington was his son, a +youth of about eighteen, who was dressed in the uniform +of an officer.</p> + +<p>The pure wax tapers that burnt in chaste and elegant +candlesticks of solid silver, shed a cheerful and soft light +around. The faint music of a small fountain that played +hard by, fell soothingly on the ear, as it grew louder and +louder, or fell fainter and still fainter, according to the +direction and strength of the lulling breeze that seemed +to sport with its jets. The old family pictures that +hung on the walls looked down fiercely and frowningly, +or smiled upon the happy and quiet group, according to +the stern and warlike disposition or the benignant characters +of each.</p> + +<p>The servants had all retired for the time to their own +apartments; and Willmington sat quietly smoking an +exquisite cigar, and sipping from time to time the crystal +iced water that stood in a tumbler by his side.</p> + +<p>“I shall now tell you,” he said, “the succession of +accidents which has brought me back to +Trinidad,” and he began to relate the particulars of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_158"></a>[158]</span> +capture of the merchant vessel, the distribution of the +shares, his trial, his being thrown overboard, the agony +that he suffered on the cask, and finally his providential +rescue, the capture of the pirate captain and his supposed +suicide. He narrated circumstance on circumstance, +quickly passed over the alleged causes of his sufferings, +and mentioned Appadocca as one who claimed to be his +son.</p> + +<p>“Confound his impudence,” cried the youth of eighteen. +“I wish I had been there, I should have caned his insolence +out of him. The idea! to call my father, his +father, vile cut-throat as he was. I wish I had him now. +But do you know anything at all of him? How came +he to claim you as his father, sir?” he inquired, after +a time.</p> + +<p>“Do not interrupt me;—do not interrupt me,” was +the only answer Willmington made to this home and +embarrassing question.</p> + +<p>Time had flown during his long narrative. The clock +had already struck eleven—a late hour in the tropics—when +he was concluding.</p> + +<p>“Yes, my children,” he said at the end, with great +solemnity, endeavouring to make the contemplated impression, +“there is one above to punish evil doers.”</p> + +<p>“Ay, and he never slumbers,” replied a deep sonorous<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_159"></a>[159]</span> +voice from without, and in a moment afterwards the +pirate captain stood before James Willmington.</p> + +<p>The cigar fell from his jaws, that palsied with terror, +now gaped asunder. His hands trembled, and threw +over the glass of iced water towards which it was being +stretched, his silvery hair seemed to stand on end, and +with a sudden bound, Willmington started from his seat +and reeled over his chair towards a corner of the +apartment.</p> + +<p>“Get out of my sight, get out of my sight, accursed, +damned spirit; in the name of Christ, I conjure you!” +he cried, while his eyeballs glared, and large drops of +sweat trickled down his forehead that was almost +green with fear.</p> + +<p>Appadocca calmly raised the chair from the floor, drew +it to the head of the table, folded his thin cloak around +him and sat down.</p> + +<p>“I did not design to deliver you up to the authorities,” +shrieked Willmington, almost inarticulately. “No, +no! I had only intended to frighten you, I would have +allowed you to escape. Oh, yes, I would have protected +you; yes, yes, I would have protected you like a +father. Forgive, forgive me, and scare me no +more.”</p> + +<p>Appadocca looked round upon the miserable Willmington,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_160"></a>[160]</span> +who, contracted with terror within the smallest +possible heap, crouched in a corner.</p> + +<p>“Do not look at me,” cried Willmington still more +terrified, “vanish, vanish, in the name of Heaven and all +the saints. If you come from Hell—to-to haunt me,—return, +return. It was not I that wronged you. Forgetfulness, +forgetfulness—I intended—I intended always—always +to find you out. Your mother, aye, your—your +mother loved me. Have mercy—mercy—on me,—the +vessel—the vessel took me by—by chance to St. +Thomas. I did not—I did ask him: no—no—I was +sorry—sorry, when—when—you were drowned. Mercy—mercy.”</p> + +<p>“Come here and make your will,” said Appadocca, +authoritatively, without paying the slightest attention +to the cries of the wretched and almost distracted +man.</p> + +<p>“Make my will? will!” recommenced Willmington, +“do you intend to murder me? Hence, hence, I am +a christian, you have no power on me. No, no,—do not—do +not—out, out of my sight, damned, reprobate +spirit.”</p> + +<p>“I am no spirit. Speak not to me so sillily. Make +your will, I say,” said Appadocca, with more authority, +“and do not let these children suffer from your<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_161"></a>[161]</span> +loss. The minutes that you can remain with them are +counted.”</p> + +<p>“Will, will!” exclaimed Willmington, as if already +staggering in his intellect.</p> + +<p>“Will? I have no will to make. My will is made +already. Do not speak to me of wills—do not speak to +me of wills, I do not wish to die—I will not die. Leave +my sight—leave my sight—leave my sight.”</p> + +<p>“Then settle your other affairs,” said Appadocca with +the same authority as before. “I allow you five +minutes; at the end of that time you must go with me.”</p> + +<p>“No—no, I will not go with you,” shrieked Willmington, +“I did you no harm——I intended you no +harm. Let me live a little longer—give me but seven +years to live—five—two;—half a year;—a month—a +week, a day;—do not take me away so soon. Let me +live, let me live. Do not take me with you. It was not +I that drowned you.”</p> + +<p>“It would be prudent on your part to fill the five +minutes, which are accorded you more profitably than +by these vain petitions. I—”</p> + +<p>“Vain petitions! Let them not be vain; look at +the children that I have to maintain and protect: do not +take me away from them,” cried Willmington, interrupting +Appadocca.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_162"></a>[162]</span></p> + +<p>“I am no ghost,” continued Appadocca, “but something +worse.”</p> + +<p>“Was he not drowned?” Willmington began to mutter. +“Did he not jump into the sea—at the bocas—or farther +out?—Can he—could he have been saved? no, no, delusion—delusion. +His face is as pale as death. He is +still and quiet as the grave;” continued Willmington, +as he gazed intently on Appadocca, who was still sitting +calmly at the table.</p> + +<p>The period had elapsed, the moment of doom had now +arrived.</p> + +<p>“The period is past, your time is come,” said Appadocca, +“rise and go with me.”</p> + +<p>“No—no,” shrieked Willmington, madly,—“no—no—no.”</p> + +<p>And with a sudden spring he jumped from the corner to +one of the doors: he was roughly thrown back by some +person who was outside: he then rushed to another, and was +again repelled—to another, and he was once more forced +back. He sprang on to the jalousies, and as he succeeded +in opening one, he was quickly shoved back by +some powerful arm from the outside, into the room +again.</p> + +<p>Like one who endeavours to flee from devouring flames, +that rush in merciless fury to close him in, and finds<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_163"></a>[163]</span> +every passage, every outlet, or crevice for escape barred +against him, the unhappy man reeled back into the room +in the madness of despair.</p> + +<p>“Murder—murder,” he shouted, “John!—Charles!—James!—Edward!—Murder!—Murder!—pirates!—fiends, +pirates, robbers, police, police.”</p> + +<p>“Ho! there! Domingo,—Gregoire!—Alphonso!—Jose!” +called Appadocca, with his habitual calmness.</p> + +<p>Four men on the call entered the room. Their flashing +eyes shone from beneath their overhanging red caps, +and their long beards and mustachios exhibited a peculiar +appearance under the silvery light of the tapers, +which tended to display to the full their dark and dry +complexions.</p> + +<p>“Secure him,” said Appadocca pointing to Willmington, +as the men entered.</p> + +<p>“Do not touch him for your lives,” cried the young +officer, the son of James Willmington, that sat on his +right.</p> + +<p>He, like his father, had been under the power of a +supernatural terror from the moment that Appadocca +entered, and had been addressed as a visitant from another +world; but when he became awake to the fact that the +intruder was a being of flesh and blood, he grasped his +sword that lay on a table, and rushed at Appadocca.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_164"></a>[164]</span></p> + +<p>“Do not touch him for your lives,” he cried, while he +made a lunge at the breast of the pirate-captain who +still retained his seat. The point was already touching +the cloak of Appadocca, when the heavy weapons of some +unseen individuals from without, shattered the slender +sword into a thousand pieces.</p> + +<p>“Secure you the young man, Baptiste,” said Appadocca, +unmoved by the danger which he had so narrowly escaped.</p> + +<p>A man immediately stepped into the room and threw +his arm round the unresisting young officer.</p> + +<p>The four men had rushed upon Willmington. Despair +had maddened him into a sort of courage: he met the +foremost one of them half way, and grasped him around +the throat, with the clutch of death. The pirate also +seized him, and the two men, animated with passions +which though different in their natures were equally +fierce in themselves, grappled like madmen, and staggered +violently to and fro. The strong effort of the +pirate, could not throw off Willmington, who clung to +him with the tenacity of the serpent that tightens its +refolded coils around the triumphant tiger that still +presses its paw on its bruised head.</p> + +<p>Lashed into rage, the pirate drew his knife: it gleamed +for a moment overhead, and was descending, with certain +death upon its point, when——</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_165"></a>[165]</span></p> + +<p>“Hold!” cried Appadocca, “no blood; help him Gregoire, +Jose, help him, there.”</p> + +<p>The voice of the captain arrested the disciplined +arm.</p> + +<p>Spurred by the immediate commands of their chief, +the other pirates closed in upon Willmington, and by the +exercise of violent force tore him away from their comrade, +who stood for a moment with his eyes fiery and +glaring from anger, and with his chest heaving heavily +and quickly.</p> + +<p>The prisoner kicked and shouted until the words rattled +hoarsely in his throat; but he was now in no soft +or gentle hands. Sooner than we can write it, he was +tied hand and foot; his cries, nevertheless, still resounded +through the place.</p> + +<p>“Gag him,” was the immediate order.</p> + +<p>The prisoner’s neckcloth was roughly undone, and +violently thrust into his mouth.</p> + +<p>“Away with him.”</p> + +<p>The pirates stretched out two pikes: the prisoner was +laid across them, they raised him on their shoulders, and +walked silently out of the apartment.</p> + +<p>“Now unhand your prisoner, Baptiste,” said Appadocca, +to the man who held young Willmington. Baptiste +let go his hold.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_166"></a>[166]</span></p> + +<p>“My father, my father,” shouted young Willmington +and rushed first to one door, and then to the other, all of +which he found guarded on the outside.</p> + +<p>“Sir, you cannot go out,” said Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“I will go out—I will go after my father,” ejaculated +young Willmington.</p> + +<p>“You cannot, and shall not,” answered Appadocca.</p> + +<p>The young officer rushed to all the doors in succession, +and was rudely pushed back at each.</p> + +<p>“You see you cannot go out,” observed Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“Who are you? what do you wish to do with my +father?” inquired the young Willmington, as he turned +disappointedly from the door.</p> + +<p>“I shall tell you, by-and-bye,” answered Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“Tell me at once, and let me out,” cried young +Willmington.</p> + +<p>“That cannot be.”</p> + +<p>“That must be: I must rescue my father,” rejoined +young Willmington.</p> + +<p>“Banish the idea: you will never be able to do so,” +replied Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“Why not?”</p> + +<p>“Because you will be prevented,” answered Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“Prevented?—prevented? Hell, itself, with all its<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_167"></a>[167]</span> +legions, shall not prevent me,” shouted young Willmington. +“I will rescue my father.”</p> + +<p>“Do so,” answered Appadocca.</p> + +<p>The young man rushed to the doors again, and was +thrust back as before. After a series of vain attempts, +he staggered, almost exhausted, into the centre of the +room.</p> + +<p>“You see, sir, I make no ungrounded assertions. It +is impossible for you to follow your father,” said +Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“Why impossible? Confound you as a cut-throat—murderer,” +asked young Willmington.</p> + +<p>“Because,” answered Appadocca, without noticing +the harsh epithets, “because he is implicated in a vow +that must be fulfilled.”</p> + +<p>“I understand no such vow,” said young Willmington, +“and if I had a sword, I should force my way in spite +of you.”</p> + +<p>“Ha! we shall now understand each other, sir,” said +Appadocca, then threw aside his cloak, unbelted his +richly-ornamented sword, and laid it on the table. “You +can use that, sir,” he said to young Willmington, while +he pointed to it, and stepping towards the door—</p> + +<p>“Lend me your sword,” he said to one of the men.</p> + +<p>The person gave up his sword at once to Appadocca,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_168"></a>[168]</span> +who went round the room, and carefully bolted every +door, one after the other. After that, he said to his +men.</p> + +<p>“Retire into the high road, and remain there until I call.”</p> + +<p>The men retired from the doors, and Appadocca closed +with the same care the one by which he had entered.</p> + +<p>He was now left in the apartment only with young +Willmington, Mrs. Willmington, who lay insensible on +the floor, where she had fallen at the appearance of +Appadocca, and her two infant daughters, who stared +on in a state of absolute stupefaction.</p> + +<p>“Now, sir,” said Appadocca to young Willmington, +standing by the table, and leaning on the sword which +he had borrowed, “allow me to speak to you. I am +your father’s son.”</p> + +<p>“You are not,” indignantly remarked young Willmington.</p> + +<p>“It is an honor,” said Appadocca with a smile, while +he bowed to the young man, “which I have never prized, +I believe your stock is stamped with a peculiar mark: +behold it!” and Appadocca opened his little finger as +widely apart as possible from the other, and pointed to +something between the two fingers.</p> + +<p>Young Willmington looked, stared, and started back +in astonishment, but spoke not a word.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_169"></a>[169]</span></p> + +<p>“He,” continued Appadocca, after this disclosure, +“treated me with harshness, injustice, and cruelty, and +wronged, in addition, one whose place I now supply, +and in whose name I seek vengeance. I owe him +nothing except punishment. I am, therefore, your +father’s sworn persecutor, and retributioner. You, he +has always treated with kindness and affection; the +bonds of natural obligation have been drawn the tighter +on you by good deeds. You are, therefore, by the +principles of justice, his natural defender. Now he is +named in a vow that I have made, and I cannot let you +rescue him. I have the power to prevent you from +making any attempt to that effect, and I shall do it. +But there is yet a satisfaction which I can give you, and +I shall do so. With my life, the persecution which is +now carried on against your father will cease; for I +shall leave none behind me to take up my cause. I am +willing, therefore, to throw life and death on a hazard, +and to afford you as fair a chance as possible of purchasing +your father’s deliverance by your valour and bravery. +My sword, which I offer you, is of the finest metal, you may +rely upon its fidelity. I challenge you to mortal combat.”</p> + +<p>Appadocca put himself in an attitude of defence, bent +his left arm over his back, raised his head proudly, and +held his sword straight before him.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_170"></a>[170]</span></p> + +<p>Young Willmington was undecided: he seemed to be +under the power of a thousand different and conflicting +feelings. There was no possibility of denying the well-known +family mark with which Appadocca was stamped; +he saw, consequently, before him his brother, by the laws +which nature had made, whatever he might be by those +which man had framed, and was forced to recognize in +that brother the prosecutor, enemy, and almost murderer +of his father. He was divided between two duties, the +duty which he owed to a father, and that which he owed +to a brother.</p> + +<p>“I shall not fight with you,” he said after a +long pause. “If you grudge us any of his property, +take as much as you please, but render us back our +father.”</p> + +<p>“Will not fight!” exclaimed Appadocca, “I had +imagined that your father was the only selfish coward +in an old race of reputedly brave men.”</p> + +<p>“Coward do you call me?” inquired young Willmington, +with a frown.</p> + +<p>“Ay, coward,” answered Appadocca. “First you made +a thrust at me when my attention was directed otherwise, +and now you seek to wound my feelings by supposing +the possibility that I could grudge you your father’s +wealth. Grudge, indeed! his most precious jewels would<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_171"></a>[171]</span> +disgrace me. My men, however—the friends that +received me, shall enjoy it. Coward, ay, thrice four +times coward; again, and again, I proclaim you as +such.”</p> + +<p>“No more, defend yourself,” cried young Willmington, +and he clutched the sword which Appadocca had +laid on the table.</p> + +<p>Young Willmington warmly pressed on Appadocca +who still stood on the defensive. Thrust after thrust, +lunge after lunge came in rapid succession from young +Willmington. Respiration came short and quickly. +He made a desperate thrust at Appadocca, who with a +slight but quick movement of the wrist at once disarmed +his adversary.</p> + +<p>Young Willmington bowed haughtily, while his face +grew crimson with vexation.</p> + +<p>Appadocca quickly picked up the sword and presented +it again to the young officer.</p> + +<p>“No, no, I am satisfied,” said the last-mentioned person, +and refused it.</p> + +<p>“You ought scarcely to be so, sir. Recollect this is +the only chance that will probably be afforded you,” replied +Appadocca, “to recover your father. Try it +again.”</p> + +<p>“Have you any object in pressing me to fight longer?<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_172"></a>[172]</span> +By the law of arms you are not justified in thus asking +me again when I am defeated,” said young Willmington.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps not,” answered Appadocca, “but you must +recollect this is a very particular case. To be frank, I +must confess I am scarcely satisfied with the chance that +I have afforded you, I like to satisfy justice, sir. Pray +try it again.”</p> + +<p>“Strange man, I shall,” answered young Willmington, +and then began to prepare himself more deliberately for +this second combat.</p> + +<p>The swords were again crossed. Willmington no +longer thrust so widely as he did—he fenced more +cautiously. Appadocca still maintained the defensive. +The combat proceeded but coldly—Willmington tried +every skilful pass and cunning trick. He had contrived +to edge his sword, as he imagined, imperceptibly to +Appadocca, within but a short distance from his adversary’s +hilt, and was just inclining his hand inwards to +thrust home, when Appadocca met the inclination by an +opposite movement, and by a sudden jerk again unarmed +his adversary.</p> + +<p>“Sir, destiny seems to favour me at these. I presume +you have pistols, shall we try them?” inquired Appadocca.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_173"></a>[173]</span></p> + +<p>“It strikes me you are longing for my blood?” remarked +young Willmington.</p> + +<p>“By no means,” answered Appadocca, “I have waded +through too much of that already. But I am willing to +give you the greatest opportunity of redeeming your +father. Then am I to understand that you will fight no +more?”</p> + +<p>“No more,” answered young Willmington.</p> + +<p>Appadocca drew forth a small silver whistle, he blew +it, and in a moment the pavilion was again surrounded by +his men.</p> + +<p>“Sir,” said Appadocca, on the arrival of the men, “the +safety of my followers require that you should be rendered +incapable of alarming the town. You must +consent to be gagged and bound. Ho! outside +there.”</p> + +<p>Three or four pirates entered the room,</p> + +<p>“Gag and pinion him,” said Appadocca, and pointed +to young Willmington.</p> + +<p>In less than a few minutes the order was executed +upon him.</p> + +<p>“Take him to the remotest room in the house.”</p> + +<p>Young Willmington was carried bodily out of the +apartment.</p> + +<p>“Ho! Jack Jimmy,” cried Appadocca.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_174"></a>[174]</span></p> + +<p>That individual immediately rushed into the room, +trembling with excitement.</p> + +<p>“Rummage the whole house, and bring all the silver +and gold. Pedro, help him.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, massa,” Jack Jimmy answered, and hurried +out of the apartment.</p> + +<p>While Jack Jimmy and the other man were intent on +searching for whatever valuables the villa contained, +Appadocca seated himself on the same chair that still +stood at the head of the table.</p> + +<p>His eyes had become gradually more and more intently +fixed on the two beautiful children, who clung in +wakeful unconsciousness to their pale and still insensible +mother.</p> + +<p>They seemed actually petrified with fear, while their +large interesting eyes were firmly rivetted in a vacant +stare on the terrible being whose coming had brought +so much horror to the happy villa.</p> + +<p>“Yes, it is too true,” muttered Appadocca, “the sins +of the fathers are visited on their children. Were it not +for the injustice of your father, my little ones, I should +not be here to-night to terrify you with my fierce and +unfriendly looks. If my heart had not been long seared, +if there was still in it one single portion that continued +as fresh as once the whole was, your silent looks, your<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_175"></a>[175]</span> +unspeaking terror, would move me more than the eloquence +of a thousand glib-tongued orators. Nay, I +might, perhaps, forget my vow.</p> + +<p>“How poisonously bitter are the cups that others +season for our lips? Still, may Heaven preserve in +your minds the deeds of to-night, and when you shall +have grown up, always recollect this sad retribution, and +speak a word whenever you may be able, and say that +you know, by the experience of a scene of your childhood, +that certain creatures who are branded and repudiated +by society are beings who possess feelings, and +who claim the same measure of justice as is meted out +to all.”</p> + +<p>“Me get all, massa,” said Jack Jimmy, who now came +in with an air of serious importance.</p> + +<p>Appadocca rose and pointed to the door; the two +men then walked off from the villa, and were immediately +followed by the captain himself.</p> + +<p>The villa which, but a short time before, presented a +scene of domestic happiness, was now left in the desolation +of death, with the lights still burning, and the +superfluity of luxury still scattered about. The gate +was heavily drawn after them by the three persons that +had just passed through, and silence settled over the +place.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_176"></a>[176]</span></p> + +<p>The pirates, who with their prisoner and booty, +awaited the captain in the road, were drawn up in order, +and after saying a few words to an officer, Appadocca +gave the word to march, and they silently went down +the road. He himself remained behind.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_177"></a>[177]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">What is’t you do?”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Macbeth.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>It was dark, on a certain evening, to which the +attention of the reader is now called, when, amidst the +rocks and bushes of the mountainous district that +flanks Port-of-Spain on the east, and that is known by +name of La-vantille, two female forms might be perceived.</p> + +<p>They were following a rough and narrow path which +led up to the mountains through a thousand rugged +ascents and yawning and frightful precipices. The two +travellers seemed foot-sore and exhausted, and were compelled +now and then to grasp a root or twig of the Guava-bushes +that grew here and there to assist them, as they +arrived at a more broken and difficult part of the small +road. The air was also oppressive—the rocks were still<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_178"></a>[178]</span> +radiating the beams which the sun, that had not long +set, had shot full upon them as it was sinking in the +west. Nature was hushed: but the distant and faint +barking of the cur that guarded some invisible hut, +and bayed at some imaginary danger, fell on the ear.</p> + +<p>The two persons still followed the path, and ascended +still higher and higher up the mountain that overlooks +Port-of-Spain.</p> + +<p>“You are tired, madame,” said one of the persons, +whose dress indicated an humble condition in life, and +who was evidently conducting the other.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” replied the other, who appeared to be of a +different class.</p> + +<p>“We shall not have very much farther to go,” said +the guide.</p> + +<p>“The place is certainly a great distance from town,” +remarked the other.</p> + +<p>“Yes, it is, and the path is very rough and unpleasant; +but we shall presently come to a beautiful spot, +where we shall be able to rest for a few moments.”</p> + +<p>“No, no,” answered the other; “it would be better +to proceed at once: the night is now quickly coming on, +and we do not know what dangers there may be among +these solitary rocks. What, if robbers were to attack +us?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_179"></a>[179]</span></p> + +<p>“Robbers,” replied the other; “madame needs not +fear robbers; bless me, people would not take the trouble +to come and remain here for the purpose of robbing +others. Robbers are never heard of in Trinidad, I +assure you.”</p> + +<p>“Indeed,” replied the other.</p> + +<p>“Yes, indeed: I know persons who have traversed +this place at all hours of the night. I myself have +passed here on one of the darkest nights, and quite alone, +also: you need not be under any fear, I assure you.”</p> + +<p>In the mean time the wayfarers arrived at a small +level piece of ground that was covered with grass. It +was quite an “oasis” in those rough and flinty parts.</p> + +<p>“Ah,” cried the guide, “here is the place, let us rest +here,” and sat down on the grass. The lady did the +same.</p> + +<p>“This is a beautiful little spot, is it not, madame?” +remarked the guide interrogatingly.</p> + +<p>“It seems so,” answered the lady.</p> + +<p>“If it was day, you should be able to see the whole +country round from this,” proceeded the guide: “on +that side is Caroni, where we first settled when my +master and his family came from Carriacou; a disagreeable +and muddy place, madame; there is Maraval, +a sweet pretty spot, with beautiful hills and scenes; and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_180"></a>[180]</span> +straight before us lies the sea. If it were light, you would +be able to perceive the five islands, and the large bay +where Admiral Appadocca—”</p> + +<p>At this name the lady started suddenly.</p> + +<p>“What is the matter, madame?” asked the guide.</p> + +<p>“Nothing, nothing,” hastily replied the lady.</p> + +<p>“Do not be alarmed; it is, no doubt, a cricket, that +has jumped on you. There are not many snakes here: +Caroni is the place for them,” observed the female +cicerone.</p> + +<p>“Well, as I was saying, madame,—what was I saying?—I +was telling you about the large bay where +Admiral Appadocca—”</p> + +<p>The lady started again, but more slightly than before.</p> + +<p>“Let me drive it away for you,” said the guide, “these +crickets are sometimes very troublesome; but they are +a sign of good luck—they are a sign of good luck. +People say, those on whom they may happen to jump, are +sure to have money—plenty of money. Where is it? +let me catch it.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, never mind, never mind,” the lady said hastily, +“continue, continue your story.”</p> + +<p>“When Admiral Appadocca, I was saying, set the +Spanish ships on fire, at the time when the English +took the island, I remember the blaze they made.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_181"></a>[181]</span> +People say they were laden with gold: what a pity that +was.”</p> + +<p>“Why did he set them on fire?” inquired the lady.</p> + +<p>“Because he would not let the money fall into the +hands of the English,” answered the guide.</p> + +<p>“And what became of the admiral himself?” the lady +inquired again.</p> + +<p>“I really cannot say,” answered the guide.</p> + +<p>A short pause ensued.</p> + +<p>“Had he any son, do you know?” asked the lady +after a time,</p> + +<p>“I do not know, madame,” answered the guide.</p> + +<p>“The money that I spoke of just now, has been all +lost. They say that sometimes the fishermen manage +to bring up a portion. I don’t think that is true,” said +the guide.</p> + +<p>“Do you not think we had better go on,” inquired +the lady—“I wish very much to see that old woman, +as soon as possible.”</p> + +<p>“Come, then,” answered the guide, and the two +travellers continued their journey. As they proceeded, +the path became still more rough, steep, and trying. +They, however, went on.</p> + +<p>“I should be very much disappointed,” said the lady, +“if after all this trouble and labour, the person that you<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_182"></a>[182]</span> +tell me of, should not be able to give me the information +I require.”</p> + +<p>“Never fear that, madame, never fear that,” replied +the guide, “she is a wonderful woman.”</p> + +<p>“Do you know of any instance in which, what she +said, turned out to be the truth?” asked the lady.</p> + +<p>“Bless me, yes, madame, great many, I can assure +you. She has often foretold what would happen, and +what she said, proved as true as possible.”</p> + +<p>“She may be able,” said the lady, “to speak about +what is to come, but can she say any thing about the +present?”</p> + +<p>“All,” replied the guide.</p> + +<p>“Do you think, she will be able, to give me any +information, about the person whom I am now seeking?” +inquired the lady.</p> + +<p>“I am sure she will,” answered the guide.</p> + +<p>“Let us walk faster,” said the lady, and, at the +same time, quickened her pace.</p> + +<p>“I should not advise you to walk faster, madame,” +said the guide, “we have still a considerable way to go.”</p> + +<p>“True,” said the lady, and fell again into the +measured and leisurely pace of the guide.</p> + +<p>“You are sure she will give me the information, you +say?” observed the lady.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_183"></a>[183]</span></p> + +<p>“Quite sure,” answered the guide, dryly, “I can +point you out a hundred families in town, who were +landed here as poor myself, and who made the great +fortunes they now possess, only by consulting her. In +the time of slavery, when a planter lost any of his +slaves, he had nothing else to do, but to come to her, +and she would send him to the very corner, where he +would be sure to find his run-a-way.”</p> + +<p>“Indeed!” cried the lady.</p> + +<p>“It is true,”—replied the guide, “beside, she can +cure all sorts of disorders. Those that are pronounced +incurable by the doctors in town, resort to her, and are +sure to be restored to health.”</p> + +<p>“I remember one case in particular,” said the guide, +seriously, “of a man who had been suffering for two +years, from a hand that was swollen to a very great +size. He could not get any rest, either night or day, +but groaned continually. He consulted every doctor—they +did everything in their power but could not relieve +him. His hand grew daily worse and worse: and he +was reduced to the size of a nail. Well, some one told +him about this old woman, and he came to her. She +examined the hand, then pressed the fingers; from under +the nails of each she took out a rusty pin. Next day +the hand was perfectly cured.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_184"></a>[184]</span></p> + +<p>“Impossible,” said the lady.</p> + +<p>“Quite true,” replied the guide.</p> + +<p>“There is another case,” continued the guide, “that +is as striking. There was once an unfortunate man who +was afflicted with madness; sometimes he was quiet, at +others he would break out in the greatest violence and +beat his wife and children almost to death. All the +doctors saw him and said he was quite gone, there was +no curing him. His illness daily gained ground upon +him, until at last he went violently mad. His friends +were grieved on his account, and were at last persuaded +to take him to the old woman. They did so: as soon +as she saw him, she took a little stick and struck him on +the head; his skull opened: she took out twenty small +fishing hooks that were stuck into his brains; and +closed the skull again. In a few moments the man was +cured.”</p> + +<p>“Is that possible?” exclaimed the lady.</p> + +<p>“It is remarkable,” observed the guide.</p> + +<p>“Did you see the cure yourself?” inquired the +lady.</p> + +<p>“No, I did not,” answered the guide, “but every one +in the town knows it.”</p> + +<p>The path in the meantime became more rugged, broken, +and steep.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_185"></a>[185]</span></p> + +<p>“Ha, we are now arrived,” said the guide, taking a long +inspiration.</p> + +<p>The travellers made two or three steps forward, and +they immediately perceived a faint light that glimmered +indistinctly through the brushwood.</p> + +<p>“Now, madame, you must disguise yourself, or else +she won’t speak to you,” said the guide.</p> + +<p>“Why so?”</p> + +<p>“Because,” replied the guide, “there is a law in this +country against those who tell fortunes. If it was to +be known that she told anything to any one, she would +be burnt alive. Leave your veil here, madame, there, +so, and hide your comb with it. That’s it, that’s it; now take +this handkerchief, tie it round your head—let me do it.”</p> + +<p>The guide tied and adjusted a Madras handkerchief +on the head of the lady.</p> + +<p>“Now let us go: and recollect let me speak.”</p> + +<p>The two travellers diverged into a still narrower part +that was almost entirely hidden by the bush which grew +thickly and fully about it.</p> + +<p>The angry barking of a dog was now heard. The +travellers still went on, until they could now distinguish +the outlines of a low and narrow hut, in the open part +of which the embers of a wood fire still smouldered. By its +faint light, was to be indistinctly seen, the form of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_186"></a>[186]</span> +wakeful watch-dog, that stood determinedly a little way +in front of the hut, and barked fiercely and fretfully.</p> + +<p>The two women stood, afraid of approaching nearer. +The dog still barked noisily.</p> + +<p>“Ho, mother! mother Celeste,” called the guide. +“Mother Celeste!”</p> + +<p>No one answered.</p> + +<p>“She does not hear,” observed the lady, “she is +asleep; call louder.”</p> + +<p>“Ho, Mother Celeste! Mother Celeste! it is I, it is +I,” repeated the guide.</p> + +<p>Still there was no answer,—the dog barked still more +loudly.</p> + +<p>“Heavens! I hope we have not come all this way for +nothing,” exclaimed the lady, in a voice that faltered +with anxiety.</p> + +<p>“It is to be hoped not,” answered the guide, and she +began to call out more loudly than before. “Mother +Celeste! Mother Celeste!”</p> + +<p>“Who is is that comes to disturb me at this lonely +hour of the night?” said a weak and obscure voice, that +came from within the fragile hut.</p> + +<p>“It is I, it is I, and another person, who wish to see +you,” answered the guide.</p> + +<p>“You cannot see me to-night. I do not know<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_187"></a>[187]</span> +what you have to see me about,” answered the same +voice.</p> + +<p>“We have come a great distance, and we cannot +return without seeing you: let us in.”</p> + +<p>“I cannot open my door at this hour of the night,” +replied the voice: “return.”</p> + +<p>“That we cannot,” replied the guide. “Call your +dog, Mother Celeste, and open the door to us; you will +see what a present we have brought you.”</p> + +<p>“What present can you bring me this time of night?”</p> + +<p>“Fifty dollars, Mother Celeste, fifty dollars.”</p> + +<p>“I can’t open to you,” replied the voice, “I can’t +open to you.”</p> + +<p>“Say a hundred,” said the lady.</p> + +<p>“Well, a hundred dollars,” cried the guide.</p> + +<p>“It is very late, I do not know who you may be; I +shall consider—I shall consider,” said the same voice.</p> + +<p>“She will open now,” said the guide, “that is what +she always says, she is now hiding all her things.”</p> + +<p>Truly enough, in a short time, the voice from within +was again heard.</p> + +<p>“Approach, my children; come and tell me your +woes,” it said.</p> + +<p>“But the dog, the dog,” cried the guide.</p> + +<p>“True,” replied the same voice, “Fidele, Fidele,” it<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_188"></a>[188]</span> +called, and the dog immediately became silent and +disappeared.</p> + +<p>The two females now approached the hut. It was a +little cabin, that was built of a few pieces of round timber, +which were now black with smoke. Palmeto leaves +formed a slight covering to it. A few reeds roughly +fastened to the primitive posts, fenced in the part which +lay in the direction from which the wind usually came. +The other, or inner part of the hut, however, was fenced +entirely in, and covered, as the sleeping apartment.</p> + +<p>“Wait until I strike a light,” said the same voice.</p> + +<p>In a few moments a rudely constructed old door +opened.</p> + +<p>“Enter, enter, quickly, my children,” said the same +voice.</p> + +<p>The lady hesitated a moment.</p> + +<p>“Go in, go in, madame,” said the guide, and gently +pushed her.</p> + +<p>The two travellers entered.</p> + +<p>The hut presented as peculiar an appearance on the +inside as it did on the outside. The rough pieces of +Palmeto bark that boarded it, was hung with drapery +of spider’s webs, that either floated black with time +and dust, or was still spread in the process of extension, +under the industry of the master insect himself.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_189"></a>[189]</span> +From crooked nails, that were driven into this primitive +wall, a number of bottles, of peculiar fashions and makes, +hung suspended by cord that had long lost its colour +under the many dyes which it may have received from +the black, yellow, green, brown, and bluish liquors +which those bottles seemed to contain.</p> + +<p>In one corner stood a rough bed, that seemed constructed +of four branches of a Guava-bush; and around, +a number of nasty, greasy, barrels were ranged, and had +their heads carefully covered over by pieces of plastered +old canvass.</p> + +<p>In one of the deep angles of the hut there burnt a +lamp, constructed of a hollow gourd, in which some +cotton and some oil were adjusted, and was made to +throw around a dim light, whose faint radii did not extend +farther than a foot or two beyond its centre.</p> + +<p>At the side of this lamp was huddled up a being +which at first view, might appear to be one from whom +life had long departed, and whom the veneration of +friends or kindred persisted in still retaining among them. +She was a little black woman of diminutive size, with an +old greasy dress, that lay slack and loose about her. +Her knees were drawn up to her jaws, which protruded +largely and hideously. Her skin was shrivelled and dry, +and seemed to flap as she moved her toothless jaws. A<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_190"></a>[190]</span> +Madras handkerchief was tied carelessly round her head, +and from a corner, or a hole here and there, her short +gray and matted hair peeped out.</p> + +<p>“Good night to you, Mother Celeste,” said the guide, +as she drew a three-legged stool for the lady, and sat, +herself, on the ground.</p> + +<p>“Good night to you, my children, good night,” said +Mother Celeste.</p> + +<p>“I have brought this friend of mine,” said the guide, +“to see you on a matter of great importance.”</p> + +<p>“To see me? to see me, my child,” mumbled Mother +Celeste: “what can I do for her, poor old woman as I +am, except give her my blessing?”</p> + +<p>“She wants some information about a person she is +seeking,” said the guide.</p> + +<p>“How can I give it, how can I give it, my child?” +answered Mother Celeste.</p> + +<p>“Try, mother, try,” remarked the guide.</p> + +<p>A pause ensued, during which Mother Celeste seemed +thoughtful.</p> + +<p>“What friend of yours is this, my child?” inquired +Mother Celeste.</p> + +<p>“She is from the Spanish main,” answered the guide.</p> + +<p>Mother Celeste raised the rude lamp to the face of the +lady: “Yes, yes,” she muttered, and replaced it on the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_191"></a>[191]</span> +ground, and then grasped her hand: the lady started +when she felt the rough hacked skin of the sorceress.</p> + +<p>“Do not start, my child,” said Mother Celeste, “do +not start; and now tell me your story,” she mumbled. +“Will you go into the front awhile?” she added to the +guide.</p> + +<p>The latter opened the little door, and went out.</p> + +<p>“I love,” said Feliciana, whom the reader may have +recognised before this, “I love a man—a stranger to me—I +cannot tell you how I love him. He was taken to +my father’s house, from the beach on which he was found +half drowned. I loved him the very first moment I +saw him, he is so handsome. He suddenly left my +father’s house, and now I wish to know where to find +him. Do tell me: there are a hundred dollars for you.”</p> + +<p>The sorceress clutched the money and pressed her +flabby lips to it again and again, then tottered towards +her rude bed and laid it under her pillow.</p> + +<p>“Yours is a difficult case, child,” mumbled the old +woman.</p> + +<p>“What is the man?”</p> + +<p>“Alas, mother,” answered Feliciana, “I fear he is a +pirate.”</p> + +<p>“Is he short or tall?”</p> + +<p>“Tall.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_192"></a>[192]</span></p> + +<p>“Dark or fair?”</p> + +<p>“Pale.”</p> + +<p>“Retire for a moment, child,” said mother Celeste.</p> + +<p>Feliciana went out of the small apartment.</p> + +<p>An hour passed. During this time, Feliciana and her +guide were alarmed by the horrible noises that were heard +from the room of the sorceress. Now the most fearful +yells—now the most heart-rending groans broke +forth—the violent stamping of several individuals +were at one time heard, at another, the strangest +jargon grated harshly on the ear, while, at the same +time, the stench that penetrated through the chinks +in the partition almost suffocated those without.</p> + +<p>Feliciana and her guide trembled in utter fear.</p> + +<p>“Shall we run away?” said one to the other.</p> + +<p>“No, no,” answered Feliciana, her whisper almost inarticulate +with terror.</p> + +<p>Even at this trying moment the thought of +Appadocca was the most powerful in her mind. +The hope of finding him, sustained her against all +terrors.</p> + +<p>At the end of the hour the little door of the hut was +violently opened, and the little sorceress was seen standing +in a body of flame.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_193"></a>[193]</span></p> + +<p>“Seek your lover, amidst the tombstones to-morrow, +at the lonely hours of night,” she said, and the door was +violently closed.</p> + +<p>This uncertain answer fell on the ears of Feliciana like +a thunderbolt.</p> + +<p>“Oh, he is dead—he is dead,” she cried, and wept +bitterly.</p> + +<p>The guide stood aside and allowed the young lady to +give vent to her sorrow.</p> + +<p>“Who knows, madame,” she said, after a few moments, +“the answer may not mean that.”</p> + +<p>The young lady raised her head for a moment, a new +thought seemed to strike her.</p> + +<p>“Let us ask,” she said, “let us ask?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, she will not open the door now, for the world,” +the guide replied.</p> + +<p>“Will she not? Mother Celeste, Mother Celeste,” +cried Feliciana.</p> + +<p>The barking of the dog that now reappeared drowned +their voices.</p> + +<p>“I tell you, madame, she will not open the door,” said +the guide. “I ought to know her, since I bring people +to her almost every day.”</p> + +<p>Feliciana remained buried in thought where she was +for a moment. “Let us go,” she shortly said.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_194"></a>[194]</span></p> + +<p>The two travellers began to retrace their steps towards +Port-of-Spain.</p> + +<p>Feliciana was sad and pensive; the guide was less +talkative than before, and after half-an-hour’s walk, the +barking of the dog still reached their ears.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_195"></a>[195]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent6">——“Who’s there?</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Who is it that consorts, so late, the dead?”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Romeo and Juliet.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>Appadocca stood for a while, and watched his men, +who, in military order, were marching down the dark +and solitary road. When even their footsteps could no +longer be heard; he cast one more look on the desolated +villa, that still shone resplendently under the many +lights which burnt within, and that now presented the +appearance of a place, in which the pleasures of a marriage +feast, may have been broken in upon, by some +unexpected and chilling calamity.</p> + +<p>What ever reflections he may have made, while he +gazed at the house before him, were short and transitory +and perhaps unpleasant, for he suddenly turned away +his head, and bent his steps rapidly towards the beautiful<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_196"></a>[196]</span> +Savannah, that opened before the splendid house of +James Willmington.</p> + +<p>Having immediately approached the Savannah, +Appadocca climbed over the iron rails that enclose it, +and got within.</p> + +<p>The night was one of a peculiar sort. It was dark, +but the air was soft and dry, and the numberless stars +that shone, seemed to twinkle more, and more, and +more brightly, and by their brilliant light, the imaginative, +may have seen, or fancied to have seen, to a vast +depth into the bluish ethereal fluid, in which they were +suspended. Appadocca directed his steps immediately +across the Savannah. He walked on pensively and +moodily, without even raising his head for a moment, to +gaze on the stars above; or, to listen to the faint and +peculiar insect-sounds, that might now be heard, amidst +the general calm and lull of nature.</p> + +<p>When he had arrived at the western end of the +Savannah, he again climbed over the railing, and found +himself in the road which runs parallel in that direction, +with the Saint Ann’s road, on the opposite side. He +then diverged towards the left, and continued down the +road, until he had arrived to a certain street, which ran +to the right.</p> + +<p>Appadocca walked along this street, and was obliged<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_197"></a>[197]</span> +to stop from time to time, in order to drive away the +numbers of dogs that followed, and that kept up an +unceasing noise at his heels.</p> + +<p>The street opened on the extensive cemetery, that lies +to the west-ward of Port-of-Spain, and that looks picturesque +and beautiful by day, under the grove of +magnificent trees, that shelter it; but which, by night, +looks as dark and as gloomy, as the thoughts themselves +which it calls up.</p> + +<p>Appadocca stood for a moment, and looked over the +wall; no one, nothing was to be seen, save a few white +and spotted goats, that silently cropped the grass at a +distance, or frisked capriciously over the tombstones.</p> + +<p>He scaled the wall, and held his way straight down +the road, which lies concealed beneath the thickly +knotted branches of the trees that overhang it, and that +unseen, leads into the innermost parts of that long and +lasting home of thousands.</p> + +<p>Having reached the utmost end of this road, he turned +towards the left, into one of the many cross-formed +paths, that bisect the cemetery. He walked carefully +along, and examined attentively every tomb that he +passed, until he had arrived at a simple grave, that +with a plain cross at its head, lay sheltered beneath the +rich spreading foliage, of a thick cluster of bamboos.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_198"></a>[198]</span> +Here Appadocca stood, and remained motionless and +entranced, at the foot of that unornamented tomb; his +arms were folded over his breast, and he was in the +attitude of one whose thoughts were veiled in an +absorbing and holy feeling.</p> + +<p>In a moment he approached nearer and nearer; then +seated himself down at the head of the grave, and +remained there, his brow resting on his hand, as if his +spirit was in communion with that of the body which +the grave contained.</p> + +<p>Time fled, still the pirate captain remained in the +same position. The deeds of a whole life-time, one +would have said, were returning in rapid succession on +his memory. The pursuits, the pleasures and pains, the +endearments and enjoyments of childhood, of boyhood, +of youth, of all, seemed to fly back like administering +angels, or like fiends of hell upon his mind; for his recollections +were freshened, his sensibilities were awakened +by his mother’s grave:—his mother’s grave, which he +approached now a different man from what he was, when +he bade the farewell which proved the last on earth to +that mother. He had left her with the halo of those +virtues, which she had taught more by example than by +precepts, still surrounding his head, with his spirits fresh +and expanding, with his heart good and at ease, with<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_199"></a>[199]</span> +his intellect aspiring higher and higher; now he revisited +her in the cold tomb, with a callous indifference +either to virtue or to vice, with a heart that was poisoned +to the centre, with spirits lacerated and torn to shreds +and tatters. How to wreak retribution now engrossed +his whole intellect—retribution on the man whom that +mother had once too fondly loved, and whose placid +nature had, no doubt, long long forgiven. How could +he be certain that her spirit now looked down upon him +with pleasure, the spirit of her whose life was a speaking +lesson of patient endurance.</p> + +<p>Such might be the feelings and thoughts of Emmanuel +Appadocca, whose manhood could not restrain the tears +that trickled down his cheeks, and flowed, as it were, in +mockery over the hilt of the sword that lay across his +knees, and moistened the mound before him.</p> + +<p>The fleeting hours glided by, Appadocca was in the +same position. The brilliant stars shone beautifully +above him, the fire-flies played about the tombstones, +the tall dark trees rustled, and the pliant bamboos +creaked melancholily before the gentle night breeze.</p> + +<p>“I may not look upon you again: still, let me—let +me perform, perhaps, the last office that I may be permitted,” +said Appadocca, as if speaking to some one by +his side, and began to pluck the weeds that grew over +the grave.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_200"></a>[200]</span></p> + +<p>Time passed quickly. His labour was completed. +Appadocca took one last and earnest gaze at the grave, +then muffled his cloak leisurely around him, and turned +moodily away.</p> + +<p>He followed the same path that led to the grave, and +came out on the wide gravelly walk. His footsteps +echoed in the silence of the hour, and he proceeded with +his eyes fixed upon the ground. From time to time, +however, he raised them to look at the morning star. +He had now done so, when he beheld before him a tall +female form, that was clad in black, standing under the +branches of a rose-apple tree, which edged the road.</p> + +<p>“Heavens!” muttered Appadocca, “is there, then, +such a thing as a spirit?”</p> + +<p>He stood for a moment.</p> + +<p>“Oh, human mind,” he cried, “how weak thou art +in all thy greatness! how imperfectly thou canst cut +away the indifferent portions of thyself. Behold, whither +imagination now hurries thee. Can there be such a +thing as a spirit?”</p> + +<p>Appadocca began again to walk. The form began to +advance towards him. They met.</p> + +<p>“Appadocca,” it cried, and grasped the hand of the +pirate captain.</p> + +<p>“Feliciana! impossible: my ears play upon me,” said +Appadocca.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_201"></a>[201]</span></p> + +<p>“No, no: it is—it is Feliciana; Feliciana, who has +tracked you from her father’s humble house, and who +will still follow you as long as life continues under the +labours she will undertake for you, and the privations +she may have to endure on your account.”</p> + +<p>“At this place, and at this dismal hour!” remarked +Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“Better this place with all its horrors than the palace +in which I could not find you,” answered Feliciana.</p> + +<p>“Strange devotedness,” muttered Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“But how came you to know that I was here,” asked +Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“A sorceress told me you would be,” answered Feliciana. +“I entered this cemetery. Heavens, how I +trembled! and trod its solitary walk, and examined +each whitened monument until—until—I—saw you—at—at—a +grave. Return, return, with me, let me pray +with you, let me join my prayers with yours.”</p> + +<p>On saying this, Feliciana proceed down the walk, +and led the unresisting captain after her.</p> + +<p>Arrived at the simple grave, she threw herself on her +knees, and began to pray. Appadocca stood by, now +resting on his sword.</p> + +<p>“Oh grant,” said the lady, in conclusion to her +prayer; and she repeated the part aloud, “grant that<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_202"></a>[202]</span> +his heart may be turned from the unholy pursuit which +now throws his soul into the hands of demons, and let +the spirit of his mother inspire him with the thoughts +that she possessed.”</p> + +<p>This loud conclusion sounded solemnly in the silence +of the night. The sternness of Appadocca’s character +could scarcely resist it.</p> + +<p>“Come and join me; say you renounce the life you +now lead,” said Feliciana.</p> + +<p>Appadocca made no answer.</p> + +<p>“Come, come—for your mother’s sake, come,” said +Feliciana.</p> + +<p>“Pray you, senora. I will not pray, and I cannot +renounce.”</p> + +<p>“I entreat you: imagine you behold the mother that +you have loved so much, making the same petition to +you. Could you refuse her?”</p> + +<p>“Senora, speak no more on this theme, I say I cannot +renounce; my vow is made.”</p> + +<p>“Heaven looks not upon unholy vows; not on vows +of vengeance,” said Feliciana, “renounce your life and +forget that oath.”</p> + +<p>“Senora, the morning star is sinking; my followers +must be growing impatient. I must go;” and Appadocca +moved a step.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_203"></a>[203]</span></p> + +<p>Feliciana sprang from her knees and grasped him +by the hand; “do not go from this spot the same man +as you came to it. Wash yourself by prayer from the +blood which you may have shed, and ask—ask her +spirit to forgive you, if you offended it.”</p> + +<p>Appadocca drew his hand quickly across his brow. +“Feliciana, your are ungenerous, unkind: my—feelings—require—no—further +laceration. Life and my miseries +have already made me too, too well acquainted with anguish. +Spare me, spare me the thought of an offended +mother—the only—the only—the only—friend that I +had in this bitter, bitter, world.”</p> + +<p>“Say—say not so,” quickly rejoined Feliciana, still +more melted by the grief of one who appeared always so +indifferent. “You have still, still a friend. Oh fly, +fly with me to some wilderness; there enjoy your +thoughts, your silence, your feelings. I shall be your +slave, your dog, that will gather the inkling of the wish +from your very eyes. My <i>fallucha</i> is by the shore; +Appadocca will you go?”</p> + +<p>A pause ensued.</p> + +<p>“No, no, Feliciana,” said Appadocca; “I shall not: +lean not, good, good girl, upon a broken reed. To me +all things, save one idea, are stale and indifferent. My +life is gloomy, dark, and troublesome: my existence is<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_204"></a>[204]</span> +already a heavy, heavy oppression. My soul, like the +cumbrous tower, fell but once, it can never rise +again. Your presence would create a new grief in me, +for I could not see you love one whose blood was +chilled.”</p> + +<p>“I require no love—I require no love,” quickly rejoined +Feliciana, “I shall be your slave.”</p> + +<p>“That, I shall not endure; my idol is woman. I +ought to worship, not she.”</p> + +<p>“Still you will let me follow you?” eagerly inquired +Feliciana.</p> + +<p>“No, no, my career may still lie through blood,” answered +Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“Speak no more of blood,” cried Feliciana, “forswear +your vengeance.”</p> + +<p>“Never,” answered Appadocca sternly.</p> + +<p>“Say, why doom yourself for ever,” Feliciana was going +to inquire—when—</p> + +<p>“That the world may profit by my conduct,” answered +Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“But the world will not know, will not attend to what +you do.”</p> + +<p>“I care not, I care not,” answered Appadocca, “my +word is passed and I shall fulfil it. I am resolved, the +sacrifice must be made.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_205"></a>[205]</span></p> + +<p>“But see, the morning star is sinking fast. I must +away.”</p> + +<p>“But do not——”</p> + +<p>“Come, come, let me lead you hence,” so saying +Appadocca grasped the arm of the faint Feliciana, and +hurried out of the cemetery.</p> + +<p>They walked down the street that runs from north to +south on the western side of Port-of-Spain, and soon +reached the principal landing-place, where the crew of +the Black Schooner were impatiently waiting for their +captain.</p> + +<p>“Feliciana, I bid you a long, long adieu,” said Appadocca, +as they stopped under one of the almond trees +that form the shady walk we have already mentioned.</p> + +<p>“Do not say so,” said Feliciana indistinctly, as she +leaned against the tree, “oh do not say so.”</p> + +<p>There was no answer, not a word.</p> + +<p>“Feliciana let me ask you—to—to—place this near +your heart, and whenever you gaze upon it, let one +thought return—to—to—the—the sick man of your +father’s house.” So saying, Appadocca drew his sword +and cut off a lock of his flowing hair, and presented it +to the lady.</p> + +<p>“Look—look—there,” she cried faintly, as she received +the token.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_206"></a>[206]</span></p> + +<p>Appadocca turned round and beheld a crowd of people +who, with torches and lanterns, were following a company +of soldiers that were marching quickly down the walk.</p> + +<p>“Flee,” cried Feliciana.</p> + +<p>“One more request,” said Appadocca. “Forget not, +Feliciana, the place where you first saw me to-night. If +foul and rank weeds grow upon it, pluck them as you +pass by. Farewell, farewell.”</p> + +<p>Appadocca walked down the wharf and was received +by his men.</p> + +<p>“Shove off,” he cried, as he threw himself on the +stern sheets of the boat, and folded his cloak around +him.</p> + +<p>The soldiers arrived at the wharf just in time to see +the boat disappear in the gray light of the morning.</p> + +<p>They fired—the air resounded with their repeated +volleys.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_207"></a>[207]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“Go back again thou slave, and fetch him home.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Comedy of Errors.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>It was not until an early hour of the morning, when +Mrs. Wilmington recovered from her swoon, that it was +possible to give any alarm of the outrage that had been +committed at the villa of James Willmington.</p> + +<p>When the lady recovered from her state of insensibility, +and saw before her the scattered and disordered +furniture, the flickering wax candles that had now +burnt down to the very sockets, and her children, who, +after the departure of the pirate party, had fallen asleep +around her, recollections of the supposed apparition, +and of the terror of her husband, flashed across her mind. +Alarmed at the silence that reigned around, and not +being able to understand why she had been permitted +to remain in the same place where she had fainted away,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_208"></a>[208]</span> +she rushed impulsively to the bell, that lay on the sideboard, +and rang it violently.</p> + +<p>No one came.</p> + +<p>She rang again—no one came: she rang again, and +again, more and more violently; still no one came.</p> + +<p>She then looked out of the parlour, and beheld the +whole house still lighted up. She ventured out a little, +and still a little farther, until she summoned sufficient +courage, traversed the court yard, and entered the +servant’s apartments.</p> + +<p>In the principal room nothing was to be seen. Mrs. +Willmington raised the light high up, while she stood +at the entrance, and looked into every corner and hole. +She could see nothing.</p> + +<p>“Good God! can I be abandoned here with my +children,” she said in a low tone, fearful to hear even +her own voice, in such a silent and deserted situation.</p> + +<p>She entered the room, and proceeded towards a door, +which opened into another apartment. She turned the +handle, and went into that room also; nothing was to +be seen. She was turning to leave, when a low groan +was heard. Mrs. Willmington started two paces backwards, +but raised the light and looked back intently +towards the part from which the groan came. In a dark +recess, that lay in a remote corner of a room, two white<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_209"></a>[209]</span> +shining balls seemed to glare upon her. She started +still farther back: another groan was heard; she raised +the light still higher; it fell upon a part of the recess, +and discovered the shining face of the individual to whom +the eyes belonged and from whom the groans proceeded.</p> + +<p>“It is Jack, it is Jack!” cried Mrs. Willmington, +and walked up towards the recess.</p> + +<p>It was, indeed, Jack, who had his mouth as well +filled with grass and cloths as it could possibly hold, and +whose arms were as tightly tied behind his back, as +mortal arms could be: and whose short legs were +stretched straighter than they had ever been stretched +before in Jack’s life. He was lying on his side, and his +eyes were playing in their sockets like those fierce-looking +things which German ingenuity has designed +to represent the visual apparatus of man, and which +are to be seen every day in some of the back streets +of London in full play, to the infinite excitement +and gratification of the awe-struck and wondering +urchins.</p> + +<p>“Jack, cook!” cried Mrs. Willmington, “what state +is this you are in?”</p> + +<p>“Jack, cook,” groaned, and his eyes played still more +rapidly.</p> + +<p>“How can I assist?” said Mrs. Willmington, “I think<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_210"></a>[210]</span> +of it!” she ran hastily out of the room, and returned a +few moments afterwards, with a large knife.</p> + +<p>With this, she cut the cords which bound the limbs +of the unfortunate Jack. A task of no little labour, for +those who secured him, had done so with a marvellous +amount of skill and success.</p> + +<p>“Do the rest for yourself, now,” she said, when she had +completed part of the work.</p> + +<p>Jack required no exhortation, but as soon as his arms +were free, he began with all his might to pluck out the +number of things, with which his not incapacious mouth +had been filled.</p> + +<p>“Tenk Gad,” he cried, as he nimbly jumped on his +legs, and shook himself like a newfoundland dog coming +from the water.</p> + +<p>“Where is your master?” quickly inquired Mrs. +Willmington.</p> + +<p>“Me massa, ma’am!” answered Jack in the manner +that is rather peculiar to his class.</p> + +<p>“Yes, your master; and where are the other servants?” +Mrs. Willmington asked again.</p> + +<p>“Dem gane?” asked Jack again, in his turn.</p> + +<p>“Who, gone?” inquired Mrs. Willmington.</p> + +<p>“De paniole, ma’am:” answered Jack.</p> + +<p>“Tell me, Jack, will you; tell me quickly,” said<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_211"></a>[211]</span> +Mrs. Willmington, now waxing impatient, “where is +your master and the other servants?”</p> + +<p>“Let me see if dey gane,” said Jack, and he walked on +tiptoe towards the door, then carefully and cautiously +peeped out, then ventured a little way into the courtyard, +then ran hurriedly towards the great gate, and +bolted it and rebolted it.</p> + +<p>“Awh!” he cried, “Garamighty! Dey gane now! +awh! me, neber see such ting in all my barn days. +Wha dat? Me hab time foo blow now: put big, big, +bundle so nan me mout! tap my breath, awh! But +me can blow now—tshwh, tshwh!” and Jack took along +breath in the fashion which seems to be peculiar to his +people—a fashion which compresses a vast quantity of +air, and sends it vehemently forth, so that the same +hissing noise which the steam makes when it comes +through the valve of a railway engine, is produced. A +fashion which, be it said within parentheses, may be +very economical, inasmuch as it affords a certain large +amount of respiration within a certain small period of +time.</p> + +<p>This soliloquy, in the making of which, the illustrious +cook by no means limited himself as to time, being over, +and after having cast searching glances about the gate, +and having looked and relooked above, below, sideways,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_212"></a>[212]</span> +before, and behind, Jack then, and not till then, deemed +it proper to return to his mistress, who had also come +to the door, and was endeavouring to discover what the +cook was about.</p> + +<p>“Me shet it, ma’am, me shet it,” cried Jack, as he +returned.</p> + +<p>“Now, perhaps, you will tell me what I ask,” said +Mrs. Willmington, getting still more excited and angry, +“where is your master?”</p> + +<p>“Tap, missus,” answered Jack, “I’ll tell you all +bout it.”</p> + +<p>“Make haste, then.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, missus,” said Jack, and began to tell all about it. +He had the preliminary caution, however, of looking +carefully round to see if no more “paniole,” as he called +the pirates, were concealed thereabouts. Being for the +time satisfied on that point, he proceeded—</p> + +<p>“Last night, ma’am—no, the night before the night, +ma’am, ee already dis ma’aning, Bekky come in, and +find me da smoke me pipe. ‘Good night.—’”</p> + +<p>“What has that to do with Mr. Willmington, Jack? +Tell me where your master is, will you,” said Mrs. Willmington, +still more angry.</p> + +<p>“Me da tell you, missus,” answered Jack. “‘Good +night, buddee Jack,’ say Bekky, says she. ‘Good<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_213"></a>[213]</span> +night, sissee Bekky,’ me say, says I. ‘Awh! Jack!’ +Bekky say, ‘wha tobacca you da smoke dey Jack, +ee smell bad! da——’”</p> + +<p>“No more of this, Jack,” said Mrs. Willmington; +“tell me.”</p> + +<p>“Tap, missus, tap, if you plase; me da come to it, +me da come to it now,” said Jack.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Willmington looked resignation itself.</p> + +<p>“‘Da tobacca I buy dis ma’aning, Bekky,’ me +say ma’am,” continued Jack; “and dat was all. Last +night wen me finish de fowl, and bin da clean the +kitchen, who me see, but Bekky. ‘Good even, buddee +Jack,’ she said, says she. ‘Good even, sissee,’ I say, says I. +‘Look, some good tobacca a bring foo you, Jack,’ she say; +and give me a bundle tobacca. So last night, when I sen +in the dinna, I went into the garden foo try dis tobacca.</p> + +<p>“Me sit down unda de bread-fruit tree; me tink me +see somebody walk in de garden. Garamighty! me +say, wha jumbee want early, early so. Me look agin, +and me see de purson hab big, big beard like Paniole. +Me frieghten! Da who you, me bin go halla out, and +bin da go run away, when somebody hold me fram +behind, and chucked grass and ivery ting into my mout, +tie me han an foot, and trow me into the little room +way you fin’ me ma’am.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_214"></a>[214]</span></p> + +<p>“And where is your master?” asked Mrs. Willmington.</p> + +<p>“Me no know, ma’am,” answered Jack.</p> + +<p>“And where are the servants?”</p> + +<p>“Me no know, ma’am,” again answered Jack.</p> + +<p>“Rummage the house, you simpleton,” said Mrs. Willmington, +and lighted him the way to the other parts. +Jack went cautiously, and turned his head round in all +directions.</p> + +<p>They entered another room. “Garamighty! Jim, +dey tie you, too,” exclaimed Jack, as his eyes alighted +upon the “Jim” who was exactly in the same predicament +from which Jack himself had but a short time ago been +delivered.</p> + +<p>The only intimation of intelligence that Jim could +make was, rolling his eyes about.</p> + +<p>All the apartments were now searched, and the servants +were found, one here, the other there, among +them. They said that they were all simultaneously +laid hold of by a number of “panioles,” and were +gagged, bound hand and foot, and deposited separately +in the different rooms.</p> + +<p>“And where is your master; and your young master?” +asked Mrs. Willmington.</p> + +<p>“Dey carry old massa away pon their shoulders, +ma’am, and dey took young massa up-stairs.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_215"></a>[215]</span></p> + +<p>“Heavens!” cried Mrs. Willmington, “and was it not +then a spirit?” she asked.</p> + +<p>“He looked more like a paniole than a pirit, ma’am,” +said the individual who gave the information, who was +the chief servant in the house, and whose especial +destiny it had been to be gagged and otherwise dealt +with in his pantry, wherein he was at the moment busy +about some particulars connected with his avocation.</p> + +<p>“Run up stairs. Go you, Edward, to—to—Mr. ——, +the magistrate; alarm the town; tell the soldiers at +the fort,” exclaimed Mrs. Willmington, while she herself +rushed up-stairs with a servant.</p> + +<p>Young Willmington was found duly gagged and tied +in the favourite style of the pirates. He was immediately +released, and he got up from the bed on which the kind +consideration of the unwelcome visitors had laid him. +He exhibited less pleasure at his freedom than one +would have expected to see.</p> + +<p>“What is the matter with you, James?” said Mrs. +Willmington, not a little surprised at the strange calmness +of her son. “Do you know that your father has +been carried away from his house?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, mother, I know it.”</p> + +<p>“Then why not make more haste, James, and go to +see about it?” rejoined Mrs. Willmington.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_216"></a>[216]</span></p> + +<p>No answer.</p> + +<p>“I shall go,” said young Willmington, after a pause, +“but my mind misgives me about this whole affair. +My father ought not to have concealed the truth from +us. The man who came into the house, last night, is +my brother.”</p> + +<p>“Your brother!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, dear mother; he possesses the family peculiarity,” +answered James. “However, I shall go and +alarm the authorities.”</p> + +<p>The magistrates were awakened, the alarm was given +at the forts, and the whole town was shortly in commotion. +The streets were searched, but no pirates could +be found. A body of soldiers was then marched down +to the wharf, as the reader already knows.</p> + +<p class="tb">At early dawn the magistrates went alongside the +English man-of-war, and related to the commander what +had taken place.</p> + +<p>“There is not much mystery about all this, gentlemen,” +said the commander, after he had reflected a +moment, “I shall promise you, that when it is clear, you +will be able to see a long, sharp, and strange-looking +schooner in these waters. I have, unfortunately, been +made too familiar of late with the boldness of that set of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_217"></a>[217]</span> +pirates. I am so certain of what I am telling you, that +I shall at once give orders for weighing anchor: so that +I shall be ready, as soon as it is light, to give chase, +and I shall see,” muttered the commander to himself; +“if I cannot get to windward of those fellows this +time.”</p> + +<p>True enough, the pirate schooner was seen in the light +of the morning opposite the harbour of Port-of-Spain, +but at an immense distance out at sea.</p> + +<p>The heavy sails of the large ship then began leisurely +to ascend its encumbered masts, in preparation for the +chase of the pirate vessel.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_218"></a>[218]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXIX">CHAPTER XXIX.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“The deed is done.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Macbeth.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>When Appadocca with his party had gained the +schooner, he immediately ordered the prisoner Willmington +to be taken to the torture-room and to be there kept +in custody: at the same time the men were summoned +to the main deck, and the booty of the previous night, +was distributed in the same manner as we have described +at the beginning of this tale.</p> + +<p>In the meantime the morning dawned more brightly, +and the waters of the gulf lay smooth and shining before +the piercing rays of the morning sun, unbroken as +they were by the faintest breath.</p> + +<p>The heavy sails of the man-of-war were still seen to +ascend one by one, and fall, as they were spread, heavily +against the masts.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_219"></a>[219]</span></p> + +<p>They reflected the sunbeams from their white and clear +surface, far and wide: and amidst the number of vessels +in the harbour, the huge ship-of-war, with all its canvass +spread, and its stern decorated with the fiery ensign of +England, looked like a gigantic monarch of the sea that +floated at the head of its smaller subjects.</p> + +<p>She was now ready to weigh anchor, and was +now evidently only waiting for the wind which was +certain to spring about the hour of ten in the forenoon.</p> + +<p>When Appadocca had superintended the division of +the spoil amongst his followers, he ordered the young +midshipman to be brought before him.</p> + +<p>That individual, in a few moments, made his appearance. +He had scarcely as yet recovered from the effects +of his torture; he was pale, and appeared still weak and +emaciated. Yet in his eye there could now be read a +more earnest seriousness—the fruit of the self dependent +position in which he had for some time so accidentally +found himself, and the consequence of the example to +whose power he had been exposed, in the stern and +manly society into which he had been thrown.</p> + +<p>From a boy whose yearnings had been continually +after excitement and pleasure, he was suddenly transformed +into a man, whose thoughts began to be characterised<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_220"></a>[220]</span> +by the seriousness of purpose which alone can be +worthy of the highest of the animal creation.</p> + +<p>A change was marked on his face, and his demeanour +was more subdued and more self-possessed.</p> + +<p>“Young man,” said Appadocca, as he stood before +him, “I set you at liberty, you shall have a small boat, +which will in a moment be ready for you, you will be +able to skull to your ship. I cannot, I am sorry to say, +spare any of my men to help you. I see she is preparing +to weigh anchor. Take my compliments to the +commander himself, and tell him, to take the advice of +one, who has experienced much kindness at his hands, and +by no means to move from his anchorage to-day. Ask +him to consult a calculation which I made on the partition +of the cabin in which I was confined, and he will +know the reason. Before you leave the schooner, ask +the officer of the watch for a letter which I shall send +to your commander’s son.”</p> + +<p>Appadocca then descended into his cabin and wrote +thus:—</p> + +<div class="blockquote"> + +<p class="noindent">“<span class="smcap">Dear Hamilton</span>,</p> + +<p>“The consummation of my existence is now fast +approaching; I, therefore, write to you, as I fear it +will be the last time that I may have the opportunity of +communicating with a dear friend, from whose heart I<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_221"></a>[221]</span> +have experienced so much consideration, and from whose +hands I have received so much kindness! It is scarcely +necessary for me to tell you, that destiny preserved me +from the perils from which few could have hoped to +escape.</p> + +<p>“I am at the head of my faithful followers once more, +and it rejoices me to think that my escape was effected +entirely by my own efforts and quite unknowingly to one +on whose escutcheon I should not have even virtue itself +accidentally to paint a blot. I shall lead the men who +have followed me so bravely, and who have served me so +faithfully, to some remote spot on the fertile and vast +continent that lies on our right, and build them a city +in which they may live happily, quietly, and far removed +from the world, whose sympathy they cannot hope, and +care not, to possess. For myself....</p> + +<p>Receive, my dear Charles, the sincere good wishes of +one who esteems you.</p> + +<p class="right">“<span class="smcap">Emmanuel Appadocca.</span>”</p> + +<p>“N.B.—Recollect and prevail upon your father not to +set sail to-day. Remember the tempest of which I spoke, +it will come within these twenty-four hours.</p> + +<p class="right">“E. A.”</p> + +</div> + +<p>The young midshipman was withdrawn and in a few<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_222"></a>[222]</span> +moments he pushed off gladly from the schooner, and +was soon seen gradually leaving it behind.</p> + +<p>Ten o’clock came, and with it the steady trade wind. +The placid gulf curled before it—the vessels at anchor +in the harbour, swung to and fro on their long cables, as +they felt its force, and the vessel-of-war sheered off +under her canvass that swelled and looked full and turgid +with the wind. The sprays flew about her broad bows, +and she was bearing straight down on the schooner with +the wind on her quarter. Every sail that could be +hoisted was set, and her commander seemed again determined +to make another powerful effort, in order to +have a chance of bringing his batteries to bear against +the Black Schooner. As for that vessel herself, she remained +in the same place where she was, and seemed +quite indifferent to the movements of the man-of-war.</p> + +<p>Appadocca pensively paced her deck, and looked from +time to time towards the eastern shore.</p> + +<p>“The rash and fiery old man,” he muttered, with an +expression half anxious, half indignant, when he saw the +large vessel fall off from her anchorage.</p> + +<p>When the wind had become fairly settled in, the order +was given to set sail.</p> + +<p>With the usual rapidity, the masts of the schooner +became sheeted in her ample sails, her small kedges were<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_223"></a>[223]</span> +let go, and she turned gracefully to the wind. Her bow +pointed to the southern outlet of the gulf—the Serpent’s +Mouth.</p> + +<p>The calm and placid picture which the two vessels +presented, as they sailed in the same direction, bore in +itself but a faint resemblance to the fierce passions that +might animate their crews, or the bloody deeds which +might be done if once they came within gun-shot of each +other.</p> + +<p>The usually quiet gulf smiled under the freshness of +the morning: the two vessels sailed smoothly on its +even bosom. There was no labouring, no plunging, no +heaving of terrible seas, to call forth any feeling, akin to +terror.</p> + +<p>The dark blue waves appeared through the thin +vapours of the morning like a landscape in a picture, and +the light slender fishing canoes, with their feather-like +sails, which seemed to play on the waters, like butterflies in +the beams of a sunny day, added a peculiar and peaceful +appearance to the scene.</p> + +<p>The high and solitary mountain of Naparima, with a +few scattered and scathed trees on its crown, rose in the +distance; while the low sloping shores before, seemed +entirely to enclose the gulf, and to hem it round against +the violence of intrusive winds. Upon the whole, a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_224"></a>[224]</span> +beholder, on seeing the two vessels together, with the +thousand sailing boats and sloops that followed in the +wake of the man-of-war in order to witness the exciting +scene of an action, might have taken them to be the +pleasure ships of luxurious lordlings, who had launched +forth on the deep to seek another subject of excitement, +in order to cheat monotony of some of its victim-days.</p> + +<p>The pirate schooner held its course with an indifference +that would not have led one to believe she was +pursued. The watchful chief stood by the shroud of +the mainmast, with his arms folded on his breast, calm +and impassable as he was at almost all the moments of +his life.</p> + +<p>Not so the pursuing man-of-war. Ever and anon, as +any of the small sailing vessels that navigate the gulf +came in sight, signals upon signals went up her masts, to +intimate that the vessel ahead was a pirate, and to command +it to be harassed and hindered in its course. But +all these were lost on the simple skippers of those simple +crafts.</p> + +<p>The chase continued. The terrible rock that is +known by the name of the “soldier,” and that true to +its appellation, seems to guard with unsurprizeable vigilance +the passage of the Serpent’s Mouth, was passed. +Point Icacos, too, was doubled, and the two vessels were<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_225"></a>[225]</span> +now riding on the atlantic billows, with the low Orinoco +marshes on the right, and the rocky and wild coast of +Trinidad on the left.</p> + +<p>The sun was setting, when, suddenly, as if some +monster screen had been abruptly raised from earth to +heaven, in order to keep one part of the globe from the +other, the wind fell, and the sails lay like humid +sheets against the masts.</p> + +<p>“Nature will now begin to speak,” said Appadocca +to himself, with a certain air of contentment now lighting +up his stern brow, and then looked aloft and +around.</p> + +<p>At his order, the spars were instantaneously armed +with steel spears, from whose feet, conducting wires +hung down along the shrouds and dipped into the sea. +At another order, the large jibs, foresail, and mainsail +of the schooner were stripped from the masts, and in +their place, small narrow sails, which, from their size, +could not have been supposed to be capable of having +the least effect, were set.</p> + +<p>The guns were doubly secured in their places, and +the arms were fastened with even greater care than +usual in their cases, in the bulwarks.</p> + +<p>The two vessels now lay on the ocean, that now +heaved as if from its own convulsions; for the lightest<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_226"></a>[226]</span> +vane hung straight and stiffly down. There was not a +breath of air. The vessels turned round and round +helplessly on the seas, and as they rose on this wave, +and were beaten athwart, or astern by the other, for the +billows rolled at this time in no regular course, they fell +into the troughs, or rose on the brows of the waves +with such sudden and straining movements, that the +wood and iron that formed them, seemed scarcely strong +enough to hold together.</p> + +<p>Night closed in; with it came a darkness that in itself +was awful. No man could see his hand before him, +shipmate could not see even the shipmate that stood at +his side; which was the sea, which the deck, no one +could tell, save when some counter-running wave broke +suddenly on the side or bow of the schooner, and threw +up the myriads of shining insects that inhabited its +full and swollen bosom.</p> + +<p>Those that were obliged to move about, clung cautiously +to the bulwarks, and set one foot carefully +before the other, that they might not throw themselves +over.</p> + +<p>The cries of the terror-stricken sea-birds, as they +wandered on the still and suffocating air, with even instinct +failing to lead them to their resting place on the +shore, sounded hoarse and ominous to the ear.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_227"></a>[227]</span></p> + +<p>Not a sound was heard on board the schooner, except +the creaks of the straining cordage, as the vessel violently +and madly plunged.</p> + +<p>Now, like molten lead, the rain began to fall in large, +heavy, and leisurely drops. Then distant sounds, like +the groans of a labouring world, when earthquakes shake +it to its base, were heard. A sudden and faint gush of +wind, like the fluttering of gigantic wings, came and +turned the schooner round and round, and passed away, +leaving the deadly calm as it was before. Flash—flash—the +lightning came, and by its lurid light, the ocean +to the southward shone in one sheet of foam.</p> + +<p>“How is your helm?” inquired Appadocca of the +steersman.</p> + +<p>“Very slack, your excellency. She does not feel it,” +the man replied.</p> + +<p>The sounds increased; they approached nearer and +nearer; they came, and like a toy in the hand of a +giant, the schooner was suddenly thrown on her beam-ends. +The water washed one-half of her long deck, +and the first gust of the hurricane swept with a terrible +noise, over the prostrate vessel, and seemed to crush +her, like a mountain that had fallen from its base, and +had met some paltry obstacle in its way, while it was +rolling along to find its level.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_228"></a>[228]</span></p> + +<p>“Luff,” cried the chief to the steersman.</p> + +<p>“Luff.”</p> + +<p>The schooner lay on her side for a few minutes, as if +she would never right again: at last, like an impatient +steed, whose course has been arrested by some temporary +barrier, after sustaining the violence of the gust, she +sprang forth into the face of the wind, and seemed like +a thing of passion and pride, roused to brave the power +of the overwhelming hurricane.</p> + +<p>With the scanty storm sails, which the foresight of +Appadocca had had bent, she shot through the mountain +billows with her usual speed, cleaving them through, +and throwing the sprays mast high.</p> + +<p>On—on, she went, as if actuated by the bold spirit of +the man who commanded her, she sought to penetrate +the very bosom of the hurricane.</p> + +<p>Her slender masts bent like willows to and fro, as she +mounted the mountains of rushing water, that struck +and shook her to the very keel.</p> + +<p>By the flashes of glaring and frequent lightning, the +fierce sailors could now and then be seen standing +stolidly at their respective stations, their red caps drawn +far down over their puckered brows, and their black +beards dripping with spray and rain.</p> + +<p>A rope fastened each man to his post, and unmoved,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_229"></a>[229]</span> +like carved wood, they stood in the terrors of the +howling winds: the bonds of discipline were still on +them.</p> + +<p>As for Appadocca himself far from evincing any +anxiety, he seemed to take pleasure in the terrible convulsions +of nature. With the dark heavens above him +re-echoing far and wide with the rolls of the loud and +never-ceasing thunder; with the balancing ocean below +him, and the terrifying howls of the devastating hurricane +around him, he was the same unimpassioned, collected, +intrepid man, as when the schooner rode on the +calmest sea, under the most smiling sky. He seemed +to take pleasure—if his nature could receive pleasure—in +the awe-striking scene. Ever and anon he took up +his red cap, and pressed his hand over his brow in +apparent delight.</p> + +<p>The schooner still laboured in the seas that now began +to grow higher and higher, and heavier and heavier. +The lightnings came and played about her masts, like +the spirits of the tempest, that seemed marking her as +their victim; but the fluid glided down the wires, and +lost itself in the foaming deep.</p> + +<p>Still on—on—on she went. A terrible gust.... +She was laid on her beams again. The wind was gone: +the air was calm and close: not a breath;—her narrow<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_230"></a>[230]</span> +sails hung to her masts, and she was tossed about +without wind enough to feel her helm.</p> + +<p>At this frightful interval the echoes of rending broadsides +were heard towards the north. They were the +reports of the man-of-war’s distress guns.</p> + +<p>“Take in the fore and mainsail,” cried Appadocca, +in a voice that seemed to sound solitary and lonely +amidst the terrors of the night.</p> + +<p>“Reef the jib.”</p> + +<p>The order was scarcely executed, when the rumbling +sounds were again heard. It was coming—it was coming; +the schooner was thrust forward, as if some +immense rock had been let to fall against her; her bows +were dashed through the approaching billows; as she +emerged for a moment, the same power thrust her backwards; +her stern sank under the volumes of water that +washed over her decks; and then, as quick as thought, +she was lifted from the surface, and twisted, and +twisted, and turned reelingly round in mid-air, and was +let to fall with a tremendous crash again. Crack—crack—her +two tapering masts snapt from the deck. +They were overboard, and the lately resisting schooner +was now borne with the rapidity of lightning before +the hurricane.</p> + +<p>“Get up the anchors,” the voice of Appadocca was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_231"></a>[231]</span> +again heard; as he recovered from the concussion of the +whirlwind.</p> + +<p>The prostrate sailors scrambled from the corners into +which they had been thrown; the hatches were raised, +and the only hope of the schooner,—the anchors—were +quickly drawn on deck.</p> + +<p>The hurricane was now at its height. Like a feather +on the overturning currents of an overflowing cataract, +the vessel was furiously borne away before the sweeping +wind.</p> + +<p>The anchors, with their immense coils of chain-cable +were thrown overboard, to arrest the progress of the +vessel for a time, until jury-masts could be rigged.</p> + +<p>It was of no avail.—Fast—fast—before the wind the +schooner went; and then a grating noise, and a dreadful +shock;—every man fell on his face—she was ashore—on +the rocks.</p> + +<p>“Save yourselves, my brave men,” the deep-toned +Appadocca cried, as he stood boldly prominent amidst +the surrounding rack and ruin.</p> + +<p>The ocean was fringed with foam, as it broke on the +rocks of Trinidad, on which the once beautiful schooner +was at this moment being dashed to pieces.</p> + +<p>The sailors now thought of saving themselves. The +distance from dry land was not much, and it might be<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_232"></a>[232]</span> +gained on the crest of the waves, if no rock dashed to +pieces the daring fugitives in their attempt.</p> + +<p>Each bold pirate watched his time, and leapt boldly on +the crest of the billow, as it came washing by, and in +the twinkling of an eye, was thrown up high and dry, +alive or dead, on the top of the rocks.</p> + +<p>Already every man had left the schooner, and had +perished or been tossed up alive.</p> + +<p>Appadocca still stood leaning on the bulwarks, contemplating +the sad remnants of his once all but animated +vessel.</p> + +<p>Lorenzo and Jack Jimmy drew together imperceptibly +to his sides. They stood around him silent, and +unperceived.</p> + +<p>The schooner was breaking up; still Appadocca stood +where he was.</p> + +<p>“Will not your excellency go on shore?” Lorenzo at +last ventured to say.</p> + +<p>Appadocca started slightly, as if awakened from a +dream or reverie.</p> + +<p>“Yes, Lorenzo; but save yourselves first. Watch +the wave; here it is—jump in—you, too, Jack Jimmy, +quickly, so, so.”</p> + +<p>The two men jumped on the billow as it swept by the +schooner, Appadocca followed, and they reached the shore.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_233"></a>[233]</span></p> + +<p>Now the wind suddenly ceased as before.</p> + +<p>Appadocca, with Lorenzo and Jack Jimmy, were +sitting on the top of a lofty rock: they were viewing +the last struggles of their vessel.</p> + +<p>“A terrible night, this is, Lorenzo,” said Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“It is, indeed, your excellency, a frightful night! for——hark! +What cry is that? It is from the schooner,” +cried Lorenzo, as he stood up.</p> + +<p>A supernatural shriek fell on the ear. It came from +the schooner. Again it came—again—and again—as +she was battered against the rock.</p> + +<p>The three persons were silent.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I know,” cried Lorenzo.</p> + +<p>“It is the prisoner—I may save him yet—I may +save him yet,” said Lorenzo.</p> + +<p>They were the shrieks of James Willmington, who +was still battened down in the narrow torture-room, into +which he had been thrown, and was undergoing more +than a thousand deaths; dying as he was, thus cooped +up in a dark narrow cabin, and the vessel breaking +asunder under him.</p> + +<p>The cabin was so close, that his terrified shrieks could +not be heard before; but now, when the seams were +opened, they alone, prolonged, and agonizing as they<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_234"></a>[234]</span> +were, were now to be heard in the lull of the wind, on +the silent, close, and death-strewn air.</p> + +<p>Lorenzo rushed down the rock, but ere he could devise +a means to rescue him, the schooner broke in two, +and the unhappy Willmington sank for ever, still a +prisoner in the torture-room.</p> + +<p>The schooner went to pieces, and soon the billows +rolled on the rocks over her once graceful form.</p> + +<p>Appadocca silently watched the gradual destruction +of his vessel, and silently listened to the shrieks of his +father.</p> + +<p>When not a timber of her remained above water, +he heaved a heavy sigh. The first, that Lorenzo had +ever heard from him. It was the sigh that came from a +hurricane of feelings within him, which equalled the +raging hurricane of nature without.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_235"></a>[235]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXX">CHAPTER XXX.</h2> + +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“I ’gin to be aweary of the sun,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And wish the estate o’ the world were now undone.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Macbeth.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“Lorenzo,” said Appadocca to his officer who had +returned to the wreck, “that was a good and faithful +vessel.”</p> + +<p>“Ay, your excellency,” replied Lorenzo, sorrowfully, +“she was.”</p> + +<p>“All things must end, Lorenzo,” continued Appadocca.</p> + +<p>“True, your excellency,” answered Lorenzo.</p> + +<p>“If so, Lorenzo, the honours and greatness of men +are scarcely to be longed after. The pursuits that engross +us during an entire lifetime, and lead us too +frequently, to sacrifice health, happiness, and sometimes<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_236"></a>[236]</span> +even drag us into crime, must all—all end in this—in +nothing.”</p> + +<p>“True, your excellency,” answered Lorenzo.</p> + +<p>“You know not, Lorenzo, how different the world +appears to me now, from what it did when I was a happy +student of eighteen. It was then tinged with golden +hues, and shone in whatever light I viewed it. Greatness: +oh, greatness, seemed so captivating to me! My +nights were devoted to its attainment, my days the same. +Now, the world is charmless, scarcely tolerable, and my +beautiful dreams have all passed away like the crystal +dew before the sucking sun.”</p> + +<p>“There is still hope, your excellency,” remarked +Lorenzo.</p> + +<p>“What among all things seems the most deserving of +preservation, Lorenzo,” continued Appadocca, “is our +honour, our consciousness of acting right. How many +a mind that is curbed down by misfortune and sorrow, +finds its own little relief in the simple idea, that it has +acted up to the dictates of its honor.”</p> + +<p>Lorenzo made no reply, he saw that his chief was +deeply affected.</p> + +<p>“Lorenzo,” resumed Appadocca, after a pause, “there +is destiny—there is destiny—there is a synchronism of +events and a simultaneousness of the actings of nature’s<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_237"></a>[237]</span> +general laws that constitute destiny; against which no +men from the absence of any power to read the future +can provide. Thus, in the whirlwind, that raises in +mid-air the light feather, there is to be seen the hand of +destiny, for there is the synchronism of the feather’s +being separated from the bird with the acting of the law +of nature that produces the wind. It would have been as +impossible to the bird, granting that its reasoning powers +were less limited, to have provided against the falling of +its feather and the eventual taking of it up by storm, as +it was impossible to foresee the whirlwind that overcame +the schooner which was made to pass through every +danger.”</p> + +<p>“Too true, your excellency,” answered Lorenzo.</p> + +<p>“So that it follows,” continued Appadocca, “that +since men are subject to the former of this destiny, their +most strenuous efforts must always prove impotent in +restraining its action, and that they are liable every +moment, whether they are good, or whether they are +bad, to be subjected to misfortune and calamity. And +this corroborates what I have already said, that the only +thing which we are bound to consider in life, is our honor, +which alone is, or ought to be, the source of satisfaction +or misery to us.”</p> + +<p>Lorenzo assented to the philosophy of Appadocca.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_238"></a>[238]</span></p> + +<p>“If ever I should be suddenly overtaken by the hand +of this destiny recollect, beneath the solitary fig-tree +that grows on the Island of Sombrero, you will find a +treasure. Devote half to the erection of a college for +abandoned children, and with the rest provide for my +men who have served me truly. Do not forget that +peculiar old servant,” he said in a low tone, and pointed +to Jack Jimmy.</p> + +<p>“Your excellency is growing melancholy,” observed +Lorenzo, with some anxiety.</p> + +<p>“No, no,” replied Appadocca. “Still, who knows +how soon destiny may end his days.”</p> + +<p>“For you, Lorenzo, you have acted towards me in a +manner that I have duly appreciated,” continued Appadocca, +while he grasped his officer’s hand, “here is my +sword, wear it, and may the time soon arrive when you +may use it in the cause to which you are pledged, farewell!”</p> + +<p>With a spring Appadocca jumped from the rock and +threw himself headlong into the thundering waves +below.</p> + +<p>His movement was so sudden that Lorenzo, and Jack +Jimmy, who sprang to their feet at once, were too late +to hold him back and save him.</p> + +<p>The little negro silently returned to the spot where he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_239"></a>[239]</span> +had sat since he had come on shore, and hid his face in +his hands. Not a word—not a sob escaped him. His +grief was too deep and strong for tears.</p> + +<p>Morning dawned on the devastated scene of the late +hurricane.</p> + +<p>Like a strong man who is recovering from illness, +nature presented a smiling, though languid look. The +billows still ran high, but unlashed now by the wind, they +rolled heavily against the rocks.</p> + +<p>High and dry lay the bodies of the dead, their pallid +faces still locked in the grim passions which had attended +the departure of life.</p> + +<p>The dawn had scarcely come, when Jack Jimmy might +have been seen moving totteringly along the ruffled +beach, with a dead body on his shoulders. Away into a +solitary recess of the picturesque little bay, he bore his +burden. He lay it down, and then slowly began to scoop +a hole.</p> + +<p>Solemnly he worked—his arms rose and fell like his +heart—heavily.</p> + +<p>But who comes to interrupt the sacred work! +Lorenzo! It was Lorenzo. He had followed Jack +Jimmy to the spot. The officer began to dig, too.</p> + +<p>“Tap, massa—tap,” said Jack Jimmy, solemnly +grasping his arm—“let me one do it.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_240"></a>[240]</span></p> + +<p>The hole was dug:—Jack Jimmy adjusted the uniform +and hair of the corpse, composed its features, and +laid it carefully in it.</p> + +<p>His arms again rose and fell as heavily as before:—the +grave was closed, and made even with the ground. +Jack Jimmy knelt at its foot, raised his eyes to heaven—his +lips rapidly moved, and a heavy tear fell on the +simple grave of the pirate captain.</p> + +<p>It was about this time that a little <i>fallucha</i> came +labouring over the still perturbed waves under four +powerful sweeps. At its stern sat the captain and a lady.</p> + +<p>Attracted by the signs of the shipwrecked pirates, she +drew towards the shore.</p> + +<p>The tale of the wreck was soon told. The lady raised +her hands and held her forehead as if it were about to +split asunder. She landed, and walked along the strand +and studied each dead man’s face that she passed by. +She arrived at the spot where Jack Jimmy was completing +the grave, and was adjusting each tiny pebble +in its proper place.</p> + +<p>Her heart sank within her. Quickly she approached +the one who was toiling in so sad a mood.</p> + +<p>“Whose grave is this?” the lady quickly asked.</p> + +<p>“My young massa’s,” Jack Jimmy slowly answered, +without raising his eye from his work.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_241"></a>[241]</span></p> + +<p>“What was his name?” again asked the lady.</p> + +<p>“Emmanuel Appadocca,” again answered Jack Jimmy, +as slowly as before.</p> + +<p>“Emmanuel Appadocca!”</p> + +<p>The lady raised her hands to her burning brows, and +pressed her eyes. She remained for a few moments in +this position. Then her arms fell languidly by her sides, +an expression of vagueness spread itself over her face, +she looked absently around, a ringing laugh broke forth +from her lips, her jaws then hung mopingly. Feliciana +fell mad over Appadocca’s grave.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_242"></a>[242]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXXI">CHAPTER XXXI.</h2> +</div> + + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“Of that, and all the progress, more and less,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Resolvedly more leisure shall express:</div> + <div class="verse indent0">All yet seems well; and if it end so meet,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">The bitter past, more welcome is the sweet.”</div> + <div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">All’s Well that Ends Well.</span></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>Feliciana was taken to her <i>fallucha</i>, which immediately +changed her course, and returned to Trinidad.</p> + +<p>Lorenzo built a camp on the shore for the protection +of his men, until he should be able to send a vessel to +their rescue, and then began to traverse the island under +the guidance of Jack Jimmy, whose excitability had +now yielded to a melancholy and dull sombreness.</p> + +<p>One evening the sun had set, the twilight was passing +away, and gloom was settling over the forests, when +Lorenzo, exhausted and fatigued, thought of going to +ask shelter on a plantation, which he knew to be near at<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_243"></a>[243]</span> +hand, by the repeated crowings of cocks, that noisely +vented their loud farewell-clarions to the departing +day.</p> + +<p>“Jack Jimmy, do you know who is the proprietor of +the estate which I think we are approaching?”</p> + +<p>“No, massa,” answered Jack Jimmy.</p> + +<p>“Do you think they would give us shelter for to-night?” +inquired Lorenzo.</p> + +<p>“Yes, massa,” answered Jack Jimmy.</p> + +<p>“Then will you endeavour to find your way to it?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, massa.”</p> + +<p>In about half an hour, Lorenzo and Jack Jimmy +came out amidst a number of flourishing gardens, that +lay smiling at the back of a village of labourer’s +houses.</p> + +<p>The two travellers quickly crossed there, and opened +into a long lane that was shaded by tall tamarind and +sappodilla trees.</p> + +<p>An ecclesiastic was seen calmly pacing this umbrageous +retreat, while his lips rapidly moved as he pored +over the dark and riband-marked breviary, which he +held open before.</p> + +<p>The father was so wrapped up in what he was reading, +that he did not perceive the two strangers until they +had almost met face to face.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_244"></a>[244]</span></p> + +<p>The priest started back, as he came on Lorenzo. +“Mercy on us! the pirate officer!” he cried.</p> + +<p>“What, what new deed is it, sir;” he said, after a +pause: “which now tarnishes your soul again, and +draws you to this peaceful and quiet retreat?”</p> + +<p>“Pirate officer no longer, good father,” answered +Lorenzo, “and I bring no outrage on your peaceful +retreat. My spirit now itself requires too much calm +to break it wherever it already exists.”</p> + +<p>The priest folded his arms across his breast, and +looked silently and sympathisingly on the unhappy man +before him.</p> + +<p>“My son,” he said, with a countenance that beamed +with charity; “my son, there is one above that +can relieve our bitterest woes. Seek consolation in +the afflictions which, press upon your soul from His +hand.”</p> + +<p>“I am now in your power, good father,” said Lorenzo. +“The schooner is wrecked on these shores; Appadocca is +no more.”</p> + +<p>“Is he dead?” cried the priest.</p> + +<p>“Yes.”</p> + +<p>The priest turned towards heaven, and prayed for the +soul of the pirate captain.</p> + +<p>“God forbid that I should ever refuse charity to the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_245"></a>[245]</span> +afflicted: come with me, sir, and my good patron will, +I doubt not, afford you hospitality.”</p> + +<p>The three persons walked up the lane, and discovered +a comfortable planter’s house, that stood in an open +space amidst a number of orange trees. They quickly +approached the house; and Agnes, who was sitting at +the open window enjoying the evening breeze, fell senseless +to the ground, as she beheld Lorenzo.</p> + +<p class="tb">“Accommodate the stranger as soon as possible,” +said a fiery looking old man, whose gray hair floated +over his shoulders, and fell over a large and turned-down +collar, while the boots which had not crossed the +threshold for many a day, still shone with heavy and +immense silver spurs.</p> + +<p>“Accommodate the stranger, and get him a guide +as soon as possible,” he said, as soon as the priest +told him of Agnes’s illness, and had no doubt expressed +his own surmises.</p> + +<p class="tb">The time for Lorenzo’s departure approached. He +was informed that a guide and a mule awaited his +leisure.</p> + +<p>“I must see the master of the house,” he said.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_246"></a>[246]</span></p> + +<p>The servant withdrew, and shortly afterwards conducted +the officer into the presence of the old man, +who stood up as well as he could, bowed, and asked +Lorenzo to be seated.</p> + +<p>“Sir,” said Lorenzo, speaking without any preliminaries; +“your daughter and I love each other.”</p> + +<p>“What, sir! mention my daughter!” cried the old +man, furiously, without hearing any more. “Sir, the +mule and guide are ready.”</p> + +<p>But there was a softening balm even for the inflammable +spirit of the old gentleman. He, like all other +men, had the particular point by which he could be +lead!</p> + +<p>The pirate officer immediately disclosed that his real +name was not Lorenzo, but St. James Carmonte; and +that he was the lineal descendant of the Carmontes, +who fell fighting for the Prince. He went on to explain +that his people before him had vegetated in a number of +corners all over Europe; but that he and the others +that then survived had been eventually expelled from +France at the epoch of the great revolution. That he +had then taken to the sea, there to seek adventures; as +he imagined he had been long-enough on the enduring +side.</p> + +<p>“What! the descendant of Carmonte,” cried the old<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_247"></a>[247]</span> +man, who was touched in a sensitive part: “Carmonte, +whose fathers fought at the side of mine. How can +you vouch this, sir?”</p> + +<p>Lorenzo presented a ring.</p> + +<p>“The word, sir.”</p> + +<p>Lorenzo said something.</p> + +<p>“Agnes, Agnes, come hither, Agnes,” vociferated +the old man.</p> + +<p>The young lady appeared. She was still pale and +emaciated.</p> + +<p>“Take her, take her, man,” cried the old cavalier. +“May God bless you, and preserve you to see the +day when the king shall enjoy his own again.”</p> + +<p>The priest blessed the union, and Lorenzo, after +disposing of Appadocca’s followers, lived happy in the +retreat of the plantation.</p> + +<p>Jack Jimmy served the officer of his young master +with fidelity. A smile, however, was never seen more +on his face; and when the winds howled more loudly +than usual, the drops calmly fell from his now aged +eyes.</p> + +<p>In a certain city of Venezuela, Feliciana might be +seen in her white veil, and her sombre dress, amidst the +abodes of the heart-stricken and afflicted; she was +known as the “Succouring Mother.” Twice a-year she<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_248"></a>[248]</span> +might also be seen on her pilgrimage to Trinidad, when +she plucked the weeds from off his mother’s tomb, and +tended the sea-grape tree that grew over the lonely +grave of <span class="smcap">Emmanuel Appadocca</span>.</p> + +<p class="titlepage">THE END.</p> + +<p class="center smaller">LONDON: SAMUEL BIRD, PRINTER, BOW STREET, COVENT GARDEN.</p> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75314 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/75314-h/images/cover.jpg b/75314-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ce22048 --- /dev/null +++ b/75314-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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