LADY BIDDY SORELY PUT TO IT WHETHER TO TELL THE TRUTH OR HOLD HER
TONGUE.
Without turning to see whom the negro indicated, or what effect this
charge made upon her, Rodrigues said:
"That is a lie. No woman's hand struck that blow." Then, turning to his
boatswain, he gave him instructions to pipe the whole company together
and see that no man was wanting. This the boatswain did, and when all
the men were ranged across the deck in a line with the plank, on which
the wretched boy still knelt, crying bitterly, Tonga standing before
them, and Rodrigues facing him sword in hand, the latter spoke:
"Tonga would have us believe he was struck down by a woman," says he.
"What say you?"
The men, as much to support their captain as of their own conviction,
shook their heads and cried "No!"
"Then," says Rodrigues, "it follows that one of you struck the blow,
which, by those rules to which all have put their hands, is a
treacherous offence, to be punished with death. Which of you did it?"
To this no one made reply, but all stood mumchance, spying their fellows
to see if any did bear guilt in their face; but all looked innocent of
this offense, as Rodrigues, with his discriminating eye, could well
perceive. When he had looked them all over in silence, waiting an
answer, he said, "Not a soul leaves this ship, though you go dry another
fortnight, till the truth is found out. I give Tonga into your hands.
Employ what means you choose--short of taking his life--to get a true
confession from him."
Then, turning again towards the boy, he cried, "Stand up! limb of the
devil--up with you!"
The poor little wretch stood up for fear of the glittering sword, but
still with his hands clasped, and the tears running down his cheeks.
"Walk!" again cries Rodrigues; "there is no place in this ship for a
liar."
The child turned his face to the sea with a pitiful moan.
Then Lady Biddy, seeing his sorrowful case, and that he was to be forced
to his death, was moved to desperation by the passionate pity in her
heart, and so bursting from the cabin she ran forward to save him. But
it was too late; the child, seeing no escape from death by the sword or
the sea, and being mayhap tempted to the latter because it looked so
fair and cool, with a shrill cry of despair ran suddenly forward, so
that, the plank tilting up, he was plunged headlong down into the waves.
At the sight of this cruel business, Lady Biddy stopped midway in the
deck and covered her face with her hands, while that last despairing cry
of the child's was echoed back from her own compassionate breast.
Of all this I saw nothing, being within the little cabin; yet I was
conscious that something unusual was going forward in the ship by a
sound or two that came to my ear as I stood by the panel-door. Thus, as
I stood straining my senses to make out the meaning of these sounds, I
heard a quick movement in the next chamber, and scarce a moment
afterwards that pitiful cry of Lady Biddy's which I have spoken of.
Then, heedless of my danger, and that I had no weapon for her defense
but the hands God gave me, I tore open the door and leapt into the next
cabin, expecting nothing less than to find my lady at the feet of
Rodrigues. Discovering no such matter, but spying Lady Biddy standing
alone a few paces from the door, I was much taken aback, yet not so much
but that I at once recognized my folly and imprudence in thus exposing
myself; seeing that, as luck would have it, I was still
unobserved--having gone no further into the cabin than enabled me to
catch sight of my lady where she stood close beyond the outer door--I
drew back at once within the little cabin.
Being there, I stood irresolute, not knowing what to do for the best for
the tumult of my mind. For I could make out nothing of what I had seen;
yet was I pretty sure that a climax was at hand--the more so because I
presently heard Rodrigues speaking to Lady Biddy in the next chamber. At
length, making up my mind to be ready for the worst, and not to be taken
by surprise in the manner I have shown, I went to the lantern which
stood under the cot, and turned up the wick so that it gave a good
flame, laid the grenade beside it, ready to fire the fuse at any moment,
and then going to the corner turned back the strip of carpet, and drew
back the bolt of the trap.
These preparations being made, I returned to the little door and leaned
my ear against it, and then hearing no sound within I went to that part
of the wall over against where my lady did use to sit, and made the
usual signal to her by scratching a little upon the panel. To this she
replied, not cheerfully as before, but feebly, as though she had lost
heart. Yet it was a comfort to me to know she was there and Rodrigues
gone.
Now must I go back somewhat.
As Lady Biddy stood with her hands to her face, shutting out the sight
of that heartless cruelty put upon the child who had waited upon her
(and to whom she had shown many a kindness, giving him sweetmeats from
her table and the like), Rodrigues comes up to her.
"Why, madam," says he, "do you take the death of this little traitor to
heart? Sure, I counted to have pleased you by revenging the injury to
your person he did his best to further. Be comforted, I pray you." With
this he would have laid his hand upon her arm, but that she shrank from
him in loathing, and turning about returns to her cabin.
"The boy is at peace," says Rodrigues, walking by her side. "And is it
not better he should die now rather than grow up to be a hardened
villain? May I fetch you a glass of wine to restore your spirits?" he
asks when they were come into the cabin, and Lady Biddy had sunk down
upon the sofett.
She shook her head, yet without trusting herself to look upon him.
Fetching a sigh, Rodrigues seated himself near her, and says he:
"Doubtless you think me cold-blooded and heartless; yet I do assure you
I am not. But while I command this ship I must exercise severity, for
only by inspiring fear can I obtain the respect and obedience of my
company. When I am no longer a pirate you will see that my nature is
different. Heaven knows I shall be enchanted to abandon this horrid
career--to quit for ever a lawless life, and give example of humane
sentiments. It is in your power to make that hand an instrument of
charity and mercy which, hitherto, you have seen exercised only in
necessary severity; and this reflection will, I trust, reconcile you to
our speedy union."
With this hint he leaves her--to my lady's satisfaction.
Meanwhile the company, after conferring together, laid hands on Tonga,
vowing that if he would not willingly confess who had stabbed him they
would certainly avail themselves of their captain's permission and force
him to do so by torture. But the black could do no more than repeat what
he had told already--viz., that he had been stabbed and thrown down into
the armory as he was entering the cabin above, adding that if Lady Biddy
had not struck the blow he knew not who had, for there was no light to
see what hand it was.
"Well," says the boatswain, "you'll have to name one of us, that's
certain, for the comfort of the rest. But mark you, be careful not to
name any who can prove his innocence, for if you play us a scurvy trick
of that sort we'll burn the soles off your feet."
As he made no reply, for fear of subjecting himself to the horrid
torture they threatened, they took a cord that ran through a block at
the yard-arm, and with one end they bound his wrists together behind his
back. When he was thus secured, they pulled upon the other end of this
same cord till he swung over the bulwarks and hung over the sea.
By keeping his muscles tense and his wrists well down against the small
of his back, Tonga hung in mid-air for some time without suffering. But
gradually the effort to keep his position increased as the weight of his
great body inclining forward taxed the muscles of his arms, as you shall
find if you do but try such an experiment. Presently one of those who
held the other end of the line hitched over a spar, growing impatient of
his endurance, gave the cord a sudden jerk, whereby the black's wrists
were wrenched away from his loins, so that now his muscles were
powerless, as one may say, while his vast bulk, hanging thus at an angle
with his wrists, threatened to drag his arms out of their sockets.
This torment the black endured for some while in peace; but at length,
when another jerk was given to the cord, he uttered a great yell of rage
and agony.
Hearing that terrible cry, Lady Biddy could no longer endure to witness
such suffering, and again ran from her cabin, bidding the seamen in
mercy to desist from his further torture.
At this moment Rodrigues came on deck from below, whither he had
descended upon quitting Lady Biddy.
"You wish Tonga to be relieved from his pain," asks he.
"Yes, yes," cries she; "don't you see that his arms are being torn from
his body?"
"His plight is not so bad as that," says Rodrigues. "However, if you
wish to save him from his discomfort you may do so by a single word;
though 'tis a thankless service on your part, for if he were allowed
free use of his deliverance he would employ it to destroy you."
"No matter," cries Lady Biddy, as another yell reached her ear. "Let him
go, I say."
"You shall be obeyed immediately if you will give yourself the trouble
to step this way and answer one question."
Saying this, Rodrigues turned toward the roundhouse; but instead of
going into the cabin as before, he ascended the steps to the poop deck,
over which there hung a tent of fine canvas.
Without regarding whither she went, Lady Biddy accompanied him, being
distracted with the ringing of the negro's cry in her ear, and concerned
only for his release.
Being come upon this deck, Rodrigues, standing in the gangway and facing
my lady, said:
"Lady Biddy, the man hanging from the yard-arm has been strung up in
order that I may know who stabbed him. I must get that information for
my own safety and the safety of my company, for the hand that struck
Tonga might strike me. You see, I am quite reasonable in the view I take
of things."
"Hark!" cried Lady Biddy, as another scream came from the black.
"Yes, he is in terrible agony," says Rodrigues, "and he will continue to
suffer while I am ignorant of the one fact I want to know. He will be
taken down the moment I know who stabbed him. Will you tell me?"
Now my lady was in a sore strait, for she could not tell him it was I,
and yet by not telling him must she prolong the terrible torment of the
black.
"He must hang there till he dies of his pain," continues Rodrigues
(after watching my lady's embarrassed face for a minute), "if I am kept
ignorant. On the other hand, I promise you he shall be amply recompensed
for his pangs if I find out."
Lady Biddy heard this, yet little did she reck what Rodrigues intended
for the black's recompense.
"Suppose I did it with my own hand," says she, eagerly.
Rodrigues fetched from his pocket a mariner's jack-knife, and says he,
"Is this yours, madam?"
"No," says she, looking at it in perplexity.
"You don't know the look of it?" he asks.
She shook her head with misgiving.
"Then," says he, "I can not suppose that you did it with your own hand,
for this is the knife with which Tonga was stabbed. Come, Lady Biddy, if
you know who did this thing, why not tell at once?"
"How should I know?" cries Lady Biddy.
"Because he is your friend," says Rodrigues, slowly.
"There is the whole of my company," adds he, waving his hand toward the
deck. "Not one of those fellows would have moved a hand to save you from
the lust of Tonga. The only one on this ship, except myself, who would
preserve you is" (dropping his voice and leaning forward) "down there";
and saying this he pointed with his finger to the cabin beneath them.