A SPEEDY END IS BROUGHT TO OUR CIVIL ENTERTAINMENT.
Lady Biddy was greatly cast down when she caught sight of the black
ship, as well she might be, for it seemed as if there were to be no more
rest for her, body or mind. After standing in sad silence for a minute
or two, she says to me:
"Benet, you must never yield to me again; if I had not persuaded you
from your purpose, we should have escaped this present peril."
"Here is nothing," says I, "but what confirms my good opinion of your
judgment."
"Nay," says she, "did you not tell Dom Sebastian that Rodrigues would
come here?"
"To be sure, I don't want Rodrigues to catch Dom Sebastian unprepared;
but as for our peril, I don't value it a snap of my fingers."
Hearing the name of Rodrigues coupled with his own, the governor, who
had been eyeing us pretty shrewdly, stepped forward, and after
apologizing for the intrusion, begged Lady Biddy to serve as our
interpreter, and ask me whether I felt any anxiety with regard to my
position; whereupon the following dialogue ensued:
I: "We may all go to bed and sleep comfortably to-night. But 'twill not
do to lie abed to-morrow morning."
He: "You do not apprehend any immediate attack from the pirate?"
I: "No; for the reason that he is not in a position to offer it. You see
how he has been making for the shore, and how now he is standing out;
that shows that the wind is all against him, but it also proves his
design to come hither."
He: "Why?"
I: "Because the ship's company are famished, and would never consent to
work the ship at such a snail's pace unless Rodrigues could make them
believe there was a town here to furnish them with all they need. They
are not making half a league an hour. Unless the wind shifts to their
advantage--and I see no likelihood of that--they will not be here ere
midday to-morrow."
He: "What, in your opinion, will Rodrigues do then?"
I: "He will do his best to hoodwink and deceive you."
He (bending his brows): "And when he finds that Dom Sebastian
d'Estovalderos is not to be hoodwinked?"
I: "Then he will seek to get what he wants by force. Neither he nor his
men will go away unsatisfied."
He: "He may be satisfied to go away with what he does not want. My guns
are not toys."
I: "I hope with all my heart he may under-rate them to his cost. It is
more likely, however, that he will stand well out of their reach. He is
hardy, but he is prudent. Be assured he would rather murder us all in
our beds than venture an open encounter."
At this, Mistress Sebastian, who also understood the Italian a little,
set up a shrill scream, and, after feeling about her person in great
concern, called a servant who waited hard by, and bade him run at once
to the house for her beads. The governor himself was too concerned to
take much heed of his lady's agitation, though his pride kept him in
good countenance.
He: "Are there any measures that you think it advisable to take?"
I: "I would have stout beams chained together, and thrown across the
river from one side to the other to prevent an enemy's boat slipping
past the guns of the fortress; also I should propose to send your lady,
and anything else you value, to some place of security out of the town;
finally, I would set up a gallows on the top of your citadel to be seen
by Rodrigues, and at his first approach let him know that you will hang
without mercy upon it him or the first of his company that comes within
your reach."
He: "You have nothing else to recommend?"
I: "Nothing."
He (with a penetrating glance of his quick eye): "How is it you have not
thought of defending that part of the town by which you entered, and the
part most likely to be attacked by an enemy who has the discretion to
perceive that his boats and men would be swept from the water by my guns
if he were to venture an assault by the river?"
I: "Because that defence would not be omitted by you or a less
experienced general in the face of any ordinary foe; I only venture to
advise you on those points which might escape you in dealing with an
enemy whose subtlety is best known to me."
The governor expressed himself quite satisfied with this explanation;
but I could see, nevertheless, that he was inclined to eye me with
suspicion for having neglected to recommend the fortification of the
town on the western side, thinking, maybe, that I was no enemy to
Rodrigues, but his friend, come there with a plausible tale to divert
his defense from the weaker side. This, indeed, was a very ridiculous
thing to imagine; yet there is nothing too absurd to be entertained of a
suspicious man; and, certainly, no men do fear treachery more than these
same Portugals, albeit they themselves are a match for all the world at
lying and deceit.
Despite his boast that the guns of his castle could sweep the water of
all enemies, he did not neglect the advice I had given him. Divers great
masts were bound to a chain, and this laid across the river, firmly
secured at either end. Within this barrier lay a long galley ship, and
all the rest of the day slaves were employed in carrying goods and
merchandise from the governor's house into this galley. Besides this, a
great train of pack-mules was sent up into the country with other
treasure. Everywhere there was great bustle and commotion, for the
merchants and others who dwelt in the town, getting wind of the danger,
were as anxious to have their goods out of the pirate's reach as the
governor his; nay, so eager were they to preserve the least valuable
part of their property that they would have departed with their goods
and left the governor alone to meet the enemy, but that Dom Sebastian
did threaten to hang at the first opportunity any man capable of bearing
arms for the defense of the town who should fail to answer the summons
of his trumpeter.
As long as there was light to see, my anxious eyes were strained to
watch the approach of the black ship. By sunset she had got near enough
for us to descry with a perspective that her sails were being furled,
which showed she had cast anchor for the night. So, feeling that we were
perfectly safe for the next ten or twelve hours, I for one made no
scruple to accept the bed offered to me, for such a luxury was not to be
denied by one who had not felt a cool sheet for an age.
The first thing that entered my head when I awoke in the morning was a
remembrance that we had left the boat that belonged to the _Black Death_
high and dry on the shore where we had landed after our escape from the
naturals, which must surely be seen by Rodrigues in searching the shore
with his glass, and thus betray us to him. Cursing my want of
forethought, I slipped into my clothes as nimbly as I could, and started
to go to the citadel, where I counted on seeing the governor. But on my
way thither I was suddenly brought to a stand by the reflection that I
could not make him understand a word of what I wanted. What was I to do?
If I went back to arouse Lady Biddy to come and serve as interpreter, I
must of a certainty lose time. Every moment was precious. It struck me
that if I made good use of my legs I could get to the boat in an hour,
stave a hole in the bottom of it, shove it out to sea, and so be quit of
this plaguy evidence; and it being yet pretty early, I counted I might
fairly do this before Rodrigues had come within boat-reach of the spot.
Anyway, I esteemed it would be best to try and do this of my own hand
rather than wait until a lengthy explanation of the matter could be made
to the governor through Lady Biddy; so, without more ado, I turned out
of the road to the citadel by that path we had come by the day before,
and took to my heels as swiftly as I could. But ere I had come to the
town-gate a couple of fellows, springing out into the road, crossed
their bills in front of me, shouting for help; whereupon, in a
twinkling, half a score of others with pike and musket ran up and laid
hands on me. It was useless to cry out against this violence, for not
one amongst them could make out what I said; so of necessity was I
forced to yield patiently, and go whither they chose to lead me. So,
like any criminal thief, was I carried to the citadel, where the
governor stood with his friends looking out to sea.
I made him a bow, and with a shrug, after their manner, and a smile, I
pointed to my captors.
Dom Sebastian replied to my salute very stiffly; but as for the rest,
though we had all been as friendly over a bottle and tobacco-sticks as
so many brothers the night afore, they took no more notice of me, except
to stare violently, than if they had just clapped eyes on me for the
first time. The men who had stopped me told their tale--as how I was
running out of the town as fast as my legs could carry me, and the rest,
which I could follow pretty closely by reason that these Portugals do
suit the action to the word most admirably.
When the governor had listened, like any stock of wood for stiffness, to
their history, he spoke a few words to one of the fellows, which were, I
take it, to bid him fetch Lady Biddy; and then with another stiff bow to
me, turned on his heel, leaving me still in the hands of the musketeers,
and goes with his friends to the parapet to note the advance of the
black ship.
Now I was vexed in the extreme, but with no one more than myself; for,
had the governor been no Portugal, yet must it have aroused his
suspicion that I should be caught, the first thing in the morning,
running away from the town in the direction of the enemy without giving
any word of explanation or farewell.
I had ample time, as I waited there, to look about me. The _Black Death_
I saw not above a couple of leagues off, having taken advantage betimes
of the favorable breeze that had sprung up after the stillness of the
night. This put me in mind that I should have done well to assure me of
where the enemy was before I started on my mad journey, for he was
already past the spot where the boat lay; but, indeed, when a man is
flurried he is capable of any folly, and he never commits one without
entailing another.
The governor and his friends continued in close conversation--doubtless
discussing my behavior--until Lady Biddy came breathless to my side.
Seeing me under arrest, her face was filled with alarm, and any one
might see that her perplexity was unfeigned; yet I doubt if this removed
the suspicion of my treachery.
"What does this mean, Benet?" asks Lady Biddy, when she could fetch her
breath.
"Nay," says I, "that is the question I want you to ask Dom Sebastian."
The governor, who had drawn nigh, saluting Lady Biddy with the utmost
civility, explained to her that I had been caught attempting to run out
of the town, "And in that direction," adds he, pointing to the black
ship.
In a few words I told how this came to pass, the governor eyeing us the
while as if he would look into our very hearts. Happily he seemed to see
that we were innocent, for the moment he heard Lady Biddy's account he
bade the men unhand me, and begged her to tell me that he was sorry I
had brought myself into this scrape, added that he should be glad to
know how I came to forget that I had left the boat there.
To this I replied that I could say nothing in defense of my oversight.
"I trust," says he, "the senhor will not get himself into further
trouble by a like accident. Had I not remembered the boat and got it
removed, it would have served as a sure indication to the enemy that
there was a path from that point by the cliff."
I felt that I deserved this reproach; nay, I was rather surprised at the
governor's moderation, for, granting that I might be a knave, there was
evidence enough against me to justify a halter being put about my neck.
"I am the more concerned for your cousin's prudence," continues he,
"because in an hour's time you will no longer be under my protection."
"How, your excellency?" cries Biddy. "Are you going to send us hence?"
"Under a proper escort," says he, "who will insure your safe conduct to
a point on the river whither my wife has already gone in the galley."
I had resolved to discharge my debt to the governor by fighting at his
side, if Rodrigues attacked the town; but now by his manner I perceived
so clearly that we were being sent away because he mistrusted us, that I
thought better of it and made no offer of my services.