DISCLOSES THE WAY IN WHICH MERCEDES DE LARA FOUGHT WITH WOMAN'S CUNNING
AGAINST CAPTAIN HENRY MORGAN
The day after the sack of the town had been a busy one for the
buccaneers. First of all, Morgan had striven, and with some success, to
restore some sort of order within the walls. By the aid of his officers
and some of the soberest men he had confiscated all of the liquor that
he could come at, and had stored it under a strong guard in the west
fort, which he selected as his headquarters. The Governor's palace on
the hill above was a more fitting and luxurious residence and it had
been promptly seized, the few defenders having fled, in the morning; but
for the present Morgan deemed it best to remain in the city and in close
touch with his men.
The Spanish soldiery had been cut down to a man the night before, and
the majority of the hapless citizens had been killed, wounded or
tortured. The unfortunates who were yet alive were driven into the
church of San Lorenzo, where they were kept without food, water, or
attention.
There were some children, also, who had survived the night, for the
buccaneers, frenzied with slaughter and inflamed with rum, had tossed
many of them on their sword-points when they came across them in the
streets. By Morgan's orders the living were collected in the store-house
and barracks of the Guinea Trading Company, a corporation which supplied
slaves to the South American countries, and which had branches in every
city on the Caribbean. He did order food and water to be given these
helpless unfortunates, so their condition was not quite so deplorable as
that of the rest. It was bad enough, however, and the old barracks which
had echoed with the sound of many a bitter cry from the forlorn lips of
wretched slaves, now resounded with the wailing of these terrified
little ones.
The condition of the women of the city was beyond description. They,
too, were herded together in another building, an ancient convent, but
were plentifully supplied with every necessary they could ask for.
Death, in lieu of the fate that had come upon them, would have been
welcomed by many a high-born dame and her humbler sister as well, but
they were all carefully searched and deprived of everything that might
serve as a weapon. They were crowded together indiscriminately, high
and low, rich and poor, black or white or red, in all states of
disorder and disarray, just as they had been seized the night before,
some of them having been dragged from their very beds by the brutal
ruffians.
Some of the women, maddened to frenzy by the treatment they had
received, screamed and raved; but most of them were filled with still
misery, overwhelmed by silent despair--waiting hopelessly for they knew
not what bitter, degrading end. One night had changed them from happy
wives, honored mothers, light-hearted, innocent girls, to wrecks of
womanhood. The light of life was dead in them. They were dumb and
unprotesting. The worst had come upon them; there was nothing of sorrow
and shame they had not tasted. What mattered anything else? Their
husbands, fathers, children, lovers had gone. Homes were broken up;
their property was wasted, and not even honor was left. They prayed to
die. It was all that was left to them.
The gates of the town and forts were closed and some slight attempt was
made to institute a patrol of the walls, although the guard that was
kept was negligent to the point of contempt. As no enemy was apprehended
Morgan did not rigorously insist upon strict watch. Many of the
buccaneers were still sodden with liquor and could be of no service
until they were sobered. They were dragged to the barracks, drenched
with water, and left to recover as best they could.
Fortune favored them in one other matter, too, in that late in the
afternoon a handsome frigate bringing despatches from Carthagena, ran in
and anchored in the roadstead. Her officers at once came ashore to pay
their respects to the Commandante of the port and forward their papers
to the Viceroy. Before they suspected anything, they were seized and
ruthlessly murdered. To take possession of the frigate thereafter was a
work of no special difficulty. The crew were disposed of as their
officers had been, and the buccaneers rejoiced greatly at the good luck
that had brought them so fine a ship. On the next morning Morgan
intended to march toward Caracas, whence, after plundering that town and
exacting a huge ransom for the lives of those he spared, he would lead
his band back to La Guayra, embark on the frigate, and then bear away
for the Isthmus.
During the day, Hornigold, whose wound incapacitated him from active
movement, remained in command of the fort with special instructions to
look after Mercedes. By Morgan's orders she and her companion were
removed to the best room in the fort and luxuriously provided for. He
had not discovered the escape of Alvarado, partly because he took no
manner of interest in that young man and only kept him alive to
influence the girl, and partly because Hornigold had assured him that
the prisoner was taking his confinement very hardly, that he was mad
with anger, in a raging fever of disappointment and anxiety, and was
constantly begging to see the captain. The boatswain cunningly suggested
that it would be just as well to let Alvarado remain in solitude,
without food or water until the next day, by which time, the boatswain
argued, he would be reduced to a proper condition of humility and
servitude. Morgan found this advice good. It was quite in consonance
with his desires and his practices. He would have killed Alvarado out of
hand had he not considered him the most favorable card with which to
play the game he was waging with Mercedes for her consent to marry him.
So far as he was capable of a genuine affection, he loved the proud
Spanish maiden. He would fain persuade her willingly to come to his arms
rather than enforce her consent or overcome her scruples by brute
strength. There would be something of a triumph in winning her, and this
vain, bloodstained old brute fancied that he had sufficient
attractiveness for the opposite sex to render him invincible if he set
about his wooing in the right way. He thought he knew the way, too. At
any rate he was disposed to try it. Here again Hornigold, upon whom in
the absence of Teach he depended more and more, and in whom he confided
as of old, advised him.
"I know women," said that worthy, and indeed no man had more knowledge
of the class which stood for women in his mind than he, "and all you
want is to give her time. Wait until she knows what's happened to the
rest of them, and sees only you have power to protect her, and she will
come to heel right enough. Besides, you haven't given her half a chance.
She's only seen you weapon in hand. She doesn't know what a man you are,
Captain. Sink me, if I'd your looks instead of this old, scarred,
one-eyed face, there'd be no man I'd give way to and no woman I'd not
win! Steer her along gently with an easy helm. Don't jam her up into the
wind all of a sudden. Women have to be coaxed. Leave the girl alone a
watch. Don't go near her; let her think what she pleases. Don't let
anybody go near her unless it's me, and she won't get anything out of
me, you can depend upon that! She'll be so anxious to talk to you in the
morning that you can make her do anything. Then if you can starve that
Spanish dog and break his spirit, so that she'll see him crawling at
your feet, she'll sicken of him and turn to a man."
"Scuttle me," laughed Morgan, "your advice is good! I didn't know you
knew so much about the sex."
"I've mixed up considerable with them in sixty years, Captain," leered
the old man. "What I don't know about them ain't worth knowing."
"It seems so. Well, I'll stay away from her till the morning. I shall be
busy anyway trying to straighten out these drunken sots, and do you put
the screws on that captain and leave the lady alone--but see that she
lacks nothing."
"Ay, ay, trust me for them both."
Hornigold found means during the day--and it was a matter of no little
difficulty to elude the guards he himself had placed there--to inform
Mercedes of the escape of Alvarado, and to advise her that he expected
the return of that young man with the troops of the Viceroy at ten
o'clock that night. He bade her be of good cheer, that he did not think
it likely that Morgan would think of calling upon her or of sending for
her until morning, when it would be too late. He promised that he would
watch over her and do what he could to protect her; that he would never
leave the fort except for a few moments before ten that night, when he
went to admit Alvarado. What was better earnest of his purpose was that
he furnished her with a keen dagger, small enough to conceal in the
bosom of her dress, and advised her if worst came to worst, and there
was no other way, to use it. He impressed on her that on no account was
she to allow Morgan to get the slightest inkling of his communication to
her, for if the chief buccaneer found this out Hornigold's life would
not be worth a moment's thought, and Alvarado would be balked in his
plans of rescue.
Mercedes most thankfully received the weapon and promised to respect the
confidence. She was grateful beyond measure, and he found it necessary
harshly to admonish her that he only assisted her because he had
promised Alvarado that she should receive no harm, and that his own
safety depended upon hers. He did not say so, but under other
circumstances he would have as ruthlessly appropriated her for himself
as Morgan intended to do, and without the shadow of a scruple.
As far as creature comforts were concerned the two women fared well.
Indeed, they were sumptuously, lavishly, prodigally provided for. Senora
Agapida was still in a state of complete prostration. She lay helpless
on a couch in the apartment and ministering to her distracted the poor
girl's mind, yet such a day as Mercedes de Lara passed she prayed she
might never again experience. The town was filled with the shouts and
cries of the buccaneers wandering to and fro, singing drunken choruses,
now and again routing out hidden fugitives from places of fancied
security and torturing them with ready ingenuity whenever they were
taken. The confusion was increased and the noise diversified by the
shrieks and groans of these miserable wretches. Sometimes the voices
that came through the high windows were those of women, and the sound of
their screams made the heart of the brave girl sink like lead in her
breast.
For the rest, she did not understand Hornigold's position. She did not
know whether to believe him or not, but of one thing was she certain.
Whereas she had been defenceless now she had a weapon, and she could use
it if necessary. With that in hand she was mistress at least of her own
fate.
As evening drew on, every thing having been attended to, Morgan began to
tire of his isolation, and time hung heavy on his hands. He was weary of
the women whom he had hitherto consorted with; the other officers,
between whom and himself there was no sort of friendship, were busy with
their own nefarious wickednesses in the different parts of the fort or
town, and he sat a long time alone in the guardroom, drinking, Black
Dog, as usual, pouring at his side. The liquor inflamed his imagination
and he craved companionship. Summoning Hornigold at last, he bade him
bring Donna Mercedes before him. The old man attempted to expostulate,
but Morgan's mood had changed and he brooked no hesitation in obeying
any order given by him. There was nothing for the boatswain to do but to
comply.
Once more Mercedes, therefore, found herself in the guardroom of the
fort in the presence of the man she loathed and feared above all others
in creation. Her situation, however, was vastly different from what it
had been. On the first occasion there had appeared no hope. Now Alvarado
was free and she had a weapon. She glanced at the clock, a recent
importation from Spain hanging upon the wall, as she entered, and saw
that it was half-after nine. Ten was the hour Hornigold had appointed to
meet Alvarado at the gate. She hoped that he would be early rather than
late; and, if she could withstand the buccaneer by persuasion, seeming
compliance, or by force, for a short space, all would be well. For she
never doubted that her lover would come for her. Even if he had to come
single-handed and alone to fight for her, she knew he would be there.
Therefore, with every nerve strained almost to the breaking point to
ward off his advances and to delay any action he might contemplate, she
faced the buccaneer.
He was dressed with barbaric magnificence in the riches and plunder he
had appropriated, and he had adorned his person with a profusion of
silver and gold, and stolen gems. He had been seated at the table while
served by the maroon, but, as she entered, with unusual complaisance he
arose and bowed to her with something of the grace of a gentleman.
"Madam," he said, endeavoring to make soft and agreeable his harsh
voice, "I trust you have been well treated since in my charge."
He had been drinking heavily she saw, but as he spoke her fair she would
answer him accordingly. To treat him well, to temporize, and not to
inflame his latent passion by unnecessarily crossing him, would be her
best policy, she instantly divined, although she hated and despised him
none the less. On his part, he had determined to try the gentler arts of
persuasion, and though his face still bore the welts made by her riding
whip the night before he strove to forget it and play the gentleman. He
had some qualities, as a buccaneer, that might entitle him to a certain
respect, but when he essayed the gentleman his performance was so futile
that had it not been so terrible it would have been ludicrous. She
answered his question calmly without exhibiting resentment or annoyance.
"We have been comfortably lodged and provided with food and drink in
sufficiency, senor."
"And what more would you have, Donna Mercedes?"
"Liberty, sir!"
"That shall be yours. Saving only my will, when you are married to me,
you shall be as free as air. A free sailor and his free wife, lady. But
will you not sit down?"
In compliance with his request, she seated herself on a chair which
happened to be near where she stood; she noted with relief that the
table was between them.
"Nay, not there," said the Captain instantly. "Here, madam, here, at my
side."
"Not yet, senor capitan; it were not fit that a prisoner should occupy
so high a seat of honor. Wait until----"
"Until what, pray?" he cried, leaning forward.
"Until that--until I--until we----"
In spite of her efforts she could not force her lips to admit the
possibility of the realization of his desire.
"Until you are Lady Morgan?" he cried, his face flaming.
She buried her face in her hands at his suggestion, for she feared her
horror in the thought would show too plainly there; and then because she
dare not lose sight of him, she constrained herself to look at him once
more. Her cheeks were burning with shame, her eyes flashing with
indignation, though she forced her lips into the semblance of a smile.
"That surprises you, does it?" continued the man with boasting
condescension. "You did not think I designed so to honor you after last
night, madam? Scuttle me, these"--pointing to his face--"are fierce love
taps, but I fancy a strong will--when I can break it to mine own," he
muttered, "and I have yet to see that in man or woman that could resist
mine."
She noted with painful fascination the powerful movements of his lean
fingers as he spoke, for his sinewy right hand, wrinkled and hideous,
lay stretched out on the table before him, and he clasped and unclasped
it unconsciously as he made his threat.
"I like you none the less for your spirit, ma'am. 'Fore God, it runs
with your beauty. You are silent," he continued, staring at her with
red-eyed, drunken suspicion. "You do not answer?"
"My lord," cried Mercedes, "I know not what to say."
"Say, 'Harry Morgan, I love you and I am yours.'"
"There is another present, senor."
"Where? Another? Who has dared--" roared the buccaneer glaring about
him.
"Thy servant--the negro."
"Oh," he laughed, "he is nothing. Black Dog, we call him. He is my
slave, my shadow, my protection. He is always by."
An idea had swiftly flashed into the young girl's mind. If she could get
rid of the slave she could deal more easily with the master. She was
tall, strong, and Morgan, it appeared, was not in full possession of his
faculties or his strength from the liquor he had imbibed.
"Still," she urged, "I do not like to be wooed in the presence of
another, even though he be a slave. 'Tis not a Spanish maiden's way,
sir."
"Your will now, lady," said the buccaneer, with a hideous attempt at
gallantry, "is my law. Afterwards--'twill be another matter. Out, Carib,
but be within call. Now, madam, we are alone. Speak you the English
tongue?"
The conversation had been carried on in Spanish heretofore.
"Indifferently, senor."
"Well, I'll teach it you. The lesson may as well begin now. Say after
me, 'Harry'--I permit that though I am a belted knight of England, made
so by His Merry Majesty, King Charles, God rest him. Drink to the repose
of the king!" he cried, shoving a cup across the table toward her.
Resisting a powerful temptation to throw it at him, and divining that
the stimulant might be of assistance to her in the trying crisis in
which she found herself, the girl lifted the cup to her lips, bowed to
him, and swallowed a portion of the contents.
"Give it back to me!" he shouted. "You have tasted it, I drain it. Now
the lesson. Say after me, 'Harry Morgan'----"
"Harry Morgan," gasped the girl.
"'I love thee.'"
With a swift inward prayer she uttered the lying words.
"You have learned well, and art an apt pupil indeed," he cried, leering
upon her in approbation and lustful desire--- his very gaze was
pollution to her. "D'ye know there are few women who can resist me when
I try to be agreeable? Harry Morgan's way!" he laughed again. "There be
some that I have won and many I have forced. None like you. So you love
me? Scuttle me, I thought so. Ben Hornigold was right. Woo a woman, let
her be clipped willingly in arms--yet there's a pleasure in breaking in
the jades, after all. Still, I'm glad that you are in a better mood and
have forgot that cursed Spaniard rotting in the dungeons below, in favor
of a better man, Harry--no, I'll say, Sir Henry--Morgan--on this
occasion, at your service," he cried, rising again and bowing to her as
before.
She looked desperately at the clock. The hour was close at hand. So
great was the strain under which she was laboring that she felt she
could not continue five minutes longer. Would Alvarado never come? Would
anybody come? She sat motionless and white as marble, while the
chieftain stared at her in the pauses of his monologue.
"Now, madam, since you have spoke the words perhaps you will further
wipe out the recollection of this caress--" he pointed to his cheek
again. "Curse me!" he cried in sudden heat, "you are the only human
being that ever struck Harry Morgan on the face and lived to see the
mark. I'd thought to wait until to-morrow and fetch some starveling
priest to play his mummery, but why do so? We are alone here--together.
There is none to disturb us. Black Dog watches. You love me, do you
not?"
"I--I--" she gasped out, brokenly praying for strength, and fighting for
time.
"You said it once, that's enough. Come, lady, let's have happiness while
we may. Seal the bargain and kiss away the blows."
He came around the table and approached her. Notwithstanding the
quantity of liquor he had taken he was physically master of himself, she
noticed with a sinking heart. As he drew near, she sprang to her feet
also and backed away from him, throwing out her left hand to ward him
off, at the same time thrusting her right hand into her bosom.
"Not now," she cried, finding voice and word in the imminence of the
peril. "Oh, for God's sake----"
"Tis useless to call on God in Harry Morgan's presence, mistress, for he
is the only God that hears. Come and kiss me, thou black beauty--and
then--"
"To-morrow, for Christ's sake!" cried the girl. "I am a Christian--I
must have a priest--not now--to-morrow!"
She was backed against the wall and could go no further.
"To-night," chuckled the buccaneer.
He was right upon her now. She thrust him, unsuspicious and unprepared,
violently from her, whipped out the dagger that Hornigold had given her,
and faced him boldly.
It was ten o'clock and no one had yet appeared. The struck hour
reverberated through the empty room. Would Alvarado never come? Had it
not been that she hoped for him she would have driven the tiny weapon
into her heart at once, but for his sake she would wait a little longer.
"Nay, come no nearer!" she cried resolutely. "If you do, you will take
a dead woman in your arms. Back, I say!" menacing herself with the
point.
And the man noted that the hand holding the weapon did not tremble in
the least.
"Thinkest thou that I could love such a man as thou?" she retorted,
trembling with indignation, all the loathing and contempt she had
striven to repress finding vent in her voice. "I'd rather be torn limb
from limb than feel even the touch of thy polluting hand!"
"Death and fury!" shouted Morgan, struggling between rage and
mortification, "thou hast lied to me then?"
"A thousand times--yes! Had I a whip I'd mark you again. Come within
reach and I will drive the weapon home!"
She lifted it high in the air and shook it in defiance as she spoke.
It was a frightful imprudence, for which she paid dearly, however, for
the hangings parted and Carib, who had heard what had gone on, entered
the room--indeed, the voices of the man and woman filled with passion
fairly rang through the hall. His quick eye took in the situation at
once. He carried at his belt a long, heavy knife. Without saying a word,
he pulled it out and threw it with a skill born of long practice, which
made him a master at the game, fairly at the woman's uplifted hand.
Before either Morgan or Mercedes were aware of his presence they heard
the whistle of the heavy blade through the air. At the same moment the
missile struck the blade of the dagger close to the palm of the woman
and dashed it from her hand. Both weapons rebounded from the wall from
the violence of the blow and fell at Morgan's feet.
Mercedes was helpless.
"Well done, Carib!" cried Morgan exultantly. "Never has that old trick
of thine served me better. Now, you she-devil--I have you in my power.
Didst prefer death to Harry Morgan? Thou shalt have it, and thy lover,
too. I'll tear him limb from limb and in thy presence, too, but not
until after----"
"Oh, God! oh, God!" shrieked Mercedes, flattening herself against the
wall, shrinking from him with wide outstretched arms as he approached
her. "Mercy!"
"I know not that word. Wouldst cozen me? Hast another weapon in thy
bodice? I'll look."
Before she could prevent him he seized her dress at the collar with both
hands and, in spite of her efforts, by a violent wrench tore it open.
"No weapon there," he cried. "Ha! That brings at last the color to your
pale cheek!" he added, as the rich red crimsoned the ivory of her neck
and cheek at this outrage.
"Help, help!" she screamed. Her voice rang high through the apartment
with indignant and terrified appeal.
"Call again," laughed Morgan.
"Kill me, kill me!" she begged.
"Nay, you must live to love me! Ho! ho!" he answered, taking her in his
arms.
"Mercy! Help!" she cried in frenzy, all the woman in her in arms against
the outrage, though she knew her appeal was vain, when, wonder of
wonders----
"I heard a lady's voice," broke upon her ears from the other end of the
room.
"De Lussan!" roared Morgan, releasing her and turning toward the
intruder. "Here's no place for you. How came you here? I'd chosen this
room for myself, I wish to be private. Out of it, and thank me for your
life!"
"I know not why you should have Donna de Lara against her will, and when
better men are here," answered the Frenchman, staring with bold, cruel
glances at her, beautiful in her disarray, "and if you keep her you must
fight for her. Mademoiselle," he continued, baring his sword
gracefully and saluting her, "will you have me for your champion?"
[Illustration: "Hast another weapon in thy bodice?"]
His air was as gallant as if he had been a gentleman and bound in honor
to rescue a lady in dire peril of life and honor, instead of another
ruffian inflamed by her beauty and desirous to possess her himself.
"Save me! Save me," she cried, "from this man!"
She did not realize the meaning of de Lussan's words, she only saw a
deliverer for the present. It was ten minutes past the hour now. She
welcomed any respite; her lover might come at any moment.
"I will fight the both of you for her," cried the Frenchman; "you, Black
Dog, and you, Master Morgan. Draw, unless you are a coward."
"I ought to have you hanged, you mutinous hound!" shouted Morgan, "and
hanged you shall be, but not until I have proved myself your master with
the sword, as in all other things. Watch the woman, Carib, and keep out
of this fray. Lay hand on her at your peril! Remember, she is mine."
"Or it may be mine," answered de Lussan, as Morgan dashed at him.
They engaged without hesitation and the room was filled with the sound
of ringing, grating steel. First pulling the pins from her glorious
hair, Mercedes shook it down around her bare shoulders, and then stood,
fascinated, watching the fencers. She could make no movement from the
wall as the negro stood at her arm. For a space neither of the fighters
had any advantage. De Lussan's skill was marvelous, but the chief
buccaneer was more than his match. Presently the strength and capacity
of the older and more experienced swordsman began to give him a slight
advantage. Hard pressed, the Frenchman, still keeping an inexorable
guard, slowly retreated up the room.
Both men had been so intensely occupied with the fierce play that they
had not heard the sound of many feet outside, a sudden tumult in the
street. The keen ear of the half-breed, however, detected that something
was wrong.
"Master," he cried, "some one comes. I hear shouts in the night air. A
shot! Shrieks--groans! There! The clash of arms! Lower your weapons,
sirs!" he cried again, as Spanish war cries filled the air. "We are
betrayed; the enemy is on us!"
Instantly Morgan and de Lussan broke away from each other.
"To-morrow," cried the buccaneer captain.
"As you will," returned the other.
But now, Mercedes, staking all upon her hope, lifted her voice, and
with tremendous power begot by fear and hope sent ringing through the
air that name which to her meant salvation--
"Alvarado! Alvarado!"