Of the terrible march we had ere we regained our ships I will not
speak. Our spirits were at the lowest ebb by reason of our failure,
for what we had seen in the governor's cellars at Nombre de Dios had
so turned our heads that we counted the plunder we had got as
nothing. Moreover our general was in a desperate hurry to reach the
ships before evil befell them, and we therefore marched so rapidly
that we had no time or strength to get proper victuals, and were
always half fasting. Our boots were worn to tatters, our feet cut
and blistered, our wounds galled us, the mosquitoes tormented us, and
beneath all, as I say, rankled our failure.
Under such a load of trouble I think we should have sunk had it not
been for Frank, who never ceased to cheer us with new plans for the
making of our voyage. What bred most wonder in me was the order he
took to lighten our pains. For if one complained of his worn boots
or his wound, Frank would always complain louder, and cry plague on
the stones, the boots, the gnats, and everything. I knew his wound
was slight and his feet whole, so asked him the reason of his words.
'Why,' says he, 'see you not that the poor lads, however bad they be,
will take some grain of courage if they think there is one who is
worse and yet can go on? and moreover, where captain and men share
alike you are most sure to find yourself marching in company content.'
Yet for all this many fainted by the way, and then the Cimaroons
would cease their valiant bragging, which otherwise was unceasing
since our capture of Vera Cruz, and bear such as could not walk
between two of them very loving and cheerful for two miles or more at
a spell.
The poor Sergeant, the cause of all our woe, plodded on in silence at
Harry's heels. He looked like a man who would never joy again, and
by no means could I win him to speech.
Seven days we toiled thus to the mouth of a river called by the
Cimaroons Rio Tortugas, and hither to our great joy came the master,
Ellis Hixom, to whom our captain had sent, and took us off to Fort
Diego in the pinnace.
There was great joy at our meeting in spite of our little plunder,
since they had begun to fear we were destroyed. They said they
hardly knew us for the same men, except the captain, so haggard and
thin and burnt we were, to say no more of the tatters to which the
brakes and stones had turned our clothes. Hunger and toil and grief
had doubtless made great havoc with us, and the fire of that terrible
sun had burnt us well-nigh black.
My Señorita, to whom I went for comfort soon after I got to the
ships, seemed quite shocked to see me.
'Madre de Dios, Señor!' she cried, clasping her little hands in
terror. 'How you are changed! Ah! and you are wounded. It is well
you have come back to me to be made yourself again. Indeed I am glad
you are come back.'
She held out her hands in such frank welcome that I felt half healed
already, and sat down as she bade me on her own cushions.
'Indeed I am glad you are come back to us,' she said again.
'Then did not Master Hixom treat you well?' I asked.
'Ah, I hate him,' she said, knitting her dainty brows. 'He is a
stock, a stone, a log! He kept us well, but I hate him.'
I never knew why she was so hot against him, but I could only smile
to think she must have tried her coaxing on him as she had on me, but
with less success. He was a flinty Puritan from Plymouth with a wife
and children, who would not have unbent, I think, had Princess Helen
herself put up her lips to him. She begged me to come and be her
gaoler again, and I left her with such hope as it was not hard to
give.
That evening as I sat with others in the general's bower, talking
over what next was to be attempted, we were surprised by Sergeant
Culverin saluting in the doorway.
'I come, Captain Drake, by your leave,' says he, holding himself very
stiff, 'to report myself for punishment.'
'I shall give you none,' says Frank, but looked very stern at him,
for he was ever slow to forget a fault. 'You have suffered enough
already with your wound, and what of your fault is unpunished is
wiped out by your valiant bearing before Venta Cruz.'
For indeed he had done wonders there, and had gotten a sore
pike-thrust in the arm, from which he had suffered great pain
unmurmuring on our pitiful march.
'By your leave, Captain Drake,' said he, when Frank finished, 'I
crave you allot some punishment to me. It was a most grievous breach
of the discipline of the wars, and I shall joy no more till it be
atoned. Moreover it will be an evil example to the youth of your
company, and like to breed much discontent and danger to our voyage
if I go unpunished. Therefore, for the love of soldiership, I pray
you omit not this just dealing with me. The Signor John Peter
Pugliano always held----'
'Peace, enough!' said Frank. 'It shall be as you say, so you will
spare us your Italian's wisdom. I reverence your soldiership, and
adjudge you the honourable estate of an hour on the hobby-horse.'
A rail was soon set up by some of the mariners, who were nothing
loath to be revenged on the old soldier. On this he was speedily set
with his hands bound behind him, and a harquebuss hanging to each
foot. There he sat stiff and upright, as though he were in the
emperor's tilting ground again. He gave no heed to the jeers of
younger sailors, but sat grimly on uncomplaining.
As I passed him presently I could see the pain was as much as he
could bear, weak as he was from hunger and his wound. Just then one
threw a tuft of grass at him. Then he looked round fiercely, but he
only bit his lip to keep in the angry burst that was on his tongue,
and stared grimly in front of him again.
Then two or three began to whisper it was a sin that such a tall
fellow who took his punishment so well should be tormented for what
was after all but too deep a pull at his flask. So they went amongst
the others, and the jeering ceased. Then they fell to encouraging
him and watching the sand-glass, till at last, seeing how stiff and
grim he still sat, they went in a body to Frank and would not be
content till they had leave to take him down, which at last they did,
in spite of his angry protesting that he would sit his punishment out.
So their past toils and grief were fast forgotten, and all talk was
of what was to be attempted next. Some were for attacking the
treasure frigates which were sure to be moving on the coast now the
Plate Fleets were in, but others counted this but folly, seeing how
strong and well manned with soldiers were the wafters that convoyed
them. Others, amongst whom was Mr. Oxenham, were for gathering fresh
victuals from the provision ships, which were always unprotected,
that we might thereby recover our sick and get sufficient strength
for another attempt by land, which now was not to be thought of,
seeing that all the Main was alarmed and half our company sick.
Pedro was very earnest for us to attempt Veragua, a rich town between
Nombre de Dios and Nicaragua, where his former master, Señor Pezoro,
had the richest gold mine in all the north side, whence he won daily
above £200 worth of gold. All this he stored in a great treasure
house, to which Pedro promised he could lead us undescried through
the woods and make us masters of the untold treasure therein. Every
Cimaroon on the Main would further our attempt, he said, because this
Pezoro was known to be worse than a devil to his slaves, and hated
more than any man in all the Indies.
But our general was loath to undertake so long a march, though sorely
tempted by the greatness of the prize. Our company was too much
broken by wounds and sickness to venture so far, so it was concluded
to send forth two pinnaces, which were all we could man, to try what
could be done. Mr. Oxenham took the _Bear_ eastwards towards Tolu to
gather victuals, as he had wished, while the general took the
_Minion_ to ply towards the west, and have dealings, if it were
possible, in the treasure trade, which we knew to be great at this
time from Veragua and Nicaragua to the Fleet.
As for me, I was far too sick with my wound to join either; but not
being quite so spent as some, was able to take my old charge of the
prisoners. Being little able to walk, I was almost entirely in the
ship with the Spaniards. Indeed I had little duty or pleasure
elsewhere. Hixom, our master, was again set over those that
remained, and, since Harry, Frank, and Mr. Oxenham were away in the
pinnaces, there was no one amongst the mariners with whom I cared to
converse so much as the courtly old Scrivano and his friends.
And why should I not confess the rest since I have unfolded so much?
Whether I did wrong I cannot tell. I had abandoned the guide whom
all my life I had followed, because, as I thought, he had only led me
astray. It was hard to trust to anything again. Often I would play
with Harry's rapier and think. I know not if the quick, hard life I
had been leading was to blame, but it would not say me Ay or No!
After all my recent toil and labour it was so pleasant, to have her
at my side, to look at and talk to. Pleasant, too, it was to see how
she was bent on winning me, whether for her father's sake to earn him
favour at my hands, or for very wanton love of winning a new kind of
conquest, I cannot tell; pleasant, too, to mark how lovingly she
sought to ease my pain and beguile the lagging hours, how tenderly
she dressed my wound and smoothed my pillow when she bade me sleep.
What wonder, then, if I gave myself up to the sweet beguilement!
What wonder if, when she had set me to rest and no one was by, I drew
the pretty face to mine and our lips met! I know not, I say, how I
shall be blamed. She was so sweet and gentle and kind; I was so weak
and weary. It was all I had to give; it was the payment most
grateful to her. Well! well! It is long past now for good or ill.
If any has been so diseased as I in body and spirit and so sweetly
tended, lying as I did all day in the murmur and savour of a tropic
spring in the midst of those jewelled seas, let him judge me.
There were some among my prisoners who looked on with little ease and
twirled their fierce moustaches, but the worldly old Scrivano would
not have it otherwise.
'Let them be,' he would say; 'it will not last for ever. A friend at
court is worth winning.'
It was when she told me this that I first knew a sweet fear that all
she did might not be done in wantonness or even for the prisoners'
sakes. Till then I had thought it was only in their behoof she was
kind, and I trod my flowery path with a light heart. Now I began to
doubt we were come to where thorns were hidden beneath the blossoms
by the way, but it was still too fair and pleasant for me to stop.
In my weakness I said there was still time enough.
So we continued till near the middle of March, when Mr. Oxenham
returned in great heart with a smart frigate laden with a good store
of maize and live hogs and hens, which greatly rejoiced us, since we
were pining for fresh food. I was nevertheless not so glad to see
him back as I had hoped, since now the general was away there was
none to prevent him coming on board my ship every day, where he
talked so gaily with my Señorita, to her manifest content, that I
wished in my heart his voyage had been less fortunate.
I was overjoyed when Frank came back, not only because it put an end
to Mr. Oxenham's visits, but also for the news he brought. Off the
Cabeças he had met with a frigate of Nicaragua, which he had
lightened of a pretty store of gold and her Genoese pilot. This man,
who but a week before was at Veragua, had assured our general that
the whole coast was palsied with fear of him. So fast had he moved
and so suddenly struck that it seemed, so the man said, nothing less
than magical, and none knew where their dreaded enemy would next
appear. The plain truth was that, eschewing armour after the manner
of English mariners, we marched more quickly than the Spaniards ever
thought possible, and this greatly increased their fears.
So from Nicaragua to Carthagena they lay shivering in their beds,
never knowing if they should sleep the night in peace. Our pilot was
only too glad to join his fortunes to ours on promise that his right
should be done him, and had led our captain into Veragua harbour,
where lay a frigate laden with above a million in gold, not daring to
venture forth. But by a new order of watch which they had taken, the
pinnace was descried and the attempt abandoned, since there lay a
still better chance in the Chagres river.
The galleys that were to waft the gold fleet, the Genoese said, were
laid up at Nombre de Dios to be fitted. Thus there was nothing to
protect the gold frigates but land soldiers, with whom Frank doubted
not he could deal, if he gathered all his whole men together, and to
this end he was now returned to join Mr. Oxenham.
The frigate which the _Lion_ had captured, being a very smart one,
fell in well with Frank's purpose. She was speedily careened, new
tallowed, and launched again, as stout a man-of-war as any on the
coast. All the best of our ordnance was set aboard of her, and as
soon as Easter was past and the men refreshed Frank set sail with her
and the _Bear_ for the Rio Chagres.
Being willing to break from the dalliance in which I lived, I had
craved to be taken with them, for I was fast mending since fresh meat
had grown abundant. But Frank would not hear of it, and once more I
was left alone with my prisoners, of which in my heart I fear I was
glad.
Sweet indeed were the days that followed. Every hour my strength
seemed to grow, and since there was nothing to do after I had made my
rounds amongst the sick, I wandered with my Señorita along the shore
or in the woods wellnigh the livelong day, and was never weary. Yet
what we spoke of I cannot tell. I can hardly recall a phrase she
uttered, yet she chattered like the golden brook, where we loved best
to sit, and I listened more willing and untiring than ever I did to
the wisest voices of the ancients.
Of herself and of me it seems to me now was all her talk, the empty
prattle of a child; yet I sat and watched her ripe face and wanted no
more. Ours was the life of the lazy pelicans and the scarlet cranes,
and all the other shore fowl that breathed around us that tingling
tropic life, and crowned with their presence the enchanting beauty of
the scene.
Once, and only once, I remember she wandered to deeper things. She
spoke of the faith of her people, and how she longed sometimes to be
a nun, and have done with love and be good again.
'Are you a heretic?' she then said, suddenly looking at me very
wistfully.
'I trust not,' I said, smiling, for it seemed a strangely merry thing
to me to see her serious.
'Why do you laugh?' she said, pouting a little. 'My Padre says all
Englishmen are Lutheran heretics and will go to torment. How can you
laugh at that? It makes me very sad to think of you there, and to
think I shall not find you in heaven when I come. Why will you be a
heretic and pray to the devil?'
'Ah, gentle Señorita,' I answered, 'never think of those things.
Your pretty head must not wear such ugly thoughts. Forget it now; go
and crown yourself with flowers as you did yesterday, and I will
worship a true goddess and no devil, though something of a witch. So
you shall see I am a true believer in your loveliness and no heretic.
What would you more?'
'Witch or not,' she answered, rising with a smile, 'I have tamed your
tongue, my faithful worshipper, and brought it to a most gentle
pacing; I may not choose but be carried now whithersoever it will
amble with me.'
''Twas but a sorry jade,' I said, as she rose and gathered some
bright flowers that seemed to bend down to kiss her hand. 'Yet since
you took the rein I think it can never stumble, nor ever falter or
grow dull so long as it feels the gentle spurring of your eye.'
'Save us now, worshipper, from your sharp and stinging comparisons,'
she said, as she turned on me radiantly, her pliant figure entwined
with a tender vine of rose-coloured flowers, and her glossy hair
crowned with glowing blossoms, 'and send your goddess a daintier
offering!'
'Nay, goddess,' said I, 'it was a bright and glittering offering
enough till your radiance put it out of countenance.'
'Then must you offer me something brighter still,' she said, as she
sat herself upon a great rock half hidden in flowers. 'See, your
goddess is enthroned. To your knees, errant worshipper; I will
endure no heretical postures.'
So I knelt before her and offered her such dainty sweetmeat phrases
as every pretty woman loves, so they be compounded to her taste and
served so that she may taste without offence.
In such wise my pretty plaything and I played together till the sun
began to sink and I returned to my duties, wondering idly, as the
wise Sieur de Montaigne tells us in his _Apology for Raymond Sebond_
he did of his cat, whether she played with me or I with her; and
wondering, too, still more to think how the magic of the west, or
warfare, or whatsoever else it might be, had changed me. It was
barely a year ago since I was alone with another woman, the first I
ever knew. How different it was then, and yet perhaps how like, if
we but knew the springs of our hearts! But enough of that! Let me
not speak of those two with one breath.
I seemed another man as I looked backward. Yet was there no miracle.
For surely it is no more than natural that, when a man has burst the
bonds in which he blindly bound down and tormented his soul, it
should grow quickly to its proper shape if it finds itself planted in
soil that is apt to its true nature.
All too soon, as we thought, and yet perhaps not soon enough, Frank
came back with the frigate and the pinnace in company with a goodly
bark.
'A fat prize at last,' I cried, as he rowed up to the ship, 'and I
not there to see. Is our voyage made?'
'Not yet,' said Frank, 'and yet I hope not far from it. Yonder is no
prize, but a Frenchman with seventy good Huguenots aboard, whom we
have admitted to our company. Let me present to you her captain,
most worthy Monsieur Tetú.'
He bowed with great ceremony and much spreading abroad of his hands,
and I asked if he had any news from Europe, at which to my surprise
he seemed very pained.
'Yes,' broke in Frank, 'he has news. Would God he had not!'
'Is the Queen married then?' I asked quickly, for it was always the
first inquiry of strangers in those shifting times.
'No!' answered Frank, 'nor like to be, it seems. Be pleased,
Monsieur, to tell Mr. Festing what tidings you bring.'
And with that the little French captain, with excited gesture and
kindling eyes, poured into my scorched ears the black and awful tale
of the Massacre of Paris on St. Bartholomew's day, on the occasion of
the King of Navarre's marriage with the Princess Margaret. We could
none of us speak for a while when he ended the relation of that most
foul and detestable crime. I could only feel leap up in my heart a
mad longing, like Frank's, to be revenged, and that speedily. It
seemed to revive in me all my old detestation of the Papists, and the
whole body of them, innocent and guilty alike, seemed again a cursed
thing in my eyes.
Many a better man than I was seized with the same mad rage when he
knew that tale. How could we be otherwise? Yet I contained myself
enough to express my pity to the French captain, who seemed well-nigh
broken-hearted at the blot upon his country's fame.
'Truly, Mr. Festing, it is hard to bear,' he said, with a bitterness
that cut me to the heart. 'I never thought to see the day when I
could say that those Frenchmen were happiest who were farthest from
France. That is why I have sailed hither and turned my back on her.
I wash my hands of her. She is France no longer, but rather Frenzy,
and all Gaul is gall indeed.'
His attempt at pleasantry touched me very deeply, for I knew how
bitterly he felt the loss of his country, and I tried some apology.
'You are kind, Mr. Festing,' he said, taking my hand very warmly,
after the manner of his country. 'It is not France--my pure, simple,
single-hearted France--that has done this. It is Italian practices
that have over-mastered French simplicity. Truly, sir, Italy is an
accursed land, that curses all it touches with its noisome humours.'
He seemed a brave heart, and was a seaman in all his inches. For my
part I conceived a great liking for him, though I think Frank would
have been glad enough to be well rid of him and his company.
'Yet I could not say him nay,' he said to me, 'when I saw his poor
fellows more than half starved. Moreover he was so mighty civil, and
said that five weeks ago he had heard of us and of our great
dealings, as he pleased to put it, and ever since he had been
seeking, desiring nothing so much as to meet with the gentlemen who
had set the whole Spanish Main in a tremble. I was bound to relieve
him with our spare victuals, and so was obliged to abandon our
attempt on the Chagres river.'
'And then you agreed to venture in company?' said I.
'Yes,' said he. 'Yet I will not say it was without some jealousy and
mistrust, for all his civility. Yet, seeing how earnest he was to be
our friend, and how strong to hurt us if he were our enemy, we
concluded to take him and twenty of his company and venture equally.'
'And is it man for man and ton for ton again?' I asked.
'No, lad, no,' answered Frank. 'That would never do. As I told our
Monsieur, though his company was seventy and mine now but thirty-one,
mine must weigh more than his, since in our purposed play the
principal actors were not numbers of men, but rather their judgment
and knowledge; to which arguments he agreed with the best grace he
could. The more so as I showed him his great tonnage was no good in
our present case.'
'Then are we not to attempt the Chagres fleet?' said I.
'No,' he answered; 'that is where they are looking for us. We must
attempt the place where they last expect us.'
'And where is that?' said I.
'Where but knocking at the back door of Nombre de Dios,' he answered,
laughing to see my surprise at this his wildest plan of all.
'Now save you, Frank,' said I, 'from a very mid-summer madness! You
will never get in there again, or at least get out again if you do.'
'Oh,' says he, ''tis not so mad as that. We have no cause to go in.
We will get the gold outside. The great _recuas_ are passing by road
now the whole way. What is easier with our present help than to deal
with one of them when it is all but home, and thinks all danger is
over? Pedro will lead us thither, into the Rio Francisco and then a
little march. I have already sent for the Cimaroons. Many times,
Jasper, we have struck amiss. God has shown the Spaniards great
mercy; yet now, I think, since He has sent us this French company,
with tidings of this last most bloody dealing of the Italian priest
against His faithful people of Paris, it is surely His will that we
shall entreat these idolaters according to their iniquity; and so by
His grace we will, and our voyage be made.'