perils of certain english prisoners-第13章

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a　Protest；　Jack！〃　　As　to　Mrs。　Pordage；　she　still　wore　the　nightcap；

and　she　now　had　cut　all　the　ladies　on　account　of　her　not　having　been

formally　and　separately　rescued　by　Captain　Carton　before　anybody

else。　　The　end　of　Mr。　Pordage；　to　bring　to　an　end　all　I　know　about

him；　was；　that　he　got　great　compliments　at　home　for　his　conduct　on

these　trying　occasions；　and　that　he　died　of　yellow　jaundice；　a

Governor　and　a　K。C。B。



Sergeant　Drooce　had　fallen　from　a　high　fever　into　a　low　one。　　Tom

Packerthe　only　man　who　could　have　pulled　the　Sergeant　through　it

kept　hospital　aboard　the　old　raft；　and　Mrs。　Belltott；　as　brisk　as

ever　again　（but　the　spirit　of　that　little　woman；　when　things　tried

it；　was　not　equal　to　appearances）；　was　head…nurse　under　his

directions。　　Before　we　got　down　to　the　Mosquito　coast；　the　joke　had

been　made　by　one　of　our　men；　that　we　should　see　her　gazetted　Mrs。

Tom　Packer；　vice　Belltott　exchanged。



When　we　reached　the　coast；　we　got　native　boats　as　substitutes　for

the　rafts；　and　we　rowed　along　under　the　land；　and　in　that　beautiful

climate；　and　upon　that　beautiful　water；　the　blooming　days　were　like

enchantment。　　Ah！　　They　were　running　away；　faster　than　any　sea　or

river；　and　there　was　no　tide　to　bring　them　back。　　We　were　coming

very　near　the　settlement　where　the　people　of　Silver…Store　were　to　be

left；　and　from　which　we　Marines　were　under　orders　to　return　to

Belize。



Captain　Carton　had；　in　the　boat　by　him；　a　curious　long…barrelled

Spanish　gun；　and　he　had　said　to　Miss　Maryon　one　day　that　it　was　the

best　of　guns；　and　had　turned　his　head　to　me；　and　said：



〃Gill　Davis；　load　her　fresh　with　a　couple　of　slugs；　against　a　chance

of　showing　how　good　she　is。〃



So；　I　had　discharged　the　gun　over　the　sea；　and　had　loaded　her；

according　to　orders；　and　there　it　had　lain　at　the　Captain's　feet；

convenient　to　the　Captain's　hand。



The　last　day　but　one　of　our　journey　was　an　uncommonly　hot　day。　　We

started　very　early；　but；　there　was　no　cool　air　on　the　sea　as　the　day

got　on；　and　by　noon　the　heat　was　really　hard　to　bear；　considering

that　there　were　women　and　children　to　bear　it。　　Now；　we　happened　to

open；　just　at　that　time；　a　very　pleasant　little　cove　or　bay；　where

there　was　a　deep　shade　from　a　great　growth　of　trees。　　Now；　the

Captain；　therefore；　made　the　signal　to　the　other　boats　to　follow　him

in　and　lie　by　a　while。



The　men　who　were　off　duty　went　ashore；　and　lay　down；　but　were

ordered；　for　caution's　sake；　not　to　stray；　and　to　keep　within　view。

The　others　rested　on　their　oars；　and　dozed。　　Awnings　had　been　made

of　one　thing　and　another；　in　all　the　boats；　and　the　passengers　found

it　cooler　to　be　under　them　in　the　shade；　when　there　was　room　enough；

than　to　be　in　the　thick　woods。　　So；　the　passengers　were　all　afloat；

and　mostly　sleeping。　　I　kept　my　post　behind　Miss　Maryon；　and　she　was

on　Captain　Carton's　right　in　the　boat；　and　Mrs。　Fisher　sat　on　her

right　again。　　The　Captain　had　Mrs。　Fisher's　daughter　on　his　knee。

He　and　the　two　ladies　were　talking　about　the　Pirates；　and　were

talking　softly；　partly；　because　people　do　talk　softly　under　such

indolent　circumstances；　and　partly　because　the　little　girl　had　gone

off　asleep。



I　think　I　have　before　given　it　out　for　my　Lady　to　write　down；　that

Captain　Carton　had　a　fine　bright　eye　of　his　own。　　All　at　once；　he

darted　me　a　side　look；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Steadydon't　take　onI

see　something！〃and　gave　the　child　into　her　mother's　arms。　　That

eye　of　his　was　so　easy　to　understand；　that　I　obeyed　it　by　not　so

much　as　looking　either　to　the　right　or　to　the　left　out　of　a　corner

of　my　own；　or　changing　my　attitude　the　least　trifle。　　The　Captain

went　on　talking　in　the　same　mild　and　easy　way；　but　beganwith　his

arms　resting　across　his　knees；　and　his　head　a　little　hanging

forward；　as　if　the　heat　were　rather　too　much　for　himbegan　to　play

with　the　Spanish　gun。



〃They　had　laid　their　plans；　you　see；〃　says　the　Captain；　taking　up

the　Spanish　gun　across　his　knees；　and　looking；　lazily；　at　the

inlaying　on　the　stock；　〃with　a　great　deal　of　art；　and　the　corrupt　or

blundering　local　authorities　were　so　easily　deceived；〃　he　ran　his

left　hand　idly　along　the　barrel；　but　I　saw；　with　my　breath　held；

that　he　covered　the　action　of　cocking　the　gun　with　his　right〃so

easily　deceived；　that　they　summoned　us　out　to　come　into　the　trap。

But　my　intention　as　to　future　operations〃　　In　a　flash　the　Spanish

gun　was　at　his　bright　eye；　and　he　fired。



All　started　up；　innumerable　echoes　repeated　the　sound　of　the

discharge；　a　cloud　of　bright…coloured　birds　flew　out　of　the　woods

screaming；　a　handful　of　leaves　were　scattered　in　the　place　where　the

shot　had　struck；　a　crackling　of　branches　was　heard；　and　some　lithe

but　heavy　creature　sprang　into　the　air；　and　fell　forward；　head　down；

over　the　muddy　bank。



〃What　is　it？〃　cries　Captain　Maryon　from　his　boat。　　All　silent　then；

but　the　echoes　rolling　away。



〃It　is　a　Traitor　and　a　Spy；〃　said　Captain　Carton；　handing　me　the　gun

to　load　again。　　〃And　I　think　the　other　name　of　the　animal　is

Christian　George　King！〃



Shot　through　the　heart。　　Some　of　the　people　ran　round　to　the　spot；

and　drew　him　out；　with　the　slime　and　wet　trickling　down　his　face；

but　his　face　itself　would　never　stir　any　more　to　the　end　of　time。



〃Leave　him　hanging　to　that　tree；〃　cried　Captain　Carton；　his　boat's

crew　giving　way；　and　he　leaping　ashore。　　〃But　first　into　this　wood；

every　man　in　his　place。　　And　boats！　　Out　of　gunshot！〃



It　was　a　quick　change；　well　meant　and　well　made；　though　it　ended　in

disappointment。　　No　Pirates　were　there；　no　one　but　the　Spy　was

found。　　It　was　supposed　that　the　Pirates；　unable　to　retake　us；　and

expecting　a　great　attack　upon　them　to　be　the　consequence　of　our

escape；　had　made　from　the　ruins　in　the　Forest；　taken　to　their　ship

along　with　the　Treasure；　and　left　the　Spy　to　pick　up　what

intelligence　he　could。　　In　the　evening　we　went　away；　and　he　was　left

hanging　to　the　tree；　all　alone；　with　the　red　sun　making　a　kind　of　a

dead　sunset　on　his　black　face。



Next　day；　we　gained　the　settlement　on　the　Mosquito　coast　for　which

we　were　bound。　　Having　stayed　there　to　refresh　seven　days；　and

having　been　much　commended；　and　highly　spoken　of；　and　finely

entertained；　we　Marines　stood　under　orders　to　march　from　the　Town…

Gate　（it　was　neither　much　of　a　town　nor　much　of　a　gate）；　at　five　in

the　morning。



My　officer　had　joined　us　before　then。　　When　we　turned　out　at　the

gate；　all　the　people　were　there；　in　the　front　of　them　all　those　who

had　been　our　fellow…prisoners；　and　all　the　seamen。



〃Davis；〃　says　Lieutenant　Linderwood。　　〃Stand　out；　my　friend！〃



I　stood　out　from　the　ranks；　and　Miss　Maryon　and　Captain　Carton　came

up　to　me。



〃Dear　Davis；〃　says　Miss　Maryon；　while　the　tears　fell　fast　down　her

face；　〃your　grateful　friends；　in　most　unwillingly　taking　leave　of

you；　ask　the　favour　that；　while　you　bear　away　with　you　their

affectionate　remembrance；　which　nothing　can　ever　impair；　you　will

also　take　this　purse　of　moneyfar　more　valuable　to　you；　we　all

know；　for　the　deep　attachment　and　thankfulness　with　which　it　is

offered；　than　for　its　own　contents；　though　we　hope　those　may　prove

useful　to　you；　too；　in　after　life。〃



I　got　out；　in　answer；　that　I　thankfully　accepted　the　attachment　and

affection；　but　not　the　money。　　Captain　Carton　looked　at　me　very

attentively；　and　stepped　back；　and　moved　away。　　I　made　him　my　bow　as

he　stepped　back；　to　thank　him　for　being　so　delicate。



〃No；　miss；〃　said　I；　〃I　think　it　would　break　my　heart　to　accept　of

money。　　But；　if　you　could　condescend　to　give　to　a　man　so　ignorant

and　common　as　myself；　any　little　thing　you　have　wornsuch　as　a　bit

of　ribbon〃



She　took　a　ring　from　her　finger；　and　put　it　in　my　hand。　　And　she

rested　her　hand　in　mine；　while　she　said　these　words：



〃The　brave　gentlemen　of　oldbut　not　one　of　them　was　braver；　or　had

a　nobler　nature　than　youtook　such　gifts　from　ladies；　and　did　all

their　good　ac