to have and to hold-第40章
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loy me in those sweet days when your eyes were black？〃
〃By no means； Master Paradise；〃 I said courteously。 〃I desire your company and that of the gentleman from Lima。 You will go with me to bring up the rest of my party。 The three gentlemen of the broken head； the bushy ruff； which I protest is vastly becoming； and the wounded shoulder will escort us。〃
〃The rest of your party？〃 said Paradise softly。
〃Ay；〃 I answered nonchalantly。 〃They are down the beach and around the point warming themselves by a fire which this piled…up sand hides from you。 Despite the sunshine it is a biting air。 Let us be going！ This island wearies me； and I am anxious to be on board ship and away。〃
〃So small an escort scarce befits so great a captain；〃 he said。 〃We will all attend you。〃 One and all started forward。
I called to mind and gave utterance to all the oaths I had heard in the wars。 〃I entertain you for my subordinate whom I command； and not who commands me！〃 I cried； when my memory failed me。 〃As for you； you dogs； who would question your captain and his doings； stay where you are； if you would not be lessoned in earnest！〃
Sheer audacity is at times the surest steed a man can bestride。 Now at least it did me good service。 With oaths and grunts of admiration the pirates stayed where they were； and went about their business of launching the boats and stripping the body of Red Gil； while the man in black and silver； the Spaniard； the two gravediggers； the knave with the wounded shoulder； and myself walked briskly up the beach。
With these five at my heels I strode up to the dying fire and to those who had sprung to their feet at our approach。 〃Sparrow；〃 I said easily； 〃luck being with us as usual； I have fallen in with a party of rovers。 I have told them who I am； … that Kirby； to wit； whom an injurious world calls the blackest pirate unhanged； … and have recounted to them how the great galleon which I took some months ago went down yesterday with all on board； you and I with these others being the sole survivors。 By dint of a little persuasion they have elected me their captain； and we will go on board directly and set sail for the Indies； a hunting ground which we never should have left。 You need not look so blank； you shall be my mate and right hand still。〃 I turned to the five who formed my escort。 〃This； gentlemen； is my mate； Jeremy Sparrow by name； who hath a taste for divinity that in no wise interferes with his taste for a galleon or a guarda costa。 This man； Diccon Demon by name； was of my crew。 The gentleman without a sword is my prisoner； taken by me from the last ship I sunk。 How he； an Englishman； came to be upon a Spanish bark I have not found leisure to inquire。 The lady is my prisoner； also。〃
〃Sure by rights she should be gaoler and hold all men's hearts in ward；〃 said Paradise； with a low bow to my unfortunate captive。
While he spoke a most remarkable transformation was going on。 The minister's grave； rugged； and deeply lined face smoothed itself and shed ten years at least； in the eyes that I had seen wet with noble tears a laughing devil now lurked； while his strong mouth became a loose…lipped； devil…may…care one。 His head with its aureole of bushy； grizzled hair set itself jauntily upon one side； and from it and from his face and his whole great frame breathed a wicked jollity quite indescribable。
〃Odsbodikins； captain！〃 he cried。 〃Kirby's luck！ … 't will pass into a saw！ Adzooks！ and so you're captain once more； and I'm mate once more； and we've a ship once more； and we're off once more
sail the Spanish Main
give the Spaniard pain；
ho； bully boy； heave ho！
By 'r lakin！ I'm too dry to sing。 It will take all the wine of Xeres in the next galleon to unparch my tongue！〃
CHAPTER XXIII IN WHICH WE WRITE UPON THE SAND
DAY after day the wind filled our sails and sang in the rigging； and day after day we sailed through blue seas toward the magic of the south。 Day after day a listless and voluptuous world seemed too idle for any dream of wrong； and day after day we whom a strange turn of Fortune's wheel had placed upon a pirate ship held our lives in our hands； and walked so close with Death that at length that very intimacy did breed contempt。 It was not a time to think； it was a time to act； to laugh and make others laugh； to bluster and brag； to estrange sword and scabbard； to play one's hand with a fine unconcern； but all the time to watch； watch； watch； day in and day out； every minute of every hour。 That ship became a stage； and we； the actors； should have been applauded to the echo。 How well we played let witness the fact that the ship came to the Indies； with me for captain and the minister for mate； and with the woman that was on board unharmed； nay； reverenced like a queen。 The great cabin was hers； and the poop deck； we made for her a fantastic state with doffing of hats and bowings and backward steps。 We were her guard； … the gentlemen of the Queen； … I and my Lord Carnal； the minister and Diccon； and we kept between her and the rest of the ship。
We did our best； and our best was very much。 When I think of the songs the minister sang； of the roars of laughter that went up from the lounging pirates when； sitting astride one of the main…deck guns； he made his voice call to them； now from the hold； now from the stern gallery； now from the masthead； now from the gilt sea maid upon the prow； I laugh too。 Sometimes a space was cleared for him； and he played to them as to the pit at Blackfriars。 They laughed and wept and swore with delight； … all save the Spaniard； who was ever like a thundercloud； and Paradise； who only smiled like some languid； side…box lord。 There was wine on board； and during the long； idle days； when the wind droned in the rigging like a bagpipe； and there was never a cloud in the sky； and the galleons were still far away； the pirates gambled and drank。 Diccon diced with them； and taught them all the oaths of a free company。 So much wine； and no more； should they have； when they frowned； I let them see that their frowning and their half…drawn knives mattered no doit to me。 It was their whim … a huge jest of which they could never have enough … still to make believe that they sailed under Kirby。 Lest it should spoil the jest； and while the jest outranked all other entertainment； they obeyed as though I had been indeed that fierce sea wolf。
Time passed； though it passed like a tortoise； and we came to the Lucayas； to the outposts of the vast hunting ground of Spaniard and pirate and buccaneer； the fringe of that zone of beauty and villainy and fear； and sailed slowly past the islands； looking for our prey。
The sea was blue as blue could be。 Only in the morning and the evening it glowed blood red； or spread upon its still bosom all the gold of all the Indies； or became an endless mead of palest green shot with amethyst。 When night fell； it mirrored the stars； great and small； or was caught in a net of gold flung across it from horizon to horizon。 The ship rent the net with a wake of white fire。 The air was balm； the islands were enchanted places； abandoned by Spaniard and Indian； overgrown； serpent…haunted。 The reef； the still water； pink or gold； the gleaming beach； the green plume of the palm； the scarlet birds； the cataracts of bloom； … the senses swooned with the color； the steaming incense； the warmth； the wonder of that fantastic world。 Sometimes； in the crystal waters near the land； we sailed over the gardens of the sea gods； and； looking down； saw red and purple blooms and shadowy waving forests； with rainbow fish for humming birds。 Once we saw below us a sunken ship。 With how much gold she had endowed the wealthy sea； how many long drowned would rise from her rotted decks when the waves gave up their dead； no man could tell。 Away from the ship darted many…hued fish； gold…disked； or barred and spotted with crimson； or silver and purple。 The dolphin and the tunny and the flying fish swam with us。 Sometimes flights of small birds came to us from the land。 Sometimes the sea was thickly set with full…blown pale red bloom； the jellyfish that was a flower to the sight and a nettle to the touch。 If a storm arose； a fury that raged and threatened； i
