to have and to hold-第41章

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flower　to　the　sight　and　a　nettle　to　the　touch。　If　a　storm　arose；　a　fury　that　raged　and　threatened；　it　presently　swept　away；　and　the　blue　laughed　again。　When　the　sun　sank；　there　arose　in　the　east　such　a　moon　as　might　have　been　sole　light　to　all　the　realms　of　faery。　A　beauty　languorous　and　seductive　was　most　absolute　empress　of　the　wonderful　land　and　the　wonderful　sea。

We　were　in　the　hunting　grounds；　and　men　went　not　there　to　gather　flowers。　Day　after　day　we　watched　　for　Spanish　sails；　for　the　plate　fleets　went　that　way；　and　some　galleass　or　caravel　or　galleon　might　stray　aside。　At　last；　in　the　clear　green　bay　of　a　nameless　island　at　which　we　stopped　for　water；　we　found　two　carracks　come　upon　the　same　errand；　took　them；　and　with　them　some　slight　treasure　in　rich　cloths　and　gems。　A　week　later；　in　a　strait　between　two　islands　like　tinted　clouds；　we　fought　a　very　great　galleon　from　sunrise　to　noon；　pierced　her　hull　through　and　through　and　silenced　her　ordnance；　then　boarded　her　and　found　a　king's　ransom　in　gold　and　silver。　When　the　fighting　had　ceased　and　the　treasure　was　ours；　then　we　four　stood　side　by　side　on　the　deck　of　the　slowly　sinking　galleon；　in　front　of　our　prisoners；　…　of　the　men　who　had　fought　well；　of　the　ashen　priests　and　the　trembling　women。　Those　whom　we　faced　were　in　high　good　humor：　they　had　gold　with　which　to　gamble；　and　wine　to　drink；　and　rich　clothing　with　which　to　prank　their　villainous　bodies；　and　prisoners　with　whom　to　make　merry。　When　I　ordered　the　Spaniards　to　lower　their　boats；　and　taking　with　them　their　priests　and　women　row　off　to　one　of　those　two　islands；　the　weather　changed。

We　outlived　that　storm；　but　how　I　scarcely　know。　As　Kirby　would　have　done；　so　did　I；　rating　my　crew　like　hounds；　turning　my　point　this　way　and　that；　daring　them　to　come　taste　the　red　death　upon　it；　braving　it　out　like　some　devil　who　knows　he　is　invulnerable。　My　lord；　swinging　the　cutlass　with　which　he　was　armed；　stood　beside　me；　knee　to　knee；　and　Diccon　cursed　after　me；　making　quarterstaff　play　with　his　long　pike。　But　it　was　the　minister　that　won　us　through。　At　length　they　laughed；　and　Paradise；　standing　forward；　swore　that　such　a　captain　and　such　a　mate　were　　worth　the　lives　of　a　thousand　Spaniards。　To　pleasure　Kirby；　they　would　depart　this　once　from　their　ancient　usage　and　let　the　prisoners　go；　though　it　was　passing　strange；　…　it　being　Kirby's　wont　to　clap　prisoners　under　hatches　and　fire　their　ship　above　them。　At　the　end　of　which　speech　the　Spaniard　began　to　rave；　and　sprang　at　me　like　a　catamount。　Paradise　put　forth　a　foot　and　tripped　him　up；　whereat　the　pirates　laughed　again；　and　held　him　back　when　he　would　have　come　at　me　a　second　time。

From　the　deck　of　the　shattered　galleon　I　watched　her　boats；　with　their　heavy　freight　of　cowering　humanity；　pull　off　toward　the　island。　Back　upon　my　own　poop；　the　grappling　irons　cast　loose；　and　a　swiftly　widening　ribbon　of　blue　between　us　and　the　sinking　ship；　I　looked　at　the　pirates　thronging　the　waist　below　me；　and　knew　that　the　play　was　nearly　over。　How　many　days；　weeks；　hours；　before　the　lights　would　go　out；　I　could　not　tell：　they　might　burn　until　we　took　or　lost　another　ship；　the　next　hour　might　see　that　brief　tragedy　consummated。

I　turned；　and　going　below　met　Sparrow　at　the　foot　of　the　poop　ladder。

〃I　have　sworn　at　these　pirates　until　my　hair　stood　on　end；〃　he　said　ruefully。　〃God　forgive　me！　And　I　have　bent　into　circles　three　half　pikes　in　demonstration　of　the　thing　that　would　occur　to　them　if　they　tempted　me　overmuch。　And　I　have　sung　them　all　the　bloody　and　lascivious　songs　that　ever　I　knew　in　my　unregenerate　days。　I　have　played　the　bravo　and　buffoon　until　they　gaped　for　wonder。　I　have　damned　myself　to　all　eternity；　I　fear；　but　there'll　be　no　mutiny　this　fair　day。　It　may　arrive　by　to…morrow；　though。〃

〃Likely　enough；〃　I　said。　〃Come　within。　I　have　eaten　nothing　since　yesterday。〃

〃I'll　speak　to　Diccon　first；〃　he　answered；　and　went　on　toward　the　forecastle；　while　I　entered　the　state　cabin。　Here　I　found　Mistress　Percy　kneeling　beside　the　bench　beneath　the　stern　windows；　her　face　buried　in　her　outstretched　arms；　her　dark　hair　shadowing　her　like　a　mantle。　When　I　spoke　to　her　she　did　not　answer。　With　a　sudden　fear　I　stooped　and　touched　her　clasped　hands。　A　shudder　ran　through　her　frame；　and　she　slowly　raised　a　colorless　face。

〃Are　you　come　back？〃　she　whispered。　〃I　thought　you　would　never　come　back。　I　thought　they　had　killed　you。　I　was　only　praying　before　I　killed　myself。〃

I　took　her　hands　and　wrung　them　apart　to　rouse　her；　she　was　so　white　and　cold；　and　spoke　so　strangely。　〃God　forbid　that　I　should　die　yet　awhile；　madam！〃　I　said。　〃When　I　can　no　longer　serve　you；　then　I　shall　not　care　how　soon　I　die。〃

The　eyes　with　which　she　gazed　upon　me　were　still　wide　and　unseeing。　〃The　guns！〃　she　cried；　wresting　her　hands　from　mine　and　putting　them　to　her　ears。　〃Oh；　the　guns！　they　shake　the　air。　And　the　screams　and　the　trampling　…　the　guns　again！　〃

I　brought　her　wine　and　made　her　drink　it；　then　sat　beside　her；　and　told　her　gently；　over　and　over　again；　that　there　was　no　longer　thunder　of　the　guns　or　screams　or　trampling。　At　last　the　long；　tearless　sobs　ceased；　and　she　rose　from　her　knees；　and　let　me　lead　her　to　the　door　of　her　cabin。　There　she　thanked　me　softly；　with　downcast　eyes　and　lips　that　yet　trembled；　then　vanished　from　my　sight；　leaving　me　first　to　wonder　at　that　terror　and　emotion　in　her　who　seldom　　showed　the　thing　she　felt；　and　finally　to　conclude　that　it　was　not　so　wonderful　after　all。

We　sailed　on；　…　southwards　to　Cuba；　then　north　again　to　the　Lucayas　and　the　Florida　straits；　looking　for　Spanish　ships　and　their　gold。　The　lights　yet　burned；　…　now　brightly；　now　so　sunken　that　it　seemed　as　though　the　next　hour　they　must　flicker　out。　We；　the　players；　flagged　not　in　that　desperate　masque；　but　we　knew　that；　in　spite　of　all　endeavor；　the　darkness　was　coming　fast　upon　us。

Had　it　been　possible；　we　would　have　escaped　from　the　ship；　hazarding　new　fortunes　on　the　Spanish　Main；　in　an　open　boat；　sans　food　or　water。　But　the　pirates　watched　us　very　closely。　They　called　me　〃captain〃　and　〃Kirby；〃　and　for　the　jest's　sake　gave　an　exaggerated　obedience；　with　laughter　and　flourishes；　but　none　the　less　I　was　their　prisoner；　…　I　and　those　I　had　brought　with　me　to　that　ship。

An　islet；　shaped　like　the　crescent　moon；　rose　from　out　the　sea　before　us。　We　needed　water；　and　so　we　felt　our　way　between　the　horns　of　the　crescent　into　the　blue　crystal　of　a　fairy　harbor。　One　low　hill；　rose…colored　from　base　to　summit；　with　scarce　a　hint　of　the　green　world　below　that　canopy　of　giant　bloom；　a　little　silver　beach　with　wonderful　shells　upon　it；　the　sound　of　a　waterfall　and　a　lazy　surf；　…　we　smelt　the　fruits　and　the　flowers；　and　a　longing　for　the　land　came　upon　us。　Six　men　were　left　on　the　ship；　and　all　besides　went　ashore。　Some　rolled　the　water　casks　toward　the　sound　of　the　cascade；　others　plunged　into　the　forest；　to　return　laden　with　strange　and　luscious　fruits；　birds；　guanas；　conies；　…　whatever　eatable　thing　they　could　lay　hands　upon；　others　scattered　along　the　beach　to　find　turtle　eggs；　or；　if　fortune　favored　　them；　the　turtle　itself。　They　laughed；　they　sang；　they　swore；　until　the　isle　rang　to　their　merriment。　Like　wanton　children；　they　called　to　each　other；　to　the　screaming　birds；　to　the　echoing　bloom…draped　hill。

I　spread　a　square　of　cloth　upon　the　sand；　in　the　shadow　of　a　mighty　tree　that　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　forest；　and　the　King's　ward　took　her　seat　upon　it；　and　looked；　in　the　golden　light　of　the　sinking　sun；　the　very　spirit　of　the　isle。　By　this　we　two　were　alone　on　the　beach。　The　hunters　for　eggs；　led　by　Diccon；　were　out　upon　the　farthest　gleaming　horn；　from　the　wood　came　the　loud　laughter　of　the　fruit　gatherers；　and　a　most　rollicking　song　issuing　from　the　mighty　chest　of　Master　Jeremy　Sparrow。　With　the　woodsmen　had　gone　my　lord。

I　walked　a　little　way　into　the　forest；　and　shouted　a　warning　to　Sparrow　against　venturing　too　far。　When　I　returned　to　the　giant　tree　and　the　cloth　in　the　shadow　of　its　outer　branches；　my　wife　was　writing　on　the　sand　with　a　pointed　shell。　She　had　not　seen　or　heard　me；　and　I　stood　behind　her　and　read　what　she　wrote。　It　was　my　name。　She　wrote　it　three　times；　sl