CHAPTER XXXIII
WE EXPLORE THE ISLAND
I opened my eyes to a great beam of sun pouring in at the open doorway,whereby I judged my companion already astir. So I arose forthwith, andgoing out of the cave stood amazed to see the havoc wrought by lastnight's storm. For everywhere lay trees torn and uprooted, and indivers of the more exposed places the wind it seemed had swept themutterly away, so that the landscape here and there wore an airunfamiliar and not to be recognised. Though the wind was died away Isaw the sea yet rolling tempestuous to break in foam upon the reef andwith dreadful roar. Looking down on Deliverance Beach I beheld itswhite sands littered with piles of driftwood, and over all a cloudlessblue with the sun new-risen and very hot.
And now taking my hooks and line and a pliant bough for rod, I wentforth to angle for breakfast. Reaching the lagoon great wonder was itto behold these waters so smooth and placid while the surf foamed andthundered beyond the reef. I now baited my hooks with fat of the goatand betook me to my angling; nor had I long to wait ere I felt a jerkon my line, and tingling with the joy of it I whipped my rod sofuriously that my fish whirled glittering through the air, and flyingfrom my barbless hook lay floundering on the sands behind me; andthough of no great size yet a very good fish I thought him. And indeedI found the fish to bite readily enough and mighty dexterous to filchmy bait, and though I lost a-many yet I, becoming more expert,contrived to land five likely fish of different sizes and of marvellouscolouring.
So there sat I in the shade of a rock, mighty content and quite lost inthe joy of my sport until, chancing to lift my gaze, I beheld mycompanion upon the rocks over against me gazing away across thetroubled ocean. And beholding all the grace of her as she stood there,her shapely figure poised and outlined against the blue sky, her longhair rippling in the soft wind, I clean forgot my fish, for indeed itseemed I had not noticed the vigorous beauty of her until now. And inthis moment, as I sat staring up at her, she turned and spying me,waved her hand in cheery greeting and begins to descend these rocks,leaping sure-footed from ledge to ledge, lithe and graceful as anyfabled nymph or goddess of them all. But I, well knowing the danger ofthese rocks, watched her with breath in check and mighty anxious untilshe sprang nimbly to the sands and so came running all joyous to meetme. Hereupon I caught up my forgotten angle and found my hook empty,whereat she must needs fall a-laughing at my discomfiture.
"O Martin" says she, "what a glory of sun and sea and sky and the windso sweet! Indeed it seems as nature would make us amends for the cruelstorm, for the poor trees have suffered greatly."
"Aye, comrade," quoth I, "so is there much fruit for us to gather ereit rot, and great store of palm-nuts, which are good food and useful ina thousand ways."
"But nature is very cruel, Martin, for I have seen many birds lyingdead and over yonder a poor goat crushed by a tree."
"Why then," says I, "these will we eat also, at least, such as we may."
"Nay, Martin, your mind runneth overmuch on food, methinks."
"Mayhap!" says I. "Howbeit here are fish to our breakfast." Hereuponshe falls on her knees to behold my catch and very full of wonder.
"Indeed," says she, "meseemeth we have strayed into Paradise, for eventhe fish are beautiful. Why stare you so, Martin? Is it so wonderfulI joy in life and find it sweet in so fair a world and on such a day?Moreover I have been swimming--"
"How?" says I, "and the sea so rough!"
"I have found me a little bay where the waters run smooth and deep.But come, let us breakfast, for to-day, Martin, to-day we will exploreour island."
"Why, I had thought to try my saw to-day," says I, "I had intended tobegin a chair for you."
"Nay, let this rest awhile; Martin, to-day I yearn to adventure theunknown, who can say what marvels and wonders lie waiting us?"
"As you will!" says I, rising, and so away to the plateau. Now verysoon I had the fire a-going and while she bustled to and fro preparingbreakfast and singing very sweet and blithe to hear, I took the pistol,and having cleaned and oiled it, found it very well; then I loaded itwith one of my six bullets, using a strip from my ragged shirtsleevefor wads. This done I laid it by and, going for Adam's journal, I cuttherefrom the map of the island and fell to studying it with a view toour forthcoming journey. The which map I give herewith:
(Map of the island.)
Hearing my companion call me I went out to find breakfast ready, thefish broiled and very appetising. While we ate I showed her Adam's mapand she greatly pleased therewith and anxious to know how I came by it,all of which I told her. And she, examining this plan, grows but themore eager to be gone on this expedition.
"But, Martin," says she all at once as she studied the map, "MasterPenfeather would seem to have been forced to slay a great number ofpoor men, here be--one--two--three--O many men all dead by hishand--and each marked with a little cross."
"Aye," I nodded, "and each and every 'slain of necessity'" ...
"Which meaneth--what, Martin?"
"Murder, like as not, though 'tis all cunningly glozed in his journal."
"I would fain see this journal, Martin."
"Why, so you shall and judge thereby whether he be rogue or no, for'tis beyond me."
"But now," says she rising, "let us make ready for our journey, though'twill be no great matter, for according to this plan the island is nomore than seven miles long and some five miles wide."
"Even so," quoth I, "'twill be ill travelling by reason of woods andtangled thickets, swamps and the like, so I judge 'twill take the wholeday."
"Why then," says she, leaping up, "the sooner we start the better,Martin."
Hereupon, finding her so set on it I proceeded to equip myself for thejourney; in my belt I thrust my trusty knife and the hatchet, thesebalanced by the pistol, and over my shoulder I slung my bow and quiverof arrows and chose me a good stout sapling for staff. Soon cometh mycompanion, her slender middle girt by a goatskin girdle whereto she hadhung our other sheath-knife and my wallet; so we set out together sideby side. Reaching the little valley, we turned off to the right, orwesterly, according to Adam's map, following the stream that rippledamid great boulders or flowed 'twixt banks adorned with many-huedflowers most rare to be seen. And here were bushes of all kinds andtrees a-plenty untouched by the gale, for the little valley, being wellsecluded, it fortuned the wind had passed over it. Up rose the sunwaxing ever hotter, so that, reaching a grove of trees, I would have mycompanion rest awhile in this right pleasant shade the whiles I, withcertain great leaves, contrived a covering for her head and another formy own; which done, we fared on again and she very merry by reason ofthe strange figures we cut. Thus we presently came out of the valleyinto a pleasant champain--a rolling grassy upland with dim woodsbeyond, even as Adam had set forth in his map. Wherefore, guided bythis map, we struck off north and so in a while came again to the riverand heard the roar of the waterfall away to our left; and turningthither (I being minded to show her this wonder) we saw before us ahigh land, well girt by bush and fern and flowering shrubs, up which wescrambled forthwith, the roar of the fall waxing louder as we climbed.Reaching the summit we saw it had once been covered by noble trees,some few of which the storm had left standing yet, but for the mostpart they lay wind-tossed in wild and tangled confusion.
"O Martin!" says my companion, "O Martin!" and so stood awed by thedestruction wrought by this mighty and pitiless tempest. Here wasill-going, but by dint of labour with my hatchet I forced us a waythrough the wreckage until we suddenly came where we might behold thefall that leapt from the adjacent rocks, all rainbow-hued, to plungeinto those deep and troubled waters below.
And now instead of bursting forth into cries of delighted wonder, as Ihad expected, my companion stood mute and still, her handstight-clasped, viewing now the splendour of these falling waters, nowthe foam-sprent deeps below, like one quite dumbfounded. At last:
"O Martin," says she in my ear, for the noise of the fall was veryloud, "here is wonder o
n wonder!"
"As how, comrade?"
"This great body of water for all its weight yet disturbeth yonderblack depths very little--and how should this chance except this darklake be immeasurably deep?"
"Aye, true!" says I. "Here belike was a volcano once and this thecrater."
Hard by, a great rock jutted out above the lake, that same barren rockwherein I had sat the day I discovered this cataract; now as I viewedthis rock I was struck by its grotesque shape and then, all at once, Isaw it was hatefully like to a shrivelled head--there were thefleshless jaws, the shrunken nose and great, hollow eye-socket. Andnow even as I stared at the thing my companion spied it also, for Ifelt her hand on my arm and saw her stand to view it wide-eyed. So we,speaking no word, stared upon this shape, and ever as we stared thenameless evil of it seemed to grow, insomuch that we turned with oneaccord and hasted away.
"Yonder was an ill sight, Martin."
"Indeed!" says I. "'Twas like the face of one long dead! And yet 'tisno more than a volcanic rock! Nature playeth strange tricks sometimes,and here was one vastly strange and most unlovely!" After this we wenton side by side and never a word betwixt us until we had reached thatpleasant champain country where flowed the river shaded by goodlytrees, in whose branches fluttered birds of a plumage marvellouslycoloured and diverse, and beneath which bloomed flowers as vivid;insomuch that my lady brake forth ever and anon into little soft criesof delighted wonder. And yet despite all these marvels it was long erewe shook off the evil of that ghastly rock.
Presently as we journeyed came a wind sweet and fresh from the sea,offsetting the sun's immoderate heat to our great comfort, so that,though ofttimes our way was toilsome, our spirits rose notwithstanding,and we laughed and talked unfeignedly as only good comrades may.
By noon we had reached a place of rocks where, according to Adam's mapshould be a ford, though hereabouts the stream, swollen by the laterains, ran deep. Howbeit we presently came upon the ford sure enoughand, having crossed it, my lady must needs fall to admiring at her newshoes again, finding them water-fast.
"And they so comfortable and easy to go in, Martin!"
"Why, you have footed it bravely thus far!" says I, "But--"
"But?" says she, "And what then? You shall find me no laggard thesedays, Martin. Indeed I could run fast as you for all your long legs,sir."
So she challenges me to race her forthwith, whereupon (and despite thesun) we started off side by side and she so fleet that I might scarcekeep pace with her; thus we ran until at last we stopped all flushedand breathless and laughing for the pure joy of it.
Presently in our going we came on a little dell, very shady andpleasantly secluded, where flowers bloomed and great clusters of wildgrapes hung ripe for the plucking; and mighty pleasant methought it tobehold my companion's pleased wonderment. Here we sat to rest andfound these grapes very sweet and refreshing.
Much might I tell of the marvels of this island, of fruit and bird andbeast, of the great butterflies that wheeled and hovered resplendent,and of the many and divers wonders that beset us at every turn; butlest my narrative grow to immoderate length (of the which I do alreadybegin to entertain some doubt) I will pass these with this mere mentionand hurry on to say that we tramped blithely on until, the sundeclining westwards, warned us to be turning back; but close before usrose that high hill whose summit towered above the island, and mycompanion mighty determined that she must climb it.
"For, Martin," says she, scornful of all weariness, "once up there wemay behold all our domain spread out before us!"
So having skirted the woods and avoided tangled thickets as well as wemight, we began the ascent, which we found to be no great matter afterall. And now I bethought me how Adam had sped hotfoot up hereabouts ona time and with Tressady's glittering hook ringing loud on the rocksbehind him. More than once as we climbed we came on flocks of goatsthat scampered off at sight of us; here, too, I remarked divers greatbirds and determined to try a shot at one if chance should offer. Asto my companion, I had all I could do to keep up with her until,flushed and breathless, she turned to view me all radiant-eyed where westood panting upon the summit. And now beholding the prospect below,she uttered a soft, inarticulate cry, and sinking down upon the sward,pushed the damp curls from her brow the better to survey the sceneoutstretched before us.
A rolling, wooded country of broad savannahs, of stately groves andmazy boskages, of dim woods and flashing streams; a blended harmony ofgreens be-splashed, here and there, with blossoming thickets orflowering trees, the whole shut in by towering, tree-girt cliffs andbounded by a limitless ocean, blue as any sapphire.
Viewing the island from this eminence I could see that Adam's map wastrue in all essentials as to shape and general trend of the country,and sitting beside my lady I fell to viewing the island more narrowly,especially this eminent place; and looking about me I called to mindhow Adam (according to his story) had waged desperate fight withTressady hereabouts--indeed I thought to recognise the very spotitself, viz., a narrow ledge of rock with, far below, a sea that randeeply blue to break in foam against the base of these precipitouscliffs. Away over hill and dale I saw that greeny cliff with itssilver thread of falling water that marked our refuge, and beyond thisagain, on my right hand, the white spume of the breakers on the reef.And beholding the beauties thus spread out before my eyes, and knowingmyself undisputed lord of it all, there grew within me a sense of joyunknown hitherto.
At last, moved by a sudden thought, I turned from the beauties of thisour island to study the beauty of her who sat beside me; the proudcarriage of her shapely head 'neath its silky masses of hair, the levelbrows, the calm, deep serenity of her blue eyes, the delicate nose,full red lips and dimpled chin, the soft round column of her throat,deep bosom and slender waist--thus sat I staring upon her lovelinessheedless of all else until she stirred uneasily, as if conscious of myregard, and looked at me. Then I saw that her eyes were serene nolonger, whiles all at once throat and cheeks and brow were suffusedwith slow and painful colour, yet even as I gazed on her she met mylook unflinching.
"What is it, Martin?" she questioned, a little breathless still.
"Suppose," says I slowly, "suppose we are never taken hence--suppose weare destined to end our days here?"
"Surely this is--an ill thought, Martin?"
"Indeed and is it, my lady? Can the world offer a home more fair?"
"Surely not, Martin."
"Then wherein lieth the ill--Damaris? Is it that you do yearn somightily for England?"
"There lieth my home, Martin!"
"Is home then so dear to you?" Here, finding no answer, she grewtroubled. "Or is it," says I, bending my staff across my knee andbeginning to frown, "or is it that there waits some man yonder that youlove?"
"No, Martin, have I not told you--"
"Why then," says I, "is it that you grow a-weary of my unlovely waysand would be quit of me?"
"No, Martin--only--only--" Here she fell silent and I saw her flushagain.
"Or is it that you fear I might grow to love you--in time?"
"To--love me!" says she, very softly, and now I saw her red lips dimpleto a smile as she stooped to cull a flower blooming hard by. "Nay!"says she lightly, "Here were a wonder beyond thought, Martin!"
"And wherefore should this be so great wonder?" I demanded.
"Because I am Joan Brandon and you are a man vowed and sworn tovengeance, Martin."
"Vengeance?" says I and, with the word, the staff snapped in my hands.
"Is it not so, Martin?" she questioned, wistfully. "Given freedom fromthis island would you not go seeking your enemy's life? Dream you notof vengeance still?"
"Aye, true," says I, "true! How should it be otherwise? Come, let usbegone!" And casting away my broken staff, I got to my feet. But she,sitting there, lifted her head to view me with look mighty strange.
"Poor Martin!" says she softly. "Poor Martin!"
Then she arose, albeit slow and we
arily, and we went down the hilltogether. Now as we went thus, I in black humour (and never a word) Iespied one of those great birds I have mentioned within easy range, andwhipping off my bow I strung it, and setting arrow on cord let fly andbrought down my quarry (as luck would have it) and running forward hadvery soon despatched it.
"Why must you kill the poor thing, Martin?"
"For supper."
"Supper waiteth us at home."
"Home?" says I.
"The cave, Martin."
"We shall not reach there this night. 'Twill be dark in another hourand there is no moon, so needs must we bide here."
"As you will, Martin."
Hard beside the river that wound a devious course through the green wasa little grove, and sitting here I fell to plucking the bird.
"Shall I not do that, Martin?"
"I can do it well enough."
"As you wish, Martin."
"You are weary, doubtless."
"Why, 'tis no great labour to cook supper, Martin."
"Howbeit, I'll try my hand to-night."
"Very well," says she and away she goes to collect sticks for the firewhiles I sat feathering the bird and found the flesh of it very whiteand delicate. But all the while my anger swelled within me for thefolly I had uttered to her, in a moment of impulse, concerning love.Thus as she knelt to build the fire I spoke my thought.
"I said a vain and foolish thing to you a while since."
"Aye, Martin you did!" says she, bending over her pile of sticks. "Butwhich do you mean?"
"I mean that folly regarding love."
"O, was that folly, Martin?" she questioned, busy laying the sticks inplace.
"Arrant folly, for I could never love you--or any woman--"
"O, why not, Martin?"
"Because I have no gift for't--no leaning that way--nor ever shall--"
"Why indeed, you are no ordinary man, Martin. Shall I light the fire?"
"No, I will."
"Yes, Martin!" And down she sits with folded hands, watching me mightysolemn and demure and I very conscious of her scrutiny. Having pluckedand drawn my bird, I fell to trimming it with my knife, yet all thetime feeling her gaze upon me, so that what with this and my anger Ipricked my thumb and cursed beneath my breath, whereupon she arose andleft me.
Having thus prepared my bird for cooking I set it upon two sticks and,lighting the fire, sat down to watch it. But scarce had I done so whenback comes my lady.
"Martin," says she, "should you not truss your bird first, Martin?"
"'Twill do as it is."
"Very well, Martin. But why are you so short with me?"
"I am surly by nature!" quoth I.
"Aye, true!" she nodded, "But why are you angry with me this time?"
"I ha' forgot."
"You were merry enough this noon and laughed gaily, and once you fella-whistling--"
"The more fool I!"
"Why then, methinks I do like your folly--sometimes!" says she softly."But now see this river, Martin, 'tis called the Serpent Water in themap, and indeed it winds and twists like any snake. But where should somuch water come from, think you? Let us go look!"
"Nay, not I--here's the bird to tend--"
"Why then," says she, stamping her foot at me in sudden anger, "staywhere you are until you find your temper! And may your bird burn to acinder!" And away she goes forthwith and I staring after her like anyfool until she was out of sight. So there sat I beside the fire andgiving all due heed to my cooking; but in a while I fell to deepreflection and became so lost in my thoughts that, roused by a smell ofburning, I started up to find my bird woefully singed.
This put me in fine rage so that I was minded to cast the carcass intothe fire and have done with it; and my anger grew as the time passedand my companion came not. The sun sank rapidly, and the bird I judgedwell-nigh done; wherefore I began to shout and halloo, bidding her tosupper. But the shadows deepening and getting no answer to myoutcries, I started up, clean forgetting my cookery, and hasted off insearch of my companion, calling her name now and then as I went.Following the stream I found it to narrow suddenly (and it running veryfurious and deep) perceiving which I began to fear lest some mischancehad befallen my wilful lady. Presently as I hurried on, casting myeyes here and there in search of her, I heard, above the rush of thewater, a strange and intermittent roaring, the which I could makenothing of, until, at last, forcing my way through the underbrush I sawbefore me a column of water that spouted up into the air from a fissureat the base of the hill, and this waterspout was about the bigness of afair-sized tree and gushed up some twenty feet or so, now sinking tohalf this height, only to rise again. Scarce pausing to behold thiswonder I would have hasted on (and roaring louder than the water) whenI beheld her seated close by upon a rock and watching me, chin in hand.
"Why must you shout so loud?" says she reprovingly.
"I feared you lost!" says I, like any fool.
"Would it matter so much? And you so angry with me and no reason?"
"Howbeit, supper is ready!"
"I am not hungry, I thank you, sir."
"But I am!"
"Then go eat!"
"Not alone!" says I; and then very humbly, "Prithee, comrade, come tosupper, indeed you should be hungry!"
"And indeed, Martin," says she, rising and giving me her hand, "I dothink I am vastly hungry after all." So back we went together and,reaching the fire, found the accursed bird burned black as any coal,whereupon I stood mighty downcast and abashed the while she laughed andlaughed until she needs must lean against a tree; and I, seeing herthus merry at my expense, presently laughed also. Hereupon she fallson her knees, and taking the thing from the fire sets it upon a greatleaf for dish, and turns it this way and that.
"Good lack, Martin!" says she, "'Tis burned as black e'en as I wished!This cometh of your usurpation of my duties, sir! And yet methinks'tis not utterly spoiled!" And drawing her knife she scrapes and trimsit, cutting away the burned parts until there little enough remained,but that mighty delectable judging by the smell of it.
So down we sat to supper forthwith and mighty amicable, nay indeedmethought her kinder than ordinary and our friendship only thestronger, which did comfort me mightily.
But our supper done we spake little, for night was come upon us verystill and dark save for a glitter of stars, by whose unearthly lightall things took on strange shapes, and our solitude seemed but the moreprofound and awesome.
Above us a purple sky be-gemmed by a myriad stars, a countless hostwhose distant splendour throbbed upon the night; round about us a gloomof woods and thickets that hemmed us in like a dark and sombre tide,whence stole a sweet air fraught with spicy odours; and over all a deepand brooding quietude. But little by little upon this silence creptsounds near and far, leafy rustlings, a stirring in the undergrowth,the whimper of some animal, the croak of a bird, and the faint,never-ceasing murmur of the surge.
And I, gazing thus upon this measureless immensity, felt myself humbledthereby, and with this came a knowledge of the futility of my lifehitherto. And now (as often she had done, ere this) my companionvoiced the thought I had no words for.
"Martin," says she, softly, "what pitiful things are we, lost thus inGod's infinity."
"And doth it affright you, Damaris?"
"No, Martin, for God is all-merciful. Yet I needs must think how vainour little strivings, our hopes and fears, how small our joys andsorrows!"
"Aye, truly, truly!" quoth I.
"But," says she, leaning towards me in the firelight and with her gazeuplifted to the starry heavens, "He who made the heavens is a mercifulGod, 'who hath made great lights ... the moon and the stars to governthe night.' So, Martin, 'let us give thanks unto the Lord for He isgood, for His mercy endureth forever; and in this knowledge methinks wemay surely rest secure."
After this we fell silent again, I for one being very full oftroublesome thought and perplexity, and the sum of it this, viz.,whether a woma
n, cast alone on a desolate island with a man such as I,had need to fear him? To the which question answer found I none.Wherefore I got me another speculation, to wit: Whether a man andwoman thus solitary must needs go a-falling in love with one another?Finding no answer to this either, I turned, half-minded to put thequestion to my companion, and found her fast asleep.
She lay deep-slumbering in the light of the fire, her face half-hid'neath a tress of shining hair; and I viewing her, chin in fist, saw inher only the last of her hated race and knew in that moment that nevermight there be aught of true love, that pure passion, high andennobling, the which may lift man above his baser self--never mightthis be 'twixt her blood and mine. And knowing this I knew also greatdoubt and fear of myself. And in my fear I lifted my gaze to thestars, those "great lights" set there by the hand of God; and spakethus within myself:
"Lord God," quoth I, "Since love is not nor ever shall be 'twixt thismy companion and me, do Thou protect her from the devil within me, doThou aid me to keep the oath I sware in Thy name."
But now (and my prayer scarce uttered) the Devil sprang and was uponme, and I, forgetting all my oaths and resolutions, yielded me joyouslyto his will; stirring in her slumbers my lady sighed, turned and,throwing her arm out it chanced that her hand came upon my knee andrested there, and I, shivering at her touch, seized this hand andcaught it to my lips and began to kiss these helpless fingers and theround, soft arm above. I felt her start, heard her breath catch in asob, but, in my madness I swept her to my embrace. Then as I stoopedshe held me off striving fiercely against me; all at once her strugglesceased and I heard her breath come in a long, tremulous sigh.
"Martin!" says she, "O thank God 'tis you! I dreamed these BlackBartlemy's cruel arms about me and I was sick with fear andhorror--thank God 'tis you, dear Martin, and I safe from all harmssoever. So hold me an you will, Martin, you that have saved me from somuch and will do till the end."
"Aye, by God!" says I, bending my head above her that she might not seemy face, "And so I will, faithfully, truly, until the very end!"
"Do I not know it--O do I not know it!" says she in choking voice, andhere, lying beside me, she must take my hand and hold it to her softcheek. "Indeed I do think there is no man like you in the whole world."
At this, knowing myself so unworthy, I thought no man in the world somiserable as I, as I would have told her but dared not.
"God make me worthy of your trust!" says I at last.
"'Tis a good prayer, Martin. Now hear mine, 'tis one I have prayedfull oft--God make you strong enough to forgive past wrongs and,forgetting vengeance, to love your enemy."
"'Tis thing impossible!" says I.
"Yet the impossible shall come to pass soon or late, Martin, this am Isure."
"And why so sure?"
"My heart telleth me so!" says she drowsily, and looking down I saw hereyes were closed and she on the verge of slumber. And beholding herthus, my self-hate grew, insomuch that her fingers loosing their hold,I stole away my hand and, seeing her asleep, crept from the place.Being come to the stream I stood awhile staring down at the hurryingwaters, minded to cast myself therein; but presently I turned aside,and coming amid leafy gloom lay there outstretched, my face hidden fromthe stars and I very full of bitterness, for it seemed that I was asgreat a rogue and well-nigh as vile as ever Bartlemy had been. Andthus merciful sleep found me at last.