CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
LIEUTENANT PORPOISE'S STORY--THE BLACK SLAVER--THE SPANISH MAIDEN--THEDESERTER'S DREAM--THE FLIGHT.
THE BRITISH CRUISER.
"Keep a bright look-out, Collins, and let me be called if any thing likea sail appears in sight," said Captain Staunton, as he was quitting thequarter-deck of His Majesty's brig "Sylph," which he had the honour tocommand. She was then stationed on the coast of Africa. Some yearshave passed by, it must be remembered, since the time to which I nowallude.
"Ay, ay, sir," answered the first lieutenant, who was the officeraddressed. "With so many sharp eyes on board it shall be hard if wemiss seeing him, should he venture to approach the coast, and if we seehim, harder still if he escape us."
Captain Staunton descended to his cabin, and feverish and ill from longwatching and the effects of the pestiferous climate, he threw himselfinto his cot, and endeavoured to snatch a few hours' repose, to betterprepare himself for the fresh exertions he expected to be called on tomake. But sleep, which kindly so seldom neglects to visit the seaman'seyelids, when wooed even amid the raging tempest, refused for some timeto come at his call.
"I would sacrifice many a year's pay to catch that fellow," hecontinued, as he soliloquised half aloud. "The monstrous villain! whilehe lives I feel that the stain yet remains on the cloth he oncedisgraced. We will yet show him that the honour of the service cannotbe insulted with impunity, although he dares our vengeance by venturingamong us when he knows every vessel on the station is on the watch forhim. And yet I once regarded that man as a friend; I loved him almostas a brother, for I thought his heart beat with the most noblesentiments. I thought him capable of the like deeds; but all the timehe must have been a most accomplished hypocrite, though still he has onegood quality, he is brave, or perhaps, it may be, he possesses ratherphysical insensibility to danger and utter recklessness of allconsequences. He started fairly in life, and at one time gave goodpromise of rising in his profession. I knew him to be wild andirreligious; but I fancied his faults arose from thoughtlessness andhigh spirit, and I hoped that experience of their ill effects and a goodexample would cure them; but I now see that vice, from an ill-regulatededucation, was deeply rooted in him, and, alas! has that good examplewhich might have saved him always been set him? I fear not. Ah! ifthose in command could foresee the dreadful results of their own acts,of their careless expressions, they would keep a better watch overthemselves, and often shudder with horror at the crime and misery theyhave caused."
With a prayer to Heaven to enable him to avoid the faults of which hefelt with pain that he had himself too often been guilty, the commanderof the brig fell asleep.
The officer of the watch, meantime, continued his walk on thequarter-deck, his thoughts taking a turn very similar to those of hischief, for they had often together discussed the subject, and the sametrain of ideas were naturally suggested by the same circumstance, as healso had known the person of whom the captain was thinking.
The "Sylph" was at this time some miles off the African coast, which,although not seen from the deck, was faintly distinguishable from themasthead; it appeared like a long blue line drawn on the ocean with aslight haze hanging over it, scarcely to be perceived by unpractisedeyes. The part visible was about the mouth of the Pongos River, awell-known slave depot, the favourite resort of the Spanish SouthAmerican slavers.
The surface of the ocean was smooth, although occasionally ruffled by alight breeze, which, coming from seaward, served to cool the brows ofthe crew, and restore some vigour to their exhausted limbs; yet therewas the usual swell, which seldom leaves the bosom of the Atlantic toperfect tranquillity. It came in from the west, slowly and silently,making the vessel roll from side to side like a drunken man. Though shewas not, it must be understood, at anchor, she had not a stitch ofcanvas spread which would have contributed, had there been any wind, tosteady her. All her sails were closely furled, but her studding-sailbooms were at their yard-arms, their gear was rove, and thestudding-sails themselves were on deck, ready to set in a moment. Theboats, too, were clear to hoist out in an instant, and there, was everysign on deck that the now apparently listless crew would, at first soundof the boatswain's whistle, spring into life and activity, and that thenow bare tracery of spars and rigging would, the second after, becovered with a broad sheet of snowy canvas.
The "Sylph" had been about a year on the coast. When she left England,her officers and crew were a particularly fine, healthy set of men, andthe whole of them could scarcely, in the course of their lives, havemustered a month's illness among them. Since they came to their presentstation, the second lieutenant and second master had died, as had twomidshipmen and thirteen of the crew, and nearly all the remainder had,more or less, suffered, few retaining any traces of their former ruddyand healthy appearance.
They had, however, to be sure, before being well acclimated, or havinglearned the necessary precautions to take against illness, been exposedto a good deal of hard service in boats up the rivers, where were sownthe seeds of the disease which afterwards proved so fatal among them.Fresh officers and men had been appointed to fill the places of thosewho had died, and the brig was now again the same model of disciplineand beauty which she had before been. When Captain Staunton joined thebrig, he is reported to have called the men aft, and to have made them aspeech much to this effect:--
"Now, my men, that you may not have any long discussions as to thecharacter of your new commander, I wish to let you clearly understandthat I never overlook drunkenness, or any other crime whatever, eitherin my officers or men. I shall not say whether I like flogging or not,but while it is awarded by the articles of war, I shall inflict it.Remember, however, I would much rather reward than punish. The men whodo their duty well and cheerfully, I will advance as far as I have thepower. I wish this to be a happy ship, and it will be your own faultsif you do not make it so. Now pipe down."
The men agreed, as they sat in knots together after they had knocked offwork for the day, that they liked the cut of their new skipper's jib,and that his speech, though short, was good, and had no rigmarole in it.
He afterwards invited his officers to dine with him, and in the courseof conversation impressed on their minds that he considered grosslanguage and swearing not only ungentlemanly, but wicked, and that hewas certain the men did not obey at all the more readily for having itapplied to them; that the men would follow the example they set them;that their influence depended on their doing their duty, and that ifthey did it the men would do theirs. "Drunkenness," he observed, "is bysome considered a very venial offence, but as the lives of all on board,as the discipline of the ship depends on the judgment of those incommand, however much I shall regret the necessity, I shall break anyofficer who is guilty of it." As Captain Staunton himself practisedwhat he preached, and set an example of all the high qualities whichadorn his noble profession, the necessity he would have deplored neveroccurred; punishment was very rare, and the "Sylph" _was_ a happy ship.
Having made this digression, we will return to the time when the "Sylph"lay on the waste of waters, rolling her polished sides in the shiningocean, while the drops of spray which they threw off sparkled likediamonds in the rays of the burning sun. Had it not been for the lightbreeze we spoke of, the heat would have been intolerable on deck, forthere was not the usual shade from the sails to shelter the seamen fromthe fury of the burning orb; but all were far too eager for theappearance of a vessel they were looking for to think of theinconvenience.
Three days before, an English homeward-bound merchantman had spokenthem, and brought them the information that a large slaver was everymoment expected in the river; a very fast-sailing schooner, which hadalready once before escaped them by the daring and good seamanship ofher commander, who was supposed to be an Englishman. Thus much the crewknew, and they added their own comments, believing him to be a charactersimilar to the famed Vanderdecken, or, at all events, in league with theprince of terror, Davy Jones.
They had already been two days thus watching, after having ascertained,by sending the boats up the river, that the slaver was not there.Captain Staunton, knowing the man with whom he had to deal, was awarethat his only chance of capturing him was by extreme caution. He hadtherefore furled all the sails of the brig in the way we have described,that she might not be discovered by the slaver till the fellow had gotclose up to her, and he then hoped to be able, without a long chase, tobring her to action. Each night, as soon as it grew dusk, the "Sylph"made sail and stood in-shore, in order better to watch the coast, andbefore daylight she was again at her former post. It has been assertedthat the African cruisers have allowed the slavers to get into port, andhave not attempted to capture them till they have got their slaves onboard, in order either to gain the head-money, or to make more sure oftheir condemnation; but if this was ever done, Captain Staunton was notthe person to do so; he knew, moreover, that the man who commanded theslaver he was in search of would not yield her up without a struggle,and, for the sake of saving many lives which must otherwise inevitablybe sacrificed, he was anxious to bring her to action before she got herslaves on board. The officer of the watch continued pacing the deckwith his spy-glass under his arm, every now and then hailing themasthead to keep the lookouts on the alert, but the same answer was eachtime given.
"Nothing in sight, sir."
Thus the day wore on. Towards the evening the breeze, which had sincethe morning been sluggish, increased considerably; but as the currentwhich is to be found in nearly every part of the ocean set in anopposite direction to it, the brig did not materially alter herposition. A fresh hand had just relieved the look-out at the mastheadat eight bells in the afternoon watch. His eyes, from not beingfatigued, were sharper than his predecessor's, and he had scarcelyglanced round the horizon, when he hailed the deck with words whichroused everybody up--
"A sail in sight!"
"Where away?" asked the officer of the watch. The brig's head was nowtending on shore.
"Right over the starboard quarter, sir," was the answer.
"Call the captain, Mr Wildgrave," said the second lieutenant, who hadcharge of the deck, to the midshipman of the watch.
"Which way is she standing?" asked the officer.
"Directly down for us, sir," was the answer.
In five seconds the captain himself was on deck, and the remainder ofthe officers soon after appeared. The first lieutenant went aloft withhis glass, and on his return pronounced the stranger to be a largesquare-rigged vessel, but whether a man-of-war, a slaver, or an honesttrader, it was difficult to say, though he was inclined to suppose herbelonging to either of the two former classes, from the broad spread ofcanvas she showed. On she came towards them, probably ignorant of theirvicinity, as, stripped as they were, they would not be perceived by hertill long after she was seen by them.
"What do you now make her out to be, Mr Collins?" inquired thecommander of the first lieutenant, who had again returned, after asecond trip to the masthead.
"A large schooner, at all events, sir; and if I mistake not, she is the`Espanto.'"
"Pipe all hands on deck, then, for we shall soon be discovered, and mustmake sail in chase."
The men were in a moment at their stations, and in silence waited theorders of their commander. Still the stranger came on, her sails slowlyrising, as it were, from out of the ocean. She was now clearly seenfrom the deck of the "Sylph." Apparently there was a very bad lookoutkept on board her, or else she was not the vessel they supposed, asotherwise the British cruiser must before this have been perceived byher.
Captain Staunton and his officers stood watching her with almostbreathless anxiety, with their glasses constantly at their eyes, readyto observe the first indication of any alteration in her course. Nearerand nearer she approached, with studding-sails alow and aloft, on eitherside. Suddenly they were observed to be taken in, and the vessel'scourse was altered to the southward.
"Aloft there, and make sail!" shouted the commander, in a quick tone.The men, with alacrity, sprang up the rigging; the sails were let fall,the tacks were sheeted home, and in a minute the "Sylph," under a spreadof canvas, was standing on a bowline in chase of the stranger.
THE SPANISH MAIDEN.
We must now shift our scene to a different part of the world, and to aperiod much antecedent to that of which we have hitherto been speaking.The spot to which we allude is on the eastern coast of South America, inthe northern part of that vast territory colonised by the inhabitants ofSpain. There is a beautiful bay, or rather gulf, surrounded by loftyand picturesque cliffs, with deep ravines running up between them andseveral _haciendas_, or large farm-houses, on the surrounding ground,generally picturesquely situated, with a view of the sea in thedistance. Several vessels lay at anchor, proudly pre-eminent amongwhich was a frigate, from whose peak the ensign of Great Britain floatedin the breeze.
Some way inland was a mansion of considerable size, though only onestory, surrounded with deep verandas--the style of architecture generalin the country. It stood at the head of a ravine, towards which thewindows of its principal rooms opened, so that the inhabitants enjoyed afine view of cliffs and rocks, and trees of every form and hue, betweenwhich a sparkling torrent found its way to the ocean, which was seenbeyond the shipping in the harbour. In a room within the house, abeautiful girl was seated close to the window, but she looked not on thescene without. Her eyes were turned downwards, for at her feet knelt ayouth; his glance met hers; and there was a wildness in his look, anexpression of pain on his brow, which seemed to demand her pity. He wasdressed in the British uniform, the single epaulet on his shoulderbetokening that he held the rank of lieutenant; but his complexion wasswarthy in the extreme, and his tongue spoke with facility the languageof Spain.
"Hear me, beloved one!" he exclaimed, passionately pressing her hand tohis lips. "My ship sails hence in a few days, but I cannot tear myselffrom you. For your sake I will quit my profession, my country, and thething men call honour, and will run the risk of death, if I amretaken,--all--all for your sake. Do you love me, dearest one?"
The girl smiled faintly, and her eyes filled with tears. He againpressed her hand to his lips.
"Yes, yes; I feel that I am blessed, indeed," he continued in the sametone. "But you must conceal me, beloved one. My life is in your hands.There will be a strict search made for me in every direction when I ammissed. You will hear vile tales invented to induce those who might besheltering me to give me up, but believe them not. Will you promise tobe my preserver, my guardian angel, my idol, and I will live but to showmy gratitude?"
Where is the woman's heart which could resist such an appeal? Themaiden's doubts and hesitations were gradually disappearing.
"But we have seen little of each other, senor. Your love for a poorgirl like me cannot be so strong as for my sake to make you give up allmen hold most dear. The sacrifice is surely not worth the price. I donot even know your name."
"Call me Juan, then," he answered. "But if my fiery, ardent love meetsno return, I will quit you; though, perchance, to suffer death. Onboard yonder accursed ship I cannot live. I am hated there; and hate inreturn."
"Oh, no, senor! I will not expose you to such danger," answered themaiden. "I have heard sad stories of that ship. Even yesterday, it issaid, one of the officers murdered another, and that the murderer hasfled into the country."
The young man started and turned pale, but instantly recovering himself,he looked up affectionately into her countenance.
"But do you believe the tale?" he asked.
"I cannot but believe, senor," she answered; "one of our slaves saw themurdered man on the beach where he fell, and the dagger sticking in hisbosom."
"But how can you suppose from that circumstance that an Englishman didthe deed."
"Because the dagger was such as the young officers wear," answered thegirl; "and they were seen walking together."
"Know you the name, then, of the supposed murderer
?" he asked.
"I could not pronounce it if I did," she said.
"It matters not--but believe not the tale--at all events, you would notbelieve me guilty of such a deed?"
"Oh, heavens, certainly not!" she replied, casting a glance which toldplainly the secret of her heart.
He saw that the victory was gained, and clasping her to his bosom, heurged her to form a plan for his concealment.
"No one saw me approach the house," he observed, "so you will not besuspected; yet hasten, for should I now be observed, our difficultieswould be increased."
Where woman's wit is sharpened by love, she finds no difficulties inserving him she loves. In a short time the stranger was concealedwithin the roof of the mansion, where she might, without excitingsuspicion, constantly communicate with him.
Juanetta, having thus obeyed the impulse of her heart, returned to herseat near the window to meditate on the act she had performed, and theresponsible office she had undertaken.
"Yet who is the stranger to whom I have given my heart?" she thought;"he loves me, surely, or he would not tell me so; and I love him--he isso handsome, so eloquent--he narrates adventures so surprising--he hasdone such daring deeds. It is strange, too, that he should seek toleave the ship, and that another officer should have committed amurder--oh, horrible! what fierce, bad men those on board must be,except my Juan!"
Poor girl! she was young, loving, and ignorant of the wickedness in theworld, or she would have suspected even him. Her meditations wereinterrupted by the appearance of her father, accompanied by the alcalde,and two officers in British uniforms. They were conversing earnestly asthey passed the widow, and they thus did not observe her.
"There can be no doubt of it, senor," observed the alcalde to one of theEnglish officers: "the murder must have been committed by him--hisflight proves it."
"Where can he have concealed himself?" said the officer. "I would givea high reward to whoever discovers him, for such a crime must not gounpunished."
"He must still be wandering about near the coast, for without a horse--and I cannot learn that any person has supplied him with one--he cannothave escaped into the interior. The scouts also I sent out bring nointelligence of him."
On hearing these words Juanetta turned pale, for dreadful suspicionscrossed her mind; but she had vowed to protect the stranger, and shefelt the necessity of appearing calm. She had scarcely time to composeherself before her father and his guests entered the apartment.Refreshments were ordered, and as she was obliged to busy herself inperforming the duties of a hostess, her agitation was not observed.During the repast she listened eagerly to gain further information, butwhat she heard only served to increase her doubts and fears. At lengthher father, telling her that he would soon return, took his departurewith his guests.
Unhappy Juanetta! she dared not believe what yet her reason told her wastoo true. Left alone, she burst into tears. They afforded some reliefto her aching heart, and when calmness had again returned, she hastenedto the place where she had concealed her dangerous guest. As she went,she resolved to tell him that she would see him no more, yet to assurehim that her promise given, he was safe while under her father's roof.She thought she would confess all that had passed to her father, andtrusting to his generosity, entreat him to aid her in favouring theescape of the suspected criminal.
Fortunate for her had she been firm in her resolve. Alas! that passionshould too often triumph over the dictates of reason! yet who can fathomthe deep well of a woman's heart? Surely not she herself, while itremains free from the rubbish, the wickedness, the knowledge of theworld, those things which choke it up and foul its pure waters. Juanlay sleeping on the hard floor, yet so lightly, that he started themoment she slowly raised the trap-door which opened into the chamber,and grasping a pistol on which his hand had rested, he sprang to hisfeet. When he saw who was his visitor, his glance became less fierce,but still he did not quit his hold of his weapon. He was about tospeak, but she, placing her finger to her mouth, signified to him to besilent till she had carefully closed the place of ingress.
"I have come, senor, to bid you prepare for instant flight." She spokein a low tone, and her voice faltered. "You cannot remain here insafety, for I have heard dreadful stories, and I feel sure you will besought for here. They cannot be true; I know they cannot; but yet Iwish they had not been spoken."
"Should all the world desert me, my Juanetta will still believe metrue," exclaimed the young man as he approached her and knelt at herfeet. "Do not credit those tales, dearest; they are told by my foes andtyrants to destroy me; but my vengeance will yet alight on their heads.Yet what care I what they they say or do while you, sweet angel, are myprotector?"
He took the maiden's hand, and she did not withdraw it. He pressed herhand to his lips, and his imploring glance met her eyes, alreadysuffused with tears. She smiled, for she could not believe him false;that youth with his gallant air and bold look; crime cannot be aninhabitant of a figure so noble, she thought.
An arch-traitor was within the garrison, and the deceiver was victoriousover the simple maiden. She dared not remain long in his company, lesther absence might betray her guest. To one person alone did she confideher secret, a black slave who had attended her from a child, and lovedher faithfully. Her word was his law, and Mauro promised that no harmshould befall the stranger. His own conceptions of right and wrong werenot very clear, nor did he make very minute inquiries as to the truth ofthe story his mistress told him. He believed that the Englishman hadbeen ill-treated, and had avenged himself, and he was acute enough todiscover that his young mistress loved the handsome stranger. Hetherefore considered it his duty to please her to the utmost of hispower.
THE DESERTER'S DREAM.
Left again alone, Juan's weary limbs sank once more beneath the power ofsleep; but though the frame was still, the mind refused to be at rest.He dreamed that he was again a boy, young, innocent, and happy; but yetall the time a consciousness of the bitter truth mocked the vainillusion, like some dark phantom hovering over him; he felt and knewthat the dream was false, still it seemed vivid and clear like thereality.
He thought that he lay at the feet of his fond and gentle mother, whilehis proud father smiled at his youthful gambols. It was in a princelyhall, decked with all the luxury wealth can supply; other children werethere, but he was the eldest and best beloved, the inheritor of almostboundless riches--of title and power. He had early learned his ownimportance; foolish nurses had not been slow to give him the banefullesson; and while his parents believed him to be all their hearts couldwish, the noxious seeds were already taking root. Years rolled on; hehad gained knowledge at school, and beneath the care of his tutor, but,as regards self-government or religious feelings, he was still lesseducated than the poorest peasant on his father's broad domains. Atlast the truth had burst on his father's mind. His son was passionate,headstrong, self-willed, and, worse, deceitful. Every means ofreclaiming him had been tried in vain, and he had determined to send himto sea under a strict captain, who promised to curb, if not to break,his spirit, if severity could influence him.
Young Hernan stood before his father, while his mother sat overpoweredwith grief. The carriage was waiting which was to convey him toPortsmouth. He was unmoved, for filial affection had been swallowed upby selfishness, and he fancied that he was about to lead a life offreedom and independence. He had yet to learn what a man-of-war waslike. His mother pressed him to her heart, and his father strove tobless him as he turned to quit the room, for he was still his son.
The carriage rolled off, and in a few hours he was on board the shipwhich was to be his home and school for three long years. He learnedmany a lesson, it is true, but the great one came too late for him toprofit by it. The first three years of his naval career passed by, andmany a wild act had he committed, such as had often brought him underthe censure of his superiors. That he was unreformed his father felttoo surely convinced, and he was accordingly again sent to
sea.
He was no longer a boy, and the irregularities of that age had growninto the vices of manhood. Yet among his equals he had friends, and,knowing their value, he took care to cultivate them. The most intimatewas Edward Staunton, his superior in age by two years--one whosegenerous spirit, believing that he had discovered noble qualities in hiscompanion, longed to win him back to virtue. Together they paced thedeck in the midnight watch, and spoke of their future prospects, tilleven Hernan believed that he had resolved to amend. There are calm andoften happy moments in a sailor's life, when all the dangers of theirfloating home, except the watch on deck, are wrapped in sleep; and thenmany a youth pours into his attentive shipmate's ears the tale of hislove, his hopes and fears, and pictures the beauty of the girl he hasleft behind--the lady of his heart, with whom he fondly fancies he shallsome day wed. Such a tale did Staunton tell; and Hernan listenedcarelessly at first, but afterwards with interest, as the ardent lover,delighting in the picture he was conjuring up, described the surpassingbeauty of his mistress.
"Then you must introduce me to your lovely Blanche, and let me judgewhether she is as fair as you paint her," said Hernan to his companion;and Staunton, guileless himself, promised to gratify his wish.
"I shall not allow you to break your word, remember," added Hernan.
"Never fear," answered Staunton, laughing. "But see what a suddenchange has come over the sky while we have been speaking! We shall havea reef in the topsails before many minutes are out."
It was true. When they began their watch the sky was studded with amillion stars, the dark sea was calm, and a gentle breeze filled thesails of the noble frigate. Now wild clouds were coursing each otheracross the arch of heaven, the light foam flew over the ocean, and theship heeled over to the rising blast.
Scarcely had he spoken, when the voice of the officer of the watchroused his sleeping men with the order to furl the topgallant-sailsquickly, followed by that to take a reef in the topsails. Hernan's dutyhad led him aloft. He was careless in keeping a firm hold. The shipgave a sudden lurch, and he found himself struggling in the wild waters.He could swim, but the fall had numbed his limbs, and the ship flewpast him. Despair was seizing him, when he heard the cry which arosefrom the deck of "a man overboard?" echoed by a hundred voices. He wassinking beneath the waves, when he felt a friendly hand grasping hisarm, and once more he rose to the surface of the water, and the voice ofEdward Staunton cheered him to fresh exertions. He saw, too, the brightlight of the life-buoy, which floated at a short distance only fromthem. It was a fearful thing, though, to be left thus alone on thatstormy sea, for the dim outline of the frigate was scarcely visible, andshe might be unable to fetch again, while the light continued burning,the spot where they were. For his sake, Staunton had thus risked hislife. With great exertions Staunton dragged him to the life-buoy, andhanging on to it, they anxiously watched the approach of the frigate.
"The boat has been swamped, and we shall be left to perish miserablyhere," exclaimed Hernan. "Curses on my fate!"
"No," cried Staunton; "hark, I hear the shouts of the people in the boatpulling towards us. The frigate must have gone far to leeward beforeshe could be hove-to to lower one."
Again the shouts were heard, and a dark object emerged from theobscurity which surrounded them. In a few minutes they were on board,and scarcely was the boat hoisted in than down came the tempest withtenfold fury, and vain would then have been any attempt to save him hadhe still been struggling in the waves. He was profuse in hisprofessions of gratitude to Staunton, and he thought himself sincere.
The frigate returned home, her crew were paid off, and Staunton and hisfriend received their promotion.
"And now, Staunton, you must keep to your word, and introduce me to yourbeautiful friend, Miss Blanche D'Aubigne," said Hernan, after they hadbeen some time on shore, and had met by chance in London.
"Gladly," answered Edward; "I have told her all about you, and she willbe most glad to see you."
So they went together to the village where the fair girl resided; it wasat no great distance from the country-seat of Sir Hernan Daggerfeldt,the father of Edward's friend. Staunton had won his promotion by hisown exertions; and another step, his commander's rank, was to be gainedbefore he could hope to make Blanche his bride. Such was the decree ofher father, who had given an unwilling consent to their union, and hefelt that he had no right to murmur at the decision. A short stay onshore was all he could hope to enjoy, before he must again go afloat fortwo or three more weary years; but she was still very young, and heconfided in her truth and love.
This Hernan knew; he was surprised and delighted when first introducedto Miss D'Aubigne, for her beauty far surpassed his expectations. Hethought her far more lovely than any one he had ever met, when, withartless simplicity, she received him as the friend of her betrothed.Edward went to sea, and Hernan took up his abode at his father's seat.Every week his visits to the village of Darlington grew more frequent,and Blanche unsuspectingly received him with pleasure, while her father,who knew his prospects, welcomed him cordially.
Hernan knew that Blanche looked on him as a friend of her intendedhusband, and he at first thought not of inquiring into his own feelingsregarding her. Soon, however, a fierce passion sprang up in addition tothe simple admiration he at first had felt. Indeed, he scarcelyattempted to conceal it; but she was too pure-minded and unsuspecting toperceive the existence of the feelings she had inspired.
Thus matters went on till even she could no longer deceive herself as toHernan's real feelings. Horrified at the discovery, she refused to seehim more, and Hernan saw that he must make a bold stroke or lose herforever. He called falsehood and treachery to his aid. He went to herfather; he spoke of his own ardent love, of his future wealth, of theposition he could offer; then he continued to express his regret thatEdward, his friend, was unworthy of her, that he had expressed hisanxiety to break off the connection, but was unwilling to wound herfeelings by doing so abruptly, and therefore intended to write, when hehad reached his station, to free her from her engagement. Mr D'Aubignelistened, and believed what he wished to be true; but Blanche was longincredulous, and refused to credit the tale of her intended'sdisloyalty. At last, however, the cruel letter came; it was enclosed inone to Hernan. It spoke of the impolicy of early engagements, of themisery of married poverty, of the difficulty of governing theaffections, and of the danger of wedding when love has begun to decay.
Hernan watched the effect of the letter, and congratulated himself onits success; still Blanche disbelieved her senses, but dared not utterher suspicions. Hernan knew, too, that it was so, yet he trusted in theversatility of his talents to bring his schemes to a successful issue.
Her father's influence was exerted in his favour, and Blanche was toldthat she must discard her former lover from her heart. She had lovedtoo truly, however, to obey the command, and she determined not to wedanother till she had heard from his own lips that he was indeed changed.
Hernan Daggerfeldt knelt at the feet of Blanche D'Aubigne. He hadseized her hand, and was pressing it with rapture to his lips, while shein vain endeavoured to withdraw it.
"Rise, sir, rise," she said; "you wrong me--you wrong him who is away--your friend, the preserver of your life. While he lives, I am his, andhis alone!"
"I do not wrong him," he answered. "His nature is fickle, and if he nolonger loves you, will not woman's pride teach you to forget him?"
"I know not that he no longer loves me," she replied.
"Did not his letter convince you?" he asked.
"That letter! No, sir," she replied, rising proudly from her seat, anda smile of unwonted bitterness curling her lip. "That letter was aforgery."
"On my sacred word, on my soul, it was not!" he cried, vehemently. "Itis you who wrong me and my devoted love. Be mine, and let me enjoy theonly heaven I seek. If I speak not the truth, may the Powers abovestrike me this moment dead at your feet?" Blanche shuddered at hiswords. At that
instant a dark form seemed to rise up between them, andto gaze with threatening aspect at Hernan, while it shielded Blanchefrom him. Soon it assumed the form of Edward Staunton, and beckoningHernan to follow, slowly receded from the room. Even the deceivertrembled, and daring not to disobey, followed the phantom.
It led him through dark chambers, beneath roaring waterfalls, alongdizzy heights, whence the sea-birds could scarce be seen in the depthsbelow, on the wild shore, where the fierce waves dashed with terrificfury, while the tempest raged, and the lightnings flashed around hishead, and then with a derisive shriek which sounded high above thefurious turmoil, disappeared amid the boiling ocean.
"Such, traitor, shall be thy fate!" were the words it spoke.
Again Hernan dreamed that Blanche had promised to be his,--a prizebought at the cost of further perjury. Edward for long had been unheardof; he was still a rover in far-off climes. Mr D'Aubigne was satisfiedand rejoiced at the thoughts of finding a wealthy husband for hisdaughter. Hernan was with his intended bride when a messenger arrived,breathless with haste, to summon him to the deathbed of his parent.
He hurried thither to listen to a tale the old man falteringly whisperedinto his ear; it was enough to freeze up the current in his veins. Astigma was on his birth, and instant precautions were necessary, or thefatal secret would be discovered which would consign him to poverty anddisgrace.
"You are my child," said the proud baronet, "yet for long my wife hadborne me none; at length one came into the world and died. You took itsplace, and my wife believed you to be her own offspring. The change wasill-managed, and the deceit is discovered by one who is my enemy, andwill be yours. I fancied that no one knew it, till some years ago hecame and convinced me that he was aware of the truth. He then told methat should you be worthy to succeed to my rank and fortune, the secretshould die with him; but if not, my first lawful child, whom he insistedon educating under his own inspection, should be declared to have hisrights. Though the terms seemed hard, I was obliged to yield to hisdemands, and have ever since been his slave. By his orders you weresent to sea, and will be compelled shortly again to go; and by hisorders I have made you acquainted with the dreadful tale I have now toldyou. I know him well, and you too must become his slave. He willprobably insist on your again going to sea, and you must obey him, orrue the consequences."
Scarcely stopping to close his father's eyes, who died shortly afterthis disclosure, Hernan hurried off to endeavour to propitiate thearbitrator of his destiny. The old man was inflexible. He insisted onhis forthwith returning to sea, and refused to sanction his marriagewith Blanche. Hernan had good cause to suspect that his character wasseen through; he dared not disobey. His appointment to the frigate soonarrived, and framing an excuse to Blanche, he prepared for hisdeparture. Blanche received the account without any regret, for thoughshe was prepared to obey her father, she did not love Hernan, as he wellknew. Her heart was still with one whom she had been told was false toher. The frigate on board which Hernan Daggerfeldt was the juniorlieutenant sailed for the coast of South America. Hernan felt that hewas no favourite with his brother-officers; his fierce temper andoverbearing manner was one cause, while his constant scoffs at religionand honour was another. When off Rio, they fell in with a frigatecarrying despatches to England. It was a dead calm, and a boat from herwas sent on board them to learn intelligence from home. Two officerswere in the boat; one was Staunton. Hernan in vain endeavoured to avoidhim. Staunton had a thousand questions to ask, which Hernan might beable to answer respecting his beloved Blanche. Was she well? Had shereceived his letters?--none of hers had reached him. Hernan made themost plausible answers he could invent. They spoke in the presence oftwo of his brother-officers, and one of them, an old friend ofStaunton's, knew the truth. Accordingly, drawing him aside, he told himat once that he believed Hernan had been speaking falsehoods.Staunton's indignation knew no bounds, and he taxed Hernan with hisduplicity and falsehood, though the sanctity of the quarter-deckprevented him from proceeding to extremities. Hernan defended himselffrom the accusation, though he felt that he was discovered, and hedetermined to revenge himself on the man who had unmasked him toStaunton. He, however, bided his time; but he suspected that by somemeans or other more of his secrets might be known to his shipmate.
The frigate had been for some time on the coast of America, when,receiving some damage in a heavy gale, she put into the harbour of--torefit. She lay there for some time, and the officers were constantly,when duty allowed, on shore. It was a dark night, when Hernan,accompanied by young Selwyn, the friend of Staunton, was returning,after an excursion into the country, on board. They had left theirhorses at the town, and were walking along the beach on foot; youngSelwyn thoughtlessly alluded to Staunton and Blanche D'Aubigne, andwhile he spoke the spirit of a demon entered into Hernan Daggerfeldt'sheart. A sharp cry awoke the stillness of night--a deed had been doneno power on earth could recall. He fled he knew not whither; vipersseemed twining round his heart; burning coals were raining on his head,and while heavy weights were clogging his limbs, a thousand fiercebloodhounds urged him to fly. He awoke, the perspiration standing inlarge drops on his brow, while he gasped for breath; yet there he stilllay in the loft where Juanetta had concealed him. Was all that hadoccurred an empty dream, or was it the re-acting of a dreadful reality?
THE FLIGHT.
The following morning Juan, or rather Hernan Daggerfeldt, was awoke bythe entrance of Senor Ribiera's black slave, with a basket ofprovisions.
"Why does not your mistress come to me herself?" inquired Hernan, whodreaded being abandoned by the only human being in whom he could trust.
"Donna Juanetta is with her father, and till he goes out she cannot cometo see you," answered the slave. "He is a stern man, and were he todiscover that you are here without his leave, and that his daughterloved you, he would kill you without ceremony. Ah, senor! you do notknow what these Spanish gentlemen are capable of."
"Well, you must take care that he does not discover I am here till thatcursed ship in the harbour has sailed away; and now listen to me--whatis your name, though?"
"Mauro, at your service, senor," said the slave.
"There, Mauro--there is a piece of gold. You shall have a larger pieceby and by. It will go towards buying your freedom."
"My freedom!" muttered the African. "What does that mean?--Ah, yes, Iknow. It would be of no value to me now. Had it come when I was yetyoung, and could have returned to those I loved across the ocean, Ishould have prized it. Now they are all dead, and those I love best arein this house. My mistress told me to do your bidding. What is it yourequire of me, senor?"
"First, I wish you to procure me a suit of Spanish clothes, fit for agentleman to appear in, and then you must take this uniform, coat, andhat, and as soon as it is dark, carry them down to the seashore, andplace them as if the waves had thrown them there. They will certainlybe discovered, and it will appear that I have been drowned, and then nofurther search will be made after me."
"A very good idea, senor," said Mauro, rubbing his hands with pleasure,for he was delighted to be employed in a scheme by which those inauthority, whom he looked upon as oppressors, might be deceived. Suchis the feeling of slaves in general.
While her father took his siesta, Juanetta visited her prisoner, andHernan employed the time in endeavouring to convince her of his love forher, and his innocence of the crime of which he was suspected. In bothhe succeeded too well.
In the evening Mauro returned with the suit of clothes he had purchased;and Hernan having exchanged them for his own, pierced the latter withhis sword, and deliberately drawing blood from his arm, soaked them init.
Mauro, who well understood what he was to do, wrapped them up in abundle, and as soon as it was dark carried them off.
We will pass over several days, during which Daggerfeldt remainedconcealed without any one in the house suspecting that he was in thegarret.
At last one morning Mauro
came in rubbing his hands with delight. "Youare free, senor, you are free!" he exclaimed; "the big ship with themany guns is even now sailing out of the harbour, and all you have gotto do now is to come down to beg Senor Ribiera's pardon for living solong in his house without his leave, and to marry his daughter."
"Curses go with her!" ejaculated Hernan, fiercely. "I will still wreakmy vengeance on some of those who sail on board her. But tell me,Mauro, did your lady say I might venture into her father's presence?"
"Not exactly, senor, and perhaps it might be as well to prepare the oldgentleman for your appearance, as he yet believes, like the rest of theworld, that you are food for the sharks."
"Then, my good Mauro, go and urge her to come here to concert the bestway to release me. I pant once more to stretch my limbs on the openshore, and to breathe the pure air of heaven."
Some time elapsed after the slave had gone to fulfil his mission beforeJuanetta appeared. She then came with a sad countenance and tears inher eyes.
"Oh, senor!" she said, "the ship has sailed, and I hoped that the newswould have made us both happy; but, alas! when I told my father what Ihad done, and how I had preserved your life from those tyrants, hestormed and raved, and declared that I had behaved very wickedly, andthat he would deliver you up to the authorities. Fortunately I did nottell him that you were still here; but, as Mauro had cautioned me, I ledhim to suppose that you had made your escape up the country."
"That was a happy idea of yours, my Juanetta," said Daggerfeldt. "Yourfather must in some way be gained to our wishes. You are his onlychild, and he is enormously rich, you say--plenty of gold stored up inbars in his house. Stay, I must think over the subject. Sit down byme, and I will unfold my plans."
He was silent for some time, and then he continued, while Juanetta, whowas incapable of fathoming the depths of his deceit, listened to himwithout suspicion.
"Now, Juanetta, dear, you must not be startled by the plan I am going topropose. From what you tell me, your father is prejudiced against me,and will not willingly give his consent to our marriage, so we mustmarry first, and ask his forgiveness afterwards. He will then, I haveno doubt, pardon us, and give us as much gold as we may require. Now,as I have no money, and no priest will marry us without, we mustcontrive to borrow some of his. We can return it afterwards, you know.I propose, therefore, that you show me some night where he keeps hisgold, and then I will take a little of it, as much as we may require,and then we will fly together to the nearest place where we can find apriest to unite us. Shall we not do so, dearest? The plan may seem toyou dangerous and wrong, but let no fears alarm you. We will afterwardsexplain our motives, and the old man will forgive you."
Poor Juanetta, had she known this world and the wickedness in it, wouldhave flown with horror from the betrayer; but she was ignorant of itsevil ways--she listened and hesitated. No arguments which sophistrycould invent were left untried. The deceiver was victorious.
That night the keys of the old man's money-chests were stolen frombeneath his pillow. The following morning he found them where he hadplaced them, and, unsuspecting, did not think of counting his hoardedgold.
His daughter dared not again speak to him of the stranger she hadpreserved. He believed that he had long ago escaped into the interior,and forbore to make further inquiries about him. Daggerfeldt was nolonger an inhabitant of his house.
A foreign merchant, of considerable wealth at command, had arrived, itwas said, from the interior, and had taken up his abode in the town. Hehad become the purchaser of a large schooner, which was taking in acargo of goods for the African coast. Don Manuel Ribiera, on hearingthis, invited the stranger to his house, for he himself was a dealer inslaves, and wished to make some arrangements respecting the returncargo.
On the unexpected appearance of the stranger, Donna Juanetta started;but her presence of mind quickly returned, for she felt the importanceof discretion. Her father observed her momentary confusion, andapologised to his guest, attributing it to her being unaccustomed toreceive strangers.
Soon afterwards, some business called Senor Ribiera from the room, andJuanetta was left alone with their guest.
"Oh, Juan, how could you venture here?" she exclaimed to the pretendedmerchant, who was no other than Daggerfeldt. "My father will discoveryou, and your ruin and mine must follow."
"No fear, dearest. He is blinded by the prospect of profit," answeredHernan. "He has, too, scarcely seen me before, and then only inuniform. It was also necessary to run some risks to gain our ends. Ihave made all the necessary arrangements, and this night you are to bemine. The cost, however, has been considerable, and we must borrow alittle more from your father's money-chests to pay the priest who is tounite us."
Daggerfeldt had scarcely arranged his plans with his credulous dupe whenSenor Ribiera returned. As may be supposed, he was induced to arrange aplan to dispose of his slaves on his return on terms highly advantageousto the old slave-dealer; and after being entertained magnificently, hewas conducted to his sleeping apartment. Instead of retiring to rest,Daggerfeldt employed himself in loading his pistols and listeningattentively for the arrival of some one apparently, but not a sounddisturbed the silence of the night. At last, losing patience, he openedhis door, and was met by Juanetta. The poor girl was pale andtrembling.
"Here are the keys," she said; "but, oh, senor, I do not like thiswork--surely it is very wicked!"
"Pretty fool," he answered, abruptly, "it is too late to recede now.There is nothing to alarm you. Wait in this room till I return."Saying this, he was about to leave her, when footsteps were heardapproaching the house. He listened attentively.
"It is right," he observed; "those are some people I have engaged toassist us in our flight."
Just then some men sprang into the room through the open window. PoorJuanetta uttered a cry of terror, but it was instantly silenced byDaggerfeldt, who ordered two of the men to take charge of her while therest followed him to the chamber of Don Ribiera. The unhappy girllistened, horror-struck and bewildered. There was a cry and a groan,and soon afterwards Daggerfeldt returned, accompanied by the mencarrying several heavy chests between them.
"Onward," said the traitor, "and you, my fair lady, must accompany us.The ship is waiting to bear us to far-off lands, where you may become mybride."
The next morning, the new slave schooner was seen in the offing, andwhen people went to the house of Don Ribiera, he was found dead in hisbed, his money-chests were gone, and his daughter had fled, while hisslaves were only just awaking from a heavy sleep, for which none of themcould account. Mauro, too, had disappeared, and all the watch-dogs weredead.