CHAPTER TWELVE.
No sooner had Orlando and the negro passed round the cliff to whichRosco had directed them, than they beheld a sight which was wellcalculated to fill them with anxiety and alarm, for there stood Zeppa,panting and wrestling with one of the fiends that were in the habit ofassailing him.
The fiend, on this occasion, was familiar enough to him--the stoutbranch of a tree which overhung his cave, but which his delirious brainhad transformed into a living foe. No shout or cry issued from the poorman's compressed lips. He engaged in the deadly struggle with thatsilent resolve of purpose which was natural to him. The disease underwhich he laboured had probably reached its climax, for he swayed to andfro, in his futile efforts to wrench off the limb, with a degree ofenergy that seemed more than human. His partially naked limbs showedthe knotted muscles standing out rigidly; his teeth were clenched andexposed; his blood-shot eyes glared; the long, curling and matted hairof his head and beard was flying about in wild disorder; and hislabouring chest heaved as he fiercely, silently, and hopelesslystruggled.
Oh! it was a terrible picture to be presented thus suddenly to the gazeof a loving son.
"Stay where you are, Ebony. I must meet him alone," whispered Orlando.
Then, hastening forward with outstretched arms, he exclaimed--
"Father!"
Instantly Zeppa let go his supposed enemy and turned round. The changein his aspect was as wonderful as it was sudden. The old, loving,gentle expression overspread his features, and the wild fire seemed todie out of his eyes as he held out both hands.
"Ah! once more, my son!" he said, in the tenderest of tones. "Come tome. This is kind of you, Orley, to return so soon again; I had notexpected you for a long time. Sit down beside me, and lay your headupon my knee--so--I like to have you that way, for I see you better."
"Oh, father--dear father!" said Orlando, but the words were choked inhis throat, and tears welled from his eyes.
"Yes, Orley?" said Zeppa, with a startled look of joyful surprise, whilehe turned his head a little to one side, as if listening in expectancy;"speak again, dear boy; speak again. I have often seen you since youwent to the spirit-land, but have never heard you speak till to-day.Speak once more, dear boy!"
But Orley could not speak. He could only hide his face in his father'sbosom and sob aloud.
"Nay, don't cry, lad; you never did that before! What do you mean?That is unmanly. Not like what my courageous boy was wont to be. Andyou have grown so much since last I saw you. Why, you've even got abeard! Who ever heard of a bearded man sobbing like a child? And now Ilook at you closely I see that you have grown wonderfully tall. It isvery strange--but all things seem strange since I came here. Only, inall the many visits you have paid me, I have never seen you changed tillto-day. You have always come to me in the old boyish form. Very,_very_ strange! But, Orley, my boy" (and here Zeppa's voice becameintensely earnest and pleading), "you won't leave me again, will you?Surely they can well spare you from the spirit-world for a time--just alittle while. It would fill my heart with such joy and gratitude. AndI'm your father, Orley, surely I have a right to you--more right thanthe angels have--haven't I? and then it would give such joy, if you cameback, to your dear mother, whom I have not seen for so long--so verylong!"
"I will _never_ leave you, father, _never_!" cried Orlando, throwing hisarms round Zeppa's neck and embracing him passionately.
"Nay, then, you _are_ going to leave me," cried Zeppa, with suddenalarm, as he clasped Orlando to him with an iron grip. "You alwaysembrace me when you are about to vanish out of my sight. But you shallnot escape me _this_ time. I have got you tighter than I ever had youbefore, and no fiend shall separate us now. No fiend!" he repeated in ashout, glaring at a spot in the bushes where Ebony, unable to restrainhis feelings, had unwittingly come into sight.
Suddenly changing his purpose, Zeppa let go his son and sprang like atiger on the supposed fiend. Ebony went down before him like a bulrushbefore the hurricane, but, unlike it, he did not rise again. The madmanhad pinned him to the earth and was compressing his throat with bothhands. It required all the united strength of his son and the negro toloosen his grasp, and even that would not have sufficed had not theterrible flame which had burned so long died out. It seemed to havebeen suddenly extinguished by this last burst of fury, for Zeppa fellback as helpless as an infant in their hands. Indeed he lay so stillwith his eyes closed that Orlando trembled with fear lest he should bedying.
"Now, Ebony," said he, taking the negro apart, when they had made theexhausted man as comfortable as possible on his rude couch in the cave;"you run down to the ship and fetch the doctor here without delay. Iwill be able to manage him easily when alone. Run as you never ranbefore. Don't let any soul come here except the doctor and yourself.Tell the captain I have found him--through God's mercy--but that he isvery ill and must be carefully kept from excitement and that in themeantime nobody is to disturb us. The doctor will of course fetchphysic; and tell him to bring his surgical instruments also, for, if Imistake not, poor Rosco needs his attention. Do you bring up as much inthe way of provisions as you can carry, and one or two blankets. And,harkee, make no mention of the pirate to any one. Away!"
During the delivery of this message, the negro listened eagerly, andstood quite motionless, like a black statue, with the exception of hisglittering eyes.
"Yes, massa," he said at its conclusion, and almost literally vanishedfrom the scene.
Orlando then turned to his father. The worn out man still lay perfectlyquiet, with closed eyes, and countenance so pale that the dread ofapproaching death again seized on the son. The breathing was, however,slow and regular, and what appeared to be a slight degree of moisturelay on the brow. The fact that the sick man slept soon became apparent,and when Orlando had assured himself of this he arose, left the cavewith careful tread, and glided, rather than walked, back to the placewhere the pirate had been left. There he still lay, apparently muchexhausted.
"We have found him, thank God," said Orlando, seating himself on a bank;"and I would fain hope that the worst is over, for he sleeps. But, poorfellow, you seem to be in a bad case. Can I do aught to relieve you?"
"Nothing," replied Rosco, with a weary sigh.
"I have sent for a surgeon--"
"A surgeon!" repeated the pirate, with a startled look; "then there mustbe a man-of-war off the coast for South sea traders are not used tocarry surgeons."
"Ah! I forgot. You naturally don't wish to see any one connected witha man-of-war. Yes, there is one here. I came in her. But you can seethis surgeon without his knowing who or what you are. It will besufficient for him to know that you are an unfortunate sailor who hadfallen into the hands of the savages."
"Yes," exclaimed Rosco, grasping eagerly at the idea; "and that's justwhat I am. Moreover, I ran away from my ship! But--but--do _you_ notfeel it your duty to give me up?"
"What I shall feel it my duty to do ultimately is not a matter forpresent consideration. Just now you require surgical assistance. Buthow did you come here? and what do you mean by saying that you ran awayfrom your ship?"
Rosco in reply gave a brief but connected narrative of his career duringthe past three years, in which he made no attempt to exculpate himself,but, on the contrary, confessed his guilt and admitted his desert ofdeath.
"Yet I shrink from death," he said in conclusion. "Is it not strangethat I, who have faced death so often with perfect indifference, shoulddraw back from it now with something like fear?"
"A great writer," replied Orlando, "whom my father used to read to me athome, says that `conscience makes cowards of us all.' And a stillgreater authority says that `the wicked flee when no man pursueth.' Youare safe here, Rosco--at all events for the present. But you must notgo near the cave again. Rest where you are and I will search for someplace where you may remain concealed till you are well. I shall returnquickly."
Leaving the pirate where he lay, Orlando
returned to his father, and,finding that he still slept, went off to search for a cave.
He soon found a small one in the cliffs, suitable for his purpose.Thither he carried the pirate, laid him tenderly on a couch of branchesand leaves, put food and water within his reach, and left him with afeeling of comfort and of contentment at heart that he had notexperienced for many years.
That night the surgeon of the "Furious" ascended to the mountain cave.His approach was made known to Orlando, as he watched at the sick man'sside, by the appearance of Ebony's great eyes glittering at him over thebushes that encircled the cave's mouth. No wonder that poor Zeppa hadmistaken him for a demon! Holding up a finger of caution, Orlandoglided towards him, seized his arm, and, after leading him to a safedistance, asked in a low voice--
"Well, have you brought the doctor?"
"Ho, yis, massa, an' I bring Tomeo and Buttchee too."
"Didn't I tell you to let no one else come near us?" said Orlando in atone of vexation.
"Dat's true, massa, but I no kin stop dem. So soon as dey hear datAntonio Zeppa am found, sick in de mountains, dey swore dey mus' go seehim. I say dat you say no! Dey say dey not care. I say me knock 'embofe down. Dey say dey turn me hinside hout if I don't ole my tongue.What could dis yar nigger do? Dey's too much for me. So dey follered,and here dey am wid de doctor, waiting about two hun'rd yards down derefor leave to come. But, I say, massa, dey's good sort o' fellers afterall--do whatever you tells 'em. Good for go messages, p'raps, an savedis yar nigger's poor legs."
Ebony made the latter suggestion with a grin so broad that in thedarkness his face became almost luminous with teeth and gums.
"Well, I suppose we must make the most of the circumstances," saidOrlando. "Come, lead me to them."
It was found that though the strong affection of the two chiefs forZeppa had made them rebellious in the matter of visiting the spot, thesame affection, and their regard for Orlando, rendered them submissiveas lambs, and willing to do absolutely whatever they were told.
Orlando, therefore, had no difficulty in prevailing on them to delaytheir visit to his father till the following day. Meanwhile, he causedthem to encamp in a narrow pass close at hand, and, the better toreconcile them to their lot, imposed upon them the duty of mountingguard each alternate couple of hours during the night.
"He will do well," said the doctor, after examining the patient. "Thissleep is life to him. I will give him something when he awakes, but theawaking must be left to nature. Whether he recovers his reason afterwhat he has passed through remains to be seen. You say he has beenwandering for some time here in a state of insanity? How came thatabout?"
"It is a long and sad story, doctor," said Orlando, evading thequestion, "and I have not time to tell it now, for I want you to visitanother patient."
"Another patient?" repeated the surgeon, in surprise; "ah! one of thenatives, I suppose?"
"No, a white man. He is a sailor who ran away from his ship, and wascaught by the natives and tortured."
"Come, then, let us go and see the poor fellow at once. Does he livefar from here?"
"Close at hand," answered Orlando, as he led the way; "and perhaps,doctor, it would be well not to question the poor man at present as tohis being here and in such a plight. He seems very weak and ill."
When the surgeon had examined Rosco's feet he led Orlando aside.
"It is a bad case," he said; "both legs must be amputated below the kneeif the man's life is to be saved."
"Must it be done now?"
"Immediately. Can you assist me?"
"I have assisted at amateur operations before now," said Orlando, "andat all events you can count on the firmness of my nerves and on blindobedience. But stay--I must speak to him first, alone."
"Rosco," said the youth, as he knelt by the pirate's couch, "your sinshave been severely punished, and your endurance sorely tried--"
"Not more than I deserve, Orlando."
"But I grieve to tell you that your courage must be still further tried.The doctor says that both feet must be amputated."
A frown gathered on the pirate's face, and he compressed his lips for afew moments.
"And the alternative?" he asked.
"Is death."
Again there was a brief pause. Then he said slowly, almost bitterly--
"Oh, death! you have hovered over my head pretty steadily of late! Itis a question whether I had not better let you come on and end theseweary struggles, rather than become a hopeless cripple in the prime oflife! Why should I fear death now more than before?"
"Have you any hope of eternal life, Rosco?"
"How can _I_ tell? What do _I_ know about eternal life!"
"Then you are not prepared to die; and let me earnestly assure you thatthere _is_ something well worth living for, though at present you donot--you _cannot_ know it."
"Enough. Let it be as the doctor advises," said the pirate in a tone ofresignation.
That night the operation was successfully performed, and the unfortunateman was afterwards carefully tended by Ebony.
Next day Tomeo and Buttchee were told that their old friend Zeppa couldnot yet be seen, but that he required many little comforts from the"Furious," which must be brought up with as little delay as possible.That was sufficient. Forgetting themselves in their anxiety to aidtheir friend, these affectionate warriors went off on their mission, andwere soon out of sight.
When Zeppa awoke at last with a deep sigh, it was still dark. This wasfortunate, for he could not see whose hand administered the physic, andwas too listless and weak to inquire. It was bright day when he awokethe second time and looked up inquiringly in his son's face.
"What, are you still there, Orley?" he said faintly, while the habitualsweet expression stole over his pale features, though it was quicklyfollowed by the perplexed look. "But how comes this change? You lookso much older than you are, dear boy. Would God that I could cease thisdreaming!"
"You are not dreaming _now_, father. I am indeed Orley. You have beenill and delirious, but, thanks be to God, are getting well again."
"What?" exclaimed the invalid; "has it been all a dream, then? Were you_not_ thrown into the sea by mutineers, and have I _not_ been wanderingfor months or years on a desert island? But then, if these things beall dreams," he added, opening his eyes wide and fixing them intently onOrlando's face, "how comes it that I still dream the change in _you_?You are Orley, yet not Orley! How is that?"
"Yes, all that is true, dear, _dear_ father," said the youth, gentlyclasping one of the helpless hands that lay crossed on Zeppa's broadchest; "I _was_ thrown overboard by the mutineers years ago, but, thankGod, I was not drowned; and you have been wandering here in--in--veryill, for years; but, thank God again, you are better, and I have beenmercifully sent to deliver you."
"I can't believe it, Orley, for I have so often seen you, and you haveso often given me the slip--yet there does seem something very realabout you just now--very real, though so changed--yet it is the samevoice, and you never _spoke_ to me before in my dreams--except once.Yes, I think it was once, that you spoke. I remember it well, for thesound sent such a thrill to my heart. Oh! God forbid that it shouldagain fade away as it has done so often!"
"It will not fade, father. The time you speak of was only yesterday,when I found you. You have been sleeping since, and a doctor isattending you."
"A doctor! where did _he_ come from?"
At that moment Ebony approached with some food in a tin pan. Theinvalid observed him at once.
"Ebony! can that be you? Why--when--oh! my poor brain feels so light--it seems as if a puff of wind would blow it away. I must have been veryill." Zeppa spoke feebly, and closed his eyes, from which one or twotears issued--blessed tears!--the first he had shed for many a day.
"His reason is restored," whispered the doctor in Orlando's ear, "but hemust be left to rest."
Orlando's heart was too full to find relief through the lips.
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bsp; "I cannot understand it at all," resumed Zeppa, reopening his eyes;"least of all can I understand _you_, Orley, but my hope is in God. Iwould sleep now, but you must not let go my hand." (Orlando held ittighter.) "One word more. Your dear mother?"
"Is well--and longs to see you."
A profound, long-drawn sigh followed, as if an insupportable burden hadbeen removed from the wearied soul, and Zeppa sank into a sleep sopeaceful that it seemed as if the spirit had forsaken the worn outframe. But a steady, gentle heaving of the chest told that life wasstill there. During the hours that followed, Orlando sat quitemotionless, like a statue, firmly grasping his father's hand.