CHAPTER XIX
WHAT BEFELL AT LA GUAYRA
"Great was the crying, the running and riding, Which at that season was made in the place; The beacons were fired, as need then required, To save their great treasure they had little space."
Winning of Cales.
The men would gladly have hawked awhile round Margarita and Cubagua foranother pearl prize. But Amyas having, as he phrased it, "fleshed hisdogs," was loth to hang about the islands after the alarm had beengiven. They ran, therefore, south-west across the mouth of that greatbay which stretches from the Peninsula of Paria to Cape Codera, leavingon their right hand Tortuga, and on their left the meadow-islands of thePiritoos, two long green lines but a few inches above the tideless sea.Yeo and Drew knew every foot of the way, and had good reason to know it;for they, the first of all English mariners, had tried to trade alongthis coast with Hawkins. And now, right ahead, sheer out of the sea frombase to peak, arose higher and higher the mighty range of the Caracasmountains; beside which all hills which most of the crew had ever seenseemed petty mounds. Frank, of course, knew the Alps; and Amyas theAndes; but Cary's notions of height were bounded by M'Gillicuddy'sReeks, and Brimblecombe's by Exmoor; and the latter, to Cary's infiniteamusement, spent a whole day holding on by the rigging, and staringupwards with his chin higher than his nose, till he got a stiff neck.Soon the sea became rough and chopping, though the breeze was fair andgentle; and ere they were abreast of the Cape, they became aware ofthat strong eastward current which, during the winter months, so oftenbaffles the mariner who wishes to go to the westward. All night longthey struggled through the billows, with the huge wall of Cape Codera athousand feet above their heads to the left, and beyond it again, bankupon bank of mountain, bathed in the yellow moonlight.
Morning showed them a large ship, which had passed them during the nightupon the opposite course, and was now a good ten miles to the eastward.Yeo was for going back and taking her. Of the latter he made a matter ofcourse; and the former was easy enough, for the breeze blowing dead offthe land, was a "soldier's wind, there and back again," for either ship;but Amyas and Frank were both unwilling.
"Why, Yeo, you said that one day more would bring us to La Guayra."
"All the more reason, sir, for doing the Lord's work thoroughly, when Hehas brought us safely so far on our journey."
"She can pass well enough, and no loss."
"Ah, sirs, sirs, she is delivered into your hands, and you will have togive an account of her."
"My good Yeo," said Frank, "I trust we shall give good account enoughof many a tall Spaniard before we return: but you know surely that LaGuayra, and the salvation of one whom we believe dwells there, was ourfirst object in this adventure."
Yeo shook his head sadly. "Ah, sirs, a lady brought Captain Oxenham toruin."
"You do not dare to compare her with this one?" said Frank and Cary,both in a breath.
"God forbid, gentlemen: but no adventure will prosper, unless there is asingle eye to the Lord's work; and that is, as I take it, to cripplethe Spaniard, and exalt her majesty the queen. And I had thought thatnothing was more dear than that to Captain Leigh's heart."
Amyas stood somewhat irresolute. His duty to the queen bade him followthe Spanish vessel: his duty to his vow, to go on to La Guayra. It mayseem a far-fetched dilemma. He found it a practical one enough.
However, the counsel of Frank prevailed, and on to La Guayra he went. Hehalf hoped that the Spaniard would see and attack them. However, he wenton his way to the eastward; which if he had not done, my story had had avery different ending.
About mid-day a canoe, the first which they had seen, came staggeringtoward them under a huge three-cornered sail. As it came near, theycould see two Indians on board.
"Metal floats in these seas, you see," quoth Cary. "There's a freshmarvel, for you, Frank."
"Expound," quoth Frank, who was really ready to swallow any freshmarvel, so many had he seen already.
"Why, how else would those two bronze statues dare to go to sea in sucha cockleshell, eh? Have I given you the dor now, master courtier!"
"I am long past dors, Will. But what noble creatures they are! and howfearlessly they are coming alongside! Can they know that we are English,and the avengers of the Indians?"
"I suspect they just take us for Spaniards, and want to sell theircocoa-nuts. See, the canoe is laden with vegetables."
"Hail them, Yeo!" said Amyas. "You talk the best Spanish, and I wantspeech of one of them."
Yeo did so; the canoe, without more ado, ran alongside, and lowered herfelucca sail, while a splendid Indian scrambled on board like a cat.
He was full six feet high, and as bold and graceful of bearing as Frankor Amyas's self. He looked round for the first moment smilingly, showinghis white teeth; but the next, his countenance changed; and springing tothe side, he shouted to his comrade in Spanish--
"Treachery! No Spaniard," and would have leaped overboard, but a dozenstrong fellows caught him ere he could do so.
It required some trouble to master him, so strong was he, and soslippery his naked limbs; Amyas, meanwhile, alternately entreated themen not to hurt the Indian, and the Indian to be quiet, and no harmshould happen to him; and so, after five minutes' confusion, thestranger gave in sulkily.
"Don't bind him. Let him loose, and make a ring round him. Now, my man,there's a dollar for you."
The Indian's eyes glistened, and he took the coin.
"All I want of you is, first, to tell me what ships are in La Guayra,and next, to go thither on board of me, and show me which is thegovernor's house, and which the custom-house."
The Indian laid the coin down on the deck, and crossing himself, lookedAmyas in the face.
"No, senor! I am a freeman and a cavalier, a Christian Guayqueria,whose forefathers, first of all the Indians, swore fealty to the King ofSpain, and whom he calls to this day in all his proclamations his mostfaithful, loyal, and noble Guayquerias. God forbid, therefore, that Ishould tell aught to his enemies, who are my enemies likewise."
A growl arose from those of the men who understood him; and more thanone hinted that a cord twined round the head, or a match put between thefingers, would speedily extract the required information.
"God forbid!" said Amyas; "a brave and loyal man he is, and as suchwill I treat him. Tell me, my brave fellow, how do you know us to be hisCatholic majesty's enemies?"
The Indian, with a shrewd smile, pointed to half-a-dozen differentobjects, saying to each, "Not Spanish."
"Well, and what of that?"
"None but Spaniards and free Guayquerias have a right to sail theseseas."
Amyas laughed.
"Thou art a right valiant bit of copper. Pick up thy dollar, and go thyway in peace. Make room for him, men. We can learn what we want withouthis help."
The Indian paused, incredulous and astonished. "Overboard with you!"quoth Amyas. "Don't you know when you are well off?"
"Most illustrious senor," began the Indian, in the drawling sententiousfashion of his race (when they take the trouble to talk at all), "Ihave been deceived. I heard that you heretics roasted and ate all trueCatholics (as we Guayquerias are), and that all your padres had tails."
"Plague on you, sirrah!" squeaked Jack Brimblecombe. "Have I a tail?Look here!"
"Quien sabe? Who knows?" quoth the Indian through his nose.
"How do you know we are heretics?" said Amyas.
"Humph! But in repayment for your kindness, I would warn you,illustrious senor, not to go on to La Guayra. There are ships of warthere waiting for you; and moreover, the governor Don Guzman sailed tothe eastward only yesterday to look for you; and I wonder much that youdid not meet him."
"To look for us! On the watch for us!" said Cary. "Impossible; lies!Amyas, this is some trick of the rascal's to frighten us away."
"Don Guzman came out but yesterday to look for us? Are you sure youspoke truth?"
"A
s I live, senor, he and another ship, for which I took yours."
Amyas stamped upon the deck: that then was the ship which they hadpassed!
"Fool that I was to have been close to my enemy, and let my opportunityslip! If I had but done my duty, all would have gone right!"
But it was too late to repine; and after all, the Indian's story waslikely enough to be false.
"Off with you!" said he; and the Indian bounded over the side into hiscanoe, leaving the whole crew wondering at the stateliness and courtesyof this bold sea-cavalier.
So Westward-ho they ran, beneath the mighty northern wall, the highestcliff on earth, some seven thousand feet of rock parted from the seaby a narrow strip of bright green lowland. Here and there a patch ofsugar-cane, or a knot of cocoa-nut trees, close to the water's edge,reminded them that they were in the tropics; but above, all was savage,rough, and bare as an Alpine precipice. Sometimes deep clefts allowedthe southern sun to pour a blaze of light down to the sea marge, andgave glimpses far above of strange and stately trees lining the glens,and of a veil of perpetual mist which shrouded the inner summits; whileup and down, between them and the mountain side, white fleecy cloudshung motionless in the burning air, increasing the impression ofvastness and of solemn rest, which was already overpowering.
"Within those mountains, three thousand feet above our heads," saidDrew, the master, "lies Saint Yago de Leon, the great city which theSpaniards founded fifteen years agone."
"Is it a rich place?" asked Cary.
"Very, they say."
"Is it a strong place?" asked Amyas.
"No forts to it at all, they say. The Spaniards boast, that Heaven hasmade such good walls to it already, that man need make none."
"I don't know," quoth Amyas. "Lads, could you climb those hills, do youthink?"
"Rather higher than Harty Point, sir: but it depends pretty much onwhat's behind them."
And now the last point is rounded, and they are full in sight of thespot in quest of which they have sailed four thousand miles of sea. Alow black cliff, crowned by a wall; a battery at either end. Within, afew narrow streets of white houses, running parallel with the sea, upona strip of flat, which seemed not two hundred yards in breadth; andbehind, the mountain wall, covering the whole in deepest shade. How thatwall was ever ascended to the inland seemed the puzzle; but Drew, whohad been off the place before, pointed out to them a narrow path, whichwound upwards through a glen, seemingly sheer perpendicular. That wasthe road to the capital, if any man dare try it. In spite of the shadowof the mountain, the whole place wore a dusty and glaring look. Thebreaths of air which came off the land were utterly stifling; and nowonder, for La Guayra, owing to the radiation of that vast fire-brickof heated rock, is one of the hottest spots upon the face of the wholeearth.
Where was the harbor? There was none. Only an open roadstead, whereinlay tossing at anchor five vessels. The two outer ones were smallmerchant caravels. Behind them lay two long, low, ugly-looking craft, atsight of which Yeo gave a long whew.
"Galleys, as I'm a sinful saint! And what's that big one inside of them,Robert Drew? She has more than hawseholes in her idolatrous black sides,I think."
"We shall open her astern of the galleys in another minute," said Amyas."Look out, Cary, your eyes are better than mine."
"Six round portholes on the main deck," quoth Will.
"And I can see the brass patararoes glittering on her poop," quothAmyas. "Will, we're in for it."
"In for it we are, captain.
"Farewell, farewell, my parents dear. I never shall see you more, I fear.
"Let's go in, nevertheless, and pound the Don's ribs, my old lad ofSmerwick. Eh? Three to one is very fair odds."
"Not underneath those fort guns, I beg leave to say," quoth Yeo. "If thePhilistines will but come out unto us, we will make them like unto Zebaand Zalmunna."
"Quite true," said Amyas. "Game cocks are game cocks, but reason'sreason."
"If the Philistines are not coming out, they are going to send amessenger instead," quoth Cary. "Look out, all thin skulls!"
And as he spoke, a puff of white smoke rolled from the eastern fort, anda heavy ball plunged into the water between it and the ship.
"I don't altogether like this," quoth Amyas. "What do they mean byfiring on us without warning? And what are these ships of war doinghere? Drew, you told me the armadas never lay here."
"No more, I believe, they do, sir, on account of the anchorage being sobad, as you may see. I'm mortal afeared that rascal's story was true,and that the Dons have got wind of our coming."
"Run up a white flag, at all events. If they do expect us, they musthave known some time since, or how could they have got their crafthither?"
"True, sir. They must have come from Santa Marta, at the least; perhapsfrom Cartagena. And that would take a month at least going and coming."
Amyas suddenly recollected Eustace's threat in the wayside inn. Could hehave betrayed their purpose? Impossible!
"Let us hold a council of war, at all events, Frank."
Frank was absorbed in a very different matter. A half-mile to theeastward of the town, two or three hundred feet up the steep mountainside, stood a large, low, white house embosomed in trees and gardens.There was no other house of similar size near; no place for one. And wasnot that the royal flag of Spain which flaunted before it? That must bethe governor's house; that must be the abode of the Rose of Torridge!And Frank stood devouring it with wild eyes, till he had persuadedhimself that he could see a woman's figure walking upon the terracein front, and that the figure was none other than hers whom he sought.Amyas could hardly tear him away to a council of war, which was a sad,and only not a peevish one.
The three adventurers, with Brimblecombe, Yeo, and Drew, went apart uponthe poop; and each looked the other in the face awhile. For what wasto be done? The plans and hopes of months were brought to naught in anhour.
"It is impossible, you see," said Amyas, at last, "to surprise the townby land, while these ships are here; for if we land our men, we leaveour ship without defence."
"As impossible as to challenge Don Guzman while he is not here," saidCary.
"I wonder why the ships have not opened on us already," said Drew.
"Perhaps they respect our flag of truce," said Cary. "Why not send in aboat to treat with them, and to inquire for--
"For her?" interrupted Frank. "If we show that we are aware of herexistence, her name is blasted in the eyes of those jealous Spaniards."
"And as for respecting our flag of truce, gentlemen," said Yeo, "if youwill take an old man's advice, trust them not. They will keep the samefaith with us as they kept with Captain Hawkins at San Juan d'Ulloa, inthat accursed business which was the beginning of all the wars; whenwe might have taken the whole plate-fleet, with two hundred thousandpounds' worth of gold on board, and did not, but only asked license totrade like honest men. And yet, after they had granted us license, anddeceived us by fair speech into landing ourselves and our ordnance, thegovernor and all the fleet set upon us, five to one, and gave no quarterto any soul whom he took. No, sir; I expect the only reason why theydon't attack us is, because their crews are not on board."
"They will be, soon enough, then," said Amyas. "I can see soldierscoming down the landing-stairs."
And, in fact, boats full of armed men began to push off to the ships.
"We may thank Heaven," said Drew, "that we were not here two hoursagone. The sun will be down before they are ready for sea, and thefellows will have no stomach to go looking for us by night."
"So much the worse for us. If they will but do that, we may give themthe slip, and back again to the town, and there try our luck; for Icannot find it in my heart to leave the place without having one dash atit."
Yeo shook his head. "There are plenty more towns along the coast moreworth trying than this, sir: but Heaven's will be done!"
And as they spoke, the sun plunged into the sea, and all was dark.
At
last it was agreed to anchor, and wait till midnight. If the shipsof war came out, they were to try to run in past them, and, desperateas the attempt might be, attempt their original plan of landing to thewestward of the town, taking it in flank, plundering the governmentstorehouses, which they saw close to the landing-place, and thenfighting their way back to their boats, and out of the roadstead. Twohours would suffice if the armada and the galleys were but once out ofthe way.
Amyas went forward, called the men together, and told them the plan. Itwas not very cheerfully received: but what else was there to be done!
They ran down about a mile and a half to the westward, and anchored.
The night wore on, and there was no sign of stir among the shipping;for though they could not see the vessels themselves, yet their lights(easily distinguished by their relative height from those in the townabove) remained motionless; and the men fretted and fumed for wearyhours at thus seeing a rich prize (for of course the town was paved withgold) within arm's reach, and yet impossible.
Let Amyas and his men have patience. Some short five years more, and thegreat Armada will have come and gone; and then that avenging storm,of which they, like Oxenham, Hawkins, and Drake, are but theavant-couriers, will burst upon every Spanish port from Corunna toCadiz, from the Canaries to Havana, and La Guayra and St. Yago de Leonwill not escape their share. Captain Amyas Preston and Captain Sommers,the colonist of the Bermudas, or Sommers' Islands, will land, with aforce tiny enough, though larger far than Leigh's, where Leigh dare notland; and taking the fort of Guayra, will find, as Leigh found, thattheir coming has been expected, and that the Pass of the Venta, threethousand feet above, has been fortified with huge barricadoes, abattis,and cannon, making the capital, amid its ring of mountain-walls,impregnable--to all but Englishmen or Zouaves. For up that seventhousand feet of precipice, which rises stair on stair behind the town,those fierce adventurers will climb hand over hand, through rain andfog, while men lie down, and beg their officers to kill them, for nofarther can they go. Yet farther they will go, hewing a path with theirswords through woods of wild plantain, and rhododendron thickets, over(so it seems, however incredible) the very saddle of the Silla,* downupon the astonished "Mantuanos" of St. Jago, driving all before them;and having burnt the city in default of ransom, will return triumphantby the right road, and pass along the coast, the masters of the deep.
* Humboldt says that there is a path from Caravellada to St. Jago, between the peaks, used by smugglers. This is probably the "unknowen way of the Indians," which Preston used.
I know not whether any men still live who count their descent from thosetwo valiant captains; but if such there be, let them be sure that thehistory of the English navy tells no more Titanic victory over natureand man than that now forgotten raid of Amyas Preston and his comrade,in the year of grace 1595.
But though a venture on the town was impossible, yet there was anotherventure which Frank was unwilling to let slip. A light which now shonebrightly in one of the windows of the governor's house was the lodestarto which all his thoughts were turned; and as he sat in the cabin withAmyas, Cary, and Jack, he opened his heart to them.
"And are we, then," asked he, mournfully, "to go without doing the verything for which we came?"
All were silent awhile. At last John Brimblecombe spoke.
"Show me the way to do it, Mr. Frank, and I will go."
"My dearest man," said Amyas, "what would you have? Any attempt to seeher, even if she be here, would be all but certain death."
"And what if it were? What if it were, my brother Amyas? Listen to me. Ihave long ceased to shrink from Death; but till I came into these magicclimes, I never knew the beauty of his face."
"Of death?" said Cary. "I should have said, of life. God forgive me! butman might wish to live forever, if he had such a world as this whereinto live."
"And do you forget, Cary, that the more fair this passing world of time,by so much the more fair is that eternal world, whereof all here is buta shadow and a dream; by so much the more fair is He before whose thronethe four mystic beasts, the substantial ideas of Nature and her powers,stand day and night, crying, 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, Thouhast made all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created!'My friends, if He be so prodigal of His own glory as to have deckedthese lonely shores, all but unknown since the foundation of the world,with splendors beyond all our dreams, what must be the glory of His faceitself! I have done with vain shadows. It is better to depart and to bewith Him, where shall be neither desire nor anger, self-deception norpretence, but the eternal fulness of reality and truth. One thing Ihave to do before I die, for God has laid it on me. Let that be doneto-night, and then, farewell!"
"Frank! Frank! remember our mother!"
"I do remember her. I have talked over these things with her many atime; and where I would fain be, she would fain be also. She sent me outwith my virgin honor, as the Spartan mother did her boy with the shield,saying, 'Come back either with this, or upon this;' and one or the otherI must do, if I would meet her either in this life or in the next. Butin the meanwhile do not mistake me; my life is God's, and I promise notto cast it away rashly."
"What would you do, then?"
"Go up to that house, Amyas, and speak with her, if Heaven gives me anopportunity, as Heaven, I feel assured, will give."
"And do you call that no rashness?"
"Is any duty rashness? Is it rash to stand amid the flying bullets, ifyour queen has sent you? Is it more rash to go to seek Christ's lostlamb, if God and your own oath hath sent you? John Brimblecombe answeredthat question for us long ago."
"If you go, I go with you!" said all three at once.
"No. Amyas, you owe a duty to our mother and to your ship. Cary, you areheir to great estates, and are bound thereby to your country and to yourtenants. John Brimblecombe--"
"Ay!" squeaked Jack. "And what have you to say, Mr. Frank, against mygoing?--I, who have neither ship nor estates--except, I suppose, that Iam not worthy to travel in such good company?"
"Think of your old parents, John, and all your sisters."
"I thought of them before I started, sir, as Mr. Cary knows, andyou know too. I came here to keep my vow, and I am not going to turnrenegade at the very foot of the cross."
"Some one must go with you, Frank," said Amyas; "if it were only tobring back the boat's crew in case--" and he faltered.
"In case I fall," replied Frank, with a smile. "I will finish yoursentence for you, lad; I am not afraid of it, though you may be for me.Yet some one, I fear, must go. Unhappy me! that I cannot risk my ownworthless life without risking your more precious lives!"
"Not so, Mr. Frank! Your oath is our oath, and your duty ours!" saidJohn. "I will tell you what we will do, gentlemen all. We three willdraw cuts for the honor of going with him."
"Lots?" said Amyas. "I don't like leaving such grave matters to chance,friend John."
"Chance, sir? When you have used all your own wit, and find it fail you,then what is drawing lots but taking the matter out of your own weakhands, and laying it in God's strong hands?"
"Right, John!" said Frank. "So did the apostles choose their successor,and so did holy men of old decide controversies too subtle for them;and we will not be ashamed to follow their example. For my part, I haveoften said to Sidney and to Spenser, when we have babbled together ofUtopian governments in days which are now dreams to me, that I wouldhave all officers of state chosen by lot out of the wisest and most fit;so making sure that they should be called by God, and not by man alone.Gentlemen, do you agree to Sir John's advice?"
They agreed, seeing no better counsel, and John put three slips of paperinto Frank's hand, with the simple old apostolic prayer--
"Show which of us three Thou hast chosen."
The lot fell upon Amyas Leigh.
Frank shuddered, and clasped his hands over his face.
"Well," said Cary, "I have ill-luck to-night: but Frank goes at least ingood comp
any."
"Ah, that it had been I!" said Jack; "though I suppose I was too poor abody to have such an honor fall on me. And yet it is hard for flesh andblood; hard indeed to have come all this way, and not to see her afterall!"
"Jack," said Frank, "you are kept to do better work than this, doubtnot. But if the lot had fallen on you--ay, if it had fallen on a threeyears' child, I would have gone up as cheerfully with that child to leadme, as I do now with this my brother! Amyas, can we have a boat, and acrew? It is near midnight already."
Amyas went on deck, and asked for six volunteers. Whosoever would come,Amyas would double out of his own purse any prize-money which might fallto that man's share.
One of the old Pelican's crew, Simon Evans of Clovelly, stepped out atonce.
"Why six only, captain? Give the word, and any and all of us will goup with you, sack the house, and bring off the treasure and the lady,before two hours are out."
"No, no, my brave lads! As for treasure, if there be any, it is sure tohave been put all safe into the forts, or hidden in the mountains; andas for the lady, God forbid that we should force her a step without herown will."
The honest sailor did not quite understand this punctilio: but--
"Well, captain," quoth he, "as you like; but no man shall say that youasked for a volunteer, were it to jump down a shark's throat, but whatyou had me first of all the crew."
After this sort of temper had been exhibited, three or four more cameforward--Yeo was very anxious to go, but Amyas forbade him.
"I'll volunteer, sir, without reward, for this or anything; though"(added he in a lower tone) "I would to Heaven that the thought had neverentered your head."
"And so would I have volunteered," said Simon Evans, "if it were theship's quarrel, or the queen's; but being it's a private matter of thecaptain's, and I've a wife and children at home, why, I take no shame tomyself for asking money for my life."
So the crew was made up; but ere they pushed off, Amyas called Caryaside--
"If I perish, Will--"
"Don't talk of such things, dear old lad."
"I must. Then you are captain. Do nothing without Yeo and Drew. But ifthey approve, go right north away for San Domingo and Cuba, and try theports; they can have no news of us there, and there is booty withoutend. Tell my mother that I died like a gentleman; and mind--mind, dearlad, to keep your temper with the men, let the poor fellows grumble asthey may. Mind but that, and fear God, and all will go well."
The tears were glistening in Cary's eyes as he pressed Amyas's hand, andwatched the two brothers down over the side upon their desperate errand.
They reached the pebble beach. There seemed no difficulty about findingthe path to the house--so bright was the moon, and so careful a surveyof the place had Frank taken. Leaving the men with the boat (Amyas hadtaken care that they should be well armed), they started up the beach,with their swords only. Frank assured Amyas that they would find a pathleading from the beach up to the house, and he was not mistaken. Theyfound it easily, for it was made of white shell sand; and following it,struck into a "tunal," or belt of tall thorny cactuses. Through thisthe path wound in zigzags up a steep rocky slope, and ended at awicket-gate. They tried it, and found it open.
"She may expect us," whispered Frank.
"Impossible!"
"Why not? She must have seen our ship; and if, as seems, the townsfolkknow who we are, how much more must she! Yes, doubt it not, she stilllongs to hear news of her own land, and some secret sympathy will drawher down towards the sea to-night. See! the light is in the windowstill!"
"But if not," said Amyas, who had no such expectation, "what is yourplan?"
"I have none."
"None?"
"I have imagined twenty different ones in the last hour; but all areequally uncertain, impossible. I have ceased to struggle--I go whereI am called, love's willing victim. If Heaven accept the sacrifice, itwill provide the altar and the knife."
Aymas was at his wits' end. Judging of his brother by himself, he hadtaken for granted that Frank had some well-concocted scheme for gainingadmittance to the Rose; and as the wiles of love were altogether out ofhis province, he had followed in full faith such a sans-appel as he heldFrank to be. But now he almost doubted of his brother's sanity, thoughFrank's manner was perfectly collected and his voice firm. Amyas, honestfellow, had no understanding of that intense devotion, which so many inthose days (not content with looking on it as a lofty virtue, and yetone to be duly kept in its place by other duties) prided themselves onpampering into the most fantastic and self-willed excesses.
Beautiful folly! the death-song of which two great geniuses werecomposing at that very moment, each according to his light. For, whileSpenser was embalming in immortal verse all that it contained of nobleand Christian elements, Cervantes sat, perhaps, in his dungeon, writingwith his left hand Don Quixote, saddest of books, in spite of all itswit; the story of a pure and noble soul, who mistakes this actual lifefor that ideal one which he fancies (and not so wrongly either) eternalin the heavens: and finding instead of a battlefield for heroes in God'scause, nothing but frivolity, heartlessness, and godlessness, becomes alaughing-stock,--and dies. One of the saddest books, I say again, whichman can read.
Amyas hardly dare trust himself to speak, for fear of saying too much;but he could not help saying--
"You are going to certain death, Frank."
"Did I not entreat," answered he, very quietly, "to go alone?"
Amyas had half a mind to compel him to return: but he feared Frank'sobstinacy; and feared, too, the shame of returning on board withouthaving done anything; so they went up through the wicket-gate, along asmooth turf walk, into what seemed a pleasure-garden, formed by the handof man, or rather of woman. For by the light, not only of the moon, butof the innumerable fireflies, which flitted to and fro across the swardlike fiery imps sent to light the brothers on their way, they could seethat the bushes on either side, and the trees above their heads, weredecked with flowers of such strangeness and beauty, that, as Frankonce said of Barbados, "even the gardens of Wilton were a desert incomparison." All around were orange and lemon trees (probably the onlyaddition which man had made to Nature's prodigality), the fruit ofwhich, in that strange colored light of the fireflies, flashed in theireyes like balls of burnished gold and emerald; while great white tasselsswinging from every tree in the breeze which swept down the glade,tossed in their faces a fragrant snow of blossoms, and glittering dropsof perfumed dew.
"What a paradise!" said Amyas to Frank, "with the serpent in it, as ofold. Look!"
And as he spoke, there dropped slowly down from a bough, right beforethem, what seemed a living chain of gold, ruby, and sapphire. Bothstopped, and another glance showed the small head and bright eyes of asnake, hissing and glaring full in their faces.
"See!" said Frank. "And he comes, as of old, in the likeness of an angelof light. Do not strike it. There are worse devils to be fought withto-night than that poor beast." And stepping aside, they passed thesnake safely, and arrived in front of the house.
It was, as I have said, a long low house, with balconies along the upperstory, and the under part mostly open to the wind. The light was stillburning in the window.
"Whither now?" said Amyas, in a tone of desperate resignation.
"Thither! Where else on earth?" and Frank pointed to the light,trembling from head to foot, and pushed on.
"For Heaven's sake! Look at the negroes on the barbecue!"
It was indeed time to stop; for on the barbecue, or terrace of whiteplaster, which ran all round the front, lay sleeping full twenty blackfigures.
"What will you do now? You must step over them to gain an entrance."
"Wait here, and I will go up gently towards the window. She may see me.She will see me as I step into the moonlight. At least I know an air bywhich she will recognize me, if I do but hum a stave."
"Why, you do not even know that that light is hers!--Down, for yourlife!"
And A
myas dragged him down into the bushes on his left hand; for oneof the negroes, wakening suddenly with a cry, had sat up, and begancrossing himself four or five times, in fear of "Duppy," and mumblingvarious charms, ayes, or what not.
The light above was extinguished instantly.
"Did you see her?" whispered Frank.
"No."
"I did--the shadow of the face, and the neck! Can I be mistaken?" Andthen, covering his face with his hands, he murmured to himself, "Misery!misery! So near and yet impossible?"
"Would it be the less impossible were you face to face? Let us go back.We cannot go up without detection, even if our going were of use. Comeback, for God's sake, ere all is lost! If you have seen her, as you say,you know at least that she is alive, and safe in his house--"
"As his mistress? or as his wife? Do I know that yet, Amyas, and can Idepart until I know?" There was a few minutes' silence, and then Amyas,making one last attempt to awaken Frank to the absurdity of the wholething, and to laugh him, if possible, out of it, as argument had noeffect--
"My dear fellow, I am very hungry and sleepy; and this bush is veryprickly; and my boots are full of ants--"
"So are mine.--Look!" and Frank caught Amyas's arm, and clenched ittight.
For round the farther corner of the house a dark cloaked figure stolegently, turning a look now and then upon the sleeping negroes, and cameon right toward them.
"Did I not tell you she would come?" whispered Frank, in a triumphanttone.
Amyas was quite bewildered; and to his mind the apparition seemedmagical, and Frank prophetic; for as the figure came nearer, incredulousas he tried to be, there was no denying that the shape and the walk wereexactly those of her, to find whom they had crossed the Atlantic. True,the figure was somewhat taller; but then, "she must be grown since I sawher," thought Amyas; and his heart for the moment beat as fiercely asFrank's.
But what was that behind her? Her shadow against the white wall of thehouse. Not so. Another figure, cloaked likewise, but taller far, wasfollowing on her steps. It was a man's. They could see that he wore abroad sombrero. It could not be Don Guzman, for he was at sea. Who then?Here was a mystery; perhaps a tragedy. And both brothers held theirbreaths, while Amyas felt whether his sword was loose in the sheath.
The Rose (if indeed it was she) was within ten yards of them, when sheperceived that she was followed. She gave a little shriek. The cavaliersprang forward, lifted his hat courteously, and joined her, bowing low.The moonlight was full upon his face.
"It is Eustace, our cousin! How came he here, in the name of all thefiends?"
"Eustace! Then that is she, after all!" said Frank, forgettingeverything else in her.
And now flashed across Amyas all that had passed between him and Eustacein the moorland inn, and Parracombe's story, too, of the suspiciousgipsy. Eustace had been beforehand with them, and warned Don Guzman! Allwas explained now: but how had he got hither?
"The devil, his master, sent him hither on a broomstick, I suppose: orwhat matter how? Here he is; and here we are, worse luck!" And, settinghis teeth, Amyas awaited the end.
The two came on, talking earnestly, and walking at a slow pace, so thatthe brothers could hear every word.
"What shall we do now?" said Frank. "We have no right to beeavesdroppers."
"But we must be, right or none." And Amyas held him down firmly by thearm.
"But whither are you going, then, my dear madam?" they heard Eustacesay in a wheedling tone. "Can you wonder if such strange conduct shouldcause at least sorrow to your admirable and faithful husband?"
"Husband!" whispered Frank faintly to Amyas. "Thank God, thank God! I amcontent. Let us go."
But to go was impossible; for, as fate would have it, the two hadstopped just opposite them.
"The inestimable Senor Don Guzman--" began Eustace again.
"What do you mean by praising him to me in this fulsome way, sir? Do yousuppose that I do not know his virtues better than you?"
"If you do, madam" (this was spoken in a harder tone), "it were wise foryou to try them less severely, than by wandering down towards the beachon the very night that you know his most deadly enemies are lying inwait to slay him, plunder his house, and most probably to carry you offfrom him."
"Carry me off? I will die first!"
"Who can prove that to him? Appearances are at least against you."
"My love to him, and his trust for me, sir!"
"His trust? Have you forgotten, madam, what passed last week, and why hesailed yesterday?"
The only answer was a burst of tears. Eustace stood watching her with aterrible eye; but they could see his face writhing in the moonlight.
"Oh!" sobbed she at last. "And if I have been imprudent, was it notnatural to wish to look once more upon an English ship? Are you notEnglish as well as I? Have you no longing recollections of the dear oldland at home?"
Eustace was silent; but his face worked more fiercely than ever.
"How can he ever know it?"
"Why should he not know it?"
"Ah!" she burst out passionately, "why not, indeed, while you are here?You, sir, the tempter, you the eavesdropper, you the sunderer of lovinghearts! You, serpent, who found our home a paradise, and see it now ahell!"
"Do you dare to accuse me thus, madam, without a shadow of evidence?"
"Dare? I dare anything, for I know all! I have watched you, sir, and Ihave borne with you too long."
"Me, madam, whose only sin towards you, as you should know by now, is tohave loved you too well? Rose! Rose! have you not blighted my life forme--broken my heart? And how have I repaid you? How but by sacrificingmyself to seek you over land and sea, that I might complete yourconversion to the bosom of that Church where a Virgin Mother standsstretching forth soft arms to embrace her wandering daughter, and criesto you all day long, 'Come unto me, ye that are weary and heavy laden,and I will give you rest!' And this is my reward!"
"Depart with your Virgin Mother, sir, and tempt me no more! You haveasked me what I dare; and I dare this, upon my own ground, and in myown garden, I, Donna Rosa de Soto, to bid you leave this place now andforever, after having insulted me by talking of your love, and temptedme to give up that faith which my husband promised me he would respectand protect. Go, sir!"
The brothers listened breathless with surprise as much as with rage.Love and conscience, and perhaps, too, the pride of her lofty alliance,had converted the once gentle and dreamy Rose into a very Roxana; but itwas only the impulse of a moment. The words had hardly passed her lips,when, terrified at what she had said, she burst into a fresh flood oftears; while Eustace answered calmly:
"I go, madam: but how know you that I may not have orders, and that,after your last strange speech, my conscience may compel me to obeythose orders, to take you with me?"
"Me? with you?"
"My heart has bled for you, madam, for many a year. It longs now thatit had bled itself to death, and never known the last worst agony oftelling you--"
And drawing close to her he whispered in her ear--what, the brothersheard not--but her answer was a shriek which rang through the woods, andsent the night-birds fluttering up from every bough above their heads.
"By Heaven!" said Amyas, "I can stand this no longer. Cut that devil'sthroat I must--"
"She is lost if his dead body is found by her."
"We are lost if we stay here, then," said Amyas; "for those negroes willhurry down at her cry, and then found we must be."
"Are you mad, madam, to betray yourself by your own cries? The negroeswill be here in a moment. I give you one last chance for life, then:"and Eustace shouted in Spanish at the top of his voice, "Help, help,servants! Your mistress is being carried off by bandits!"
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Let your woman's wit supply the rest: and forget not him who thus savesyou from disgrace."
Whether the brothers heard the last words or not, I know not; but takingfor granted that Eustace had discovered them, they spran
g to their feetat once, determined to make one last appeal, and then to sell theirlives as dearly as they could.
Eustace started back at the unexpected apparition; but a second glanceshowed him Amyas's mighty bulk; and he spoke calmly--
"You see, madam, I did not call without need. Welcome, good cousins. Mycharity, as you perceive, has found means to outstrip your craft; whilethe fair lady, as was but natural, has been true to her assignation!"
"Liar!" cried Frank. "She never knew of our being--"
"Credat Judaeus!" answered Eustace; but, as he spoke, Amyas burstthrough the bushes at him. There was no time to be lost; and ere thegiant could disentangle himself from the boughs and shrubs, Eustace hadslipped off his long cloak, thrown it over Amyas's head, and ran up thealley shouting for help.
Mad with rage, Amyas gave chase: but in two minutes more Eustace wassafe among the ranks of the negroes, who came shouting and jabberingdown the path.
He rushed back. Frank was just ending some wild appeal to Rose--
"Your conscience! your religion!--"
"No, never! I can face the chance of death, but not the loss of him. Go!for God's sake, leave me!"
"You are lost, then,--and I have ruined you!"
"Come off, now or never," cried Amyas, clutching him by the arm, anddragging him away like a child.
"You forgive me?" cried he.
"Forgive you?" and she burst into tears again.
Frank burst into tears also.
"Let me go back, and die with her--Amyas!--my oath!--my honor!" and hestruggled to turn back.
Amyas looked back too, and saw her standing calmly, with her handsfolded across her breast, awaiting Eustace and the servants; and he halfturned to go back also. Both saw how fearfully appearances had put herinto Eustace's power. Had he not a right to suspect that they were thereby her appointment; that she was going to escape with them? And wouldnot Eustace use his power? The thought of the Inquisition crossed theirminds. "Was that the threat which Eustace had whispered?" asked he ofFrank.
"It was," groaned Frank, in answer.
For the first and last time in his life, Amyas Leigh stood irresolute.
"Back, and stab her to the heart first!" said Frank, struggling toescape from him.
Oh, if Amyas were but alone, and Frank safe home in England! To chargethe whole mob, kill her, kill Eustace, and then cut his way back againto the ship, or die,--what matter? as he must die some day,--sword inhand! But Frank!--and then flashed before his eyes his mother's hopelessface; then rang in his ears his mother's last bequest to him of thatfrail treasure. Let Rose, let honor, let the whole world perish, he mustsave Frank. See! the negroes were up with her now--past her--away forlife! and once more he dragged his brother down the hill, and throughthe wicket, only just in time; for the whole gang of negroes were withinten yards of them in full pursuit.
"Frank," said he, sharply, "if you ever hope to see your mother again,rouse yourself, man, and fight!" And, without waiting for an answer, heturned, and charged up-hill upon his pursuers, who saw the long brightblade, and fled instantly.
Again he hurried Frank down the hill; the path wound in zigzags, and hefeared that the negroes would come straight over the cliff, and so cutoff his retreat: but the prickly cactuses were too much for them, andthey were forced to follow by the path, while the brothers (Frank havingsomewhat regained his senses) turned every now and then to menacethem: but once on the rocky path, stones began to fly fast; small onesfortunately, and wide and wild for want of light--but when they reachedthe pebble-beach? Both were too proud to run; but, if ever Amyas prayedin his life, he prayed for the last twenty yards before he reached thewater-mark.
"Now, Frank! down to the boat as hard as you can run, while I keep thecurs back."
"Amyas! what do you take me for? My madness brought you hither: yourdevotion shall not bring me back without you."
"Together, then!"
And putting Frank's arm through his, they hurried down, shouting totheir men.
The boat was not fifty yards off: but fast travelling over the pebbleswas impossible, and long ere half the distance was crossed, the negroeswere on the beach, and the storm burst. A volley of great quartz pebbleswhistled round their heads.
"Come on, Frank! for life's sake! Men, to the rescue! Ah! what wasthat?"
The dull crash of a pebble against Frank's fair head! Drooping likeHyacinthus beneath the blow of the quoit, he sank on Amyas's arm. Thegiant threw him over his shoulder, and plunged blindly on,--himselfstruck again and again.
"Fire, men! Give it the black villains!"
The arquebuses crackled from the boat in front. What were thosedull thuds which answered from behind? Echoes? No. Over his head thecaliver-balls went screeching. The governors' guard have turned out,followed them to the beach, fixed their calivers, and are firing overthe negroes' heads, as the savages rush down upon the hapless brothers.
If, as all say, there are moments which are hours, how many hours wasAmyas Leigh in reaching that boat's bow? Alas! the negroes are there assoon as he, and the guard, having left their calivers, are close behindthem, sword in hand. Amyas is up to his knees in water--battered withstones--blinded with blood. The boat is swaying off and on against thesteep pebble-bank: he clutches at it--misses--falls headlong--riseshalf-choked with water: but Frank is still in his arms. Another heavyblow--a confused roar of shouts, shots, curses--a confused mass ofnegroes and English, foam and pebbles--and he recollects no more.
* * * * *
He is lying in the stern-sheets of the boat; stiff, weak, half blindwith blood. He looks up; the moon is still bright overhead: but they areaway from the shore now, for the wave-crests are dancing white beforethe land-breeze, high above the boat's side. The boat seems strangelyempty. Two men are pulling instead of six! And what is this lying heavyacross his chest? He pushes, and is answered by a groan. He puts hishand down to rise, and is answered by another groan.
"What's this?"
"All that are left of us," says Simon Evans of Clovelly.
"All?" The bottom of the boat seemed paved with human bodies. "OhGod! oh God!" moans Amyas, trying to rise. "And where--where is Frank?Frank!"
"Mr. Frank!" cries Evans. There is no answer.
"Dead?" shrieks Amyas. "Look for him, for God's sake, look!" andstruggling from under his living load, he peers into each pale andbleeding face.
"Where is he? Why don't you speak, forward there?"
"Because we have naught to say, sir," answers Evans, almost surlily.
Frank was not there.
"Put the boat about! To the shore!" roars Amyas.
"Look over the gunwale, and judge for yourself, sir!"
The waves are leaping fierce and high before a furious land-breeze.Return is impossible.
"Cowards! villains! traitors! hounds! to have left him behind."
"Listen you to me, Captain Amyas Leigh," says Simon Evans, resting onhis oar; "and hang me for mutiny, if you will, when we're aboard, if weever get there. Isn't it enough to bring us out to death (as you knewyourself, sir, for you're prudent enough) to please that poor younggentleman's fancy about a wench; but you must call coward an honest manthat have saved your life this night, and not a one of us but has hiswound to show?"
Amyas was silent; the rebuke was just.
"I tell you, sir, if we've hove a stone out of this boat since we gotoff, we've hove two hundredweight, and, if the Lord had not fought forus, she'd have been beat to noggin-staves there on the beach."
"How did I come here, then?"
"Tom Hart dragged you in out of five feet water, and then thrust theboat off, and had his brains beat out for reward. All were knocked downbut us two. So help me God, we thought that you had hove Mr. Frank onboard just as you were knocked down, and saw William Frost drag him in."
But William Frost was lying senseless in the bottom of the boat. Therewas no explanation. After all, none was needed.
"And I have three wounds from stones, and this ma
n behind me as manymore, beside a shot through his shoulder. Now, sir, be we cowards?"
"You have done your duty," said Amyas, and sank down in the boat, andcried as if his heart would break; and then sprang up, and, wounded ashe was, took the oar from Evans's hands. With weary work they made theship, but so exhausted that another boat had to be lowered to get themalongside.
The alarm being now given, it was hardly safe to remain where they were;and after a stormy and sad argument, it was agreed to weigh anchor andstand off and on till morning; for Amyas refused to leave the spot tillhe was compelled, though he had no hope (how could he have?) that Frankmight still be alive. And perhaps it was well for them, as will appearin the next chapter, that morning did not find them at anchor close tothe town.
However that may be, so ended that fatal venture of mistaken chivalry.