CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.
IN WHICH MESTY SHOULD BE CALLED THROUGHOUT MEPHISTOPHELES, FOR ITABOUNDS IN BLACK CLOAKS, DISGUISES, DAGGERS, AND DARK DEEDS.
On the fourth evening after the removal of our two midshipmen to thepalazzo of Don Rebiera, as they were sitting in company with Agnes andDon Philip in their own room, a friar made his appearance at the door.They all started, for by his height they imagined him to be the FriarThomaso, but no one addressed him. The friar shut the door withoutsaying a word, and then lifting up his cowl, which had been drawn overit, discovered the black face of Mesty. Agnes screamed, and all sprangfrom their seats at this unusual and unexpected apparition. Mestygrinned, and there was that in his countenance which said that he hadmuch to communicate.
"Where is the friar, Mesty?" inquired Easy.
"Stop a little, Massa--suppose we lock door first, and den I tell all."
Taking this precaution, Mesty threw off the friar's gown, and appearedin his own dress, with the bag of dollars slung round his body.
"Now, Massa Easy, I hab a long tory to tell--so I tink I better begin atthe beginning."
"It is the most approved method," replied Jack; "but stop when I hold upmy finger, that we may translate what you say to the lady and DonPhilip."
"Dat all right, sar. Friar and I get on two mule as soon as it quitedark. He make me carry all tousand dollars--and we ride out of town.We go up mountain and mountain, but the moon get up shine and we go oncheek by jowl--he nebber say one word, and I nebber say one word, 'causeI no speak his lingo, and he no understand my English. About twoo'clock in de morning, we stop at a house and stay dere till eighto'clock, and den we go on again all next day, up all mountain, only stoponce, eat a bit bread and drink lilly wine. Second night come on, andden we stop again, and people bow very low to him, and woman bring inrabbit for make supper. I go in the kitchen, woman make stew smell verynice, so I nod my head, and I say very good, and she make a face, andthrow on table black loaf of bread and garlic, and make sign dat for mysupper; good enough for black fellow, and dat rabbit stew for friar.Den I say to myself, stop a little; suppose friar hab all de rabbit, Itink I give him a lilly powder."
"The powder, Mesty?" exclaimed Jack.
"What does he say?" inquired Don Philip.
Gascoigne translated all that Mesty had communicated. The interest ofthe narrative now became exciting. Mesty continued:
"Well, Massa Easy, den woman she go for dish to put stew in, and I takede powder and drop it in de pot, and den I sit down again and eat blackbread, she say good enough for black man. She stir up de stew oncemore, and den she pour it out into dish, and take it to friar. He lickum chops, by all de powers, and he like um so well he pick all de bones,and wipe up gravy with him bread. You tink it very nice, Massa Friar,tink I; but stop a little. After he drink a whole bottle of wine hetell em bring mules to de door, and he put him hands on de woman head,and dat de way he pay for him supper.
"The moon shone bright, and we go up all mountain, always go up, and'bout two hour, he got off him mule and he put him hand so, and set downon de rock. He twist, and he turn and he groan for half an hour, andden he look at me, as much as to say, you black villain, you do this?for he not able to speak, and den I pull out de paper of de powder, andI show him, and make him sign he swallow it: he look again, and I laughat him--and he die."
"Oh Mesty, Mesty," exclaimed our hero; "you should not have done that--there will be mischief come from it."
"Now he dead, Massa Easy, so much less mischief."
Gascoigne then interpreted to Don Philip and Agnes, the former of whomlooked very grave and the latter terrified.
"Let him go on," said Don Philip; "I am most anxious to hear what he didwith the body."
Mesty, at the request of our hero, proceeded: "Den I thought what Ishould do, and I said I would hide him, and I tink I take his coat formyself--so I pull off him coat and I pull off all his oder clothes--henot wear many--and I take the body in my arm and carry him where I finda great split in de rock above all road. I throw him in, and den Ithrow plenty large pieces rock on him till I no see him any more; den Itake de two mules and get on mine wid de dollars, and lead the otherthree four mile, till I come to a large wood--take off him saddle andbridle, turn him adrift. Den I tear up all clothes all in lilly bits,hide one piece here, noder piece dere, and de saddle and bridle in debush. All right now, I say; so put on friar cloak, hide my face, get onmy mule, and den I look where I shall go--so I say, I not be in dis roadanyhow. I passed through wood till I find nother. I go 'bout twomile--moon go down, all dark, and five six men catch hold my bridle, andthey all got arms, so I do nothing--they speak to me, but I no answer,and neber show my face. They find all dollars (damn um) fast enough,and they lead me away through the wood. Last we come to large fire inde wood, plenty of men lie 'bout, some eat and some drink. They pull meoff, and I hold down my head and fold my arms, just like friar do. Theybring me along to one man, and pour out all my dollar before him. Hegive some order, and they take me away, and I peep through the cloak,and I say to myself, he that damn galley--slave rascal Don Silvio."
"Don Silvio!" cried Jack.
"What does he say of Don Silvio?" demanded Don Philip.
Mesty's narrative was again translated, and he continued.
"Dey lead me away 'bout fifty yards, tie me to tree, and den dey leaveme, and dey all drink and make merry, neber offer me anyting; so I habnoting den to eat. I eat de ropes and gnaw them through, and den I staythere two hour until all go asleep, and all quiet; for I say to myself,stop a little. Den when dey all fast asleep, I take out my knife and Icrawl 'long de ground, as we do in our country sometime--and den I stopand look 'bout me; no man watch but two, and dey look out for squarl,not look in board where I was. I crawl 'gain till I lay down 'longsidethat damn galley-slave Don Silvio. He lie fast asleep with my bagthousand dollars under him head. So I tink, `you not hab dem long, yourascal.' I look round--all right, and I drive my knife good aim intohim heart, and press toder hand on him mouth, but he make no noise; hestruggle little and look up, and den I throw off de head of de gown andshow him my black face, and he look and he try to speak; but I stop dat,for down go my knife, again, and de damn galley-slave dead as herring."
"Stop, Mesty, we must tell this to Don Philip," said Gascoigne.
"Dead, Don Silvio dead! well, Mesty, we are eternally obliged to you,for there was no safety for my father while he was living. Let him goon."
"So when I put de knife through his body, I lie down by him, as ifnoting had happened, for ten minute, and den I take de bag of dollarsfrom under him head, and den I feel him all over, and I find him pistolsand him purse, which I hab here, all gold. So I take them and I look--all asleep, and I crawl back to de tree. Den I stay to tink a little;de man on watch come up and look at me, but he tink all right and he goaway again. Lucky ting, by de power, dat I go back to tree. I waitagain, and den I crawl and crawl till I clear of all, and den I take tomy heel and run for um life, till daylight come, and den I so tired Ilie down in bush: I stay in bush all day, and den I set off again backhere, for I find road and know my way. I not eat den for one day andone night, and come to house where I put my head in and find womanthere. I not able to speak, so I help myself, and not show my face.She not like dat and make a bobbery, but I lift up my cloak and show myblack face and white teeth, and den she tink me de debil. She ran outof de house and I help myself very quick, and den set off and come closehere yesterday morning. I hide myself all day and come in at night, andnow, Massa Easy, you ab all de whole truth--and you ab your tousanddollars--and you ab got rid of de rascal friar and de damn galley-slaveDon Silvio."
"Tell them all this, Ned," said Jack, who, whilst Gascoigne was soemployed, talked with Mesty.
"I was very much frightened for you, Mesty," said Jack; "but still Ithought you quite as cunning as the friar, and so it has turned out; butthe thousand dollars ought to be yours."
"No, sar," replied Me
sty, "the dollars not mine; but I hab plenty ofgold in Don Silvio's purse--plenty, plenty of gold. I keep my property,Massa Easy, and you keep yours."
"I'm afraid that this affair may be found out, Mesty; the woman willspread the report of having been attacked by a black friar, and thatwill lead to suspicion, as the other friars of the convent knew that youleft with Friar Thomaso."
"So I tink dat, but when a man starve, he quite forget his thought."
"I don't blame you; but now I must talk to Don Philip."
"Suppose you no objection, while you talk I eat something from the tablethen, Massa Easy; for I hungry enough to eat de friar, mule and all."
"Eat, my good fellow, and drink as much as you please."
The consultation between our two midshipmen and Don Philip was not long:they perceived the immediate necessity for the departure of Mesty, andthe suspicion which would attach to themselves. Don Philip and Agnesleft them, to go to Don Rebiera, and make him acquainted with what hadpassed, and to ask his advice.
When they went into the room, Don Rebiera immediately accosted his son.
"Have you heard, Philip, that Friar Thomaso has returned at last?--sothe servants tell me."
"The report may be fortunate," replied Don Philip; "but I have anotherstory to tell you."
He then sat down and imparted to Don Rebiera all the adventures ofMesty. Don Rebiera was for some time in deep thought; at last hereplied:
"That Don Silvio is no more is fortunate, and the negro would beentitled to reward for his destruction--but for the friar, that is a badbusiness. The negro might remain and tell the whole story, and thefacts might be proved by the evidence of Signor Easy and the letters;but what then? we should raise the whole host of the clergy against ourhouse, and we have suffered too much from them already; the best planwould be the immediate departure, not only of the negro, but of our twoyoung friends. The supposition of Friar Thomaso being here, and theirdeparture with the negro servant to rejoin their ship, will remove muchsuspicion and destroy all inquiry. They must be off immediately. Go tothem, Philip, and point out to them the absolute necessity of thismeasure, and tell our young friend that I rigidly adhere to my promise,and as soon as he has his father's sanction I will bestow upon him mydaughter. In the meantime I will send down and see if a vessel can bechartered for Malta."
Our hero and Gascoigne fully admitted the wisdom of this measure, andprepared for their departure; indeed, now that Don Rebiera's resolutionhad been made known to our hero, he cared more for obtaining hisfather's consent than he did for remaining to enjoy himself at Palermo,and before noon of the next day all was ready, the vessel had beenprocured, Jack took his leave of Agnes and her mother, and accompaniedby Don Rebiera and Don Philip (for Don Martin was on duty a few milesfrom Palermo), went down to the beach, and having bid them farewellembarked with Gascoigne and Mesty on board of the two-masted lateenwhich had been engaged, and before sunset not a steeple of Palermo wasto be seen.
"What are you thinking of, Jack?" said Gascoigne, after our hero hadbeen silent half an hour.
"I have been thinking, Ned, that we are well out of it."
"So do I," replied Gascoigne; and here the conversation dropped for atime.
"What are you thinking of now, Jack?" said Gascoigne after a long pause.
"I've been thinking that I've a good story for the old Governor."
"Very true," replied Gascoigne; and both were again silent for sometime.
"What are you thinking of now, Jack?" said Gascoigne, after another longinterval.
"I've been thinking that I shall leave the service," replied Jack.
"I wish you would take me with you," replied Gascoigne, with a sigh; andagain they were both in deep contemplation.
"What are you thinking of now, Jack?" said Gascoigne again.
"Of Agnes," replied our hero.
"Well, if that's the case I'll call you when supper's ready. In themeantime I'll go and talk with Mesty."