The Admirable Lady Biddy Fane

  CHAPTER IV.

  I COME TO THE CANARIES IN BETTER PLIGHT THAN I STARTED.

  When the seamen had hidden me away, so that no man not knowing the waysof the ship could well come at me save by discharging the hold of itsstores, one brought me some meat and drink, and then I was left tomyself in the dark. For some time all was quiet above, but about noon,as I judge, I heard a great bustle on the decks of pulling ropes and thelike, and this continued all day until the evening, when the anchorswere drawn up and the ship made sail. And the reason of this commotionwas that Rodrigues, having got away from the sheriff's men, underpretense of seeking relief for his arm, sped him to Sir BartlemyPengilly to tell him how I had refused his offer, but had neverthelessgone aboard the _Sure Hawk_ to escape the law; whereupon the knight,mightily pleased with this turn, ordered Sir Harry Smidmore, who thenlay at his house, to lose no time in departing, but to take advantage ofthe breeze then springing up to set sail as soon as might be; and thestores being all aboard and the crew in readiness, Sir Harry set aboutthis business at once. When the men stood at the anchor ready to heaveaway, Sir Bartlemy and Lady Biddy took an affectionate farewell of SirHarry, and bidding him with tears God-speed and a happy return, quittedthe ship. And so about eight o'clock that evening the _Sure Hawk_ (withher companion, the _Adventurer_), sailed out of Falmouth Haven with me,Benet Pengilly, in the hold.

  When we were fairly out to sea, Rodrigues came down to me with anotherfellow bearing a lantern, and bade me come out, and I was not sorry; forbesides that it was extremely stuffy down there, so that there was nobreathing with any comfort, the ship had begun to roll and pitch in sucha manner that I feared every moment nothing less but to be crushed bysome chest or barrel being thrown upon me, though, indeed, there wasnaught to fear in that respect, as I learned when I became betteracquainted with the manner of these things. But, indeed, the sea ranunconscionably high, and the ship labored painfully all that night andthe next day, and after that the next night again was no better, so thatit was surprising to me that we had not foundered. Yet that was the lastthing I feared, for, being miserably ill and as sick as any dog, I dotruly think that had the ship split I should have made no effort to savemyself.

  I had been stowed away between decks among some bales of goods packedsecurely in the fore part of the vessel, and here I lay, with no comfortbut a stone jar of water, until, waking from a sound sleep, it might beabout noon and were now at sea three days, I perceived that the stormhad greatly abated, and that my stomach was no longer qualmish, butquickened with a huge hunger--as well it might be after my long fast,etc. Then, feeling brisker than I had yet felt since we set sail, I satup, and a savory smell sharpening my appetite, I got upon my legs, andso spied half a dozen seamen seated on chests under the light of thehatchway before a smoking mess of pork and pease. Thither I made my way,though not without difficulty, the ship still rolling immoderately, andbegged civilly that they would let me eat with them. Whereupon oneshoved the victuals toward me that I might help myself, but not a word,good or bad, did any of them speak, which was more noticeable becausethey had all been laughing and talking till they saw me. Presently apipe sounded, and they all went up above; then down comes Rodrigues, andit was the first time I had seen him since we were at sea. He had on hissea skirt and large boots all running with water, for it still wasexceedingly foul weather, and his hat tied down about his ears with ared kerchief. But he was in good spirits, and asked me cheerfully how Idid as he seated himself beside me and helped himself to meat; andhaving answered his inquiry, I told him how the seamen scowled at me,and begged to know if I had done aught to deserve this ill-will.

  "Why, yes," says he; "for had it not been to save you from thecatchpoles, we should never have ventured to sea in such a rising gale.We have had no rest since we left Falmouth, and like at any moment tohave gone to the bottom. For aught we know, our consort is lost, and allhands with her, not having been seen these two days. And this is a greatloss, besides being a bad beginning to our enterprise, and all is setdown to your charge. However, it is in your power to make them amendsand win their love, and I make no doubt you will."

  "With all my heart," says I, "if you do but show me how."

  "All in good time," says he, tearing with his pointed teeth the fleshoff a knuckle-bone of pork that he held in his hands; "all in good time.We can do nothing yet, but I look to you for help by-and-by, else had Inot run all this risk for you. And yet," continues he, after a pause,flinging the knuckle-bone behind him--"yet it might be well for you tomake friends with the captain at once. He asked to see you thismorning."

  "And who is this captain?" I asked, my curiosity awakening.

  "Why, Sir Harry Smidmore, to be sure. Did I not tell you?"

  "No," says I, moodily.

  "Then you might have guessed it."

  And this was quite true, if I had been in a humor for guessing.

  "I have been trapped and despatched to sea to please Lady Biddy," saysI, savagely.

  "Well, you'll bear me no grudge for that. There was no way to save youbut by getting you aboard the ship." Then, glancing round to see we werealone, he adds, dropping his voice, "And if Sir Harry Smidmore made tosea with you before you could escape, that he might please hissweetheart and keep you and her well asunder, 'twas no fault of mine.Don't you like it, Pengilly?"

  I ground my teeth for response.

  "Would you be even with him for this trick?" he asked, in the same lowtone, and with a sinister leer.

  "Aye, that I would!"

  "So would I in your place," says he. "If a man served me that way,I'd--"

  Here he stopped, and taking up a jack-knife, he stuck it in the dealboard that served as a bench, and pressed on it till the blade came outon the other side, and while he did this his sinewy hand grasped theboard as if it were a throat, and his lips were drawn back close to hispointed teeth; then he looked sidelong at me, saying never a word, as ifto know how I took this hint.

  "I am no murderer," says I, terrified by his manner as much as by hissuggestion.

  "Why, who said you were?" says he, with great show of indignation."Cannot a man by steady endeavor go through a difficulty as I have gonethrough that board with this knife without doing a mischief? What a foolshould I be to counsel you to such an end when our true success dependsupon you being good friends with our captain. Nay," he adds, "if Ithought you would curb your spirit to it, I would beg you to take SirHarry's hand, when he offers it to you, and accept his friendship."

  "That can I never do."

  "So I thought. Howsomever, you must do him no injury or insult at thispresent. And, harkye, I know it for a fact that he wants to give intoyour hand a sum of money entrusted to him by your uncle for yourparticular use, that you might furnish yourself presently with anequipment worthy of his nephew; and this you must not refuse to take.Laugh as scornfully as you will, but you must take it, and I will tellyou for why. When we get to a port, you will have to make the crew merryin return for the hardships they have suffered on your account. You mustwin them to your side, for we can do nothing else."

  "They shall have every penny I get, and welcome. But tell me what youmean when you say we can do nothing without having the men on our side?"

  "I mean," says he, "that without them you will get neither riches noryour sweetheart."

  "And how, having them, am I to win these ends?"

  "Leave that to me. I have promised the achievement, and if you do butwork patiently upon my instructions, I will not fall short of my word.More than this I can not now tell you, but you shall know morehereafter. For the present, you can do nothing but win the affection ofthe men, and the captain also."

  All this was a great mystery to me, and I could nohow fathom to thebottom of it: this only was clear, that I must follow Rodrigues'bidding, not only because I was bound to do so in a certain measure byreason of my oath, but also because it was good policy. So when I hadrefreshed myself by sousing my head in a bucket of water, I went above,and, holding on by the
bulwarks, was much amazed with the sight of theheaving seas, which I had never before seen as now, all around me, andthe way in which the great ship would dive down into the hollow of awave as if to perdition, and yet the next moment ride upon the crest ofit as light as any duck.

  While I was standing here, one of the seamen came to me, saying that thecaptain would speak with me; so I went with him into the roundhouseunder the poop deck where Sir Harry was, and very cheerful and brightthis young man looked in his sea dress. Then, with a noble, easy air, hebegs me to sit down, and, sitting himself, discoursed about the latestorm, telling me how we should certainly have been all lost but for theadmirable skill and exertions of the mate, Rodrigues (and this every onedid allow), and all with perfect self-command and natural civility, asthough we had been the best friends in the world. But he did not offerme his hand to take, and I was glad of this, for I could not have takenit without shame, feeling as I still did towards him.

  "However," says he, "the work is over, and, please God, the first partof our voyage will soon be made; then you will be free to do as youlike--either to go back to England or to go on with me. For I have notthe power to hold you a prisoner, nor have I the wish to keep you withme, except as a friend. That is for you to decide, and I hope, with allmy heart, you will decide to share in this enterprise, and return withme a richer and a happier man than ever you could have been had you notsailed with us. And that your choice may be perfectly free, here is apurse of money that Sir Bartlemy entrusted me with for your use. It willpay your voyage home, but if you have need of more for your necessities,I shall be very happy to place my purse at your disposal."

  I took the bag of money he offered, thanking him for his civility aswell as my untutored tongue would allow. Then he rose, making me agraceful bow, and bade the man who waited at the door to take me to mycabin, which I found very neat and properly furnished, with everythingnecessary to my convenience, and two good suits of new clothes, besidesshirts, stockings, etc.

  Rodrigues was mightily pleased when he saw me in my new clothes and withmy hair decently combed, and it seemed to me that the seamen eyed mewith more respect than they had yet shown me; indeed, I found that thisdecency did elevate me in my own opinion a great deal, so that I thoughtbetter of myself and more hopefully than I had since the beginning of mymisfortunes.

  The wind continued very high (but prosperous) for nine days after that,and then, making the Canaries, we came into water as smooth as the heartof man could desire, and so cast anchor at Fuerteventura. And here wewere very busy for three days, repairing the mischief done us by thestorm, and all that time we saw nothing of the _Adventurer_, ourconsort, which was to have joined us there in case of being separated,so that we gave her up for lost, and I know not who was more cast downabout this, Sir Harry Smidmore or Rodrigues. However, on the fourth daythe missing ship bore in sight (to our great joy), and by nightfall wasanchored alongside of us, but with one mast gone, and so sorely bruisedthat she looked not the same ship she had been. And it was curious tosee how the crew of the _Adventurer_, coming on board the _Sure Hawk_,the men did hug each other and weep for gladness. Amongst them all themost joyful were Rodrigues and Ned Parsons, the seaman I have spoken ofas having only one eye, and who was master aboard the _Adventurer_. Butwhat damped Sir Harry's spirits greatly was this, that his dear friend,John Murray, who was captain on our consort, had been washed overboardin the storm, and was no more; and that the men might not see his grief,he went into his own cabin and shut the door, and I think there was nosad heart on board but his.

  Presently Rodrigues came to my side, and says he:

  "Now is the time to win the hearts of these men. I shall get leave fromthe captain for them to go ashore; do you give them something to makemerry with."

  I agreed to this with all my heart, and fetching the bag of gold from mycabin which Sir Bartlemy had sent, I bade him distribute every farthingamongst them; and this he did, giving every man equal share, so thateach got over a pound, for there was the value of a hundred pounds inthe bag, and the two crews numbered four score, as near as may be.

  When he had thus made the "dividend," as he called it, Rodrigues toldthem that it was I who gave the money out of love for them, and thehardships they had borne on my account. Whereupon Ned Parsons cried hewould do as much again and a hundred times more for so generous agentleman, and bade his comrades give me a cheer, which they did withall their lungs, and three times. And I thought this Ned Parsons was agood friend to me, but he was not.