CHAPTER XIV.
The author passes the summer pleasantly--Hears the voices in the winter--Ventures out--Sees a strange sight on the lake-- His uneasiness at it--His dream--Soliloquy--Hears the voices again, and perceives a great shock on his building-- Takes up a beautiful woman--He thinks her dead, but recovers her--A description of her--She stays with him
I passed the summer (though I had never yet seen the sun's body) verymuch to my satisfaction: partly in the work I have been describing (forI had taken two more of the beast-fish, and had a great quantity of oilfrom them); partly in building me a chimney in my ante-chamber of mudand earth burnt on my own hearth into a sort of brick; in making awindow at one end of the abovesaid chamber, to let in what little lightwould come through the trees when I did not choose to open my door;in moulding an earthen lamp for my oil; and, finally, in providing andlaying in stores, fresh and salt (for I had now cured and dried manymore fish), against winter. These, I say, were my summer employmentsat home, intermixed with many agreeable excursions. But now the wintercoming on, and the days growing very short, or indeed there being noday properly speaking, but a kind of twilight, I kept mostly in myhabitation, though not so much as I had done the winter before, when Ihad no light within doors, and slept, or at least lay still, greatpart of my time; for now my lamp was never out. I also turned two ofmy beast-fish skins into a rug to cover my bed, and the third into acushion, which I always sat upon, and a very soft and warm cushionit made. All this together rendered my life very easy, yea, evencomfortable.
An indifferent person would now be apt to ask, What would this mandesire more than he had? To this I answer, that I was contented while mycondition was such as I have been describing; but a little while afterthe darkness or twilight came on, I frequently heard the voices again;sometimes a few only at a time, as it seemed, and then again in greatnumbers. This threw me into new fears, and I became as uneasy as ever,even to the degree of growing quite melancholy; though, otherwise, Inever received the least injury from anything. I foolishly attemptedseveral times, by looking out of my window, to discover what these oddsounds proceeded from, though I knew it was too dark to see anythingthere.
I was now fully convinced, by a more deliberate attention to them, thatthey could not be uttered by the beast-fish, as I had afore conjectured,but only by beings capable of articulate speech; but then, what or wherethey were, it galled me to be ignorant of.
At length, one night or day, I cannot say which, hearing the voices verydistinctly, and praying very earnestly to be either delivered from theuncertainty they had put me under, or to have them removed from me, Itook courage, and arming myself with gun, pistols, and cutlass, I wentout of my grotto and crept down the wood. I then heard them plainerthan before, and was able to judge from what point of the compass theyproceeded. Hereupon I went forward towards the sound, till I came to theverge of the wood, where I could see the lake very well by the dazzle ofthe water. Thereon, as I thought, I beheld a fleet of boats, covering alarge compass, and not far from the bridge. I was shocked hereat beyondexpression. I could not conceive where they came from, or whither theywould go; but supposed there must be some other passage to the lake thanI had found in my voyage through the cavern, and that for certain theycame that way, and from some place of which as yet I had no manner ofknowledge.
Whilst I was entertaining myself with this speculation, I heard thepeople in the boats laughing and talking very merrily, though I was toodistant to distinguish the words. I discerned soon after all the boats(as I still supposed 'em) draw up, and push for the bridge; presentlyafter, though I was sure no boat entered the arch, I saw a multitude ofpeople on the opposite shore all marching towards the bridge; and whatwas the strangest of all, there was not the least sign of a boat nowleft upon the whole lake. I then was in a greater consternation thanbefore; but was still much more so when I saw the whole posse of people,that as I have just said were marching towards the bridge, coming overit to my side of the lake. At this my heart failed, and I was just goingto run to my grotto for shelter; but taking one look more, I plainlydiscovered that the people, leaping one after another from the top ofthe bridge, as if into the water, and then rising again, flew in along train over the lake, the lengthways of it, quite out of my sight,laughing, hallooing, and sporting together; so that looking back againto the bridge and on the lake, I could neither see person nor boat,nor anything else, nor hear the least noise or stir afterwards for thattime.
I returned to my grotto brimful of this amazing adventure, bemoaning mymisfortune in being at a place where I was like to remain ignorant ofwhat was doing about me. For, says I, if I am in a land of spirits, asnow I have little room to doubt, there is no guarding against them. I amnever safe, even in my grotto; for that can be no security against suchbeings as can sail on the water in no boats, and fly in the air on nowings, as the case now appears to me, who can be here and there andwherever they please. What a miserable state, I say, am I fallen to!I should have been glad to have had human converse, and to have foundinhabitants in this place; but there being none, as I supposed hitherto,I contented myself with thinking that I was at least safe from all thoseevils mankind in society are obnoxious to. But now, what may be theconsequence of the next hour I know not; nay, I am not able to say butwhilst I speak, and show my discontent, they may at a distance conceivemy thoughts, and be hatching revenge against me for my dislike of them.
The pressure of my spirits inclining me to repose, I laid me down, butcould get no rest; nor could all my most serious thoughts, even of theAlmighty Providence, give me relief under my present anxiety: and allthis was only from my state of uncertainty concerning the reality ofwhat I had heard and seen, and from the earnestness with which I coveteda satisfactory knowledge of those beings who had just taken their flightfrom me.
I really believe the fiercest wild beast, or the most savage of mankindthat had met me, and put me upon my defence, would not have given mehalf the trouble that then lay upon me; and the more, for that I had noseeming possibility of ever being rid of my apprehensions: so finding Icould not sleep, I got up again; but as I could not fly from myself, allthe art I could use with myself was but in vain to obtain me any quiet.
In the height of my distress I had recourse to prayer, with no smallbenefit; begging that if it pleased not the Almighty Power to removethe object of my fears, at least to resolve my doubts about them, and torender them rather helpful than hurtful to me. I hereupon, as I alwaysdid on such occasions, found myself much more placid and easy, and beganto hope the best, till I had almost persuaded myself that I was out ofdanger; and then laying myself down, I rested very sweetly till I wasawakened by the impulse of the following dream.
Methought I was in Cornwall, at my wife's aunt's; and inquiring afterher and my children, the old gentlewoman informed me, both my wifeand children had been dead some time, and that my wife, before herdeparture, desired her (that is, her aunt) immediately upon my arrivalto tell me she was only gone to the lake, where I should be sure to seeher, and be happy with her ever after. I then, as I fancied, ran tothe lake to find her. In my passage she stopped me, crying, "Whither sofast, Peter? I am your wife, your Patty." Methought I did not know her,she was so altered; but observing her voice, and looking more wistfullyat her, she appeared to me as the most beautiful creature I everbeheld. I then went to seize her in my arms; but the hurry of my spiritsawakened me.
When I got up, I kept at home, not caring even to look out at my door.My dream ran strangely in my head, and I had now nothing but Patty in mymind. "Oh!" cries I, "how happy could I be with her, though I had onlyher in this solitude. Oh! that this was but a reality, and not a dream."And indeed, though it was but a dream, I could scarce refrain fromrunning to the lake to meet my Patty. But then I checked my folly, andreasoned myself into some degree of temper again. However, I could notforbear crying out, "What, nobody to converse with! Nobody to assist,comfort, or counsel me! This is a melancholy situation indeed." Thus Iran on lament
ing till I was almost weary, when on a sudden I againheard the voices. "Hark!" says I, "here they come again. Well, I am nowresolved to face them, come life, come death! It is not to be alone Ithus dread; but to have company about me, and not know who or what, isdeath to me worse than I can suffer from them, be they who or what theywill."
During my soliloquy the voices increased, and then by degrees diminishedas usual; but I had scarce got my gun in my hand, to pursue myresolution of showing myself to those who uttered them, when I felt sucha thump upon the roof of my ante-chamber as shook the whole fabric andset me all over into a tremor. I then heard a sort of shriek, and arustle near the door of my apartment; all which together seemed veryterrible. But I, having before determined to see what and who it was,resolutely opened my door and leaped out I saw nobody; all was quitesilent, and nothing that I could perceive but my own fears amoving. Iwent then softly to the corner of the building, and there looking down,by the glimmer of my lamp which stood in the window, I saw something inhuman shape lying at my feet. I gave the word, "Who is there?" Still noone answered. My heart was ready to force a way through my side. I wasfor a while fixed to the earth like a statue. At length, recovering, Istepped in, fetched my lamp, and returning saw the very beautiful facemy Patty appeared under in my dream; and not considering that it wasonly a dream, I verily thought I had my Patty before me; but she seemedto be stone dead. Upon viewing her other parts (for I had never yetremoved my eyes from her face), I found she had a sort of brown chaplet,like lace, round her head, under and about which her hair was tucked upand twined; and she seemed to me to be clothed in a thin hair-colouredsilk garment, which, upon trying to raise her, I found to be quite warm,and therefore hoped there was life in the body it contained. I then tookher into my arms, and treading a step backwards with her, I put out mylamp; however, having her in my arms, I conveyed her through the doorwayin the dark into my grotto; here I laid her upon my bed, and then ranout for my lamp.
This, thinks I, is an amazing adventure. How could Patty come here, anddressed in silk and whalebone too? Sure that is not the reigning fashionin England now? But my dream said she was dead. Why, truly, says I, soshe seems to be. But be it so; she is warm. Whether this is the placefor persons to inhabit after death or not, I can't tell (for I see thereare people here, though I don't know them); but be it as it will, shefeels as flesh and blood; and if I can but bring her to stir and actagain as my wife, what matters it to me what she is? It will be a greatblessing and comfort to me; for she never would have come to this veryspot but for my good.
Top-full of these thoughts, I re-entered my grotto, shut my door andlighted my lamp; when going to my Patty (as I delighted to fancy her),I thought I saw her eyes stir a little. I then set the lamp farther offfor fear of offending them if she should look up; and warming the lastglass I had reserved of my Madeira, I carried it to her, but she neverstirred. I now supposed the fall had absolutely killed her, and wasprodigiously grieved; when laying my hand on her breast I perceived thefountain of life had some motion. This gave me infinite pleasure; so,not despairing, I dipped my finger in the wine and moistened her lipswith it two or three times, and I imagined they opened a little. Uponthis I bethought me, and taking a teaspoon, I gently poured a few dropsof the wine by that means into her mouth. Finding she swallowed it, Ipoured in another spoonful, and another, till I brought her to herselfso well as to be able to sit up. All this I did by a glimmering lightwhich the lamp afforded from a distant part of the room, where I hadplaced it, as I have said, out of her sight.
I then spoke to her, and asked divers questions, as if she had reallybeen Patty and understood me; in return of which she uttered a languageI had no idea of, though in the most musical tone, and with the sweetestaccent I ever heard. It grieved me I could not understand her. However,thinking she might like to be on her feet, I went to lift her off thebed, when she felt to my touch in the oddest manner imaginable; forwhile in one respect it was as though she had been cased up in whaleboneit was at the same time as soft and warm as if she had been naked.
I then took her in my arms and carried her into my ante-chamber again,where I would fain have entered into conversation, but found she andI could make nothing of it together, unless we could understand oneanother's speech. It is very strange my dream should have prepossessedme so of Patty, and of the alteration of her countenance, that I couldby no means persuade myself the person I had with me was not she;though, upon a deliberate comparison, Patty, as pleasing as she alwayswas to my taste, would no more come up to this fair creature than acoarse ale-wife would to Venus herself.
You may imagine we stared heartily at each other, and I doubted not butshe wondered as much as I by what means we came so near each other. Ioffered her everything in my grotto which I thought might please her;some of which she gratefully received, as appeared by her looks andbehaviour. But she avoided my lamp, and always placed her back towardit. I observing that, and ascribing it to her modesty in my company, lether have her will, and took care to set it in such a position myself asseemed agreeable to her, though it deprived me of a prospect I very muchadmired.
After we had sat a good while, now and then, I may say, chattering toone another, she got up and took a turn or two about the room. When Isaw her in that attitude, her grace and motion perfectly charmed me, andher shape was incomparable; but the strangeness of her dress put me tomy trumps to conceive either what it was, or how it was put on.
Well, we supped together, and I set the best of everything I had beforeher, nor could either of us forbear speaking in our own tongue, thoughwe were sensible neither of us understood the other. After supper Igave her some of my cordials, for which she showed great tokens ofthankfulness, and often in her way, by signs and gestures, which werevery far from being insignificant, expressed her gratitude for mykindness. When supper had been some time over, I showed her my bed andmade signs for her to go to it; but she seemed very shy of that, till Ishowed her where I meant to lie myself, by pointing to myself, then tothat, and again pointing to her and to my bed. When at length I had madethis matter intelligible to her, she lay down very composedly; and afterI had taken care of my fire, and set the things I had been using forsupper in their places, I laid myself down too; for I could have nosuspicious thoughts or fear of danger from a form so excellent.
I treated her for some time with all the respect imaginable, and neversuffered her to do the least part of my work. It was very inconvenientto both of us only to know each other's meaning by signs; but I couldnot be otherwise than pleased to see that she endeavoured all in herpower to learn to talk like me. Indeed I was not behindhand with her inthat respect, striving all I could to imitate her. What I all the whilewondered at was, she never showed the least disquiet at her confinement;for I kept my door shut at first, through fear of losing her, thinkingshe would have taken an opportunity to run away from me; for little didI then think she could fly.