CHAPTER XXXIII
WE ARE LIKE TO BE CRUSHED UNDER A HUGE ROCK
We were, I say, not long in ignorance of their intent. First of all there came some loose earth dropping in the water, and after that some little stones rattled down the side of the cliff, and then a bigger rock leaped down beside our boat, splashing the water in our faces. Upon my clapping my eye to one of the holes in the sail made by an arrow, I spied the rabble of savages above pushing at a huge rock and prising it with sticks and the poles of their spears. This rock was of a prodigious size, weighing, as I judged, many tons, and was lodged on a shelf of the cliff right over our heads. Every time they heaved together at this, some corner broke off and bounded down into the sea; and the main body, losing each time something of its support, yielded more and more, so that it swayed to and fro most terrible to behold.
Seeing this, my courage left me altogether; for what availed my arm and manhood against such an engine as this? My tell-tale face and quaking limbs struck terror into Lady Biddy's heart, so that she had no power to raise her voice above a whisper.
"What is it – what is it, Benet?" she asks, laying her hand on my arm.
And all I could answer was, "Lord help us!" as I dropped on my knees.
At this instant there sounded above a sharp snap, and this was followed by a terrific noise of rocks grating together, a huge shout from the savages, then a deafening clap like the first discharge of a peal of thunder, and with that there fell on us a terrible darkness, as if a cloud had suddenly hidden up the sun.
Then I counted our last moment had come, and with one last thought of my dear lady, I sprang to my feet and threw up my arms above her head, which was the mad folly of despair and no more, for my arms, had they been of iron or brass, must have bent and broken like reeds under the shock of such a vast mass.
As my hands touched the canvas it was torn down by a stone as big as a firkin, which, pitching into the sea, did raise a wave that half-filled the boat. Yet was I amazed that we yet lived, and perplexed to know what had become of the great rock, till, casting my eye up, I perceived it had stuck between the two walls of our fissure like a wedge, and so hung suspended over us. But it was fearful to observe, through the cloud of dust that filled the cove, how this monstrous block did now and then break from its hold, with a noise like a great gun firing, as some portion of its edge splintered off, flying in fragments to the right and left, the great mass threatening with each rupture to give way and bury us beneath it at the bottom of the sea. Indeed, it was in my heart to wish it would descend at one sweep rather than come down little by little to our destruction, for the suspense and terror of watching our coming doom were most horrible and fearful.
Those above, seeing that it wanted but a little to dislodge it from its position, now began to hurl big stones upon it, as we could plainly tell by the sound which echoed from it, as the noise of a galloping horse upon a bridge strikes the ear of one below. And at each blow this rock crumbled and shattered at its edge, showering down rubble all around us. Lady Biddy clung trembling to my arm, and though it was frightful to a degree to stand there, helpless, watching the approach of death, yet could we not turn our eyes from it, nor think of aught else. Otherwise, had I made a bold stroke to escape by shoving out of the cleft into the open and running the gauntlet, maugre the arrows of the savages waiting for us without; but, indeed, we were paralyzed with fear, and I not less than Lady Biddy.
Of a sudden we heard the report of a musket, and instantly the babel of savage shouting and whooping was stilled as if by enchantment; nor were any more stones hurled down on the rock above us.
For a little space we stood feeble and trembling, as if spent with violent exertion; but the silence continuing, and the rock above ceasing to labor, I plucked up heart, and bethought me to get out of that cove, no matter what befell us afterwards. So in a twinkling I loosed the boat, and, shoving out of the cleft, I turned about and drew through the narrow opening and out of the shadow of that accursed rock. And being now in the open we saw nothing of the Indians, but only their canoes lying up on the beach about a quarter of a mile to the east; neither were any of those heathens to be seen on the top of the cliff whence the great rock had been hurled down. This would have struck us with wonder and excited our curiosity at any other time, but just then we had no room in our breasts to harbor any feeling but that of profound and devout gratitude for our marvelous preservation. Looking at me very tenderly, Lady Biddy clasped her hands in her lap and bowed her head, while I, resting my arms on the oars, drew a deep breath which my lungs did seem sorely to need, for, as it seemed to me, I had not drawn breath freely for many hours.
While we sat thus, the boat gently tossing on the waves, I heard a voice hailing us, and turning about I spied a couple of men, decently clothed and armed with muskets like good Christians, standing amidst the rocks to the west of the cove. Seeing they were perceived, they held up their hands and beckoned us to draw nigh.
"It is they who have saved us from the savages," cries Lady Biddy with joy; "they are friends."
"That remains to be seen," says I, still resting on my oars and regarding them. "To my mind they look very like Spaniards."
"And if they are, may we not trust them, Benet?" says she, with some concern.
"I am of two minds about it," says I; "and for my own part I should feel just as content to pull out of reach of their muskets as to get within reach of their swords."
"Nay, you have a sword also, Benet, and are a match for two such little fellows as they."
"There are but two as we can see, that's certain," says I; "but we know not how many may lurk within call. Englishmen they are not, I will vow."
"Nor pirates," says Lady Biddy, as much as to tell me that all Englishmen are not angels.
"No," says I; "but they may be no better than pirates. In a word, I do fear they may turn out to be friends of Rodrigues from that town he spoke of."
"As you will, Benet," says she; "but," she adds, with a sigh, "they look very civil, pretty little fellows."
I hesitated still; for though I was dearly tempted to yield to Lady Biddy's evident desire, yet I knew that I was answerable for her life and welfare.
The men hailed us again, and one turned his musket upside down, while the other pulls out his white handkerchief and waves it in sign of peace.
"I do think they are Italian," says Lady Biddy, with hope lighting up her eyes again.
That decided me, and so, forgetting her welfare, I pulled towards the rocks to prevent those sweet eyes filling with tears, which was a weak part to be played by a strong man, and nothing to my credit.
Coming to the rocks, yet standing off a little from the shore, we began a parley; but, Lord! we might have held our peace, for I could speak but English with a smattering of Dutch. They tried one or two tongues that were without meaning to our ears, and Lady Biddy got on no better with speaking French and Italian. However, this jargon did so tickle us that we could not help but laugh, which put us in good humor one with another; so, to cut a long story short, taking their gestures to mean that they would die rather than injure a hair of our heads, and that they sought only to lead us to where we might get good treatment and run no risk of being further molested by savages, we resolved to put ourselves in their hands; so, running the boat ashore in a convenient part, we landed, and after I had buckled on my sword we signed to our friends to lead the way.
Near to that spot was a path cut in the cliff, and coming to the top we found ourselves in a fine level country, stretching away to the hills behind which rose the mountains. This champaign was cultivated with a kind of corn and divers other crops of strange plants, which comforted us with the hope of getting Christian entertainment. A fairly good path lay between the fields and the edge of the cliff, and this we followed in an easterly direction, passing that part where the barbarians had thrust down the rock upon us, as also a little village of huts hard by where the canoes were stranded. Pointing down at these huts our guides gave us to understand in dumb show that the savages were slaves, and would surely be punished for their attempt upon our lives; indeed, on our way we saw above a score of armed men amidst the corn following the furrows, to see if any of those wretches lay hid there, and heard many a yell as they were dragged to light and carried off to be whipped.
These cries did pierce Lady Biddy's tender and forgiving heart, and she urged many good reasons for their excuse: as that we must not expect mercy from those whom we treat without pity; that they must look upon all white people as their enemies and oppressors, since, but for us, they would still be free and happy in their native woods; that as it is our instinct to destroy the reptile or brute that would do us harm, so was it natural to them for their own preservation to take the lives of such as might one day become their tyrants, and sunder the wife from her husband, the child from its parent, for their own mercenary ends, etc., which gentle arguments did greatly soften that evil spirit of vengeance that stirred within me.
CHAPTER XXXIV
IN WHICH PROVIDENCE, NOT TO BE ALWAYS SCOURGING OF US, PROVIDES US WITH GOOD ENTERTAINMENT
After marching best part of an hour we came to a storehouse and farm, where our guide procured mules (to Lady Biddy's great relief and my contentment), and with this help we came about eleven o'clock to a small town, build on the side of a hill, at the mouth of a fair river, and covered by a stout fortress; and here were we conducted at once to the house of the governor, which stood in the midst of a fine garden, as pretty a seat as one could hope to see in such an outlandish part. After waiting in the courtyard, where we dismounted, some little while, the servant who had carried a message from our two friends (as I may call those fellows to whom we owed our lives) came back, and led us through a gateway into the midst of the garden, where on a fair green lawn, under the shade of a striped sheet of silk, fastened with colored cords (very fine) to high palmettos at the four corners of the green, sat half a dozen gentlemen and a lady about a table, on which was spread a repast that set my mouth watering. The gentlemen were all very handsomely dressed in the Spanish mode, and the lady (who was the governor's wife) was also very richly arrayed in a lace farthingale, but as ugly a woman of fifty or thereabouts as ever I did see; and particularly insolent, for ere we had got near her by five yards she held up her hand to bid us stay; and, clapping a scent-bottle to her hooky nose, put on an expression of loathing and disgust, as though we had been dirty dogs.
This disdain, however, was by no means obvious in the rest of the company, who, taking but slight notice of me, did gaze at Lady Biddy as though they would stare her out of countenance; so that I know not if I was better pleased with their impudence than with the old tabby's insolence.
The governor, who was as handsome as his wife was ordinary, with a snow-white beard and mustaches, but jet black eyebrows over his soft dark eyes, made a slight inclination of his head to Lady Biddy (as much as he dared in his wife's presence), and, turning to our friends, spoke to them, asking (as I guess) how we had fallen into their hands: whereupon the fellows, with their hats in their hands, very humbly laid the whole matter before him, the gentlemen listening with growing astonishment, glancing from the speakers to me, and then to Lady Biddy, while the governor's wife, fanning herself with a tuft of marabout, from time to time put in a word to our disadvantage, as I conceived by her gestures. When the men had made an end of their history, the governor, turning to me spoke a word or two in Portuguese – for I learnt afterwards that all the company were Portugals – to which I answered in English till he stopped me with a shrug of his shoulders, when I tried him in low Dutch; but he only shook his head at that. Then Lady Biddy, in her sweet, clear voice, ventured a word or two in Italian, as being something like the language he spoke. Upon which the governor, with a very amiable smile, replied in the same tongue, and my lady proceeded in telling our story.
And now was I heartily glad I had not made myself understood; for I must have made a sad bungling business of it in comparison with her performance. I knew not a word of what she said, yet could I not sufficiently admire her noble calm, her easy self-command, her graceful tone and gestures, and fearless mien.
I might have pleaded for compassion; she did nothing of the kind. She told of the wrong we had suffered with no mournful note, but with a tone of contempt for those who were so base as to abandon the respect due to her. She spoke in another key of the attack made by the barbarians, for they were rather to be pitied for a savage cruelty sprung from their misfortunes: she turned with a gracious inclination of her head to the two men in acknowledging their courtesy, and then, facing the governor's wife, she seemed to be demanding of her the courtesy of one lady towards another; and in conclusion, with a deep curtsey, thanked the governor in advance for the hospitality which the representative of a proud king would undoubtedly extend to the unfortunate subjects of a brother-sovereign thrown upon his coast.
I knew, I say, not one word of the tongue she spoke; yet had I been as proficient in the language as she, I could not have better understood that which she was saying, and this simply by the consummate eloquence of her manner.
Her speech ended, the governor rose, and before he spoke placed his chair for her use, standing erect until the servant ran forward with another chair for him and one for me. Indeed, her speech had a marvelous effect upon the whole company. The governor's lady absolutely smiled upon us – for Lady Biddy had not omitted to state that she was noble by birth, and that I was her cousin – and the gentlemen, taking shame for their impudence, were now less prepared to meet her eyes than she theirs. All this did comfort me greatly to perceive, and my heart swelled with pride for that I was the companion of such an excellent and beautiful lady.
The governor, being seated, made a little speech in an amiable tone, which Lady Biddy at once translated to me, that he might see I was to be her partner in good fortune as I had been in ill; and the gist of his matter, divested of fine compliments, was that as soon as he had properly fulfilled his personal duty as a host, he should take proper means to convey us to our country.
"Tell him," says I, "that though I shall be happy to leave his roof a debtor, yet I do fear we shall have to cry quite before I go."
Lady Biddy looked perplexed, but she gave my message.
"The governor wishes to know," says she, when he had replied, "what you imply by your message, and so do I," adds she, in the same tone.
"Ask him if he knows a man with pointed teeth named Rodrigues."
After a little consideration among the company, the governor replied through Lady Biddy that he knew no one with pointed teeth.
"Tell him," says I again, "that Rodrigues is the pirate from whom we escaped; that he is an excellent navigator as ever sailed the sea, and knows this coast by heart; wherefore I do think by his anchoring half a dozen leagues off to search for water, instead of coming in here for refreshments – which had been the simpler and surer means – that he harbors some sinister design upon the riches of this town."
The governor looked grave on hearing this, and his lady set to crossing herself and calling on her saint for succor. Presently the governor replied.
"I am to tell you," says Lady Biddy, "that Dom Sebastian d'Estovalderos is prepared to meet any foe, and fears none. At the same time he thanks you for your hint, and I think by his manner the old gentleman will be very glad of a few more."
"Tell him," says I, "that I could not presume to offer advice to a Portugal and a soldier, with any other flattery you think proper; but I should feel more sure of my own skin if he would send out spies along the coast to the west to warn us of the pirate's movements."
Dom Sebastian took this in very good part, and at once gave orders to the men who had brought us in, and they departing at once, he eagerly asked if he could make any other arrangement to increase my sense of security.
I bade Lady Biddy let him know that Rodrigues was a man of extreme subtlety and a crafty villain, who, understanding the temper of the savages towards their masters, might secretly stir them up to rebellion with a view to diverting attention from his attack, and that therefore I should feel easier if the naturals were for a time deprived of their bows and arrows.
The governor vowed they should all be sent in irons up the country at the first approach of Rodrigues, but that, as to their bows, it was impossible to find where they kept them adding that to conceal these cherished arms they had so quickly scattered at the first musket-shot of his factors. Further, he wished to know what else he could do for me.
"Tell him," says I, getting weary of this business, "that I will let him know while I am eating if any other precaution occurs to my mind; but that, before anything else, I would be glad to have a basin of water and a clean shirt."
I know not how Lady Biddy suggested this, but certain it is that, after a few more civilities were exchanged a lackey led me off to one part of the house, while Mistress Sebastian herself carried Lady Biddy to another. And here was I waited on hand and foot, my old suit stripped off, and a very handsome dress laid out for me, which the governor begged I would accept until his tailor could make me a better; and while one fellow was tying my garters and buckling my shoes, another was pointing my beard and cropping my head in the Spanish fashion. In fine, betwixt one and the other, I was so changed that when I came to look in the glass I did not know myself for Benet Pengilly. But I was not displeased with my appearance; nay, on the contrary – to tell the truth – I was as vain of myself as any coxcomb, and if I had possessed it, I would freely have given a piece to the fellow who trimmed my head, and another to him who had tied my garters, etc. And now I went out into the garden with a strut and a flourish, as though this bravery was naught to me, though my heart was all of a flutter to know how Lady Biddy would take my looks.
She had not yet descended when I came to the company, who were all laying their heads together very close in discussion, standing in a knot some way from the table, which was laid out with a very elegant repast.
Seeing me approach, the gentlemen broke off their conversation, and Dom Sebastian made a sign that I should sit down to table, but this I would not do in the absence of Lady Biddy, albeit I was very sharp-set. Presently she came from the house with the governor's lady. I made them a prodigious fine bow, and they curtsied to me; and was flattered to the top of my bent to perceive how my lady did regard me from the corner of her eye with pleasure and approval.
She also had changed her torn frock for a gown of black silk, and with this she wore a kerchief of lace thrown loosely over her head, which, like a dark setting to a fair pearl, did add to the lustre of her delicate skin and sparkling eyes – if it be possible to increase the beauty of that which in itself is perfect; in a word, she did ravish the eye.
And if those Portugals had before admired her, disheveled and ill-arrayed, there is no word to express their regard now. A little murmur arose amongst them as she gracefully took her seat at the table; and while one betook himself to get a posey for her bosom, and another set a cushion for her feet, the rest clustered around her like bees about a honey-bloom, offering her delicacies from the store set before us.
Lady Biddy was pleased to receive this homage, and, despite the accursed jealousy of my nature, I bore them no ill-will for their attentions to her, feeling that I was as good as any grandee amongst them, and better in my dear Lady Biddy's esteem.
After we had eaten to our heart's content, the governor very politely offered me some tobacco, which there they do not use in pipes, but rolled up in sticks about the bigness of a farthing candle, which tobacco is very excellent smoking indeed; and so, being risen, the governor gave his arm to Lady Biddy, and we strolled to that part of the grounds which commanded a wide view of the town, the river, and the sea beyond.
At that moment a runner came in, sweating with haste, to tell that a ship was in sight; but we needed not his warning, for I had already spied in the distance a sail which I knew at a glance for the Black Death.