perils of certain english prisoners-第8章

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sat　and　moped；　with　her　head　in　that　bundle　of　tatters；　was　like

nothing　else　in　the　world！　　She　was　not　on　speaking　terms　with　more

than　three　of　the　ladies。　　Some　of　them　had；　what　she　called；　〃taken

precedence〃　of　herin　getting　into；　or　out　of；　that　miserable

little　shelter！and　others　had　not　called　to　pay　their　respects；　or

something　of　that　kind。　　So；　there　she　sat；　in　her　own　state　and

ceremony；　while　her　husband　sat　on　the　same　log　of　wood；　ordering　us

one　and　all　to　let　the　raft　go　to　the　bottom；　and　to　bring　him

stationery。



What　with　this　noise　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Commissioner　Pordage；　and

what　with　the　cries　of　Sergeant　Drooce　on　the　raft　astern　（which

were　sometimes　more　than　Tom　Packer　could　silence）；　we　often　made

our　slow　way　down　the　river；　anything　but　quietly。　　Yet；　that　it　was

of　great　importance　that　no　ears　should　be　able　to　hear　us　from　the

woods　on　the　banks；　could　not　be　doubted。　　We　were　looked　for；　to　a

certainty；　and　we　might　be　retaken　at　any　moment。　　It　was　an　anxious

time；　it　was；　indeed；　indeed；　an　anxious　time。



On　the　seventh　night　of　our　voyage　on　the　rafts；　we　made　fast；　as

usual；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　river　to　that　from　which　we　had

started；　in　as　dark　a　place　as　we　could　pick　out。　　Our　little

encampment　was　soon　made；　and　supper　was　eaten；　and　the　children

fell　asleep。　　The　watch　was　set；　and　everything　made　orderly　for　the

night。　　Such　a　starlight　night；　with　such　blue　in　the　sky；　and　such

black　in　the　places　of　heavy　shade　on　the　banks　of　the　great　stream！



Those　two　ladies；　Miss　Maryon　and　Mrs。　Fisher；　had　always　kept　near

me　since　the　night　of　the　attack。　　Mr。　Fisher；　who　was　untiring　in

the　work　of　our　raft；　had　said　to　me：



〃My　dear　little　childless　wife　has　grown　so　attached　to　you；　Davis；

and　you　are　such　a　gentle　fellow；　as　well　as　such　a　determined　one；〃

our　party　had　adopted　that　last　expression　from　the　one…eyed　English

pirate；　and　I　repeat　what　Mr。　Fisher　said；　only　because　he　said　it；

〃that　it　takes　a　load　off　my　mind　to　leave　her　in　your　charge。〃



I　said　to　him：　　〃Your　lady　is　in　far　better　charge　than　mine；　Sir；

having　Miss　Maryon　to　take　care　of　her；　but；　you　may　rely　upon　it；

that　I　will　guard　them　bothfaithful　and　true。〃



Says　he：　　〃I　do　rely　upon　it；　Davis；　and　I　heartily　wish　all　the

silver　on　our　old　Island　was　yours。〃



That　seventh　starlight　night；　as　I　have　said；　we　made　our　camp；　and

got　our　supper；　and　set　our　watch；　and　the　children　fell　asleep。　　It

was　solemn　and　beautiful　in　those　wild　and　solitary　parts；　to　see

them；　every　night　before　they　lay　down；　kneeling　under　the　bright

sky；　saying　their　little　prayers　at　women's　laps。　　At　that　time　we

men　all　uncovered；　and　mostly　kept　at　a　distance。　　When　the　innocent

creatures　rose　up；　we　murmured　〃Amen！〃　all　together。　　For；　though　we

had　not　heard　what　they　said；　we　know　it　must　be　good　for　us。



At　that　time；　too；　as　was　only　natural；　those　poor　mothers　in　our

company；　whose　children　had　been　killed；　shed　many　tears。　　I　thought

the　sight　seemed　to　console　them　while　it　made　them　cry；　but；

whether　I　was　right　or　wrong　in　that；　they　wept　very　much。　　On　this

seventh　night；　Mrs。　Fisher　had　cried　for　her　lost　darling　until　she

cried　herself　asleep。　　She　was　lying　on　a　little　couch　of　leaves　and

such…like　（I　made　the　best　little　couch　I　could　for　them　every

night）；　and　Miss　Maryon　had　covered　her；　and　sat　by　her；　holding　her

hand。　　The　stars　looked　down　upon　them。　　As　for　me；　I　guarded　them。



〃Davis！〃　says　Miss　Maryon。　　（I　am　not　going　to　say　what　a　voice　she

had。　　I　couldn't　if　I　tried。）



〃I　am　here；　Miss。〃



〃The　river　sounds　as　if　it　were　swollen　to…night。〃



〃We　all　think；　Miss；　that　we　are　coming　near　the　sea。〃



〃Do　you　believe　now；　we　shall　escape？〃



〃I　do　now；　Miss；　really　believe　it。〃　　I　had　always　said　I　did；　but；

I　had　in　my　own　mind　been　doubtful。



〃How　glad　you　will　be；　my　good　Davis；　to　see　England　again！〃



I　have　another　confession　to　make　that　will　appear　singular。　　When

she　said　these　words；　something　rose　in　my　throat；　and　the　stars　I

looked　away　at；　seemed　to　break　into　sparkles　that　fell　down　my　face

and　burnt　it。



〃England　is　not　much　to　me；　Miss；　except　as　a　name。〃



〃O；　so　true　an　Englishman　should　not　say　that！Are　you　not　well　to…

night；　Davis？〃　　Very　kindly；　and　with　a　quick　change。



〃Quite　well；　Miss。〃



〃Are　you　sure？　　Your　voice　sounds　altered　in　my　hearing。〃



〃No；　Miss；　I　am　a　stronger　man　than　ever。　　But；　England　is　nothing

to　me。〃



Miss　Maryon　sat　silent　for　so　long　a　while；　that　I　believed　she　had

done　speaking　to　me　for　one　time。　　However；　she　had　not；　for　by…and…

by　she　said　in　a　distinct　clear　tone：



〃No；　good　friend；　you　must　not　say　that　England　is　nothing　to　you。

It　is　to　be　much　to　you；　yeteverything　to　you。　　You　have　to　take

back　to　England　the　good　name　you　have　earned　here；　and　the

gratitude　and　attachment　and　respect　you　have　won　here：　　and　you

have　to　make　some　good　English　girl　very　happy　and　proud；　by

marrying　her；　and　I　shall　one　day　see　her；　I　hope；　and　make　her

happier　and　prouder　still；　by　telling　her　what　noble　services　her

husband's　were　in　South　America；　and　what　a　noble　friend　he　was　to

me　there。〃



Though　she　spoke　these　kind　words　in　a　cheering　manner；　she　spoke

them　compassionately。　　I　said　nothing。　　It　will　appear　to　be　another

strange　confession；　that　I　paced　to　and　fro；　within　call；　all　that

night；　a　most　unhappy　man；　reproaching　myself　all　the　night　long。

〃You　are　as　ignorant　as　any　man　alive；　you　are　as　obscure　as　any　man

alive；　you　are　as　poor　as　any　man　alive；　you　are　no　better　than　the

mud　under　your　foot。〃　　That　was　the　way　in　which　I　went　on　against

myself　until　the　morning。



With　the　day；　came　the　day's　labour。　　What　I　should　have　done

without　the　labour；　I　don't　know。　　We　were　afloat　again　at　the　usual

hour；　and　were　again　making　our　way　down　the　river。　　It　was　broader；

and　clearer　of　obstructions　than　it　had　been；　and　it　seemed　to　flow

faster。　　This　was　one　of　Drooce's　quiet　days；　Mr。　Pordage；　besides

being　sulky；　had　almost　lost　his　voice；　and　we　made　good　way；　and

with　little　noise。



There　was　always　a　seaman　forward　on　the　raft；　keeping　a　bright

look…out。　　Suddenly；　in　the　full　heat　of　the　day；　when　the　children

were　slumbering；　and　the　very　trees　and　reeds　appeared　to　be

slumbering；　this　manit　was　Shortholds　up　his　hand；　and　cries

with　great　caution：　　〃Avast！　　Voices　ahead！〃



We　held　on　against　the　stream　as　soon　as　we　could　bring　her　up；　and

the　other　raft　followed　suit。　　At　first；　Mr。　Macey；　Mr。　Fisher；　and

myself；　could　hear　nothing；　though　both　the　seamen　aboard　of　us

agreed　that　they　could　hear　voices　and　oars。　　After　a　little　pause；

however；　we　united　in　thinking　that　we　could　hear　the　sound　of

voices；　and　the　dip　of　oars。　　But；　you　can　hear　a　long　way　in　those

countries；　and　there　was　a　bend　of　the　river　before　us；　and　nothing

was　to　be　seen　except　such　waters　and　such　banks　as　we　were　now　in

the　eighth　day　（and　might；　for　the　matter　of　our　feelings；　have　been

in　the　eightieth）；　of　having　seen　with　anxious　eyes。



It　was　soon　decided　to　put　a　man　ashore；　who　should　creep　through

the　wood；　see　what　was　coming；　and　warn　the　rafts。　　The　rafts　in　the

meantime　to　keep　the　middle　of　the　stream。　　The　man　to　be　put

ashore；　and　not　to　swim　ashore；　as　the　first　thing　could　be　more

quickly　done　than　the　second。　　The　raft　conveying　him；　to　get　back

into　mid…stream；　and　to　hold　on　along　with　the　other；　as　well　is　it

could；　until　signalled　by　the　man。　　In　case　of　danger；　the　man　to

shift　for　himself　until　it　should　be　safe　to　take　him　on　board

again。　　I　volunteered　to　be　the　man。



We　knew　that　the　voices　and　oars　must　come　up　slowly　against　the

stream；　and　our　seamen　knew；　by　the　set　of　the　stream；　under　which

bank　they　would　come。　　I　was　put　ashore　accordingly。　　The　raft　got

off　well；　and　I　broke　into　the　wood。



Steaming　hot　it　was；　and　a　tearing　place　to　get　through。　　So　much

the　better　for　me；　since　it　was　something　to　contend　against　and　do。

I　cut　off　the　bend　of　the　river；　at　a　great　saving　of　space；　came　to

the　water's　edge　again；　and　hid　myself；　and　waited。　　I　could　now

hear　the　dip　of　the　oars　very　distinctly；　the　voices　had　ceased。



The　sound　came　on　in　a　regular　tune；　and　as　I　lay　hidden；　I　fancied

the　tune　so　played　to　be；　〃Chris'enGeorgeKing！　　Chris'en

GeorgeKing！　　Chris'enGeorgeKing！〃　over　and　over　again；　always

the　same；　with　the　pauses　always　at　the　same　places。　　I　had　likewise

time　to　make　up　my　mind　that　if　these　were　the　Pirates；　I　could　and

would　（barring　my　being　shot）　swim　off　to　my　raft；　in　spite　of　my

wound；　the　moment　I　had　given　the　alarm；　and　hold　my　old　post　by

Miss　Maryon。



〃Chris'enGeorgeKing！　　Chris'enGeorgeKing！　　Chris'enGeorge…

…King！〃　coming　up；　now；　very　near。



I　took　a　look　at　the　branches　about　me；　to　see　where　a　shower　of

bullets　would　be　most　likely　to　do　me　least　hurt；　and　I　took　a　look

back　at　the　track　I　had　made　in　forcing　my　way　in；　and　now　I　was

wholly　prepared　and　fully　ready　for　them。



〃Chris'enGeorgeKing！　　Chris'enGeorgeKing！　　Chris'enGeorge…

…King！〃　　Here　they　are！



Who　were　they？　　The　barbarous　Pirates；　scum　of　all　nations；　headed

by　such　men　as　the　hideous　little　Portuguese　monkey；　and　the　one…

eyed　English　convict　with　the　gash　across　his　face；　that　ought　to

have　gashed　his　wicked　head　off？　　The　worst　men　in　the　world　picked

out　from　the　worst；　to　do　the　cruellest　and　most　atrocious　deeds

that　ever　stained　it？　　The　howling；　murdering；　black…flag　waving；

mad；　and　drunken　crowd　of　devils　that　had　overcome　us　by　numbers　and

by　treachery？　　No。　　These　were　English　men　in　English　boatsgood

blue…jackets　and　red…coatsmarines　that　I　knew　myself；　and　sailors

that　knew　our　seamen！　　At　the　helm　of　the　first　boat；　Captain

Carton；　eager　and　steady。　　At　the　helm　of　the　second　boat；　Captain

Maryon；　brave　and　bold。　　At　the　helm　of　the　third　boat；　an　old

seaman；　with　determination　carved　into　his　watchful　face；　like　the

figure…head　of　a　ship。　　Every　man　doubly　and　trebly　armed　from　head

to　foot。　　Every　man　lying…to　at　his　work；　with　a　will　that　had　all

his　heart　and　soul　in　it。　　Every　man　looking　out　for　any　trace　of

friend　or　enemy；　and　burning　to　be　the　first　to　do　good　or　avenge

evil。　　Every　man　with　his　face　on　fire　when　he　saw　me；　his

countryman　who　had　been　taken　prisoner；　and　hailed　me　with　a　cheer；

as　Captain　Carton's　boat　ran　in　and　took　me　on　board。



I　reported；　〃All　escaped；　sir！　　All　well；　all　safe；　all　here！〃



God　bless　meand　God　bless　themwhat　a　cheer！　　It　turned　me　weak；

as　I　was　passed　on　from　hand　to　hand　to　the　stern　of　the　boat：

every　hand　patting　me　or　grasping　me　in　some　way　or　other；　in　the

moment　of　my　going　by。



〃Hold　up；　my　brave　fellow；〃　says　Captain　Carton；　clapping　me　on　the

shoulder　like