perils of certain english prisoners-第9章

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moment　of　my　going　by。



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

shoulder　like　a　friend；　and　giving　me　a　flask。　　〃Put　your　lips　to

that；　and　they'll　be　red　again。　　Now；　boys；　give　way！〃



The　banks　flew　by　us　as　if　the　mightiest　stream　that　ever　ran　was

with　us；　and　so　it　was；　I　am　sure；　meaning　the　stream　to　those　men's

ardour　and　spirit。　　The　banks　flew　by　us；　and　we　came　in　sight　of

the　raftsthe　banks　flew　by　us；　and　we　came　alongside　of　the　rafts…

…the　banks　stopped；　and　there　was　a　tumult　of　laughing　and　crying；

and　kissing　and　shaking　of　hands；　and　catching　up　of　children　and

setting　of　them　down　again；　and　a　wild　hurry　of　thankfulness　and　joy

that　melted　every　one　and　softened　all　hearts。



I　had　taken　notice；　in　Captain　Carton's　boat；　that　there　was　a

curious　and　quite　new　sort　of　fitting　on　board。　　It　was　a　kind　of　a

little　bower　made　of　flowers；　and　it　was　set　up　behind　the　captain；

and　betwixt　him　and　the　rudder。　　Not　only　was　this　arbour；　so　to

call　it；　neatly　made　of　flowers；　but　it　was　ornamented　in　a　singular

way。　　Some　of　the　men　had　taken　the　ribbons　and　buckles　off　their

hats；　and　hung　them　among　the　flowers；　others　had　made　festoons　and

streamers　of　their　handkerchiefs；　and　hung　them　there；　others　had

intermixed　such　trifles　as　bits　of　glass　and　shining　fragments　of

lockets　and　tobacco…boxes　with　the　flowers；　so　that　altogether　it

was　a　very　bright　and　lively　object　in　the　sunshine。　　But　why　there；

or　what　for；　I　did　not　understand。



Now；　as　soon　as　the　first　bewilderment　was　over；　Captain　Carton　gave

the　order　to　land　for　the　present。　　But　this　boat　of　his；　with　two

hands　left　in　her；　immediately　put　off　again　when　the　men　were　out

of　her；　and　kept　off；　some　yards　from　the　shore。　　As　she　floated

there；　with　the　two　hands　gently　backing　water　to　keep　her　from

going　down　the　stream；　this　pretty　little　arbour　attracted　many

eyes。　　None　of　the　boat's　crew；　however；　had　anything　to　say　about

it；　except　that　it　was　the　captain's　fancy。



The　captainwith　the　women　and　children　clustering　round　him；　and

the　men　of　all　ranks　grouped　outside　them；　and　all　listeningstood

telling　how　the　Expedition；　deceived　by　its　bad　intelligence；　had

chased　the　light　Pirate　boats　all　that　fatal　night；　and　had　still

followed　in　their　wake　next　day；　and　had　never　suspected　until　many

hours　too　late　that　the　great　Pirate　body　had　drawn　off　in　the

darkness　when　the　chase　began；　and　shot　over　to　the　Island。　　He

stood　telling　how　the　Expedition；　supposing　the　whole　array　of　armed

boats　to　be　ahead　of　it；　got　tempted　into　shallows　and　went　aground；

but　not　without　having　its　revenge　upon　the　two　decoy…boats；　both　of

which　it　had　come　up　with；　overhand；　and　sent　to　the　bottom　with　all

on　board。　　He　stood　telling　how　the　Expedition；　fearing　then　that

the　case　stood　as　it　did；　got　afloat　again；　by　great　exertion；　after

the　loss　of　four　more　tides；　and　returned　to　the　Island；　where　they

found　the　sloop　scuttled　and　the　treasure　gone。　　He　stood　telling

how　my　officer；　Lieutenant　Linderwood；　was　left　upon　the　Island；

with　as　strong　a　force　as　could　be　got　together　hurriedly　from　the

mainland；　and　how　the　three　boats　we　saw　before　us　were　manned　and

armed　and　had　come　away；　exploring　the　coast　and　inlets；　in　search

of　any　tidings　of　us。　　He　stood　telling　all　this；　with　his　face　to

the　river；　and；　as　he　stood　telling　it；　the　little　arbour　of　flowers

floated　in　the　sunshine　before　all　the　faces　there。



Leaning　on　Captain　Carton's　shoulder；　between　him　and　Miss　Maryon；

was　Mrs。　Fisher；　her　head　drooping　on　her　arm。　　She　asked　him；

without　raising　it；　when　he　had　told　so　much；　whether　he　had　found

her　mother？



〃Be　comforted！　　She　lies；〃　said　the　Captain　gently；　〃under　the

cocoa…nut　trees　on　the　beach。〃



〃And　my　child；　Captain　Carton；　did　you　find　my　child；　too？　　Does　my

darling　rest　with　my　mother？〃



〃No。　　Your　pretty　child　sleeps；〃　said　the　Captain；　〃under　a　shade　of

flowers。〃



His　voice　shook；　but　there　was　something　in　it　that　struck　all　the

hearers。　　At　that　moment　there　sprung　from　the　arbour　in　his　boat　a

little　creature；　clapping　her　hands　and　stretching　out　her　arms；　and

crying；　〃Dear　papa！　　Dear　mamma！　　I　am　not　killed。　　I　am　saved。　　I

am　coming　to　kiss　you。　　Take　me　to　them；　take　me　to　them；　good；　kind

sailors！〃



Nobody　who　saw　that　scene　has　ever　forgotten　it；　I　am　sure；　or　ever

will　forget　it。　　The　child　had　kept　quite　still；　where　her　brave

grandmamma　had　put　her　（first　whispering　in　her　ear；　〃Whatever

happens　to　me；　do　not　stir；　my　dear！〃）；　and　had　remained　quiet　until

the　fort　was　deserted；　she　had　then　crept　out　of　the　trench；　and

gone　into　her　mother's　house；　and　there；　alone　on　the　solitary

Island；　in　her　mother's　room；　and　asleep　on　her　mother's　bed；　the

Captain　had　found　her。　　Nothing　could　induce　her　to　be　parted　from

him　after　he　took　her　up　in　his　arms；　and　he　had　brought　her　away

with　him；　and　the　men　had　made　the　bower　for　her。　　To　see　those　men

now；　was　a　sight。　　The　joy　of　the　women　was　beautiful；　the　joy　of

those　women　who　had　lost　their　own　children；　was　quite　sacred　and

divine；　but；　the　ecstasies　of　Captain　Carton's　boat's　crew；　when

their　pet　was　restored　to　her　parents；　were　wonderful　for　the

tenderness　they　showed　in　the　midst　of　roughness。　　As　the　Captain

stood　with　the　child　in　his　arms；　and　the　child's　own　little　arms

now　clinging　round　his　neck；　now　round　her　father's；　now　round　her

mother's；　now　round　some　one　who　pressed　up　to　kiss　her；　the　boat's

crew　shook　hands　with　one　another；　waved　their　hats　over　their

heads；　laughed；　sang；　cried；　dancedand　all　among　themselves；

without　wanting　to　interfere　with　anybodyin　a　manner　never　to　be

represented。　　At　last；　I　saw　the　coxswain　and　another；　two　very

hard…faced　men；　with　grizzled　heads；　who　had　been　the　heartiest　of

the　hearty　all　along；　close　with　one　another；　get　each　of　them　the

other's　head　under　his　arm；　and　pommel　away　at　it　with　his　fist　as

hard　as　he　could；　in　his　excess　of　joy。



When　we　had　well　rested　and　refreshed　ourselvesand　very　glad　we

were　to　have　some　of　the　heartening　things　to　eat　and　drink　that　had

come　up　in　the　boatswe　recommenced　our　voyage　down　the　river：

rafts；　and　boats；　and　all。　　I　said　to　myself；　it　was　a　very

different　kind　of　voyage　now；　from　what　it　had　been；　and　I　fell　into

my　proper　place　and　station　among　my　fellow…soldiers。



But；　when　we　halted　for　the　night；　I　found　that　Miss　Maryon　had

spoken　to　Captain　Carton　concerning　me。　　For；　the　Captain　came

straight　up　to　me；　and　says　he；　〃My　brave　fellow；　you　have　been　Miss

Maryon's　body…guard　all　along；　and　you　shall　remain　so。　　Nobody

shall　supersede　you　in　the　distinction　and　pleasure　of　protecting

that　young　lady。〃　　I　thanked　his　honour　in　the　fittest　words　I　could

find；　and　that　night　I　was　placed　on　my　old　post　of　watching　the

place　where　she　slept。　　More　than　once　in　the　night；　I　saw　Captain

Carton　come　out　into　the　air；　and　stroll　about　there；　to　see　that

all　was　well。　　I　have　now　this　other　singular　confession　to　make；

that　I　saw　him　with　a　heavy　heart。　　Yes；　I　saw　him　with　a　heavy；

heavy　heart。



In　the　day…time；　I　had　the　like　post　in　Captain　Carton's　boat。　　I

had　a　special　station　of　my　own；　behind　Miss　Maryon；　and　no　hands

but　hers　ever　touched　my　wound。　　（It　has　been　healed　these　many　long

years；　but；　no　other　hands　have　ever　touched　it。）　　Mr。　Pordage　was

kept　tolerably　quiet　now；　with　pen　and　ink；　and　began　to　pick　up　his

senses　a　little。　　Seated　in　the　second　boat；　he　made　documents　with

Mr。　Kitten；　pretty　well　all　day；　and　he　generally　handed　in　a

Protest　about　something　whenever　we　stopped。　　The　Captain；　however；

made　so　very　light　of　these　papers；　that　it　grew　into　a　saying　among

the　men；　when　one　of　them　wanted　a　match　for　his　pipe；　〃Hand　us　over

a　Protest；　Jack！〃　　As　to　Mrs。　Pordage；　she　still　wore　the　nightcap；

and　she　now　had　cut　all　the　ladies　on　account　of　her　not　having　been

formally　and　separately　rescued　by　Captain　Carton　before　anybody

else。　　The　end　of　Mr。　Pordage；　to　bring　to　an　end　all　I　know　about

him；　was；　that　he　got　great　compliments　at　home　for　his　conduct　on

these　trying　occasions；　and　that　he　died　of　yellow　jaundice；　a

Governor　and　a　K。C。B。



Sergeant　Drooce　had　fallen　from　a　high　fever　into　a　low　one。　　Tom

Packerthe　only　man　who　could　have　pulled　the　Sergeant　through　it

kept　hospital　aboard　the　old　raft；　and　Mrs。　Belltott；　as　brisk　as

ever　again　（but　the　spirit　of　that　little　woman；　when　things　tried

it；　was　not　equal　to　appearances）；　was　head…nurse　under　his

directions。　　Before　we　got　down　to　the　Mosquito　coast；　the　joke　had

been　made　by　one　of　our　men；　that　we　should　see　her　gazetted　Mrs。

Tom　Packer；　vice　Belltott　exchanged。



When　we　reached　the　coast；　we　got　native　boats　as　substitutes　for

the　rafts；　and　we　rowed　along　under　the　land；　and　in　that　beautiful

climate；　and　upon　that　beautiful　water；　the　blooming　days　were　like

enchantment。　　Ah！　　They　were　running　away；　faster　than　any　sea　or

river；　and　there　was　no　tide　to　bring　them　back。　　We　were　coming

very　near　the　settlement　where　the　people　of　Silver…Store　were　to　be

left；　and　from　which　we　Marines　were　under　orders　to　return　to

Belize。



Captain　Carton　had；　in　the　boat　by　him；　a　curious　long…barrelled

Spanish　gun；　and　he　had　said　to　Miss　Maryon　one　day　that　it　was　the

best　of　guns；　and　had　turned　his　head　to　me；　and　said：



〃Gill　Davis；　load　her　fresh　with　a　couple　of　slugs；　against　a　chance

of　showing　how　good　she　is。〃



So；　I　had　discharged　the　gun　over　the　sea；　and　had　loaded　her；

according　to　orders；　and　there　it　had　lain　at　the　Captain's　feet；

convenient　to　the　Captain's　hand。



The　last　day　but　one　of　our　journey　was　an　uncommonly　hot　day。　　We

started　very　early；　but；　there　was　no　cool　air　on　the　sea　as　the　day

got　on；　and　by　noon　the　heat　was　really　hard　to　bear；　considering

that　there　were　women　and　children　to　bear　it。　　Now；　we　happened　to

open；　just　at　that　time；　a　very　pleasant　little　cove　or　bay；　where

there　was　a　deep　shade　from　a　great　growth　of　trees。　　Now；　the

Captain；　therefore；　made　the　signal　to　the　other　boats　to　follow　him

in　and　lie　by　a　while。



The　men　who　were　off　duty　went　ashore；　and　lay　down；　but　were

ordered；　for　caution's　sake；　not　to　stray；　and　to　keep　within　view。

The　others　rested　on　their　oars；　and　dozed。　　Awnings　had　been　made

of　one　thing　and　another；　in　all　the　boats；　and　the　passengers　found

it　cooler　to　be　under　them　in　the　shade；　when　there　was　room　enough；

than　to　be　in　the　thick　woods。　　So；　the　passengers　were　all　afloat；

and　mostly　sleeping。　　I　kept　my　post　behind　Miss　Maryon；　and　she　was

on　Captain　Carton's　right　in　the　boat；　and　Mrs。　Fisher　sat　on　her

right　again。　　The　Captain　had　Mrs。　Fisher's　daughter　on　his　knee。

He　and　the　two　ladies　were　talking　about　the　Pirates；　and　were

ta