A Set of Rogues
Page 41
CHAPTER XLI.
_How Dawson counts himself an unlucky man who were best dead; and so hequits us, and I, the reader._
The galley bent over to the wind and sped away, and I watched her gowithout regret, not thinking of our own hapless condition, but only ofthe brutal ferocity of that mad crew aboard her.
Their shouts of joy and diabolical laughter died away, and there was nosound but the lapping of the waves against the felucca's side. They haddone their work thoroughly; not a moan arose from the heaps of butcheredmen, not a limb moved, but all were rigid, some lying in grotesquepostures as the death agony had drawn them. And after the tumult thathad prevailed this stillness of death was terrific. From looking overthis ghastly picture I turned and clutched at Dawson's hand for somecomforting sense of life and humanity.
We were startled at this moment by a light laugh from the cabin, whitherMr. Godwin had carried Moll, fainting with the horror of this bloodybusiness, and going in there we found her now lying in a little crib,light-headed,--clean out of her wits indeed, for she fancied herself onthe dusty road to Valencia, taking her first lesson in the fandango fromDon Sanchez. Mr. Godwin knelt by the cot side, with his arm supportingher head, and soothing her the best he could. We found a little cask ofwater and a cup, that he might give her drink, and then, seeing we couldbe of no further service, Dawson and I went from the cabin, our thoughtsawaking now to the peril of our position, without sail in mid-sea.
And first we cast our eyes all round about the sea, but we could descryno sail save the galley (and that at a great distance), nor any sign ofland. Next, casting our eyes upon the deck, we perceived that the thickstream of blood that lay along that side bent over by the broken mast,was greatly spread, and not so black, but redder, which was only to beexplained by the mingling of water; and this was our first notice thatthe felucca was filling and we going down.
Recovering presently from the stupor into which this suspicion threw us,we pulled up a hatch, and looking down into the hold perceived that thiswas indeed true, a puncheon floating on the water there within arms'reach. Thence, making our way quickly over the dead bodies, which failednow to terrify us, to the fore part of our felucca, we discovered thatthe shot which had hit us had started a plank, and that the water leakedin with every lap of a wave. So now, our wits quickened by our peril, wetook a scimitar and a dirk from a dead janizary, to cut away the cordagethat lashed us to the fallen mast, to free us of that burden and rightthe ship if we might. But ere we did this, Dawson, spying the great saillying out on the water, bethought him to hack out a great sheet as faras we could reach, and this he took to lay over the started plank andstaunch the leakage, while I severed the tackle and freed us from thegreat weight of the hanging mast and long spar. And certainly we thoughtourselves safe when this was done, for the hull lifted at once andrighted itself upon the water. Nevertheless, we were not easy, for weknew not what other planks below the water line were injured, nor how tosink our sheet or bind it over the faulty part. So, still further tolighten us, we mastered our qualms and set to work casting the deadbodies overboard. This horrid business, at another time, would have mademe sick as any dog, but there was no time to yield to mawkishsusceptibilities in the face of such danger as menaced us. Only when allwas done, I did feel very weakened and shaky, and my gorge rising at thelook of my jerkin, all filthy with clotted blood, I tore it off and castit in the sea, as also did Dawson; and so, to turn our thoughts (afterwashing of our hands and cleaning our feet), we looked over the side,and agreed that we were no lower than we were, but rather higher forhaving lightened our burden. But no sail anywhere on the wide sea to addto our comfort.
Going into the cabin, we found that our dear Moll had fallen into asleep, but was yet very feverish, as we could see by her frequentturning, her sudden starts, and the dreamy, vacant look in her eyes,when she opened them and begged for water. We would not add to Mr.Godwin's trouble by telling him of ours (our minds being still restlesswith apprehensions of the leak), but searching about, and discoveringtwo small, dry loaves, we gave him one, and took the other to dividebetwixt us, Dawson and I. And truly we needed this refreshment (as ourfeeble, shaking limbs testified), after all our exertions of the nightand day (it being now high noon), having eaten nothing since supper thenight before. But, famished as we were, we must needs steal to the sideand look over to mark where the water rose; and neither of us dared saythe hull was no lower, for we perceived full well it had sunk somewhatin the last hour.
Jack took a bite of his loaf, and offered me the rest, saying he had nostomach for food; but I could not eat my own, and so we thrust the breadin our breeches pockets and set to work, heaving everything overboardthat might lighten us, and for ever a-straining our eyes to sight aship. Then we set to devising means to make the sheet cling over thedamaged planks, but to little purpose, and so Dawson essayed to get atit from the inside by going below, but the water was risen so high therewas no room between it and the deck to breathe, and so again to wedgingthe canvas in from the outside till the sun sank. And by that time thewater was beginning to lap up through the hatchway. Then no longer ableto blink the truth, Jack turns to me and asks:
"How long shall we last?"
"Why," says I, "we have sunk no more than a foot these last six hours,and at this slow pace we may well last out eight or nine more ere thewater comes over the bulwarks."
He shook his head ruefully, and, pointing to a sluice hole in the side,said he judged it must be all over with us when the water entered there.
"Why, in that case," says I, "let us find something to fill the sluicehole."
So having nothing left on deck, we went into the cabin on a pretence ofseeing how Moll fared, and Jack sneaked away an old jacket and I a stonebottle, and with these we stopped the sluice hole the best we could.
By the time we had made a job of this 'twas quite dark, and havingnothing more to do but to await the end, we stood side by side, toodejected to speak for some time, thinking of the cruelty of fate whichrescued us from one evil only to plunge us in a worse. At length, Jackfell to talking in a low tone of his past life, showing how things hadever gone ill with him and those he loved.
"I think," says he in conclusion, "I am an unlucky man, Kit. One ofthose who are born to be a curse against their will to others ratherthan a blessing."
"Fie, Jack," says I, "'tis an idle superstition."
"Nay," says he, "I am convinced 'tis the truth. Not one of us here butwould have been the happier had I died a dozen years ago. 'Tis allthrough me that we drown to-night."
"Nay, 'tis a blessing that we die all together, and none left to mourn."
"That may be for you and me who have lived the best years of our life,but for those in there but just tasting the sweets of life, with yearsof joy unspent, 'tis another matter."
Then we were silent for a while, till feeling the water laving my feet,I asked if we should not now tell Mr. Godwin of our condition.
"'Twas in my mind, Kit," answers he; "I will send him out to you."
He went into the cabin, and Mr. Godwin coming out, I showed him ourstate. But 'twas no surprise to him. Only, it being now about three inthe morning, and the moon risen fair and full in the heavens, he castshis eyes along the silver path on the water in the hope of rescue, andfinding none, he grasps my hand and says:
"God's will be done! 'Tis a mercy that my dear love is spared this lastterror. Our pain will not be long."
A shaft of moonlight entered the cabin, and there we perceived Dawsonkneeling by the crib, with his head laid upon the pillow beside hisdaughter.
He rose and came out without again turning to look on Moll, and Mr.Godwin took his place.
"I feel more happy, Kit," says Jack, laying his hand upon my shoulder."I do think God will be merciful to us."
"Aye, surely," says I, wilfully mistaking his meaning. "I think thewater hath risen no higher this last hour."
"I'll see how our sheet hangs; do you look if the water comes in yet atthe sluice ho
le."
And so, giving my arm a squeeze as he slips his hand from my shoulder,he went to the fore part of the vessel, while I crossed to the sluicehole, where the water was spurting through a chink.
I rose after jamming the jacket to staunch the leak, and turning towardsJack I perceived him standing by the bulwark, with the moon beyond. Andthe next moment he was gone. And so ended the life of this poor, loving,unlucky man.
I know not whether it was this lightening of our burden, or whether atthat time some accident of a fold in the sail sucking into the leakingplanks, stayed the further ingress of waters, but certain it is thatafter this we sank no deeper to any perceptible degree; and so it cameabout that we were sighted by a fishing-boat from Carthagena, a littleafter daybreak, and were saved--we three who were left.
* * * * *
I have spent the last week at Hurst Court, where Moll and her husbandhave lived ever since Lady Godwin's death. They are making of hay in themeadows there; and 'twas sweet to see Moll and her husband, with theirtwo boys, cocking the sweet grass. And all very merry at supper; onlyone sad memory cast me down as I thought of poor Jack, sorrowing tothink he could not see the happiness which, as much as our pasttroubles, was due to him.