The Blue Pavilions
Page 18
_VII.--The Galley._
There was one man, however, who soon had reason to repent that thelittle man had been given his sword again.
Dark had fallen when M. de la Pailletine conducted him courteouslyover the frigate's side and across the deck of _L'Heureuse_ towardshis own cabin. Flinging the door open, he bowed, motioning CaptainBarker to precede him.
As the hunchback entered, a figure rose from beside the table underthe swinging-lamp. It was Roderick Salt, who had been sitting thereand sulking since the engagement began.
Captain Barker jumped back a foot and stared.
"_You!_"
Captain Salt had been expecting the Commodore, and was waiting to payhim a dozen satirical compliments on the issue of the engagement.Triumph shone in his eyes. It went out like a candle-flame before apuff of wind.
"YOU!"
In a flash the hunchback was running on him with drawn sword.M. de la Pailletine, in a trice, interposing, knocked the blade upand out of his hand. But he rushed on, and, dealing the traitor asound blow on the face with his fist, began to kick and cuff andpummel him without mercy.
"Take him off--take him off!" gasped Captain Salt, but offered notthe least resistance.
The Commodore, amused and secretly pleased, caught the little man inhis arms and dragged him away by main force.
"Messieurs," he said, slipping between them, and still panting withthe effort, "circumstances compel me to leave you together for awhile. But before I go, I must exact a _parole_ from both of youthat you will keep the peace towards each other."
"But, monsieur," Captain Barker exclaimed, "I want to kill him!"
"Doubtless; but if, sir, you have that consideration for me which youprofessed by shaking hands with me just now, you will refrain.Captain Salt will tell you, sir, that we have a small affair todiscuss together as soon as we reach France again. When thatdiscussion is over, no doubt he will be at your service."
The pair gave their promise reluctantly, and, as the Commodore leftthe cabin, sat down, facing each other across the table--Captain Saltwith his back to the shattered stern-windows, which, a week or twobefore Tristram had touched up with fresh paint and simpleenthusiasm.
They knew nothing of this. Yet the first question asked by CaptainBarker, after he had glared at his enemy in silence for twentyminutes, was:
"Where is Tristram?"
"Tristram?"
"Ay; your son. You have seen him and have been with him."
"I do not know. I lost him."
"When? Where?"
"Two months since. We were travelling south together--"
"What right had you--"
"Excuse me, I was about to put a similar question. To begin with,you do not deny, I suppose, that the lad is my son?" He paused asecond or two, and listened; for a sudden shout had gone up from thegalley's deck above them. He continued, "Secondly, the boy is heirto considerable estates; thirdly, he has been so for many years;fourthly, I am legally an administrator of those estates; fifthly,you knew that I was alive--what the devil is that noise?"
"Never mind the noise. Proceed with your remarks."
"I have simply to say that you, Captain Barker, together with yourfriend Runacles, have for years been playing off a fraud on the law,and that I am going to exact my rights to the last farthing."
"Really, you must excuse me; but do you--a traitor, on board a Frenchship--imagine that you possess any rights in England?"
There was certainly a loud trampling of feet on the galley's deck atthis moment. But Captain Barker knew that the French would makehaste to clear their dead at once and get into motion with theirprize, for the merchantmen must, before this, have given the alarm,and the coast was continually patrolled by British cruisers.
"You have a very imperfect knowledge of my position, Captain Barker;and it naturally leads you to jump to very wrong conclusions.To begin with, you imagine me a traitor."
"I do."
"To whom? To King William, I suppose?"
"Well, as William is the king whose law seems most likely tointerfere with your present threats, I will instance King William."
"You are mistaken. Until you came into sight this squadron wasadvancing on Harwich under my command. You understand? Well, beforeit started I had sent word to William of its intention. In otherwords, from first to last I designed the whole expedition in hisinterests. Had we gone on, by this time half a dozen Britishfrigates would have been upon us."
"_My God! And they are here!_"
As Captain Barker yelled it out, a broad flame illumined the cabin,and the crash of broken glass and rending timbers mingled with a roarthat shook the seas for miles.
And in the light of this thunderous broadside Captain Salt roseslowly, lifted his arms, swayed and dropped forward, striking thetable with his brow; then slid down upon the floor, stone-dead.