The Admirable Lady Biddy Fane

by Frank Barrett

  CHAPTER XXIV.

  LADY BIDDY SORELY PUT TO IT WHETHER TO TELL THE TRUTH OR HOLD HERTONGUE.

  Without turning to see whom the negro indicated, or what effect thischarge made upon her, Rodrigues said:

  "That is a lie. No woman's hand struck that blow." Then, turning to hisboatswain, he gave him instructions to pipe the whole company togetherand see that no man was wanting. This the boatswain did, and when allthe men were ranged across the deck in a line with the plank, on whichthe wretched boy still knelt, crying bitterly, Tonga standing beforethem, and Rodrigues facing him sword in hand, the latter spoke:

  "Tonga would have us believe he was struck down by a woman," says he."What say you?"

  The men, as much to support their captain as of their own conviction,shook their heads and cried "No!"

  "Then," says Rodrigues, "it follows that one of you struck the blow,which, by those rules to which all have put their hands, is atreacherous offence, to be punished with death. Which of you did it?"

  To this no one made reply, but all stood mumchance, spying their fellowsto see if any did bear guilt in their face; but all looked innocent ofthis offense, as Rodrigues, with his discriminating eye, could wellperceive. When he had looked them all over in silence, waiting ananswer, he said, "Not a soul leaves this ship, though you go dry anotherfortnight, till the truth is found out. I give Tonga into your hands.Employ what means you choose--short of taking his life--to get a trueconfession from him."

  Then, turning again towards the boy, he cried, "Stand up! limb of thedevil--up with you!"

  The poor little wretch stood up for fear of the glittering sword, butstill with his hands clasped, and the tears running down his cheeks.

  "Walk!" again cries Rodrigues; "there is no place in this ship for aliar."

  The child turned his face to the sea with a pitiful moan.

  Then Lady Biddy, seeing his sorrowful case, and that he was to be forcedto his death, was moved to desperation by the passionate pity in herheart, and so bursting from the cabin she ran forward to save him. Butit was too late; the child, seeing no escape from death by the sword orthe sea, and being mayhap tempted to the latter because it looked sofair and cool, with a shrill cry of despair ran suddenly forward, sothat, the plank tilting up, he was plunged headlong down into the waves.At the sight of this cruel business, Lady Biddy stopped midway in thedeck and covered her face with her hands, while that last despairing cryof the child's was echoed back from her own compassionate breast.

  Of all this I saw nothing, being within the little cabin; yet I wasconscious that something unusual was going forward in the ship by asound or two that came to my ear as I stood by the panel-door. Thus, asI stood straining my senses to make out the meaning of these sounds, Iheard a quick movement in the next chamber, and scarce a momentafterwards that pitiful cry of Lady Biddy's which I have spoken of.Then, heedless of my danger, and that I had no weapon for her defensebut the hands God gave me, I tore open the door and leapt into the nextcabin, expecting nothing less than to find my lady at the feet ofRodrigues. Discovering no such matter, but spying Lady Biddy standingalone a few paces from the door, I was much taken aback, yet not so muchbut that I at once recognized my folly and imprudence in thus exposingmyself; seeing that, as luck would have it, I was stillunobserved--having gone no further into the cabin than enabled me tocatch sight of my lady where she stood close beyond the outer door--Idrew back at once within the little cabin.

  Being there, I stood irresolute, not knowing what to do for the best forthe tumult of my mind. For I could make out nothing of what I had seen;yet was I pretty sure that a climax was at hand--the more so because Ipresently heard Rodrigues speaking to Lady Biddy in the next chamber. Atlength, making up my mind to be ready for the worst, and not to be takenby surprise in the manner I have shown, I went to the lantern whichstood under the cot, and turned up the wick so that it gave a goodflame, laid the grenade beside it, ready to fire the fuse at any moment,and then going to the corner turned back the strip of carpet, and drewback the bolt of the trap.

  These preparations being made, I returned to the little door and leanedmy ear against it, and then hearing no sound within I went to that partof the wall over against where my lady did use to sit, and made theusual signal to her by scratching a little upon the panel. To this shereplied, not cheerfully as before, but feebly, as though she had lostheart. Yet it was a comfort to me to know she was there and Rodriguesgone.

  Now must I go back somewhat.

  As Lady Biddy stood with her hands to her face, shutting out the sightof that heartless cruelty put upon the child who had waited upon her(and to whom she had shown many a kindness, giving him sweetmeats fromher table and the like), Rodrigues comes up to her.

  "Why, madam," says he, "do you take the death of this little traitor toheart? Sure, I counted to have pleased you by revenging the injury toyour person he did his best to further. Be comforted, I pray you." Withthis he would have laid his hand upon her arm, but that she shrank fromhim in loathing, and turning about returns to her cabin.

  "The boy is at peace," says Rodrigues, walking by her side. "And is itnot better he should die now rather than grow up to be a hardenedvillain? May I fetch you a glass of wine to restore your spirits?" heasks when they were come into the cabin, and Lady Biddy had sunk downupon the sofett.

  She shook her head, yet without trusting herself to look upon him.

  Fetching a sigh, Rodrigues seated himself near her, and says he:

  "Doubtless you think me cold-blooded and heartless; yet I do assure youI am not. But while I command this ship I must exercise severity, foronly by inspiring fear can I obtain the respect and obedience of mycompany. When I am no longer a pirate you will see that my nature isdifferent. Heaven knows I shall be enchanted to abandon this horridcareer--to quit for ever a lawless life, and give example of humanesentiments. It is in your power to make that hand an instrument ofcharity and mercy which, hitherto, you have seen exercised only innecessary severity; and this reflection will, I trust, reconcile you toour speedy union."

  With this hint he leaves her--to my lady's satisfaction.

  Meanwhile the company, after conferring together, laid hands on Tonga,vowing that if he would not willingly confess who had stabbed him theywould certainly avail themselves of their captain's permission and forcehim to do so by torture. But the black could do no more than repeat whathe had told already--viz., that he had been stabbed and thrown down intothe armory as he was entering the cabin above, adding that if Lady Biddyhad not struck the blow he knew not who had, for there was no light tosee what hand it was.

  "Well," says the boatswain, "you'll have to name one of us, that'scertain, for the comfort of the rest. But mark you, be careful not toname any who can prove his innocence, for if you play us a scurvy trickof that sort we'll burn the soles off your feet."

  As he made no reply, for fear of subjecting himself to the horridtorture they threatened, they took a cord that ran through a block atthe yard-arm, and with one end they bound his wrists together behind hisback. When he was thus secured, they pulled upon the other end of thissame cord till he swung over the bulwarks and hung over the sea.

  By keeping his muscles tense and his wrists well down against the smallof his back, Tonga hung in mid-air for some time without suffering. Butgradually the effort to keep his position increased as the weight of hisgreat body inclining forward taxed the muscles of his arms, as you shallfind if you do but try such an experiment. Presently one of those whoheld the other end of the line hitched over a spar, growing impatient ofhis endurance, gave the cord a sudden jerk, whereby the black's wristswere wrenched away from his loins, so that now his muscles werepowerless, as one may say, while his vast bulk, hanging thus at an anglewith his wrists, threatened to drag his arms out of their sockets.

  This torment the black endured for some while in peace; but at length,when another jerk was given to the cord, he uttered a great yell of rageand agony.

  Hearing that terrible cry, La
dy Biddy could no longer endure to witnesssuch suffering, and again ran from her cabin, bidding the seamen inmercy to desist from his further torture.

  At this moment Rodrigues came on deck from below, whither he haddescended upon quitting Lady Biddy.

  "You wish Tonga to be relieved from his pain," asks he.

  "Yes, yes," cries she; "don't you see that his arms are being torn fromhis body?"

  "His plight is not so bad as that," says Rodrigues. "However, if youwish to save him from his discomfort you may do so by a single word;though 'tis a thankless service on your part, for if he were allowedfree use of his deliverance he would employ it to destroy you."

  "No matter," cries Lady Biddy, as another yell reached her ear. "Let himgo, I say."

  "You shall be obeyed immediately if you will give yourself the troubleto step this way and answer one question."

  Saying this, Rodrigues turned toward the roundhouse; but instead ofgoing into the cabin as before, he ascended the steps to the poop deck,over which there hung a tent of fine canvas.

  Without regarding whither she went, Lady Biddy accompanied him, beingdistracted with the ringing of the negro's cry in her ear, and concernedonly for his release.

  Being come upon this deck, Rodrigues, standing in the gangway and facingmy lady, said:

  "Lady Biddy, the man hanging from the yard-arm has been strung up inorder that I may know who stabbed him. I must get that information formy own safety and the safety of my company, for the hand that struckTonga might strike me. You see, I am quite reasonable in the view I takeof things."

  "Hark!" cried Lady Biddy, as another scream came from the black.

  "Yes, he is in terrible agony," says Rodrigues, "and he will continue tosuffer while I am ignorant of the one fact I want to know. He will betaken down the moment I know who stabbed him. Will you tell me?"

  Now my lady was in a sore strait, for she could not tell him it was I,and yet by not telling him must she prolong the terrible torment of theblack.

  "He must hang there till he dies of his pain," continues Rodrigues(after watching my lady's embarrassed face for a minute), "if I am keptignorant. On the other hand, I promise you he shall be amply recompensedfor his pangs if I find out."

  Lady Biddy heard this, yet little did she reck what Rodrigues intendedfor the black's recompense.

  "Suppose I did it with my own hand," says she, eagerly.

  Rodrigues fetched from his pocket a mariner's jack-knife, and says he,"Is this yours, madam?"

  "No," says she, looking at it in perplexity.

  "You don't know the look of it?" he asks.

  She shook her head with misgiving.

  "Then," says he, "I can not suppose that you did it with your own hand,for this is the knife with which Tonga was stabbed. Come, Lady Biddy, ifyou know who did this thing, why not tell at once?"

  "How should I know?" cries Lady Biddy.

  "Because he is your friend," says Rodrigues, slowly.

  "There is the whole of my company," adds he, waving his hand toward thedeck. "Not one of those fellows would have moved a hand to save you fromthe lust of Tonga. The only one on this ship, except myself, who wouldpreserve you is" (dropping his voice and leaning forward) "down there";and saying this he pointed with his finger to the cabin beneath them.