Black Bartlemy's Treasure

by Jeffery Farnol

  CHAPTER XXXVIII

  CONCERNING THE DEAD MAN HUMPHREY AND HOW I SAW A VISION IN THE MOONLIGHT

  My next memory was of sun and a dance of leafy shadows on the wall ofthe cave, the which shadows held my attention so that I had no will tolook otherwhere; for these were merry shadows that leapt in sportivegambols, that danced and swayed, pleasing me mightily. And as Iwatched these antic shadows I could hear the pleasant murmur of thelittle rill without the cave, that bubbled with sweet, soft noises likesmall, babbling voices and brake ever and anon into elfin laughter.And presently, mingled with this pretty babblement, I seemed to hear awhisper:

  "Martin! Dear Martin!"

  And now I saw my lady plunge to death from the rock, and started up,filling the place with my lamentations, until for very weakness I layhushed and heard again the soft rippling of the brook and therewith hervoice very sweet and faint and far away:

  "Martin! Dear Martin!"

  I remember a season of blackness in which dim-seen, evil things menacedme, and a horror of dreams wherein I, fettered and fast bound, mustwatch my sweet lady struggle, weeping, in the arms of vile rogueswhiles I strove desperately to break my bonds, and finding this vain,fell to raging madness and dashed myself hither and thither to slaymyself and end my torment. Or, axe in hand, amid smoke and flame, Ifell upon her murderers; then would I smite down the man Humphrey onlyfor him to rise to be smitten again and yet again, nodding shatteredhead and flapping nerveless arms in derision of me until, knowing Imight never slay him--he being already dead--I turned to flee, but withhim ever behind me and in my ears his sobbing cry of "Death for all ofus--death!" And feeling his hands on me I would fall to desperatestruggle until the blackness closed over me again thick and stiflinglike a sea.

  And behind all these horrors was a haunting knowledge that I was goingmad, that this man Humphrey was waiting for me out beyond the surfbeckoning to me with flapping arms, and had cast on me a spell whereby,as my brain shrivelled to madness, my body was shrivelling and changinginto that of Black Bartlemy. Always I knew that Humphrey waited mebeyond the reef, watchful for my coming and growing ever more querulousand eager as the spell wrought on me so that he began to call to me instrange, sobbing voice, hailing me by my new name:

  "Bartlemy, ahoy! Black Bartlemy--Bartlemy ho! Come your ways toHumphrey, that being dead can die no more and, knowing all, doth knowyou for Bartlemy crept back from hell. So come, Bartlemy, come and beas I am. And there's others here, proper lads as wants ye too, deadmen all--by the rope, by the knife, by the bullet--oho!

  There be two at the fore, At the main be three more, Dead men that swing all of a row; Here's fine, dainty meat For the fishes to eat: Black Bartlemy--Bartlemy ho!

  There's a fine Spanish dame, Joanna's her name, Must follow wherever ye go; Till your black heart shall feel Your own cursed steel: Black Bartlemy--Bartlemy ho!"

  And I, hearkening to this awful sobbing voice, sweating and shiveringin the dark, knew that, since I was indeed Black Bartlemy, sooner orlater I must go.

  Thus it befell that of a sudden I found myself, dazzled by a fiercesun, supporting me against a rock and my breath coming in great gasps.And in a while, my eyes growing stronger, I stared away to the reefwhere this man Humphrey waited me with his "dead men all"; and since Imust needs go there I wept because it was so far off.

  Now as I stood grieving thus, I saw one stand below me on Deliverance,looking also towards the reef, a woman tall and very stately andhabited in gown of rich satin and embroidery caught in at slender waistwith golden girdle, and about her head a scarf of lace. And this womanstood with bowed head and hands tight-clasped as one that grieved also;suddenly she raised her head and lifted folded hands to the cloudlessheaven in passionate supplication. And beholding her face I knew herfor the poor Spanish lady imploring just heaven for vengeance on methat had been her undoing; and uttering a great cry, I sank on my knees:

  "Mercy, O God--mercy! Let me not be mad!"

  Yet, even as I prayed, I knew that madness was upon me ere I plungedagain into the dreadful dark.

  But God (whose mercy is infinite) hearkened to my distressful cry, for,in a while, He brought me up from that black abyss and showed me twomarvels, the which filled me with wonder and a sudden, passionate hope.And the first was the bandage that swathed my thigh; and this of itselfenough to set my poor wits in a maze of speculation. For this bandagewas of linen, very fine and delicate, such as I knew was not to befound upon the whole island; yet here was it, bound about my hurt,plain and manifest and set there by hands well-skilled in such kindlywork.

  And my second wonder was a silver beaker or ewer, very artfully wroughtand all chased and embossed with designs of fruit and flower and of arare craftsmanship, and this jug set within my reach and half-full ofmilk. The better to behold this, I raised myself and with infinitelabour. But now, and suddenly, she was before me again, this poorSpanish lady I had slain upon a time, wherefore I blenched and shrankfrom her coming. But she, falling upon her knees, sought to clasp mein her arms, crying words I heeded not as (maugre my weakness) I strovewildly to hold her off.

  "I am Bartlemy that killed you!" says I. "I am Black Bartlemy! Theyknow out yonder beyond the reef, hark and you shall hear how they hailme--"

  "O kind God, teach me how I may win him back to knowledge!" So crying,this Spanish lady of a sudden unpinned her hair and shook its glossyripples all about her:

  "Look, Martin!" cries she, "Don't you know me--O don't you know me now?I am Joan--come back to you--"

  "No!" says I, "No--Damaris is dead and lost--I saw her die!"

  "Then who am I, Martin?"

  "The Spanish lady or--one of the ghosts do haunt me."

  But now her hands were clasping mine, her soft hair all about me as shestooped. And feeling these hands so warm and vital, so quick andstrong with life, I began to tremble and strove against her no longer;and so she stooped above me that I might feel her sweet breath onfevered cheek and brow:

  "'Tis your Damaris, Martin," says she, her tears falling fast, "'tisyour comrade hath come back to comfort you."

  Now seeing how I stared all trembling and amazed, she set her armsabout me, and drawing me to her bosom, clasped me there. And my headpillowed thus I fell a-weeping, but these tears were tears of joy andthankfulness beyond all words.

  "O Damaris," quoth I at last, "if this be death I care not since I haveseen thee again!"

  "Why, Martin," says she, weeping with me, "art indeed so glad--so gladto find again thy poor comrade!"

  And thus, knowing myself forgiven, a great joy sang within me.