CHAPTER XXIV
THE TEMPLE BENEATH THE WATERS
Now, had I but had the luck to know it, my two captors were themselvesof this guild of the ferrymen whose rights they so stoutly stood by;and I could have obtained my freedom at any hour of the night fortwo-pence: the statutory passage money of which I had unwittinglydefrauded them. But upon this twopence saved were to depend manyevents I could well have spared, together, too, with much I yet thankHeaven for; so small a matter doth our fate require (as a rudder) tosteer us by along what course she will....
The sun came up, as I say, in a little fresh scud of wind, and athwartthe golden dancing waters went the good ship the _Saracen's Head_, fairand free; while I, her supercargo, remained behind in thisevil-smelling tent of half-naked and infidel Moors; cursing themischance that had led me thither, and altogether discouraged.
The thought of Idonia, that amid all the distractions of my latecaptivity on board the ship had been predominant over all, affected memore than ever now, as I sat in this pure light of dawn, in a perfectsilence save for the little lapping of the waves. I remembered thewild look of love that her eyes had held, when she said: "Free, oh,free!" and: "Denis, Denis, do not let me go!" I caught again thedrooping lassitude of her posture, when, spent by the varying terrorsof the night, she had swooned in my arms. For the thousandth time Ireviewed the dangers that threatened her, the bitter cold of the rain,insults of the soldiers, her wandering wits and the nearness of theriver. To this was added a fearful burden of doubt whether I should atall be suffered to return home, to seek her; knowing as I did that nottwo or three, but many men that had set foot upon this coast, had beensold as slaves or slain outright; while others, to escape the seemingworst, abjuring their faiths (as Nelson the Yeoman's son had done), hadembraced the false religion of this country and by that currish meansgained favour and furtherance in their servitude. It seemed to me astrange thing, as I sat in this place where all around was peace andgrave silence, that so small an interval might separate me from suchintolerable cruelties as we in England had oftentimes heard tell of ascontinually practised by the men of these parts; and I in particularhad listened to this sort of tales, by the mariners of our Companynarrated, when, as I was used, I went to meet them and bring them toOsborne the Governor. But there is (I find) a surprising declensionfrom the amusement got by hearing of the customs of other nations, tothat is got by going where they are practised; and I settled it in mymind at that time (nor have I ever exchanged the opinion) that whatlieth beyond the West Country is of very small account; alwaysexcepting the City of London and the Berkshire downs.
Now when the sun had been risen about an hour, I perceived some stir togrow in the town, and men to begin going about their daily business.From the petty harbour I saw a barque or two warping their way out, andwas marvellous surprised when, presently, that great boat that hadrowed, as we all supposed, to the attack of the _Saracen's Head_,returned very peaceably to the quayside laden with a fine catch offish; by the which it manifestly appeared that they were no robbers,but a company of Moorish fisherfolk that had gone before daybreak tocast their seines; and as the sequel showed, to good purpose.
I laughed aloud at the error into which I had fallen, and the more whenI imagined with what consternation these simple men would have receivedMaster Attwood's cannon shot, had he prosecuted his intention and firedit.
My two guards looked upon me with some anxiety, when they saw melaughing in this manner, and spoke together in a low voice; after whichthe one of them got up softly and went away. Something perturbed, Iquestioned the other man, by signs, that being our only method ofconverse, whither it was he went; who answered, similarly, that he wasgone to see if the king were yet awake, and ready to administer justicein my cause. I should have sought to learn more, had I not chanced toobserve upon one of the ships that lay by the wharf, a flag hauling up,at which sight I was filled with an excessive joy; for it was theEnglish flag; and the ship, when I had more particularly noted her, oneof our Turkey Company's merchant vessels, namely, the _HappyAdventure_, seventy tons burden and very sound craft.
Leaping to my feet, I made signs to my Moor that these were friends ofmine who would speak for my general probity, and at the same timeoffered him three or four pieces of silver (all I had) the better toenforce my request.
Never have I seen a man so metamorphosed as he, who, expecting at theutmost to receive his legal two-pence, had suddenly thrust upon him ahandful of crowns. From a petty evader of duties, I became in his eyesa fountain of generosity, and prince of swimmers. He fell prone on hisface before me in the sand, and covered my shoes with kisses, naming mein his language his eternal benefactor, the light of his life, thesupporter of his age (or if not these then what you shall please, for Iunderstood nothing of it all save his cringing and kissing of my toe).
Now while he was thus engaged, his companion returned together with himthey called their king, but was only an ordinary Moor to see to,extremely fat (which is perhaps a sign of pre-eminence in these parts)and abominably filthy. He had two curved swords stuck in his waist,and wore a patched green cloak.
But when he saw who it was approached, my newly purchased friend leftkissing me, and did obeisance to his king, very reverently saluting himwith his hands raised to his forehead; and the king in his turn badehim, as well as he could for lack of breath, be at peace. Which done,a long debate ensued among the three of them wherein my gratuity wasdisplayed and commented upon, with a great show of delight by the Moor,with astonishment by the king, and with an uncontrolled disappointmentby the Moor that had gone to bring him. By the greedy looks with whichhe, and soon the king too, regarded this chiefest feature of the case,I understood that my acquittal was likely to depend upon the nature ofthe evidence (that is the amount of the bribe) I could bring in, tosatisfy my second accuser, and after him the Judge. But satisfy themin this kind I could not, for as I have said, I had imprudently partedwith my entire wealth to my first accuser, who, as I am assured, wouldhave been perfectly content with half a groat. The fat king, withoutthe least disguise, but pointing to my unlucky crown-pieces, told offupon his fingers the rate at which I might obtain my discharge, whilethe ferryman, whom anger seemed to have robbed of speech, convulsivelygripped at the haft of a very dangerous long knife he had, as if todemonstrate the province of effective law.
What course I might have followed herein I am not careful to imagine;enough that it was decided for me by one of the ship's company of the_Adventure_, who, observing us, came over a little way to see whatshould be the occasion of this argument. To him then, without delay, Idispatched my Moorish friend I had suborned, praying the mariner tohasten to my assistance. And no sooner did he see the English piecesin the fellow's hand than he understood it was a countryman of his inperil, and so called together the rest of his crew, or at least such aswere within hail. A little after, therefore, I was set free, the wholecompany coming about me, and thrusting away the poor fat king, thatthey told me was but a petty chieftain, of no authority at all, exceptthat he took the half of the harbour dues; which being a mere pittance,however, he was fain to eke out the stipend with the selling of sweetoil and justice, as either was called for.
But when they heard I was employed by the Turkey Company, as they were,and moreover was acquainted with Sir Edward Osborne, whom every onegreatly honoured, there was no end to their protestations offriendship; and in especial the master of that voyage, one CaptainTuchet, offered to carry me with him to England; albeit he must first,he said, finish his trading in these waters, as he had engaged to do.
I thanked him very heartily for his kindness, and, at his request,opened with him at large of my imprisonment on board the _Saracen'sHead_, and of all matters I have above set down, which he heard verypatiently and advised himself of the principal outrages that wereeither committed or intended by Spurrier and the rest. He was a short,squat man, of a very heavy appearance and so dull an eye that I had sethim down for almost a fool before he showed me p
retty convincingly thathe was not, but rather of a nature at once astute and undaunted, hebeing indeed at all points a commander and worthy of trust.
"So you tell me that these gentlemen purpose to join themselves to acertain pirate of note," he said, blinking his thick-lidded eyes, as weleaned over the rail of his high deck. "And where might he be found,prythee?"
"It was upon some island, as I remember, to the northward of Sicily," Ianswered.
"'Tis as I thought then," said he, "and having a part of our cargo todischarge at Amalfi, we will read our instructions something moreliberally than we be wont to do, and shape our course toward--well,should we chance to make this island of yours upon the way, there's noharm done, Master Supercargo;" and he blinked again.
"You will give them chase?" cried I.
"We be men peaceably inclined at all times," replied Tuchet, closinghis eyes altogether, "and I should be sorry if resistance to ourdemands led to bloodshed."
"But my uncle..." I said and hesitated.
"Is a reasonable villain by all accounts," replied the Captain, and sofor that while dismissed me.
The news that we were to alter our course in order to the end I havenamed, soon spread amongst the crew, who one and all rejoiced at theprospect of fighting it offered them; that being a luxury not often tobe indulged in upon a merchant ship and therefore the more highlyprized. From the mate I learned that there was an infinite number ofsuch secret nooks and fastnesses by pirates and desperate thievesinfested, in this sea, and that to any ordinary man it would appear anabsurd thing to attempt, from amongst so many, to discover theparticular refuge that Spurrier might affect. "So that were it not forsome hint we have to go upon, which our Captain thinks sufficient, wemight indeed run far astray; though now, if we do, I shall greatlyadmire it."
"Upon what place hath he fixed as likely?" I asked.
"'Tis a little rock among the AEolian Islands," he answered me, "for itis indeed hardly more than a bare rock. The people name it the ThreeTowers, because of certain watch-towers formerly set up against theSaracens and yet remaining: as you may see them likewise in Amalfi, andother places too. It hath a fair anchorage and haven and a flat stripof good land where they used to cultivate vines before the robbers tookthe place and killed the islanders. There was a pleasant village thereamong the vineyards, and a temple, nigh perfect, of the old heathengods. But now all is in ruins, except that those men have retained fortheir safeguard, or for the storage of their treasure."
"You seem to know their lurking-place pretty well," said I, with asmile.
He let the jest pass, it being none to him as I soon learned.
"I should know it, master," he replied, "having lived there, and theremarried and had children. 'Twas those devils of pirates drove me forth... but not my wife. My children they slew in the room where thewine-press stood. I think if we fall in with that company, sir, by howmuch soever their number exceed ours, we shall yet get the better ofthem, God helping us."
All that day we held our course eastward, with a pretty strong windfollowing, so that we had got about seventy or eighty miles from theport by sunset. The night also continuing fair, with lucky weather, wemade a further good progress, by which the Captain hoped, within two orthree days at the most, we should make the Island of Tre Torre (thatis, the Three Towers aforesaid), and therefore set every one to thepreparing of his weapon, and the hauling up of the powder from themagazine.
For my part, while these preparations were making, I was full of heavythoughts, for it must needs be in this imminent battle that my uncleand I should be opposites, who but lately were become friends.
I doubted indeed whether Spurrier would grant him liberty to fight; butthe alternative was rather to be feared, namely that, unwilling to becumbered with the ward of prisoners at such a time, the Captain wouldrid himself of him before the fight should begin. But either way Icertainly could not refuse to draw my sword against these piratesmerely because my uncle was kept prisoner by them, and especially sinceour quarrel was like to extend to all such robbers as should choose totake sides with Spurrier against us. It appeared indeed a madimpossible enterprise we undertook, and had it not been for the extremefaith all our crew had in Mr. Tuchet, I might perhaps have gone thelength of protesting against the risk we ran.
However I did not, and am glad that I refrained, for no man loveth tobe thought a coward, though some that are not be content to appear soin a noble cause; which I think is the greatest degree of courage a mancan attain to.
Now, about the fourth morning, when the watch was changed, I being oneof those appointed to serve that turn, we remarked that the sky, whichuntil then had been quite clear, was now spread over with a thin haze,such as ordinarily intendeth an excessive heat; and indeed as the daywore on it became oppressively hot, the vapour remaining the while, orrather withdrawing to an unusual height, so that there was no mist uponthe waters, but merely a white sky for a blue one. At noonday thisstrange whiteness of the heavens became charged with a dull coppercolour particularly to the eastward, and the wind died away suddenly,leaving us becalmed.
Tuchet summoned the mate to him, to the upper deck, and held him longin consultation of this mystery, presently calling me too to join themthere, when he put two or three brief questions to me as touching therig and burden of the _Saracen's Head_, which, when I had answered, heresumed his conference with the mate, jerking his finger impatientlytoward some object far out to sea.
I followed the direction of his finger, and at last perceived rightupon the clear line of the horizon a grey blot, that might have been arock or ship, or indeed anything, so great was the distance of it fromus.
"I cannot tell," said the mate; "but I think 'tis not so big."
"Tush!" said the Captain. "Consider it more closely."
Again I strained my eyes for any indication of sail or hull that shouldresolve my doubt; but even as I gazed the thing was lost as completelyas though the sea had opened to swallow it.
"Why, 'tis gone!" I cried.
Neither of the men spoke for a while, but after a full half minute themate said in a low voice--
"Yonder comes the eagre," meaning, as I learned afterwards, that greatwave that sometimes comes with the high tide, and is otherwise namedthe Bore; the cause of it none knoweth certainly, though it is said tofollow upon an uncommon meeting of tides, or else is rolled back byearthquakes and such-like horrid disturbances and visitations of theAlmighty.
"Strike sail, lads," shouted the Captain, "and close up all hatches;there's tempest at hand."
We did what we could, but the time was brief enough, so that before wehad well concluded the wave struck us. The ship seemed to be liftedlike a plaything and tossed about as lightly as though a giant had putforth his hand from the deep and flung us. Three men were washedoverboard at the first assault and our mizzen mast burst asunder, whichfalling, grievously hurt one that stood by, who a little after died.
Meanwhile the calm that had previously held us bound, was exchanged fora furious hurricane worse almost to withstand than the shock of theeagre-wave itself. The sky was now as black as night, with greathurrying clouds urged on as it seemed by the pitiless goad of lightningthat lacerated them as they thundered by. Wave after wave swept overus as we rose and fell, abject and waterlogged, now lying low in thelane of waters, now impelled to the summit from which we looked forthas from a falling tower in whose ruin we were presently to beinvolved....
I cannot relate all that followed, for a spar struck me senseless, andwhen I recovered we were riding in an untroubled bay, under a leeshore. Too sick and weak to question those that stood about me, Inevertheless could not but note the amazing beauty of the scene. Uponan eminence a grove of palm trees stood out against the blue of thesky, while upon the slope of this hill and below it to the water's edgeextended the buildings of a city, dazzling white and magnificentlybuilded with long arcades and lofty gateways and tiled domes. At firstI supposed we had been carried by the storm backward to that Moor
ishport where I was held captive, but soon I perceived that this placegreatly exceeded it in splendour and apparent wealth. The city, infact, was Argiers, whither we had been carried wide of our course bythe stress of the storm: but being here our Captain thought fit to makegood our ship that was pretty near stove in. Some nine or ten days inall we stayed, during which I not only regained my health but took aninfinite pleasure in going about in the town, which was like nothing Ihad ever seen or imagined, so white it was, and so strangely supportedupon deep arches that caught the shade at all hours; and having hightowers with balconies, from which a man called these poor infidels toprayer. The flies were abominable, and the stench incrediblyoffensive; but saving these things, Argiers is a good town, and thepeople of it (that is, the men, for I saw no women) very grave andorderly.
Our masts and timbers made good at length, Mr. Tuchet called the crewaboard, and bade them cast off the hawser that held us, which was soondone, and we departed. And because of the privilege extended to me andthe favour of the Captain, I left the common seamen and went upon thedeck that the Captain used, who spoke cheerily to me, saying he hopedwe should meet with no more disasters on this voyage. I laughed andsaid I hoped not neither, and asked him when he thought we should cometo Amalfi; for it never entered my mind that he would prosecute his oldpurpose of going against the pirates.
"To Amalfi?" said Tuchet, scratching his grey stubble beard. "Oh,about a week hence, Mr. Denis, if we get done with your uncle byThursday, as I expect to do."
Nothing deterred him when he had once resolved upon any course, and Iam assured that had we lost half our complement of men and all ourammunition, he would have gone into it with his fists. The Thursdaythen, having doubled the Cape of Marsala, which is the westward pointof Sicily, we came amongst the AEolian Islands to the very hour Tuchethad named; and towards evening we clearly descried the little rockyislet of the Three Towers; whereat every man grasped his weapon, andthe gunner ran out his long brass piece. 'Twas no time for the conningover of moral sentences but rather of rapid silent preparation; yet Icould not but feel the solemnity of this our slowly sailing onwardthrough the still autumn evening, whose outgoing seemed so sweetlyattuned to that praise for which the Scripture saith it was created,but which for us meant no more than an unlucky light to shoot by. For,as more than one stout fellow whispered, our ship having the sun behindit was a mark for any fool to hit, while we upon our part coulddistinguish nought upon that barren rock but the crumbled watch-towersthat crowned it.
Without a word, we stole on. It was dangerous navigation, for therewere said to be sunken reefs to the westward (that is the nearest to usas we came from the west), where the rock divided into two horns orspurs, that, jutting out into the sea, enclosed the little parcel offlat land where the vineyards used to be and the ruined temple. Theharbourage lay a little to the southward behind the right-hand spur Ihave noted, and was therefore not yet to be seen; though we,approaching so closely, must have been perfectly visible to any onethat lay concealed amidst the innumerable lurking-places and caves ofthe rock.
The mate, who knew the island but too well, had gone forward, but nowreturned to us, that is to Tuchet and me, upon the high deck. His facewas very white.
"The shore hath sunk," he said.
"What do you mean?" cried Tuchet, turning about sharply.
"Vineyard and all gone; our cottage and the garden where my boysplayed.... The eagre hath whelmed them."
"But the wave hath long since receded, man; it cannot be! You havemistaken the place belike."
"Mistaken!" repeated the mate with a hard laugh. "I tell you the wholeisland hath been disturbed; its foundations shaken--Lo, there!" hecried out. "A whole cliff hath gone down in the earthquake; and thereis driftwood under the headland, of wrecked ships."
And even as he had said, so it was.
For the late upheaval had had its origin in the recesses of this barrenrock, which it had burst open as a robber bursts forth from his ambush,and loosed that charging hurricane upon the sea. And indeed not thisisland of Tre Torre only, but all these islands to the northward ofSicily be so eaten under by fire, and liable to sudden calamitytherefrom, as none may properly be named habitable, though the most ofthem be inhabited in despite of almost constant threatenings, until, asthis place was, they be at length in a night destroyed.
We sailed about the place in our ship, but found no living soul, andnight soon after falling, we were fain to use the shattered remnant ofthe pirates' harbour, where we lay till the morning, very sad andperplexed.
But a great while before full day I rose up alone and went ashore, inthe hope to light upon some vestiges of my uncle, or if not of him,then of any of that infamous crew of the _Saracen's Head_. From theone of the watch-towers that I found to be the least shaken I surveyedthe rock over every part, but could discover nothing more than that wehad before espied, namely, the few broken boards of a ship and sparsstrewn about the sweep of ground betwixt the two promontories, and sodescended slowly to where they lay. And having descended but a littleof the broken path that led, as I judged, to the submerged hamletamidst the vineyards, I looked out upon the waters of the bay; and onthe sudden, clear beneath them, saw the hamlet, house by house, and thepergolas of hanging vines. So translucent and untroubled was the waterat that hour that scarce anything the least was hid, but even the grassbetween the stones I saw, yet fresh and waving, and the rusted toolsabandoned in the fields. An untended way led further off to thetemple, of which I could dimly perceive the pillars, between whichgreat silver fish swam in and out, and upon its steps the seaweedslightly stirred.
But caught in the weed on the steps of the temple I saw a drowned manlying, and when I had gone down to the edge of the shore, I knew himfor my uncle....
Of the rest we could find at first no trace at all, but (having sentdown divers into the deep water about the northward headland) we atlength recovered the bodies of Spurrier and Attwood and one or twobeside. When the ship had split, idly trusting to such pieces of thewreck as they could lay hold of, they had evidently been dashed againstthe rock, and so perished. But the prisoner in the hold had beencarried forward, as it seemed, almost into safety, but at the last hadbeen let slip. There was no hurt upon his body when we raised it, andthe features were unclouded by any premonition of his fate.
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