"Is that Hualipa?"
Our guide moved forward and, pausing in the glare of the lanthorn, let fall his cloak and I, beholding that pallid, impressive face, the dull eyes, small mouth, and high thin nose, knew him for Fra Alexo, Chief Inquisitor of Nombre de Dios. Then, lifting one hand to point slim finger at Don Federigo, he spoke in his soft, sweet voice:
"Don Federigo, long hath Holy Church suspected thee--and Holy Church hath many eyes--and hands. So is thy messenger dead and so I favoured the escape of these declared heretics that through them thou mightest be taken in thy shameful treachery. Even now come armed servants of the Church to take again these doomed heretics and with them--thee also. Now kill me an you will, but thine apostasy is uncovered; the Holy Inquisition hath thee safe at last. Thy good name, thy pride of birth and place shall not shelter thee from the avenging fire--oh, most treacherous one--"
Suddenly he choked, clapped his two hands to his throat, staring horribly; and betwixt his fingers I saw a small, tufted thing deep-buried in his throat. Then all at once there burst from his writhen lips an awful, gasping scream, dreadful to hear, and then he was down, writhing and gasping awhile, with Don Federigo and Sir Richard bending above him.
But I, well knowing what this was and remembering the unseen thing that had tracked us, turned to the shadow of a bush hard by and thus beheld a s.h.a.ggy head that peered amid the leaves, a hairy face with wild, fierce eyes and teeth that gleamed.
So the man John stared down at his handiwork, flourished his deadly blowpipe and was gone.
"He is dead!" said Don Federigo. ""Tis an Indian poison I have met with ere this--very sudden and deadly. Fra Alexo stands at the tribunal of his G.o.d!"
and baring his head, Don Federigo glanced down at the dark, contorted shape and thence to the gloomy trees beyond, and beckoning, brought me to a boat moored under the bank hard by.
"Senor Martino," said he, ""tis time you were gone, for if Don Alexo hath turned out the guard--"
"Nay, sir," quoth I, "they must be some while a-coming," and I told him briefly how we had secured the watch.
"And Fra Alexo is dead!" said he.
Here I would fain have told him something of my grat.i.tude for the dire risks and perils he had run on my behalf, but he caught my hands and silenced me.
"My friend Martino," said he in his careful English, "you adventured your life for me many times; if therefore I save yours, it is but just. And your vengeance--is it achieved?"
"Indeed, sir," quoth Sir Richard, "achieved to the very uttermost, for he hath carried that enemy out from the shadow of death, hath perilled his own chances of life that I might know the joys of freedom--I that was his bitter enemy."
"So may all enmity pa.s.s one day, I pray G.o.d," sighed Don Federigo. "And now, as for thee, Martino my friend, vengeance such as thine is thing so rare as maketh me to honour thy friendship and loath to lose thee, since we shall meet no more in this life. Thus I do grieve a little, for I am an old man, something solitary and weary, and my son, alas, is dead. This sword was my father"s and should have been his; take you it, I pray, and wear it in memory of me." And speaking, he loosed off his sword and thrust it upon me.
"n.o.ble sir," said I, "dear and good friend, it doth not need this to mind me of all your high courage and steadfast friendship--and I have nought to offer in return--"
"I shall ever remember your strange method of vengeance!" said he. And when we had embraced each other, I got me into the boat and aided Sir Richard in beside me.
"Look now," warned Don Federigo as I loosed the mooring rope, "pull across the river and be wary, for in a little the whole town will be roused upon you. Get clear of the river as speedily as you may. And so, farewell, my friend, and G.o.d go with you!"
For answer I waved my hand, then, betaking me to the oars, I pulled out--into the stream farther and farther, until the stately form of Don Federigo was merged and lost in the gloom.
Sure enough, scarcely had we come into the shadows of the opposite bank than the silence gave place to a distant clamour, lost all at once in a ringing of bells, a rolling of drums and a prodigious blowing of horns and trumpets; the which set me a-sweating in despite the cool night wind, as, chin on shoulder, I paddled slowly along, unsure of my going and very fearful lest I run aground. In the midst of which anxieties I heard Sir Richard"s voice, calm and gentle and very comforting:
"With a will, Martin--pull! I know the river hereabouts; pull, Martin, and trust to me!" Hereupon I bent to the oars and with no fear of being heard above the din ash.o.r.e, since every moment bells and drums and trumpets waxed louder. Thus presently we came opposite the town, a place of shadows where lights hovered; and seeing with what nicety Sir Richard steered, keeping ever within the denser shadow of the tree-clad bank, I rowed amain until we were past the raving town, and its twinkling lights were blotted out by a sudden bend of the river.
Suddenly I saw Sir Richard stand up, peering, heard his voice quick and commanding:
"Ship your oars!" Then came a chorus of hoa.r.s.e shouts, a shock, and we were rocking, gunwale and gunwale, with a boat where dim figures moved, crying shrill curses. I remember letting drive at one fellow with an oar and thereafter laying about me until the stout timber shivered in my grasp. I remember the dull gleam of Sir Richard"s darting blade and then the two boats had drifted apart. Tossing aside my shattered oar, I found me another and rowed until, gasping, I must needs pause awhile and so heard Sir Richard speaking:
"Easy, Martin, easy! There lieth the blessed ocean at last; but--see!"
Resting on my oars and glancing whither he pointed, I saw a light suspended high in air and knew this for the riding-lanthorn of a ship whose shadowy bulk grew upon me as I gazed, hull and towering masts outlined against the glimmer of stars and the vague light of a young moon. Hereupon I bowed my head, despairing, for this ship lay anch.o.r.ed in midstream, so that no boat might hope to pa.s.s unchallenged; thus I began to debate within me whether or no to row ash.o.r.e and abandon our boat, when Sir Richard questioned me:
"Can you sing ever a Spanish boat song, Martin?"
"No," said I, miserably. "No--"
"Why, then, I must, though mine is a very indifferent voice and rusty from lack o" use; meantime do you get up the mast; the wind serves." Which said, Sir Richard forthwith began to sing a Spanish song very harsh and loud, whiles I sweated amain in panic fear; none the less I contrived to step mast and hoist sail and, crouched on the midship thwart, watched the great galleon as we bore down upon her.
And presently came a voice hailing us in Spanish with demand as to who and what we were, whereat Sir Richard broke off his song to shout that we were fishermen, the which simple answer seemed to rea.s.sure our questioner, for we heard no more and soon the great ship was merely a vague shadow that, fading on our vision, merged into the night and was gone.
And thus in a while, having crossed the troubled waters of the bar, I felt the salt wind sweet and fresh on my brow like a caress, felt the free lift and roll of the seas; and now, beholding this illimitable expanse of sky and ocean, needs must I remember the strait prison and dire horrors whence G.o.d had so lately delivered me, and my soul swelled within me too full of grat.i.tude for any words.
"Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever!"
Turning, I espied Sir Richard upon his knees, one hand grasping the tiller sailorly, the other upraised to the glimmering firmament; hereupon I knelt also, joining him in this prayer of thanksgiving. And thus we began our journey.
CHAPTER XXIV
OF OUR ADVENTURE AT SEA
Dawn found us standing easterly before a gentle wind with the land bearing away upon our right, a fair and constantly changing prospect of sandy bays, bold headlands and green uplands backed by lofty mountains blue with distance.
And what with all the varied beauties of earth, the blue heaven, the sparkle of sea, the soft, sweet wind, it verily seemed the late gloomy terrors of my dungeon were no more than a nightmare until, hearing a moan, I turned to see my companion stirring in uneasy slumber, his haggard features contorted as by some spasm, whereupon I touched him to wakefulness, bidding him see if we had aught aboard to eat or drink; but he crouched motionless as one rapt in an ecstasy, staring eager-eyed from cloudless heaven to sapphire sea and round about upon the glory of the dawn and fell suddenly a-laughing as from pure joy and as suddenly hid his face within his shrivelled hands.
"This--O, glory of G.o.d! This, instead of black despair!" said he in weeping voice. "This sweet, healing wind instead of searing flame--and you, Martin, "tis you have given all this! I dreamed me back in the h.e.l.l you brought me from! Sun and wind and sea--oh, G.o.d love thee--these be your gifts to me that was your enemy--"
"Nay, our enmity is dead and done with--"
"Martin Conisby," said he, looking on me through his tears, "through you, by G.o.d"s grace, I know again the joy of living, and, G.o.d aiding me, you shall yet know the like happiness an I may compa.s.s it!"
Now seeing him thus deeply moved I grew abashed and, beckoning him to take the tiller, began to overhaul the contents of the boat"s lockers and thus found that Don Federigo had furnished us to admiration with all things to our comfort and defence. Forthwith I set out breakfast, choosing such things as I judged the most perishable, and we ate and drank mighty cheerful.
But as Sir Richard sat thus in his rags, staring upon all things with ineffable content, the bright sun showed me the hideous marks of his many sufferings plain and manifest in his bent and twisted frame, the scars that disfigured him and the clumsy movements of his limbs misshapen by the torment, and moreover I noticed how, ever and anon, he would be seized of violent tremblings and shudderings like one in an ague, insomuch that I could scarce abide to look on him for very pity and marvelled within myself that any man could endure so much and yet live.
"Oh friend!" said he suddenly, ""tis a wondrous world you have given back to me; I almost grow a man again--"
Even as he uttered these brave words the shuddering took him once more, but when I would have aided him he smiled and spake "twixt chattering teeth:
"Never heed me, Martin--this cometh of the water-dungeons--"twill soon pa.s.s--"
"G.o.d knoweth you have suffered over-much--"
"Yet He hath brought me forth a better man therefor, though my body is--something the worse, "tis true. Indeed, I am a sorry companion for a voyage, I doubt--"
"Howbeit," said I, "last night, but for your ready wit, we had been taken--"
"Say you so, Martin? Here is kind thought and comforting, for I began to dread lest I prove an enc.u.mbrance to you.
"Nay, sir, never think it!" said I. "For "tis my earnest hope to bring you to the loving care of one who hath sought you long and patiently--"