I saw the deck of a ship, deserted save for one desolate figure that stood gazing ever in the one direction; and as I watched, eager-eyed, this lonely figure knelt suddenly and reached towards me yearning arms, and I saw this was my beloved Joan. Now would I have leapt to those empty arms, but the smoke blinded me again, and in this smoke I heard the voice of Joanna.
"Oh, Martino, thou that love doth make coward, be comforted and of good courage, for: thy happiness is hers--and mine, yes!"
So I presently waked and, staring about me, started up amazed to see it was dawn and the sun rising already, and beyond the fire the sombre form of Atlamatzin.
"Are the evil spirits fled from my brother?" he questioned.
"Indeed," said I, "I have dreamed wonderfully and to my great comfort."
"Great is the magic of Atlamatzin!" quoth he. ""Tis secret that shall die with him and that soon, for now must he begone to achieve his destiny. As for thee--yonder, a day"s journey, lieth the Great Water. May Kukulcan have thee in his care, he that is Father of Life--fare ye well."
But at this, seeing him on his feet, I rose also, to grasp his hand, asking whither he went. For answer he pointed to the trackless wild and then raised his finger to the sun that was flooding the world with his splendour.
"Brother," said Atlamatzin, pointing to this glory, "I go back whence I came, back to Kukulcan that some so call Quetzalcoati, back to the Father of Life!"
So saying, he lifted hand aloft in salutation and turning, strode away due east, so that his form was swallowed up (as it were) in this radiant glory.
CHAPTER x.x.xII
HOW I FOUND MY BELOVED AT LAST
Left alone, I broke my fast with such food as I had, meanwhile meditating upon the visions of last night, debating within myself if this were indeed a marvel conjured up of Atlamatzin his black magic, or no more than a dream of my own tortured mind, to the which I found no answer, ponder the matter how I might.
None the less I found myself much easier, the haunting fear clean lifted from me; nay, in my heart sang Hope, blithe as any bird, for the which comfort I did not fail humbly to thank G.o.d.
I now consulted my compa.s.s and decided to bear up more northerly lest I strike too far east and thus overshoot that bay Adam had marked on his chart. So having collected my gear, I took my musket in the crook of my arm and set out accordingly.
Before me was a wild, rolling country that rose, level on level, very thick of brush and thickets so tangled that I must oft win me a path by dint of mine axe. Yet I struggled on as speedily as I might (maugre this arduous labour and the sun"s heat) for more than once amid the thousand heavy scents of flower and herb and tree, I thought to catch the sweet, keen tang of the sea.
All this day I strode resolutely forward, scarce pausing to eat or drink, nor will I say more of this day"s journey except that the sun was setting as I reached the top of a wooded eminence and, halting suddenly, fell upon my knees and within me such a joy as I had seen the gates of paradise opening to receive me; for there, all glorious with the blaze of sunset, lay the ocean at last. And beholding thus my long and weary journey so nearly ended, and bethinking me how many times G.o.d had preserved me and brought me safe through so many dire perils of this most evil country, I bowed my head and strove to tell Him my heart"s grat.i.tude. My prayer ended (and most inadequate!) I began to run, my weariness all forgot, the breath of the sea sweet in my nostrils, nor stayed until I might look down on the foaming breakers far below and hear their distant roar.
Long stood I, like one entranced, for from this height I could make out the blue shapes of several islands and beyond these a faint blur upon the horizon, the which added greatly to my comfort and delight, since this I knew must be the opposite sh.o.r.e of Terra Firma or the Main, and this great body of water the Gulf of Darien itself. And so came night.
All next day I followed the coast, keeping the sea upon my left, looking for some such landlocked harbourage with its cliff shaped like a lion"s head as Adam had described, yet though I was at great pains (and no small risk to my neck) to peer down into every bay I came upon, nowhere did I discover any such bay or cliff as bore out his description; thus night found me eager to push on, yet something despondent and very weary. So I lighted my fire and ate my supper, hara.s.sed by a growing dread lest I was come too far to the east, after all.
And presently up came the moon in glory; indeed, never do I remember seeing it so vivid bright, its radiance flashing back from the waters far below and showing tree and bush and precipitous cliff, very sharp and clear. Upon my left, as I sat, the jagged coast line curved away out to sea, forming thus the lofty headland I had traversed scarce an hour since, that rose sheer from the moon-dappled waters, a huge, shapeless bluff. Now after some while I arose, and seeing the moon so glorious, shouldered my gun, minded to seek a little further before I slept. I had gone thus but a few yards, my gaze now on the difficult path before me, now upon the sea, when, chancing to look towards the bluff I have mentioned, I stopped to stare amazed, for in this little distance, this formless headland, seen from this angle, had suddenly taken a new shape and there before me, plain and manifest, was the rough semblance of a lion"s head; and I knew that betwixt it and the high cliff whereon I stood must be Adam"s excellent secure haven. This sudden discovery filled me with such an ecstacy that I fell a-trembling, howbeit I began to quest here and there for some place where I might get me down whence I might behold this bay and see if Adam"s ship lay therein. And in a little, finding such a place, I began to descend and found it so easy and secure it seemed like some natural stair, and I did not doubt that Adam and his fellows had belike used it as such ere now.
At last I came where I could look down into a narrow bay shut in by these high, bush-girt cliffs and floored with gleaming, silver sand, whose waters, calm and untroubled, mirrored the serene moon, and close under the dense shadows of these cliffs I made out the loom of a great ship. Hereupon I looked no more, but gave all my attention to hands and feet, and so, slipping and stumbling in my eagerness, got me down at last and began running across these silvery sands. But as I approached the ship where she lay now plain in my view, I saw her topmasts were gone, and beholding the ruin of her gear and rigging, I grew cold with sudden dread and came running.
She lay upon an even keel, her forefoot deep-buried in the shifting sand that had silted about her with the tide, and beholding her paint and gilding blackened and scorched by fire, her timbers rent and scarred by shot, I knew this fire-blackened, shattered wreck would never sail again.
And now as I viewed this dismal ruin, I prayed this might be some strange ship rather than that I had come so far a-seeking and, so praying, waded out beneath her lofty stern (the tide being low) and, gazing up, read as much of her name as the searing fire had left: viz:
D E L.... A N C E
And hereupon, knowing her indeed for Adam"s ship, I took to wandering round about her, gazing idly up at this pitiful ruin, until there rushed upon me the realisation of what all this meant. Adam was dead or prisoner, and my dear lady lost to me after all; my coming was too late.
And now a great sickness took me, my strength deserted me and, groaning, I sank upon the sand and lying thus, yearned amain for death. Then I heard a sound, and lifting heavy head, beheld one who stood upon the bulwark above me, holding on by a backstay with one hand and pistol levelled down at me in the other. And beholding this slender, youthful figure thus outlined against the moon, the velvet coat brave with silver lace, the ruffles at throat and wrist, the silken stockings and buckled shoes, I knew myself surely mad, for this I saw was Joanna--alive and breathing.
"Shoot!" I cried, "Death has reft from me all I loved--shoot!"
"Martin!" cried she, and down came the pistol well-nigh upon me where I lay. "Oh, dear, kind G.o.d, "tis Martin!"
"Joan?" said I, wondering, "Damaris--beloved!"
I was on my feet and, heaving myself up by means of the tangle of gear that hung from the ship"s lofty side I sprang upon the deck and fell on my knees to clasp this lovely, trembling youth in my hungry arms, my head bowed against this tender woman"s body, lest she see how I wept out of pure joy and thankfulness. But now she raised my head, and thus I saw her weeping also, felt her tears upon my face; and now she was laughing albeit she wept still, her two hands clasping me to her.
"Such a great--fierce--wild man!" she sobbed; and then: "My man!" and stooping, she kissed me on the lips. But as for me, I could but gaze up at her in rapture and never a word to say. Then she was on her knees before me and thus we knelt in each other"s fast clasping arms. "Oh, Martin!" said she. "Oh, loved Martin--G.o.d hath answered my ceaseless prayers!"
And now when she would have voiced to Him her grat.i.tude, I must needs crush her upon my heart to look down into this flushed and tear-wet face that held for me the beauty of all the world and to kiss away her prayers and breath together, yet even so did she return my kisses.
At last we arose but had gone scarce a step when we were in each other"s arms again, to stand thus fast clasped together, for I almost dreaded she might vanish again and feared to let her go.
"We have been parted so cruelly--so often!" said I.
"But never again, my Martin!"
"No, by G.o.d!" quoth I fervently. "Not even death--"
"Not even death!" said she.
And thus we remained a great while, wandering to and fro upon the weather-beaten deck, very silent for the most part, being content with each other"s nearness and, for myself, merely to behold her loveliness was joy unutterable.
She brought me into Adam"s great cabin under the p.o.o.p, lighted by a great swinging silver lamp, its stern windows carefully shaded, lest any see this betraying beam; and standing amid all the luxury of tapestried hangings and soft carpets, I felt myself mighty strange and out of place; and presently, catching sight of myself in one of the mirrors, I stood all abashed to behold the unlovely object I was in my rough and weather-stained garments, my face burned nigh black by the sun and all set about in a tangle of wild hair and ragged beard.
"Is it so great wonder I should not know you at first, dear Martin, and you so wild and fierce-seeming?"
"Indeed I am an ill spectacle," quoth I; at this, beholding me thus rueful, she fell to kissing me, whereat I did but miscall myself the more, telling her "twas great marvel she should love one so ill-matched with her; for, said I, "here are you beautiful beyond all women, and here stand I, of manners most uncouth, harsh-featured, slow of tongue, dull-witted, and one you have seldom seen but in sorry rags!"
"Oh, my dearest heart," said she, nestling but closer in my embrace, "here is long catalogue and "tis for each and every I do love you infinitely more than you do guess, and for this beside--because you are Martin Conisby that I have loved, do love, and shall love always and ever!"
"And there"s the marvel!" quoth I, kissing her bowed head.
"And you do think me--very beautiful, Martin?"
"Aye, I do."
"Even clad--in these--these things?" she questioned, not looking at me.
"Aye, truly!"
"I had not meant you to see me thus, Martin, but it was my custom to watch for your coming, and "twas hard to climb the cliff in petticoats, and besides, since I have been alone, there was so much to do--and it didn"t matter."
"Aye, but how came you alone, what of Adam and the rest?"