CHAPTER XXII.
I RECKON TO HAVE MADE ONE ENEMY THE LESS, BUT DO FIND MYSELF MISTAKENGRIEVOUSLY.
Lady Biddy returned to the other cabin, and there sat where she might beseen from the deck, the while she pretended to be vastly interested inher book, in order to beguile Rodrigues in his fool's hope; for surelyto see her thus unconcerned must have led him to believe her passion ofno great depth or sincerity.
Meanwhile, in the adjoining cabin, I revolved a thousand schemes in myhead concerning our condition, which so engrossed my thoughts as allrecollection of the trap-door found no place there.
But in the evening, when Lady Biddy came in with a portion of thevictuals which had been laid out for her supper by the little blackguardboy, and I asked her if she had seen aught of Rodrigues, she repliedthat out of the corner of her eye she had perceived him once watchingher.
"But," says she, "I know not but that he has some fresh device in mind,for there has been a great Afric negro past the window half a dozentimes, and on each occasion he has grinned with his big mouth so that Iam quite at a loss what to make of him."
I asked her to describe this fellow to me, which she did closely,telling me he was over six feet high and proportionate in girth, with aflat nose spread upon his shining black face, and a huge mouthprojecting like any ape's.
By these tokens I recalled to mind such a blackamoor fighting besideRodrigues at that time I first boarded the _Black Death_. But what thispurpose might be in passing the cabin window and grinning at Lady Biddyperplexed me as greatly as it did her, until of a sudden I bethought meof the attempt to enter the cabin in the night, and of the boy unboltingthe trap.
"Did you see him at any time in company with the little wretch who waitson you?" I asked.
"Yes," replied Lady Biddy. "Indeed from his handing a dish to the boy Iam disposed to believe he is the cook."
This so strengthened my suspicions that I could make no reply; forthough I would fain have spared Lady Biddy any further addition to heranxiety, yet could I see no way of concealing this new peril from herwithout adding to her danger.
"Do you not think, Benet," says she presently, "that there is some newdesign of Rodrigues in this?"
"Nay," says I, "I am rather disposed to believe that this is some newenemy your beauty has created, and that this heathen negro has a mind topossess you before his master."
She shuddered, and sank down as if overwhelmed with this new horror.
Then I told her of the attempt to enter the cabin by night, and of theboy's villainy, showing her the hatch straightway.
"However," says I, "be assured that you run no greater risk from himthan from the other villain. But I must beg you to repose as best youmay in the big cabin to-night, and leave this chamber to me and thenegro. We must rid ourselves of our enemies one at a time, with God'shelp."
"Surely you do not intend to let him enter by that trap-door, Benet?"
"Yes," says I, "that way must he come to the end he deserves. God knowsI have no taste to the taking of life; but this wretch seeks ourundoing; not we his. In self-defense I must kill him."
"But may you not as well foil him by shooting the bolt of the trap-door,Benet?"
"No," says I, "for that will only lead him to seek other means which wemay not be prepared to frustrate. With a rope he may let himself downinto the gallery beyond your cabin."
"I will run that risk," says she, "rather than you shall jeopardize yourlife for me. You will still be at hand to fulfill your promise, whethermy enemy be this black or Rodrigues. At the worst we can but die."
"Ay, that is true," says I, transported with delight at this dear girl'sconcern for my safety; "but we must endeavor for the best rather thanawait the worst, and I make no doubt but that all will go well if youlet me have my way. Nay, you must," I added, firmly.
And this firmness taking effect on her judgment (for women respectnothing so much as decision in a man), she consented to do as Idirected.
When night fell she bolted the door of the outer cabin, drew her blinds,lowered the wick of the lamp till it shed but a mere glimmer, and soughtrepose on the sofett, though little disposed to sleep.
Meanwhile, having drawn the bolt of the hatch and returned the carpet toits place, I knelt down beside it with my knife in my hand, and no mercyin my heart.
Again this night was pitch dark, though it rained not, so that no lightcame into the cabin, and I could see nothing whatever save a thin threadof light under the betwixt door, and that but dim because of the lampbeing low in the next cabin. But if my eyes were useless to me, my earsserved me well, and no sound in the ship escaped me; yet I heard nothingof importance for many hours, as it seemed to me. A long while it musthave been, for several times I had to shift my position because of beingcramped in my legs by kneeling so long in one position.
At length an unusual sound (but very slight) reached my ear, and puttingmy head to the floor, I did distinctly hear the creak of wood, such as aladder might make under the weight of a heavy body. Then, lifting myhead and tightening my muscles, I grasped my knife, and prepared for thestroke.
Presently a fresh sound warned me that my enemy had come to the trap;but whether he had it opened or not I could not tell for the darkness,so that I was forced to reach forward with my left hand to feel whetherthe hatch was up or down.
The floor was still level.
I waited, trusting to my ears to tell me by the grating of the carpet onthe edge of the hatch when it was raised. Yet heard I never a sound forhis great circumspection, though expecting it for half an hour at least,as I judge; so that in the end, thinking I had been mistaken as to thesound I had heard at first, or that the wretch at the last moment hadgone from his design, I stretched forth my left hand once more to feelthe floor. But, lo! instead of touching the carpet as I thought to do,my hand fell plump on the negro's head, as I knew to my certainty by theshort, wiry curls that distinguished his hair from other men's.
I did not hesitate for one moment, but clutching his hair firmly with myleft hand, I stabbed my knife down where I thought his neck might be.
I knew I had not missed him, for I felt my knife scrape along a bone,and his warm blood gush over my hand, yet where I could not tell.
Without a cry (Heaven be praised!) he fell. Nor could I (having thrownmy whole might on him) help but fall with him; so down I went, heelsover head through the hatchway, but happily by the incline of the stepsbelow, and striking on the negro's carcase when I got to the bottom, Iescaped this bout with no more injury than a scraped shin and a bruisedelbow. My chief concern was that the noise of our fall had alarmed someof the ship's company; and getting quickly on my feet I listened for aminute in terrible suspense.
Then from above I heard Lady Biddy whisper, anxiously, "Benet! Benet!"
"All's well--all's well!" I answered, softly. "Go back to the cabin andmove about that the watch may think you made the noise."
This she did, leaving the betwixt door open, and raising the light ofthe lamp, as I could see by the square patch above, where the lightgleamed faintly through the hatchway.
Casting my eyes around that I might, if possible, find out my position,I spied a little lantern not far off, hidden away between two barrels.And a perilous thing it seemed to place it there, for at a glance Iperceived that these were barrels of powder, and many other like barrelswere ranged along that side. But seamen, by being constantly exposed todanger, do get to be wondrous reckless and foolhardy, and none more sothan these pirates.
Taking away the lantern and lifting it high, I saw that the walls werehung and fitted with muskets, swords, pikes, and all sorts of weapons,whereby it was made clear to me that I had pitched down into the ship'sarmory. Further, this explained the reason of there being a way ofcommunication with the captain's cabin; for in case of mutiny (whichpirates must always look to encounter), Rodrigues could close the armoryfrom within, and provision himself and his followers for their defenseof the roundhouse or coach.
From this store
I thought it not amiss to furnish myself with a goodsheath-dagger in place of my jack-knife, which either I had not drawnfrom the negro after stabbing him, or had dropped from my hand infalling down from above. As I went to take the weapon I wanted from thewall, my foot kicked against something round on the ground, and, lookingdown, I perceived there a pile of hand-grenades, and this at once put mein mind how I might, at any moment, destroy the ship with every soul itcontained. For by casting one of those grenades amongst the powder, suchan explosion would be caused as should rend every timber asunder, and inone moment blow all living creatures from the ship into eternity.
I took up a grenade, and, examining it, found that it was properlyfitted with a fusee; so, turning it about in my hand, I reflected howsure and quick it would be to our destruction, and how preferable to anydeath I might deal with a blade. Finally my heart sickening at thethought of having to plunge a knife in Lady Biddy's bosom, I resolvedthat if her escape from shame could only be wrought by death, I woulduse this grenade, that we should perish together at the same instant.
This cogitation put the intention of arming myself with a short daggerquite out of my mind, and being now beset with a fear lest Lady Biddyshould be alarmed by my absence, I hastened to return, carrying thelantern in one hand and my grenade in the other.
I had light enough to descry the steps that led to the trap-door, andthither I made my way. Presently I stumbled against the body of thenegro. He lay doubled up betwixt the side of the steps and a pile ofcannon-balls, and from his position I surmised that he had rolled overin falling and struck head first upon the balls, which alone would havebeen death to any ordinary man.
When I got back to the cabin, and fastened down the trap, I set mygrenade carefully under the cot, and by the side of it the lantern,lowering the wick (for it was fitted with an oil lamp in lieu of acandle), until there was left but the smallest light possible. Burningat this little pace, I reckoned the lamp would go some days, withattention, and I prayed it might last till we reached a port where wemight escape; for without it to ignite the fusee my grenade would be ofno use.
While I was yet arranging those matters, Lady Biddy came to me.
"You are not hurt, Benet?" were the first words she whispered.
"No, Lady Biddy," says I; "but you have one enemy the less."
She made no reply, but rested her hand for support upon the bed, as ifthe thought of this death sickened her.
I slipped my right hand behind me lest she should see the black patchwhich, even in that faint light, I perceived the negro's blood hadstained my hand with. Then, to turn her thoughts, I asked her if anynotice had been taken by the watch of the noise made by my falling downthe hatchway.
"No," says she; and then after a few minutes' silence, "Oh, Benet, Iwish it were all over."
"Courage, Lady Biddy, courage," says I. "You are not used to give way inthe face of danger."
"No," says she; "'tis when the danger is past my courage sinks."
But the danger was not passed, as was presently made evident. For inthat space of silence which succeeded her last words--a silence whichwas scarce broken by the water through which the ship was cutting--agroan from below reached my ears, and the next instant a creaking of thesteps leading up to the trap, with something like the low, vengefulgrowling of a tiger.
I sprang to the corner to make sure that I had secured the trap, for Ifelt sure that the negro was coming up to take his revenge upon us.
The Admirable Lady Biddy Fane Page 22