CHAPTER XXXVI.
WE SET OUT FOR THE INTERIOR, AND I FALL INTO MY JEALOUS HUMOR ONCE MORE.
Having taken formal leave of the governor, whose duty kept him to thecitadel, we returned to the house, where we had barely finished our mealwhen a gentleman came to us in great haste, telling us the black shipwas casting anchor, and it was high time to be jogging.
Our escort was waiting in the courtyard, and we set out, a company ofthirteen, with the like number of mules.
Our commander was a Portugal named Lewis de Pino, and, as luck wouldhave it, he spoke Italian passably; besides him, there were ten otherPortuguese footmen, each armed with an arquebuse, a sword, and a goodsupply of powder and ball, hung on their bandalieros. Three of themules--sleek, well-conditioned beasts, and very bravelycaparisoned--served to carry Lady Biddy, the commander, and myself; therest bore pack-saddles well charged with stores.
We crossed the champaign, and there struck into the woods by a troddenpath with a pleasant shade of trees. We traveled this way until noon,when, being come to a convenient spot, we dismounted, and there made avery excellent repast from our stores; after which we reposed until thegreat heat of the day was past, and then pushed on again.
About five o'clock we came to an opening in the woods, whence we couldsee the river winding through the valley below, but no sign of thegalley which should be there waiting for us. Whereupon Senhor Lewis, whospoke the Italian, seeming to fall into a great pet, declared that thiswas a trick of the governor's lady to gratify her spleen against LadyBiddy, which had been only too evident from the very first.
"Now," says he, "I perceive why she was so anxious to start off betimes,and why she urged that you, being unused to traveling on these rivers,could never endure the teasing of the flies that do infest the water,and so should go as far as you might by road."
"Our mules are still fresh," says Lady Biddy; "can not we get to ourdestination by following this road still further?"
"Nay," says he, "for Dom Sebastian's seat, where he designed you shouldstay with his lady until it might be safe to return to Castello Lagos,lies yet some distance up the river, and is only to be reached by boatfrom the point below. For the river winds one way, and this road theother; nor is there any other means of getting at it that I know of. ButI will make sure of this by questioning the men, who know these partsbetter than I."
While he was parleying with his men, Lady Biddy narrated thisconversation to me, and, as she was saying the last words, he comesback, still feigning to be greatly vexed.
"I am sorry to tell you, madam," says he, "that my men, one and all,agree with me there is no road to the governor's seat; so I see nothingfor it but to divide my company, and give you one half to cover yourreturn to Castello Lagos."
"But why divide the company?" says Lady Biddy in alarm; "surely you willreturn with us?"
"Nothing would give me greater joy," says he, "but I am only a poormerchant, and these are my possessions" (with his head in his shouldersand his hands extended towards the company of footmen and mules). "Ioffering you half my servants, I jeopardize as much as I can afford, forI doubt if I shall see e'er a one of 'em alive again."
When Lady Biddy had translated this to me, she says, in a tone ofterror:
"If he does not expect his men to save their lives in returning to thetown, how may we hope to escape? We can not return thither. Oh, Benet,what shall we do?"
I was myself prodigiously taken aback, and not a little scared, by thisnew turn of affairs; yet, seeing how my dear lady was upset, I tried tocalm her mind by making light of the matter.
"Be of good cheer," says I; "we will for certain not go back to thisCastello Lagos, for if the Portugal will not venture his carcase there,I will assuredly not risk mine. Nay, you should know, cousin," I adds,feeling a little sore for reasons that I shall presently explain, "thatI treasure your safety more than this man does his merchandise. I seethrough this rogue of a merchant, who, as likely as not, has contrivedthis difficulty for his own profit. Do you ask the fellow such questionsas I would put to him."
"With all my heart," says Lady Biddy, "What shall I ask him, Benet?"
"Ask him if he be a merchant of Castello Lagos," says I, putting on apretty determined air.
To this Lewis de Pino replied that he was a merchant of Valerias,whither he was now going. "Valerias," says I, pretending to be mightyknowing, that he might not perceive my ignorance, "that lies betwixthere and Caracas, I take it."
He replied yes, but after looking at me in silence a minute, as thoughto make out what I was driving at.
"And Caracas," says I, in the same tone, "is t'other side of thosemountains?"
"Preciseamento!" says he, with a grin, holding up his hand with the tipsof his thumb and second finger joined.
"How far is it to Valerias?" I asked.
"About six days' journey," says he in reply.
"And from Valerias to Caracas is no great matter," says I still, as if Iknew the road well enough.
"The senhor knows that it is no distance at all," says he.
"Good," says I; "then, as our object is to get back to England ratherthan to trespass upon Dom Sebastian's hospitality, you shall carry uswith you, for which service you shall be well paid. You shall have mybond for any reasonable sum."
He would have it that he needed no recompense, but I could see plainlythat he was very well pleased with this turn, which did further convinceme the matter was planned beforehand.
We pushed on till dusk, when we reached a collection of wooden huts,walled in with a palisade of stout wooden spikes, crossed in the mannerof the letter X, and the spaces so stuffed with thorns and prickly herbsthat no man (least of all a naked savage) could go either in or out,save by the postern gate at one side. In the midst of these huts stood astone tower, pierced with little holes in the upper part, for the use ofmuskets in case of attack, as I thought.
We saw no women or children in this village, but only about a dozenwild, fierce Portugals, each with a long knife stuck in his girdle; andone, who seemed to have just returned from the chase, had his musketslung on behind to his bandeliero, and was dressed in a jerkin,breeches, and gaiters of leather. With their ragged beards, theirsun-burnt skins, and savage air, they looked like so many brigands; yetwere they as courteous as lackeys to us, helping us to dismount, andproviding us with all that was necessary to our comfort. Most of thehouses were mere sheds, used for the storing of powder, food, etc., forthese Portugals, as I learnt, were hunters, who never slept under a roofexcept in the rainy season; but there was one well furnished andprovided with sleeping-rooms to serve for the accommodation of themerchants, who came from time to time to truck their merchandise for thespoils brought hither by the hunters.
When we had supped, Lady Biddy, being fatigued with the day's journey,betook herself to her room, and I, having no inclination for society,lay myself down in a net hung from two beams in the roof, which is theirmanner of sleeping in these parts, and the first I had ever seen of suchstrange bed-places. There was a second net in this chamber for Lewis dePino; but he, having business to do with the hunters, that we mightstart betimes the next morning, went out and joined them elsewhere, sothat I was left alone to my meditations.
And here I took myself to task, as well I might, for having misbehavedmyself in a very pitiful, paltry sort towards Lady Biddy from the firstmoment we set out on our journey. To make an honest confession, I hadallowed myself once more to come under the dominion of that abominablejealousy which was my besetting vice. For this Lewis de Pino was one ofthose gallants we had discovered seated with Dom Sebastian on ourarrival at Castello Lagos, and the most persistent in passing hisaddresses to my lady; nay, he was so smitten with her charms that hiseyes did seem to devour her as often as he looked at her. I had observedhim more than once talking apart with the governor very earnestly: oncetouching hands as if on a bargain; and from this I concluded that we hadbeen sold in a manner by the governor to Lewis de Pino to further theamorous designs of the l
atter upon Lady Biddy. Now this convictionshould have drawn me closer to her as a friend and protector, and so itwould, but I took it into my head that she looked too kindly on him.
In crossing the champaign she took no notice of him whatever, beingconcerned for our safety, and fearing Rodrigues would get upon our trackere we got to a place of safety; and all this while she was very silentand preoccupied, turning in her saddle now and again to look back, andasking me if I thought we should yet escape, etc., all in a verytroubled and grave manner; but being come into the wood, and greatlyrelieved of her anxiety, she grew, as it was natural she should, verysuddenly gay and sprightly. Just at that time Lewis de Pino came to herside with a compliment in Italian, which, as I say, he spokeindifferently well, and this brought the smile to her cheek.
"She has not smiled on me since we bade each other good-morning," says Ito myself. "Nay, she would scarcely accept for a truth my assurance ofher safety; yet the moment this grinning Portugal comes to her side sheforgets our peril and is blithe."
So we continued our way; he one side of my lady chatting and smiling,and I on the other glum and mumchance. Nor did I speak a single word forhalf an hour, when she says, turning to me with the smile Lewis de Pinohad brought to her face:
"Have you nothing to say, Benet?"
On this, feeling ashamed to acknowledge the truth, I sought to excusemyself with a lie.
"I am thinking," says I, "of our peril, which is none of the least."
"Why," says she, "what have we to fear now? That man will never surelypursue us hither."
"No," says I; "very likely not; but I have heard no sounds of firing,and I do fear the governor, despite my warning, has yielded to somecunning artifice of Rodrigues; who by threat or torture may persuade himto fetch us back with his soldiery."
She translated my fears to Lewis de Pino, who replied that Dom Sebastianwould perish in flames rather than be guilty of treachery.
"And I think so likewise," added Lady Biddy, when she had rendered this,"for these Portugals have nobility stamped in their features."
"Ay," says I, "and cruelty stamped on their lips, and wickedness intheir eyes as well."
"As for that," says she, laughing, "we are not all Puritans. You mustadmit," added she, with a malicious twinkle in her eye, for I fancy sheperceived the secret of my dislike and would pique me for apunishment--"you must admit Senhor Lewis is a very handsome man."
"Yes," says I; "but I like him none the better for that."
Presently we came to a part where, the path growing narrower, there wasroom but for two to go abreast, and here Lewis de Pino, taking off hishat, made as though he would yield his place to me; but I, not to beoutdone in civility, gave him back his salute and fell behind.
There were abundance of beauteous flowers and gay-plumed birds andcurious growths on either side to please the eye and interest the mind;but I could not take my eyes off the two faces before me, turned towardseach other, and flushed with pleasure.
"And why," I asked myself, as I lay in my net brooding on thesethings--"why should she not be pleased with the courteous and livelyattentions of a well-favored and good-tempered companion? Had I mademyself agreeable, instead of sitting like any stock for stupidity, shewould have smiled on me. This was the first moment of ease, the firstopportunity of pleasant conversation with one of her own degree, thatshe had enjoyed for many a day. Granted his talk, as you would believein your prejudice and ignorance, was trivial, might it not yet have beenamusing? Wouldn't you, Benet, rather sit an hour listening to the jestsof a Merry Andrew than wait half as long for an oracle to deliveritself?"
But my lady, for all her amusement, did think of me--ay, I believe shewas concerned for my silence and grieved at my moody humor. Perhaps sherepented having wounded my feelings by treating my gravity lightly.Still, she had too much spirit, too much proper pride, to humble herselfby asking forgiveness; nay, delicate consideration for my feelings mighthave withheld her from humiliating me by taking my folly seriously.Nevertheless, I say, she did think of me, and turning now and thenpointed out to me some sweet flower or pretty bird. And how did I make areturn for this gentle kindness? By answering in a cavalier and carelessmanner that was particularly detestable.
All these reflections came to my mind, I say, as I lay in the dark; andso I fell a-tormenting myself with reproaches to such a degree that hadI been ten times as tired I could not have closed an eye.
Some time after, Lewis de Pino, a little the worse for liquor, as Ijudged, came into the chamber, clambered up into his net, and fella-snoring like any pig, so that, maugre my condition, I did wish LadyBiddy could hear him.
I was still lying wide awake, thinking what a hound I was, when suddenlythere fell upon my ear a sound like a woman wailing in grief. I couldnot believe this until I heard the sound a second time. Then I startedon the instant to my feet, knowing there was no woman there but LadyBiddy; but forgetting the kind of bed in which I lay, and how no man buta rope-dancer could stand up in such a thing safely, I swung on one sideand came down with a spank on the floor. At that noise, Lewis de Pinoawoke with a grunt, but he fell asleep with another the next minute; andnow, coming to my feet, I heard again that mournful, sorrowing cry. Thedoor stood wide open. Outside all was still. Not a breath of air movedthe leaves of the trees. The big stars looked down very peacefully. Inthe distance I saw the Portugals lying on the ground asleep like so manydogs; but nothing moved.
Then, again, as I stood there, my heart was pierced with the distantmoan. I crept to the hut where Lady Biddy lay, and, tapping gently atthe door, asked if she were in pain.
But she answered that it was not she who cried; at which my heart wascomforted, for at the first I thought that maybe my sullen humor hadmoved her to tears.
So thinking the sound was but the note of a night-bird, of which thereare many in these woods that have the most strange human voices of anyliving thing, I went back to my net, and presently fell asleep.
The Admirable Lady Biddy Fane Page 36