The Pacha of Many Tales
Page 11
VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER FOUR.
The next morning the pacha hurried over the business of the day, forMustapha had intimated that the renegade considered his fifth voyage tobe one of great marvels. Selim was introduced as before, and commencedthe narrative.
FIFTH VOYAGE OF HUCKABACK.
Your highness may be surprised, that being in the possession of wealth,rank, and my charming Cerise, I should have again ventured upon thetreacherous ocean. Of course your highness has heard of the revolutionwhich took place in France, and all the horrors which attended it.
"France! Yes, I believe there is a country of that name; I can't saythat I ever heard of the revolution. Holy Prophet! but these peoplehave strange ideas," continued the pacha to the vizier; "to imagine thatwe must know or care about what is going on in their barbarouscountries. You may proceed, Huckaback."
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It will be necessary to say a few words upon the subject, your highness,but I will be as concise as possible. One day, a party of men from mynative city (Marseilles), dressed in red caps, their shirt sleevestucked up, and armed with various weapons, surrounded my chateau,insisting upon my immediately informing them whether I was for thesummoning of the estates-general. I answered, most certainly, if theywished it. They cheered me, and went away.
Shortly afterwards, they came to ascertain if I approved of the nationalconvention. I answered, that I approved of it excessively. They weresatisfied, and again disappeared. They came a third time, to inquire ifI was a republican, to which I gave the affirmative. A fourth, to knowwhether I sided with the Girondists; I declared myself one of thatparty, and hoped that I should be asked no more questions. But beforetwo or three months had passed away, another party came to ascertainwhether I was a real Jacobin, which I solemnly pronounced myself tobe;--a second time, to know whether I thought proper to be calledcitizen, or have my head cut off; I declared in favour of the former,and made them a present of my title of marquis. But at last theysurrounded my house with loud cries declaring that I was an aristocrat,and insisted upon carrying my head away upon a pike. This I considereda subject of remonstrance. I assured them that I was no aristocrat,although I had purchased the property; and that, on the contrary, I wasa citizen barber from Marseilles; that I had relinquished the title ofmarquis, which I had bought with the property, and had therefore noclaim whatever to aristocracy. But they insisted upon proofs, andordering my valets to bring down the materials, desired me to shave adozen of their party. I shaved for my life, and acquitted myself somuch to their satisfaction that they all embraced me, and were about todepart, when one of the women demanded that my wife (whosearistocratical descent was known) should be surrendered up, as a proofof my sincerity. We all have our moments of weakness; had I had theprudence to comply with the request, things would have ended happily,but I was foolish enough, although I had been married twelve years, todemur at the prospect of the head of my charming Cerise being carriedaway on a pike. I represented to them (as she clung to me forprotection), that although of noble descent, she had reduced herself tomy level by marrying a citizen barber. After a short consultation, theyagreed that she was sufficiently degraded to live. They contentedthemselves with breaking open my cellar, that they might drink myhealth, and departed. But, your highness, I had soon cause to repent ofmy folly. Cerise was a charming woman, and an affectionate wife inadversity, but prosperity was her ruin, as well as mine. She hadalready had an affair with a Comte, who had lately been dismissed for ahandsome young abbe but we do not mind these little _egaremens_ in ourcountry, and I neither had leisure nor inclination to interfere with herarrangements. Satisfied with her sincere friendship for me, I couldeasily forgive a few trifling infidelities, and nothing had disturbedthe serenity or gaiety of our establishment until this unfortunate_expose_ which I was obliged to make, and to prove the truth of in herpresence, viz. that I had been a barber. Her pride revolted at the ideaof having formed such a connection, her feelings towards me were changedto those of the most deadly hatred; and although I had saved her life,she ungratefully resolved to sacrifice mine. The little abbe's head hadbeen taken off several weeks before, and she now formed a liaison withone of the jacobin associes, on condition that he would prove hisattachment, by denouncing me as an aristocrat.
Fortunately, I had notice given to me in sufficient time to make myescape to Toulon. Leaving my wife, and, what was of more consequence,the whole of my property in the hands of the jacobin, I joined the moband vowing vengeance upon all aristocrats, became one of the mostviolent leaders of the _sans culottes_. Two months afterwards, when thegates of Toulon had been opened to the army, and I was assisting at anoyade, I had the pleasure of seeing my jacobin _locum tenens_, who hadbeen denounced in his turn, tied back to back to a female; it was myadored Cerise. I had no time to speak to her, for they were hurried onboard of the vessel. It sank with them, and some hundreds more; and asthe beautiful auburn hair of my wife was borne up from her shoulders,upon which it had been hanging loose, and floated a second or two on thewave after her head had disappeared, I sighed at the remembrance of thetransitory enjoyment of competence and love which I had shared with mycharming Cerise.
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"And is she really dead now, Huckaback?" inquired the pacha.
"Yes, your highness, she is."
"_Allah karim_--God is most merciful. There is an end of that woman atlast; now the story will go on."
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I have reason to believe that I should have become a person of someconsequence if I had been able to remain in France, but another foolishattempt on my part to save the life of the old lawyer at Marseilles, whohad assisted me in recovering part of my father's property, rendered mesuspected. Aware that between suspicion and the guillotine there werebut few hours of existence, I contrived to get on board of an Italianbrig that had put in from stress of weather, and made my escape. Thevessel was bound to North America for a cargo of salt fish, to beconsumed on the ensuing Lent, and had a crew of fifteen men. Thecaptain was very ill when we sailed, owing, as he said, to a cup of winewhich his wife had mixed with her tears, and persuaded him to drink attheir parting. He gradually declined as we proceeded on our voyage,until at last he was not able to quit his bed; and no person on boardexcept myself having any knowledge of keeping a ship's reckoning, thatduty devolved upon me.
A few days before his death, the captain sent for me. "Francois," saidhe, "my wife has poisoned me, that I might not return to interrupt aconnection which she had formed during my absence. I have no children,and no relations that have ever cared for me. I am the owner of thecargo, as well as the captain of this vessel, and it is my intention tomake it over to you; I consider that you have the greatest claim to it,as there is nobody on board except yourself who can navigate her.Understand me, it is not out of any particular regard, so much as toprevent my wife from obtaining my property, that I select you as myheir; you have, therefore, to thank Heaven for your good fortune, morethan you have me. I have but one request to make in return, which is,that you will faithfully promise to cause five hundred masses to be saidfor my soul, upon your arrival in Italy."
I readily made the promise which he required, and the captain drew up awill, which he read and executed before the whole of the crew, by whichthe vessel and cargo were made over to me. Two days afterwards heexpired. We sewed him up in a hammock, and threw him overboard.Although it was quite calm at the time, a gale sprung up immediatelyafterwards, which eventually increased to a hurricane.
We were obliged to bear up, and for several days scudded under barepoles, until I found that we were in the very centre of the Atlantic,out of the track of any vessels. Gradually the weather became moresettled, and we again spread our canvas to the breeze. To my surprise,I observed, that although by my reckoning we were ne
arly one thousandmiles from any land, several aquatic birds were hovering about the ship,of a description that seldom go far from the shore. I watched them asthe sun went down, and perceived that they took their flight to thesouth-east. Anxious to discover any land, not hitherto described, Isteered the ship in that direction during the night, and early on thenext morning we found ourselves close to an island, apparently ten orfifteen miles long, very high, and of a conical shape, which I knew wasnot laid down upon any chart. I resolved to examine it, and dropped myanchor in a small bay, at the bottom of which a few houses announcedthat it was inhabited; although I could not distinguish any thing likeguns or fortification. We had not furled our sails, when a boat shovedoff from the shore and pulled towards us. She soon came alongside, andastonished us as much by the peculiarity of her structure, as by theappearance of the people who were on board.
She was a wide canoe, very beautifully carved and inlaid, or ratherveneered, with gold ornaments. She had a flag, hoisted to a staff,hanging over the stern, the field of which was white, with arepresentation of a fountain, worked in gold thread, in the centre. Thethree men who were in her, particularly the one seated in the sternsheets, were very richly attired in dresses worked in gold thread. Butwhat astonished us more than all was the peculiarity of theircomplexions, which, although they were very well-featured men, were of abeautiful light blue--their eyes black, and their hair of a rich auburn.
The personage in the stern sheets ascended the side, and addressing mein excellent Portuguese, inquired if I could speak the language.
I answered in the affirmative, and he then welcomed us in the name ofthe king, upon my arrival at the island--asking me the number of mycrew, whether I had any sick on board, and many other particulars, allof which he noted down upon tablets of gold, with a piece of redcinnabar.
Having replied to all his interrogations, I then obtained from him thefollowing particulars; viz., That the island had been originally peopledby one of the ships belonging to Vasco de Gama's squadron, which,returning from the East Indies laden with the produce of the east, andspecimens of the various inhabitants of the newly discoveredterritories, had been cast away and utterly wrecked. That the island,which otherwise was fertile and well-stocked, was one mine of gold,which in the absence of other metals, they were necessitated to employfor every article and utensil in common use. But the greatest curiositywhich the island contained, was a fountain of water at the foot of thecentre peak, of a beautiful colour, and producing longevity to those whodrank of it, from which it had received the name of the Isle of theGolden Fountain. That when they had landed, about three hundred yearsago, they consisted of various nations and colours, male and female; butthe climate and the use of the waters, had, in the course of time,produced the change in their complexions which we beheld, and all theinhabitants were now of that peculiar tint, with the exception that thefemales were not so dark as the men. Few ships had ever touched there;and the crews of those who had fallen in with the island, had preferredremaining, which accounted for its being so totally unknown: that theking was very partial to strangers, and always received them at hispalace, which was built close to the Golden Fountain. He concluded byrequesting me to accompany him on shore, and pay my respects--stating,that if I wished to quit the island, his majesty would permit me to loadmy vessel with as much as she could carry of the metal so precious inother countries, but so little valued in this.
I must acknowledge that I was quite overjoyed at his narration. Iconsidered my fortune to be made, and hastened to accompany theambassador, who stated that the king would not be pleased if I did notpermit the major part of my ship's company to attend me to the palace.As the men were very eager to go on shore after the account which theyhad heard, and he assured me that the wind never blew home in the bay,which was on the lee-side of the island, I consented to their wishes,and allowed all but two to quit the vessel.
We were much surprised when we landed at the village, to perceive thateven the pig-troughs, posts, and rails, and indeed every article inwhich metal could be employed, were of solid gold; but we had not timefor examination, as we found several sledges, drawn by small bullocks,waiting for us near the beach.
We mounted, and the animals set off in a swift canter, upon a smooth andascending road, and in less than two hours we arrived at the king'spalace, which was an extensive building, not very remarkable in itsstructure, excepting the unusual sight of the large columns of gold,supporting the porticos, which extended from it on every side. But whenwe had alighted and were proceeding through the porticos, I wasastonished at the wonderful finish of the statues which embellishedthem. They were mounted on plinths of the burnished metal, and carvedout of a sort of light blue chalcedony, which, joined with theirmasterly execution, gave them the appearance of life. I was surprisedat the strange attitudes which the sculptors had chosen to represent,all more or less distorted, although the human proportions wereadmirable. Some appeared as if they had been placed on their legs whenasleep, others laughing or crying, nay, one or two were represented inthe act of vomiting. Amongst the whole I could not perceive one imagein which the human form was represented in a noble or graceful posture,and I pitied the taste of those who could have employed workmen of suchextraordinary talents in representing the image of his Maker, under sucha degrading variety of postures. I was about to make this remark to myconductor, but I was checked by the remembrance, that I was in a king'spalace, not in a studio; and that kings have their fancies, which theyare not inclined to submit to public criticism.
When we arrived at the end of the portico, two lofty doors were thrownopen, and we were struck dumb with the magnificence of the scene whichpresented itself to our eyes.
The king was seated on a throne of the most splendid workmanship; theprecious metal had been oxidised to every shade of colour, and waswrought in beautiful mosaic: the walls and ceiling were entirely coveredwith the same, in some parts burnished, to reflect as mirrors, in otherselaborately carved in ornamental fretwork, as peculiar from the eleganceof its design, as from the superiority of its execution. On each sideof the throne extending to the door at which we entered, were a row ofladies, and behind them raised on a platform about two feet higher,another row of courtiers--all dressed in stuffs of cloth of gold, whichwere embroidered with flowers of variously coloured metal, so as topresent the most perfect imitation of nature. The women were very faircompared to the men, and their cerulean tint was far from beingdisagreeable, as it gave a transparency to their complexions; but noneof them could be compared to the king's daughter, who was nearly white,and of the most perfect symmetry in feature and in form; her auburn hairwas so long, that it hung down to the bottom of her dress, and wasornamented with small chains and ornaments of polished steel, which wereentwined in its tresses. She sat at the foot of the throne, near to theking, and I was so astonished at her heavenly appearance, that I couldnot remember the compliments which I had intended to pay his majesty,but remained speechless before him.
The king received us very graciously, asking me many questions, andbroke up the audience (after half an hour), desiring some of thehandsomest ladies to select one of my companions, and each hold herselfresponsible for his comfort and amusement. I forgot to mention, that asevery country has its peculiar customs, one here appeared to me verysingular. When I asked the gentleman usher what was the usual homagepaid to the king of the country, he informed me that you advanced yourhand before you, on a level with your face, and snapped your fingers athim. That the louder you could snap them, the more accomplished andelegant you were considered. But in my confusion I quite forgot hisinjunctions; and it was not until the ladies all snapped their fingersin obedience to the commands of their sovereign, that I recollected theomission which I had been guilty of. Before the king retired, heintimated that he expected we should take up our abodes at the palacefor some days, and we should have the honour of sitting at his table, inthe afternoon's banquet.
The whole of the company separated;
those who had charge of mycompanions leading them different ways, leaving me alone with theprincess, who had risen from her seat when directed by her father totake charge of me. I could have fallen down and worshipped her: as itwas, I involuntarily dropped on one knee, and looked up in her face asif I had been contemplating a celestial visitant.
She smiled, and addressed me: "I am ordered to attend to your happinessand comfort, and I obey my father's commands with pleasure. I onlytrust that your happiness may be more lasting than it usually is in thisdeceitful world," and she sighed deeply.
I continued in my position at her feet, and encouraged by her urbanity,poured forth a torrent of what to the many are considered compliments,but which to her were but truths. I became eloquent from excitation;and being at this time, as I before observed to your highness, a verypersonable man, I perceived that she was pleased with my efforts toobtain her favour.
"I have more than once had this duty allotted to me, when strangers havevisited the island," observed she; "but I have always been wearied, andhave called in my women to assist me. I have never yet seen one likeyou; you are gentle, and of a very different description from those whogenerally have been introduced as the captains of vessels which havearrived here. I then was indifferent if not glad, when my duty was atan end; but I feel otherwise now,"--and she again sighed.
"If it depended upon me, fair princess, and upon my wishes, I am afraidthat you would consider the duration of it to be most tedious. Neverhave I beheld any creature so perfect and so beautiful! O that yourtask might be continued for the term of my existence!"
"It probably may," answered she, gravely; and then, as if recollectingherself, she assumed a more cheerful air, and continued: "but we arelosing time, which should be otherwise employed. Come, sir, permit meto obey my father's commands, and try to beguile the hours bycontributing to your amusement."
Offering me her hand, which I respectfully raised to my lips, she thenconducted me over the palace, directing my attention to every objectthat she considered worthy of notice; and we had passed two or threehours in conversation, and remarks upon the objects before us, when Iexpressed my wish to behold the curious fountain from which the islandtook its name.
"I shall obey you," replied she: and again her face assumed a mournfulcast. She led the way to a hall of black marble, in the centre of whichthe fountain threw up its water to the height of twelve, or fourteenfeet, and fell into a spacious basin. The water of it, when in a body,shone with all the colours of the rainbow, and the sparkling drops whichwere thrown out on every side were brilliant as the purest gold.
"How beautiful!" exclaimed I, after some minutes of silent admiration."These, then, are the waters of longevity."
"And also of intoxication," replied the princess. "They will beproduced at the banquet of the king; and, O sir! be temperate, verytemperate, in the use of them."
I promised that I would, and we continued our walk to the porticos ofthe palace, where I pointed to the statues of blue chalcedony, andbegged her to inform me by whom they had been executed, and why theywere all in such grotesque and absurd positions.
"That is a question which I cannot answer, further than that they weremade in the island. We must now return, as the king's banquet will beready."
We sat down at the table of the king, that is to say, I and mycompanions; for no courtiers, male or female, were permitted to have thesame honour. Each lady stood behind the person who had been intrustedto her charge, and waited upon him. My gallantry, as a Frenchman, wassorely wounded at the idea of my charming princess performing the dutiesof a menial, and I expressed my feelings to her in a low tone of voice.She shook her head, as if to rebuke me, and I said no more. When we hadfinished the banquet, his majesty ordered the water of the goldenfountain to be produced, which it immediately was, by those inattendance, and extolling its virtues, desired a cup to be filled foreach guest, which was handed to him by the attendant ladies.
As the princess presented the cup, she contrived to press one of herfingers against mine, before she removed them, to remind me of mypromise. I drank but sparingly, but the effects were instantaneous--myspirits rose buoyant, and I felt a sort of intellectual intoxication.At a sign made by the king, the ladies now took their seats beside us,and by their attention and caresses increased the desire for the water,which they supplied in abundance. I must confess that at each sip thatI took, the princess, who had taken her seat by me, appeared so muchmore charming in my eyes, that notwithstanding the repeated pressure ofher foot to remind me of my promise, I could not resist the impulse todrink.
The boatswain and one of the seamen were very drunken characters, andhad very soon poured down so much of the water, that they dropped offtheir stools on the marble pavement, without sense or motion. Thisrecalled me to my senses, which were rapidly stealing away; I rose frommy seat, and pointing out to my companions that it would ill become themto intoxicate themselves in the presence of his majesty, requested thatthey would drink no more, but leave the table before they wereincapacitated from paying the proper attentions to their fairconductors. The last argument had more weight than the first; andnotwithstanding the remonstrances of the king, who showed the greatestanxiety that we should remain, the party rose from the table andseparated. The two men who were intoxicated were carried away by someof the courtiers, and the king with marks of displeasure quitted thehall. I was again left alone with my charming princess, and inflamedwith the exhilarating draught which I had taken, I threw myself at herfeet, declaring my violent passion, and my wish never to quit theisland, if I could be blessed with a reciprocal feeling on her part. Iperceived that I had made an impression; and following up my success, Iprotested and she listened, until the evening closed in and found usstill seated upon the steps of the throne. At last she rose and said,"I know not whether you be sincere in what you say, but I mustacknowledge that I hope you are; and I shall be very miserable if itshould prove otherwise. But you are now under the effects of theintoxicating water, and may deceive yourself. Come, sir, it is timethat I conduct you to your chamber, where you must sleep away theexhilarating effects of the golden fountain. To-morrow morning, if youare of the same opinion, I may be induced to make a discovery."
The next morning I woke without any headache from the intemperance ofthe previous night. As soon as I quitted the apartment I met theprincess outside. "I am still in the same mind, dear princess," said I,implanting a kiss upon her hand, "to live for you alone, or die if Icannot remain with you."
She smiled, and answered, "Then for you will I sacrifice every thing;for until I beheld you, I never was aware that I had a heart. Rise andfollow me, and you shall know all."
We passed the large hall, with which the whole of the bed-chamberscommunicated, and she conducted me through a dark passage to a room, inwhich were several golden plinths without statues. At the further endof it I perceived, to my horror, that two of them were already occupiedwith the forms of the boatswain and sailor who had been intoxicated thenight before. They were now changed into the same blue chalcedony ofwhich the statues in the porticos were composed.
"Do you recognise these figures?" inquired the princess.
"I do, indeed," answered I with amazement.
"Such are the effects," continued she, "of intoxication from the waterof the golden fountain. They contain in solution so large a quantity ofthe matter which by mineralogists is denominated silex, that once allowthe senses to be overpowered by repeated draughts, and in a few hoursthe effects which you behold will be produced. It is by these meansthat my father has obtained the variety and number of statues which youhave seen--all of whom were once visitors to the island in differentships, not one of the crews of which have ever returned. It has alsothe power of producing longevity, and hardening the hearts of those whouse it in moderation. My father's cruelty, therefore, is not thought ofby his subjects, who, if convicted of any heinous crime, are forced todrink this water, and are erected as monuments of his displeasure inv
arious parts of the island. You may ask, how is it that I have not aslittle remorse as the other inhabitants? The fact is, that I wasnaturally of a kind and tender heart; and my mother, who lamented itbecause she felt that it would not add to my happiness in this world ofcruelty and deceit, was more than ever anxious that I should drink thewaters; but what is forced upon us in childhood, is generally rememberedas we grow up with disgust. The consequence is, that I have never usedthe waters since her death, which happened when I was but seven yearsold. Had I not made this discovery, in all probability you and all yourcompanions would have fallen victims this evening, when the banquet willbe spread and the water will be produced as before. My prepossession inyour favour has, I trust, been the means of preserving the lives ofthose who remain."
"Cursed treachery!" exclaimed I; "and, now what is to be done?"
"You must escape. Caution your men not to drink this evening, and makesome excuse to repair on board for an hour or two in the forenoon ofto-morrow. As for me--"
"Without you, princess, I cannot--will not go. Either consent toaccompany me, or here I stay, risking all; for I had sooner be asenseless statue upon a plinth in the portico of your abode, than quitthe island with a broken heart."
"Then he is true; and there are some who are good--some who are notdeceitful in this world;" exclaimed the princess, falling on her knees,as the tears trickled down her cheeks. "I am sure you'll treat mekindly," continued she, holding my hand in hers; "if you do not, I shalldie."
I pressed her to my bosom, and vowed to love her till death; and wehastened back to my chamber, that we might consult upon ourarrangements. I found an opportunity, in the course of the forenoon, toacquaint all my companions of their danger, except one whom I could notmeet with.
In the evening we again sat down to the banquet, and soon after thewater had been produced, the one who had not been warned fell off hischair in a state of intoxication. I made this an excuse for drinking nomore. Assuming an angry tone towards my companions, I apologised to theking for their want of respect in his presence, and rose from the tablein spite of all his remonstrances. The next morning I stated to theking that I wished to return to my ship for an hour or two, that I mightbring him a present of ivory, which I had been informed would beacceptable. The princess offered to attend us, and the king, satisfiedwith her surveillance, consented to our departure, on condition that wewould not fail to return in time for the banquet, which we mostfaithfully promised. While the sledges were preparing, I requested theprincess to obtain several flasks of the golden water, that I mightpresent them as curiosities to all the learned societies in Europe.This she accomplished, and stowing them in her own sledge with severalarticles of wearing apparel, not only took them from the palaceunperceived, but they were carried on board without the knowledge of mycompanions. I immediately cut my cables, and made all sail out of thebay without any molestation, as the natives did not suspect myintentions; I never felt more happy than when I found myself once morefloating on the wave, in company with my beautiful princess, whoseaffectionate manners endeared me to her more and more every day.
Unfortunately, in our hurry to escape, we quite overlooked thecircumstance of our water-casks being nearly empty, and we were soonreduced to half a pint per diem. To render our situation moredisastrous, the weather became intensely hot, and the people, in spiteof all my remonstrances, contrived every night to steal a part of thewater which was not yet expended, so that at last we found ourselvesbecalmed, without a drop of water on board.
But all my apprehensions were now swallowed up by one of greaterinterest. A fever seized my dear princess, who, accustomed to everyluxury, and a beautiful climate, could not bear up against the closeconfinement of a vessel under a tropical sun. Notwithstanding all mycare and attention, in three days after she was attacked she expired inmy arms, blessing me for my attachment and my love, and regretting thatshe was summoned from the world so soon after she had discovered thatthere was an object in it worth living for. I threw myself upon--
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Here the renegade appeared to be much affected; he covered his face withthe wide sleeve of his under garment, and was silent.
"By God and his Prophet, these Franks are great fool about women,"observed the pacha to Mustapha. "I must own, though, that I like thisprincess better than Cerise, and I am very sorry that she is dead.Come, Huckaback, go on. Where did you throw yourself?"
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On her body (continued the renegade, mournfully), where I remained formany hours. At last I rose in a frenzy quite indifferent as to life ordeath. I went on deck, where I found my crew much in the samecondition, from their agonising thirst; but I mocked them, and laughedat the smooth expanse of water, which, far as the eye could reach, wasnot rippled by the slightest breeze, and turned my eyes up in derisionto the sun, who poured down his vertical streams of light and heat, asif he would consume us with his powerful rays. I thought but of onesubject, I had but one desire, which was, to rejoin the object of myadoration. On a sudden I called to mind the flasks of golden water,which till then I had forgotten, and rushing down into the cabin, Idetermined to intoxicate myself, and quit this world of disappointmentand unrealised fruition. As if fearful that the spirit of my lovedprincess should have already so far journeyed to the realms of bliss,that I might not be able to discern her when I had shaken off theincumbrance of an earthly body, and was at liberty to pursue, I seized aflask, and pouring out the water with a hand trembling with anxiety,drank off a glass. I was hastily refilling it, when the gurgling soundstruck upon the ears of my companions, who rushing down like thefainting animals who hear the music of the fountain in the desert,poured tumultuously into the cabin, and in spite of all my remonstrancesto leave me sufficient for the completion of my desires, seized upon theflask in my hand, as well as upon all those that remained, emptied themin a few seconds with their copious draughts, and returned laughing andshouting to the deck above.
The water which I had already drunk produced one good effect; ithardened my heart for the time, and I fell into a sort of stoicalindifference, which lasted many hours. I then repaired on deck, where Ifound all my companions changed into blue chalcedony--not one alive.The heavens, too, had changed; clouds obscured the sun, the wind wasrising, and ever and anon a mournful gust blew through the shrouds; thebirds were screaming on the wing, and the water-line of the blackhorizon was fringed with a narrow ridge of foam. The thunder rolled ata distance, and I perceived that convulsion of the elements was at hand.The sails were all set, and without assistance I could not reduce them;but I was indifferent to my fate. The lightning now darted in everydirection, and large drops of rain pattered on the deck. With the meansof existence, the desire of life returned: I spread out the spare sails,and as the torrents descended, and the vessel bowed to her gunwale insubmission of the blast, I filled the empty casks. I thought of nothingelse until my task was completed. I strode carelessly over the bodiesof my companions, the sails were blown from the yards, the yardsthemselves were snapt asunder, the top-masts fell over the sides, thevessel flew before the boiling surge; but I heeded not--I filled thecasks with water. When I had finished my labours, a reaction tookplace, and I recollected the loss which I had sustained. I descended tothe cabin. There she lay in all her beauty. I kissed the cold cheek, Iwrapped up the adored image, carried it on deck, and launched it intothe wave; and, as it disappeared under the raging billows, I felt as ifmy heart, in its struggles to escape, had burst the strings whichconfined it in my bosom, and leapt into the angry flood to join her.Exhausted with my feelings, I fell down in a swoon; how long I remainedI cannot exactly say, but it was nearly dark when I lost myrecollection, and broad daylight when I recovered. The vessel was stillflying before the gale, which now roared in its resistless fury; thetattered fragments of the sails were blown out before the lower yardslike so many stream
ers and pennants, and the wrecks of the topmasts werestill towing alongside through the foaming surge. The indurated bodiesof my companions were lying about the decks, washed by the water whichpoured into the vessel, as she rolled deeply from one side to the other,presenting her gunwales as if courting the admittance of the wave. "Areyou, then, tired of your existence, as well as I?" thought I,apostrophising the vessel. "Have you found out at last, that while youswim you've nought to encounter but difficulty and danger? That youenter your haven but to renew your tasks, and again become a beast ofburthen that when empty you must bow to the slightest breeze, and whenladen must groan and labour for the good of others. Have--"
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"Holy Prophet! I never heard of people talking to ships before, and Idon't understand it," observed the pacha. "Leave out all you said tothe ship, and all the ship said to you in reply, and go on with yourstory."
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The gale lasted for three days, and then it as suddenly fell calm. Ihad observed by the compass that we had been running to the eastward,and I supposed that we were not very far from the Western Isles. As Isurveyed the bodies of my companions, it occurred to me that they oughtto fetch a high price in Italy as specimens of art, and I resolved todispose of them as the work of men. Having no other employment, Ibrought up the spare planks from below, and made packing-cases for themall. It was with some difficulty that I contrived, by means of tackles,to lower them to the hold, which I succeeded in accomplishing withsafety excepting in one instance, when, from the tackle-fall giving way,the image fell to the bottom of the vessel, and being very brittle, wasbroken into pieces. As it was no longer of any value as a statue, Ibroke it up to examine it, and I can assure your highness that it wasvery wonderful to witness how every part of the human body was changedinto flint, of a colour corresponding with that which it had been whenliving. The heart was red, and on my arrival in Italy I had severalseals made from it, which were pronounced by the lapidaries who cut themto be of the finest blood-red cornelian. I have now a piece of the darkstone of which the liver was composed, which I keep for striking alight. As it afterwards proved, almost all of it was valuable, for thealternate fat and lean formed a variety of beautiful onyxes andsardonyx, which I disposed of very advantageously to the cameoengravers. I was several days employed in packing up, but I had plentyof provisions and water, and had no doubt that I should be seen by somevessel before they were expended. Three weeks had elapsed, when onemorning I went on deck, and saw land on both sides of me. I immediatelyrecognised the rock of Gibraltar, and the Straits, through which I wasdrifting. I was boarded by a Spanish gun-boat from Algesiras, andhaving stated that all my crew had died two months before of the yellowfever, I was towed in, put into quarantine for forty days, and thenpermitted to equip my vessel and procure sailors. This I was enabled todo by selling two of the flasks which held the water, and which, likeall the other utensils of the island from which I had escaped, were ofpure gold.
I did not think it prudent to go to Leghorn, where not only the vesselmight be recognised, and the widow give me some trouble, but the statuesalso might have been identified as the men who had sailed in the vessel,and occasion my being burnt as a necromancer by the Inquisition. Idirected my course for Naples, where I arrived in safety. Havingdisembarked my metamorphosed crew, I hired a large room to exhibit them,and expected to realise a considerable sum; but as I could not name theartist, and the figures had not the grace which the Italians admire,they remained on my hands, and were even found fault with as not beingwell executed. I sold two of the least prepossessing to a Siciliannobleman, who I understood had a large country seat decorated withmonstrosities; and I then determined, as I had received a high price forthe pieces of the one which had been broken up, to retail the others inthe same way. It answered admirably, and I received more money for thefragments than I had asked for the images in an unmutilated state. Theremainder of the golden flasks also realised a large sum; I producedthem one by one, and disposed of them to English collectors, as havingbeen purloined by the excavators from the ruins of Pompeii. I had nowplenty of money, and resolved to return to my native city. Anopportunity offering, I embarked, and safely arrived at Marseilles.
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"Did you fulfil your promise to the Italian captain, by having fivehundred masses said for his soul?" inquired Mustapha.
"Upon my salvation! I never thought of it to this moment," replied therenegade.
"Such, your highness are the adventures of my fifth voyage; and I trust,that the narration of them has afforded you entertainment."
"Yes," observed the pacha, rising, "that was some thing like a voyage.Mustapha, give him thirty pieces of gold. Huckaback, we will hear yoursixth voyage to-morrow"--and the pacha retired behind the screen, and,as usual, went into the apartment of the women.
"Pray, Selim, was there any truth in that history of the princess? Ithought at first that it was all invention; but when you wept--"
"That was for the sake of effect," answered the renegade: "when I getwarmed with my story, I often work myself up to a degree that I almostbelieve it myself."
"Holy Prophet! what a talent!" rejoined Mustapha. "What an excellentprime minister you would have made in your own country! Here's yourmoney; will your next voyage be as good?"
"I'll try, at all events; as I find that the _principal_ increases withthe _interest_," said the renegade, chinking the sequins in his hand._Au revoir_, as we say in France--and the renegade quitted the divan.
"Allah--what a talent!" muttered the vizier to himself, as the renegadedisappeared.