The Phantom Ship

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

  "Thus are all our hopes wrecked," said Philip, mournfully; "what chancehave we now of escaping from this little tyrant?"

  "Chances turn up," replied Krantz; "at present, the prospect is not verycheering. Let us hope for the best. I have an idea in my head whichmay probably be turned to some account," continued Krantz, "as soon asthe little man's fury is over."

  "Which is?"

  "That, much as he likes your wife, there is something which he likesquite as well--money. Now, as we know where all the treasure isconcealed, I think he may be tempted to offer us our liberty, if we wereto promise to put it into his possession."

  "That is not impossible. Confound that little malignant wretchSchriften; he certainly is not, as you say, of this world. He has beenmy persecutor through life, and appears to act from an impulse not hisown."

  "Then must he be part and portion of your destiny. I'm thinking whetherour noble commandant intends to leave us without anything to eat ordrink."

  "I should not be surprised; that he will attempt my life I am convinced,but not that he can take it; he may, however, add to its sufferings."

  As soon as the commandant had recovered from his fury, he orderedSchriften in, to be examined more particularly; but, after every searchmade for him, Schriften was nowhere to be found. The sentry at the gatedeclared that he had not passed: and a new search was ordered, but invain. Even the dungeons and galleries below were examined, but withoutsuccess.

  "Can he be locked up with the other prisoners?" thought the commandant:"impossible--but I will go and see."

  He descended and opened the door of the dungeon, looked in, and wasabout to return without speaking, when Krantz said, "Well, signor, thisis kind treatment, after having lived so long and so amicably together;to throw us into prison merely because a fellow declares that we are notwhat we represented ourselves to be; perhaps you will allow us a littlewater to drink?"

  The commandant, confused by the extraordinary disappearance of Schriftenhardly knew how to reply. He at last said in a milder tone than was tobe anticipated, "I will order them to bring some, signor."

  He then closed the door of the dungeon and disappeared.

  "Strange," observed Philip, "he appears more pacified already." In afew minutes the door was again opened, and Pedro came in with a chattyof water.

  "He has disappeared like magic, signors, and is nowhere to be found. Wehave searched everywhere, but in vain."

  "Who?--the little old seaman?"

  "Yes, he whom you kicked as you were led to prison. The people all say,that it must have been a ghost. The sentry declares that he never leftthe fort, nor came near him; so how he has got away is a riddle, which Iperceive has frightened our commandant not a little."

  Krantz gave a long whistle as he looked at Philip.

  "Are you to have charge of us, Pedro?"

  "I hope so."

  "Well, tell the commandant that when he is ready to listen to me, I havesomething of importance to communicate."

  Pedro went out.

  "Now, Philip, I can frighten this little man into allowing us to gofree, if you will consent to say that you are not the husband of Amine."

  "That I cannot do, Krantz. I will not utter such a falsehood."

  "I was afraid so, and yet it appears to me that we may avail ourselvesof duplicity to meet cruelty and injustice. Unless you do as I propose,I hardly know how I can manage it; however, I will try what I can do."

  "I will assist you in every way, except disclaiming my wife: that Inever will do."

  "Well, then, I will see if I can make up a story that will suit allparties: let me think."

  Krantz continued musing as he walked up and down, and was still occupiedwith his own thoughts, when the door opened, and the commandant made hisappearance.

  "You have something to impart to me, I understand--what is it?"

  "First, sir, bring that little wretch down here and confront him withus."

  "I see no occasion for that," replied the commandant; "what, sir, mayyou have to say?"

  "Do you know who you have in your company when you speak to thatone-eyed deformity?"

  "A Dutch sailor, I presume."

  "No--a spirit--a demon--who occasioned the loss of the vessel; and whobrings misfortune wherever he appears."

  "Holy Virgin! what do you tell me, signor?"

  "The fact, Signor Commandant. We are obliged to you for confining ushere, while he is in the fort; but beware for yourself."

  "You are laughing at me."

  "I am not; bring him down here. This noble gentleman has power overhim. I wonder, indeed, at his daring to stay while he is so near; hehas on his heart that which will send him trembling away. Bring himdown here, and you shall at once see him vanish with curses andscreams."

  "Heaven defend us!" cried the commandant, terrified.

  "Send for him now, signor."

  "He is gone--vanished--not to be found!"

  "I thought as much," replied Philip, significantly.

  "He is gone--vanished--you say. Then, commandant, you will probablyapologise to this noble gentleman for your treatment of him, and permitus to return to our former apartments. I will there explain to you thismost strange and interesting history."

  The commandant, more confused than ever, hardly knew how to act. Atlast he bowed to Philip, and begged that he would consider himself atliberty; "and," continued he to Krantz, "I shall be most happy at animmediate explanation of this affair, for everything appears socontradictory."

  "And must, until it is explained. I will follow you into your own room;a courtesy you must not expect from my noble friend, who is not a littleindignant at your treatment of him."

  The commandant went out, leaving the door open. Philip and Krantzfollowed: the former retiring to his own apartment; the latter, bendinghis steps after the commandant to his sitting-room. The confusion whichwhirled in the brain of the commandant made him appear most ridiculous.He hardly knew whether to be imperative or civil; whether he was reallyspeaking to the first mate of the vessel, or to another party; orwhether he had insulted a noble, or been cajoled by a captain of avessel: he threw himself down on his sofa, and Krantz, taking his seatin a chair, stated as follows:--

  "You have been partly deceived and partly not, commandant. When wefirst came here, not knowing what treatment we might receive, weconcealed our rank; afterwards I made known to you the rank of my friendon shore; but did not think it worth while to say anything about hissituation on board of the vessel. The fact is, as you may well supposeof a person of his dignity, he was owner of the fine ship which was lostthrough the intervention of that one-eyed wretch; but of that by-and-by.Now for the story. About ten years ago there was a great miser inAmsterdam; he lived in the most miserable way that a man could live in;wore nothing but rags; and having been formerly a seaman, his attire wasgenerally of the description common to his class. He had one son, towhom he denied the necessaries of life, and whom he treated mostcruelly. After vain attempts to possess a portion of his father'swealth, the devil instigated the son to murder the old man, who was oneday found dead in his bed; but as there were no marks of violence whichcould be sworn to, although suspicion fell upon the son, the affair washushed up, and the young man took possession of his father's wealth. Itwas fully expected that there would now be rioting and squandering onthe part of the heir, as is usually the case; but, on the contrary, henever spent anything, but appeared to be as poor--even poorer--than heever was. Instead of being gay and merry, he was, in appearance, themost miserable, downcast person in the world; and he wandered about,seeking a crust of bread wherever he could find it. Some said that hehad been inoculated by his father, and was as great a miser as hisfather had been; others shook their heads, and said that all was notright. At last, after pining away for six or seven years, the young mandied at an early age, without confession or absolution; in fact, he wasfound dead in his bed. Beside the bed there was a paper addr
essed tothe authorities, in which he acknowledged that he had murdered hisfather for the sake of his wealth; and that when he went to take some ofit for his expenses on the day afterwards, he found his father's spiritsitting on the bags of money, and menacing him with instant death, if hetouched one piece. He returned again and again, and found his father asentinel as before. At last, he gave up attempting to obtain it: hiscrime made him miserable, and he continued in possession, without daringto expend one sixpence of all the money. He requested that, as his endwas approaching, the money should be given to the church of his patronsaint, wherever that church might be found; if there was not one, thenthat a church might be built and endowed. Upon investigation, itappeared that there was no such church in either Holland or the LowCountries (for you know that there are not many Catholics there); andthey applied to the Catholic countries, Lisbon and Spain, but thereagain they were at fault; and it was discovered, that the only churchdedicated to that saint was one which had been erected by a Portuguesenobleman in the city of Goa, in the East Indies. The Catholic bishopdetermined that the money should be sent to Goa and, in consequence itwas embarked on board of my patron's vessel, to be delivered up to thefirst Portuguese authorities he might fall in with.

  "Well, signor, the money, for better security was put down into thecaptain's cabin, which, of course, was occupied by my noble friend, andwhen he went to bed the first night he was surprised to perceive alittle one-eyed old man sitting on the boxes."

  "Merciful Saviour!" exclaimed the commandant, "what, the very samelittle man who appeared here this day?"

  "The very same," replied Krantz.

  The commandant crossed himself, and Krantz proceeded:--

  "My noble patron was, as you may imagine, rather alarmed; but he is verycourageous in disposition, and he inquired of the old man who he was,and how he had come on board.

  "`I came on board with my own money,' replied the spectre. `It is allmy own, and I shall keep it. The Church shall never have one stiver ofit if I can help it.'

  "Whereupon, my patron pulled out a famous relic, which he wears on hisbosom, and held it towards him; at which the old man howled andscreamed, and then most unwillingly disappeared. For two more nightsthe spectre was obstinate, but at the sight of the relic, he invariablywent off howling, as if in great pain; every time that he went away,invariably crying out `Lost--lost!'--and during the remainder of thevoyage he did not trouble us any more.

  "We thought, when our patron told us this, that he referred to the moneybeing lost to him, but it appears he referred to the ship; indeed it wasvery inconsiderate to have taken the wealth of a parricide on board; wecould not expect any good fortune with such a freight, and so it proved.When the ship was lost, our patron was very anxious to save the money;it was put on the raft, and when we landed, it was taken on shore andburied, that it might be restored and given to the church to which ithad been bequeathed; but the men who buried it are all dead, and thereis no one but my friend here, the patron, who knows the spot.--I forgotto say that as soon as the money was landed on the island and buried,the spectre appeared as before, and seated itself over the spot wherethe money was interred. I think, if this had not been the case, theseamen would have taken possession of it. But, by its appearance herethis day, I presume it is tired, and has deserted its charge, or elsehas come here that the money might be sent for, though I cannotunderstand why."

  "Strange--very strange! So there is a large treasure buried in thesand?"

  "There is."

  "I should think, by the spectre's coming here, that it has abandonedit."

  "Of course it has, or it would not be here."

  "What can you imagine to have been the cause of its coming?"

  "Probably to announce its intention, and request my friend to have thetreasure sent for; but you know it was interrupted."

  "Very true; but it called your friend Vanderdecken."

  "It was the name which he took on board of the ship."

  "And it was the name of the lady."

  "Very true. He fell in with her at the Cape of Good Hope, and broughther away with him."

  "Then she is his wife?"

  "I must not answer that question. It is quite sufficient that he treatsher as his wife."

  "Ah! indeed. But about this treasure. You say that no one knows whereit is buried but the patron, as you call him?"

  "No one."

  "Will you express my regret at what has passed, and tell him I will havethe pleasure of seeing him to-morrow."

  "Certainly, signor," replied Krantz, rising from his chair, and wishingthe commandant a good evening as he retired.

  "I was after one thing, and have found another. A spectre that musthave been; but he must be a bold spectre that can frighten me fromdoubloons; besides, I can call in the priests. Now, let me see: if Ilet this man go on condition that he reveals the site of the treasure tothe authorities--that is to me--why then I need not lose the fair youngwoman. If I forward this paper to her, why then I gain her; but I mustfirst get rid of him. Of the two, I prefer--yes!--the gold! But Icannot obtain both. At all events, let me obtain the money first. Iwant it more than the Church does; but if I do get the money, these twomen can expose me. I must get rid of them--silence them for ever--andthen perhaps I may obtain the fair Amine also. Yes, their death will benecessary to secure either; that is, after I have the first in mypossession. Let me think."

  For some minutes the commandant walked up and down the room, reflectingupon the best method of proceeding. "He says it was a spectre, and hehas told a plausible story," thought he; "but I don't know--I have mydoubts; they may be tricking me. Well, be it so. If the money isthere, I will have it; and if not, I will have my revenge. Yes! I haveit: not only must they be removed, but by degrees all the others too whoassist in bringing the treasure away. Then--but--who's there, Pedro?"

  "Yes, signor."

  "How long have you been here?"

  "But as you spoke, signor; I thought I heard you call."

  "You may go--I want nothing."

  Pedro departed; but he had been some time in the room, and had overheardthe whole of the commandant's soliloquy.