Transcript

033 - Chapter 11 · Pirate

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Speaker 1: Chapter eleven of the Pirate by Sir Walter Scott. This
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Speaker 1: Librivooks recording is in the public domain, read by Dion
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Speaker 1: Jine's celt Lake City, Utah. By this hand, thou thinkest
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Speaker 1: me as far in the Devil's Book as thou and
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Speaker 1: Falstaff for obduracy and persistency. Let the end try the man,
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Speaker 1: albeit I could tell to thee as to one it
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Speaker 1: pleases me, for fault of a better to call my friend,
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Speaker 1: I could be sad and sad indeed to Henry the
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Speaker 1: fourth part second, we must now change the scene from
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Speaker 1: Zeteland to Orkney and request our readers to accompany us
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Speaker 1: to the ruins of an elegant though ancient structure called
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Speaker 1: the Earl's Palace. These remains, though much dilapidated, still exist
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Speaker 1: in the neighborhood of the massive and venerable Pile, which
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Speaker 1: Norwegian devotion dedicated to Saint Magnus the Martyr, and being
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Speaker 1: contiguous to the Bishop's Palace, which is also ruinous. The
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Speaker 1: place is impressive as exhibiting vestiges of the mutations both
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Speaker 1: in church and state, which have affected Orkney, as well
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Speaker 1: as countries more exposed to such convulsions. Several parts of
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Speaker 1: these ruinous buildings might be selected, under suitable modifications as
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Speaker 1: the model of a Gothic mansion, provided architects would be
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Speaker 1: contented rather to imitate what is really beautiful in that
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Speaker 1: species of building, than to make a medley of the
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Speaker 1: caprices of the order, confounding the military, ecclesiastical and domestic
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Speaker 1: styles of all ages at random, with additional fantasies and
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Speaker 1: combinations of their own device, all formed out of the
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Speaker 1: builder's brain. The Earth's Palace forms three sides of an
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Speaker 1: oblong square, and has even in its ruins, the air
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Speaker 1: of an elegant yet massive structure, uniting, as was usual
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Speaker 1: in the residence of feudal princes, the character of a
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Speaker 1: palace and that of a castle. A great banqueting hall,
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Speaker 1: communicating with several large rounds or projecting turret rooms, and
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Speaker 1: having at either end an immense chimney, testifies the ancient
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Speaker 1: Northern hospitality of the Earls of Orkney, and communicates almost
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Speaker 1: in the modern fashion, with a gallery or with drawing
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Speaker 1: room of corresponding dimensions, and having, like the hall, projecting turrets.
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Speaker 1: The lordly hull itself is lighted by a fine Gothic
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Speaker 1: window of shafted stone at one end, and is entered
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Speaker 1: by a spacious and elegant staircase consisting of three flights
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Speaker 1: of stone steps. The exterior ornaments and proportions of the
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Speaker 1: ancient building are also very handsome, but being totally unprotected,
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Speaker 1: this remnant of the pomp and grandeur of earls who
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Speaker 1: assumed the license, as well as the dignity of petty sovereigns,
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Speaker 1: is now fast crumbling to decay, and has suffered considerably
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Speaker 1: since the date of our story. With folded arms and
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Speaker 1: downcast looks, the pirate Cleveland was pacing slowly the ruined
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Speaker 1: hull which we have just described, a place of retirement,
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Speaker 1: which he had probably chosen because it was dis from
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Speaker 1: public resort. His dress was considerably altered from that which
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Speaker 1: he usually wore in Zeteland, and seemed a sort of uniform,
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Speaker 1: richly laced and exhibiting no small quantity of embroidery, a
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Speaker 1: hat with a plume, and a small sword very handsomely mounted.
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Speaker 1: Then the constant companion of everyone who assumed the rank
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Speaker 1: of a gentleman, showed his pretensions to that character. But
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Speaker 1: if his exterior was so far improved, it seemed to
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Speaker 1: be otherwise with his health and spirits. He was pale
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Speaker 1: and had lost both the fire of his eye and
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Speaker 1: the vivacity of his step, and his whole appearance indicated
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Speaker 1: melancholy of mind or suffering of body, or a combination
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Speaker 1: of both evils. As Cleveland thus paced these ancient ruins,
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Speaker 1: a young man of a light and slender form, whose
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Speaker 1: showy dress seemed to have been studied with care, yet
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Speaker 1: exhibited more extravagance than judgment or taste, whose manner was
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Speaker 1: a jaunty affectation of the free and easy rake of
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Speaker 1: the period, and the expression of whose countenance was lively
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Speaker 1: with a cast of effrontery, tripped up the staircase, entered
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Speaker 1: the hall, and presented himself to Cleveland, who merely nodded
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Speaker 1: to him, and, pulling his hat deeper over his brows,
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Speaker 1: resumed his solitary and discontented promenade. The stranger adjusted his
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Speaker 1: own hat, nodded in return, took snuff with the air
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Speaker 1: of a petty matra from a richly chased gold box,
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Speaker 1: offered it to Cleveland as he passed, and, being repulsed,
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Speaker 1: rather coldly, replaced the box in his pocket, folded his
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Speaker 1: arms in his turn, and stood looking with fixed attention
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Speaker 1: on his motions, whose solitude he had interrupted. At length.
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Speaker 1: Cleveland stopped short, as if impatient of being longer the
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Speaker 1: subject of his observation, and said, abruptly, why can I
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Speaker 1: not be left alone for half an hour? And what
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Speaker 1: the devil is it that you want? I am glad
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Speaker 1: you spoke first, answered the stranger carelessly. I was determined
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Speaker 1: to know whether you were Clement Cleveland or Cleveland's ghost.
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Speaker 1: And they say ghosts never take the first word. So
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Speaker 1: I now set it down for yourself in life and limb.
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Speaker 1: And here is a fine old hurly house you have
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Speaker 1: found out for an owl to hide himself in at midday,
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Speaker 1: or a ghost to revisit the pale glimpse of the moon,
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Speaker 1: as the divine Shakespeare says. Well Well, answered Cleveland, abruptly,
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Speaker 1: your jest is made, and now let us have your earnest.
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Speaker 1: In earnest, then, Captain Cleveland, replied his companion, I think
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Speaker 1: you know me for your friend. I am content to suppose,
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Speaker 1: so said Cleveland. It is more than supposition, replied the
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Speaker 1: young man. I have proved it, proved it both here
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Speaker 1: and elsewhere. Well well answered Cleveland, I admit you have
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Speaker 1: been always a friendly fellow. And what then, well, well,
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Speaker 1: and what then, replied the other? This is but a
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Speaker 1: brief way of thinking. Folk, Look, you, Captain. Here is
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Speaker 1: Benson Barlow, Dick Fletcher, and a few others of us,
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Speaker 1: who wished you well have kept your old comrade, Captain
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Speaker 1: goff In the sees upon the lookout for you, when
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Speaker 1: he and Hawkins and the greater part of the ship's
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Speaker 1: company would fain have been down on the Spanish main
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Speaker 1: and at the old trade. And I wish to God
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Speaker 1: that you had all gone about your business, said Cleveland,
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Speaker 1: and left me to my fate, which would have been
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Speaker 1: to be informed against and hanged, Captain the first time
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Speaker 1: that any of these Dutch or English rascals whom you
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Speaker 1: have lightened of their cargoes came to set their eyes
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Speaker 1: upon you. And no place more likely to meet with
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Speaker 1: seafaring men than in these islands, and here to screen
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Speaker 1: you from such a risk. We have been wasting our
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Speaker 1: precious time till folk are grown very peery, and when
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Speaker 1: we have no more goods or money to spend amongst them,
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Speaker 1: the fellows will be for grabbing the ship. Well, then,
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Speaker 1: why do you not sail off without me? Said Cleveland?
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Speaker 1: There has been fair partition, and all have had their share.
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Speaker 1: Let all do as they like. I have lost my ship,
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Speaker 1: and having been once a captain, I will not go
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Speaker 1: to see under command of Gough or any other man. Besides,
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Speaker 1: you know well enough that both Hawkins and He bear
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Speaker 1: me ill will for keeping them from sinking the Spanish
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Speaker 1: brig with the poor devils of negroes on board. Why
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Speaker 1: what the fel fiend is the matter with thee? Said
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Speaker 1: his companion. Are you, Clement Cleveland, our own old, true
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Speaker 1: hearted clem of the cloth. And do you talk of
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Speaker 1: being afraid of Hawkins and Gough and a score of
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Speaker 1: such fellows when you have myself and Barlow and Dick
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Speaker 1: Fletcher at your back. When was it we deserted you,
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Speaker 1: either in council or in fight, that you should be
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Speaker 1: afraid of our flinching now? And as for serving under Goff,
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Speaker 1: I hope it is no new thing for gentlemen of
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Speaker 1: fortune who are going on the account to change a captain.
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Speaker 1: Now and then let us alone for that captain you
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Speaker 1: shall be for death. Rock me asleep if I serve
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Speaker 1: under that fellow Gough, who is as very a bloodhound
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Speaker 1: as ever sucked. Bitch. No, no, I thank you. My
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Speaker 1: captain must have a little of the gentleman about him, howsoever. Besides,
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Speaker 1: you know it was you who first dipped my hands
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Speaker 1: in the dirty water and turned me from a stroller
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Speaker 1: by land to a rover by sea. Alas poor Bunch said, Cleveland,
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Speaker 1: you owe me little thanks for that's servis that is
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Speaker 1: as you take it, replied Bunch. For my part, I
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Speaker 1: see no harm in levying contributions on the public, either
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Speaker 1: one way or the other. But I wish you would
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Speaker 1: forget that name of Bunch and call me Altamont, as
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Speaker 1: I have often desired you to do. I hope a
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Speaker 1: gentleman of the roving trade has as good a right
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Speaker 1: to have an alias as a stroller. And I never
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Speaker 1: stepped on the boards. But what I was Altamont at
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Speaker 1: the least. Well, then, Jack Altamont, replied Cleveland. Since Altamont
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Speaker 1: is the word, yes, but captain Jack is not the word.
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Speaker 1: Though Altamont be so, Jack Altamont. Why tis a velvet
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Speaker 1: coat with paper lace? Let it be Frederick, Captain Frederick
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Speaker 1: Altamont is all of a piece, Frederick be it? Then?
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Speaker 1: With all my heart, said Cleveland, and pray tell me
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Speaker 1: which of your names will sound best at the head
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Speaker 1: of the last speech, confession and dying words of John Bunch,
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Speaker 1: alias Frederick Altamont, who was this morning hanged at execution
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Speaker 1: doc for the crime of piracy upon the high seas. Faith,
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Speaker 1: I cannot answer that question without another can of grog, Captain,
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Speaker 1: So if you will go down with me to bet
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Speaker 1: hal Danes on the quay, I will bestow some thought
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Speaker 1: on the matter. With the help of a right pipe
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Speaker 1: of trinidado, we will have the gallon bull filled with
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Speaker 1: the best stuff you ever tasted, and I know some
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Speaker 1: smart wenches who will help us to drain it. But
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Speaker 1: you shake your head, you are not in the vein. Well,
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Speaker 1: then I will stay with you, for by this hand,
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Speaker 1: clem you shift me off, only I will ferret you
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Speaker 1: out of this burrow of old stones and carry you
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Speaker 1: into sunshine and fair air. Where shall we go? Where
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Speaker 1: you will, said Cleveland, so that you keep out of
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Speaker 1: the way of our own rascals and all others. Why, then,
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Speaker 1: replied Bunch, you and I will go up to the
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Speaker 1: hill of Whitford, which overlooks the town, and walk together
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Speaker 1: as gravely and honestly as a pair of well employed attorneys.
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Speaker 1: As they proceeded to leave the ruinous castle, Bunch, turning
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Speaker 1: back to look at it, thus addressed his companion har
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Speaker 1: Key captain. Dost thou know who last inhabited this old
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Speaker 1: Cawk loft? And earl of the Orkneys, they say, replied Cleveland.
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Speaker 1: And are you advised what death he died of? Said Bunch,
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Speaker 1: for I have heard that it was of a tight
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Speaker 1: neck collar, a hemp and fever or the like. The
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Speaker 1: people here do say, replied Cleveland, that his lordship, some
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Speaker 1: hundred years ago had the mishap to become acquainted with
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Speaker 1: the nature of a loop and a leap in the air.
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Speaker 1: Why law ye there now, said Bunch, there was some
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Speaker 1: credit in being hanged in those days, and in such
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Speaker 1: worshipful company, And what might his lordship have done to
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Speaker 1: deserve such promotion? Plundered the liege subjects, they say, replied Cleveland,
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Speaker 1: slain and wounded them, fired upon his Majesty's flag, and
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Speaker 1: so forth near akin to a gentleman rover, then said Bunch,
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Speaker 1: making a theatrical bow towards the old building. And therefore
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Speaker 1: my most potent grave and Reverend signor Earl, I crave
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Speaker 1: leave to call you my loving cousin, and bid you
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Speaker 1: most heartily adio. I leave you in the good company
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Speaker 1: of rats and mice and so forth, And I carry
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Speaker 1: with me an honest gentleman, who, having of late had
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Speaker 1: no more heart than a mouse, is now desirous to
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Speaker 1: run away from his profession and friends like a rat,
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Speaker 1: and would therefore be a most fitting denizen of your
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Speaker 1: Earlship's palace. I would advise you not to speak so loud,
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Speaker 1: my good friend, Frederick Altamont or John Bunch, said Cleveland.
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Speaker 1: When you were on the stage, you might safely rant
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Speaker 1: as loud as you listed. But in your present profession
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Speaker 1: of which you are so fond, every man speaks under
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Speaker 1: correction of the yard arm and a running noose. The
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Speaker 1: comrades left the little town of Kirkwall in silence and
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Speaker 1: descended the Hill of Whitford, which raises its brow of
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Speaker 1: dark heath uninterrupted by enclosures or cultivation of any kind,
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Speaker 1: to the northward of the ancient burgh of Saint Magnus.
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Speaker 1: The plain at the foot of the hill was already
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Speaker 1: occupied by numbers of persons who were engaged in making
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Speaker 1: preparations for the Fare of Saint Ola to be held
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Speaker 1: upon the ensuing day, and which forms a general rendezvous
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Speaker 1: to all the neighboring islands of Orkney, and is even
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Speaker 1: frequented by many persons from the more distant archipelago of Zeteland.
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Speaker 1: It is in the words of the proclamation of free
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Speaker 1: mercuat and fair holding at the good Burgh of Kirkwall
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Speaker 1: on the third of August, being Saint OLA's day, and
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Speaker 1: continuing for an indefinite space thereafter, extending from three days
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Speaker 1: to a week and upwards. The fair is of great antiquity,
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Speaker 1: and derives its name from Olaus olave Ollah, the celebrated
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Speaker 1: monarch of Norway, who, rather by the edge of his
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Speaker 1: sword than any milder argument, introduced Christianity into those isles,
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Speaker 1: and was respected as the patron of Kirkwall some time
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Speaker 1: before he shared that honor with Saint Magnus the Martyr.
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Speaker 1: It was no part of Cleveland's purpose to mingle in
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Speaker 1: the busy scene which was here. Going on, and turning
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Speaker 1: their route to the left, they soon ascended into undisturbed solitude,
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Speaker 1: save where the grouse more plentiful in Orkney, perhaps than
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Speaker 1: in any other part of the British dominions rose in Covey,
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Speaker 1: and went off before them, having continued to ascend till
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Speaker 1: they had well nigh reached the summit of the conical hill,
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Speaker 1: turned round, as with one consent to look at and
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Speaker 1: admire the prospect beneath. The lively bustle which extended between
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Speaker 1: the foot of the hill and the town gave life
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Speaker 1: and variety to that part of the scene. Then was
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Speaker 1: seen the town itself, out of which arose like a
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Speaker 1: great mass, superior in proportion, as it seemed to the
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Speaker 1: hole Burg, the ancient cathedral of Saint Magnus, of the
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Speaker 1: heaviest order of Gothic architecture, but grand, solemn, and stately
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Speaker 1: the work of a distant age, and of a powerful hand.
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Speaker 1: The quay, with the shipping lent additional vivacity to the scene,
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Speaker 1: and not only the whole beautiful bay which lies betwixt
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Speaker 1: the promontories of inkiness and quantness at the bottom of
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Speaker 1: which Kirkwall is situated, but all the sea so far
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Speaker 1: as visible, and in particular the whole strait betwixt the
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Speaker 1: island of Chapinshaw and that called Pomona, or the mainland
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Speaker 1: was covered and enlivened by a variety of boats and
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Speaker 1: small vessels, freighted from distant islands to convey passengers or
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Speaker 1: merchandised to the fare of Saint Olah. Having attained the
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Speaker 1: point by which this fair and busy prospect was most
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Speaker 1: completely commanded, each of the strangers, in seaman fashion, had
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Speaker 1: recourse to his spyglass to assist the naked eye in
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Speaker 1: considering the Bay of Kirkwall and the numerous vessels by
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Speaker 1: which it was traversed. But the attention of the two
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Speaker 1: companions seemed to be arrested by different objects. That of Bunch,
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Speaker 1: or Altamont, as he chose to call himself, was riveted
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Speaker 1: to the armed sloop, where, conspicuous by her square rigging
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Speaker 1: and length of beam, with the English jack and pennon
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Speaker 1: which they had the precaution to keep flying, she lay
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Speaker 1: among the merchant vessels, as distinguished from them by the
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Speaker 1: trim neatness of her appearance as a trained soldier amongst
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Speaker 1: a crowd of clowns. Yonder she lies, said Bunch, I
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Speaker 1: wish to God she was in the way of Honduras,
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Speaker 1: you captain on the quarterdeck, I your lieutenant and fletcher, quartermaster,
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Speaker 1: and fifty stout fellows under us. I should not wish
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Speaker 1: to see these blasted heaths and rocks again for a while,
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Speaker 1: And Captain, you shall soon be the old brute Goth
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Speaker 1: gets drunk as a lord every day, swaggers and shoots
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Speaker 1: and cuts among the crew. And besides he has quarreled
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Speaker 1: with the people here so damnably that they will scarce
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Speaker 1: let water or provisions go on board of us. We
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Speaker 1: expect an open breech every day. As Bunch received no answer,
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Speaker 1: he turned short round on his companion, and, perceiving his
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Speaker 1: attention otherwise engaged, exclaimed, what the devil is the matter
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Speaker 1: with you? Or what can you see in all that
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Speaker 1: trumpery small craft, which is only loaded with stalkfish and
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Speaker 1: ling and smoked geese and tubs of butter? That is
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Speaker 1: worse than tallow. The cargoes of the whole lumped together,
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Speaker 1: would not be worth the flash of a pistol. No, no,
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Speaker 1: give me such a chase as we might see from
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Speaker 1: the masthead off the island of Trinidado, your dawn rolling
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Speaker 1: as deep in the water as a grampus deep, loading
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Speaker 1: with rum, sugar and bales of tobacco, and all the
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Speaker 1: rest ingots, moidres and gold dust. Then set all sail,
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Speaker 1: clear the deck, stand to quarters up with the jolly Roger.
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Speaker 1: We near her. We make her out to be well
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Speaker 1: manned and armed, twenty guns on her lower deck, said Cleveland.
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Speaker 1: Forty if you will, retorted bunch, and we have but
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Speaker 1: ten mounted. Never mind, the Don blazes away. Never mind, yet,
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Speaker 1: my brave lads run her alongside and on board with
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Speaker 1: you to work with your grenados, your cutlasses, pole axes,
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Speaker 1: and pistols. The Don cries, missera cordia, and we share
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Speaker 1: the cargo without cole licensio signor by my faith, said Cleveland,
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Speaker 1: Thou takest so kindly to the trade, that all the
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Speaker 1: world may see that no honest man was spoiled when
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Speaker 1: you were made a pirate. But you shall not prevail
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Speaker 1: on me to go farther in the devil's road with you,
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Speaker 1: for you know yourself that what is God over his
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Speaker 1: back is spent. You want, how in a week or
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Speaker 1: a month at most, the rum and the sugar are out,
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Speaker 1: the bales of tobacco have become smoke, the moidors, ingots
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Speaker 1: and gold dust have got out of our hands into
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Speaker 1: those of the quiet, honest, conscientious folks who dwell at
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Speaker 1: Port Royal and elsewhere, wink hard on our trade. As
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Speaker 1: long as we have money, but not a jot beyond.
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Speaker 1: Then we have cold looks. And it may be a
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Speaker 1: hint is given to the Judge Marshall, for when our
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Speaker 1: pockets are worth nothing, our honest friends, rather than want,
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Speaker 1: will make money upon our heads. Then comes a high
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Speaker 1: gallows and a short halter, and so dies the gentleman rover.
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Speaker 1: I tell thee I will leave this trade. And when
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Speaker 1: I turn my glass from one of these barks and
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Speaker 1: bodes to another, there is not the worst of them
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Speaker 1: which I would not row for life. Rather than continue
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Speaker 1: to be what I have been. These poor men make
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Speaker 1: the see a means of honest livelihood and friendly communication
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Speaker 1: between shore and shore, for the mutual benefit of the inhabitants.
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Speaker 1: But we have made it a road to the ruin
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Speaker 1: of others, and to our own destruction here and in eternity.
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Speaker 1: I am determined to turn honest man, and use this
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Speaker 1: life no longer. And where will your honesty take up
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Speaker 1: its abode? If it please you, said bunch, you have
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Speaker 1: broken the laws of every nation and the hand of
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Speaker 1: the law will detect and crush you wherever you may
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Speaker 1: take refuge. Cleveland, I speak to you more seriously than
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Speaker 1: I am wont to do. I have had my reflections too,
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Speaker 1: and they have been bad enough, though they lasted but
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Speaker 1: a few minutes, to spoil me weeks of joviality. But
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Speaker 1: here is the matter. What can we do but go
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Speaker 1: on as we have done? Unless we have a direct
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Speaker 1: purpose of adorning the yard arm. We may claim the
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Speaker 1: benefit of the proclamation to those of our sort who
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Speaker 1: come in and surrender, said Cleveland. Umph answered his companion dryly.
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Speaker 1: The date of that day of grace has been for
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Speaker 1: some time over, and they may take the penalty or
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Speaker 1: grant the pardon at their pleasure. Were I you, I
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Speaker 1: would not put my neck in such a venture. Why
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Speaker 1: others have been admitted but lately to favor, and why
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Speaker 1: should not, I, said Cleveland. I replied his associate, Harry
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Speaker 1: Glaspie and some others have been spared, But Glespie did
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Speaker 1: what was called good service in betraying his comrades and
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Speaker 1: retaking the jolly fortune. And that I think you would
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Speaker 1: scorn even to be revenged of the brute off yonder,
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Speaker 1: I would die a thousand times sooner, said Cleveland. I
26:19
Speaker 1: will be sworn for it, said Bunch. And the others
26:23
Speaker 1: were forecastle fellows, patty, larceny, rogues, scarce worth the hemp.
26:29
Speaker 1: It would have cost to hang them. But your name
26:32
Speaker 1: has stood too high amongst the gentlemen of fortune for
26:36
Speaker 1: you to get off so easily. You are the prime
26:41
Speaker 1: buck of the herd and will be marked accordingly. And
26:45
Speaker 1: why so I pray you, said Cleveland. You know well
26:49
Speaker 1: enough my aim, Jack Frederick, if you please, said Bunch,
26:54
Speaker 1: the devil, take your folly, prithee, keep thy wit, and
26:58
Speaker 1: let us be grave for a moment, for a moment,
27:02
Speaker 1: be it so, said Bunch. But I feel the spirit
27:06
Speaker 1: of Altamont coming fast upon me. I have been a
27:10
Speaker 1: grave man for ten minutes already. Be so, then for
27:14
Speaker 1: a little longer, said Cleveland. I know, Jack, that you
27:18
Speaker 1: really love me, and since we have come thus far
27:22
Speaker 1: in this talk, I will trust you entirely. Now tell
27:26
Speaker 1: me why should I be refused the benefit of this
27:30
Speaker 1: gracious proclamation. I have borne a rough outside, as thou knowest,
27:36
Speaker 1: that in time of need, I can show the numbers
27:39
Speaker 1: of lives which I have been the means of saving
27:43
Speaker 1: the property which I have restored to those who owned it,
27:47
Speaker 1: when without my intercession it would have been wantonly destroyed.
27:52
Speaker 1: In short, Bunch, I can show that you were as
27:56
Speaker 1: gentle a thief as Robin Hood himself, said Bunch. And
28:01
Speaker 1: for that reason, I, Fletcher, and the better sort among us,
28:05
Speaker 1: love you as one who saves the character of us,
28:09
Speaker 1: gentlemen rovers from utter reprobation. Well, suppose your pardon made out,
28:15
Speaker 1: What are you to do next? What class in society
28:19
Speaker 1: will receive you? With whom will you associate? Oh, Drake
28:24
Speaker 1: in Queen Bess's time could plunder Peru and Mexico without
28:29
Speaker 1: a line of commission to show for it, And blessed
28:32
Speaker 1: be her memory, he was knighted for it on his return.
28:37
Speaker 1: And there was Hal Morgan, the welchman nearer our time.
28:41
Speaker 1: In the days of Mary King Charles brought all his
28:44
Speaker 1: gettings home, had his estate and his country house. And
28:48
Speaker 1: who but he that all that is ended now? Once
28:53
Speaker 1: a pirate and an outcast forever, the poor devil may
28:57
Speaker 1: go and live shunned and despised by everyone in some
29:02
Speaker 1: obscure seaport, with such part of his guilty earnings, as
29:07
Speaker 1: courtiers and clerks leave him. For pardons do not pass
29:12
Speaker 1: the seals for nothing. And when he takes his walk
29:15
Speaker 1: along the pier, if a stranger asks who is the
29:19
Speaker 1: down looking, swarthy melancholy man for whom I'll make way
29:25
Speaker 1: as if he brought the plague in his person, the
29:28
Speaker 1: answer shall be that is such a one, the pardoned pirate.
29:33
Speaker 1: No honest man will speak to him, no woman of
29:37
Speaker 1: repute will give him her hand. Your picture is too
29:42
Speaker 1: highly colored, Jack, said Cleveland, suddenly interrupting his friend. There
29:47
Speaker 1: are women. There is one at least that would be
29:51
Speaker 1: true to her lover, even if he were what you
29:54
Speaker 1: have described. Bunch was silent for a space and looked
29:59
Speaker 1: fixedly at his friend. By my soul, he said. At length,
30:04
Speaker 1: I begin to think myself a conjurer. Unlikely as it
30:09
Speaker 1: all was, I could not help suspecting from the beginning
30:13
Speaker 1: that there was a girl in the case. Why this
30:17
Speaker 1: is worse than Prince Valsius in love. Ha ha ha.
30:23
Speaker 1: Laugh as you will, said Cleveland. It is true there
30:27
Speaker 1: is a maiden who is contented to love me pirate
30:30
Speaker 1: as I am, And I will fairly own to you
30:34
Speaker 1: Jack that though I have often at times detested our
30:38
Speaker 1: roving life and myself for following it. Yet I doubt
30:43
Speaker 1: if I could have found resolution to make the break
30:47
Speaker 1: which I have now resolved on. But for her sake,
30:51
Speaker 1: why then, God a mercy, replied Bunch. There is no
30:56
Speaker 1: speaking sense to a madman, and love in one of
31:01
Speaker 1: our trade captain is little better than lunacy. The girl
31:06
Speaker 1: must be a rare creature for a wise man to
31:09
Speaker 1: risk hanging for her. But harky, may she not be
31:14
Speaker 1: a little touched as well as yourself? And is it
31:18
Speaker 1: not sympathy that has done it? She cannot be one
31:22
Speaker 1: of our ordinary cockatrices, but a girl of conduct and
31:27
Speaker 1: character both are as undoubted as that she is the
31:32
Speaker 1: most beautiful and bewitching creature whom the eye ever opened upon,
31:38
Speaker 1: answered Cleveland. And she loves THEE, knowing thee most noble
31:43
Speaker 1: captain to be a commander among those gentlemen of fortune
31:48
Speaker 1: whom the vulgar call pirates. Even so I am assured
31:53
Speaker 1: of it, said Cleveland. Why then, answered Bunch, she is
31:58
Speaker 1: either mad in good orth earnest, as I said before,
32:02
Speaker 1: or she does not know what a pirate is. You
32:06
Speaker 1: are right in the last point, replied Cleveland. She has
32:10
Speaker 1: been bred in such remote simplicity and utter ignorance of
32:15
Speaker 1: what is evil, that she compares our occupation with that
32:20
Speaker 1: of the old Norsemen who swept sea and haven with
32:24
Speaker 1: their victorious gullies, established colonies, conquered countries, and took the
32:30
Speaker 1: name of the kings, and a better one it is
32:34
Speaker 1: than that of pirate, and comes much to the same purpose,
32:39
Speaker 1: I dare say, said Bunch, But this must be a
32:43
Speaker 1: meddled wench. Why did you not bring her aboard? Methinks
32:48
Speaker 1: it was pity to bulk her fancy. And do you think,
32:52
Speaker 1: said Cleveland, that I could so utterly play the part
32:57
Speaker 1: of a fallen spirit as to myself, of her enthusiastic error,
33:03
Speaker 1: and bring an angel of beauty and innocence acquainted with
33:07
Speaker 1: such a hell as exists on board of yonder infernal
33:12
Speaker 1: ship of ours. I tell you, my friend, that were
33:16
Speaker 1: all my former sins doubled in wait and in die,
33:21
Speaker 1: such a villainy would have outglared and outweighed them all. Why, then,
33:27
Speaker 1: Captain Cleveland, said his confidant, methinks it was but a
33:32
Speaker 1: fool's part to come hither at all. The news must
33:37
Speaker 1: one day have gone abroad that the celebrated pirate Captain Cleveland,
33:42
Speaker 1: with his good sloop the revenge had been lost on
33:46
Speaker 1: the mainland of Zetland, and all hands perished. So you
33:51
Speaker 1: would have remained hid both from friend and enemy, and
33:55
Speaker 1: might have married your pretty Zetlander and converted your sash
34:00
Speaker 1: scarf into fishing nuts, and you're cutlass into a harpoon,
34:05
Speaker 1: and swept the seas for fish instead of Florence. And
34:10
Speaker 1: so I had determined, said the Captain. But a jagger
34:14
Speaker 1: as they call them here, like a meddling peddling thief
34:18
Speaker 1: as he is, brought down intelligence to Zeteland of your
34:22
Speaker 1: line here. And I was fain to set off to
34:26
Speaker 1: see if you were the consort of whom I had
34:30
Speaker 1: told them long before I thought of leaving the roving trade,
34:35
Speaker 1: I said, bunch. And so far you judged well. For
34:40
Speaker 1: as you had heard of our being at Kirkwall, so
34:44
Speaker 1: we should have soon learned that you were at Zetland,
34:48
Speaker 1: and some of us for friendship, some for hatred, and
34:52
Speaker 1: some for fear of your playing Harry Glaspie upon us
34:56
Speaker 1: would have come down for the purpose of getting you
35:00
Speaker 1: into our company again. I suspected as much, said the captain,
35:05
Speaker 1: and therefore was fain to decline the courteous offer of
35:09
Speaker 1: a friend who proposed to bring me here about this time. Besides, Jack,
35:15
Speaker 1: I recollected that, as you say, my pardon will not
35:20
Speaker 1: pass the seals without money. My own was waxing low.
35:25
Speaker 1: No wonder thou knowest I was never a churl of it.
35:29
Speaker 1: And so and so you came for your share of
35:33
Speaker 1: the cobs, replied his friend. It was wisely done, and
35:38
Speaker 1: we shared honorably. So far Goff has acted up to articles.
35:43
Speaker 1: It must be allowed. But keep your purpose of leaving
35:47
Speaker 1: him close in your breast, for I dread his playing
35:51
Speaker 1: you some dog's trick or other, for he certainly thought
35:56
Speaker 1: himself sure of your share, and will hardly forget your
36:00
Speaker 1: coming alive to disappoint him. I fear him not, said Cleveland,
36:06
Speaker 1: And he knows that well I would I were as
36:10
Speaker 1: well clear of the consequences of having been his comrade
36:14
Speaker 1: as I hold myself to be of all those which
36:18
Speaker 1: may attend his ill will another unhappy job I may
36:23
Speaker 1: be troubled with. I hurt a young fellow who has
36:26
Speaker 1: been my plague for some time in an unhappy brawl
36:31
Speaker 1: that chanced the morning I left zetelund Is he dead?
36:35
Speaker 1: Asked Bunch. It is a more serious question here than
36:39
Speaker 1: it would be on the Grand Caymans or the Bahama Isles,
36:44
Speaker 1: where a brace or two of fellows may be shot
36:47
Speaker 1: in a morning and no more heard of or asked
36:50
Speaker 1: about them than if they were so many woodpigeons. But
36:55
Speaker 1: here it may be otherwise. So I hope you have
36:59
Speaker 1: not made friend immortal. I hope not, said the captain,
37:04
Speaker 1: though my anger has been fatal to those who have
37:07
Speaker 1: given me less provocation to say the truth. I was
37:12
Speaker 1: sorry for the lad notwithstanding, and especially as I was
37:16
Speaker 1: forced to leave him in mad keeping. In mad keeping,
37:21
Speaker 1: said Bunch. Why what means that you shall hear? Replied
37:26
Speaker 1: his friend. In the first place, you are to know.
37:30
Speaker 1: This young man came suddenly on me while I was
37:33
Speaker 1: trying to gain Menna's ear for a private interview before
37:38
Speaker 1: I set sail, that I might explain my purpose to
37:41
Speaker 1: her now, to be broken in on by the accursed
37:46
Speaker 1: rudeness of this young fellow at such a moment, the
37:50
Speaker 1: interruption deserved death, said Bunch, By all the laws of
37:55
Speaker 1: love and honor. At truce with your ends of plays
37:59
Speaker 1: jack and listen. One moment the brisk youth thought proper
38:04
Speaker 1: to retort when I commanded him to be gone. I
38:08
Speaker 1: am not, thou knowest, very patient, and enforced my commands
38:12
Speaker 1: with a blow, which he returned as roundly. We struggled
38:17
Speaker 1: till I became desirous that we should part at any rate,
38:21
Speaker 1: which I could only affect by a stroke of my poniard, which,
38:26
Speaker 1: according to old youse, I have thou knowest always about me.
38:32
Speaker 1: I had scarce done this when I repented, But there
38:36
Speaker 1: was no time to think of anything save escape and concealment,
38:41
Speaker 1: for if the house rose on me, I was lost,
38:45
Speaker 1: as the fiery old man who was head of the
38:48
Speaker 1: family would have done justice on me had I been
38:51
Speaker 1: his brother. I took the body hastily on my shoulders
38:56
Speaker 1: to carry it down to the seashore, with the purpose
38:59
Speaker 1: of throwing it into arriva as they call them, or
39:03
Speaker 1: chasm of great depth, where it would have been long
39:07
Speaker 1: enough in being discovered. This done, I intended to jump
39:11
Speaker 1: into the boat which I had lying ready, and set
39:15
Speaker 1: sail for Kirkwall. But as I was walking hastily towards
39:20
Speaker 1: the beach with my burden. The poor young fellow groaned
39:24
Speaker 1: and so apprised me that the wound had not been
39:28
Speaker 1: instantly fatal. I was by this time well concealed among
39:33
Speaker 1: the rocks, and far from desiring to complete my crime.
39:37
Speaker 1: I laid the young man on the ground and was
39:40
Speaker 1: doing what I could to staunch the blood, when suddenly
39:44
Speaker 1: an old woman stood before me. She was a person
39:48
Speaker 1: whom I had frequently seen while in Zetland, and to
39:52
Speaker 1: whom they ascribed the character of a sorceress, or, as
39:57
Speaker 1: the Negroes say, an obi woman. She demanded the wounded
40:01
Speaker 1: man of me, and I was too much pressed for
40:05
Speaker 1: time to hesitate in complying with her request. More, she
40:10
Speaker 1: was about to say to me, when we heard the
40:13
Speaker 1: voice of a silly old man belonging to the family,
40:17
Speaker 1: singing at some distance. She then pressed her finger on
40:21
Speaker 1: her lip as a sign of secrecy, whistled very low,
40:25
Speaker 1: and a shapeless, deformed brood of a dwarf coming to
40:29
Speaker 1: her assistance, they carried the wounded man into one of
40:34
Speaker 1: the caverns with which the place abounds, and I got
40:38
Speaker 1: to my boat and to see with all expedition if
40:42
Speaker 1: that old hag be, as they say, connected with the
40:46
Speaker 1: king of the air. She favored me that morning with
40:50
Speaker 1: a turn of her calling, for not even the West
40:54
Speaker 1: Indian tornadoes which we have weathered together, made a wilder
40:59
Speaker 1: racket than the squall that drove me so far out
41:03
Speaker 1: of our course that without a pocket compass, which I
41:07
Speaker 1: chanced to have about me, I should never have recovered
41:11
Speaker 1: the fair isle for which we run, and where I
41:15
Speaker 1: found a brig which brought me to this place. But
41:18
Speaker 1: whether the old woman meant me weal or woe, here
41:22
Speaker 1: we came at length in safety from the sea, and
41:26
Speaker 1: here I remain in doubts and difficulties of more kinds
41:31
Speaker 1: than one, Oh devil, take the some bird head, said
41:35
Speaker 1: bunch or whatever they called the rock that you knocked
41:39
Speaker 1: our clever little revenge against. Do not say I knocked
41:43
Speaker 1: her on the rock, said Cleveland. Have I not told
41:47
Speaker 1: you fifty times? If the cowards had not taken to
41:51
Speaker 1: their boat, though I showed them the danger and told
41:55
Speaker 1: them they would all be swamped, which happened the instant
41:59
Speaker 1: they cast off the painter, She would have been afloat
42:03
Speaker 1: at this moment. Had they stood by me and the ship.
42:07
Speaker 1: Their lives would have been saved had I gone with them,
42:11
Speaker 1: mine would have been lost. Who can say which is
42:15
Speaker 1: for the best, well, replied his friend, I know your
42:20
Speaker 1: case now, and can the better help and advise. I
42:24
Speaker 1: will be true to you, Clement, as the blade to
42:27
Speaker 1: the hilt. But I cannot think that you should leave us,
42:31
Speaker 1: as the old Scottish song says, woes my heart that
42:36
Speaker 1: we should sunder. But come you will aboard with us
42:40
Speaker 1: to day. At any rate, I have no other place
42:44
Speaker 1: of refuge, said Cleveland with a sigh. He then once
42:48
Speaker 1: more ran his eyes over the bay, directing his spyglass
42:53
Speaker 1: upon several of the vessels which traversed its surface, in
42:57
Speaker 1: hopes doubtless of discerning the vessel of Magnus Troil, and
43:02
Speaker 1: then followed his companion down the hill in silence. End
43:07
Speaker 1: of Chapter eleven.