to have and to hold-第34节
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He started； and his black brows drew together。 〃Though the fortunes of war have made me in some sort your captive； sir；〃 he said at last； and not without dignity； 〃I do not see； upon this isle to which we are all prisoners； the need of so strong testimony to the abjectness of my condition； nor deem it generous〃 …
〃We will speak of generosity another day； my lord；〃 I interrupted。 〃At present I am in a hurry。 That you are my prisoner in verity is enough for me； but not for others。 I must have you so in seeming as well as in truth。 Moreover； Master Sparrow is weaponless； and I must needs disarm an enemy to arm a friend。 I beg that you will give what else we must take。〃
He looked at Diccon； but Diccon stood with his face to the sea。 I thought we were to have a struggle； and I was sorry for it； but my lord could and did add discretion to a valor that I never doubted。 He shrugged his shoulders； burst into a laugh； and turned to Mistress Percy。
〃What can one do； lady； when one is doubly a prisoner； prisoner to numbers and to beauty？ E'en laugh at fate； and make the best of a bad job。 Here； sir！ Some day it shall be the point！〃
He drew his rapier from its sheath； and presented the hilt to me。 I took it with a bow； and handed it to Sparrow。
The King's ward had risen； and now leant against the bank of sand； her long dark hair； half braided； drawn over either shoulder； her face marble white between the waves of darkness。
〃I do not know that I shall ever come back；〃 I said； stopping before her。 〃May I kiss your hand before I go？〃
Her lips moved； but she did not speak。 I knelt and kissed her clasped hands。 They were cold to my lips。 〃Where are you going？〃 she whispered。 〃Into what danger are you going？ I … I … take me with you！〃
I rose； with a laugh at my own folly that could have rested brow and lips on those hands； and let the world wag。 〃Another time；〃 I said。 〃Rest in the sunshine now； and think that all is well。 All will be well； I trust。〃
A few minutes later saw me almost upon the party gathered about the grave。 The grave had received that which it was to hold until the crack of doom； and was now being rapidly filled with sand。 The crew of deep…dyed villains worked or stood or sat in silence； but all looked at the grave； and saw me not。 As the last handful of sand made it level with the beach； I walked into their midst； and found myself face to face with the three candidates for the now vacant captaincy。
〃Give you good…day； gentlemen；〃 I cried。 〃Is it your captain that you bury or one of your crew； or is it only pezos and pieces of eight？〃
CHAPTER XXII IN WHICH I CHANGE MY NAME AND OCCUPATION
〃THE sun shining on so much bare steel hurts my eyes；〃 I said。 〃Put up； gentlemen； put up！ Cannot one rover attend the funeral of another without all this crowding and display of cutlery？ If you will take the trouble to look around you； you will see that I have brought to the obsequies only myself。〃
One by one cutlass and sword were lowered； and those who had drawn them； falling somewhat back； spat and swore and laughed。 The man in black and silver only smiled gently and sadly。 〃Did you drop from the blue？〃 he asked。 〃Or did you come up from the sea？〃
〃I came out of it；〃 I said。 〃My ship went down in the storm yesterday。 Your little cockboat yonder was more fortunate。〃 I waved my hand toward that ship of three hundred tons； then twirled my mustaches and stood at gaze。
〃Was your ship so large； then？〃 demanded Paradise； while a murmur of admiration； larded with oaths； ran around the circle。
〃She was a very great galleon；〃 I replied； with a sigh for the good ship that was gone。
A moment's silence； during which they all looked at me。 〃A galleon；〃 then said Paradise softly。
〃They that sailed her yesterday are to…day at the bottom of the sea；〃 I continued。 〃Alackaday！ so are one hundred thousand pezos of gold； three thousand bars of silver； ten frails of pearls； jewels uncounted； cloth of gold and cloth of silver。 She was a very rich prize。〃
The circle sucked in their breath。 〃All at the bottom of the sea？〃 queried Red Gil； with gloating eyes fixed upon the smiling water。 〃Not one pezo left； not one little； little pearl？〃
I shook my head and heaved a prodigious sigh。 〃The treasure is gone；〃 I said； 〃and the men with whom I took it are gone。 I am a captain with neither ship nor crew。 I take you； my friends； for a ship and crew without a captain。 The inference is obvious。〃
The ring gaped with wonder； then strange oaths arose。 Red Gil broke into a bellow of angry laughter； while the Spaniard glared like a catamount about to spring。 〃So you would be our captain？〃 said Paradise； picking up another shell； and poising it upon a hand as fine and small as a woman's。
〃Faith； you might go farther and fare worse；〃 I answered； and began to hum a tune。 When I had finished it； 〃I am Kirby；〃 I said； and waited to see if that shot should go wide or through the hull。
For two minutes the dash of the surf and the cries of the wheeling sea fowl made the only sound in that part of the world； then from those half…clad rapscallions arose a shout of 〃Kirby！〃 … a shout in which the three leaders did not join。 That one who looked a gentleman rose from the sand and made me a low bow。 〃Well met； noble captain；〃 he cried in those his honey tones。 〃You will doubtless remember me who was with you that time at Maracaibo when you sunk the galleasses。 Five years have passed since then； and yet I see you ten years younger and three inches taller。〃
〃I touched once at the Lucayas； and found the spring de Leon sought；〃 I said。 〃Sure the waters have a marvelous effect； and if they give not eternal youth at least renew that which we have lost。〃
〃Truly a potent aqua vit‘；〃 he remarked； still with thoughtful melancholy。 〃I see that it hath changed your eyes from black to gray。〃
〃It hath that peculiar virtue；〃 I said； 〃that it can make black seem white。〃
The man with the woman's mantle drawn about him now thrust himself from the rear to the front rank。 〃That's not Kirby！〃 he bawled。 〃He's no more Kirby than I am Kirby！ Did n't I sail with Kirby from the Summer Isles to Cartagena and back again？ He's a cheat； and I am agoing to cut his heart out！〃 He was making at me with a long knife； when I whipped out my rapier。
〃Am I not Kirby； you dog？〃 I cried； and ran him through the shoulder。
He dropped； and his fellows surged forward with a yell。 〃Yet a little patience； my masters！〃 said Paradise in a raised voice and with genuine amusement in his eyes。 〃It is true that that Kirby with whom I and our friend there on the ground sailed was somewhat short and as swart as a raven； besides having a cut across his face that had taken away a part of his lip and the top of his ear； and that this gentleman who announces himself as Kirby hath none of Kirby's marks。 But we are fair and generous and open to conviction〃 …
〃He'll have to convince my cutlass！〃 roared Red Gil。
I turned upon him。 〃If I do convince it； what then？〃 I demanded。 〃If I convince your sword； you of Spain； and yours； Sir Black and Silver？〃
The Spaniard stared。 〃I was the best sword in Lima；〃 he said stiffly。 〃I and my Toledo will not change our minds。〃
〃Let him try to convince Paradise； he's got no reputation as a swordsman！〃 cried out the gravedigger with the broken head。
A roar of laughter followed this suggestion； and I gathered from it and from the oaths and allusions to this or that time and place that Paradise was not without reputation。
I turned to him。 〃If I fight you three； one by one； and win； am I Kirby？〃
He regarded the shell with which he was toying with a thoughtful smile； held it up that the light might strike through its rose and pearl； then crushed it to dust between his fingers。
〃Ay；〃 he said with an oath。 〃If you win against the cutlass of Red Gil； the best blade of Lima； and the sword of Paradise； you may call yourself the devil an you please； and we will all subscribe to it。〃
I lifted my hand。 〃I am to have fair play？〃
As one man that crew of desperate villains swore that the odds should be only three to one。 By this the whole matter had presented itself to them as an entertainment more diverting than bullfight or bearbaiting。 They that follow the sea； whether honest men or black…hearted knaves； have in their composition a certain childlikeness that makes them easily turned； easily led； and easily pleased。 The wind of their passion shifts quickly from point to point； one moment blowing a hurricane； the next sinking to a happy…go…lucky summer breeze。 I have seen a little thing convert a crew on the point of mutiny into a set of rollicking； good…natured souls who … until the wind veered again … would not hurt a fly。 So with these。 They spread themselves into a circle； squatting or kneeling or standing upon the white sand in the bright sunshine； their sinewy hands that should have been ingrained red clasped over their knees； or； arms akimbo； resting upon their hips； on their scoundrel faces a broad smile； and in their eyes that had looked on nameless horrors a pleasurable expectation as of spectators in a playhouse awaiting the entrance of the players。
〃There is really no good reason why we should gratify y
