Carried Off Part 6

'We must have two hours to deliberate on this paper, gentlemen,' said the Governor, uneasily; 'for I hear there is great panic on the island, and that the people are leaving their homes and flocking to the fortresses. If so, a worse enemy than the pirates may trouble us, and that will be famine. Go, Carlo, and tell the messengers to return to him who sent them, and say that my answer shall be taken to Henry Morgan by my own trustworthy messengers, but that they must be promised a safe-conduct.'

Carlo had nothing to do but to obey. He found the man and the boy in the courtyard surrounded by a strong guard of Spaniards. He proudly gave his father's message, but, thinking of Etta's words, he could not help being struck with the n.o.ble bearing of the fair-haired youth, who appeared to be much disturbed by the rude looks and taunts of the soldiers about him, for he scarcely lifted his head till Carlo had done speaking, when he suddenly looked up at him, as if he were going to say something; but, evidently thinking better of it, he remained silent.

'Marry, then, in two hours our Captain will expect your answer,' said the pirate, 'and it were best not to trifle with him, as he is sure to keep his word. 'Tis no time to dally.'

'_Perros! nos veremos,_' exclaimed a soldier after Carlo had turned away in silence--which words mean in English, 'Dogs, we shall meet you,' and were accompanied by some insulting dumb show at the departing messengers.

After this the boy went back to the council-room; but what was his surprise at finding it barred and bolted, whilst a soldier, who was guarding it, said respectfully that the Governor's orders were that no one might enter.

'That does not include me,' said Carlo, angrily.

'Pardon, n.o.ble Senor Carlo; the Marquis said, "Not even my son."'

[Ill.u.s.tration: _CARLO REFUSED ADMISSION_ (missing from book)]

Carlo turned away, too indignant to say anything in answer; and then he went sorrowfully upstairs to get some comfort where he knew he should always find it. He told the girls what had just happened, adding:

'It is very unjust of my father.' Then, as Felipa blushed with sorrow, he added: 'No, I ought not to say that, for I fancy he did not mean to exclude me, only that stupid Luis wished to show his importance and invented the order.'

'Tell me, dear Carlo,' put in Etta, eagerly, 'did you speak to the English boy? I saw the soldier escort him and his fellow down the hill; and how I wished I could have had a few words with him!'

'What! with a pirate, Etta? But would that I could go into the council-room! If my father decides to despatch several hundred men, he must give me the command of at least a little band. You should see how well I could command.'

'Your n.o.ble father only meant, Senorito, that you must not disturb the meeting,' said Catalina, joining in; 'and I know there is a door at the other end, which is made but of light bamboos, and you can hear well enough there all that goes on.' Catalina spoke with so much certainty that it seemed as if she had herself been eavesdropping.

Carlo was delighted with the idea. 'Is that so, Catalina? The saints reward you, you dear old woman! I will give you a silk kerchief worked in gold thread the next time a merchant ship comes here from Panama.

Ah, Etta, I am afraid you will never see your fair English boy again, so do not expect it, unless we take him prisoner; then I will spare him for your sake. That is a bargain. Now, Catalina, come and show me your secret way.' And delighted that he should not be quite excluded from hearing the plans of defence, the eager Carlo followed Catalina, quite believing that after all it was not his father but the stupid guard Luis who had prevented him from joining in the council of war. He was, however, soon to be undeceived.

CHAPTER VII.

TREACHERY.

An hour later, when the Governor came out of the council-chamber and was entering his own private room, he looked ten years older. At this moment Carlo rushed into the room and threw himself at his father's feet.

Don Estevan looked much surprised, and the papers he held in his hand shook visibly.

'Father, you cannot mean it!' cried the Governor's only son, 'say it is not true! There is yet time: the messengers have not yet started. I beseech you think better of it. I heard everything.'

'You heard everything? What do you mean, you insolent boy!' cried the Marquis, angrily; 'you were not in the council-chamber. Get up, Carlo; what is done is done for the best.'

'No, no, it cannot be for the best to betray this island. The stratagem you have suggested is unworthy of you; it cannot be true that Don Estevan del Campo will allow those villains to take this fortress without so much as a blow!'

Poor Carlo was beside himself with grief; he had indeed heard only too much from his hiding-place. The Governor had entirely lost his head, and was unable to make up his mind to fight the dreaded buccaneers; and now that he had found out their real number, and the number of their ships, he could think of nothing but temporising with them. He had forced the council to agree to send two messengers to Henry Morgan with these terms: They were to say that, feeling himself quite unable to hold the island against such a body of desperate men as Captain Morgan had with him, the Marquis begged the Captain to use a certain stratagem of war in order to make it appear to the people that the place was taken in honest fight. Captain Morgan was, according to this plan, to come at night to the bridge which divided the two islands, and here he was to attack Fort St. Jerome. In the meanwhile the pirate ships were to approach as near as possible to Santa Teresa and attack it from the sea; also at the same time to land a body of men at a place hard by, called St. Matthew. Here the Governor was to be intercepted on his way to Fort Jerome, taken prisoner, and forced to give up the keys of the castles of Santa Teresa and St. Jerome, and the possession of these two strong places would virtually mean that of the whole island. There was to be a feint, much firing on both sides, but no bullets were to be used; moreover, they were to fire in the air, to make sure of no one being killed on either side.

This was the shameful plan of surrender that Carlo had heard his father propose, and not only propose but enforce on the majority of the men composing the council; though Don Francisco de Paratta and a few others had firmly refused to give their consent to such a base affair.

The Marquis also knew that Carlo, young as he was, was too bold and fearless ever to give in his obedience to this idea, and for this reason he had had him shut out from the deliberations. He was therefore all the more indignant and angry when Carlo declared he had heard everything, and his burst of indignation was terrible to witness.

'You forget your position and mine,' said the unhappy Marquis in a pa.s.sion. 'What can you know, Carlo, of the defences of the island? How can I consent to a general ma.s.sacre of my garrisons, when by this simple means we shall avoid all loss? And in a few days these wild robbers will leave the island for other more profitable fields, and--but why should I explain my reasons to you? What business had you to be eavesdropping?

Is that the conduct to be expected from my son?'

Carlo did not seem to hear his father's personal abuse; his mind was bent on averting the terrible blot which, if this plan were carried out, must come on his father's name. However secret these negotiations might now be kept, sooner or later they would become known, and the name Carlo was so proud to bear would be for ever dishonoured.

'Let me go and stop the canoe; or if it is gone, Andreas can easily overtake the messengers. Father, be angry with me, do anything; but do not let us sell our honour!'

The Marquis was now in a worse pa.s.sion than ever with his son who dared to speak the truth to him.

'Carlo, you shall not speak so! you forget yourself. Go from my presence at once, sir, and consider yourself a prisoner on parole. Do not leave your sister's dwelling-room till I give you leave; and remember, if you disobey I shall have to show my son that he cannot break my rules with impunity.'

Carlo turned away, convinced now that his father could only be obstinate and firm in the wrong place. Covering his face with his hands, the brave boy sobbed as if his heart would break. He had dreamt of honour and glorious deeds, and these dreams had only ended in a story of shame.

Going to his own room, he gazed down on the glorious tropical gardens and woods of his beloved home, and caught sight of the Governor's canoe starting off with two men in her carrying the fatal message. The clock struck; the two hours allowed by the pirates were sped, and the Island of St. Catherine was as good as taken by Henry Morgan and his thousand men.

How long Carlo remained sunk in deep despondency, with now and then interludes of sudden impotent rage, he did not heed. He knew that the sham attack would not take place till night, for evil deeds hate daylight, and there was a long time yet before sundown. But, alas! all the need for exertion was gone, all the motive for brave resistance was taken away.

'I will not be included in the treaty, however,' he thought suddenly.

'I have spoken against it, and I will use my bullets and my sword as a good and honourable soldier should do.' Then, suddenly, the idea of danger for his sister and Etta entered his head. Tales of captivity endured by women and children when they fell into the pirates' hands crowded into his head. How could he trust his father now? Certainly he must be losing his mind: this was the only charitable way of looking at his conduct. If this were the case, the welfare of Felipa was his duty, and, slowly rising, he tried to wash away traces of tears which might perhaps seem unmanly to those who did not know the reason.

When he entered the room to which he had been sent as a prisoner, the girls at once noticed the expression of his face.

'Carlo, what is the matter?'

'Surely all will be well now,' added Etta. 'We saw the canoe start with the answer. Ah, those robbers will understand we cannot be taken in brave Santa Teresa, whatever they may do.'

'I should think not!' said Catalina. 'Those infidels don't understand that the saints protect us. So you heard the deliberations, Senor Carlo?'

'Yes, well enough; but look, Catalina: suppose these pirates should get the better of us--for they are reported to be very strong--is there any place where you and the girls might hide? My father is so busy giving orders that he has not time to attend to all these matters.'

'No need to prepare for the impossible,' said Catalina; 'Jose told me that if Santa Teresa were besieged for a year it would be of no use; we have fleet Indians who can pa.s.s through the forest, and could bring in food unseen by any horde of pirates. So, Senorito, do not disturb yourself about us.'

'But impossible things, as we call them, do happen, Catalina, and it is best to be prepared. Well, anyhow, I shall go out to fight to-night; for it is then the attack is expected, and then I will win a right to my knighthood.'

'There is the great cupboard in this chamber,' said Catalina, 'into which opens the secret staircase. Few of the men know it, but the Marquis told me of it. That is safe enough. If any steps are heard without we can easily run down the stairs, and a door there leads to the dungeons below. Never fear, Senor Carlo; old Catalina doesn't mean to be taken by men who would think nothing of murdering me unless they wanted a wife.'

'Dear Catalina, you must never marry,' said Felipa, kissing her old nurse, 'at least not a pirate: I could not spare you. But do leave off talking of danger, Carlo, when there is none. You frighten us for nothing. Look how lovely the garden is after last night's rain: the tamarind has spread out all its leaves to show us it is fine again. How I long to go out and have a game this morning!'

'And did you hear that Andreas killed a fer-de-lance snake this morning?' added Etta. 'He says it is bad luck and an evil sign, but I told him it was a good thing to kill those wicked, poisonous creatures.'

Carlo hardly listened to these remarks; he was thinking only of the coming calamity; and though the affection of two girls comforted him he could not join in their laughter. They no longer feared the terrible pirates, and were anxious now to be allowed to go out into the wood.

But as the only gate Santa Teresa possessed was closed, with strict orders to let no one in or out, they had to content themselves with sitting at the open window whilst the sounds of soldiers' clashing armour and noisy drill, mingled with loud orders shouted hither and thither, only increased their excitement.

Then the sun went down on the beautiful island and darkness fell on the exquisite landscape. Carlo dared not leave the room till he knew his father had gone forth with his band of men towards St. Matthew, which was but a little further down the coast, and was not difficult of access by the sea-sh.o.r.e.

As time went on the confusion increased, and no one seemed inclined to go to bed. At last the Marquis collected his men; and though Carlo could not see much from his position, yet as he looked down from the window and saw the torch-light fall on his father's face he would hardly have known him, so changed was he. Carlo knew now that there was no help for it; he must only be thankful that he had heard of the treachery and that he was not himself starting out on this mock expedition as he might otherwise have been doing. This fact surprised the girls much.