The Admirable Lady Biddy Fane Part 16

"But," says she, "I know not but that he has some fresh device in mind, for there has been a great Afric negro past the window half a dozen times, and on each occasion he has grinned with his big mouth so that I am quite at a loss what to make of him."

I asked her to describe this fellow to me, which she did closely, telling me he was over six feet high and proportionate in girth, with a flat nose spread upon his shining black face, and a huge mouth projecting like any ape's.

By these tokens I recalled to mind such a blackamoor fighting beside Rodrigues at that time I first boarded the _Black Death_. But what this purpose might be in pa.s.sing the cabin window and grinning at Lady Biddy perplexed me as greatly as it did her, until of a sudden I bethought me of the attempt to enter the cabin in the night, and of the boy unbolting the trap.

"Did you see him at any time in company with the little wretch who waits on you?" I asked.

"Yes," replied Lady Biddy. "Indeed from his handing a dish to the boy I am disposed to believe he is the cook."

This so strengthened my suspicions that I could make no reply; for though I would fain have spared Lady Biddy any further addition to her anxiety, yet could I see no way of concealing this new peril from her without adding to her danger.

"Do you not think, Benet," says she presently, "that there is some new design of Rodrigues in this?"

"Nay," says I, "I am rather disposed to believe that this is some new enemy your beauty has created, and that this heathen negro has a mind to possess you before his master."

She shuddered, and sank down as if overwhelmed with this new horror.

Then I told her of the attempt to enter the cabin by night, and of the boy's villainy, showing her the hatch straightway.

"However," says I, "be a.s.sured that you run no greater risk from him than from the other villain. But I must beg you to repose as best you may in the big cabin to-night, and leave this chamber to me and the negro. We must rid ourselves of our enemies one at a time, with G.o.d's help."

"Surely you do not intend to let him enter by that trap-door, Benet?"

"Yes," says I, "that way must he come to the end he deserves. G.o.d knows I have no taste to the taking of life; but this wretch seeks our undoing; not we his. In self-defense I must kill him."

"But may you not as well foil him by shooting the bolt of the trap-door, Benet?"

"No," says I, "for that will only lead him to seek other means which we may not be prepared to frustrate. With a rope he may let himself down into the gallery beyond your cabin."

"I will run that risk," says she, "rather than you shall jeopardize your life for me. You will still be at hand to fulfill your promise, whether my enemy be this black or Rodrigues. At the worst we can but die."

"Ay, that is true," says I, transported with delight at this dear girl's concern for my safety; "but we must endeavor for the best rather than await the worst, and I make no doubt but that all will go well if you let me have my way. Nay, you must," I added, firmly.

And this firmness taking effect on her judgment (for women respect nothing so much as decision in a man), she consented to do as I directed.

When night fell she bolted the door of the outer cabin, drew her blinds, lowered the wick of the lamp till it shed but a mere glimmer, and sought repose on the sofett, though little disposed to sleep.

Meanwhile, having drawn the bolt of the hatch and returned the carpet to its place, I knelt down beside it with my knife in my hand, and no mercy in my heart.

Again this night was pitch dark, though it rained not, so that no light came into the cabin, and I could see nothing whatever save a thin thread of light under the betwixt door, and that but dim because of the lamp being low in the next cabin. But if my eyes were useless to me, my ears served me well, and no sound in the ship escaped me; yet I heard nothing of importance for many hours, as it seemed to me. A long while it must have been, for several times I had to shift my position because of being cramped in my legs by kneeling so long in one position.

At length an unusual sound (but very slight) reached my ear, and putting my head to the floor, I did distinctly hear the creak of wood, such as a ladder might make under the weight of a heavy body. Then, lifting my head and tightening my muscles, I grasped my knife, and prepared for the stroke.

Presently a fresh sound warned me that my enemy had come to the trap; but whether he had it opened or not I could not tell for the darkness, so that I was forced to reach forward with my left hand to feel whether the hatch was up or down.

The floor was still level.

I waited, trusting to my ears to tell me by the grating of the carpet on the edge of the hatch when it was raised. Yet heard I never a sound for his great circ.u.mspection, though expecting it for half an hour at least, as I judge; so that in the end, thinking I had been mistaken as to the sound I had heard at first, or that the wretch at the last moment had gone from his design, I stretched forth my left hand once more to feel the floor. But, lo! instead of touching the carpet as I thought to do, my hand fell plump on the negro's head, as I knew to my certainty by the short, wiry curls that distinguished his hair from other men's.

I did not hesitate for one moment, but clutching his hair firmly with my left hand, I stabbed my knife down where I thought his neck might be.

I knew I had not missed him, for I felt my knife sc.r.a.pe along a bone, and his warm blood gush over my hand, yet where I could not tell.

Without a cry (Heaven be praised!) he fell. Nor could I (having thrown my whole might on him) help but fall with him; so down I went, heels over head through the hatchway, but happily by the incline of the steps below, and striking on the negro's carcase when I got to the bottom, I escaped this bout with no more injury than a sc.r.a.ped shin and a bruised elbow. My chief concern was that the noise of our fall had alarmed some of the ship's company; and getting quickly on my feet I listened for a minute in terrible suspense.

Then from above I heard Lady Biddy whisper, anxiously, "Benet! Benet!"

"All's well--all's well!" I answered, softly. "Go back to the cabin and move about that the watch may think you made the noise."

This she did, leaving the betwixt door open, and raising the light of the lamp, as I could see by the square patch above, where the light gleamed faintly through the hatchway.

Casting my eyes around that I might, if possible, find out my position, I spied a little lantern not far off, hidden away between two barrels.

And a perilous thing it seemed to place it there, for at a glance I perceived that these were barrels of powder, and many other like barrels were ranged along that side. But seamen, by being constantly exposed to danger, do get to be wondrous reckless and foolhardy, and none more so than these pirates.

Taking away the lantern and lifting it high, I saw that the walls were hung and fitted with muskets, swords, pikes, and all sorts of weapons, whereby it was made clear to me that I had pitched down into the ship's armory. Further, this explained the reason of there being a way of communication with the captain's cabin; for in case of mutiny (which pirates must always look to encounter), Rodrigues could close the armory from within, and provision himself and his followers for their defense of the roundhouse or coach.

From this store I thought it not amiss to furnish myself with a good sheath-dagger in place of my jack-knife, which either I had not drawn from the negro after stabbing him, or had dropped from my hand in falling down from above. As I went to take the weapon I wanted from the wall, my foot kicked against something round on the ground, and, looking down, I perceived there a pile of hand-grenades, and this at once put me in mind how I might, at any moment, destroy the ship with every soul it contained. For by casting one of those grenades amongst the powder, such an explosion would be caused as should rend every timber asunder, and in one moment blow all living creatures from the ship into eternity.

I took up a grenade, and, examining it, found that it was properly fitted with a fusee; so, turning it about in my hand, I reflected how sure and quick it would be to our destruction, and how preferable to any death I might deal with a blade. Finally my heart sickening at the thought of having to plunge a knife in Lady Biddy's bosom, I resolved that if her escape from shame could only be wrought by death, I would use this grenade, that we should perish together at the same instant.

This cogitation put the intention of arming myself with a short dagger quite out of my mind, and being now beset with a fear lest Lady Biddy should be alarmed by my absence, I hastened to return, carrying the lantern in one hand and my grenade in the other.

I had light enough to descry the steps that led to the trap-door, and thither I made my way. Presently I stumbled against the body of the negro. He lay doubled up betwixt the side of the steps and a pile of cannon-b.a.l.l.s, and from his position I surmised that he had rolled over in falling and struck head first upon the b.a.l.l.s, which alone would have been death to any ordinary man.

When I got back to the cabin, and fastened down the trap, I set my grenade carefully under the cot, and by the side of it the lantern, lowering the wick (for it was fitted with an oil lamp in lieu of a candle), until there was left but the smallest light possible. Burning at this little pace, I reckoned the lamp would go some days, with attention, and I prayed it might last till we reached a port where we might escape; for without it to ignite the fusee my grenade would be of no use.

While I was yet arranging those matters, Lady Biddy came to me.

"You are not hurt, Benet?" were the first words she whispered.

"No, Lady Biddy," says I; "but you have one enemy the less."

She made no reply, but rested her hand for support upon the bed, as if the thought of this death sickened her.

I slipped my right hand behind me lest she should see the black patch which, even in that faint light, I perceived the negro's blood had stained my hand with. Then, to turn her thoughts, I asked her if any notice had been taken by the watch of the noise made by my falling down the hatchway.

"No," says she; and then after a few minutes' silence, "Oh, Benet, I wish it were all over."

"Courage, Lady Biddy, courage," says I. "You are not used to give way in the face of danger."

"No," says she; "'tis when the danger is past my courage sinks."

But the danger was not pa.s.sed, as was presently made evident. For in that s.p.a.ce of silence which succeeded her last words--a silence which was scarce broken by the water through which the ship was cutting--a groan from below reached my ears, and the next instant a creaking of the steps leading up to the trap, with something like the low, vengeful growling of a tiger.

I sprang to the corner to make sure that I had secured the trap, for I felt sure that the negro was coming up to take his revenge upon us.