The Life, Adventures & Piracies of the Famous Captain Singleton Part 16

_D_. How do I go about to betray you? Do I not give you an account how the king invites you to come on sh.o.r.e, and has ordered you to be treated courteously and a.s.sisted?

_W_. As thou art a Christian, though I doubt it much, dost thou believe the king or the general, as thou callest it, means one word of what he says?

_D_. He promises you by the mouth of his great general.

_W_. I don't ask thee what he promises, or by whom; but I ask thee this: Canst thou say that thou believest he intends to perform it?

_D_. How can I answer that? How can I tell what he intends?

_W_. Thou canst tell what thou believest.

_D_. I cannot say but he will perform it; I believe he may.

_W_. Thou art but a double-tongued Christian, I doubt. Come, I'll ask thee another question: Wilt thou say that thou believest it, and that thou wouldst advise me to believe it, and put our lives into their hands upon these promises?

_D_. I am not to be your adviser.

_W_. Thou art perhaps afraid to speak thy mind, because thou art in their power. Pray, do any of them understand what thou and I say? Can they speak Dutch?

_D_. No, not one of them; I have no apprehensions upon that account at all.

_W_. Why, then, answer me plainly, if thou art a Christian: Is it safe for us to venture upon their words, to put ourselves into their hands, and come on sh.o.r.e?

_D_. You put it very home to me. Pray let me ask you another question: Are you in any likelihood of getting your ship off, if you refuse it?

_W_. Yes, yes, we shall get off the ship; now the storm is over we don't fear it.

_D_. Then I cannot say it is best for you to trust them.

_W_. Well, it is honestly said.

_D_. But what shall I say to them?

_W_. Give them good words, as they give us.

_D_. What good words?

_W_. Why, let them tell the king that we are strangers, who were driven on his coast by a great storm; that we thank him very kindly for his offer of civility to us, which, if we are further distressed, we will accept thankfully; but that at present we have no occasion to come on sh.o.r.e; and besides, that we cannot safely leave the ship in the present condition she is in; but that we are obliged to take care of her, in order to get her off; and expect, in a tide or two more, to get her quite clear, and at an anchor.

_D_. But he will expect you to come on sh.o.r.e, then, to visit him, and make him some present for his civility.

_W_. When we have got our ship clear, and stopped the leaks, we will pay our respects to him.

_D_. Nay, you may as well come to him now as then.

_W_. Nay, hold, friend; I did not say we would come to him then: you talked of making him a present, that is to pay our respects to him, is it not?

_D_. Well, but I will tell him that you will come on sh.o.r.e to him when your ship is got off.

_W_. I have nothing to say to that; you may tell him what you think fit.

_D_. But he will be in a great rage if I do not.

_W_. Who will he be in a great rage at?

_D_. At you.

_W_. What occasion have we to value that?

_D_. Why, he will send all his army down against you.

_W_. And what if they were all here just now? What dost thou suppose they could do to us?

_D_. He would expect they should burn your ships and bring you all to him.

_W_. Tell him, if he should try, he may catch a Tartar.

_D_. He has a world of men.

_W_. Has he any ships?

_D_. No, he has no ships.

_W_. Nor boats?

_D_. No, nor boats.

_W_. Why, what then do you think we care for his men? What canst thou do now to us, if thou hadst a hundred thousand with thee?

_D_. Oh! they might set you on fire.

_W_. Set us a-firing, thou meanest; that they might indeed; but set us on fire they shall not; they may try, at their peril, and we shall make mad work with your hundred thousand men, if they come within reach of our guns, I a.s.sure thee.

_D_. But what if the king gives you hostages for your safety?

_W_. Whom can he give but mere slaves and servants like thyself, whose lives he no more values than we an English hound?

_D_. Whom do you demand for hostages?

_W_. Himself and your worship.

_D_. What would you do with him?

_W_. Do with him as he would do with us--cut his head off.

_D_. And what would you do with me?

_W_. Do with thee? We would carry thee home into thine own country; and, though thou deservest the gallows, we would make a man and a Christian of thee again, and not do by thee as thou wouldst have done by us--betray thee to a parcel of merciless, savage pagans, that know no G.o.d, nor how to show mercy to man.