The Pilot and his Wife Part 9

The captain had hitherto replied to these, as he conceived them, fresh attempts to provoke him, by still further grinding; but when this last observation of the cook was communicated to him, he broke out scornfully, pointing at the same time with the bitten mouthpiece of his old meerschaum pipe at the speaker--

"I think there is a sufficiently stupid devil in the hold sticking in every one of you rascals. Isn't there one of you with courage enough to go down into the coal-hold? or must I go myself?"

The first mate proposed to accompany him; but Salve now came forward and declared that he, for his part, would as soon go down into the hold as up aloft. "A man won't sweat half as much at that work," he added, with sarcastic significance.

He went down accordingly with a light, and after a few moments' search came upon a miserable, half-famished wretch, who had squeezed himself in behind the water-b.u.t.t. He was as black as a negro from the coal-dust, and declared tremblingly when he came up on deck, that he had deserted from his regiment in Monte Video, which was an offence punishable by death, and that he had thought he might remain concealed until the vessel arrived at Rio; that he had come on board in the dark on the last evening they lay in the harbour, and had hidden himself under the coals; and that when they had battened down the hatch he had been nearly suffocated with coal-gas, and had lain and groaned. Occasionally he had found an opportunity at night in the dark to climb up into the jolly-boat astern, and had lain there and breathed fresh air until nearly sunrise. Once or twice he had been into the caboose and got something to eat; and sometimes he had stopped by the compa.s.s, as it seemed to him their journey was never coming to an end, and he wanted to a.s.sure himself that the vessel was really steering a northerly course to Rio, as he had heard from some one in the harbour she intended to do.

He was a young, slightly-built man, with small quick eyes, about Salve's height, and apparently a Spaniard or Portuguese, but could make himself understood in English.

The captain had some doubts as to the truth of his story, as his rank appeared to be superior to that of a common soldier; and from his anxiety not to betray his presence in the ship, even after they had got out into the open sea, he concluded that he was a political refugee, who at that time would not be very safe even at Rio. He ordered food to be given him, and promised that he should make his way ash.o.r.e as best he could, but that he was not to expect help from him, as the captain had no intention of involving himself with the authorities on his account.

Salve, who, like the generality of sailors, could talk a good deal of English, gradually attached himself to the Spaniard, and found him an entertaining and clever fellow.

Before a light afternoon breeze they glided at last from the sea into the narrow channel that runs up to Rio de Janeiro--one of the loveliest in the world, with majestic granite mountains on either side, one of which was already blazing in the ruddy light of the evening sun, while the other in shade stood out a deep violet against the clear blue of the sky above. On the one side, at the foot of the Sugarloaf Mountain, they had the fortress of Praja; on the other, the Castle of Santa Cruz; and facing them on the highest point in the harbour, the slender signal-tower that announces every ship as it appears at the entrance of the channel.

So beautiful was the scene that under its softening influence Salve felt almost inclined to regret his determination to desert. The feeling, however, lasted no longer than the beauty which produced it. The soft lights died away upon the hills, and with them the softer feelings which had crept in upon his heart. Night settled down upon the outer world, and with it returned the gloomy thoughts that now for many days had made his mind their home.

It had occurred to him that the Brazilian would have it in his power to a.s.sist him in effecting his purpose, when they arrived in the harbour, and he had, therefore, found opportunities of rendering him indebted to him for many small services. He lent him clothes now to appear among the other sailors when they were mustered before the authorities, who came on board immediately after the ship entered the harbour, and it thus escaped their notice that there was one over the number returned by the captain as his crew.

The harbour pilot, however--a consequential Mulatto in a Panama hat and red feather, and decorated with a badge and staff--was more sharp-sighted, and soon perceived, from the irritable tone in which the song at the capstan was sung again as they warped the vessel round to her anchorage in the Ilha das Cobras basin, that there was discontent prevailing on board; and it was no doubt owing to a hint from him that already the same evening there were "runners" waiting about near them on the quay.

Captain Beck was out of humour both with himself and with his crew. Down in a warm climate he was always irritable, and now that he believed his authority weakened he had become a perfect tyrant. The prospect of another voyage under his command was more than many of his crew could face, and preparations were made by many of them to leave the ship as soon as they should have received whatever portion of pay on account the captain proposed, as is customary when a vessel is in harbour, to distribute. Salve, however, did not wait for this, and already, the second night, he and the Brazilian had disappeared.

There was a sharp search inst.i.tuted, with the a.s.sistance of the harbour police, especially in the house of one particular runner who had been seen talking with the crew. But he gave them such full liberty to search his house, and showed such a clear conscience in the matter, that the police had to admit that they were off the scent this time.

The captain after this intrusted the night.w.a.tches only to those among the crew upon whom he could place reliance, hauled off from the quay every evening, and absolutely refused all leave on sh.o.r.e. He had only received the thanks he deserved, he remarked bitterly, for having helped that red-jacketed thief, who, by way of return, had taken from him his best man. Salve's desertion, indeed, irritated him more than he cared to admit to himself. He had, according to promise, had him taught navigation by the first mate on the voyage out; and had settled in his own mind that when he himself retired from the sea Salve should command the Juno for him. He certainly never would find another of equal capacity, and at the same time so thoroughly to be depended upon; and now all his comfortable plans were upset.

Before leaving the vessel Salve placed his silver watch, on which he had scratched with the point of his knife, "In remembrance of Salve Kristiansen," in the waistcoat pocket of Nils, who was snoring loud and long in his hammock alongside; and then, un.o.bserved by the watch on deck, the two friends clambered over to the quay in the silent night by means of the sh.o.r.e rope, and disappeared at once into the darkness of the neighbouring alleys. The Brazilian appeared to be well acquainted with the localities, and anxious at the same time; for he avoided the lighted streets, and often stopped at dark corners to reconnoitre, and see that the way was clear of the night police.

After picking their way for an hour among narrow lanes, they came out into a suburb where the houses began to alternate with garden walls, over which hung orange-trees diffusing their heavy perfume through the quiet night. They had to cross an open place to the other suburb, Mata Poreas, and upon the rising ground to one side of them they saw a building that looked like a fortress enclosed by a stone wall, which caused Salve's comrade considerable perturbation. It was the house of correction, before which there was always a sentry on duty.

They pa.s.sed it, however, unchallenged, and after half-an-hour's further walking, the Brazilian halted at last before a garden wall, in which there was a small wicket gate. He looked cautiously round him and said excitedly--

"We must climb over here, and then--we are safe."

He climbed up on Salve's back, and so on to the top of the wall; drew Salve up beside him, and then sprang down into the little garden and began to roll about on the gra.s.s as if he had taken leave of his senses, crying, "Salvado! Salvado!"

He rushed up then to the little villa that lay half overshadowed by trees, and knocking in a particular manner at the door, called out "Paolina! Paolina!"

A female in night-dress, with a young, but rather deep voice, opened the shutter from within, and put out her head.

"Federigo!"--she said, tremblingly; and there followed then a rapid interchange of questions and answers in Spanish which Salve did not understand. He gathered merely that she was surprised to see a stranger with him, and that he calmed her apprehensions with the word "amigo,"

followed by a short explanation.

She opened the door, and fell impulsively on Federigo's neck, kissing him on both cheeks, and sobbing. After the custom of the place, then, she offered her cheek to Salve, and was a little surprised when he seemed not to understand her meaning, and nodded merely, as he said, half in English, half in Spanish, "good evening, senorita." It seemed to remind her, however, that in her eagerness she had forgotten her mantilla, and she left them hastily.

She came back to them again in the sitting-room almost immediately with bread, wine, fruit, and lights upon a tray; and stationed herself then in a sympathetic att.i.tude with her arm on her brother's shoulder, while he, with lively gestures, recounted his adventures. Federigo's story seemed to be reflected from her face as from a living mirror. At one point her face became pale with pa.s.sion; her black eyes flashed, and she made a sudden movement with her clenched hand in the air, as if she were giving some one a stab with a dagger. She threw her head back then with a triumphant, scornful laugh that showed her dazzling white teeth; and Salve inferred that her brother must have killed some person or other in Monte Video, probably in self-preservation, and that he was afraid the police here, in Rio, should have had information of it.

He sat and gazed at her. She was a lithe, supple-looking woman, at once graceful and fully developed; a dark beauty of the style peculiar to the South, with wonderful animation in her face, and dark flashing eyes. At the same time the play of her features was not pleasing, Salve thought.

It reminded him too much of her brother--it was not feminine; and he was further repelled by the way in which she repeatedly allowed her eyes to rest upon him. He didn't know why, but Elizabeth's deep, true northern face came so vividly before him then, that he felt he could have drawn it to the life.

The not very flattering expression which this comparison had caused his face unconsciously to a.s.sume as he looked at her, was caught, unfortunately, by Paolina, as she was on the point of tendering him her thanks in her impetuous way for what she heard he had done for her brother. She stopped short in surprise, and evidently repressed a vehemently resentful impulse, while a look unpleasant for him came into her eyes. She went over then and took him by the hand in the same way she had seen him take her own on his arrival, and spoke coldly enough a few words which were meant to convey her thanks. She didn't look at him again, not even when she presently said good-night to him, after having woke up the old mulatto woman who, with herself and her mother, were the only other inhabitants of the house, and told her to make up a couple of mat beds in the adjoining room. Federigo had before that gone in to his mother, and they could be heard in eager conversation.

In Salve's mind a new impulse had been unexpectedly given to thoughts from which the novelty of his situation should have afforded him at least a temporary relief; and he lay long awake, thinking drearily about Elizabeth. When he did fall asleep at last, he dreamed that he had come into a serpent's nest, and that he was engaged in a life and death conflict with a huge snake, that was thrusting its forked tongue at him from walls, from roof, from every side; and in the gleam of its vindictive eyes, he seemed all at once to recognise Paolina.

CHAPTER XIV.

With a view to bring himself into harmony with his surroundings, he appeared next day in his suit of fine blue cloth, which he had brought with him in his bundle, together with sundry other articles, and what money he had still remaining from the pay which he had received at Monte Video. That he looked well in his handsome sailor dress was evident enough, from the surprised look with which he was greeted by Federigo's mother, when he was presented to her. She had evidently expected to see in her son's friend something in the style of the raw Brazilian sailor, a cla.s.s of men who down there were generally drawn from the lowest dregs of the populace.

She herself was a withered old woman, yellow as parchment, with a ma.s.s of thick grey hair gathered in a single knot at the back of her head.

She wore heavy rings on her fingers, and large earrings; her small piercing eyes had a look of burnt-out pa.s.sion; and her countenance wore in a stronger degree the furtive, ratlike expression which her son's occasionally displayed.

As regards her further characteristics, Salve soon perceived that she was addicted to drink. She used to remain during the greater part of the day on the shady side of the house, or on the little veranda, with acachacas and water by her side, and incessantly smoking and rolling cigarettes; and she was often quite drunk as she mumbled her Ave Maria, and told her beads on her knees before going to bed in the evening.

Still the other inmates of the house appeared to have great respect for her; and it was evident that she held the threads of whatever business they might have on hand.

The senorita was out all the morning with the old mulatto woman, making purchases for the house, Federigo said, and informing herself as to what activity was being shown in their pursuit. When she returned, she avoided addressing herself directly to Salve; and he observed that she handed over a quant.i.ty of money to her brother, which had the happy effect of bringing into his countenance a more cheerful look than it had hitherto worn that morning.

"What have you done to my sister?" Federigo asked one day, laughing; "you are not in her good graces. She is dangerous," he said, seriously; and added then, as if speculating on possibilities, "as long as you are in this house, at all events, you are safe. But mind, you are warned."

Federigo soon began to weary of their enforced confinement to the house, and in spite of his sister's efforts to dissuade him, began to go out in the evenings, coming home very late, and in a gloomy, irritable humour--evidently, from the casual remarks he let fall, having lost all his money at play.

The second morning of his stay in the house Salve had perceived that there was a want of money; and having heard the brother and sister quarrelling one day when both were in a bad humour, he thought it best to carry out, at the first convenient moment, the determination at which he had arrived, and handed over to Federigo what money he had, with the exception of a single silver piastre, saying, "That it was only right he should pay for his lodging and board."

The money, though deprecatingly, was still accepted, and in the evening Federigo was out once more, his sister remaining at home.

She and Salve, on account of their ignorance of each other's language, could not hold much conversation together, and Salve was rather glad of this wall of separation between them, as it left him more at his ease.

She had, however, recently looked more often at him with a sort of interest, and on several occasions had put questions to him through her brother. Her range of ideas was apparently not extensive, as her questions always turned upon the same topic--namely, what the women were like in his country; so that he soon came to know by heart all the Spanish terms which related to that subject.

They were out on the veranda together that evening, and as she went past his back while he was leaning over in his seat, she drew her hand as if by accident lightly through his hair. If it had had the electricity of a cat's, it would have given out a perfect shower of sparks, so enraged was he at the advance.

When Federigo came home he flung his hat away angrily on to a chair, and drank down at a gulp a gla.s.s of rum that was standing on the table. He no longer wore the smart cloak he had on when he went out.

"I have gambled away all your money!" he cried, in English, to Salve, as if careless of further reticence, and made some remark then with an unpleasant laugh to his sister, who had evidently by her expression perceived at once how matters stood.

"There's my last piastre for you," said Salve, throwing it over to him.

"Try your luck with it."

"He is successful in love," said Paolina, tearfully, and with a _nave_ affectation of superst.i.tion--"he is engaged."

When her brother, who was balancing the piastre on his forefinger, laughingly translated what she had said, Salve replied snappishly, with an impatient glance at the senorita--

"I am not engaged, and never shall be."

"Unsuccessful in love!" she broke out, gleefully; "and the last piastre!

To-morrow we shall win a hundred, two hundred, Federigo!"