The Jolly Roger Tales: 60+ Pirate Novels, Treasure-Hunt Tales & Sea Adventures. Лаймен Фрэнк Баум

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      Chapter XXXIX

       Table of Contents

      Now, Emma, now the last reflection make,

       What thou wouldst follow, what thou must forsake.

       By our ill-omen’d stars and adverse Heaven,

       No middle object to thy choice is given.

       Henry and Emma,

      The sun was high in heaven; the boats were busily fetching off from the shore the promised supply of provisions and water, which, as many fishing skiffs were employed in the service, were got on board with unexpected speed, and stowed away by the crew of the sloop, with equal despatch. All worked with good will; for all, save Cleveland himself, were weary of a coast, where every moment increased their danger, and where, which they esteemed a worst misfortune, there was no booty to be won. Bunce and Derrick took the immediate direction of this duty, while Cleveland, walking the deck alone, and in silence, only interfered from time to time, to give some order which circumstances required, and then relapsed into his own sad reflections.

      There are two sorts of men whom situations of guilt, terror, and commotion, bring forward as prominent agents. The first are spirits so naturally moulded and fitted for deeds of horror, that they stalk forth from their lurking-places like actual demons, to work in their native element, as the hideous apparition of the Bearded Man came forth at Versailles, on the memorable 5th October 1789, the delighted executioner of the victims delivered up to him by a bloodthirsty rabble. But Cleveland belonged to the second class of these unfortunate beings, who are involved in evil rather by the concurrence of external circumstances than by natural inclination, being, indeed, one in whom his first engaging in this lawless mode of life, as the follower of his father, nay, perhaps, even his pursuing it as his father’s avenger, carried with it something of mitigation and apology; — one also who often considered his’guilty situation with horror, ahd had made repeated, though ineffectual efforts, to escape from it.

      Such thoughts of remorse were now rolling in his mind, and he may be forgiven, if recollections of Minna mingled with and aided them. He looked around, too, on his mates, and, profligate and hardened as he knew them to be, he could not think of their paying the penalty of his obstinacy. “We shall be ready to sail with the ebbtide,” he said to himself — ” why should I endanger these men, by detaining them till the hour of danger, predicted by that singular woman, shall arrive? Her intelligence, howsoever acquired, has been always strangely accurate; and her warning was as solemn as if a mother were to apprise an erring son of his crimes, and of his approaching punishment. Besides, what chance is there that I can again see Minna? She is at Kirkwall, doubtless, and to hold my course thither would be to steer right upon the rocks. No, I will not endanger these poor fellows — I will sail with the ebbtide. On the desolate Hebrides, or on the northwest coast of Ireland, I will leave the vessel, and return hither in some disguise — yet, why should I return, since it will perhaps be only to see Minna the bride of Mordaunt? No — let the vessel sail with this ebbtide without me. I will abide and take my fate.”

      His meditations were here interrupted by Jack Bunce, who hailing him noble Captain, said they were ready to sail wher he pleased.

      “When you please, Bunce; for I shall leave the commanc with you, and go ashore at Stromness,” said Cleveland.

      “You shall do no such matter, by Heaven!” answered Bunce. “The command with me, truly! and how the devi am I to get the crew to obey me? Why, even Dick Fletche; rides rusty on me now and then. You know well enough that without you, we shall be all at each other’s throats in half-an hour; and, if you desert us, what a rope’s end does it signif; whether we are destroyed by the king’s cruisers, or by each other? Come, come, noble Captain, there are black-eye girls enough in the world, but where will you find so tight a sea-boat as the little Favourite here, manned as she is with a set of tearing lads,

      ‘Fit to disturb the peace of all the world,

       And rule it when ‘tis wildest’?”

      “You are a precious fool, Jack Bunce,” said Cleveland half-angry, and, in despite of himself, half-diverted, by th false tones and exaggerated gesture of the stage-struck pirate “It may be so, noble Captain,” answered Bunce, “ and it may be that I have my comrades in my folly. Here are you, now, going to play ‘All for Love, and the World well Lost,’ and yet you cannot bear a harmless bounce in blank verse. Well, I can talk prose for the matter, for I have news enough to tell — and strange news, too — ay, and stirring news to boot.”

      “Well, СКАЧАТЬ