Athelstane Ford Page 4

  CHAPTER IV

  "_A LA MORT_"

  So it had come to this, that before the dust of my father's fields waswell off my shoes I was committed to a duel to the death with adesperate, vindictive man, who had been steeped in bloodshed before Ihad ever handled a sword, and that man my own near kinsman.

  At the time I was less frightened than I have often been since inthinking over it. The others were more alarmed for me than I was formyself, and I heard Mr. Sims and old Muzzy urging upon Rupert to letthe matter go no further. But this he would not now hear of, and inthe state of mind I was then in I should have been little bettersatisfied than he to have had the affair patched up.

  At last they saw it was of no use to seek an accommodation between us,and they withdrew together to settle how we were to fight, CaptainSims, as I understood, acting in my cousin's interest, while theboatswain did the same office for me.

  While they were discussing it, which it took them some time to do,Rupert and I sat on opposite sides of the room. He put on a great airof indifference, talking familiarly with those of his friends whostood about him, while I could do nothing but stare across at him witha horrible fascination, as the man by whose hand, in all likelihood, Iwas to die within the next half-hour. I remember noting for the firsttime what a finely formed person he had, tall and supple as a lath ofsteel. As far as that went I was no weakling, and I have been toldthat at that time we greatly resembled each other, though I do notthink I can ever have shared my cousin's good looks.

  I was becoming feverish over the delay of our seconds, if such theycan be called, when they rose from their corner, and the boatswaincame across to me with a very grave air, Mr. Sims at the same timegoing over to Rupert.

  "We have arranged," the boatswain said to me, in a serious voice,"that you are to fight out at sea. A boat is to be moored to the buoyoff the mouth of the river, and you will be rowed out and put into ittogether, one at each end. You are to be armed with cutlasses and leftthere together. There will be a pair of sculls on board, and the onewho kills the other will throw his body overboard, so as to leave notrace, and then row ashore. If the boat does not return at the end ofan hour, we shall come out to her to see what has happened. Do youagree to this?"

  He spoke these words in a distinct, loud voice, so as to be overheardby those who stood next. Then, before I could answer, he bent overquickly and laid his lips to my ear, whispering--

  "Refuse it, boy, refuse it! It will be a narrow match enough betweenyou with the cutlass, which was the weapon I stuck out for for yoursake. But out in a trumpery rocking boat, with you a landlubberagainst a man that has been at sea these ten years, I would not give afarden for your life."

  He said this with many strong oaths, for I honestly believe the oldpirate had got an affection for me. But he wasted his breath as far asI was concerned, my pride being then too fierce to admit of myshrinking from any terms that might be offered by the other side.

  "Tell them I accept," I said sullenly, "and make no more ado about it.How soon can we reach this place?"

  The old fellow cursed me roundly for an obstinate, bloody-minded youngfool.

  "Give me a hug," he wound up by saying, "for blast me if you ain't ayoungster after my own heart!" And he fell to and embraced meheartily, kissing me on both cheeks, and shedding tears plentifully;for he was three-parts drunk, and clearly looked upon me as a deadman.

  And in that light I saw that the company present regarded me, mycousin's prowess being well known by many duels which he had fought inthe past; and though I had pretty well made up my mind that I was todie, I suffered no small discouragement and chagrin from thecompassionate looks which were cast upon me. My old enemy, TricksterTim, also thought this a safe occasion to insult me, coming up closebefore me and peering into my face, as if I were already so muchcarrion. Nor had I the spirit to resent his insolence.

  Captain Sims now led the way out of the house, holding Rupert by thearm, while I followed with my friend. The rest of the crew swarmed outafter us, but old Muzzy sharply ordered them back, taking only two mento pull the oars, for we had a long way to row before the buoy couldbe reached.

  It was a miserable voyage for me, sitting there in the stern, notthree paces from Rupert, shivering in the cold night air, and perhapsfrom fear as well, as we dropped slowly down the river, past the blackpiles of the landing jetties and the sleeping ships. Our course waslit only by the stars, save where a ship's light cast a sickly gleamupon the water as we approached it, and faded away as we rowed on. Thewhole way I never once opened my lips, but the others talked togetherin low voices, turning themselves away from me in the same manner asif I were a convict being led to execution. And as for my ownthoughts, they were distracted enough, especially when I called tomind my dear mother and my good and upright father, and how littlethey imagined the business in which I was now engaged. Thesereflections so softened me that I believe if my cousin had made theleast move towards a reconcilement my whole wrath would have meltedaway. But no doubt he had made up his mind that only my death couldrestore his authority amongst the ruffians whom he led.

  At last our dreary passage was ended, and we were arrived at the placeagreed on for the encounter. We had towed down a smaller boat in ourwake, and this they now fastened to the buoy, and we stepped into it,Rupert at the bows and I at the stern. Then the boatswain gripped myhand for the last time, whispering to me to beware of Gurney'supper-cut, and so they bade us farewell and rowed off quickly in thedarkness, like men who would avoid the sight of a murder.

  So there were we, left alone in that frail compartment, out there uponthe heaving water, with nothing but death in our hearts. I had buttime to breathe a prayer, which I did with some misgiving as to how itwould be received, when my cousin drew his cutlass and stepped intothe centre of the boat. I rose to meet him with my weapon in my hand,and we stood there facing one another, with only the width of the seatbetween us.

  "Are you ready?" says Rupert quickly. And before I had time to answerhe brought down his cutlass with such force that unless I had guardedit the blade would have split open my head.

  It was now that I had reason to be thankful for the lessons I hadreceived at the hands of the boatswain, for Rupert's blows came sothick and fast that I had all I could do to parry them. I bore hislast caution to me in mind, and soon found the importance of it, forthough my cousin made many feints at my shoulder and other parts of mybody, yet the only blow into which he put his real force was theupper-cut at my head.

  I kept my eyes fixed upon his, as I had been taught, and soon saw asavage light arising therein when he found he made so littleimpression on me. Indeed, if we had fought on firm ground I believethat, as the boatswain said, I should have been his match, but therocking of the boat gave him an advantage, and presently he pursued afeint further than I expected, and gave me a gash of about threeinches long in my left thigh.

  The first smart of the wound made me gasp for breath, but the nextmoment it had so raised my fury that I left off the defensive and fellupon my enemy with all my might, hitting and slashing so desperatelythat, do what he would, I broke down his guard and laid open hisforehead over his right eye, and the blood began to trickle down hisface.

  This transformed his own anger into a tempest, and now, indeed, wewent at it more like two savages than Christian men. For the cutlass,by the very reason that it is not so deadly an instrument as thesmall-sword, is capable of inflicting a very great many wounds beforeany fatal effect takes place. And so, becoming less heedful of ourguard as we warmed to it, we wounded each other all over the body in amost desperate manner, till my cousin seemed to me to be covered withblood from head to foot, and I can have been little better, for I feltthe blood running from me at above a dozen places.

  My enemy was the first to see the folly of this, for he began tochange his tactics, drawing back from my assault and keeping on thedefensive till he should lure me on to give him an advantage. And inthis at length he had nearly succeeded, but happening to forget theseat
which lay behind him in the bows of the boat, he overbalancedhimself against it and fell backwards, still gripping his weapon inhis hand.

  I scorned to take advantage of this accident, but stayed where I wasto give him time to get up. He lay upon his back for a minute, glaringsullenly at me to see if I would kill him. But finding that I had nosuch mind he recovered himself nimbly enough. And being, no doubt,still further enraged at this accident having put him, as it were,into my power, he now made at me with the most terrible vehemence,raining down blows upon me sufficient to have felled an ox. And thenin the midst of it all, while I was warding off his fury, and thesparks flew from our weapons every instant, I suddenly felt my handjarred as though I had touched a conger, and the blade of my cutlasssnapped off at the hilt with a crash, and I stood there at his mercy.

  He stopped short, as much astonished as I was, while I sank down onthe seat next the stern, ready to sob, and put up my hands before myface.

  "That cursed Jew has cheated me of my life!" I groaned between my setteeth.

  Rupert rested the point of his cutlass upon the seat in front of himand looked over at me curiously.

  "Young man," he said, "your life is forfeit to me, and it hath neverbeen said that Rupert Gurney spared an enemy. Yet, inasmuch as you areof my blood and but raw in the world, I have half a mind to make termswith you. Will you make your apology for the violence you put upon mein the tavern, and swear to repeat its terms before all those who werewitnesses of our dispute?"

  I looked up at him and smiled bitterly in his face.

  "Do you understand me so little, and you a Ford by the mother's side?"I answered him. "Now that I have no weapon you may murder me if youwill, but apology you shall have none from me--unless," I added, "youtake back your insult to the woman I love."

  "You young fool!" he ground out savagely. "That drab you make such ato-do about has been mine this two months past."

  I leave it unsaid how these words affected me, both then and for longafterwards. For up to that moment I had looked upon the girl with aspure a reverence as any boy ever cherished for a maid, and my cousin'svile boast, cast it back to him as I might, sank into my mind andworked there like a poison.

  "I believe you lie," I said to him with marvellous coldness. For whatwith the loss of blood, and the despair which had seized upon me atthe breaking of my weapon, and the news I had just received, I wasbecome quite dispirited, and was indifferent to what he might do withme.

  "Die, then, since you will have me kill you!" he exclaimed, and beganadvancing down the boat towards me.

  But as he stepped over the middle seat it chanced that he struck hisfoot against one of the oars which lay along the boat's bottom; andthe rattling of this oar put a new thought into my mind.

  It so happened that I had been used to play with the quarterstaff athome, and old Sugden, the rat-catcher, who was esteemed the greatestproficient in this sort of exercise in our part of the country, hadhad many a bout with me, in which, before I ran away, he had beenforced to confess that I was very well able to cope with him. Now,therefore, in my extremity, seeing death so near at hand--for up tothis moment I had hardly believed that my cousin would kill me--I madeshift to snatch at an oar, and drawing it to me just in time putmyself in a posture of defence before he could strike me.

  He drew back, greatly astounded, and swore beneath his breath.

  "What fool's game is this, boy? Would you break honour with me? Wewere agreed to fight with cutlasses."

  "And now that my cutlass is broke foully you would take and murderme!" I retorted, and being now incensed at his bloodthirstiness, afterI had once spared his life, I cursed him in the face for a coward.

  This was more than he could bear. He leaped across the seat, with hishead stooped, to come inside the sweep of my weapon, but this was atrick I had had experience of, and though I found my oar very heavyand cumbrous I yet managed to repulse him with a crack on the head.And immediately he raised his cutlass to strike back I caught him avery smart blow on the knuckles, and sent his weapon flying over theside of the boat into the water, where it instantly sank.

  By this time I think we were both too furious to be willing to end thecombat without one or the other's death. Rupert, as soon as he knewwhat had happened, fairly sprang upon me, and clutched my throat,bearing me down with him into the boat. Here he knelt above me,squeezing my windpipe, and emitting horrid snarls like a wild beast.My senses began to forsake me, and I was as good as lost, when, by thedirect mercy of Providence, my right hand encountered the blade of myown cutlass, lying close beside us, which I instantly snatched at,and plunged as hard as I could thrust into Rupert's side. And withthat, feeling his fingers relax themselves as he tottered sidewaysfrom off me, I raised myself half up, lifted him by the thighs, andcast him clean over the side of the boat into the sea. And that done Isank down again in a bloody swoon, and perceived nothing more.

  * * * * *

  It was, as I learned, above a week afterwards when I fully came tomyself, and discovered that I was lying in my former garret at the"Three-decker." There was an old woman coming into the room to waitupon me, who told me that I had been brought ashore on the night ofthe duel by men wearing masks; and one of them, whom she knew by hisvoice and carriage to be the boatswain of the _Fair Maid_, had givenmoney out of his pocket for me to be taken care of till such time as Ishould recover.

  In the state of weakness to which I was reduced I shed tears athearing of this kindness on the part of that rough man, who was, Isadly feared, a great scoundrel, of most villainous evil life. My nextbusiness was to ask what had become of him and the rest of the _FairMaid's_ crew.

  "The _Fair Maid_ sailed yesterday," the crone answered. "They warpedher out on the afternoon ebb. 'Tis said she sails under a privateer'scommission against the French."

  I scarce knew whether to be glad of this news, or sorry. I toldmyself that I could hardly have looked for a welcome among those menafter being the means of their lieutenant's death; and, moreover, Ihad learnt enough of their character to feel strongly averse to acruise in such company. Yet they were the only friends I had, and Iwas grown used to them; and the thought that I was left there, as itwere, alone, with nothing to turn to, made me very dismal after all.

  It seemed somewhat strange to me, during the rest of that day, thatMarian had never once come to inquire for me; but I put off speakingabout it to the morrow. In the morning I awoke greatly refreshed, andfeeling well enough to leave my bed, which I did, and came down intothe bar of the house to look for her.

  I found only her uncle, a weazened, peevish man, who had showedhimself very little while the privateersmen were about his house. Ibade him a courteous good morrow.

  "Good morrow t'ye," he snapped out churlishly. "I'm glad to see you'reabout again, as I daresay you know your reckoning has run out."

  This I did not believe, but thought it beneath me to pick a quarrelwith such a man. Besides, he was Marian's uncle.

  "Any charges you may have against me shall be fairly met," I answeredproudly. "But where is Mistress Marian? I have not seen her these twodays."

  "And you're not like to see her again, I take it," he returneddisagreeably. "At least, not in my house; I've had enough of theimpudent baggage."

  "What are you saying, man?" I demanded, much dismayed. "You need notmiscall your own niece, I should think. But what of her? Do you meanshe has left you?"

  "Aye, what else should I mean? And right glad I am to be rid of such atrollop, drawing all the rapscallions of the port in here, andbringing my tavern into disrepute."

  He spoke so bitterly that I believe he was trying to talk himself intothinking he had profited by her departure. For in reality she hadbrought him the chief part of his custom, and there was at thatmoment, as I could perceive, not a soul in the tavern besideourselves. But I did not stop to reflect on this.

  "Where has she gone? What has happened?" I questioned breathlessly,with a terrible fear in my heart.

  "N
ay, whither she has gone is more than I can tell you, for as likelyas not the jade has lied to me. But she left this place two days ago,in the afternoon, and all the account she gave me was that she hadtaken her passage in the _Fair Maid_ for her father's house inCalcutta."

  I fell down on a bench, like a man stunned, and groaned aloud. Then Isprang to my feet again and made for the door.

  "I will follow her!" I cried out madly. "If she has gone to the end ofthe world I will go after her, and all the devils in hell shall nothold me back!"

  And leaving the man there, staring at me as if he thought I wascrazed, I ran out of the house, and so stumbled right into the arms ofa pressgang come ashore off a king's ship which had that morningdropped anchor in Yarmouth Roads.