Читать книгу Winds of Fortune - John Jeffery Farnol - Страница 17
ОглавлениеRELATETH THE ODIOUS HOW AND WHEREFORE OF MY WEDDING
From this gentle slumber I woke up—starting and all of a tremble, to feel Deborah's arms about me, clasping me in such fervour of affright as set me a-quaking too, for many fists were pounding on the door and therewith came a babblement of hoarse and drunken voices.
"The women! Have forth the women! Us wants the women!"
"Where ... where is the knife?" I gasped, my teeth chattering.
"Alas, ma'm, I dropped the nasty thing overboard."
"Then God help us!" cried I in despair; then leaping from bed, I cast a robe about myself, looking wildly around for some way of escape from these ravensome, two-legged beasts, but finding none (and all the time the fists pounding and voices raving for us beyond the outer door), I sank upon my knees, striving to pray, yet my mind so filled with sick horror that I could scarce find words. Now as I cowered thus, half swooning with the suddenness of it all, I heard Deborah scream, but in such wild, glad relief that I glanced fearfully up and saw Captain Japhet looking down on me; and in this moment, forgetting all save my frantic, shameful dread of these raging monsters that clamoured beyond the outer door, I lifted my hands clasped to him in passionate supplication:
"Japhet!" cried I. "Captain Japhet, for pity's sake, let them not come at us ... let them not touch us—"
"Us?" he repeated. "So canst think o' thy woman in such hour!" So saying he barred the door and set his back against it while I crouched on my bed, all miserable aquake, with Deborah trembling beside me. And now, feeling myself something more secure, though the uproar yet continued, I began to beg and then demand (though very humbly) that he summon aid to our defence. "For there shame and death ravens for us!" gasped I, shuddering.
"Nay, merely Rum!" said he, in voice like a groan. "There Rum roareth and there's naught like rum can wake the devil aboard ship. Except for rum, yon noisy fellows be honest lads and right sailormen. And what's more, bold with rum, they do but demand their rights."
"What rights, in Heaven's name?" cried I.
"Ma'm," he answered with look so changed and sinister that all my natural suspicion of him returned with a fearful dismay, "according to the rules of our fellowship and my sworn oath as Captain, whatsoever falleth prey to us of the Deliverance must be shared, and these fellows, rum-beguiled, do look on you as plunder, as indeed you are, alas! Thus if I deny my pledge to them shall be bloody strife." Now here, though I alternate burned with contempt and hatred of him and chilled with dread, I dissembled all this and rising, faced him with my gentlest look and spake in tone very tenderly pleading:
"Captain Japhet, despite the cruel wrong you have done me, the hardships and perils you compel me to endure, there have been times when I thought to sense in you something of the honourable gentleman. Sir, it is to this, your nobler self, I now appeal for, sir, you will not, cannot, yield us up to such shameful horror.... Oh, Captain Japhet!" I gasped, hiding my face and forgetting alike all dignity of speech and bearing. "Save us! Forget your pledge! Fight for me ... for two defenceless women—" Here I sank crouching on my bed.
"Indeed and so I would," he answered, "were this your only means of salvation. Ay, though you've enough bloodshed and men's lives to your account as it is, I might turn this ship into the veriest shambles for your sake, were there none other way to protect ye. But there is another way and only one. I am here to propose an alternative by which your safety and Mrs. Deborah's may be assured without more bloodshed and never a soul of us harmed or anyways troubled—except myself. In fine, madam, you must instantly wed me."
Now here, my emotions transcending all mere words, I could but look at him and so eloquently that his pale cheek flushed and his aspect showed more sinister than ever.
"Faith," said he bitterly, "that I am compelled to shackle myself to wife so headstrong and infinite selfish is very damnably distressing for myself, and yet better than the bloody and uncertain chance of battle; yet once we be wed, you are safe from all men aboard this ship."
"All?" I faltered. "You ... you mean?..."
"I mean all, ma'm, and in especial myself. For though, for your own sake I am thus compelled to marry you, pray know that whatsoever small inclination I may once have had to you is o' late clean gone, killed by your peevish arrogance; therefor you will understand here is to be no folly o' love betwixt us, no kisses, ma'm, no fond embracements. I give you the protection of my name; expect no more. This understood, let us get on with the sorry business. Ezekiel Penryn waits within hail to do our business; do I summon him? Ay or no?"
Up leapt I, shaken by such fury of indignation that yet for once I feared to utter; I therefore sank down again so shamed and dismayed beyond all relief of tears, a prey indeed to such violent conflict of emotions, that I yearned to scream and swoon but dared not, by reason of those monsters that still clamoured so brutishly for this poor, shivering creature that was me. And now, Deborah, mistaking the cause of my speechlessness, cast herself before me on her knees, weeping and beseeching of me to thus submit myself a sacrifice (as it were) to our common salvation, until at last in this distraction of mind and bodily weakness, I signified my assent. I heard the Captain whistle shrilly, heard a knock on the door that opening showed Mr. Penryn with old Lovepeace behind him.
And thus, whiles that horror of voices raved beyond the outer door, I stood supported by Deborah's arm while Master Penryn, very solemnly deliberate, proceeded with the ceremony of this most hateful marriage and I (thralled like one in nightmare) murmured the responses submissively when he bade me. Little more do I remember until I found myself alone and Deborah's arms about me and her weeping voice in my ear.
"Oh, my blessed, lovely Innocent, to think as it should and must be so!" And I gazed down through tears of bitter humiliation at that which I must wear henceforth like badge of servitude, for on my 'spousal finger was the gleam of a much worn, very battered signet ring.
And thus dismally was I wed.
"Deborah," said I at last and passionately, "go you and bolt every door you may."
"Nay, but, dear heart, didn't he promise—"
"Nay, then, I will!" said I with shut teeth.
