perils of certain english prisoners-第6部分

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respectfully　tying　his　pocket…handkerchief　over　Mrs。　Pordage's

nightcap。　　I　noticed　Mrs。　Belltott　run　out　screaming；　and　shrink

upon　the　ground　near　me；　and　cover　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　lie

all　of　a　bundle；　shivering。　　But；　what　I　noticed　with　the　greatest

pleasure　was；　the　determined　eyes　with　which　those　men　of　the　Mine

that　I　had　thought　fine　gentlemen；　came　round　me　with　what　arms　they

had：　　to　the　full　as　cool　and　resolute　as　I　could　be；　for　my　life

ay；　and　for　my　soul；　too；　into　the　bargain！



The　chief　person　being　Mr。　Macey；　I　told　him　how　the　three　men　of

the　guard　would　be　at　the　gate　directly；　if　they　were　not　already

there；　and　how　Sergeant　Drooce　and　the　other　seven　were　gone　to

bring　in　the　outlying　part　of　the　people　of　Silver…Store。　　I　next

urged　him；　for　the　love　of　all　who　were　dear　to　him；　to　trust　no

Sambo；　and；　above　all；　if　he　could　got　any　good　chance　at　Christian

George　King；　not　to　lose　it；　but　to　put　him　out　of　the　world。



〃I　will　follow　your　advice　to　the　letter；　Davis；〃　says　he；　〃what

next？〃



My　answer　was；　〃I　think；　sir；　I　would　recommend　you　next；　to　order

down　such　heavy　furniture　and　lumber　as　can　be　moved；　and　make　a

barricade　within　the　gate。〃



〃That's　good　again；〃　says　he：　　〃will　you　see　it　done？〃



〃I'll　willingly　help　to　do　it；〃　says　I；　〃unless　or　until　my

superior；　Sergeant　Drooce；　gives　me　other　orders。〃



He　shook　me　by　the　hand；　and　having　told　off　some　of　his　companions

to　help　me；　bestirred　himself　to　look　to　the　arms　and　ammunition。　　A

proper　quick；　brave；　steady；　ready　gentleman！



One　of　their　three　little　children　was　deaf　and　dumb；　Miss　Maryon

had　been　from　the　first　with　all　the　children；　soothing　them；　and

dressing　them　（poor　little　things；　they　had　been　brought　out　of

their　beds）；　and　making　them　believe　that　it　was　a　game　of　play；　so

that　some　of　them　were　now　even　laughing。　　I　had　been　working　hard

with　the　others　at　the　barricade；　and　had　got　up　a　pretty　good

breast…work　within　the　gate。　　Drooce　and　the　seven　men　had　come

back；　bringing　in　the　people　from　the　Signal　Hill；　and　had　worked

along　with　us：　　but；　I　had　not　so　much　as　spoken　a　word　to　Drooce；

nor　had　Drooce　so　much　as　spoken　a　word　to　me；　for　we　were　both　too

busy。　　The　breastwork　was　now　finished；　and　I　found　Miss　Maryon　at

my　side；　with　a　child　in　her　arms。　　Her　dark　hair　was　fastened　round

her　head　with　a　band。　　She　had　a　quantity　of　it；　and　it　looked　even

richer　and　more　precious；　put　up　hastily　out　of　her　way；　than　I　had

seen　it　look　when　it　was　carefully　arranged。　　She　was　very　pale；　but

extraordinarily　quiet　and　still。



〃Dear　good　Davis；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　been　waiting　to　speak　one　word

to　you。〃



I　turned　to　her　directly。　　If　I　had　received　a　musket…ball　in　the

heart；　and　she　had　stood　there；　I　almost　believe　I　should　have

turned　to　her　before　I　dropped。



〃This　pretty　little　creature；〃　said　she；　kissing　the　child　in　her

arms；　who　was　playing　with　her　hair　and　trying　to　pull　it　down；

〃cannot　hear　what　we　saycan　hear　nothing。　　I　trust　you　so　much；

and　have　such　great　confidence　in　you；　that　I　want　you　to　make　me　a

promise。〃



〃What　is　it；　Miss？〃



〃That　if　we　are　defeated；　and　you　are　absolutely　sure　of　my　being

taken；　you　will　kill　me。〃



〃I　shall　not　be　alive　to　do　it；　Miss。　　I　shall　have　died　in　your

defence　before　it　comes　to　that。　　They　must　step　across　my　body　to

lay　a　hand　on　you。〃



〃But；　if　you　are　alive；　you　brave　soldier。〃　　How　she　looked　at　me！

〃And　if　you　cannot　save　me　from　the　Pirates；　living；　you　will　save

me；　dead。　　Tell　me　so。〃



Well！　　I　told　her　I　would　do　that　at　the　last；　if　all　else　failed。

She　took　my　handmy　rough；　coarse　handand　put　it　to　her　lips。

She　put　it　to　the　child's　lips；　and　the　child　kissed　it。　　I　believe

I　had　the　strength　of　half　a　dozen　men　in　me；　from　that　moment；

until　the　fight　was　over。



All　this　time；　Mr。　Commissioner　Pordage　had　been　wanting　to　make　a

Proclamation　to　the　Pirates　to　lay　down　their　arms　and　go　away；　and

everybody　had　been　hustling　him　about　and　tumbling　over　him；　while

he　was　calling　for　pen　and　ink　to　write　it　with。　　Mrs。　Pordage；　too；

had　some　curious　ideas　about　the　British　respectability　of　her

nightcap　（which　had　as　many　frills　to　it；　growing　in　layers　one

inside　another；　as　if　it　was　a　white　vegetable　of　the　artichoke

sort）；　and　she　wouldn't　take　the　nightcap　off；　and　would　be　angry

when　it　got　crushed　by　the　other　ladies　who　were　handing　things

about；　and；　in　short；　she　gave　as　much　trouble　as　her　husband　did。

But；　as　we　were　now　forming　for　the　defence　of　the　place；　they　were

both　poked　out　of　the　way　with　no　ceremony。　　The　children　and　ladies

were　got　into　the　little　trench　which　surrounded　the　silver…house

（we　were　afraid　of　leaving　them　in　any　of　the　light　buildings；　lest

they　should　be　set　on　fire）；　and　we　made　the　best　disposition　we

could。　　There　was　a　pretty　good　store；　in　point　of　amount；　of

tolerable　swords　and　cutlasses。　　Those　were　issued。　　There　were；

also；　perhaps　a　score　or　so　of　spare　muskets。　　Those　were　brought

out。　　To　my　astonishment；　little　Mrs。　Fisher　that　I　had　taken　for　a

doll　and　a　baby；　was　not　only　very　active　in　that　service；　but

volunteered　to　load　the　spare　arms。



〃For；　I　understand　it　well；〃　says　she；　cheerfully；　without　a　shake

in　her　voice。



〃I　am　a　soldier's　daughter　and　a　sailor's　sister；　and　I　understand

it　too；〃　says　Miss　Maryon；　just　in　the　same　way。



Steady　and　busy　behind　where　I　stood；　those　two　beautiful　and

delicate　young　women　fell　to　handling　the　guns；　hammering　the

flints；　looking　to　the　locks；　and　quietly　directing　others　to　pass

up　powder　and　bullets　from　hand　to　hand；　as　unflinching　as　the　best

of　tried　soldiers。



Sergeant　Drooce　had　brought　in　word　that　the　pirates　were　very

strong　in　numbersover　a　hundred　was　his　estimateand　that　they

were　not；　even　then；　all　landed；　for；　he　had　seen　them　in　a　very

good　position　on　the　further　side　of　the　Signal　Hill；　evidently

waiting　for　the　rest　of　their　men　to　come　up。　　In　the　present　pause；

the　first　we　had　had　since　the　alarm；　he　was　telling　this　over　again

to　Mr。　Macey；　when　Mr。　Macey　suddenly　cried　our：　　〃The　signal！

Nobody　has　thought　of　the　signal！〃



We　knew　of　no　signal；　so　we　could　not　have　thought　of　it。



〃What　signal　may　you　mean；　sir？〃　says　Sergeant　Drooce；　looking　sharp

at　him。



〃There　is　a　pile　of　wood　upon　the　Signal　Hill。　　If　it　could　be

lightedwhich　never　has　been　done　yetit　would　be　a　signal　of

distress　to　the　mainland。〃



Charker　cries；　directly：　　〃Sergeant　Drooce；　dispatch　me　on　that

duty。　　Give　me　the　two　men　who　were　on　guard　with　me　to…night；　and

I'll　light　the　fire；　if　it　can　be　done。〃



〃And　if　it　can't；　Corporal〃　Mr。　Macey　strikes　in。



〃Look　at　these　ladies　and　children；　sir！〃　says　Charker。　　〃I'd　sooner

light　myself；　than　not　try　any　chance　to　save　them。〃



We　gave　him　a　Hurrah！it　burst　from　us；　come　of　it　what　mightand

he　got　his　two　men；　and　was　let　out　at　the　gate；　and　crept　away。　　I

had　no　sooner　come　back　to　my　place　from　being　one　of　the　party　to

handle　the　gate；　than　Miss　Maryon　said　in　a　low　voice　behind　me：



〃Davis；　will　you　look　at　this　powder？　　This　is　not　right。〃



I　turned　my　head。　　Christian　George　King　again；　and　treachery　again！

Sea…water　had　been　conveyed　into　the　magazine；　and　every　grain　of

powder　was　spoiled！



〃Stay　a　moment；〃　said　Sergeant　Drooce；　when　I　had　told　him；　without

causing　a　movement　in　a　muscle　of　his　face：　　〃look　to　your　pouch；　my

lad。　　You　Tom　Packer；　look　to　your　pouch；　confound　you！　　Look　to

your　pouches；　all　you　Marines。〃



The　same　artful　savage　had　got　at　them；　somehow　or　another；　and　the

cartridges　were　all　unserviceable。　　〃Hum！〃　says　the　Sergeant。　　〃Look

to　your　loading；　men。　　You　are　right　so　far？〃



Yes；　we　were　right　so　far。



〃Well；　my　lads；　and　gentlemen　all；〃　says　the　Sergeant；　〃this　will　be

a　hand…to…hand　affair；　and　so　much　the　better。〃



He　treated　himself　to　a　pinch　of　snuff；　and　stood　up；　square…

shouldered　and　broad…chested；　in　the　light　of　the　moonwhich　was

now　very　brightas　cool　as　if　he　was　waiting　for　a　play　to　begin。

He　stood　quiet；　and　we　all　stood　quiet；　for　a　matter　of　something

like　half…an…hour。　　I　took　notice　from　such　whispered　talk　as　there

was；　how　little　we　that　the　silver　did　not　belong　to；　thought　about

it；　and　how　much　the　people　that　it　did　belong　to；　thought　about　it。

At　the　end　of　the　half…hour；　it　was　reported　from　the　gate　that

Charker　and　the　two　were　falling　back　on　us；　pursued　by　about　a

dozen。



〃Sally！　　Gate…party；　under　Gill　Davis；〃　says　the　Sergeant；　〃and

bring　'em　in！　　Like　men；　now！〃



We　were　not　long　about　it；　and　we　brought　them　in。　　〃Don't　take　me；〃

says　Charker；　holding　me　round　the　neck；　and　stumbling　down　at　my

feet　when　the　gate　was　fast；　〃don't　take　me　near　the　ladies　or　the

children；　Gill。　　They　had　better　not　see　Death；　till　it　can't　be

helped。　　They'll　see　it　soon　enough。〃



〃Harry！〃　I　answered；　holding　up　his　head。　　〃Comrade！〃



He　was　cut　to　pieces。　　The　signal　had　been　secured　by　the　first

pirate　party　that　landed；　his　hair　was　all　singed　off；　and　his　face

was　blackened　with　the　running　pitch　from　a　torch。



He　made　no　complaint　of　pain；　or　of　anything。　　〃Good…bye；　old　chap；〃

was　all　he　said；　with　a　smile。　　〃I've　got　my　death。　　And　Death　ain't

life。　　Is　it；　Gill？〃



Having　helped　to　lay　his　poor　body　on　one　side；　I　went　back　to　my

post。　　Sergeant　Drooce　looked　at　me；　with　his　eyebrows　a　little

lifted。　　I　nodded。　　〃Close　up　here　men；　and　gentlemen　all！〃　said　the

Sergeant。　　〃A　place　too　many；　in　the　line。〃



The　Pirates　were　so　close　upon　us　at　this　time；　that　the　foremost　of

them　were　already　before　the　gate。　　More　and　more　came　up　with　a

great　noise；　and　shouting　loudly。　　When　we　believed　from　the　sound

that　they　were　all　there；　we　gave　three　English　cheers。　　T