perils of certain english prisoners-第7部分

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

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

little　children　joined；　and　were　so　fully　convinced　of　our　being　at

play；　that　they　enjoyed　the　noise；　and　were　heard　clapping　their

hands　in　the　silence　that　followed。



Our　disposition　was　this；　beginning　with　the　rear。　　Mrs。　Venning；

holding　her　daughter's　child　in　her　arms；　sat　on　the　steps　of　the

little　square　trench　surrounding　the　silver…house；　encouraging　and

directing　those　women　and　children　as　she　might　have　done　in　the

happiest　and　easiest　time　of　her　life。　　Then；　there　was　an　armed

line；　under　Mr。　Macey；　across　the　width　of　the　enclosure；　facing

that　way　and　having　their　backs　towards　the　gate；　in　order　that　they

might　watch　the　walls　and　prevent　our　being　taken　by　surprise。　　Then

there　was　a　space　of　eight　or　ten　feet　deep；　in　which　the　spare　arms

were；　and　in　which　Miss　Maryon　and　Mrs。　Fisher；　their　hands　and

dresses　blackened　with　the　spoilt　gunpowder；　worked　on　their　knees；

tying　such　things　as　knives；　old　bayonets；　and　spear…heads；　to　the

muzzles　of　the　useless　muskets。　　Then；　there　was　a　second　armed

line；　under　Sergeant　Drooce；　also　across　the　width　of　the　enclosure；

but　facing　to　the　gate。　　Then　came　the　breastwork　we　had　made；　with

a　zigzag　way　through　it　for　me　and　my　little　party　to　hold　good　in

retreating；　as　long　as　we　could；　when　we　were　driven　from　the　gate。

We　all　knew　that　it　was　impossible　to　hold　the　place　long；　and　that

our　only　hope　was　in　the　timely　discovery　of　the　plot　by　the　boats；

and　in　their　coming　back。



I　and　my　men　were　now　thrown　forward　to　the　gate。　　From　a　spy…hole；

I　could　see　the　whole　crowd　of　Pirates。　　There　were　Malays　among

them；　Dutch；　Maltese；　Greeks；　Sambos；　Negroes；　and　Convict

Englishmen　from　the　West　India　Islands；　among　the　last；　him　with　the

one　eye　and　the　patch　across　the　nose。　　There　were　some　Portuguese；

too；　and　a　few　Spaniards。　　The　captain　was　a　Portuguese；　a　little

man　with　very　large　ear…rings　under　a　very　broad　hat；　and　a　great

bright　shawl　twisted　about　his　shoulders。　　They　were　all　strongly

armed；　but　like　a　boarding　party；　with　pikes；　swords；　cutlasses；　and

axes。　　I　noticed　a　good　many　pistols；　but　not　a　gun　of　any　kind

among　them。　　This　gave　me　to　understand　that　they　had　considered

that　a　continued　roll　of　musketry　might　perhaps　have　been　heard　on

the　mainland；　also；　that　for　the　reason　that　fire　would　be　seen　from

the　mainland　they　would　not　set　the　Fort　in　flames　and　roast　us

alive；　which　was　one　of　their　favourite　ways　of　carrying　on。　　I

looked　about　for　Christian　George　King；　and　if　I　had　seen　him　I　am

much　mistaken　if　he　would　not　have　received　my　one　round　of　ball…

cartridge　in　his　head。　　But；　no　Christian　George　King　was　visible。



A　sort　of　a　wild　Portuguese　demon；　who　seemed　either　fierce…mad　or

fierce…drunkbut；　they　all　seemed　one　or　the　othercame　forward

with　the　black　flag；　and　gave　it　a　wave　or　two。　　After　that；　the

Portuguese　captain　called　out　in　shrill　English；　〃I　say　you！

English　fools！　　Open　the　gate！　　Surrender！〃



As　we　kept　close　and　quiet；　he　said　something　to　his　men　which　I

didn't　understand；　and　when　he　had　said　it；　the　one…eyed　English

rascal　with　the　patch　（who　had　stepped　out　when　he　began）；　said　it

again　in　English。　　It　was　only　this。　　〃Boys　of　the　black　flag；　this

is　to　be　quickly　done。　　Take　all　the　prisoners　you　can。　　If　they

don't　yield；　kill　the　children　to　make　them。　　Forward！〃　　Then；　they

all　came　on　at　the　gate；　and　in　another　half…minute　were　smashing

and　splitting　it　in。



We　struck　at　them　through　the　gaps　and　shivers；　and　we　dropped　many

of　them；　too；　but；　their　very　weight　would　have　carried　such　a　gate；

if　they　had　been　unarmed。　　I　soon　found　Sergeant　Drooce　at　my　side；

forming　us　six　remaining　marines　in　lineTom　Packer　next　to　meand

ordering　us　to　fall　back　three　paces；　and；　as　they　broke　in；　to　give

them　our　one　little　volley　at　short　distance。　　〃Then；〃　says　he；

〃receive　them　behind　your　breastwork　on　the　bayonet；　and　at　least

let　every　man　of　you　pin　one　of　the　cursed　cockchafers　through　the

body。〃



We　checked　them　by　our　fire；　slight　as　it　was；　and　we　checked　them

at　the　breastwork。　　However；　they　broke　over　it　like　swarms　of

devilsthey　were；　really　and　truly；　more　devils　than　menand　then

it　was　hand　to　hand；　indeed。



We　clubbed　our　muskets　and　laid　about　us；　even　then；　those　two

ladiesalways　behind　mewere　steady　and　ready　with　the　arms。　　I

had　a　lot　of　Maltese　and　Malays　upon　me；　and；　but　for　a　broadsword

that　Miss　Maryon's　own　hand　put　in　mine；　should　have　got　my　end　from

them。　　But；　was　that　all？　　No。　　I　saw　a　heap　of　banded　dark　hair　and

a　white　dress　come　thrice　between　me　and　them；　under　my　own　raised

right　arm；　which　each　time　might　have　destroyed　the　wearer　of　the

white　dress；　and　each　time　one　of　the　lot　went　down；　struck　dead。



Drooce　was　armed　with　a　broadsword；　too；　and　did　such　things　with

it；　that　there　was　a　cry；　in　half…a…dozen　languages；　of　〃Kill　that

sergeant！〃　as　I　knew；　by　the　cry　being　raised　in　English；　and　taken

up　in　other　tongues。　　I　had　received　a　severe　cut　across　the　left

arm　a　few　moments　before；　and　should　have　known　nothing　of　it；

except　supposing　that　somebody　had　struck　me　a　smart　blow；　if　I　had

not　felt　weak；　and　seen　myself　covered　with　spouting　blood；　and；　at

the　same　instant　of　time；　seen　Miss　Maryon　tearing　her　dress　and

binding　it　with　Mrs。　Fisher's　help　round　the　wound。　　They　called　to

Tom　Packer；　who　was　scouring　by；　to　stop　and　guard　me　for　one

minute；　while　I　was　bound；　or　I　should　bleed　to　death　in　trying　to

defend　myself。　　Tom　stopped　directly；　with　a　good　sabre　in　his　hand。



In　that　same　momentall　things　seem　to　happen　in　that　same　moment；

at　such　a　timehalf…a…dozen　had　rushed　howling　at　Sergeant　Drooce。

The　Sergeant；　stepping　back　against　the　wall；　stopped　one　howl　for

ever　with　such　a　terrible　blow；　and　waited　for　the　rest　to　come　on；

with　such　a　wonderfully　unmoved　face；　that　they　stopped　and　looked

at　him。



〃See　him　now！〃　cried　Tom　Packer。　　〃Now；　when　I　could　cut　him　out！

Gill！　　Did　I　tell　you　to　mark　my　words？〃



I　implored　Tom　Packer　in　the　Lord's　name；　as　well　as　I　could　in　my

faintness；　to　go　to　the　Sergeant's　aid。



〃I　hate　and　detest　him；〃　says　Tom；　moodily　wavering。　　〃Still；　he　is

a　brave　man。〃　　Then　he　calls　out；　〃Sergeant　Drooce；　Sergeant　Drooce！

Tell　me　you　have　driven　me　too　hard；　and　are　sorry　for　it。〃



The　Sergeant；　without　turning　his　eyes　from　his　assailants；　which

would　have　been　instant　death　to　him；　answers。



〃No。　　I　won't。〃



〃Sergeant　Drooce！〃　cries　Tom；　in　a　kind　of　an　agony。　　〃I　have　passed

my　word　that　I　would　never　save　you　from　Death；　if　I　could；　but

would　leave　you　to　die。　　Tell　me　you　have　driven　me　too　hard　and　are

sorry　for　it；　and　that　shall　go　for　nothing。〃



One　of　the　group　laid　the　Sergeant's　bald　bare　head　open。　　The

Sergeant　laid　him　dead。



〃I　tell　you；〃　says　the　Sergeant；　breathing　a　little　short；　and

waiting　for　the　next　attack；　〃no。　　I　won't。　　If　you　are　not　man

enough　to　strike　for　a　fellow…soldier　because　he　wants　help；　and

because　of　nothing　else；　I'll　go　into　the　other　world　and　look　for　a

better　man。〃



Tom　swept　upon　them；　and　cut　him　out。　　Tom　and　he　fought　their　way

through　another　knot　of　them；　and　sent　them　flying；　and　came　over　to

where　I　was　beginning　again　to　feel；　with　inexpressible　joy；　that　I

had　got　a　sword　in　my　hand。



They　had　hardly　come　to　us；　when　I　heard；　above　all　the　other

noises；　a　tremendous　cry　of　women's　voices。　　I　also　saw　Miss　Maryon；

with　quite　a　new　face；　suddenly　clap　her　two　hands　over　Mrs。

Fisher's　eyes。　　I　looked　towards　the　silver…house；　and　saw　Mrs。

Venningstanding　upright　on　the　top　of　the　steps　of　the　trench；

with　her　gray　hair　and　her　dark　eyeshide　her　daughter's　child

behind　her；　among　the　folds　of　her　dress；　strike　a　pirate　with　her

other　hand；　and　fall；　shot　by　his　pistol。



The　cry　arose　again；　and　there　was　a　terrible　and　confusing　rush　of

the　women　into　the　midst　of　the　struggle。　　In　another　moment；

something　came　tumbling　down　upon　me　that　I　thought　was　the　wall。

It　was　a　heap　of　Sambos　who　had　come　over　the　wall；　and　of　four　men

who　clung　to　my　legs　like　serpents；　one　who　clung　to　my　right　leg

was　Christian　George　King。



〃Yup；　So…Jeer；〃　says　he；　〃Christian　George　King　sar　berry　glad　So…

Jeer　a　prisoner。　　Christian　George　King　been　waiting　for　So…Jeer

sech　long　time。　　Yup；　yup！〃



What　could　I　do；　with　five…and…twenty　of　them　on　me；　but　be　tied

hand　and　foot？　　So；　I　was　tied　hand　and　foot。　　It　was　all　over　now

boats　not　come　backall　lost！　　When　I　was　fast　bound　and　was　put　up

against　the　wall；　the　one…eyed　English　convict　came　up　with　the

Portuguese　Captain；　to　have　a　look　at　me。



〃See！〃　says　he。　　〃Here's　the　determined　man！　　If　you　had　slept

sounder；　last　night；　you'd　have　slept　your　soundest　last　night；　my

determined　man。〃



The　Portuguese　Captain　laughed　in　a　cool　way；　and　with　the　flat　of

his　cutlass；　hit　me　crosswise；　as　if　I　was　the　bough　of　a　tree　that

he　played　with：　　first　on　the　face；　and　then　across　the　chest　and

the　wounded　arm。　　I　looked　him　steady　in　the　face　without　tumbling

while　he　looked　at　me；　I　am　happy　to　say；　but；　when　they　went　away；

I　fell；　and　lay　there。



The　sun　was　up；　when　I　was　roused　and　told　to　come　down　to　the　beach

and　be　embarked。　　I　was　full　of　aches　and　pains；　and　could　not　at

first　remember；　but；　I　remembered　quite　soon　enough。　　The　killed

were　lying　about　all　over　the　place；　and　the　Pirates　were　burying

their　dead；　and　taking　away　their　wounded　on　hastily…made　litters；

to　the　back　of　the　Island。　　As　for　us　prisoners；　some　of　their　boats

had　come　round　to　the　usual　harbour；　to　carry　us　off。　　We　looked　a

wretched　few；　I　thought；　when　I　got　down　there；　still；　it　was

another　sign　that　we　had