CHAPTER XXXIX
CONCERNING ANTONIA, THE WIFE
He was on deck betimes next morning and instantly aware that Bartlemy's great, black ship had gone, had stolen from her anchorage in the night and vanished like an evil dream; now this, reminding him how much there was to do, he instantly set about it early though the hour, by summoning his officers to counsel.
And presently, seated with them in the coach, he looked round upon the stalwart forms and honest faces of these tried friends whose loyalty and faith in him had never wavered through the years, these his devoted Dreadnoughts who had fronted death with him so often; and his heart swelled so that for the moment he could not speak, yet when he did, his words were short and to the point, as usuaclass="underline"
"Six weeks hence we sail against Santo Domingo to deliver our friends and other poor captives there prisoned. So, Ned, pray overhaul the ship, her every rope, spar and timber. You, John, will see to it we have good store o' powder and shot for all arms. You, Martin, will take a shore-party and beat up for recruits, enlist as many of our old crew that you may find and are willing for another venture."
"Lord love you, sir," quoth Martin, "we'll ha' no lack o' men, I'll warrant me, for the old Santy is known ashore as the Golden Fortune. So there's a mort o' prime seamen ready and eager, ay—'twill be case o' selection as usual, sir."
"The Golden Fortune? 'Tis a good name, Martin."
"Ay, so 'tis, sir. But she'll always be the old Santy to us Dreadnoughts, Cap'n Adam."
"And we sail in six weeks, sir?" enquired Ned. "And for San' Domingo! Shall we attempt such city of ourselves, just us?"
"No, we join a fleet at Dead Man's Key."
"Nay, but surely this is one of Black Bartlemy's known haunts?"
"Verily, John. For 'tis with Bartlemy, and his like, that we sail."
"Eh? Bartlemy?" exclaimed Ned. "And us as do be ever sworn foes to all rogue pirates? Which seeing as how, I now demands,—Cap'n Adam, do you tell us as you'll sail and consort wi' this black and bloody villin?"
"Ay, I do!" answered Adam, grimly. "Damme, but I'd sail with the devil to deliver a friend from such hell o' suffering, such agonies as Captain Smy hath endured, and maybe is enduring even now,—ere they burn his poor, maimed body at the next accursed Auto-da-Fé."
"Ay, but supposing as Bartlemy, being the black rogue he is, shall play you false, deceive you and all on us to our ruin, death and destruction? Think on this now, sir!"
"I have done, Ned, and am determined. For what poor, mean wretch is he that will set selfish prudence afore friendship and will not risk all for his messmate! Howbeit, because Bartlemy is indeed the Black, and this venture hazardous beside, I will constrain no man to it. Whoso doubts his fortune, let him bide here in Port Royal, but, as for me, I sail with Black Bartlemy 'gainst Santo Domingo."
"No!" cried a voice, and the door swung wide to show Antonia, radiant as the morning and vital as the breeze that came with her, sweet and fresh from clean ocean. "No!" she repeated, while all gazed on her, and none spoke or moved until Adam rose.
"Good friends and shipmates all," quoth he, "here you see our latest shipmate to sail with us on this venture. 'Tis my honour to present ye to the lady Perrow, wife to lord Perrow whom ye know as Captain Absalom Troy."
Up rose they one and all, to make her their reverence, yet none to recognize 'young Master Anthony' in this sweet-eyed, stately lady who, having acknowledged their greeting with such gentle graciousness, took the chair Adam proffered saying:
"I pray you all be seated—and forgive my so sudden intrusion—but oh, sirs, who sails with Black Bartlemy, sails with—death!"
"Yet must I," said Adam, at this grimmest, "lest death take our good valiant friend Captain Smy that, as we know, having suffered cruel torments, must burn anon. So, to save him from the fire, sail I shall, let come what may."
"And I'll with thee!" cried John Fenn.
"Me too, Cap'n!" quoth Ned.
"And I. And I!" cried they, one and all.
"Now God love ye, old Dreadnoughts!" said Adam, fervently, "This I hoped for, ay, and expected of ye. Come now, let us drink to—our lady Perrow and success on our venture." So drink they did, though first, up rose sturdy Ned, glass a-brim, to say:
"My lady, speaking for myself and messmates all, main, what I says is as this here old Santy Trinidaddio, though apt to be a bit lubberly on a bowline, lady, is yet lovely ship for to look at, more especially since Cap'n Adam lengthened her topmasts,—but to-day she be lovelier by reason o' you, mam, and us be proud to have ee aboard and therefore our shipmate. Which, seeing as how, my lady, I now takes off my glass to two o' the loveliest things as a sailorman's eye can wish for to ob-sarve, a lovely ship and a beautiful woman,—you, my lady!"
"Oh ... Master Ned!" she murmured, brokenly. "Such kind welcome makes me want to weep for gratitude ... and joy. For your words have made you all my friends, and this great ship a ... home to one who was ... very solitary. So I thank you from my heart,—each one of you."
Now when they had honoured this toast and gone about their various duties,
"Oh, Adam," she exclaimed, looking on him through sparkle of tears, "what kind, good men you gather to you! But why will you risk their lives in Black Bartlemy's power,—why sail with such wicked man?"
"Because I needs must," he answered, frowning at his wine-glass.
"Are you angered against me, Adam?"
"No," he answered, still without looking at her, "only I am very troubled for you ... your great bitterness 'gainst Absalom. This shall never make for your future happiness ... man and wife ..."
"Happiness?" she repeated, softly. "This fled me long since and left ... desolation."
"God forbid!"
"Ah, would He might! I prayed He would, indeed, very often I prayed, and all to none avail. Yet I do not complain."
"Ay, but you do, Antonia, you do."
"Only to yourself, Adam, and never until—now."
"And wherefore now?"
"Because now, besides being unfaithful to me, he is faithless to God."
"Unfaithful ... and to you?" demanded Adam, grim-lipped.
"And I forgave him," she sighed. "Truly I did ... because he was my choice, my ... husband. Only I chose a dream within a dream and, waking, found reality nowise like the splendid vision in my poor, foolish dream.... Nay, my poor Adam, look not so stricken. I shall not speak of this again, nor ever trouble you with——"
The door burst open and in leapt Jimbo, gasping:
"Oho, Cap'n! Oh, ma lady, fo' de Lord's sake perteck me from yo' murdersome wench! She say she stick me wid her knife.... And she will, too, and I shall pass to heaven in ma blood."
"Ah no," hissed Caruna, creeping towards the cowering giant, knife in hand, "not to heaven. I s-s-send yo' to de brims-s-stone, fiery pit, yo' hugesome, black tief."
"Caruna," cried her mistress, interposing, "what means this naughtiness?"
"Oh, ma Lady Precious, dis great, blacksome nigger-man he come crawling into yo' ladyship's own cabin fo' to steal——"
"No, no," wailed Jimbo, "to make de bed."
"Well, how dares yo' touch de bed o' my Precious wid yo' great, black paws——"