Then as he leisurely recommenced his thrilling movements, he said: 'While thus pleasantly engaged, it may be well they my queen should be made acquainted with the true quality of the man whom she so highly honours. Though now in the humble position of a valet, I am the younger son of a noble Florentine family. When my elder brother inherited the family title and estate, I was a boy of twelve years old. He treated me harshly and made my life so miserable that I ran away from home and went to sea. I joined a vessel that traded with the Spanish island of Cuba. After making several voyages, I fell among a set of free-booters. In an affray with the Guarda Costas, some of the latter were killed. A price was then set on our heads by the government. I fled to Jamaica to get under British protection, and after some time, being in great distress, I gladly accepted the situation I now hold under governor Stanhope. He knows something of my antecedents, and has been very kind and indulgent, allowing me much time for study and self-improvement; which has been of great service to me. Since I left home, I have mastered the Spanish language, and attained a fair proficiency in English, as you probably have observed.'
Here we were interrupted by the sudden heeling over of the ship on one side, and a frightful roar overhead as of a mighty tempest. The captain rushed half-dressed out of his cabin, ran to the barometer, and exclaiming that a hurricane had burst upon us, ran up the companionway closely followed by Sporio.
CHAPTER 12
A terrific storm has indeed arisen with scarcely any previous warning, as is usual in the Tropics. When the captain came on deck he found everything in confusion. All hands were piped up; but before it was possible to take in sail, the fore top-mast and jib-boom were carried away, and the ship encumbered by the wreckage, became the sport of winds and waves.
Sporio offered his help and soon proved himself to be a smart and skilful seaman. After great exertions the wreckage was cleared away and the ship got under some control but so great was the violence of the storm, that we were compelled to let the ship drive before it under a treble-reefed spanker and foresail.
Meanwhile in the cabin all was terror and confusion. Lady Stanhope and her daughter caught hold of one another and shrieked. The sea poured down the open hatches. The smashing of glass and crockery added to the din. The lights were out, we were up to our knees in water; and everything that could move was knocking and plunging about.
At last the ship righted herself a little, and, with Zilla's help, I got the lamps relighted, and the place into some kind of order.
Sporio and the captain visited us occasionally, and assured us there was no further cause for alarm, as the worst was over, and they were now busy putting the ship to rights.
Next afternoon the storm ceased almost as suddenly as it began; but when our position could be ascertained, it was found that we had been driven far out of our course, and that we were not far from the coast of Mexico.
The sea gradually went down, and every effort was now being made to get the ship into sailing trim again. In this service, Sporio turned out to be a valuable aid. The captain was delighted with him, and with the governor's permission appointed him mate – his jury-mate, as he called him – for the time being.
But now came a sad and sorrowful turn in my ever-changing life.
During the calm of that night, when most of the crew were taking a little rest after their violent and long-continued exertion, we were boarded by two large boats crammed with armed pirates. They had observed the crippled condition of the ship, and stole upon us in the dark without being noticed until just alongside.
The captain and the watch on deck made the best fight they could, but were quickly overpowered by numbers, and my gallant friend, so kind, so genial and so true, was slain bravely defending his ship and doing all in his power to protect those entrusted to his charge. Alas! Alas!
Such is life.
The pirate chief, whom they called Don Pedro, soon made his way into the after cabin, accompanied by his two lieutenants.
Then commenced such a scene of outrage, lust and violence, as is difficult to describe.
Don Pedro had already made himself acquainted with the number and quality of the women on board, and also with the rank and office of Governor Stanhope. He addressed him in a kind of Spanish patois, mixed up with Yankee oaths and slang phrases, to the effect that he was his prisoner, and that he would keep him under strict guard until a full and sufficient ransom was paid by the British government; that he regarded the ladies as his proper spoil, but that their lives would be spared if they were obedient and submissive to him and his mates. 'But remember,' he shouted, turning to us with a dreadful look and a fearful curse, 'Mesdames, if you oppose me, or offer any resistance, I will shoot you through the head, and pitch you out of the cabin window,' and by way of emphasis he fired off his pistol close to our faces as we sat crouching together.
He then bound the old governor to his seat, and directed his lieutenants to drag out Lady Stanhope and strip her naked.
She cried and entreated, but it was all of no avail; they never stopped until they had her stripped of every stitch except her stockings, and placed her standing in the midst with her hands tied over her head, and the cord fastened to a ring in the beam above.
Don Pedro surveyed her with the cool air of a connoisseur, and with a Spanish oath pronounced her a fairer bit of mutton than might have been expected.
And indeed, I was surprised myself; I knew her to be fair and fat, but I had no idea that she had such a smooth white skin. Her belly was round and full, a little protruding perhaps, but it was set off by an unusually large tuft of jet black hair that filled up all the space between its lower part of the adjoining thighs; but what attracted my attention were the two half-globes behind; not only were they extremely full and beautifully shaped, but they had a more dazzling whiteness than any buttocks I had ever seen.
The next order was given to strip her daughter in like manner. Poor Blanche, sobbing bitterly and shivering with fright, clung to me; our common misfortune having drawn us together, and dissipated her foolish pride, she cried most piteously, 'Oh, Queenie, can't you save me? Oh! What shall I do?'
I tried to comfort her by saying, 'We have nothing to do but to submit as best we can, and hope for better things.'
As they were dragging her away, one of the men, whom I heard called Carlo, stooped close to my ear and whispered in good English: 'Offer no opposition – be courageous, trust and wait,' and giving me a significant look, added 'Sporio.'
My heart bounded at the word. 'Sporio will save us,' I said to myself, 'I will be courageous, trust and wait.'
Blanche resisted more than her mother, and when they attempted to remove her chemise and drawers, she screeched and kicked with all her might.
Don Pedro grinned in satanic pleasure, and told them to throw her on her back on the table, and hold her legs asunder, while he fucked her in the presence of her father and mother; but first, let the old fellow enjoy a good view of his daughter's cunt and ass; I suppose he has not looked upon those precious secrets since she was a baby.
They took her up bodily and carried her over to him, and held her up, so that he could not help looking at the rich hairy gap that extended down between her widespread thighs. But to say the truth, he did not seem to regard it as any great punishment to be forced to gaze on his daughter's nakedness.
'Make him kiss it, boys, rub his old nose into his daughter's private scent-bottle.' They pressed her cunt and bottom to his face, and rubbed it up and down over his mouth and nose.