Chapter VIII: Part 8

We had been sailing about twelve hours when the captain began to get anxious about the appearance of the weather and ordered all possible sail to be taken in. The clouds grew lead-coloured to windward, the breeze dropped to nothing, there was a deathly brooding silence, and the air seemed heavy and sultry. Even the gulls and other sea-birds that had been following us seemed now unable to support the weight of their bodies in the drowsy air and rested floating on the waves. Then came a gentle sigh, which presently grew into a hiss, the idle canvas that still remained spread began to flap, and in an instant after, with a shriek and a yell as of thousands of infuriated demons, the blast was upon us. Nothing could withstand it. In a moment our vessel heeled over and lay on its beam ends unable to right itself for the pressure of the wind, the waves freshened and grew from molehills into mountains, then sinking into abysses they threatened every moment to engulf us in their cavernous depths. The whole crew were struck with a panic, as well they might be, for even I gave myself up for lost: some wept, some beat their breasts, others shouted, urging that this or that should be done, while others again stood as though they were turned into stone. As the vessel slowly righted again after the first pressure of the rushing hurricane had passed over, her bare masts, from which all vestige of sail had been torn, kept her scudding before the breeze, now riding high on a mountain of water, and the next minute sinking deep before the advancing waves that seemed to chase us with fiendish joy in order that they might curl over and engulf us in their horrid depths; the wind all the while hurtling, skirling, whistling, and shrieking over us, so that no order of the captain could have been heard even if it could have been obeyed. No man durst leave hold of the grip he had of any saving object lest he should instantly have been swept overboard, as indeed many of the weaker were. Thus we raced on, expecting destruction every instant, ignorant where we were, whither we were going, or what might be our fate. It was not night, though it was as dark as night, yet without the heavenly lanterns with which Nature is wont to comfort the lonely hours of the mariner. Only frightful flashes of lightning now and again illumined the seething masses of water around us and enabled us to see more clearly the danger in which we stood, followed by rolls of thunder that made even the most fearless among us fearful, even myself. On a sudden the heavens seemed to open above us, a ball of fire descended upon our devoted vessel, and in a moment she was demolished and I found myself floating in the waves. I struck out with desperation, for I was a good swimmer, but I well knew that I had but a few minutes to live--buffeted as I was by the waves and choked by the blinding spindrift, no man be he ever so strong could hold out, when luckily I came upon a coffer floating by me upon which I got astride and bound myself to it by my waistband. Soon after a sailor who had by some means kept himself afloat seized hold of it, but I knew that it could not support us both, and with my remaining strength I threw him off and saw him sink with a sob beneath the boiling waters. By this time the chief force of the hurricane seemed to have spent itself, and though the water was still rough, it grew comparatively quiet. The dawn came, and then the sun rose. I looked around as best I could, but I saw nought but the wild waste of waters. Then I was lifted up on the crest of a wave, when to my delight I perceived not far off a rocky coast. I paddled with legs and arms in that direction as fast as my enfeebled strength would allow me, but I seemed to get no nearer and at last my remaining strength gave out. I could do no more but lay prone upon my coffer until at length my senses failed me and I grew unconscious.

When I came to myself again, I found that I lay stretched on the sand in a little cove between the rocks, the hot sun was baking down upon me, and an old woman was by my side chafing my hands. As soon as I opened my eyes she thanked God in a sort of Italian tongue, and helping me to rise, assisted me into her cottage which was situated close by. For some days I remained so weak that I scarce was able to move, but the old woman attended to all my wants, and I, being strong by nature, soon recovered. When she perceived that I was out of danger of death she clapped her hands and laughed and showed every sign of joy, which somewhat disgusted me, for why should she show so much joy for the recovery of one whom she had never seen before, and who was neither her son nor any relation, as little to her as she was to me? Then she knelt down before an image of the Virgin which hung on the wall, and before which burned a small oil lamp, and in her idolatrous way gave thanks for my recovery. I felt moved to break the image and to cast it down, but abstained because I thought that it behoved me to show my magnanimity before the poor ignorant creature who knew no better. After another day, when I could get about, she asked me whether I had not better put on other garments, seeing that mine were Turkish, and that were I seen in them I might be brought to the galleys. I told her that I had no others, but she said that my chest had been brought on shore with me, and, belike, I had other garments therein.

I had forgotten the chest, and tried to open it, but finding that it was locked, I told her that I had lost the key, and taking a large stone, I broke it open. At the top were a few rags of clothing, but lifting these up I was astonished to find that it was full of bags of gold pieces and jewels, a very fortune that no doubt had belonged to the captain of the wrecked vessel. I hastily closed the trunk again, and said that I grieved to find that all my Christian garments had been stolen; whereupon she gave me a new suit, which, she told me, had belonged to a son of hers who was lost at sea, whether drowned or captured by pirates she had never heard: nor did she ask me any more questions, since she knew not that I had been a slave, but believed the story I had told her of my having come from Malta. I say, she gave the suit of clothes, which became me very well, and told me that there was a ship now in the harbour ready for sailing to Massiglia. I thanked her, and bade her get me a passage, which she did, coming back with two seamen to carry my chest. She did not expect any recompense for her care of me, but I would not part without bestowing upon her my old clothes together with those which I found in the chest, which, indeed, were no use to me, and then, bidding her farewell, I accompanied the two men to their vessel.

The finding of so much of value in the chest was some recompense to me for the loss of my merchandise by the pirates of Algiers. Indeed, one bag of jewels alone would have more than made up for that. This proves how the heavens protect those who trust in the true faith, and though they may be cast down and grievously tried for a time, yet, if they withstand temptation as I have done, and prove steadfast, their losses shall be returned to them tenfold. The vessel I now embarked in I found to be the Tonnerre, whose master was named Jean le Houx, a worthy man, who asked no questions and received me readily enough. In a few hours he had loosed sail, and we were gliding under a fair breeze for our port.

As I lay in my cabin, I could not forbear to think of all that I had gone through and of my lucky escape, for which I had to thank my boldness and readiness of resource. I thought of my former attempt and of the fate of Reyya, and how this my last and successful attempt had also proved fatal to Umeimeh. I had not a doubt that she had perished in the wreck, though I had not seen her body among those that had been washed ashore; but this mattered little, since being an infidel, Christian burial would have availed her nothing. Though I pitied her sudden fate, for being a man of feeling I cannot resist such tender recollections, yet it was, perhaps, better for her as it was, for what could have become of her? Dismissing these thoughts from my mind, I went on deck and saw that we were at that moment entering the port of Massiglia. At length I was safe, I had entered a Christian country. Though it was but French, at least there was no longer any danger of slavery, and I observed with joy the port filled with galleys in every one of which was a crowd of slaves, the greater number of which were the false followers of Mahomet, mixed with a few of the sweepings of the jails of Europe.

Taking leave of the captain, whom I thanked for his courtesy in giving me a passage, I went on shore, and then bethought me what I should do. To acknowledge myself destitute was to court imprisonment, for the French will not suffer vagrants, as we do, or sturdy beggars to stroll about the country. To be sure I could have taken service with Monsieur le Houx, but I had had enough of the risks of a seafaring life, and I could not bear the thought, after all my sufferings with the Moors, that I might run the chance of being captured again. M. le Houx, who asked me what I meant to do, on being informed that I intended to make my way to England across France, gave me a letter to one Jacques Vaillant who had married his sister, together with a few pieces of money that I would not refuse lest I should thereby betray my riches. Riches did I say? I dared not be rich, for were I to endeavour to sell any of the jewels that I possessed I feared that it might be thought that I had come by them in no honest way, and any excuse would be taken to deprive me of all that I had. Therefore, carefully disposing as much as I was able about my body, and the rest in a pack upon my back, I departed on foot for Avignon. Beneath the ancient walls of that town I arrived in due course without adventure of any moment, save such as was occasioned by my anxiety for the safety of the treasure that I carried with me, an anxiety that made me to see in every wayfarer a possible thief, and to pass every wood and rocky place in fear. Once arrived at Avignon, I betook myself to a hostelry hard by the palace of the Bishops of Rome, where I gave out that I was well to do and that my baggage would shortly follow after me. Then I inquired for a goldsmith of credit with whom I changed some of my gold, and so, furnishing myself with a good equipage and new clothes, I cut a very different figure than I had hitherto done. Henceforward I travelled in safety with other merchants of repute through Valence to Lyons, and so onward to Macon and Dijon, where I did not deliver the captain’s letter, lest questions inconvenient to answer might be asked.

I will not here set down what else befell me in the remainder of my journey through Chatillon to Troyes and Paris, whence I descended the river Seine to Havre, though much passed that might be entertaining to relate and pleasant to hear. Suffice to say that I hurried on, eager for but two things, the one to keep my riches safe, and the other to see my beloved country once more. At Havre I found a paquet boat in which I embarked, to arrive safely after all these years of misery and exile in Portsmouth.

Ah! how can I describe to those who have never felt what it is to be divorced from their country and held for long years in bondage and tribulation, what joy I felt in once more landing a free man in my native land! Like the Conqueror, I longed to fall down and embrace the very soil, but it had rained recently and the soil was deep in mire. Or how can I describe to you the longing that seized me once again to embrace my wife and child. How vividly returned to me the old scene of our last parting: my wife’s tears and the carelessness of my boy, who now must have grown, if he was still living, to be a sturdy knave! If he still lived? What if my wife and all that I loved were dead? Or if, with the inconstancy of women, she were married again? I was in a fever of excitement, and, mounting my horse, I departed for London as quick as might be, though I took good care, for the sake of the valuables that I had about me, to travel always in good company, which did not always travel as fast as the heat of my passion would have had them. I thus arrived in London safely, without having encountered any footpads, and put up at a hostelry from which I could make my inquiries while I myself still remained unknown. It was a Saturday night when I arrived, and the following morning I waited outside the church that we had been wont to attend; for I had heard that Mistress Dudgeon still lived in the house in which I had left her, being now a reputed widow, although she was said still to cling to the belief that I lived. She was much persecuted by would-be suitors and blamed by all the gossips of the neighbourhood for wasting her youth in widowhood. I say, I watched at the church door, and saw many that I had known in former years pass by. There was Master Carroll, as pompous as ever, with his small meek wife; and Master Raynbowe, followed by a troop of children. Then came Master Bedingfield, with Mistress Bedingfield bearing the prayer-book, and grown monstrous stout and fearsome. Presently I saw my wife, leading her boy by the hand. How young she still looked, and how the men hung about her; but even I, jealous as I was, had no fault to find with the way in which she treated them. She did not even smile a greeting to her numerous admirers, but quietly took her accustomed place in church, and I slunk in after her. I observed her closely when the prayers of the congregation were asked for those who were in peril at sea or in slavery in Barbary, and could see how the tears ran down her cheeks and her whole frame was convulsed with sobs, how her arm stole round our boy, and she drew him closer towards her. At this sight I could scarce restrain my own tears, so tender is my nature, and had much ado to refrain from crying out then and there that I had come back to my own mouse. But I did refrain, and I let her get back to her own lodgings before I made myself known to her. What a scene there was! How she clung to me and sobbed upon my breast, and then thrusting me back the better to view me, nevertheless failed to see me for the tears that blinded her eyes. How she held up our boy before me, who seemed frighted, and whom I could have found it in me to whip for a fool. But, thank God, after a time she recovered her senses, though she could not yet part from my hand which she continued to hold within her own.

When she began to be able to think of somewhat else beyond her present happiness, she besought me to tell her of my sufferings, the which I related to her little by little, for the recital, like my suffering, was long. She wept all through, the which I forgave her, for the narrative as I related it was indeed moving, the more where I described to her how my thoughts in all my captivity were constantly with her, and how for her sake, and notwithstanding all my misery and suffering, I refused to yield to the temptation to turn renegade. I told her how I had been offered freedom, wealth, and marriage with the king’s daughter (for, indeed, I believe that the king would have given me his daughter) and she could not find words to express her joy and pride in my steadfastness. Then I showed her the riches I had gotten, which she somewhat misdoubted at first, and would have it that I ought to send it back, fearing that the king had presented it to me as a dowry with his daughter; but I assured her that it was washed up by the sea for our reward, and presently she became satisfied.

What more is there to relate? I was now even richer than when I left my country, my appetite for adventure was more than satiated by the years that I had passed in slavery, and I resolved thence-forward never again to tempt fortune, but to pass in enjoyment and in quiet at home the remainder of such days as it might please my God to grant me.

+Finis.+

_Spottiswoode & Co. Printers, New-street Square, London._

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