Part 12

"And I will love you;" murmured his fair companion, trembling and blushing she knew not for why--"I will love you as fondly as you wish. I will love you kindly and affectionately. I will love you always. I will be at all times every thing you most desire me to be. You shall never find reason to be dissatisfied. I will not allow you to be unhappy: all I do shall be done with the intention of giving you pleasure. My heart is overflowing with your goodness; and, indeed--and, indeed I love you very much." With these words she caught up the hand she had held in her own; and eagerly, yet timidly, pressed it to her lips!

Oriel Porphyry was so charmed by the simplicity and genuine affection expressed by the action, that he drew the bashful girl to his arms, and pressed her lips to his own. This had scarcely been done, when, on raising his eyes, he encountered the full and piercing gaze of Zabra. He stood before them,--his dark features wearing an expression the most wild and fearful--his breast heaving with passion, and his whole frame trembling with the powerful excitement under which he laboured. Lilya, with an exclamation of surprise, shrunk into the farthest corner of the sofa, and covered her face with her hands. Oriel looked upon him with astonishment, not unmixed with wonder; for the extraordinary beauty of his countenance, shrouded by its clustering black curls, with the intensity of the expression now impressed upon it, looked perfectly sublime.

"Has it come to this?" muttered the youth, in a voice that seemed choked with emotion. "Has it come to this? The last hope I have been allowed to entertain is now utterly crushed. Nothing remains but the conviction of my own misery, and of your baseness."

"Zabra!" exclaimed Oriel.

"What a reward is this you have given me!" continued the other, in the same hoarse tones. "What a recompense for all I have done! Could you think of no way of showing your appreciation of my devotion for you than by destroying the dream of happiness I have entertained? Have I not been faithful, and attached, and willing, and affectionate--as ready in the hour of danger to defend as desirous in a time of pleasure to amuse? Did I not share with you your anxieties, and rejoice with you in every thing that gave you joy? And yet you have committed this treachery."

"Zabra!" again exclaimed his patron.

"In what have I failed to do you honour and worship?" still continued his companion, slightly raising his voice as he proceeded. "In what have I been deficient? Where have I offended? Have I not sought all times and opportunities to fulfil your wishes before they could be expressed? Has not my heart been ever anxious to assist in the realisation of your best hopes? Is there any one thing you could have wished me to do that I have not done? If I had been slack in my exertions--if I had been careless in my services--if I had been heedless, thoughtless, or inattentive in my behaviour, there might have been some cause for depriving me of the affections which then I should have been unworthy to possess:--but I have exceeded all previous examples in the exclusiveness of my devotion. I have dared to do more than others could have imagined--I have sought you out to watch over your safety--and have served you with all honour, and care, and kindness. Why--why have you used me thus?"

"Zabra, what madness is this?" exclaimed the young merchant, more surprised than offended.

"And this is your love for Eureka!" continued the youth. "This is the way in which you return an affection, so deep, so earnest, and so true as her's has been? Have you lost all notion of justice, of virtue, and of that sincerity which most ennobles manhood? Where is your sense of shame? What manner of man are you, who, after you have been loved in all earnestness, in all purity, in all exclusiveness, and with all that self-abandonment which is most conspicuous in the love of woman, can turn round upon the object by whom you have been so truly honoured, and cast her hopes to the wind?"

"Zabra, you are proceeding beyond the limits of endurance; and I shall be obliged to acquaint Eureka with your unreasonable and offensive conduct," said Oriel.

"I--I AM EUREKA!" shouted the disguised page, in a voice that made both her companions leap from their seats with looks of the most intense astonishment, as, with flashing eyes, and words that seemed to breathe of fire, she exclaimed,--"It was Eureka who left her father's house to escape from an alliance into which she would have been forced had she remained.--It was Eureka who forsook family and friends, and the security and comforts of her own land, to share the dangers and watch over the safety of one to whom she was so completely devoted.--It was Eureka who quitted the dress and abandoned the prejudices of womanhood, the more securely to devote her disinterested heart to the service of her lover.--It was Eureka who dared with him the perils of the sea--rescued him from the clutches of the pirate--stopped the blows that were aimed at his life--shed her blood in his defence; and, in all offices of kindness--in all times of danger and difficulty--in all moments of tranquillity and desire of innocent enjoyment, thought only of his security--cared only for his amusement, and was anxious only for the perfect realisation of his happiness. It was Eureka who did these things: and I--I am Eureka!"

Probably she might have continued the same eloquent and forcible language; but the attention of herself and of her lover were attracted towards their companion. Lilya had listened with the most breathless interest to the avowal of the disguised Zabra; her eyes were fixed upon the speaker in one continued stare--wild, ghastly, and unnatural: the colour fled from her lips, the blood rushed from her face; her breast heaved in quick, short, spasms, and something was seen rising and swelling at her throat. An expression of unutterable anguish was impressed upon her beautiful features; she made two or three choking gasps, and tottering forward a few steps, fell at the feet of Eureka.

Oriel hurried to raise her from the ground; gently he lifted her head, and exposed to view a face pale as marble; the delicate mouth, half open, and the fair blue eyes fixed and sightless. As he attempted to take her hand, the head fell back upon his shoulder.--She was dead.

"Eureka!" exclaimed the young merchant, in a voice husky with emotion, as he supported the drooping corpse upon his arm, "you have wronged both her and me. She would never have been regarded by me save as a sister; and it was only with a brother's fondness that you saw me caress her. I am deeply grateful to you for the devotion with which you have honoured me; but when I look here,"--he continued, gazing on the lifeless form he held, with feelings that almost deprived him of utterance,--"and find a creature so perfectly innocent, so simple, so gentle, and so kind, that has been made its victim, I am obliged to regret that it has been purchased at so fearful a sacrifice."

He was answered only by hysteric sobs, that in a few minutes were succeeded by violent convulsions: and Dr. Tourniquet entering the cabin at this moment, Oriel hastily explained what had transpired; left her to his care, and rushed upon deck.

CHAP. X.

A FIGHT AT SEA.

"A sail to leeward!" shouted the look-out man on the gangway.

"Give me my glass, Loop!" cried the Captain.

"What does she look like, Cap'ain," inquired Climberkin.

"I see nothin' yet but a tall spar, pointing pretty sharpish into the sky," said Hearty. "Now I observe she has her royals set, and has an unkimmon low hull. But take the glass yourself, and see what you can make of her."

"She's schooner built, sir, with raking masts, carries a smartish number o' guns, and is altogether as suspicious looking a craft as ever I seed," observed the Lieutenant.

"Which way does she steer?" inquired the old man.

"She's bearin' right down upon us, sir," replied Climberkin; "and she means mischief, or I'm pretty considerably mistaken."

"Call up all hands to quarters--throw open the ports, and let the guns be shotted;" cried the captain. All was immediately bustle and confusion in every part of the Albatross. Fore and aft the men with the utmost alacrity, prepared to give the strange vessel a proper welcome in case of an attack. Muskets, pikes, cutlasses, powder and shot, were handed up from the hold with as much cheerfulness as if the crew were commencing some favourite amusement. The officers were giving their orders, the men busy at their preparations. Some threw off their jackets and tucked up their sleeves to be the more free in their movements. The decks were cleared: all things put away that could be an obstacle at such a time; the guns run out, and every man was at his post ready for action.

The schooner bore down gallantly upon the Albatross, and certainly was a very suspicious-looking vessel. A shot from one of her carronades came booming along without doing any mischief.

"There's no mistaking that, captain;" said Oriel Porphyry, who had been watching the proceedings around him with considerable interest.

"She's a pirate, sir, there's not a doubt on 't," observed the old man; "but she'll find we are not to be caught napping; and as she's ventured to begin the game, we'll just see who can play at it best. Give her a taste of the long gun, Boggle."

"Ay, ay, sir;" replied the second lieutenant.

"I must bear a hand in this, Hearty;" said the young merchant, unable to restrain his eagerness to join in the approaching fight.

"As you please, sir," rejoined the captain; "and as we know you are a fighter, and one o' the right sort, we shall be very glad o' your company. Here's a capital cutlass, which is much at your service."

"No, thank you; I'll go and get my own arms;" replied Oriel, and he immediately left the deck.

A long brass thirty-two pounder under the management of an experienced gunner was now got ready, and fired with such precision as to make the splinters fly from her hull.

"Pitch the shot into her as often as you can load and fire;" cried the captain.

"Ay, ay, sir;" said the man at the gun.

At this instant, a shot from the schooner brought down some of the standing and running rigging of the Albatross, and severed the jaws of the main-gaff. It was immediately answered by her long gun, which was kept rapidly firing, and ploughed up the decks of the pirate at every shot. During this, the Albatross by her superiority of sailing, kept wearing round the schooner, raking her fore and aft with a most destructive fire. They were now near enough to see that the decks of the supposed pirate were covered with men, among whom the thirty-two pounder had done considerable mischief. Finding that this sort of warfare was telling against them, the pirates altered their course, made sail, and ranged up within a cable's length of their opponent, displaying at the same time in their ship a black flag soaring up to her main-peak. As they approached, the sound of many voices came over the waters, and the crew of the Albatross distinctly heard the pirates singing in full chorus:--

"Our ship sails on the wave, On the wave, on the wave, Our ship sails on the wave, Captain Death; For free mariners are we, and we ride the stormy sea, And our Captain still shall be Captain Death! Captain Death! Our Captain still shall be Captain Death!"

"It must be the miscreants we left on the island of Madagascar;" said the young merchant. "I remember that murderous song well; but we'll strive hard to spoil their singing."

"Scrunch me if we don't make 'em change their toon at any rate;" exclaimed the old man. "There's nothin in life I've been so much wishin for as a 'portunity to sarve out that ere double distilled willain Scrumpydike, or Rifle, or whatever his name is."

"And you must leave the other scoundrel to me;" added Oriel Porphyry. "I have an account to settle with him, and if I can get within reach, he shall not escape."

The pirate ranged up on the quarter of the Albatross, pouring in her broadside as she advanced, which was answered with all the guns that could be brought to bear on that side of the ship, and then, by a manoeuvre skilfully executed, the Albatross was made to wear round the schooner, pouring in a volley of musketry, till she presented her other side, from which another sweeping fire belched forth. The shot crashed through the timbers of the pirate, committing dreadful slaughter upon her closely packed deck, and when the smoke which enveloped her bows cleared away, it was seen that her foretop-mast had gone, her sails had been shot through in numerous places, and a considerable portion of her rigging hung in ragged shreds. Three cheers from the crew of the Albatross, and groans, and shouts and imprecations from the schooner, evinced the effect the firing had in both ships.

The pirate bore up as if with the intention of running alongside to board, and poured in her broadside as she advanced, which killed six or seven men, and wounded several others; but her opponent waited till she was within about three ships' length, and then gave her the contents of all her available carronades. The mizen and mainmast of the pirate, which had previously been wounded, now fell by the board. At this instant the schooner fell foul of the Albatross on her larboard quarter, and the pirates made several desperate attempts to board, but the crew of the other ship kept up such a murderous discharge of musketry and small arms from her tops as well as from her decks, that every attempt was ineffectual, and the Albatross wearing off, discharged her larboard quarter-deck guns, and such of the main-deck guns as could be brought to bear, into the schooner's larboard bow.

The excitement on board the Albatross was now at its height. Every man was at his post, and one spirit seemed to stir the whole. The wounded were carried down to the surgeon as soon as their hurts were known, and the dead thrown into the sea that they might not incommode the living. Oriel Porphyry continued in one of the most exposed parts of the ship encouraging the men, and firing a musket whenever the ships were near enough for him to do so with any effect. Broadside after broadside followed from the Albatross in rapid succession, sweeping the decks of the schooner, and splitting her timbers into fragments. But the pirate captain still made every exertion to board the merchant ship. His vessel was scarcely manageable, and nearly half her crew were either killed or wounded: but he bore up to his opponent with the same dauntless resolution that had distinguished him throughout his career; he cheered his men on to the fight; and continued to discharge every gun that could be brought into play.

A quick and well-directed fire of musketry was kept up from the tops and forecastle of the Albatross, and her quarter deck guns were discharged with scarcely any intermission and with dreadful effect. The schooner now fell on board the merchant ship on the starboard quarter, and the pirates lashed her bowsprit to the stump of their mainmast; but the lashings soon afterwards gave way, and the two vessels, yard-arm and yard-arm, continued to pour into each other their sweeping broadsides, very much to the advantage of the Albatross, who was crippling her opponent at every discharge, and slaughtering her crew.

At this time the main-mast of the pirate fell over the side, and as the smoke cleared away, she was seen with her ports jammed in, her decks torn up in several places, her hull battered, and every part of her wearing the appearance of a complete wreck. But Captain Death was not a man to think of surrendering. When his vessel became short of hands, he assisted in working a gun; and as soon as he could get the two ships close alongside, he headed a party that lashed them together, and then, followed by the remainder of his crew--men of all nations, of all colours, and of every kind of costume, rushed upon the deck of the Albatross.

The fight now became one of hand to hand. The pistol, the pike, and the cutlass seemed the only weapons in requisition. The crew of the Albatross hurried to the place where Captain Death, Lieutenant Rifle, and their followers were hewing their way with the most desperate valour. Oriel Porphyry, the captain, Climberkin, and Boggle headed their party, cheering them on, and cutting down their opponents. Oriel Porphyry was engaged with a gigantic negro, whose head he severed at a blow, and then attacked a second and a third with the same spirit, and with a similar effect. Old Hearty beheld his ancient enemy, first known to him by the name of Scrumpydike, and frantic with the remembrance of what he had once suffered at his hands, he rushed upon him, cutlass in hand. A pistol was discharged at his head as he advanced which missed its object, and the two were immediately engaged in hacking at each other with all their strength and skill. The old man in strength was the equal of his opponent, but he was his superior at the weapon, at which he had been practising ever since their previous fight, with the desire of having his revenge should they meet again. The struggle was a fierce one, but it was brief. Hearty cut his opponent's sword-arm above the elbow with such force that it severed the bone, and at the same moment the young midshipman Loop run him through the body with a boarding-pike. With a malignant scowl he fell dead on the deck.

Oriel Porphyry had endeavoured to come in contact with the pirate captain, whom he observed at a short distance from him cutting down all by whom he was opposed; but several times he was attacked by some other of the gang whom he was obliged to dispose of before he could have the slightest chance of getting at him. At last Captain Death saw his former companion, and freeing himself from those with whom he was engaged, he hurried towards him, waving his uplifted sword streaming with blood, and shouting exclamations of rage and defiance.

"It is you I have sought far and near since you escaped me, but there's no escape for you now;" muttered the pirate, as he rushed furiously upon the young merchant, and strived by the force and rapidity of his blows to bring the combat to a speedy termination. But he was engaged with one of the most accomplished swordsmen in existence, with a well-tried weapon, and a spirit burning to destroy the wretch with whom he fought. He parried dexterously, and warded off with the greatest ease the most furious blows that were aimed at him; and the blood flowing from wounds in the captain's head and shoulder soon proved that he was not content with acting merely on the defensive. During the struggle these two got separated from the other combatants, and they stood in a part of the deck unnoticed by the men engaged on either side. Death, smarting from his wounds, pressed upon his antagonist with increasing rage and violence; but the latter, knowing that the victory was in his own hands, allowed the other to exhaust his strength in unavailing blows; then when he found the pirate's exertions slacken, his sword flashed about with a rapidity that baffled the eye, and seemed to draw blood at every stroke. He followed him with a strength of arm that appeared perfectly irresistible, beating down his defence, and striking aside his blows; but just as he was hurrying forward to put a finishing stroke to the contest, he tumbled over a dead body, and fell unarmed at the feet of his foe.

"Ah, ha!" shouted the pirate chief, while a gleam of malignant satisfaction shot from his eyes; "your doom is sealed." He swung round his sabre to bring it with all his strength upon the head of his defenceless antagonist, but before the blow had time to descend he heard a slight shriek, a rush of feet, and the next moment received two pistol bullets in his body. Oriel Porphyry regained his footing as Captain Death fell staggering on the deck, and with a wild cry of exultation Eureka rushed into his arms.

The pirates on the fall of their leader became dispirited; but knowing what would be their reward if taken, they returned to their ship, fighting desperately every inch of the way, and the strife was renewed upon their own deck till every man of them was cut down. The crew of the Albatross had upon the termination of the conflict dispersed themselves over the schooner with the intention of securing whatever valuables she might contain, when they were obliged to make a rapid retreat to their own vessel, as the schooner was rapidly sinking, but they did not depart without bringing with them a prisoner whom they had found secreted in the hold. The lashings were immediately cut away, and the Albatross had just time to sheer off, when the pirate filled and went down.

"Well, master Log!" exclaimed Boggle to his trembling prisoner; "I likes to ha' particular notions o' things in general, as every man as is a man and thinks like a man should have, and I has a notion o' you as is werry particular; arn't you a willain?"

"A villain--a villain--a great villain--a very great villain--indeed I may say a pretty considerable, atrocious, abominable tarnation villain, mister Boggle!" cried the other with a look that showed that he had been entirely put out of conceit of himself.

"What you says true's parfectly right," said the second lieutenant; "and I must pay you the compliment to acknowledge as how you shows a deal o' gumption in your 'splanation o' your own character. Don't you desarve to be spiflicated?"

"Spiflicated--spiflicated--well spiflicated--regularly spiflicated--I must confess that I ought to be right down regularly spiflicated, smothered, smashed, dished up and done for;" acknowledged the unfortunate captain's clerk, with a most woeful physiognomy and a sincerity of manner that carried conviction to his hearers.

"I likes to make ev'ry fellar comfortable arter his own fashion," said Boggle, with the utmost gravity; and then addressing a sailor who was grinning from ear to ear at a few paces distant, he cried, "I say, Solemnchops! just rig a noose in the main top gallant halyards."

"I'll do it wi' pleasure for the gentleman, sir;" replied the man, benevolently hastening to execute the command.

"Now, master Log, I begs to say as how I got no notion o' hurtin' any o' your feelins," continued the lieutenant; "but I considers it necessary for your health as you should be hanged. I knows unkimmon well as human natur' is human natur', and in consequence o' that ere I comes to the conclusion as it is the most properest thing as is for you to make yourself agreeable to your friends wi' a dance upon nuffin. But afore I leaves you in this here moloncholy perdickyment, I think 't will be but friendly in me to hint to you as how you ought to die like a respectable 'dividual; arn't you rayther a miserable sinner?"

"A miserable sinner!--a miserable sinner! a very miserable sinner--a very shocking miserable sinner, indeed I may say a very extraordinary shocking miserable sinner, and no mistake;" cried the unhappy Log.

More dead than alive the trembling wretch had the noose placed round his neck, and was run up to the halyards, accompanied by the consolations of the friendly Boggle.

"Hullo! what are you about there? Let that man down directly!" shouted the captain as he approached the scene, and the ex-captain's clerk descended upon the deck with a velocity that sent all the breath out of his body. "What's the meaning o' this?"

"Why, you see, sir," replied the second lieutenant, with his usual gravity; "I can't say as Master Log be given to drinkin, but I sartainly seed him just now unkimmonly elewated."

CHAP. XI.

THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN DEATH, AND THE MEETING OF THE SHIPS.