The Admirable Lady Biddy Fane Part 26

And now was I heartily glad I had not made myself understood; for I must have made a sad bungling business of it in comparison with her performance. I knew not a word of what she said, yet could I not sufficiently admire her n.o.ble calm, her easy self-command, her graceful tone and gestures, and fearless mien.

I might have pleaded for compa.s.sion; she did nothing of the kind. She told of the wrong we had suffered with no mournful note, but with a tone of contempt for those who were so base as to abandon the respect due to her. She spoke in another key of the attack made by the barbarians, for they were rather to be pitied for a savage cruelty sprung from their misfortunes: she turned with a gracious inclination of her head to the two men in acknowledging their courtesy, and then, facing the governor's wife, she seemed to be demanding of her the courtesy of one lady towards another; and in conclusion, with a deep curtsey, thanked the governor in advance for the hospitality which the representative of a proud king would undoubtedly extend to the unfortunate subjects of a brother-sovereign thrown upon his coast.

I knew, I say, not one word of the tongue she spoke; yet had I been as proficient in the language as she, I could not have better understood that which she was saying, and this simply by the consummate eloquence of her manner.

Her speech ended, the governor rose, and before he spoke placed his chair for her use, standing erect until the servant ran forward with another chair for him and one for me. Indeed, her speech had a marvelous effect upon the whole company. The governor's lady absolutely smiled upon us--for Lady Biddy had not omitted to state that she was n.o.ble by birth, and that I was her cousin--and the gentlemen, taking shame for their impudence, were now less prepared to meet her eyes than she theirs. All this did comfort me greatly to perceive, and my heart swelled with pride for that I was the companion of such an excellent and beautiful lady.

The governor, being seated, made a little speech in an amiable tone, which Lady Biddy at once translated to me, that he might see I was to be her partner in good fortune as I had been in ill; and the gist of his matter, divested of fine compliments, was that as soon as he had properly fulfilled his personal duty as a host, he should take proper means to convey us to our country.

"Tell him," says I, "that though I shall be happy to leave his roof a debtor, yet I do fear we shall have to cry quite before I go."

Lady Biddy looked perplexed, but she gave my message.

"The governor wishes to know," says she, when he had replied, "what you imply by your message, and so do I," adds she, in the same tone.

"Ask him if he knows a man with pointed teeth named Rodrigues."

After a little consideration among the company, the governor replied through Lady Biddy that he knew no one with pointed teeth.

"Tell him," says I again, "that Rodrigues is the pirate from whom we escaped; that he is an excellent navigator as ever sailed the sea, and knows this coast by heart; wherefore I do think by his anchoring half a dozen leagues off to search for water, instead of coming in here for refreshments--which had been the simpler and surer means--that he harbors some sinister design upon the riches of this town."

The governor looked grave on hearing this, and his lady set to crossing herself and calling on her saint for succor. Presently the governor replied.

"I am to tell you," says Lady Biddy, "that Dom Sebastian d'Estovalderos is prepared to meet any foe, and fears none. At the same time he thanks you for your hint, and I think by his manner the old gentleman will be very glad of a few more."

"Tell him," says I, "that I could not presume to offer advice to a Portugal and a soldier, with any other flattery you think proper; but I should feel more sure of my own skin if he would send out spies along the coast to the west to warn us of the pirate's movements."

Dom Sebastian took this in very good part, and at once gave orders to the men who had brought us in, and they departing at once, he eagerly asked if he could make any other arrangement to increase my sense of security.

I bade Lady Biddy let him know that Rodrigues was a man of extreme subtlety and a crafty villain, who, understanding the temper of the savages towards their masters, might secretly stir them up to rebellion with a view to diverting attention from his attack, and that therefore I should feel easier if the naturals were for a time deprived of their bows and arrows.

The governor vowed they should all be sent in irons up the country at the first approach of Rodrigues, but that, as to their bows, it was impossible to find where they kept them adding that to conceal these cherished arms they had so quickly scattered at the first musket-shot of his factors. Further, he wished to know what else he could do for me.

"Tell him," says I, getting weary of this business, "that I will let him know while I am eating if any other precaution occurs to my mind; but that, before anything else, I would be glad to have a basin of water and a clean s.h.i.+rt."

I know not how Lady Biddy suggested this, but certain it is that, after a few more civilities were exchanged a lackey led me off to one part of the house, while Mistress Sebastian herself carried Lady Biddy to another. And here was I waited on hand and foot, my old suit stripped off, and a very handsome dress laid out for me, which the governor begged I would accept until his tailor could make me a better; and while one fellow was tying my garters and buckling my shoes, another was pointing my beard and cropping my head in the Spanish fas.h.i.+on. In fine, betwixt one and the other, I was so changed that when I came to look in the gla.s.s I did not know myself for Benet Pengilly. But I was not displeased with my appearance; nay, on the contrary--to tell the truth--I was as vain of myself as any c.o.xcomb, and if I had possessed it, I would freely have given a piece to the fellow who trimmed my head, and another to him who had tied my garters, etc. And now I went out into the garden with a strut and a flourish, as though this bravery was naught to me, though my heart was all of a flutter to know how Lady Biddy would take my looks.

She had not yet descended when I came to the company, who were all laying their heads together very close in discussion, standing in a knot some way from the table, which was laid out with a very elegant repast.

Seeing me approach, the gentlemen broke off their conversation, and Dom Sebastian made a sign that I should sit down to table, but this I would not do in the absence of Lady Biddy, albeit I was very sharp-set.

Presently she came from the house with the governor's lady. I made them a prodigious fine bow, and they curtsied to me; and was flattered to the top of my bent to perceive how my lady did regard me from the corner of her eye with pleasure and approval.

She also had changed her torn frock for a gown of black silk, and with this she wore a kerchief of lace thrown loosely over her head, which, like a dark setting to a fair pearl, did add to the l.u.s.tre of her delicate skin and sparkling eyes--if it be possible to increase the beauty of that which in itself is perfect; in a word, she did ravish the eye.

And if those Portugals had before admired her, disheveled and ill-arrayed, there is no word to express their regard now. A little murmur arose amongst them as she gracefully took her seat at the table; and while one betook himself to get a posey for her bosom, and another set a cus.h.i.+on for her feet, the rest cl.u.s.tered around her like bees about a honey-bloom, offering her delicacies from the store set before us.

Lady Biddy was pleased to receive this homage, and, despite the accursed jealousy of my nature, I bore them no ill-will for their attentions to her, feeling that I was as good as any grandee amongst them, and better in my dear Lady Biddy's esteem.

After we had eaten to our heart's content, the governor very politely offered me some tobacco, which there they do not use in pipes, but rolled up in sticks about the bigness of a farthing candle, which tobacco is very excellent smoking indeed; and so, being risen, the governor gave his arm to Lady Biddy, and we strolled to that part of the grounds which commanded a wide view of the town, the river, and the sea beyond.

At that moment a runner came in, sweating with haste, to tell that a s.h.i.+p was in sight; but we needed not his warning, for I had already spied in the distance a sail which I knew at a glance for the _Black Death_.

CHAPTER x.x.xV.

A SPEEDY END IS BROUGHT TO OUR CIVIL ENTERTAINMENT.

Lady Biddy was greatly cast down when she caught sight of the black s.h.i.+p, as well she might be, for it seemed as if there were to be no more rest for her, body or mind. After standing in sad silence for a minute or two, she says to me:

"Benet, you must never yield to me again; if I had not persuaded you from your purpose, we should have escaped this present peril."

"Here is nothing," says I, "but what confirms my good opinion of your judgment."

"Nay," says she, "did you not tell Dom Sebastian that Rodrigues would come here?"

"To be sure, I don't want Rodrigues to catch Dom Sebastian unprepared; but as for our peril, I don't value it a snap of my fingers."

Hearing the name of Rodrigues coupled with his own, the governor, who had been eyeing us pretty shrewdly, stepped forward, and after apologizing for the intrusion, begged Lady Biddy to serve as our interpreter, and ask me whether I felt any anxiety with regard to my position; whereupon the following dialogue ensued:

I: "We may all go to bed and sleep comfortably to-night. But 'twill not do to lie abed to-morrow morning."

He: "You do not apprehend any immediate attack from the pirate?"

I: "No; for the reason that he is not in a position to offer it. You see how he has been making for the sh.o.r.e, and how now he is standing out; that shows that the wind is all against him, but it also proves his design to come hither."

He: "Why?"

I: "Because the s.h.i.+p's company are famished, and would never consent to work the s.h.i.+p at such a snail's pace unless Rodrigues could make them believe there was a town here to furnish them with all they need. They are not making half a league an hour. Unless the wind s.h.i.+fts to their advantage--and I see no likelihood of that--they will not be here ere midday to-morrow."

He: "What, in your opinion, will Rodrigues do then?"

I: "He will do his best to hoodwink and deceive you."

He (bending his brows): "And when he finds that Dom Sebastian d'Estovalderos is not to be hoodwinked?"

I: "Then he will seek to get what he wants by force. Neither he nor his men will go away unsatisfied."

He: "He may be satisfied to go away with what he does not want. My guns are not toys."

I: "I hope with all my heart he may under-rate them to his cost. It is more likely, however, that he will stand well out of their reach. He is hardy, but he is prudent. Be a.s.sured he would rather murder us all in our beds than venture an open encounter."

At this, Mistress Sebastian, who also understood the Italian a little, set up a shrill scream, and, after feeling about her person in great concern, called a servant who waited hard by, and bade him run at once to the house for her beads. The governor himself was too concerned to take much heed of his lady's agitation, though his pride kept him in good countenance.

He: "Are there any measures that you think it advisable to take?"