Part 65 (2/2)
”True--they commonly lay the charges on as thick as if they were caulking. But here is the matter. The owner of the brig yonder, the father of your fair Imoinda, stands paymaster, by way of thanks for the civility with which we treated his daughters, and that we may not meet our due, as he calls it, on these sh.o.r.es.”
”It is like the frank-hearted old Udaller!” said Cleveland; ”but is he at Stromness? I thought he was to have crossed the island for Kirkwall.”
”He did so purpose,” said Bunce; ”but more folks than King Duncan change the course of their voyage. He was no sooner ash.o.r.e than he was met with by a meddling old witch of these parts, who has her finger in every man's pie, and by her counsel he changed his purpose of going to Kirkwall, and lies at anchor for the present in yonder white house, that you may see with your gla.s.s up the lake yonder. I am told the old woman clubbed also to pay for the sloop's stores. Why she should sh.e.l.l out the boards I cannot conceive an idea, except that she is said to be a witch, and may befriend us as so many devils.”
”But who told you all this?” said Cleveland, without using his spy-gla.s.s, or seeming so much interested in the news as his comrade had expected.
”Why,” replied Bunce, ”I made a trip ash.o.r.e this morning to the village, and had a can with an old acquaintance, who had been sent by Master Troil to look after matters, and I fished it all out of him, and more, too, than I am desirous of telling you, n.o.ble Captain.”
”And who is your intelligencer?” said Cleveland; ”has he got no name?”
”Why, he is an old, fiddling, foppish acquaintance of mine, called Halcro, if you must know,” said Bunce.
”Halcro!” echoed Cleveland, his eyes sparkling with surprise--”Claud Halcro?--why, he went ash.o.r.e at Inganess with Minna and her sister--Where are they?”
”Why, that is just what I did not want to tell you,” replied the confidant--”yet hang me if I can help it, for I cannot baulk a fine situation.--That start had a fine effect--O ay, and the spy-gla.s.s is turned on the House of Stennis _now_!--Well, yonder they are, it must be confessed--indifferently well guarded, too. Some of the old witch's people are come over from that mountain of an island--Hoy, as they call it; and the old gentleman has got some fellows under arms himself. But what of all that, n.o.ble Captain!--give you but the word, and we snap up the wenches to-night--clap them under hatches--man the capstern by daybreak--up topsails--and sail with the morning tide.”
”You sicken me with your villainy,” said Cleveland, turning away from him.
”Umph!--villainy, and sicken you!” said Bunce--”Now, pray, what have I said but what has been done a thousand times by gentlemen of fortune like ourselves?”
”Mention it not again,” said Cleveland; then took a turn along the deck, in deep meditation, and, coming back to Bunce, took him by the hand, and said, ”Jack, I will see her once more.”
”With all my heart,” said Bunce, sullenly.
”Once more will I see her, and it may be to abjure at her feet this cursed trade, and expiate my offences”----
”At the gallows!” said Bunce, completing the sentence--”With all my heart!--confess and be hanged is a most reverend proverb.”
”Nay--but, dear Jack!” said Cleveland.
”Dear Jack!” answered Bunce, in the same sullen tone--”a dear sight you have been to dear Jack. But hold your own course--I have done with caring for you for ever--I should but sicken you with my villainous counsels.”
”Now, must I soothe this silly fellow as if he were a spoiled child,”
said Cleveland, speaking at Bunce, but not to him; ”and yet he has sense enough, and bravery enough, too; and, one would think, kindness enough to know that men don't pick their words during a gale of wind.”
”Why, that's true, Clement,” said Bunce, ”and there is my hand upon it--And, now I think upon't, you shall have your last interview, for it's out of my line to prevent a parting scene; and what signifies a tide--we can sail by to-morrow's ebb as well as by this.”
Cleveland sighed, for Norna's prediction rushed on his mind; but the opportunity of a last meeting with Minna was too tempting to be resigned either for presentiment or prediction.
”I will go presently ash.o.r.e to the place where they all are,” said Bunce; ”and the payment of these stores shall serve me for a pretext; and I will carry any letters or message from you to Minna with the dexterity of a valet de chambre.”
”But they have armed men--you may be in danger,” said Cleveland.
”Not a whit--not a whit,” replied Bunce. ”I protected the wenches when they were in my power; I warrant their father will neither wrong me, nor see me wronged.”
<script>