Part 16 (1/2)

”But,” says she, ”I know not but that he has some fresh device in mind, for there has been a great Afric negro past the window half a dozen times, and on each occasion he has grinned with his big mouth so that I am quite at a loss what to make of him.”

I asked her to describe this fellow to me, which she did closely, telling me he was over six feet high and proportionate in girth, with a flat nose spread upon his s.h.i.+ning black face, and a huge mouth projecting like any ape's.

By these tokens I recalled to mind such a blackamoor fighting beside Rodrigues at that time I first boarded the _Black Death_. But what this purpose might be in pa.s.sing the cabin window and grinning at Lady Biddy perplexed me as greatly as it did her, until of a sudden I bethought me of the attempt to enter the cabin in the night, and of the boy unbolting the trap.

”Did you see him at any time in company with the little wretch who waits on you?” I asked.

”Yes,” replied Lady Biddy. ”Indeed from his handing a dish to the boy I am disposed to believe he is the cook.”

This so strengthened my suspicions that I could make no reply; for though I would fain have spared Lady Biddy any further addition to her anxiety, yet could I see no way of concealing this new peril from her without adding to her danger.

”Do you not think, Benet,” says she presently, ”that there is some new design of Rodrigues in this?”

”Nay,” says I, ”I am rather disposed to believe that this is some new enemy your beauty has created, and that this heathen negro has a mind to possess you before his master.”

She shuddered, and sank down as if overwhelmed with this new horror.

Then I told her of the attempt to enter the cabin by night, and of the boy's villainy, showing her the hatch straightway.

”However,” says I, ”be a.s.sured that you run no greater risk from him than from the other villain. But I must beg you to repose as best you may in the big cabin to-night, and leave this chamber to me and the negro. We must rid ourselves of our enemies one at a time, with G.o.d's help.”

”Surely you do not intend to let him enter by that trap-door, Benet?”

”Yes,” says I, ”that way must he come to the end he deserves. G.o.d knows I have no taste to the taking of life; but this wretch seeks our undoing; not we his. In self-defense I must kill him.”

”But may you not as well foil him by shooting the bolt of the trap-door, Benet?”

”No,” says I, ”for that will only lead him to seek other means which we may not be prepared to frustrate. With a rope he may let himself down into the gallery beyond your cabin.”

”I will run that risk,” says she, ”rather than you shall jeopardize your life for me. You will still be at hand to fulfill your promise, whether my enemy be this black or Rodrigues. At the worst we can but die.”

”Ay, that is true,” says I, transported with delight at this dear girl's concern for my safety; ”but we must endeavor for the best rather than await the worst, and I make no doubt but that all will go well if you let me have my way. Nay, you must,” I added, firmly.

And this firmness taking effect on her judgment (for women respect nothing so much as decision in a man), she consented to do as I directed.

When night fell she bolted the door of the outer cabin, drew her blinds, lowered the wick of the lamp till it shed but a mere glimmer, and sought repose on the sofett, though little disposed to sleep.

Meanwhile, having drawn the bolt of the hatch and returned the carpet to its place, I knelt down beside it with my knife in my hand, and no mercy in my heart.

Again this night was pitch dark, though it rained not, so that no light came into the cabin, and I could see nothing whatever save a thin thread of light under the betwixt door, and that but dim because of the lamp being low in the next cabin. But if my eyes were useless to me, my ears served me well, and no sound in the s.h.i.+p escaped me; yet I heard nothing of importance for many hours, as it seemed to me. A long while it must have been, for several times I had to s.h.i.+ft my position because of being cramped in my legs by kneeling so long in one position.

At length an unusual sound (but very slight) reached my ear, and putting my head to the floor, I did distinctly hear the creak of wood, such as a ladder might make under the weight of a heavy body. Then, lifting my head and tightening my muscles, I grasped my knife, and prepared for the stroke.

Presently a fresh sound warned me that my enemy had come to the trap; but whether he had it opened or not I could not tell for the darkness, so that I was forced to reach forward with my left hand to feel whether the hatch was up or down.

The floor was still level.

I waited, trusting to my ears to tell me by the grating of the carpet on the edge of the hatch when it was raised. Yet heard I never a sound for his great circ.u.mspection, though expecting it for half an hour at least, as I judge; so that in the end, thinking I had been mistaken as to the sound I had heard at first, or that the wretch at the last moment had gone from his design, I stretched forth my left hand once more to feel the floor. But, lo! instead of touching the carpet as I thought to do, my hand fell plump on the negro's head, as I knew to my certainty by the short, wiry curls that distinguished his hair from other men's.