zanoni-第52节

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one's　knife。　　Meanwhile　all　the　crew　were　up；　some　for　the

captain；　some　for　me；clashing　and　firing；　and　swearing　and

groaning；　and　now　and　then　a　heavy　splash　in　the　sea。　　Fine

supper　for　the　sharks　that　night！　　At　last　old　Bilboa　got

uppermost；　out　flashed　his　knife；　down　it　came；　but　not　in　my

heart。　　No！　I　gave　my　left　arm　as　a　shield；　and　the　blade　went

through　to　the　hilt；　with　the　blood　spurting　up　like　the　rain

from　a　whale's　nostril！　　With　the　weight　of　the　blow　the　stout

fellow　came　down　so　that　his　face　touched　mine；　with　my　right

hand　I　caught　him　by　the　throat；　turned　him　over　like　a　lamb；

signor；　and　faith　it　was　soon　all　up　with　him：　　the　boatswain's

brother；　a　fat　Dutchman；　ran　him　through　with　a　pike。



〃'Old　fellow；'　said　I；　as　he　turned　his　terrible　eye　to　me；　'I

bear　you　no　malice；　but　we　must　try　to　get　on　in　the　world；　you

know。'　　The　captain　grinned　and　gave　up　the　ghost。　　I　went　upon

deck；what　a　sight！　　Twenty　bold　fellows　stark　and　cold；　and　the

moon　sparkling　on　the　puddles　of　blood　as　calmly　as　if　it　were

water。　　Well；　signor；　the　victory　was　ours；　and　the　ship　mine；　I

ruled　merrily　enough　for　six　months。　　We　then　attacked　a　French

ship　twice　our　size；　what　sport　it　was！　　And　we　had　not　had　a

good　fight　so　long；　we　were　quite　like　virgins　at　it！　　We　got　the

best　of　it；　and　won　ship　and　cargo。　　They　wanted　to　pistol　the

captain；　but　that　was　against　my　laws：　　so　we　gagged　him；　for　he

scolded　as　loud　as　if　we　were　married　to　him；　left　him　and　the

rest　of　his　crew　on　board　our　own　vessel；　which　was　terribly

battered；　clapped　our　black　flag　on　the　Frenchman's；　and　set　off

merrily；　with　a　brisk　wind　in　our　favour。　　But　luck　deserted　us

on　forsaking　our　own　dear　old　ship。　　A　storm　came　on；　a　plank

struck；　several　of　us　escaped　in　a　boat；　we　had　lots　of　gold　with

us；　but　no　water。　　For　two　days　and　two　nights　we　suffered

horribly；　but　at　last　we　ran　ashore　near　a　French　seaport。　　Our

sorry　plight　moved　compassion；　and　as　we　had　money；　we　were　not

suspected；people　only　suspect　the　poor。　　Here　we　soon　recovered

our　fatigues；　rigged　ourselves　out　gayly；　and　your　humble　servant

was　considered　as　noble　a　captain　as　ever　walked　deck。　　But　now；

alas！　my　fate　would　have　it　that　I　should　fall　in　love　with　a

silk…mercer's　daughter。　　Ah；　how　I　loved　her！the　pretty　Clara！

Yes；　I　loved　her　so　well　that　I　was　seized　with　horror　at　my　past

life！　　I　resolved　to　repent；　to　marry　her；　and　settle　down　into

an　honest　man。　　Accordingly；　I　summoned　my　messmates；　told　them

my　resolution；　resigned　my　command；　and　persuaded　them　to　depart。

They　were　good　fellows；　engaged　with　a　Dutchman；　against　whom　I

heard　afterwards　they　made　a　successful　mutiny；　but　I　never　saw

them　more。　　I　had　two　thousand　crowns　still　left；　with　this　sum　I

obtained　the　consent　of　the　silk…mercer；　and　it　was　agreed　that　I

should　become　a　partner　in　the　firm。　　I　need　not　say　that　no　one

suspected　that　I　had　been　so　great　a　man；　and　I　passed　for　a

Neapolitan　goldsmith's　son　instead　of　a　cardinal's。　　I　was　very

happy　then；　signor；　very；I　could　not　have　harmed　a　fly！　　Had　I

married　Clara；　I　had　been　as　gentle　a　mercer　as　ever　handled　a

measure。〃



The　bravo　paused　a　moment；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that　he　felt

more　than　his　words　and　tone　betokened。　　〃Well；　well；　we　must　not

look　back　at　the　past　too　earnestly；the　sunlight　upon　it　makes

one's　eyes　water。　　The　day　was　fixed　for　our　wedding；it

approached。　　On　the　evening　before　the　appointed　day；　Clara；　her

mother；　her　little　sister；　and　myself；　were　walking　by　the　port；

and　as　we　looked　on　the　sea；　I　was　telling　them　old　gossip…tales

of　mermaids　and　sea…serpents；　when　a　red…faced；　bottle…nosed

Frenchman　clapped　himself　right　before　me；　and；　placing　his

spectacles　very　deliberately　astride　his　proboscis；　echoed　out；

'Sacre；　mille　tonnerres！　this　is　the　damned　pirate　who　boarded

the　〃Niobe〃！'



〃'None　of　your　jests；'　said　I；　mildly。　　'Ho；　ho！'　said　he；　'I

can't　be　mistaken；　help　there！'　and　he　griped　me　by　the　collar。

I　replied；　as　you　may　suppose；　by　laying　him　in　the　kennel；　but

it　would　not　do。　　The　French　captain　had　a　French　lieutenant　at

his　back；　whose　memory　was　as　good　as　his　chief's。　　A　crowd

assembled；　other　sailors　came　up：　　the　odds　were　against　me。　　I

slept　that　night　in　prison；　and　in　a　few　weeks　afterwards　I　was

sent　to　the　galleys。　　They　spared　my　life；　because　the　old

Frenchman　politely　averred　that　I　had　made　my　crew　spare　his。

You　may　believe　that　the　oar　and　the　chain　were　not　to　my　taste。

I　and　two　others　escaped；　they　took　to　the　road；　and　have；　no

doubt；　been　long　since　broken　on　the　wheel。　　I；　soft　soul；　would

not　commit　another　crime　to　gain　my　bread；　for　Clara　was　still　at

my　heart　with　her　sweet　eyes；　so；　limiting　my　rogueries　to　the

theft　of　a　beggar's　rags；　which　I　compensated　by　leaving　him　my

galley　attire　instead；　I　begged　my　way　to　the　town　where　I　left

Clara。　　It　was　a　clear　winter's　day　when　I　approached　the

outskirts　of　the　town。　　I　had　no　fear　of　detection；　for　my　beard

and　hair　were　as　good　as　a　mask。　　Oh；　Mother　of　Mercy！　there　came

across　my　way　a　funeral　procession！　　There；　now　you　know　it；　I

can　tell　you　no　more。　　She　had　died；　perhaps　of　love；　more　likely

of　shame。　　Can　you　guess　how　I　spent　that　night？I　stole　a

pickaxe　from　a　mason's　shed；　and　all　alone　and　unseen；　under　the

frosty　heavens；　I　dug　the　fresh　mould　from　the　grave；　I　lifted

the　coffin；　I　wrenched　the　lid；　I　saw　her　againagain！　　Decay

had　not　touched　her。　　She　was　always　pale　in　life！　　I　could　have

sworn　she　lived！　　It　was　a　blessed　thing　to　see　her　once　more；

and　all　alone　too！　　But　then；　at　dawn；　to　give　her　back　to　the

earth；to　close　the　lid；　to　throw　down　the　mould；　to　hear　the

pebbles　rattle　on　the　coffin：　　that　was　dreadful！　　Signor；　I

never　knew　before；　and　I　don't　wish　to　think　now；　how　valuable　a

thing　human　life　is。　　At　sunrise　I　was　again　a　wanderer；　but　now

that　Clara　was　gone；　my　scruples　vanished；　and　again　I　was　at　war

with　my　betters。　　I　contrived　at　last；　at　O；　to　get　taken　on

board　a　vessel　bound　to　Leghorn；　working　out　my　passage。　　From

Leghorn　I　went　to　Rome；　and　stationed　myself　at　the　door　of　the

cardinal's　palace。　　Out　he　came；　his　gilded　coach　at　the　gate。



〃'Ho；　father！'　said　I；　'don't　you　know　me？'



〃'Who　are　you？'



〃'Your　son；'　said　I；　in　a　whisper。



〃The　cardinal　drew　back；　looked　at　me　earnestly；　and　mused　a

moment。　　'All　men　are　my　sons；'　quoth　he　then；　very　mildly；

'there　is　gold　for　thee！　　To　him　who　begs　once；　alms　are　due；　to

him　who　begs　twice；　jails　are　open。　　Take　the　hint　and　molest　me

no　more。　　Heaven　bless　thee！'　　With　that　he　got　into　his　coach；

and　drove　off　to　the　Vatican。　　His　purse　which　he　had　left　behind

was　well　supplied。　　I　was　grateful　and　contented；　and　took　my　way

to　Terracina。　　I　had　not　long　passed　the　marshes　when　I　saw　two

horsemen　approach　at　a　canter。



〃'You　look　poor；　friend；'　said　one　of　them；　halting；　'yet　you　are

strong。'



〃'Poor　men　and　strong　are　both　serviceable　and　dangerous；　Signor

Cavalier。'



〃'Well　said；　follow　us。'



〃I　obeyed；　and　became　a　bandit。　　I　rose　by　degrees；　and　as　I　have

always　been　mild　in　my　calling；　and　have　taken　purses　without

cutting　throats；　I　bear　an　excellent　character；　and　can　eat　my

macaroni　at　Naples　without　any　danger　to　life　and　limb。　　For　the

last　two　years　I　have　settled　in　these　parts；　where　I　hold　sway；

and　where　I　have　purchased　land。　　I　am　called　a　farmer；　signor；

and　I　myself　now　only　rob　for　amusement；　and　to　keep　my　hand　in。

I　trust　I　have　satisfied　your　curiosity。　　We　are　within　a　hundred

yards　of　the　castle。〃



〃And　how；〃　asked　the　Englishman；　whose　interest　had　been　much

excited　by　his　companion's　narrative；〃and　how　came　you

acquainted　with　my　host？and　by　what　means　has　he　so　well

conciliated　the　goodwill　of　yourself　and　friends？〃



Maestro　Paolo　turned　his　black　eyes　very　gravely　towards　his

questioner。　　〃Why；　signor；〃　said　he；　〃you　must　surely　know　more

of　the　foreign　cavalier　with　the　hard　name　than　I　do。　　All　I　can

say　is；　that　about　a　fortnight　ago　I　chanced　to　be　standing　by　a

booth　in　the　Toledo　at　Naples；　when　a　sober…looking　gentleman

touched　me　by　the　arm；　and　said；　'Maestro　Paolo；　I　want　to　make

your　acquaintance；　do　me　the　favour　to　come　into　yonder　tavern；

and　drink　a　flask　of　lacrima。'　　'Willingly；'　said　I。　　So　we

entered　the　tavern。　　When　we　were　seated；　my　new　acquaintance

thus　accosted　me：　　'The　Count　d'O　has　offered　to　let　me　hire

his　old　castle　near　B。　　You　know　the　spot？'



〃'Extremely　well；　no　one　has　inhabited　it　for　a　century　at　least；

it　is　half　in　ruins；　signor。　　A　queer　place　to　hire；　I　hope　the

rent　is　not　heavy。'



〃'Maestro　Paolo；'　said　he；　'I　am　a　philosopher；　and　don't　care

for　luxuries。　　I　want　a　quiet　retreat　for　some　scientific

experiments。　　The　castle　will　suit　me　very　well；　provided　you

will　accept　me　as　a　neigh