stories by modern american authors-第40节

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sovereignty　of　the　illustrious　Ramm　Rapelye。　　Nay；　he　even　went　so

far；　in　one　of　his　rough；　jocular　moods；　as　to　slap　that　mighty

burgher　on　the　back；　drink　his　toddy；　and　wink　in　his　face；a

thing　scarcely　to　be　believed。　　From　this　time　Ramm　Rapelye

appeared　no　more　at　the　inn。　　His　example　was　followed　by　several

of　the　most　eminent　customers；　who　were　too　rich　to　tolerate　being

bullied　out　of　their　opinions　or　being　obliged　to　laugh　at　another

man's　jokes。　　The　landlord　was　almost　in　despair；　but　he　knew　not

how　to　get　rid　of　this　sea　monster　and　his　sea　chest；　who　seemed

both　to　have　grown　like　fixtures；　or　excrescences　on　his

establishment。



Such　was　the　account　whispered　cautiously　in　Wolfert's　ear　by　the

narrator；　Peechy　Prauw；　as　he　held　him　by　the　button　in　a　corner　of

the　hall；　casting　a　wary　glance　now　and　then　toward　the　door　of　the

barroom；　lest　he　should　be　overheard　by　the　terrible　hero　of　his

tale。



Wolfert　took　his　seat　in　a　remote　part　of　the　room　in　silence；

impressed　with　profound　awe　of　this　unknown；　so　versed　in

freebooting　history。　　It　was　to　him　a　wonderful　instance　of　the

revolutions　of　mighty　empires；　to　find　the　venerable　Ramm　Rapelye

thus　ousted　from　the　throne；　and　a　rugged　tarpaulin＇1＇　dictating

from　his　elbow　chair；　hectoring　the　patriarchs；　and　filling　this

tranquil　little　realm　with　brawl　and　bravado。





＇1＇　A　kind　of　canvas　used　about　a　ship；　hence；　a　sailor。





The　stranger　was；　on　this　evening；　in　a　more　than　usually

communicative　mood；　and　was　narrating　a　number　of　astounding

stories　of　plunderings　and　burnings　on　the　high　seas。　　He　dwelt

upon　them　with　peculiar　relish；　heightening　the　frightful

particulars　in　proportion　to　their　effect　on　his　peaceful　auditors。

He　gave　a　swaggering　detail　of　the　capture　of　a　Spanish

merchantman。　　She　was　lying　becalmed　during　a　long　summer's　day；

just　off　from　the　island　which　was　one　of　the　lurking　places　of　the

pirates。　　They　had　reconnoitered　her　with　their　spyglasses　from　the

shore；　and　ascertained　her　character　and　force。　　At　night　a　picked

crew　of　daring　fellows　set　off　for　her　in　a　whaleboat。　　They

approached　with　muffled　oars；　as　she　lay　rocking　idly　with　the

undulations　of　the　sea；　and　her　sails　flapping　against　the　masts。

They　were　close　under　the　stern　before　the　guard　on　deck　was　aware

of　their　approach。　　The　alarm　was　given；　the　pirates　threw　hand

grenades＇1＇　on　deck；　and　sprang　up　the　main　chains；＇2＇　sword　in

hand。





＇1＇　〃Hand　grenades；〃　i。e。；　small　shells　of　iron　or　glass　filled

with　gunpowder　and　thrown　by　hand。



＇2＇　〃Main　chains；〃　i。e。；　strong　bars　of　iron　bolted　at　the　lower

end　to　the　side　of　a　vessel；　and　secured　at　the　upper　end　to　the

iron　straps　of　the　blocks　by　which　the　shrouds　supporting　the　masts

are　extended。





The　crew　flew　to　arms；　but　in　great　confusion；　some　were　shot　down；

others　took　refuge　in　the　tops；　others　were　driven　overboard　and

drowned；　while　others　fought　hand　to　hand　from　the　main　deck　to　the

quarter…deck；　disputing　gallantly　every　inch　of　ground。　　There　were

three　Spanish　gentlemen　on　board；　with　their　ladies；　who　made　the

most　desperate　resistance。　　They　defended　the　companion　way；＇1＇　cut

down　several　of　their　assailants；　and　fought　like　very　devils；　for

they　were　maddened　by　the　shrieks　of　the　ladies　from　the　cabin。

One　of　the　dons　was　old；　and　soon　dispatched。　　The　other　two　kept

their　ground　vigorously；　even　though　the　captain　of　the　pirates　was

among　their　assailants。　　Just　then　there　was　a　shout　of　victory

from　the　main　deck。　　〃The　ship　is　ours！〃　cried　the　pirates。





＇1＇　The　companion　way　is　a　staircase　leading　to　the　cabin　of　a

ship。





One　of　the　dons　immediately　dropped　his　sword　and　surrendered；　the

other；　who　was　a　hot…headed　youngster；　and　just　married；　gave　the

captain　a　slash　in　the　face　that　laid　all　open。　　The　captain　just

made　out　to　articulate　the　words；　〃No　quarter。〃



〃And　what　did　they　do　with　their　prisoners？〃　said　Peechy　Prauw

eagerly。



〃Threw　them　all　overboard；〃　was　the　answer。　　A　dead　pause　followed

the　reply。　　Peechy　Prauw　sank　quietly　back；　like　a　man　who　had

unwarily　stolen　upon　the　lair　of　a　sleeping　lion。　　The　honest

burghers　cast　fearful　glances　at　the　deep　scar　slashed　across　the

visage　of　the　stranger；　and　moved　their　chairs　a　little　farther

off。　　The　seaman；　however；　smoked　on　without　moving　a　muscle；　as

though　he　either　did　not　perceive；　or　did　not　regard；　the

unfavorable　effect　he　had　produced　upon　his　hearers。



The　half…pay　officer　was　the　first　to　break　the　silence；　for　he　was

continually　tempted　to　make　ineffectual　head　against　this　tyrant　of

the　seas；　and　to　regain　his　lost　consequence　in　the　eyes　of　his

ancient　companions。　　He　now　tried　to　match　the　gunpowder　tales　of

the　stranger　by　others　equally　tremendous。　　Kidd；　as　usual；　was　his

hero；　concerning　whom　he　seemed　to　have　picked　up　many　of　the

floating　traditions　of　the　province。　　The　seaman　had　always　evinced

a　settled　pique　against　the　one…eyed　warrior。　　On　this　occasion　he

listened　with　peculiar　impatience。　　He　sat　with　one　arm　akimbo；　the

other　elbow　on　the　table；　the　hand　holding　on　to　the　small　pipe　he

was　pettishly　puffing；　his　legs　crossed；　drumming　with　one　foot　on

the　ground；　and　casting　every　now　and　then　the　side　glance　of　a

basilisk　at　the　prosing　captain。　　At　length　the　latter　spoke　of

Kidd's　having　ascended　the　Hudson　with　some　of　his　crew；　to　land

his　plunder　in　secrecy。



Kidd　up　the　Hudson！〃　burst　forth　the　seaman；　with　a　tremendous

oath；　〃Kidd　never　was　up　the　Hudson！〃



〃I　tell　you　he　was；〃　said　the　other。　　〃Aye；　and　they　say　he　buried

a　quantity　of　treasure　on　the　little　flat　that　runs　out　into　the

river；　called　the　Devil's　Dans　Kammer。〃＇1＇





＇1＇　A　huge；　flat　rock；　projecting　into　the　Hudson　River　above　the

Highlands。





〃The　Devil's　Dans　Kammer　in　your　teeth！〃＇1＇　cried　the　seaman。　　〃I

tell　you　Kidd　never　was　up　the　Hudson。　　What　a　plague　do　you　know

of　Kidd　and　his　haunts？〃





＇1＇　〃In　your　teeth；〃　a　phrase　to　denote　direct　opposition　or

defiance。





〃What　do　I　know？〃　echoed　the　half…pay　officer。　　〃Why；　I　was　in

London　at　the　time　of　his　trial；　aye；　and　I　had　the　pleasure　of

seeing　him　hanged　at　Execution　Dock。〃



〃Then；　sir；　let　me　tell　you　that　you　saw　as　pretty　a　fellow　hanged

as　ever　trod　shoe　leather。　　Aye！〃　putting　his　face　nearer　to　that

of　the　officer；　〃and　there　was　many　a　landlubber＇1＇　looked　on　that

might　much　better　have　swung　in　his　stead。〃





＇1＇　A　term　of　contempt　used　by　seamen　for　those　who　pass　their

lives　on　land。





The　half…pay　officer　was　silenced；　but　the　indignation　thus　pent　up

in　his　bosom　glowed　with　intense　vehemence　in　his　single　eye；　which

kindled　like　a　coal。



Peechy　Prauw；　who　never　could　remain　silent；　observed　that　the

gentleman　certainly　was　in　the　right。　　Kidd　never　did　bury　money　up

the　Hudson；　nor　indeed　in　any　of　those　parts；　though　many　affirmed

such　to　be　the　fact。　　It　was　Bradish＇1＇　and　others　of　the

buccaneers　who　had　buried　money；　some　said　in　Turtle　Bay；＇2＇　others

on　Long　Island；　others　in　the　neighborhood　of　Hell　Gate。　　〃Indeed；〃

added　he；　〃I　recollect　an　adventure　of　Sam；　the　negro　fisherman；

many　years　ago；　which　some　think　had　something　to　do　with　the

buccaneers。　　As　we　are　all　friends　here；　and　as　it　will　go　no

further；　I'll　tell　it　to　you。





＇1＇　Bradish　was　a　pirate　whose　actions　were　blended　in　the　popular

mind　with　those　of　Kidd。　　He　was　boatswain　of　a　ship　which　sailed

from　England　in　1697；　and　which；　like　Kidd's；　bore　the　name　of　the

Adventure。　　In　the　absence　of　the　captain　on　shore；　he　seized　the

ship　and　set　out　on　a　piratical　cruise。　　After　amassing　a　fortune；

he　sailed　for　America　and　deposited　a　large　amount　of　his　wealth

with　a　confederate　on　Long　Island。　　He　was　apprehended　in　Rhode

Island；　sent　to　England；　and　executed。



＇2＇　A　small　cove　in　the　East　River　two　miles　north　of　Corlear's

Hook。





〃Upon　a　dark　night　many　years　ago；　as　Black　Sam　was　returning　from

fishing　in　Hell　Gate〃



Here　the　story　was　nipped　in　the　bud　by　a　sudden　movement　from　the

unknown；　who；　laying　his　iron　fist　on　the　table；　knuckles　downward；

with　a　quiet　force　that　indented　the　very　boards；　and　looking

grimly　over　his　shoulder；　with　the　grin　of　an　angry　bear；

〃Hearkee；　neighbor；〃　said　he；　with　significant　nodding　of　the　head；

〃you'd　better　let　the　buccaneers　and　their　money　alone；　they're　not

for　old　men　and　old　women　to　meddle　with。　　They　fought　hard　for

their　moneythey　gave　body　and　soul　for　it；　and　wherever　it　lies

buried；　depend　upon　it　he　must　have　a　tug　with　the　devil　who　gets

it！



This　sudden　explosion　was　succeeded　by　a　blank　silence　throughout

the　room。　　Peechy　Prauw　shrunk　within　himself；　and　even　the　one…

eyed　officer　turned　pale。　　Wolfert；　who　from　a　dark　corner　of　the

room　had　listened　with　intense　eagerness　to　al