第8章

Stillitwasbinding，morebindingindeedthaninthiscountry，beingamarriageinallexceptinfact。

Butthosewomenwhoarethusboundforthemostpartbearnowife’sloveintheirhearts，andsoitwaswithyourmother。

IndeedshebothhatedandfearedhercousinJuan，thoughI

thinkthathelovedhermorethananythingonearth，andbyonepretextandanothershecontrivedtobringhimtoanagreementthatnomarriageshouldbecelebratedtillshewasfulltwentyyearsofage。

Butthecoldershewastohim，themorewasheinflamedwithdesiretowinherandalsoherpossessions，whichwerenotsmall，forlikeallSpaniardshewaspassionate，andlikemostgamestersandmenofevillife，muchinwantofmoney。

’Nowtobebrief，fromthefirstmomentthatyourmotherandIseteyesoneachotherwelovedoneanother，anditwasouronedesiretomeetasoftenasmightbe；andinthiswehadnogreatdifficulty，forhermotheralsofearedandhatedJuandeGarcia，hernephewbymarriage，andwouldhaveseenherdaughterclearofhimifpossible。

TheendofitwasthatItoldmylove，andaplotwasmadebetweenusthatweshouldflytoEngland。

ButallthishadnotescapedtheearsofJuan，whohadspiesinthehousehold，andwasjealousandrevengefulasonlyaSpaniardcanbe。

Firsthetriedtoberidofmebychallengingmetoaduel，butwewerepartedbeforewecoulddrawswords。

ThenhehiredbravostomurdermeasIwalkedthestreetsatnight，butIworeachainshirtbeneathmydoubletandtheirdaggersbrokeuponit，andinplaceofbeingslainIslewoneofthem。

Twicebaffled，deGarciawasnotdefeated。

Fightandmurderhadfailed，butanotherandsurermeansremained。

Iknownothow，buthehadwonsomecluetothehistoryofmylife，andofhowIhadbrokenoutfromthemonastery。

Itwaslefttohim，therefore，todenouncemetotheHolyOfficeasarenegadeandaninfidel，andthishedidonenight；itwasthenightbeforethedaywhenweshouldhavetakenship。

IwassittingwithyourmotherandhermotherintheirhouseatSeville，whensixcowledmenenteredandseizedmewithoutaword。

WhenIprayedtoknowtheirpurposetheygavenootheranswerthantoholdacrucifixbeforemyeyes。

ThenIknewwhyIwastaken，andthewomenceasedclingingtomeandfellbacksobbing。

SecretlyandsilentlyIwashurriedawaytothedungeonsoftheHolyOffice，butofallthatbefellmethereIwillnotstoptotell。

’TwiceIwasracked，onceIwassearedwithhotirons，thriceIwasfloggedwithwirewhips，andallthiswhileIwasfedonfoodsuchasweshouldscarcelyoffertoadoghereinEngland。

Atlengthmyoffenceofhavingescapedfromamonasteryandsundryblasphemies，so-called，beingprovedagainstme，Iwascondemnedtodeathbyfire。

’Thenatlast，whenafteralongyearoftormentandofhorror，I

hadabandonedhopeandresignedmyselftodie，helpcame。

OntheeveofthedayuponwhichIwastobeconsumedbyflame，thechiefofmytormentorsenteredthedungeonwhereIlayonstraw，andembracingmebademebeofgoodcheer，forthechurchhadtakenpityonmyyouthandgivenmemyfreedom。

AtfirstIlaughedwildly，forIthoughtthatthiswasbutanothertorment，andnottillIwasfreedofmyfetters，clothedindecentgarments，andsetatmidnightwithouttheprisongates，wouldIbelievethatsogoodathinghadbefallenmethroughthehandofGod。

Istoodweakandwonderingoutsidethegates，notknowingwheretofly，andasI

stoodawomanglideduptomewrappedinadarkcloak，whowhispered“Come。“

Thatwomanwasyourmother。

ShehadlearnedofmyfatefromtheboastingofdeGarciaandsetherselftosaveme。

Thriceherplansfailed，butatlengththroughthehelpofsomecunningagent，goldwonwhatwasdeniedtojusticeandtomercy，andmylifeandlibertywereboughtwithaverygreatsum。

’ThatsamenightweweremarriedandfledforCadiz，yourmotherandI，butnothermother，whowasbedriddenwithasickness。

Formysakeyourbelovedmotherabandonedherpeople，whatremainedtoherofherfortuneafterpayingthepriceofmylife，andhercountry，sostrongistheloveofwoman。

Allhadbeenmadeready，foratCadizlayanEnglishship，the“Mary“ofBristol，inwhichpassagewastakenforus。

Butthe“Mary“wasdelayedinportbyacontrarywindwhichblewsostronglythatnotwithstandinghisdesiretosaveus，hermasterdarednottakethesea。

Twodaysandanightwelayintheharbour，fearingallthingsnotwithoutcause，andyetmosthappyineachother’slove。

NowthosewhohadchargeofmeinthedungeonhadgivenoutthatIhadescapedbythehelpofmymastertheDevil，andIwassearchedforthroughoutthecountryside。

DeGarciaalso，findingthathiscousinandaffiancedwifewasmissing，guessedthatwetwowerenotfarapart。

Itwashiscunning，sharpenedbyjealousyandhate，thatdoggedusdownstepbysteptillatlengthhefoundus。

’Onthemorningofthethirdday，thegalehavingabated，theanchorofthe“Mary“wasgothomeandsheswungoutintothetideway。

Asshecameroundandwhiletheseamenweremakingreadytohoistthesails，aboatcarryingsometwentysoldiers，andfollowedbytwoothers，shotalongsideandsummonedthecaptaintoheaveto，thathisshipmightbeboardedandsearchedunderwarrantfromtheHolyOffice。

ItchancedthatIwasondeckatthetime，andsuddenly，asIpreparedtohidemyselfbelow，aman，inwhomI

knewdeGarciahimself，stoodupandcalledoutthatIwastheescapedhereticwhomtheysought。

Fearinglesthisshipshouldbeboardedandhehimselfthrownintoprisonwiththerestofhiscrew，thecaptainwouldthenhavesurrenderedme。

ButI，desperatewithfear，toremyclothesfrommybodyandshowedthecruelscarsthatmarkedit。

“’YouareEnglishmen，“Icriedtothesailors，“andwillyoudelivermetotheseforeigndevils，whoamofyourblood？

Lookattheirhandiwork，“andIpointedtothehalf-healedscarsleftbythered-hotpincers；“ifyougivemeup，yousendmebacktomoreofthistormentandtodeathbyburning。

Pitymywifeifyouwillnotpityme，orifyouwillpityneither，thenlendmeaswordthatbydeathImaysavemyselffromtorture。“

’Thenoneoftheseamen，aSouthwoldmanwhohadknownmyfather，calledout:“ByGod！Iforonewillstandbyyou，ThomasWingfield。

Iftheywantyouandyoursweetladytheymustkillmefirst，“andseizingabowfromtherackhedrewitoutofitscaseandstrungit，andsettinganarrowonthestringhepointeditattheSpaniardsintheboat。

’Thentheothersbrokeintoshoutsof:

’“Ifyouwantanymanfromamongus，comeaboardandtakehim，youtorturingdevils，“andthelike。

’Seeingwheretheheartofthecrewlay，thecaptainfoundcourageinhisturn。

HemadenoanswertotheSpaniards，butbadehalfofthemenhoistthesailswithallspeed，andtherestmakereadytokeepoffthesoldiersshouldtheyseektoboardus。

’Bynowtheothertwoboatshadcomeupandfastenedontouswiththeirhooks。

Onemanclimbedintothechainsandthencetothedeck，andIknewhimforapriestoftheHolyOffice，oneofthosewhohadstoodbywhileIwastormented。

ThenIgrewmadatthethoughtofallthatIhadsuffered，whilethatdevilwatched，biddingthemlayonfortheloveofGod。

SnatchingthebowfromthehandoftheSouthwoldseaman，Idrewthearrowtoitsheadandloosed。

Itdidnotmissitsmark，forlikeyou，Thomas，Iwasskilledwiththebow，andhedivedbackintotheseawithanEnglishyardshaftinhisheart。

’Afterthattheytriedtoboardusnomore，thoughtheyshotatuswitharrows，woundingoneman。

Thecaptaincalledtoustolaydownourbowsandtakecoverbehindthebulwarks，forbynowthesailsbegantodraw。

ThendeGarciastoodupintheboatandcursedmeandmywife。

’“Iwillfindyouyet，“hescreamed，withmanySpanishoathsandfoulwords。

“IfImustwaitfortwentyyearsIwillbeavengeduponyouandallyoulove。

Beassuredofthis，LuisadeGarcia，hidewhereyouwill，Ishallfindyou，andwhenwemeet，youshallcomewithmeforsolongasIwillkeepyouorthatshallbethehourofyourdeath。“

’ThenwesailedawayforEngland，andtheboatsfellastern。

’Mysons，thisisthestoryofmyyouth，andofhowIcametowedyourmotherwhomIhaveburiedto-day。

JuandeGarciahaskepthisword。’

’Yetitseemsstrange，’saidmybrother，’thatafteralltheseyearsheshouldhavemurderedherthus，whomyousayheloved。

Surelyeventheevilestofmenhadshrunkfromsuchadeed！’

’Thereislittlethatisstrangeaboutit，’answeredmyfather。

’Howcanweknowwhatwordswerespokenbetweenthembeforehestabbedher？

DoubtlesshetoldofsomeofthemwhenhecriedtoThomasthatnowtheywouldseewhattruththerewasinprophecies。

WhatdiddeGarciaswearyearssince？——thatsheshouldcomewithhimorhewouldkillher。

Yourmotherwasstillbeautiful，Geoffrey，andhemayhavegivenherchoicebetweenflightanddeath。

Seektoknownomore，son’——andsuddenlymyfatherhidhisfaceinhishandsandbrokeintosobsthatweredreadfultohear。

’Wouldthatyouhadtoldusthistalebefore，father，’IsaidsosoonasIcouldspeak。

’Thentherewouldhavelivedadevilthelessintheworldto-day，andIshouldhavebeensparedalongjourney。’

LittledidIknowhowlongthatjourneywouldbe！

Withintwelvedaysoftheburialofmymotherandthetellingofthestoryofhismarriagetoherbymyfather，Iwasreadytostartuponmysearch。

AsitchancedavesselwasabouttosailfromYarmouthtoCadiz。

Shewasnamedthe’Adventuress，’ofonehundredtonsburden，andcarriedwoolandothergoodsoutwards，purposingtoreturnwithacargoofwineandyewstavesforbows。

Inthisvesselmyfatherboughtmeapassage。

Moreover，hegavemefiftypoundsingold，whichwasasmuchasIwouldriskuponmyperson，andobtainedlettersfromtheYarmouthfirmofmerchantstotheiragentsinCadiz，inwhichtheywereadvisedtoadvancemesuchsumsasImightneeduptoatotalofonehundredandfiftyEnglishpounds，andfurthertoassistmeinanywaythatwaspossible。

Nowtheship’Adventuress’wastosailonthethirddayofJune。

Alreadyitwasthefirstofthatmonth，andthateveningImustridetoYarmouth，whithermybaggagehadgonealready。

Exceptonemyfarewellsweremade，andyetthatwastheoneImostwishedtomake。

SincethedaywhenwehadswornourtrothIhadgainednosightofLilyexceptonceatmymother’sburial，andthenwehadnotspoken。

NowitseemedthatImustgowithoutanypartingword，forherfatherhadsentmenoticethatifIcameneartheHallhisservingmenhadorderstothrustmefromthedoor，andthiswasashamethatIwouldnotrisk。

YetitwashardthatImustgouponsolongajourney，whenceitwellmightchanceIshouldnotreturn，andbidhernogoodbye。

InmygriefandperplexityIspoketomyfather，tellinghimhowthematterstoodandaskinghishelp。

’Igohence，’Isaid，’toavengeourcommonloss，andifneedbetogivemylifeforthehonourofourname。

Aidmetheninthis。’

’MyneighbourBozardmeanshisdaughterforyourbrotherGeoffrey，andnotforyou，Thomas，’heanswered；’andamanmaydowhathewillswithhisown。

StillIwillhelpyouifIcan，attheleasthecannotdrivemefromhisdoor。

Bidthembringhorses，andwewillridetotheHall。’

Withinthehalfofanhourwewerethere，andmyfatheraskedforspeechwithitsmaster。