The bells continued to ring at random2; a thousand cries, more or less distinct, mingled3 with the bursts of musketry and the roar of artillery5 from the galleys7.
When they arrived behind the walls of the Ursuline convent, situated8 at the extreme end of the city, Raimond V. said: “Captain, let us halt here a moment to collect our people and agree upon operations. Manjour! I feel young again; the blood thickens in my veins9. I have not felt that since the wars of Piedmont; it is because a pirate is worse than a foreigner, and in the civil wars, a man’s heart is oppressed in spite of himself. Silence!” said the baron to his troops as he turned around. “Let us hear where the firing comes from.”
After listening closely for some minutes, he said to the captain: “Will you listen to my counsel?”
“I will follow your orders, monseigneur, for I am not well acquainted with La Ciotat.”
Then, addressing one of his men, Raimond V. said: “Do you conduct the captain and his soldiers to the port, going around the city so as not to be seen. When you are there, captain, if there are any more demons11 to land, you will drive them back to their galleys; if they have all disembarked, do you wait until they return, so as to cut off their retreat; during that time, I will try to beat them up for you like a herd12 of wild boars.”
“In what part of the city do you think they are, monseigneur?”
“As far as I can judge by the noise of the musketry, they are in the town-hall square, occupied in plundering14 the houses of the richest citizens. They will not dare venture farther in, as no doubt they are in communication with the port by a little street which goes from that place to the wharf16. So, then, captain, to the port,—to the port! let us rather throw these villains17 back into the sea, than into their vessels18. If God gives me life I will expect you at Maison-Forte after the affair, for I do not forget that I am your prisoner. To the port, captain! to the port!”
“Count on me, monseigneur,” said the captain, hastening his march in the direction indicated.
“Now, my children,” said the baron, “keep silence, and let us hurry to the town hall, and put all these brigands19 to the sword. Our Lady! and forward!” Raimond V. then descended20 from his horse, and entered the streets of La Ciotat at the head of a determined21 body of men, full of confidence in their leader.
As Raimond V. approached the centre of action, he recognised, here and there, women who uttered heartrending cries, as they ran in the direction of the mountain, followed by their weeping children, and carrying on their heads their most precious possessions.
In other places, priests and distracted monks22, seized with the panic of terror, had left their houses, where they were peaceably keeping Christmas, and were running to throw themselves at the foot of the church altar.
In many deserted23 streets, armed men stood at their windows, resolved to defend their houses and their families to the utmost, and were thoroughly24 prepared to give the pirates a vigorous reception.
Clouds of sparks and cinders25 were encountered by the resolute26 troops as they steadily27 marched, and the whirling flames made the streets they crossed as bright as broad day.
At last they reached the square, and, as the baron had foreseen, the principal action was on that side of the town.
The pirates rarely ventured into the streets remote from the coast, for fear of being cut off from their vessels.
It is impossible to paint the spectacle which struck Raimond V. with horror. By the light of the dazzling flames, he saw a part of the pirates engaged in a bloody28 combat with a number of fishermen and citizens entrenched29 in the upper story of the town hall.
Other corsairs, thinking only of plunder15,—these belonged to the galley6 of Trimalcyon,—ran like so many demons across the conflagration30 they had kindled31, some laden32 with costly33 articles, and others bearing in their robust34 arms women and young girls, who uttered shrieks35 of agony and terror.
The ground was already strewn with bodies riddled36 with wounds, unfortunate victims who at least bore testimony37 to a desperate resistance on the part of the inhabitants.
Near the middle of the square, and not far from the little street which conducted to the port, could be seen a confused mass of all sorts of objects guarded by two Moors38.
The pirates increased this pile of plunder every moment, by coming there and throwing down additional booty, then returning to pillage40 and murder with renewed ardour.
The number of brave sailors and citizens, who were defending themselves in the town hall, began to diminish sensibly under the blows of the spahis of Pog, who thirsted far more for blood than for pillage.
Armed with a hatchet41, Pog attacked the door with fury, voluntarily exposing his life. He wore neither helmet nor cuirass, and was only clothed in his yellek of black velvet42.
At the height of this attack Raimond V. arrived on the square.
His troops announced their presence by a general discharge of musketry on the assailants of the town hall.
The pirates, attacked unawares, turned and threw themselves in a rage against the soldiers of the baron. Each side then abandoned firearms. A hand to hand struggle ensued; the conflict became bloody, terrible beyond words to describe. The band of Trimalcyon, seeing this unexpected reinforcement, left their pillage and rallied around Fog’s pirates, surrounding the little company of Raimond V., who was performing prodigies43 of valour.
The old gentleman seemed to recover the strength of the years of his youth. Armed with a heavy boar-spear, which was provided with a sharp and well-tempered bayonet, he employed this murderous weapon, both lance and club, with tremendous power, and although his helmet was broken in several places and his sword-belt covered with blood, Raimond V., in his enthusiasm as a warrior44, did not feel his wounds.
Carried along on the wave of battle, Pog suddenly found himself face to face with the baron. His pale, haughty45 face, his long red beard, were too conspicuous46 not to have made a lively impression on Raimond V.
He recognised in this pirate one of the two strangers who accompanied Erebus, at the time of the meeting in the gorges47 of Ollioules.
“It is the Muscovite who accompanied the brave young man to whom I owe my life,” cried Raimond V.; then he added, as he lifted his spear: “Ah! wild bear, you come from the ice of the north to ravage48 our provinces!”
And with these words Raimond V. aimed a terrible blow full in the breast. Pog avoided the blow by a quick movement in retreat, but his arm was run through.
“I am a Frenchman, like you,” cried the renegade, with a brutal49 sneer50, “and it is French blood for which I thirst! That your death may be more bitter, know that your daughter is in my power!”
At these terrible words, the baron stood for a moment, bewildered.
Pog profited by his inaction to strike him a terrible blow on the head with his battle-axe. The baron’s helmet had already been broken; he staggered a moment like a drunken man, then fell unconscious.
“Another one of these Proven?al bulls killed!” cried Pog, brandishing51 his battle-axe.
“Let us avenge52 our lord!” cried the people of Raimond V., hurling53 themselves at the pirates with such fury that they drove them back into the little street which led to the port.
Soon, reinforced by the sailors who had been besieged54 in the town hall, and whom the attack of Raimond V. had just delivered, they had such a decided55 advantage over the pirates, that the trumpets56 of the latter sounded a retreat.
At this signal, a part of the brigands formed in good order in the middle of the square, under the command of Pog. Then they made a vigorous resistance so as to give the other pirates time to transport their booty on board the galleys, and to drag to these vessels the men and women they had captured.
Remaining master of the position that he had defended, Pog covered the entrance of the little street leading to the port, and thus assured the retreat of the band of Trimalcyon, occupied in dragging the captives on board the galleys.
Pog, yielding the ground to his enemies, foot by foot, fell back into the little street, sure that his communication with the port and the galleys could not be intercepted57, and that he could effect his re?mbarkation without danger. The street was so narrow that twenty determined men could defend it against ten times the number.
The rumour58 of the pirates’ retreat was spread through the city, and all the inhabitants who, entrenched in their houses, either from fear or a desire to watch over their dearest interests, had not dared to venture out, now rushed into the streets and joined the combatants, whose number increased in proportion as that of the pirates diminished.
Pog, although wounded in the head and arm, continued his retreat with rare intrepidity59.
He was only a few steps from what he believed to be a place of safety. It proved to be otherwise.
The freebooters, who had directed their steps toward the port, in order to regain60 their galleys, fell into the ambuscade of Captain Georges.
Vigorously attacked by these fresh troops, the pirates fell into disorder61 in the little street, at the very moment when Pog entered it at the opposite end. Thus, caught in this narrow way, the two outlets63 of which were obstructed64 by assailants, the pirates found themselves between two fires.
From the side of the square they were attacked by the baron’s troops; from the side of the port, by the carabineers of Captain Georges.
Trimalcyon remained on board his galley, having that of Pog temporarily under his orders. At some distance from the quay65, he awaited the return of the long-boats, which were to bring on board the booty and the pirates.
One of their number, throwing himself in the water, went to inform him of the danger which threatened his companions. Then Trimalcyon resorted to extreme measures. He had the irons removed from a part of the crew, armed them, and approached his galleys so near the quay that their beak-heads served as a landing-place, and at the head of this reinforcement, he, uttering a wild cry, threw himself upon the soldiers of Captain Georges, who in his turn found himself between two fires. Fog’s company, which had kept the street, sure of being supported, made a last effort against the carabineers, already attacked behind by Trimalcyon, cut their way through, operating in union with Trimalcyon’s men, and after a great loss, succeeded in gaining their vessels, carrying with them several prisoners, among whom were Master Isnard and his clerk.
The boldest of the sailors and citizens, and almost all of the carabineers of Captain Georges, jumped into their boats to pursue the pirates.
Unfortunately the advantage was on the side of the galleys.
Their ten pieces of artillery struck the boats which tried to approach them. Then the galley, by vigorous use of oars13, rapidly gained the outlet62 of the port, and prepared to double the point of Verte Island.
Pog was standing66 in the stem of the Red Galleon67; he was pale, his hair and his clothes were full of blood; he threw a look of sullen68 triumph on the flames which continued to rise in the centre of the city.
Suddenly a cannon-shot resounded69; a ball whistled above his head, and carried off a part of his galley’s stem. He turned around quickly. A second ball killed four of the galley-slaves and tore away the first seat of the rowers.
By a little cloud of whitish smoke which crowned the embattled terrace of Maison-Forte, that could be seen in the distance by moonlight, the pirate recognised the spot whence these projectiles70 were sent.
From his acquaintance with the habits of war, he perceived, from the great distance at which these missiles were fired, that they must have been shot by a culverin of large calibre, and consequently he could not return the fire, as the artillery of the Red Galleon was unable to carry to such a distance.
These first shots were followed by several others, not less happy, which caused considerable damage either on board the Red Galleon or the Sybarite.
“Hell and damnation!” cried Pog. “So long as we do not double the point of the bay, we will be under the fire of that hovel! Ply71 your oars faster, dogs,” cried he, addressing the crew. “Ply your oars faster, I tell you, or when I reach Tripoli, I will have your arms cut off to the shoulder!”
The crew had no need of that encouragement to redouble their efforts; the dead bodies of slaves killed by the cannon-balls, and still chained to the benches where their companions were rowing, proved to them the danger of remaining under the fire of that murderous culverin.
That piece, however, continued to aim with such marvellous accuracy, that it sent several balls on board the two galleys.
“Death and fury!” cried Pog, “once out of this channel I will go and anchor at the foot of the rocks within half-range of the musket4, and there shall not remain one stone on another of the house where that culverin is in battery.”
“Impossible, Captain Pog,” said a Frenchman, a renegade Proven?al, who served as pilot. “The Black Rocks extend between wind and water more than half a league from the coast, and you would be sure to lose your galley, if you tried to come nearer to Maison-Forte.”
The pirate made a gesture of rage, and promenaded72 the deck in great agitation73.
Finally the two galleys got out of the dangerous pass where they had been caught.
The artillery of Maison-Forte had disabled many men, and had damaged them to such a degree that they would be compelled to anchor promptly74 in some harbour on the coast, before they would be able to set sail for Tripoli.
The Sybarite had received several shots below her water-line, and the Red Galleon had her tree cut in two.
When they had doubled the promontory75 of Cape76 l’Aigle, the master carpenter of the galley, a renegade Calabrian, a good sailor and a man of great courage, came forward with a solemn air to Pog-Reis, and said: “Captain, I have daubed as much as I possibly can the damages in the peel, but they are too large, and a thorough refitting is absolutely necessary, for if we have stormy weather, we will not stand the sea two hours with such injuries.”
Pog made no reply, but continued walking the deck with agitation; then he called the pilot and said to him: “Can we not anchor a day or two in the islands of Ste. Marguerite or St Honorat? They say these islands are not armed. You left the coast a year ago; is it true?”
“It is true,” answered the pilot “There ought to be good anchorage in the isles77 of Pieres and St. Feriol, on the windward of St. Honorat?” asked Pog, who was acquainted with these islands.
“Yes, captain, the coast is so high, and the harbour so protected by the rocks which form these islands, that the galleys will be hidden better there than at Port-Cros.”
“There are not, I believe, fifty inhabitants on the island?” asked Pog.
“Not more, captain, and twenty men at the outside; there is besides a very convenient shore for careening the ship.”
“Then steer78 for those islands; we ought to be about twenty-five leagues distant.”
“Thirty leagues, captain.”
“That is a great deal for the damage we have sustained, but it is, however, our surest place to put in. We will be there in a day if the wind is favourable79.”
The galley of Trimalcyon, as well as the chebec, followed the manoeuvres of the Red Galleon, and the three vessels crowded sail toward the island of St Honorat, situated on the coast of Provence, a short distance from Cannes.
These orders given, Pog estimated the losses sustained by his crew; they were quite numerous. Sixteen soldiers had been killed in La Ciotat, and there were a great many wounded men on board.
Besides, the culverin of Maison-Forte had, as we have seen, killed four of the galley-slaves.
They unchained the bodies and threw them into the sea, and replaced them with five soldiers.
The wounded were more or less cared for by a Moor39, who performed the functions of surgeon.
Pog had two wounds; one in the head, the other in the arm.
The baron’s spear had given this last wound, which was very deep, but the one in his head was comparatively insignificant80.
The Moor who discharged the duties of surgeon had just completed the first dressing10 of these wounds, when the chebec of Erebus, under full sail, approached the galley of Pog, and ranged herself within reach of his voice.
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1
baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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galleys
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| n.平底大船，战舰( galley的名词复数 )；（船上或航空器上的）厨房 | |
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8
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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plundering
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| 掠夺，抢劫( plunder的现在分词 ) | |
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plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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brigands
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| n.土匪，强盗( brigand的名词复数 ) | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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cinders
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| n.煤渣( cinder的名词复数 )；炭渣；煤渣路；煤渣跑道 | |
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26
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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entrenched
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| adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯) | |
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conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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riddled
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| adj.布满的；充斥的；泛滥的v.解谜，出谜题(riddle的过去分词形式) | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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pillage
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| v.抢劫；掠夺；n.抢劫，掠夺；掠夺物 | |
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41
hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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42
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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prodigies
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| n.奇才，天才（尤指神童）( prodigy的名词复数 ) | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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45
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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47
gorges
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| n.山峡，峡谷( gorge的名词复数 )；咽喉v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的第三人称单数 )；作呕 | |
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48
ravage
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| vt.使...荒废，破坏...；n.破坏，掠夺，荒废 | |
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49
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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50
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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51
brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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52
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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53
hurling
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| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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54
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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56
trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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intercepted
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| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
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rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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intrepidity
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| n.大胆，刚勇；大胆的行为 | |
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60
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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62
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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63
outlets
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| n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店 | |
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64
obstructed
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| 阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止 | |
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quay
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| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
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66
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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67
galleon
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| n.大帆船 | |
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68
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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69
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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70
projectiles
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| n.抛射体( projectile的名词复数 )；（炮弹、子弹等）射弹，（火箭等）自动推进的武器 | |
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ply
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| v.(搬运工等)等候顾客，弯曲 | |
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72
promenaded
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| v.兜风( promenade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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74
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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promontory
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| n.海角；岬 | |
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76
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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isles
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| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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78
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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80
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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