Two days later the preparations for departure were complete, and a sufficient number of men were engaged to man the prizes. This charge, also, Genoa took upon itself, and put on board much stronger crews than Gervaise deemed necessary for the navigation of the ships. The weather was fine and the wind favourable10, and a quick passage was made to Rhodes. When the harbour was in sight, the ships were ordered to proceed in single file, the galley leading the way with a huge banner of the Order floating from her stern, and smaller flags on staffs at each side. It was not until they passed by the two forts guarding the entrance that the flags fluttering at the mastheads of the prizes afforded to those on shore an intimation of the event that had taken place, and even then none supposed that this fleet of prizes had been taken by the one galley that headed them.
As the Santa Barbara slowly rowed up the harbour, the State barge11 of the grand master put off to meet it, and D'Aubusson, with a party of knights, soon stepped on board.
“Welcome back, Sir Gervaise! although I little expected to see you return so soon. What is the meaning of this procession that follows you? By their rig and appearance they are Moors12, but how they come to be thus sailing in your wake is a mystery to us all.”
“They are Moors, your Excellency; they form part of an expedition fitted out by the corsairs of Algiers, Tripoli, Tunis, and other piratical strongholds, for the purpose of destroying the commerce and ravaging13 the coasts of Western Italy. Fortunately, we fell in with a ship that had been plundered14 by three of them on their way north, and learned from the dying captain, who was the only one of her crew left with life on board, the direction they were taking, and something of the nature of the expedition. We pursued the three galleys15, came up with them, had the good fortune to capture them, and then had the delight of finding among their rowers the noble knights, Fabricius Caretto, Giacomo Da Vinci, and Pietro Forzi.”
The grand master, and the knights with him, uttered an exclamation16 of joy, and, as the three knights named stepped forward, embraced them with the liveliest pleasure.
“My dear Caretto,” the grand master exclaimed, “it is almost a resurrection, for we have all long mourned you as dead; and your return to us at the present time is indeed fortunate; for upon whose judgment17 and aid could I better rely than those of my old comrade in arms?” Then, turning to Gervaise, he went on: “It was a daring and brilliant exploit indeed, Sir Gervaise, and in due time honour shall be paid to you and your brave companions, to whom and to you I now tender the thanks of the Order. But tell me the rest briefly18, for I would fain hear from these noble knights and old friends the story of what has befallen them.”
“My tale is a very brief one, your Highness. The Cavalier Caretto sailed at once in a swift craft from the south of Sardinia, to carry warnings to the cities on the coast of Italy of the danger that threatened them, and in order that some war galleys might be despatched by Genoa to meet the corsair fleet. During his absence we discovered the little inlet in which the pirates lay hidden, waiting doubtless the arrival of the three ships we had captured, to commence operations. On the return of the knight with the news that it would be at least a fortnight before Genoa could fit out any galleys, and fearing that the pirates might at any moment put to sea, we procured20 some small Sardinian craft, and fitted them as fire ships; with the captives we had rescued, and some Sard fishermen, we manned the three prizes, distributing the knights between them, and at night launched the fire ships against the corsairs, whose ships were crowded together. Eleven of them were burnt; six we captured as they endeavoured to make their way out, and took possession of four others whose crews had run them ashore21 and deserted22 them. None escaped.”
“And is it possible, Sir Gervaise, that these thirteen vessels26 that follow you are all prizes captured by your galley alone?”
“It is, as I have the honour to tell your Highness. But their capture, except in the case of the first three, was due almost solely27 to good fortune and to the position in which we found them, almost incapable28 of defence.”
“What think you, knights and comrades?” the grand master said to his companions. “There were some of you who deemed it rash to entrust29 a galley to so young a commander and so youthful a crew. What say you now? Never in the annals of the Order has such a sight been witnessed as that of thirteen prizes being brought in by a single galley, to say naught30 of eleven others destroyed. Caretto, you and your comrades must have had some share in this marvellous victory.”
“By no means,” the Italian replied; “beyond having the honour of aiding to carry out the orders of Sir Gervaise Tresham, the commander of the galley. The plan was wholly of his own devising, its execution solely due to his arrangement of the details, and that without the slightest suggestion on the part of myself or my comrades. I will presently narrate31 to you the whole story; it will come better from my lips than from those of Sir Gervaise, whose disposition32 is to wholly underestimate the merit of the action he has performed. But I must also bear testimony33, not only to the bravery displayed by Sir Gervaise, Sir Ralph Harcourt, his lieutenant34, and every one of the knights his crew, but to the admirable discipline, order, and good fellowship on board the galley, which would have done credit to the most experienced commander and to the most veteran knights of the Order.”
The grand master paused a moment, and then said in a loud voice, “Sir Gervaise Tresham, Sir Ralph Harcourt, and knights of the seven langues of the Order—As yet I can hardly appreciate the full extent of the service that you have rendered. I thanked you but now for the capture of three corsairs; but what can I say when I learn that you have destroyed or taken a whole fleet? I invite you all to a banquet that I shall hold tonight, where the Cavalier Caretto will relate to us all the details of this marvellous exploit.”
Within a few minutes after the return of the grand master and his party ashore, the flags of the Order were run up to the flagstaffs of every fort and bastion: the bells of the churches chimed out a triumphant35 peal36, and a salute37 was fired from the guns of the three water forts, while along the wall facing the port, the townspeople waved numberless gay flags as a welcome to the galley. Most of the knights went ashore at once, but Gervaise, under the excuse that he wished to see that everything was in order before landing, remained on board until it was time to go to the banquet, being sure that by that time the knights would have fully38 told the story at their respective auberges, and that there would be no more questions to answer. The banquet differed but little from that at Genoa, and Gervaise was heartily39 glad when it was over.
The next day the grand master sent for him.
“If I judge rightly, Sir Gervaise, the thing that will best please you at present, is an order to put to sea again at once, to conclude the usual period of service of the galley.”
“It is indeed,” Gervaise replied earnestly. “But I should be glad, sir, if you will allow that the time should begin to count afresh from our present start. We have really had but a short period of service, for we wasted a week at Genoa, and ten days on our journey back here, so that we have had really no more than a month's active service.”
“Yes, if you count only by time,” D'Aubusson said, with a smile. “Reckoning by results, you have done a good five years' cruise. However, so small a request can certainly be granted. The places of the two knights who were killed, and of four others whose wounds are reported to me as being too severe for them to be fit for service for some time, shall be filled up at once from the langues to which each belonged. You will cruise among the Western islands, whence complaints have reached us of a corsair who has been plundering40 and burning. Sometimes he is heard of as far north as Negropont, at others he is off the south of the Morea; then, again, we hear of him among the Cyclades. We have been unwilling41 to despatch19 another galley, for there is ample employment for every one here. After the blow you have struck on the Moorish42 corsairs, they are likely to be quiet for a little. You had best, therefore, try for a time if you cannot come across this pirate. You must let me know how much you paid for the vessels you used as fire ships, and to the Sards; this is an expense chargeable to the general service. I may tell you that to me it is due that no recognition of your exploits, such as that which Genoa bestowed upon you, will be made. At the council this morning it was urged that some signal mark of honour should be granted; but I interposed, saying that you had already received exceptional promotion43, and that it would not be for your good, or that of the Order, for so young a knight to be raised to an official position of a character usually held by seniors, and that I was perfectly44 sure you would prefer remaining in command of your galley to any promotion whatever that would retain you on the Island.”
“Indeed I should, your Highness. I wish to gain experience and to do service to the Order, and so far from pleasing me, promotion would trouble and distress45 me, and, could it have been done, I would most gladly have sent home the prizes, instead of going to Genoa, and would myself have continued the cruise.”
“So the Cavalier Caretto told me,” the grand master replied. “Very well, then. In three days you shall set out again. The admiral tells me that never before has a galley returned with the slaves in such good health and condition, and that unquestionably your plan of erecting46 an awning47 to shelter them from the midday heat and the night dews has had a most beneficial effect on their health; he has recommended its general adoption48.”
Three days later the Santa Barbara again left port, and was soon upon her station. For some weeks she cruised backwards49 and forwards along the coast and among the islands. They often heard of the pirate ship, but all their efforts to find her were unavailing.
One evening there were signs of a change of weather, and by morning it was blowing a furious gale50 from the north; in spite of the efforts of the rowers, the galley narrowly escaped being driven ashore; but she at last gained the shelter of an island, and anchored under its lee, the slaves being utterly51 worn out by continuous exertion52. As soon as the gale abated53 they again put to sea, and, after proceeding54 for some miles, saw a ship cast up on shore. Some people could be made out on board of her, and a white flag was raised.
“She must have been driven ashore during the gale,” Gervaise said. “We will row in to within a quarter of a mile of her and see what we can do for them.”
As soon as the anchor was dropped a boat was lowered.
“I will go myself, Ralph, for I shall be glad to set my foot on shore again. There must be people on the island; I wonder none of them have come to the aid of those poor fellows. I suppose the villages are on the other side of the island, and they have not yet heard of the wreck55.”
Gervaise asked three of the knights to accompany him, and the boat, rowed by galley slaves, was soon on its way. All were glad at the change afforded to the monotony of their life on board, and at the prospect56 of a scamper57 on shore.
There were but five or six men to be seen on the deck of the wreck, and these had, as the boat approached, come down to the rocks as if to meet those who came to their aid; but as the knights leapt out, they threw themselves suddenly upon them with knives and scimitars that had hitherto been concealed58 beneath their garments, while at the same moment a crowd of men appeared on the deck of the ship, and, leaping down, ran forward with drawn swords. Two of the knights fell dead before they had time to draw their weapons. The third shook off his two assailants, and for a minute kept them both at bay; but others, rushing up, cut him down.
Gervaise had received a slight wound before he realised what was happening. He snatched his dagger59 from its sheath, and struck down one assailant; but ere he could raise it to strike again, another leapt on to his back, and clung there until the rest rushed up, when he shouted, “Take him alive! take him alive!” and, throwing down their weapons, half a dozen of the pirates flung themselves upon Gervaise, and strove to pull him to the ground, until at last, in spite of his desperate resistance, they succeeded in doing so. His armour was hastily stripped off, his hands and feet bound, and then at the orders of the pirate who had leapt on his back, and who was evidently the captain, half a dozen men lifted him on to their shoulders. As they did so four guns from the galley flashed out, and the balls flew overhead. The pirates, who had already begun to quarrel over the armour and arms of the fallen knights, at once took to their heels, followed by the galley slaves from the boat.
“Make haste,” the captain said to the men carrying Gervaise.
“They are lowering their boats; we must be under way before they come up.”
In a minute or two Gervaise was set down on his feet, the cords round his legs were cut, and he was made to hurry along with his captors. In a short time an inlet was reached, and here Gervaise saw, to his mortification60, the pirate craft for which the Santa Barbara had in vain been searching. As soon as the party were all on board, the ropes by which she was moored61 to two trees were thrown off; the great sails hoisted62, and she sailed boldly out. Although the gale had entirely63 abated, there was still a brisk wind blowing, and it was evident to the captain of the corsair that under such circumstances he could outsail the galley that had long been searching for him; when, therefore, the Santa Barbara came in sight, just as he and his crew had finished stripping the wreck of its contents, the idea had occurred to him to attempt to entice64 some of the knights to land.
As soon as the vessel25 was under way he abused his followers65 hotly for not having obeyed his orders to capture the knights without bloodshed; but they pleaded that it was as much as they had been able to do to capture Gervaise in that way, and that they could never have overcome the four together, before the boats would have had time to come from the ship.
Gervaise had been told to sit down with his back to a mast and in this position he could, when the vessel heeled over to the breeze, obtain a view of the sea. It was with a feeling of bitter mortification and rage that he saw the galley lying but half a mile away, as the corsair issued from the inlet. A moment later he heard a gun fired, and saw the signal hoisted to recall the boats.
“If the wind had been favourable,” the captain said to his mate, “we would have borne down upon her, and could have reached and captured her before the boats got back, for you may be sure that they have landed almost all their men. However, we can't get there against the wind, and we will now say goodbye to them.”
Gervaise knew well that at the pace they were running through the water the galley would have no chance whatever of overtaking her, and that, ere the knights came on board again, she would be already two or three miles away. A point of land soon concealed the galley from view, and when he caught sight of her, as she rounded the point, she was but a speck66 in the distance.
They passed several islands in the course of the day, changing their direction to a right angle to that which they had at first pursued, as soon as they were hidden from the sight of the galley by an intervening island. As night came on they anchored in a little bay on the coast of the Morea. The sails being furled, the sailors made a division of the booty they had captured on the island, and of the portable property found on board the wreck. A gourd67 full of water was placed to Gervaise's lips by one of the men of a kinder disposition than the rest. He drank it thankfully, for he was parched68 with thirst excited by the pain caused by the tightness with which he had been bound.
He slept where he sat. All night four men remained on guard, although from what he heard they had no fear whatever of being overtaken. In the morning his arms were unbound, and they stripped off his tunic69 and shirt. They had evidently respect for his strength, for before loosing his arms they tightly fastened his ankles together. The removal of his shirt exposed Claudia's gift to view.
“Take that from him and give it to me,” the captain said. As the two men approached, Gervaise seized one in each hand, dashed them against each other, and hurled70 them on the deck. But the exertion upset his equilibrium71, and after making a vain effort to recover it, he fell heavily across them. The captain stooped over him, and, before he could recover himself, snatched the chain from his neck.
“You are a stout72 fellow,” he said, laughing, “and will make a fine slave. What have you got here that you are ready to risk your life for?” He looked at the little chain and its pendant with an air of disappointment. “'Tis worth but little,” he said, showing it to his mate. “I would not give five ducats for it in the market. It must be a charm, or a knight would never carry it about with him and prize it so highly. It may be to things like this the Christians73 owe their luck.”
“It has not brought him luck this time,” the mate observed with a laugh.
“Even a charm cannot always bring good luck, but at any rate I will try it;” and he put it round his neck just as Gervaise had worn it. The latter was now unbound, and permitted to move about the deck. The strength he had shown in the struggle on shore, and the manner in which he had hurled, bound as he was, two of their comrades to the deck, had won for him the respect of his captors, and he was therefore allowed privileges not granted to the seamen75 of the vessel that had had the ill fortune to be cast on shore so close to the spot where the corsair was hiding. These had been seized, driven to the ship, and having been stripped of the greater portion of their clothes, shut down in the hold.
Although angry that but one out of the four who landed had been captured, the captain was in a good humour at having tricked his redoubtable76 foes77, and was disposed to treat Gervaise with more consideration than was generally given to captives. The latter had not spoken a word of Turkish from the time he was captured, and had shaken his head when first addressed in that language. No suspicion was therefore entertained that he had any knowledge of it, and the Turks conversed79 freely before him.
“Where think you we had better sell him?” the mate asked the captain, when Gervaise was leaning against the bulwark80 watching the land, a short quarter of a mile away. “He ought to fetch a good ransom81.”
“Ay, but who would get it? You know how it was with one that Ibrahim took two years ago. First there were months of delay, then, when the ransom was settled, the pasha took four-fifths of it for himself, and Ibrahim got far less than he would have done had he sold him as a slave. The pashas here, and the sultans of the Moors, are all alike; if they once meddle82 in an affair they take all the profit, and think they do well by giving you a tithe83 of it. There are plenty of wealthy Moors who are ready to pay well for a Christian74 slave, especially when he is a good looking young fellow such as this. He will fetch as much as all those eight sailors below. They are only worth their labour, while this youngster will command a fancy price. I know a dozen rich Moors in Tripoli or Tunis who would be glad to have him; and we agreed that we would run down to the African coast for awhile, for that galley has been altogether too busy of late for our comfort, and will be all the more active after this little affair; besides, people in these islands have got so scared that one can't get within ten miles of any of them now without seeing their signal smokes rising on the hills, and finding, when they land, the villages deserted and stripped of everything worth carrying away.”
This news was a disappointment to Gervaise. He had calculated that he would be sold at one of the Levant ports, and had thought that with his knowledge of Turkish he should have no great difficulty in escaping from any master into whose hands he might fall, and taking his chance of either seizing a fishing boat, or of making his way in a trading ship to some district where the population was a mixed one, and where trade was winked84 at between the merchants there, and those at some of the Greek towns. To escape from Tunis or Tripoli would be far more difficult; there, too, he would be beyond the reach of the good offices of Suleiman Ali, who would, he was sure, have done all in his power to bring about his release. Of one thing he was determined86: he would not return to Rhodes without making every possible effort to recover Claudia's gage9, as he considered it absolutely incumbent87 on him as a knight to guard, as something sacred, a gift so bestowed. The fancy of the corsair to retain the jewel as a charm he regarded as a piece of the greatest good fortune. Had it been thrown among the common spoil, he would never have known to which of the crew it had fallen at the division, still less have traced what became of it afterwards; whereas now, for some time, at any rate, it was likely to remain in the captain's possession.
Had it not been for that, he would have attempted to escape at the first opportunity, and such an opportunity could not fail to present itself ere long, for he had but to manage to possess himself of Moslem88 garments to be able to move about unquestioned in any Turkish town. When it became dark he was shut up in the hold, which was, he found, crowded with captives, as, in addition to the crew of the wreck, between forty and fifty Greeks, for the most part boys and young girls, had been carried off from the villages plundered. It was pitch dark below, although the scuttle89 had been left open in order to allow a certain amount of air to reach the captives; Gervaise, therefore, felt his way about cautiously, and lay down as soon as he found a clear space. Save an occasional moan or curse, and the panting of those suffering from the heat and closeness of the crowded hold, all was still. The majority of the captives had been some time in their floating prison, and their first poignant90 grief had settled down into a dull and despairing acceptance of their fate; the sailors, newly captured, had for hours raved91 and cursed, but, worn out by their struggle with the elements, and their rage and grief, they had now fallen asleep.
It was long before Gervaise dozed92 off. He was furious with himself for having fallen into the trap; if he had, as he said to himself, lain off the beach in the boat, and questioned the supposed shipwrecked sailors, their inability to reply to him would have at once put him on his guard; as it was, he had walked into the snare93 as carelessly and confidently as a child might have done. Even more than his own captivity94, he regretted the death of his three comrades, which he attributed to his own want of care. The next morning he was again allowed on deck. The vessel was under way, and her head was pointing south. To his surprise some of the crew gave him a friendly greeting; he was unable to understand a manner so at variance95 with their hatred96 to the Christians, until one of them said to him in a mixture of Greek and Italian, “We have heard from our countrymen who were in the boat with you, that they received much kindness at your hands, and that of all the Christians they had served under, you were the kindest master. Therefore, it is but right now Allah has decreed that you in turn should be a slave to the true believers, that you should receive the same mercy you gave to Moslems when they were in your power.”
The captain came up as the man was speaking. He talked for a time to the sailor, who then turned again to Gervaise. “The captain says that he is told you were the commander of that galley; he has questioned the eight men separately, and they all tell the same story: and yet he cannot understand how so young a man should command a galley manned by warriors97 famous for their deeds of arms, even among us who are their foes.”
“This galley was an exception,” Gervaise replied; “the knights on board were all young, as they could be better spared than those more experienced, at a time when your sultan is known to be preparing for an attack on Rhodes.”
The captain was silent for a minute when this was interpreted to him; he had at the time noticed and wondered at the youth of the four knights, and the explanation seemed to him a reasonable one.
“I wish I had known it,” he said after a pause; “for had I done so, I would have fought and captured her yesterday; I have half a mind to go back and seek her now.”
He called up one of the ex slaves who was a native of Tripoli, and who had now taken his place as a member of the crew, and asked him a number of questions. Gervaise felt uncomfortable while the man was answering. Fortunately, his rowers had agreed to say nothing whatever of the destruction of the corsair fleet, of which no word had as yet reached the pirates, deeming that, in their anger at the news, the pirates might turn upon them for the part that they had, however involuntarily, borne in it.
As soon as he perceived that the captain entertained the idea of returning to engage the galley, the man felt that if he were to avoid a return into captivity he must deter85 him from taking such a step. He therefore, in answer to his questions as to the strength of the crew of the galley and the fighting powers of the knights, reported the capture of the three vessels. The captain listened almost incredulously to his statement, and, calling up another two of the men, questioned them also as to the occurrence. Having heard them, he turned away and paced the deck, in evident anger; however, he gave no instructions for a change of course, and, to the great satisfaction of the eight rescued slaves, the vessel continued her course southward.
As they neared the African coast, Gervaise kept an eager lookout98, in hopes that Visconti's galley might appear in sight. The captain's temper had not recovered from the effect of the news of the capture of three Moorish vessels by the galley commanded by Gervaise, and the latter, seeing the mood he was in, kept forward so as to avoid coming in contact with him. He had early taken the opportunity of saying to one of the released galley slaves, “I pray you, if you have any feeling of kindness towards me for the efforts I made to alleviate99 your condition, say no word of my knowledge of Turkish, and ask the others also to remain silent on this point.”
The man had nodded, and the request was observed by them all.
The captain's irritation100 showed itself in his treatment of the other captives. These were brought up every day from the hold, and kept on deck until dark, as the price they would fetch in the slave market in Tripoli would depend greatly upon their health and appearance; but when the captain came near them he several times struck them brutally101, if they happened to be in his way. Gervaise had the greatest difficulty in restraining his indignation, and, indeed, only did so because he felt that his interference would but make things worse for them. When at last the ship cast anchor off Tripoli, the captain ordered the boats to be lowered. As he walked towards the gangway, he happened to push against one of the captives, a Greek girl of some ten years of age. With an angry exclamation he struck her to the deck. Gervaise sprang forward.
“You brute102!” he exclaimed in English. “I have a good mind to throw you overboard, and will do so the next time you strike one of these children without cause.”
Infuriated by Gervaise's interference and threatening attitude, the corsair drew his long knife; but before he could strike, Gervaise caught his wrist; the knife fell from his hand, and Gervaise kicked it through the open gangway into the sea. The captain shouted to his men to seize the Christian, but the young knight's blood was up now. The first man who came at him he seized by the sash round his waist, and threw overboard; the two next he stretched on the deck with blows from his clenched103 fist. Some of the others now drew their weapons, but the captain shouted to them to sheath them.
“Fools!” he yelled. “Is it not enough that your cowardice104 has already cost us the lives of three knights, whose capture would have brought us a big sum? Throw him down and bind105 him. What! are fifty of you afraid of one unarmed man? No wonder these Christians capture our ships, if this is the mettle106 of our crews!”
Goaded107 by his words, the men made a general rush upon Gervaise, and, in spite of his desperate efforts, threw him on to the deck and bound him; then the captain, seizing a heavy stick in his left hand, his right being still powerless, showered blows upon him until Gervaise almost lost consciousness. “Throw some water over the dog,” the corsair said, as he threw down the stick, panting with his exertions108; and then, without waiting to see if his order was obeyed, he took his place in the boat, and was rowed ashore.
As soon as he had left, three or four of the ex galley slaves carried Gervaise into the shade of the sail. The sailors, several of whom bore signs of the late struggle, looked on sullenly109, but offered no opposition110 when the men took off the ropes and raised him into a sitting posture111 against the mast. He had not entirely lost consciousness, and was now fast recovering himself.
“Is there anything we can do for you?” one of the men asked in Italian.
“No I shall soon be all right again, although I am bruised112 all over, and shall be stiff for a day or two. You had best leave me now, or you will incur113 the enmity of these fellows.”
Gervaise was indeed bruised from his neck to his heels. Even in his passion the pirate had avoided striking him on the head, as a disfiguring mark on the face would diminish his value. Sitting there, he congratulated himself that he had been beaten with a stick and not with a whip; a stick is a weapon, and he did not feel the same sense of dishonour114 that he would have experienced had he been beaten with a whip. That such might be his lot in slavery he recognised. The backs of Caretto and his two companions were seamed with the marks inflicted115 by the gang master's whip, and he could scarce hope to escape the same treatment; but at present he hardly felt a slave. There was another reflection that to some extent mitigated116 the pain of his bruises117; the pirate captain held his treasured gage, and it was his fixed118 determination to recover it. The man had at first in a rough way treated him fairly, and had allowed him more liberty than the other captives, and he would have felt reluctant to take extreme measure against him to recover the gage. Now he was not only free from any sense of obligation, but had a heavy score to settle with him.
After a time he got up and walked stiffly and painfully up and down the deck, knowing that this was the best plan to prevent the limbs from stiffening119. The corsair did not return until night set in; he was accompanied by an Arab, whose dress and appearance showed that he was a person of importance. The other slaves had all been sent below, but Gervaise still remained on deck, as the mate had not cared to risk another conflict by giving him orders in the absence of the captain. As the pirate stepped on deck he ordered some torches to be brought.
“This is the Christian I spoke78 of,” he said to the Arab, pointing to Gervaise, who was leaning carelessly against the bulwark.
“He is, as you see, capable of hard work of any kind; his strength is prodigious120, for it took ten of my best men to bind him this morning.”
“Why did you wish to bind him?” the Arab asked coldly; “you told me that although so strong he was of a quiet disposition, and would make a good household slave.”
“I struck a slave girl who stood in my way,” the captain said, “and he came at me so suddenly that I had to call upon the men to bind him. He threw one of them overboard, and with his naked hands knocked down two others; and, as I have told you, it took all the efforts of eight or ten more before they could overcome him.”
The Arab took a torch from one of the sailors, walked across to Gervaise, who was naked from the waist upwards121, his upper garments having been torn into shreds122 in the struggle, and examined him closely.
“And then you beat him,” he said, turning to the captain.
“Certainly I beat him. Do you think that a slave is to mutiny on board my ship, and escape unpunished?”
The Arab, without replying, again inspected Gervaise.
“You ask a large sum for him,” he said.
“I should ask twice as much,” the captain replied, “if it were not for the regulation that one slave from each cargo123 brought in belongs to the sultan, and his officers would as a matter of course choose this fellow, for the others are merely such as are sold in the market every day. This man is one of the accursed Order of Rhodes, and would fetch a ransom many times greater than the sum I ask for him, only I have not the time to wait for months until the affair could be arranged.”
“And, moreover, Hassan,” the Arab said grimly, “it has doubtless not escaped you that as the Sultan of Turkey is fitting out an expedition to destroy the community of Rhodes, the chance of their ransoming124 their comrade is a very slight one.”
“Threatened men live long,” the captain said. “The sultan has been talking of attacking them for years, and something has always happened to prevent his carrying out his intention. It may be the same again.”
“I will take him,” the Arab said shortly. “Here is a purse with the sum you named; count it, and see that it is right.” As he stood apart while the pirate counted out the money, the eight released slaves came up in a body, and one of them, bowing low before the merchant, said,
“My lord, we have long been slaves of the Christian knights at Rhodes, and have worked in their galleys. We were rescued the other day when this knight was taken prisoner. Our life has been a hard one. We have borne toil125, and hardship, and blows, the heat of the sun by day, and the damp by night, but we would humbly126 represent to you that since we were placed in the galley commanded by this knight our lot has been made bearable by his humanity and kindness. He erected127 an awning to shade us from the sun's rays, and to shelter us from the night dews. He provided good food for us. He saw that we were not worked beyond our strength, and he forbade us being struck, unless for good cause. Therefore, my lord, now that misfortune has fallen upon him, we venture to represent to you the kindness with which he has treated us, in the hope that it may please you to show him such mercy as he showed to us.”
“You have done well,” the Arab said, “and your words shall not be forgotten. When you land tomorrow, inquire for the house of Isaac Ben Ibyn. You are doubtless penniless, and I may be able to obtain employment for those of you who may stop at Tripoli, and to assist those who desire to take passage to their homes elsewhere. We are commanded to be grateful to those who befriend us, and as you have shown yourselves to be so, it is right that I, an humble128 servant of the Great One, should in His name reward you.”
Motioning to Gervaise to follow him, the Arab stepped into his boat. Gervaise turned to the men, and said in Italian, “Thanks, my friends, you have well discharged any debt that you may think you owe me. Will you tell that villain”—and he pointed129 to the captain threateningly—“I warn him that some day I will kill him like a dog!” Then, turning, he stepped into the bow of the boat, and the two men who rowed it at once pushed off.
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1
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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2
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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3
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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4
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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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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inscribed
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| v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接 | |
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armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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gage
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| n.标准尺寸，规格；量规，量表 [=gauge] | |
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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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barge
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| n.平底载货船，驳船 | |
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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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ravaging
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| 毁坏( ravage的现在分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫 | |
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plundered
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| 掠夺，抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
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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16
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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17
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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18
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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19
despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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20
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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21
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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22
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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23
exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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24
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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25
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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26
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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27
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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28
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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29
entrust
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| v.信赖，信托，交托 | |
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30
naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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31
narrate
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| v.讲，叙述 | |
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32
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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33
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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34
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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35
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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36
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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37
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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38
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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39
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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40
plundering
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| 掠夺，抢劫( plunder的现在分词 ) | |
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41
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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42
moorish
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| adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的 | |
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43
promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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44
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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45
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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46
erecting
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| v.使直立，竖起( erect的现在分词 )；建立 | |
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47
awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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48
adoption
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| n.采用，采纳，通过；收养 | |
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49
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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50
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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51
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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52
exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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53
abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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54
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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55
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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56
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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57
scamper
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| v.奔跑，快跑 | |
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58
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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59
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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60
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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61
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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62
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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64
entice
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| v.诱骗，引诱，怂恿 | |
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65
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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66
speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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67
gourd
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| n.葫芦 | |
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68
parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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69
tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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70
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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71
equilibrium
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| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
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73
Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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74
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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75
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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76
redoubtable
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| adj.可敬的；可怕的 | |
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77
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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78
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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79
conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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80
bulwark
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| n.堡垒，保障，防御 | |
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81
ransom
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| n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救 | |
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82
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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83
tithe
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| n.十分之一税；v.课什一税，缴什一税 | |
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84
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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85
deter
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| vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住 | |
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86
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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87
incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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88
Moslem
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| n.回教徒，穆罕默德信徒；adj.回教徒的，回教的 | |
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89
scuttle
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| v.急赶，疾走，逃避；n.天窗；舷窗 | |
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90
poignant
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| adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的 | |
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91
raved
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| v.胡言乱语( rave的过去式和过去分词 )；愤怒地说；咆哮；痴心地说 | |
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92
dozed
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| v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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93
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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94
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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95
variance
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| n.矛盾，不同 | |
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96
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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97
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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98
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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99
alleviate
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| v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等) | |
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100
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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101
brutally
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| adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地 | |
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102
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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103
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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104
cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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105
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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106
mettle
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| n.勇气，精神 | |
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107
goaded
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| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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108
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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109
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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110
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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111
posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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112
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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113
incur
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| vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇 | |
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114
dishonour
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| n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩 | |
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115
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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116
mitigated
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| v.减轻，缓和( mitigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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117
bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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118
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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119
stiffening
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| n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式 | |
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120
prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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121
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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122
shreds
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| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
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123
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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124
ransoming
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| 付赎金救人，赎金( ransom的现在分词 ) | |
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125
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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126
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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127
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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128
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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129
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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