Sir John ran to him, went down upon one knee to put loving arms about that chilling clay, and very gently raised him in them, and held him so resting against his breast.
“Lionel!” he cried in stricken accents. And then as if thoughts of vengeance2 were to soothe3 and comfort his sinking friend’s last moments, he added: “We have the villain4 fast.”
Very slowly and with obvious effort Lionel turned his head to the right, and his dull eyes went beyond Sir John and made quest in the ranks of those that stood about him.
“Oliver?” he said in a hoarse5 whisper. “Where is Oliver?”
“There is not the need to distress6 you. . . . ” Sir John was beginning, when Lionel interrupted him.
“Wait!” he commanded in a louder tone. “Is Oliver safe?”
“I am here,” said Sir Oliver’s deep voice, and those who stood between him and his brother drew aside that they might cease from screening him.
Lionel looked at him for a long moment in silence, sitting up a little. Then he sank back again slowly against Sir John’s breast.
“God has been merciful to me a sinner,” he said, “since He accords me the means to make amends7, tardily8 though it be.”
Then he struggled up again, and held out his arms to Sir Oliver, and his voice came in a great pleading cry. “Noll! My brother! Forgive!”
Oliver advanced, none hindering until, with his hands still pinioned9 behind him he stood towering there above his brother, so tall that his turban brushed the low ceiling of the cabin. His countenance10 was stern and grim.
“What is it that you ask me to forgive?” he asked. Lionel struggled to answer, and sank back again into Sir John’s arms, fighting for breath; there was a trace of blood-stained foam11 about his lips.
“Speak! Oh, speak, in God’s name!” Rosamund exhorted12 him from the other side, and her voice was wrung13 with agony.
He looked at her, and smiled faintly. “Never fear,” he whispered, “I shall speak. God has spared me to that end. Take your arms from me, Killigrew. I am the . . . the vilest14 of men. It . . . it was I who killed Peter Godolphin.”
“My God!” groaned15 Sir John, whilst Lord Henry drew a sharp breath of dismay and realization16.
“Ah, but that is not my sin,” Lionel continued. “There was no sin in that. We fought, and in self-defence I slew17 him — fighting fair. My sin came afterwards. When suspicion fell on Oliver, I nourished it . . . Oliver knew the deed was mine, and kept silent that he might screen me. I feared the truth might become known for all that . . . and . . . and I was jealous of him, and . . . and I had him kidnapped to be sold. . . . ”
His fading voice trailed away into silence. A cough shook him, and the faint crimson18 foam on his lips was increased. But he rallied again, and lay there panting, his fingers plucking at the coverlet.
“Tell them,” said Rosamund, who in her desperate fight for Sir Oliver’s life kept her mind cool and steady and directed towards essentials, “tell them the name of the man you hired to kidnap him.”
“Jasper Leigh, the skipper of the Swallow,” he answered, whereupon she flashed upon Lord Henry a look that contained a gleam of triumph for all that her face was ashen19 and her lips trembled.
Then she turned again to the dying man, relentlessly20 almost in her determination to extract all vital truth from him ere he fell silent.
“Tell them,” she bade him, “under what circumstances Sir Oliver sent you last night to the Silver Heron.”
“Nay, there is no need to harass22 him,” Lord Henry interposed. “He has said enough already. May God forgive us our blindness, Killigrew!”
Sir John bowed his head in silence over Lionel.
“Is it you, Sir John?” whispered the dying man. “What? Still there? Ha!” he seemed to laugh faintly, then checked. “I am going. . . . ” he muttered, and again his voice grew stronger, obeying the last flicker23 of his shrinking will. “Noll! I am going! I . . . I have made reparation . . . all that I could. Give me . . . give me thy hand!” Gropingly he put forth24 his right.
“I should have given it you ere this but that my wrists are bound,” cried Oliver in a sudden frenzy25. And then exerting that colossal26 strength of his, he suddenly snapped the cords that pinioned him as if they had been thread. He caught his brother’s extended hand, and dropped upon his knees beside him. “Lionel . . . Boy!” he cried. It was as if all that had befallen in the last five years had been wiped out of existence. His fierce relentless21 hatred27 of his half-brother, his burning sense of wrong, his parching28 thirst for vengeance, became on the instant all dead, buried, and forgotten. More, it was as if they had never been. Lionel in that moment was again the weak, comely29, beloved brother whom he had cherished and screened and guarded, and for whom when the hour arrived he had sacrificed his good name, and the woman he loved, and placed his life itself in jeopardy30.
“Lionel, boy!” was all that for a moment he could say. Then: “Poor lad! Poor lad!” he added. “Temptation was too strong for thee.” And reaching forth he took the other white hand that lay beyond the couch, and so held both tight-clasped within his own.
From one of the ports a ray of sunshine was creeping upwards31 towards the dying man’s face. But the radiance that now overspread it was from an inward source. Feebly he returned the clasp of his brother’s hands.
“Oliver, Oliver!” he whispered. “There is none like thee! I ever knew thee as noble as I was base. Have I said enough to make you safe? Say that he will be safe now,” he appealed to the others, “that no. . . . ”
“He will be safe,” said Lord Henry stoutly32. “My word on’t.”
“It is well. The past is past. The future is in your hands, Oliver. God’s blessing33 on’t.” He seemed to collapse34, to rally yet again. He smiled pensively35, his mind already wandering. “That was a long swim last night — the longest I ever swam. From Penarrow to Trefusis — a fine long swim. But you were with me, Noll. Had my strength given out . . . I could have depended on you. I am still chill from it, for it was cold . . . cold . . . ugh!” He shuddered36, and lay still.
Gently Sir John lowered him to his couch. Beyond it Rosamund fell upon her knees and covered her face, whilst by Sir John’s side Oliver continued to kneel, clasping in his own his brother’s chilling hands.
There ensued a long spell of silence. Then with a heavy sigh Sir Oliver folded Lionel’s hands across his breast, and slowly, heavily rose to his feet.
The others seemed to take this for a signal. It was as if they had but waited mute and still out of deference37 to Oliver. Lord Henry moved softly round to Rosamund and touched her lightly upon the shoulder. She rose and went out in the wake of the others, Lord Henry following her, and none remaining but the surgeon.
Outside in the sunshine they checked. Sir John stood with bent38 head and hunched39 shoulders, his eyes upon the white deck. Timidly almost — a thing never seen before in this bold man — he looked at Sir Oliver.
“He was my friend,” he said sorrowfully, and as if to excuse and explain himself, “and . . . and I was misled through love of him.”
“He was my brother,” replied Sir Oliver solemnly. “God rest him!”
Sir John, resolved, drew himself up into an attitude preparatory to receiving with dignity a rebuff should it be administered him.
“Can you find it in your generosity40, sir, to forgive me?” he asked, and his air was almost one of challenge.
Silently Sir Oliver held out his hand. Sir John fell upon it almost in eagerness.
“We are like to be neighbours again,” he said, “and I give you my word I shall strive to be a more neighbourly one than in the past.”
“Then, sirs,” said Sir Oliver, looking from Sir John to Lord Henry, “I am to understand that I am no longer a prisoner.”
“You need not hesitate to return with us to England, Sir Oliver,” replied his lordship. “The Queen shall hear your story, and we have Jasper Leigh to confirm it if need be, and I will go warranty41 for your complete reinstatement. Count me your friend, Sir Oliver, I beg.” And he, too, held out his hand. Then turning to the others: “Come, sirs,” he said, “we have duties elsewhere, I think.”
They tramped away, leaving Oliver and Rosamund alone. The twain looked long each at the other. There was so much to say, so much to ask, so much to explain, that neither knew with what words to begin. Then Rosamund suddenly came up to him, holding out her hands. “Oh, my dear!” she said, and that, after all, summed up a deal.
One or two over-inquisitive seamen42, lounging on the forecastle and peeping through the shrouds43, were disgusted to see the lady of Godolphin Court in the arms of a beturbaned bare-legged follower44 of Mahound.
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sea–Hawk, by Raphael Sabatini
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1
glazing
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| n.玻璃装配业；玻璃窗；上釉；上光v.装玻璃( glaze的现在分词 )；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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2
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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3
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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4
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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5
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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6
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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7
amends
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| n. 赔偿 | |
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tardily
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| adv.缓慢 | |
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pinioned
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| v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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11
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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12
exhorted
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| v.劝告，劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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14
vilest
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| adj.卑鄙的( vile的最高级 )；可耻的；极坏的；非常讨厌的 | |
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15
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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16
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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17
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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18
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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19
ashen
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| adj.灰的 | |
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relentlessly
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| adv.不屈不挠地；残酷地；不间断 | |
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relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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harass
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| vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰 | |
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23
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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24
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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26
colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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27
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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28
parching
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| adj.烘烤似的，焦干似的v.（使）焦干， （使）干透( parch的现在分词 )；使（某人）极口渴 | |
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29
comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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30
jeopardy
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| n.危险；危难 | |
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31
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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32
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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33
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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34
collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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35
pensively
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| adv.沉思地，焦虑地 | |
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36
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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37
deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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38
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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39
hunched
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| （常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的 | |
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40
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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41
warranty
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| n.担保书，证书，保单 | |
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42
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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43
shrouds
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| n.裹尸布( shroud的名词复数 )；寿衣；遮蔽物；覆盖物v.隐瞒( shroud的第三人称单数 )；保密 | |
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follower
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| n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒 | |
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