“You not seem for like ver moche to see la belle8 France,” said the French officer with the huge moustache, addressing Teddy.
“It’s little Teddy Maroon cares whether he sees Bell France or Betsy France,” replied the Irishman, impudently9. “No thanks to you aither for givin’ me the chance. Sure it’s the likes o’ you that bring war into disgrace intirely; goin’ about the say on yer own hook, plunderin’ right an’ left. It’s pirate, and not privateers, ye should be called, an’ it’s myself that would string ye all at the yard-arm av I only had me own way.”
“Hah!” exclaimed the Frenchman, with a scowl10: “but by goot fortune you not have your own vay. Perhaps you change you mind ven you see de inside of French prisons, ha!”
“Perhaps I won’t; ha!” cried Teddy, mimicking11 his captor. “Go away wid yez, an’ attind to yer own business.”
The Frenchman turned angrily away. In a few seconds more they were alongside the pier, and a gangway was run on board.
The first man who stepped on this gangway was a tall powerful gendarme12, with a huge cocked hat, and a long cavalry13 sabre, the steel scabbard of which clattered14 magnificently as he stalked along. Now it chanced that this dignified15 official slipped his foot on the gangway, and, to the horror of all observers, fell into the water.
Impulsiveness16 was a part of Teddy Maroon’s enthusiastic nature. He happened to be gazing in admiration17 at the gendarme when he fell. In another moment he had plunged18 overboard after him, caught him by the collar, and held him up.
The gendarme could not swim. In the first agony of fear he threw about his huge limbs, and almost drowned his rescuer.
“Be aisy, won’t ’ee!” shouted Ted1, holding him at arm’s length, and striving to keep out of his grasp. At the same time he dealt him a hearty19 cuff20 on the ear.
The words and the action appeared to have a sedative21 effect on the gendarme, who at once became passive, and in a few minutes the rescuer and the rescued stood dripping on the schooner22’s deck.
“Thank ’ee, my friend,” said the gendarme in English, extending his hand.
“Och, ye’re an Irishman!” exclaimed Teddy eagerly, as he grasped the offered hand. “But sure,” he added, in an altered tone, dropping the hand and glancing at the man’s uniform, “ye must be a poor-spirited craitur to forsake23 yer native land an’ become a mounseer.”
“Ireland is not my native land, and I am not an Irishman,” said the gendarme, with a smile. “My mother was Irish, but my father was French, and I was born in Paris. It is true that I spent many years in Ireland among my mother’s relations, so that I speak your language, but I am more French than Irish.”
“Humph! more’s the pity,” said Teddy. “If there was but wan24 drop o’ me blood Irish an’ all the rest o’ me French, I’d claim to be an Irishman. If I’d known what ye was I’d have let ye sink, I would. Go along: I don’t think much of yez.”
“Perhaps not,” replied the gendarme, twirling his long moustache with a good-humoured smile; “nevertheless I think a good deal of you, my fine fellow. Farewell, I shall see you again.”
It was quite evident that the unfortunate Irishman found it hard to get reconciled to his fate. He could scarcely be civil to his mates in misfortune, and felt a strong disposition26 to wrench27 the sword from his captor’s hand, cut off his moustached head, and then, in the language of desperate heroes of romance, “sell his life dearly.” He refrained, however, and was soon after marched along with his mates to the stronghold of the port, at the door of which the French commander handed them over to the jailor, wishing Teddy all health and happiness, with a broad grin, as he bid him farewell.
Our unfortunates crossed a stone court with walls that appeared to rise into the clouds; then they traversed a dark stone passage, at the end of which stood an open door with a small stone cell beyond. Into this they were desired to walk, and as several bayonet points glittered in the passage behind them, they felt constrained28 to obey. Then locks were turned, and bars were drawn29, and bolts were shot. The heavy heels of the jailer and guard were heard retiring. More locks and bars and bolts were turned and drawn and shot at the farther end of the stone passage, after which all remained still as the grave.
“Och hone!” groaned31 Teddy, looking round at his companions, as he sat on a stone seat, the picture of despair: “To be kilt is a trifle; to fight is a pleasure; to be hanged is only a little trying to the narves. But to be shut up in a stone box in a furrin land—”
Words failed him here, but another groan30 told eloquently33 of the bitterness of the spirit within.
“We must just try to be as cheery as we can, mates,” said John Potter. “The Lord can deliver us out o’ worse trouble than this if He sees fit.”
“Oh, it’s all very well for you to talk like that,” growled34 Isaac Dorkin, “but I don’t believe the Almighty35 is goin’ to pull down stone walls and iron gates to set us free, an’ you know that we haven’t a friend in all France to help us.”
“I don’t know that, Isaac. It certainly seems very unlikely that any one should start up to befriend us here, but with God all things are possible. At the worst, I know that if we are to remain here, it’s His will that we should.”
“Humph! I wish ye much comfort o’ the thought: it doesn’t give much to me,” remarked Stobbs.
Here, Mr Franks, who had hitherto sat in sad silence, brightened up, and said, “Well, well, lads, don’t let us make things worse by disputing. Surely each man is entitled to draw comfort from any source he chooses. For my part, I agree with John Potter, in this at all events,—that we should try to be as cheery as we can, and make the best of it.”
“Hear, hear!” exclaimed the others. Acting36 on this advice, they soon began to feel a little less miserable37. They had straw to sleep on, and were allowed very poor fare; but there was a sufficiency of it. The first night passed, and the second day; after which another fit of despair seized some of the party. Then John Potter managed to cheer them up a bit, and as he never went about without a small Testament38 in his pocket, he was able to lighten the time by reading portions of it aloud. After that they took to relating their “lives and adventures” to each other, and then the inventive spirits among them took to “spinning long-winded yarns39.” Thus a couple of weeks passed away, during which these unfortunate prisoners of war went through every stage of feeling between hope and despair over and over again.
During one of his despairing moods, Teddy Maroon declared that he had now given up all hope, and that the first chance he got, he would kill himself, for he was quite certain that nobody would ever be able to find out where they were, much less “get them out of that fig32.”
But Teddy was wrong, as the sequel will show.
Let us leap now, good reader, to the Tuileries,—into the apartments of Louis XIV. From a prison to a palace is an unusual leap, no doubt, though the reverse is by no means uncommon40! The old King is pacing his chamber41 in earnest thought, addressing an occasional remark to his private Secretary. The subject that occupies him is the war, and the name of England is frequently on his lips. The Secretary begs leave to bring a particular letter under the notice of the King. The Secretary speaks in French, of course, but there is a peculiarly rich tone and emphasis in his voice which a son of the Green Isle43 would unhesitatingly pronounce to be “the brogue.”
“Read it,” says the King hurriedly: “but first tell me, who writes?”
“A gendarme, sire: a poor relation of mine.”
“Ha: an Irishman?”
“No, sire: but his mother was Irish.”
“Well, read,” says the King.
The Secretary reads: “Dear Terrence, will you do me the favour to bring a matter before the King? The commander of a French privateer has done an act worthy44 of a buccaneer: he has attacked the men who were re-building the famous Eddystone lighthouse, and carried them prisoners of war into this port. I would not trouble you or the King about this, did I not know his Majesty45 too well to believe him capable of countenancing46 such a deed.”
“What!” exclaims the King, turning abruptly47, with a flush of anger on his countenance48, “the Eddystone lighthouse, which so stands as to be of equal service to all nations having occasion to navigate49 the channel?”
“The same, sire; and the officer who has done this expects to be rewarded.”
“Ha: he shall not be disappointed; he shall have his reward,” exclaims the King. “Let him be placed in the prison where the English men now lie, to remain there during our pleasure; and set the builders of the Eddystone free. Let them have gifts, and all honourable50 treatment, to repay them for their temporary distress51, and send them home, without delay, in the same vessel which brought them hither. We are indeed at war with England, but not with mankind!”
The commands of kings are, as a rule, promptly52 obeyed. Even although there were neither railways nor telegraphs in those days, many hours had not elapsed before the tall gendarme stood in the prison-cell where John Potter and his friends were confined. There was a peculiar42 twinkle in his eye, as he ordered a band of soldiers to act as a guard of honour in conducting the Englishmen to the best hotel in the town, where a sumptuous53 collation54 awaited them. Arrived there, the circumstances of their case were explained to them by the chief magistrate55, who was in waiting to receive them and present them with certain gifts, by order of Louis XIV.
The fortunate men looked on at all that was done, ate their feast, and received their gifts in speechless amazement56, until at length the gendarme (who acted as interpreter, and seemed to experience intense enjoyment57 at the whole affair) asked if they were ready to embark58 for England? To which Teddy Maroon replied, by turning to John Potter and saying, “I say, John, just give me a dig in the ribs59, will ’ee: a good sharp one. It’s of no use at all goin’ on draimin’ like this. It’ll only make it the worse the longer I am o’ wakin’ up.”
John Potter smiled and shook his head; but when he and his friends were conducted by their guard of honour on board of the schooner which had brought them there, and when they saw the moustached commander brought out of his cabin and led ashore60 in irons, and heard the click of the capstan as the vessel was warped61 out of harbour, and beheld62 the tall gendarme take off his cocked hat and wish them “bon voyage” as they passed the head of the pier, they at length became convinced that “it was all true;” and Teddy declared with enthusiastic emphasis, that “the mounseers were not such bad fellows after all!”
“Oh, John, John!” exclaimed Mrs Potter, about thirty hours after that, as she stood gazing in wild delight at a magnificent cashmere shawl which hung on her husband’s arm, while Tommy was lost in admiration at the sight of a splendid inlaid ivory work-box, “where ever got ’ee such a helegant shawl?”
“From King Louis, of France, lass,” said John, with a peculiar smile.
“Never!” said Mrs Potter, emphatically; and then she gave it forth63 as one of her settled convictions, that, “Kings wasn’t such fools as to go makin’ presents like that to poor working men.”
However, John Potter, who had only just then presented himself before the eyes of his astonished spouse64, stoutly65 asserted that it was true; and said that if she would set about getting something to eat, for he was uncommonly66 hungry, and if Tommy would leave off opening his mouth and eyes to such an unnecessary extent, he would tell them all about it. So Mrs Potter was convinced, and, for once, had her “settled convictions” unsettled; and the men returned to their work on the Eddystone; and a man-of-war was sent to cruise in the neighbourhood to guard them from misfortune in the future; and, finally, the Rudyerd lighthouse was completed.
Its total height, from the lowest side to the top of the ball on the lantern, was ninety-two feet, and its greatest diameter twenty-three feet four inches. It took about three years to build, having been commenced in 1706, the first light was put up in 1708, and the whole was completed in 1709.
Teddy Maroon was one of the first keepers, but he soon left to take charge of a lighthouse on the Irish coast. Thereupon John Potter made application for the post. He was successful over many competitors, and at last obtained the darling wish of his heart: he became principal keeper; his surly comrade, Isaac Dorkin, strange to say, obtaining the post of second keeper. Mrs Potter didn’t like the change at first, as a matter of course.
“But you’ll come to like it, Martha,” John would say when they referred to the subject, “‘Absence,’ you know, ‘makes the heart grow fonder.’ We’ll think all the more of each other when we meet during my spells ashore, at the end of every two months.”
Tommy also objected very much at first, but he could not alter his father’s intentions; so John Potter went off to the Eddystone rock, and for a long time took charge of the light that cast its friendly beams over the sea every night thereafter, through storm and calm, for upwards67 of six-and-forty years.
That John’s life in the lighthouse was not all that he had hoped for will become apparent in the next chapter.
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1
ted
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| vt.翻晒，撒，撒开 | |
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maroon
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| v.困住，使（人）处于孤独无助之境；n.逃亡黑奴；孤立的人；酱紫色，褐红色；adj.酱紫色的，褐红色的 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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pier
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| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
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grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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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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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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belle
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| n.靓女 | |
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impudently
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scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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mimicking
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| v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的现在分词 )；酷似 | |
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gendarme
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| n.宪兵 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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14
clattered
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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impulsiveness
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| n.冲动 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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cuff
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| n.袖口；手铐；护腕；vt.用手铐铐；上袖口 | |
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sedative
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| adj.使安静的，使镇静的；n. 镇静剂，能使安静的东西 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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testily
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| adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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wrench
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| v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受 | |
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constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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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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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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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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fig
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| n.无花果(树) | |
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eloquently
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| adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地) | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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testament
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| n.遗嘱；证明 | |
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yarns
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| n.纱( yarn的名词复数 )；纱线；奇闻漫谈；旅行轶事 | |
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uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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countenancing
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| v.支持，赞同，批准( countenance的现在分词 ) | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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48
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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49
navigate
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| v.航行，飞行；导航，领航 | |
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50
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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51
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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52
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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53
sumptuous
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| adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的 | |
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54
collation
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| n.便餐；整理 | |
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55
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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58
embark
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| vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机 | |
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59
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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60
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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warped
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| adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾， | |
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beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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63
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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spouse
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| n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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66
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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