Page:Dumas - Tales of Strange adventure (Methuen, 1907).djvu/92

80 twisting from side to side. I waited patiently, hoping that next night she would sleep more peacefully.

"Next night came, and I had my wish this time, for she slept like a log. I got up softly and Ht the lamp. The Buchold was lying on her side just as I wanted. I touched the catch, the metal opened, and underneath, just above the temple, I saw a long cut there was no mistaking. The blade of the skate had cut her head open, and but for her confounded green locks, which had deadened the blow, would have cracked her skull.

"I saw it all. Not only was it my wife who had arranged the trap at Edam and broken the ice on the lake, but it was she too who had dragged me down by the leg, with the full intention of drowning me. This done, back she would have gone to Monnikendam, and as we had arranged for all my little property to go to the survivor, she would have inherited everything I had, dear clever little woman!

"There was nothing to be done with such a creature, and my mind was soon made up. I had put all my money in a bag beforehand; with this I meant to take ship for some foreign land, I cared not what, and there, happen what might, I would live peaceful and happy, always provided it were far enough away from the Buchold. With this purpose in view, I put out the lamp, dressed quietly, took my bag of money from the cupboard, and crept to the door on tiptoe.

"I was just putting my hand on the latch when I felt a clutch on my collar and found myself being dragged forcibly back. I looked round and saw it was that witch-wife of a Buchold; she had only been pretending sleep, and had followed all my proceedings.

"'Ah ha!' she cried, 'so that's what you are after? After deceiving me, you forsake me, and after forsaking me, you are going to ruin me! Wait a bit, you wait a bit!'

"So saying, she took the bamboo from its corner; but meantime I seized one of the fire-dogs from the hearth. Both struck simultaneously; but I kept my feet, while she fell with a crash and a scream, or rather a hoarse moan, and lay still.

"'Good! 'said I, 'she is dead; upon my soul! so much the better; I have not hurt her half as much as she wanted to hurt me.'

"Then, after making sure that my bag of money was safe in my pocket, I hurried out of the house, shut the door behind me, pitched the key into the sea, and started running across the open country towards Amsterdam. In half an hour I was on the seashore. I woke up a fisherman of my acquaintance, who was asleep in his hut. I told him I was so unhappy with my wife that I had made up my mind that very night to leave the country. I begged him therefore to take me to Amsterdam, where I would seize the first opportunity that offered for leaving Holland. The fellow got into his clothes, launched his boat, and hoisted sail for Amsterdam.

"In another half-hour we were entering the harbour. A magnificent three-master was at that very moment setting sail for the Indies. It never took me long to make up my mind. ' 'Pon my word!' I said to my friend, 'here's the ship for me, and if the Captain is only reasonable and don't ask too much passage money, we shall soon strike a bargain.'

"So I hailed the Captain and he stepped up to the bulwarks.

"'Boat ahoy! who are you?' he asked.

"'Someone wanting to know if you have room left for a passenger.'

"'Yes; pull round to the starboard quarter, and you will find the ladder.'

"'It is not worth the trouble; just heave me a rope's-end.'

"'Good! you are a sailor-man, it seems.'

"'Something like it.'

"Then turning to the fisherman.

"'Now, my lad,' said I 'I want you to drink my health, and here's a ten florin bit for you.'

"'Why, thunder and lightning, what's this?'

"'What's wrong?' I asked.

"This was wrong, I had just opened my bag, and instead of being full of money it was full of stones.

"'Pon life! my lad,' I said to the fisherman, showing him my bag, 'see for yourself; I meant you well, but I have been robbed.'

"'Nonsense!'

"'I have, honour bright!' and I emptied the contents of my bag into the boat.

"'Well, well! I am sorry for you,