Page:Dumas - Tales of Strange adventure (Methuen, 1907).djvu/94

82 strike; then the boatswain's mate bawling —

"'Second watch on deck!'

"'You know what the watches are?' asked Père Ohfus, turning to me.

"'Yes, yes,' I told him; 'go on with your story.'

"Now I belonged to the second watch; they were calling me. I heard them calling, but I couldn't stir hand or foot. I could only say to myself: 'You are in for a good thing, Olifus; you are going to get a taste of the triangle. Now then, you miserable fellow, they're calling you; now, lazy bones, get up! ' All this inside my noddle; outside not a limb moved.

"Suddenly I feel someone shaking me. Thinking it is the Buchold, I try to make myself small. Another shake more vigorous still, but I don't budge an inch. Next I hear an oath fit to tear the mainsail and a voice bawling—

"'Halloa, are you dead?'

"Good! I recognise the voice of the boatswain's mate.

"'No, no, I am not dead—I am not dead, sir; here I am. Only just help me out of my hammock.'

"'What! Help you out of your hammock?'

"'Yes, I can't budge an inch by myself.'

"'God forgive me, I think he is not sober yet. Just you wait,' and so saying he picks up a broom handle that was lying handy.

"I don't know if it was fear that gave me strength or whether my fit of numbness had passed, but I hop out of my hammock as light as a bird, crying —

"'Here I am, here I am! It is all along of that damned Buchold! Verily, she was born for my undoing, that creature was.'

"'Buchold or no Buchold, don't let it happen to-morrow,' said the boatswain's mate, 'or we shall see.'

"'Oh, to-morrow!' I cried, as I drew on my breeches and scrambled up the hatchway ladder, 'there's no fear of that'

"'Yes, to-morrow you won't be drunk, I understand. This time I will say no more about it. We don't cross the line every day. On deck, and smart's the word.'

"Never have I seen such a night. The sky, I give you my word, sir, seemed powdered with gold-dust instead of stars. For the sea, it was rippling under a gentle breeze that seemed wafting one to Paradise. More than that, the ship seemed to set the waves afire as she ploughed through them. There was nothing to do on deck; she was going under full sail, royals and studding-sails all set, like a girl going to mass of a Sunday.

"I leant over the side and looked at the water. You can't imagine anything so fine. They say it's little fish that cause it; I like to think it is God Almighty does it. It was just as if there were fifty Roman candles all along the ship's hull. There were fireworks without end that shot up flames in the vessel's wake, all blazing against the dark outlines of the waves, as if they were shaking out the folds of a great fiery flag at the bottom of the sea.

"Suddenly in the middle of it all I catch sight of something like a human form tossing and rolling. I see it plainer and plainer! What is it? the Buchold!

"You need not ask if I tried to spring back; but, good Lord! I was stuck to the bulwarks like a dried cod, so that I couldn't get away. Playing about in the water, turning head over heels, diving and floating, she was beckoning and smiling and tempting me, till I felt my feet slipping and my head turning. I tried to hold on, but I could find nothing to clutch; I tried to cry out, but I could not utter a sound; something was drawing me on, and on, and on. Ah, cursed Siren! I felt my hair stand on end; I was sweating at every pore. I was slipping, slipping away, and felt myself going, going, head first. Cursed, cursed Siren!

"Suddenly someone caught me by the slack of my breeches.

"'Ho there, Olifus, are you gone mad?' cried the boatswain's mate, hauling me inboard. 'Help, help here, quick! a couple of hands, help, I say.'

"They ran up only just in time! I was dragging him overboard with me. I fell back, thud 1 on the deck. I tell you, sir, I was wet to the skin; my teeth were chattering and my eyes rolling.

"'Good,' said the boatswain's mate, 'when a man has fits, he should say so, anyway; it's not the first time, I wager. Well, this is a pretty kettle of fish, a deck-hand with epilepsy. Very fine indeed. You are no better than a silly woman, Olifus!'