That day passed and the long night passed, and when at length the
Spaniards visited the hold once more, there were forty bodies to be
dragged out of it, and many others were sick. After they had gone I
stood up, watching for my friend the priest, but he did not come then,
nor ever again.
CHAPTER XII
THOMAS COMES TO SHORE
For an hour or more I stood thus craning my neck upwards to seek for
the priest. At length when I was about to sink back into the hold, for
I could stand no longer in that cramped posture, I saw a woman's dress
pass by the hole in the deck, and knew it for one that was worn by a
lady who had escaped with me in the boat.
'Senora,' I whispered, 'for the love of God listen to me. It is I,
d'Aila, who am chained down here among the slaves.'
She started, then as the priest had done, she sat herself down upon the
deck, and I told her of my dreadful plight, not knowing that she was
acquainted with it, and of the horrors below.
'Alas! senor,' she answered, 'they can be little worse than those above.
A dreadful sickness is raging among the crew, six are already dead and
many more are raving in their last madness. I would that the sea had
swallowed us with the rest, for we have been rescued from it only to
fall into hell. Already my mother is dead and my little brother is
dying.'
'Where is the priest?' I asked.
Pages:
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163