登陆注册
5150400000158

第158章

Dead men he could descry through the blinding veil, rolled in heaps, laid flat; dead men and dying: but no man upon his feet.

The last volley had swept the deck clear; one by one had dropped below to escape that fiery shower: and alone at the helm, grinding his teeth with rage, his mustachios curling up to his very eyes, stood the Spanish captain.

Now was the moment for a counter-stroke.Amyas shouted for the boarders, and in two minutes more he was over the side, and clutching at the Spaniard's mizzen rigging.

What was this? The distance between him and the enemy's side was widening.Was she sheering off? Yes--and rising too, growing bodily higher every moment, as if by magic.Amyas looked up in astonishment and saw what it was.The Spaniard was heeling fast over to leeward away from him.Her masts were all sloping forward, swifter and swifter--the end was come, then!

"Back! in God's name back, men! She is sinking by the head!" And with much ado some were dragged back, some leaped back--all but old Michael Heard.

With hair and beard floating in the wind, the bronzed naked figure, like some weird old Indian fakir, still climbed on steadfastly up the mizzen-chains of the Spaniard, hatchet in hand.

"Come back, Michael! Leap while you may!" shouted a dozen voices.

Michael turned--

"And what should I come back for, then, to go home where no one knoweth me? I'll die like an Englishman this day, or I'll know the rason why!" and turning, he sprang in over the bulwarks, as the huge ship rolled up more and more, like a dying whale, exposing all her long black hulk almost down to the keel, and one of her lower-deck guns, as if in defiance, exploded upright into the air, hurling the ball to the very heavens.

In an instant it was answered from the Rose by a column of smoke, and the eighteen-pound ball crashed through the bottom of the defenceless Spaniard.

"Who fired? Shame to fire on a sinking ship!""Gunner Yeo, sir," shouted a voice up from the main-deck."He's like a madman down here.""Tell him if he fires again, I'll put him in irons, if he were my own brother.Cut away the grapples aloft, men.Don't you see how she drags us over? Cut away, or we shall sink with her."They cut away, and the Rose, released from the strain, shook her feathers on the wave-crest like a freed sea-gull, while all men held their breaths.

Suddenly the glorious creature righted herself, and rose again, as if in noble shame, for one last struggle with her doom.Her bows were deep in the water, but her after-deck still dry.Righted: but only for a moment, long enough to let her crew come pouring wildly up on deck, with cries and prayers, and rush aft to the poop, where, under the flag of Spain, stood the tall captain, his left hand on the standard-staff, his sword pointed in his right.

"Back, men!" they heard him cry, "and die like valiant mariners."Some of them ran to the bulwarks, and shouted "Mercy! We surrender!" and the English broke into a cheer and called to them to run her alongside.

"Silence!" shouted Amyas."I take no surrender from mutineers.

Senor," cried he to the captain, springing into the rigging and taking off his hat, "for the love of God and these men, strike! and surrender a buena querra."The Spaniard lifted his hat and bowed courteously, and answered, "Impossible, senor.No querra is good which stains my honor.""God have mercy on you, then!"

"Amen!" said the Spaniard, crossing himself.

She gave one awful lounge forward, and dived under the coming swell, hurling her crew into the eddies.Nothing but the point of her poop remained, and there stood the stern and steadfast Don, cap-a-pie in his glistening black armor, immovable as a man of iron, while over him the flag, which claimed the empire of both worlds, flaunted its gold aloft and upwards in the glare of the tropic noon.

"He shall not carry that flag to the devil with him; I will have it yet, if I die for it!" said Will Cary, and rushed to the side to leap overboard, but Amyas stopped him.

"Let him die as he has lived, with honor."A wild figure sprang out of the mass of sailors who struggled and shrieked amid the foam, and rushed upward at the Spaniard.It was Michael Heard.The Don, who stood above him, plunged his sword into the old man's body: but the hatchet gleamed, nevertheless:

down went the blade through headpiece and through head; and as Heard sprang onward, bleeding, but alive, the steel-clad corpse rattled down the deck into the surge.Two more strokes, struck with the fury of a dying man, and the standard-staff was hewn through.Old Michael collected all his strength, hurled the flag far from the sinking ship, and then stood erect one moment and shouted, "God save Queen Bess!" and the English answered with a "Hurrah!" which rent the welkin.

Another moment and the gulf had swallowed his victim, and the poop, and him; and nothing remained of the Madre Dolorosa but a few floating spars and struggling wretches, while a great awe fell upon all men, and a solemn silence, broken only by the cry "Of some strong swimmer in his agony."And then, suddenly collecting themselves, as men awakened from a dream, half-a-dozen desperate gallants, reckless of sharks and eddies, leaped overboard, swam towards the flag, and towed it alongside in triumph.

"Ah!" said Salvation Yeo, as he helped the trophy up over the side;"ah! it was not for nothing that we found poor Michael! He was always a good comrade--nigh as good a one as William Penberthy of Marazion, whom the Lord grant I meet in bliss! And now, then, my masters, shall we inshore again and burn La Guayra?""Art thou never glutted with Spanish blood, thou old wolf?" asked Will Cary.

"Never, sir," answered Yeo.

同类推荐
  • Songs of Travel

    Songs of Travel

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上清太玄鉴诫论

    上清太玄鉴诫论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Rise of Roscoe Paine

    The Rise of Roscoe Paine

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 忠肃集

    忠肃集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 航海遗闻

    航海遗闻

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 中国谋略之隐身道

    中国谋略之隐身道

    懂得隐身的人,之所以有很强的心理定力,是因为他们已经认识和掌握了生活的定律:“当你经常被人指责的时候,说明你是一个举足轻重的人物”“真正认识你的人,除了你的朋友,就是你的对手。所以要重视对手,因为他最早发现你的过失;要感谢你的对手,因为他使你强大起来”。懂得隐身的人,最懂得韬光养晦的策略,他不会冲动行事、我行我素,亦定然是用最少的悔恨面对过去,用最少的浪费面对现在,用最多的自信面对未来的人。这样的人生,一定是最智慧的人生!
  • 婚活男女

    婚活男女

    《婚活男女》中,将视线投向当代社会沉积已久的“剩男剩女”现状,将沉甸甸的题材写得轻松好看,潜心用细腻的文笔、独特的思索叩问探讨婚姻真谛,引起不同年龄群落人们的情感共鸣,耐人寻味,发人深省。
  • 有天堂,但是没有道路

    有天堂,但是没有道路

    本书收录了吕麦女士精心创作短篇散文,文字清新犹如心灵鸡汤,滋养读者的身心,深受广大中学生喜爱。
  • 元气守护者

    元气守护者

    射射射!我的魅影不会停!“啊,游侠哥哥,你走慢点!”
  • 七扑夫君

    七扑夫君

    天刚刚的亮着,还有些灰蒙蒙的色彩,一个小小的身影拿着笔在一个小案上一笔一笔的画着什么东西。“一个大圆圈是他的大饼脸,两个小圆圈是他那双蛤蟆眼,两个黑点点是他那朝天吸气的鼻孔,一条横线是他最好永远不要张开的嘴巴,哈哈哈,什么第一美王爷?燕无痕,现在就是母夜叉都比你漂亮!”玄影得意的摇了摇她的小脑袋,看着纸上那个比鬼还要恐怖的画像,随手又加了几笔,细长的胳膊,粗壮的腿,嘿嘿,现在看你还怎么……
  • 岁岁不相离

    岁岁不相离

    时人都羡慕荣国公家的五小姐姜羡,家世好容貌高,母亲是长公主太后的亲女儿,皇帝一母同胞的亲妹妹。父亲是荣国公世子,忠义候,建威大将军,不纳小妾没有通房。自己是皇帝舅舅亲封的昭阳郡主。几个哥哥都是同父同母亲兄妹一家子和家子和睦。本以为可以米虫一世,眼看着渐渐长大了却被一只狼崽子给叼走!陆见辞认为这一生做的最庆幸的一件事就是认定姜羡,娶她做妻子并与之相伴,从此岁岁不相离。当我牵你衣袖,与你执手,我的生死便尽赋予你,相伴相依,或生,或死。
  • 绯色暗夜

    绯色暗夜

    【十世轮回】+【异世女强】+【男强女强】=【绯色暗夜】她,云绯夜,阴险狡诈,绝色狂妄,冷酷腹黑,黑道尊称她为暗夜修罗。“她”,云绯夜,生性懦弱,废物体质,花痴黏人,空有一副好皮囊,生于东溪国世袭贵族云家,排行第七,世人称她为“废物七小姐。”当叱咤风云的她穿越到懦弱花痴的她.看她如何在这强者为尊的奥尔斯卡大陆上绽放光芒,展翅翱翔。看男主如何融化她那刻冰冷的心,追逐那飞翔的鸟儿.◇◆◇◆◇绯夜:“人不犯我,我不犯人,人若犯我,百倍还之。”她手执一把长剑,向他一步步地慢慢走来,宛如地狱的修罗。“哈哈哈......哈哈哈哈哈!地狱吗?有什么好怕的,我是一个连地狱都不敢要的人,你不知道吗?”她望着那搁在脖子上的剑,向那刀口上撞,眼看就要撞上了,那人却缩了缩,绯夜快速地把早已准备好的小刀一手插入那人的胸口,咧开嘴危险的笑了笑,“地狱欢迎你!”绯夜挽着那人的手,站在奥尔斯卡大陆的顶端,以前发生的一幕幕如同电影般,相遇,相识,相爱。嘴角挑起一丝暖暖的笑,望着身旁那人的侧脸,调皮地吻了上去。◆◇◆◇◆十生十世的守护,只换回你的回眸一笑。★生死不渝的爱情★坚贞不渝的友情★温暖感动的亲情★◆◇◆◇◆本文是绝对极品爽文。不纠结,不虐。然然简介无能,想要看腹黑文的请点,想要看一生一世一双人的请点,想要看玄幻魔法的请点,想要看穿越文的也点点。如前三章留不住你的脚步,那就请点点右上角红色的叉叉,近来物价上升,鸡蛋就不用砸给然然了~紧随然然的脚步,还你一个美妙的异世之旅。◆◇◆◇◆推荐榜:《妖主太腹黑》《老公,你太无赖》《-蜜爱傻妃-》《特工神尊》《女法师的崛起》《激战女神》《王牌逃妻》《狂尊》《邪破》《魅笑魔主》《紫降异世》《绝色魔尊》《优质妾儿》《妖凤邪皇》——这是倾听给绯色暗夜做得藏头诗:【绯】花一片减风光【色】柔金性瑞四方【暗】香疏影名千古【夜】宿花房春梦香
  • 奉化民间文艺·地名故事卷

    奉化民间文艺·地名故事卷

    该套书共三卷,分别是《谜语卷》《歌谣卷》《地名故事卷》,收录了奉化区谜语近1200条,歌谣340余首,地名故事150余则。
  • 日记情思

    日记情思

    舒眉聪明漂亮,事业有成,却是个标准的大龄剩女,一次偶然的机遇,认识了比自己小的神经外科医生秦牧,开始了一段唯美的姐弟恋,但由于千金张婷婷介入,让舒眉身败名裂,也让秦牧误会,她为了秦牧的事业选择默默离开,到一边远山区支教,秦牧知道真相后,开始寻找,舒眉在一次救学生时,不慎被落石砸中头部,当秦牧赶到时,舒眉永远地闭上了眼睛。在收拾舒眉寝室时,发现了一本日记,上面记录了舒眉对秦牧的浓浓情思。秦牧没有选择悲伤和自暴自弃,而是更加致力于救助病人,以此来回报舒眉的爱,他也对着舒眉的日记写下了无尽思念。
  • 薨之灵(一)

    薨之灵(一)

    该说说法医吕鸿的故事了。此时她正赶往一个案发现场。城市已经入睡,喧闹渐渐停息,在行进中,吕鸿从越来越厚的寂静中辨别出一种声音。对于这个声音,她久违了。那是蟋蟀的叫声。不是因为城市中很难听到蟋蟀叫,而是,这种叫声,在吕鸿的心理上,留下了深深的痕迹。叫声远远的,躲在某个地点,很弱,却不停歇。吕鸿乘坐的警车在公路上像一个夜行侠,快速安静地移动。