List, Ye Landsmen! A Romance of IncidentRussell, William Clark
General
List, Ye Landsmen! A Romance of Incident
Russell, William Clark
English fiction -- 19th century; Sea stories
I made a step into the berth, and motioned toward the bunk and the
washstand, in the hope that she would be able to collect from my
contortions that her comfort would be presently seen to. She inclined
her head and slightly smiled, and the flash of her teeth was like
sunshine betwixt her lips. Again I presented my hand, and she gave me
hers; and I led her into the cabin where Jimmy was now busy. Galloon sat
upon his chair, watching the lad lay the cloth. He pricked his ears and
growled at the Spanish lady. I shook my fist at him, and his eyes
languished, though his ears remained pricked. The lady exclaimed in
Spanish, and fearlessly walked round to the dog and patted him. Galloon
wagged his tail, but his ears remained elevated, as though one end of
him was in doubt while the other end was satisfied. I again noticed the
beauty of the lady’s hand, as she laid it on the dog, and the sparkling
of the rings upon her fingers. Jimmy breathed fast and grinned much, and
could scarcely proceed in his work for staring. I abused him for a lazy
cub and bade him bear a hand.
The meal was spread. I motioned the lady into the chair occupied by
Greaves, with further gesticulations desired her to help herself, and
poured out a bumper of claret, of which wine Greaves had laid in a
handsome stock, whether at Tulp’s cost or not I could not say. I was
greatly impressed by the self-control and dignity of this lady Aurora,
as I understood one of her names to be. Hungry I could not question she
was. Tempted, I might also feel sure she would be, by the food before
her after four days of such living as the island beach and the grove of
trees provided. Yet she helped herself to but a little at a time, first
crossing herself with great devotion before lifting her fork, then
eating with the well-bred leisureliness you would have looked to see in
her at her mother’s table. But the silence grew momentarily more
oppressive.
“Jimmy,” said I, “go forward and bring that Spanish sailor, Antonio, aft
with you, unless he’s still eating.”
At the expiration of five minutes Antonio followed Jimmy into the cabin.
“Have you had plenty to eat?” said I.
His earrings danced while he nodded--he wore earrings like those you see
on a French fishwife--his blood-stained, dark eyes searched the cabin.
“A very good ship--very kind men,” said he. “When do you sail, señor?”
“I have not sent for you to question me,” said I. “I desire you to
interpret my speech to this lady. Tell her----” and, in few, I bade him
inform her that instructions would be given for her cabin to be
comfortably equipped, and that whatever the brig could supply was at her
service.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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