Captain Kyd (Vol 1 of 2)

I, but bear

place, but wil

s that o'er dee

ns: the tigre

ound, and answe

ph

ur

ost height of

is ambition

the l

for it was in unison with the gloom of his soul. The howl of the wildest storm would have been music to his ears! He c

rse forward at the top of his speed. He banished thought, reflection, sensation. He dared not think. He found relief only in animal action and rapid moti

cture his imagination painted with the hues they lent was too appalling to contemplate; and, as if the fabled influence of the planet, the soft light of which had restored him to reflection, had acted upon his fevered brain, he was suddenly converted into a maniac. He rose upright in his stirrups, and shouted, shrieked, till the forests rang again. He shook his clinched fists at the placid moon, that see

al objects. He rode on in this way for more than an hour, when he was aroused by the sudden stopping of his horse. He looked up and saw before him a dilapidated gate, which barred his farther progress. Beyond, visible by the full flood of moonlight, was a lonely square tower, flanked by a single wing, topped with a battlement. He listened, and thought he heard the dashing

rmonized with his own situation, and was grateful to him. He rode round the angle of a buttress, when the sea suddenly opened before him, and he saw that the tower stoo

identify it with Elpsy's description. By the bones of my red-handed sire! thou knewest what thou wert about to bring me hither, sagacious animal!" he added, sarcastically, patting th

for the laugh seemed to

series of mankind, they may well hold a jubilee in honour of mine. Laugh on, imp

ild that it chilled his blood. The sound seemed to pr

iment!" he cried, leaping to the ground

expanse of water, and then, with a strange interest, the whole of Elpsy's story rushing vividly to his mind, he shudderingly cast his eyes down the rock which stood in deep shadow. Even by the indistinct light he could discern the sharp projection on which the garments of the infant had caught in its descent, and not four feet

ul thought forces itself upon me that I dare not dwell upon! This strange tale of the sorceress; her wonderful and minute knowledge, that could be only known to the actor; her emotion at different portions of the story; a hundred things, light as air, that have insinuated themselves into my mind, have made me

o unearthly that his heart ceased to beat,

ng south towards the sea: into it the moon, in its western circle, had just began to shine, its red-died beams tinting the twilight of the chamber with the hue of blood. Seated high in the recess of the window, he discovered the dark figure of a female; her knees drawn up to her chin, and her hands clasped together around them. As he opened

ich first welcomed you to the light," said she, in a voi

y at finding himself so unexpectedly in the chamber where he was born. He gazed about him for a few moments under

hou anticipate my presence, and art thou

ed of blood thy hand might rue. I

e exists no longer any motive f

ou?" she ea

y boor's mouth, from Castle Cor to Kins

ly, grasping his arm with both ha

t he whom she thought her son wa

you breathed to mortal ear what I have told thee of thy bi

to every servitor

give th

of Hurtel of

e own lips, of thi

an spoke

wouldst have breathed to mortal ear thine infamy, I would have seared my tongue with hot iron ere I would have told thee the secret of thy bir

oment, but thoug

thou art! Why was not my tongue

. What was thy motive in ever le

prung. But I did not think thou wouldst use my secret thus; and wreck the gifts that-that thy mothe

ow

en, on the ninth day, Hurtel of the Red-Hand being gone over the sea, she might safel

at what price did she purchase this honour for her child? The price of the deepest guilt, by keeping the true heir from his birthright. I did not view it in this

whether of defeated hopes, of sorrow, of shame, or of remorse, he knew not. Sudd

who is m

ilt nev

t t

rose? Is my voice soft and full of love? Are my eyes like the gazelle's, and gentle as the dove's in their expression? Is this hideous form such as would lure youth to embrace it

th a furious gesture; "thank God

Elpsy of the Tower gave thee birth. Oh, ho! I am well avenged in this for thy mad folly in throwing aw

woman, and a

emn earnestness. "Whither turn thy footsteps now, Lord of Lester?" she asked, with chilling irony. "Doubtless thou hast come to take possession of thy fair lands here. They are not so broad, ind

again, woman, and I

yes that his were wont to assume when he meditated murder! Ho! I dare to say thou wilt be like him in more than the glance of t

bro

in a fierce fight; but his vessel was captured, and his dead body, with his living crew (for the captors would not leave one alive to blacken the face of the earth), were sunk in the deep sea. Perhaps, like him, thou wilt take to the wave, and carve thy fortune in blood! Blood is sweet, and there is music to the ear in its gurgl

who was the Lo

you ma

e leave; doubtless he will honour thee by asking thee to hold his stirrup on occasion. But, if thou wilt rather habit in this tower, I will be thy seneschal. I love its old gray walls! many is the moonl

ed sight. She gazed for a moment eagerly, and then said, in the enthusiastic tone and manner of a sibyl,

many a far league away, to thy tower's foot, a ship to waft thee and thy fortunes! See how proudly it stands in tow

g directly towards the tower before a light breeze. It was apparently about seventy tons burden, short and heavily built, rising very high out of the water, with a very lofty stern. It had three masts, each consisting of one entire stick, tapering to a slender point, and terminated by a little tr

ind as it approached; after a short struggle, he resolved to throw himself on board if her master would receive him, and depart with her wherever the winds should waft her. Having come to this determination, he watched her motions with additional interest; and

up to wind to lie to! Look! they are alr

several men descend over the side into it. He uttered a joyful exclamation when he saw this movement; and, without reflecting upon the character of the vessel, or the object it could have in vi

n her deck! There is anoth

moonbeams on steel!" he re

a man should kno

rms!" he replied, in t

asked she, with a peculiar smile, la

re, so I may cast m

a truth, thy

e ashamed to own me!" he replied,

, and know the nature, and have learned to know the occupation and natio

s the nation o

s a D

nat

ow waters, and ru

iness on

pillage,

a buc

Dan

rs. By the cross! when I saw the glitter of ste

link thy fate

wedlock? Why should I hesitate to mate with my fellows? What has the honourable world to invite me to? What if I could bury in oblivion from the reach of my own thoughts the black stain upon my birth and hitherto noble name, and, under a new on

ruck with the impassioned and

at length would come when some one, with a too faithful memory, would recognise the bastard Hurtel-the quondam Lester-in the successful adventurer; and then-No

feeling manner, as if prompted by some suddenly-awakened i

es

looked so like him! And then it was a pleasure to humble his pride, which he made even me the victim of: and so, as my master would have it, I could not, for the life o' me, longer help telli

, put off from the vessel, and they could distinctly hear the com

ward distinctly to their ears; and, shooting out from

econds afterward, he seemed to be reconnoitring the beach. Apparently satisfied with his scrutiny, he ordered them to give way

d who appeared to be the leader. "Be on the alert against surprise, though there's little fear of any on

nd hung in straight locks about his ears; and, judging by the deeply-indented lines of his weather-worn visage, his age was about fifty; yet his compactly-built figure, his light motions, and athletic appearance, gave indications of many years less. His countenance, turned upward to their full gaze in his survey of the tower, wore an expression of careless jovialty, united with desperate hardihood. The most striking characteristic of his face was a thick red mustache covering his upper lip. He had on his head an immense fur cap, and wore a short, full frock of a dark shade, secured a

things have happened since! He is dead, or an exile with a price on his head; all our brave band scattered; and I, only, am left to stand once more on this familiar spot. The old rookery looks desolate enough, and seems to sympathize with its master's fortunes! Open your lantern, Ca

rd the heavy footsteps of the three men echoing through the hall. The young

you could open your lips. Hold, and hush! There is time enough. We will see wha

ha

r and gold, with which to aid the conspiracy he headed. He had neither time nor means to take it aw

, with surprise, "

she replied, after a

where to look for what ha

rt of the building, "they have opened the trap of the tower, and w

used to revel here in the days you tell of. I will see what they do, and take oppor

ep into the hall. At its opposite extremity he saw, by the glimmer of a lamp held by one of them, the two men standing ove

e added, his voice sounding hollow from the depth; "'tis dark and damp as a Calcutta blackhole! Faith, it's more like a tomb than an honest underground apartmen

confirmed him in his resolution. But he was at a loss how to make his intentions known-how first to address men ready to shed blood on the instant without question, and among whom, at such a time, the very discovery of his presence might be fatal ere he could make known to the chief his intentions. While watching them as they groped about through the vast vault, an idea, characteristic of his no

me to the wall, and on the very stone Red Hurtel and I placed over the gold," said the captain; "here are

ed cautiously and noiselessly along till he felt his foot press upon a loose slab. He knew he must be on or near the spot; and drawing himself to his full height, and unconsciously assuming a stern and res

o four, five, and was about to take the last step to the wall, when, prono

rbe

upon his men as the lantern shone

here, you villain! Carl, give me that lantern, coward!"

ng his coolness, had not a little disconcerted him. He held the lamp, though standing off at a chosen distance

added, more freely. "There's no more mistaking your smile than your black, ugly frown! So, suppose we shake hands, and, after we get the chest aboard-for

at of the other. The young man hesitated to take it, for he was scarce sure

'em, and last you till you get back where you hail from. Come, old friend, give us your digits, just to say you ain't offend

intrepidity of the seaman,

and so, as the priests say, the devil will fry it out of you. Sorry for you, on my word! Will lay by fifty of these guilders in prayers for your soul! So take hear

-forward frankness that he wisely calculated would have its effect; "I am a young adventurer, withou

s no shade from the land of spirits, which shadowy beings he seemed to fear no more than mortal substa

treasure, which no man save Hurtel and I saw laid here; so like him, and not be he! Yet thou canst not be Red Hurtel in the flesh, for his h

s s

'll be sworn! I now remember he had a leman-lady in the tower when I knew him. A proper youth," he added, looking at him with interest, "and as like your father as one marlin-s

gold, good captain. To follo

es I follow?" inquired t

is work for the free h

that cursed affair that made the country too hot to hold us. I have been a rover since, and, trusting to my gray head, hav

that he was less alone in the world. What a change had one brief

f flesh and blood, returned, scowling darkly on the cause of their discomfiture. "Take hold of the edge of

rts to lift it, though even assisted

Ha, I have it! I had forgot. You might heave till you were gray

its bed, and slid away slowly, as if on wheels, beneath it exposing a cavity two feet square

it in a bucket! Let us see

ngth bore hard upon a corner of the

oot on it. Let us try what this good steel, that

lew up, and a glittering pile of silver and gold, and a remarkably shaped dagger, a foot in lengt

t this display of treasure. The young man too

e me. If nature put the father's looks on all children as she has on thee, it would be a blind father that wouldn't know his own child. But it's only bas-hoit! I mean to say that children honestly come by seldom show th

the youth, his natur

t us heave out this precious metal. Six thousand told pounds, if my memory serves me. Heave heartil

re, Evan," said one, str

n, breathing himself and passing the back of his hand acro

orts of the men, the captain, and even Lester-or Hurtel, as for the present he sh

eadily entering into the spirit of his new vocation, and thirsting for excit

away, "True as steel, by St. Claus! I would rather los

an authoritative tone, two of the men to ascend to relieve their mates. There was a

eas

e betr

as many different languages, followed by glancing of steel and c

up-with you! By the cross! if I were your captain, knav

re?" said one, in a gruff voi

ppeared at the window. "This youth is my lieutenant, and see that you obey hi

Orders is orders, if they come from the devil,

amber up here. Spring! be nimble! nimble! Back

balcony. It took but a short time to get the chest upon the balustrade, lash it

low there!" cri

rea

's bottom out! Swing it more aft! There, now, let her drop amidships! Easy

captain and his new lieutenant were also preparing to go down, when each, at the same

aring with astonishment, not unmingled with superstitious dread, on the def

k with thee,

he cried, with astonishm

ied, in a tone of mystery. "That youth

do

, and receives not ill at thy hands

the name of all t

guilt o'er the gate of Cork, the winds whistling through them with a sad wail, look ki

t," he said,

ear

wear

on I have to ask thee,

it,

s Hurtel of t

he died in

ould rather burn in hell, to which he is doomed, than see. No, no! his time has not yet come! his master will not let him slip out o' life so easily. Oh, it wi

woman, tell m

e foul: wouldst have a smooth sea, I will make it boil and hiss: wilt

he cried, crossing

asant to make men's stout hearts quake. Dost know me?" s

d preparing to descend the r

and laying her hand on his arm

ing back, and surveying her with ming

ne room, offer thy drunken love to her now! Ha, ha, ha! Does she not look

moon, and seemed too much overpowered by surpris

for only thus could I be known to thee! But, holy

he is! see thou

" he exclaimed afresh, gazing upon her with ming

night seen. I have made myself known to thee for this youth's sake. Farewell, young man," she said, approaching Lester as he stood on the rock, to which he had

-will against thee in my heart

without speaking, as if her feelings choked utterance

unhappy creature, and it'll come hard, I'm thinking, on him that made her so. But this is no time for sentiment. Let us aboard and make an offing ere the dawn; for, if we are

e rock to the boat, followed by his youthful lieut

el's head turned slowly off, and, feeling the wind on her quarter, she stood in landward for a few seconds to gain headway, and then came gracefully round with her starboard bow to