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with every mark of fervour； addressed me a long speech in
some unknown and barbarous tongue。
'I declare；' I cried； clasping my brow； 'I do not understand
one syllable。'
'Not？' he said in Spanish。 'Great； great； are the powers of
Hoodoo！ Her very mind is changed！ But； O chief priestess；
why have you suffered yourself to be shut into this cage？ why
did you not call your slaves at once to your defence？ Do you
not see that all has been prepared to murder you？ at a spark；
this flimsy house will go in flames； and alas！ who shall then
be the chief priestess？ and what shall be the profit of the
miracle？'
'Heavens！' cried I； 'can I not see Sir George？ I must； I
must； come by speech of him。 Oh； bring me to Sir George！'
And； my terror fairly mastering my courage； I fell upon my
knees and began to pray to all the saints。
'Lordy！' cried the negro； 'here they come！' And his black
head was instantly withdrawn from the window。
'I never heard such nonsense in my life；' exclaimed a voice。
'Why； so we all say； Sir George；' replied the voice of Mr。
Kentish。 'But put yourself in our place。 The niggers were
near two to one。 And upon my word； if you'll excuse me； sir；
considering the notion they have taken in their heads； I
regard it as precious fortunate for all of us that the
mistake occurred。'
'This is no question of fortune； sir；' returned Sir George。
'It is a question of my orders； and you may take my word for
it； Kentish； either Harland； or yourself； or Parker … or； by
George； all three of you！ … shall swing for this affair。
These are my sentiments。 Give me the key and be off。'
Immediately after； the key turned in the lock； and there
appeared upon the threshold a gentleman； between forty and
fifty； with a very open countenance； and of a stout and
personable figure。
'My dear young lady；' said he； 'who the devil may you be？'
I told him all my story in one rush of words。 He heard me；
from the first； with an amazement you can scarcely picture；
but when I came to the death of the Senora Mendizabal in the
tornado； he fairly leaped into the air。
'My dear child；' he cried； clasping me in his arms； 'excuse a
man who might be your father！ This is the best news I ever
had since I was born； for that hag of a mulatto was no less a
person than my wife。' He sat down upon a tar…barrel； as if
unmanned by joy。 'Dear me；' said he； 'I declare this tempts
me to believe in Providence。 And what；' he added； 'can I do
for you？'
'Sir George；' said I； 'I am already rich： all that I ask is
your protection。'
'Understand one thing；' he said； with great energy。 'I will
never marry。'
'I had not ventured to propose it；' I exclaimed； unable to
restrain my mirth； 'I only seek to be conveyed to England；
the natural home of the escaped slave。'
'Well；' returned Sir George； 'frankly I owe you something for
this exhilarating news； besides； your father was of use to
me。 Now； I have made a small competence in business … a
jewel mine； a sort of naval agency； et caetera； and I am on
the point of breaking up my company； and retiring to my place
in Devonshire to pass a plain old age； unmarried。 One good
turn deserves another： if you swear to hold your tongue
about this island； these little bonfire arrangements； and the
whole episode of my unfortunate marriage； why； I'll carry you
home aboard the NEMOROSA。' I eagerly accepted his
conditions。
'One thing more；' said he。 'My late wife was some sort of a
sorceress among the blacks； and they are all persuaded she
has come alive again in your agreeable person。 Now； you will
have the goodness to keep up that fancy； if you please； and
to swear to them； on the authority of Hoodoo or whatever his
name may be； that I am from this moment quite a sacred
character。'
'I swear it；' said I； 'by my father's memory； and that is a
vow that I will never break。'
'I have considerably better hold on you than any oath；'
returned Sir George； with a chuckle； 'for you are not only an
escaped slave； but have； by your own account； a considerable
amount of stolen property。'
I was struck dumb； I saw it was too true； in a glance； I
recognised that these jewels were no longer mine； with
similar quickness； I decided they should be restored； ay； if
it cost me the liberty that I had just regained。 Forgetful
of all else； forgetful of Sir George； who sat and watched me
with a smile； I drew out Mr。 Caulder's pocket…book and turned
to the page on which the dying man had scrawled his
testament。 How shall I describe the agony of happiness and
remorse with which I read it！ for my victim had not only set
me free； but bequeathed to me the bag of jewels。
My plain tale draws towards a close。 Sir George and I； in my
character of his rejuvenated wife； displayed ourselves arm…
in…arm among the negroes； and were cheered and followed to
the place of embarkation。 There； Sir George； turning about；
made a speech to his old companions； in which he thanked and
bade them farewell with a very manly spirit； and towards the
end of which he fell on some expressions which I still
remember。 'If any of you gentry lose your money；' he said；
'take care you do not come to me； for in the first place； I
shall do my best to have you murdered； and if that fails； I
hand you over to the law。 Blackmail won't do for me。 I'll
rather risk all upon a cast； than be pulled to pieces by
degrees。 I'll rather be found out and hang； than give a doit
to one man…jack of you。' That same night we got under way
and crossed to the port of New Orleans； whence； as a sacred
trust； I sent the pocket…book to Mr。 Caulder's son。 In a
week's time； the men were all paid off； new hands were
shipped； and the NEMOROSA weighed her anchor for Old England。
A more delightful voyage it were hard to fancy。 Sir George；
of course； was not a conscientious man； but he had an
unaffected gaiety of character that naturally endeared him to
the young； and it was interesting to hear him lay out his
projects for the future； when he should be returned to
Parliament； and place at the service of the nation his
experience of marine affairs。 I asked him； if his notion of
piracy upon a private yacht were not original。 But he told
me； no。 'A yacht； Miss Valdevia；' he observed； 'is a
chartered nuisance。 Who smuggles？ Who robs the salmon
rivers of the West of Scotland？ Who cruelly beats the
keepers if they dare to intervene？ The crews and the
proprietors of yachts。 All I have done is to extend the line
a trifle； and if you ask me for my unbiassed opinion； I do
not suppose that I am in the least alone。'
In short； we were the best of friends； and lived like father
and daughter； though I still withheld from him； of course；
that respect which is only due to moral excellence。
We were still some days' sail from England； when Sir George
obtained； from an outward…bound ship； a packet of newspapers；
and from that fatal hour my misfortunes recommenced。 He sat；
the same evening； in the cabin； reading the news； and making
savoury comments on the decline of England a