He threw himself on his bed with combined feelings of rage and mortification, and slept a feverish sleep in his clothes.
His dreams were terrifying, and he awoke in the morning unrefreshed. The mutiny and defection of the ship's company, he ascribed entirely to the machinations of Smallbones, whom he now hated with a feeling so intense, that he felt he could have ordered him in the open day. Such were the first impulses that his mind resorted to upon his waking, and after some little demur, he sent for Corporal Van Spitter, to consult with him. The corporal made his appearance, all humility and respect, and was again sounded as to what could be done with Smallbones, Vanslyperken hinting very clearly what his wishes tended to.
Corporal Van Spitter, who had made up his mind how to act after their previous conference, hummed and hawed, and appeared unwilling to enter upon the subject, until he was pushed by his commandant, when the corporal observed there was something very strange about the lad, and hinted at his being sent in the cutter on purpose to annoy his superior.
"That on that night upon which he had stated that he had seen the devil three times, once it was sitting on the head-clew of Smallbones's hammock, and at another time that he was evidently in converse with the lad, and that there were strange stories among the ship's company, who considered that both Smallbones and the dog were supernatural agents."
"My dog —Snarleyyow —a —what do you mean, corporal?"
The corporal then told Mr. Vanslyperken that he had discovered that several attempts had been made to drown the dog, but without success; and that among the rest, he had been thrown by Smallbones into the canal, tied up in a bread-bag, and had miraculously made his appearance again.
"The villain!" exclaimed Vanslyperken. "That then was the paving-stone. Now I've found it out, I'll cut his very soul out of his body."
But the corporal protested against open measures, as, although it was known by his own confession to be the case, it could not be proved, as none of the men would tell.
"Besides, he did not think that any further attempts would be made, as Smallbones had been heard to laugh and say, 'that water would never hurt him or the dog,' which observation of the lad's had first made the ship's company suspect."
"Very true," exclaimed Vanslyperken; "he floated out to the Nab buoy and back again, when I—" Here Mr. Vanslyperken stopped short, and he felt a dread of supernatural powers in the lad, when he thought of what had passed and what he now heard.
"De tyfel," replied the corporal.
Vanslyperken was not very sorry for this, as it would he the dog's protection; but at the same time he was not at all easy about Smallbones; for Mr. Vanslyperken, as we have observed before, was both superstitions and cowardly.
"Water won't hurt him, did you say, corporal?"
"Then I'll try what a pistol will do, by heavens!" replied Vanslyperken. "he threw my dog into the canal, and I'll be revenged, if revenge is to be had. That will do, corporal, you may go now," continued Vanslyperken, who actually foamed with rage.
The corporal left the cabin, and it having occurred to Vanslyperken that he had not delivered the letters, he dressed himself to go on shore.
After having once more read through the letter of the fair widow, which, at the same time that it crushed all his hopes, from its kind tenor poured some balm into his wounded heart, he sighed, folded it up, put it away, and went on deck.
"Pipe the gig away," said Mr. Vanslyperken.
This reminded Mr. Vanslyperken that Jemmy Ducks had left the ship, and vexed him again. He ordered the word to be passed to the boat's crew, and when it was manned he went on shore. As soon as he arrived at the house of Lazarus, he knocked, but it was some time before he was admitted; and the chain was still kept on the door, which was opened two inches to allow a scrutiny previous to entrance.
"Ah! it vash you, vash it, good sar? you may come in," said the Jew.
Vanslyperken walked into the parlour, where he found seated a young man of very handsome exterior, dressed according to the fashion of the cavaliers of the time. His hat, with a plume of black feathers, lay upon the table. This personage continued in his careless and easy position without rising when Vanslyperken entered, neither did he ask him to sit down.
"You are the officer of the cutter?" inquired the young man, with an air of authority not very pleasing to the lieutenant.
"Yes," replied Vanslyperken, looking hard and indignantly in return.
"And you arrived yesterday morning? Pray, sir, why were not those letters delivered at once?"
"Because I had no time," replied Vanslyperken, sulkily.
"No time, sir! what do you mean by that? Your time is ours, sir. You are paid for it; for one shilling that you receive from the rascally Government you condescend to serve and to betray, you receive from us pounds. Let not this happen again, my [dear] sir, or you may repent it."
Vanslyperken was not in the best of humours, and he angrily replied, "Then you may get others to do your work, for this is the last I'll do; pay me for them, and let me go."
"The last you'll do! you'll do as much as we please, and as long as we please. You are doubly in our power, scoundrel! You betray the Government you serve, but you shall not betray us. If you had a thousand lives, you are a dead man the very moment you flinch from or neglect our work. Do your work faithfully, and you will be rewarded; but either you must do our work or die. You have but to choose."
"Indeed!" replied Vanslyperken.
"Yes, indeed! And to prove that I am in earnest, I shall punish you for your neglect, by not paying you this time. You may leave the letters and go. But mind that you give us timely notice when you are ordered back to the Hague, for we shall want you."
Vanslyperken, indignant at this language, obeyed his first impulse, which was to snatch up the letters and attempt to leave the room.
"No pay, no letters!" exclaimed he, opening the door.
"Fool!" cried the young man with a bitter sneer, not stirring from his seat.
Vanslyperken opened the door, and to his amazement there were three swords pointed to his heart. He started back.
"Will you leave the letters now?" observed the young man. Vanslyperken threw them down on the table with every sign of perturbation, and remained silent and pale.
"And now perfectly understand me, sir," said the young cavalier. "We make a great distinction between those who have joined the good cause, or rather, who have continued steadfast to their king from feelings of honour and loyalty, and those who are to be bought and sold. We honour the first, we despise the latter. Their services we require, and, therefore, we employ them. A traitor to the sovereign from whom he receives his pay is not likely to be trusted by us. I know your character, that is sufficient. Now, although the Government make no difference between one party or the other, with the exception that some may be honoured with the axe instead of the gibbet, you will observe what we do; and as our lives are already forfeited by attainder, we make no scruple of putting out of the way any one whom we may even suspect of betraying us. Nay, more; we can furnish the Government with sufficient proofs against you without any risk to ourselves, for we have many partisans who are still in office. Weigh now well all you have heard, and be assured, that although we despise you, and use you only as our tool, we will have faithful and diligent service; if not, your life is forfeited."
Vanslyperken heard all this with amazement and confusion: he immediately perceived that he was in a snare, from which escape was impossible. His coward heart sank within him, and he promised implicit obedience.
"Nevertheless, before you go you will sign your adherence to King James and his successors," observed the young cavalier. "Lazarus, bring in writing-materials." The Jew, who was at the door, complied with the order.
The cavalier took the pen and wrote down a certain form, in which Vanslyperken dedicated his life and means, as he valued his salvation, to the service of the exiled monarch.
"Read that, and sign it, sir," said the cavalier, passing it over to Vanslyperken.
The lieutenant hesitated. "Your life depends upon it," continued the young man coolly; "do as you please."
Vanslyperken turned round; the swords were still pointed, and the eyes of those which held them were fixed upon the cavalier, awaiting his orders. Vanslyperken perceived that there was no escape. With a trembling hand he affixed his signature.
"'Tis well:— now observe, that at the first suspicion, or want of zeal, even, on your part, this will be forwarded through the proper channel, and even if you should escape the Government, you will not escape us: our name is Legion. You may go, sir; —do your work well, and you shall be well rewarded."
Vanslyperken hastened away, passing the swords, the points of which were now lowered for his passage. Perhaps he never till then felt how contemptible was a traitor. Indignant, mortified, and confused, still trembling with fear, and, at the same time, burning with rage, he hastened to his mother's house, for he had brought on shore with him the money which he had received at Amsterdam.
"What! more vexation, child?" said the old woman, looking Vanslyperken in the face as he entered.
"Yes," retorted Vanslyperken, folding his arms as he sat down.
It was some time before he would communicate to his mother all that happened. At last the truth, which even he felt ashamed of, was drawn out of him.
"Now may all the curses that ever befell a man fall on his head!" exclaimed Vanslyperken as he finished. "I would give soul and body to be revenged on him."
"That's my own child —that is what I have done, Cornelius, but I shall not die yet awhile. I like to hear you say that; but it must not be yet. Let them plot and plot, and when they think that all is ripe, and all is ready, and all will succeed —then —then is the time to revenge yourself —not yet —but for that revenge, death on the gallows would be sweet."
Vanslyperken shuddered:— he did not feel how death could in any way be sweet; —for some time he was wrapt up in his own thoughts.
"Have you brought the gold at last?" inquired the old woman.
"I have," replied Vanslyperken, who raised himself and produced it. "I ought to have had more —but I'll be revenged."
"Yes, yes, but get more gold first. Never kill the goose that lays the golden egg, my child," replied the old woman as she turned the key.
So many sudden and mortifying occurrences had taken place in forty-eight hours that Vanslyperken's brain was in a whirl. He felt goaded to do something, but he did not know what. Perhaps it would have been suicide had he not been a coward. He left his mother without speaking another word, and walked down to the boat, revolving first one and then another incident in his mind. At last, his ideas appeared to concentrate themselves into one point, which was a firm and raging animosity against Smallbones; and with the darkest intentions he hastened on board and went down into his cabin.
What was the result of these feelings will be seen in the ensuing chapter.
