Читать «Cup of Gold (Золотая чаша)» онлайн - страница 98

"Coeur de Gris!" the captain shouted. He went quickly to the body and laid his hand on its forehead.

"This is a dead thing," he said musingly. "This is only a dead thing. It will bring flies and sickness. I must have it taken away at once. It will bring the flies into this room. Coeur de Gris! we have been fooled. The woman fences like a man, and she rides horses astride. So much labor lost for us! That's what we get for believing everything we hear-eh, Coeur de Gris? — But this is only a dead thing, and the flies will come to it."

He was interrupted by a tramp of feet on the stairs. A band of his men entered, driving in their midst a poor frightened Spaniard-a mud-draggled, terrified Spaniard. The lace had been torn from his neck, and a little stream of blood ran from one sleeve.

"Here is a Spaniard, sir," the leader said. "He came to the city bearing a white flag. Shall we respect the white flag, sir? He has silver on his saddle. Shall we kill him, sir? Perhaps he is a spy."

Henry Morgan ignored the speech. Instead he pointed to the body in the chair.

"That is only a dead thing," he announced. "That is not Coeur de Gris. I sent Coeur de Gris away. He will be back soon. But that is-I raised my hand like this-do you see? — like this. I know exactly how I did it; I have tried it again and again. But that is a dead thing. It will bring the flies to us." He cried, "Oh, take it away and bury it in the earth!"

A buccaneer moved to lift the body.

"Don't touch him! Don't dare to touch him! Leave him where he is. He is smiling. Do you see him smile?

But the flies-No, leave him. I will care for him myself."

"This Spaniard, sir; what shall we do with him? Shall we kill him?"

"What Spaniard?"

"Why, this one before you, sir." He shoved the man forward. Henry seemed to awaken from a deep dream.

"What do you want?" he asked harshly.

The Spaniard struggled with his fright.

"It-it is my wish and the wish of my padrone to have speech with one Captain Morgan if he will have the goodness.

I am a messenger, Seсor-not a spy, as these-these gentlemen suggest."

"What is your message?" Henry's voice had become weary.

The messenger took reassurance from his changed tone. "I come from one man very rich, Seсor. You have his wife."

"I have his wife?"

"She was taken in the city, Seсor. "

"Her name? "

"She is the Doсa Ysobel Espinoza, Valdez y los Gabilanes, Seсor. The simple people of the city have called her La Santa Roja. "

Henry Morgan regarded him for a long time. "Yes, I have her," he said finally. "She is in a cell. What does her husband wish?"

"He offers ransom, Seсor. He has reason to wish his wife with him again."

"What ransom does he offer?"

"What would Your Excellency suggest?"

"Twenty thousand pieces of eight," Henry said quickly. The messenger was staggered. "Twenty thous-viente mil-" He translated fully to comprehend the enormity of the amount. "I perceive that Your Excellency also wants the woman."