Martin Conisby

Now in her hands she bore a pipkin brimful of goat's milk.

"I prithee, sir," said she softly, "tell now--shall there be room for me in your boat?"

"Never in this world!"

"You were wiser to seek my love than my hate--"

"I seek neither!"

"Being a fool, yes. But the sun is hot and you will be a thirsty fool--"

"Where learned you that evil song?"

"In Tortuga when I was a child. But come, drink, amigo mio, drink an you will--"

"Whence had you that gown?"

"Ah--ah, you love me better thus, yes? Why, 'tis a pretty gown truly, though out o' the fashion. But, will you not drink?"

Now, as I have told, I was parched with thirst and the spring some way off, so taking the pipkin I drained it at a draught and muttering my thanks, handed it back to her. Then I got me to my labour again, yet very conscious of her as she sat to watch, so that more than once I missed my stroke and my fingers seemed strangely awkward. And after she had sat thus silent a great while, she spoke: "You be mighty diligent, and to no purpose."

"How mean you?"

"I mean this boat of yours shall never sail except I sail in her."

"Which is yet to prove!" said I, feeling the air exceeding close and stifling.

"Regard now, Master Innocence," said she, holding up one hand and ticking off these several items on her fingers as she spoke: "You have crossed me once. You have beat me once. You have refused me honourable fight. You have hurt me with vile club. And now you would leave me here alone to perish--"

"All true save the last," quoth I, finding my breath with strange difficulty, "for though alone you need not perish, for I will show you where--where you--shall find abundance--of food--and--" But here I stopped and gasped as an intolerable pain shot through me.

"Ah--ah!" said she, leaning forward to stare at me keen-eyed. "And doth it begin to work--yes? Doth it begin so soon?"

"Woman," I cried, as my pains increased, "what mean you now? Why d'ye stare on me so? God help me, what have you done--"

"The milk, fool!" said she, smiling.

"Ha--what devil's brew--poison--"

"I warned you but, being fool, you nothing heeded--no!"

Now hereupon I went aside and, dreading to die thus miserably, thrust a finger down my throat and was direly sick; thereafter, not abiding the sun's intolerable heat, I crawled into the shade of a rock and lay there as it were in a black mist and myself all clammy with a horrible, cold sweat. And presently in my anguish, feeling a hand shake me, I lifted swooning eyes to find this woman bending above me.