Martin Conisbys Vengeance | Page 5

in this moment
she was on her feet and snatching my sword made therewith a furious
pass at me, the which I contrived to parry and, catching the blade in this
beloved garment, I wrenched the weapon from her. Then, pinning her
in fierce grip and despite her furious struggles and writhing, I
belaboured her soundly with the flat of the blade, she meanwhile
swearing and cursing at me in Spanish and English as vilely as ever I
had done in all my days, until her voice broke and she choked upon a
great sob. Thereupon I flung her across my bed and taking such things
as I needed, strode out of the cave and so left her.
But scarce was I without the cave than she came following after me;
and truly never was greater change, for in place of snarling daemon
here was tender maid all tearful sighs, gentle-eyed and with clasped
hands reached out to me in supplication and (despite her male attire) all

woman.
Perceiving the which, I turned my back upon her and hasted away all
the faster.
So here was I, that had grieved in my solitude and yearned amain for
human fellowship, heartily wishing myself alone again and full of a
new apprehension, viz: That my island being so small I might chance to
find the avoidance of this evil creature a matter of some difficulty, even
though I abandoned my caves and furniture to her use and sought me
another habitation.
Now as I went I fell to uneasy speculation regarding this woman, her
fierce, wild beauty, her shameless tongue, her proud and passionate
temper, her reckless furies; and bethinking me of all the manifest evil
of her, I felt again that chill of the flesh, that indefinable disgust,
insomuch that (the moon being bright and full) I must glance back,
more than once, half-dreading to see her creeping on my heels.
Having traversed Deliverance Sands I came into that cleft or defile,
'twixt bush-girt, steepy cliffs, called Skeleton Cove, where I had
builded me a forge with bellows of goatskin. Here, too, I had set up an
anvil (the which had come ashore in a wreck, together with divers other
tools) and a bench for my carpentry. The roof of this smithy backed
upon a cavern wherein I stored my tools, timber and various odds and
ends.
This place, then, I determined should be my habitation henceforth,
there being a little rill of sweet water adjacent and the cave itself dry
and roomy and so shut in by precipitous cliffs that any who might come
to my disturbance must come only in the one direction.
And now, as I judged, there being yet some hours to sunrise, I made
myself as comfortable as might be and having laid by sword and belt
and set my pistols within easy reach, I laid down and composed myself
to slumber. But this I could by no means compass, being fretted of
distressful thought and made vain and bitter repining for this ship that
had come and sailed, leaving me a captive still, prisoned on this hateful

island with this wild creature that methought more daemon than woman.
And seeing myself thus mocked of Fortune (in my blind folly) I fell to
reviling the God that made me. Howbeit sleep overtook me at last, but
an evil slumber haunted by visions of this woman, her beauty fouled
and bloody, who sought out my destruction where I lay powerless to
resist her will. Low she bent above me, her dusky hair a cloud that
choked me, and through this cloud the glitter of her eyes, red lips that
curled back from snapping teeth, fingers clawed to rend and tear; then
as I gazed, in horror, these eyes grew soft and languorous, these vivid
lips trembled to wistful smile, these cruel hands clasped, soft-clinging,
and drew me near and ever nearer towards that smiling, tender mouth,
until I waked in a panic to behold the dawn and against the sun's
growing splendour the woman standing and holding my pistols levelled
at me as I lay.
Now I do think there is no hale man, howsoever desperate and careless
of life, but who, faced with sudden, violent death, will not of instinct
blench and find himself mighty unready to take the leap into that dark
unknown whose dread doth fright us one and all; howbeit thus was it
with me, for now as I stared from the pistol muzzle to the merciless
eyes behind them, I, that had hitherto esteemed death no hardship, lay
there in dumb and sweating panic, and, knowing myself afraid, scorned
and hated myself therefor.
"Ah--ah!" said she softly but with flash of white teeth. "Will ye cower
then, you beater of women? Down to your