按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the great Ramm Rapelye； who for many years had filled the leather…
bottomed chair of state。 His place was supplied by a stranger； who
seemed； however； completely at home in the chair and the tavern。
He was rather under size； but deep…chested； square； and muscular。
His broad shoulders； double joints； and bow knees gave tokens of
prodigious strength。 His face was dark and weather…beaten； a deep
scar； as if from the slash of a cutlass； had almost divided his
nose； and made a gash in his upper lip； through which his teeth
shone like a bulldog's。 A mop of iron…gray hair gave a grisly
finish to this hard…favored visage。 His dress was of an amphibious
character。 He wore an old hat edged with tarnished lace； and
cocked in martial style on one side of his head； a rusty＇1＇ blue
military coat with brass buttons； and a wide pair of short
petticoat trousers；or rather breeches； for they were gathered up
at the knees。 He ordered everybody about him with an authoritative
air； talking in a brattling＇2＇ voice that sounded like the
crackling of thorns under a pot； dd the landlord and servants
with perfect impunity； and was waited upon with greater
obsequiousness than had ever been shown to the mighty Ramm himself。
＇1＇ Shabby。
＇2＇ Noisy。
Wolfert's curiosity was awakened to know who and what was this
stranger who had thus usurped absolute sway in this ancient domain。
Peechy Prauw took him aside into a remote corner of the hall； and
there； in an under voice and with great caution； imparted to him
all that he knew on the subject。 The inn had been aroused several
months before； on a dark； stormy night； by repeated long shouts
that seemed like the howlings of a wolf。 They came from the water
side； and at length were distinguished to be hailing the house in
the seafaring manner； 〃House ahoy！〃 The landlord turned out with
his head waiter； tapster； hostler； and errand boythat is to say；
with his old negro Cuff。 On approaching the place whence the voice
proceeded； they found this amphibious…looking personage at the
water's edge； quite alone； and seated on a great oaken sea chest。
How he came there；whether he had been set on shore from some
boat； or had floated to land on his chest；nobody could tell； for
he did not seem disposed to answer questions； and there was
something in his looks and manners that put a stop to all
questioning。 Suffice it to say； he took possession of a corner
room of the inn； to which his chest was removed with great
difficulty。 Here he had remained ever since； keeping about the inn
and its vicinity。 Sometimes； it is true； he disappeared for one；
two； or three days at a time； going and returning without giving
any notice or account of his movements。 He always appeared to have
plenty of money； though often of very strange； outlandish coinage；
and he regularly paid his bill every evening before turning in。
He had fitted up his room to his own fancy； having slung a hammock
from the ceiling instead of a bed； and decorated the walls with
rusty pistols and cutlasses of foreign workmanship。 A greater part
of his time was passed in this room； seated by the window； which
commanded a wide view of the Sound； a short； old…fashioned pipe in
his mouth； a glass of rum toddy＇1＇ at his elbow； and a pocket
telescope in his hand； with which he reconnoitered every boat that
moved upon the water。 Large square…rigged vessels seemed to excite
but little attention； but the moment he descried anything with a
shoulder…of…mutton＇2＇ sail； or that a barge or yawl or jolly…boat
hove in sight； up went the telescope； and he examined it with the
most scrupulous attention。
＇1＇ A mixture of rum and hot water sweetened。
＇2＇ Triangular。
All this might have passed without much notice； for in those times
the province was so much the resort of adventurers of all
characters and climes that any oddity in dress or behavior
attracted but small attention。 In a little while； however； this
strange sea monster； thus strangely cast upon dry land； began to
encroach upon the long established customs and customers of the
place； and to interfere in a dictatorial manner in the affairs of
the ninepin alley and the barroom； until in the end he usurped an
absolute command over the whole inn。 It was all in vain to attempt
to withstand his authority。 He was not exactly quarrelsome； but
boisterous and peremptory； like one accustomed to tyrannize on a
quarter…deck； and there was a dare…devil＇1＇ air about everything he
said and did that inspired wariness in all bystanders。 Even the
half…pay officer； so long the hero of the club； was soon silenced
by him； and the quiet burghers stared with wonder at seeing their
inflammable man of war so readily and quietly extinguished。
＇1＇ Reckless。
And then the tales that he would tell were enough to make a
peaceable man's hair stand on end。 There was not a sea fight； nor
marauding nor freebooting adventure that had happened within the
last twenty years； but he seemed perfectly versed in it。 He
delighted to talk of the exploits of the buccaneers in the West
Indies and on the Spanish Main。＇1＇ How his eyes would glisten as
he described the waylaying of treasure ships； the desperate fights；
yardarm and yardarm；＇2＇ broadside and broadside；＇3＇ the boarding
and capturing huge Spanish galleons！ With what chuckling relish
would he describe the descent upon some rich Spanish colony； the
rifling of a church； the sacking of a convent！ You would have
thought you heard some gormandizer dilating upon the roasting of a
savory goose at Michaelmas；＇4＇ as he described the roasting of some
Spanish don to make him discover his treasure；a detail given with
a minuteness that made every rich old burgher present turn
uncomfortably in his chair。 All this would be told with infinite
glee； as if he considered it an excellent joke； and then he would
give such a tyrannical leer in the face of his next neighbor that
the poor man would be fain to laugh out of sheer faint…heartedness。
If anyone； however； pretended to contradict him in any of his
stories； he was on fire in an instant。 His very cocked hat assumed
a momentary fierceness； and seemed to resent the contradiction。
〃How the devil should you know as well as I？ I tell you it was as
I say；〃 and he would at the same time let slip a broadside of
thundering oaths＇5＇ and tremendous sea phrases； such as had never
been heard before within these peaceful walls。
＇1＇ The coast of the northern part of South America along the
Caribbean Sea； the route formerly traversed by the Spanish treasure
ships between the Old and New Worlds。
＇2＇ Ships are said to be yardarm and yardarm when so near as to
touch or interlock their yards； which are the long pieces of timber
designed to support and extend the square sails。
＇3＇ 〃Broadside and broadside；〃 i。e。； with the side of one ship
touching that of another。
＇4＇ The Feast of the A