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Mortified and miserable, he hurried home, determined, after this, to stick to his trade and play fine gentleman no more. The year at last drew to a close, and Bartlemy had now earned enough to set up for a master tailor; when, one bright moonlight night, he suddenly remembered that it was the very anniversary of his meeting with the goblin.
"I know you for pirate and damned murderer, Roger Tressady, so shall you quit this island this very hour or stay here to rot along with Bartlemy and Red Andy!" "Why," says he at last, "why bleed me! If if it aren't aye 'tis Martin! Why for sure 'tis my bonnet Marty as saved my skin time and again aboard the 'Faithful Friend! Though ye go mighty fine, lad, mighty fine!
"No matter, 'twas a goodly knife why must you throw it away?" "Because I was so minded!" says she, mighty serene and regarding me with her calm, level gaze. "Never scowl, Martin, though indeed 'twas goodly knife with handle all gold-work." At this I scowled the more and she must needs laugh, calling me Black Bartlemy, whereon I turned my back on her and she fell a-singing to herself.
And I, hearkening to this awful sobbing voice, sweating and shivering in the dark, knew that, since I was indeed Black Bartlemy, sooner or later I must go. Thus it befell that of a sudden I found myself, dazzled by a fierce sun, supporting me against a rock and my breath coming in great gasps.
"I had speech later with the bailiff, and he did say that the priest was a Saxon serving-man, and the novice was the young lord, Josceline De Aldithely, escaping to his father." "After them! after them!" cried the innkeeper, furiously. "They be a prize!" In the hurly-burly and din that now arose old Bartlemy slipped out to the stables, got possession of his mule, and rode off unnoticed.
His master really knew not what to think; but at least so good a workman was not to be lost; so he kept his surprise and suspicions to himself, and made up by heaping more and more sewing on the luckless Bartlemy.
At this she whipped her hand from my arm and turned to frown up at me whiles I scowled sullenly on her. "Why then, Master Conisby," says she, "I would you were anywhere but here. And know this when you scowl so, all sullen-eyed, I know you for the very image of Black Bartlemy!"
So with aid from the small, dark fellow they soon have made an end o' their four companions, and leaving them lying, come up the beach and sitting below the ledge of rock whereon I lay snug hidden, fell to talk. "'So, Ben, camarado mio, we be committed to it now! Since these four be dead and all men well-loved by Bartlemy, needs must Bartlemy follow 'em!
And hereupon I scowled and turned to stare away across the placid sea dimpling 'neath the moon, at the stilly waters of the lagoon, and the white curve of Deliverance Beach below; but, look where I would, I could see only the proud, lovely face and the great, truthful eyes of this woman Joan Brandon, even when my scowling brows were bent on that distant pimento tree beneath whose towering shadow Black Bartlemy had laughed his life out.
Howbeit I must find out who or what is it is that sings this hateful " I stopped, all at once, for the voice was come again, nearer, louder than before, and singing the very words I had been hearkening for and dreading to hear: "There's a fine Spanish dame, And Joanna's her name, Shall follow wherever ye go: 'Till your black heart shall feel Yow cursed steel: Black Bartlemy Bartlemy ho!"
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