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Updated: June 18, 2025
"That means," said Tassard, "that this side of the block is dislocated from the main." "Yes," cried I. "And if the powder ahead of the bows has done its work, the heave of the ocean will do the rest."
As to acquainting them with my recovery of Tassard, after his stupor of eight-and-forty years, I should have been mute on that head in any case, for so extraordinary a relation could, from such people, have earned me but one of two opinions: either that I was mad and believed in an impossibility, or that I was a rogue and dealt in magic, and to be vehemently shunned.
"So!" cried the Frenchman suddenly, slamming the lid of the chest. "Tis all here! Now then to the business of considering how to come off with it." He thrust the keys in his pocket, and we returned to the cook-room. That night, as afterwards, Tassard occupied the berth that he was used to sleep in before he was frozen.
There was to be no sleep for me that night, and knowing this, I stepped below and built up a good fire, and then went with the lanthorn to see how Tassard did and to give him the news; but he was in so deep a sleep, that after pulling him a little without awakening him I let him lie, nothing but the sound of his breathing persuading me that he had not lapsed into his old frozen state again.
But immediately under the hatch stood several small chests and cases, painted black, stowed side by side so that they could not shift. Tassard ran his eye over them, counting. "Right!" cried he; "hold the lanthorn, Mr. Rodney." I took the light from him, and, pulling the keys from his pocket, he fell to trying them at the lock of the first chest.
Was it conceivable that the others should be worse than, or even as bad as, this creature? His hair showed him hoary in vice. The Italian was a handsome man, and let him have been as profligate as he would, as cruel and fierce a pirate as Tassard had painted him, he would at all events have proved a sightly companion, and harmless as being blind, though to be sure for that reason of no use to me.
But there were other chests and cases to explore ten in all: two of these were filled with silver money, a third with plate, a fourth with English, French, Spanish, and Portugal coins in gold; but the one over which Tassard hung longest in a transport that held him dumb, was the smallest of all, and this was packed with gold in bars.
I durst not look forth till all the powder had burst, lest I should be struck by some flying piece of ice, but unless the schooner was injured below she was as sound as before, and in the exact same posture, as if afloat in harbour, only that of course her stern lay low with the slope of her bed. I called to Tassard and he lifted his head. "Are you hurt?" said I. "No, no," he answered.
A sudden faintness seized me, and I sank down upon the bench opposite him, letting my head fall upon my arms. His cry startled me I looked up saw him as I have said; but the cabin then turned black, my head sank again, and I remember no more." He paused and then cried in French, "That is all! They are dead Jules Tassard lives!
It was after one o'clock. The wind was piping freshly, and the great heavy clouds in swarms drove stately across the sky. "It may blow to-night," thought I; "and if the wind hangs as it is, just such a sea as may do our business will be set running." And thus musing I entered the ship and went below. Tassard was dogged and scowling.
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