swungloosebeneaththehatchway。
AsIpassedthatSpaniardtowhomIhadbeengiveninslavery，andwhobutnowhadcounselledmycastingaway，Isawhisfacewellinthelightofthelantern，andthereweresignsonitthataphysiciancouldreadclearly。
’Farewell，’Isaidtohim，’wemaysoonmeetagain。
Fool，whydoyoulabour？
Takeyourrest，fortheplagueisonyou。
Insixhoursyouwillbedead！’
Hisjawdroppedwithterroratmywords，andforamomenthestoodspeechless。
Thenheutteredafearfuloathandaimedablowatmewiththehammerheheld，whichwouldswiftlyhaveputanendtomysufferingshadInotatthatmomentbeenliftedfromhisreachbythosewhopulledabove。
InanothersecondIhadfallenonthedeckastheyslackedtherope。
Nearmestoodtwoblackmenwhoseofficeitwastocastuspoorwretchesintothesea，andbehindthem，seatedinachair，hisfacehaggardfromrecentillness，satdeGarciafanninghimselfwithhissombrero，forthenightwasveryhot。
Herecognisedmeatonceinthemoonlight，whichwasbrilliant，andsaid，’What！areyouhereandstillalive，Cousin？
Youaretoughindeed；Ithoughtthatyoumustbedeadordying。
Indeedhaditnotbeenforthisaccursedplague，Iwouldhaveseentoitmyself。
Well，ithascomerightatlast，andhereistheonlyluckythinginallthisvoyage，thatIshallhavethepleasureofsendingyoutothesharks。
Itconsolesmeformuch，friendWingfield。
Soyoucameacrosstheseastoseekvengeanceonme？
Well，Ihopethatyourstayhasbeenpleasant。
Theaccommodationwasalittlepoor，butatleastthewelcomewashearty。
Andnowitistimetospeedthepartingguest。
Goodnight，ThomasWingfield；ifyoushouldchancetomeetyourmotherpresently，tellherfrommethatIwasgrievedtohavetokillher，forsheistheonebeingwhomIhaveloved。
Ididnotcometomurderherasyoumayhavethought，butsheforcedmetoittosavemyself，sincehadInotdoneso，I
shouldneverhavelivedtoreturntoSpain。
Shehadtoomuchofmyownbloodtosuffermetoescape，anditseemsthatitrunsstronginyourveinsalso，elseyouwouldscarcelyholdsofastbyvengeance。
Well，ithasnotprosperedyou！’
Andhedroppedbackintothechairandfelltofanninghimselfagainwiththebroadhat。
Eventhen，asIstoodupontheeveofdeath，Ifeltmybloodrunhotwithinmeatthestingofhiscoarsetaunts。
TrulydeGarcia’striumphwascomplete。
Ihadcometohunthimdown，andwhatwastheendofit？
Hewasabouttohurlmetothesharks。
StillI
answeredhimwithsuchdignityasIcouldcommand。
’Youhavemeatsomedisadvantage，’Isaid。
’Nowifthereisanymanhoodleftinyou，givemeaswordandletussettleourquarrelonceandforall。
YouareweakfromsicknessIknow，butwhatamI
whohavespentcertaindaysandnightsinthishellofyours。
Weshouldbewellmatched，deGarcia。’
’Perhapsso，Cousin，butwhereistheneed？
Tobefrank，thingshavenotgoneoverwellwithmewhenwestoodfacetofacebefore，anditisodd，butdoyouknow，Ihavebeentroubledwithaforebodingthatyouwouldbetheendofme。
ThatisoneofthereasonswhyIsoughtachangeofairtothesewarmerregions。
Butseethefollyofforebodings，myfriend。
Iamstillalive，thoughIhavebeenill，andImeantogoonliving，butyouare——forgivemeformentioningit——youarealreadydead。
Indeedthosegentlemen，’andhepointedtothetwoblackmenwhoweretakingadvantageofourtalktothrowintotheseatheslavewhofollowedmeupthehatchway，’arewaitingtoputastoptoourconversation。
HaveyouanymessagethatIcandeliverforyou？
Ifso，outwithit，fortimeisshortandthatholdmustbeclearedbydaybreak。’
’Ihavenomessagetogiveyoufrommyself，thoughIhaveamessageforyou，deGarcia，’Ianswered。
’ButbeforeItellit，letmesayaword。
Youseemtohavewon，wickedmurdererasyouare，butperhapsthegameisnotyetplayed。
Yourfearsmaystillcometrue。
Iamdead，butmyvengeancemayyetliveon，forIleaveittotheHandinwhichIshouldhaveleftitatfirst。
Youmaylivesomeyearslonger，butdoyouthinkthatyoushallescape？
OnedayyouwilldieassurelyasImustdieto-night，andwhatthen，deGarcia？’
’Atruce，Iprayyou，’hesaidwithasneer。
’Surelyyouhavenotbeenconsecratedpriest。
Youhadamessage，yousaid。
Praydeliveritquickly。
Timepresses，CousinWingfield。
Whosendsmessagestoanexilelikemyself？’
’IsabelladeSiguenza，whomyoucheatedwithafalsemarriageandabandoned，’Isaid。
Hestartedfromhischairandstoodoverme。
’Whatofher？’hewhisperedfiercely。
’Onlythis，themonkswalledherupalivewithherbabe。’
’Walledherupalive！
MotherofGod！howdoyouknowthat？’
’Ichancedtoseeitdone，thatisall。
Sheprayedmetotellyouofherendandthechild’s，andthatshediedhidingyourname，lovingandforgiving。
Thiswasallhermessage，butIwilladdtoit。
Mayshehauntyouforever，sheandmymother；maytheyhauntyouthroughlifeanddeath，throughearthandhell。’
Hecoveredhisfacewithhishandsforamoment，thendroppingthemsankbackintothechairandcalledtotheblacksailors。
’Awaywiththisslave。
Whyareyousoslow？’
Themenadvanceduponme，butIwasnotmindedtobehandledbythemifIcouldhelpit，andIwasmindedtocausedeGarciatosharemyfate。
SuddenlyIboundedathim，andgrippinghimroundthemiddle，Idraggedhimfromhischair。
SuchwasthestrengththatrageanddespairgavetomethatIsucceededinswinginghimuptothelevelofthebulwarks。
Buttherethematterended，foratthatmomentthetwoblacksailorsspranguponusboth，andtorehimfrommygrip。
Thenseeingthatallwaslost，fortheywereabouttocutmedownwiththeirswords，Iplacedmyhanduponthebulwarkandleapedintothesea。
MyreasontoldmethatIshoulddowelltodrownasquicklyaspossible，andIthoughttomyselfthatIwouldnottrytoswim，butwouldsinkatonce。
Yetloveoflifewastoostrongforme，andsosoonasItouchedthewater，Istruckoutandbegantoswimalongthesideoftheship，keepingmyselfinhershadow，forIfearedlestdeGarciashouldcausemetobeshotatwitharrowsandmusketballs。
PresentlyasIwentIheardhimsaywithanoath:
’Hehasgone，andforgoodthistime，butmyforebodingwentneartocomingtrueafterall。
Bah！howthesightofthatmanfrightensme。’
NowIknewinmyheartthatIwasdoingamadthing，forthoughifnosharktookme，ImightfloatforsixoreighthoursinthiswarmwateryetImustsinkatlast，andwhatwouldmystrugglehaveprofitedme？
StillIswamonslowly，andafterthefilthandstenchoftheslavehold，thetouchofthecleanwaterandthebreathofthepureairwerelikefoodandwinetome，andIfeltstrengthenterintomeasIwent。
BythistimeIwasahundredyardsormorefromtheship，andthoughthoseonboardcouldscarcelyhaveseenme，Icouldstillhearthesplashofthebodies，astheslaveswereflungfromher，andthedrowningcriesofsuchamongthemasstilllived。
Iliftedmyheadandlookedroundthewasteofwater，andseeingsomethingfloatingonitatadistance，Iswamtowardsit，expectingthateverymomentwouldbemylast，becauseofthesharkswhichaboundintheseseas。
SoonIwasnearit，andtomyjoyI
perceivedthatitwasalargebarrel，whichhadbeenthrownfromtheship，andwasfloatinguprightinthewater。
Ireachedit，andpushingatitfrombelow，contrivedtotiltitsothatIcaughtitsupperedgewithmyhand。
ThenIsawthatitwashalffullofmealcakes，andthatithadbeencastawaybecausethemealwasstinking。
Itwastheweightoftheserottencakesactingasballast，thatcausedthetubtofloatuprightinthewater。
NowI
bethoughtme，thatifIcouldgetintothisbarrelIshouldbesafefromthesharksforawhile，buthowtodoitIdidnotknow。
WhileIwondered，chancingtoglancebehindme，Isawthefinofasharkstandingabovethewaternottwentypacesaway，andadvancingrapidlytowardsme。
Thenterrorseizedmeandgavemestrengthandthewitofdespair。
Pullingdowntheedgeofthebarreltillthewaterbegantopourintoit，Iseizeditoneithersidewithmyhands，andliftingmyweightuponthem，Idoubledmyknees。
TothishourIcannottellhowIaccomplishedit，butthenextsecondIwasinthecask，withnootherhurtthanascrapedshin。
ButthoughIhadfoundaboat，theboatitselfwasliketosink，forwhatwithmyweightandthatoftherottenmeal，andofthewaterwhichhadpouredovertherim，theedgeofthebarrelwasnotnowaninchabovethelevelofthesea，andIknewthatdidanotherbucketfulcomeaboard，itwouldnolongerbearme。
AtthatmomentalsoIsawthefinofthesharkwithinfouryards，andthenfeltthebarrelshakeasthefishstruckitwithhisnose。
NowIbegantobailfuriouslywithmyhands，andasIbailed，theedgeofthecasklifteditselfabovethewater。
Whenithadrisensometwoinches，theshark，enragedatmyescape，cametothesurface，andturningonitsside，bitatthetubsothatIhearditsteethgrateonthewoodandironbands，causingittoheeloverandtospinround，shippingmorewaterasitheeled。
NowImustbailafresh，andhadthefishreneweditsonset，Ishouldhavebeenlost。
Butnotfindingwoodandirontoitstaste，itwentawayforawhile，althoughIsawitsfinfromtimetotimeforthespaceofsomehours。
IbailedwithmyhandstillIcouldliftthewaternolonger，thenmakingshifttotakeoffmyboot，Ibailedwiththat。
Soontheedgeofthecaskstoodtwelveinchesabovethewater，andIdidnotlightenitfurther，fearinglestitshouldoverturn。
NowIhadtimetorestandtorememberthatallthiswasofnoavail，sinceImustdieatlasteitherbytheseaorbecauseofthirst，andIlamentedthatmycowardicehadonlysufficedtoprolongmysufferings。
ThenIprayedtoGodtosuccourme，andneverdidIpraymoreheartilythaninthathour，andwhenIhadfinishedprayingsomesortofpeaceandhopefelluponme。
IthoughtitmarvellousthatIshouldthushaveescapedthricefromgreatperilswithinthespaceofafewdays，firstfromthesinkingcarak，thenfrompestilenceandstarvationintheboldoftheslave-ship，andnow，ifonlyforawhile，fromthecrueljawsofthesharks。
ItseemedtomethatIhadnotbeenpreservedfromdangerswhichprovedfataltosomany，onlythatImightperishmiserablyatlast，andeveninmydespairIbegantohopewhenhopewasfolly；thoughwhetherthisreliefwassenttomefromabove，orwhetheritwassimplythatbeingsomuchaliveatthemomentIcouldnotbelievethatIshouldsoonbedead，isnotformetosay。
Attheleastmycourageroseagain，andIcouldevenfindhearttonotethebeautyofthenight。
Theseawassmoothasapond，therewasnobreathofwind，andnowthatthemoonbegantosink，thousandsofstarsofamarvellousbrightness，suchaswedonotseeinEngland，gemmedtheheavenseverywhere。
Atlastthesegrewpale，anddawnbegantoflushtheeast，andafteritcamethefirstraysofsunlight。
