The Madman and the Pirate | Page 7

the cook pushed a plate of food within his
reach. He usually took no notice of this until, hunger constrained him to
devour a little, almost savagely. No word would he speak, but moaned
continually without intermission, save when, in a burst of
uncontrollable anguish, he gave vent to the terrible cry which so
weighed on the spirits of the men, that they suggested to each other the
propriety of throwing the father overboard after the son. Redford's
report of his interview with the captain, however, prevented the
suggestion being acted on.
It is possible that the two tremendous blows which Zeppa had received
during the mutiny may have had something to do with his madness; but
there can be no doubt that the intense mutual affection which had
subsisted between him and his only child, and the sudden and awful
manner of that child's end, were of themselves sufficient to account for
it.
For Orlando had been all that a father could wish; loving, gentle, tender,
yet lion-like and courageous in action, with a powerful frame like that
of his father, and a modest, cheerful spirit like that of his mother. No
wonder that both parents doted on him as their noblest terrestrial gift
from God.
"And now," thought the crushed man, as he crouched on his mattress in

the hold, "he is gone,--snatched away before my eyes, suddenly and for
ever!"
It was when this thought recurred, again and again, that the cry of
agony burst from him, but it was invariably succeeded by the thought,
"No, not for ever. Orlando is with the Lord. We shall see him again,
Marie and I, when we reach the better land."
And then Zeppa would laugh lightly, but the laugh would merge again
into the bitter cry, as the thought would recur
persistently--"gone--gone--for ever!"
Oh! it was pitiful to see the strong man thus reduced, and reason
dethroned; and terrible were the pangs endured by the pirate chief as he
heard and saw; but he had now schooled himself to accept what he
called his "fate," and was able to maintain a calm, indifferent
demeanour before his men. Of course he never for a moment, during all
that time, thought of crying to God for mercy, for as long as a man
continues to ascribe his sins and their consequences to "fate," he is a
rampant and wilful, besides being an unphilosophical, rebel against his
Maker.
At last, one afternoon, the peak of Sugar-loaf Island was descried on
the horizon, close to where the sun was descending amid a world of
golden clouds.
"Which side is the best for landing on!" asked the captain of his mate.
"The southern end, sir, which is steep and uninhabited," said Redford.
In half an hour they were under the shelter of the cliffs close to a creek,
at the inner end of which there was a morsel of flat beach. Beyond this
lay a richly wooded piece of land, which seemed to be connected with a
gorge among the hills.
"Lower the boat" said Rosco. "Have three men ready, and, when I call,
send them to the hold."

He descended as he spoke, and approached Zeppa, who looked at him
with unmistakable ferocity.
"You are going on shore," he said to the poor madman, who seemed
neither to comprehend nor to care for what he said.
"Once again," continued Rosco, after a pause, "I tell you that I had no
hand in the death of your son. My men, if they had their way, would
soon treat you as they treated him. They want to get rid of you, so, to
save your life, I must send you on shore. It is an island--inhabited. I
hope the natives will prove friendly to you. I hope you will get well--in
time. Do you understand what I say?"
Zeppa neither spoke nor moved, but continued to glare at the man
whom he evidently regarded as his deadliest foe.
A touch of pity seemed to influence the pirate captain, for he added in a
softer tone, "I would have taken you with me, if it had been possible,
and landed you on Ratinga. Perhaps that may yet be done. At any rate I
will return to this island--we shall meet again."
At last the madman spoke, in a harsh, grating tone,--"If we meet again,
you shall die!"
"I will do my best to avoid that fate," returned Rosco, with a touch of
sarcasm. "Ho! lads! come down."
Three powerful seamen, who had stood at the hatchway awaiting the
summons, descended, and at once laid hold of Zeppa. To their surprise,
he made no resistance. To every one but the captain he behaved liked a
lamb. Having been placed in the bottom of the boat alongside, with his
hands