The Wood Beyond the World Page 4

  CHAPTER IV: STORM BEFALLS THE BARTHOLOMEW, AND SHE IS DRIVEN OFF HERCOURSE

  Now swift sailed the Bartholomew for four weeks toward the north-westwith a fair wind, and all was well with ship and crew. Then the winddied out on even of a day, so that the ship scarce made way at all,though she rolled in a great swell of the sea, so great, that it seemedto ridge all the main athwart. Moreover down in the west was a greatbank of cloud huddled up in haze, whereas for twenty days past the skyhad been clear, save for a few bright white clouds flying before thewind. Now the shipmaster, a man right cunning in his craft, looked longon sea and sky, and then turned and bade the mariners take in sail and beright heedful. And when Walter asked him what he looked for, andwherefore he spake not to him thereof, he said surlily: "Why should Itell thee what any fool can see without telling, to wit that there isweather to hand?"

  So they abode what should befall, and Walter went to his room to sleepaway the uneasy while, for the night was now fallen; and he knew no moretill he was waked up by great hubbub and clamour of the shipmen, and thewhipping of ropes, and thunder of flapping sails, and the tossing andweltering of the ship withal. But, being a very stout-hearted young man,he lay still in his room, partly because he was a landsman, and had nomind to tumble about amongst the shipmen and hinder them; and withal hesaid to himself: What matter whether I go down to the bottom of the sea,or come back to Langton, since either way my life or my death will takeaway from me the fulfilment of desire? Yet soothly if there hath been ashift of wind, that is not so ill; for then shall we be driven to otherlands, and so at the least our home-coming shall be delayed, and othertidings may hap amidst of our tarrying. So let all be as it will.

  So in a little while, in spite of the ship's wallowing and the tumult ofthe wind and waves, he fell asleep again, and woke no more till it wasfull daylight, and there was the shipmaster standing in the door of hisroom, the sea-water all streaming from his wet-weather raiment. He saidto Walter: "Young master, the sele of the day to thee! For by good hapwe have gotten into another day. Now I shall tell thee that we havestriven to beat, so as not to be driven off our course, but all would notavail, wherefore for these three hours we have been running before thewind; but, fair sir, so big hath been the sea that but for our ship beingof the stoutest, and our men all yare, we had all grown exceeding wiseconcerning the ground of the mid-main. Praise be to St. Nicholas and allHallows! for though ye shall presently look upon a new sea, and maybe anew land to boot, yet is that better than looking on the ugly things downbelow."

  "Is all well with ship and crew then?" said Walter.

  "Yea forsooth," said the shipmaster; "verily the Bartholomew is thedarling of Oak Woods; come up and look at it, how she is dealing withwind and waves all free from fear."

  So Walter did on his foul-weather raiment, and went up on to the quarter-deck, and there indeed was a change of days; for the sea was dark andtumbling mountain-high, and the white-horses were running down thevalleys thereof, and the clouds drave low over all, and bore a scud ofrain along with them; and though there was but a rag of sail on her, theship flew before the wind, rolling a great wash of water from bulwark tobulwark.

  Walter stood looking on it all awhile, holding on by a stay-rope, andsaying to himself that it was well that they were driving so fast towardnew things.

  Then the shipmaster came up to him and clapped him on the shoulder andsaid: "Well, shipmate, cheer up! and now come below again and eat somemeat, and drink a cup with me."

  So Walter went down and ate and drank, and his heart was lighter than ithad been since he had heard of his father's death, and the feud awaitinghim at home, which forsooth he had deemed would stay his wanderings aweary while, and therewithal his hopes. But now it seemed as if he needsmust wander, would he, would he not; and so it was that even this fed hishope; so sore his heart clung to that desire of his to seek home to thosethree that seemed to call him unto them.