" In Gibraltar there was a mother, still rather good looking, who with her young daughter were defenseless in their house when the town fell. The mother feared the well known excesses of pirates and immediately ordered her servant to bring some prostitutes and had her cook prepare some food. Then she wrote this note"-
OUR STRONG MEN HAVE BEEN DEFEATED. THIS HOUSE SURRENDERS, AS THEY DID. SINCE YOU HAVE CONQUERED, IT IS ALL YOURS, AND ALL THE RICHES IT CONTAINS, I HAVE EVEN BROUGHT WOMEN HERE FOR THE PLEASURES YOU ARE SO EAGER FOR. I AM AN HONORABLE WOMAN AND MY DAUGHTER IS STILL ALMOST A LITTLE GIRL, WE WILL BE THE ONLY THINGS THAT, APPEALING TO YOUR FEELINGS ( WHICH I AM SURE YOU HAVE), WE REQUEST TO BE RESPECTED.
CORDIALLY YOUR,
LA MARQUESA DE LA POZA RICA
Roxanne continues - "Since this was one of the two most splendid mansions in the town, it was quickly occupied by the pirates.They were welcomed , like gentlemen, with drinks, food, and women, with a hugh party that had been readied with all the trimmings. L'Olonnais wondered to whom he owed this fine welcome as the servant boy presented that note from the good woman. He surveyed the scene before him and announced, " This is all crap, 'tis fit for cattle, don't bother with it since there are two pearls here for a reward more fitting." The house was turned upside down. The servants and whores tried to persuade them to stop.Their attempts to thwart the search earned death. The servants were killed. the whores were killed."
I stepped close to her. Roxanne held the spokes of the helm and I , cradling my hands on hers, steered with her. I lowered my lips to her ear.
"Are you listening, Coagula ?"
" Aye, daughter is still almost a little girl.' I whispered.
"Coagula, they murdered the whores."
She means to turn around to face me, but I'm holding her to the wheel, pressing her against it. She...Her hair smelled so nice."You saw this?" " No, it was told." You saw the note /" "It hangs on the wall of your outpost, with the paintings and your contract." That surprised me! The note was at that part of the collection that I manage to avoid. The paintings cascaded down my thoughts. I walked to the rail. "Were you there, Coagula, in that mansion ?"
"L'Olonnais ate his heart." I confessed to the sea. " The closer we got to Gibraltar , the more nervous our guide, the Indian brave became, as if something odd had happened, or he was confused, or as L'Olonais suspected he was leading us to ruin. Deceived, we were, by the false path the Spanish had created. It had not occurred to us that he had guided into the swamp on purpose and he spoke only his mother tongue. We retraced our steps and the Indian found the right path. That's when the Spaniards ambushed us and we defeated them and L'Olonnais ordered him tied to a tree. He cut his chest open and pulled at his heart, all the while shouting that this miscreant had nearly taken us to defeat, that he would not pardon carelessness and this is what he deserves. In the light of the bonfire I saw the Bravo's eyes, with hatred bright, so brave, he spit into the face of L'Olonnais as his heart was torn out and eaten." I say to the sea, "EATEN" I say to the stars, "eaten", to the sails. |
