“You know it isn’t true. There are no such things.”
The house grew taller and taller. The voices became more and more distinct.
They drew nearer.
And now they could perceive within the house something like a muffled light. It was a faint glimmer, like one of those effects produced by dark lanterns, already referred to, and which are common at the midnight meetings of witches.
When they were close to the house they halted.
One of the two Torteval boys ventured on an observation:
“It isn’t spirits: it is ladies dressed in white.”
“What’s that hanging from the window?” asked the other.
“It looks like a rope.”
“It’s a snake.”
“It is only a hangman’s rope,” said the French boy, authoritatively. “That’s what they use. Only I don’t believe in them.”
And in three bounds, rather than steps, he found himself against the wall of the building.
The two others, trembling, imitated him, and came pressing against him, one on his right side, the other on his left. The boys applied their ears to the wall. The sounds continued.
The following was the conversation of the phantoms:—
“Asi, entendido esta?”
“Entendido.”
“Dicho?”
“Dicho.”
“Aqui esperara un hombre, y podra marcharse en Inglaterra con Blasquito.”
“Pagando?”
“Pagando.”
“Blasquito tomara al hombre en su barca.”
“Sin buscar para conocer a su pais?”
“No nos toca.”
“Ni a su nombre del hombre?”
“No se pide el nombre, pero se pesa la bolsa.”
“Bien: esperara el hombre en esa casa.”
“Tenga que comer.”
“Tendra.”
“Onde?”
“En este saco que he llevado.”
“So that is understood?”
“Perfectly.”
“As is arranged?”
“As is arranged.”
“A man will wait here, and can accompany Blasquito to England.”
“Paying the expense?”
“Paying the expense.”
“Blasquito will take the man in his bark.”
“Without seeking to know what country he belongs to?”
“That is no business of ours.”
“Without asking his name?”
“We do not ask for names; we only feel the weight of the purse.”
“Good: the man shall wait in this house.”
“He must have provisions.”
“He will be furnished with them.”
“How?”
“From this bag which I have brought.”
“Muy bien.”
“Puedo dexar el saco aqui?”
“Los contrabandistas no son ladrones.”
“Y vosotros, cuando marchais?”
“Mañana por la mañana. Si su hombre de usted parado podria venir con nosotros.”
“Parado no esta.”
“Hacienda suya.”
“Cuantos dias esperara alli?”
“Dos, tres, quatro dias; menos o mas.”
“Es cierto que el Blasquito vendra?”
“Cierto.”
“En est Plainmont?”
“En est Plainmont.”
“A qual semana?”
“La que viene.”
“A qual dia?”
“Viernes, o sabado, o domingo.”
“No peuede faltar?”
“Es mi tocayo.”
“Very good.”
“Can I leave this bag here?”
“Smugglers are not robbers.”
“And when do you go?”
“Tomorrow morning. If your man was ready he could come with us.”
“He is not prepared.”
“That is his affair.”
“How many days will he have to wait in this house?”
“Two, three, or four days; more or less.”
“Is it certain that Blasquito will come?”
“Certain.”
“Here to Pleinmont?”
“To Pleinmont.”
“When?”
“Next week.”
“What day?”
“Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.”
“May he not fail?”
“He is my Tocayo.”
“Por qualquiera tiempo viene?”
“Qualquiera. No tieme. Soy el Blasco, es el Blasquito.”
“Asi, no puede faltar de venir en Guernesey?”
“Vengo a un mes, y viene al otro mes.”
“Entiendo.”
“A cuentar del otro sabado, desde hoy en ocho, no se parasan cinco dias sin que venga el Blasquito.”
“Pero un muy malo mar?”
“Egurraldia gaiztoa.”
“Si.”
“No vendria el Blasquito tan pronto, pero vendria.”
“Donde vendra?”
“De Vilvao.”
“Onde ira?”
“En Portland.”
“Bien.”
“O en Tor Bay.”
“Mejor.”
“Su humbre de usted puede estarse quieto.”
“No traidor sera, el Blasquito?”
“Will he come in any weather?”
“At any time. He has no fear. My name is Blasco, his Blasquito.”
“So he cannot fail to come to Guernsey?”
“I come one month—he the other.”
“I understand.”
“Counting from Saturday last, one week from today, five days cannot elapse without bringing Blasquito.”
“But if there is much sea?”
“Bad weather?”
“Yes.”
“Blasquito will not come so quickly, but he will come.”
“Whence will he come?”
“From Bilbao.”
“Where will he be going?”
“To Portland.”
“Good.”
“Or to Torbay.”
“Better still.”
“Your man may rest easy.”
“Blasquito will betray nothing?”
“Los cobardes son traidores. Somos valientes. El mar es la iglesia del invierno. La traicion es la iglesia del infierno.”
“No se entiende a lo que dicemos?”
“Escuchar a nosotros y mirar a nosotros es imposible. La espanta hace alli el desierto.”
“Lo sè.”
“Quien se atravesaria a escuchar?”
“Es verdad.”
“Y escucharian que no entiendrian. Hablamos a una lengua fiera y nuestra que no se conoce. Despues que la sabeis, eries con nosotros.”
“Soy viendo para componer las haciendas con ustedes.”
“Bueno.”
“Y allora me voy.”
“Mucho.”
“Digame usted, hombre. Si el pasagero quiere que el Blasquito le lleven en unguna otra parte que Portland o Tor Bay?”
“Tenga onces.”
“El Blasquito hara lo que querra el hombre?”
“Cowards are the only traitors. We are men of courage. The sea is the church of winter. Treason is the church of hell.”
“No one hears what we say?”
“It is impossible to be seen or overheard. The people’s fear of this spot makes it deserted.”
“I know it.”
“Who is there who would dare to listen here?”
“True.”
“Besides, if they listened, none would understand. We speak a wild language of our own, which nobody knows hereabouts. As you know it, you are one of us.”
“I came only to make these arrangements with you.”
“Very good.”
“I must now take my leave.”
“Be it so.”
“Tell me; suppose the passenger should wish Blasquito to take him anywhere else than to Portland or Torbay?”
“Let him bring some gold coins.”
“Will Blasquito consult the stranger’s convenience?”
“El Blasquito hace lo que quieren las onces.”
“Es menester mucho tiempo para ir en Tor Bay?”
“Como quiere el viento.”
“Ocho horas?”
“Menos, o mas.”
“El Blasquito obedecera al pasagero?”
“Si le obedece el mar al Blasquito.”
