We
placed him on the floor of the dining-room, and he was too exhausted
to move for a while. By degrees, however, he recovered sufficiently to
stand; and as soon as he could do so by himself, with devilish cunning
he made for the lamp, which he struck, quick as lightning, with a stick
that had been lying on the table. In an instant the great round globe
fell to pieces, but luckily the chimney was not broken, and the lamp
remained alight, and before he could strike another blow at it I had
grappled with him again. This time he struggled violently for a few
moments, and seemed to think that he was dealing with Bransome, for he
shrieked, "What! have you come back from the sea? You are wet! you are
wet!" and shuddering, he tried to free himself from my hold; and I, not
liking to hurt him, let him go, taking care to keep myself between him
and the lamp.
"Back from me, you villain of hell!" he cried, as soon as he was free.
"What have you done with her? what have you done with her?" And then,
in a tone of weird and pathetic sorrow, "Where is my little one that I
loved? I have sought her many a year; oh, why did she forsake me? Aha,
Sooka! we were right to send him to the hell whence he came--the lying,
false-hearted scoundrel, to steal away my white dove!"
After which he drew from his finger a solid gold ring which he always
wore, and threw it from him, saying, with a wild laugh, "There! that's
for any one that likes it; I'm a dead man.
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