Phantom Ship. Frederick Marryat

“Hear me, my son. Your father’s disposition was but too like your own; — O may his cruel fate be a lesson to you, my dear, dear child! He was a bold, a daring, and, they say, a first-rate seaman. He was not born here, but in Amsterdam; but he would not live there, because he still adhered to the Catholic religion. The Dutch, you know, Philip, are heretics, according to our creed. It is now seventeen years or more that he sailed for India, in his fine ship the Amsterdammer, with a valuable cargo. It was his third voyage to India, Philip, and it was to have been, if it had so pleased God, his last, for he had purchased that good ship with only part of his earnings, and one more voyage would have made his fortune. O! how often did we talk over what we would do upon his return, and how these plans for the future consoled me at the idea of his absence, for I loved him dearly, Philip, — he was always good and kind to me! and after he had sailed, how I hoped for his return! The lot of a sailor’s wife is not to be envied. Alone and solitary for so many months, watching the long wick of the candle and listening to the howling of the wind — foreboding evil and accident — wreck and widowhood. He had been gone about six months, Philip, and there was still a long dreary year to wait before I could expect him back. One night, you, my child, were fast asleep; you were my only solace — my comfort in my loneliness. I had been watching over you in your slumbers: you smiled and half pronounced the name of mother; and at last I kissed your unconscious lips, and I knelt and prayed — prayed for God’s blessing on you, my child, and upon him too — little thinking, at the time, that he was so horribly, so fearfully cursed.”

      The widow paused for breath, and then resumed. Philip could not speak. His lips were sundered, and his eyes riveted upon his mother, as he devoured her words.

      “I left you and went down stairs into that room, Philip, which since that dreadful night has never been re-opened. I sate me down and read, for the wind was strong, and when the gale blows, a sailor’s wife can seldom sleep. It was past midnight, and the rain poured down. I felt unusual fear, — I knew not why, I rose from the couch and dipped my finger in the blessed water, and I crossed myself. A violent gust of wind roared round the house and alarmed me still more. I had a painful, horrible foreboding; when, of a sudden, the windows and window-shutters were all blown in, the light was extinguished, and I was left in utter darkness. I screamed with fright — but at last I recovered myself, and was proceeding towards the window that I might reclose it, when whom should I behold, slowly entering at the casement, but — your father, — Philip! — Yes, Philip, — it was your father!”

      “Merciful God!” muttered Philip, in a low tone almost subdued into a whisper.

      “I knew not what to think, — he was in the room; and although the darkness was intense, his form and features were as clear and as defined as if it were noon-day. Fear would have inclined me to recoil from, — his loved presence to fly towards him. I remained on the spot where I was, choked with agonising sensations. When he had entered the room, the windows and shutters closed of themselves, and the candle was relighted — then I thought it was his apparition, and I fainted on the floor.

      “When I recovered I found myself on the couch, and perceived that a cold (O how cold!) and dripping hand was clasped in mine. This reassured me, and I forgot the supernatural signs which accompanied his appearance. I imagined that he had been unfortunate, and had returned home. I opened my eyes, and beheld my loved husband and threw myself into his arms. His clothes were saturated with the rain; I felt as if I had embraced ice — but nothing can check the warmth of woman’s love, Philip. He received my caresses but he caressed not again: he spoke not, but looked thoughtful and unhappy. ‘William — William,’ cried I; ‘speak, to your dear Catherine.’

      “‘I will,’ replied he, solemnly, ‘for my time is short.’

      “‘No, no, you must not go to sea again; you have lost your vessel but you are safe. Have I not you again?’

      “‘Alas! no — be not alarmed, but listen? for my time is short. I have not lost my vessel, Catherine, but I have lost! — Make no reply, but listen; I am not dead, nor yet am I alive. I hover between this world and the world of spirits. Mark me.’

      “‘For nine weeks did I try to force my passage against the elements round the stormy Cape, but without success; and I swore terribly. For nine weeks more did I carry sail against the adverse winds and currents, and yet could gain no ground and then I blasphemed, — ay, terribly blasphemed. Yet still I persevered. The crew, worn out with long fatigue, would have had me return to the Table Bay; but I refused; nay, more, I became a murderer — unintentionally, it is true, but still a murderer. The pilot opposed me, and persuaded the men to bind me, and in the excess of my fury, when he took me by the collar, I struck at him; he reeled; and, with the sudden lurch of the vessel, he fell overboard, and sank. Even this fearful death did not restrain me; and I swore by the fragment of the Holy Cross, preserved in that relic now hanging round your neck, that I would gain my point in defiance of storm and seas, of lightning, of heaven, or of hell, even if I should beat about until the Day of Judgment.’

      “‘My oath was registered in thunder, and in streams of sulphurous fire. The hurricane burst upon the ship, the canvass flew away in ribbons; mountains of seas swept over us, and in the centre of a deep o’erhanging cloud, which shrouded all in utter darkness, were written in letters of livid flame, these words — Until the Day of Judgement.’

      “‘Listen to me, Catherine, my time is short. One hope alone remains, and for this am I permitted to come here. Take this letter.’ He put a sealed paper on the table. ‘Read it, Catherine, dear, and try if you can assist me. Read it, and now farewell — my time is come.’

      “Again the window and window-shutters burst open — again the light was extinguished, and the form of my husband was, as it were, wafted in the dark expanse. I started up and followed him with outstretched arms and frantic screams as he sailed through the window; — my glaring eyes beheld his form borne away like lightning on the wings of the wild gale, till it was lost as a speck of light, and then it disappeared. Again the windows closed, the light burned, and I was left alone!

      “Heaven, have mercy! My brain! — my brain! — Philip! — Philip!” shrieked the poor woman; “don’t leave me — don’t — don’t — pray don’t!”

      During these exclamations the frantic widow had raised herself from the bed, and, at the last, had fallen into the arms of her son. She remained there some minutes without motion. After a time Philip felt alarmed at her long quiescence; he laid her gently down upon the bed, and as he did so her head fell back — her eyes were turned — the widow Vanderdecken was no more.

      Chapter Two

      Philip Vanderdecken, strong as he was in mental courage, was almost paralysed by the shock when he discovered that his mother’s spirit had fled; and for some time he remained by the side of the bed, with his eyes fixed upon the corpse, and his mind in a state of vacuity. Gradually he recovered himself; he rose, smoothed down the pillow, closed her eyelids, and then clasping his hands, the tears trickled down his manly cheeks. He impressed a solemn kiss upon the pale white forehead of the departed, and drew the curtains round the bed.

      “Poor mother!” said he, sorrowfully, as he completed his task, “at length thou hast found rest, — but thou hast left thy son a bitter legacy.”

      And as Philip’s thoughts reverted to what had passed, the dreadful narrative whirled in his imagination and scathed his brain. He raised his hands to his temples, compressed them with force, and tried to collect his thoughts, that he might decide upon what measures he should take. He felt that he had no time to indulge his grief. His mother was in peace: but his father — where was he?

      He recalled his mother’s words — “One hope alone remained.” Then there was hope. His father had laid a paper on the table — could it be there now? Yes, it must be — his mother had not had the courage to take it up. There was hope in that paper, and it had lain unopened for more than seventeen years.

      Philip Vanderdecken resolved that he would examine the fatal chamber — at once he would know the worst. Should he do it now, or wait till daylight? — but the key, where was it? His eyes rested upon an old japanned cabinet in the room: