My suspicions, never quite lulled, had been again roused by the man’s hesitation in replying to me about the discovery of the gold; but how was I, with my short experience of the world, and Zolca, with his simple nature, to suspect the hellish plot that was ripening in secret.
Zolca was about to be married, and a great ceremony was to be held in honour of the occasion. The preparations for this, and the building of a new house for Azolta and myself, engaged all our attention.
Zolca was married, with such pomp and show as we could muster, to one of Namoa’s daughters—thought by many to be the fairest girl amongst the Quadrucos. All the sailors attended and had places of honour, although I noticed that but for the presence of Berghen, and the mysterious authority that he exercised, some of them would have been rather too free in their manner. It was wonderful how that scoundrel Berghen kept his plans quiet and curbed the tongues of his men. I heard afterwards that he had been in his youth an officer in the army of Saxony, and had been sentenced to execution for treachery, but had managed to escape. All the time he was with me he acted the part of the rough sailor.
It was not until another stormy season had passed that the conspirators threw off the mask and suddenly overwhelmed us with misfortune. Two years had elapsed since Hoogstraaten left, and I was now the father of two children, a little girl with Azolta’s eyes having come to us.
The outburst was planned by a master hand. One night I was rudely awakened to find myself in the grasp of the giant Wegelhoe and another of the sailors. I had no time or opportunity for resistance, in an instant I was bound and forced outside. Here I found lights and fires burning, and men hurrying about. To my astonishment I saw that the sailors, including some of the Quadrucos, now wore light breast-plates and back-pieces, also light iron caps, roughly made but quite sufficient to turn the point of an arrow. Berghen was standing at one of the fires, apparently in command. Zolca, Namoa, and others, in a like plight as myself, were there. As I was brought up Berghen addressed me, but without any insolence:
“Sorry to have to put such an indignity on you, Captain, but necessity knows no law. Now will you, like a man of sense and wisdom, appeal to King Zolca to tell his people that if they show fight, it will mean the instant death of you and him and all the rest.”
I spoke to Zolca and told him what to do, adding as a bright thought flashed across me:
“Tell them to slip away and hide their weapons.”
Berghen now gave one of the men orders to bring up Azolta and Zolca’s bride. The man went and presently came back saying that they were not to be found. Berghen turned in fury on Wegelhoe. “You fat knave, did I not tell you that they were to be securely confined in a room and a guard set over them?”
The giant drew his hand across his heavy forehead. “Himmel! Captain” (Berghen had assumed that rank), “did not you tell me expressly that I must not interfere with the women?”