Birds of Prey - Smith Wilbur (полная версия книги .TXT) 📗

Limberger examined it briefly, "Yes, Colonel, this is my log."

Schreuder looked at van de Velde. "Your excellency, I think I should inform you that the log-book was found in the possession of the pirate Courtney after his capture by Company troops." Van de Velde nodded, and Schreuder looked at Limberget. "Will you please read to us the last entry in your log?"

Limberger turned the pages and then read aloud, "Fourth September sixteen sixty-seven. Two bells in the morning watch. Position by dead reckoning four degrees twenty-three minutes south latitude thirty4 our degrees, forty-five minutes east longitude. Strange sail in sight bearing south-south-east. Flying friendly colours."" Limberger closed the log and looked up. "The entry ends there," he said.

"Was that strange sail noted in your log the caravel the Lady Edwina, and was she flying the colours of the Republic and the Company?"

"Yes, to both questions."

"Will you recount the events that took place after you sighted the Lady Edwina, please."

Limberger gave a clear description of the capture of his ship, with Schreuder making him emphasize Sir Francis's use of false. colours to get within striking distance. After Limberger had told of the boarding and fighting on board the galleon, Schreuder asked for a detailed account of the numbers of Dutch sailors wounded and killed. Limberger had a written list prepared and handed this to the court.

"Thank you, Captain. Can you tell us what happened to you, your crew and your passengers once the pirates had taken control of your ship?"

Limberger went on to describe how they had sailed east in company with the Lady Edwina, the transfer of cargo and gear from the caravel into the galleon, and the dispatch of the Lady Edwina in command of Schreuder to the Cape with letters of demand for ransom, the onward voyage aboard the captured galleon to Elephant Lagoon and the captivity of himself and his eminent passengers there until their salvation by the expeditionary force from the Cape, led by Schreuder and Lord Cumbrae.

When Schreuder had finished questioning him, van de Velde looked at Hop. "Do you have any questions, Mijnheer?"

With both hands full of papers Hop stood up, blushed furiously, then took a deep, gulping breath and let out a long, unbroken stammer. Everybody in the hall watched his agony with interest, and at last van de Velde spoke. "Captain Limberger intends sailing for Holland in two weeks" time. Do you think you will have asked your question by then, Hop?",. Hop shook his head. "No questions," he said at last, and sat down heavily.

"Who is your next witness, Colonel?" van de Velde asked, as soon as Limberger had left the witness chair and was seated back in the enclosure.

"I would like to call the Governor's wife, Mevrouw Katinka van de Velde. That is, if it does not inconvenience her."

There was a masculine hum of approval as Katinka rustled her silk and her laces to the witness's chair. Sir Francis felt Hal stiffen beside him, but did not turn to look at his face. Only days before their capture, when Hal had been absent from the camp for long periods and had begun to neglect his duties, he had realized that his son had fallen into the golden whore's snare. By then it had been far too late to intervene, and in any case, he remembered what it was like to be young and in love, even with an utterly unsuitable woman, and had understood the futility of trying to prevent what had already happened.

He had been waiting for the correct moment and the right means to end the liaison when Schreuder and the Buzzard had attacked the camp.

With great deference, Schreuder led Katinka gently through the recital of her name and position and then asked her to describe her voyage aboard the Standvastigheid, and how she had been taken prisoner.

She answered in a sweet, Clear voice that throbbed with emotion, and Schreuder went on, "Please tell us, madam, how you were treated by your captors." then Katinka began to sob softly. "I have tried to put memory from my mind, for it was too painful to bear thinking upon. But I will never be able to forget. I was treated like a caged animal, cursed and spat upon, kept locked up in a grass hut." Even van de Velde looked amazed by the testimony, but realized that it would look impressive in the report that went to Amsterdam. After reading it Katinka's father and the other members of the Seventeen would have no other option but to approve even the harshest retribution visited on the prisoners.

Sir Francis was aware of the turmoil of emotion that Hal was suffering as he listened to the woman in whom he had placed so much trust pouring out her lies. He felt his son sag physically as she destroyed his faith in her.

"Be of good heart, my boy," he said softly, from the corner of his mouth, and felt Hal sit up straighter on the hard bench.

"My dear lady, we know that you have suffered a terrible ordeal at the hands of these inhuman monsters." By this time Schreuder was trembling with anger to hear of her ordeal. Katinka nodded and dabbed daintily at her eyes with a lace handkerchief. "Do you believe that animals such, as these should be shown mercy, or should they be subjected to the full force and majesty of the law?"

"Sweet Jesus knows that I am only a poor female, with a soft and loving heart for all God's creation." Katinka's voice broke pitifully.

"But I know that everybody in this assembly will agree with me that a simple hanging is too good for these unspeakable wretches." A murmur of agreement spread slowly along the benches of spectators, then turned into a deep growl. Like a pit full of bears at feeding time, they wanted blood.

"Burn them!" a woman screamed. "They are not fit to be called men."

Katinka lifted her head and, for the first time since entering the hall, she looked directly at Hal, staring through her tears straight into his eyes.

Hal lifted his chin and stared back. He felt the love and awe he had cherished for her withering, like a tender vine struck with the black mould. Sir Francis felt it too, and turned to look at him. He saw the ice in his son's eyes and could almost feel the heat of the flames in his heart.