Of Our Adventure At Sea

Now seeing him thus deeply moved I grew abashed and, beckoning him to take the tiller, began to overhaul the contents of the boat's lockers and thus found that Don Federigo had furnished us to admiration with all things to our comfort and defence. Forthwith I set out breakfast, choosing such things as I judged the most perishable, and we ate and drank mighty cheerful.

But as Sir Richard sat thus in his rags, staring upon all things with ineffable content, the bright sun showed me the hideous marks of his many sufferings plain and manifest in his bent and twisted frame, the scars that disfigured him and the clumsy movements of his limbs misshapen by the torment, and moreover I noticed how, ever and anon, he would be seized of violent tremblings and shudderings like one in an ague, insomuch that I could scarce abide to look on him for very pity and marvelled within myself that any man could endure so much and yet live.

"Oh friend!" said he suddenly, "'tis a wondrous world you have given back to me; I almost grow a man again--"

Even as he uttered these brave words the shuddering took him once more, but when I would have aided him he smiled and spake 'twixt chattering teeth: "Never heed me, Martin--this cometh of the water-dungeons--'twill soon pass--"

"God knoweth you have suffered over-much--"

"Yet He hath brought me forth a better man therefor, though my body is--something the worse, 'tis true. Indeed, I am a sorry companion for a voyage, I doubt--"