BUCCANEER OF THE STAR SEAS
By Ed EARL REPP
"... and thou shalt be immortal!" Such was the
curse of that 13th Century sorcerer. Now Carlyle
roamed the uncharted star-seas, seeking Death
as he sought the richly-laden derelicts in that
sargossa of long-vanished space-galleons.
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories Fall 1940.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
An unpleasant shudder went through Thaddeus Carlyle as the great irondoor thundered behind him. Reading Gaol's raw, damp atmosphere seemedto settle into his bones. Hobbling on rheumatic legs, the aged turnkeypreceded him down the vaulted stone corridor.
"'Tis the first time my key has disturbed Friar Bacon's lock these sixmonths," his grumbling voice came to Carlyle's ears. "Plagued few theyare that visit the roguish priest. Not even the canon comes now, toexhort him to renounce his black magic."
Thaddeus Carlyle's dark eyes flamed with quick interest. "Then hepractices still these works of the devil?" he queried softly.
The turnkey stopped, his narrowed eyes mirroring fearful thoughts. Withhis crooked forefinger he tapped the young nobleman's gold-cloth tabard.
"Only last month he asked for brimstone, charcoal and niter. We gavehim the stuff, seeing no harm. A week ago, as I am passing his cell,there was a great flash and roar. The devil's powders had exploded assteam bursts a tight-lidded vessel! He carries still the marks of aburn."
"No!" Carlyle's smooth features were blank. "Fire—from such stuff asthat?"
"That's not all, my Lord. Friar Bacon tells me that if we would givehim enough of the stuff and a long tube, he could throw an iron ballacross the Thames!"
Turning away with a crafty nod and a meaningful blink, the turnkey ledon to the mean little cell in which Roger Bacon had now spent nineyears. The visitor was openly affected by the jailer's incredulousstory. He had heard strange and terrible things of the Gray Friar. Thechurch, in incarcerating him, had accused him of consorting with thedevil. Some whispered that he had learned the secret of immortality.That was the rumor which had brought Thaddeus Carlyle, the second LordMonfort, into the gloomy confines of Reading Gaol.
The lock scraped shrilly as the jailer turned it. Throwing the heavydoor open, he grinned: "Lucky for him you came, my Lord! In anothermonth this lock should have been rusted past turning. Then Friar Baconwould have been forever without hope!"
"Have I, indeed, such hope now?" a soft and gloomy voice inquired.
The turnkey merely winked at the nobleman and hobbled off.
Carlyle was suddenly seized by panic. Now that he was so close to thenotorious philosopher, fear smote him and he was on the point ofturning back. Yet, ridden by an even greater fear, he stiffened hispurpose and advanced. Closing the door, he stared at the white-beardedman seated before a great calfskin-bound book on a ponderous table.
"What hast thou with me, young man?" demanded Roger Bacon, peeringshrewdly from under ragged brows.
"Only the admiration of an ignorant man for a very learned one," saidThaddeus Carlyle simply.
Bacon's eyes misted. Precious years of his waning life had he spent inprison because there was no man to say such a thing before.
"You—you do not believe what they say of me, that I consort withSatan?" he queried. "That my science and my secrets are Lucifer's?"
"Well—as to that," said Carlyl