Chapter 18: 1723 Professor Prudencia
It was late in the evening, when the "Eagle's Wing" reached Marseilles.
The port came into sight after a rough one day's sail with tattered canvas, torn riggings, a blown up galley and ripped rails. They even had to run out the oars for a while to gain at least a little more speed.
Jacobsen tried his best to keep the men busy, and work they truly had enough. There was no time to mourn the dead, they had more than enough wounded to care for, and the condition of their ship did not allow any possible delay, either. Every man aboard knew, that heading for a French port meant to take an enormous risk, but if they wanted to start reparations and if they wanted to find a doctor for the wounded, they had to take it.
"Land ho! It's Marseilles Port!"
When the cry came from the crow's nest, Jacobsen breathed a sigh in relief.
Finally!
He waved a man over to take the helm and headed straight for the captain's cabin. It was all silent inside, and he hesitated for a moment. Sure enough, Jack would wait for the relieving news that they'd make berth, soon, but it haunted the old salt to see the young captain and young Miss Stevens in such a desperate state and situation. Therefore, he inhaled a deep breath, straightened himself and went in without knocking: "Captain! It's Marseilles! We prepare for landing."
"The first good news in days." Jack got up with a sigh: "I've no idea how long she'll be able to hang on. She's burning from the inside out, she didn't eat, she didn't drink. I'm at my wit's end, mate."
"Whom shall I send for the doctor?"
Jack looked at the woman sleeping in their berth, closer to death than to life, and replied: "I'll go myself. I won't take the risk, that one of the lads takes the next tavern for an apothecary and the next brothel for a bead-house. I want you to have a man watch after her as long as I'm in town, who knows if she won't make a try to get up in a state of shivery delirium!"
"Aye, captain!"
"And you'll have a watchful eye on everything that's going on at sea. No more surprises."
They both knew, should someone plan to sell them out, they'd not have the slightest chance.
Jack breathed a kiss on Caithleen's sweaty brow, then he slipped into his boots and went to the deck, Jacobsen close on his heels.
The "Wing" wasn't yet properly moored to the pier, but Jack didn't feel like waiting. Exchanging a strained look with his first mate, he jumped ashore.
He had no idea where to go or where to search for a doctor or a chemist and so he was more than glad when he almost bumped into the harbour-master, who looked at him in utter confusion having not expected a heavily damaged galleon to make berth at this late hour.
Ere the man was able to ask him what it was that brought him to town that late, Jack had the drop on him and said: "There's no time for long discussions, Sir!" He handed a small pouch full of coins over to the man and looked straight into his eyes: "I'm not sure if you understand what I want from you, but I need help! No, no! The men aboard need help." He tried desperately to remember, whatever he once learned in French, but the words didn't want to flow. In a helpless attempt, he pointed at his ship: "I'm the captain of this vessel. My name is Jack Sparrow. For my sake, enregister my name and the ship's name, if you must, but, for the world, I need a doctor! Please!"
The harbour-master gazed at him, still perplexed and a little perturbed, but at least he understood the word 'doctor' and recognized the desperate plea within the eyes of the young man in front of him and, finally, after a felt eternity the man gave Jack a reply. He pointed at the town and told him to head straight for its centre. There, Jack would find a church, a marketplace and there he'd also find a dispensary.
Jack nodded at the man and started running without thanking him properly and without knowing if he would really find what he was searching for.
It did not take him as long as he had expected to reach the apothecary. Just a couple of minutes after he went running from the pier, he really stood in front of a neat house right opposite the marketplace and the church the harbour-master did mention to him. A skilful forged signboard ornamented the front door of the well looked after frame house and it was really and without any doubt the house of a local doctor and apothecary.
Jack breathed a sigh in relief and knocked at the door. It took a while until a single flare revealed that someone within the house woke up. Shutters got opened in the upper floor and he just hoped, he'd remember a bit more of his French than before, when a man looked out of the window.
"What kind of riot is it out there and in the middle of the night! Who are you and what do you want at this advanced hour?"
"Whoever you are, doctor, chemist or what else ever, I need your help. My ship got just tied up to the pier, the harbour-master sent me your way. Can you accompany me aboard?"
"You mean right now?"
"If you are a doctor...?"
"Well, actually, I'd call myself a scientist..."
"That doesn't make any difference to me! As long as you know how to deal with a wound..."
"If I know how to...of course do I know that!"
"Then, please, come with me before it's too late."
The man closed the window and the dancing flare told Jack that he went downstairs. Not sure about what would wait for him, he armed his pistol and held it in front of the doctor's nose when he stepped out of the door: "You can believe me, it's not my wish, but I've no choice. You'll come with me. This way or that way. I've no doctor aboard and my girl is dying."
Within the mild candlelight, Jack spotted a friendly face with reddened cheeks and wideawake eyes. In return, the doctor looked into the reddened eyes of a tired young man, whose face showed a mixture of helplessness and despair. Calm and curious he finally said: "Put away the pistol, son, it makes me nervous. Better tell me what happened."
Jack hesitated for a moment, then he lowered the weapon and started telling his story: "My ship got attacked. She got hit by two shots. One bullet went straight through her shoulder the other got stuck. She suffers from fever and from blood loss. If you won't help her, she will die! Same goes for a couple of my men"
"When did it happen?"
"About two days ago..."
The older man stared at him in disbelief, then he handed him the candle, turned round and vanished into the corridor. Just a felt split second later he returned, slipped into his coat, placed an unkempt wig on his head and locked the door: "Come on, lad, if it's true what you just told me, we've no time to lose. What's your name, by the way? I think you missed to mention it."
"I'm Jack! Jack Sparrow!"
"Pleased to meet you. The name is Albert Prudencia – professor, medico, apothecary, scientist. Whatever you need."
"For now, I only need a doctor. Come quickly! My ship got moored to the pier."
"I already got it when you mentioned that, before." Prudencia smiled and went on: "But, tell me: How long didn't you sleep? Two days? Three? You may probably think, it will help her, if you'll sit by her side day in and day out, but I will tell you something: You're not of use for your girl, if you'll get weak and sick as well. Take care of yourself, son, and you will take care of her."
Jack knew Prudencia to be right, but he only nodded and owed him a reply.
When they reached the pier, his crew had already tied the "Wing" up. The men prepared the vessel to clear port as soon as their captain would order it - or if it would become necessary. The ship got heavily damaged, but it wasn't really of relevance if it came to sailing or manoeuvring, and as long as there would be no water inrush, they could mend most of the damage at sea.
The only thing of true importance, at this moment, was at rest within the captain's cabin – unconscious and severely wounded.
Jack turned towards his men when he and Prudencia went aboard: "Take a break, gents! Those, who want to, may go ashore until tomorrow morning. Just leave me two men aboard to keep the watch!"
"Aye, Captain!"
"Off you go!" Jack did not pay attention if and how his crew organized the watch and the shore leave, they all knew what to do and how to do it. Therefore, he dragged Prudencia with him straight towards the captain's cabin. Candles and lanterns enlightened the room and as ordered, two of his men watched over Caithleen by turns.
She was pale like death as she lay there between the sheets. Cold sweat covered her face, her eyes surrounded by dark circles, strands of hair stuck to her brow and her cheeks were sunken and looked ashen. Her skin burned from fever from the inside out, her lips were dry and split and she was drenched in sweat while her breaths came flat and with some effort.
Prudencia didn't lose time. He sat down by her side and placed a hand on her brow, then he turned towards the two men and ordered: "I need water, both, cold as well as boiling, and cloths, lots of them. If necessary cut up some sheets. Then produce me some rum or any other kind of swill and something she can bite on."
There was no reason not to trust the doctor and so Jack only nodded when his men gazed at him inquiringly and they hurried to fulfil the doctor's orders.
When he also wanted to leave, Prudencia called him back: "I will need your help, son, and even more important: She will need your help. That's not a task for one man alone."
With it he started to unpack his bag and had a first look at the wounds. It had been right what the young man told him earlier that night: The first one was really a through-and-through bullet wound. To his relief, there didn't seem to be an inflammation and it would be easy to clean and to dress it. The second one, though, was much worse. The bullet got stuck to her body and got covered by a provisorily dressing only.
Jack pressed his hand on some fresh cloths covering the wound as long as Prudencia was busy dressing Caith's shoulder, but they were already soaked with blood again, when the doctor prepared to treat the hurt: "Take your hand away, son, let me see how it looks beyond the dressing."
As it turned out the wound had gotten angry and not only blood did soak the cloths but pus as well. When the two men finally came back with the water and new cloths, Prudencia held them back: "Stay with us, please, you can help us with holding her down. And you", he looked at Jack: "will help me to get this thing out of her!"
"Tell me, professor, how bad is it?"
"Honest answer? Bad enough, but based on what I can make out, it seems that she'll get around gangrene or worse. And you should know: One more day and there would have been no guarantee for her to survive. It was close, young man." He wanted to have a closer look at the wound and its surroundings, before he'd make a try to remove the bullet. A contented smile appeared upon his lips and he added: "Thank your lucky star, son. The shot did not injure any of her organs. Of course, this does not mean that the wound and the inflammation are harmless, but it could have been much, much worse."
Prudencia cleaned his hands while he went on: "You two, make sure she won't be able to move her feet and legs and you, captain, you'll make her drink as much of this bottle of rum as you'll be able to infuse to her. I'll add a small dose of laudanum to the swill, but it's not to foreclose that she might still feel pain, so, I want you to hold her head and shoulders, while I'm busy. After all, I'm here to help her and not to make things worse."
Jack only nodded. He bedded Caithleen's head within his lap and woke her up, but he wasn't even sure if she recognized him when he made her drink: It didn't take long for her to pass out again. Looking at the professor, he finally said: "I'm ready. Do what you can for her..."
"She will be fine, son. I promise!"
Under the curious and watchful eyes of Jack and his two crew-mates, Prudencia removed the bullet carefully with skilful hands and afterwards he cleaned the wound with something he called 'pure alcohol'. At Jack's inquiring gaze he explained: "In a case like this, I could also have used some black power, but I fear, it would have made it worse. So, the alcohol was by far the better solution."
"Black powder?" Jack exchanged a puzzled look with his men.
"Yes! Black powder! With a small amount of it you can burn out deep wounds."
"Professor, you're crazy!"
"Oh well, son, sooner or later, you will learn that madness and brilliancy are only the two sides of a golden coin. But you should grant yourself some sleep and rest as well, now, Jack Sparrow. Your girl will not run away. I will make it a routine to come aboard, the next couple of days, to have a look how things will develop."
"We can't stay that long, professor. One, the longest two days. We have to clear port as soon as possible. But, couldn't you come along with us? At least for a few days? We could drop you off at any port of your liking and I'll pay for your passage back to Marseilles. That's what I owe you..."
"A sea passage? All out of the blue?" The professor gazed at him out of wide eyes, but suddenly he smiled: "Actually...Why not! If you will give me a day or two, I can bundle up my belongings and tell my son why he has to keep an eye on the apothecary of his father for the time being. He will call me crazy, as well, but I think I shouldn't wonder about this, right? Well, yes! I accept the offer! I will accompany you for a while. It could be of use for all of us, I think, and it might be my last chance to head out for an adventure."
With it, Prudencia asked the two men who helped him with the surgery to take him over to the crew's quarters that he could have a look at the wounded sailors. As soon as they all did vanish, Jack closed the door to the captain's cabin. He felt his own tiredness with vehemency, now, and went over to his berth. There, he had another look at his beloved girl being fast asleep between the sheets and with a sigh, all tried not to wake her up, he crawled under the blanket by her side. He fell asleep before his head even touched the pillow.
As promised, did the professor return the next day and just when Jack wanted to head for the deck, he got held back by Caithleen's silent whisper: "You let them escape? Why?"
He turned on his heels and replied: "Because, Caithleen Stevens, there is no prize in the whole world worth to let you die. And if you're that crazy to throw yourself between me and some bloody bullets to save my life, you'll have to suffer it, now, that I saved your life in return. Come to terms with it, love, I'm a vile creature, because I don't want to live without you. I don't even want to imagine a life without you." He bent down on her and kissed her gently: "And now rest yourself, love. I will be back soon."
On his way up to the deck he stumbled straight into the professor: "Here you are! If you want to look after her, she's awake now."
With it, he headed up to the helm: "Clear the ship for sailing! Weigh anchor and then set sails, gents! Let's head home!"