My Shipmate - Columbus

Stephen Marlowe

Description

In this rollicking alternate-history romp, a college student picks a classroom fight about the traditional account of Christopher Columbus's "discovery" of America. At first, he doesn't have any facts with which to shore up his hunch. But soon, through a bizarre turn of events, Danny is able to gain first-hand knowledge of the role Columbus played -- and it differs significantly from the version that has been passed down in history books.

Sujets

• Science fiction

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776531493
• Langue: English

Extrait

MY SHIPMATE - COLUMBUS
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STEPHEN MARLOWE
 
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My Shipmate - Columbus First published in 1956 Epub ISBN 978-1-77653-149-3 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77653-150-9 © 2013 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
My Shipmate— Columbus
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We've been taught from childhood that the earth is round and that Columbus discovered America. But maybe we take too much on faith. This first crossing for instance. Were you there? Did you see Columbus land? Here's the story of a man who can give us the straight facts.
The laughter brought spots of color to his cheeks. He stood there for awhile, taking it, and then decided he had had enough and would sit down.A whisper of amusement still stirred the room as he returned to his seatand the professor said,
"But just a moment, Mr. Jones. Won't you tell the class what makes youthink Columbus was not the 'bold skipper' the history books say he was.After all, Mr. Jones, this is a history class. If you know more orbetter history than the history books do, isn't it your duty to tellus?"
"I didn't say he wasn't ," Danny Jones said desperately as the laughterstarted again. Some profs were like that, he thought. Picking on onestudent and making the rest of the class laugh and think what a greatguy the prof was and what a prize dodo the hapless student was. "Isaid," Danny went on doggedly, "Columbus might not have been—maybewasn't—the bold skipper the history books claim he was. I can't proveit. No one can. I haven't a time machine."
Again it was the wrong thing to say. The professor wagged a finger infront of his face and gave Danny a sly look. "Don't you," he said,"don't you indeed? I was beginning to think you had been willed H. G.Wells' famous literary invention, young man." That one had the class allbut rolling in the aisles.
Danny said desperately, "No! No, I mean, they don't even know for sureif Columbus was born in Genoa. They just think he was. So they alsocould be wrong about—"
Abruptly the professor's face went serious. "My dear Mr. Jones," he saidslowly, acidly, "don't you think we've had enough of fantasy? Don't youthink we ought to return to history?"
Danny sat down and for a moment shut his eyes but remained conscious ofeveryone looking at him, staring at him, evaluating. It wasn't so easy,he decided, being a sophomore transfer student from a big city college,where almost everything went and there was a certain amount of anonymityin the very size of the classes, to a small town college where everyface, after a week or so, was familiar. Danny wished he had kept his bigyap shut about Columbus, but it was too late now. They'd be ribbing himfor weeks....
On his way back to the dorm after classes he was hailed by a student wholived down the hall from him, a fellow named Groves, who said, "How'sthe boy, Danny. Next thing you'll tell us is that Cortez was really asexy Spanish broad with a thirty-eight bust who conquered Montezuma andhis Indians with sex appeal. Get it, boy. I said—"
"Aw, lay off," Danny grumbled.
The other boy laughed, then shrugged, then said, "Oh yeah, forgot totell you. There's a telegram waiting for you in the dorm. House-mother'sgot it. Well, see you, Vasco da Gama."
Danny trudged on to the Georgian-style dormitory and went inside,through the lobby and behind the stairs to the house-mother's office atthe rear of the building. She was a kindly-looking old woman with a haloof white hair and a smile which made her a good copy of everyone'sgrandmother. But now her face was set in unexpectedly grim lines."Telegram for you, Danny," she said slowly. "They read it over thetelephone first, then delivered it." She held out a yellow envelope."I'm afraid it's some bad news, Danny." She seemed somehow reluctant topart with the little yellow envelope.
"What is it?" Danny said.
"You'd better read it yourself. Here, sit down."
Danny nodded, took the envelope, sat down and opened it. He read, MR.DANNY JONES, WHITNEY COLLEGE, WHITNEY, VIRGINIA. REGRET TO INFORM YOUUNCLE AVERILL PASSED AWAY LAST NIGHT PEACEFULLY IN HIS SLEEP LEAVINGUNSPECIFIED PROPERTY TO YOU. It was signed with a name Danny did notrecognize.
"I'm terribly sorry," the house-mother said, placing her hand onDanny's shoulder.
"Oh, that's all right, Mrs. Grange. It's all right. You see, UncleAverill wasn't a young man. He must have been in his eighties."
"Were you very close to him, Danny?"
"No, not for a long time. When I was a kid—"
Mrs. Grange smiled.
"Well, when I was eight or nine, I used to see him all the time. Westayed at his place on the coast near St. Augustine, Florida, for ayear. I—I feel sorry about Uncle Averill, Mrs. Grange, but I feelbetter about something that happened in class today. I—I think UncleAverill would have approved of how I acted."
"Want to talk about it?"
"Well, it's just he always said never to take any so-called fact forgranted, especially in history.