Prevod
Še leta po tem, ko je Bellamyjeva piratska ladja zaradi napačnega vodenja enega njegovih ujetnikov doživela brodolom pri Wellfleetu, je po rtu sem ter tja hodil mož nenavadnega videza. Verjeli so, da je eden redkih, ki so preživeli tisto viharno noč in ušli obešanju, ki je doletelo druge, potem ko so se rešili na obalo. Pirati so imeli ob brodolomu pri sebi denar; našli so ga v žepih stotih utopljencev, ki jih je morje naplavilo na obalo, pa tudi v pesku na rtu, kjer so kovance pobirali še dolgo zatem. Domnevali so, da je neznanec dobil svoj delež ali še več in da je nekje blizu svoje koče skril precej kovinskega denarja. Po njegovi smrti so pod njegovo obleko v pasu našli zlato. Pogosto so ga sprejemali v ribiških hišah, tako zaradi gostoljubnosti domačinov kakor iz strahu, da jim bo storil kaj hudega, če mu odrečejo hrano ali zavetje; če pa jim je njegova družba postala nadležna, so ga odgnali tako, da so na glas prebrali odlomek iz Svetega pisma. Ko je zaslišal svete besede, je vselej odšel.
Govorilo se je tudi, da ga ponoči obiskujejo demoni, kajti iz njegove sobe so se, naj je bilo videti, da spi ali bedi, slišali stoki in bogokletja, srhljive besede in zvoki, ob katerih so poslušalcem šli lasje pokonci. Nesrečnež je vpil, naj ga rešijo njegovih mučiteljev, in rotil, naj mu prihranijo pogled na vnovično uprizarjanje umorov, ki jih je zagrešil. Ko ga nekaj časa ni bilo več na krajih, kjer se je navadno zadrževal, so menili, da si je priskrbel ladjo in znova odplul na morje; toda neki popotnik, ki je v zgodnjih jutranjih urah hodil po pesku mimo njegove koče, je slišal hujši trušč kot po navadi in razločil glas podivjanega moža, ki je v blaznem obupu rotil nekoga ali nekaj. Ker pa je vedel, da mož pogosto tako vpije, in si ni upal približati hiši, je le pohitel mimo. Nekaj sosedov je odšlo do samotne koče in pogledalo skozi okna, ki so bila, prav tako kakor vrata, zapahnjena od znotraj. Podivjani mož je bled in negiben ležal na tleh, pohištvo je bilo prevrnjeno, zlatniki pa so bili stisnjeni med njegovimi prsti in raztreseni okrog njega. Na vratu je imel sledove krempljev.
Izvirnik
For years after Bellamy's pirate ship was wrecked at Wellfleet, by false pilotage on the part of one of his captives, a strange-looking man used to travel up and down the cape, who was believed to be one of the few survivors of that night of storm, and of the hanging that others underwent after getting ashore. The pirates had money when the ship struck; it was found in the pockets of a hundred drowned who were cast on the beach, as well as among the sands of the cape, for coin was gathered there long after. They supposed the stranger had his share, or more, and that he secreted a quantity of specie near his cabin. After his death gold was found under his clothing in a girdle. He was often received at the houses of the fishermen, both because the people were hospitable and because they feared harm if they refused to feed or shelter him; but if his company grew wearisome he was exorcised by reading aloud a portion of the Bible. When he heard the holy words he invariably departed.
And it was said that fiends came to him at night, for in his room, whether he appeared to sleep or wake, there were groans and blasphemy, uncanny words and sounds that stirred the hair of listeners on their scalps. The unhappy creature cried to be delivered from his tormenters and begged to be spared from seeing a rehearsal of the murders he had committed. For some time he was missed from his haunts, and it was thought that he had secured a ship and set to sea again; but a traveller on the sands, while passing his cabin in the small hours, had heard a more than usual commotion, and could distinguish the voice of the wild man raised in frantic appeal to somebody, or something; still, knowing that it was his habit to cry out so, and having misgivings about approaching the house, the traveller only hurried past. A few neighbors went to the lonely cabin and looked through the windows, which, as well as the doors, were locked on the inside. The wild man lay still and white on the floor, with the furniture upset and pieces of gold clutched in his fingers and scattered about him. There were marks of claws about his neck.
