to have and to hold-第27节

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My　lord　threw；　and　his　bowl　stopped　perilously　near　the　shining　mark。　As　I　stepped　to　my　place　a　low　and　supplicating　〃O　Lord！〃　came　to　my　ears　from　the　lips　and　the　heart　of　the　preacher；　who　had　that　morning　thundered　against　the　toys　of　this　world。　I　drew　back　my　arm　and　threw　with　all　my　force。　A　cry　arose　from　the　throng；　and　my　lord　ground　his　heel　into　the　earth。　The　bowl；　spurning　the　jack　before　it；　rushed　on；　until　both　buried　themselves　in　the　red　and　yellow　leaves　that　filled　the　trench。

I　turned　and　bowed　to　my　antagonist。　〃You　bowl　well；　my　lord；〃　I　said。　〃Had　you　had　the　forest　training　of　eye　and　arm；　our　fortunes　might　have　been　reversed。〃

He　looked　me　up　and　down。　〃You　are　kind；　sir；〃　he　said　thickly。　〃　'To…day　to　thee；　to…morrow　to　me。'　I　give　you　joy　of　your　petty　victory。〃

He　turned　squarely　from　me；　and　stood　with　his　　face　downstream。　I　was　speaking　to　Rolfe　and　to　the　few　…　not　even　all　of　that　side　for　which　I　had　won　…　who　pressed　around　me；　when　he　wheeled。

〃Your　Honor；〃　he　cried　to　the　Governor；　who　had　paused　beside　Mistress　Percy；　〃is　not　the　Due　Return　high…pooped？　Doth　she　not　carry　a　blue　pennant；　and　hath　she　not　a　gilt　siren　for　figurehead？〃

〃Ay；〃　answered　the　Governor；　lifting　his　head　from　the　hand　he　had　kissed　with　ponderous　gallantry。　〃What　then；　my　lord？〃

〃Then　to…morrow　has　dawned；　sir　captain；〃　said　my　lord　to　me。　〃Sure；　Dame　Venus　and　her　blind　son　have　begged　for　me　favorable　winds；　for　the　Due　Return　has　come　again。〃

The　game　that　had　been　played　was　forgotten　for　that　day。　The　hogshead　of　sweet　scented；　lying　to　one　side；　wreathed　with　bright　vines；　was　unclaimed　of　either　party；　the　servants　who　brought　forward　the　keg　of　canary　dropped　their　burden；　and　stared　with　the　rest。　All　looked　down　the　river；　and　all　saw　the　Due　Return　coming　up　the　broad；　ruffled　stream；　the　wind　from　the　sea　filling　her　sails；　the　tide　with　her；　the　gilt　mermaid　on　her　prow　just　rising　from　the　rushing　foam。　She　came　as　swiftly　as　a　bird　to　its　nest。　None　had　thought　to　see　her　for　at　least　ten　days。

Upon　all　there　fell　a　sudden　realization　that　it　was　the　word　of　the　King；　feathered　by　the　command　of　the　Company；　that　was　hurrying；　arrow…like；　toward　us。　All　knew　what　the　Company's　orders　would　be；　…　must　needs　be；　…　and　the　Tudor　sovereigns　were　not　so　long　in　the　grave　that　men　had　forgot　to　fear　the　wrath　of　kings。　The　crowd　drew　back　from　me　as　from　a　man　plague…spotted。　Only　Rolfe；　Sparrow；　and　the　Indian　stood　their　ground。

The　Governor　turned　from　staring　downstream。　〃The　game　is　played；　gentlemen；〃　he　announced　abruptly。　〃The　wind　grows　colder；　too；　and　clouds　are　gathering。　This　fair　company　will　pardon　me　if　I　dismiss　them　somewhat　sooner　than　is　our　wont。　The　next　sunny　day　we　will　play　again。　Give　you　God　den；　gentles。〃

The　crowd　stood　not　upon　the　order　of　its　going；　but　streamed　away　to　the　river　bank；　whence　it　could　best　watch　the　oncoming　ship。　My　lord；　after　a　most　triumphant　bow；　swept　off　with　his　train　in　the　direction　of　the　guest　house。　With　him　went　Master　Pory。　The　Governor　drew　nearer　to　me。　〃Captain　Percy；〃　he　said；　lowering　his　voice；　〃I　am　going　now　to　mine　own　house。　The　letters　which　yonder　ship　brings　will　be　in　my　hands　in　less　than　an　hour。　When　I　have　read　them；　I　shall　perforce　obey　their　instructions。　Before　I　have　them　I　will　see　you；　if　you　so　wish。〃

〃I　will　be　with　your　Honor　in　five　minutes。〃

He　nodded；　and　strode　off　across　the　green　to　his　garden。　I　turned　to　Rolfe。　〃Will　you　take　her　home？〃　I　said　briefly。　She　was　so　white　and　sat　so　still　in　her　chair　that　I　feared　to　see　her　swoon。　But　when　I　spoke　to　her　she　answered　clearly　and　steadily　enough；　even　with　a　smile；　and　she　would　not　lean　upon　Rolfe's　arm。　〃I　will　walk　alone；〃　she　said。　〃None　that　see　me　shall　think　that　I　am　stricken　down。〃　I　watched　her　move　away；　Rolfe　beside　her；　and　the　Indian　following　with　his　noiseless　step；　then　I　went　to　the　Governor's　house。　Master　Jeremy　Sparrow　had　disappeared　some　minutes　before；　I　knew　not　whither。

I　found　Yeardley　in　his　great　room；　standing　before　　a　fire　and　staring　down　into　its　hollows。　〃Captain　Percy；〃　he　said；　as　I　went　up　to　him；　〃I　am　most　heartily　sorry　for　you　and　for　the　lady　whom　you　so　ignorantly　married。〃

〃I　shall　not　plead　ignorance；〃　I　told　him。

〃You　married；　not　the　Lady　Jocelyn　Leigh；　but　a　waiting　woman　named　Patience　Worth。　The　Lady　Jocelyn　Leigh；　a　noble　lady；　and　a　ward　of　the　King；　could　not　marry　without　the　King's　consent。　And　you；　Captain　Percy；　are　but　a　mere　private　gentleman；　a　poor　Virginia　adventurer；　and　my　Lord　Carnal　is　…　my　Lord　Carnal。　The　Court　of　High　Commission　will　make　short　work　of　this　fantastic　marriage。〃

〃Then　they　may　do　it　without　my　aid；〃　I　said。　〃Come；　Sir　George；　had　you　wed　my　Lady　Temperance　in　such　fashion；　and　found　this　hornets'　nest　about　your　ears；　what　would　you　have　done？〃

He　gave　his　short；　honest　laugh。　〃It's　beside　the　question；　Ralph　Percy；　but　I　dare　say　you　can　guess　what　I　would　have　done。〃

〃I'll　fight　for　my　own　to　the　last　ditch；〃　I　continued。　〃I　married　her　knowing　her　name；　if　not　her　quality。　Had　I　known　the　latter；　had　I　known　she　was　the　King's　ward；　all　the　same　I　should　have　married　her；　an　she　would　have　had　me。　She　is　my　wife　in　the　sight　of　God　and　honest　men。　Esteeming　her　honor；　which　is　mine；　at　stake；　Death　may　silence　me；　but　men　shall　not　bend　me。〃

〃Your　best　hope　is　in　my　Lord　of　Buckingham；〃　he　said。　〃They　say　it　is　out　of　sight；　out　of　mind；　with　the　King；　and；　thanks　to　this　infatuation　of　my　Lord　Carnal's；　Buckingham　hath　the　field。　That　he　strains　every　nerve　to　oust　completely　this　his　first　rival　since　he　himself　distanced　Somerset　goes　without　　saying。　That　to　thwart　my　lord　in　this　passion　would　be　honey　to　him　is　equally　of　course。　I　do　not　need　to　tell　you　that；　if　the　Company　so　orders；　I　shall　have　no　choice　but　to　send　you　and　the　lady　home　to　England。　When　you　are　in　London；　make　your　suit　to　my　Lord　of　Buckingham；　and　I　earnestly　hope　that　you　may　find　in　him　an　ally　powerful　enough　to　bring　you　and　the　lady；　to　whose　grace；　beauty；　and　courage　we　all　do　homage；　out　of　this　coil。〃

〃We　give　you　thanks；　sir；〃　I　said。

〃As　you　know；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　have　written　to　the　Company；　humbly　petitioning　that　I　be　graciously　relieved　from　a　most　thankless　task；　to　wit；　the　governorship　of　Virginia。　My　health　faileth；　and　I　am；　moreover；　under　my　Lord　Warwick's　displeasure。　He　waxeth　ever　stronger　in　the　Company；　and　if　I　put　not　myself　out；　he　will　do　it　for　me。　If　I　be　relieved　at　once；　and　one　of　the　Council　appointed　in　my　place；　I　shall　go　home　to　look　after　certain　of　my　interests　there。　Then　shall　I　be　but　a　private　gentleman；　and　if　I　can　serve　you；　Ralph　Percy；　I　shall　be　blithe　to　do　so；　but　now；　you　understand〃　…

〃I　understand；　and　thank　you；　Sir　George；〃　I　said。　〃May　I　ask　one　question？〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃Will　you　obey　to　the　letter　the　instructions　the　Company　sends？〃

〃To　the　letter；〃　he　answered。　〃I　am　its　sworn　officer。〃

〃One　thing　more；〃　I　went　on：　〃the　parole　I　gave　you；　sir；　that　morning　behind　the　church；　is　mine　own　again　when　you　shall　have　read　those　letters　and　know　the　King's　will。　I　am　free　from　that　bond；　at　least。〃

He　looked　at　me　with　a　frown。　〃Make　not　bad　worse；　Captain　Percy；〃　he　said　sternly。

I　laughed。　〃It　is　my　aim　to　make　bad　better；　Sir　George。　I　see　through　the　window　that　the　Due　Return　hath　come　to　anchor；　I　will　no　longer　trespass　on　your　Honor's　time。〃　I　bowed　myself　out；　leaving　him　still　with　the　frown　upon　his　face；　staring　at　the　fire。

Without；　the　world　was　bathed　in　the　glow　of　a　magnificent　sunset。　Clouds；　dark　purple　and　dark　crimson；　reared　themselves　in　the　west　to　dizzy　heights；　and　hung　threateningly　over　the　darkening　land　beneath。　In　the　east　loomed　more　pallid　masses；　and　from　the　bastions　of　the　east　to　the　bastions　of　the　west　went　hurrying；　wind…driven　cloudless；　dark　in　the　east；　red　in　the　west。　There　was　a　high　wind；　and　the　river；　where　it　was　not　reddened　by　the　sunset；　was　lividly　green。　〃A　storm；　too！〃　I　muttered。

As　I　passed　the　guest　house；　there　came　to　me　from　within　a　burst　of　loud　and　vaunting　laughter　and　a　boisterous　drinking　catch　sung　by　many　voices；　and　I　knew　that　my　lord　drank；　and　gave　others　to　drink；　to　the　orders　which　the　Due　Return　should　bring。　The　minister's　house　was　in　darkness。　In　the　great　room　I　struck　a　light　and　fired　the　fresh　torches；　and　found　I　was　not　its　sole　occupant。　On　the　hearth；　the　ashes　of　the　dead　fire　touching　her　skirts；　sat　Mistress　Jocelyn　Percy；　her　arms　resting　upon　a　low　stool；　and　her　head　pillowed　upon　them。　Her　face　was　not　hidden：　it　was　cold　and　pure　and　still；　like　carven　marble。　I　stood　and　gazed　at　her　a　moment；　then；　as　she　did　not　offer　to　move；　I　brought　wood　to　the　fire　and　made　the　forlorn　room　bright　again。

〃Where　is　Rolfe？〃　I　asked　at　last。

〃He　would　have　stayed；〃　she　answered；　〃but　I　made　him　go。　I　wished　to　be　alone。〃　She　rose；　and　going　to　the　window　leaned　her　forehead　against　the　bars；　and　looked　out　upon　the　wild　sky　and　the　hurrying　river。　〃I　would　I　were　alone；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice　and　with　a　catch　of　her　breath。　As　she　stood　there　in　the　twilight　by