westward ho-第102节

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　of　hers。　　Now　through　the　cloud　rises　a　column　of　black　and　lurid　smoke；　the　fog　clears　away　right　and　left　around　it；　and　shows　beneath；　a　mighty　fire。

The　men　look　at　each　other　with　questioning　eyes；　each　half　suspecting；　and　yet　not　daring　to　confess　their　own　suspicions；　and　Amyas　whispers　to　Yeo

〃You　took　care　to　flood　the　powder？〃

〃Ay；　ay；　sir；　and　to　unload　the　ordnance　too。　　No　use　in　making　a　noise　to　tell　the　Spaniards　our　whereabouts。〃

Yes；　that　glare　rises　from　the　good　ship　Rose。　　Amyas；　like　Cortez　of　old；　has　burnt　his　ship；　and　retreat　is　now　impossible。　　Forward　into　the　unknown　abyss　of　the　New　World；　and　God　be　with　them　as　they　go！

The　Indian　knows　a　cunning　path：　it　winds　along　the　highest　ridges　of　the　mountains；　but　the　travelling　is　far　more　open　and　easy。

They　have　passed　the　head　of　a　valley　which　leads　down　to　St。　Jago。　Beneath　that　long　shining　river　of　mist；　which　ends　at　the　foot　of　the　great　Silla；　lies　（so　says　the　Indian　lad）　the　rich　capital　of　Venezuela；　and　beyond；　the　gold…mines　of　Los　Teques　and　Baruta；　which　first　attracted　the　founder　Diego　de　Losada；　and　many　a　longing　eye　is　turned　towards　it　as　they　pass　the　saddle　at　the　valley　head；　but　the　attempt　is　hopeless；　they　turn　again　to　the　left；　and　so　down　towards　the　rancho；　taking　care　（so　the　prudent　Amyas　had　commanded）　to　break　down；　after　crossing；　the　frail　rope　bridge　which　spans　each　torrent　and　ravine。

They　are　at　the　rancho　long　before　daybreak；　and　have　secured　there；　not　only　fourteen　mules；　but　eight　or　nine　Indians　stolen　from　off　the　Llanos；　like　their　guide；　who　are　glad　enough　to　escape　from　their　tyrants　by　taking　service　with　them。　　And　now　southward　and　away；　with　lightened　shoulders　and　hearts；　for　they　are　all　but　safe　from　pursuit。　　The　broken　bridges　prevent　the　news　of　their　raid　reaching　St。　Jago　until　nightfall；　and　in　the　meanwhile；　Don　Guzman　returns　to　the　river　mouth　the　next　day　to　find　the　ship　a　blackened　wreck；　and　the　camp　empty；　follows　their　trail　over　the　hills　till　he　is　stopped　by　a　broken　bridge；　surmounts　that　difficulty；　and　meets　a　second；　his　men　are　worn　out　with　heat；　and　a　little　afraid　of　stumbling　on　the　heretic　desperadoes；　and　he　returns　by　land　to　St。　Jago；　and　when　he　arrives　there；　has　news　from　home　which　gives　him　other　things　to　think　of　than　following　those　mad　Englishmen；　who　have　vanished　into　the　wilderness。　　〃What　need；　after　all；　to　follow　them？〃　asked　the　Spaniards　of　each　other。　　〃Blinded　by　the　devil；　whom　they　serve；　they　rush　on　in　search　of　certain　death；　as　many　a　larger　company　has　before　them；　and　they　will　find　it；　and　will　trouble　La　Guayra　no　more　forever。〃　　〃Lutheran　dogs　and　enemies　of　God；〃　said　Don　Guzman　to　his　soldiers；　〃they　will　leave　their　bones　to　whiten　on　the　Llanos；　as　may　every　heretic　who　sets　foot　on　Spanish　soil！〃

Will　they　do　so；　Don　Guzman？　　Or　wilt　thou　and　Amyas　meet　again　upon　a　mightier　battlefield；　to　learn　a　lesson　which　neither　of　you　yet　has　learned？



CHAPTER　XXII

THE　INQUISITION　IN　THE　INDIES


My　next　chapter　is　perhaps　too　sad；　it　shall　be　at　least　as　short　as　I　can　make　it；　but　it　was　needful　to　be　written；　that　readers　may　judge　fairly　for　themselves　what　sort　of　enemies　the　English　nation　had　to　face　in　those　stern　days。

Three　weeks　have　passed；　and　the　scene　is　shifted　to　a　long；　low　range　of　cells　in　a　dark　corridor　in　the　city　of　Cartagena。　　The　door　of　one　is　open；　and　within　stand　two　cloaked　figures；　one　of　whom　we　know。　　It　is　Eustace　Leigh。　　The　other　is　a　familiar　of　the　Holy　Office。

He　holds　in　his　hand　a　lamp；　from　which　the　light　falls　on　a　bed　of　straw；　and　on　the　sleeping　figure　of　a　man。　　The　high　white　brow；　the　pale　and　delicate　featuresthem　too　we　know；　for　they　are　those　of　Frank。　　Saved　half…dead　from　the　fury　of　the　savage　negroes；　he　has　been　reserved　for　the　more　delicate　cruelty　of　civilized　and　Christian　men。　　He　underwent　the　question　but　this　afternoon；　and　now　Eustace；　his　betrayer；　is　come　to　persuade　him　or　to　entrap　him？　　Eustace　himself　hardly　knows　whether　of　the　two。

And　yet　he　would　give　his　life　to　save　his　cousin。

His　life？　　He　has　long　since　ceased　to　care　for　that。　　He　has　done　what　he　has　done；　because　it　is　his　duty；　and　now　he　is　to　do　his　duty　once　more；　and　wake　the　sleeper；　and　argue；　coax；　threaten　him　into　recantation　while　〃his　heart　is　still　tender　from　the　torture；〃　so　Eustace's　employers　phrase　it。

And　yet　how　calmly　he　is　sleeping！　　Is　it　but　a　freak　of　the　lamplight；　or　is　there　a　smile　upon　his　lips？　　Eustace　takes　the　lamp　and　bends　over　him　to　see；　and　as　he　bends　he　hears　Frank　whispering　in　his　dreams　his　mother's　name；　and　a　name　higher　and　holier　still。

Eustace　cannot　find　the　heart　to　wake　him。

〃Let　him　rest；〃　whispers　he　to　his　companion。　　〃After　all；　I　fear　my　words　will　be　of　little　use。〃

〃I　fear　so　too；　sir。　　Never　did　I　behold　a　more　obdurate　heretic。　He　did　not　scruple　to　scoff　openly　at　their　holinesses。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Eustace；　〃great　is　the　pravity　of　the　human　heart；　and　the　power　of　Satan！　　Let　us　go　for　the　present。〃

〃Where　is　she？〃

〃The　elder　sorceress；　or　the　younger？〃

〃The　youngerthe〃

〃The　Senora　de　Soto？　　Ah；　poor　thing！　　One　could　be　sorry　for　her；　were　she　not　a　heretic。〃　　And　the　man　eyed　Eustace　keenly；　and　then　quietly　added；　〃She　is　at　present　with　the　notary；　to　the　benefit　of　her　soul；　I　trust〃

Eustace　half　stopped；　shuddering。　　He　could　hardly　collect　himself　enough　to　gasp　out　an　〃Amen！〃

〃Within　there；〃　said　the　man；　pointing　carelessly　to　a　door　as　they　went　down　the　corridor。　　〃We　can　listen　a　moment；　if　you　like；　but　don't　betray　me；　senor。〃

Eustace　knows　well　enough　that　the　fellow　is　probably　on　the　watch　to　betray　him；　if　he　shows　any　signs　of　compunction；　at　least　to　report　faithfully　to　his　superiors　the　slightest　expression　of　sympathy　with　a　heretic；　but　a　horrible　curiosity　prevails　over　fear；　and　he　pauses　close　to　the　fatal　door。　　His　face　is　all　of　a　flame；　his　knees　knock　together；　his　ears　are　ringing；　his　heart　bursting　through　his　ribs；　as　he　supports　himself　against　the　wall；　hiding　his　convulsed　face　as　well　as　he　can　from　his　companion。

A　man's　voice　is　plainly　audible　within；　low；　but　distinct。　　The　notary　is　trying　that　old　charge　of　witchcraft；　which　the　Inquisitors；　whether　to　justify　themselves　to　their　own　consciences；　or　to　whiten　their　villainy　somewhat　in　the　eyes　of　the　mob；　so　often　brought　against　their　victims。　　And　then　Eustace's　heart　sinks　within　him　as　he　hears　a　woman's　voice　reply；　sharpened　by　indignation　and　agony

〃Witchcraft　against　Don　Guzman？　　What　need　of　that；　oh　God！　what　need？〃

〃You　deny　it　then；　senora？　we　are　sorry　for　you；　but〃

A　confused　choking　murmur　from　the　victim；　mingled　with　words　which　might　mean　anything　or　nothing。

〃She　has　confessed！〃　whispered　Eustace；　〃saints；　I　thank　you！she〃

A　wail　which　rings　through　Eustace's　ears；　and　brain；　and　heart！　He　would　have　torn　at　the　door　to　open　it；　but　his　companion　forces　him　away。　　Another；　and　another　wail；　while　the　wretched　man　hurries　off；　stopping　his　ears　in　vain　against　those　piercing　cries；　which　follow　him；　like　avenging　angels；　through　the　dreadful　vaults。

He　escaped　into　the　fragrant　open　air；　and　the　golden　tropic　moonlight；　and　a　garden　which　might　have　served　as　a　model　for　Eden；　but　man's　hell　followed　into　God's　heaven；　and　still　those　wails　seemed　to　ring　through　his　ears。

〃Oh；　misery；　misery；　misery！〃　murmured　he　to　himself　through　grinding　teeth；　〃and　I　have　brought　her　to　this！　　I　have　had　to　bring　her　to　it！　　What　else　could　I？　　Who　dare　blame　me？　　And　yet　what　devilish　sin　can　I　have　committed；　that　requires　to　be　punished　thus？　　Was　there　no　one　to　be　found　but　me？　　No　one？　　And　yet　it　may　save　her　soul。　　It　may　bring　her　to　repentance！〃

〃It　may；　indeed；　for　she　is　delicate；　and　cannot　endure　much。　　You　ought　to　know　as　well　as　I；　senor；　the　merciful　disposition　of　the　Holy　Office。〃

〃I　know　it；　I　know　it；〃　interrupted　poor　Eustace；　trembling　now　for　himself。　　〃All　in　loveall　in　love。A　paternal　chastisement〃

〃And　the　proofs　of　heresy　are　patent；　beside　the　strong　suspicion　of　enchantment；　and　the　known　character　of　the　elder　sorceress。　You　yourself；　you　must　remember；　senor；　told　us　that　she　had　been　a　notorious　witch　in　England；　before　the　senora　brought　her　hither　as　her　attendant。〃

〃Of　course　she　was；　of　course。　　Yes；　there　was　no　other　course　open。　　And　though　the　flesh　may　be　weak；　sir；　in　my　case；　yet　none　can　have　proved　better　to　the　Holy　Office　how　willing　is　the　spirit！〃

And　so　Eustace　departed；　and　ere　another　sun　had　set；　he　had　gone　to　the　principal　of　the　Jesuits；　told　him　his　whole　heart；　or　as　much　of　it；　poor　wretch；　as　he　dare　tell　to　himself；　and　entreated　to　be　allowed　to　finish　his　novitiate；　and　enter　the　order；　on　the　understanding　that　he　was　to　be　sent　at　once　back　to　Europe；　or　anywhere　else；　〃Otherwise；〃　as　he　said　frankly；　〃he　should　go　mad；　even　if　he　were　not　mad　already。〃　　The　Jesuit；　who　was　a　kindly　man　enough；　went　to　the　Holy　Office；　and　settled　all　with　the　Inquisitors；　recounting　to　them；　to　set　him　above　all　suspicion；　Eustace's　past　valiant　services　to　the　Church。　　His　testim