westward ho-第119节

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〃Amen！〃　said　Brimblecombe。　　〃Amen！〃　said　Yeo；　and　many　an　honest　voice　joined　in　that　honest　compact；　and　kept　it　too；　like　men。



CHAPTER　XXVI

HOW　THEY　TOOK　THE　GREAT　GALLEON


〃When　captains　courageous；　whom　death　could　not　daunt；　Did　march　to　the　siege　of　the　city　of　Gaunt；　They　muster'd　their　soldiers　by　two　and　by　three；　But　the　foremost　in　battle　was　Mary　Ambree。　When　brave　Sir　John　Major　was　slain　in　her　sight；　Who　was　her　true　lover；　her　joy　and　delight；　Because　he　was　murther'd　most　treacherouslie；　Then　vow'd　to　avenge　him　fair　Mary　Ambree。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Old　Ballad；　A。　D。　1584。


One　more　glance　at　the　golden　tropic　sea；　and　the　golden　tropic　evenings；　by　the　shore　of　New　Granada；　in　the　golden　Spanish　Main。

The　bay　of　Santa　Marta　is　rippling　before　the　land…breeze　one　sheet　of　living　flame。　　The　mighty　forests　are　sparkling　with　myriad　fireflies。　　The　lazy　mist　which　lounges　round　the　inner　hills　shines　golden　in　the　sunset　rays；　and；　nineteen　thousand　feet　aloft；　the　mighty　peak　of　Horqueta　cleaves　the　abyss　of　air；　rose…　red　against　the　dark…blue　vault　of　heaven。　　The　rosy　cone　fades　to　a　dull　leaden　hue；　but　only　for　awhile。　　The　stars　flash　out　one　by　one；　and　Venus；　like　another　moon；　tinges　the　eastern　snows　with　gold；　and　sheds　across　the　bay　a　long　yellow　line　of　rippling　light。　　Everywhere　is　glory　and　richness。　　What　wonder　if　the　earth　in　that　enchanted　land　be　as　rich　to　her　inmost　depths　as　she　is　upon　the　surface？　　The　heaven；　the　hills；　the　sea；　are　one　sparkling　garland　of　jewelswhat　wonder　if　the　soil　be　jewelled　also？　if　every　watercourse　and　bank　of　earth　be　spangled　with　emeralds　and　rubies；　with　grains　of　gold　and　feathered　wreaths　of　native　silver？

So　thought；　in　a　poetic　mood；　the　Bishop　of　Cartagena；　as　he　sat　in　the　state　cabin　of　that　great　galleon；　The　City　of　the　True　Cross；　and　looked　pensively　out　of　the　window　towards　the　shore。　　The　good　man　was　in　a　state　of　holy　calm。　　His　stout　figure　rested　on　one　easy…chair；　his　stout　ankles　on　another；　beside　a　table　spread　with　oranges　and　limes；　guavas　and　pine…apples；　and　all　the　fruits　of　Ind。

An　Indian　girl；　bedizened　with　scarfs　and　gold　chains；　kept　off　the　flies　with　a　fan　of　feathers；　and　by　him；　in　a　pail　of　ice　from　the　Horqueta　（the　gift　of　some　pious　Spanish　lady；　who　had　〃spent〃　an　Indian　or　two　in　bringing　down　the　precious　offering）；　stood　more　than　one　flask　of　virtuous　wine　of　Alicant。　　But　he　was　not　so　selfish；　good　man；　as　to　enjoy　either　ice　or　wine　alone；　Don　Pedro；　colonel　of　the　soldiers　on　board；　Don　Alverez；　intendant　of　his　Catholic　majesty's　customs　at　Santa　Marta；　and　Don　Paul；　captain　of　mariners　in　The　City　of　the　True　Cross；　had；　by　his　especial　request；　come　to　his　assistance　that　evening；　and　with　two　friars；　who　sat　at　the　lower　end　of　the　table；　were　doing　their　best　to　prevent　the　good　man　from　taking　too　bitterly　to　heart　the　present　unsatisfactory　state　of　his　cathedral　town；　which　had　just　been　sacked　and　burnt　by　an　old　friend　of　ours；　Sir　Francis　Drake。

〃We　have　been　great　sufferers；　senors；ah；　great　sufferers；〃　snuffled　the　bishop；　quoting　Scripture；　after　the　fashion　of　the　day；　glibly　enough；　but　often　much　too　irreverently　for　me　to　repeat；　so　boldly　were　his　texts　travestied；　and　so　freely　interlarded　by　grumblings　at　Tita　and　the　mosquitoes。　　〃Great　sufferers；　truly；　but　there　shall　be　a　remnant；ah；　a　remnant　like　the　shaking　of　the　olive　tree　and　the　gleaning　grapes　when　the　vintage　is　done。Ah！　Gold？　　Yes；　I　trust　Our　Lady's　mercies　are　not　shut　up；　nor　her　arms　shortened。Look；　senors！〃and　he　pointed　majestically　out　of　the　window。　　〃It　looks　gold！　it　smells　of　gold；　as　I　may　say；　by　a　poetical　license。　　Yea；　the　very　waves；　as　they　ripple　past　us；　sing　of　gold；　gold；　gold！〃

〃It　is　a　great　privilege；〃　said　the　intendant；　〃to　have　comfort　so　gracefully　administered　at　once　by　a　churchman　and　a　scholar。〃

〃A　poet；　too；〃　said　Don　Pedro。　　〃You　have　no　notion　what　sweet　sonnets〃

〃Hush；　Don　Pedrohush！　　If　I；　a　mateless　bird；　have　spent　an　idle　hour　in　teaching　lovers　how　to　sing；　why；　what　of　that？　　I　am　a　churchman；　senors；　but　I　am　a　man　and　I　can　feel；　senors；　I　can　sympathize；　I　can　palliate；　I　can　excuse。　　Who　knows　better　than　I　how　much　human　nature　lurks　in　us　fallen　sons　of　Adam？　　Tita！〃

〃Um？〃　said　the　trembling　girl；　with　a　true　Indian　grunt。

〃Fill　his　excellency　the　intendant's　glass。　　Does　much　more　treasure　come　down；　illustrious　senor？　　May　the　poor　of　Mary　hope　for　a　few　more　crumbs　from　their　Mistress's　table？〃

〃Not　a　pezo；　I　fear。　　The　big　white　cow　up　there〃and　he　pointed　to　the　Horqueta〃has　been　milked　dry　for　this　year。〃

〃Ah！〃　　And　he　looked　up　at　the　magnificent　snow　peak。　　〃Only　good　to　cool　wine　with；　eh？　and　as　safe　for　the　time　being　as　Solomon's　birds。〃

〃Solomon's　birds？　　Explain　your　recondite　allusion；　my　lord。〃

〃Enlighten　us；　your　excellency；　enlighten　us。〃

〃Ah！　thereby　hangs　a　tale。　　You　know　the　holy　birds　who　run　up　and　down　on　the　Prado　at　Seville　among　the　ladies'　pretty　feet；eh？　with　hooked　noses　and　cinnamon　crests？　　Of　course。　　HoopoesUpupa；　as　the　classics　have　it。　　Well；　senors；　once　on　a　time；　the　story　goes；　these　hoopoes　all　had　golden　crowns　on　their　heads；　and；　senors；　they　took　the　consequenceseh？　　But　it　befell　on　a　day　that　all　the　birds　and　beasts　came　to　do　homage　at　the　court　of　his　most　Catholic　majesty　King　Solomon；　and　among　them　came　these　same　hoopoes；　and　they　had　a　little　request　to　make；　the　poor　rogues。　And　what　do　you　think　it　was？　　Why；　that　King　Solomon　would　pray　for　them　that　they　might　wear　any　sort　of　crowns　but　these　same　golden　ones；　forlisten；　Tita；　and　see　the　snare　of　riches　mankind　so　hunted；　and　shot；　and　trapped；　and　snared　them；　for　the　sake　of　these　same　golden　crowns；　that　life　was　a　burden　to　bear。　So　Solomon　prayed；　and　instead　of　golden　crowns；　they　all　received　crowns　of　feathers；　and　ever　since；　senors；　they　live　as　merrily　as　crickets　in　an　oven；　and　also　have　the　honor　of　bearing　the　name　of　his　most　Catholic　majesty　King　Solomon。　　Tita！　fill　the　senor　commandant's　glass。　　Fray　Gerundio；　what　are　you　whispering　about　down　there；　sir？〃

Fray　Gerundio　had　merely　commented　to　his　brother　on　the　bishop's　story　of　Solomon's　birds　with　an

〃O　si　sic　omnia！would　that　all　gold　would　turn　to　feathers　in　like　wise！〃

〃Then；　friend；〃　replied　the　other；　a　Dominican；　like　Gerundio；　but　of　a　darker　and　sterner　complexion；　〃corrupt　human　nature　would　within　a　week　discover　some　fresh　bauble；　for　which　to　kill　and　be　killed　in　vain。〃

〃What　is　that；　Fray　Gerundio？〃　asked　the　bishop　again。

〃I　merely　remarked；　that　it　were　well　for　the　world　if　all　mankind　were　to　put　up　the　same　prayer　as　the　hoopoes。〃

〃World；　sir？　　What　do　you　know　about　the　world？　　Convert　your　Indians；　sir；　if　you　please；　and　leave　affairs　of　state　to　your　superiors。　　You　will　excuse　him；　senors〃　（turning　to　the　Dons；　and　speaking　in　a　lower　tone）。　　〃A　very　worthy　and　pious　man；　but　a　poor　peasant's　son；　and　besideyou　understand。　　A　little　wrong　here；　too　much　fasting　and　watching；　I　fear；　good　man。〃　　And　the　bishop　touched　his　forehead　knowingly；　to　signify　that　Fray　Gerundio's　wits　were　in　an　unsatisfactory　state。

The　Fray　heard　and　saw　with　a　quiet　smile。　　He　was　one　of　those　excellent　men　whom　the　cruelties　of　his　countrymen　had　stirred　up　（as　the　darkness；　by　mere　contrast；　makes　the　light　more　bright）；　as　they　did　Las　Casas；　Gasca；　and　many　another　noble　name　which　is　written　in　the　book　of　life；　to　deeds　of　love　and　pious　daring　worthy　of　any　creed　or　age。　　True　Protestants；　they　protested；　even　before　kings；　against　the　evil　which　lay　nearest　them；　the　sin　which　really　beset　them；　true　liberals；　they　did　not　disdain　to　call　the　dark…skinned　heathen　their　brothers；　and　asserted　in　terms　which　astonish　us；　when　we　recollect　the　age　in　which　they　were　spoken；　the　inherent　freedom　of　every　being　who　wore　the　flesh　and　blood　which　their　Lord　wore；　true　martyrs；　they　bore　witness　of　Christ；　and　received　too　often　the　rewards　of　such；　in　slander　and　contempt。　　Such　an　one　was　Fray　Gerundio；　a　poor；　mean；　clumsy…　tongued　peasant's　son；　who　never　could　put　three　sentences　together；　save　when　he　waxed　eloquent；　crucifix　in　hand；　amid　some　group　of　Indians　or　negroes。　　He　was　accustomed　to　such　rebuffs　as　the　bishop's；　he　took　them　for　what　they　were　worth；　and　sipped　his　wine　in　silence；　while　the　talk　went　on。

〃They　say；〃　observed　the　commandant；　〃that　a　very　small　Plate…fleet　will　go　to　Spain　this　year。〃

〃What　else？〃　says　the　intendant。　　〃What　have　we　to　send；　in　the　name　of　all　saints；　since　these　accursed　English　Lutherans　have　swept　us　out　clean？〃

〃And　if　we　had　anything　to　send；〃　says　the　sea…captain；　〃what　have　we　to　send　it　in？　　That　fiend　incarnate；　Drake〃

〃Ah！〃　said　his　holiness；　〃spare　my　ears！　　Don　Pedro；　you　will　oblige　my　weakness　by　not　mentioning　that　man；his　name　is　Tartarean；　unfit　for　polite　lips。　　Dracoa　dragonserpentthe　emblem　of　Diabolus　himselfah！　　And　the　guardian　of　the　golden　apples　of　the　West；　who　would　fain　devour　our　new　Hercules；　his　most　Catholic　majesty。　　Deceived　Eve；　too；　with　one　of　those　same　applesa　very　evil　name；　senorsa　Tartarean　name；