westward ho-第127节

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　ears；　while　the　good　fellows；　especially　old　Yeo；　like　true　sailors；　petted　her；　obeyed　her；　even　jested　with　her；　much　as　they　might　have　done　with　a　tame　leopard；　whose　claws　might　be　unsheathed　and　about　their　ears　at　any　moment。　　But　she　amused　them；　and　amused　Amyas　too。　　They　must　of　course　have　a　pet；　and　what　prettier　one　could　they　have？　　And　as　for　Amyas；　the　constant　interest　of　her　presence；　even　the　constant　anxiety　of　her　wilfulness；　kept　his　mind　busy；　and　drove　out　many　a　sad　foreboding　about　that　meeting　with　his　mother；　and　the　tragedy　which　he　had　to　tell　her；　which　would　otherwise；　so　heavily　did　they　weigh　on　him；　have　crushed　his　spirit　with　melancholy；　and　made　all　his　worldly　success　and　marvellous　deliverance　worthless　in　his　eyes。

At　last　the　matter；　as　most　things　luckily　do；　came　to　a　climax；　and　it　came　in　this　way。

The　ship　had　been　slipping　along　now　for　many　a　day；　slowly　but　steadily　before　a　favorable　breeze。　　She　had　passed　the　ring　of　the　West　India　islands；　and　was　now　crawling；　safe　from　all　pursuit；　through　the　vast　weed…beds　of　the　Sargasso　Sea。　　There；　for　the　first　time；　it　was　thought　safe　to　relax　the　discipline　which　had　been　hitherto　kept　up；　and　to　〃rummage〃　（as　was　the　word　in　those　days）　their　noble　prize。　　What　they　found；　of　gold　and　silver；　jewels；　and　merchandise；　will　interest　no　readers。　　Suffice　it　to　say；　that　there　was　enough　there；　with　the　other　treasure；　to　make　Amyas　rich　for　life；　after　all　claims　of　Cary's　and　the　crew；　not　forgetting　Mr。　Salterne's　third；　as　owner　of　the　ship；　had　been　paid　off。　　But　in　the　captain's　cabin　were　found　two　chests；　one　full　of　gorgeous　Mexican　feather　dresses；　and　the　other　of　Spanish　and　East　Indian　finery；　which；　having　come　by　way　of　Havana　and　Cartagena；　was　going　on；　it　seemed；　to　some　senora　or　other　at　the　Caracas。　　Which　two　chests　were；　at　Cary's　proposal；　voted　amid　the　acclamations　of　the　crew　to　Ayacanora；　as　her　due　and　fit　share　of　the　pillage；　in　consideration　of　her　Amazonian　prowess　and　valuable　services。

So　the　poor　child　took　greedy　possession　of　the　trumpery；　had　them　carried　into　Lucy's　cabin；　and　there　knelt　gloating　over　them　many　an　hour。　　The　Mexican　work　she　chose　to　despise　as　savage；　but　the　Spanish　dresses　were　a　treasure；　and　for　two　or　three　days　she　appeared　on　the　quarter…deck；　sunning　herself　like　a　peacock　before　the　eyes　of　Amyas　in　Seville　mantillas；　Madrid　hats；　Indian　brocade　farthingales；　and　I　know　not　how　many　other　gewgaws；　and　dare　not　say　how　put　on。

The　crew　tittered：　Amyas　felt　much　more　inclined　to　cry。　　There　is　nothing　so　pathetic　as　a　child's　vanity；　saving　a　grown　person　aping　a　child's　vanity；　and　saving；　too；　a　child's　agony　of　disappointment　when　it　finds　that　it　has　been　laughed　at　instead　of　being　admired。　　Amyas　would　have　spoken；　but　he　was　afraid：　however；　the　evil　brought　its　own　cure。　　The　pageant　went　on；　as　its　actor　thought；　most　successfully　for　three　days　or　so；　but　at　last　the　dupe；　unable　to　contain　herself　longer；　appealed　to　Amyas；〃Ayacanora　quite　English　girl　now；　is　she　not？〃heard　a　titter　behind　her；　looked　round；　saw　a　dozen　honest　faces　in　broad　grin；　comprehended　all　in　a　moment；　darted　down　the　companion…　ladder；　and　vanished。

Amyas；　fully　expecting　her　to　jump　overboard；　followed　as　fast　as　he　could。　　But　she　had　locked　herself　in　with　Lucy；　and　he　could　hear　her　violent　sobs；　and　Lucy's　faint　voice　entreating　to　know　what　was　the　matter。

In　vain　he　knocked。　　She　refused　to　come　out　all　day；　and　at　even　they　were　forced　to　break　the　door　open；　to　prevent　Lucy　being　starved。

There　sat　Ayacanora；　her　finery　half　torn　off；　and　scattered　about　the　floor　in　spite；　crying　still　as　if　her　heart　would　break；　while　poor　Lucy　cried　too；　half　from　fright　and　hunger；　and　half　for　company。

Amyas　tried　to　comfort　the　poor　child；　assured　her　that　the　men　should　never　laugh　at　her　again；　〃But　then；〃　added　he；　〃you　must　not　be　soso〃　　What　to　say　he　hardly　knew。

〃So　what？〃　asked　she；　crying　more　bitterly　than　ever。

〃So　like　a　wild　girl；　Ayacanora。〃

Her　hands　dropped　on　her　knees：　a　strong　spasm　ran　through　her　throat　and　bosom；　and　she　fell　on　her　knees　before　him；　and　looked　up　imploringly　in　his　face。

〃Yes；　wild　girlpoor；　bad　wild　girl。　。　。　。　　But　I　will　be　English　girl　now！〃

〃Fine　clothes　will　never　make　you　English；　my　child；〃　said　Amyas。

〃No！　not　English　clothesEnglish　heart！　　Good　heart；　like　yours！　Yes；　I　will　be　good；　and　Sir　John　shall　teach　me！〃

〃There's　my　good　maid；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Sir　John　shall　begin　and　teach　you　to…morrow。〃

〃No！　　Now！　now！　　Ayacanora　cannot　wait。　　She　will　drown　herself　if　she　is　bad　another　day！　　Come；　now！〃

And　she　made　him　fetch　Brimblecombe；　heard　the　honest　fellow　patiently　for　an　hour　or　more；　and　told　Lucy　that　very　night　all　that　he　had　said。　　And　from　that　day；　whenever　Jack　went　in　to　read　and　pray　with　the　poor　sufferer；　Ayacanora；　instead　of　escaping　on　deck　as　before；　stood　patiently　trying　to　make　it　all　out；　and　knelt　when　he　knelt；　and　tried　to　pray　toothat　she　might　have　an　English　heart；　and　doubtless　her　prayers；　dumb　as　they　were；　were　not　unheard。

So　went　on　a　few　days　more；　hopefully　enough；　without　any　outbreak；　till　one　morning；　just　after　they　had　passed　the　Sargasso…beds。　The　ship　was　taking　care　of　herself；　the　men　were　all　on　deck　under　the　awning；　tinkering；　and　cobbling；　and　chatting；　Brimblecombe　was　catechising　his　fair　pupil　in　the　cabin；　Amyas　and　Cary；　cigar　in　mouth；　were　chatting　about　all　heaven　and　earth；　and；　above　all；　of　the　best　way　of　getting　up　a　fresh　adventure　against　the　Spaniards　as　soon　as　they　returned；　while　Amyas　was　pouring　out　to　Will　that　dark　hatred　of　the　whole　nation；　that　dark　purpose　of　revenge　for　his　brother　and　for　Rose；　which　had　settled　down　like　a　murky　cloud　into　every　cranny　of　his　heart　and　mind。　　Suddenly　there　was　a　noise　below；　a　scuffle　and　a　shout；　which　made　them　both　leap　to　their　feet；　and　up　on　deck　rushed　Jack　Brimblecombe；　holding　his　head　on　with　both　his　hands。

〃Save　me！　save　me　from　that　she…fiend！　　She　is　possessed　with　a　legion！　　She　has　broken　my　nosetorn　out　half　my　hair！and　I'm　sure　I　have　none　to　spare！　　Here　she　comes！　　Stand　by　me；　gentlemen　both！　　Satanas；　I　defy　thee！〃　　And　Jack　ensconced　himself　behind　the　pair；　as　Ayacanora　whirled　upon　deck　like　a　very　Maenad；　and；　seeing　Amyas；　stopped　short。

〃If　you　had　defied　Satan　down　below　there；〃　said　Cary；　with　a　laugh；　〃I　suspect　he　wouldn't　have　broken　out　on　you　so　boldly；　Master　Jack。〃

〃I　am　innocentinnocent　as　the　babe　unborn！　　Oh！　Mr。　Cary！　this　is　too　bad　of　you；　sir！〃　quoth　Jack　indignantly；　while　Amyas　asked　what　was　the　matter。

〃He　looked　at　me；〃　said　she；　sturdily。

〃Well；　a　cat　may　look　at　a　king。〃

〃But　he　sha'n't　look　at　Ayacanora。　　Nobody　shall　but　you；　or　I'll　kill　him！〃

In　vain　Jack　protested　his　innocence　of　having　even　looked　at　her。　The　fancy　（and　I　verily　believe　it　was　nothing　more）　had　taken　possession　of　her。　　She　refused　to　return　below　to　her　lesson。　Jack　went　off　grumbling；　minus　his　hair；　and　wore　a　black　eye　for　a　week　after。

〃At　all　events；〃　quoth　Cary；　re…lighting　his　cigar；　〃it's　a　fault　on　the　right　side。〃

〃God　give　me　grace；　or　it　may　be　one　on　the　wrong　side　for　me。〃

〃He　will；　old　heart…of…oak！〃　said　Cary；　laying　his　arm　around　Amyas's　neck；　to　the　evident　disgust　of　Ayacanora；　who　went　off　to　the　side；　got　a　fishing…line；　and　began　amusing　herself　therewith；　while　the　ship　slipped　on　quietly　and　silently　as　ever；　save　when　Ayacanora　laughed　and　clapped　her　hands　at　the　flying…fish　scudding　from　the　bonitos。　　At　last；　tired　of　doing　nothing；　she　went　forward　to　the　poop…rail　to　listen　to　John　Squire　the　armorer；　who　sat　tinkering　a　headpiece；　and　humming　a　song；　mutato　nomine；　concerning　his　native　place


　　　　　〃Oh；　Bideford　is　a　pleasant　place；　it　shines　where　it　stands；　　　　　　　And　the　more　I　look　upon　it；　the　more　my　heart　it　warms；　　　　　　　For　there　are　fair　young　lasses；　in　rows　upon　the　quay；　　　　　　　To　welcome　gallant　mariners；　when　they　come　home　from　say。〃


〃'Tis　Sunderland；　John　Squire；　to　the　song；　and　not　Bidevor；〃　said　his　mate。

〃Well；　Bidevor's　so　good　as　Sunderland　any　day；　for　all　there's　no　say…coals　there　blacking　a　place　about；　and　makes　just　so　good　harmonies；　Tommy　Hamblyn


　　　　　〃Oh；　if　I　was　a　herring；　to　swim　the　ocean　o'er；　　　　　　　Or　if　I　was　a　say…dove；　to　fly　unto　the　shoor；　　　　　　　To　fly　unto　my　true　love；　a　waiting　at　the　door；　　　　　　　To　wed　her　with　a　goold　ring；　and　plough　the　main　no　moor。〃


Here　Yeo　broke　in

〃Aren't　you　ashamed；　John　Squire；　to　your　years；　singing　such　carnal　vanities；　after　all　the　providences　you　have　seen？　　Let　the　songs　of　Zion　be　in　your　mouth；　man；　if　you　must　needs　keep　a　caterwauling　all　day　like　that。〃

〃You　sing　'em　yourself　then；　gunner。〃

〃Well；〃　says　Yeo；　〃and　why　not？〃　　And　out　he　pulled　his　psalm…book；　and　began　a　scrap　of　the　grand　old　psalm


　　　　　〃Such　as　in　ships　and　brittle　barks　　　　　　　　　Into　the　seas　descend；　　　　　　　Their　merchandise　through　fearful　floods　　　　　　　　　To　compass　and　to　end；　　　　　　　There　men　are　forced　to　behold　　　　　　　　　The　Lord's　works　what　they　be；　　　　　　　And　in　the　dreadful　deep　the　same；　　　　　　　　　Most