westward ho-第132节

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。　　Only　when　Amyas　came　to　Rose's　marriage；　he　heaved　a　long　breath；　as　if　a　weight　was　taken　off　his　heart。

〃Say　that　again；　sir！〃

Amyas　said　it　again；　and　then　went　on；　faltering；　he　hinted　at　the　manner　of　her　death。

〃Go　on；　sir！　　Why　are　you　afraid？　　There　is　nothing　to　be　ashamed　of　there；　is　there？〃

Amyas　told　the　whole　with　downcast　eyes；　and　then　stole　a　look　at　his　hearer's　face。　　There　was　no　sign　of　emotion：　only　somewhat　of　a　proud　smile　curled　the　corners　of　that　iron　mouth。

〃And　her　husband？〃　asked　he；　after　a　pause。

〃I　am　ashamed　to　have　to　tell　you；　sir；　that　the　man　still　lives。〃

〃Still　lives；　sir？〃

〃Too　true；　as　far　as　I　know。　　That　it　was　not　my　fault；　my　story　bears　me　witness。〃

〃Sir；　I　never　doubted　your　will　to　kill　him。　　Still　lives；　you　say？　Well；　so　do　rats　and　adders。　　And　now；　I　suppose；　Captain　Leigh；　your　worship　is　minded　to　recruit　yourself　on　shore　a　while　with　the　fair　lass　whom　you　have　brought　home　（as　I　hear）　before　having　another　dash　at　the　devil　and　his　kin！〃

〃Do　not　mention　that　young　lady's　name　with　mine；　sir；　she　is　no　more　to　me　than　she　is　to　you；　for　she　has　Spanish　blood　in　her　veins。〃

Salterne　smiled　grimly。

〃But　I　am　minded　at　least　to　do　one　thing；　Mr。　Salterne；　and　that　is；　to　kill　Spaniards；　in　fair　fight；　by　land　and　sea；　wheresoever　I　shall　meet　them。　　And；　therefore；　I　stay　not　long　here；　whithersoever　I　may　be　bound　next。〃

〃Well；　sir；　when　you　start；　come　to　me　for　a　ship；　and　the　best　I　have　is　at　your　service；　and；　if　she　do　not　suit；　command　her　to　be　fitted　as　you　like　best；　and　I；　William　Salterne；　will　pay　for　all　which　you　shall　command　to　be　done。〃

〃My　good　sir；　I　have　accounts　to　square　with　you　after　a　very　different　fashion。　　As　part…adventurer　in　the　Rose；　I　have　to　deliver　to　you　your　share　of　the　treasure　which　I　have　brought　home。〃

〃My　share；　sir？　　If　I　understood　you；　my　ship　was　lost　off　the　coast　of　the　Caracas　three　years　agone；　and　this　treasure　was　all　won　since？〃

〃True；　but　you；　as　an　adventurer　in　the　expedition；　have　a　just　claim　for　your　share；　and　will　receive　it。〃

〃Captain　Leigh；　you　are；　I　see；　as　your　father　was　before　you；　a　just　and　upright　Christian　man：　but；　sir；　this　money　is　none　of　mine；　for　it　was　won　in　no　ship　of　mine。Hear　me；　sir！　　And　if　it　had　been；　and　that　ship〃（he　could　not　speak　her　name）〃lay　safe　and　sound　now　by　Bideford　quay；　do　you　think；　sir；　that　William　Salterne　is　the　man　to　make　money　out　of　his　daughter's　sin　and　sorrow；　and　to　handle　the　price　of　blood？　　No；　sir！　　You　went　like　a　gentleman　to　seek　her；　and　like　a　gentleman；　as　all　the　world　knows；　you　have　done　your　best；　and　I　thank　you：　but　our　account　ends　there。　　The　treasure　is　yours；　sir；　I　have　enough；　and　more　than　enough；　and　none；　God　help　me；　to　leave　it　to；　but　greedy　and　needy　kin；　who　will　be　rather　the　worse　than　the　better　for　it。　And　if　I　have　a　claim　in　law　for　aughtwhich　I　know　not；　neither　shall　ever　askwhy；　if　you　are　not　too　proud；　accept　that　claim　as　a　plain　burgher's　thank…offering　to　you；　sir；　for　a　great　and　a　noble　love　which　you　and　your　brother　have　shown　to　one　who；　though　I　say　it；　to　my　shame；　was　not　worthy　thereof。〃

〃She　was　worthy　of　that　and　more；　sir。　　For　if　she　sinned　like　a　woman；　she　died　like　a　saint。〃

〃Yes；　sir！〃　answered　the　old　man；　with　a　proud　smile；　〃she　had　the　right　English　blood　in　her；　I　doubt　not；　and　showed　it　at　the　last。　But　now；　sir；　no　more　of　this。　　When　you　need　a　ship；　mine　is　at　your　service；　till　then；　sir；　farewell；　and　God　be　with　you。〃

And　the　old　man　rose；　and　with　an　unmoved　countenance；　bowed　Amyas　to　the　door。　　Amyas　went　back　and　told　Cary；　bidding　him　take　half　of　Salterne's　gift：　but　Cary　swore　a　great　oath　that　he　would　have　none　of　it。

〃Heir　of　Clovelly；　Amyas；　and　want　to　rob　you？　　I　who　have　lost　nothing；you　who　have　lost　a　brother！　　God　forbid　that　I　should　ever　touch　a　farthing　beyond　my　original　share！〃

That　evening　a　messenger　from　Bideford　came　running　breathless　up　to　Burrough　Court。　　The　authorities　wanted　Amyas's　immediate　attendance；　for　he　was　one　of　the　last；　it　seemed；　who　had　seen　Mr。　Salterne　alive。

Salterne　had　gone　over；　as　soon　as　Amyas　departed；　to　an　old　acquaintance；　signed　and　sealed　his　will　in　their　presence　with　a　firm　and　cheerful　countenance；　refusing　all　condolence；　and　then　gone　home；　and　locked　himself　into　Rose's　room。　　Supper…time　came；　and　he　did　not　appear。　　The　apprentices　could　not　make　him　answer；　and　at　last　called　in　the　neighbors；　and　forced　the　door。　　Salterne　was　kneeling　by　his　daughter's　bed；　his　head　was　upon　the　coverlet；　his　Prayer…book　was　open　before　him　at　the　Burial　Service；　his　hands　were　clasped　in　supplication；　but　he　was　dead　and　cold。

His　will　lay　by　him。　　He　had　left　all　his　property　among　his　poor　relations；　saving　and　excepting　all　money；　etc。；　due　to　him　as　owner　and　part…adventurer　of　the　ship　Rose；　and　his　new　bark　of　three　hundred　tons　burden；　now　lying　East…the…water；　all　which　was　bequeathed　to　Captain　Amyas　Leigh；　on　condition　that　he　should　re…　christen　that　bark　the　Vengeance；fit　her　out　with　part　of　the　treasure；　and　with　her　sail　once　more　against　the　Spaniard；　before　three　years　were　past。

And　this　was　the　end　of　William　Salterne；　merchant。



CHAPTER　XXIX

HOW　THE　VIRGINIA　FLEET　WAS　STOPPED　BY　THE　QUEEN'S　COMMAND


〃The　daughter　of　debate；　　　　That　discord　still　doth　sow；　Shall　reap　no　gain　where　former　rule　　　　Hath　taught　still　peace　to　grow。　No　foreign　banish'd　wight　　　　Shall　anker　in　this　port　Our　realm　it　brooks　no　stranger's　force；　　　　Let　them　elsewhere　resort。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　QU。　ELIZABETH。　1569。


And　now　Amyas　is　settled　quietly　at　home　again；　and　for　the　next　twelve　months　little　passes　worthy　of　record　in　these　pages。　　Yeo　has　installed　himself　as　major　domo；　with　no　very　definite　functions；　save　those　of　walking　about　everywhere　at　Amyas's　heels　like　a　lank　gray　wolf…hound；　and　spending　his　evenings　at　the　fireside；　as　a　true　old　sailor　does；　with　his　Bible　on　his　knee；　and　his　hands　busy　in　manufacturing　numberless　nicknacks；　useful　and　useless；　for　every　member　of　the　family；　and　above　all　for　Ayacanora；　whom　he　insults　every　week　by　humbly　offering　some　toy　only　fit　for　a　child；　at　which　she　pouts；　and　is　reproved　by　Mrs。　Leigh；　and　then　takes　the　gift；　and　puts　it　away　never　to　look　at　it　again。　　For　her　whole　soul　is　set　upon　being　an　English　maid；　and　she　runs　about　all　day　long　after　Mrs。　Leigh；　insisting　upon　learning　the　mysteries　of　the　kitchen　and　the　still…room；　and；　above　all；　the　art　of　making　clothes　for　herself；　and　at　last　for　everybody　in　Northam。　　For　first；　she　will　be　a　good　housewife；　like　Mrs。　Leigh；　and　next　a　new　idea　has　dawned　on　her：　that　of　helping　others。　　To　the　boundless　hospitality　of　the　savage　she　has　been　of　course　accustomed：　but　to　give　to　those　who　can　give　nothing　in　return；　is　a　new　thought。　　She　sees　Mrs。　Leigh　spending　every　spare　hour　in　working　for　the　poor；　and　visiting　them　in　their　cottages。　　She　sees　Amyas；　after　public　thanks　in　church　for　his　safe　return；　giving　away　money；　food；　what　not；　in　Northam；　Appledore；　and　Bideford；　buying　cottages　and　making　them　almshouses　for　worn…out　mariners；　and　she　is　told　that　this　is　his　thank…　offering　to　God。　　She　is　puzzled；　her　notion　of　a　thank…offering　was　rather　that　of　the　Indians；　and　indeed　of　the　Spaniards；　sacrifices　of　human　victims；　and　the　bedizenment　of　the　Great　Spirit's　sanctuary　with　their　skulls　and　bones。　　Not　that　Amyas；　as　a　plain　old…fashioned　churchman；　was　unmindful　of　the　good　old　instinctive　rule；　that　something　should　be　given　to　the　Church　itself；　for　the　vicar　of　Northam　was　soon　resplendent　with　a　new　surplice；　and　what　was　more；　the　altar　with　a　splendid　flagon　and　salver　of　plate　（lost；　I　suppose；　in　the　civil　wars）　which　had　been　taken　in　the　great　galleon。　　Ayacanora　could　understand　that：　but　the　almsgiving　she　could　not；　till　Mrs。　Leigh　told　her；　in　her　simple　way；　that　whosoever　gave　to　the　poor；　gave　to　the　Great　Spirit；　for　the　Great　Spirit　was　in　them；　and　in　Ayacanora　too；　if　she　would　be　quiet　and　listen　to　him；　instead　of　pouting；　and　stamping；　and　doing　nothing　but　what　she　liked。　　And　the　poor　child　took　in　that　new　thought　like　a　child；　and　worked　her　fingers　to　the　bone　for　all　the　old　dames　in　Northam；　and　went　about　with　Mrs。　Leigh；　lovely　and　beloved；　and　looked　now　and　then　out　from　under　her　long　black　eyelashes　to　see　if　she　was　winning　a　smile　from　Amyas。　　And　on　the　day　on　which　she　won　one；　she　was　good　all　day；　and　on　the　day　on　which　she　did　not；　she　was　thoroughly　naughty；　and　would　have　worn　out　the　patience　of　any　soul　less　chastened　than　Mrs。　Leigh's。　　But　as　for　the　pomp　and　glory　of　her　dress；　there　was　no　keeping　it　within　bounds；　and　she　swept　into　church　each　Sunday　bedizened　in　Spanish　finery；　with　such　a　blaze　and　rustle；　that　the　good　vicar　had　to　remonstrate　humbly　with　Mrs。　Leigh　on　the　disturbance　which　she　caused　to　the　eyes　and　thoughts　of　all　his　congregation。　　To　which　Ayacanora　answered；　that　she　was　not　thinking　about　them；　and　they　need　not　think　about　her；　and　that　if　the　Piache　（in　plain　English；　the　conjuror）；　as　she　supposed；　wanted　a　present；　he　might　have　al