westward ho-第147节

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d　steel。　　A　day　of　judgment　has　come；　which　has　divided　the　light　from　the　darkness；　and　the　sheep　from　the　goats；　and　tried　each　man's　work　by　the　fire；　and；　behold；　the　devil's　work；　like　its　maker；　is　proved　to　have　been；　as　always；　a　lie　and　a　sham；　and　a　windy　boast；　a　bladder　which　collapses　at　the　merest　pinprick。　　Byzantine　empires；　Spanish　Armadas；　triple…　crowned　papacies；　Russian　despotisms；　this　is　the　way　of　them；　and　will　be　to　the　end　of　the　world。　　One　brave　blow　at　the　big　bullying　phantom；　and　it　vanishes　in　sulphur…stench；　while　the　children　of　Israel；　as　of　old；　see　the　Egyptians　dead　on　the　sea…　shore；they　scarce　know　how；　save　that　God　has　done　it；　and　sing　the　song　of　Moses　and　of　the　Lamb。

And　now；　from　England　and　the　Netherlands；　from　Germany　and　Geneva；　and　those　poor　Vaudois　shepherd…saints；　whose　bones　for　generations　past


　　　　　〃Lie　scattered　on　the　Alpine　mountains　cold；〃


to　be；　indeed；　the　seed　of　the　Church；　and　a　germ　of　new　life；　liberty；　and　civilization；　even　in　these　very　days　returning　good　for　evil　to　that　Piedmont　which　has　hunted　them　down　like　the　partridges　on　the　mountains；from　all　of　Europe；　from　all　of　mankind；　I　had　almost　said；　in　which　lay　the　seed　of　future　virtue　and　greatness；　of　the　destinies　of　the　new…discovered　world；　and　the　triumphs　of　the　coming　age　of　science；　arose　a　shout　of　holy　joy；　such　as　the　world　had　not　heard　for　many　a　weary　and　bloody　century；　a　shout　which　was　the　prophetic　birth…paean　of　North　America；　Australia；　New　Zealand；　the　Pacific　Islands；　of　free　commerce　and　free　colonization　over　the　whole　earth。

〃There　was　in　England；　by　the　commandment　of　her　majesty；〃　says　Van　Meteran；　〃and　likewise　in　the　United　Provinces；　by　the　direction　of　the　States；　a　solemn　festival　day　publicly　appointed；　wherein　all　persons　were　solemnly　enjoined　to　resort　unto　ye　Church；　and　there　to　render　thanks　and　praises　unto　God；　and　ye　preachers　were　commanded　to　exhort　ye　people　thereunto。　　The　aforesaid　solemnity　was　observed　upon　the　29th　of　November：　which　day　was　wholly　spent　in　fasting；　prayer；　and　giving　of　thanks。

〃Likewise　the　Queen's　Majesty　herself；　imitating　ye　ancient　Romans；　rode　into　London　in　triumph；　in　regard　of　her　own　and　her　subjects'　glorious　deliverance。　　For　being　attended　upon　very　solemnly　by　all　ye　principal　Estates　and　officers　of　her　Realm；　she　was　carried　through　her　said　City　of　London　in　a　triumphant　Chariot；　and　in　robes　of　triumph；　from　her　Palace　unto　ye　said　Cathedral　Church　of　St。　Paul；　out　of　ye　which　ye　Ensigns　and　Colours　of　ye　vanquished　Spaniards　hung　displayed。　　And　all　ye　Citizens　of　London；　in　their　liveries；　stood　on　either　side　ye　street；　by　their　several　Companies；　with　their　ensigns　and　banners；　and　the　streets　were　hanged　on　both　sides　with　blue　Cloth；　which；　together　with　ye　foresaid　banners；　yielded　a　very　stately　and　gallant　prospect。　　Her　Majestie　being　entered　into　ye　Church　together　with　her　Clergy　and　Nobles；　gave　thanks　unto　God；　and　caused　a　public　Sermon　to　be　preached　before　her　at　Paul's　Cross；　wherein　none　other　argument　was　handled；　but　that　praise；　honour；　and　glory　might　be　rendered　unto　God；　and　that　God's　Name　might　be　extolled　by　thanksgiving。　And　with　her　own　princely　voice　she　most　Christianly　exhorted　ye　people　to　do　ye　same；　whereunto　ye　people；　with　a　loud　acclamation；　wished　her　a　most　long　and　happy　life　to　ye　confusion　of　her　foes。〃

Yes；　as　the　medals　struck　on　the　occasion　said；　〃It　came；　it　saw；　and　it　fled！〃　　And　whither？　　Away　and　northward；　like　a　herd　of　frightened　deer；　past　the　Orkneys　and　Shetlands；　catching　up　a　few　hapless　fishermen　as　guides；　past　the　coast　of　Norway；　there；　too；　refused　water　and　food　by　the　brave　descendants　of　the　Vikings；　and　on　northward　ever　towards　the　lonely　Faroes；　and　the　everlasting　dawn　which　heralds　round　the　Pole　the　midnight　sun。

Their　water　is　failing；　the　cattle　must　go　overboard；　and　the　wild　northern　sea　echoes　to　the　shrieks　of　drowning　horses。　　They　must　homeward　at　least；　somehow；　each　as　best　he　can。　　Let　them　meet　again　at　Cape　Finisterre；　if　indeed　they　ever　meet。　　Medina　Sidonia；　with　some　five…and　twenty　of　the　soundest　and　best　victualled　ships；　will　lead　the　way；　and　leave　the　rest　to　their　fate。　　He　is　soon　out　of　sight；　and　forty　more；　the　only　remnant　of　that　mighty　host；　come　wandering　wearily　behind；　hoping　to　make　the　south…west　coast　of　Ireland；　and　have　help；　or；　at　least；　fresh　water　there；　from　their　fellow　Romanists。　　Alas　for　them！


　　　　　〃Make　Thou　their　way　dark　and　slippery；　　　　　　　And　follow　them　up　ever　with　Thy　storm。〃


For　now　comes　up　from　the　Atlantic；　gale　on　gale；　and　few　of　that　hapless　remnant　reached　the　shores　of　Spain。

And　where　are　Amyas　and　the　Vengeance　all　this　while？

At　the　fifty…seventh　degree　of　latitude；　the　English　fleet；　finding　themselves　growing　short　of　provision；　and　having　been　long　since　out　of　powder　and　ball；　turn　southward　toward　home；　〃thinking　it　best　to　leave　the　Spaniard　to　those　uncouth　and　boisterous　northern　seas。〃　　A　few　pinnaces　are　still　sent　onward　to　watch　their　course：　and　the　English　fleet；　caught　in　the　same　storms　which　scattered　the　Spaniards；　〃with　great　danger　and　industry　reached　Harwich　port；　and　there　provide　themselves　of　victuals　and　ammunition；〃　in　case　the　Spaniards　should　return；　but　there　is　no　need　for　that　caution。　　Parma；　indeed；　who　cannot　believe　that　the　idol　at　Halle；　after　all　his　compliments　to　it；　will　play　him　so　scurvy　a　trick；　will　watch　for　weeks　on　Dunkirk　dunes；　hoping　against　hope　for　the　Armada's　return；　casting　anchors；　and　spinning　rigging　to　repair　their　losses。


　　　　　〃But　lang；　lang　may　his　ladies　sit；　　　　　　　　　With　their　fans　intill　their　hand；　　　　　　　Before　they　see　Sir　Patrick　Spens　　　　　　　　　Come　sailing　to　the　land。〃


The　Armada　is　away　on　the　other　side　of　Scotland；　and　Amyas　is　following　in　its　wake。

For　when　the　lord　high　admiral　determined　to　return；　Amyas　asked　leave　to　follow　the　Spaniard；　and　asked；　too；　of　Sir　John　Hawkins；　who　happened　to　be　at　hand；　such　ammunition　and　provision　as　could　be　afforded　him；　promising　to　repay　the　same　like　an　honest　man；　out　of　his　plunder　if　he　lived；　out　of　his　estate　if　he　died；　lodging　for　that　purpose　bills　in　the　hands　of　Sir　John；　who；　as　a　man　of　business；　took　them；　and　put　them　in　his　pocket　among　the　thimbles；　string；　and　tobacco；　after　which　Amyas；　calling　his　men　together；　reminded　them　once　more　of　the　story　of　the　Rose　of　Torridge　and　Don　Guzman　de　Soto；　and　then　asked：

〃Men　of　Bideford；　will　you　follow　me？　　There　will　be　plunder　for　those　who　love　plunder；　revenge　for　those　who　love　revenge；　and　for　all　of　us　（for　we　all　love　honor）　the　honor　of　having　never　left　the　chase　as　long　as　there　was　a　Spanish　flag　in　English　seas。〃

And　every　soul　on　board　replied；　that　they　would　follow　Sir　Amyas　Leigh　around　the　world。

There　is　no　need　for　me　to　detail　every　incident　of　that　long　and　weary　chase；　how　they　found　the　Sta。　Catharina；　attacked　her；　and　had　to　sheer　off；　she　being　rescued　by　the　rest；　how　when　Medina's　squadron　left　the　crippled　ships　behind；　they　were　all　but　taken　or　sunk；　by　thrusting　into　the　midst　of　the　Spanish　fleet　to　prevent　her　escaping　with　Medina；　how　they　crippled　her；　so　that　she　could　not　beat　to　windward　out　into　the　ocean；　but　was　fain　to　run　south；　past　the　Orkneys；　and　down　through　the　Minch；　between　Cape　Wrath　and　Lewis；　how　the　younger　hands　were　ready　to　mutiny；　because　Amyas；　in　his　stubborn　haste；　ran　past　two　or　three　noble　prizes　which　were　all　but　disabled；　among　others　one　of　the　great　galliasses；　and　the　two　great　Venetians；　La　Ratta　and　La　Belanzara　which　were　afterwards；　with　more　than　thirty　other　vessels；　wrecked　on　the　west　coast　of　Ireland；　how　he　got　fresh　water；　in　spite　of　certain　〃Hebridean　Scots〃　of　Skye；　who；　after　reviling　him　in　an　unknown　tongue；　fought　with　him　awhile；　and　then　embraced　him　and　his　men　with　howls　of　affection；　and　were　not　much　more　decently　clad；　nor　more　civilized；　than　his　old　friends　of　California；　how　he　pacified　his　men　by　letting　them　pick　the　bones　of　a　great　Venetian　which　was　going　on　shore　upon　Islay　（by　which　they　got　booty　enough　to　repay　them　for　the　whole　voyage）；　and　offended　them　again　by　refusing　to　land　and　plunder　two　great　Spanish　wrecks　on　the　Mull　of　Cantire　（whose　crews；　by　the　by；　James　tried　to　smuggle　off　secretly　into　Spain　in　ships　of　his　own；　wishing　to　play；　as　usual；　both　sides　of　the　game　at　once；　but　the　Spaniards　were　stopped　at　Yarmouth　till　the　council's　pleasure　was　knownwhich　was；　of　course；　to　let　the　poor　wretches　go　on　their　way；　and　be　hanged　elsewhere）；　how　they　passed　a　strange　island；　half　black；　half　white；　which　the　wild　people　called　Raghary；　but　Cary　christened　it　〃the　drowned　magpie；〃　how　the　Sta。　Catharina　was　near　lost　on　the　Isle　of　Man；　and　then　put　into　Castleton　（where　the　Manx…men　slew　a　whole　boat's…crew　with　their　arrows）；　and　then　put　out　again；　when　Amyas　fought　with　her　a　whole　day；　and　shot　away　her　mainyard；　how　the　Spaniard　blundered　down　the　coast　of　Wales；　not　knowing　whither　he　went；　how　they　were　both　nearly　lost　on　Holyhead；　and　again　on　Bardsey　Island；　how　they　got　on　a　lee　shore　in　Cardigan　Bay；　before　a　hea