westward ho-第150节

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s　he　shrieked　again　and　again；　was　a　just　judgment　on　him　for　his　wilfulness　and　ferocity。　　The　surgeon　talked；　of　course；　learnedly　about　melancholic　humors；　and　his　liver's　being　〃adust　by　the　over…　pungency　of　the　animal　spirits；〃　and　then　fell　back　on　the　universal　panacea　of　blood…letting；　which　he　effected　with　fear　and　trembling　during　a　short　interval　of　prostration；　encouraged　by　which　he　attempted　to　administer　a　large　bolus　of　aloes；　was　knocked　down　for　his　pains；　and　then　thought　it　better　to　leave　Nature　to　her　own　work。　　In　the　meanwhile；　Cary　had　sent　off　one　of　the　island　skiffs　to　Clovelly；　with　letters　to　his　father；　and　to　Mrs。　Leigh；　entreating　the　latter　to　come　off　to　the　island：　but　the　heavy　westerly　winds　made　that　as　impossible　as　it　was　to　move　Amyas　on　board；　and　the　men　had　to　do　their　best；　and　did　it　well　enough。

On　the　fourth　day　his　raving　ceased：　but　he　was　still　too　weak　to　be　moved。　　Toward　noon；　however；　he　called　for　food；　ate　a　little；　and　seemed　revived。

〃Will；〃　he　said；　after　awhile；　〃this　room　is　as　stifling　as　it　is　dark。　　I　feel　as　if　I　should　be　a　sound　man　once　more　if　I　could　but　get　one　snuff　of　the　sea…breeze。〃

The　surgeon　shook　his　head　at　the　notion　of　moving　him：　but　Amyas　was　peremptory。

〃I　am　captain　still；　Tom　Surgeon；　and　will　sail　for　the　Indies；　if　I　choose。　　Will　Cary；　Jack　Brimblecombe；　will　you　obey　a　blind　general？〃

〃What　you　will　in　reason；〃　said　they　both　at　once。

〃Then　lead　me　out；　my　masters；　and　over　the　down　to　the　south　end。　To　the　point　at　the　south　end　I　must　go；　there　is　no　other　place　will　suit。〃

And　he　rose　firmly　to　his　feet；　and　held　out　his　hands　for　theirs。

〃Let　him　have　his　humor；〃　whispered　Cary。　　〃It　may　be　the　working　off　of　his　madness。〃

〃This　sudden　strength　is　a　note　of　fresh　fever；　Mr。　Lieutenant；〃　said　the　surgeon；　〃and　the　rules　of　the　art　prescribe　rather　a　fresh　blood…letting。〃

Amyas　overheard　the　last　word；　and　broke　out：

〃Thou　pig…sticking　Philistine；　wilt　thou　make　sport　with　blind　Samson？　　Come　near　me　to　let　blood　from　my　arm；　and　see　if　I　do　not　let　blood　from　thy　coxcomb。　　Catch　him；　Will；　and　bring　him　me　here！〃

The　surgeon　vanished　as　the　blind　giant　made　a　step　forward；　and　they　set　forth；　Amyas　walking　slowly；　but　firmly；　between　his　two　friends。

〃Whither？〃　asked　Cary。

〃To　the　south　end。　　The　crag　above　the　Devil's…limekiln。　　No　other　place　will　suit。〃

Jack　gave　a　murmur；　and　half…stopped；　as　a　frightful　suspicion　crossed　him。

〃That　is　a　dangerous　place！〃

〃What　of　that？〃　said　Amyas；　who　caught　his　meaning　in　his　tone。　〃Dost　think　I　am　going　to　leap　over　cliff？　　I　have　not　heart　enough　for　that。　　On；　lads；　and　set　me　safe　among　the　rocks。〃

So　slowly；　and　painfully；　they　went　on；　while　Amyas　murmured　to　himself：

〃No；　no　other　place　will　suit；　I　can　see　all　thence。〃

So　on　they　went　to　the　point；　where　the　cyclopean　wall　of　granite　cliff　which　forms　the　western　side　of　Lundy；　ends　sheer　in　a　precipice　of　some　three　hundred　feet；　topped　by　a　pile　of　snow…　white　rock；　bespangled　with　golden　lichens。　　As　they　approached；　a　raven；　who　sat　upon　the　topmost　stone；　black　against　the　bright　blue　sky；　flapped　lazily　away；　and　sank　down　the　abysses　of　the　cliff；　as　if　he　scented　the　corpses　underneath　the　surge。　　Below　them　from　the　Gull…rock　rose　a　thousand　birds；　and　filled　the　air　with　sound；　the　choughs　cackled；　the　hacklets　wailed；　the　great　blackbacks　laughed　querulous　defiance　at　the　intruders；　and　a　single　falcon；　with　an　angry　bark；　dashed　out　from　beneath　their　feet；　and　hung　poised　high　aloft；　watching　the　sea…fowl　which　swung　slowly　round　and　round　below。

It　was　a　glorious　sight　upon　a　glorious　day。　　To　the　northward　the　glens　rushed　down　toward　the　cliff；　crowned　with　gray　crags；　and　carpeted　with　purple　heather　and　green　fern；　and　from　their　feet　stretched　away　to　the　westward　the　sapphire　rollers　of　the　vast　Atlantic；　crowned　with　a　thousand　crests　of　flying　foam。　　On　their　left　hand；　some　ten　miles　to　the　south；　stood　out　against　the　sky　the　purple　wall　of　Hartland　cliffs；　sinking　lower　and　lower　as　they　trended　away　to　the　southward　along　the　lonely　ironbound　shores　of　Cornwall；　until　they　faded；　dim　and　blue；　into　the　blue　horizon　forty　miles　away。

The　sky　was　flecked　with　clouds；　which　rushed　toward　them　fast　upon　the　roaring　south…west　wind；　and　the　warm　ocean…breeze　swept　up　the　cliffs；　and　whistled　through　the　heather…bells；　and　howled　in　cranny　and　in　crag；


　　　　　〃Till　the　pillars　and　clefts　of　the　granite　　　　　　　　　Rang　like　a　God…swept　lyre；〃


while　Amyas；　a　proud　smile　upon　his　lips；　stood　breasting　that　genial　stream　of　airy　wine　with　swelling　nostrils　and　fast…heaving　chest；　and　seemed　to　drink　in　life　from　every　gust。　　All　three　were　silent　for　awhile；　and　Jack　and　Cary；　gazing　downward　with　delight　upon　the　glory　and　the　grandeur　of　the　sight；　forgot　for　awhile　that　their　companion　saw　it　not。　　Yet　when　they　started　sadly；　and　looked　into　his　face；　did　he　not　see　it？　　So　wide　and　eager　were　his　eyes；　so　bright　and　calm　his　face；　that　they　fancied　for　an　instant　that　he　was　once　more　even　as　they。

A　deep　sigh　undeceived　them。　　〃I　know　it　is　all　herethe　dear　old　sea；　where　I　would　live　and　die。　　And　my　eyes　feel　for　it；　feel　for　itand　cannot　find　it；　never；　never　will　find　it　again　forever！　God's　will　be　done！〃

〃Do　you　say　that？〃　asked　Brimblecombe；　eagerly。

〃Why　should　I　not？　　Why　have　I　been　raving　in　hell…fire　for　I　know　not　how　many　days；　but　to　find　out　that；　John　Brimblecombe；　thou　better　man　than　I？〃

〃Not　that　last：　but　Amen！　Amen！　and　the　Lord　has　indeed　had　mercy　upon　thee！〃　said　Jack；　through　his　honest　tears。

〃Amen！〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Now　set　me　where　I　can　rest　among　the　rocks　without　fear　of　fallingfor　life　is　sweet　still；　even　without　eyes；　friendsand　leave　me　to　myself　awhile。〃

It　was　no　easy　matter　to　find　a　safe　place；　for　from　the　foot　of　the　crag　the　heathery　turf　slopes　down　all　but　upright；　on　one　side　to　a　cliff　which　overhangs　a　shoreless　cove　of　deep　dark　sea；　and　on　the　other　to　an　abyss　even　more　hideous；　where　the　solid　rock　has　sunk　away；　and　opened　inland　in　the　hillside　a　smooth…walled　pit；　some　sixty　feet　square　and　some　hundred　and　fifty　in　depth；　aptly　known　then　as　now；　as　the　Devil's…limekiln；　the　mouth　of　which；　as　old　wives　say；　was　once　closed　by　the　Shutter…rock　itself；　till　the　fiend　in　malice　hurled　it　into　the　sea；　to　be　a　pest　to　mariners。　　A　narrow　and　untrodden　cavern　at　the　bottom　connects　it　with　the　outer　sea；　they　could　even　then　hear　the　mysterious　thunder　and　gurgle　of　the　surge　in　the　subterranean　adit；　as　it　rolled　huge　boulders　to　and　fro　in　darkness；　and　forced　before　it　gusts　of　pent…up　air。　　It　was　a　spot　to　curdle　weak　blood；　and　to　make　weak　heads　reel：　but　all　the　fitter　on　that　account　for　Amyas　and　his　fancy。

〃You　can　sit　here　as　in　an　arm…chair；〃　said　Cary；　helping　him　down　to　one　of　those　square　natural　seats　so　common　in　the　granite　tors。

〃Good；　now　turn　my　face　to　the　Shutter。　　Be　sure　and　exact。　　So。　Do　I　face　it　full？〃

〃Full；〃　said　Cary。

〃Then　I　need　no　eyes　wherewith　to　see　what　is　before　me；〃　said　he；　with　a　sad　smile。　　〃I　know　every　stone　and　every　headland；　and　every　wave　too；　I　may　say；　far　beyond　aught　that　eye　can　reach。　Now　go；　and　leave　me　alone　with　God　and　with　the　dead！〃

They　retired　a　little　space　and　watched　him。　　He　never　stirred　for　many　minutes；　then　leaned　his　elbows　on　his　knees；　and　his　head　upon　his　hands；　and　so　was　still　again。　　He　remained　so　long　thus；　that　the　pair　became　anxious；　and　went　towards　him。　　He　was　asleep；　and　breathing　quick　and　heavily。

〃He　will　take　a　fever；〃　said　Brimblecombe；　〃if　he　sleeps　much　longer　with　his　head　down　in　the　sunshine。〃

〃We　must　wake　him　gently　if　we　wake　him　at　all。〃　　And　Cary　moved　forward　to　him。

As　he　did　so；　Amyas　lifted　his　head；　and　turning　it　to　right　and　left；　felt　round　him　with　his　sightless　eyes。

〃You　have　been　asleep；　Amyas。〃

〃Have　I？　　I　have　not　slept　back　my　eyes；　then。　　Take　up　this　great　useless　carcase　of　mine；　and　lead　me　home。　　I　shall　buy　me　a　dog　when　I　get　to　Burrough；　I　think；　and　make　him　tow　me　in　a　string；　eh？　　So！　　Give　me　your　hand。　　Now　march！〃

His　guides　heard　with　surprise　this　new　cheerfulness。

〃Thank　God；　sir；　that　your　heart　is　so　light　already；〃　said　good　Jack；　〃it　makes　me　feel　quite　upraised　myself；　like。〃

〃I　have　reason　to　be　cheerful；　Sir　John；　I　have　left　a　heavy　load　behind　me。　　I　have　been　wilful；　and　proud；　and　a　blasphemer；　and　swollen　with　cruelty　and　pride；　and　God　has　brought　me　low　for　it；　and　cut　me　off　from　my　evil　delight。　　No　more　Spaniard…hunting　for　me　now；　my　masters。　　God　will　send　no　such　fools　as　I　upon　His　errands。〃

〃You　do　not　repent　of　fighting　the　Spaniards。〃

〃Not　I：　but　of　hating　even　the　worst　of　them。　　Listen　to　me；　Will　and　Jack。　　If　that　man　wronged　me；　I　wronged　him　likewise。　　I　have　been　a　fiend　when　I　thought　myself　the　grandest　of　men；　yea；　a　very　avenging　angel　out　of　heaven。　　But　God　has　shown　me　my　sin；　and　we　have　made　up　our　quarrel　forever。〃

〃Made　it　up？〃

〃Made　it　up；　thank　God。　　But　I　am　weary。　　Set　me　down　awhile；　and　I　will　tell　you　how　it　befell。〃

Wondering；　they　set　him　down　upon