westward ho-第151节

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〃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　the　heather；　while　the　bees　hummed　round　them　in　the　sun；　and　Amyas　felt　for　a　hand　of　each；　and　clasped　it　in　his　own　hand；　and　began：

〃When　you　left　me　there　upon　the　rock；　lads；　I　looked　away　and　out　to　sea；　to　get　one　last　snuff　of　the　merry　sea…breeze；　which　will　never　sail　me　again。　　And　as　I　looked；　I　tell　you　truth；　I　could　see　the　water　and　the　sky；　as　plain　as　ever　I　saw　them；　till　I　thought　my　sight　was　come　again。　　But　soon　I　knew　it　was　not　so；　for　I　saw　more　than　man　could　see；　right　over　the　ocean；　as　I　live；　and　away　to　the　Spanish　Main。　　And　I　saw　Barbados；　and　Grenada；　and　all　the　isles　that　we　ever　sailed　by；　and　La　Guayra　in　Caracas；　and　the　Silla；　and　the　house　beneath　it　where　she　lived。　　And　I　saw　him　walking　with　her　on　the　barbecue；　and　he　loved　her　then。　　I　saw　what　I　saw；　and　he　loved　her；　and　I　say　he　loves　her　still。

〃Then　I　saw　the　cliffs　beneath　me；　and　the　Gull…rock；　and　the　Shutter；　and　the　Ledge；　I　saw　them；　William　Cary；　and　the　weeds　beneath　the　merry　blue　sea。　　And　I　saw　the　grand　old　galleon；　Will；　she　has　righted　with　the　sweeping　of　the　tide。　　She　lies　in　fifteen　fathoms；　at　the　edge　of　the　rocks；　upon　the　sand；　and　her　men　are　all　lying　around　her；　asleep　until　the　judgment…day。〃

Cary　and　Jack　looked　at　him；　and　then　at　each　other。　　His　eyes　were　clear；　and　bright；　and　full　of　meaning；　and　yet　they　knew　that　he　was　blind。　　His　voice　was　shaping　itself　into　a　song。　　Was　he　inspired？　　Insane？　　What　was　it？　　And　they　listened　with　awe…struck　faces；　as　the　giant　pointed　down　into　the　blue　depths　far　below；　and　went　on。

〃And　I　saw　him　sitting　in　his　cabin；　like　a　valiant　gentleman　of　Spain；　and　his　officers　were　sitting　round　him；　with　their　swords　upon　the　table　at　the　wine。　　And　the　prawns　and　the　crayfish　and　the　rockling；　they　swam　in　and　out　above　their　heads：　but　Don　Guzman　he　never　heeded；　but　sat　still；　and　drank　his　wine。　　Then　he　took　a　locket　from　his　bosom；　and　I　heard　him　speak；　Will；　and　he　said：　'Here's　the　picture　of　my　fair　and　true　lady；　drink　to　her；　senors　all。'　　Then　he　spoke　to　me；　Will；　and　called　me；　right　up　through　the　oar…weed　and　the　sea：　'We　have　had　a　fair　quarrel；　senor；　it　is　time　to　be　friends　once　more。　　My　wife　and　your　brother　have　forgiven　me；　so　your　honor　takes　no　stain。'　　And　I　answered；　'We　are　friends；　Don　Guzman；　God　has　judged　our　quarrel　and　not　we。'　　Then　he　said；　'I　sinned；　and　I　am　punished。'　　And　I　said；　'And；　senor；　so　am　I。'　　Then　he　held　out　his　hand　to　me；　Cary；　and　I　stooped　to　take　it；　and　awoke。〃

He　ceased：　and　they　looked　in　his　face　again。　　It　was　exhausted；　but　clear　and　gentle；　like　the　face　of　a　new…born　babe。　　Gradually　his　head　dropped　upon　his　breast　again；　he　was　either　swooning　or　sleeping；　and　they　had　much　ado　to　get　him　home。　　There　he　lay　for　eight…and…forty　hours；　in　a　quiet　doze；　then　arose　suddenly；　called　for　food；　ate　heartily；　and　seemed；　saving　his　eyesight；　as　whole　and　sound　as　ever。　　The　surgeon　bade　them　get　him　home　to　Northam　as　soon　as　possible；　and　he　was　willing　enough　to　go。　　So　the　next　day　the　Vengeance　sailed；　leaving　behind　a　dozen　men　to　seize　and　keep　in　the　queen's　name　any　goods　which　should　be　washed　up　from　the　wreck。



CHAPTER　XXXIII

HOW　AMYAS　LET　THE　APPLE　FALL


〃Would　you　hear　a　Spanish　lady；　　　　How　she　woo'd　an　Englishman？　Garments　gay　and　rich　as　may　be；　　　　Deck'd　with　jewels　had　she　on。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Elizabethan　Ballad。


It　was　the　first　of　October。　　The　morning　was　bright　and　still；　the　skies　were　dappled　modestly　from　east　to　west　with　soft　gray　autumn　cloud；　as　if　all　heaven　and　earth　were　resting　after　those　fearful　summer　months　of　battle　and　of　storm。　　Silently；　as　if　ashamed　and　sad；　the　Vengeance　slid　over　the　bar；　and　passed　the　sleeping　sand…　hills　and　dropped　her　anchor　off　Appledore；　with　her　flag　floating　half…mast　high；　for　the　corpse　of　Salvation　Yeo　was　on　board。

A　boat　pulled　off　from　the　ship；　and　away　to　the　western　end　of　the　strand；　and　Cary　and　Brimblecombe　helped　out　Amyas　Leigh；　and　led　him　slowly　up　the　hill　toward　his　home。

The　crowd　clustered　round　him；　with　cheers　and　blessings；　and　sobs　of　pity　from　kind…hearted　women；　for　all　in　Appledore　and　Bideford　knew　well　by　this　time　what　had　befallen　him。

〃Spare　me；　my　good　friends；〃　said　Amyas；　〃I　have　landed　here　that　I　might　go　quietly　home；　without　passing　through　the　town；　and　being　made　a　gazing…stock。　　Think　not　of　me；　good　folks；　nor　talk　of　me；　but　come　behind　me　decently；　as　Christian　men；　and　follow　to　the　grave　the　body　of　a　better　man　than　I。〃

And；　as　he　spoke；　another　boat　came　off；　and　in　it；　covered　with　the　flag　of　England；　the　body　of　Salvation　Yeo。

The　people　took　Amyas　at　his　word；　and　a　man　was　sent　on　to　Burrough；　to　tell　Mrs。　Leigh　that　her　son　was　coming。　　When　the　coffin　was　landed　and　lifted；　Amyas　and　his　friends　took　their　places　behind　it　as　chief　mourners；　and　the　crew　followed　in　order；　while　the　crowd　fell　in　behind　them；　and　gathered　every　moment；　till　ere　they　were　halfway　to　Northam　town；　the　funeral　train　might　number　full　five　hundred　souls。

They　had　sent　over　by　a　fishing…skiff　the　day　before　to　bid　the　sexton　dig　the　grave；　and　when　they　came　into　the　churchyard；　the　parson　stood　ready　waiting　at　the　gate。

Mrs。　Leigh　stayed　quietly　at　home；　for　she　had　no　heart　to　face　the　crowd；　and　though　her　heart　yearned　for　her　son；　yet　she　was　well　content　（when　was　she　not　content？）　that　he　should　do　honor　to　his　ancient　and　faithful　servant；　so　she　sat　down　in　the　bay…window；　with　Ayacanora　by　her　side；　and　when　the　tolling　of　the　bell　ceased；　she　opened　her　Prayer…book；　and　began　to　read　the　Burial…　service。

〃Ayacanora；〃　she　said；　〃they　are　burying　old　Master　Yeo；　who　loved　you；　and　sought　you　over　the　wide；　wide　world；　and　saved　you　from　the　teeth　of　the　crocodile。　　Are　you　not　sorry　for　him；　child；　that　you　look　so　gay　to…day？〃

Ayacanora　blushed；　and　hung　down　her　head；　she　was　thinking　of　nothing；　poor　child；　but　Amyas。

The　Burial…service　was　done；　the　blessing　said；　the　parson　drew　back：　but　the　people　lingered　and　crowded　round　to　look　at　the　coffin；　while　Amyas　stood　still　at　the　head　of　the　grave。　　It　had　been　dug　by　his　command；　at　the　west　end　of　the　church；　near　by　the　foot　of　the　tall　gray　windswept　tower；　which　watches　for　a　beacon　far　and　wide　over　land　and　sea。　　Perhaps　the　old　man　might　like　to　look　at　the　sea；　and　see　the　ships　come　out　and　in　across　the　bar；　and　hear　the　wind；　on　winter　nights；　roar　through　the　belfry　far　above　his　head。　　Why　not？　　It　was　but　a　fancy：　and　yet　Amyas　felt　that　he　too　should　like　to　be　buried　in　such　a　place；　so　Yeo　might　like　it　also。

Still　the　crowd　lingered；　and　looked　first　at　the　grave　and　then　at　the　blind　giant　who　stood　over　it；　as　if　they　felt；　by　instinct；　that　something　more　ought　to　come。　　And　something　more　did　come。　Amyas　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　and　waved　his　hand　majestically；　as　one　about　to　speak；　while　the　eyes　of　all　men　were　fastened　on　him。

Twice　he　essayed　to　begin；　and　twice　the　words　were　choked　upon　his　lips；　and　then；

〃Good　people　all；　and　seamen；　among　whom　I　was　bred；　and　to　whom　I　come　home　blind　this　day；　to　dwell　with　you　till　deathHere　lieth　the　flower　and　pattern　of　all　bold　mariners；　the　truest　of　friends；　and　the　most　terrible　of　foes；　unchangeable　of　purpose；　crafty　of　council；　and　swift　of　execution；　in　triumph　most　sober；　in　failure　（as　God　knows　I　have　found　full　many　a　day）　of　endurance　beyond　mortal　man。　　Who　first　of　all　Britons　helped　to　humble　the　pride　of　the　Spaniard　at　Rio　de　la　Hacha　and　Nombre；　and　first　of　all　sailed　upon　those　South　Seas；　which　shall　be　hereafter；　by　God's　grace；　as　free　to　English　keels　as　is　the　bay　outside。　　Who　having　afterwards　been　purged　from　his　youthful　sins　by　strange　afflictions　and　torments　unspeakable；　suffered　at　the　hands　of　the　Popish　enemy；　learned　therefrom；　my　masters；　to　fear　God；　and　to　fear　naught　else；　and　having　acquitted　himself　worthily　in　his　place　and　calling　as　a　righteous　scourge　of　the　Spaniard；　and　a　faithful　soldier　of　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　is　now　exalted　to　his　reward；　as　Elijah　was　of　old；　in　a　chariot　of　fire　unto　heaven：　letting　fall；　I　trust　and　pray；　upon　you　who　are　left　behind　the　mantle　of　his　valor　and　his　godliness；　that　so　these　shores　may　never　be　without　brave　and　pious　mariners；　who　will　count　their　lives　as　worthless　in　the　cause　of　their　Country；　their　Bible；　and　their　Queen。　Amen。〃

And　feeling　for　his　companions'　hands　he　walked　slowly　from　the　churchyard；　and　across　the　village　street；　and　up　the　lane　to　Burrough　gates；　while　the　crowd　made　way　for　him　in　solemn　silence；　as　for　an　awful　being；　shut　up　alone　with　all　his　strength；　valor；　and　fame；　in　the　dark　prison…house　of　his　mysterious　doom。

He　seemed　to　know　perfectly　when　they　had　reached　the　gates；　opened　the　lock　with　his　own　hands；　and　went　boldly　forward　along　the　gravel　path；　while　Cary　and　Brimblecombe　followed　him　trembling；　for　they　expected　some　violent　burst　of　emotion；　either　from　him　or　his　mother；　and　the　two　good　fellows'　ten