westward ho-第16节

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〃Look；　if　his　third　leg　is　not　turned　into　a　tail！　　Why　does　not　some　one　in　charity　haul　in　half…a…yard　of　his　belt　for　him？〃

It　was　too　true；　the　sword；　after　being　kicked　out　three　or　four　times　from　its　uncomfortable　post　between　his　legs；　had　returned　unconquered；　and　the　hilt　getting　a　little　too　far　back　by　reason　of　the　too　great　length　of　the　belt；　the　weapon　took　up　its　post　triumphantly　behind；　standing　out　point　in　air；　a　tail　confest；　amid　the　tittering　of　the　ostlers；　and　the　cheers　of　the　sailors。

At　last　the　poor　man；　by　dint　of　a　chair；　was　mounted　safely；　while　his　fellow…stranger；　a　burly；　coarse…looking　man；　equally　gay；　and　rather　more　handy；　made　so　fierce　a　rush　at　his　saddle；　that；　like　〃vaulting　ambition　who　o'erleaps　his　selle；〃　he　〃fell　on　t'other　side：〃　or　would　have　fallen；　had　he　not　been　brought　up　short　by　the　shoulders　of　the　ostler　at　his　off…stirrup。　　In　which　shock　off　came　hat　and　feather。

〃Pardie；　the　bulldog…faced　one　is　a　fighting　man。　　Dost　see；　Frank？　he　has　had　his　head　broken。〃

〃That　scar　came　not；　my　son；　but　by　a　pair　of　most　Catholic　and　apostolic　scissors。　　My　gentle　buzzard；　that　is　a　priest's　tonsure。〃

〃Hang　the　dog！　　O；　that　the　sailors　may　but　see　it；　and　put　him　over　the　quay　head。　　I've　a　half　mind　to　go　and　do　it　myself。〃

〃My　dear　Amyas；〃　said　Frank；　laying　two　fingers　on　his　arm；　〃these　men；　whosoever　they　are；　are　the　guests　of　our　uncle；　and　therefore　the　guests　of　our　family。　　Ham　gained　little　by　publishing　Noah's　shame；　neither　shall　we；　by　publishing　our　uncle's。〃

〃Murrain　on　you；　old　Franky；　you　never　let　a　man　speak　his　mind；　and　shame　the　devil。〃

〃I　have　lived　long　enough　in　courts；　old　Amyas；　without　a　murrain　on　you；　to　have　found　out；　first；　that　it　is　not　so　easy　to　shame　the　devil；　and　secondly；　that　it　is　better　to　outwit　him；　and　the　only　way　to　do　that；　sweet　chuck；　is　very　often　not　to　speak　your　mind　at　all。　　We　will　go　down　and　visit　them　at　Chapel　in　a　day　or　two；　and　see　if　we　cannot　serve　these　reynards　as　the　badger　did　the　fox；　when　he　found　him　in　his　hole；　and　could　not　get　him　out　by　evil　savors。〃

〃How　then？〃

〃Stuck　a　sweet　nosegay　in　the　door；　which　turned　reynard's　stomach　at　once；　and　so　overcame　evil　with　good。〃

〃Well；　thou　art　too　good　for　this　world；　that's　certain；　so　we　will　go　home　to　breakfast。　　Those　rogues　are　out　of　sight　by　now。〃

Nevertheless；　Amyas　was　not　proof　against　the　temptation　of　going　over　to　the　inn…door；　and　asking　who　were　the　gentlemen　who　went　with　Mr。　Leigh

〃Gentlemen　of　Wales；〃　said　the　ostler；　〃who　came　last　night　in　a　pinnace　from　Milford…haven；　and　their　names；　Mr。　Morgan　Evans　and　Mr。　Evan　Morgans。〃

Mr。　Judas　Iscariot　and　Mr。　Iscariot　Judas；〃　said　Amyas　between　his　teeth；　and　then　observed　aloud；　that　the　Welsh　gentlemen　seemed　rather　poor　horsemen。

〃So　I　said　to　Mr。　Leigh's　groom；　your　worship。　　But　he　says　that　those　parts　be　so　uncommon　rough　and　mountainous；　that　the　poor　gentlemen；　you　see；　being　enforced　to　hunt　on　foot；　have　no　such　opportunities　as　young　gentlemen　hereabout；　like　your　worship；　whom　God　preserve；　and　send　a　virtuous　lady；　and　one　worthy　of　you。〃

〃Thou　hast　a　villainously　glib　tongue；　fellow！〃　said　Amyas；　who　was　thoroughly　out　of　humor；　〃and　a　sneaking　down　visage　too；　when　I　come　to　look　at　you。　　I　doubt　but　you　are　a　Papist　too；　I　do！〃

〃Well；　sir！　and　what　if　I　am！　　I　trust　I　don't　break　the　queen's　laws　by　that。　　If　I　don't　attend　Northam　church；　I　pay　my　month's　shilling　for　the　use　of　the　poor；　as　the　act　directs；　and　beyond　that；　neither　you　nor　any　man　dare　demand　of　me。〃

〃Dare！　act　directs！　　You　rascally　lawyer；　you！　and　whence　does　an　ostler　like　you　get　your　shilling　to　pay　withal？　　Answer　me。〃　　The　examinate　found　it　so　difficult　to　answer　the　question；　that　he　suddenly　became　afflicted　with　deafness。

〃Do　you　hear？〃　roared　Amyas；　catching　at　him　with　his　lion's　paw。

〃Yes；　missus；　anon；　anon；　missus！〃　quoth　he　to　an　imaginary　landlady　inside；　and　twisting　under　Amyas's　hand　like　an　eel；　vanished　into　the　house；　while　Frank　got　the　hot…headed　youth　away。

〃What　a　plague　is　one　to　do；　then？　　That　fellow　was　a　Papist　spy！〃

〃Of　course　he　was！〃　said　Frank。

〃Then；　what　is　one　to　do；　if　the　whole　country　is　full　of　them？〃

〃Not　to　make　fools　of　ourselves　about　them；　and　so　leave　them　to　make　fools　of　themselves。〃

〃That's　all　very　fine：　butwell；　I　shall　remember　the　villain's　face　if　I　see　him　again。〃

〃There　is　no　harm　in　that；〃　said　Frank。

〃Glad　you　think　so。〃

〃Don't　quarrel　with　me；　Amyas；　the　first　day。〃

〃Quarrel　with　thee；　my　darling　old　fellow！　　I　had　sooner　kiss　the　dust　off　thy　feet；　if　I　were　worthy　of　it。　　So　now　away　home；　my　inside　cries　cupboard。〃

In　the　meanwhile　Messrs。　Evans　and　Morgans　were　riding　away；　as　fast　as　the　rough　by…lanes　would　let　them；　along　the　fresh　coast　of　the　bay；　steering　carefully　clear　of　Northam　town　on　the　one　hand；　and　on　the　other；　of　Portledge；　where　dwelt　that　most　Protestant　justice　of　the　peace；　Mr。　Coffin。　　And　it　was　well　for　them　that　neither　Amyas　Leigh；　nor　indeed　any　other　loyal　Englishman；　was　by　when　they　entered；　as　they　shortly　did；　the　lonely　woods　which　stretch　along　the　southern　wall　of　the　bay。　　For　there　Eustace　Leigh　pulled　up　short；　and　both　he　and　his　groom；　leaping　from　their　horses；　knelt　down　humbly　in　the　wet　grass；　and　implored　the　blessing　of　the　two　valiant　gentlemen　of　Wales；　who；　having　graciously　bestowed　it　with　three　fingers　apiece；　became　thenceforth　no　longer　Morgan　Evans　and　Evan　Morgans；　Welshmen　and　gentlemen；　but　Father　Parsons　and　Father　Gampian；　Jesuits；　and　gentlemen　in　no　sense　in　which　that　word　is　applied　in　this　book。

After　a　few　minutes；　the　party　were　again　in　motion；　ambling　steadily　and　cautiously　along　the　high　table…land；　towards　Moorwinstow　in　the　west；　while　beneath　them　on　the　right；　at　the　mouth　of　rich…wooded　glens；　opened　vistas　of　the　bright　blue　bay；　and　beyond　it　the　sandhills　of　Braunton；　and　the　ragged　rocks　of　Morte；　while　far　away　to　the　north　and　west　the　lonely　isle　of　Lundy　hung　like　a　soft　gray　cloud。

But　they　were　not　destined　to　reach　their　point　as　peaceably　as　they　could　have　wished。　　For　just　as　they　got　opposite　Clovelly　dike；　the　huge　old　Roman　encampment　which　stands　about　midway　in　their　journey；　they　heard　a　halloo　from　the　valley　below；　answered　by　a　fainter　one　far　ahead。　　At　which；　like　a　couple　of　rogues　（as　indeed　they　were）；　Father　Campian　and　Father　Parsons　looked　at　each　other；　and　then　both　stared　round　at　the　wild；　desolate；　open　pasture　（for　the　country　was　then　all　unenclosed）；　and　the　great　dark　furze…grown　banks　above　their　heads；　and　Campian　remarked　gently　to　Parsons；　that　this　was　a　very　dreary　spot；　and　likely　enough　for　robbers。

〃A　likelier　spot　for　us；　Father；〃　said　Eustace；　punning。　　〃The　old　Romans　knew　what　they　were　about　when　they　put　their　legions　up　aloft　here　to　overlook　land　and　sea　for　miles　away；　and　we　may　thank　them　some　day　for　their　leavings。　　The　banks　are　all　sound；　there　is　plenty　of　good　water　inside；　and〃　（added　he　in　Latin）；　〃in　case　our　Spanish　friendsyou　understand？〃

〃Pauca　verba；　my　son！〃　said　Campian：　but　as　he　spoke；　up　from　the　ditch　close　beside　him；　as　if　rising　out　of　the　earth；　burst　through　the　furze…bushes　an　armed　cavalier。

〃Pardon；　gentlemen！〃　shouted　he；　as　the　Jesuit　and　his　horse　recoiled　against　the　groom。　　〃Stand；　for　your　lives！〃

〃Mater　caelorum！〃　moaned　Campian；　while　Parsons；　who；　as　all　the　world　knows；　was　a　blustering　bully　enough　（at　least　with　his　tongue）；　asked：　What　a　murrain　right　had　he　to　stop　honest　folks　on　the　queen's　highway？　confirming　the　same　with　a　mighty　oath；　which　he　set　down　as　peccatum　veniale；　on　account　of　the　sudden　necessity；　nay；　indeed　fraus　pia；　as　proper　to　support　the　character　of　that　valiant　gentleman　of　Wales；　Mr。　Evan　Morgans。　But　the　horseman；　taking　no　notice　of　his　hint；　dashed　across　the　nose　of　Eustace　Leigh's　horse；　with　a　〃Hillo；　old　lad！　where　ridest　so　early？〃　and　peering　down　for　a　moment　into　the　ruts　of　the　narrow　track…way；　struck　spurs　into　his　horse；　shouting；　〃A　fresh　slot！　right　away　for　Hartland！　　Forward；　gentlemen　all！　follow；　follow；　follow！〃

〃Who　is　this　roysterer？〃　asked　Parsons；　loftily。

〃Will　Cary；　of　Clovelly；　an　awful　heretic：　and　here　come　more　behind。〃

And　as　he　spoke　four　or　five　more　mounted　gallants　plunged　in　and　out　of　the　great　dikes；　and　thundered　on　behind　the　party；　whose　horses；　quite　understanding　what　game　was　up；　burst　into　full　gallop；　neighing　and　squealing；　and　in　another　minute　the　hapless　Jesuits　were　hurling　along　over　moor　and　moss　after　a　〃hart　of　grease。〃

Parsons；　who；　though　a　vulgar　bully；　was　no　coward；　supported　the　character　of　Mr。　Evan　Morgans　well　enough；　and　he　would　have　really　enjoyed　himself；　had　he　not　been　in　agonies　of　fear　lest　those　precious　saddle…bags　in　front　of　him　should　break　from　their　lashings；　and　rolling　to　the　earth；　expose　to　the　hoofs　of　heretic　horses；　perhaps　to　the　gaze　of　heretic　eyes；　such　a　cargo　of　bulls；　dispensations；　secret　correspondences；　seditious　tracts；　and　so　forth；　that　at　the　very　thought　of　their　being　seen；　his　head　felt　loose　upon　his　shoulders。　　But　the　future　ma