westward ho-第30节

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　of　blown　sand；　bright　with　golden　trefoil　and　crimson　lady's　finger；　its　gray　bank　of　polished　pebbles；　down　which　the　stream　rattles　toward　the　sea　below。　　Each　has　its　black　field　of　jagged　shark's…tooth　rock　which　paves　the　cove　from　side　to　side；　streaked　with　here　and　there　a　pink　line　of　shell　sand；　and　laced　with　white　foam　from　the　eternal　surge；　stretching　in　parallel　lines　out　to　the　westward；　in　strata　set　upright　on　edge；　or　tilted　towards　each　other　at　strange　angles　by　primeval　earthquakes；such　is　the　〃mouth〃as　those　coves　are　called；　and　such　the　jaw　of　teeth　which　they　display；　one　rasp　of　which　would　grind　abroad　the　timbers　of　the　stoutest　ship。　　To　landward；　all　richness；　softness；　and　peace；　to　seaward；　a　waste　and　howling　wilderness　of　rock　and　roller；　barren　to　the　fisherman；　and　hopeless　to　the　shipwrecked　mariner。

In　only　one　of　these　〃mouths〃　is　a　landing　for　boats；　made　possible　by　a　long　sea…wall　of　rock；　which　protects　it　from　the　rollers　of　the　Atlantic；　and　that　mouth　is　Marsland；　the　abode　of　the　White　Witch；　Lucy　Passmore；　whither；　as　Sir　Richard　Grenville　rightly　judged；　the　Jesuits　were　gone。　　But　before　the　Jesuits　came；　two　other　persons　were　standing　on　that　lonely　beach；　under　the　bright　October　moon；　namely；　Rose　Salterne　and　the　White　Witch　herself；　for　Rose；　fevered　with　curiosity　and　superstition；　and　allured　by　the　very　wildness　and　possible　danger　of　the　spell；　had　kept　her　appointment；　and；　a　few　minutes　before　midnight；　stood　on　the　gray　shingle　beach　with　her　counsellor。

〃You　be　safe　enough　here　to…night；　miss。　　My　old　man　is　snoring　sound　abed；　and　there's　no　other　soul　ever　sets　foot　here　o'　nights；　except　it　be　the　mermaids　now　and　then。　　Goodness；　Father；　where's　our　boat？　　It　ought　to　be　up　here　on　the　pebbles。〃

Rose　pointed　to　a　strip　of　sand　some　forty　yards　nearer　the　sea；　where　the　boat　lay。

〃Oh；　the　lazy　old　villain！　he's　been　round　the　rocks　after　pollock　this　evening；　and　never　taken　the　trouble　to　hale　the　boat　up。　I'll　trounce　him　for　it　when　I　get　home。　　I　only　hope　he's　made　her　fast　where　she　is；　that's　all！　　He's　more　plague　to　me　than　ever　my　money　will　be。　　O　deary　me！〃

And　the　goodwife　bustled　down　toward　the　boat；　with　Rose　behind　her。

〃Iss；　'tis　fast；　sure　enough：　and　the　oars　aboard　too！　　Well；　I　never！　　Oh；　the　lazy　thief；　to　leave　they　here　to　be　stole！　　I'll　just　sit　in　the　boat；　dear；　and　watch　mun；　while　you　go　down　to　the　say；　for　you　must　be　all　alone　to　yourself；　you　know；　or　you'll　see　nothing。　　There's　the　looking…glass；　now　go；　and　dip　your　head　three　times；　and　mind　you　don't　look　to　land　or　sea　before　you've　said　the　words；　and　looked　upon　the　glass。　　Now；　be　quick；　it's　just　upon　midnight。〃

And　she　coiled　herself　up　in　the　boat；　while　Rose　went　faltering　down　the　strip　of　sand；　some　twenty　yards　farther；　and　there　slipping　off　her　clothes；　stood　shivering　and　trembling　for　a　moment　before　she　entered　the　sea。

She　was　between　two　walls　of　rock：　that　on　her　left　hand；　some　twenty　feet　high；　hid　her　in　deepest　shade；　that　on　her　right；　though　much　lower；　took　the　whole　blaze　of　the　midnight　moon。　Great　festoons　of　live　and　purple　sea…weed　hung　from　it；　shading　dark　cracks　and　crevices；　fit　haunts　for　all　the　goblins　of　the　sea。　　On　her　left　hand；　the　peaks　of　the　rock　frowned　down　ghastly　black；　on　her　right　hand；　far　aloft；　the　downs　slept　bright　and　cold。

The　breeze　had　died　away；　not　even　a　roller　broke　the　perfect　stillness　of　the　cove。　　The　gulls　were　all　asleep　upon　the　ledges。　Over　all　was　a　true　autumn　silence；　a　silence　which　may　be　heard。　She　stood　awed；　and　listened　in　hope　of　a　sound　which　might　tell　her　that　any　living　thing　beside　herself　existed。

There　was　a　faint　bleat；　as　of　a　new…born　lamb；　high　above　her　head；　she　started　and　looked　up。　　Then　a　wail　from　the　cliffs；　as　of　a　child　in　pain；　answered　by　another　from　the　opposite　rocks。　They　were　but　the　passing　snipe；　and　the　otter　calling　to　her　brood；　but　to　her　they　were　mysterious；　supernatural　goblins；　come　to　answer　to　her　call。　　Nevertheless；　they　only　quickened　her　expectation；　and　the　witch　had　told　her　not　to　fear　them。　　If　she　performed　the　rite　duly；　nothing　would　harm　her：　but　she　could　hear　the　beating　of　her　own　heart；　as　she　stepped；　mirror　in　hand；　into　the　cold　water；　waded　hastily；　as　far　as　she　dare；　and　then　stopped　aghast。

A　ring　of　flame　was　round　her　waist；　every　limb　was　bathed　in　lambent　light；　all　the　multitudinous　life　of　the　autumn　sea；　stirred　by　her　approach；　had　flashed　suddenly　into　glory；


〃And　around　her　the　lamps　of　the　sea　nymphs；　　Myriad　fiery　globes；　swam　heaving　and　panting；　and　rainbows；　　Crimson　and　azure　and　emerald；　were　broken　in　star…showers；　lighting　　Far　through　the　wine…dark　depths　of　the　crystal；　the　gardens　of　Nereus；　　Coral　and　sea…fan　and　tangle；　the　blooms　and　the　palms　of　the　ocean。〃


She　could　see　every　shell　which　crawled　on　the　white　sand　at　her　feet；　every　rock…fish　which　played　in　and　out　of　the　crannies；　and　stared　at　her　with　its　broad　bright　eyes；　while　the　great　palmate　oarweeds　which　waved　along　the　chasm；　half…seen　in　the　glimmering　water；　seemed　to　beckon　her　down　with　long　brown　hands　to　a　grave　amid　their　chilly　bowers。　　She　turned　to　flee；　but　she　had　gone　too　far　now　to　retreat；　hastily　dipping　her　head　three　times；　she　hurried　out　to　the　sea…marge；　and　looking　through　her　dripping　locks　at　the　magic　mirror；　pronounced　the　incantation


　　　　　〃A　maiden　pure；　here　I　stand；　　　　　　　Neither　on　sea；　nor　yet　on　land；　　　　　　　Angels　watch　me　on　either　hand。　　　　　　　If　you　be　landsman；　come　down　the　strand；　　　　　　　If　you　be　sailor；　come　up　the　sand；　　　　　　　If　you　be　angel；　come　from　the　sky；　　　　　　　Look　in　my　glass；　and　pass　me　by；　　　　　　　Look　in　my　glass；　and　go　from　the　shore；　　　　　　　Leave　me；　but　love　me　for　evermore。〃


The　incantation　was　hardly　finished；　her　eyes　were　straining　into　the　mirror；　where；　as　may　be　supposed；　nothing　appeared　but　the　sparkle　of　the　drops　from　her　own　tresses；　when　she　heard　rattling　down　the　pebbles　the　hasty　feet　of　men　and　horses。

She　darted　into　a　cavern　of　the　high　rock；　and　hastily　dressed　herself：　the　steps　held　on　right　to　the　boat。　　Peeping　out；　half…　dead　with　terror；　she　saw　there　four　men；　two　of　whom　had　just　leaped　from　their　horses；　and　turning　them　adrift；　began　to　help　the　other　two　in　running　the　boat　down。

Whereon；　out　of　the　stern　sheets；　arose；　like　an　angry　ghost；　the　portly　figure　of　Lucy　Passmore；　and　shrieked　in　shrillest　treble

〃Eh！　ye　villains；　ye　roogs；　what　do　ye　want　staling　poor　folks'　boats　by　night　like　this？〃

The　whole　party　recoiled　in　terror；　and　one　turned　to　run　up　the　beach；　shouting　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　〃'Tis　a　marmaidena　marmaiden　asleep　in　Willy　Passmore's　boat！〃

〃I　wish　it　were　any　sich　good　luck；〃　she　could　hear　Will　say；　〃'tis　my　wife；　oh　dear！〃　and　he　cowered　down；　expecting　the　hearty　cuff　which　he　received　duly；　as　the　White　Witch；　leaping　out　of　the　boat；　dared　any　man　to　touch　it；　and　thundered　to　her　husband　to　go　home　to　bed。

The　wily　dame；　as　Rose　well　guessed；　was　keeping　up　this　delay　chiefly　to　gain　time　for　her　pupil：　but　she　had　also　more　solid　reasons　for　making　the　fight　as　hard　as　possible；　for　she；　as　well　as　Rose；　had　already　discerned　in　the　ungainly　figure　of　one　of　the　party　the　same　suspicious　Welsh　gentleman；　on　whose　calling　she　had　divined　long　ago；　and　she　was　so　loyal　a　subject　as　to　hold　in　extreme　horror　her　husband's　meddling　with　such　〃Popish　skulkers〃　（as　she　called　the　whole　party　roundly　to　their　face）unless　on　consideration　of　a　very　handsome　sum　of　money。　　In　vain　Parsons　thundered；　Campian　entreated；　Mr。　Leigh's　groom　swore；　and　her　husband　danced　round　in　an　agony　of　mingled　fear　and　covetousness。

〃No；〃　she　cried；　〃as　I　am　an　honest　woman　and　loyal！　　This　is　why　you　left　the　boat　down　to　the　shoore；　you　old　traitor；　you；　is　it？　To　help　off　sich　noxious　trade　as　this　out　of　the　hands　of　her　majesty's　quorum　and　rotulorum？　　Eh？　　Stand　back；　cowards！　　Will　you　strike　a　woman？〃

This　last　speech　（as　usual）　was　merely　indicative　of　her　intention　to　strike　the　men；　for；　getting　out　one　of　the　oars；　she　swung　it　round　and　round　fiercely；　and　at　last　caught　Father　Parsons　such　a　crack　across　the　shins；　that　he　retreated　with　a　howl。

〃Lucy；　Lucy！〃　shrieked　her　husband；　in　shrillest　Devon　falsetto；　〃be　you　mazed？　　Be　you　mazed；　lass？　　They　promised　me　two　gold　nobles　before　I'd　lend　them　the　boot！〃

〃Tu？〃　shrieked　the　matron；　with　a　tone　of　ineffable　scorn。　　〃And　do　yu　call　yourself　a　man？〃

〃Tu　nobles！　tu　nobles！〃　shrieked　he　again；　hopping　about　at　oar's　length。

〃Tu？　　And　would　you　sell　your　soul　under　ten？〃

〃Oh；　if　that　is　it；〃　cried　poor　Campian；　〃give　her　ten；　give　her　ten；　brother　ParsMorgans；　I　mean；　and　take　care　of　your　shins；　Offa　Cerbero；　you　knowOh；　virago！　　Furens　quid　faemina　possit！　Certainly　she　is　some　Lamia；　some　Gorgon；　some〃

〃Take　that；　for　your　Lamys　and　Gorgons　to　an　honest　woman！〃　and　in　a　moment　poor　Campian's　thin　legs　were　cut　from　under　him；　while　the　virago；　〃mounting　on　his　trunk　astride；〃　like　that　more　famous　one　on　Hudibras；　cried；　〃Ten　nobles；　or　I'll　kep　ye　here　till　morning！〃　　And　the　ten　nobles　were　paid　into　he