westward ho-第41节

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ve　been　but　a　fool's　errand。　　Some　wanted　to　turn　pirates：　but　I；　and　the　Genoese　too；　who　was　a　prudent　man；　though　an　evil　one；　persuaded　them　to　run　for　England　and　get　employment　in　the　Netherland　wars；　assuring　them　that　there　would　be　no　safety　in　the　Spanish　Main；　when　once　our　escape　got　wind。　　And　the　more　part　being　of　one　mind；　for　England　we　sailed；　watering　at　the　Barbadoes　because　it　was　desolate；　and　so　eastward　toward　the　Canaries。　　In　which　voyage　what　we　endured　（being　taken　by　long　calms）；　by　scurvy；　calentures；　hunger；　and　thirst；　no　tongue　can　tell。　　Many　a　time　were　we　glad　to　lay　out　sheets　at　night　to　catch　the　dew；　and　suck　them　in　the　morning；　and　he　that　had　a　noggin　of　rain…water　out　of　the　scuppers　was　as　much　sought　to　as　if　he　had　been　Adelantado　of　all　the　Indies；　till　of　a　hundred　and　forty　poor　wretches　a　hundred　and　ten　were　dead；　blaspheming　God　and　man；　and　above　all　me　and　the　Genoese；　for　taking　the　Europe　voyage；　as　if　I　had　not　sins　enough　of　my　own　already。　　And　last　of　all；　when　we　thought　ourselves　safe；　we　were　wrecked　by　southwesters　on　the　coast　of　Brittany；　near　to　Cape　Race；　from　which　but　nine　souls　of　us　came　ashore　with　their　lives；　and　so　to　Brest；　where　I　found　a　Flushinger　who　carried　me　to　Falmouth　and　so　ends　my　tale；　in　which　if　I　have　said　one　word　more　or　less　than　truth；　I　can　wish　myself　no　worse；　than　to　have　it　all　to　undergo　a　second　time。〃

And　his　voice；　as　he　finished；　sank　from　very　weariness　of　soul；　while　Sir　Richard　sat　opposite　him　in　silence；　his　elbows　on　the　table；　his　cheeks　on　his　doubled　fists；　looking　him　through　and　through　with　kindling　eyes。　　No　one　spoke　for　several　minutes；　and　then

〃Amyas；　you　have　heard　this　story。　　You　believe　it？〃

〃Every　word；　sir；　or　I　should　not　have　the　heart　of　a　Christian　man。〃

〃So　do　I。　　Anthony！〃

The　butler　entered。

〃Take　this　man　to　the　buttery；　clothe　him　comfortably；　and　feed　him　with　the　best；　and　bid　the　knaves　treat　him　as　if　he　were　their　own　father。〃

But　Yeo　lingered。

〃If　I　might　be　so　bold　as　to　ask　your　worship　a　favor？〃

〃Anything　in　reason；　my　brave　fellow。〃

〃If　your　worship　could　put　me　in　the　way　of　another　adventure　to　the　Indies？〃

〃Another！　　Hast　not　had　enough　of　the　Spaniards　already？〃

〃Never　enough；　sir；　while　one　of　the　idolatrous　tyrants　is　left　unhanged；〃　said　he；　with　a　right　bitter　smile。　　〃But　it's　not　for　that　only；　sir：　but　my　little　maidOh；　sir！　my　little　maid；　that　I　swore　to　Mr。　Oxenham　to　look　to；　and　never　saw　her　from　that　day　to　this！　　I　must　find　her；　sir；　or　I　shall　go　mad；　I　believe。　　Not　a　night　but　she　comes　and　calls　to　me　in　my　dreams；　the　poor　darling；　and　not　a　morning　but　when　I　wake　there　is　my　oath　lying　on　my　soul；　like　a　great　black　cloud；　and　I　no　nearer　the　keeping　of　it。　I　told　that　poor　young　minister　of　it　when　we　were　in　the　galleys　together；　and　he　said　oaths　were　oaths；　and　keep　it　I　must；　and　keep　it　I　will；　sir；　if　you'll　but　help　me。〃

〃Have　patience；　man。　　God　will　take　as　good　care　of　thy　little　maid　as　ever　thou　wilt。〃

〃I　know　it；　sir。　　I　know　it：　but　faith's　weak；　sir！　and　oh！　if　she　were　bred　up　a　Papist　and　an　idolater；　wouldn't　her　blood　be　on　my　head　then；　sir？　　Sooner　than　that；　sooner　than　that；　I'd　be　in　the　Inquisition　again　to…morrow；　I　would！〃

〃My　good　fellow；　there　are　no　adventures　to　the　Indies　forward　now：　but　if　you　want　to　fight　Spaniards；　here　is　a　gentleman　will　show　you　the　way。　　Amyas；　take　him　with　you　to　Ireland。　　If　he　has　learnt　half　the　lessons　God　has　set　him　to　learn；　he　ought　to　stand　you　in　good　stead。〃

Yeo　looked　eagerly　at　the　young　giant。

〃Will　you　have　me；　sir？　　There's　few　matters　I　can't　turn　my　hand　to：　and　maybe　you'll　be　going　to　the　Indies　again；　some　day；　eh？　and　take　me　with　you？　　I'd　serve　your　turn　well；　though　I　say　it；　either　for　gunner　or　for　pilot。　　I　know　every　stone　and　tree　from　Nombre　to　Panama；　and　all　the　ports　of　both　the　seas。　　You'll　never　be　content；　I'll　warrant；　till　you've　had　another　turn　along　the　gold　coasts；　will　you　now？〃

Amyas　laughed；　and　nodded；　and　the　bargain　was　concluded。

So　out　went　Yeo　to　eat；　and　Amyas　having　received　his　despatches；　got　ready　for　his　journey　home。

〃Go　the　short　way　over　the　moors；　lad；　and　send　back　Cary's　gray　when　you　can。　　You　must　not　lose　an　hour；　but　be　ready　to　sail　the　moment　the　wind　goes　about。〃

So　they　started：　but　as　Amyas　was　getting　into　the　saddle；　he　saw　that　there　was　some　stir　among　the　servants；　who　seemed　to　keep　carefully　out　of　Yeo's　way；　whispering　and　nodding　mysteriously；　and　just　as　his　foot　was　in　the　stirrup；　Anthony；　the　old　butler；　plucked　him　back。

〃Dear　father　alive；　Mr。　Amyas！〃　whispered　he：　〃and　you　ben't　going　by　the　moor　road　all　alone　with　that　chap？〃

〃Why　not；　then？　　I'm　too　big　for　him　to　eat；　I　reckon。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Amyas！　he's　not　right；　I　tell　you；　not　company　for　a　Christianto　go　forth　with　creatures　as　has　flames　of　fire　in　their　inwards；　'tis　temptation　of　Providence；　indeed；　then；　it　is。〃

〃Tale　of　a　tub。〃

〃Tale　of　a　Christian；　sir。　　There　was　two　boys　pig…minding；　seed　him　at　it　down　the　hill；　beside　a　maiden　that　was　taken　mazed　（and　no　wonder；　poor　soul！）　and　lying　in　screeching　asterisks　now　down　to　the　millyou　ask　as　you　go　byand　saw　the　flames　come　out　of　the　mouth　of　mun；　and　the　smoke　out　of　mun's　nose　like　a　vire…　drake；　and　the　roaring　of　mun　like　the　roaring　of　ten　thousand　bulls。　　Oh；　sir！　and　to　go　with　he　after　dark　over　moor！　　'Tis　the　devil's　devices；　sir；　against　you；　because　you'm　going　against　his　sarvants　the　Pope　of　Room　and　the　Spaniard；　and　you'll　be　Pixy…led；　sure　as　life；　and　locked　into　a　bog；　you　will；　and　see　mun　vanish　away　to　fire　and　brimstone；　like　a　jack…o'…lantern。　　Oh；　have　a　care；　then；　have　a　care！〃

And　the　old　man　wrung　his　hands；　while　Amyas；　bursting　with　laughter；　rode　off　down　the　park；　with　the　unconscious　Yeo　at　his　stirrup；　chatting　away　about　the　Indies；　and　delighting　Amyas　more　and　more　by　his　shrewdness；　high　spirit；　and　rough　eloquence。

They　had　gone　ten　miles　or　more；　the　day　began　to　draw　in；　and　the　western　wind　to　sweep　more　cold　and　cheerless　every　moment；　when　Amyas；　knowing　that　there　was　not　an　inn　hard　by　around　for　many　a　mile　ahead；　took　a　pull　at　a　certain　bottle　which　Lady　Grenville　had　put　into　his　holster；　and　then　offered　Yeo　a　pull　also。

He　declined；　he　had　meat　and　drink　too　about　him；　Heaven　be　praised！

〃Meat　and　drink？　　Fall　to；　then；　man；　and　don't　stand　on　manners。〃

Whereon　Yeo；　seeing　an　old　decayed　willow　by　a　brook；　went　to　it；　and　took　therefrom　some　touchwood；　to　which　he　set　a　light　with　his　knife　and　a　stone；　while　Amyas　watched；　a　little　puzzled　and　startled；　as　Yeo's　fiery　reputation　came　into　his　mind。　　Was　he　really　a　salamander…sprite；　and　going　to　warm　his　inside　by　a　meal　of　burning　tinder？　　But　now　Yeo；　in　his　solemn　methodical　way；　pulled　out　of　his　bosom　a　brown　leaf；　and　began　rolling　a　piece　of　it　up　neatly　to　the　size　of　his　little　finger；　and　then；　putting　the　one　end　into　his　mouth　and　the　other　on　the　tinder；　sucked　at　it　till　it　was　a…light；　and　drinking　down　the　smoke；　began　puffing　it　out　again　at　his　nostrils　with　a　grunt　of　deepest　satisfaction；　and　resumed　his　dog…trot　by　Amyas's　side；　as　if　he　had　been　a　walking　chimney。

On　which　Amyas　burst　into　a　loud　laugh；　and　cried

〃Why；　no　wonder　they　said　you　breathed　fire？　　Is　not　that　the　Indians'　tobacco？〃

〃Yea；　verily；　Heaven　be　praised！　but　did　you　never　see　it　before？〃

〃Never；　though　we　heard　talk　of　it　along　the　coast；　but　we　took　it　for　one　more　Spanish　lie。　　Humphwell；　live　and　learn！〃

〃Ah；　sir；　no　lie；　but　a　blessed　truth；　as　I　can　tell；　who　have　ere　now　gone　in　the　strength　of　this　weed　three　days　and　nights　without　eating；　and　therefore；　sir；　the　Indians　always　carry　it　with　them　on　their　war…parties：　and　no　wonder；　for　when　all　things　were　made　none　was　made　better　than　this；　to　be　a　lone　man's　companion；　a　bachelor's　friend；　a　hungry　man's　food；　a　sad　man's　cordial；　a　wakeful　man's　sleep；　and　a　chilly　man's　fire；　sir；　while　for　stanching　of　wounds；　purging　of　rheum；　and　settling　of　the　stomach；　there's　no　herb　like　unto　it　under　the　canopy　of　heaven。〃

The　truth　of　which　eulogium　Amyas　tested　in　after　years；　as　shall　be　fully　set　forth　in　due　place　and　time。　　But　〃Mark　in　the　meanwhile；〃　says　one　of　the　veracious　chroniclers　from　whom　I　draw　these　facts；　writing　seemingly　in　the　palmy　days　of　good　Queen　Anne；　and　〃not　having〃　（as　he　says）　〃before　his　eyes　the　fear　of　that　misocapnic　Solomon　James　I。　or　of　any　other　lying　Stuart；〃　〃that　not　to　South　Devon；　but　to　North；　not　to　Sir　Walter　Raleigh；　but　to　Sir　Amyas　Leigh；　not　to　the　banks　of　Dart；　but　to　the　banks　of　Torridge；　does　Europe　owe　the　day…spring　of　the　latter　age；　that　age　of　smoke　which　shall　endure　and　thrive；　when　the　age　of　brass　shall　have　vanished　like　those　of　iron　and　of　gold；　for　whereas　Mr。　Lane　is　said　to　have　brought　home　that　divine　weed　（as　Spenser　well　names　it）　from　Virginia；　in　the　year　1584；　it　is　hereby　indisputable　that　full　four　years　earlier；　by　the　bridge　of　Putford　in　the　Torridge　moors　（which　all　true　smokers　shall　hereafter　visit　as　a　hallowed　spot　and　point　of　pilgrimage）　first　twinkled　tha