westward ho-第54节

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　die；　I　hope　and　trust；　for　I　can't　abear　you　out　of　my　sight；　and　that's　the　truth　thereof。〃

So　Yeo　remained　with　Amyas；　while　Cary　went　elsewhere　with　Sir　Warham　St。　Leger；　and　the　two　friends　met　seldom　for　many　months；　so　that　Amyas's　only　companion　was　Don　Guzman；　who；　as　he　grew　more　familiar；　and　more　careless　about　what　he　said　and　did　in　his　captor's　presence；　often　puzzled　and　scandalized　him　by　his　waywardness。　　Fits　of　deep　melancholy　alternated　with　bursts　of　Spanish　boastfulness；　utterly　astonishing　to　the　modest　and　sober…　minded　Englishman；　who　would　often　have　fancied　him　inspired　by　usquebaugh；　had　he　not　had　ocular　proof　of　his　extreme　abstemiousness。

〃Miserable？〃　said　he；　one　night　in　one　of　these　fits。　　〃And　have　I　not　a　right　to　be　miserable？　　Why　should　I　not　curse　the　virgin　and　all　the　saints；　and　die？　　I　have　not　a　friend；　not　a　ducat　on　earth；　not　even　a　swordhell　and　the　furies！　　It　was　my　all：　the　only　bequest　I　ever　had　from　my　father；　and　I　lived　by　it　and　earned　by　it。　　Two　years　ago　I　had　as　pretty　a　sum　of　gold　as　cavalier　could　wishand　now！〃

〃What　is　become　of　it；　then？　　I　cannot　hear　that　our　men　plundered　you　of　any。〃

〃Your　men？　　No；　senor！　　What　fifty　men　dared　not　have　done；　one　woman　did！　a　painted；　patched；　fucused；　periwigged；　bolstered；　Charybdis；　cannibal；　Megaera；　Lamia！　　Why　did　I　ever　go　near　that　cursed　Naples；　the　common　sewer　of　Europe？　　whose　women；　I　believe；　would　be　swallowed　up　by　Vesuvius　to…morrow；　if　it　were　not　that　Belphegor　is　afraid　of　their　making　the　pit　itself　too　hot　to　hold　him。　　Well；　sir；　she　had　all　of　mine　and　more；　and　when　all　was　gone　in　wine　and　dice；　woodcocks'　brains　and　ortolans'　tongues；　I　met　the　witch　walking　with　another　man。　　I　had　a　sword　and　a　dagger；　I　gave　him　the　first　（though　the　dog　fought　well　enough；　to　give　him　his　due）；　and　her　the　second；　left　them　lying　across　each　other；　and　fled　for　my　life；and　here　I　am！　after　twenty　years　of　fighting；　from　the　Levant　to　the　Orellanafor　I　began　ere　I　had　a　hair　on　my　chinand　this　is　the　end！No；　it　is　not！　　I'll　have　that　El　Dorado　yet！　the　Adelantado　made　Berreo；　when　he　gave　him　his　daughter；　swear　that　he　would　hunt　for　it；　through　life　and　death。We'll　see　who　finds　it　first；　he　or　I。　　He's　a　bungler；　Orsua　was　a　bunglerPooh！　Cortes　and　Pizarro？　we'll　see　whether　there　are　not　as　good　Castilians　as　they　left　still。　　I　can　do　it；　senor。　　I　know　a　track；　a　plan；　over　the　Llanos　is　the　road；　and　I'll　be　Emperor　of　Manoa　yetpossess　the　jewels　of　all　the　Incas；　and　gold；　gold！　　Pizarro　was　a　beggar　to　what　I　will　be！〃

Conceive；　sir；　he　broke　forth　during　another　of　these　peacock　fits；　as　Amyas　and　he　were　riding　along　the　hill…side；　〃conceive！　with　forty　chosen　cavaliers　（what　need　of　more？）　I　present　myself　before　the　golden　king；　trembling　amid　his　myriad　guards　at　the　new　miracle　of　the　mailed　centaurs　of　the　West；　and　without　dismounting；　I　approach　his　throne；　lift　the　crucifix　which　hangs　around　my　neck；　and　pressing　it　to　my　lips；　present　it　for　the　adoration　of　the　idolater；　and　give　him　his　alternative；　that　which　Gayferos　and　the　Cid；　my　ancestors；　offered　the　Soldan　and　the　Moorbaptism　or　death！　　He　hesitates；　perhaps　smiles　scornfully　upon　my　little　band；　I　answer　him　by　deeds；　as　Don　Ferdinando；　my　illustrious　grandfather；　answered　Atahuallpa　at　Peru；　in　sight　of　all　his　court　and　camp。〃

〃With　your　lance…point；　as　Gayferos　did　the　Soldan？〃　asked　Amyas；　amused。

〃No；　sir；　persuasion　first；　for　the　salvation　of　a　soul　is　at　stake。　　Not　with　the　lance…point；　but　the　spur；　sir；　thus！〃

And　striking　his　heels　into　his　horse's　flanks；　he　darted　off　at　full　speed。

〃The　Spanish　traitor！〃　shouted　Yeo。　　〃He's　going　to　escape！　　Shall　we　shoot；　sir？　　Shall　we　shoot？〃

〃For　Heaven's　sake；　no！〃　said　Amyas；　looking　somewhat　blank；　nevertheless；　for　he　much　doubted　whether　the　whole　was　not　a　ruse　on　the　part　of　the　Spaniard；　and　he　knew　how　impossible　it　was　for　his　fifteen　stone　of　flesh　to　give　chase　to　the　Spaniard's　twelve。　But　he　was　soon　reassured；　the　Spaniard　wheeled　round　towards　him；　and　began　to　put　the　rough　hackney　through　all　the　paces　of　the　manege　with　a　grace　and　skill　which　won　applause　from　the　beholders。

〃Thus！〃　he　shouted；　waving　his　hand　to　Amyas；　between　his　curvets　and　caracoles；　〃did　my　illustrious　grandfather　exhibit　to　the　Paynim　emperor　the　prowess　of　a　Castilian　cavalier！　　Thus！and　thus！and　thus；　at　last；　he　dashed　up　to　his　very　feet；　as　I　to　yours；　and　bespattering　that　unbaptized　visage　with　his　Christian　bridle　foam；　pulled　up　his　charger　on　his　haunches；　thus！〃

And　（as　was　to　be　expected　from　a　blown　Irish　garron　on　a　peaty　Irish　hill…side）　down　went　the　hapless　hackney　on　his　tail；　away　went　his　heels　a　yard　in　front　of　him；　and　ere　Don　Guzman　could　〃avoid　his　selle；〃　horse　and　man　rolled　over　into　neighboring　bog…　hole。

〃After　pride　comes　a　fall；〃　quoth　Yeo　with　unmoved　visage；　as　he　lugged　him　out。

〃And　what　would　you　do　with　the　emperor　at　last？〃　asked　Amyas　when　the　Don　had　been　scrubbed　somewhat　clean　with　a　bunch　of　rushes。　〃Kill　him；　as　your　grandfather　did　Atahuallpa？〃

〃My　grandfather；〃　answered　the　Spaniard；　indignantly；　〃was　one　of　those　who；　to　their　eternal　honor；　protested　to　the　last　against　that　most　cruel　and　unknightly　massacre。　　He　could　be　terrible　to　the　heathen；　but　he　kept　his　plighted　word；　sir；　and　taught　me　to　keep　mine；　as　you　have　seen　to…day。〃

〃I　have；　senor；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃You　might　have　given　us　the　slip　easily　enough　just　now；　and　did　not。　　Pardon　me；　if　I　have　offended　you。〃

The　Spaniard　（who；　after　all；　was　cross　principally　with　himself　and　the　〃unlucky　mare's　son；〃　as　the　old　romances　have　it；　which　had　played　him　so　scurvy　a　trick）　was　all　smiles　again　forthwith；　and　Amyas；　as　they　chatted　on；　could　not　help　asking　him　next

〃I　wonder　why　you　are　so　frank　about　your　own　intentions　to　an　enemy　like　me；　who　will　surely　forestall　you　if　he　can。〃

〃Sir；　a　Spaniard　needs　no　concealment；　and　fears　no　rivalry。　　He　is　the　soldier　of　the　Cross；　and　in　it　he　conquers；　like　Constantine　of　old。　　Not　that　you　English　are　not　very　heroes；　but　you　have　not；　sir；　and　you　cannot　have；　who　have　forsworn　our　Lady　and　the　choir　of　saints；　the　same　divine　protection；　the　same　celestial　mission；　which　enables　the　Catholic　cavalier　single…handed　to　chase　a　thousand　Paynims。〃

And　Don　Guzman　crossed　himself　devoutly；　and　muttered　half…a…dozen　Ave　Marias　in　succession；　while　Amyas　rode　silently　by　his　side；　utterly　puzzled　at　this　strange　compound　of　shrewdness　with　fanaticism；　of　perfect　high…breeding　with　a　boastfulness　which　in　an　Englishman　would　have　been　the　sure　mark　of　vulgarity。

At　last　came　a　letter　from　Sir　Richard　Grenville；　complimenting　Amyas　on　his　success　and　promotion；　bearing　a　long　and　courtly　message　to　Don　Guzman　（whom　Grenville　had　known　when　he　was　in　the　Mediterranean；　at　the　battle　of　Lepanto）；　and　offering　to　receive　him　as　his　own　guest　at　Bideford；　till　his　ransom　should　arrive；　a　proposition　which　the　Spaniard　（who　of　course　was　getting　sufficiently　tired　of　the　Irish　bogs）　could　not　but　gladly　accept；　and　one　of　Winter's　ships；　returning　to　England　in　the　spring　of　1581；　delivered　duly　at　the　quay　of　Bideford　the　body　of　Don　Guzman　Maria　Magdalena。　　Raleigh；　after　forming　for　that　summer　one　of　the　triumvirate　by　which　Munster　was　governed　after　Ormond's　departure；　at　last　got　his　wish　and　departed　for　England　and　the　Court；　and　Amyas　was　left　alone　with　the　snipes　and　yellow　mantles　for　two　more　weary　years。



CHAPTER　X

HOW　THE　MAYOR　OF　BIDEFORD　BAITED　HIS　HOOK　WITH　HIS　OWN　FLESH


　　　　　〃And　therewith　he　blent；　and　cried　ha！　　　　　　　As　though　he　had　been　stricken　to　the　harte。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Palamon　and　Arcite。


So　it　befell　to　Chaucer's　knight　in　prison；　and　so　it　befell　also　to　Don　Guzman；　and　it　befell　on　this　wise。

He　settled　down　quietly　enough　at　Bideford　on　his　parole；　in　better　quarters　than　he　had　occupied　for　many　a　day；　and　took　things　as　they　came；　like　a　true　soldier　of　fortune；　till；　after　he　had　been　with　Grenville　hardly　a　month；　old　Salterne　the　Mayor　came　to　supper。

Now　Don　Guzman；　however　much　he　might　be　puzzled　at　first　at　our　strange　English　ways　of　asking　burghers　and　such　low…bred　folk　to　eat　and　drink　above　the　salt；　in　the　company　of　noble　persons；　was　quite　gentleman　enough　to　know　that　Richard　Grenville　was　gentleman　enough　to　do　only　what　was　correct；　and　according　to　the　customs　and　proprieties。　　So　after　shrugging　the　shoulders　of　his　spirit；　he　submitted　to　eat　and　drink　at　the　same　board　with　a　tradesman　who　sat　at　a　desk；　and　made　up　ledgers；　and　took　apprentices；　and　hearing　him　talk　with　Grenville　neither　unwisely　nor　in　a　vulgar　fashion；　actually　before　the　evening　was　out　condescended　to　exchange　words　with　him　himself。　　Whereon　he　found　him　a　very　prudent　and　courteous　person；　quite　aware　of　the　Spaniard's　superior　rank；　and　making　him　feel　in　every　sentence　that　he　was　aware　thereof；　and　yet　holding　his　own　opinion；　and　asserting　his　own　rights　as　a　wise　elder　in　a　fashion　which　the　Spaniard　had　only　seen　before　among　the　merchant　princes　of　Genoa　and　Venice。

At　the　end　of　supper；　Salterne　asked　Grenv