westward ho-第61节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




〃BROTHERI　have　sent　you　a　token　from　her　Majesty；　an　anchor　guided　by　a　lady；　as　you　see。　　And　further；　her　Highness　willed　me　to　send　you　word；　that　she　wisheth　you　as　great　good　hap　and　safety　to　your　ship　as　if　she　were　there　in　person；　desiring　you　to　have　care　of　yourself　as　of　that　which　she　tendereth　and；　therefore；　for　her　sake；　you　must　provide　for　it　accordingly。　　Furthermore；　she　commandeth　that　you　leave　your　picture　with　her。　　For　the　rest　I　leave　till　our　meeting；　or　to　the　report　of　the　bearer；　who　would　needs　be　the　messenger　of　this　good　news。　　So　I　commit　you　to　the　will　and　protection　of　God；　who　send　us　such　life　and　death　as　he　shall　please；　or　hath　appointed。

〃Richmond；　this　Friday　morning；

〃Your　true　Brother；

〃W。　RALEIGH。〃


*　This　letter　was　a　few　years　since　in　the　possession　of　Mr。　Pomeroy　Gilbert；　fort…major　at　Dartmouth；　a　descendant　of　the　admiral's。


〃Who　would　not　die；　sir；　for　such　a　woman？〃　said　Sir　Humphrey　（and　he　said　truly）；　as　he　showed　that　letter　to　Amyas。

〃Who　would　not？　　But　she　bids　you　rather　live　for　her。〃

〃I　shall　do　both；　young　man；　and　for　God　too；　I　trust。　　We　are　going　in　God's　cause；　we　go　for　the　honor　of　God's　Gospel；　for　the　deliverance　of　poor　infidels　led　captive　by　the　devil；　for　the　relief　of　my　distressed　countrymen　unemployed　within　this　narrow　isle；　and　to　God　we　commit　our　cause。　　We　fight　against　the　devil　himself；　and　stronger　is　He　that　is　within　us　than　he　that　is　against　us。〃

Some　say　that　Raleigh　himself　came　down　to　Plymouth；　accompanied　the　fleet　a　day's　sail　to　sea；　and　would　have　given　her　majesty　the　slip；　and　gone　with　them　Westward…ho；　but　for　Sir　Humphrey's　advice。　　It　is　likely　enough：　but　I　cannot　find　evidence　for　it。　At　all　events；　on　the　11th　June　the　fleet　sailed　out；　having；　says　Mr。　Hayes；　〃in　number　about　260　men；　among　whom　we　had　of　every　faculty　good　choice；　as　shipwrights；　masons；　carpenters；　smiths；　and　such　like；　requisite　for　such　an　action；　also　mineral　men　and　refiners。　　Beside；　for　solace　of　our　people　and　allurement　of　the　savages；　we　were　provided　of　musique　in　good　variety；　not　omitting　the　least　toys；　as　morris…dancers；　hobby…horses；　and　May…like　conceits；　to　delight　the　savage　people；　whom　we　intended　to　win　by　all　fair　means　possible。〃　　An　armament　complete　enough；　even　to　that　tenderness　towards　the　Indians；　which　is　so　striking　a　feature　of　the　Elizabethan　seamen　（called　out　in　them；　perhaps；　by　horror　at　the　Spanish　cruelties；　as　well　as　by　their　more　liberal　creed）；　and　to　the　daily　service　of　God　on　board　of　every　ship；　according　to　the　simple　old　instructions　of　Captain　John　Hawkins　to　one　of　his　little　squadrons；　〃Keep　good　company；　beware　of　fire；　serve　God　daily；　and　love　one　another〃an　armament；　in　short；　complete　in　all　but　men。　　The　sailors　had　been　picked　up　hastily　and　anywhere；　and　soon　proved　themselves　a　mutinous；　and；　in　the　case　of　the　bark　Swallow；　a　piratical　set。　　The　mechanics　were　little　better。　　The　gentlemen…adventurers；　puffed　up　with　vain　hopes　of　finding　a　new　Mexico；　became　soon　disappointed　and　surly　at　the　hard　practical　reality；　while　over　all　was　the　head　of　a　sage　and　an　enthusiast；　a　man　too　noble　to　suspect　others；　and　too　pure　to　make　allowances　for　poor　dirty　human　weaknesses。　　He　had　got　his　scheme　perfect　upon　paper；　well　for　him；　and　for　his　company；　if　he　had　asked　Francis　Drake　to　translate　it　for　him　into　fact！　　As　early　as　the　second　day；　the　seeds　of　failure　began　to　sprout　above　ground。　　The　men　of　Raleigh's　bark；　the　Vice…Admiral；　suddenly　found　themselves　seized；　or　supposed　themselves　seized；　with　a　contagious　sickness；　and　at　midnight　forsook　the　fleet；　and　went　back　to　Plymouth；　whereto　Mr。　Hayes　can　only　say；　〃The　reason　I　never　could　understand。　　Sure　I　am　that　Mr。　Raleigh　spared　no　cost　in　setting　them　forth。　　And　so　I　leave　it　unto　God！〃

But　Amyas　said　more。　　He　told　Butler　the　captain　plainly　that；　if　the　bark　went　back；　he　would　not；　that　he　had　seen　enough　of　ships　deserting　their　consorts；　that　it　should　never　be　said　of　him　that　he　had　followed　Winter's　example；　and　that；　too；　on　a　fair　easterly　wind；　and　finally　that　he　had　seen　Doughty　hanged　for　trying　to　play　such　a　trick；　and　that　he　might　see　others　hanged　too　before　he　died。　　Whereon　Captain　Butler　offered　to　draw　and　fight；　to　which　Amyas　showed　no　repugnance；　whereon　the　captain；　having　taken　a　second　look　at　Amyas's　thews　and　sinews；　reconsidered　the　matter；　and　offered　to　put　Amyas　on　board　of　Sir　Humphrey's　Delight；　if　he　could　find　a　crew　to　row　him。

Amyas　looked　around。

〃Are　there　any　of　Sir　Francis　Drake's　men　on　board？〃

〃Three；　sir；〃　said　Yeo。　　〃Robert　Drew；　and　two　others。〃

〃Pelicans！〃　roared　Amyas；　〃you　have　been　round　the　world；　and　will　you　turn　back　from　Westward…ho？〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence；　and　then　Drew　came　forward。

〃Lower　us　a　boat；　captain；　and　lend　us　a　caliver　to　make　signals　with；　while　I　get　my　kit　on　deck；　I'll　after　Captain　Leigh；　if　I　row　him　aboard　all　alone　to　my　own　hands。〃

〃If　I　ever　command　a　ship；　I　will　not　forget　you；〃　said　Amyas。

〃Nor　us　either；　sir；　we　hope；　for　we　haven't　forgotten　you　and　your　honest　conditions；〃　said　both　the　other　Pelicans；　and　so　away　over　the　side　went　all　the　five；　and　pulled　away　after　the　admiral's　lantern；　firing　shots　at　intervals　as　signals。　　Luckily　for　the　five　desperadoes；　the　night　was　all　but　calm。　　They　got　on　board　before　the　morning；　and　so　away　into　the　boundless　West。*


*　The　Raleigh；　the　largest　ship　of　the　squadron；　was　of　only　200　tons　burden；　The　Golden　Hind；　Hayes'　ship；　which　returned　safe；　of　40；　and　The　Squirrel　（whereof　more　hereafter）；　of　10　tons！　　In　such　cockboats　did　these　old　heroes　brave　the　unknown　seas。



CHAPTER　XII

HOW　BIDEFORD　BRIDGE　DINED　AT　ANNERY　HOUSE


　　　　　〃Three　lords　sat　drinking　late　yestreen；　　　　　　　And　ere　they　paid　the　lawing；　　　　　　　They　set　a　combat　them　between；　　　　　　　To　fight　it　in　the　dawing〃Scotch　Ballad。


Every　one　who　knows　Bideford　cannot　but　know　Bideford　bridge；　for　it　is　the　very　omphalos；　cynosure；　and　soul；　around　which　the　town；　as　a　body；　has　organized　itself；　and　as　Edinburgh　is　Edinburgh　by　virtue　of　its　castle；　Rome　Rome　by　virtue　of　its　capitol；　and　Egypt　Egypt　by　virtue　of　its　pyramids；　so　is　Bideford　Bideford　by　virtue　of　its　bridge。　　But　all　do　not　know　the　occult　powers　which　have　advanced　and　animated　the　said　wondrous　bridge　for　now　five　hundred　years；　and　made　it　the　chief　wonder；　according　to　Prince　and　Fuller；　of　this　fair　land　of　Devon：　being　first　an　inspired　bridge；　a　soul…saving　bridge；　an　alms…giving　bridge；　an　educational　bridge；　a　sentient　bridge；　and　last；　but　not　least；　a　dinner…giving　bridge。　All　do　not　know　how；　when　it　began　to　be　built　some　half　mile　higher　up；　hands　invisible　carried　the　stones　down…stream　each　night　to　the　present　site；　until　Sir　Richard　Gurney；　parson　of　the　parish；　going　to　bed　one　night　in　sore　perplexity　and　fear　of　the　evil　spirit　who　seemed　so　busy　in　his　sheepfold；　beheld　a　vision　of　an　angel；　who　bade　build　the　bridge　where　he　himself　had　so　kindly　transported　the　materials；　for　there　alone　was　sure　foundation　amid　the　broad　sheet　of　shifting　sand。　　All　do　not　know　how　Bishop　Grandison　of　Exeter　proclaimed　throughout　his　diocese　indulgences；　benedictions；　and　〃participation　in　all　spiritual　blessings　for　ever；〃　to　all　who　would　promote　the　bridging　of　that　dangerous　ford；　and　so；　consulting　alike　the　interests　of　their　souls　and　of　their　bodies；　〃make　the　best　of　both　worlds。〃

All　do　not　know；　nor　do　I；　that　〃though　the　foundation　of　the　bridge　is　laid　upon　wool；　yet　it　shakes　at　the　slightest　step　of　a　horse；〃　or　that；　〃though　it　has　twenty…three　arches；　yet　one　Wm。　Alford　（another　Milo）　carried　on　his　back　for　a　wager　four　bushels　salt…water　measure；　all　the　length　thereof；〃　or　that　the　bridge　is　a　veritable　esquire；　bearing　arms　of　its　own　（a　ship　and　bridge　proper　on　a　plain　field）；　and　owning　lands　and　tenements　in　many　parishes；　with　which　the　said　miraculous　bridge　has；　from　time　to　time；　founded　charities；　built　schools；　waged　suits　at　law；　and　finally　（for　this　concerns　us　most）　given　yearly　dinners；　and　kept　for　that　purpose　（luxurious　and　liquorish　bridge　that　it　was）　the　best　stocked　cellar　of　wines　in　all　Devon。

To　one　of　these　dinners；　as　it　happened；　were　invited　in　the　year　1583　all　the　notabilities　of　Bideford；　and　beside　them　Mr。　St。　Leger　of　Annery　close　by；　brother　of　the　marshal　of　Munster；　and　of　Lady　Grenville；　a　most　worthy　and　hospitable　gentleman；　who；　finding　riches　a　snare；　parted　with　them　so　freely　to　all　his　neighbors　as　long　as　he　lived；　that　he　effectually　prevented　his　children　after　him　from　falling　into　the　temptations　thereunto　incident。

Between　him　and　one　of　the　bridge　trustees　arose　an　argument；　whether　a　salmon　caught　below　the　bridge　was　better　or　worse　than　one　caught　above；　and　as　that　weighty　question　could　only　be　decided　by　practical　experiment；　Mr。　St。　Leger　vowed　that　as　the　bridge　had　given　him　a　good　dinner；　he　would　give　the　bridge　one；　offered　a　bet　of　five　pounds　that　he　would　find　them；　out　of　the　pool　below　Annery；　as　firm　and　flaky　a　salmon　as　the　Appledore　one　which　they　had　just　eaten；　and　then；　in　the　fu