westward ho-第84节

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This　is　the　gate　of　heaven；〃　he　stood　watching　all　day　long；　careless　of　food　and　rest；　as　every　forward　plunge　of　the　ship　displayed　some　fresh　wonder。　Islands　and　capes　hung　high　in　air；　with　their　inverted　images　below　them；　long　sand…hills　rolled　and　weltered　in　the　mirage；　and　the　yellow　flower…beds；　and　huge　thorny　cacti　like　giant　candelabra；　which　clothed　the　glaring　slopes；　twisted；　tossed；　and　flickered；　till　the　whole　scene　seemed　one　blazing　phantom…world；　in　which　everything　was　as　unstable　as　it　was　fantastic；　even　to　the　sun　itself；　distorted　into　strange　oval　and　pear…shaped　figures　by　the　beds　of　crimson　mist　through　which　he　sank　to　rest。　　But　while　Frank　wondered；　Yeo　rejoiced；　for　to　the　southward　of　that　setting　sun　a　cluster　of　tall　peaks　rose　from　the　sea；　and　they；　unless　his　reckonings　were　wrong；　were　the　mountains　of　Macanao；　at　the　western　end　of　Margarita；　the　Isle　of　Pearls；　then　famous　in　all　the　cities　of　the　Mediterranean；　and　at　the　great　German　fairs；　and　second　only　in　richness　to　that　pearl　island　in　the　gulf　of　Panama；　which　fifteen　years　before　had　cost　John　Oxenham　his　life。

The　next　day　saw　them　running　along　the　north　side　of　the　island；　having　passed　undiscovered　（as　far　as　they　could　see）　the　castle　which　the　Spaniards　had　built　at　the　eastern　end　for　the　protection　of　the　pearl　fisheries。

At　last　they　opened　a　deep　and　still　bight；　wooded　to　the　water's　edge；　and　lying　in　the　roadstead　a　caravel；　and　three　boats　by　her。　And　at　that　sight　there　was　not　a　man　but　was　on　deck　at　once；　and　not　a　mouth　but　was　giving　its　opinion　of　what　should　be　done。　Some　were　for　sailing　right　into　the　roadstead；　the　breeze　blowing　fresh　toward　the　shore　（as　it　usually　does　throughout　those　islands　in　the　afternoon）。　　However；　seeing　the　billows　break　here　and　there　off　the　bay's　mouth；　they　thought　it　better；　for　fear　of　rocks；　to　run　by　quietly；　and　then　send　in　the　pinnace　and　the　boat。　　Yeo　would　have　had　them　show　Spanish　colors；　for　fear　of　alarming　the　caravel；　but　Amyas　stoutly　refused；　〃counting　it；〃　he　said；　〃a　mean　thing　to　tell　a　lie　in　that　way；　unless　in　extreme　danger；　or　for　great　ends　of　state。〃

So　holding　on　their　course　till　they　were　shut　out　by　the　next　point；　they　started；　Cary　in　the　largest　boat　with　twenty　men；　and　Amyas　in　the　smaller　one　with　fifteen　more；　among　whom　was　John　Brimblecombe；　who　must　needs　come　in　his　cassock　and　bands；　with　an　old　sword　of　his　uncle's　which　he　prized　mightily。

When　they　came　to　the　bight's　mouth；　they　found；　as　they　had　expected；　coral　rocks；　and　too　many　of　them；　so　that　they　had　to　run　along　the　edge　of　the　reef　a　long　way　before　they　could　find　a　passage　for　the　boats。　　While　they　were　so　doing；　and　those　of　them　who　were　new　to　the　Indies　were　admiring　through　the　clear　element　those　living　flower…beds；　and　subaqueous　gardens　of　Nereus　and　Amphitrite；　there　suddenly　appeared　below　what　Yeo　called　〃a　school　of　sharks；〃　some　of　them　nearly　as　long　as　the　boat；　who　looked　up　at　them　wistfully　enough　out　of　their　wicked　scowling　eyes。

〃Jack；〃　said　Amyas；　who　sat　next　to　him；　〃look　how　that　big　fellow　eyes　thee：　he　has　surely　taken　a　fancy　to　that　plump　hide　of　thine；　and　thinks　thou　wouldst　eat　as　tender　as　any　sucking　porker。〃

Jack　turned　very　pale；　but　said　nothing。

Now；　as　it　befell；　just　then　that　very　big　fellow；　seeing　a　parrot…　fish　come　out　of　a　cleft　of　the　coral；　made　at　him　from　below；　as　did　two　or　three　more；　the　poor　fish　finding　no　other　escape；　leaped　clean　into　the　air；　and　almost　aboard　the　boat；　while　just　where　he　had　come　out　of　the　water；　three　or　four　great　brown　shagreened　noses　clashed　together　within　two　yards　of　Jack　as　he　sat；　each　showing　its　horrible　rows　of　saw　teeth；　and　then　sank　sulkily　down　again；　to　watch　for　a　fresh　bait。　　At　which　Jack　said　very　softly；　〃In　manus　tuas；　Domine！〃　and　turning　his　eyes　in　board；　had　no　lust　to　look　at　sharks　any　more。

So　having　got　through　the　reef；　in　they　ran　with　a　fair　breeze；　the　caravel　not　being　now　a　musket…shot　off。　　Cary　laid　her　aboard　before　the　Spaniards　had　time　to　get　to　their　ordnance；　and　standing　up　in　the　stern…sheets；　shouted　to　them　to　yield。　　The　captain　asked　boldly　enough；　in　whose　name？　　〃In　the　name　of　common　sense；　ye　dogs；〃　cries　Will；　〃do　you　not　see　that　you　are　but　fifty　strong　to　our　twenty？〃　　Whereon　up　the　side　he　scrambled；　and　the　captain　fired　a　pistol　at　him。　　Cary　knocked　him　over；　unwilling　to　shed　needless　blood；　on　which　all　the　crew　yielded；　some　falling　on　their　knees；　some　leaping　overboard；　and　the　prize　was　taken。

In　the　meanwhile；　Amyas　had　pulled　round　under　her　stern；　and　boarded　the　boat　which　was　second　from　her；　for　the　nearest　was　fast　alongside；　and　so　a　sure　prize。　　The　Spaniards　in　her　yielded　without　a　blow；　crying　〃Misericordia；〃　and　the　negroes；　leaping　overboard；　swam　ashore　like　sea…dogs。　　Meanwhile；　the　third　boat；　which　was　not　an　oar's　length　off；　turned　to　pull　away。　　Whereby　befell　a　notable　adventure：　for　John　Brimblecombe；　casting　about　in　a　valiant　mind　how　he　should　distinguish　himself　that　day；　must　needs　catch　up　a　boat…hook；　and　claw　on　to　her　stern；　shouting；　〃Stay；　ye　Papists！　　Stay；　Spanish　dogs！〃by　which；　as　was　to　be　expected；　they　being　ten　to　his　one；　he　was　forthwith　pulled　overboard；　and　fell　all　along　on　his　nose　in　the　sea；　leaving　the　hook　fast　in　her　stern。

Where；　I　know　not　how；　being　seized　with　some　panic　fear　（his　lively　imagination　filling　all　the　sea　with　those　sharks　which　he　had　just　seen）；　he　fell　a…roaring　like　any　town…bull；　and　in　his　confusion　never　thought　to　turn　and　get　aboard　again；　but　struck　out　lustily　after　the　Spanish　boat；　whether　in　hope　of　catching　hold　of　the　boat…hook　which　trailed　behind　her；　or　from　a　very　madness　of　valor；　no　man　could　divine；　but　on　he　swam；　his　cassock　afloat　behind　him；　looking　for　all　the　world　like　a　great　black　monk…fish；　and　howling　and　puffing；　with　his　mouth　full　of　salt　water；　〃Stay；　ye　Spanish　dogs！　　Help；　all　good　fellows！　　See　you　not　that　I　am　a　dead　man？　　They　are　nuzzling　already　at　my　toes！　He　hath　hold　of　my　leg！　　My　right　thigh　is　bitten　clean　off！　　Oh　that　I　were　preaching　in　Hartland　pulpit！　　Stay；　Spanish　dogs！　Yield；　Papist　cowards；　least　I　make　mincemeat　of　you；　and　take　me　aboard！　　Yield；　I　say；　or　my　blood　be　on　your　heads！　　I　am　no　Jonah；　if　he　swallow　me；　he　will　never　cast　me　up　again！　it　is　better　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　man；　than　into　the　hands　of　devils　with　three　rows　of　teeth　apiece。　　In　manus　tuas。　　Orate　pro　anima！〃

And　so　forth；　in　more　frantic　case　than　ever　was　Panurge　in　that　his　ever…memorable　seasickness；　till　the　English；　expecting　him　every　minute　to　be　snapped　up　by　sharks；　or　brained　by　the　Spaniard's　oars；　let　fly　a　volley　into　the　fugitives；　on　which　they　all　leaped　overboard　like　their　fellows；　whereon　Jack　scrambled　into　the　boat；　and　drawing　sword　with　one　hand；　while　he　wiped　the　water　out　of　his　eyes　with　the　other；　began　to　lay　about　him　like　a　very　lion；　cutting　the　empty　air；　and　crying；　〃Yield；　idolaters！　Yield；　Spanish　dogs！〃　　However；　coming　to　himself　after　a　while；　and　seeing　that　there　was　no　one　on　whom　to　flesh　his　maiden　steel；　he　sits　down　panting　in　the　sternsheets；　and　begins　stripping　off　his　hose。　　On　which　Amyas；　thinking　surely　that　the　good　fellow　had　gone　mad　with　some　stroke　of　the　sun；　or　by　having　fallen　into　the　sea　after　being　overheated　with　his　rowing；　bade　pull　alongside；　and　asked　him　in　heaven's　name　what　he　was　doing　with　his　nether　tackle。　　On　which　Jack；　amid　such　laughter　as　may　be　conceived；　vowed　and　swore　that　his　right　thigh　was　bitten　clean　through；　and　to　the　bone；　yea；　and　that　he　felt　his　hose　full　of　blood；　and　so　would　have　swooned　away　for　imaginary　loss　of　blood　（so　strong　was　the　delusion　on　him）　had　not　his　friends；　after　much　arguing　on　their　part；　and　anger　on　his；　persuaded　him　that　he　was　whole　and　sound。

After　which　they　set　to　work　to　overhaul　their　maiden　prize；　which　they　found　full　of　hides　and　salt…pork；　and　yet　not　of　that　alone；　for　in　the　captain's　cabin；　and　also　in　the　sternsheets　of　the　boat　which　Brimblecombe　had　so　valorously　boarded；　were　certain　frails　of　leaves　packed　neatly　enough；　which　being　opened　were　full　of　goodly　pearls；　though　somewhat　brown　（for　the　Spaniards　used　to　damage　the　color　in　their　haste　and　greediness；　opening　the　shells　by　fire；　instead　of　leaving　them　to　decay　gradually　after　the　Arabian　fashion）；　with　which　prize；　though　they　could　not　guess　its　value　very　exactly；　they　went　off　content　enough；　after　some　malicious　fellow　had　set　the　ship　on　fire；　which；　being　laden　with　hides；　was　no　nosegay　as　it　burnt。

Amyas　was　very　angry　at　this　wanton　damage；　in　which　his　model；　Drake；　had　never　indulged；　but　Cary　had　his　jest　ready。　　〃Ah！〃　said　he；　〃'Lutheran　devils'　we　are；　you　know；　so　we　are　bound　to　vanish；　like　other　fiends；　with　an　evil　savor。〃

As　soon；　however；　as　Amyas　was　on　board　again；　he　rounded　his　friend　Mr。　Brimblecombe　in　the　ear；　and　told　him　he　had　better　play　the　man　a　little　more；　roaring　less　before　he　was　hurt；　and　keeping　his　breath　to　help　his　strokes；　if　he　wished　the　crew　to　listen　much　to　his　discourses。　　Frank；　hearing　this；　bade　Amyas　leave　the　offe