westward ho-第87节

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niard；　and　exalt　her　majesty　the　queen。　　And　I　had　thought　that　nothing　was　more　dear　than　that　to　Captain　Leigh's　heart。〃

Amyas　stood　somewhat　irresolute。　　His　duty　to　the　queen　bade　him　follow　the　Spanish　vessel：　his　duty　to　his　vow；　to　go　on　to　La　Guayra。　　It　may　seem　a　far…fetched　dilemma。　　He　found　it　a　practical　one　enough。

However；　the　counsel　of　Frank　prevailed；　and　on　to　La　Guayra　he　went。　　He　half　hoped　that　the　Spaniard　would　see　and　attack　them。　However；　he　went　on　his　way　to　the　eastward；　which　if　he　had　not　done；　my　story　had　had　a　very　different　ending。

About　mid…day　a　canoe；　the　first　which　they　had　seen；　came　staggering　toward　them　under　a　huge　three…cornered　sail。　　As　it　came　near；　they　could　see　two　Indians　on　board。

〃Metal　floats　in　these　seas；　you　see；〃　quoth　Cary。　　〃There's　a　fresh　marvel；　for　you；　Frank。〃

〃Expound；〃　quoth　Frank；　who　was　really　ready　to　swallow　any　fresh　marvel；　so　many　had　he　seen　already。

〃Why；　how　else　would　those　two　bronze　statues　dare　to　go　to　sea　in　such　a　cockleshell；　eh？　　Have　I　given　you　the　dor　now；　master　courtier！〃

〃I　am　long　past　dors；　Will。　　But　what　noble　creatures　they　are！　and　how　fearlessly　they　are　coming　alongside！　　Can　they　know　that　we　are　English；　and　the　avengers　of　the　Indians？〃

〃I　suspect　they　just　take　us　for　Spaniards；　and　want　to　sell　their　cocoa…nuts。　　See；　the　canoe　is　laden　with　vegetables。〃

〃Hail　them；　Yeo！〃　said　Amyas。　　〃You　talk　the　best　Spanish；　and　I　want　speech　of　one　of　them。〃

Yeo　did　so；　the　canoe；　without　more　ado；　ran　alongside；　and　lowered　her　felucca　sail；　while　a　splendid　Indian　scrambled　on　board　like　a　cat。

He　was　full　six　feet　high；　and　as　bold　and　graceful　of　bearing　as　Frank　or　Amyas's　self。　　He　looked　round　for　the　first　moment　smilingly；　showing　his　white　teeth；　but　the　next；　his　countenance　changed；　and　springing　to　the　side；　he　shouted　to　his　comrade　in　Spanish

〃Treachery！　　No　Spaniard；〃　and　would　have　leaped　overboard；　but　a　dozen　strong　fellows　caught　him　ere　he　could　do　so。

It　required　some　trouble　to　master　him；　so　strong　was　he；　and　so　slippery　his　naked　limbs；　Amyas；　meanwhile；　alternately　entreated　the　men　not　to　hurt　the　Indian；　and　the　Indian　to　be　quiet；　and　no　harm　should　happen　to　him；　and　so；　after　five　minutes'　confusion；　the　stranger　gave　in　sulkily。

〃Don't　bind　him。　　Let　him　loose；　and　make　a　ring　round　him。　　Now；　my　man；　there's　a　dollar　for　you。〃

The　Indian's　eyes　glistened；　and　he　took　the　coin。

〃All　I　want　of　you　is；　first；　to　tell　me　what　ships　are　in　La　Guayra；　and　next；　to　go　thither　on　board　of　me；　and　show　me　which　is　the　governor's　house；　and　which　the　custom…house。〃

The　Indian　laid　the　coin　down　on　the　deck；　and　crossing　himself；　looked　Amyas　in　the　face。

〃No；　senor！　　I　am　a　freeman　and　a　cavalier；　a　Christian　Guayqueria；　whose　forefathers；　first　of　all　the　Indians；　swore　fealty　to　the　King　of　Spain；　and　whom　he　calls　to　this　day　in　all　his　proclamations　his　most　faithful；　loyal；　and　noble　Guayquerias。　　God　forbid；　therefore；　that　I　should　tell　aught　to　his　enemies；　who　are　my　enemies　likewise。〃

A　growl　arose　from　those　of　the　men　who　understood　him；　and　more　than　one　hinted　that　a　cord　twined　round　the　head；　or　a　match　put　between　the　fingers；　would　speedily　extract　the　required　information。

〃God　forbid！〃　said　Amyas；　〃a　brave　and　loyal　man　he　is；　and　as　such　will　I　treat　him。　　Tell　me；　my　brave　fellow；　how　do　you　know　us　to　be　his　Catholic　majesty's　enemies？〃

The　Indian；　with　a　shrewd　smile；　pointed　to　half…a…dozen　different　objects；　saying　to　each；　〃Not　Spanish。〃

〃Well；　and　what　of　that？〃

〃None　but　Spaniards　and　free　Guayquerias　have　a　right　to　sail　these　seas。〃

Amyas　laughed。

〃Thou　art　a　right　valiant　bit　of　copper。　　Pick　up　thy　dollar；　and　go　thy　way　in　peace。　　Make　room　for　him；　men。　　We　can　learn　what　we　want　without　his　help。〃

The　Indian　paused；　incredulous　and　astonished。　　〃Overboard　with　you！〃　quoth　Amyas。　　〃Don't　you　know　when　you　are　well　off？〃

〃Most　illustrious　senor；〃　began　the　Indian；　in　the　drawling　sententious　fashion　of　his　race　（when　they　take　the　trouble　to　talk　at　all）；　〃I　have　been　deceived。　　I　heard　that　you　heretics　roasted　and　ate　all　true　Catholics　（as　we　Guayquerias　are）；　and　that　all　your　padres　had　tails。〃

〃Plague　on　you；　sirrah！〃　squeaked　Jack　Brimblecombe。　　〃Have　I　a　tail？　　Look　here！〃

〃Quien　sabe？　　Who　knows？〃　quoth　the　Indian　through　his　nose。

〃How　do　you　know　we　are　heretics？〃　said　Amyas。

〃Humph！　　But　in　repayment　for　your　kindness；　I　would　warn　you；　illustrious　senor；　not　to　go　on　to　La　Guayra。　　There　are　ships　of　war　there　waiting　for　you；　and　moreover；　the　governor　Don　Guzman　sailed　to　the　eastward　only　yesterday　to　look　for　you；　and　I　wonder　much　that　you　did　not　meet　him。〃

〃To　look　for　us！　　On　the　watch　for　us！〃　said　Cary。　　〃Impossible；　lies！　　Amyas；　this　is　some　trick　of　the　rascal's　to　frighten　us　away。〃

〃Don　Guzman　came　out　but　yesterday　to　look　for　us？　　Are　you　sure　you　spoke　truth？〃

〃As　I　live；　senor；　he　and　another　ship；　for　which　I　took　yours。〃

Amyas　stamped　upon　the　deck：　that　then　was　the　ship　which　they　had　passed！

〃Fool　that　I　was　to　have　been　close　to　my　enemy；　and　let　my　opportunity　slip！　　If　I　had　but　done　my　duty；　all　would　have　gone　right！〃

But　it　was　too　late　to　repine；　and　after　all；　the　Indian's　story　was　likely　enough　to　be　false。

〃Off　with　you！〃　said　he；　and　the　Indian　bounded　over　the　side　into　his　canoe；　leaving　the　whole　crew　wondering　at　the　stateliness　and　courtesy　of　this　bold　sea…cavalier。

So　Westward…ho　they　ran；　beneath　the　mighty　northern　wall；　the　highest　cliff　on　earth；　some　seven　thousand　feet　of　rock　parted　from　the　sea　by　a　narrow　strip　of　bright　green　lowland。　　Here　and　there　a　patch　of　sugar…cane；　or　a　knot　of　cocoa…nut　trees；　close　to　the　water's　edge；　reminded　them　that　they　were　in　the　tropics；　but　above；　all　was　savage；　rough；　and　bare　as　an　Alpine　precipice。　Sometimes　deep　clefts　allowed　the　southern　sun　to　pour　a　blaze　of　light　down　to　the　sea　marge；　and　gave　glimpses　far　above　of　strange　and　stately　trees　lining　the　glens；　and　of　a　veil　of　perpetual　mist　which　shrouded　the　inner　summits；　while　up　and　down；　between　them　and　the　mountain　side；　white　fleecy　clouds　hung　motionless　in　the　burning　air；　increasing　the　impression　of　vastness　and　of　solemn　rest；　which　was　already　overpowering。

〃Within　those　mountains；　three　thousand　feet　above　our　heads；〃　said　Drew；　the　master；　〃lies　Saint　Yago　de　Leon；　the　great　city　which　the　Spaniards　founded　fifteen　years　agone。〃

〃Is　it　a　rich　place？〃　asked　Cary。

〃Very；　they　say。〃

〃Is　it　a　strong　place？〃　asked　Amyas。

〃No　forts　to　it　at　all；　they　say。　　The　Spaniards　boast；　that　Heaven　has　made　such　good　walls　to　it　already；　that　man　need　make　none。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　quoth　Amyas。　　〃Lads；　could　you　climb　those　hills；　do　you　think？〃

〃Rather　higher　than　Harty　Point；　sir：　but　it　depends　pretty　much　on　what's　behind　them。〃

And　now　the　last　point　is　rounded；　and　they　are　full　in　sight　of　the　spot　in　quest　of　which　they　have　sailed　four　thousand　miles　of　sea。　　A　low　black　cliff；　crowned　by　a　wall；　a　battery　at　either　end。　　Within；　a　few　narrow　streets　of　white　houses；　running　parallel　with　the　sea；　upon　a　strip　of　flat；　which　seemed　not　two　hundred　yards　in　breadth；　and　behind；　the　mountain　wall；　covering　the　whole　in　deepest　shade。　　How　that　wall　was　ever　ascended　to　the　inland　seemed　the　puzzle；　but　Drew；　who　had　been　off　the　place　before；　pointed　out　to　them　a　narrow　path；　which　wound　upwards　through　a　glen；　seemingly　sheer　perpendicular。　　That　was　the　road　to　the　capital；　if　any　man　dare　try　it。　　In　spite　of　the　shadow　of　the　mountain；　the　whole　place　wore　a　dusty　and　glaring　look。　　The　breaths　of　air　which　came　off　the　land　were　utterly　stifling；　and　no　wonder；　for　La　Guayra；　owing　to　the　radiation　of　that　vast　fire…　brick　of　heated　rock；　is　one　of　the　hottest　spots　upon　the　face　of　the　whole　earth。

Where　was　the　harbor？　　There　was　none。　　Only　an　open　roadstead；　wherein　lay　tossing　at　anchor　five　vessels。　　The　two　outer　ones　were　small　merchant　caravels。　　Behind　them　lay　two　long；　low；　ugly…　looking　craft；　at　sight　of　which　Yeo　gave　a　long　whew。

〃Galleys；　as　I'm　a　sinful　saint！　　And　what's　that　big　one　inside　of　them；　Robert　Drew？　　She　has　more　than　hawseholes　in　her　idolatrous　black　sides；　I　think。〃

〃We　shall　open　her　astern　of　the　galleys　in　another　minute；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Look　out；　Cary；　your　eyes　are　better　than　mine。〃

〃Six　round　portholes　on　the　main　deck；〃　quoth　Will。

〃And　I　can　see　the　brass　patararoes　glittering　on　her　poop；〃　quoth　Amyas。　　〃Will；　we're　in　for　it。〃

〃In　for　it　we　are；　captain。


　　　　　〃Farewell；　farewell；　my　parents　dear。　　　　　　　I　never　shall　see　you　more；　I　fear。


Let's　go　in；　nevertheless；　and　pound　the　Don's　ribs；　my　old　lad　of　Smerwick。　　Eh？　　Three　to　one　is　very　fair　odds。〃

〃Not　underneath　those　fort　guns；　I　beg　leave　to　say；〃　quoth　Yeo。　〃If　the　Philistines　will　but　come　out　unto　us；　we　will　make　them　like　unto　Zeba　and　Zalmunna。〃

〃Quite　true；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Game　cocks　are　game　cocks；　but　reason's　reason。〃

〃If　the　Philistines　are　not　coming　out；　they　are　going　to　send　a　messenger　instead；〃　quoth　Cary。　　〃Look　out；　all　t