westward ho-第9节

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count　of　the　indictment。　　〃I　say；　good　sir；　whence　dost　thou　hear　all　these　pretty　stories？〃

〃My　son　Jack；　Sir　Richard；　my　son　Jack；　ingenui　vultus　puer。〃

〃But　not；　it　seems；　ingenui　pudoris。　　Tell　thee　what；　Mr。　Schoolmaster；　no　wonder　if　thy　son　gets　put　on　the　fire；　if　thou　employ　him　as　a　tale…bearer。　　But　that　is　the　way　of　all　pedagogues　and　their　sons；　by　which　they　train　the　lads　up　eavesdroppers　and　favor…curriers；　and　prepare　themsirrah；　do　you　hear？for　a　much　more　lasting　and　hotter　fire　than　that　which　has　scorched　thy　son　Jack's　nether…tackle。　　Do　you　mark　me；　sir？〃

The　poor　pedagogue；　thus　cunningly　caught　in　his　own　trap；　stood　trembling　before　his　patron；　who；　as　hereditary　head　of　the　Bridge　Trust；　which　endowed　the　school　and　the　rest　of　the　Bideford　charities；　could；　by　a　turn　of　his　finger；　sweep　him　forth　with　the　besom　of　destruction；　and　he　gasped　with　terror　as　Sir　Richard　went　on〃Therefore；　mind　you；　Sir　Schoolmaster；　unless　you　shall　promise　me　never　to　hint　word　of　what　has　passed　between　us　two；　and　that　neither　you　nor　yours　shall　henceforth　carry　tales　of　my　godson；　or　speak　his　name　within　a　day's　march　of　Mistress　Salterne's；　look　to　it；　if　I　do　not〃

What　was　to　be　done　in　default　was　not　spoken；　for　down　went　poor　old　Vindex　on　his　knees：

〃Oh；　Sir　Richard！　　Excellentissime；　immo　praecelsissime　Domine　et　Senator；　I　promise！　　O　sir；　Miles　et　Eques　of　the　Garter；　Bath；　and　Golden　Fleece；　consider　your　dignities；　and　my　old　ageand　my　great　familynine　childrenoh；　Sir　Richard；　and　eight　of　them　girls！Do　eagles　war　with　mice？　says　the　ancient！〃

〃Thy　large　family；　eh？　　How　old　is　that　fat…witted　son　of　thine？〃

〃Sixteen；　Sir　Richard；　but　that　is　not　his　fault；　indeed！〃

〃Nay；　I　suppose　he　would　be　still　sucking　his　thumb　if　he　dared　get　up；　manget　up　and　seat　yourself。〃

〃Heaven　forbid！〃　murmured　poor　Vindex；　with　deep　humility。

〃Why　is　not　the　rogue　at　Oxford；　with　a　murrain　on　him；　instead　of　lurching　about　here　carrying　tales　and　ogling　the　maidens？〃

〃I　had　hoped；　Sir　Richardand　therefore　I　said　it　was　not　his　faultbut　there　was　never　a　servitorship　at　Exeter　open。〃

〃Go　to；　mango　to！　　I　will　speak　to　my　brethren　of　the　Trust；　and　to　Oxford　he　shall　go　this　autumn；　or　else　to　Exeter　gaol；　for　a　strong　rogue；　and　a　masterless　man。　　Do　you　hear？〃

〃Hear？oh；　sir；　yes！　and　return　thanks。　　Jack　shall　go；　Sir　Richard；　doubt　it　notI　were　mad　else；　and；　Sir　Richard；　may　I　go　too？〃

And　therewith　Vindex　vanished；　and　Sir　Richard　enjoyed　a　second　mighty　laugh；　which　brought　in　Lady　Grenville；　who　possibly　had　overheard　the　whole；　for　the　first　words　she　said　were

〃I　think；　my　sweet　life；　we　had　better　go　up　to　Burrough。〃

So　to　Burrough　they　went；　and　after　much　talk；　and　many　tears；　matters　were　so　concluded　that　Amyas　Leigh　found　himself　riding　joyfully　towards　Plymouth；　by　the　side　of　Sir　Richard；　and　being　handed　over　to　Captain　Drake；　vanished　for　three　years　from　the　good　town　of　Bideford。

And　now　he　is　returned　in　triumph；　and　the　observed　of　all　observers；　and　looks　round　and　round；　and　sees　all　faces　whom　he　expects；　except　one；　and　that　the　one　which　he　had　rather　see　than　his　mother's？　　He　is　not　quite　sure。　　Shame　on　himself！

And　now　the　prayers　being　ended；　the　rector　ascends　the　pulpit；　and　begins　his　sermon　on　the　text：

〃The　heaven　and　the　heaven　of　heavens　are　the　Lord's；　the　whole　earth　hath　he　given　to　the　children　of　men；〃　deducing　therefrom　craftily；　to　the　exceeding　pleasure　of　his　hearers；　the　iniquity　of　the　Spaniards　in　dispossessing　the　Indians；　and　in　arrogating　to　themselves　the　sovereignty　of　the　tropic　seas；　the　vanity　of　the　Pope　of　Rome　in　pretending　to　bestow　on　them　the　new　countries　of　America；　and　the　justice；　valor；　and　glory　of　Mr。　Drake　and　his　expedition；　as　testified　by　God's　miraculous　protection　of　him　and　his；　both　in　the　Straits　of　Magellan；　and　in　his　battle　with　the　Galleon；　and　last；　but　not　least；　upon　the　rock　by　Celebes；　when　the　Pelican　lay　for　hours　firmly　fixed；　and　was　floated　off　unhurt；　as　it　were　by　miracle；　by　a　sudden　shift　of　wind。

Ay；　smile；　reader；　if　you　will；　and；　perhaps；　there　was　matter　for　a　smile　in　that　honest　sermon；　interlarded；　as　it　was；　with　scraps　of　Greek　and　Hebrew；　which　no　one　understood；　but　every　one　expected　as　their　right　（for　a　preacher　was　nothing　then　who　could　not　prove　himself　〃a　good　Latiner〃）；　and　graced；　moreover；　by　a　somewhat　pedantic　and　lengthy　refutation　from　Scripture　of　Dan　Horace's　cockney　horror　of　the　sea


　　　　　〃Illi　robur　et　aes　triplex；〃　etc。


and　his　infidel　and　ungodly　slander　against　the　impias　rates；　and　their　crews。

Smile；　if　you　will：　but　those　were　days　（and　there　were　never　less　superstitious　ones）　in　which　Englishmen　believed　in　the　living　God；　and　were　not　ashamed　to　acknowledge；　as　a　matter　of　course；　His　help　and　providence；　and　calling；　in　the　matters　of　daily　life；　which　we　now　in　our　covert　atheism　term　〃secular　and　carnal；〃　and　when；　the　sermon　ended；　the　communion　service　had　begun；　and　the　bread　and　the　wine　were　given　to　those　five　mariners；　every　gallant　gentleman　who　stood　near　them　（for　the　press　would　not　allow　of　more）　knelt　and　received　the　elements　with　them　as　a　thing　of　course；　and　then　rose　to　join　with　heart　and　voice　not　merely　in　the　Gloria　in　Excelsis；　but　in　the　Te　Deum；　which　was　the　closing　act　of　all。　　And　no　sooner　had　the　clerk　given　out　the　first　verse　of　that　great　hymn；　than　it　was　taken　up　by　five　hundred　voices　within　the　church；　in　bass　and　tenor；　treble　and　alto　（for　every　one　could　sing　in　those　days；　and　the　west…country　folk；　as　now；　were　fuller　than　any　of　music）；　the　chant　was　caught　up　by　the　crowd　outside；　and　rang　away　over　roof　and　river；　up　to　the　woods　of　Annery；　and　down　to　the　marshes　of　the　Taw；　in　wave　on　wave　of　harmony。　　And　as　it　died　away；　the　shipping　in　the　river　made　answer　with　their　thunder；　and　the　crowd　streamed　out　again　toward　the　Bridge　Head；　whither　Sir　Richard　Grenville；　and　Sir　John　Chichester；　and　Mr。　Salterne；　the　Mayor；　led　the　five　heroes　of　the　day　to　await　the　pageant　which　had　been　prepared　in　honor　of　them。　And　as　they　went　by；　there　were　few　in　the　crowd　who　did　not　press　forward　to　shake　them　by　the　hand；　and　not　only　them；　but　their　parents　and　kinsfolk　who　walked　behind；　till　Mrs。　Leigh；　her　stately　joy　quite　broken　down　at　last；　could　only　answer　between　her　sobs；　〃Go　along；　good　peopleGod　a　mercy；　go　alongand　God　send　you　all　such　sons！〃

〃God　give　me　back　mine！〃　cried　an　old　red…cloaked　dame　in　the　crowd；　and　then；　struck　by　some　hidden　impulse；　she　sprang　forward；　and　catching　hold　of　young　Amyas's　sleeve

〃Kind　sir！　dear　sir！　　For　Christ　his　sake　answer　a　poor　old　widow　woman！〃

〃What　is　it；　dame？〃　quoth　Amyas；　gently　enough。

〃Did　you　see　my　son　to　the　Indies？my　son　Salvation？〃

〃Salvation？〃　replied　he；　with　the　air　of　one　who　recollected　the　name。

〃Yes；　sure；　Salvation　Yeo；　of　Clovelly。　　A　tall　man　and　black；　and　sweareth　awfully　in　his　talk；　the　Lord　forgive　him！〃

Amyas　recollected　now。　　It　was　the　name　of　the　sailor　who　had　given　him　the　wondrous　horn　five　years　ago。

〃My　good　dame；〃　said　he；　〃the　Indies　are　a　very　large　place；　and　your　son　may　be　safe　and　sound　enough　there；　without　my　having　seen　him。　　I　knew　one　Salvation　Yeo。　　But　he　must　have　come　with　　By　the　by；　godfather；　has　Mr。　Oxenham　come　home？〃

There　was　a　dead　silence　for　a　moment　among　the　gentlemen　round；　and　then　Sir　Richard　said　solemnly；　and　in　a　low　voice；　turning　away　from　the　old　dame；

〃Amyas；　Mr。　Oxenham　has　not　come　home；　and　from　the　day　he　sailed；　no　word　has　been　heard　of　him　and　all　his　crew。〃

〃Oh；　Sir　Richard！　and　you　kept　me　from　sailing　with　him！　　Had　I　known　this　before　I　went　into　church；　I　had　had　one　mercy　more　to　thank　God　for。〃

〃Thank　Him　all　the　more　in　thy　life；　my　child！〃　whispered　his　mother。

〃And　no　news　of　him　whatsoever？〃

〃None；　but　that　the　year　after　he　sailed；　a　ship　belonging　to　Andrew　Barker；　of　Bristol；　took　out　of　a　Spanish　caravel；　somewhere　off　the　Honduras；　his　two　brass　guns；　but　whence　they　came　the　Spaniard　knew　not；　having　bought　them　at　Nombre　de　Dios。〃

〃Yes！〃　cried　the　old　woman；　〃they　brought　home　the　guns；　and　never　brought　home　my　boy！〃

〃They　never　saw　your　boy；　mother；〃　said　Sir　Richard。

〃But　I've　seen　him！　　I　saw　him　in　a　dream　four　years　last　Whitsuntide；　as　plain　as　I　see　you　now；　gentles；　a…lying　upon　a　rock；　calling　for　a　drop　of　water　to　cool　his　tongue；　like　Dives　to　the　torment！　　Oh！　dear　me！〃　and　the　old　dame　wept　bitterly。

〃There　is　a　rose　noble　for　you！〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh。

〃And　there　another！〃　said　Sir　Richard。　　And　in　a　few　minutes　four　or　five　gold　coins　were　in　her　hand。　　But　the　old　dame　did　but　look　wonderingly　at　the　gold　a　moment；　and　then

〃Ah！　dear　gentles；　God's　blessing　on　you；　and　Mr。　Cary's　mighty　good　to　me　already；　but　gold　won't　buy　back　childer！　　O！　young　gentleman！　young　gentleman！　make　me　a　promise；　if　you　want　God's　blessing　on　you　this　day；　bring　me　back　my　boy；　if　you　find　him　sailing　on　the　seas！　　Bring　him　back；　and　an　old　widow's　blessing　be　on　you！〃

Amyas　promisedwhat　else　could　he　do？and　the　group　hurried　on；　but　the　lad's　heart　was　heavy　in　the　midst　of　j