to have and to hold-第15节
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〃It's every whit as good as the Spanish；〃 I answered。 〃You may tell my Lord Warwick so； when next you write。〃
He laughed。 If he was a timeserver and leagued with my Lord Warwick's faction in the Company； he was a jovial sinner。 Traveler and student； much of a philosopher； more of a wit； and boon companion to any beggar with a pottle of ale； … while the drink lasted； … we might look askance at his dealings； but we liked his company passing well。 If he took half a poor rustic's crop for his fee； he was ready enough to toss him sixpence for drink money； and if he made the tenants of the lands allotted to his office leave their tobacco uncared for whilst they rowed him on his innumerable roving expeditions up creeks and rivers； he at least lightened their labors with most side…splitting tales； and with bottle songs learned in a thousand taverns。
〃After to…morrow there'll be more interesting news to write；〃 he announced。 〃You're a bold man； Captain Percy。〃
He looked at me out of the corners of his little twinkling eyes。 I sat and smoked in silence。
〃The King begins to dote upon him；〃 he said； 〃leans on his arm； plays with his hand； touches his cheek。 Buckingham stands by； biting his lip； his brow like a thundercloud。 You'll find in to…morrow's antagonist； Ralph Percy； as potent a conjurer as your cousin Hotspur found in Glendower。 He'll conjure you up the Tower； and a hanging； drawing； and quartering。 Who touches the King's favorite had safer touch the King。 It's l？se…majest？ you contemplate。〃
He lit his pipe and blew out a great cloud of smoke； then burst into a roar of laughter。 〃My Lord High Admiral may see you through。 Zooks！ there'll be a raree…show worth the penny； behind the church to…morrow； a Percy striving with all his might and main to serve a Villiers！ Eureka！ There is something new under the sun； despite the Preacher！〃 He blew out another cloud of smoke。 By this the tankard was empty； and his cheeks were red； his eyes moist； and his laughter very ready。
〃Where's the Lady Jocelyn Leigh？〃 he asked。 〃May I not have the honor to kiss her hand before I go？〃
I stared at him。 〃I do not understand you；〃 I said coldly。 〃There 's none within but Mistress Percy。 She is weary； and rests after her journey。 We came from Weyanoke this morning。〃
He shook with laughter。 〃Ay； ay； brave it out！〃 he cried。 〃It's what every man Jack of us said you would do！ But all's known； man！ The Governor read the King's letters in full Council an hour ago。 She's the Lady Jocelyn Leigh； she 's a ward of the King's； she and her lands are to wed my Lord Carnal！〃
〃She was all that；〃 I replied。 〃Now she 's my wife。〃
〃You'll find that the Court of High Commission will not agree with you。〃
My rapier lay across my knees； and I ran my hand down its worn scabbard。 〃Here 's one that agrees with me；〃 I said。 〃And up there is Another；〃 and I lifted my hat。
He stared。 〃God and my good sword！〃 he cried。 〃A very knightly dependence； but not to be mentioned nowadays in the same breath with gold and the King's favor。 Better bend to the storm； man； sing low while it roars past。 You can swear that you did n't know her to be of finer weave than dowlas。 Oh； they'll call it in some sort a marriage； for the lady's own sake； but they'll find flaws enough to crack a thousand such mad matches。 The divorce is the thing！ There's precedent； you know。 A fair lady was parted from a brave man not a thousand years ago； because a favorite wanted her。 True； Frances Howard wanted the favorite； whilst this beauty of yours〃 …
〃You will please not couple the name of my wife with the name of that adulteress！〃 I interrupted fiercely。
He started； then cried out somewhat hurriedly： 〃No offense； no offense！ I meant no comparisons； comparisons are odorous； saith Dogberry。 All at court know the Lady Jocelyn Leigh for a very Britomart； a maid as cold as Dian！〃
I rose； and began to pace up and down the bit of green before the door。 〃Master Pory；〃 I said at last； coming to a stop before him； 〃if； without breach of faith； you can tell me what was said or done at the Council to…day anent this matter； you will lay me under an obligation that I shall not forget。〃
He studied the lace on his sleeve in silence for a while； then glanced up at me out of those small； sly； merry eyes。 〃Why；〃 he answered； 〃the King demands that the lady be sent home forthwith； on the ship that gave us such a turn to…day； in fact； with a couple of women to attend her； and under the protection of the only other passenger of quality； to wit； my Lord Carnal。 His Majesty cannot conceive it possible that she hath so far forgotten her birth； rank； and duty as to have maintained in Virginia this mad masquerade； throwing herself into the arms of any petty planter or broken adventurer who hath chanced to have an hundred and twenty pounds of filthy tobacco with which to buy him a wife。 If she hath been so mad； she is to be sent home none the less； where she will be tenderly dealt with as one surely in this sole matter under the spell of witchcraft。 The ship is to bring home also … and in irons … the man who married her。 If he swears to have been ignorant of her quality； and places no straws in the way of the King's Commissioners； then shall he be sent honorably back to Virginia with enough in his hand to get him another wife。 Per contra； if he erred with open eyes； and if he remain contumacious； he will have to deal with the King and with the Court of High Commission； to say nothing of the King's favorite。 That's the sum and substance； Ralph Percy。〃
〃Why was my Lord Carnal sent？〃 I asked。
〃Probably because my Lord Carnal would come。 He hath a will； hath my Lord； and the King is more indulgent than Eli to those upon whom he dotes。 Doubtless； my Lord High Admiral sped him on his way； gave him the King's best ship； wished him a favorable wind … to hell。〃
〃I was not ignorant that she was other than she seemed； and I remain contumacious。〃
〃Then；〃 he said shamelessly； 〃you'll forgive me if in public； at least； I forswear your company？ You're plague…spotted； Captain Percy； and your friends may wish you well； but they must stay at home and burn juniper before their own doors。〃
〃I'll forgive you；〃 I said； 〃when you 've told me what the Governor will do。〃
〃Why； there's the rub；〃 he answered。 〃Yeardley is the most obstinate man of my acquaintance。 He who at his first coming； beside a great deal of worth in his person； brought only his sword hath grown to be as very a Sir Oracle among us as ever I saw。 It's 'Sir George says this；' and 'Sir George says that；' and so there's an end on't。 It's all because of that leave to cut your own throats in your own way that he brought you last year。 Sir George and Sir Edwyn！ Zooks！ you had better dub them St。 George and St。 Edwyn at once； and be done with it。 Well； on this occasion Sir George stands up and says roundly； with a good round oath to boot： 'The King's commands have always come to us through the Company。 The Company obeys the King； we obey the Company。 His Majesty's demand （with reverence I speak it） is out of all order。 Let the Company； through the treasurer； command us to send Captain Percy home in irons to answer for this passing strange offense； or to return； willy nilly； the lady who is now surely his wife； and we will have no choice but to obey。 Until the Company commands us we will do nothing； nay we can do nothing。' And every one of my fellow Councilors （for myself； I was busy with my pens） saith； 'My opinion； Sir George。' The upshot of it all is that the Due Return is to sail in two days with our humble representation to his Majesty that though we bow to his lightest word as the leaf bows to the zephyr； yet we are； in this sole matter； handfast； compelled by his Majesty's own gracious charter to refer our slightest official doing to that noble Company which owes its very being to its rigid adherence to the terms of said charter。 Wherefore； if his Majesty will be graciously pleased to command us as usual through the said Company … and so on。 Of course； not a soul in the Council； or in Jamestown； or in Virginia dreams of a duel behind the church at sunrise to…morrow。〃 He knocked the ashes from his pipe； and by degrees got his fat body up from the doorstep。 〃So there's a reprieve for you； Ralph Percy； unless you kill or are killed to…morrow morning。 In the latter case； the problem's solved； in the former； the best service you can do yourself； and maybe the Company； is to walk out of the world of your own accord； and that as quickly as possible。 Better a cross…roads and a stake through a dead heart than a hangman's hands upon a live one。〃
〃One moment；〃 I said。 〃Doth my Lord Carnal know of this decision of the Governor's？〃
〃Ay； and a fine passion it put him into。 Stormed and swore and threatened； and put the Governor's back up finely。 It seems that he thought to 'bout ship to…morrow； lady and all。 He refuseth to go without the lady； and so remaineth in Virginia until he can have his will。 Lord！ but Buckingham would be a happy man if he were kept here forever and a day！ My lord knows what he risks； and he's in as black a humor as ever you saw。 But I have striven to drop oil on the troubled waters。 'My lord；' I told him； 'you have but t
