to have and to hold-第36节
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had seen wet with noble tears a laughing devil now lurked； while his strong mouth became a loose…lipped； devil…may…care one。 His head with its aureole of bushy； grizzled hair set itself jauntily upon one side； and from it and from his face and his whole great frame breathed a wicked jollity quite indescribable。
〃Odsbodikins； captain！〃 he cried。 〃Kirby's luck！ … 't will pass into a saw！ Adzooks！ and so you're captain once more； and I'm mate once more； and we've a ship once more； and we're off once more
sail the Spanish Main
give the Spaniard pain；
ho； bully boy； heave ho！
By 'r lakin！ I'm too dry to sing。 It will take all the wine of Xeres in the next galleon to unparch my tongue！〃
CHAPTER XXIII IN WHICH WE WRITE UPON THE SAND
DAY after day the wind filled our sails and sang in the rigging； and day after day we sailed through blue seas toward the magic of the south。 Day after day a listless and voluptuous world seemed too idle for any dream of wrong； and day after day we whom a strange turn of Fortune's wheel had placed upon a pirate ship held our lives in our hands； and walked so close with Death that at length that very intimacy did breed contempt。 It was not a time to think； it was a time to act； to laugh and make others laugh； to bluster and brag； to estrange sword and scabbard； to play one's hand with a fine unconcern； but all the time to watch； watch； watch； day in and day out； every minute of every hour。 That ship became a stage； and we； the actors； should have been applauded to the echo。 How well we played let witness the fact that the ship came to the Indies； with me for captain and the minister for mate； and with the woman that was on board unharmed； nay； reverenced like a queen。 The great cabin was hers； and the poop deck； we made for her a fantastic state with doffing of hats and bowings and backward steps。 We were her guard； … the gentlemen of the Queen； … I and my Lord Carnal； the minister and Diccon； and we kept between her and the rest of the ship。
We did our best； and our best was very much。 When I think of the songs the minister sang； of the roars of laughter that went up from the lounging pirates when； sitting astride one of the main…deck guns； he made his voice call to them； now from the hold； now from the stern gallery； now from the masthead； now from the gilt sea maid upon the prow； I laugh too。 Sometimes a space was cleared for him； and he played to them as to the pit at Blackfriars。 They laughed and wept and swore with delight； … all save the Spaniard； who was ever like a thundercloud； and Paradise； who only smiled like some languid； side…box lord。 There was wine on board； and during the long； idle days； when the wind droned in the rigging like a bagpipe； and there was never a cloud in the sky； and the galleons were still far away； the pirates gambled and drank。 Diccon diced with them； and taught them all the oaths of a free company。 So much wine； and no more； should they have； when they frowned； I let them see that their frowning and their half…drawn knives mattered no doit to me。 It was their whim … a huge jest of which they could never have enough … still to make believe that they sailed under Kirby。 Lest it should spoil the jest； and while the jest outranked all other entertainment； they obeyed as though I had been indeed that fierce sea wolf。
Time passed； though it passed like a tortoise； and we came to the Lucayas； to the outposts of the vast hunting ground of Spaniard and pirate and buccaneer； the fringe of that zone of beauty and villainy and fear； and sailed slowly past the islands； looking for our prey。
The sea was blue as blue could be。 Only in the morning and the evening it glowed blood red； or spread upon its still bosom all the gold of all the Indies； or became an endless mead of palest green shot with amethyst。 When night fell； it mirrored the stars； great and small； or was caught in a net of gold flung across it from horizon to horizon。 The ship rent the net with a wake of white fire。 The air was balm； the islands were enchanted places； abandoned by Spaniard and Indian； overgrown； serpent…haunted。 The reef； the still water； pink or gold； the gleaming beach； the green plume of the palm； the scarlet birds； the cataracts of bloom； … the senses swooned with the color； the steaming incense； the warmth； the wonder of that fantastic world。 Sometimes； in the crystal waters near the land； we sailed over the gardens of the sea gods； and； looking down； saw red and purple blooms and shadowy waving forests； with rainbow fish for humming birds。 Once we saw below us a sunken ship。 With how much gold she had endowed the wealthy sea； how many long drowned would rise from her rotted decks when the waves gave up their dead； no man could tell。 Away from the ship darted many…hued fish； gold…disked； or barred and spotted with crimson； or silver and purple。 The dolphin and the tunny and the flying fish swam with us。 Sometimes flights of small birds came to us from the land。 Sometimes the sea was thickly set with full…blown pale red bloom； the jellyfish that was a flower to the sight and a nettle to the touch。 If a storm arose； a fury that raged and threatened； it presently swept away； and the blue laughed again。 When the sun sank； there arose in the east such a moon as might have been sole light to all the realms of faery。 A beauty languorous and seductive was most absolute empress of the wonderful land and the wonderful sea。
We were in the hunting grounds； and men went not there to gather flowers。 Day after day we watched for Spanish sails； for the plate fleets went that way； and some galleass or caravel or galleon might stray aside。 At last； in the clear green bay of a nameless island at which we stopped for water； we found two carracks come upon the same errand； took them； and with them some slight treasure in rich cloths and gems。 A week later； in a strait between two islands like tinted clouds； we fought a very great galleon from sunrise to noon； pierced her hull through and through and silenced her ordnance； then boarded her and found a king's ransom in gold and silver。 When the fighting had ceased and the treasure was ours； then we four stood side by side on the deck of the slowly sinking galleon； in front of our prisoners； … of the men who had fought well； of the ashen priests and the trembling women。 Those whom we faced were in high good humor： they had gold with which to gamble； and wine to drink； and rich clothing with which to prank their villainous bodies； and prisoners with whom to make merry。 When I ordered the Spaniards to lower their boats； and taking with them their priests and women row off to one of those two islands； the weather changed。
We outlived that storm； but how I scarcely know。 As Kirby would have done； so did I； rating my crew like hounds； turning my point this way and that； daring them to come taste the red death upon it； braving it out like some devil who knows he is invulnerable。 My lord； swinging the cutlass with which he was armed； stood beside me； knee to knee； and Diccon cursed after me； making quarterstaff play with his long pike。 But it was the minister that won us through。 At length they laughed； and Paradise； standing forward； swore that such a captain and such a mate were worth the lives of a thousand Spaniards。 To pleasure Kirby； they would depart this once from their ancient usage and let the prisoners go； though it was passing strange； … it being Kirby's wont to clap prisoners under hatches and fire their ship above them。 At the end of which speech the Spaniard began to rave； and sprang at me like a catamount。 Paradise put forth a foot and tripped him up； whereat the pirates laughed again； and held him back when he would have come at me a second time。
From the deck of the shattered galleon I watched her boats； with their heavy freight of cowering humanity； pull off toward the island。 Back upon my own poop； the grappling irons cast loose； and a swiftly widening ribbon of blue between us and the sinking ship； I looked at the pirates thronging the waist below me； and knew that the play was nearly over。 How many days； weeks； hours； before the lights would go out； I could not tell： they might burn until we took or lost another ship； the next hour might see that brief tragedy consummated。
I turned； and going below met Sparrow at the foot of the poop ladder。
〃I have sworn at these pirates until my hair stood on end；〃 he said ruefully。 〃God forgive me！ And I have bent into circles three half pikes in demonstration of the thing that would occur to them if they tempted me overmuch。 And I have sung them all the bloody and lascivious songs that ever I knew in my unregenerate days。 I have played the bravo and buffoon until they gaped for wonder。 I have damned myself to all eternity； I fear； but there'll be no mutiny this fair day。 It may arrive by to…morrow； though。〃
〃Likely enough；〃 I said。 〃Come within。 I have eaten nothing since yesterday。〃
〃I'll speak to Diccon first；〃 he answered； and went on toward the forecastle； while I entered the state cabin。 Here I found Mistress Percy kneeling beside the bench beneath the stern windows； her face buried in her outstretched arms； her dark hair shadowing her like a mantle。 When I s
