to have and to hold-第41节

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〃She　is　come　to　her　senses；〃　he　said。　〃Up　in　the　state　cabin　are　bright　lights；　and　wine　and　laughter。　There　are　gentlewomen　aboard；　and　I　have　been　singing　to　the　lute；　to　them　…　and　to　her。　She　is　saved　from　the　peril　into　which　you　plunged　her；　she　knows　that　the　King's　Court　of　High　Commission；　to　say　nothing　of　the　hangman；　will　soon　snap　the　fetters　which　she　now　shudders　to　think　of；　that　the　King　and　one　besides　will　condone　her　past　short　madness。　　Her　cheeks　are　roses；　her　eyes　are　stars。　But　now；　when　I　pressed　her　hand　between　the　verses　of　my　song；　she　smiled　and　sighed　and　blushed。　She　is　again　the　dutiful　ward　of　the　King；　the　Lady　Jocelyn　Leigh　…　she　hath　asked　to　be　so　called〃　…

〃You　lie；〃　I　said。　〃She　is　my　true　and　noble　wife。　She　may　sit　in　the　state　cabin；　in　the　air　and　warmth　and　light；　she　may　even　laugh　with　her　lips；　but　her　heart　is　here　with　me　in　the　hold。〃

As　I　spoke；　I　knew；　and　knew　not　how　I　knew；　that　the　thing　which　I　had　said　was　true。　With　that　knowledge　came　a　happiness　so　deep　and　strong　that　it　swept　aside　like　straw　the　torment　of　those　cords；　and　the　deeper　hurt　that　I　lay　at　his　feet。　I　suppose　my　face　altered；　and　mirrored　that　blessed　glow　about　my　heart；　for　into　his　own　came　a　white　fury；　changing　its　beauty　into　something　inhuman　and　terrifying。　He　looked　a　devil　baffled。　For　a　minute　he　stood　there　rigid；　with　hands　clenched。　〃Embrace　her　heart；　if　thou　canst；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　so　low　that　it　came　like　a　whisper　from　the　realm　he　might　have　left。　〃I　shall　press　my　face　against　her　bosom。〃

Another　minute　of　a　silence　that　I　disdained　to　break；　then　he　turned　and　went　up　the　ladder。　The　seamen　and　the　master　followed。　The　hatch　was　clapped　to　and　fastened；　and　we　were　left　to　the　darkness　and　the　heavy　air；　and　to　a　grim　endurance　of　what　could　not　be　cured。

During　those　hours　of　thirst　and　torment　I　came　indeed　to　know　the　man　who　sat　beside　me。　His　hands　were　so　fastened　that　he　could　not　loosen　the　cords；　and　there　was　no　water　for　him　to　give　me；　but　he　could　and　did　bestow　a　higher　alms；　…　the　tenderness　of　a　brother；　the　manly　sympathy　of　a　soldier；　the　balm　　of　the　priest　of　God。　I　lay　in　silence；　and　he　spoke　not　often；　but　when　he　did　so；　there　was　that　in　the　tone　of　his　voice　…　Another　cycle　of　pain；　and　I　awoke　from　a　half　swoon；　in　which　there　was　water　to　drink　and　no　anguish；　to　hear　him　praying　beside　me。　He　ceased　to　speak；　and　in　the　darkness　I　heard　him　draw　his　breath　hard　and　his　great　muscles　crack。　Suddenly　there　came　a　sharp　sound　of　breaking　iron；　and　a　low　〃Thank　Thee；　Lord！〃　Another　moment；　and　I　felt　his　hands　busy　at　the　knotted　cords。　〃I　will　have　them　off　thee　in　a　twinkling；　Ralph；〃　he　said；　〃thanks　to　Him　who　taught　my　hands　to　war；　and　my　arms　to　break　in　two　a　bow　of　steel。〃　As　he　spoke；　the　cords　loosened　beneath　his　fingers。

I　raised　my　head　and　laid　it　on　his　knee；　and　he　put　his　great　arm；　with　the　broken　chain　dangling　from　it；　around　me；　and；　like　a　mother　with　a　babe；　crooned　me　to　sleep　with　the　twenty…third　psalm。



CHAPTER　XXVI　　IN　WHICH　I　AM　BROUGHT　TO　TRIAL


MY　lord　came　not　again　into　the　hold；　and　the　untied　cords　and　the　broken　chain　were　not　replaced。　Morning　and　evening　we　were　brought　a　niggard　allowance　of　bread　and　water；　but　the　man　who　carried　it　bore　no　light；　and　may　not　even　have　observed　their　absence。　We　saw　no　one　in　authority。　Hour　by　hour　my　wounds　healed　and　my　strength　returned。　If　it　was　a　dark　and　noisome　prison；　if　there　were　hunger　and　thirst　and　inaction　to　be　endured；　if　we　knew　not　how　near　to　us　might　be　a　death　of　ignominy；　yet　the　minister　and　I　found　the　jewel　in　the　head　of　the　toad；　for　in　that　time　of　pain　and　heaviness　we　became　as　David　and　Jonathan。

At　last　some　one　came　beside　the　brute　who　brought　us　food。　A　quiet　gentleman；　with　whitening　hair　and　bright　dark　eyes；　stood　before　us。　He　had　ordered　the　two　men　with　him　to　leave　open　the　hatch；　and　he　held　in　his　hand　a　sponge　soaked　with　vinegar。　〃Which　of　you　is　…　or　rather　was　…　Captain　Ralph　Percy？〃　he　asked；　in　a　grave　but　pleasant　voice。

〃I　am　Captain　Percy；〃　I　answered。

He　looked　at　me　with　attention。　〃I　have　heard　of　you　before；〃　he　said。　〃I　read　the　letter　you　wrote　to　Sir　Edwyn　Sandys；　and　thought　it　an　excellently　conceived　and　manly　epistle。　What　magic　transformed　a　gentleman　and　a　soldier　into　a　pirate？〃

As　he　waited　for　me　to　speak；　I　gave　him　for　answer；　〃Necessity。〃

〃A　sad　metamorphosis；〃　he　said。　〃I　had　rather　read　of　nymphs　changed　into　laurel　and　gushing　springs。　I　am　come　to　take　you；　sir；　before　the　officers　of　the　Company　aboard　this　ship；　when；　if　you　have　aught　to　say　for　yourself；　you　may　say　it。　I　need　not　tell　you；　who　saw　so　clearly　some　time　ago　the　danger　in　which　you　then　stood；　that　your　plight　is　now　a　thousandfold　worse。〃

〃I　am　perfectly　aware　of　it；〃　I　said。　〃Am　I　to　go　in　fetters？〃

〃No；〃　he　replied；　with　a　smile。　〃I　have　no　instructions　on　the　subject；　but　I　will　take　it　upon　myself　to　free　you　from　them；　…　even　for　the　sake　of　that　excellently　writ　letter。〃

〃Is　not　this　gentleman　to　go　too？〃　I　asked。

He　shook　his　head。　〃I　have　no　orders　to　that　effect。〃

While　the　men　who　were　with　him　removed　the　irons　from　my　wrists　and　ankles　he　stood　in　silence；　regarding　me　with　a　scrutiny　so　close　that　it　would　have　been　offensive　had　I　been　in　a　position　to　take　offense。　When　they　had　finished　I　turned　and　held　Jeremy's　hand　in　mine　for　an　instant；　then　followed　the　new…comer　to　the　ladder　and　out　of　the　hold；　the　two　men　coming　after　us；　and　resolving　themselves　above　into　a　guard。　As　we　traversed　the　main　deck　we　came　upon　Diccon；　busy　with　two　or　three　others　about　the　ports。　He　saw　me；　and；　dropping　the　bar　that　he　held；　started　forward；　to　be　plucked　back　by　an　angry　arm。　The　men　who　guarded　me　pushed　in　between　us；　and　there　was　no　word　spoken　by　either。　I　walked　on；　the　gentleman　at　my　side；　and　presently　　came　to　an　open　port；　and　saw；　with　an　intake　of　my　breath；　the　sunshine；　a　dark　blue　heaven　flecked　with　white；　and　a　quiet　ocean。　My　companion　glanced　at　me　keenly。

〃Doubtless　it　seems　fair　enough；　after　that　Cimmerian　darkness　below；〃　he　remarked。　〃Would　you　like　to　rest　here　a　moment？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　and；　leaning　against　the　side　of　the　port；　looked　out　at　the　beauty　of　the　light。

〃We　are　off　Hatteras；〃　he　informed　me；　〃but　we　have　not　met　with　the　stormy　seas　that　vex　poor　mariners　hereabouts。　Those　sails　you　see　on　our　quarter　belong　to　our　consort。　We　were　separated　by　the　hurricane　that　nigh　sunk　us；　and　finally　drove　us；　helpless　as　we　were；　toward　the　Florida　coast　and　across　your　path。　For　us　that　was　a　fortunate　reef　upon　which　you　dashed。　The　gods　must　have　made　your　helmsman　blind；　for　he　ran　you　into　a　destruction　that　gaped　not　for　you。　Why　did　every　wretch　that　we　hung　next　morning　curse　you　before　he　died？〃

〃If　I　told　you；　you　would　not　believe　me；〃　I　replied。

I　was　dizzy　with　the　bliss　of　the　air　and　the　light；　and　it　seemed　a　small　thing　that　he　would　not　believe　me。　The　wind　sounded　in　my　ears　like　a　harp；　and　the　sea　beckoned。　A　white　bird　flashed　down　into　the　crystal　hollow　between　two　waves；　hung　there　a　second；　then　rose；　a　silver　radiance　against　the　blue。　Suddenly　I　saw　a　river；　dark　and　ridged　beneath　thunderclouds；　a　boat；　and　in　it；　her　head　pillowed　upon　her　arm；　a　woman；　who　pretended　that　she　slept。　With　a　shock　my　senses　steadied；　and　I　became　myself　again。　The　sea　was　but　the　sea；　the　wind　the　wind；　in　the　hold　below　me　lay　my　friend；　somewhere　　in　that　ship　was　my　wife；　and　awaiting　me　in　the　state　cabin　were　men　who　perhaps　had　the　will；　as　they　had　the　right　and　the　might；　to　hang　me　at　the　yardarm　that　same　hour。

〃I　have　had　my　fill　of　rest；〃　I　said。　〃Whom　am　I　to　stand　before？〃

〃The　newly　appointed　officers　of　the　Company；　bound　in　this　ship　for　Virginia；〃　he　answered。　〃The　ship　carries　Sir　Francis　Wyatt；　the　new　Governor；　Master　Davison；　the　Secretary；　young　Clayborne；　the　surveyor　general；　the　knight　marshal；　the　physician　general；　and　the　Treasurer；　with　other　gentlemen；　and　with　fair　ladies；　their　wives　and　sisters。　I　am　George　Sandys；　the　Treasurer。〃

The　blood　rushed　to　my　face；　for　it　hurt　me　that　the　brother　of　Sir　Edwyn　Sandys　should　believe　that　the　firing　of　those　guns　had　been　my　act。　His　was　the　trained　observation　of　the　traveler　and　writer；　and　he　probably　read　the　color　aright。　〃I　pity　you；　if　I　can　no　longer　esteem　you；〃　he　said；　after　a　pause。　〃I　know　no　sorrier　sight　than　a　brave　man's　shield　reversed。〃

I　bit　my　lip　and　kept　back　the　angry　word。　The　next　minute　saw　us　at　the　door　of　the　state　cabin。　It　opened；　and　my　companion　entered；　and　I　after　him；　with　my　two　guards　at　my　back。　Around　a　large　table　were　gathered　a　number　of　gentlemen；　some　seated；　some　standing。　There　were　but　two　among　them　whom　I　had　seen　before；　…　the　physician　who　had　dressed　my　wound　and　my　Lord　Carnal。　The　latter　was　seated　in　a　great　chair；　beside　a　gentleman　with　a　pleasant　active　face　and　light　brown　curling　hair；　…　the　new　Governor；　as　I　guessed。　The　Treasurer；　nodding　to　the　two　men　to　fall　back　to　the　window；　　glided　to　a　seat　upon　my　lord's　other　hand；　and　I　went　and　stood　before　the　Governor　of　Vir