to have and to hold-第9节

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　with　a　laugh。　〃I　will　eat　all　of　your　killing；〃　I　said。

She　aimed　the　weapon。　〃A　wager！〃　she　declared。　〃There　be　mercers　in　Jamestown？　If　I　hit；　thou　'lt　buy　me　a　pearl　hatband？〃

〃Two。〃

She　fired；　and　the　bird　rose　with　a　scream　of　wrath　and　sailed　away。　But　two　or　three　feathers　came　floating　to　the　ground；　and　when　Diccon　had　brought　them　to　her　she　pointed　triumphantly　to　the　blood　upon　them。　〃You　said　two！〃　she　cried。

The　sun　rose　higher；　and　the　heat　of　the　day　set　in。　Mistress　Percy's　interest　in　forest　bloom　and　creature　flagged。　Instead　of　laughter；　we　had　sighs　at　the　length　of　way；　the　vines　slid　from　her　lap；　and　she　took　the　faded　flowers　from　her　head　and　cast　them　aside。　She　talked　no　more；　and　by　and　by　I　felt　her　head　droop　against　my　shoulder。

〃Madam　is　asleep；〃　said　Diccon's　voice　behind　me。

〃Ay；〃　I　answered。　〃She'll　find　a　jack　of　mail　but　a　hard　pillow。　And　look　to　her　that　she　does　not　fall。〃

〃I　had　best　walk　beside　you；　then；〃　he　said。

I　nodded；　and　he　dismounted；　and　throwing　the　mare's　bridle　over　his　arm　strode　on　beside　us；　with　his　hand　upon　the　frame　of　the　pillion。　Ten　minutes　passed；　the　last　five　of　which　I　rode　with　my　face　over　my　shoulder。　〃Diccon！〃　I　cried　at　last；　sharply。

He　came　to　his　senses　with　a　start。　〃Ay；　sir？〃　he　questioned；　his　face　dark　red。

〃Suppose　you　look　at　me　for　a　change；〃　I　said。　〃How　long　since　Dale　came　in；　Diccon？〃

〃Ten　years；　sir。〃

〃Before　we　enter　Jamestown　we'll　pass　through　a　certain　field　and　beneath　a　certain　tree。　Do　you　remember　what　happened　there；　some　years　ago？〃

〃I　am　not　like　to　forget；　sir。　You　saved　me　from　the　wheel。〃

〃Upon　which　you　were　bound；　ready　to　be　broken　for　drunkenness；　gaming；　and　loose　living。　I　begged　your　life　from　Dale　for　no　other　reason；　I　think；　than　that　you　had　been　a　horse…boy　in　my　old　company　in　the　Low　Countries。　God　wot；　the　life　was　scarcely　worth　the　saving！〃

〃I　know　it；　sir。〃

〃Dale　would　not　let　you　go　scot…free；　but　would　sell　you　into　slavery。　At　your　own　entreaty　I　bought　you；　since　when　you　have　served　me　indifferently　well。　You　have　showed　small　penitence　for　past　misdeeds；　and　your　amendment　hath　been　of　yet　lesser　bulk。　A　hardy　rogue　thou　wast　born；　and　a　rogue　thou　wilt　remain　to　the　end　of　time。　But　we　have　lived　and　hunted；　fought　and　bled　together；　and　in　our　own　fashion　I　think　we　bear　each　other　good　will；　…　even　some　love。　I　have　winked　at　much；　have　shielded　you　in　much；　perhaps。　In　return　I　have　demanded　　one　thing；　which　if　you　had　not　given　I　would　have　found　you　another　Dale　to　deal　with。〃

〃Have　I　ever　refused　it；　my　captain？〃

〃Not　yet。　Take　your　hand　from　that　pillion　and　hold　it　up；　then　say　after　me　these　words：　'This　lady　is　my　mistress；　my　master's　wife；　to　be　by　me　reverenced　as　such。　Her　face　is　not　for　my　eyes　nor　her　hand　for　my　lips。　If　I　keep　not　myself　clean　of　all　offense　toward　her；　may　God　approve　that　which　my　master　shall　do！'　〃

The　blood　rushed　to　his　face。　I　watched　his　fingers　slowly　loosening　their　grasp。

〃Tardy　obedience　is　of　the　house　of　mutiny；〃　I　said　sternly。　〃　Will　you；　sirrah；　or　will　you　not？〃

He　raised　his　hand　and　repeated　the　words。

〃Now　hold　her　as　before；〃　I　ordered；　and；　straightening　myself　in　the　saddle；　rode　on；　with　my　eyes　once　more　on　the　path　before　me。

A　mile　further　on；　Mistress　Percy　stirred　and　raised　her　head　from　my　shoulder。　〃　Not　at　Jamestown　yet？〃　she　sighed；　as　yet　but　half　awake。　〃Oh；　the　endless　trees！　I　dreamed　I　was　hawking　at　Windsor；　and　then　suddenly　I　was　here　in　this　forest；　a　bird；　happy　because　I　was　free；　and　then　a　falcon　came　swooping　down　upon　me；　…　it　had　me　in　its　talons；　and　I　changed　to　myself　again；　and　it　changed　to　…　What　am　I　saying？　I　am　talking　in　my　sleep。　Who　is　that　singing？〃

In　fact；　from　the　woods　in　front　of　us；　and　not　a　bowshot　away；　rang　out　a　powerful　voice：　…

〃'In　the　merry　month　of　May；

　In　a　morn　by　break　of　day；

　With　a　troop　of　damsels　playing

　Forth　I　went；　forsooth；　a…maying；'　〃　　and　presently；　the　trees　thinning　in　front　of　us；　we　came　upon　a　little　open　glade　and　upon　the　singer。　He　lay　on　his　back；　on　the　soft　turf　beneath　an　oak；　with　his　hands　clasped　behind　his　head　and　his　eyes　upturned　to　the　blue　sky　showing　between　leaf　and　branch。　On　one　knee　crossed　above　the　other　sat　a　squirrel　with　a　nut　in　its　paws；　and　half　a　dozen　others　scampered　here　and　there　over　his　great　body；　like　so　many　frolicsome　kittens。　At　a　little　distance　grazed　an　old　horse；　gray　and　gaunt；　springhalt　and　spavined；　with　ribs　like　Death's　own。　Its　saddle　and　bridle　adorned　a　limb　of　the　oak。

The　song　went　cheerfully　on：　…

〃　'Much　ado　there　was；　God　wot：

　would　love　and　she　would　not；

　said；　〃Never　man　was　true。〃

　He　said；　〃None　was　false　to　you。〃　'　〃

〃Give　you　good…day；　reverend　sir！〃　I　called。　〃　Art　conning　next　Sunday's　hymn？〃

Nothing　abashed；　Master　Jeremy　Sparrow　gently　shook　off　the　squirrels；　and　getting　to　his　feet　advanced　to　meet　us。

〃A　toy；〃　he　declared；　with　a　wave　of　his　hand；　〃a　trifle；　a　silly　old　song　that　came　into　my　mind　unawares；　the　leaves　being　so　green　and　the　sky　so　blue。　Had　you　come　a　little　earlier　or　a　little　later；　you　would　have　heard　the　ninetieth　psalm。　Give　you　good…day　madam。　I　must　have　sung　for　that　the　very　queen　of　May　was　coming　by。〃

〃Art　on　your　way　to　Jamestown？〃　I　demanded。　〃Come　ride　with　us。　Diccon；　saddle　his　reverence's　horse。〃

〃Saddle　him　an　thou　wilt；　friend；〃　said　Master　Sparrow；　〃　for　he　and　I　have　idled　long　enough；　but　　I　fear　I　cannot　keep　pace　with　this　fair　company。　I　and　the　horse　are　footing　it　together。〃

〃He　is　not　long　for　this　world；〃　I　remarked；　eyeing　his　ill…favored　steed；　〃but　neither　are　we　far　from　Jamestown。　He'll　last　that　far。〃

Master　Sparrow　shook　his　head；　with　a　rueful　countenance。　〃I　bought　him　from　one　of　the　French　vignerons　below　Westover；〃　he　said。　〃The　fellow　was　astride　the　poor　creature；　beating　him　with　a　club　because　he　could　not　go。　I　laid　Monsieur　Crapaud　in　the　dust；　after　which　we　compounded；　he　for　my　purse；　I　for　the　animal；　since　when　the　poor　beast　and　I　have　tramped　it　together；　for　I　could　not　in　conscience　ride　him。　Have　you　read　me　’sop　his　fables；　Captain　Percy？〃

〃I　remember　the　man；　the　boy；　and　the　ass；〃　I　replied。　〃The　ass　came　to　grief　in　the　end。　Put　thy　scruples　in　thy　pocket；　man；　and　mount　thy　pale　horse。〃

〃Not　I！〃　he　said；　with　a　smile。　〃　'T　is　a　thousand　pities；　Captain　Percy；　that　a　small；　mean；　and　squeamish　spirit　like　mine　should　be　cased　like　a　very　Guy　of　Warwick。　Now；　if　I　were　slight　of　body；　or　even　if　I　were　no　heavier　than　your　servant　there〃　…

〃Oh！〃　I　said。　〃Diccon；　give　his　reverence　the　mare；　and　do　you　mount　his　horse　and　bring　him　slowly　on　to　town。　If　he　will　not　carry　you；　you　can　lead　him　in。〃

Sunshine　revisited　the　countenance　of　Master　Jeremy　Sparrow；　he　swung　his　great　body　into　the　saddle；　gathered　up　the　reins；　and　made　the　mare　to　caracole　across　the　path　for　very　joy。

〃Have　a　care　of　the　poor　brute；　friend！〃　he　cried　genially　to　Diccon；　whose　looks　were　of　the　sulkiest。　　〃Bring　him　gently　on；　and　leave　him　at　Master　Bucke's；　near　to　the　church。〃

〃What　do　you　do　at　Jamestown？〃　I　asked；　as　we　passed　from　out　the　glade　into　the　gloom　of　a　pine　wood。　〃I　was　told　that　you　were　gone　to　Henricus；　to　help　Master　Thorpe　convert　the　Indians。〃

〃Ay；〃　he　answered；　〃I　did　go。　I　had　a　call；　…　I　was　sure　I　had　a　call。　I　thought　of　myself　as　a　very　apostle　to　the　Gentiles。　I　went　from　Henricus　one　day's　journey　into　the　wilderness；　with　none　but　an　Indian　lad　for　interpreter；　and　coming　to　an　Indian　village　gathered　its　inhabitants　about　me；　and　sitting　down　upon　a　hillock　read　and　expounded　to　them　the　Sermon　on　the　Mount。　I　was　much　edified　by　the　solemnity　of　their　demeanor　and　the　earnestness　of　their　attention；　and　had　conceived　great　hopes　for　their　spiritual　welfare；　when；　the　reading　and　exhortation　being　finished；　one　of　their　old　men　arose　and　made　me　a　long　speech；　which　I　could　not　well　understand；　but　took　to　be　one　of　grateful　welcome　to　myself　and　my　tidings　of　peace　and　good　will。　He　then　desired　me　to　tarry　with　them；　and　to　be　present　at　some　entertainment　or　other；　the　nature　of　which　I　could　not　make　out。　I　tarried；　and　toward　evening　they　conducted　me　with　much　ceremony　to　an　open　space　in　the　midst　of　the　village。　There　I　found　planted　in　the　ground　a　thick　stake；　and　around　it　a　ring　of　flaming　brushwood。　To　the　stake　was　fastened　an　Indian　warrior；　captured；　so　my　interpreter　informed　me；　from　some　hostile　tribe　above　the　falls。　His　arms　and　ankles　were　secured　to　the　stake　by　means　of　thongs　passed　through　incisions　in　the　flesh；　his　body　was　stuck　over　with　countless　pine　splinters；　each　burning　like　a　miniature　torch；　and　on　his　shaven　　crown　was　tied　a　thin　plate　of　copper　heaped　with　red…hot　coals。　A　little　to　one　side　appeared　another　stake　and　another　circle　of　brushwood：　the　one　with　nothing　tied　to　it　as　yet；　and　the　other　still　unlit。　My　friend；　I　did　not　tarry　to　see　it　lit。　I　tore　a　branch　from　an　oak；　and　I　became　as　Samson　with　the　jaw　bone　of　the　ass。　I　fell　upon　and　smote　those　Philistines。　Their　wretched　victim　was　beyond　all　human　help；　but　I　dearly　av