westward ho-第114节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ilence；　and　then　Amyas　heard　his　body　crashing　through　the　tree…tops　far　below。

〃Haul　her　up！　　Hew　her　in　pieces！　　Burn　the　witch！〃　and　the　driver；　seizing　the　chain；　pulled　at　it　with　all　his　might；　while　all　springing　from　their　chairs；　stooped　over　the　brink。

Now　was　the　time　for　Amyas！　　Heaven　had　delivered　them　into　his　hands。　　Swift　and　sure；　at　ten　yards　off；　his　arrow　rushed　through　the　body　of　the　driver；　and　then；　with　a　roar　as　of　the　leaping　lion；　he　sprang　like　an　avenging　angel　into　the　midst　of　the　astonished　ruffians。

His　first　thought　was　for　the　girl。　　In　a　moment；　by　sheer　strength；　he　had　jerked　her　safely　up　into　the　road；　while　the　Spaniards　recoiled　right　and　left；　fancying　him　for　the　moment　some　mountain　giant　or　supernatural　foe。　　His　hurrah　undeceived　them　in　an　instant；　and　a　cry　of　〃English！　　Lutheran　dogs！〃　arose；　but　arose　too　late。　　The　men　of　Devon　had　followed　their　captain's　lead：　a　storm　of　arrows　left　five　Spaniards　dead；　and　a　dozen　more　wounded；　and　down　leapt　Salvation　Yeo；　his　white　hair　streaming　behind　him；　with　twenty　good　swords　more；　and　the　work　of　death　began。

The　Spaniards　fought　like　lions；　but　they　had　no　time　to　fix　their　arquebuses　on　the　crutches；　no　room；　in　that　narrow　path；　to　use　their　pikes。　　The　English　had　the　wall　of　them；　and　to　have　the　wall　there；　was　to　have　the　foe's　life　at　their　mercy。　　Five　desperate　minutes；　and　not　a　living　Spaniard　stood　upon　those　steps；　and　certainly　no　living　one　lay　in　the　green　abyss　below。　Two　only；　who　were　behind　the　rest；　happening　to　be　in　full　armor；　escaped　without　mortal　wound；　and　fled　down　the　hill　again。

〃After　them！　　Michael　Evans　and　Simon　Heard；　and　catch　them；　if　they　run　a　league。〃

The　two　long　and　lean　Clovelly　men；　active　as　deer　from　forest　training；　ran　two　feet　for　the　Spaniard's　one；　and　in　ten　minutes　returned；　having　done　their　work；　while　Amyas　and　his　men　hurried　past　the　Indians；　to　help　Cary　and　the　party　forward；　where　shouts　and　musket　shots　announced　a　sharp　affray。

Their　arrival　settled　the　matter。　　All　the　Spaniards　fell　but　three　or　four；　who　scrambled　down　the　crannies　of　the　cliff。

〃Let　not　one　of　them　escape！　　Slay　them　as　Israel　slew　Amalek！〃　cried　Yeo；　as　he　bent　over；　and　ere　the　wretches　could　reach　a　place　of　shelter；　an　arrow　was　quivering　in　each　body；　as　it　rolled　lifeless　down　the　rocks。

〃Now　then！　　Loose　the　Indians！〃

They　found　armorers　tools　on　one　of　the　dead　bodies；　and　it　was　done。

〃We　are　your　friends；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃All　we　ask　is；　that　you　shall　help　us　to　carry　this　gold　down　to　the　Magdalena；　and　then　you　are　free。〃

Some　few　of　the　younger　grovelled　at　his　knees；　and　kissed　his　feet；　hailing　him　as　the　child　of　the　Sun：　but　the　most　part　kept　a　stolid　indifference；　and　when　freed　from　their　fetters；　sat　quietly　down　where　they　stood；　staring　into　vacancy。　　The　iron　had　entered　too　deeply　into　their　soul。　　They　seemed　past　hope；　enjoyment；　even　understanding。

But　the　young　girl；　who　was　last　of　all　in　the　line；　as　soon　as　she　was　loosed；　sprang　to　her　father's　body；　speaking　no　word；　lifted　it　in　her　thin　arms；　laid　it　across　her　knees；　kissed　the　fallen　lips；　stroked　the　furrowed　cheeks；　murmured　inarticulate　sounds　like　the　cooing　of　a　woodland　dove；　of　which　none　knew　the　meaning　but　she；　and　he　who　heard　not；　for　his　soul　had　long　since　fled。　Suddenly　the　truth　flashed　on　her；　silent　as　ever；　she　drew　one　long　heaving　breath；　and　rose　erect；　the　body　in　her　arms。

Another　moment；　and　she　had　leaped　into　the　abyss。

They　watched　her　dark　and　slender　limbs；　twined　closely　round　the　old　man's　corpse；　turn　over；　and　over；　and　over；　till　a　crash　among　the　leaves；　and　a　scream　among　the　birds；　told　that　she　had　reached　the　trees；　and　the　green　roof　hid　her　from　their　view。

〃Brave　lass！〃　shouted　a　sailor。

〃The　Lord　forgive　her！〃　said　Yeo。　　〃But；　your　worship；　we　must　have　these　rascals'　ordnance。〃

〃And　their　clothes　too；　Yeo；　if　we　wish　to　get　down　the　Magdalena　unchallenged。　　Now　listen；　my　masters　all！　　We　have　won；　by　God's　good　grace；　gold　enough　to　serve　us　the　rest　of　our　lives；　and　that　without　losing　a　single　man；　and　may　yet　win　more；　if　we　be　wise；　and　He　thinks　good。　　But　oh；　my　friends；　remember　Mr。　Oxenham　and　his　crew；　and　do　not　make　God's　gift　our　ruin；　by　faithlessness；　or　greediness；　or　any　mutinous　haste。〃

〃You　shall　find　none　in　us！〃　cried　several　men。　　〃We　know　your　worship。　　We　can　trust　our　general。〃

〃Thank　God！〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Now　then；　it　will　be　no　shame　or　sin　to　make　the　Indians　carry　it；　saving　the　women；　whom　God　forbid　we　should　burden。　　But　we　must　pass　through　the　very　heart　of　the　Spanish　settlements；　and　by　the　town　of　Saint　Martha　itself。　　So　the　clothes　and　weapons　of　these　Spaniards　we　must　have；　let　it　cost　us　what　labor　it　may。　　How　many　lie　in　the　road？〃

〃Thirteen　here；　and　about　ten　up　above；〃　said　Cary。

〃Then　there　are　near　twenty　missing。　　Who　will　volunteer　to　go　down　over　cliff；　and　bring　up　the　spoil　of　them？〃

〃I；　and　I；　and　I；〃　and　a　dozen　stepped　out；　as　they　did　always　when　Amyas　wanted　anything　done；　for　the　simple　reason；　that　they　knew　that　he　meant　to　help　at　the　doing　of　it　himself。

〃Very　well；　then；　follow　me。　　Sir　John；　take　the　Indian　lad　for　your　interpreter；　and　try　and　comfort　the　souls　of　these　poor　heathens。　　Tell　them　that　they　shall　all　be　free。〃

〃Why；　who　is　that　comes　up　the　road？〃

All　eyes　were　turned　in　the　direction　of　which　he　spoke。　　And；　wonder　of　wonders！　up　came　none　other　than　Ayacanora　herself；　blow…　gun　in　hand；　bow　on　back；　and　bedecked　in　all　her　feather　garments；　which　last　were　rather　the　worse　for　a　fortnight's　woodland　travel。

All　stood　mute　with　astonishment；　as；　seeing　Amyas；　she　uttered　a　cry　of　joy；　quickened　her　pace　into　a　run；　and　at　last　fell　panting　and　exhausted　at　his　feet。

〃I　have　found　you！〃　she　said；　〃you　ran　away　from　me；　but　you　could　not　escape　me！〃　　And　she　fawned　round　Amyas；　like　a　dog　who　has　found　his　master；　and　then　sat　down　on　the　bank；　and　burst　into　wild　sobs。

〃God　help　us！〃　said　Amyas；　clutching　his　hair；　as　he　looked　down　upon　the　beautiful　weeper。　　〃What　am　I　to　do　with　her；　over　and　above　all　these　poor　heathens？〃

But　there　was　no　time　to　be　lost；　and　over　the　cliff　he　scrambled；　while　the　girl；　seeing　that　the　main　body　of　the　English　remained；　sat　down　on　a　point　of　rock　to　watch　him。

After　half…an…hour's　hard　work；　the　weapons；　clothes；　and　armor　of　the　fallen　Spaniards　were　hauled　up　the　cliff；　and　distributed　in　bundles　among　the　men；　the　rest　of　the　corpses　were　thrown　over　the　precipice；　and　they　started　again　upon　their　road　toward　the　Magdalena；　while　Yeo　snorted　like　a　war…horse　who　smells　the　battle；　at　the　delight　of　once　more　handling　powder　and　ball。

〃We　can　face　the　world　now；　sir！　　Why　not　go　back　and　try　Santa　Fe；　after　all？〃

But　Amyas　thought　that　enough　was　as　good　as　a　feast；　and　they　held　on　downwards；　while　the　slaves　followed；　without　a　sign　of　gratitude；　but　meekly　obedient　to　their　new　masters；　and　testifying　now　and　then　by　a　sign　or　a　grunt；　their　surprise　at　not　being　beaten；　or　made　to　carry　their　captors。　　Some；　however；　caught　sight　of　the　little　calabashes　of　coca　which　the　English　carried。　That　woke　them　from　their　torpor；　and　they　began　coaxing　abjectly　（and　not　in　vain）　for　a　taste　of　that　miraculous　herb；　which　would　not　only　make　food　unnecessary；　and　enable　their　panting　lungs　to　endure　that　keen　mountain　air；　but　would　rid　them；　for　awhile　at　least；　of　the　fallen　Indian's　most　unpitying　foe；　the　malady　of　thought。

As　the　cavalcade　turned　the　corner　of　the　mountain；　they　paused　for　one　last　look　at　the　scene　of　that　fearful　triumph。　　Lines　of　vultures　were　already　streaming　out　of　infinite　space；　as　if　created　suddenly　for　the　occasion。　　A　few　hours　and　there　would　be　no　trace　of　that　fierce　fray；　but　a　few　white　bones　amid　untrodden　beds　of　flowers。

And　now　Amyas　had　time　to　ask　Ayacanora　the　meaning　of　this　her　strange　appearance。　　He　wished　her　anywhere　but　where　she　was：　but　now　that　she　was　here；　what　heart　could　be　so　hard　as　not　to　take　pity　on　the　poor　wild　thing？　　And　Amyas　as　he　spoke　to　her　had；　perhaps；　a　tenderness　in　his　tone；　from　very　fear　of　hurting　her；　which　he　had　never　used　before。　　Passionately　she　told　him　how　she　had　followed　on　their　track　day　and　night；　and　had　every　evening　made　sounds；　as　loud　as　she　dared；　in　hopes　of　their　hearing　her；　and　either　waiting　for　her；　or　coming　back　to　see　what　caused　the　noise。

Amyas　now　recollected　the　strange　roaring　which　had　followed　them。

〃Noises？　　What　did　you　make　them　with？〃

Ayacanora　lifted　her　finger　with　an　air　of　most　self…satisfied　mystery；　and　then　drew　cautiously　from　under　her　feather　cloak　an　object　at　which　Amyas　had　hard　work　to　keep　his　countenance。

〃Look！〃　whispered　she；　as　if　half　afraid　that　the　thing　itself　should　hear　her。　　〃I　have　itthe　holy　trumpet！〃

There　it　was　verily；　that　mysterious　bone　of　contention；　a　handsome　earthen　tube　some　two　feet　long；　neatly　glazed；　and　painted　with　quaint　grecques　and　figures　of　animals；　a　relic　evidently　of　some　civilization　now　extinct。

Brimblecombe　rubbed　his　little　fat　hands。　　〃Brave　maid！　you　have　cheate