westward ho-第115节

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civilization　now　extinct。

Brimblecombe　rubbed　his　little　fat　hands。　　〃Brave　maid！　you　have　cheated　Satan　this　time；〃　quoth　he；　while　Yeo　advised　that　the　〃idolatrous　relic〃　should　be　forthwith　〃hove　over　cliff。〃

〃Let　be；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this；　Ayacanora？　And　why　have　you　followed　us？〃

She　told　a　long　story；　from　which　Amyas　picked　up；　as　far　as　he　could　understand　her；　that　that　trumpet　had　been　for　years　the　torment　of　her　life；　the　one　thing　in　the　tribe　superior　to　her；　the　one　thing　which　she　was　not　allowed　to　see；　because；　forsooth；　she　was　a　woman。　　So　she　determined　to　show　them　that　a　woman　was　as　good　as　a　man；　and　hence　her　hatred　of　marriage；　and　her　Amazonian　exploits。　　But　still　the　Piache　would　not　show　her　that　trumpet；　or　tell　her　where　it　was；　and　as　for　going　to　seek　it；　even　she　feared　the　superstitious　wrath　of　the　tribe　at　such　a　profanation。　　But　the　day　after　the　English　went；　the　Piache　chose　to　express　his　joy　at　their　departure；　whereon；　as　was　to　be　expected；　a　fresh　explosion　between　master　and　pupil；　which　ended；　she　confessed；　in　her　burning　the　old　rogue's　hut　over　his　head；　from　which　he　escaped　with　loss　of　all　his　conjuring…tackle；　and　fled　raging　into　the　woods；　vowing　that　he　would　carry　off　the　trumpet　to　the　neighboring　tribe。　　Whereon；　by　a　sudden　impulse；　the　young　lady　took　plenty　of　coca；　her　weapons；　and　her　feathers；　started　on　his　trail；　and　ran　him　to　earth　just　as　he　was　unveiling　the　precious　mystery。　　At　which　sight　（she　confessed）　she　was　horribly　afraid；　and　half　inclined　to　run；　but；　gathering　courage　from　the　thought　that　the　white　men　used　to　laugh　at　the　whole　matter；　she　rushed　upon　the　hapless　conjuror；　and　bore　off　her　prize　in　triumph；　and　there　it　was！

〃I　hope　you　have　not　killed　him？〃　said　Amyas。

〃I　did　beat　him　a　little；　but　I　thought　you　would　not　let　me　kill　him。〃

Amyas　was　half　amused　with　her　confession　of　his　authority　over　her；　but　she　went　on

〃And　then　I　dare　not　go　back　to　the　Indians；　so　I　was　forced　to　come　after　you。〃

〃And　is　that；　then；　your　only　reason　for　coming　after　us？〃　asked　stupid　Amyas。

He　had　touched　some　secret　chordthough　what　it　was　he　was　too　busy　to　inquire。　　The　girl　drew　herself　up　proudly；　blushing　scarlet；　and　said：

〃You　never　tell　lies。　　Do　you　think　that　I　would　tell　lies？〃

On　which　she　fell　to　the　rear；　and　followed　them　steadfastly；　speaking　to　no　one；　but　evidently　determined　to　follow　them　to　the　world's　end。

They　soon　left　the　highroad；　and　for　several　days　held　on　downwards；　hewing　their　path　slowly　and　painfully　through　the　thick　underwood。　　On　the　evening　of　the　fourth　day；　they　had　reached　the　margin　of　a　river；　at　a　point　where　it　seemed　broad　and　still　enough　for　navigation。　　For　those　three　days　they　had　not　seen　a　trace　of　human　beings；　and　the　spot　seemed　lonely　enough　for　them　to　encamp　without　fear　of　discovery；　and　begin　the　making　of　their　canoes。　　They　began　to　spread　themselves　along　the　stream；　in　search　of　the　soft…wooded　trees　proper　for　their　purpose；　but　hardly　had　their　search　begun；　when；　in　the　midst　of　a　dense　thicket；　they　came　upon　a　sight　which　filled　them　with　astonishment。　　Beneath　a　honeycombed　cliff；　which　supported　one　enormous　cotton…tree；　was　a　spot　of　some　thirty　yards　square　sloping　down　to　the　stream；　planted　in　rows　with　magnificent　banana…plants；　full　twelve　feet　high；　and　bearing　among　their　huge　waxy　leaves　clusters　of　ripening　fruit；　while；　under　their　mellow　shade；　yams　and　cassava　plants　were　flourishing　luxuriantly；　the　whole　being　surrounded　by　a　hedge　of　orange　and　scarlet　flowers。　There　it　lay；　streaked　with　long　shadows　from　the　setting　sun；　while　a　cool　southern　air　rustled　in　the　cotton…tree；　and　flapped　to　and　fro　the　great　banana…leaves；　a　tiny　paradise　of　art　and　care。　　But　where　was　its　inhabitant？

Aroused　by　the　noise　of　their　approach；　a　figure　issued　from　a　cave　in　the　rocks；　and；　after　gazing　at　them　for　a　moment；　came　down　the　garden　towards　them。　　He　was　a　tall　and　stately　old　man；　whose　snow…white　beard　and　hair　covered　his　chest　and　shoulders；　while　his　lower　limbs　were　wrapt　in　Indian…web。　　Slowly　and　solemnly　he　approached；　a　staff　in　one　hand；　a　string　of　beads　in　the　other；　the　living　likeness　of　some　old　Hebrew　prophet；　or　anchorite　of　ancient　legend。　　He　bowed　courteously　to　Amyas　（who　of　course　returned　his　salute）；　and　was　in　act　to　speak；　when　his　eye　fell　upon　the　Indians；　who　were　laying　down　their　burdens　in　a　heap　under　the　trees。　　His　mild　countenance　assumed　instantly　an　expression　of　the　acutest　sorrow　and　displeasure；　and；　striking　his　hands　together；　he　spoke　in　Spanish：

〃Alas！　miserable　me！　　Alas！　unhappy　senors！　　Do　my　old　eyes　deceive　me；　and　is　it　one　of　those　evil　visions　of　the　past　which　haunt　my　dreams　by　night；　or　has　the　accursed　thirst　of　gold；　the　ruin　of　my　race；　penetrated　even　into　this　my　solitude？　　Oh；　senors；　senors；　know　you　not　that　you　bear　with　you　your　own　poison；　your　own　familiar　fiend；　the　root　of　every　evil？　　And　is　it　not　enough　for　you；　senors；　to　load　yourselves　with　the　wedge　of　Achan；　and　partake　his　doom；　but　you　must　make　these　hapless　heathens　the　victims　of　your　greed　and　cruelty；　and　forestall　for　them　on　earth　those　torments　which　may　await　their　unbaptized　souls　hereafter？〃

〃We　have　preserved；　and　not　enslaved　these　Indians；　ancient　senor；〃　said　Amyas；　proudly；　〃and　to…morrow　will　see　them　as　free　as　the　birds　over　our　heads。〃

〃Free？　　Then　you　cannot　be　countrymen　of　mine！　　But　pardon　an　old　man；　my　son；　if　he　has　spoken　too　hastily　in　the　bitterness　of　his　own　experience。　　But　who　and　whence　are　you？　　And　why　are　you　bringing　into　this　lonely　wilderness　that　goldfor　I　know　too　well　the　shape　of　those　accursed　packets；　which　would　God　that　I　had　never　seen！〃

〃What　we　are；　reverend　sir；　matters　little；　as　long　as　we　behave　to　you　as　the　young　should　to　the　old。　　As　for　our　gold；　it　will　be　a　curse　or　a　blessing　to　us；　I　conceive；　just　as　we　use　it　well　or　ill；　and　so　is　a　man's　head；　or　his　hand；　or　any　other　thing；　but　that　is　no　reason　for　cutting　off　his　limbs　for　fear　of　doing　harm　with　them；　neither　is　it　for　throwing　away　those　packages；　which；　by　your　leave；　we　shall　deposit　in　one　of　these　caves。　　We　must　be　your　neighbors；　I　fear；　for　a　day　or　two；　but　I　can　promise　you；　that　your　garden　shall　be　respected；　on　condition　that　you　do　not　inform　any　human　soul　of　our　being　here。〃

〃God　forbid；　senor；　that　I　should　try　to　increase　the　number　of　my　visitors；　much　less　to　bring　hither　strife　and　blood；　of　which　I　have　seen　too　much　already。　　As　you　have　come　in　peace；　in　peace　depart。　　Leave　me　alone　with　God　and　my　penitence；　and　may　the　Lord　have　mercy　on　you！〃

And　he　was　about　to　withdraw；　when；　recollecting　himself；　he　turned　suddenly　to　Amyas　again

〃Pardon　me；　senor；　if；　after　forty　years　of　utter　solitude；　I　shrink　at　first　from　the　conversation　of　human　beings；　and　forget；　in　the　habitual　shyness　of　a　recluse；　the　duties　of　a　hospitable　gentleman　of　Spain。　　My　garden；　and　all　which　it　produces；　is　at　your　service。　　Only　let　me　entreat　that　these　poor　Indians　shall　have　their　share；　for　heathens　though　they　be；　Christ　died　for　them；　and　I　cannot　but　cherish　in　my　soul　some　secret　hope　that　He　did　not　die　in　vain。〃

〃God　forbid！〃　said　Brimblecombe。　　〃They　are　no　worse　than　we；　for　aught　I　see；　whatsoever　their　fathers　may　have　been；　and　they　have　fared　no　worse　than　we　since　they　have　been　with　us；　nor　will；　I　promise　you。〃

The　good　fellow　did　not　tell　that　he　had　been　starving　himself　for　the　last　three　days　to　cram　the　children　with　his　own　rations；　and　that　the　sailors；　and　even　Amyas；　had　been　going　out　of　their　way　every　five　minutes；　to　get　fruit　for　their　new　pets。

A　camp　was　soon　formed；　and　that　evening　the　old　hermit　asked　Amyas；　Cary；　and　Brimblecombe　to　come　up　into　his　cavern。

They　went；　and　after　the　accustomed　compliments　had　passed；　sat　down　on　mats　upon　the　ground；　while　the　old　man　stood；　leaning　against　a　slab　of　stone　surmounted　by　a　rude　wooden　cross；　which　evidently　served　him　as　a　place　of　prayer。　　He　seemed　restless　and　anxious；　as　if　he　waited　for　them　to　begin　the　conversation；　while　they；　in　their　turn；　waited　for　him。　　At　last；　when　courtesy　would　not　allow　him　to　be　silent　any　longer；　he　began　with　a　faltering　voice：

〃You　may　be　equally　surprised；　senors；　at　my　presence　in　such　a　spot；　and　at　my　asking　you　to　become　my　guests　even　for　one　evening；　while　I　have　no　better　hospitality　to　offer　you。〃

〃It　is　superfluous；　senor；　to　offer　us　food　in　your　own　habitation　when　you　have　already　put　all　that　you　possess　at　our　command。〃

〃True；　senors：　and　my　motive　for　inviting　you　was；　perhaps；　somewhat　of　a　selfish　one。　　I　am　possessed　by　a　longing　to　unburthen　my　heart　of　a　tale　which　I　never　yet　told　to　man；　and　which　I　fear　can　give　to　you　nothing　but　pain；　and　yet　I　will　entreat　you；　of　your　courtesy；　to　hear　of　that　which　you　cannot　amend；　simply　in　mercy　to　a　man　who　feels　that　he　must　confess　to　some　one；　or　die　as　miserable　as　he　has　lived。　　And　I　believe　my　confidence　will　not　be　misplaced；　when　it　is　bestowed　upon　you。　　I　have　been　a　cavalier；　even　as　you　are；　and；　strange　as　it　may　seem；