westward ho-第116节

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hen　it　is　bestowed　upon　you。　　I　have　been　a　cavalier；　even　as　you　are；　and；　strange　as　it　may　seem；　that　which　I　have　to　tell　I　would　sooner　impart　to　the　ears　of　a　soldier　than　of　a　priest；　because　it　will　then　sink　into　souls　which　can　at　least　sympathize；　though　they　cannot　absolve。　　And　you；　cavaliers；　I　perceive　to　be　noble；　from　your　very　looks；　to　be　valiant；　by　your　mere　presence　in　this　hostile　land；　and　to　be　gentle；　courteous；　and　prudent；　by　your　conduct　this　day　to　me　and　to　your　captives。　　Will　you；　then；　hear　an　old　man's　tale？　　I　am；　as　you　see；　full　of　words；　for　speech；　from　long　disuse；　is　difficult　to　me；　and　I　fear　at　every　sentence　lest　my　stiffened　tongue　should　play　the　traitor　to　my　worn…out　brain：　but　if　my　request　seems　impertinent；　you　have　only　to　bid　me　talk　as　a　host　should；　of　matters　which　concern　his　guests；　and　not　himself。〃

The　three　young　men；　equally　surprised　and　interested　by　this　exordium；　could　only　entreat　their　host　to　〃use　their　ears　as　those　of　his　slaves；〃　on　which；　after　fresh　apologies；　he　began：

〃Know；　then；　victorious　cavaliers；　that　I；　whom　you　now　see　here　as　a　poor　hermit；　was　formerly　one　of　the　foremost　of　that　terrible　band　who　went　with　Pizarro　to　the　conquest　of　Peru。　　Eighty　years　old　am　I　this　day；　unless　the　calendar　which　I　have　carved　upon　yonder　tree　deceives　me；　and　twenty　years　old　was　I　when　I　sailed　with　that　fierce　man　from　Panama；　to　do　that　deed　with　which　all　earth；　and　heaven；　and　hell　itself；　I　fear；　has　rung。　　How　we　endured；　suffered；　and　triumphed；　how；　mad　with　success；　and　glutted　with　blood；　we　turned　our　swords　against　each　other；　I　need　not　tell　to　you。　　For　what　gentleman　of　Europe　knows　not　our　glory　and　our　shame？〃

His　hearers　bowed　assent。

〃Yes；　you　have　heard　of　our　prowess：　for　glorious　we　were　awhile；　in　the　sight　of　God　and　man。　　But　I　will　not　speak　of　our　glory；　for　it　is　tarnished；　nor　of　our　wealth；　for　it　was　our　poison；　nor　of　the　sins　of　my　comrades；　for　they　have　expiated　them；　but　of　my　own　sins；　senors；　which　are　more　in　number　than　the　hairs　of　my　head；　and　a　burden　too　great　to　bear。　　Miserere　Domine！〃

And　smiting　on　his　breast；　the　old　warrior　went　on：

〃As　I　said；　we　were　mad　with　blood；　and　none　more　mad　than　I。　Surely　it　is　no　fable　that　men　are　possessed；　even　in　this　latter　age；　by　devils。　　Why　else　did　I　rejoice　in　slaying？　　Why　else　was　I；　the　son　of　a　noble　and　truthful　cavalier　of　Castile；　among　the　foremost　to　urge　upon　my　general　the　murder　of　the　Inca？　　Why　did　I　rejoice　over　his　dying　agonies？　　Why；　when　Don　Ferdinando　de　Soto　returned；　and　upbraided　us　with　our　villainy；　did　I；　instead　of　confessing　the　sin　which　that　noble　cavalier　set　before　us；　withstand　him　to　his　face；　ay；　and　would　have　drawn　the　sword　on　him；　but　that　he　refused　to　fight　a　liar；　as　he　said　that　I　was？〃

〃Then　Don　de　Soto　was　against　the　murder？　　So　his　own　grandson　told　me。　　But　I　had　heard　of　him　only　as　a　tyrant　and　a　butcher。〃

〃Senor；　he　was　compact　of　good　and　evil；　as　are　other　men：　he　has　paid　dearly　for　his　sin；　let　us　hope　that　he　has　been　paid　in　turn　for　his　righteousness。〃

John　Brimblecombe　shook　his　head　at　this　doctrine；　but　did　not　speak。

〃So　you　know　his　grandson？　　I　trust　he　is　a　noble　cavalier？〃

Amyas　was　silent；　the　old　gentleman　saw　that　he　had　touched　some　sore　point；　and　continued：

〃And　why；　again；　senors；　did　I　after　that　day　give　myself　up　to　cruelty　as　to　a　sport；　yea；　thought　that　I　did　God　service　by　destroying　the　creatures　whom　He　had　made；　I　who　now　dare　not　destroy　a　gnat；　lest　I　harm　a　being　more　righteous　than　myself？　Was　I　mad？　　If　I　was；　how　then　was　I　all　that　while　as　prudent　as　I　am　this　day？　　But　I　am　not　here　to　argue；　senors；　but　to　confess。　In　a　word；　there　was　no　deed　of　blood　done　for　the　next　few　years　in　which　I　had　not　my　share；　if　it　were　but　within　my　reach。　　When　Challcuchima　was　burned；　I　was　consenting；　when　that　fair　girl；　the　wife　of　Inca　Manco；　was　tortured　to　death；　I　smiled　at　the　agonies　at　which　she　too　smiled；　and　taunted　on　the　soldiers；　to　try　if　I　could　wring　one　groan　from　her　before　she　died。　　You　know　what　followed；　the　pillage；　the　violence；　the　indignities　offered　to　the　virgins　of　the　Sun。　　Senors；　I　will　not　pollute　your　chaste　ears　with　what　was　done。　　But；　senors；　I　had　a　brother。〃

And　the　old　man　paused　awhile。

〃A　brotherwhether　better　or　worse　than　me；　God　knows；　before　whom　he　has　appeared　ere　now。　　At　least　he　did　not；　as　I　did；　end　as　a　rebel　to　his　king！　　There　was　a　maiden　in　one　of　those　convents；　senors；　more　beautiful　than　day：　and　（I　blush　to　tell　it）　the　two　brothers　of　whom　I　spoke　quarrelled　for　the　possession　of　her。　They　struck　each　other；　senors！　　Who　struck　first　I　know　not；　but　swords　were　drawn；　and　　The　cavaliers　round　parted　them；　crying　shame。　　And　one　of　those　two　brothersthe　one　who　speaks　to　you　nowcrying；　'If　I　cannot　have　her；　no　man　shall！'　turned　the　sword　which　was　aimed　at　his　brother；　against　that　hapless　maidenand　hear　me　out；　senors；　before　you　flee　from　my　presence　as　from　that　of　a　monster！stabbed　her　to　the　heart。　　And　as　she　diedone　moment　more；　senors；　that　I　may　confess　all！she　looked　up　in　my　face　with　a　smile　as　of　heaven；　and　thanked　me　for　having　rid　her　once　and　for　all　from　Christians　and　their　villainy。〃

The　old　man　paused。

〃God　forgive　you；　senor！〃　said　Jack　Brimblecombe；　softly。

〃You　do　not；　then；　turn　from　me；　do　not　curse　me？　　Then　I　will　try　you　farther　still；　senors。　　I　will　know　from　human　lips；　whether　man　can　do　such　deeds　as　I　have　done；　and　yet　be　pitied　by　his　kind；　that　so　I　may　have　some　hope；　that　where　man　has　mercy；　God　may　have　mercy　also。　　Do　you　think　that　I　repented　at　those　awful　words？　　Nothing　less；　senors　all。　　No　more　than　I　did　when　De　Soto　（on　whose　soul　God　have　mercy）　called　meme；　a　liar！　　I　knew　myself　a　sinner；　and　for　that　very　reason　I　was　determined　to　sin。　I　would　go　on；　that　I　might　prove　myself　right　to　myself；　by　showing　that　I　could　go　on；　and　not　be　struck　dead　from　heaven。　Out　of　mere　pride；　senors；　and　self…will；　I　would　fill　up　the　cup　of　my　iniquity；　and　I　filled　it。

〃You　know；　doubtless；　senors；　how；　after　the　death　of　old　Almagro；　his　son's　party　conspired　against　Pizarro。　　Now　my　brother　remained　faithful　to　his　old　commander；　and　for　that　very　reason；　if　you　will　believe　it；　did　I　join　the　opposite　party；　and　gave　myself　up；　body　and　soul；　to　do　Almagro's　work。　　It　was　enough　for　me；　that　the　brother　who　had　struck　me　thought　a　man　right；　for　me　to　think　that　man　a　devil。　　What　Almagro's　work　was；　you　know。　　He　slew　Pizarro；　murdered　him；　senors；　like　a　dog；　or　rather；　like　an　old　lion。〃

〃He　deserved　his　doom；〃　said　Amyas。

〃Let　God　judge　him；　senor；　not　we；　and　least　of　all　of　us　I；　who　drew　the　first　blood；　and　perhaps　the　last；　that　day。　　I；　senors；　it　was　who　treacherously　stabbed　Francisco　de　Chanes　on　the　staircase；　and　so　opened　the　door　which　else　had　foiled　us　all；　and　I　　But　I　am　speaking　to　men　of　honor；　not　to　butchers。　　Suffice　it　that　the　old　man　died　like　a　lion；　and　that　we　pulled　him　down；　young　as　we　were；　like　curs。

〃Well；　I　followed　Almagro's　fortunes。　　I　helped　to　slay　Alvarado。　Call　that　my　third　murder；　if　you　will；　for　if　he　was　traitor　to　a　traitor；　I　was　traitor　to　a　true　man。　　Then　to　the　war；　you　know　how　Vaca　de　Castro　was　sent　from　Spain　to　bring　order　and　justice　where　was　naught　but　chaos；　and　the　dance　of　all　devils。　　We　met　him　on　the　hills　of　Chupas。　　Peter　of　Candia；　the　Venetian　villain；　pointed　our　guns　false；　and　Almagro　stabbed　him　to　the　heart。　　We　charged　with　our　lances；　man　against　man；　horse　against　horse。　　All　fights　I　ever　fought〃　（and　the　old　man's　eyes　flashed　out　the　ancient　fire）　〃were　child's　play　to　that　day。　　Our　lances　shivered　like　reeds；　and　we　fell　on　with　battle…axe　and　mace。　　None　asked　for　quarter；　and　none　gave　it；　friend　to　friend；　cousin　to　cousin　no；　nor　brother；　O　God！　to　brother。　　We　were　the　better　armed：　but　numbers　were　on　their　side。　　Fat　Carbajal　charged　our　cannon　like　an　elephant；　and　took　them；　but　Holguin　was　shot　down。　　I　was　with　Almagro；　and　we　swept　all　before　us；　inch　by　inch；　but　surely；　till　the　night　fell。　　Then　Vaca　de　Castro；　the　licentiate；　the　clerk；　the　schoolman；　the　man　of　books；　came　down　on　us　with　his　reserve　like　a　whirlwind。　　Oh！　cavaliers；　did　not　God　fight　against　us；　when　He　let　us；　the　men　of　iron；　us；　the　heroes　of　Cuzco　and　Vilcaconga；　be　foiled　by　a　scholar　in　a　black　gown；　with　a　pen　behind　his　ear？　　We　were　beaten。　　Some　ran；　some　did　not　run；　senors；　and　I　did　not。　　Geronimo　de　Alvarado　shouted　to　me；　'We　slew　Pizarro！　　We　killed　the　tyrant！'　and　we　rushed　upon　the　conqueror's　lances；　to　die　like　cavaliers。　　There　was　a　gallant　gentleman　in　front　of　me。　　His　lance　struck　me　in　the　crest；　and　bore　me　over　my　horse's　croup：　but　mine；　senors；　struck　him　full　in　the　vizor。　　We　both　went　to　the　ground　together；　and　the　battle　galloped　over　us。

〃I　know　not　how　long　I　lay；　for　I　was　stunned：　but　after　awhile　I　lifted　myself。　　My　lance　was　still　clenched　in　my　hand；　broken　but　not　parted。　　The　point　of　it　was　in　my　foeman's　brain。　　I　crawled　to　him；　weary　and　wounded；　and　saw　that　he　was　a　noble　cavalier。　He　lay　on　his　back；　h