westward ho-第117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！


n。　　I　crawled　to　him；　weary　and　wounded；　and　saw　that　he　was　a　noble　cavalier。　He　lay　on　his　back；　his　arms　spread　wide。　　I　knew　that　he　was　dead：　but　there　came　over　me　the　strangest　longing　to　see　that　dead　man's　face。　　Perhaps　I　knew　him。　　At　least　I　could　set　my　foot　upon　it；　and　say；　'Vanquished　as　I　am；　there　lies　a　foe！'　　I　caught　hold　of　the　rivets；　and　tore　his　helmet　off。　　The　moon　shone　bright；　senors；　as　bright　as　she　shines　nowthe　glaring；　ghastly；　tell…　tale　moon；　which　shows　man　all　the　sins　which　he　tries　to　hide；　and　by　that　moonlight；　senors；　I　beheld　the　dead　man's　face。　　And　it　was　the　face　of　my　brother！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。

〃Did　you　ever　guess；　most　noble　cavaliers；　what　Cain's　curse　might　be　like？　　Look　on　me；　and　know！

〃I　tore　off　my　armor　and　fled；　as　Cain　flednorthward　ever；　till　I　should　reach　a　land　where　the　name　of　Spaniard；　yea；　and　the　name　of　Christian；　which　the　Spaniard　has　caused　to　be　blasphemed　from　east　to　west；　should　never　come。　　I　sank　fainting；　and　waked　beneath　this　rock；　this　tree；　forty…four　years　ago；　and　I　have　never　left　them　since；　save　once；　to　obtain　seeds　from　Indians；　who　knew　not　that　I　was　a　Spanish　Conquistador。　　And　may　God　have　mercy　on　my　soul！〃

The　old　man　ceased；　and　his　young　hearers；　deeply　affected　by　his　tale；　sat　silent　for　a　few　minutes。　　Then　John　Brimblecombe　spoke：

〃You　are　old；　sir；　and　I　am　young；　and　perhaps　it　is　not　my　place　to　counsel　you。　　Moreover；　sir；　in　spite　of　this　strange　dress　of　mine；　I　am　neither　more　nor　less　than　an　English　priest；　and　I　suppose　you　will　not　be　willing　to　listen　to　a　heretic。〃

〃I　have　seen　Catholics；　senor；　commit　too　many　abominations　even　with　the　name　of　God　upon　their　lips；　to　shrink　from　a　heretic　if　he　speak　wisely　and　well。　　At　least；　you　are　a　man；　and　after　all；　my　heart　yearns　more　and　more；　the　longer　I　sit　among　you；　for　the　speech　of　beings　of　my　own　race。　　Say　what　you　will；　in　God's　name！〃

〃I　hold；　sir；〃　said　Jack；　modestly；　〃according　to　holy　Scripture；　that　whosoever　repents　from　his　heart；　as　God　knows　you　seem　to　have　done；　is　forgiven　there　and　then；　and　though　his　sins　be　as　scarlet；　they　shall　be　white　as　snow；　for　the　sake　of　Him　who　died　for　all。〃

〃Amen！　Amen！〃　said　the　old　man；　looking　lovingly　at　his　little　crucifix。　　〃I　hope　and　prayHis　name　is　Love。　　I　know　it　now；　who　better？　　But；　sir；　even　if　He　have　forgiven　me；　how　can　I　forgive　myself？　　In　honor；　sir；　I　must　be　just；　and　sternly　just；　to　myself；　even　if　God　be　indulgent；　as　He　has　been　to　me；　who　has　left　me　here　in　peace　for　forty　years；　instead　of　giving　me　a　prey　to　the　first　puma　or　jaguar　which　howls　round　me　every　night。　　He　has　given　me　time　to　work　out　my　own　salvation；　but　have　I　done　it？　That　doubt　maddens　me　at　whiles。　　When　I　look　upon　that　crucifix；　I　float　on　boundless　hope：　but　if　I　take　my　eyes　from　it　for　a　moment；　faith　fails；　and　all　is　blank；　and　dark；　and　dreadful；　till　the　devil　whispers　me　to　plunge　into　yon　stream；　and　once　and　for　ever　wake　to　certainty；　even　though　it　be　in　hell。〃

What　was　Jack　to　answer？　　He　himself　knew　not　at　first。　　More　was　wanted　than　the　mere　repetition　of　free　pardon。

〃Heretic　as　I　am；　sir；　you　will　not　believe　me　when　I　tell　you；　as　a　priest；　that　God　accepts　your　penitence。〃

〃My　heart　tells　me　so　already；　at　moments。　　But　how　know　I　that　it　does　not　lie？〃

〃Senor；〃　said　Jack；　〃the　best　way　to　punish　oneself　for　doing　ill；　seems　to　me　to　go　and　do　good；　and　the　best　way　to　find　out　whether　God　means　you　well；　is　to　find　out　whether　He　will　help　you　to　do　well。　　If　you　have　wronged　Indians　in　time　past；　see　whether　you　cannot　right　them　now。　　If　you　can；　you　are　safe。　　For　the　Lord　will　not　send　the　devil's　servants　to　do　His　work。〃

The　old　man　held　down　his　head。

〃Right　the　Indians？　　Alas！　what　is　done；　is　done！〃

〃Not　altogether；　senor；〃　said　Amyas；　〃as　long　as　an　Indian　remains　alive　in　New　Granada。〃

〃Senor；　shall　I　confess　my　weakness？　　A　voice　within　me　has　bid　me　a　hundred　times　go　forth　and　labor；　for　those　oppressed　wretches；　but　I　dare　not　obey。　　I　dare　not　look　them　in　the　face。　　I　should　fancy　that　they　knew　my　story；　that　the　very　birds　upon　the　trees　would　reveal　my　crime；　and　bid　them　turn　from　me　with　horror。〃

〃Senor；〃　said　Amyas；　〃these　are　but　the　sick　fancies　of　a　noble　spirit；　feeding　on　itself　in　solitude。　　You　have　but　to　try　to　conquer。〃

〃And　look　now；〃　said　Jack；　〃if　you　dare　not　go　forth　to　help　the　Indians；　see　now　how　God　has　brought　the　Indians　to　your　own　door。　Oh；　excellent　sir〃

〃Call　me　not　excellent；〃　said　the　old　man；　smiting　his　breast。

〃I　do；　and　shall；　sir；　while　I　see　in　you　an　excellent　repentance；　an　excellent　humility；　and　an　excellent　justice；〃　said　Jack。　　〃But　oh；　sir；　look　upon　these　forty　souls；　whom　we　must　leave　behind；　like　sheep　which　have　no　shepherd。　　Could　you　not　teach　them　to　fear　God　and　to　love　each　other；　to　live　like　rational　men；　perhaps　to　die　like　Christians？　　They　would　obey　you　as　a　dog　obeys　his　master。　　You　might　be　their　king；　their　father；　yea；　their　pope；　if　you　would。〃

〃You　do　not　speak　like　a　Lutheran。〃

〃I　am　not　a　Lutheran；　but　an　Englishman：　but；　Protestant　as　I　am；　God　knows；　I　had　sooner　see　these　poor　souls　of　your　creed；　than　of　none。〃

〃But　I　am　no　priest。〃

〃When　they　are　ready；〃　said　Jack；　〃the　Lord　will　send　a　priest。　　If　you　begin　the　good　work；　you　may　trust　to　Him　to　finish　it。〃

〃God　help　me！〃　said　the　old　warrior。

The　talk　lasted　long　into　the　night；　but　Amyas　was　up　long　before　daybreak；　felling　the　trees；　and　as　he　and　Cary　walked　back　to　breakfast；　the　first　thing　which　they　saw　was　the　old　man　in　his　garden　with　four　or　five　Indian　children　round　him；　talking　smilingly　to　them。

〃The　old　man's　heart　is　sound　still；〃　said　Will。　　〃No　man　is　lost　who　still　is　fond　of　little　children。〃

〃Ah；　senors！〃　said　the　hermit　as　they　came　up；　〃you　see　that　I　have　begun　already　to　act　upon　your　advice。〃

〃And　you　have　begun　at　the　right　end；〃　quoth　Amyas；　〃if　you　win　the　children；　you　win　the　mothers。〃

〃And　if　you　win　the　mothers；〃　quoth　Will；　〃the　poor　fathers　must　needs　obey　their　wives；　and　follow　in　the　wake。〃

The　old　man　only　sighed。　　〃The　prattle　of　these　little　ones　softens　my　hard　heart；　senors；　with　a　new　pleasure；　but　it　saddens　me；　when　I　recollect　that　there　may　be　children　of　mine　now　in　the　world　children　who　have　never　known　a　father's　lovenever　known　aught　but　a　master's　threats〃

〃God　has　taken　care　of　these　little　ones。　　Trust　that　He　has　taken　care　of　yours。〃

That　day　Amyas　assembled　the　Indians；　and　told　them　that　they　must　obey　the　hermit　as　their　king；　and　settle　there　as　best　they　could：　for　if　they　broke　up　and　wandered　away；　nothing　was　left　for　them　but　to　fall　one　by　one　into　the　hands　of　the　Spaniards。　　They　heard　him　with　their　usual　melancholy　and　stupid　acquiescence；　and　went　and　came　as　they　were　bid；　like　animated　machines；　but　the　negroes　were　of　a　different　temper；　and　four　or　five　stout　fellows　gave　Amyas　to　understand　that　they　had　been　warriors　in　their　own　country；　and　that　warriors　they　would　be　still；　and　nothing　should　keep　them　from　Spaniard…hunting。　　Amyas　saw　that　the　presence　of　these　desperadoes　in　the　new　colony　would　both　endanger　the　authority　of　the　hermit；　and　bring　the　Spaniards　down　upon　it　in　a　few　weeks；　so；　making　a　virtue　of　necessity；　he　asked　them　whether　they　would　go　Spaniard…hunting　with　him。

This　was　just　what　the　bold　Coromantees　wished　for；　they　grinned　and　shouted　their　delight　at　serving　under　so　great　a　warrior；　and　then　set　to　work　most　gallantly；　getting　through　more　in　the　day　than　any　ten　Indians；　and　indeed　than　any　two　Englishmen。

So　went　on　several　days；　during　which　the　trees　were　felled；　and　the　process　of　digging　them　out　began；　while　Ayacanora；　silent　and　moody；　wandered　into　the　woods　all　day　with　her　blow…gun；　and　brought　home　at　evening　a　load　of　parrots；　monkeys；　and　curassows；　two　or　three　old　hands　were　sent　out　to　hunt　likewise；　so　that；　what　with　the　game　and　the　fish　of　the　river；　which　seemed　inexhaustible；　and　the　fruit　of　the　neighboring　palm…trees；　there　was　no　lack　of　food　in　the　camp。　　But　what　to　do　with　Ayacanora　weighed　heavily　on　the　mind　of　Amyas。　　He　opened　his　heart　on　the　matter　to　the　old　hermit；　and　asked　him　whether　he　would　take　charge　of　her。　　The　latter　smiled；　and　shook　his　head　at　the　notion。　　〃If　your　report　of　her　be　true；　I　may　as　well　take　in　hand　to　tame　a　jaguar。〃　　However；　he　promised　to　try；　and　one　evening；　as　they　were　all　standing　together　before　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　Ayacanora　came　up　smiling　with　the　fruit　of　her　day's　sport；　and　Amyas；　thinking　this　a　fit　opportunity；　began　a　carefully　prepared　harangue　to　her；　which　he　intended　to　be　altogether　soothing；　and　even　pathetic；to　the　effect　that　the　maiden；　having　no　parents；　was　to　look　upon　this　good　old　man　as　her　father；　that　he　would　instruct　her　in　the　white　man's　religion　（at　which　promise　Yeo；　as　a　good　Protestant；　winced　a　good　deal）；　and　teach　her　how　to　be　happy　and　good；　and　so　forth；　and　that；　in　fine；　she　was　to　remain　there　with　the　hermit。

She　heard　him　quietly；　her　great　dark　eyes　opening　wider　and　wider；　her　bosom