westward ho-第121节

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Tita　sat　up；　and　then　began　crawling　like　a　snake　along　the　floor；　among　the　chairs　and　tables；　by　the　light　of　the　cabin　lamp。

〃Is　he　asleep？〃

〃Yes：　but　the　casket　is　under　his　head。〃

〃Curse　him！　　How　shall　we　take　it？〃

〃I　brought　him　a　fresh　pillow　half…an…hour　ago；　I　hung　his　hammock　wrong　on　purpose　that　he　might　want　one。　　I　thought　to　slip　the　box　away　as　I　did　it；　but　the　old　ox　nursed　it　in　both　hands　all　the　while。〃

〃What　shall　we　do；　in　the　name　of　all　the　fiends？　　She　sails　to…　morrow　morning；　and　then　all　is　lost。〃

Tita　showed　her　white　teeth；　and　touched　the　dagger　which　hung　by　the　intendant's　side。

〃I　dare　not！〃　said　the　rascal；　with　a　shudder。

〃I　dare！〃　said　she。　　〃He　whipt　my　mother；　because　she　would　not　give　me　up　to　him　to　be　taught　in　his　schools；　when　she　went　to　the　mines。　　And　she　went　to　the　mines；　and　died　there　in　three　months。　I　saw　her　go；　with　a　chain　round　her　neck；　but　she　never　came　back　again。　　Yes；　I　dare　kill　him！　　I　will　kill　him！　　I　will！〃

The　senor　felt　his　mind　much　relieved。　　He　had　no　wish；　of　course；　to　commit　the　murder　himself；　for　he　was　a　good　Catholic；　and　feared　the　devil。　　But　Tita　was　an　Indian；　and　her　being　lost　did　not　matter　so　much。　　Indians'　souls　were　cheap；　like　their　bodies。　So　he　answered；　〃But　we　shall　be　discovered！〃

〃I　will　leap　out　of　the　window　with　the　casket；　and　swim　ashore。　They　will　never　suspect　you；　and　they　will　fancy　I　am　drowned。〃

〃The　sharks　may　seize　you；　Tita。　　You　had　better　give　me　the　casket。〃

Tita　smiled。　　〃You　would　not　like　to　lose　that；　eh？　though　you　care　little　about　losing　me。　　And　yet　you　told　me　that　you　loved　me！〃

〃And　I　do　love　you；　Tita！　light　of　my　eyes！　life　of　my　heart！　　I　swear；　by　all　the　saints；　I　love　you。　　I　will　marry　you；　I　swear　I　willI　will　swear　on　the　crucifix；　if　you　like！〃

〃Swear；　then；　or　I　do　not　give　you　the　casket；〃　said　she；　holding　out　the　little　crucifix　round　her　neck；　and　devouring　him　with　the　wild　eyes　of　passionate　unreasoning　tropic　love。

He　swore；　trembling；　and　deadly　pale。

〃Give　me　your　dagger。〃

〃No；　not　mine。　　It　may　be　found。　　I　shall　be　suspected。　　What　if　my　sheath　were　seen　to　be　empty？〃

〃Your　knife　will　do。　　His　throat　is　soft　enough。〃

And　she　glided　stealthily　as　a　cat　toward　the　hammock；　while　her　cowardly　companion　stood　shivering　at　the　other　end　of　the　cabin；　and　turned　his　back　to　her；　that　he　might　not　see　the　deed。

He　stood　waiting；　one　minutetwofive？　　Was　it　an　hour；　rather？　A　cold　sweat　bathed　his　limbs；　the　blood　beat　so　fiercely　within　his　temples；　that　his　head　rang　again。　　Was　that　a　death…bell　tolling？　　No；　it　was　the　pulses　of　his　brain。　　Impossible；　surely；　a　death…bell。　　Whence　could　it　come？

There　was　a　struggleah！　she　was　about　it　now；　a　stifled　cryAh！　he　had　dreaded　that　most　of　all；　to　hear　the　old　man　cry。　　Would　there　be　much　blood？　　He　hoped　not。　　Another　struggle；　and　Tita's　voice；　apparently　muffled；　called　for　help。

〃I　cannot　help　you。　　Mother　of　Mercies！　　I　dare　not　help　you！〃　hissed　he。　　〃She…devil！　you　have　begun　it；　and　you　must　finish　it　yourself！〃

A　heavy　arm　from　behind　clasped　his　throat。　　The　bishop　had　broken　loose　from　her　and　seized　him！　　Or　was　it　his　ghost？　or　a　fiend　come　to　drag　him　down　to　the　pit？　　And　forgetting　all　but　mere　wild　terror；　he　opened　his　lips　for　a　scream；　which　would　have　wakened　every　soul　on　board。　　But　a　handkerchief　was　thrust　into　his　mouth　and　in　another　minute　he　found　himself　bound　hand　and　foot；　and　laid　upon　the　table　by　a　gigantic　enemy。　　The　cabin　was　full　of　armed　men；　two　of　whom　were　lashing　up　the　bishop　in　his　hammock；　two　more　had　seized　Tita；　and　more　were　clambering　up　into　the　stern…gallery　beyond；　wild　figures；　with　bright　blades　and　armor　gleaming　in　the　starlight。

〃Now；　Will；〃　whispered　the　giant　who　had　seized　him；　〃forward　and　clap　the　fore…hatches　on；　and　shout　Fire！　with　all　your　might。　Girl！　murderess！　your　life　is　in　my　hands。　　Tell　me　where　the　commander　sleeps；　and　I　pardon　you。〃

Tita　looked　up　at　the　huge　speaker；　and　obeyed　in　silence。　　The　intendant　heard　him　enter　the　colonel's　cabin；　and　then　a　short　scuffle；　and　silence　for　a　moment。

But　only　for　a　moment；　for　already　the　alarm　had　been　given；　and　mad　confusion　reigned　through　every　deck。　　Amyas　（for　it　was　none　other）　had　already　gained　the　poop；　the　sentinels　were　gagged　and　bound；　and　every　half…naked　wretch　who　came　trembling　up　on　deck　in　his　shirt　by　the　main　hatchway；　calling　one；　〃Fire！　another；　〃Wreck！〃　and　another；　〃Treason！〃　was　hurled　into　the　scuppers；　and　there　secured。

〃Lower　away　that　boat！〃　shouted　Amyas　in　Spanish　to　his　first　batch　of　prisoners。

The　men；　unarmed　and　naked；　could　but　obey。

〃Now　then；　jump　in。　　Here；　hand　them　to　the　gangway　as　they　come　up。

It　was　done；　and　as　each　appeared　he　was　kicked　to　the　scuppers；　and　bundled　down　over　the　side。

〃She's　full。　　Cast　loose　now　and　off　with　you。　　If　you　try　to　board　again　we'll　sink　you。〃

〃Fire！　fire！〃　shouted　Cary；　forward。　　〃Up　the　main　hatchway　for　your　lives！〃

The　ruse　succeeded　utterly；　and　before　half…an…hour　was　over；　all　the　ship's　boats　which　could　be　lowered　were　filled　with　Spaniards　in　their　shirts；　getting　ashore　as　best　they　could。

〃Here　is　a　new　sort　of　camisado；〃　quoth　Cary。　　〃The　last　Spanish　one　I　saw　was　at　the　sortie　from　Smerwick：　but　this　is　somewhat　more　prosperous　than　that。〃

〃Get　the　main　and　foresail　up；　Will！〃　said　Amyas；　〃cut　the　cable；　and　we　will　plume　the　quarry　as　we　fly。〃

〃Spoken　like　a　good　falconer。　　Heaven　grant　that　this　big　woodcock　may　carry　a　good　trail　inside！〃

〃I'll　warrant　her　for　that；〃　said　Jack　Brimblecombe。　　〃She　floats　so　low。〃

〃Much　of　your　build；　too；　Jack。　　By　the　by；　where　is　the　commander？〃

Alas！　Don　Pedro；　forgotten　in　the　bustle；　had　been　lying　on　the　deck　in　his　shirt；　helplessly　bound；　exhausting　that　part　of　his　vocabulary　which　related　to　the　unseen　world。　　Which　most　discourteous　act　seemed　at　first　likely　to　be　somewhat　heavily　avenged　on　Amyas；　for　as　he　spoke；　a　couple　of　caliver…shots；　fired　from　under　the　poop；　passed　〃ping〃　〃ping〃　by　his　ears；　and　Cary　clapped　his　hand　to　his　side。

〃Hurt；　Will？〃

〃A　pinch；　old　ladLook　out；　or　we　are　'allen　verloren'　after　all；　as　the　Flemings　say。〃

And　as　he　spoke；　a　rush　forward　on　the　poop　drove　two　of　their　best　men　down　the　ladder　into　the　waist；　where　Amyas　stood。

〃Killed？〃　asked　he；　as　he　picked　one　up；　who　had　fallen　head　over　heels。

〃Sound　as　a　bell；　sir：　but　they　Gentiles　has　got　hold　of　the　firearms；　and　set　the　captain　free。〃

And　rubbing　the　back　of　his　head　for　a　minute；　he　jumped　up　the　ladder　again；　shouting

〃Have　at　ye；　idolatrous　pagans！　　Have　at　ye；　Satan's　spawn！〃

Amyas　jumped　up　after　him；　shouting　to　all　hands　to　follow；　for　there　was　no　time　to　be　lost。

Out　of　the　windows　of　the　poop；　which　looked　on　the　main…deck；　a　galling　fire　had　been　opened；　and　he　could　not　afford　to　lose　men；　for；　as　far　as　he　knew；　the　Spaniards　left　on　board　might　still　far　outnumber　the　English；　so　up　he　sprang　on　the　poop；　followed　by　a　dozen　men；　and　there　began　a　very　heavy　fight　between　two　parties　of　valiant　warriors；　who　easily　knew　each　other　apart　by　the　peculiar　fashion　of　their　armor。　　For　the　Spaniards　fought　in　their　shirts；　and　in　no　other　garments：　but　the　English　in　all　other　manner　of　garments；　tag；　rag；　and　bobtail；　and　yet　had　never　a　shirt　between　them。

The　rest　of　the　English　made　a　rush；　of　course；　to　get　upon　the　poop；　seeing　that　the　Spaniards　could　not　shoot　them　through　the　deck；　but　the　fire　from　the　windows　was　so　hot；　that　although　they　dodged　behind　masts；　spars；　and　every　possible　shelter；　one　or　two　dropped；　and　Jack　Brimblecombe　and　Yeo　took　on　themselves　to　call　a　retreat；　and　with　about　a　dozen　men；　got　back；　and　held　a　council　of　war。

What　was　to　be　done？　　Their　arquebuses　were　of　little　use；　for　the　Spaniards　were　behind　a　strong　bulkhead。　　There　were　cannon：　but　where　was　powder　or　shot？　　The　boats；　encouraged　by　the　clamor　on　deck；　were　paddling　alongside　again。　　Yeo　rushed　round　and　round；　probing　every　gun　with　his　sword。

〃Here's　a　patararo　loaded！　　Now　for　a　match；　lads。〃

Luckily　one　of　the　English　had　kept　his　match　alight　during　the　scuffle。

〃Thanks　be！　　Help　me　to　unship　the　gunthe　mast's　in　the　way　here。〃

The　patararo；　or　brass　swivel；　was　unshipped。

〃Steady；　lads；　and　keep　it　level；　or　you'll　shake　out　the　priming。　Ship　it　here；　turn　out　that　one；　and　heave　it　into　that　boat；　if　they　come　alongside。　　Steady　nowso！　　Rummage　about；　and　find　me　a　bolt　or　two；　a　marlin…spike；　anything。　　Quick；　or　the　captain　will　be　over…mastered　yet。〃

Missiles　were　foundodds　and　endsand　crammed　into　the　swivel　up　to　the　muzzle：　and；　in　another　minute；　its　〃cargo　of　notions〃　was　crashing　into　the　poop…windows；　silencing　the　fire　from　thence　effectually　enough　for　the　time。

〃Now；　then；　a　rush　forward；　and　right　in　along　the　deck！〃　shouted　Yeo；　and　the　whole　party　charged　through　the　cabin…doors；　which　their　shot　had　burst　open；　and　hewed　their　way　from　room　to　room。

In　the　meanwhile；　the　Spaniards　above　had　fought　fiercely：　but；　in　spite　of　superior　numbers；　they　had　gradually　given　back　before　the　〃