westward ho-第123节

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〃Drake！　　Did　you　know　him；　senor？〃　asked　all　the　Englishmen　at　once。

〃Too　well；　too　well〃　and　he　would　have　continued；　but　the　bishop　burst　out

〃Ah；　senor　commandant！　that　name　again！　　Have　you　no　mercy？　　To　sit　between　another　pair　of；　and　my　own　wine；　too！　　Ugh；　ugh！〃

The　old　gentleman；　whose　mouth　had　been　full　of　turtle　the　whole　time；　burst　into　a　violent　fit　of　coughing；　and　was　only　saved　from　apoplexy　by　Cary's　patting　him　on　the　back。

〃Ugh；　ugh！　　The　tender　mercies　of　the　wicked　are　cruel；　and　their　precious　balms。　　Ah；　senor　lieutenant　Englishman！　　May　I　ask　you　to　pass　those　limes？Ah！　what　is　turtle　without　lime？Even　as　a　fat　old　man　without　money！　　Nudus　intravi；　nudus　exeoah！〃

〃But　what　of　Drake？〃

〃Do　you　not　know；　sir；　that　he　and　his　fleet；　only　last　year；　swept　the　whole　of　this　coast；　and　took；　with　shame　I　confess　it；　Cartagena；　San　Domingo；　St。　Augustine；　andI　see　you　are　too　courteous；　senors；　to　express　before　me　what　you　have　a　right　to　feel。　　But　whence　come　you；　sir？　　From　the　skies；　or　the　depth　of　the　sea？〃

〃Art…magic；　art…magic！〃　moaned　the　bishop。

〃Your　holiness！　　It　is　scarcely　prudent　to　speak　thus　here；〃　said　the　commandant；　who　was　nevertheless　much　of　the　same　opinion。

〃Why；　you　said　so　yourself；　last　night；　senor；　about　the　taking　of　Cartagena。〃

The　commandant　blushed；　and　stammered　out　somewhat〃That　it　was　excusable　in　him；　if　he　had　said；　in　jest；　that　so　prodigious　and　curious　a　valor　had　not　sprung　from　mortal　source。〃

〃No　more　it　did；　senor；〃　said　Jack　Brimblecombe；　stoutly：　〃but　from　Him　who　taught　our　'hands　to　war；　and　our　fingers　to　fight。'〃

The　commandant　bowed　stiffly。　　〃You　will　excuse　me；　sir　preacher：　but　I　am　a　Catholic；　and　hold　the　cause　of　my　king　to　be　alone　the　cause　of　Heaven。　　But；　senor　captain；　how　came　you　thither；　if　I　may　ask？　　That　you　needed　no　art…magic　after　you　came　on　board；　I；　alas！　can　testify　but　too　well：　but　what　spiritwhether　good　or　evil；　I　ask　notbrought　you　on　board；　and　whence？　　Where　is　your　ship？　　I　thought　that　all　Drake's　squadron　had　left　six　months　ago。〃

〃Our　ship；　senor；　has　lain　this　three　years　rotting　on　the　coast　near　Cape　Codera。〃

〃Ah！　we　heard　of　that　bold　adventurebut　we　thought　you　all　lost　in　the　interior。〃

〃You　did？　　Can　you　tell　me；　then；　where　the　senor　governor　of　La　Guayra　may　be　now？〃

〃The　Senor　Don　Guzman　de　Soto；〃　said　the　commandant；　in　a　somewhat　constrained　tone；　〃is　said　to　be　at　present　in　Spain；　having　thrown　up　his　office　in　consequence　of　domestic　matters；　of　which　I　have　not　the　honor　of　knowing　anything。〃

Amyas　longed　to　ask　more：　but　he　knew　that　the　well…bred　Spaniard　would　tell　him　nothing　which　concerned　another　man's　wife；　and　went　on。

〃What　befell　us　after；　I　tell　you　frankly。〃

And　Amyas　told　his　story；　from　the　landing　at　Guayra　to　the　passage　down　the　Magdalena。　　The　commandant　lifted　up　his　hands。

〃Were　it　not　forbidden　to　me；　as　a　Catholic；　most　invincible　senor；　I　should　say　that　the　Divine　protection　has　indeed〃

〃Ah；〃　said　one　of　the　friars；　〃that　you　could　be　brought；　senors；　to　render　thanks　for　your　miraculous　preservation　to　her　to　whom　alone　it　is　due；　Mary；　the　fount　of　mercies！〃

〃We　have　done　well　enough　without　her　as　yet；〃　said　Amyas；　bluntly。

〃The　Lord　raised　up　Nebuchadnezzar　of　old　to　punish　the　sins　of　the　Jewish　Church；　and　He　has　raised　up　these　men　to　punish　ours！〃　said　Fray　Gerundio。

〃But　Nebuchadnezzar　fell；　and　so　may　they；〃　growled　the　other　to　himself。　　Jack　overheard　him。

〃I　say；　my　lord　bishop；〃　called　he　from　the　other　end　of　the　table。　〃It　is　our　English　custom　to　let　our　guests　be　as　rude　as　they　like；　but　perhaps　your　lordship　will　hint　to　these　two　friars；　that　if　they　wish　to　keep　whole　skins；　they　will　keep　civil　tongues。〃

〃Be　silent；　asses！　mules！〃　shouted　the　bishop；　whose　spirits　were　improving　over　the　wine；　who　are　you；　that　you　cannot　eat　dirt　as　well　as　your　betters？〃

〃Well　spoken；　my　lord。　　Here's　the　health　of　our　saintly　and　venerable　guest；〃　said　Cary：　while　the　commandant　whispered　to　Amyas；　〃Fat　old　tyrant！　　I　hope　you　have　found　his　moneyfor　I　am　sure　he　has　some　on　board；　and　I　should　be　loath　that　you　lost　the　advantage　of　it。〃

〃I　shall　have　to　say　a　few　words　to　you　about　that　money　this　morning；　commandant：　by　the　by；　they　had　better　be　said　now。　　My　lord　bishop；　do　you　know　that　had　we　not　taken　this　ship　when　we　did；　you　had　lost　not　merely　money；　as　you　have　now；　but　life　itself？〃

〃Money？　　I　had　none　to　lose！　　Life？what　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　bishop；　turning　very　pale。

〃This；　sir。　　That　it　ill　befits　one　to　lie；　whose　throat　has　been　saved　from　the　assassin's　knife　but　four　hours　since。　　When　we　entered　the　stern…gallery；　we　found　two　persons；　now　on　board　this　ship；　in　the　very　act；　sir；　and　article；　of　cutting　your　sinful　throat；　that　they　might　rob　you　of　the　casket　which　lay　beneath　your　pillow。　　A　moment　more；　and　you　were　dead。　　We　seized　and　bound　them；　and　so　saved　your　life。　　Is　that　plain；　sir？〃

The　bishop　looked　steadfastly　and　stupidly　into　Amyas's　face；　heaved　a　deep　sigh；　and　gradually　sank　back　in　his　chair；　dropping　the　glass　from　his　hand。

〃He　is　in　a　fit！　　Call　in　the　surgeon！　　Run！〃　and　up　jumped　kind…　hearted　Jack；　and　brought　in　the　surgeon　of　the　galleon。

〃Is　this　possible；　senor？〃　asked　the　commandant。

〃It　is　true。　　Door；　there！　　Evans！　go　and　bring　in　that　rascal　whom　we　left　bound　in　his　cabin！〃

Evans　went；　and　the　commandant　continued

〃But　the　stern…gallery？　　How；　in　the　name　of　all　witches　and　miracles；　came　your　valor　thither？〃

〃Simply　enough；　and　owing　neither　to　witch　nor　miracle。　　The　night　before　last　we　passed　the　mouth　of　the　bay　in　our　two　canoes；　which　we　had　lashed　together　after　the　fashion　I　had　seen　in　the　Moluccas；　to　keep　them　afloat　in　the　surf。　　We　had　scraped　the　canoes　bright　the　day　before；　and　rubbed　them　with　white　clay；　that　they　might　be　invisible　at　night；　and　so　we　got　safely　to　the　Morro　Grande；　passing　within　half　a　mile　of　your　ship。〃

〃Oh！　my　scoundrels　of　sentinels！〃

〃We　landed　at　the　back　of　the　Morro；　and　lay　there　all　day；　being　purposed　to　do　that　which；　with　your　pardon；　we　have　done。　　We　took　our　sails　of　Indian　cloth；　whitened　them　likewise　with　clay　which　we　had　brought　with　us　from　the　river　（expecting　to　find　a　Spanish　ship　as　we　went　along　the　coast；　and　determined　to　attempt　her；　or　die　with　honor）；　and　laid　them　over　us　on　the　canoes；　paddling　from　underneath　them。　　So　that；　had　your　sentinels　been　awake；　they　would　have　hardly　made　us　out；　till　we　were　close　on　board。　　We　had　provided　ourselves；　instead　of　ladders；　with　bamboos　rigged　with　cross…pieces；　and　a　hook　of　strong　wood　at　the　top　of　each；　they　hang　at　your　stern…gallery　now。　　And　the　rest　of　the　tale　I　need　not　tell　you。〃

The　commandant　rose　in　his　courtly　Spanish　way；

〃Your　admirable　story；　senor；　proves　to　me　how　truly　your　nation；　while　it　has　yet；　and　I　trust　will　ever　have；　to　dispute　the　palm　of　valor　with　our　own；　is　famed　throughout　the　world　for　ingenuity；　and　for　daring　beyond　that　of　mortal　man。　　You　have　succeeded；　valiant　captain；　because　you　have　deserved　to　succeed；　and　it　is　no　shame　to　me　to　succumb　to　enemies　who　have　united　the　cunning　of　the　serpent　with　the　valor　of　the　lion。　　Senor；　I　feel　as　proud　of　becoming　your　guest　as　I　should　have　been　proud；　under　a　happier　star；　of　becoming　your　host。〃

〃You　are；　like　your　nation；　only　too　generous；　senor。　　But　what　noise　is　that　outside？　　Cary；　go　and　see。〃

But　ere　Cary　could　reach　the　door；　it　was　opened；　and　Evans　presented　himself　with　a　terrified　face。

〃Here's　villainy；　sir！　　The　Don's　murdered；　and　cold；　the　Indian　lass　fled；　and　as　we　searched　the　ship　for　her；　we　found　an　Englishwoman；　as　I'm　a　sinful　man！and　a　shocking　sight　she　is　to　see！〃

〃An　Englishwoman？〃　cried　all　three；　springing　forward。

〃Bring　her　in！〃　said　Amyas；　turning　very　pale；　and　as　he　spoke；　Yeo　and　another　led　into　the　cabin　a　figure　scarcely　human。

An　elderly　woman；　dressed　in　the　yellow　〃San　Benito〃　of　the　Inquisition；　with　ragged　gray　locks　hanging　about　a　countenance　distorted　by　suffering　and　shrunk　by　famine。　　Painfully；　as　one　unaccustomed　to　the　light；　she　peered　and　blinked　round　her。　　Her　fallen　lip　gave　her　a　half…idiotic　expression；　and　yet　there　was　an　uneasy　twinkle　in　the　eye；　as　of　boundless　terror　and　suspicion。　She　lifted　up　her　fettered　wrist　to　shade　her　face；　and　as　she　did　so；　disclosed　a　line　of　fearful　scars　upon　her　skinny　arm。

〃Look　there；　sirs！〃　said　Yeo；　pointing　to　them　with　a　stern　smile。　〃Here's　some　of　these　Popish　gentry's　handiwork。　　I　know　well　enough　how　those　marks　came；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　similar　scars　on　his　own　wrist。

The　commandant；　as　well　as　the　Englishmen；　recoiled　with　horror。

〃Holy　Virgin！　what　wretch　is　this　on　board　my　ship？　　Bishop；　is　this　the　prisoner　whom　you　sent　on　board？〃

The　bishop；　who　had　been　slowly　recovering　his　senses；　looked　at　her　a　moment；　and　then　thrusting　his　chair　back；　crossed　himself；　and　almost　screamed；　〃Malefica！　　Malefica！　　Who　brought　her　here？　Turn　her　away；　gentlemen；　turn　her　eye　away；　she　will　bewitch；　fascinate〃and　he　began　muttering　prayers。

Amyas　seized　him　b