westward ho-第124节

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Amyas　seized　him　by　the　shoulder；　and　shook　him　on　to　his　legs。

〃Swine！　who　is　this？　　Wake　up；　coward；　and　tell　me；　or　I　will　cut　you　piecemeal！〃

But　ere　the　bishop　could　answer；　the　woman　uttered　a　wild　shriek；　and　pointing　to　the　taller　of　the　two　monks；　cowered　behind　Yeo。

〃He　here？〃　cried　she；　in　broken　Spanish。　　〃Take　me　away！　　I　will　tell　you　no　more。　　I　have　told　you　all；　and　lies　enough　beside。　Oh！　why　is　he　come　again？　　Did　they　not　say　that　I　should　have　no　more　torments？〃

The　monk　turned　pale：　but　like　a　wild　beast　at　bay；　glared　firmly　round　on　the　whole　company；　and　then；　fixing　his　dark　eyes　full　on　the　woman；　he　bade　her　be　silent　so　sternly；　that　she　shrank　down　like　a　beaten　hound。

〃Silence；　dog！〃　said　Will　Cary；　whose　blood　was　up；　and　followed　his　words　with　a　blow　on　the　monk's　mouth；　which　silenced　him　effectually。

〃Don't　be　afraid；　good　woman；　but　speak　English。　　We　are　all　English　here；　and　Protestants　too。　　Tell　us　what　they　have　done　for　you。〃

〃Another　trap！　another　trap！〃　cried　she；　in　a　strong　Devonshire　accent。　　〃You　be　no　English！　　You　want　to　make　me　lie　again；　and　then　torment　me。　　Oh！　wretched；　wretched　that　I　am！〃　cried　she；　bursting　into　tears。　　〃Whom　should　I　trust？　　Not　myself：　no；　nor　God；　for　I　have　denied　Him！　　O　Lord！　O　Lord！〃

Amyas　stood　silent　with　fear　and　horror；　some　instinct　told　him　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　hearing　news　for　which　he　feared　to　ask。　　But　Jack　spoke

〃My　dear　soul！　my　dear　soul！　don't　you　be　afraid；　and　the　Lord　will　stand　by　you；　if　you　will　but　tell　the　truth。　　We　are　all　Englishmen；　and　men　of　Devon；　as　you　seem　to　be　by　your　speech；　and　this　ship　is　ours；　and　the　pope　himself　sha'n't　touch　you。〃

〃Devon？〃　she　said　doubtingly；　〃Devon！　　Whence；　then？〃

〃Bideford　men。　　This　is　Mr。　Will　Cary；　to　Clovelly。　　If　you　are　a　Devon　woman；　you've　heard　tell　of　the　Carys；　to　be　sure。〃

The　woman　made　a　rush　forward；　and　threw　her　fettered　arms　round　Will's　neck；

〃Oh；　Mr。　Cary；　my　dear　life！　　Mr。　Cary！　and　so　you　be！　　Oh；　dear　soul　alive！　but　you're　burnt　so　brown；　and　I　be　'most　blind　with　misery。　　Oh；　who　ever　sent　you　here；　my　dear　Mr。　Will；　then；　to　save　a　poor　wretch　from　the　pit？〃

〃Who　on　earth　are　you？〃

〃Lucy　Passmore；　the　white　witch　to　Welcombe。　　Don't　you　mind　Lucy　Passmore；　as　charmed　your　warts　for　you　when　you　was　a　boy？〃

〃Lucy　Passmore！〃　almost　shrieked　all　three　friends。　　〃She　that　went　off　with〃

〃Yes！　she　that　sold　her　own　soul；　and　persuaded　that　dear　saint　to　sell　hers；　she　that　did　the　devil's　work；　and　has　taken　the　devil's　wages；after　this　fashion！〃　and　she　held　up　her　scarred　wrists　wildly。

〃Where　is　Dona　deRose　Salterne？〃　shouted　Will　and　Jack。

〃Where　is　my　brother　Frank？〃　shouted　Amyas。

〃Dead；　dead；　dead！〃

〃I　knew　it；〃　said　Amyas；　sitting　down　again　calmly。

〃How　did　she　die？〃

〃The　Inquisitionhe！〃　pointing　to　the　monk。　　〃Ask　himhe　betrayed　her　to　her　death。　　And　ask　him！〃　pointing　to　the　bishop；　〃he　sat　by　her　and　saw　her　die。〃

〃Woman；　you　rave！〃　said　the　bishop；　getting　up　with　a　terrified　air；　and　moving　as　far　as　possible　from　Amyas。

〃How　did　my　brother　die；　Lucy？〃　asked　Amyas；　still　calmly。

〃Who　be　you；　sir？〃

A　gleam　of　hope　flashed　across　Amyasshe　had　not　answered　his　question。

〃I　am　Amyas　Leigh　of　Burrough。　　Do　you　know　aught　of　my　brother　Frank；　who　was　lost　at　La　Guayra？〃

〃Mr。　Amyas！　　Heaven　forgive　me　that　I　did　not　know　the　bigness　of　you。　　Your　brother；　sir；　died　like　a　gentleman　as　he　was。〃

〃But　how？〃　gasped　Amyas。

〃Burned　with　her；　sir！〃

〃Is　this　true；　sir？〃　said　Amyas；　turning　to　the　bishop；　with　a　very　quiet　voice。

〃I；　sir？〃　stammered　he；　in　panting　haste。　　〃I　had　nothing　to　doI　was　compelled　in　my　office　of　bishop　to　be　an　unwilling　spectator　the　secular　arm；　sir；　I　could　not　interfere　with　thatany　more　than　I　can　with　the　Holy　Office。　　I　do　not　belong　to　itask　that　gentlemansir！　　Saints　and　angels；　sir！　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃　shrieked　he；　as　Amyas　laid　a　heavy　hand　upon　his　shoulder；　and　began　to　lead　him　towards　the　door。

〃Hang　you！〃　said　Amyas。　　〃If　I　had　been　a　Spaniard　and　a　priest　like　yourself；　I　should　have　burnt　you　alive。〃

〃Hang　me？〃　shrieked　the　wretched　old　Balaam；　and　burst　into　abject　howls　for　mercy。

〃Take　the　dark　monk；　Yeo；　and　hang　him　too。　　Lucy　Passmore；　do　you　know　that　fellow　also？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　said　Lucy。

〃Lucky　for　you；　Fray　Gerundio；〃　said　Will　Cary；　while　the　good　friar　hid　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　burst　into　tears。　　Lucky　it　was　for　him；　indeed；　for　he　had　been　a　pitying　spectator　of　the　tragedy。　　〃Ah！〃　thought　he；　〃if　life　in　this　mad　and　sinful　world　be　a　reward；　perhaps　this　escape　is　vouchsafed　to　me　for　having　pleaded　the　cause　of　the　poor　Indian！〃

But　the　bishop　shrieked　on。

〃Oh！　not　yet。　　An　hour；　only　an　hour！　　I　am　not　fit　to　die。〃

〃That　is　no　concern　of　mine；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃I　only　know　that　you　are　not　fit　to　live。〃

〃Let　us　at　least　make　our　peace　with　God；〃　said　the　dark　monk。

〃Hound！　if　your　saints　can　really　smuggle　you　up　the　back…stairs　to　heaven；　they　will　do　it　without　five　minutes'　more　coaxing　and　flattering。〃

Fray　Gerundio　and　the　condemned　man　alike　stopped　their　ears　at　the　blasphemy。

〃Oh；　Fray　Gerundio！〃　screamed　the　bishop；　〃pray　for　me。　　I　have　treated　you　like　a　beast。　　Oh；　Fray；　Fray！〃

〃Oh；　my　lord！　my　lord！〃　said　the　good　man；　as　with　tears　streaming　down　his　face　he　followed　his　shrieking　and　struggling　diocesan　up　the　stairs；　〃who　am　I？　　Ask　no　pardon　of　me。　　Ask　pardon　of　God　for　all　your　sins　against　the　poor　innocent　savages；　when　you　saw　your　harmless　sheep　butchered　year　after　year；　and　yet　never　lifted　up　your　voice　to　save　the　flock　which　God　had　committed　to　you。　　Oh；　confess　that；　my　lord！　confess　it　ere　it　be　too　late！〃

〃I　will　confess　all　about　the　Indians；　and　the　gold；　and　Tita　too；　Fray；　peccavi；　peccavionly　five　minutes；　senors；　five　little　minutes'　grace；　while　I　confess　to　the　good　Fray！〃and　he　grovelled　on　the　deck。

〃I　will　have　no　such　mummery　where　I　command；〃　said　Amyas；　sternly。　〃I　will　be　no　accomplice　in　cheating　Satan　of　his　due。〃

〃If　you　will　confess；〃　said　Brimblecombe；　whose　heart　was　melting　fast；　〃confess　to　the　Lord；　and　He　will　forgive　you。　　Even　at　the　last　moment　mercy　is　open。　　Is　it　not；　Fray　Gerundio？〃

〃It　is；　senor；　it　is；　my　lord；〃　said　Gerundio；　but　the　bishop　only　clasped　his　hands　over　his　head。

〃Then　I　am　undone！　　All　my　money　is　stolen！　　Not　a　farthing　left　to　buy　masses　for　my　poor　soul！　　And　no　absolution；　no　viaticum；　nor　anything！　　I　die　like　a　dog　and　am　damned！〃

〃Clear　away　that　running　rigging！〃　said　Amyas；　while　the　dark　Dominican　stood　perfectly　collected；　with　something　of　a　smile　of　pity　at　the　miserable　bishop。　　A　man　accustomed　to　cruelty；　and　firm　in　his　fanaticism；　he　was　as　ready　to　endure　suffering　as　to　inflict　it；　repeating　to　himself　the　necessary　prayers；　he　called　Fray　Gerundio　to　witness　that　he　died；　however　unworthy；　a　martyr；　in　charity　with　all　men；　and　in　the　communion　of　the　Holy　Catholic　Church；　and　then；　as　he　fitted　the　cord　to　his　own　neck；　gave　Fray　Gerundio　various　petty　commissions　about　his　sister　and　her　children；　and　a　little　vineyard　far　away　upon　the　sunny　slopes　of　Castile；　and　so　died；　with　a　〃Domine；　in　manus　tuas；〃　like　a　valiant　man　of　Spain。

Amyas　stood　long　in　solemn　silence；　watching　the　two　corpses　dangling　above　his　head。　　At　last　he　drew　a　long　breath；　as　if　a　load　was　taken　off　his　heart。

Suddenly　he　looked　round　to　his　men；　who　were　watching　eagerly　to　know　what　he　would　have　done　next。

〃Hearken　to　me；　my　masters　all；　and　may　God　hearken　too；　and　do　so　to　me；　and　more　also；　if；　as　long　as　I　have　eyes　to　see　a　Spaniard；　and　hands　to　hew　him　down；　I　do　any　other　thing　than　hunt　down　that　accursed　nation　day　and　night；　and　avenge　all　the　innocent　blood　which　has　been　shed　by　them　since　the　day　in　which　King　Ferdinand　drove　out　the　Moors！〃

〃Amen！〃　said　Salvation　Yeo。　　〃I　need　not　to　swear　that　oath；　for　I　have　sworn　it　long　ago；　and　kept　it。　　Will　your　honor　have　us　kill　the　rest　of　the　idolaters？〃

〃God　forbid！〃　said　Cary。　　〃You　would　not　do　that；　Amyas？〃

〃No；　we　will　spare　them。　　God　has　shown　us　a　great　mercy　this　day；　and　we　must　be　merciful　in　it。　　We　will　land　them　at　Cabo　Velo。　But　henceforth　till　I　die　no　quarter　to　a　Spaniard。〃

〃Amen！〃　said　Yeo。

Amyas's　whole　countenance　had　changed　in　the　last　half…hour。　　He　seemed　to　have　grown　years　older。　　His　brow　was　wrinkled；　his　lip　compressed；　his　eyes　full　of　a　terrible　stony　calm；　as　of　one　who　had　formed　a　great　and　dreadful　purpose；　and　yet　for　that　very　reason　could　afford　to　be　quiet　under　the　burden　of　it；　even　cheerful；　and　when　he　returned　to　the　cabin　he　bowed　courteously　to　the　commandant；　begged　pardon　of　him　for　having　played　the　host　so　ill；　and　entreated　him　to　finish　his　breakfast。

〃But；　senoris　it　possible？　　Is　his　holiness　dead？〃

〃He　is　hanged　and　dead；　senor。　　I　would　have　hanged；　could　I　have　caught　them；　every　living　thing　which　was　present　at　my　brother's　death；　even　to　the　very　flies　upon　the　wall。　　No　more　words；　senor；　your　conscience　tells　you　that　I　am　just。〃

〃Senor；〃　said　the　commandant〃one　wordI　trust　there　are　no　listenersnone　of　my