westward ho-第125节

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hat　I　am　just。〃

〃Senor；〃　said　the　commandant〃one　wordI　trust　there　are　no　listenersnone　of　my　crew；　I　mean；　but　I　must　exculpate　myself　in　your　eyes。〃

〃Walk　out；　then；　into　the　gallery　with　me。〃

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　senorI　trust　in　Heaven　no　one　overhears。　You　are　just。　　This　Inquisition　is　the　curse　of　us；　the　weight　which　is　crushing　out　the　very　life　of　Spain。　　No　man　dares　speak。　No　man　dares　trust　his　neighbor；　no；　not　his　child；　or　the　wife　of　his　bosom。　　It　avails　nothing　to　be　a　good　Catholic；　as　I　trust　I　am；〃　and　he　crossed　himself；　〃when　any　villain　whom　you　may　offend；　any　unnatural　son　or　wife　who　wishes　to　be　rid　of　you；　has　but　to　hint　heresy　against　you；　and　you　vanish　into　the　Holy　Officeand　then　God　have　mercy　on　you；　for　man　has　none。　　Noble　ladies　of　my　family；　sir；　have　vanished　thither；　carried　off　by　night；　we　know　not　why；　we　dare　not　ask　why。　　To　expostulate；　even　to　inquire；　would　have　been　to　share　their　fate。　　There　is　one　now；　senor　Heaven　alone　knows　whether　she　is　alive　or　dead！It　was　nine　years　since；　and　we　have　never　heard；　and　we　shall　never　hear。〃

And　the　commandant's　face　worked　frightfully。

〃She　was　my　sister；　senor！〃

〃Heavens！　sir；　and　have　you　not　avenged　her？〃

〃On　churchmen；　senor；　and　I　a　Catholic？　　To　be　burned　at　the　stake　in　this　life；　and　after　that　to　all　eternity　beside？　　Even　a　Spaniard　dare　not　face　that。　　Beside；　sir；　the　mob　like　this　Inquisition；　and　an　Auto…da…fe　is　even　better　sport　to　them　than　a　bull…fight。　　They　would　be　the　first　to　tear　a　man　in　pieces　who　dare　touch　an　Inquisitor。　　Sir；　may　all　the　saints　in　heaven　obtain　me　forgiveness　for　my　blasphemy；　but　when　I　saw　you　just　now　fearing　those　churchmen　no　more　than　you　feared　me；　I　longed；　sinner　that　I　am；　to　be　a　heretic　like　you。〃

〃It　will　not　take　long　to　make　a　brave　and　wise　gentleman　who　has　suffered　such　things　as　you　have；　a　heretic；　as　you　call　ita　free　Christian　man；　as　we　call　it。〃

〃Tempt　me　not；　sir！〃　said　the　poor　man；　crossing　himself　fervently。　〃Let　us　say　no　more。　　Obedience　is　my　duty；　and　for　the　rest　the　Church　must　decide；　according　to　her　infallible　authorityfor　I　am　a　good　Catholic；　senor；　the　best　of　Catholics；　though　a　great　sinner。I　trust　no　one　has　overheard　us！〃

Amyas　left　him　with　a　smile　of　pity；　and　went　to　look　for　Lucy　Passmore；　whom　the　sailors　were　nursing　and　feeding；　while　Ayacanora　watched　them　with　a　puzzled　face。

〃I　will　talk　to　you　when　you　are　better；　Lucy；〃　said　he；　taking　her　hand。　　〃Now　you　must　eat　and　drink；　and　forget　all　among　us　lads　of　Devon。〃

〃Oh；　dear　blessed　sir；　and　you　will　send　Sir　John　to　pray　with　me？　For　I　turned；　sir；　I　turned：　but　I　could　not　help　itI　could　not　abear　the　torments：　but　she　bore　them；　sweet　angeland　more　than　I　did。　　Oh；　dear　me！〃

〃Lucy；　I　am　not　fit　now　to　hear　more。　　You　shall　tell　me　all　to…　morrow；〃　and　he　turned　away。

〃Why　do　you　take　her　hand？〃　said　Ayacanora；　half…scornfully。　　〃She　is　old；　and　ugly；　and　dirty。〃

〃She　is　an　Englishwoman；　child；　and　a　martyr；　poor　thing；　and　I　would　nurse　her　as　I　would　my　own　mother。〃

〃Why　don't　you　make　me　an　Englishwoman；　and　a　martyr？　　I　could　learn　how　to　do　anything　that　that　old　hag　could　do！〃

〃Instead　of　calling　her　names；　go　and　tend　her；　that　would　be　much　fitter　work　for　a　woman　than　fighting　among　men。〃

Ayacanora　darted　from　him；　thrust　the　sailors　aside；　and　took　possession　of　Lucy　Passmore。

〃Where　shall　I　put　her？〃　asked　she　of　Amyas；　without　looking　up。

〃In　the　best　cabin；　and　let　her　be　served　like　a　queen；　lads。〃

〃No　one　shall　touch　her　but　me；〃　and　taking　up　the　withered　frame　in　her　arms；　as　if　it　were　a　doll；　Ayacanora　walked　off　with　her　in　triumph；　telling　the　men　to　go　and　mind　the　ship。

〃The　girl　is　mad；〃　said　one。

〃Mad　or　not；　she　has　an　eye　to　our　captain；〃　said　another。

〃And　where's　the　man　that　would　behave　to　the　poor　wild　thing　as　he　does？〃

〃Sir　Francis　Drake　would；　from　whom　he　got　his　lesson。　　Do　you　mind　his　putting　the　negro　lass　ashore　after　he　found　out　about〃

〃Hush！　　Bygones　be　bygones；　and　those　that　did　it　are　in　their　graves　long　ago。　　But　it　was　too　hard　of　him　on　the　poor　thing。〃

〃If　he　had　not　got　rid　of　her；　there　would　have　been　more　throats　than　one　cut　about　the　lass；　that's　all　I　know；〃　said　another；　〃and　so　there　would　have　been　about　this　one　before　now；　if　the　captain　wasn't　a　born　angel　out　of　heaven；　and　the　lieutenant　no　less。〃

〃Well；　I　suppose　we　may　get　a　whet　by　now。　　I　wonder　if　these　Dons　have　any　beer　aboard。〃

〃Naught　but　grape　vinegar；　which　fools　call　wine；　I'll　warrant。〃

〃There　was　better　than　vinegar　on　the　table　in　there　just　now。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　one　grumbler　of　true　English　breed；　〃but　that's　not　for　poor　fellows　like　we。〃

〃Don't　lie；　Tom　Evans；　you　never　were　given　that　way　yet；　and　I　don't　think　the　trade　will　suit　a　good　fellow　like　you。〃

The　whole　party　stared；　for　the　speaker　of　these　words　was　none　other　than　Amyas　himself；　who　had　rejoined　them；　a　bottle　in　each　hand。

〃No；　Tom　Evans。　　It　has　been　share　and　share　alike　for　three　years；　and　bravely　you　have　all　held　up；　and　share　alike　it　shall　be　now；　and　here's　the　handsel　of　it。　　We'll　serve　out　the　good　wine　fairly　all　round　as　long　as　it　lasts；　and　then　take　to　the　bad：　but　mind　you　don't　get　drunk；　my　sons；　for　we　are　much　too　short　of　hands　to　have　any　stout　fellows　lying　about　the　scuppers。〃

But　what　was　the　story　of　the　intendant's　being　murdered？　Brimblecombe　had　seen　him　run　into　a　neighboring　cabin；　and　when　the　door　of　it　was　opened；　there　was　the　culprit；　but　dead　and　cold；　with　a　deep　knife…wound　in　his　side。　　Who　could　have　done　the　deed？　　It　must　have　been　Tita；　whom　Brimblecombe　had　seen　loose；　and　trying　to　free　her　lover。

The　ship　was　searched　from　stem　to　stern：　but　no　Tita。　　The　mystery　was　never　explained。　　That　she　had　leapt　overboard；　and　tried　to　swim　ashore；　none　doubted：　but　whether　she　had　reached　it；　who　could　tell？　　One　thing　was　strange；　that　not　only　had　she　carried　off　no　treasure　with　her；　but　that　the　gold　ornaments　which　she　had　worn　the　night　before；　lay　together　in　a　heap　on　the　table；　close　by　the　murdered　man。　　Had　she　wished　to　rid　herself　of　everything　which　had　belonged　to　her　tyrants？

The　commandant　heard　the　whole　story　thoughtfully。

〃Wretched　man！〃　said　he；　〃and　he　has　a　wife　and　children　in　Seville。〃

〃A　wife　and　children？〃　said　Amyas；　〃and　I　heard　him　promise　marriage　to　the　Indian　girl。〃

That　was　the　only　hint　which　gave　a　reason　for　his　death。　　What　if；　in　the　terror　of　discovery　and　capture；　the　scoundrel　had　dropped　any　self…condemning　words　about　his　marriage；　any　prayer　for　those　whom　he　had　left　behind；　and　the　Indian　had　overheard　them？　　It　might　be　so；　at　least　sin　had　brought　its　own　punishment。

And　so　that　wild　night　and　day　subsided。　　The　prisoners　were　kindly　used　enough；　for　the　Englishman；　free　from　any　petty　love　of　tormenting；　knows　no　mean　between　killing　a　foe　outright；　and　treating　him　as　a　brother；　and　when；　two　days　afterwards；　they　were　sent　ashore　in　the　canoes　off　Cabo　Velo；　captives　and　captors　shook　hands　all　round；　and　Amyas；　after　returning　the　commandant　his　sword；　and　presenting　him　with　a　case　of　the　bishop's　wine；　bowed　him　courteously　over　the　side。

〃I　trust　that　you　will　pay　us　another　visit；　valiant　senor　capitan；〃　said　the　Spaniard；　bowing　and　smiling。

〃I　should　most　gladly　accept　your　invitation；　illustrious　senor　commandant；　but　as　I　have　vowed　henceforth；　whenever　I　shall　meet　a　Spaniard；　neither　to　give　nor　take　quarter；　I　trust　that　our　paths　to　glory　may　lie　in　different　directions。〃

The　commandant　shrugged　his　shoulders；　the　ship　was　put　again　before　the　wind；　and　as　the　shores　of　the　Main　faded　lower　and　dimmer　behind　her；　a　mighty　cheer　broke　from　all　on　board；　and　for　once　the　cry　from　every　mouth　was　Eastward…ho！

Scrap　by　scrap；　as　weakness　and　confusion　of　intellect　permitted　her；　Lucy　Passmore　told　her　story。　　It　was　a　simple　one　after　all；　and　Amyas　might　almost　have　guessed　it　for　himself。　　Rose　had　not　yielded　to　the　Spaniard　without　a　struggle。　　He　had　visited　her　two　or　three　times　at　Lucy's　house　（how　he　found　out　Lucy's　existence　she　herself　could　never　tell；　unless　from　the　Jesuits）　before　she　agreed　to　go　with　him。　　He　had　gained　Lucy　to　his　side　by　huge　promises　of　Indian　gold；　and；　in　fine；　they　had　gone　to　Lundy；　where　the　lovers　were　married　by　a　priest；　who　was　none　other；　Lucy　would　swear；　than　the　shorter　and　stouter　of　the　two　who　had　carried　off　her　husband　and　his　boatin　a　word；　Father　Parsons。

Amyas　gnashed　his　teeth　at　the　thought　that　he　had　had　Parsons　in　his　power　at　Brenttor　down；　and　let　him　go。　　It　was　a　fresh　proof　to　him　that　Heaven's　vengeance　was　upon　him　for　letting　one　of　its　enemies　escape。　　Though　what　good　to　Rose　or　Frank　the　hanging　of　Parsons　would　have　been；　I；　for　my　part；　cannot　see。

But　when　had　Eustace　been　at　Lundy？　　Lucy　could　throw　no　light　on　that　matter。　　It　was　evidently　some　by…thread　in　the　huge　spider's　web　of　Jesuit　intrigue；　which　was；　perhaps；　not　worth　knowing　after　all。

They　sailed　from　Lundy　in　a　Portugal　ship；　were　at　Lisbon　a　few　days　（during　which　Rose　and　Lucy　remained　on　board）；　and　then　away　f