westward ho-第128节

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behold　　　　　　　　　The　Lord's　works　what　they　be；　　　　　　　And　in　the　dreadful　deep　the　same；　　　　　　　　　Most　marvellous　they　see。〃


〃Humph！〃　said　John　Squire。　　〃Very　good　and　godly：　but　still　I　du　like　a　merry　catch　now　and　then；　I　du。　　Wouldn't　you　let　a　body　sing　'Rumbelow'even　when　he's　heaving　of　the　anchor？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　said　Yeo；　〃but　the　Lord's　people　had　better　praise　the　Lord　then　too；　and　pray　for　a　good　voyage；　instead　of　howling　about


　　　　　〃A　randy；　dandy；　dandy　O；　　　　　　　A　whet　of　ale　and　brandy　O；　　　　With　a　rumbelow　and　a　Westward…ho！　　　　　　　And　heave；　my　mariners　all；　O！〃


〃Is　that　fit　talk　for　immortal　souls？　　How　does　that　child's…trade　sound　beside　the　Psalms；　John　Squire？〃

Now　it　befell　that　Salvation　Yeo；　for　the　very　purpose　of　holding　up　to　ridicule　that　time…honored　melody；　had　put　into　it　the　true　nasal　twang；　and　rung　it　out　as　merrily　as　he　had　done　perhaps　twelve　years　before；　when　he　got　up　John　Oxenham's　anchor　in　Plymouth　Sound。　　And　it　befell　also　that　Ayacanora；　as　she　stood　by　Amyas's　side；　watching　the　men；　and　trying　to　make　out　their　chat；　heard　it；　and　started；　and　then；　half　to　herself；　took　up　the　strain；　and　sang　it　over　again；　word　for　word；　in　the　very　same　tune　and　tone。

Salvation　Yeo　started　in　his　turn；　and　turned　deadly　pale。

〃Who　sung　that？〃　he　asked　quickly。

〃The　little　maid　here。　　She's　coming　on　nicely　in　her　English；〃　said　Amyas。

〃The　little　maid？〃　said　Yeo；　turning　paler　still。　　〃Why　do　you　go　about　to　scare　an　old　servant；　by　talking　of　little　maids；　Captain　Amyas？　　Well；〃　he　said　aloud　to　himself；　〃as　I　am　a　sinful　saint；　if　I　hadn't　seen　where　the　voice　came　from；　I　could　have　sworn　it　was　her；　just　as　we　taught　her　to　sing　it　by　the　river　there；　I　and　William　Penberthy　of　Marazion；　my　good　comrade。　　The　Lord　have　mercy　on　me！〃

All　were　silent　as　the　grave　whenever　Yeo　made　any　allusion　to　that　lost　child。　　Ayacanora　only；　pleased　with　Amyas's　commendation；　went　humming　on　to　herself


　　　　　〃And　heave；　my　mariners　all；　O！〃


Yeo　started　up　from　the　gun　where　he　sat。

〃I　can't　abear　it！　　As　I　live；　I　can't！　　You；　Indian　maiden；　where　did　you　learn　to　sing　that　there？〃

Ayacanora　looked　up　at　him；　half　frightened　by　his　vehemence；　then　at　Amyas；　to　see　if　she　had　been　doing　anything　wrong；　and　then　turned　saucily　away；　looked　over　the　side；　and　hummed　on。

〃Ask　her；　for　mercy's　sakeask　her；　Captain　Leigh！〃

〃My　child；〃　said　Amyas；　speaking　in　Indian；　〃how　is　it　you　sing　that　so　much　better　than　any　other　English？　　Did　you　ever　hear　it　before？〃

Ayacanora　looked　up　at　him　puzzled；　and　shook　her　head；　and　then

〃If　you　tell　Indian　to　Ayacanora；　she　dumb。　　She　must　be　English　girl　now；　like　poor　Lucy。〃

〃Well　then；〃　said　Amyas；　〃do　you　recollect；　Ayacanorado　you　recollectwhat　shall　I　say？　anything　that　happened　when　you　were　a　little　girl？〃

She　paused　awhile；　and　then　moving　her　hands　overhead

〃Treesgreat　trees　like　the　Magdalenaalways　nothing　but　trees　wild　and　bad　everything。　　Ayacanora　won't　talk　about　that。〃

〃Do　you　mind　anything　that　grew　on　those　trees？〃　asked　Yeo；　eagerly。

She　laughed。　　〃Silly！　　Flowers　and　fruit；　and　nutsgrow　on　all　trees；　and　monkey…cups　too。　　Ayacanora　climbed　up　after　themwhen　she　was　wild。　　I　won't　tell　any　more。〃

〃But　who　taught　you　to　call　them　monkey…cups？〃　asked　Yeo；　trembling　with　excitement。

〃Monkey's　drink；　mono　drink。〃

〃Mono？〃　said　Yeo；　foiled　on　one　cast；　and　now　trying　another。　　〃How　did　you　know　the　beasts　were　called　monos？〃

〃She　might　have　heard　it　coming　down　with　us；〃　said　Cary；　who　had　joined　the　group。

〃Ay；　monos；〃　said　she；　in　a　self…justifying　tone。　　〃Faces　like　little　men；　and　tails。　　And　one　very　dirty　black　one；　with　a　beard；　say　Amen　in　a　tree　to　all　the　other　monkeys；　just　like　Sir　John　on　Sunday。〃

This　allusion　to　Brimblecombe　and　the　preaching　apes　upset　all　but　old　Yeo。

〃But　don't　you　recollect　any　Christians？white　people？〃

She　was　silent。

〃Don't　you　mind　a　white　lady？〃

〃Um？〃

〃A　woman；　a　very　pretty　woman；　with　hair　like　his？〃　pointing　to　Amyas。

〃No。〃

〃What　do　you　mind；　then；　beside　those　Indians？〃　added　Yeo；　in　despair。

She　turned　her　back　on　him　peevishly；　as　if　tired　with　the　efforts　of　her　memory。

〃Do　try　to　remember；〃　said　Amyas；　and　she　set　to　work　again　at　once。

〃Ayacanora　mind　great　monkeysblack；　oh；　so　high；〃　and　she　held　up　her　hand　above　her　head；　and　made　a　violent　gesture　of　disgust。

〃Monkeys？　what；　with　tails？〃

〃No；　like　man。　　Ah！　yesjust　like　Cooky　theredirty　Cooky！〃

And　that　hapless　son　of　Ham；　who　happened　to　be　just　crossing　the　main…deck；　heard　a　marlingspike；　which　by　ill　luck　was　lying　at　hand；　flying　past　his　ears。

〃Ayacanora；　if　you　heave　any　more　things　at　Cooky；　I　must　have　you　whipped；〃　said　Amyas；　without；　of　course；　any　such　intention。

〃I'll　kill　you；　then；〃　answered　she；　in　the　most　matter…of…fact　tone。

〃She　must　mean　negurs；〃　said　Yeo；　〃I　wonder　where　she　saw　them；　now。　　What　if　it　were　they　Cimaroons？〃

〃But　why　should　any　one　who　had　seen　whites　forget　them；　and　yet　remember　negroes？〃　asked　Cary。

〃Let　us　try　again。　　Do　you　mind　no　great　monkeys　but　those　black　ones？〃　asked　Amyas。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　after　a　while；〃devil。〃

〃Devil？〃　asked　all　three；　who；　of　course；　were　by　no　means　free　from　the　belief　that　the　fiend　did　actually　appear　to　the　Indian　conjurors；　such　as　had　brought　up　the　girl。

〃Ay；　him　Sir　John　tell　about　on　Sundays。〃

〃Save　and　help　us！〃　said　Yeo；　〃and　what　was　he　like　unto？〃

She　made　various　signs　to　intimate　that　he　had　a　monkey's　face；　and　a　gray　beard　like　Yeo's。　　So　far　so　good：　but　now　came　a　series　of　manipulations　about　her　pretty　little　neck；　which　set　all　their　fancies　at　fault。

〃I　know；〃　said　Cary；　at　last；　bursting　into　a　great　laugh。　　〃Sir　Urian　had　a　ruff　on；　as　I　live！　　Trunk…hose　too；　my　fair　dame？　StopI'll　make　sure。　　Was　his　neck　like　the　senor　commandant's；　the　Spaniard？〃

Ayacanora　clapped　her　hands　at　finding　herself　understood；　and　the　questioning　went　on。

〃The　'devil'　appeared　like　a　monkey；　with　a　gray　beard；　in　a　ruff；　humph！〃

〃Ay！〃　said　she　in　good　enough　Spanish；　〃Mono　de　Panama；　viejo　diablo　de　Panama。〃

Yeo　threw　up　his　hands　with　a　shriek〃Oh　Lord　of　all　mercies！　Those　were　the　last　words　of　Mr。　John　Oxenham！　　Ayand　the　devil　is　surely　none　other　than　the　devil　Don　Francisco　Xararte！　　Oh　dear！　oh　dear！　oh　dear！　my　sweet　young　lady！　my　pretty　little　maid！　and　don't　you　know　me？　　Don't　you　know　Salvation　Yeo；　that　carried　you　over　the　mountains；　and　used　to　climb　for　the　monkey…cups　for　you；　my　dear　young　lady？　　And　William　Penberthy　too；　that　used　to　get　you　flowers；　and　your　poor　dear　father；　that　was　just　like　Mr。　Cary　there；　only　he　had　a　black　beard；　and　black　curls；　and　swore　terribly　in　his　speech；　like　a　Spaniard；　my　dear　young　lady？〃

And　the　honest　fellow；　falling　on　his　knees；　covered　Ayacanora's　hands　with　kisses；　while　all　the　crew；　fancying　him　gone　suddenly　mad；　crowded　aft。

〃Steady；　men；　and　don't　vex　him！〃　said　Amyas。　　〃He　thinks　that　he　has　found　his　little　maid　at　last。〃

〃And　so　do　I；　Amyas；　as　I　live；〃　said　Cary。

〃Steady；　steady；　my　masters　all！　　If　this　turn　out　a　wrong　scent　after　all；　his　wits　will　crack。　　Mr。　Yeo；　can't　you　think　of　any　other　token？〃

Yeo　stamped　impatiently。　　〃What　need　then？　it's　her；　I　tell　ye；　and　that's　enough！　　What　a　beauty　she's　grown！　　Oh　dear！　where　were　my　eyes　all　this　time；　to　behold　her；　and　not　to　see　her！　　'Tis　her　very　mortal　self；　it　is！　　And　don't　you　mind　me；　my　dear；　now？　Don't　you　mind　Salvation　Yeo；　that　taught　you　to　sing　'Heave　my　mariners　all；　O！'　a…sitting　on　a　log　by　the　boat　upon　the　sand；　and　there　was　a　sight　of　red　lilies　grew　on　it　in　the　moss；　dear；　now；　wasn't　there？　and　we　made　posies　of　them　to　put　in　your　hair；　now？〃And　the　poor　old　man　ran　on　in　a　supplicating；　suggestive　tone；　as　if　he　could　persuade　the　girl　into　becoming　the　person　whom　he　sought。

Ayacanora　had　watched　him；　first　angry；　then　amused；　then　attentive；　and　at　last　with　the　most　intense　earnestness。　　Suddenly　she　grew　crimson；　and　snatching　her　hands　from　the　old　man's；　hid　her　face　in　them；　and　stood。

〃Do　you　remember　anything　of　all　this；　my　child？〃　asked　Amyas；　gently。

She　lifted　up　her　eyes　suddenly　to　his；　with　a　look　of　imploring　agony；　as　if　beseeching　him　to　spare　her。　　The　death　of　a　whole　old　life；　the　birth　of　a　whole　new　life；　was　struggling　in　that　beautiful　face；　choking　in　that　magnificent　throat；　as　she　threw　back　her　small　head；　and　drew　in　her　breath；　and　dashed　her　locks　back　from　her　temples；　as　if　seeking　for　fresh　air。　　She　shuddered；　reeled；　then　fell　weeping　on　the　bosom；　not　of　Salvation　Yeo；　but　of　Amyas　Leigh。

He　stood　still　a　minute　or　two；　bearing　that　fair　burden；　ere　he　could　recollect　himself。　　Then；

〃Ayacanora；　you　are　not　yet　mistress　of　yourself；　my　child。　　You　were　better　to　go　down；　and　see　after　poor　Lucy；　and　we　will　talk　about　it　all　to…morrow。〃

She　gathered　herself　up　instantly；　and　with　eyes　fixed　on　the　deck　slid　through　the　group；　and　disappeared　below。

〃Ah！〃　said　Yeo；　with　a　tone　of　exquisite　sadness；　〃the　young　to　the　young！　　Over　land　and　sea；　in　the　forests　and　in　the　galleys；　in　b