westward ho-第131节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Better　one　than　neither；　madam！〃　said　he；　trying　a　rough　comfort。　Amyas　shook　his　hand　as　he　passed　him；　but　Mrs。　Leigh　neither　heard　nor　saw　him　nor　any　one。

〃Mother；〃　said　Amyas；　when　they　were　now　past　the　causeway；　〃we　are　rich　for　life。〃

〃Yes；　a　martyr's　death　was　the　fittest　for　him。〃

〃I　have　brought　home　treasure　untold。〃

〃What；　my　boy？〃

〃Treasure　untold。　　Cary　has　promised　to　see　to　it　to…night。〃

〃Very　well。　　I　would　that　he　had　slept　at　our　house。　　He　was　a　kindly　lad；　and　loved　Frank。　　When　did　he？〃

〃Three　years　ago；　and　more。　　Within　two　months　of　our　sailing。〃

〃Ah！　　Yes；　he　told　me　so。〃

〃Told　you　so？〃

〃Yes；　the　dear　lad　has　often　come　to　see　me　in　my　sleep；　but　you　never　came。　　I　guessed　how　it　wasas　it　should　be。〃

〃But　I　loved　you　none　the　less；　mother！〃

〃I　know　that；　too：　but　you　were　busy　with　the　men；　you　know；　sweet；　so　your　spirit　could　not　come　roving　home　like　his；　which　was　free。　Yesall　as　it　should　be。　　My　maid；　and　do　you　not　find　it　cold　here　in　England；　after　those　hot　regions？〃

〃Ayacanora's　heart　is　warm；　she　does　not　think　about　cold。〃

〃Warm？　perhaps　you　will　warm　my　heart　for　me；　then。〃

〃Would　God　I　could　do　it；　mother！〃　said　Amyas；　half　reproachfully。

Mrs。　Leigh　looked　up　in　his　face；　and　burst　into　a　violent　flood　of　tears。

〃Sinful！　sinful　that　I　am！〃

〃Blessed　creature！〃　cried　Amyas；　〃if　you　speak　so　I　shall　go　mad。　Mother；　mother；　I　have　been　dreading　this　meeting　for　months。　　It　has　been　a　nightmare　hanging　over　me　like　a　horrible　black　thunder…　cloud；　a　great　cliff　miles　high；　with　its　top　hid　in　the　clouds；　which　I　had　to　climb；　and　dare　not。　　I　have　longed　to　leap　overboard；　and　flee　from　it　like　a　coward　into　the　depths　of　the　sea。The　thought　that　you　might　ask　me　whether　I　was　not　my　brother's　keeperthat　you　might　require　his　blood　at　my　handsand　now；　now！　when　it　comes！　to　find　you　all　love；　and　trust；　and　patiencemother；　mother；　it's　more　than　I　can　bear！〃　and　he　wept　violently。

Mrs。　Leigh　knew　enough　of　Amyas　to　know　that　any　burst　of　this　kind；　from　his　quiet　nature；　betokened　some　very　fearful　struggle；　and　the　loving　creature　forgot　everything　instantly；　in　the　one　desire　to　soothe　him。

And　soothe　him　she　did；　and　home　the　two　went；　arm　in　arm　together；　while　Ayacanora　held　fast；　like　a　child；　by　the　skirt　of　Mrs。　Leigh's　cloak。　　The　self…help　and　daring　of　the　forest　nymph　had　given　place　to　the　trembling　modesty　of　the　young　girl；　suddenly　cast　on　shore　in　a　new　world；　among　strange　faces；　strange　hopes；　and　strange　fears　also。

〃Will　your　mother　love　me？〃　whispered　she　to　Amyas；　as　she　went　in。

〃Yes；　but　you　must　do　what　she　tells　you。〃

Ayacanora　pouted。

〃She　will　laugh　at　me；　because　I　am　wild。〃

〃She　never　laughs　at　any　one。〃

〃Humph！　〃　said　Ayacanora。　　〃Well；　I　shall　not　be　afraid　of　her。　　I　thought　she　would　have　been　tall　like　you；　but　she　is　not　even　as　big　as　me。〃

This　hardly　sounded　hopeful　for　the　prospect　of　Ayacanora's　obedience；　but　ere　twenty…four　hours　had　passed；　Mrs。　Leigh　had　won　her　over　utterly；　and　she　explained　her　own　speech　by　saying　that　she　thought　so　great　a　man　ought　to　have　a　great　mother。　　She　had　expected；　poor　thing；　in　her　simplicity；　some　awful　princess　with　a　frown　like　Juno's　own；　and　found　instead　a　healing　angel。

Her　story　was　soon　told　to　Mrs。　Leigh；　who　of　course；　woman…like；　would　not　allow　a　doubt　as　to　her　identity。　　And　the　sweet　mother　never　imprinted　a　prouder　or　fonder　kiss　upon　her　son's　forehead；　than　that　with　which　she　repaid　his　simple　declaration；　that　he　had　kept　unspotted；　like　a　gentleman　and　a　Christian；　the　soul　which　God　had　put　into　his　charge。

〃Then　you　have　forgiven　me；　mother？〃

〃Years　ago　I　said　in　this　same　room；　what　should　I　render　to　the　Lord　for　having　given　me　two　such　sons？　　And　in　this　room　I　say　it　once　again。　　Tell　me　all　about　my　other　son；　that　I　may　honor　him　as　I　honor　you。〃

And　then；　with　the　iron　nerve　which　good　women　have；　she　made　him　give　her　every　detail　of　Lucy　Passmore's　story　and　of　all　which　had　happened　from　the　day　of　their　sailing　to　that　luckless　night　at　Guayra。　　And　when　it　was　done；　she　led　Ayacanora　out；　and　began　busying　herself　about　the　girl's　comforts；　as　calmly　as　if　Frank　and　Amyas　had　been　sleeping　in　their　cribs　in　the　next　room。

But　she　had　hardly　gone　upstairs；　when　a　loud　knock　at　the　door　was　followed　by　its　opening　hastily；　and　into　the　hall　burst；　regardless　of　etiquette；　the　tall　and　stately　figure　of　Sir　Richard　Grenville。

Amyas　dropped　on　his　knees　instinctively。　　The　stern　warrior　was　quite　unmanned；　and　as　he　bent　over　his　godson；　a　tear　dropped　from　that　iron　cheek；　upon　the　iron　cheek　of　Amyas　Leigh。

〃My　lad！　my　glorious　lad！　and　where　have　you　been？　　Get　up；　and　tell　me　all。　　The　sailors　told　me　a　little；　but　I　must　hear　every　word。　　I　knew　you　would　do　something　grand。　　I　told　your　mother　you　were　too　good　a　workman　for　God　to　throw　away。　　Now；　let　me　have　the　whole　story。　　Why；　I　am　out　of　breath！　　To　tell　truth；　I　ran　three…parts　of　the　way　hither。〃

And　down　the　two　sat；　and　Amyas　talked　long　into　the　night；　while　Sir　Richard；　his　usual　stateliness　recovered；　smiled　stern　approval　at　each　deed　of　daring；　and　when　all　was　ended；　answered　with　something　like　a　sigh：

〃Would　God　that　I　had　been　with　you　every　step！　　Would　God；　at　least；　that　I　could　show　as　good　a　three…years'　log…book；　Amyas；　my　lad！〃

〃You　can　show　a　better　one；　I　doubt　not。〃

〃Humph！　　With　the　exception　of　one　paltry　Spanish　prize；　I　don't　know　that　the　queen　is　the　better；　or　her　enemies　the　worse；　for　me；　since　we　parted　last　in　Dublin　city。〃

〃You　are　too　modest；　sir。〃

〃Would　that　I　were；　but　I　got　on　in　Ireland；　I　found；　no　better　than　my　neighbors；　and　so　came　home　again；　to　find　that　while　I　had　been　wasting　my　time　in　that　land　of　misrule；　Raleigh　had　done　a　deed　to　which　I　can　see　no　end。　　For；　lad；　he　has　found　（or　rather　his　two　captains；　Amadas　and　Barlow；　have　found　for　him）　between　Florida　and　Newfoundland；　a　country；　the　like　of　which；　I　believe；　there　is　not　on　the　earth　for　climate　and　fertility。　　Whether　there　be　gold　there；　I　know　not；　and　it　matters　little；　for　there　is　all　else　on　earth　that　man　can　want；　furs；　timber；　rivers；　game；　sugar…　canes；　corn；　fruit；　and　every　commodity　which　France；　Spain；　or　Italy　can　yield；　wild　in　abundance；　the　savages　civil　enough　for　savages；　and；　in　a　word；　all　which　goes　to　the　making　of　as　noble　a　jewel　as　her　majesty's　crown　can　wear。　　The　people　call　it　Wingandacoa；　but　we；　after　her　majesty；　Virginia。〃

〃You　have　been　there；　then？〃

〃The　year　before　last；　lad；　and　left　there　Ralf　Lane；　Amadas；　and　some　twenty　gentlemen；　and　ninety　men；　and；　moreover；　some　money　of　my　own；　and　some　of　old　Will　Salterne's；　which　neither　of　us　will　ever　see　again。　　For　the　colony；　I　know　not　how；　quarrelled　with　the　Indians　（I　fear　I　too　was　over…sharp　with　some　of　them　for　stealingif　I　was；　God　forgive　me！）；　and　could　not；　forsooth；　keep　themselves　alive　for　twelve　months；　so　that　Drake；　coming　back　from　his　last　West　Indian　voyage；　after　giving　them　all　the　help　he　could；　had　to　bring　the　whole　party　home。　　And　if　you　will　believe　it；　the　faint…hearted　fellows　had　not　been　gone　a　fortnight；　before　I　was　back　again　with　three　ships　and　all　that　they　could　want。　And　never　was　I　more　wroth　in　my　life；　when　all　I　found　was　the　ruins　of　their　huts；　which　（so　rich　is　the　growth　there）　were　already　full　of　great　melons；　and　wild　deer　feeding　thereona　pretty　sight　enough；　but　not　what　I　wanted　just　then。　　So　back　I　came；　and　being　in　no　overgood　temper；　vented　my　humors　on　the　Portugals　at　the　Azores；　and　had　hard　fights　and　small　booty。　　So　there　the　matter　stands；　but　not　for　long；　for　shame　it　were　if　such　a　paradise；　once　found　by　Britons；　should　fall　into　the　hands　of　any　but　her　majesty；　and　we　will　try　again　this　spring；　if　men　and　money　can　be　found。　　Eh；　lad？〃

〃But　the　prize？〃

〃Ah！　that　was　no　small　make…weight　to　our　disasters；　after　all。　　I　sighted　her　for　six　days'　sail　from　the　American　coast：　but　ere　we　could　lay　her　aboard　it　fell　dead　calm。　　Never　a　boat　had　I　on　boardthey　were　all　lost　in　a　gale　of　windand　the　other　ships　were　becalmed　two　leagues　astern　of　me。　　There　was　no　use　lying　there　and　pounding　her　till　she　sank；　so　I　called　the　carpenter；　got　up　all　the　old　chests；　and　with　them　and　some　spars　we　floated　ourselves　alongside；　and　only　just　in　time。　　For　the　last　of　us　had　hardly　scrambled　up　into　the　chains；　when　our　crazy　Noah's　ark　went　all　aboard；　and　sank　at　the　side；　so　that　if　we　had　been　minded　to　run　away；　Amyas；　we　could　not；　whereon；　judging　valor　to　be　the　better　part　of　discretion　（as　I　usually　do）；　we　fell　to　with　our　swords　and　had　her　in　five　minutes；　and　fifty　thousand　pounds'　worth　in　her；　which　set　up　my　purse　again；　and　Raleigh's　too；　though　I　fear　it　has　run　out　again　since　as　fast　as　it　ran　in。〃

And　so　ended　Sir　Richard's　story。

Amyas　went　the　next　day　to　Salterne；　and　told　his　tale。　　The　old　man　had　heard　the　outlines　of　it　already：　but　he　calmly　bade　him　sit　down；　and　listened　to　all；　his　chin　upon　his　hand；　his　elbows　on　his　knees。　　His　cheek　never　blanched；　his　lips　never　quivered　throughout。　　Onl