westward ho-第136节

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what　we；　forsooth；　in　these　more　〃free〃　and　〃liberal〃　days　dare　not　do）　to　teach　them　how　to　use　them。　　Well　it　was；　that　by　careful　legislation　for　the　comfort　and　employment　of　〃the　masses〃　（term　then；　thank　God；　unknown）；　she　had　both　won　their　hearts；　and　kept　their　bodies　in　fighting　order。　　Well　it　was　that；　acting　as　fully　as　Napoleon　did　on　〃la　carriere　ouverte　aux　talens；〃　she　had　raised　to　the　highest　posts　in　her　councils；　her　army；　and　her　navy；　men　of　business；　who　had　not　been　ashamed　to　buy　and　sell　as　merchants　and　adventurers。　　Well　for　England；　in　a　word；　that　Elizabeth　had　pursued　for　thirty　years　a　very　different　course　from　that　which　we　have　been　pursuing　for　the　last　thirty；　with　one　exception；　namely；　the　leaving　as　much　as　possible　to　private　enterprise。

There　we　have　copied　her：　would　to　Heaven　that　we　had　in　some　other　matters！　　It　is　the　fashion　now　to　call　her　a　despot：　but　unless　every　monarch　is　to　be　branded　with　that　epithet　whose　power　is　not　as　circumscribed　as　Queen　Victoria's　is　now；　we　ought　rather　to　call　her　the　most　popular　sovereign；　obeyed　of　their　own　free　will　by　the　freest　subjects　which　England　has　ever　seen；　confess　the　Armada　fight　to　have　been　as　great　a　moral　triumph　as　it　was　a　political　one；　and　（now　that　our　late　boasting　is　a　little　silenced　by　Crimean　disasters）　inquire　whether　we　have　not　something　to　learn　from　those　old　Tudor　times；　as　to　how　to　choose　officials；　how　to　train　a　people；　and　how　to　defend　a　country。

To　return　to　the　thread　of　my　story。

January；　1587…8；　had　well…nigh　run　through；　before　Sir　Richard　Grenville　made　his　appearance　on　the　streets　of　Bideford。　　He　had　been　appointed　in　November　one　of　the　council　of　war　for　providing　for　the　safety　of　the　nation；　and　the　West　Country　had　seen　nothing　of　him　since。　　But　one　morning；　just　before　Christmas；　his　stately　figure　darkened　the　old　bay…window　at　Burrough；　and　Amyas　rushed　out　to　meet　him；　and　bring　him　in；　and　ask　what　news　from　Court。

〃All　good　news；　dear　lad；　and　dearer　madam。　　The　queen　shows　the　spirit　of　a　very　Boadicea　or　Semiramis；　ay；　a　very　Scythian　Tomyris；　and　if　she　had　the　Spaniard　before　her　now；　would　verily；　for　aught　I　know；　feast　him　as　the　Scythian　queen　did　Cyrus；　with　'Satia　te　sanguine；　quod　sitisti。'〃

〃I　trust　her　most　merciful　spirit　is　not　so　changed　already；〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh。

〃Well；　if　she　would　not　do　it；　I　would；　and　ask　pardon　afterwards；　as　Raleigh　did　about　the　rascals　at　Smerwick；　whom　Amyas　knows　of。　Mrs。　Leigh；　these　are　times　in　which　mercy　is　cruelty。　　Not　England　alone；　but　the　world；　the　Bible；　the　Gospel　itself；　is　at　stake；　and　we　must　do　terrible　things；　lest　we　suffer　more　terrible　ones。〃

〃God　will　take　care　of　world　and　Bible　better　than　any　cruelty　of　ours；　dear　Sir　Richard。〃

〃Nay；　but；　Mrs。　Leigh；　we　must　help　Him　to　take　care　of　them！　　If　those　Smerwick　Spaniards　had　not　been〃

〃The　Spaniard　would　not　have　been　exasperated　into　invading　us。〃

〃And　we　should　not　have　had　this　chance　of　crushing　him　once　and　for　all；　but　the　quarrel　is　of　older　standing；　madam；　eh；　Amyas？　Amyas；　has　Raleigh　written　to　you　of　late？〃

〃Not　a　word；　and　I　wonder　why。〃

〃Well；　no　wonder　at　that；　if　you　knew　how　he　has　been　laboring。　The　wonder　is；　whence　he　got　the　knowledge　wherewith　to　labor；　for　he　never　saw　sea…work　to　my　remembrance。〃

〃Never　saw　a　shot　fired　by　sea；　except　ours　at　Smerwick；　and　that　brush　with　the　Spaniards　in　1579；　when　he　sailed　for　Virginia　with　Sir　Humphrey；　and　he　was　a　mere　crack　then。〃

〃So　you　consider　him　as　your　pupil；　eh？　　But　he　learnt　enough　in　the　Netherland　wars；　and　in　Ireland　too；　if　not　of　the　strength　of　ships；　yet　still　of　the　weakness　of　land　forces；　and　would　you　believe　it；　the　man　has　twisted　the　whole　council　round　his　finger；　and　made　them　give　up　the　land　defences　to　the　naval　ones。〃

〃Quite　right　he；　and　wooden　walls　against　stone　ones　for　ever！　　But　as　for　twisting；　he　would　persuade　Satan；　if　he　got　him　alone　for　half　an　hour。〃

〃I　wish　he　would　sail　for　Spain　then；　just　now；　and　try　the　powers　of　his　tongue；〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh。

〃But　are　we　to　have　the　honor；　really？〃

〃We　are；　lad。　　There　were　many　in　the　council　who　were　for　disputing　the　landing　on　shore；　and　saidwhich　I　do　not　denythat　the　'prentice　boys　of　London　could　face　the　bluest　blood　in　Spain。　But　Raleigh　argued　（following　my　Lord　Burleigh　in　that）　that　we　differed　from　the　Low　Countries；　and　all　other　lands；　in　that　we　had　not　a　castle　or　town　throughout；　which　would　stand　a　ten　days'　siege；　and　that　our　ramparts；　as　he　well　said；　were；　after　all；　only　a　body　of　men。　　So；　he　argued；　as　long　as　the　enemy　has　power　to　land　where　he　will；　prevention；　rather　than　cure；　is　our　only　hope；　and　that　belongs　to　the　office；　not　of　an　army；　but　of　a　fleet。　　So　the　fleet　was　agreed　on；　and　a　fleet　we　shall　have。〃

〃Then　here　is　his　health；　the　health　of　a　true　friend　to　all　bold　mariners；　and　myself　in　particular！　　But　where　is　he　now？〃

〃Coming　here　to…morrow；　as　I　hopefor　he　left　London　with　me；　and　so　down　by　us　into　Cornwall；　to　drill　the　train…bands；　as　he　is　bound　to　do；　being　Seneschal　of　the　Duchies　and　Lieutenant…General　of　the　county。〃

〃Besides　Lord　Warden　of　the　Stanneries！　　How　the　man　thrives！〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh。

〃How　the　man　deserves　to　thrive！〃　said　Amyas；　〃but　what　are　we　to　do？〃

〃That　is　the　rub。　　I　would　fain　stay　and　fight　the　Spaniards。〃

〃So　would　I；　and　will。〃

〃But　he　has　other　plans　in　his　head　for　us。〃

〃We　can　make　our　own　plans　without　his　help。〃

〃Heyday；　Amyas！　　How　long？　　When　did　he　ask　you　to　do　a　thing　yet　and　you　refuse　him？〃

〃Not　often；　certainly；　but　Spaniards　I　must　fight。〃

〃Well；　so　must　I；　boy：　but　I　have　given　a　sort　of　promise　to　him；　nevertheless。〃

〃Not　for　me　too；　I　hope？〃

〃No：　he　will　extract　that　himself　when　he　comes；　you　must　come　and　sup　to…morrow；　and　talk　it　over。〃

〃Be　talked　over；　rather。　　What　chestnut　does　the　cat　want　us　monkeys　to　pull　out　of　the　fire　for　him　now；　I　wonder？〃

〃Sir　Richard　Grenville　is　hardly　accustomed　to　be　called　a　monkey；〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh。

〃I　meant　no　harm；　and　his　worship　knows　it；　none　better：　but　where　is　Raleigh　going　to　send　us；　with　a　murrain？〃

〃To　Virginia。　　The　settlers　must　have　help：　and；　as　I　trust　in　God；　we　shall　be　back　again　long　before　this　armament　can　bestir　itself。〃

So　Raleigh　came；　saw；　and　conquered。　　Mrs。　Leigh　consented　to　Amyas's　going　（for　his　twelve…month　would　be　over　ere　the　fleet　could　start）　upon　so　peaceful　and　useful　an　errand；　and　the　next　five　months　were　spent　in　continual　labor　on　the　part　of　Amyas　and　Grenville；　till　seven　ships　were　all　but　ready　in　Bideford　river；　the　admiral　whereof　was　Amyas　Leigh。

But　that　fleet　was　not　destined　ever　to　see　the　shores　of　the　New　World：　it　had　nobler　work　to　do　（if　Americans　will　forgive　the　speech）　than　even　settling　the　United　States。

It　was　in　the　long　June　evenings；　in　the　year　1588；　Mrs。　Leigh　sat　in　the　open　window；　busy　at　her　needle…work；　Ayacanora　sat　opposite　to　her；　on　the　seat　of　the　bay；　trying　diligently　to　read　〃The　History　of　the　Nine　Worthies；〃　and　stealing　a　glance　every　now　and　then　towards　the　garden；　where　Amyas　stalked　up　and　down　as　he　had　used　to　do　in　happier　days　gone　by。　　But　his　brow　was　contracted　now；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground；　as　he　plodded　backwards　and　forwards；　his　hands　behind　his　back；　and　a　huge　cigar　in　his　mouth；　the　wonder　of　the　little　boys　of　Northam；　who　peeped　in　stealthily　as　they　passed　the　iron…work　gates；　to　see　the　back　of　the　famous　fire…breathing　captain　who　had　sailed　round　the　world　and　been　in　the　country　of　headless　men　and　flying　dragons；　and　then　popped　back　their　heads　suddenly；　as　he　turned　toward　them　in　his　walk。　And　Ayacanora　looked；　and　looked；　with　no　less　admiration　than　the　urchins　at　the　gate：　but　she　got　no　more　of　an　answering　look　from　Amyas　than　they　did；　for　his　head　was　full　of　calculations　of　tonnage　and　stowage；　of　salt　pork　and　ale…barrels；　and　the　packing　of　tools　and　seeds；　for　he　had　promised　Raleigh　to　do　his　best　for　the　new　colony；　and　he　was　doing　it　with　all　his　might；　so　Ayacanora　looked　back　again　to　her　book；　and　heaved　a　deep　sigh。　It　was　answered　by　one　from　Mrs。　Leigh。

〃We　are　a　melancholy　pair；　sweet　chuck；〃　said　the　fair　widow。　〃What　is　my　maid　sighing　about；　there？〃

〃Because　I　cannot　make　out　the　long　words；〃　said　Ayacanora；　telling　a　very　white　fib。

〃Is　that　all？　　Come　to　me；　and　I　will　tell　you。〃

Ayacanora　moved　over　to　her；　and　sat　down　at　her　feet。

〃He；　he；　ro；　ro；　ical；　heroical；〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh。

〃But　what　does　that　mean？〃

〃Grand；　good；　and　brave；　like〃

Mrs。　Leigh　was　about　to　have　said　the　name　of　one　who　was　lost　to　her　on　earth。　　His　fair　angelic　face　hung　opposite　upon　the　wall。　She　paused　unable　to　pronounce　his　name；　and　lifted　up　her　eyes；　and　gazed　on　the　portrait；　and　breathed　a　prayer　between　closed　lips；　and　drooped　her　head　again。

Her　pupil　caught　at　the　pause；　and　filled　it　up　for　herself

〃Like　him？〃　and　she　turned　her　head　quickly　toward　the　window。

〃Yes；　like　him；　too；〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh；　with　a　half…smile　at　the　gesture。　　〃Now；　mind　your　book。　　Maidens　must　not　look　out　of　the　window　in　school　hours。〃