westward ho-第137节

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〃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。〃

〃Shall　I　ever　be　an　English　girl？〃　asked　Ayacanora。

〃You　are　one　now；　sweet；　your　father　was　an　English　gentleman。〃

Amyas　looked　in；　and　saw　the　two　sitting　together。

〃You　seem　quite　merry　there；〃　said　he。

〃Come　in；　then；　and　be　merry　with　us。〃

He　entered；　and　sat　down；　while　Ayacanora　fixed　her　eyes　most　steadfastly　on　her　book。

〃Well；　how　goes　on　the　reading？〃　said　he；　and　then；　without　waiting　for　an　answer〃We　shall　be　ready　to　clear　out　this　day　week；　mother；　I　do　believe；　that　is；　if　the　hatchets　are　made　in　time　to　pack　them。〃

〃I　hope　they　will　be　better　than　the　last；〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh。　　〃It　seems　to　me　a　shameful　sin　to　palm　off　on　poor　ignorant　savages　goods　which　we　should　consider　worthless　for　ourselves。〃

〃Well；　it's　not　over　fair：　but　still；　they　are　a　sight　better　than　they　ever　had　before。　　An　old　hoop　is　better　than　a　deer's　bone；　as　Ayacanora　knows；eh？〃

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　it；〃　said　she；　who　was　always　nettled　at　the　least　allusion　to　her　past　wild　life。　　〃I　am　an　English　girl　now；　and　all　that　is　goneI　forget　it。〃

〃Forget　it？〃　said　he；　teasing　her　for　want　of　something　better　to　do。　　〃Should　not　you　like　to　sail　with　us；　now；　and　see　the　Indians　in　the　forests　once　again？〃

〃Sail　with　you？〃　and　she　looked　up　eagerly。

〃There！　　I　knew　it！　　She　would　not　be　four…and…twenty　hours　ashore；　but　she　would　be　off　into　the　woods　again；　bow　in　hand；　like　any　runaway　nymph；　and　we　should　never　see　her　more。〃

〃It　is　false；　bad　man！〃　and　she　burst　into　violent　tears；　and　hid　her　face　in　Mrs。　Leigh's　lap。

〃Amyas；　Amyas；　why　do　you　tease　the　poor　fatherless　thing？〃

〃I　was　only　jesting；　I'm　sure；〃　said　Amyas；　like　a　repentant　schoolboy。　　〃Don't　cry　now；　don't　cry；　my　child；　see　here；〃　and　he　began　fumbling　in　his　pockets；　〃see　what　I　bought　of　a　chapman　in　town　to…day；　for　you；　my　maid；　indeed；　I　did。〃

And　out　he　pulled　some　smart　kerchief　or　other；　which　had　taken　his　sailor's　fancy。

〃Look　at　it　now；　blue；　and　crimson；　and　green；　like　any　parrot！〃　and　he　held　it　out。

She　looked　round　sharply；　snatched　it　out　of　his　hand；　and　tore　it　to　shreds。

〃I　hate　it；　and　I　hate　you！〃　and　she　sprang　up　and　darted　out　of　the　room。

〃Oh；　boy；　boy！〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh；　〃will　you　kill　that　poor　child？　It　matters　little　for　an　old　heart　like　mine；　which　has　but　one　or　two　chords　left　whole；　how　soon　it　be　broken　altogether；　but　a　young　heart　is　one　of　God's　precious　treasures；　Amyas；　and　suffers　many　a　long　pang　in　the　breaking；　and　woe　to　them　who　despise　Christ's　little　ones！〃

〃Break　your　heart；　mother？〃

〃Never　mind　my　heart；　dear　son；　yet　how　can　you　break　it　more　surely　than　by　tormenting　one　whom　I　love；　because　she　loves　you？〃

〃Tut！　play；　mother；　and　maids'　tempers。　　But　how　can　I　break　your　heart？　　What　have　I　done？　　Have　I　not　given　up　going　again　to　the　West　Indies　for　your　sake？　　Have　I　not　given　up　going　to　Virginia；　and　now　again　settled　to　go　after　all；　just　because　you　commanded？　Was　it　not　your　will？　　Have　I　not　obeyed　you；　mother；　mother？　　I　will　stay　at　home　now；　if　you　will。　　I　would　rather　rust　here　on　land；　I　vow　I　would；　than　grieve　you〃　and　he　threw　himself　at　his　mother's　knees。

〃Have　I　asked　you　not　to　go　to　Virginia？　　No；　dear　boy；　though　every　thought　of　a　fresh　parting　seems　to　crack　some　new　fibre　within　me；　you　must　go！　　It　is　your　calling。　　Yes；　you　were　not　sent　into　the　world　to　amuse　me；　but　to　work。　　I　have　had　pleasure　enough　of　you；　my　darling；　for　many　a　year；　and　too　much；　perhaps；　till　I　shrank　from　lending　you　to　the　Lord。　　But　He　must　have　you。　。　。　。　　It　is　enough　for　the　poor　old　widow　to　know　that　her　boy　is　what　he　is；　and　to　forget　all　her　anguish　day　by　day；　for　joy　that　a　man　is　born　into　the　world。　　But；　Amyas；　Amyas；　are　you　so　blind　as　not　to　see　that　Ayacanora〃

〃Don't　talk　about　her；　poor　child。　　Talk　about　yourself。〃

〃How　long　have　I　been　worth　talking　about？　　No；　Amyas；　you　must　see　it；　and　if　you　will　not　see　it　now；　you　will　see　it　one　day　in　some　sad　and　fearful　prodigy；　for　she　is　not　one　to　die　tamely。　　She　loves　you；　Amyas；　as　a　woman　only　can　love。〃

〃Loves　me？　　Well；　of　course。　　I　found　her；　and　brought　her　home；　and　I　don't　deny　she　may　think　that　she　owes　me　somewhatthough　it　was　no　more　than　a　Christian　man's　duty。　　But　as　for　her　caring　much　for　me；　mother；　you　measure　every　one　else's　tenderness　by　your　own。〃

〃Think　that　she　owes　you　somewhat？　　Silly　boy；　this　is　not　gratitude；　but　a　deeper　affection；　which　may　be　more　heavenly　than　gratitude；　as　it　may；　too；　become　a　horrible　cause　of　ruin。　　It　rests　with　you；　Amyas；　which　of　the　two　it　will　be。〃

〃You　are　in　earnest？〃

〃Have　I　the　heart　or　the　time　to　jest？〃

〃No；　no；　of　course　not；　but；　mother；　I　thought　it　was　not　comely　for　women　to　fall　in　love　with　men？〃

〃Not　comely；　at　least；　to　confess　their　love　to　men。　　But　she　has　never　done　that；　Amyas；　not　even　by　a　look　or　a　tone　of　voice；　though　I　have　watched　her　for　months。〃

〃To　be　sure；　she　is　as　demure　as　any　cat　when　I　am　in　the　way。　　I　only　wonder　how　you　found　it　out。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　she；　smiling　sadly；　〃even　in　the　saddest　woman's　soul　there　linger　snatches　of　old　music；　odors　of　flowers　long　dead　and　turned　to　dustpleasant　ghosts；　which　still　keep　her　mind　attuned　to　that　which　may　be　in　others；　though　in　her　never　more；　till　she　can　hear　her　own　wedding…hymn　re…echoed　in　the　tones　of　every　girl　who　loves；　and　sees　her　own　wedding…torch　re…lighted　in　the　eyes　of　every　bride。〃

〃You　would　not　have　me　marry　her？〃　asked　blunt；　practical　Amyas。

〃God　knows　what　I　would　haveI　know　not；　I　see　neither　your　path　nor　my　ownno；　not　after　weeks　and　months　of　prayer。　　All　things　beyond　are　wrapped　in　mist；　and　what　will　be；　I　know　not；　save　that　whatever　else　is　wrong；　mercy　at　least　is　right。〃

〃I'd　sail　to…morrow；　if　I　could。　　As　for　marrying　her；　motherher　birth；　mind　me〃

〃Ah；　boy；　boy！　　Are　you　God；　to　visit　the　sins　of　the　parents　upon　the　children？〃

〃Not　that。　　I　don't　mean　that；　but　I　mean　this；　that　she　is　half　a　Spaniard；　mother；　and　I　cannot！Her　blood　may　be　as　blue　as　King　Philip's　own；　but　it　is　Spanish　still！　　I　cannot　bear　the　thought　that　my　children　should　have　in　their　veins　one　drop　of　that　poison。〃

〃Amyas！　Amyas！〃　interrupted　she；　〃is　this　not；　too；　visiting　the　parents'　sins　on　the　children？〃

〃Not　a　whit；　it　is　common　sense；she　must　have　the　taint　of　their　bloodthirsty　humor。　　She　has　itI　have　seen　it　in　her　again　and　again。　　I　have　told　you；　have　I　not？　　Can　I　forget　the　look　of　her　eyes　as　she　stood　over　that　galleon's　captain；　with　the　smoking　knife　in　her　hand。Ugh！　　And　she　is　not　tamed　yet；　as　you　can　see；　and　never　will　be：not　that　I　care；　except　for　her　own　sake；　poor　thing！〃

〃Cruel　boy！　to　impute　as　a　blame　to　the　poor　child；　not　only　the　errors　of　her　training；　but　the　very　madness　of　her　love！〃

〃Of　her　love？〃

〃Of　what　else；　blind　buzzard？　　From　the　moment　that　you　told　me　the　story　of　that　captain's　death；　I　knew　what　was　in　her　heartand　thus　it　is　that　you　requite　her　for　having　saved　your　life！〃

〃Umph！　that　is　one　word　too　much；　mother。　　If　you　don't　want　to　send　me　crazy；　don't　put　the　thing　on　the　score　of　gratitude　or　duty。　　As　it　is；　I　can　hardly　speak　civilly　to　her　（God　forgive　me！）　when　I　recollect　that　she　belongs　to　the　crew　who　murdered　him〃and　he　pointed　to　the　picture；　and　Mrs。　Leigh　shuddered　as　he　did　so。

〃You　feel　it！　　You　know　you　feel　it；　tender…hearted；　forgiving　angel　as　you　are；　and　what　do　you　think　I　must　feel？〃

〃Oh；　my　son；　my　son！〃　cried　she；　wringing　her　hands；　〃if　I　be　wretch　enough　to　give　place　to　the　devil　for　a　moment；　does　that　give　you　a　right　to　entertain　and　cherish　him　thus　day　by　day？〃

〃I　should　cherish　him　with　a　vengeance；　if　I　brought　up　a　crew　of　children　who　could　boast　of　a　pedigree　of　idolaters　and　tyrants；　hunters　of　Indians；　and　torturers　of　women！　　How　pleasant　to　hear　her　telling　Master　Jack；　'Your　illustrious　grand…uncle　the　pope's　legate；　was　the　man　who　burned　Rose　Salterne　at　Cartagena；'　or　Miss　Grace；　'Your　great…grandfather　of　sixteen　quarterings；　the　Marquis　of　this；　son　of　the　Grand…equerry　that；　and　husband　of　the　Princess　t'other；　used　to　feed　his　bloodhounds；　when　beef　was　scarce；　with　Indians'　babies！'　　Eh；　mother？　　These　things　are　true；　and　if　you　can　forget　them；　I　cannot。　　Is　it　not　enough　to　have　made　me　forego　for　awhile　my　purpose；　my　business；　the　one　thing　I　live　for；　and　that　is；　hunting　down　the　Spaniards　as　I　would　adders　or　foxes；　but　you　must　ask　me　over　and　above　to　take　one　to　my　bosom？〃

〃Oh；　my　son；　my　son！　　I　have　not　asked　you　to　do　that；　I　have　only　commanded　you；　in　God's　name；　to　be　merciful；　if　you　wish　to　obtain　mercy。　　Oh；　if　you　will　not　pity　this　poor　maiden；　pity　yourself；　for　God　knows　you　stand　in　more　need　of　it　than　she　does！〃

Amyas　was　silent　for　a　minute　or　two；　and　then；

〃If　it　were　not　for　you；　mother；　would　God　that　the　Armada　would　come！〃

〃What；　and　ruin　England？〃

〃No！　　Curse　them！　　Not　a　foot　will　they　ever　set　on　English　soil；　such　a　welcome　would　we　give　them