westward ho-第138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！



〃What；　and　ruin　England？〃

〃No！　　Curse　them！　　Not　a　foot　will　they　ever　set　on　English　soil；　such　a　welcome　would　we　give　them。　　If　I　were　but　in　the　midst　of　that　fleet；　fighting　like　a　manto　forget　it　all；　with　a　galleon　on　board　of　me　to　larboard；　and　another　to　starboardand　then　to　put　a　linstock　in　the　magazine；　and　go　aloft　in　good　companyI　don't　care　how　soon　it　comes；　mother；　if　it　were　not　for　you。〃

〃If　I　am　in　your　way；　Amyas；　do　not　fear　that　I　shall　trouble　you　long。〃

〃Oh；　mother；　mother；　do　not　talk　in　that　way！　　I　am　half…mad；　I　think；　already；　and　don't　know　what　I　say。　　Yes；　I　am　mad；　mad　at　heart；　though　not　at　head。　　There's　a　fire　burning　me　up；　night　and　day；　and　nothing　but　Spanish　blood　will　put　it　out。〃

〃Or　the　grace　of　God；　my　poor　wilful　child！　　Who　comes　to　the　door？so　quickly；　too？〃

There　was　a　loud　hurried　knocking；　and　in　another　minute　a　serving…　man　hurried　in　with　a　letter。

〃This　to　Captain　Amyas　Leigh　with　haste；　haste！〃

It　was　Sir　Richard's　hand。　　Amyas　tore　it　open；　and　〃a　loud　laugh　laughed　he。〃

〃The　Armada　is　coming！　　My　wish　has　come　true；　mother！〃

〃God　help　us；　it　has！　　Show　me　the　letter。〃

It　was　a　hurried　scrawl。


〃DR。　GODSON；Walsingham　sends　word　that　the　Ada。　sailed　from　Lisbon　to　the　Groyne　the　18。　of　May。　　We　know　no　more；　but　have　commandment　to　stay　the　ships。　　Come　down；　dear　lad；　and　give　us　counsel；　and　may　the　Lord　help　His　Church　in　this　great　strait。

〃Your　loving　godfather；

R。　G。〃


〃Forgive　me；　mother；　mother；　once　for　all！〃　cried　Amyas；　throwing　his　arms　round　her　neck。

〃I　have　nothing　to　forgive；　my　son；　my　son！　　And　shall　I　lose　thee；　also？〃

〃If　I　be　killed；　you　will　have　two　martyrs　of　your　blood；　mother！〃

Mrs。　Leigh　bowed　her　head；　and　was　silent。　　Amyas　caught　up　his　hat　and　sword；　and　darted　forth　toward　Bideford。

Amyas　literally　danced　into　Sir　Richard's　hall；　where　he　stood　talking　earnestly　with　various　merchants　and　captains。

〃Gloria；　gloria！　gentles　all！　　The　devil　is　broke　loose　at　last；　and　now　we　know　where　to　have　him　on　the　hip！〃

〃Why　so　merry；　Captain　Leigh；　when　all　else　are　sad？〃　said　a　gentle　voice　by　his　side。

〃Because　I　have　been　sad　a　long　time；　while　all　else　were　merry；　dear　lady。　　Is　the　hawk　doleful　when　his　hood　is　pulled　off；　and　he　sees　the　heron　flapping　right　ahead　of　him？〃

〃You　seem　to　forget　the　danger　and　the　woe　of　us　weak　women；　sir？〃

〃I　don't　forget　the　danger　and　the　woe　of　one　weak　woman；　madam；　and　she　the　daughter　of　a　man　who　once　stood　in　this　room；〃　said　Amyas；　suddenly　collecting　himself；　in　a　low　stern　voice。　　〃And　I　don't　forget　the　danger　and　the　woe　of　one　who　was　worth　a　thousand　even　of　her。　　I　don't　forget　anything；　madam。〃

〃Nor　forgive　either；　it　seems。〃

〃It　will　be　time　to　talk　of　forgiveness　after　the　offender　has　repented　and　amended；　and　does　the　sailing　of　the　Armada　look　like　that？〃

〃Alas；　no！　　God　help　us！〃

〃He　will　help　us；　madam；〃　said　Amyas。

〃Admiral　Leigh；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃we　need　you　now；　if　ever。　　Here　are　the　queen's　orders　to　furnish　as　many　ships　as　we　can；　though　from　these　gentlemen's　spirit；　I　should　say　the　orders　were　well…　nigh　needless。〃

〃Not　a　doubt；　sir；　for　my　part；　I　will　fit　my　ship　at　my　own　charges；　and　fight　her　too；　as　long　as　I　have　a　leg　or　an　arm　left。〃

〃Or　a　tongue　to　say；　never　surrender；　I'll　warrant！〃　said　an　old　merchant。　　〃You　put　life　into　us　old　fellows；　Admiral　Leigh：　but　it　will　be　a　heavy　matter　for　those　poor　fellows　in　Virginia；　and　for　my　daughter　too；　Madam　Dare；　with　her　young　babe；　as　I　hear；　just　born。〃

〃And　a　very　heavy　matter；〃　said　some　one　else；　〃for　those　who　have　ventured　their　money　in　these　cargoes；　which　must　lie　idle；　you　see；　now　for　a　year　maybeand　then　all　the　cost　of　unlading　again　〃

〃My　good　sir；〃　said　Grenville；　〃what　have　private　interests　to　do　with　this　day？　　Let　us　thank　God　if　He　only　please　to　leave　us　the　bare　fee…simple　of　this　English　soil；　the　honor　of　our　wives　and　daughters；　and　bodies　safe　from　rack　and　fagot；　to　wield　the　swords　of　freemen　in　defence　of　a　free　land；　even　though　every　town　and　homestead　in　England　were　wasted　with　fire；　and　we　left　to　rebuild　over　again　all　which　our　ancestors　have　wrought　for　us　in　now　six　hundred　years。〃

〃Right；　sir！〃　said　Amyas。　　〃For　my　part；　let　my　Virginian　goods　rot　on　the　quay；　if　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst。　　I　begin　unloading　the　Vengeance　to…morrow；　and　to　sea　as　soon　as　I　can　fill　up　my　crew　to　a　good　fighting　number。〃

And　so　the　talk　ran　on；　and　ere　two　days　were　past；　most　of　the　neighboring　gentlemen；　summoned　by　Sir　Richard；　had　come　in；　and　great　was　the　bidding　against　each　other　as　to　who　should　do　most。　Cary　and　Brimblecombe；　with　thirty　tall　Clovelly　men；　came　across　the　bay；　and　without　even　asking　leave　of　Amyas；　took　up　their　berths　as　a　matter　of　course　on　board　the　Vengeance。　　In　the　meanwhile；　the　matter　was　taken　up　by　families。　　The　Fortescues　（a　numberless　clan）　offered　to　furnish　a　ship；　the　Chichesters　another；　the　Stukelys　a　third；　while　the　merchantmen　were　not　backward。　　The　Bucks；　the　Stranges；　the　Heards；　joyfully　unloaded　their　Virginian　goods；　and　replaced　them　with　powder　and　shot；　and　in　a　week's　time　the　whole　seven　were　ready　once　more　for　sea；　and　dropped　down　into　Appledore　pool；　with　Amyas　as　their　admiral　for　the　time　being　（for　Sir　Richard　had　gone　by　land　to　Plymouth　to　join　the　deliberations　there）；　and　waited　for　the　first　favorable　wind　to　start　for　the　rendezvous　in　the　Sound。

At　last；　upon　the　twenty…first　of　June；　the　clank　of　the　capstans　rang　merrily　across　the　flats；　and　amid　prayers　and　blessings；　forth　sailed　that　gallant　squadron　over　the　bar；　to　play　their　part　in　Britain's　Salamis；　while　Mrs。　Leigh　stood　watching　as　she　stood　once　before；　beside　the　churchyard　wall：　but　not　alone　this　time；　for　Ayacanora　stood　by　her　side；　and　gazed　and　gazed；　till　her　eyes　seemed　ready　to　burst　from　their　sockets。　　At　last　she　turned　away　with　a　sob；

〃And　he　never　bade　me　good…bye；　mother！〃

〃God　forgive　him！　　Come　home　and　pray；　my　child；　there　is　no　other　rest　on　earth　than　prayer　for　woman's　heart！〃

They　were　calling　each　other　mother　and　daughter　then？　　Yes。　　The　sacred　fire　of　sorrow　was　fast　burning　out　all　Ayacanora's　fallen　savageness；　and；　like　a　Phoenix；　the　true　woman　was　rising　from　those　ashes；　fair；　noble；　and　all…enduring；　as　God　had　made　her。



CHAPTER　XXX

HOW　THE　ADMIRAL　JOHN　HAWKINS　TESTIFIED　AGAINST　CROAKERS


〃Oh；　where　be　these　gay　Spaniards；　　　　Which　make　so　great　a　boast　O？　Oh；　they　shall　eat　the　gray…goose　feather；　　　　And　we　shall　eat　the　roast　O！〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cornish　Song。


What　if　the　spectators　who　last　summer　gazed　with　just　pride　upon　the　noble　port　of　Plymouth；　its　vast　breakwater　spanning　the　Sound；　its　arsenals　and　docks；　its　two　estuaries　filled　with　gallant　ships；　and　watched　the　great　screw…liners　turning　within　their　own　length　by　force　invisible；　or　threading　the　crowded　fleets　with　the　ease　of　the　tiniest　boat；what　if；　by　some　magic　turn；　the　nineteenth　century；　and　all　the　magnificence　of　its　wealth　and　science；　had　vanishedas　it　may　vanish　hereafterand　they　had　found　themselves　thrown　back　three　hundred　years　into　the　pleasant　summer　days　of　1588？

Mount　Edgecombe　is　still　there；　beautiful　as　ever：　but　where　are　the　docks；　and　where　is　Devonport？　　No　vast　dry…dock　roofs　rise　at　the　water's　edge。　　Drake's　island　carries　but　a　paltry　battery；　just　raised　by　the　man　whose　name　it　bears；　Mount　Wise　is　a　lone　gentleman's　house　among　fields；　the　citadel　is　a　pop…gun　fort；　which　a　third…class　steamer　would　shell　into　rubble　for　an　afternoon's　amusement。　　And　the　shipping；　where　are　they？　　The　floating　castles　of　the　Hamoaze　have　dwindled　to　a　few　crawling　lime…hoys；　and　the　Catwater　is　packed；　not　as　now；　with　merchant　craft；　but　with　the　ships　who　will　to…morrow　begin　the　greatest　sea…fight　which　the　world　has　ever　seen。

There　they　lie；　a　paltry　squadron　enough　in　modern　eyes；　the　largest　of　them　not　equal　in　size　to　a　six…and…thirty…gun　frigate；　carrying　less　weight　of　metal　than　one　of　our　new　gun…boats；　and　able　to　employ　even　that　at　not　more　than　a　quarter　of　our　modern　range。　　Would　our　modern　spectators；　just　come　down　by　rail　for　a　few　hours；　to　see　the　cavalry　embark；　and　return　tomorrow　in　time　for　dinner；　have　looked　down　upon　that　petty　port；　and　petty　fleet；　with　a　contemptuous　smile；　and　begun　some　flippant　speech　about　the　progress　of　intellect；　and　the　triumphs　of　science；　and　our　benighted　ancestors？　　They　would　have　done　so；　doubt　it　not；　if　they　belonged　to　the　many　who　gaze　on　those　very　triumphs　as　on　a　raree…show　to　feed　their　silly　wonder；　or　use　and　enjoy　them　without　thankfulness　or　understanding；　as　the　ox　eats　the　clover　thrust　into　his　rack；　without　knowing　or　caring　how　it　grew。　　But　if　any　of　them　were　of　the　class　by　whom　those　very　triumphs　have　been　achieved；　the　thinkers　and　the　workers；　who；　instead　of　entering　lazily　into　other　men's　labors；　as　the　mob　does；　labor　themselves；　who　know　by　hard　experience　the　struggles；　the　self…　restraints；　the　disappointments；　the　slow　and　staggering　steps；　by　which　the　discoverer　reaches　to　his　prize；　then　the　sm