westward ho-第148节

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　on　Holyhead；　and　again　on　Bardsey　Island；　how　they　got　on　a　lee　shore　in　Cardigan　Bay；　before　a　heavy　westerly　gale；　and　the　Sta。　Catharina　ran　aground　on　Sarn　David；　one　of　those　strange　subaqueous　pebble…dykes　which　are　said　to　be　the　remnants　of　the　lost　land　of　Gwalior；　destroyed　by　the　carelessness　of　Prince　Seithenin　the　drunkard；　at　whose　name　each　loyal　Welshman　spits；　how　she　got　off　again　at　the　rising　of　the　tide；　and　fought　with　Amyas　a　fourth　time；　how　the　wind　changed；　and　she　got　round　St。　David's　Head；these；　and　many　more　moving　incidents　of　this　eventful　voyage；　I　must　pass　over　without　details；　and　go　on　to　the　end；　for　it　is　time　that　the　end　should　come。

It　was　now　the　sixteenth　day　of　the　chase。　　They　had　seen；　the　evening　before；　St。　David's　Head；　and　then　the　Welsh　coast　round　Milford　Haven；　looming　out　black　and　sharp　before　the　blaze　of　the　inland　thunder…storm；　and　it　had　lightened　all　round　them　during　the　fore　part　of　the　night；　upon　a　light　south…western　breeze。

In　vain　they　had　strained　their　eyes　through　the　darkness；　to　catch；　by　the　fitful　glare　of　the　flashes；　the　tall　masts　of　the　Spaniard。　　Of　one　thing　at　least　they　were　certain；　that　with　the　wind　as　it　was；　she　could　not　have　gone　far　to　the　westward；　and　to　attempt　to　pass　them　again；　and　go　northward；　was　more　than　she　dare　do。　　She　was　probably　lying…to　ahead　of　them；　perhaps　between　them　and　the　land；　and　when；　a　little　after　midnight；　the　wind　chopped　up　to　the　west；　and　blew　stiffly　till　day　break；　they　felt　sure　that；　unless　she　had　attempted　the　desperate　expedient　of　running　past　them；　they　had　her　safe　in　the　mouth　of　the　Bristol　Channel。　　Slowly　and　wearily　broke　the　dawn；　on　such　a　day　as　often　follows　heavy　thunder；　a　sunless；　drizzly　day；　roofed　with　low　dingy　cloud；　barred　and　netted；　and　festooned　with　black；　a　sign　that　the　storm　is　only　taking　breath　awhile　before　it　bursts　again；　while　all　the　narrow　horizon　is　dim　and　spongy　with　vapor　drifting　before　a　chilly　breeze。　　As　the　day　went　on；　the　breeze　died　down；　and　the　sea　fell　to　a　long　glassy　foam…flecked　roll；　while　overhead　brooded　the　inky　sky；　and　round　them　the　leaden　mist　shut　out　alike　the　shore　and　the　chase。

Amyas　paced　the　sloppy　deck　fretfully　and　fiercely。　　He　knew　that　the　Spaniard　could　not　escape；　but　he　cursed　every　moment　which　lingered　between　him　and　that　one　great　revenge　which　blackened　all　his　soul。　　The　men　sate　sulkily　about　the　deck；　and　whistled　for　a　wind；　the　sails　flapped　idly　against　the　masts；　and　the　ship　rolled　in　the　long　troughs　of　the　sea；　till　her　yard…arms　almost　dipped　right　and　left。

〃Take　care　of　those　guns。　　You　will　have　something　loose　next；〃　growled　Amyas。

〃We　will　take　care　of　the　guns；　if　the　Lord　will　take　care　of　the　wind；〃　said　Yeo。

〃We　shall　have　plenty　before　night；〃　said　Cary；　〃and　thunder　too。〃

〃So　much　the　better；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃It　may　roar　till　it　splits　the　heavens；　if　it　does　but　let　me　get　my　work　done。〃

〃He's　not　far　off；　I　warrant；〃　said　Cary。　　〃One　lift　of　the　cloud；　and　we　should　see　him。〃

〃To　windward　of　us；　as　likely　as　not；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃The　devil　fights　for　him；　I　believe。　　To　have　been　on　his　heels　sixteen　days；　and　not　sent　this　through　him　yet！〃　　And　he　shook　his　sword　impatiently。

So　the　morning　wore　away；　without　a　sign　of　living　thing；　not　even　a　passing　gull；　and　the　black　melancholy　of　the　heaven　reflected　itself　in　the　black　melancholy　of　Amyas。　　Was　he　to　lose　his　prey　after　all？　　The　thought　made　him　shudder　with　rage　and　disappointment。　　It　was　intolerable。　　Anything　but　that。

〃No；　God！〃　he　cried；　〃let　me　but　once　feel　this　in　his　accursed　heart；　and　thenstrike　me　dead；　if　Thou　wilt！〃

〃The　Lord　have　mercy　on　us；〃　cried　John　Brimblecombe。　　〃What　have　you　said？〃

〃What　is　that　to　you；　sir？　　There；　they　are　piping　to　dinner。　　Go　down。　　I　shall　not　come。〃

And　Jack　went　down；　and　talked　in　a　half…terrified　whisper　of　Amyas's　ominous　words。

All　thought　that　they　portended　some　bad　luck；　except　old　Yeo。

〃Well；　Sir　John；〃　said　he；　〃and　why　not？　　What　better　can　the　Lord　do　for　a　man；　than　take　him　home　when　he　has　done　his　work？　　Our　captain　is　wilful　and　spiteful；　and　must　needs　kill　his　man　himself；　while　for　me；　I　don't　care　how　the　Don　goes；　provided　he　does　go。　　I　owe　him　no　grudge；　nor　any　man。　　May　the　Lord　give　him　repentance；　and　forgive　him　all　his　sins：　but　if　I　could　but　see　him　once　safe　ashore；　as　he　may　be　ere　nightfall；　on　the　Mortestone　or　the　back　of　Lundy；　I　would　say；　'Lord；　now　lettest　Thou　Thy　servant　depart　in　peace；'　even　if　it　were　the　lightning　which　was　sent　to　fetch　me。〃

〃But；　master　Yeo；　a　sudden　death？〃

〃And　why　not　a　sudden　death；　Sir　John？　　Even　fools　long　for　a　short　life　and　a　merry　one；　and　shall　not　the　Lord's　people　pray　for　a　short　death　and　a　merry　one？　　Let　it　come　as　it　will　to　old　Yeo。　Hark！　there's　the　captain's　voice！〃

〃Here　she　is！〃　thundered　Amyas　from　the　deck；　and　in　an　instant　all　were　scrambling　up　the　hatchway　as　fast　as　the　frantic　rolling　of　the　ship　would　let　them。

Yes。　　There　she　was。　　The　cloud　had　lifted　suddenly；　and　to　the　south　a　ragged　bore　of　blue　sky　let　a　long　stream　of　sunshine　down　on　her　tall　masts　and　stately　hull；　as　she　lay　rolling　some　four　or　five　miles　to　the　eastward：　but　as　for　land；　none　was　to　be　seen。

〃There　she　is；　and　here　we　are；〃　said　Cary；　〃but　where　is　here？　and　where　is　there？　　How　is　the　tide；　master？〃

〃Running　up　Channel　by　this　time；　sir。〃

〃What　matters　the　tide？〃　said　Amyas；　devouring　the　ship　with　terrible　and　cold　blue　eyes。　　〃Can't　we　get　at　her？〃

〃Not　unless　some　one　jumps　out　and　shoves　behind；〃　said　Cary。　　〃I　shall　down　again　and　finish　that　mackerel；　if　this　roll　has　not　chucked　it　to　the　cockroaches　under　the　table。〃

〃Don't　jest；　Will！　　I　can't　stand　it；〃　said　Amyas；　in　a　voice　which　quivered　so　much　that　Cary　looked　at　him。　　His　whole　frame　was　trembling　like　an　aspen。　　Cary　took　his　arm；　and　drew　him　aside。

〃Dear　old　lad；〃　said　he；　as　they　leaned　over　the　bulwarks；　〃what　is　this？　　You　are　not　yourself；　and　have　not　been　these　four　days。〃

〃No。　　I　am　not　Amyas　Leigh。　　I　am　my　brother's　avenger。　　Do　not　reason　with　me；　Will：　when　it　is　over　I　shall　be　merry　old　Amyas　again；〃　and　he　passed　his　hand　over　his　brow。

〃Do　you　believe；〃　said　he；　after　a　moment；　〃that　men　can　be　possessed　by　devils？〃

〃The　Bible　says　so。〃

〃If　my　cause　were　not　a　just　one；　I　should　fancy　I　had　a　devil　in　me。　　My　throat　and　heart　are　as　hot　as　the　pit。　　Would　to　God　it　were　done；　for　done　it　must　be！　　Now　go。〃

Cary　went　away　with　a　shudder。　　As　he　passed　down　the　hatchway　he　looked　back。　　Amyas　had　got　the　hone　out　of　his　pocket；　and　was　whetting　away　again　at　his　sword…edge；　as　if　there　was　some　dreadful　doom　on　him；　to　whet；　and　whet　forever。

The　weary　day　wore　on。　　The　strip　of　blue　sky　was　curtained　over　again；　and　all　was　dismal　as　before；　though　it　grew　sultrier　every　moment；　and　now　and　then　a　distant　mutter　shook　the　air　to　westward。　　Nothing　could　be　done　to　lessen　the　distance　between　the　ships；　for　the　Vengeance　had　had　all　her　boats　carried　away　but　one；　and　that　was　much　too　small　to　tow　her：　and　while　the　men　went　down　again　to　finish　dinner；　Amyas　worked　on　at　his　sword；　looking　up　every　now　and　then　suddenly　at　the　Spaniard；　as　if　to　satisfy　himself　that　it　was　not　a　vision　which　had　vanished。

About　two　Yeo　came　up　to　him。

〃He　is　ours　safely　now；　sir。　　The　tide　has　been　running　to　the　eastward　for　this　two　hours。〃

〃Safe　as　a　fox　in　a　trap。　　Satan　himself　cannot　take　him　from　us！〃

〃But　God　may；〃　said　Brimblecombe；　simply。

〃Who　spoke　to　you；　sir？　　If　I　thought　that　He　　There　comes　the　thunder　at　last！〃

And　as　he　spoke　an　angry　growl　from　the　westward　heavens　seemed　to　answer　his　wild　words；　and　rolled　and　loudened　nearer　and　nearer；　till　right　over　their　heads　it　crashed　against　some　cloud…cliff　far　above；　and　all　was　still。

Each　man　looked　in　the　other's　face：　but　Amyas　was　unmoved。

〃The　storm　is　coming；〃　said　he；　〃and　the　wind　in　it。　　It　will　be　Eastward…ho　now；　for　once；　my　merry　men　all！〃

〃Eastward…ho　never　brought　us　luck；〃　said　Jack　in　an　undertone　to　Cary。　　But　by　this　time　all　eyes　were　turned　to　the　north…west；　where　a　black　line　along　the　horizon　began　to　define　the　boundary　of　sea　and　air；　till　now　all　dim　in　mist。

〃There　comes　the　breeze。〃

〃And　there　the　storm；　too。〃

And　with　that　strangely　accelerating　pace　which　some　storms　seem　to　possess；　the　thunder；　which　had　been　growling　slow　and　seldom　far　away；　now　rang　peal　on　peal　along　the　cloudy　floor　above　their　heads。

〃Here　comes　the　breeze。　　Round　with　the　yards；　or　we　shall　be　taken　aback。〃

The　yards　creaked　round；　the　sea　grew　crisp　around　them；　the　hot　air　swept　their　cheeks；　tightened　every　rope；　filled　every　sail；　bent　her　over。　　A　cheer　burst　from　the　men　as　the　helm　went　up；　and　they　staggered　away　before　the　wind；　right　down　upon　the　Spaniard；　who　lay　still　becalmed。

〃There　is　more　behind；　Amyas；〃　said　Cary。　　〃Shall　we　not　shorten　sail　a　little？〃

〃No。　　Hold　on　every　stitch；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Give　me　the　helm；　man。　Boatswain；　pipe　away　to　clear　for　fight。〃

It　was　done；　and　in　ten　minutes　the　men　were　all　at　quarters；　w