westward ho-第18节

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hree　go　to　church　the　next　Sunday。　　Where　Messrs。　Evan　Morgans　and　Morgan　Evans；　having　crammed　up　the　rubrics　beforehand；　behaved　themselves　in　a　most　orthodox　and　unexceptionable　manner；　as　did　also　poor　Eustace；　to　the　great　wonder　of　all　good　folks；　and　then　went　home　flattering　himself　that　he　had　taken　in　parson；　clerk；　and　people；　not　knowing　in　his　simple　unsimplicity；　and　cunning　foolishness；　that　each　good　wife　in　the　parish　was　saying　to　the　other；　〃He　turned　Protestant？　　The　devil　turned　monk！　　He's　only　after　Mistress　Salterne；　the　young　hypocrite。〃

But　if　the　two　Jesuits　found　it　expedient；　for　the　holy　cause　in　which　they　were　embarked；　to　reconcile　themselves　outwardly　to　the　powers　that　were；　they　were　none　the　less　busy　in　private　in　plotting　their　overthrow。

Ever　since　April　last　they　had　been　playing　at　hide…and…seek　through　the　length　and　breadth　of　England；　and　now　they　were　only　lying　quiet　till　expected　news　from　Ireland　should　give　them　their　cue；　and　a　great　〃rising　of　the　West〃　should　sweep　from　her　throne　that　stiff…necked；　persecuting；　excommunicate；　reprobate；　illegitimate；　and　profligate　usurper；　who　falsely　called　herself　the　Queen　of　England。

For　they　had　as　stoutly　persuaded　themselves　in　those　days；　as　they　have　in　these　（with　a　real　Baconian　contempt　of　the　results　of　sensible　experience）；　that　the　heart　of　England　was　really　with　them；　and　that　the　British　nation　was　on　the　point　of　returning　to　the　bosom　of　the　Catholic　Church；　and　giving　up　Elizabeth　to　be　led　in　chains　to　the　feet　of　the　rightful　Lord　of　Creation；　the　Old　Man　of　the　Seven　Hills。　　And　this　fair　hope；　which　has　been　skipping　just　in　front　of　them　for　centuries；　always　a　step　farther　off；　like　the　place　where　the　rainbow　touches　the　ground；　they　used　to　announce　at　times；　in　language　which　terrified　old　Mr。　Leigh。　　One　day；　indeed；　as　Eustace　entered　his　father's　private　room；　after　his　usual　visit　to　the　mill；　he　could　hear　voices　high　in　dispute；　Parsons　as　usual；　blustering；　Mr。　Leigh　peevishly　deprecating；　and　Campian；　who　was　really　the　sweetest…natured　of　men；　trying　to　pour　oil　on　the　troubled　waters。　　Whereat　Eustace　（for　the　good　of　the　cause；　of　course）　stopped　outside　and　listened。

〃My　excellent　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Leigh；　〃does　not　your　very　presence　here　show　how　I　am　affected　toward　the　holy　cause　of　the　Catholic　faith？　　But　I　cannot　in　the　meanwhile　forget　that　I　am　an　Englishman。〃

〃And　what　is　England？〃　said　Parsons：　〃A　heretic　and　schismatic　Babylon；　whereof　it　is　written；　'Come　out　of　her；　my　people；　lest　you　be　partaker　of　her　plagues。'　　Yea；　what　is　a　country？　　An　arbitrary　division　of　territory　by　the　princes　of　this　world；　who　are　naught；　and　come　to　naught。　　They　are　created　by　the　people's　will；　their　existence　depends　on　the　sanction　of　him　to　whom　all　power　is　given　in　heaven　and　earthour　Holy　Father　the　Pope。　　Take　away　the　latter；　and　what　is　a　king？the　people　who　have　made　him　may　unmake　him。〃

〃My　dear　sir；　recollect　that　I　have　sworn　allegiance　to　Queen　Elizabeth！〃

〃Yes；　sir；　you　have；　sir；　and；　as　I　have　shown　at　large　in　my　writings；　you　were　absolved　from　that　allegiance　from　the　moment　that　the　bull　of　Pius　the　Fifth　declared　her　a　heretic　and　excommunicate；　and　thereby　to　have　forfeited　all　dominion　whatsoever。　　I　tell　you；　sir；　what　I　thought　you　should　have　known　already；　that　since　the　year　1569；　England　has　had　no　queen；　no　magistrates；　no　laws；　no　lawful　authority　whatsoever；　and　that　to　own　allegiance　to　any　English　magistrate；　sir；　or　to　plead　in　an　English　court　of　law；　is　to　disobey　the　apostolic　precept；　'How　dare　you　go　to　law　before　the　unbelievers？'　　I　tell　you；　sir；　rebellion　is　now　not　merely　permitted；　it　is　a　duty。〃

〃Take　care；　sir；　for　God's　sake；　take　care！〃　said　Mr。　Leigh。　〃Right　or　wrong；　I　cannot　have　such　language　used　in　my　house。　　For　the　sake　of　my　wife　and　children；　I　cannot！〃

〃My　dear　brother　Parsons；　deal　more　gently　with　the　flock；〃　interposed　Campian。　　〃Your　opinion；　though　probable；　as　I　well　know；　in　the　eyes　of　most　of　our　order；　is　hardly　safe　enough　here；　the　opposite　is　at　least　so　safe　that　Mr。　Leigh　may　well　excuse　his　conscience　for　accepting　it。　　After　all；　are　we　not　sent　hither　to　proclaim　this　very　thing；　and　to　relieve　the　souls　of　good　Catholics　from　a　burden　which　has　seemed　to　them　too　heavy？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Parsons；　half…sulkily；　〃to　allow　all　Balaams　who　will　to　sacrifice　to　Baal；　while　they　call　themselves　by　the　name　of　the　Lord。〃

〃My　dear　brother；　have　I　not　often　reminded　you　that　Naaman　was　allowed　to　bow　himself　in　the　house　of　Rimmon？　　And　can　we　therefore　complain　of　the　office　to　which　the　Holy　Father　has　appointed　us；　to　declare　to　such　as　Mr。　Leigh　his　especial　grace；　by　which　the　bull　of　Pius　the　Fifth　（on　whose　soul　God　have　mercy！）　shall　henceforth　bind　the　queen　and　the　heretics　only；　but　in　no　ways　the　Catholics；　at　least　as　long　as　the　present　tyranny　prevents　the　pious　purposes　of　the　bull？〃

〃Be　it　so；　sir；　be　it　so。　　Only　observe　this；　Mr。　Leigh；　that　our　brother　Campian　confesses　this　to　be　a　tyranny。　　Observe；　sir；　that　the　bull　does　still　bind　the　so…called　queen；　and　that　she　and　her　magistrates　are　still　none　the　less　usurpers；　nonentities；　and　shadows　of　a　shade。　　And　observe　this；　sir；　that　when　that　which　is　lawful　is　excused　to　the　weak；　it　remains　no　less　lawful　to　the　strong。　　The　seven　thousand　who　had　not　bowed　the　knee　to　Baal　did　not　slay　his　priests；　but　Elijah　did；　and　won　to　himself　a　good　reward。　　And　if　the　rest　of　the　children　of　Israel　sinned　not　in　not　slaying　Eglon；　yet　Ehud's　deed　was　none　the　less　justified　by　all　laws　human　and　divine。〃

〃For　Heaven's　sake；　do　not　talk　so；　sir！　or　I　must　leave　the　room。　What　have　I　to　do　with　Ehud　and　Eglon；　and　slaughters；　and　tyrannies？　　Our　queen　is　a　very　good　queen；　if　Heaven　would　but　grant　her　repentance；　and　turn　her　to　the　true　faith。　　I　have　never　been　troubled　about　religion；　nor　any　one　else　that　I　know　of　in　the　West　country。〃

〃You　forget　Mr。　Trudgeon　of　Launceston；　father；　and　poor　Father　Mayne；〃　interposed　Eustace；　who　had　by　this　time　slipped　in；　and　Campian　added　softly

〃Yes；　your　West　of　England　also　has　been　honored　by　its　martyrs；　as　well　as　my　London　by　the　precious　blood　of　Story。〃

〃What；　young　malapert？〃　cried　poor　Leigh；　facing　round　upon　his　son；　glad　to　find　any　one　on　whom　he　might　vent　his　ill…humor；　〃are　you　too　against　me；　with　a　murrain　on　you？　　And　pray；　what　the　devil　brought　Cuthbert　Mayne　to　the　gallows；　and　turned　Mr。　Trudgeon　（he　was　always　a　foolish　hot…head）　out　of　house　and　home；　but　just　such　treasonable　talk　as　Mr。　Parsons　must　needs　hold　in　my　house；　to　make　a　beggar　of　me　and　my　children；　as　he　will　before　he　has　done。〃

〃The　Blessed　Virgin　forbid！〃　said　Campian。

〃The　Blessed　Virgin　forbid？　　But　you　must　help　her　to　forbid　it；　Mr。　Campian。　　We　should　never　have　had　the　law　of　1571；　against　bulls；　and　Agnus　Deis；　and　blessed　grains；　if　the　Pope's　bull　of　1569　had　not　made　them　matter　of　treason；　by　preventing　a　poor　creature's　saving　his　soul　in　the　true　Church　without　putting　his　neck　into　a　halter　by　denying　the　queen's　authority。〃

〃What；　sir？〃　almost　roared　Parsons；　〃do　you　dare　to　speak　evil　of　the　edicts　of　the　Vicar　of　Christ？〃

〃I？　　No。　　I　didn't。　　Who　says　I　did？　　All　I　meant　was；　I　am　sure　Mr。　Campian；　you　are　a　reasonable　man；　speak　for　me。〃

〃Mr。　Leigh　only　meant；　I　am　sure；　that　the　Holy　Father's　prudent　intentions　have　been　so　far　defeated　by　the　perverseness　and　invincible　misunderstanding　of　the　heretics；　that　that　which　was　in　itself　meant　for　the　good　of　the　oppressed　English　Catholics　has　been　perverted　to　their　harm。〃

〃And　thus；　reverend　sir；〃　said　Eustace；　glad　to　get　into　his　father's　good　graces　again；　〃my　father　attaches　blame；　not　to　the　PopeHeaven　forbid！but　to　the　pravity　of　his　enemies。〃

〃And　it　is　for　this　very　reason；〃　said　Campian；　〃that　we　have　brought　with　us　the　present　merciful　explanation　of　the　bull。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　what；　gentlemen；〃　said　Mr。　Leigh；　who；　like　other　weak　men；　grew　in　valor　as　his　opponent　seemed　inclined　to　make　peace；　〃I　don't　think　the　declaration　was　needed。　　After　the　new　law　of　1571　was　made；　it　was　never　put　in　force　till　Mayne　and　Trudgeon　made　fools　of　themselves；　and　that　was　full　six　years。　There　were　a　few　offenders；　they　say；　who　were　brought　up　and　admonished；　and　let　go；　but　even　that　did　not　happen　down　here；　and　need　not　happen　now；　unless　you　put　my　son　here　（for　you　shall　never　put　me；　I　warrant　you）　upon　some　deed　which　had　better　be　left　alone；　and　so　bring　us　all　to　shame。〃

〃Your　son；　sir；　if　not　openly　vowed　to　God；　has；　I　hope；　a　due　sense　of　that　inward　vocation　which　we　have　seen　in　him；　and　reverences　his　spiritual　fathers　too　well　to　listen　to　the　temptations　of　his　earthly　father。〃

〃What；　sir；　will　you　teach　my　son　to　disobey　me？〃

〃Your　son　is　ours　also；　sir。　　This　is　strange　language　in　one　who　owes　a　debt　to　the　Church；　which　it　was　charitably　fancied　he　meant　to　pay　in　the　person　of　his　child。〃

These　last　words　touched　poor　Mr。　Leigh　in　a　sore　point；　and　breaking　all　bounds；　he　swore　roundly　at　Parsons；　who　stood　foaming　with　rage。

〃A　plague　upon　you；　sir；　and　a　black　assizes　f