westward ho-第20节

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owards　reclaiming　a　heretic；　and　saving　a　lost　soul：　who　knows？〃

So　the　two　set　out　together；　and；　as　it　was　appointed；　they　had　just　got　to　the　top　of　the　hill　between　Chapel　and　Stow　mill；　when　up　the　lane　came　none　other　than　Mistress　Rose　Salterne　herself；　in　all　the　glories　of　a　new　scarlet　hood；　from　under　which　her　large　dark　languid　eyes　gleamed　soft　lightnings　through　poor　Eustace's　heart　and　marrow。　　Up　to　them　she　tripped　on　delicate　ankles　and　tiny　feet；　tall；　lithe；　and　graceful；　a　true　West…country　lass；　and　as　she　passed　them　with　a　pretty　blush　and　courtesy；　even　Campian　looked　back　at　the　fair　innocent　creature；　whose　long　dark　curls；　after　the　then　country　fashion；　rolled　down　from　beneath　the　hood　below　her　waist；　entangling　the　soul　of　Eustace　Leigh　within　their　glossy　nets。

〃There！〃　whispered　he；　trembling　from　head　to　foot。　　〃Can　you　excuse　me　now？〃

〃I　had　excused　you　long　ago；〃　said　the　kindhearted　father。　　〃Alas；　that　so　much　fair　red　and　white　should　have　been　created　only　as　a　feast　for　worms！〃

〃A　feast　for　gods；　you　mean！〃　cried　Eustace；　on　whose　common　sense　the　naive　absurdity　of　the　last　speech　struck　keenly；　and　then；　as　if　to　escape　the　scolding　which　he　deserved　for　his　heathenry

〃Will　you　let　me　return　for　a　moment？　　I　will　follow　you：　let　me　go！〃

Campian　saw　that　it　was　of　no　use　to　say　no；　and　nodded。　　Eustace　darted　from　his　side；　and　running　across　a　field；　met　Rose　full　at　the　next　turn　of　the　road。

She　started；　and　gave　a　pretty　little　shriek。

〃Mr。　Leigh！　　I　thought　you　had　gone　forward。〃

〃I　came　back　to　speak　to　you；　RoseMistress　Salterne；　I　mean。〃

〃To　me？〃

〃To　you　I　must　speak；　tell　you　all；　or　die！〃　　And　he　pressed　up　close　to　her。　　She　shrank　back；　somewhat　frightened。

〃Do　not　stir；　do　not　go；　I　implore　you！　　Rose；　only　hear　me！〃　　And　fiercely　and　passionately　seizing　her　by　the　hand；　he　poured　out　the　whole　story　of　his　love；　heaping　her　with　every　fantastic　epithet　of　admiration　which　he　could　devise。

There　was　little；　perhaps；　of　all　his　words　which　Rose　had　not　heard　many　a　time　before；　but　there　was　a　quiver　in　his　voice；　and　a　fire　in　his　eye；　from　which　she　shrank　by　instinct。

〃Let　me　go！〃　she　said；　〃you　are　too　rough；　sir！〃

〃Ay！〃　he　said；　seizing　now　both　her　hands；　〃rougher；　perhaps；　than　the　gay　gallants　of　Bideford；　who　serenade　you；　and　write　sonnets　to　you；　and　send　you　posies。　　Rougher；　but　more　loving；　Rose！　　Do　not　turn　away！　　I　shall　die　if　you　take　your　eyes　off　me！　　Tell　me；tell　me；　now　herethis　momentbefore　we　partif　I　may　love　you！〃

〃Go　away！〃　she　answered；　struggling；　and　bursting　into　tears。　〃This　is　too　rude。　　If　I　am　but　a　merchant's　daughter。　　I　am　God's　child。　　Remember　that　I　am　alone。　　Leave　me；　go！　or　I　will　call　for　help！〃

Eustace　had　heard　or　read　somewhere　that　such　expressions　in　a　woman's　mouth　were　mere　facons　de　parler；　and　on　the　whole　signs　that　she　had　no　objection　to　be　alone；　and　did　not　intend　to　call　for　help；　and　he　only　grasped　her　hands　the　more　fiercely；　and　looked　into　her　face　with　keen　and　hungry　eyes；　but　she　was　in　earnest；　nevertheless；　and　a　loud　shriek　made　him　aware　that；　if　he　wished　to　save　his　own　good　name；　he　must　go：　but　there　was　one　question；　for　an　answer　to　which　he　would　risk　his　very　life。

〃Yes；　proud　woman！　　I　thought　so！　　Some　one　of　those　gay　gallants　has　been　beforehand　with　me。　　Tell　me　who〃

But　she　broke　from　him；　and　passed　him；　and　fled　down　the　lane。

〃Mark　it！〃　cried　he；　after　her。　　〃You　shall　rue　the　day　when　you　despised　Eustace　Leigh！　　Mark　it；　proud　beauty！〃　　And　he　turned　back　to　join　Campian；　who　stood　in　some　trepidation。

〃You　have　not　hurt　the　maiden；　my　son？　　I　thought　I　heard　a　scream。〃

〃Hurt　her！　　No。　　Would　God　that　she　were　dead；　nevertheless；　and　I　by　her！　　Say　no　more　to　me；　father。　　We　will　home。〃　　Even　Campian　knew　enough　of　the　world　to　guess　what　had　happened；　and　they　both　hurried　home　in　silence。

And　so　Eustace　Leigh　played　his　move；　and　lost　it。

Poor　little　Rose；　having　run　nearly　to　Chapel；　stopped　for　very　shame；　and　walked　quietly　by　the　cottages　which　stood　opposite　the　gate；　and　then　turned　up　the　lane　towards　Moorwinstow　village；　whither　she　was　bound。　　But　on　second　thoughts；　she　felt　herself　so　〃red　and　flustered；〃　that　she　was　afraid　of　going　into　the　village；　for　fear　（as　she　said　to　herself）　of　making　people　talk；　and　so；　turning　into　a　by…path；　struck　away　toward　the　cliffs；　to　cool　her　blushes　in　the　sea…breeze。　　And　there　finding　a　quiet　grassy　nook　beneath　the　crest　of　the　rocks；　she　sat　down　on　the　turf；　and　fell　into　a　great　meditation。

Rose　Salterne　was　a　thorough　specimen　of　a　West…coast　maiden；　full　of　passionate　impulsive　affections；　and　wild　dreamy　imaginations；　a　fit　subject；　as　the　North…Devon　women　are　still；　for　all　romantic　and　gentle　superstitions。　　Left　early　without　mother's　care；　she　had　fed　her　fancy　upon　the　legends　and　ballads　of　her　native　land；　till　she　believedwhat　did　she　not　believe？of　mermaids　and　pixies；　charms　and　witches；　dreams　and　omens；　and　all　that　world　of　magic　in　which　most　of　the　countrywomen；　and　countrymen　too；　believed　firmly　enough　but　twenty　years　ago。　　Then　her　father's　house　was　seldom　without　some　merchant；　or　sea…captain　from　foreign　parts；　who；　like　Othello；　had　his　tales　of


　　　　　〃Antres　vast；　and　deserts　idle；　　　　Of　rough　quarries；　rocks；　and　hills　whose　heads　reach　heaven。〃


And；


　　　　　〃And　of　the　cannibals　that　each　other　eat；　　　　　　　The　anthropophagi；　and　men　whose　heads　　　　　　　Do　grow　beneath　their　shoulders。〃


All　which　tales；　she；　like　Desdemona；　devoured　with　greedy　ears；　whenever　she　could　〃the　house　affairs　with　haste　despatch。〃　　And　when　these　failed；　there　was　still　boundless　store　of　wonders　open　to　her　in　old　romances　which　were　then　to　be　found　in　every　English　house　of　the　better　class。　　The　Legend　of　King　Arthur；　Florice　and　Blancheflour；　Sir　Ysumbras；　Sir　Guy　of　Warwick；　Palamon　and　Arcite；　and　the　Romaunt　of　the　Rose；　were　with　her　text…books　and　canonical　authorities。　　And　lucky　it　was；　perhaps；　for　her　that　Sidney's　Arcadia　was　still　in　petto；　or　Mr。　Frank　（who　had　already　seen　the　first　book　or　two　in　manuscript；　and　extolled　it　above　all　books　past；　present；　or　to　come）　would　have　surely　brought　a　copy　down　for　Rose；　and　thereby　have　turned　her　poor　little　flighty　brains　upside　down　forever。　　And　with　her　head　full　of　these；　it　was　no　wonder　if　she　had　likened　herself　of　late　more　than　once　to　some　of　those　peerless　princesses　of　old；　for　whose　fair　hand　paladins　and　kaisers　thundered　against　each　other　in　tilted　field；　and　perhaps　she　would　not　have　been　sorry（provided；　of　course；　no　one　was　killed）　if　duels；　and　passages　of　arms　in　honor　of　her；　as　her　father　reasonably　dreaded；　had　actually　taken　place。

For　Rose　was　not　only　well　aware　that　she　was　wooed；　but　found　the　said　wooing　（and　little　shame　to　her）　a　very　pleasant　process。　　Not　that　she　had　any　wish　to　break　hearts：　she　did　not　break　her　heart　for　any　of　her　admirers；　and　why　should　they　break　theirs　for　her？　They　were　all　very　charming；　each　in　his　way　（the　gentlemen；　at　least；　for　she　had　long　since　learnt　to　turn　up　her　nose　at　merchants　and　burghers）；　but　one　of　them　was　not　so　very　much　better　than　the　other。

Of　course；　Mr。　Frank　Leigh　was　the　most　charming；　but　then；　as　a　courtier　and　squire　of　dames；　he　had　never　given　her　a　sign　of　real　love；　nothing　but　sonnets　and　compliments；　and　there　was　no　trusting　such　things　from　a　gallant；　who　was　said　（though；　by　the　by；　most　scandalously）　to　have　a　lady　love　at　Milan；　and　another　at　Vienna；　and　half…a…dozen　in　the　Court；　and　half…a…dozen　more　in　the　city。

And　very　charming　was　Mr。　William　Cary；　with　his　quips　and　his　jests；　and　his　galliards　and　lavoltas；　over　and　above　his　rich　inheritance；　but　then；　charming　also　Mr。　Coffin　of　Portledge；　though　he　were　a　little　proud　and　stately；　but　which　of　the　two　should　she　choose？　　It　would　be　very　pleasant　to　be　mistress　of　Clovelly　Court；　but　just　as　pleasant　to　find　herself　lady　of　Portledge；　where　the　Coffins　had　lived　ever　since　Noah's　flood　（if；　indeed；　they　had　not　merely　returned　thither　after　that　temporary　displacement）；　and　to　bring　her　wealth　into　a　family　which　was　as　proud　of　its　antiquity　as　any　nobleman　in　Devon；　and　might　have　made　a　fourth　to　that　famous　trio　of　Devonshire　Cs；　of　which　it　is　written；


　　　　　〃Crocker；　Cruwys；　and　Copplestone；　　　　　　　When　the　Conqueror　came　were　all　at　home。〃


And　Mr。　Hugh　Fortescue；　toopeople　said　that　he　was　certain　to　become　a　great　soldierperhaps　as　great　as　his　brother　Arthurand　that　would　be　pleasant　enough；　too；　though　he　was　but　the　younger　son　of　an　innumerable　family：　but　then；　so　was　Amyas　Leigh。　　Ah；　poor　Amyas！　　Her　girl's　fancy　for　him　had　vanished；　or　rather；　perhaps；　it　was　very　much　what　it　always　had　been；　only　that　four　or　five　more　girl's　fancies　beside　it　had　entered　in；　and　kept　it　in　due　subjection。　　But　still；　she　could　not　help　thinking　a　good　deal　about　him；　and　his　voyage；　and　the　reports　of　his　great　strength；　and　beauty；　and　valor；　which　had　already　reached　her　in　that　out…of…the…way　corner；　and　though　she　was　not　in　the　least　in　love　with　him；　she　could　not　help　hoping　that　he　had