westward ho-第26节

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　and　when　they　landed；　many　of　their　soldiers　were　sea…　sick。　　Stukely；　reasonably　enough；　counselled　that　they　should　wait　two　or　three　days　and　recruit；　but　Don　Sebastian　was　so　mad　for　the　assault　that　he　must　needs　have　his　veni；　vidi；　vici；　and　so　ended　with　a　veni；　vidi；　perii；　for　he　Abdallah；　and　his　son　Mohammed；　all　perished　in　the　first　battle　at　Alcasar；　and　Stukely；　surrounded　and　overpowered；　fought　till　he　could　fight　no　more；　and　then　died　like　a　hero　with　all　his　wounds　in　front；　and　may　God　have　mercy　on　his　soul！〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Amyas；　〃we　heard　of　that　battle　off　Lima；　but　nothing　about　poor　Stukely。〃

〃That　last　was　a　Popish　prayer；　Master　Frank；〃　said　old　Mr。　Cary。

〃Most　worshipful　sir；　you　surely　would　not　wish　God　not　to　have　mercy　on　his　soul？〃

〃Noeh？　　Of　course　not：　but　that's　all　settled　by　now；　for　he　is　dead；　poor　fellow。〃

〃Certainly；　my　dear　sir。　　And　you　cannot　help　being　a　little　fond　of　him　still。〃

〃Eh？　why；　I　should　be　a　brute　if　I　were　not。　　He　and　I　were　schoolfellows；　though　he　was　somewhat　the　younger；　and　many　a　good　thrashing　have　I　given　him；　and　one　cannot　help　having　a　tenderness　for　a　man　after　that。　　Beside；　we　used　to　hunt　together　in　Exmoor；　and　have　royal　nights　afterward　into　Ilfracombe；　when　we　were　a　couple　of　mad　young　blades。　　Fond　of　him？　　Why；　I　would　have　sooner　given　my　forefinger　than　that　he　should　have　gone　to　the　dogs　thus。〃

〃Then；　my　dear　sir；　if　you　feel　for　him　still；　in　spite　of　all　his　faults；　how　do　you　know　that　God　may　not　feel　for　him　still；　in　spite　of　all　his　faults？　　For　my　part；〃　quoth　Frank；　in　his　fanciful　way；　〃without　believing　in　that　Popish　Purgatory；　I　cannot　help　holding　with　Plato；　that　such　heroical　souls；　who　have　wanted　but　little　of　true　greatness；　are　hereafter　by　some　strait　discipline　brought　to　a　better　mind；　perhaps；　as　many　ancients　have　held　with　the　Indian　Gymnosophists；　by　transmigration　into　the　bodies　of　those　animals　whom　they　have　resembled　in　their　passions；　and　indeed；　if　Sir　Thomas　Stukely's　soul　should　now　animate　the　body　of　a　lion；　all　I　can　say　is　that　he　would　be　a　very　valiant　and　royal　lion；　and　also　doubtless　become　in　due　time　heartily　ashamed　and　penitent　for　having　been　nothing　better　than　a　lion。〃

〃What　now；　Master　Frank？　　I　don't　trouble　my　head　with　such　mattersI　say　Stukely　was　a　right　good…hearted　fellow　at　bottom；　and　if　you　plague　my　head　with　any　of　your　dialectics；　and　propositions；　and　college　quips　and　quiddities；　you　sha'n't　have　any　more　sack；　sir。　　But　here　come　the　knaves；　and　I　hear　the　cook　knock　to　dinner。〃

After　a　madrigal　or　two；　and　an　Italian　song　of　Master　Frank's；　all　which　went　sweetly　enough；　the　ladies　rose；　and　went。　　Whereon　Will　Cary；　drawing　his　chair　close　to　Frank's；　put　quietly　into　his　hand　a　dirty　letter。

〃This　was　the　letter　left　for　me；〃　whispered　he；　〃by　a　country　fellow　this　morning。　　Look　at　it　and　tell　me　what　I　am　to　do。〃

Whereon　Frank　opened；　and　read


　　　　　〃Mister　Cary；　be　you　wary　　　　　　　　　By　deer　park　end　to…night。　　　　　　　Yf　Irish　ffoxe　com　out　of　rocks　　　　　　　　　Grip　and　hold　hym　tight。〃


〃I　would　have　showed　it　my　father；〃　said　Will；　〃but〃

〃I　verily　believe　it　to　be　a　blind。　　See　now；　this　is　the　handwriting　of　a　man　who　has　been　trying　to　write　vilely；　and　yet　cannot。　　Look　at　that　B；　and　that　G；　their　formae　formativae　never　were　begotten　in　a　hedge…school。　　And　what　is　more；　this　is　no　Devon　man's　handiwork。　　We　say　'to'　and　not　'by；'　Will；　eh？　in　the　West　country？〃

〃Of　course。〃

〃And　'man；'　instead　of　'him'？〃

〃True；　O　Daniel！　　But　am　I　to　do　nothing　therefore？〃

〃On　that　matter　I　am　no　judge。　　Let　us　ask　much…enduring　Ulysses　here；　perhaps　he　has　not　sailed　round　the　world　without　bringing　home　a　device　or　two。〃

Whereon　Amyas　was　called　to　counsel；　as　soon　as　Mr。　Cary　could　be　stopped　in　a　long　cross…examination　of　him　as　to　Mr。　Doughty's　famous　trial　and　execution。

Amyas　pondered　awhile；　thrusting　his　hands　into　his　long　curls；　and　then

〃Will；　my　lad；　have　you　been　watching　at　the　Deer　Park　End　of　late？〃

〃Never。〃

〃Where；　then？〃

〃At　the　town…beach。〃

〃Where　else？

〃At　the　town…head。〃

〃Where　else？〃

〃Why；　the　fellow　is　turned　lawyer！　　Above　Freshwater。〃

〃Where　is　Freshwater？〃

〃Why；　where　the　water…fall　comes　over　the　cliff；　half…a…mile　from　the　town。　　There　is　a　path　there　up　into　the　forest。〃

〃I　know。　　I'll　watch　there　to…night。　　Do　you　keep　all　your　old　haunts　safe；　of　course；　and　send　a　couple　of　stout　knaves　to　the　mill；　to　watch　the　beach　at　the　Deer　Park　End；　on　the　chance；　for　your　poet　may　be　a　true　man；　after　all。　　But　my　heart's　faith　is；　that　this　comes　just　to　draw　you　off　from　some　old　beat　of　yours；　upon　a　wild…goose　chase。　　If　they　shoot　the　miller　by　mistake；　I　suppose　it　don't　much　matter？〃

〃Marry；　no。〃


　　　　　〃'When　a　miller's　knock'd　on　the　head；　　　　　　　　The　less　of　flour　makes　the　more　of　bread。'〃


〃Or；　again；〃　chimed　in　old　Mr。　Cary；　〃as　they　say　in　the　North


　　　　　〃'Find　a　miller　that　will　not　steal；　　　　　　　　Or　a　webster　that　is　leal；　　　　　　　　Or　a　priest　that　is　not　greedy；　　　　　　　　And　lay　them　three　a　dead　corpse　by；　　　　　　　　And　by　the　virtue　of　them　three；　　　　　　　　The　said　dead　corpse　shall　quicken'd　be。'〃


〃But　why　are　you　so　ready　to　watch　Freshwater　to…night；　Master　Amyas？〃

〃Because；　sir；　those　who　come；　if　they　come；　will　never　land　at　Mouthmill；　if　they　are　strangers；　they　dare　not；　and　if　they　are　bay's…men；　they　are　too　wise；　as　long　as　the　westerly　swell　sets　in。　　As　for　landing　at　the　town；　that　would　be　too　great　a　risk；　but　Freshwater　is　as　lonely　as　the　Bermudas；　and　they　can　beach　a　boat　up　under　the　cliff　at　all　tides；　and　in　all　weathers；　except　north　and　nor'west。　　I　have　done　it　many　a　time；　when　I　was　a　boy。〃

〃And　give　us　the　fruit　of　your　experience　now　in　your　old　age；　eh？　Well；　you　have　a　gray　head　on　green　shoulders；　my　lad；　and　I　verily　believe　you　are　right。　　Who　will　you　take　with　you　to　watch？〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Frank；　〃I　will　go　with　my　brother；　and　that　will　be　enough。〃

〃Enough？　　He　is　big　enough；　and　you　brave　enough；　for　ten；　but　still；　the　more　the　merrier。〃

〃But　the　fewer；　the　better　fare。　　If　I　might　ask　a　first　and　last　favor；　worshipful　sir；〃　said　Frank；　very　earnestly；　〃you　would　grant　me　two　things：　that　you　would　let　none　go　to　Freshwater　but　me　and　my　brother；　and　that　whatsoever　we　shall　bring　you　back　shall　be　kept　as　secret　as　the　commonweal　and　your　loyalty　shall　permit。　　I　trust　that　we　are　not　so　unknown　to　you；　or　to　others；　that　you　can　doubt　for　a　moment　but　that　whatsoever　we　may　do　will　satisfy　at　once　your　honor　and　our　own。〃

〃My　dear　young　gentleman；　there　is　no　need　of　so　many　courtier's　words。　　I　am　your　father's　friend；　and　yours。　　And　God　forbid　that　a　Caryfor　I　guess　your　driftshould　ever　wish　to　make　a　head　or　a　heart　ache；　that　is；　more　than〃

〃Those　of　whom　it　is　written；　'Though　thou　bray　a　fool　in　a　mortar；　yet　will　not　his　folly　depart　from　him；'〃　interposed　Frank；　in　so　sad　a　tone　that　no　one　at　the　table　replied；　and　few　more　words　were　exchanged；　till　the　two　brothers　were　safe　outside　the　house；　and　then

〃Amyas；〃　said　Frank；　〃that　was　a　Devon　man's　handiwork；　nevertheless；　it　was　Eustace's　handwriting。〃

〃Impossible！〃

〃No；　lad。　　I　have　been　secretary　to　a　prince；　and　learnt　to　interpret　cipher；　and　to　watch　every　pen…stroke；　and；　young　as　I　am；　I　think　that　I　am　not　easily　deceived。　　Would　God　I　were！　　Come　on；　lad；　and　strike　no　man　hastily；　lest　thou　cut　off　thine　own　flesh。〃

So　forth　the　two　went；　along　the　park　to　the　eastward；　and　past　the　head　of　the　little　wood…embosomed　fishing…town；　a　steep　stair　of　houses　clinging　to　the　cliff　far　below　them；　the　bright　slate　roofs　and　white　walls　glittering　in　the　moonlight；　and　on　some　half…mile　farther；　along　the　steep　hill…side；　fenced　with　oak　wood　down　to　the　water's　edge；　by　a　narrow　forest　path；　to　a　point　where　two　glens　meet　and　pour　their　streamlets　over　a　cascade　some　hundred　feet　in　height　into　the　sea　below。　　By　the　side　of　this　waterfall　a　narrow　path　climbs　upward　from　the　beach；　and　here　it　was　that　the　two　brothers　expected　to　meet　the　messenger。

Frank　insisted　on　taking　his　station　below　Amyas。　　He　said　that　he　was　certain　that　Eustace　himself　would　make　his　appearance；　and　that　he　was　more　fit　than　Amyas　to　bring　him　to　reason　by　parley；　that　if　Amyas　would　keep　watch　some　twenty　yards　above；　the　escape　of　the　messenger　would　be　impossible。　　Moreover；　he　was　the　elder　brother；　and　the　post　of　honor　was　his　right。　　So　Amyas　obeyed　him；　after　making　him　promise　that　if　more　than　one　man　came　up　the　path；　he　would　let　them　pass　him　before　he　challenged；　so　that　both　might　bring　them　to　bay　at　the　same　time。

So　Amyas　took　his　station　under　a　high　marl　bank；　and；　bedded　in　luxuriant　crown…ferns；　kept　his　eye　steadily　on　Frank；　who　sat　down　on　a　little　knoll　of　rock　（where　is　now　a　garden　on　the　cliff…edge）　which　parts　the　path　and　the　dark　chasm　down　which　the　stream　rushes　to　its　final　leap　over　the　cliff。

There　Amyas　sat　a　full　half…hour；　and　glanced　at　whiles　from　Frank　to　look　upon　the　scene　around。　　Outside　the　southwest　wind　blew　fresh　and　strong；　and　the　moonlight　danced　upon　a　thousand　crests　of