westward ho-第28节

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〃I　will　go　myself；　then。〃

〃Why　not？　　You　may　keep　all　straight；　and　Will　shall　go　with　you。　Call　a　groom；　Will；　and　get　your　horse　saddled；　and　my　Yorkshire　gray；　he　will　make　better　play　with　this　big　fellow　on　his　back；　than　the　little　pony　astride　of　which　Mr。　Leigh　came　walking　in　（as　I　hear）　this　morning。　　As　for　Frank；　the　ladies　will　see　to　him　well　enough；　and　glad　enough；　too；　to　have　so　fine　a　bird　in　their　cage　for　a　week　or　two。〃

〃And　my　mother？〃

〃We'll　send　to　her　to…morrow　by　daybreak。　　Come；　a　stirrup　cup　to　start　with；　hot　and　hot。　　Now；　boots；　cloaks；　swords；　a　deep　pull　and　a　warm　one；　and　away！〃

And　the　jolly　old　man　bustled　them　out　of　the　house　and　into　their　saddles；　under　the　broad　bright　winter's　moon。

〃You　must　make　your　pace；　lads；　or　the　moon　will　be　down　before　you　are　over　the　moors。〃　　And　so　away　they　went。

Neither　of　them　spoke　for　many　a　mile。　　Amyas；　because　his　mind　was　fixed　firmly　on　the　one　object　of　saving　the　honor　of　his　house；　and　Will；　because　he　was　hesitating　between　Ireland　and　the　wars；　and　Rose　Salterne　and　love…making。　　At　last　he　spoke　suddenly。

〃I'll　go；　Amyas。〃

〃Whither？〃

〃To　Ireland　with　you；　old　man。　　I　have　dragged　my　anchor　at　last。〃

〃What　anchor；　my　lad　of　parables？〃

〃See；　here　am　I；　a　tall　and　gallant　ship。〃

〃Modest　even　if　not　true。〃

〃Inclination；　like　an　anchor；　holds　me　tight。〃

〃To　the　mud。〃

〃Nay；　to　a　bed　of　rosesnot　without　their　thorns。〃

〃Hillo！　I　have　seen　oysters　grow　on　fruit…trees　before　now；　but　never　an　anchor　in　a　rose…garden。〃

〃Silence；　or　my　allegory　will　go　to　noggin…staves。〃

〃Against　the　rocks　of　my　flinty　discernment。〃

〃Poohwell。　　Up　comes　duty　like　a　jolly　breeze；　blowing　dead　from　the　northeast；　and　as　bitter　and　cross　as　a　northeaster　too；　and　tugs　me　away　toward　Ireland。　　I　hold　on　by　the　rosebedany　ground　in　a　stormtill　every　strand　is　parted；　and　off　I　go；　westward　ho！　to　get　my　throat　cut　in　a　bog…hole　with　Amyas　Leigh。〃

〃Earnest；　Will？〃

〃As　I　am　a　sinful　man。〃

〃Well　done；　young　hawk　of　the　White　Cliff！〃

〃I　had　rather　have　called　it　Gallantry　Bower　still；　though；〃　said　Will；　punning　on　the　double　name　of　the　noble　precipice　which　forms　the　highest　point　of　the　deer　park。

〃Well；　as　long　as　you　are　on　land；　you　know　it　is　Gallantry　Bower　still：　but　we　always　call　it　White　Cliff　when　you　see　it　from　the　sea…board；　as　you　and　I　shall　do；　I　hope；　to…morrow　evening。〃

〃What；　so　soon？〃

〃Dare　we　lose　a　day？〃

〃I　suppose　not：　heigh…ho！〃

And　they　rode　on　again　in　silence；　Amyas　in　the　meanwhile　being　not　a　little　content　（in　spite　of　his　late　self…renunciation）　to　find　that　one　of　his　rivals　at　least　was　going　to　raise　the　siege　of　the　Rose　garden　for　a　few　months；　and　withdraw　his　forces　to　the　coast　of　Kerry。

As　they　went　over　Bursdon；　Amyas　pulled　up　suddenly。

〃Did　you　not　hear　a　horse's　step　on　our　left？〃

〃On　our　leftcoming　up　from　Welsford　moor？　　Impossible　at　this　time　of　night。　　It　must　have　been　a　stag；　or　a　sownder　of　wild　swine：　or　may　be　only　an　old　cow。〃

〃It　was　the　ring　of　iron；　friend。　　Let　us　stand　and　watch。〃

Bursdon　and　Welsford　were　then；　as　now；　a　rolling　range　of　dreary　moors；　unbroken　by　tor　or　tree；　or　anything　save　few　and　far　between　a　world…old　furze…bank　which　marked　the　common　rights　of　some　distant　cattle　farm；　and　crossed。　　then；　not　as　now；　by　a　decent　road；　but　by　a　rough　confused　track…way；　the　remnant　of　an　old　Roman　road　from　Clovelly　dikes　to　Launceston。　　To　the　left　it　trended　down　towards　a　lower　range　of　moors；　which　form　the　watershed　of　the　heads　of　Torridge；　and　thither　the　two　young　men　peered　down　over　the　expanse　of　bog　and　furze；　which　glittered　for　miles　beneath　the　moon；　one　sheet　of　frosted　silver；　in　the　heavy　autumn　dew。

〃If　any　of　Eustace's　party　are　trying　to　get　home　from　Freshwater；　they　might　save　a　couple　of　miles　by　coming　across　Welsford；　instead　of　going　by　the　main　track；　as　we　have　done。〃　　So　said　Amyas；　who　though　（luckily　for　him）　no　〃genius；〃　was　cunning　as　a　fox　in　all　matters　of　tactic　and　practic；　and　would　have　in　these　days　proved　his　right　to　be　considered　an　intellectual　person　by　being　a　thorough　man　of　business。

〃If　any　of　his　party　are　mad；　they'll　try　it；　and　be　stogged　till　the　day　of　judgment。　　There　are　bogs　in　the　bottom　twenty　feet　deep。　　Plague　on　the　fellow；　whoever　he　is；　he　has　dodged　us！　　Look　there！〃

It　was　too　true。　　The　unknown　horseman　had　evidently　dismounted　below；　and　led　his　horse　up　on　the　other　side　of　a　long　furze…dike；　till　coming　to　the　point　where　it　turned　away　again　from　his　intended　course；　he　appeared　against　the　sky；　in　the　act　of　leading　his　nag　over　a　gap。

〃Ride　like　the　wind！〃　and　both　youths　galloped　across　furze　and　heather　at　him；　but　ere　they　were　within　a　hundred　yards　of　him；　he　had　leapt　again　on　his　horse；　and　was　away　far　ahead。

〃There　is　the　dor　to　us；　with　a　vengeance；〃　cried　Cary；　putting　in　the　spurs。

〃It　is　but　a　lad；　we　shall　never　catch　him。〃

〃I'll　try；　though；　and　do　you　lumber　after　as　you　can；　old　heavysides；〃　and　Cary　pushed　forward。

Amyas　lost　sight　of　him　for　ten　minutes；　and　then　came　up　with　him　dismounted；　and　feeling　disconsolately　at　his　horse's　knees。

〃Look　for　my　head。　　It　lies　somewhere　about　among　the　furze　there；　and　oh！　I　am　as　full　of　needles　as　ever　was　a　pin…cushion。〃

〃Are　his　knees　broken？〃

〃I　daren't　look。　　No；　I　believe　not。　　Come　along；　and　make　the　best　of　a　bad　matter。　　The　fellow　is　a　mile　ahead；　and　to　the　right；　too。〃

〃He　is　going　for　Moorwinstow；　then；　but　where　is　my　cousin？〃

〃Behind　us；　I　dare　say。　　We　shall　nab　him　at　least。〃

〃Cary；　promise　me　that　if　we　do；　you　will　keep　out　of　sight；　and　let　me　manage　him。〃

〃My　boy；　I　only　want　Evan　Morgans　and　Morgan　Evans。　　He　is　but　the　cat's　paw；　and　we　are　after　the　cats　themselves。〃

And　so　they　went　on　another　dreary　six　miles；　till　the　land　trended　downwards；　showing　dark　glens　and　masses　of　woodland　far　below。

〃Now；　then；　straight　to　Chapel；　and　stop　the　foxes'　earth？　　Or　through　the　King's　Park　to　Stow；　and　get　out　Sir　Richard's　hounds；　hue　and　cry；　and　queen's　warrant　in　proper　form？〃

〃Let　us　see　Sir　Richard　first；　and　whatsoever　he　decides　about　my　uncle；　I　will　endure　as　a　loyal　subject　must。〃

So　they　rode　through　the　King's　Park；　while　Sir　Richard's　colts　came　whinnying　and　staring　round　the　intruders；　and　down　through　a　rich　woodland　lane　five　hundred　feet　into　the　valley；　till　they　could　hear　the　brawling　of　the　little　trout…stream；　and　beyond；　the　everlasting　thunder　of　the　ocean　surf。

Down　through　warm　woods；　all　fragrant　with　dying　autumn　flowers；　leaving　far　above　the　keen　Atlantic　breeze；　into　one　of　those　delicious　Western　combes；　and　so　past　the　mill；　and　the　little　knot　of　flower…clad　cottages。　　In　the　window　of　one　of　them　a　light　was　still　burning。　　The　two　young　men　knew　well　whose　window　that　was；　and　both　hearts　beat　fast；　for　Rose　Salterne　slept；　or　rather　seemed　to　wake；　in　that　chamber。

〃Folks　are　late　in　Combe　to…night；〃　said　Amyas；　as　carelessly　as　he　could。

Cary　looked　earnestly　at　the　window；　and　then　sharply　enough　at　Amyas；　but　Amyas　was　busy　settling　his　stirrup；　and　Cary　rode　on；　unconscious　that　every　fibre　in　his　companion's　huge　frame　was　trembling　like　his　own。

〃Muggy　and　close　down　here；〃　said　Amyas；　who；　in　reality；　was　quite　faint　with　his　own　inward　struggles。

〃We　shall　be　at　Stow　gate　in　five　minutes；〃　said　Cary；　looking　back　and　down　longingly　as　his　horse　climbed　the　opposite　hill；　but　a　turn　of　the　zigzag　road　hid　the　cottage；　and　the　next　thought　was；　how　to　effect　an　entrance　into　Stow　at　three　in　the　morning　without　being　eaten　by　the　ban…dogs；　who　were　already　howling　and　growling　at　the　sound　of　the　horse…hoofs。

However；　they　got　safely　in；　after　much　knocking　and　calling；　through　the　postern　gate　in　the　high　west　wall；　into　a　mansion；　the　description　whereof　I　must　defer　to　the　next　chapter；　seeing　that　the　moon　has　already　sunk　into　the　Atlantic；　and　there　is　darkness　over　land　and　sea。

Sir　Richard；　in　his　long　gown；　was　soon　downstairs　in　the　hall；　the　letter　read；　and　the　story　told；　but　ere　it　was　half　finished

〃Anthony；　call　up　a　groom；　and　let　him　bring　me　a　horse　round。　Gentlemen；　if　you　will　excuse　me　five　minutes；　I　shall　be　at　your　service。〃

〃You　will　not　go　alone；　Richard？〃　asked　Lady　Grenville；　putting　her　beautiful　face　in　its　nightcoif　out　of　an　adjoining　door。

〃Surely；　sweet　chuck；　we　three　are　enough　to　take　two　poor　polecats　of　Jesuits。　　Go　in；　and　help　me　to　boot　and　gird。〃

In　half　an　hour　they　were　down　and　up　across　the　valley　again；　under　the　few　low　ashes　clipt　flat　by　the　sea…breeze　which　stood　round　the　lonely　gate　of　Chapel。

〃Mr。　Cary；　there　is　a　back　path　across　the　downs　to　Marsland；　go　and　guard　that。〃　　Cary　rode　off；　and　Sir　Richard；　as　he　knocked　loudly　at　the　gate

〃Mr。　Leigh；　you　see　that　I　have　consulted　your　honor；　and　that　of　your　poor　uncle；　by　adventuring　thus　alone。　　What　will　you　have　me　do　now；　which　may　not　be　unfit　for　me　and　you？〃

〃Oh；　sir！〃　said　Amyas；　with　tears　in　his　honest　eyes；　〃you　have　shown　yourself　once　more　what　you　always　have　beenmy　dear　and　beloved　master　on　earth；　not　secon