westward ho-第36节

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〃Do　you　think；　then；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃that　Mr。　Oxenham　deceived　you　wilfully？〃

〃I　will　never　believe　that；　sir：　Mr。　Oxenham　had　his　private　reasons　for　waiting　for　that　ship；　for　the　sake　of　one　on　board；　whose　face　would　that　he　had　never　seen；　though　he　saw　it　then；　as　I　fear；　not　for　the　first　time　by　many　a　one。〃　　And　so　was　silent。

〃Come；〃　said　both　his　hearers；　〃you　have　brought　us　thus　far；　and　you　must　go　on。〃

〃Gentlemen；　I　have　concealed　this　matter　from　all　men；　both　on　my　voyage　home　and　since；　and　I　hope　you　will　be　secret　in　the　matter；　for　the　honor　of　my　noble　captain；　and　the　comfort　of　his　friends　who　are　alive。　　For　I　think　it　shame　to　publish　harm　of　a　gallant　gentleman；　and　of　an　ancient　and　worshipful　family；　and　to　me　a　true　and　kind　captain；　when　what　is　done　cannot　be　undone；　and　least　said　soonest　mended。　　Neither　now　would　I　have　spoken　of　it；　but　that　I　was　inwardly　moved　to　it　for　the　sake　of　that　young　gentleman　there〃　（looking　at　Amyas）；　〃that　he　might　be　warned　in　time　of　God's　wrath　against　the　crying　sin　of　adultery；　and　flee　youthful　lusts；　which　war　against　the　soul。〃

〃Thou　hast　done　wisely　enough；　then；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃and　look　to　it　if　I　do　not　reward　thee：　but　the　young　gentleman　here；　thank　God；　needs　no　such　warnings；　having　got　them　already　both　by　precept　and　example；　where　thou　and　poor　Oxenham　might　have　had　them　also。〃

〃You　mean　Captain　Drake；　your　worship？〃

〃I　do；　sirrah。　　If　all　men　were　as　clean　livers　as　he；　the　world　would　be　spared　one　half　the　tears　that　are　shed　in　it。〃

〃Amen；　sir。　　At　least　there　would　have　been　many　a　tear　spared　to　us　and　ours。　　Foras　all　must　outin　that　bark　of　Lima　he　took　a　young　lady；　as　fair　as　the　sunshine；　sir；　and　seemingly　about　two　or　three…and…twenty　years　of　age；　having　with　her　a　tall　young　lad　of　sixteen；　and　a　little　girl；　a　marvellously　pretty　child；　of　about　a　six　or　seven。　　And　the　lady　herself　was　of　an　excellent　beauty；　like　a　whale's　tooth　for　whiteness；　so　that　all　the　crew　wondered　at　her；　and　could　not　be　satisfied　with　looking　upon　her。　And；　gentlemen；　this　was　strange；　that　the　lady　seemed　in　no　wise　afraid　or　mournful；　and　bid　her　little　girl　fear　naught；　as　did　also　Mr。　Oxenham：　but　the　lad　kept　a　very　sour　countenance；　and　the　more　when　he　saw　the　lady　and　Mr。　Oxenham　speaking　together　apart。

〃Well；　sir；　after　this　good　luck　we　were　minded　to　have　gone　straight　back　to　the　river　whence　we　came；　and　so　home　to　England　with　all　speed。　　But　Mr。　Oxenham　persuaded　us　to　return　to　the　island；　and　get　a　few　more　pearls。　　To　which　foolishness　（which　after　caused　the　mishap）　I　verily　believe　he　was　moved　by　the　instigation　of　the　devil　and　of　that　lady。　　For　as　we　were　about　to　go　ashore；　I；　going　down　into　the　cabin　of　the　prize；　saw　Mr。　Oxenham　and　that　lady　making　great　cheer　of　each　other　with；　'My　life；'　and　'My　king；'　and　'Light　of　my　eyes；'　and　such　toys；　and　being　bidden　by　Mr。　Oxenham　to　fetch　out　the　lady's　mails；　and　take　them　ashore；　heard　how　the　two　laughed　together　about　the　old　ape　of　Panama　（which　ape；　or　devil　rather；　I　saw　afterwards　to　my　cost）；　and　also　how　she　said　that　she　had　been　dead　for　five　years；　and　now　that　Mr。　Oxenham　was　come；　she　was　alive　again；　and　so　forth。

〃Mr。　Oxenham　bade　take　the　little　maid　ashore；　kissing　her　and　playing　with　her；　and　saying　to　the　lady；　'What　is　yours　is　mine；　and　what　is　mine　is　yours。'　　And　she　asking　whether　the　lad　should　come　ashore；　he　answered；　'He　is　neither　yours　nor　mine；　let　the　spawn　of　Beelzebub　stay　on　shore。'　　After　which　I；　coming　on　deck　again；　stumbled　over　that　very　lad；　upon　the　hatchway　ladder；　who　bore　so　black　and　despiteful　a　face；　that　I　verily　believe　he　had　overheard　their　speech；　and　so　thrust　him　upon　deck；　and　going　below　again；　told　Mr。　Oxenham　what　I　thought；　and　said　that　it　were　better　to　put　a　dagger　into　him　at　once；　professing　to　be　ready　so　to　do。　　For　which　grievous　sin；　seeing　that　it　was　committed　in　my　unregenerate　days；　I　hope　I　have　obtained　the　grace　of　forgiveness；　as　I　have　that　of　hearty　repentance。　　But　the　lady　cried　out；　'Though　he　be　none　of　mine；　I　have　sin　enough　already　on　my　soul；'　and　so　laid　her　hand　on　Mr。　Oxenham's　mouth；　entreating　pitifully。　And　Mr。　Oxenham　answered　laughing；　when　she　would　let　him；　'What　care　we？　let　the　young　monkey　go　and　howl　to　the　old　one；'　and　so　went　ashore　with　the　lady　to　that　house；　whence　for　three　days　he　never　came　forth；　and　would　have　remained　longer；　but　that　the　men；　finding　but　few　pearls；　and　being　wearied　with　the　watching　and　warding　so　many　Spaniards；　and　negroes　came　clamoring　to　him；　and　swore　that　they　would　return　or　leave　him　there　with　the　lady。　　So　all　went　on　board　the　pinnace　again；　every　one　in　ill　humor　with　the　captain；　and　he　with　them。

〃Well；　sirs；　we　came　back　to　the　mouth　of　the　river；　and　there　began　our　troubles；　for　the　negroes；　as　soon　as　we　were　on　shore；　called　on　Mr。　Oxenham　to　fulfil　the　bargain　he　had　made　with　them。　And　now　it　came　out　（what　few　of　us　knew　till　then）　that　he　had　agreed　with　the　Cimaroons　that　they　should　have　all　the　prisoners　which　were　taken；　save　the　gold。　　And　he；　though　loath；　was　about　to　give　up　the　Spaniards　to　them；　near　forty　in　all；　supposing　that　they　intended　to　use　them　as　slaves：　but　as　we　all　stood　talking；　one　of　the　Spaniards；　understanding　what　was　forward；　threw　himself　on　his　knees　before　Mr。　Oxenham；　and　shrieking　like　a　madman；　entreated　not　to　be　given　up　into　the　hands　of　'those　devils；'　said　he；　'who　never　take　a　Spanish　prisoner；　but　they　roast　him　alive；　and　then　eat　his　heart　among　them。'　　We　asked　the　negroes　if　this　was　possible？　　To　which　some　answered；　What　was　that　to　us？　　But　others　said　boldly；　that　it　was　true　enough；　and　that　revenge　made　the　best　sauce；　and　nothing　was　so　sweet　as　Spanish　blood；　and　one；　pointing　to　the　lady；　said　such　foul　and　devilish　things　as　I　should　be　ashamed　either　for　me　to　speak；　or　you　to　hear。　　At　this　we　were　like　men　amazed　for　very　horror；　and　Mr。　Oxenham　said；　'You　incarnate　fiends；　if　you　had　taken　these　fellows　for　slaves；　it　had　been　fair　enough；　for　you　were　once　slaves　to　them；　and　I　doubt　not　cruelly　used　enough：　but　as　for　this　abomination；'　says　he；　'God　do　so　to　me；　and　more　also；　if　I　let　one　of　them　come　into　your　murderous　hands。'　　So　there　was　a　great　quarrel；　but　Mr。　Oxenham　stoutly　bade　put　the　prisoners　on　board　the　ships　again；　and　so　let　the　prizes　go；　taking　with　him　only　the　treasure；　and　the　lady　and　the　little　maid。　　And　so　the　lad　went　on　to　Panama；　God's　wrath　having　gone　out　against　us。

〃Well；　sirs；　the　Cimaroons　after　that　went　away　from　us；　swearing　revenge　（for　which　we　cared　little　enough）；　and　we　rowed　up　the　river　to　a　place　where　three　streams　met；　and　then　up　the　least　of　the　three；　some　four　days'　journey；　till　it　grew　all　shoal　and　swift；　and　there　we　hauled　the　pinnace　upon　the　sands；　and　Mr。　Oxenham　asked　the　men　whether　they　were　willing　to　carry　the　gold　and　silver　over　the　mountains　to　the　North　Sea。　　Some　of　them　at　first　were　loath　to　do　it；　and　I　and　others　advised　that　we　should　leave　the　plate　behind；　and　take　the　gold　only；　for　it　would　have　cost　us　three　or　four　journeys　at　the　least。　　But　Mr。　Oxenham　promised　every　man　100　pezos　of　silver　over　and　above　his　wages；　which　made　them　content　enough；　and　we　were　all　to　start　the　morrow　morning。　　But；　sirs；　that　night；　as　God　had　ordained；　came　a　mishap　by　some　rash　speeches　of　Mr。　Oxenham's；　which　threw　all　abroad　again；　for　when　we　had　carried　the　treasure　about　half　a　league　inland；　and　hidden　it　away　in　a　house　which　we　made　of　boughs；　Mr。　O。　being　always　full　of　that　his　fair　lady；　spoke　to　me　and　William　Penberthy　of　Marazion；　my　good　comrade；　and　a　few　more；　saying；　'That　we　had　no　need　to　return　to　England；　seeing　that　we　were　already　in　the　very　garden　of　Eden；　and　wanted　for　nothing；　but　could　live　without　labor　or　toil；　and　that　it　was　better；　when　we　got　over　to　the　North　Sea；　to　go　and　seek　out　some　fair　island；　and　there　dwell　in　joy　and　pleasure　till　our　lives'　end。　　And　we　two；'　he　said；　'will　be　king　and　queen；　and　you；　whom　I　can　trust；　my　officers；　and　for　servants　we　will　have　the　Indians；　who；　I　warrant；　will　be　more　fain　to　serve　honest　and　merry　masters　like　us　than　those　Spanish　devils；'　and　much　more　of　the　like；　which　words　I　liked　well；my　mind；　alas！　being　given　altogether　to　carnal　pleasure　and　vanity；as　did　William　Penberthy；　my　good　comrade；　on　whom　I　trust　God　has　had　mercy。　　But　the　rest；　sirs；　took　the　matter　all　across；　and　began　murmuring　against　the　captain；　saying　that　poor　honest　mariners　like　them　had　always　the　labor　and　the　pain；　while　he　took　his　delight　with　his　lady；　and　that　they　would　have　at　least　one　merry　night　before　they　were　slain　by　the　Cimaroons；　or　eaten　by　panthers　and　lagartos；　and　so　got　out　of　the　pinnace　two　great　skins　of　Canary　wine；　which　were　taken　in　the　Lima　prize；　and　sat　themselves　down　to　drink。　Moreover；　there　were　in　the　pinnace　a　great　sight　of　hens；　which　came　from　the　same　prize；　by　which　Mr。　O。　set　great　store；　keeping　them　for　the　lady　and　the　little　maid；　and　falling　upon　these；　the　men　began　to　blaspheme；　saying；　'What　a　plague　had　the　captain　to　fill　the　boat　with