westward ho-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



The　speaker；　known　well　in　those　days　as　Sir　Richard　Grenville；　Granville；　Greenvil；　Greenfield；　with　two　or　three　other　variations；　was　one　of　those　truly　heroical　personages　whom　Providence；　fitting　always　the　men　to　their　age　and　their　work；　had　sent　upon　the　earth　whereof　it　takes　right　good　care；　not　in　England　only；　but　in　Spain　and　Italy；　in　Germany　and　the　Netherlands；　and　wherever；　in　short；　great　men　and　great　deeds　were　needed　to　lift　the　mediaeval　world　into　the　modern。

And；　among　all　the　heroic　faces　which　the　painters　of　that　age　have　preserved；　none；　perhaps；　hardly　excepting　Shakespeare's　or　Spenser's；　Alva's　or　Farina's；　is　more　heroic　than　that　of　Richard　Grenville；　as　it　stands　in　Prince's　〃Worthies　of　Devon；〃　of　a　Spanish　type；　perhaps　（or　more　truly　speaking；　a　Cornish）；　rather　than　an　English；　with　just　enough　of　the　British　element　in　it　to　give　delicacy　to　its　massiveness。　　The　forehead　and　whole　brain　are　of　extraordinary　loftiness；　and　perfectly　upright；　the　nose　long；　aquiline；　and　delicately　pointed；　the　mouth　fringed　with　a　short　silky　beard；　small　and　ripe；　yet　firm　as　granite；　with　just　pout　enough　of　the　lower　lip　to　give　hint　of　that　capacity　of　noble　indignation　which　lay　hid　under　its　usual　courtly　calm　and　sweetness；　if　there　be　a　defect　in　the　face；　it　is　that　the　eyes　are　somewhat　small；　and　close　together；　and　the　eyebrows；　though　delicately　arched；　and；　without　a　trace　of　peevishness；　too　closely　pressed　down　upon　them；　the　complexion　is　dark；　the　figure　tall　and　graceful；　altogether　the　likeness　of　a　wise　and　gallant　gentleman；　lovely　to　all　good　men；　awful　to　all　bad　men；　in　whose　presence　none　dare　say　or　do　a　mean　or　a　ribald　thing；　whom　brave　men　left；　feeling　themselves　nerved　to　do　their　duty　better；　while　cowards　slipped　away；　as　bats　and　owls　before　the　sun。　　So　he　lived　and　moved；　whether　in　the　Court　of　Elizabeth；　giving　his　counsel　among　the　wisest；　or　in　the　streets　of　Bideford；　capped　alike　by　squire　and　merchant；　shopkeeper　and　sailor；　or　riding　along　the　moorland　roads　between　his　houses　of　Stow　and　Bideford；　while　every　woman　ran　out　to　her　door　to　look　at　the　great　Sir　Richard；　the　pride　of　North　Devon；　or；　sitting　there　in　the　low　mullioned　window　at　Burrough；　with　his　cup　of　malmsey　before　him；　and　the　lute　to　which　he　had　just　been　singing　laid　across　his　knees；　while　the　red　western　sun　streamed　in　upon　his　high；　bland　forehead；　and　soft　curling　locks；　ever　the　same　steadfast；　God…fearing；　chivalrous　man；　conscious　（as　far　as　a　soul　so　healthy　could　be　conscious）　of　the　pride　of　beauty；　and　strength；　and　valor；　and　wisdom；　and　a　race　and　name　which　claimed　direct　descent　from　the　grandfather　of　the　Conqueror；　and　was　tracked　down　the　centuries　by　valiant　deeds　and　noble　benefits　to　his　native　shire；　himself　the　noblest　of　his　race。　　Men　said　that　he　was　proud；　but　he　could　not　look　round　him　without　having　something　to　be　proud　of；　that　he　was　stern　and　harsh　to　his　sailors：　but　it　was　only　when　he　saw　in　them　any　taint　of　cowardice　or　falsehood；　that　he　was　subject；　at　moments；　to　such　fearful　fits　of　rage；　that　he　had　been　seen　to　snatch　the　glasses　from　the　table；　grind　them　to　pieces　in　his　teeth；　and　swallow　them：　but　that　was　only　when　his　indignation　had　been　aroused　by　some　tale　of　cruelty　or　oppression；　and；　above　all；　by　those　West　Indian　devilries　of　the　Spaniards；　whom　he　regarded　（and　in　those　days　rightly　enough）　as　the　enemies　of　God　and　man。　　Of　this　last　fact　Oxenham　was　well　aware；　and　therefore　felt　somewhat　puzzled　and　nettled；　when；　after　having　asked　Mr。　Leigh's　leave　to　take　young　Amyas　with　him　and　set　forth　in　glowing　colors　the　purpose　of　his　voyage；　he　found　Sir　Richard　utterly　unwilling　to　help　him　with　his　suit。

〃Heyday；　Sir　Richard！　　You　are　not　surely　gone　over　to　the　side　of　those　canting　fellows　（Spanish　Jesuits　in　disguise；　every　one　of　them；　they　are）；　who　pretended　to　turn　up　their　noses　at　Franky　Drake；　as　a　pirate；　and　be　hanged　to　them？〃

〃My　friend　Oxenham；〃　answered　he；　in　the　sententious　and　measured　style　of　the　day；　〃I　have　always　held；　as　you　should　know　by　this；　that　Mr。　Drake's　booty；　as　well　as　my　good　friend　Captain　Hawkins's；　is　lawful　prize；　as　being　taken　from　the　Spaniard；　who　is　not　only　hostis　humani　generis；　but　has　no　right　to　the　same；　having　robbed　it　violently；　by　torture　and　extreme　iniquity；　from　the　poor　Indian；　whom　God　avenge；　as　He　surely　will。〃

〃Amen；〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh。

〃I　say　Amen；　too；〃　quoth　Oxenham；　〃especially　if　it　please　Him　to　avenge　them　by　English　hands。〃

〃And　I　also；〃　went　on　Sir　Richard；　〃for　the　rightful　owners　of　the　said　goods　being　either　miserably　dead；　or　incapable；　by　reason　of　their　servitude；　of　ever　recovering　any　share　thereof；　the　treasure；　falsely　called　Spanish；　cannot　be　better　bestowed　than　in　building　up　the　state　of　England　against　them；　our　natural　enemies；　and　thereby；　in　building　up　the　weal　of　the　Reformed　Churches　throughout　the　world；　and　the　liberties　of　all　nations；　against　a　tyranny　more　foul　and　rapacious　than　that　of　Nero　or　Caligula；　which；　if　it　be　not　the　cause　of　God；　I；　for　one；　know　not　what　God's　cause　is！〃　　And；　as　he　warmed　in　his　speech；　his　eyes　flashed　very　fire。

〃Hark　now！〃　said　Oxenham；　〃who　can　speak　more　boldly　than　he？　and　yet　he　will　not　help　this　lad　to　so　noble　an　adventure。〃

〃You　have　asked　his　father　and　mother；　what　is　their　answer？〃

〃Mine　is　this；〃　said　Mr。　Leigh；　〃if　it　be　God's　will　that　my　boy　should　become；　hereafter；　such　a　mariner　as　Sir　Richard　Grenville；　let　him　go；　and　God　be　with　him；　but　let　him　first　bide　here　at　home　and　be　trained；　if　God　give　me　grace；　to　become　such　a　gentleman　as　Sir　Richard　Grenville。〃

Sir　Richard　bowed　low；　and　Mrs。　Leigh　catching　up　the　last　word

〃There；　Mr。　Oxenham；　you　cannot　gainsay　that；　unless　you　will　be　discourteous　to　his　worship。　　And　for　methough　it　be　a　weak　woman's　reason；　yet　it　is　a　mother's：　he　is　my　only　child。　　His　elder　brother　is　far　away。　　God　only　knows　whether　I　shall　see　him　again；　and　what　are　all　reports　of　his　virtues　and　his　learning　to　me；　compared　to　that　sweet　presence　which　I　daily　miss？　　Ah！　Mr。　Oxenham；　my　beautiful　Joseph　is　gone；　and　though　he　be　lord　of　Pharaoh's　household；　yet　he　is　far　away　in　Egypt；　and　you　will　take　Benjamm　also！　　Ah！　Mr。　Oxenham；　you　have　no　child；　or　you　would　not　ask　for　mine！〃

〃And　how　do　you　know　that；　my　sweet　madam！〃　said　the　adventurer；　turning　first　deadly　pale；　and　then　glowing　red。　　Her　last　words　had　touched　him　to　the　quick　in　some　unexpected　place；　and　rising；　he　courteously　laid　her　hand　to　his　lips；　and　said〃I　say　no　more。　Farewell；　sweet　madam；　and　God　send　all　men　such　wives　as　you。〃

〃And　all　wives；〃　said　she；　smiling；　〃such　husbands　as　mine。〃

〃Nay；　I　will　not　say　that；〃　answered　he；　with　a　half　sneerand　then；　〃Farewell；　friend　Leighfarewell；　gallant　Dick　Grenville。　God　send　I　see　thee　Lord　High　Admiral　when　I　come　home。　　And　yet；　why　should　I　come　home？　　Will　you　pray　for　poor　Jack；　gentles？〃

〃Tut；　tut；　man！　good　words；〃　said　Leigh；　〃let　us　drink　to　our　merry　meeting　before　you　go。〃　　And　rising；　and　putting　the　tankard　of　malmsey　to　his　lips；　he　passed　it　to　Sir　Richard；　who　rose；　and　saying；　〃To　the　fortune　of　a　bold　mariner　and　a　gallant　gentleman；〃　drank；　and　put　the　cup　into　Oxenham's　hand。

The　adventurer's　face　was　flushed；　and　his　eye　wild。　　Whether　from　the　liquor　he　had　drunk　during　the　day；　or　whether　from　Mrs。　Leigh's　last　speech；　he　had　not　been　himself　for　a　few　minutes。　　He　lifted　the　cup；　and　was　in　act　to　pledge　them；　when　he　suddenly　dropped　it　on　the　table；　and　pointed；　staring　and　trembling；　up　and　down；　and　round　the　room；　as　if　following　some　fluttering　object。

〃There！　　Do　you　see　it？　　The　bird！the　bird　with　the　white　breast！〃

Each　looked　at　the　other；　but　Leigh；　who　was　a　quick…witted　man　and　an　old　courtier；　forced　a　laugh　instantly；　and　cried〃Nonsense；　brave　Jack　Oxenham！　　Leave　white　birds　for　men　who　will　show　the　white　feather。　　Mrs。　Leigh　waits　to　pledge　you。〃

Oxenham　recovered　himself　in　a　moment；　pledged　them　all　round；　drinking　deep　and　fiercely；　and　after　hearty　farewells；　departed；　never　hinting　again　at　his　strange　exclamation。

After　he　was　gone；　and　while　Leigh　was　attending　him　to　the　door；　Mrs。　Leigh　and　Grenville　kept　a　few　minutes'　dead　silence。　　At　last〃God　help　him！〃　said　she。

〃Amen！〃　said　Grenville；　〃for　he　never　needed　it　more。　　But；　indeed；　madam；　I　put　no　faith　in　such　omens。〃

〃But；　Sir　Richard；　that　bird　has　been　seen　for　generations　before　the　death　of　any　of　his　family。　　I　know　those　who　were　at　South　Tawton　when　his　mother　died；　and　his　brother　also；　and　they　both　saw　it。　　God　help　him！　for；　after　all；　he　is　a　proper　man。〃

〃So　many　a　lady　has　thought　before　now；　Mrs。　Leigh；　and　well　for　him　if　they　had　not。　　But；　indeed；　I　make　no　account　of　omens。　When　God　is　ready　for　each　man；　then　he　must　go；　and　when　can　he　go　better？〃

〃But；〃　said　Mr。　Leigh；　who　entered；　〃I　have　seen；　and　especially　when　I　was　in　Italy；　omens　and　prophecies　before　now　beget　their　own　fulfilment；　by　driving　men　into　recklessness；　and　making　them　run　headlong　upon　that　very　ruin　which；　as　they　fancied；　was　running　upon　them。〃

〃And　which；〃　said　Sir