westward ho-第44节

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inst　her　foes；　in　deeds　of　courtesy　and　mercy　to　the　afflicted　and　oppressed；　and　thus　our　love　will　indeed　prove　its　own　divine　origin；　by　raising　us　nearer　to　those　gods　whose　gift　it　is。　　But　yet　I　show　you　a　more　excellent　way；　and　that　is　charity。　　Why　should　we　not　make　this　common　love　to　her；　whom　I　am　unworthy　to　name；　the　sacrament　of　a　common　love　to　each　other？　　Why　should　we　not　follow　the　heroical　examples　of　those　ancient　knights；　who　having　but　one　grief；　one　desire；　one　goddess；　held　that　one　heart　was　enough　to　contain　that　grief；　to　nourish　that　desire；　to　worship　that　divinity；　and　so　uniting　themselves　in　friendship　till　they　became　but　one　soul　in　two　bodies；　lived　only　for　each　other　in　living　only　for　her；　vowing　as　faithful　worshippers　to　abide　by　her　decision；　to　find　their　own　bliss　in　hers；　and　whomsoever　she　esteemed　most　worthy　of　her　love；　to　esteem　most　worthy　also；　and　count　themselves；　by　that　her　choice；　the　bounden　servants　of　him　whom　their　mistress　had　condescended　to　advance　to　the　dignity　of　her　master？as　I　（not　without　hope　that　I　shall　be　outdone　in　generous　strife）　do　here　promise　to　be　the　faithful　friend；　and；　to　my　ability；　the　hearty　servant；　of　him　who　shall　be　honored　with　the　love　of　the　Rose　of　Torridge。〃

He　ceased；　and　there　was　a　pause。

At　last　young　Fortescue　spoke。

〃I　may　be　paying　you　a　left…handed　compliment；　sir：　but　it　seems　to　me　that　you　are　so　likely；　in　that　case；　to　become　your　own　faithful　friend　and　hearty　servant　（even　if　you　have　not　borne　off　the　bell　already　while　we　have　been　asleep）；　that　the　bargain　is　hardly　fair　between　such　a　gay　Italianist　and　us　country　swains。〃

〃You　undervalue　yourself　and　your　country；　my　dear　sir。　　But　set　your　mind　at　rest。　　I　know　no　more　of　that　lady's　mind　than　you　do：　nor　shall　I　know。　　For　the　sake　of　my　own　peace；　I　have　made　a　vow　neither　to　see　her；　nor　to　hear；　if　possible；　tidings　of　her；　till　three　full　years　are　past。　　Dixi？〃

Mr。　Coffin　rose。

〃Gentlemen；　I　may　submit　to　be　outdone　by　Mr。　Leigh　in　eloquence；　but　not　in　generosity；　if　he　leaves　these　parts　for　three　years；　I　do　so　also。〃

〃And　go　in　charity　with　all　mankind；〃　said　Cary。　　〃Give　us　your　hand；　old　fellow。　　If　you　are　a　Coffin；　you　were　sawn　out　of　no　wishy…washy　elm…board；　but　right　heart…of…oak。　　I　am　going；　too；　as　Amyas　here　can　tell；　to　Ireland　away；　to　cool　my　hot　liver　in　a　bog；　like　a　Jack…hare　in　March。　　Come；　give　us　thy　neif；　and　let　us　part　in　peace。　　I　was　minded　to　have　fought　thee　this　day〃

〃I　should　have　been　most　happy；　sir；〃　said　Coffin。

〃But　now　I　am　all　love　and　charity　to　mankind。　　Can　I　have　the　pleasure　of　begging　pardon　of　the　world　in　general；　and　thee　in　particular？　　Does　any　one　wish　to　pull　my　nose；　send　me　an　errand；　make　me　lend　him　five　pounds；　ay；　make　me　buy　a　horse　of　him；　which　will　be　as　good　as　giving　him　ten？　　Come　along！　　Join　hands　all　round；　and　swear　eternal　friendship；　as　brothers　of　the　sacred　order　of　theof　what。　　Frank　Leigh？　　Open　thy　mouth；　Daniel；　and　christen　us！〃

〃The　Rose！〃　said　Frank　quietly；　seeing　that　his　new　love…philtre　was　working　well；　and　determined　to　strike　while　the　iron　was　hot；　and　carry　the　matter　too　far　to　carry　it　back　again。

〃The　Rose！〃　cried　Cary；　catching　hold　of　Coffin's　hand　with　his　right；　and　Fortescue's　with　his　left。　　〃Come；　Mr。　Coffin！　　Bend；　sturdy　oak！　　'Woe　to　the　stiffnecked　and　stout…hearted！'　says　Scripture。〃

And　somehow　or　other；　whether　it　was　Frank's　chivalrous　speech；　or　Cary's　fun；　or　Amyas's　good　wine；　or　the　nobleness　which　lies　in　every　young　lad's　heart；　if　their　elders　will　take　the　trouble　to　call　it　out；　the　whole　party　came　in　to　terms　one　by　one；　shook　hands　all　round；　and　vowed　on　the　hilt　of　Amyas's　sword　to　make　fools　of　themselves　no　more；　at　least　by　jealousy：　but　to　stand　by　each　other　and　by　their　lady…love；　and　neither　grudge　nor　grumble；　let　her　dance　with；　flirt　with；　or　marry　with　whom　she　would；　and　in　order　that　the　honor　of　their　peerless　dame；　and　the　brotherhood　which　was　named　after　her；　might　be　spread　through　all　lands；　and　equal　that　of　Angelica　or　Isonde　of　Brittany；　they　would　each　go　home；　and　ask　their　fathers'　leave　（easy　enough　to　obtain　in　those　brave　times）　to　go　abroad　wheresoever　there　were　〃good　wars；〃　to　emulate　there　the　courage　and　the　courtesy　of　Walter　Manny　and　Gonzalo　Fernandes；　Bayard　and　Gaston　de　Foix。　　Why　not？　　Sidney　was　the　hero　of　Europe　at　five…and…twenty；　and　why　not　they？

And　Frank　watched　and　listened　with　one　of　his　quiet　smiles　（his　eyes；　as　some　folks'　do；　smiled　even　when　his　lips　were　still）；　and　only　said：　〃Gentlemen；　be　sure　that　you　will　never　repent　this　day。〃

〃Repent？〃　said　Cary。　　〃I　feel　already　as　angelical　as　thou　lookest；　Saint　Silvertongue。　　What　was　it　that　sneezed？the　cat？〃

〃The　lion；　rather；　by　the　roar　of　it；〃　said　Amyas；　making　a　dash　at　the　arras　behind　him。　　〃Why；　here　is　a　doorway　here！　and〃

And　rushing　under　the　arras；　through　an　open　door　behind；　he　returned；　dragging　out　by　the　head　Mr。　John　Brimblecombe。

Who　was　Mr。　John　Brimblecombe？

If　you　have　forgotten　him；　you　have　done　pretty　nearly　what　every　one　else　in　the　room　had　done。　　But　you　recollect　a　certain　fat　lad；　son　of　the　schoolmaster；　whom　Sir　Richard　punished　for　tale…　bearing　three　years　before；　by　sending　him；　not　to　Coventry；　but　to　Oxford。　　That　was　the　man。　　He　was　now　one…and…twenty；　and　a　bachelor　of　Oxford；　where　he　had　learnt　such　things　as　were　taught　in　those　days；　with　more　or　less　success；　and　he　was　now　hanging　about　Bideford　once　more；　intending　to　return　after　Christmas　and　read　divinity；　that　he　might　become　a　parson；　and　a　shepherd　of　souls　in　his　native　land。

Jack　was　in　person　exceedingly　like　a　pig：　but　not　like　every　pig：　not　in　the　least　like　the　Devon　pigs　of　those　days；　which；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　were　no　more　shapely　than　the　true　Irish　greyhound　who　pays　Pat's　〃rint〃　for　him；　or　than　the　lanky　monsters　who　wallow　in　German　rivulets；　while　the　village　swineherd；　beneath　a　shady　lime；　forgets　his　fleas　in　the　melody　of　a　Jew's　harp　strange　mud…colored　creatures；　four　feet　high　and　four　inches　thick；　which　look　as　if　they　had　passed　their　lives；　as　a　collar　of　Oxford　brawn　is　said　to　do；　between　two　tight　boards。　　Such　were　then　the　pigs　of　Devon：　not　to　be　compared　with　the　true　wild　descendant　of　Noah's　stock；　high…withered；　furry；　grizzled；　game…　flavored　little　rooklers；　whereof　many　a　sownder　still　grunted　about　Swinley　down　and　Braunton　woods；　Clovelly　glens　and　Bursdon　moor。　　Not　like　these；　nor　like　the　tame　abomination　of　those　barbarous　times；　was　Jack：　but　prophetic　in　face；　figure；　and　complexion；　of　Fisher　Hobbs　and　the　triumphs　of　science。　　A　Fisher　Hobbs'　pig　of　twelve　stone；　on　his　hind…legsthat　was　what　he　was；　and　nothing　else；　and　if　you　do　not　know；　reader；　what　a　Fisher　Hobbs　is；　you　know　nothing　about　pigs；　and　deserve　no　bacon　for　breakfast。　　But　such　was　Jack。　　The　same　plump　mulberry　complexion；　garnished　with　a　few　scattered　black　bristles；　the　same　sleek　skin；　looking　always　as　if　it　was　upon　the　point　of　bursting；　the　same　little　toddling　legs；　the　same　dapper　bend　in　the　small　of　the　back；　the　same　cracked　squeak；　the　same　low　upright　forehead；　and　tiny　eyes；　the　same　round　self…satisfied　jowl；　the　same　charming　sensitive　little　cocked　nose；　always　on　the　look…out　for　a　savory　smell；and　yet　while　watching　for　the　best；　contented　with　the　worst；　a　pig　of　self…helpful　and　serene　spirit；　as　Jack　was；　and　therefore；　like　him；　fatting　fast　while　other　pigs'　ribs　are　staring　through　their　skins。

Such　was　Jack；　and　lucky　it　was　for　him　that　such　he　was；　for　it　was　little　that　he　got　to　fat　him　at　Oxford；　in　days　when　a　servitor　meant　really　a　servant…student；　and　wistfully　that　day　did　his　eyes；　led　by　his　nose；　survey　at　the　end　of　the　Ship　Inn　passage　the　preparations　for　Amyas's　supper。　　The　innkeeper　was　a　friend　of　his；　for；　in　the　first　place；　they　had　lived　within　three　doors　of　each　other　all　their　lives；　and　next；　Jack　was　quite　pleasant　company　enough；　beside　being　a　learned　man　and　an　Oxford　scholar；　to　be　asked　in　now　and　then　to　the　innkeeper's　private　parlor；　when　there　were　no　gentlemen　there；　to　crack　his　little　joke　and　tell　his　little　story；　sip　the　leavings　of　the　guests'　sack；　and　sometimes　help　the　host　to　eat　the　leavings　of　their　supper。　　And　it　was；　perhaps；　with　some　such　hope　that　Jack　trotted　off　round　the　corner　to　the　Ship　that　very　afternoon；　for　that　faithful　little　nose　of　his；　as　it　sniffed　out　of　a　back　window　of　the　school；　had　given　him　warning　of　Sabean　gales；　and　scents　of　Paradise；　from　the　inn　kitchen　below；　so　he　went　round；　and　asked　for　his　pot　of　small　ale　（his　only　luxury）；　and　stood　at　the　bar　to　drink　it；　and　looked　inward　with　his　little　twinkling　right　eye；　and　sniffed　inward　with　his　little　curling　right　nostril；　and　beheld；　in　the　kitchen　beyond；　salad　in　stacks　and　fagots：　salad　of　lettuce；　salad　of　cress　and　endive；　salad　of　boiled　coleworts；　salad　of　pickled　coleworts；　salad　of　angelica；　salad　of　scurvy…　wort；　and　seven　salads　more；　for　potatoes　were　not　as　yet；　and　salads　were　during　eight　months　of　the　year　the　only　vegetable。　And　on　the　dresser；　and　before　the　fire；　whole　hecatomb