westward ho-第45节

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eight　months　of　the　year　the　only　vegetable。　And　on　the　dresser；　and　before　the　fire；　whole　hecatombs　of　fragrant　victims；　which　needed　neither　frankincense　nor　myrrh；　Clovelly　herrings　and　Torridge　salmon；　Exmoor　mutton　and　Stow　venison；　stubble　geese　and　woodcocks；　curlew　and　snipe；　hams　of　Hampshire；　chitterlings　of　Taunton；　and　botargos　of　Cadiz；　such　as　Pantagruel　himself　might　have　devoured。　　And　Jack　eyed　them；　as　a　ragged　boy　eyes　the　cakes　in　a　pastrycook's　window；　and　thought　of　the　scraps　from　the　commoners'　dinner；　which　were　his　wages　for　cleaning　out　the　hall；　and　meditated　deeply　on　the　unequal　distribution　of　human　bliss。

〃Ah；　Mr。　Brimblecombe！〃　said　the　host；　bustling　out　with　knife　and　apron　to　cool　himself　in　the　passage。　　〃Here　are　doings！　　Nine　gentlemen　to　supper！〃

〃Nine！　　Are　they　going　to　eat　all　that？〃

〃Well；　I　can't　saythat　Mr。　Amyas　is　as　good　as　three　to　his　trencher：　but　still　there's　crumbs；　Mr。　Brimblecombe；　crumbs；　and　waste　not　want　not　is　my　doctrine；　so　you　and　I　may　have　a　somewhat　to　stay　our　stomachs；　about　an　eight　o'clock。〃

〃Eight？〃　said　Jack；　looking　wistfully　at　the　clock。　　〃It's　but　four　now。　　Well；　it's　kind　of　you；　and　perhaps　I'll　look　in。〃

〃Just　you　step　in　now；　and　look　to　this　venison。　　There's　a　breast！　you　may　lay　your　two　fingers　into　the　say　there；　and　not　get　to　the　bottom　of　the　fat。　　That's　Sir　Richard's　sending。　　He's　all　for　them　Leighs；　and　no　wonder；　they'm　brave　lads；　surely；　and　there's　a　saddle…o'…mutton！　　I　rode　twenty　miles　for　mun　yesterday；　I　did；　over　beyond　Barnstaple；　and　five　year　old；　Mr。　John；　it　is；　if　ever　five　years　was；　and　not　a　tooth　to　mun's　head；　for　I　looked　to　that；　and　smelt　all　the　way　home　like　any　apple；　and　if　it　don't　ate　so　soft　as　ever　was　scald　cream；　never　you　call　me　Thomas　Burman。〃

〃Humph！〃　said　Jack。　　〃And　that's　their　dinner。　　Well；　some　are　born　with　a　silver　spoon　in　their　mouth。〃

〃Some　be　born　with　roast　beef　in　their　mouths；　and　plum…pudding　in　their　pocket　to　take　away　the　taste　o'　mun；　and　that's　better　than　empty　spunes；　eh？〃

〃For　them　that　get　it；〃　said　Jack。　　〃But　for　them　that　don't〃　And　with　a　sigh　he　returned　to　his　small　ale；　and　then　lingered　in　and　out　of　the　inn；　watching　the　dinner　as　it　went　into　the　best　room；　where　the　guests　were　assembled。

And　as　he　lounged　there；　Amyas　went　in；　and　saw　him；　and　held　out　his　hand；　and　said

〃Hillo；　Jack！　how　goes　the　world？　　How　you've　grown！〃　and　passed　on；what　had　Jack　Brimblecombe　to　do　with　Rose　Salterne？

So　Jack　lingered　on；　hovering　around　the　fragrant　smell　like　a　fly　round　a　honey…pot；　till　he　found　himself　invisibly　attracted；　and　as　it　were　led　by　the　nose　out　of　the　passage　into　the　adjoining　room；　and　to　that　side　of　the　room　where　there　was　a　door；　and　once　there　he　could　not　help　hearing　what　passed　inside；　till　Rose　Salterne's　name　fell　on　his　ear。　　So；　as　it　was　ordained；　he　was　taken　in　the　fact。　　And　now　behold　him　brought　in　red…hand　to　judgment；　not　without　a　kick　or　two　from　the　wrathful　foot　of　Amyas　Leigh。　　Whereat　there　fell　on　him　a　storm　of　abuse；　which；　for　the　honor　of　that　gallant　company；　I　shall　not　give　in　detail；　but　which　abuse；　strange　to　say；　seemed　to　have　no　effect　on　the　impenitent　and　unabashed　Jack；　who；　as　soon　as　he　could　get　his　breath；　made　answer　fiercely；　amid　much　puffing　and　blowing。

〃What　business　have　I　here？　　As　much　as　any　of　you。　　If　you　had　asked　me　in；　I　would　have　come：　but　as　you　didn't；　I　came　without　asking。〃

〃You　shameless　rascal！〃　said　Cary。　　〃Come　if　you　were　asked；　where　there　was　good　wine？　　I'll　warrant　you　for　that！〃

〃Why；〃　said　Amyas；　〃no　lad　ever　had　a　cake　at　school　but　he　would　dog　him　up　one　street　and　down　another　all　day　for　the　crumbs；　the　trencher…scraping　spaniel！〃

〃Patience；　masters！　〃said　Frank。　　〃That　Jack's　is　somewhat　of　a　gnathonic　and　parasitic　soul；　or　stomach；　all　Bideford　apple…women　know；　but　I　suspect　more　than　Deus　Venter　has　brought　him　hither。〃

〃Deus　eavesdropping；　then。　　We　shall　have　the　whole　story　over　the　town　by　to…morrow；〃　said　another；　beginning　at　that　thought　to　feel　somewhat　ashamed　of　his　late　enthusiasm。

〃Ah；　Mr。　Frank！　　You　were　always　the　only　one　that　would　stand　up　for　me！　　Deus　Venter；　quotha？　　'Twas　Deus　Cupid；　it　was！〃

A　roar　of　laughter　followed　this　announcement。

〃What？〃　asked　Frank；　〃was　it　Cupid；　then；　who　sneezed　approval　to　our　love；　Jack；　as　he　did　to　that　of　Dido　and　Aeneas？〃

But　Jack　went　on　desperately。

〃I　was　in　the　next　room；　drinking　of　my　beer。　　I　couldn't　help　that；　could　I？　　And　then　I　heard　her　name；　and　I　couldn't　help　listening　then。　　Flesh　and　blood　couldn't。〃

〃Nor　fat　either！〃

〃No；　nor　fat；　Mr。　Cary。　　Do　you　suppose　fat　men　haven't　souls　to　be　saved　as　well　as　thin　ones；　and　hearts　to　burst；　too；　as　well　as　stomachs？　　Fat！　　Fat　can　feel；　I　reckon；　as　well　as　lean。　　Do　you　suppose　there's　naught　inside　here　but　beer？〃

And　he　laid　his　hand；　as　Drayton　might　have　said；　on　that　stout　bastion；　hornwork；　ravelin；　or　demilune；　which　formed　the　outworks　to　the　citadel　of　his　purple　isle　of　man。

〃Naught　but　beer？Cheese；　I　suppose？〃

〃Bread？〃

〃Beef？〃

〃Love！〃　cried　Jack。　　〃Yes；　Love！Ay；　you　laugh；　but　my　eyes　are　not　so　grown　up　with　fat　but　what　I　can　see　what's　fair　as　well　as　you。〃

〃Oh；　Jack；　naughty　Jack；　dost　thou　heap　sin　on　sin；　and　luxury　on　gluttony？〃

〃Sin？　　If　I　sin；　you　sin：　I　tell　you；　and　I　don't　care　who　knows　it；　I've　loved　her　these　three　years　as　well　as　e'er　a　one　of　you；　I　have。　　I've　thought　o'　nothing　else；　prayed　for　nothing　else；　God　forgive　me！　　And　then　you　laugh　at　me；　because　I'm　a　poor　parson's　son；　and　you　fine　gentlemen：　God　made　us　both；　I　reckon。　　You？you　make　a　deal　of　giving　her　up　to…day。　　Why；　it's　what　I've　done　for　three　miserable　years　as　ever　poor　sinner　spent；　ay；　from　the　first　day　I　said　to　myself；　'Jack；　if　you　can't　have　that　pearl；　you'll　have　none；　and　that　you　can't　have；　for　it's　meat　for　your　masters：　so　conquer　or　die。'　　And　I　couldn't　conquer。　　I　can't　help　loving　her；　worshipping　her；　no　more　than　you；　and　I　will　die：　but　you　needn't　laugh　meanwhile　at　me　that　have　done　as　much　as　you；　and　will　do　again。〃

〃It　is　the　old　tale；〃　said　Frank　to　himself；　〃whom　will　not　love　transform　into　a　hero？〃

And　so　it　was。　　Jack's　squeaking　voice　was　firm　and　manly；　his　pig's　eyes　flashed　very　fire；　his　gestures　were　so　free　and　earnest；　that　the　ungainliness　of　his　figure　was　forgotten；　and　when　he　finished　with　a　violent　burst　of　tears；　Frank；　forgetting　his　wounds；　sprang　up　and　caught　him　by　the　hand。

〃John　Brimblecombe；　forgive　me！　　Gentlemen；　if　we　are　gentlemen；　we　ought　to　ask　his　pardon。　　Has　he　not　shown　already　more　chivalry；　more　self…denial；　and　therefore　more　true　love；　than　any　of　us？　　My　friends；　let　the　fierceness　of　affection；　which　we　have　used　as　an　excuse　for　many　a　sin　of　our　own；　excuse　his　listening　to　a　conversation　in　which　he　well　deserved　to　bear　a　part。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Jack；　〃you　make　me　one　of　your　brotherhood；　and　see　if　I　do　not　dare　to　suffer　as　much　as　any　of　you！　　You　laugh？　　Do　you　fancy　none　can　use　a　sword　unless　he　has　a　baker's　dozen　of　quarterings　in　his　arms；　or　that　Oxford　scholars　know　only　how　to　handle　a　pen？〃

〃Let　us　try　his　metal；〃　said　St。　Leger。　　〃Here's　my　sword；　Jack；　draw；　Coffin！　and　have　at　him。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　said　Coffin；　looking　somewhat　disgusted　at　the　notion　of　fighting　a　man　of　Jack's　rank；　but　Jack　caught　at　the　weapon　offered　to　him。

〃Give　me　a　buckler；　and　have　at　any　of　you！〃

〃Here's　a　chair　bottom；〃　cried　Cary；　and　Jack；　seizing　it　in　his　left；　flourished　his　sword　so　fiercely；　and　called　so　loudly　to　Coffin　to　come　on；　that　all　present　found　it　necessary；　unless　they　wished　blood　to　be　spilt；　to　turn　the　matter　off　with　a　laugh：　but　Jack　would　not　hear　of　it。

〃Nay：　if　you　will　let　me　be　of　your　brotherhood；　well　and　good：　but　if　not；　one　or　other　I　will　fight：　and　that's　flat。〃

〃You　see；　gentlemen；〃　said　Amyas；　〃we　must　admit　him　or　die　the　death；　so　we　needs　must　go　when　Sir　Urian　drives。　　Come　up；　Jack；　and　take　the　oaths。　　You　admit　him；　gentlemen？〃

〃Let　me　but　be　your　chaplain；〃　said　Jack；　〃and　pray　for　your　luck　when　you're　at　the　wars。　　If　I　do　stay　at　home　in　a　country　curacy；　'tis　not　much　that　you　need　be　jealous　of　me　with　her；　I　reckon；〃　said　Jack；　with　a　pathetical　glance　at　his　own　stomach。

〃Sia！〃　said　Cary：　〃but　if　he　be　admitted；　it　must　be　done　according　to　the　solemn　forms　and　ceremonies　in　such　cases　provided。　　Take　him　into　the　next　room；　Amyas；　and　prepare　him　for　his　initiation。〃

〃What's　that？〃　asked　Amyas；　puzzled　by　the　word。　　But　judging　from　the　corner　of　Will's　eye　that　initiation　was　Latin　for　a　practical　joke；　he　led　forth　his　victim　behind　the　arras　again；　and　waited　five　minutes　while　the　room　was　being　darkened；　till　Frank's　voice　called　to　him　to　bring　in　the　neophyte。

〃John　Brimblecombe；〃　said　Frank；　in　a　sepulchral　tone；　〃you　cannot　be　ignorant；　as　a　scholar　and　bachelor　of　Oxford；　of　that　dread　sacrament　by　which　Catiline　bound　the　soul　of　his　fellow…　conspirators；　in　order　that　both　by　the　daring　of　the　deed　he　might　have　proof　of　their　sincerity；　and　by　the　horror　thereof　astringe　their　souls　by　adamantine　fe