westward ho-第51节

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　ignorant　of　that　witty　and　learned　language）　the　expression　of　my　pleasure　at　having　fallen　into　the　hands　of　one　so　renowned　in　war　and　travel；　and　of　one　also；〃　he　added；　glancing　at　Amyas's　giant　bulk；　〃the　vastness　of　whose　strength；　beyond　that　of　common　mortality；　makes　it　no　more　shame　for　me　to　have　been　overpowered　and　carried　away　by　him　than　if　my　captor　had　been　a　paladin　of　Charlemagne's。〃

Honest　Amyas　bowed　and　stammered；　a　little　thrown　off　his　balance　by　the　unexpected　assurance　and　cool　flattery　of　his　prisoner；　but　he　said

〃If　you　are　satisfied；　illustrious　senor；　I　am　bound　to　be　so。　　I　only　trust　that　in　my　hurry　and　the　darkness　I　have　not　hurt　you　unnecessarily。〃

The　Don　laughed　a　pretty　little　hollow　laugh：　〃No；　kind　senor；　my　head；　I　trust；　will　after　a　few　days　have　become　united　to　my　shoulders；　and；　for　the　present；　your　company　will　make　me　forget　any　slight　discomfort。〃

〃Pardon　me；　senor；　but　by　this　daylight　I　should　have　seen　that　armor　before。〃

〃I　doubt　it　not；　senor；　as　having　been　yourself　also　in　the　forefront　of　the　battle；〃　said　the　Spaniard；　with　a　proud　smile。

〃If　I　am　right；　senor；　you　are　he　who　yesterday　held　up　the　standard　after　it　was　shot　down。〃

〃I　do　not　deny　that　undeserved　honor；　and　I　have　to　thank　the　courtesy　of　you　and　your　countrymen　for　having　permitted　me　to　do　so　with　impunity。〃

〃Ah；　I　heard　of　that　brave　feat；〃　said　the　lord　deputy。　　〃You　should　consider　yourself；　Mr。　Leigh；　honored　by　being　enabled　to　show　courtesy　to　such　a　warrior。〃

How　long　this　interchange　of　solemn　compliments；　of　which　Amyas　was　getting　somewhat　weary；　would　have　gone　on；　I　know　not；　but　at　that　moment　Raleigh　entered　hastily

〃My　lord；　they　have　hung　out　a　white　flag；　and　are　calling　for　a　parley！〃

The　Spaniard　turned　pale；　and　felt　for　his　sword；　which　was　gone；　and　then；　with　a　bitter　laugh；　murmured　to　himself〃As　I　expected。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　to　hear　it。　　Would　to　Heaven　they　had　simply　fought　it　out！〃　said　Lord　Grey；　half　to　himself；　and　then；　〃Go；　Captain　Raleigh；　and　answer　them　that　（saving　this　gentleman's　presence）　the　laws　of　war　forbid　a　parley　with　any　who　are　leagued　with　rebels　against　their　lawful　sovereign。〃

〃But　what　if　they　wish　to　treat　for　this　gentleman's　ransom？〃

〃For　their　own；　more　likely；〃　said　the　Spaniard；　〃but　tell　them；　on　my　part；　senor；　that　Don　Guzman　refuses　to　be　ransomed；　and　will　return　to　no　camp　where　the　commanding　officer；　unable　to　infect　his　captains　with　his　own　cowardice；　dishonors　them　against　their　will。〃

〃You　speak　sharply；　senor；〃　said　Winter；　after　Raleigh　had　gone　out。

〃I　have　reason；　Senor　Admiral；　as　you　will　find；　I　fear；　erelong。〃

〃We　shall　have　the　honor　of　leaving　you　here；　for　the　present；　sir；　as　Admiral　Winter's　guest；〃　said　the　lord　deputy。

〃But　not　my　sword；　it　seems。〃

〃Pardon　me；　senor；　but　no　one　has　deprived　you　of　your　sword；〃　said　Winter。

〃I　don't　wish　to　pain　you；　sir；〃　said　Amyas；　〃but　I　fear　that　we　were　both　careless　enough　to　leave　it　behind　last　night。〃

A　flash　passed　over　the　Spaniard's　face；　which　disclosed　terrible　depths　of　fury　and　hatred　beneath　that　quiet　mask；　as　the　summer　lightning　displays　the　black　abysses　of　the　thunder…storm；　but　like　the　summer　lightning　it　passed　almost　unseen；　and　blandly　as　ever；　he　answered：

〃I　can　forgive　you　for　such　a　neglect；　most　valiant　sir；　more　easily　than　I　can　forgive　myself。　　Farewell；　sir！　　One　who　has　lost　his　sword　is　no　fit　company　for　you。〃　　And　as　Amyas　and　the　rest　departed；　he　plunged　into　the　inner　tent；　stamping　and　writhing；　gnawing　his　hands　with　rage　and　shame。

As　Amyas　came　out　on　the　battery；　Yeo　hailed　him：

〃Master　Amyas！　　Hillo；　sir！　　For　the　love　of　Heaven；　tell　me！〃

〃What；　then？〃

〃Is　his　lordship　stanch？　　Will　he　do　the　Lord's　work　faithfully；　root　and　branch：　or　will　he　spare　the　Amalekites？〃

〃The　latter；　I　think；　old　hip…and…thigh；〃　said　Amyas；　hurrying　forward　to　hear　the　news　from　Raleigh；　who　appeared　in　sight　once　more。

〃They　ask　to　depart　with　bag　and　baggage；〃　said　he；　when　he　came　up。

〃God　do　so　to　me；　and　more　also；　if　they　carry　away　a　straw！〃　said　Lord　Grey。　　〃Make　short　work　of　it；　sir！〃

〃I　do　not　know　how　that　will　be；　my　lord；　as　I　came　up　a　captain　shouted　to　me　off　the　walls　that　there　were　mutineers；　and；　denying　that　he　surrendered；　would　have　pulled　down　the　flag　of　truce；　but　the　soldiers　beat　him　off。〃

〃A　house　divided　against　itself　will　not　stand　long；　gentlemen。　Tell　them　that　I　give　no　conditions。　　Let　them　lay　down　their　arms；　and　trust　in　the　Bishop　of　Rome　who　sent　them　hither；　and　may　come　to　save　them　if　he　wants　them。　　Gunners；　if　you　see　the　white　flag　go　down；　open　your　fire　instantly。　　Captain　Raleigh；　we　need　your　counsel　here。　　Mr。　Cary；　will　you　be　my　herald　this　time？〃

〃A　better　Protestant　never　went　on　a　pleasanter　errand；　my　lord。〃

So　Cary　went；　and　then　ensued　an　argument；　as　to　what　should　be　done　with　the　prisoners　in　case　of　a　surrender。

I　cannot　tell　whether　my　Lord　Grey　meant；　by　offering　conditions　which　the　Spaniards　would　not　accept；　to　force　them　into　fighting　the　quarrel　out；　and　so　save　himself　the　responsibility　of　deciding　on　their　fate；　or　whether　his　mere　natural　stubbornness；　as　well　as　his　just　indignation；　drove　him　on　too　far　to　retract：　but　the　council　of　war　which　followed　was　both　a　sad　and　a　stormy　one；　and　one　which　he　had　reason　to　regret　to　his　dying　day。　　What　was　to　be　done　with　the　enemy？　　They　already　outnumbered　the　English；　and　some　fifteen　hundred　of　Desmond's　wild　Irish　hovered　in　the　forests　round；　ready　to　side　with　the　winning　party；　or　even　to　attack　the　English　at　the　least　sign　of　vacillation　or　fear。　　They　could　not　carry　the　Spaniards　away　with　them；　for　they　had　neither　shipping　nor　food；　not　even　handcuffs　enough　for　them；　and　as　Mackworth　told　Winter　when　he　proposed　it；　the　only　plan　was　for　him　to　make　San　Josepho　a　present　of　his　ships；　and　swim　home　himself　as　he　could。　To　turn　loose　in　Ireland；　as　Captain　Touch　urged；　on　the　other　hand；　seven　hundred　such　monsters　of　lawlessness；　cruelty；　and　lust；　as　Spanish　and　Italian　condottieri　were　in　those　days；　was　as　fatal　to　their　own　safety　as　cruel　to　the　wretched　Irish。　　All　the　captains；　without　exception；　followed　on　the　same　side。　　〃What　was　to　be　done；　then？〃　asked　Lord　Grey；　impatiently。　　〃Would　they　have　him　murder　them　all　in　cold　blood？〃

And　for　a　while　every　man；　knowing　that　it　must　come　to　that；　and　yet　not　daring　to　say　it；　till　Sir　Warham　St。　Leger；　the　marshal　of　Munster；　spoke　out　stoutly：　〃Foreigners　had　been　scoffing　them　too　long　and　too　truly　with　waging　these　Irish　wars　as　if　they　meant　to　keep　them　alive；　rather　than　end　them。　　Mercy　and　faith　to　every　Irishman　who　would　show　mercy　and　faith；　was　his　motto；　but　to　invaders；　no　mercy。　　Ireland　was　England's　vulnerable　point；　it　might　be　some　day　her　ruin；　a　terrible　example　must　be　made　of　those　who　dare　to　touch　the　sore。　　Rather　pardon　the　Spaniards　for　landing　in　the　Thames　than　in　Ireland！〃till　Lord　Grey　became　much　excited；　and　turning　as　a　last　hope　to　Raleigh；　asked　his　opinion：　but　Raleigh's　silver　tongue　was　that　day　not　on　the　side　of　indulgence。　　He　skilfully　recapitulated　the　arguments　of　his　fellow…captains；　improving　them　as　he　went　on；　till　each　worthy　soldier　was　surprised　to　find　himself　so　much　wiser　a　man　than　he　had　thought；　and　finished　by　one　of　his　rapid　and　passionate　perorations　upon　his　favorite　themethe　West　Indian　cruelties　of　the　Spaniards；　〃。　。　。　by　which　great　tracts　and　fair　countries　are　now　utterly　stripped　of　inhabitants　by　heavy　bondage　and　torments　unspeakable。　　Oh；　witless　Islanders！〃　said　he；　apostrophizing　the　Irish；　〃would　to　Heaven　that　you　were　here　to　listen　to　me！　　What　other　fate　awaits　you；　if　this　viper；　which　you　are　so　ready　to　take　into　your　bosom；　should　be　warmed　to　life；　but　to　groan　like　the　Indians；　slaves　to　the　Spaniard；　but　to　perish　like　the　Indians；　by　heavy　burdens；　cruel　chains；　plunder　and　ravishment；　scourged；　racked；　roasted；　stabbed；　sawn　in　sunder；　cast　to　feed　the　dogs；　as　simple　and　more　righteous　peoples　have　perished　ere　now　by　millions？　　And　what　else；　I　say；　had　been　the　fate　of　Ireland　had　this　invasion　prospered；　which　God　has　now；　by　our　weak　hands；　confounded　and　brought　to　naught？　　Shall　we　then　answer　it；　my　lord；　either　to　our　conscience；　our　God；　or　our　queen；　if　we　shall　set　loose　men　（not　one　of　whom；　I　warrant；　but　is　stained　with　murder　on　murder）　to　go　and　fill　up　the　cup　of　their　iniquity　among　these　silly　sheep？　　Have　not　their　native　wolves；　their　barbarous　chieftains；　shorn；　peeled；　and　slaughtered　them　enough　already；　but　we　must　add　this　pack　of　foreign　wolves　to　the　number　of　their　tormentors；　and　fit　the　Desmond　with　a　body…guard　of　seven；　yea；　seven　hundred　devils　worse　than　himself？　　Nay；　rather　let　us　do　violence　to　our　own　human　nature；　and　show　ourselves　in　appearance　rigorous；　that　we　may　be　kind　indeed；　lest　while　we　presume　to　be　over…merciful　to　the　guilty；　we　prove　ourselves　to　be　over…cruel　to　the　innocent。〃

〃Captain　Raleigh；　Captain　Raleigh；〃　said　Lord　Grey；　〃the　blood　of　these　men　be　on　your　head！〃

〃It　ill　befits　your　lordship；〃　answered　Raleigh；　〃to