westward ho-第52节

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

〃It　ill　befits　your　lordship；〃　answered　Raleigh；　〃to　throw　on　your　subordinates　the　blame　of　that　which　your　reason　approves　as　necessary。〃

〃I　should　have　thought；　sir；　that　one　so　noted　for　ambition　as　Captain　Raleigh　would　have　been　more　careful　of　the　favor　of　that　queen　for　whose　smiles　he　is　said　to　be　so　longing　a　competitor。　If　you　have　not　yet　been　of　her　counsels；　sir；　I　can　tell　you　you　are　not　likely　to　be。　　She　will　be　furious　when　she　hears　of　this　cruelty。〃

Lord　Grey　had　lost　his　temper：　but　Raleigh　kept　his；　and　answered　quietly

〃Her　majesty　shall　at　least　not　find　me　among　the　number　of　those　who　prefer　her　favor　to　her　safety；　and　abuse　to　their　own　profit　that　over…tenderness　and　mercifulness　of　heart　which　is　the　only　blemish　（and　yet；　rather　like　a　mole　on　a　fair　cheek；　but　a　new　beauty）　in　her　manifold　perfections。〃

At　this　juncture　Cary　returned。

〃My　lord；〃　said　he；　in　some　confusion；　〃I　have　proposed　your　terms；　but　the　captains　still　entreat　for　some　mitigation；　and；　to　tell　you　truth；　one　of　them　has　insisted　on　accompanying　me　hither　to　plead　his　cause　himself。〃

〃I　will　not　see　him；　sir。　　Who　is　he？〃

〃His　name　is　Sebastian　of　Modena；　my　lord。〃

〃Sebastian　of　Modena？　　What　think　you；　gentlemen？　　May　we　make　an　exception　in　favor　of　so　famous　a　soldier？〃

〃So　villainous　a　cut…throat；〃　said　Zouch　to　Raleigh；　under　his　breath。

All；　however；　were　for　speaking　with　so　famous　a　man；　and　in　came；　in　full　armor；　a　short；　bull…necked　Italian；　evidently　of　immense　strength；　of　the　true　Caesar　Borgia　stamp。

〃Will　you　please　to　be　seated；　sir？〃　said　Lord　Grey；　coldly。

〃I　kiss　your　hands；　most　illustrious：　but　I　do　not　sit　in　an　enemy's　camp。　　Ha；　my　friend　Zouch！　　How　has　your　signoria　fared　since　we　fought　side　by　side　at　Lepanto？　　So　you　too　are　here；　sitting　in　council　on　the　hanging　of　me。〃

〃What　is　your　errand；　sir？　　Time　is　short；〃　said　the　lord　deputy。

〃Corpo　di　Bacco！　　It　has　been　long　enough　all　the　morning；　for　my　rascals　have　kept　me　and　my　friend　the　Colonel　Hercules　（whom　you　know；　doubtless）　prisoners　in　our　tents　at　the　pike's　point。　　My　lord　deputy；　I　have　but　a　few　words。　　I　shall　thank　you　to　take　every　soldier　in　the　fortItalian；　Spaniard；　and　Irishand　hang　them　up　as　high　as　Haman；　for　a　set　of　mutinous　cowards；　with　the　arch…traitor　San　Josepho　at　their　head。〃

〃I　am　obliged　to　you　for　your　offer；　sir；　and　shall　deliberate　presently　as　to　whether　I　shall　not　accept　it。〃

〃But　as　for　us　captains；　really　your　excellency　must　consider　that　we　are　gentlemen　born；　and　give　us　either　buena　querra；　as　the　Spaniards　say；　or　a　fair　chance　for　life；　and　so　to　my　business。〃

〃Stay；　sir。　　Answer　this　first。　　Have　you　or　yours　any　commission　to　show　either　from　the　King　of　Spain　or　any　other　potentate？〃

〃Never　a　one　but　the　cause　of　Heaven　and　our　own　swords。　　And　with　them；　my　lord；　we　are　ready　to　meet　any　gentlemen　of　your　camp；　man　to　man；　with　our　swords　only；　half…way　between　your　leaguer　and　ours；　and　I　doubt　not　that　your　lordship　will　see　fair　play。　　Will　any　gentleman　accept　so　civil　an　offer？　　There　sits　a　tall　youth　in　that　corner　who　would　suit　me　very　well。　　Will　any　fit　my　gallant　comrades　with　half…an…hour's　punto　and　stoccado？〃

There　was　a　silence；　all　looking　at　the　lord　deputy；　whose　eyes　were　kindling　in　a　very　ugly　way。

〃No　answer？　　Then　I　must　proceed　to　exhortation。　　So！　　Will　that　be　sufficient？〃

And　walking　composedly　across　the　tent；　the　fearless　ruffian　quietly　stooped　down；　and　smote　Amyas　Leigh　full　in　the　face。

Up　sprang　Amyas；　heedless　of　all　the　august　assembly；　and　with　a　single　buffet　felled　him　to　the　earth。

〃Excellent！〃　said　he；　rising　unabashed。　　〃I　can　always　trust　my　instinct。　　I　knew　the　moment　I　saw　him　that　he　was　a　cavalier　worth　letting　blood。　　Now；　sir；　your　sword　and　harness；　and　I　am　at　your　service　outside！〃

The　solemn　and　sententious　Englishmen　were　altogether　taken　aback　by　the　Italian's　impudence；　but　Zouch　settled　the　matter。

〃Most　noble　captain；　will　you　be　pleased　to　recollect　a　certain　little　occurrence　at　Messina；　in　the　year　1575？　　For　if　you　do　not；　I　do；　and　beg　to　inform　this　gentleman　that　you　are　unworthy　of　his　sword；　and　had　you；　unluckily　for　you；　been　an　Englishman；　would　have　found　the　fashions　of　our　country　so　different　from　your　own　that　you　would　have　been　then　hanged；　sir；　and　probably　may　be　so　still。〃

The　Italian's　sword　flashed　out　in　a　moment：　but　Lord　Grey　interfered。

〃No　fighting　here；　gentlemen。　　That　may　wait；　and；　what　is　more；　shall　wait　tillStrike　their　swords　down；　Raleigh；　Mackworth！　Strike　their　swords　down！　　Colonel　Sebastian；　you　will　be　pleased　to　return　as　you　came；　in　safety；　having　lost　nothing；　as　（I　frankly　tell　you）　you　have　gained　nothing；　by　your　wild　bearing　here。　　We　shall　proceed　to　deliberate　on　your　fate。〃

〃I　trust；　my　lord；〃　said　Amyas；　〃that　you　will　spare　this　braggart's　life；　at　least　for　a　day　or　two。　　For　in　spite　of　Captain　Zouch's　warning；　I　must　have　to　do　with　him　yet；　or　my　cheek　will　rise　up　in　judgment　against　me　at　the　last　day。〃

〃Well　spoken；　lad；〃　said　the　colonel；　as　he　swung　out。　　〃So！　worth　a　reprieve；　by　this　sword；　to　have　one　more　rapier…rattle　before　the　gallows！　　Then　I　take　back　no　further　answer；　my　lord　deputy？　Not　even　our　swords；　our　virgin　blades；　signor；　the　soldier's　cherished　bride？　　Shall　we　go　forth　weeping　widowers；　and　leave　to　strange　embrace　the　lovely　steel？〃

〃None；　sir；　by　heaven！〃　said　he；　waxing　wroth。　　〃Do　you　come　hither；　pirates　as　you　are；　to　dictate　terms　upon　a　foreign　soil？　Is　it　not　enough　to　have　set　up　here　the　Spanish　flag；　and　claimed　the　land　of　Ireland　as　the　Pope's　gift　to　the　Spaniard；　violated　the　laws　of　nations；　and　the　solemn　treaties　of　princes；　under　color　of　a　mad　superstition？〃

〃Superstition；　my　lord？　　Nothing　less。　　Believe　a　philosopher　who　has　not　said　a　pater　or　an　ave　for　seven　years　past　at　least。　　Quod　tango　credo；　is　my　motto；　and　though　I　am　bound　to　say；　under　pain　of　the　Inquisition；　that　the　most　holy　Father　the　Pope　has　given　this　land　of　Ireland　to　his　most　Catholic　Majesty　the　King　of　Spain；　Queen　Elizabeth　having　forfeited　her　title　to　it　by　heresy；　why；　my　lord；　I　believe　it　as　little　as　you　do。　　I　believe　that　Ireland　would　have　been　mine；　if　I　had　won　it；　I　believe　religiously　that　it　is　not　mine；　now　I　have　lost　it。　　What　is；　is；　and　a　fig　for　priests；　to…day　to　thee；　to…morrow　to　me。　　Addio！〃　And　out　he　swung

〃There　goes　a　most　gallant　rascal；〃　said　the　lord　deputy。

〃And　a　most　rascally　gallant；〃　said　Zouch。　　〃The　murder　of　his　own　page；　of　which　I　gave　him　a　remembrancer；　is　among　the　least　of　his　sins。〃

〃And　now；　Captain　Raleigh；〃　said　Lord　Grey；　as　you　have　been　so　earnest　in　preaching　this　butchery；　I　have　a　right　to　ask　none　but　you　to　practise　it。〃

Raleigh　bit　his　lip；　and　replied　by　the　〃quip　courteous〃

〃I　am　at　least　a　man；　my　lord；　who　thinks　it　shame　to　allow　others　to　do　that　which　I　dare　not　do　myself。〃

Lord　Grey　might　probably　have　returned　〃the　countercheck　quarrelsome；〃　had　not　Mackworth　risen

〃And　I；　my　lord；　being　in　that　matter　at　least　one　of　Captain　Raleigh's　kidney；　will　just　go　with　him　to　see　that　he　takes　no　harm　by　being　bold　enough　to　carry　out　an　ugly　business；　and　serving　these　rascals　as　their　countrymen　served　Mr。　Oxenham。〃

〃I　bid　you　good　morning；　then；　gentlemen；　though　I　cannot　bid　you　God　speed；〃　said　Lord　Grey；　and　sitting　down　again；　covered　his　face　with　his　hands；　and；　to　the　astonishment　of　all　bystanders；　burst；　say　the　chroniclers；　into　tears。

Amyas　followed　Raleigh　out。　　The　latter　was　pale；　but　determined；　and　very　wroth　against　the　deputy。

〃Does　the　man　take　me　for　a　hangman；〃　said　he；　〃that　he　speaks　to　me　thus？　　But　such　is　the　way　of　the　great。　　If　you　neglect　your　duty；　they　haul　you　over　the　coals；　if　you　do　it；　you　must　do　it　on　your　own　responsibility。　　Farewell；　Amyas；　you　will　not　shrink　from　me　as　a　butcher　when　I　return？〃

〃God　forbid！　But　how　will　you　do　it？〃

〃March　one　company　in；　and　drive　them　forth；　and　let　the　other　cut　them　down　as　they　come　out。Pah！〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。

It　was　done。　　Right　or　wrong；　it　was　done。　　The　shrieks　and　curses　had　died　away；　and　the　Fort　del　Oro　was　a　red　shambles；　which　the　soldiers　were　trying　to　cover　from　the　sight　of　heaven　and　earth；　by　dragging　the　bodies　into　the　ditch；　and　covering　them　with　the　ruins　of　the　rampart；　while　the　Irish；　who　had　beheld　from　the　woods　that　awful　warning；　fled　trembling　into　the　deepest　recesses　of　the　forest。　　It　was　done；　and　it　never　needed　to　be　done　again。　The　hint　was　severe；　but　it　was　sufficient。　　Many　years　passed　before　a　Spaniard　set　foot　again　in　Ireland。

The　Spanish　and　Italian　officers　were　spared；　and　Amyas　had　Don　Guzman　Maria　Magdalena　Sotomayor　de　Soto　duly　adjudged　to　him；　as　his　prize　by　right　of　war。　　He　was；　of　course；　ready　enough　to　fight　Sebastian　of　Modena：　but　Lord　Grey　forbade　the　duel：　blood　enough　had　been　shed　already。　　The　next　question　was；　where　to　bestow　Don　Guzman　till　his　ransom　should　arrive；　and　as　Amyas　could　n