westward ho-第57节

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nt；　he　received　a　prompt　though　quiet　rebuff。

〃No；　sir；　you　should　know　that　my　cheek　is　not　for　you。〃

〃Why；〃　said　he；　stifling　his　anger；　〃it　seems　free　enough　to　every　counter…jumper　in　the　town！〃

Was　it　love；　or　simple　innocence；　which　made　her　answer　apologetically？

〃True；　Don　Guzman；　but　they　are　my　equals。〃

〃And　I？〃

〃You　are　a　nobleman；　sir；　and　should　recollect　that　you　are　one。〃

〃Well；〃　said　he；　forcing　a　sneer；　〃it　is　a　strange　taste　to　prefer　the　shopkeeper！〃

〃Prefer？〃　said　she；　forcing　a　laugh　in　her　turn；　〃it　is　a　mere　form　among　us。　　They　are　nothing　to　me；　I　can　tell　you。〃

〃And　I；　then；　less　than　nothing？〃

Rose　turned　very　red；　but　she　had　nerve　to　answer

〃And　why　should　you　be　anything　to　me？　　You　have　condescended　too　much；　sir；　already　to　us；　in　giving　us　many　amany　a　pleasant　evening。　　You　must　condescend　no　further。　　You　wrong　yourself；　sir；　and　me　too。　　No；　sir；　not　a　step　nearer！I　will　not！　　A　salute　between　equals　means　nothing：　but　between　you　and　meI　vow；　sir；　if　you　do　not　leave　me　this　moment；　I　will　complain　to　my　father。〃

〃Do　so；　madam！　　I　care　as　little　for　your　father's　anger；　as　you　for　my　misery。〃

〃Cruel！〃　cried　Rose；　trembling　from　head　to　foot。

〃I　love　you；　madam！〃　cried　he；　throwing　himself　at　her　feet。　　〃I　adore　you！　　Never　mention　differences　of　rank　to　me　more；　for　I　have　forgotten　them；　forgotten　all　but　love；　all　but　you；　madam！　My　light；　my　lodestar；　my　princess；　my　goddess！　　You　see　where　my　pride　is　gone；　remember　I　plead　as　a　suppliant；　a　beggarthough　one　who　may　be　one　day　a　prince；　a　king！　ay；　and　a　prince　now；　a　very　Lucifer　of　pride　to　all　except　to　you；　to　you　a　wretch　who　grovels　at　your　feet；　and　cries；　'Have　mercy　on　me；　on　my　loneliness；　my　homelessness；　my　friendlessness。'　　Ah；　Rose　（madam　I　should　have　said；　forgive　the　madness　of　my　passion）；　you　know　not　the　heart　which　you　break。　　Cold　Northerns；　you　little　dream　how　a　Spaniard　can　love。　　Love？　　Worship；　rather；　as　I　worship　you；　madam；　as　I　bless　the　captivity　which　brought　me　the　sight　of　you；　and　the　ruin　which　first　made　me　rich。　　Is　it　possible；　saints　and　Virgin！　do　my　own　tears　deceive　my　eyes；　or　are　there　tears；　too；　in　those　radiant　orbs？〃

〃Go；　sir！　〃　cried　poor　Rose；　recovering　herself　suddenly；　〃and　let　me　never　see　you　more。〃　　And；　as　a　last　chance　for　life；　she　darted　out　of　the　room。

〃Your　slave　obeys　you；　madam；　and　kisses　your　hands　and　feet　forever　and　a　day；〃　said　the　cunning　Spaniard；　and　drawing　himself　up；　walked　serenely　out　of　the　house；　while　she；　poor　fool；　peeped　after　him　out　of　her　window　upstairs；　and　her　heart　sank　within　her　as　she　watched　his　jaunty　and　careless　air。

How　much　of　that　rhapsody　of　his　was　honest；　how　much　premeditated；　I　cannot　tell：　though　she；　poor　child；　began　to　fancy　that　it　was　all　a　set　speech；　when　she　found　that　he　had　really　taken　her　at　her　word；　and　set　foot　no　more　within　her　father's　house。　　So　she　reproached　herself　for　the　cruelest　of　women；　settled；　that　if　he　died；　she　should　be　his　murderess；　watched　for　him　to　pass　at　the　window；　in　hopes　that　he　might　look　up；　and　then　hid　herself　in　terror　the　moment　he　appeared　round　the　corner；　and　so　forth；　and　so　forth：one　love…making　is　very　like　another；　and　has　been　so；　I　suppose；　since　that　first　blessed　marriage　in　Paradise；　when　Adam　and　Eve　made　no　love　at　all；　but　found　it　ready…made　for　them　from　heaven；　and　really　it　is　fiddling　while　Rome　is　burning；　to　spend　more　pages　over　the　sorrows　of　poor　little　Rose　Salterne；　while　the　destinies　of　Europe　are　hanging　on　the　marriage　between　Elizabeth　and　Anjou：　and　Sir　Humphrey　Gilbert　is　stirring　heaven　and　earth；　and　Devonshire；　of　course；　as　the　most　important　portion　of　the　said　earth；　to　carry　out　his　dormant　patent；　which　will　give　to　England　in　due　time　（we　are　not　jesting　now）　Newfoundland；　Nova　Scotia；　and　Canada；　and　the　Northern　States；　and　to　Humphrey　Gilbert　himself　something　better　than　a　new　world；　namely　another　world；　and　a　crown　of　glory　therein　which　never　fades　away。



CHAPTER　XI

HOW　EUSTACE　LEIGH　MET　THE　POPE'S　LEGATE


　　　　　〃Misguided；　rash；　intruding　fool；　farewell！　　　　　　　Thou　see'st　to　be　too　busy　is　some　danger。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Hamlet。


It　is　the　spring　of　1582…3。　　The　gray　March　skies　are　curdling　hard　and　high　above　black　mountain　peaks。　　The　keen　March　wind　is　sweeping　harsh　and　dry　across　a　dreary　sheet　of　bog；　still　red　and　yellow　with　the　stains　of　winter　frost。　　One　brown　knoll　alone　breaks　the　waste；　and　on　it　a　few　leafless　wind…clipt　oaks　stretch　their　moss…grown　arms；　like　giant　hairy　spiders；　above　a　desolate　pool　which　crisps　and　shivers　in　the　biting　breeze；　while　from　beside　its　brink　rises　a　mournful　cry；　and　sweeps　down；　faint　and　fitful；　amid　the　howling　of　the　wind。

Along　the　brink　of　the　bog；　picking　their　road　among　crumbling　rocks　and　green　spongy　springs；　a　company　of　English　soldiers　are　pushing　fast；　clad　cap…a…pie　in　helmet　and　quilted　jerkin；　with　arquebus　on　shoulder；　and　pikes　trailing　behind　them；　stern　steadfast　men；　who；　two　years　since；　were　working　the　guns　at　Smerwick　fort；　and　have　since　then　seen　many　a　bloody　fray；　and　shall　see　more　before　they　die。　　Two　captains　ride　before　them　on　shaggy　ponies；　the　taller　in　armor；　stained　and　rusted　with　many　a　storm　and　fray；　the　other　in　brilliant　inlaid　cuirass　and　helmet；　gaudy　sash　and　plume；　and　sword　hilt　glittering　with　gold；　a　quaint　contrast　enough　to　the　meager　garron　which　carries　him　and　his　finery。　　Beside　them；　secured　by　a　cord　which　a　pikeman　has　fastened　to　his　own　wrist；　trots　a　bare…legged　Irish　kerne；　whose　only　clothing　is　his　ragged　yellow　mantle；　and　the　unkempt　〃glib〃　of　hair；　through　which　his　eyes　peer　out；　right　and　left；　in　mingled　fear　and　sullenness。　　He　is　the　guide　of　the　company；　in　their　hunt　after　the　rebel　Baltinglas；　and　woe　to　him　if　he　play　them　false。

〃A　pleasant　country；　truly；　Captain　Raleigh；〃　says　the　dingy　officer　to　the　gay　one。　　〃I　wonder　how；　having　once　escaped　from　it　to　Whitehall；　you　have　the　courage　to　come　back　and　spoil　that　gay　suit　with　bog…water　and　mud。〃

〃A　very　pleasant　country；　my　friend　Amyas；　what　you　say　in　jest；　I　say　in　earnest。〃

〃Hillo！　　Our　tastes　have　changed　places。　　I　am　sick　of　it　already；　as　you　foretold。　　Would　Heaven　that　I　could　hear　of　some　adventure　Westward…ho！　and　find　these　big　bones　swinging　in　a　hammock　once　more。　　Pray　what　has　made　you　so　suddenly　in　love　with　bog　and　rock；　that　you　come　back　to　tramp　them　with　us？　　I　thought　you　had　spied　out　the　nakedness　of　the　land　long　ago。〃

〃Bog　and　rock？　　Nakedness　of　the　land？　　What　is　needed　here　but　prudence　and　skill；　justice　and　law？　　This　soil；　see；　is　fat　enough；　if　men　were　here　to　till　it。　　These　rockswho　knows　what　minerals　they　may　hold？　　I　hear　of　gold　and　jewels　found　already　in　divers　parts；　and　Daniel；　my　brother　Humphrey's　German　assayer；　assures　me　that　these　rocks　are　of　the　very　same　kind　as　those　which　yield　the　silver　in　Peru。　　Tut；　man！　if　her　gracious　majesty　would　but　bestow　on　me　some　few　square　miles　of　this　same　wilderness；　in　seven　years'　time　I　would　make　it　blossom　like　the　rose；　by　God's　good　help。〃

〃Humph！　I　should　be　more　inclined　to　stay　here；　then。〃

〃So　you　shall；　and　be　my　agent；　if　you　will；　to　get　in　my　mine…　rents　and　my　corn…rents；　and　my　fishery…rents；　eh？　　Could　you　keep　accounts；　old　knight　of　the　bear's…paw？〃

〃Well　enough　for　such　short　reckonings　as　yours　would　be；　on　the　profit　side　at　least。　　No；　noI'd　sooner　carry　lime　all　my　days　from　Cauldy　to　Bideford；　than　pass　another　twelve…month　in　the　land　of　Ire；　among　the　children　of　wrath。　　There　is　a　curse　upon　the　face　of　the　earth；　I　believe。〃

〃There　is　no　curse　upon　it；　save　the　old　one　of　man's　sin'Thorns　and　thistles　it　shall　bring　forth　to　thee。'　　But　if　you　root　up　the　thorns　and　thistles；　Amyas；　I　know　no　fiend　who　can　prevent　your　growing　wheat　instead；　and　if　you　till　the　ground　like　a　man；　you　plough　and　barrow　away　nature's　curse；　and　other　fables　of　the　schoolmen　beside；〃　added　he；　in　that　daring　fashion　which　afterwards　obtained　for　him　（and　never　did　good　Christian　less　deserve　it）　the　imputation　of　atheism。

〃It　is　sword　and　bullet；　I　think；　that　are　needed　here；　before　plough　and　harrow；　to　clear　away　some　of　the　curse。　　Until　a　few　more　of　these　Irish　lords　are　gone　where　the　Desmonds　are；　there　is　no　peace　for　Ireland。〃

〃Humph！　not　so　far　wrong；　I　fear。　　And　yetIrish　lords？　　These　very　traitors　are　better　English　blood　than　we　who　hunt　them　down。　When　Yeo　here　slew　the　Desmond　the　other　day；　he　no　more　let　out　a　drop　of　Irish　blood；　than　if　he　had　slain　the　lord　deputy　himself。〃

〃His　blood　be　on　his　own　head；〃　said　Yeo；　〃He　looked　as　wild　a　savage　as　the　worst　of　them；　more　shame　to　him；　and　the　ancient　here　had　nigh　cut　off　his　arm　before　he　told　us　who　he　was：　and　then；　your　worship；　having　a　price　upon　his　head；　and　like　to　bleed　to　death　too〃

〃Enough；　enough；　good　fellow；〃　said　Raleigh。　　〃Thou　hast　done　what　was　given　thee　to　do。　　Strange；　Amyas；　is　it　not？　　Noble　Normans　sunk　into　savagesHibernis　ipsis　hiberniores！　　Is　there　some　uncivilizing　venom　in　the　air？〃

〃Some　venom；　at　least；　which　makes　Engli