westward ho-第62节

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ich　they　had　just　eaten；　and　then；　in　the　fulness　of　his　heart；　invited　the　whole　company　present　to　dine　with　him　at　Annery　three　days　after；　and　bring　with　them　each　a　wife　or　daughter；　and　Don　Guzman　being　at　table；　he　was　invited　too。

So　there　was　a　mighty　feast　in　the　great　hall　at　Annery；　such　as　had　seldom　been　since　Judge　Hankford　feasted　Edward　the　Fourth　there；　and　while　every　one　was　eating　their　best　and　drinking　their　worst；　Rose　Salterne　and　Don　Guzman　were　pretending　not　to　see　each　other；　and　watching　each　other　all　the　more。　　But　Rose；　at　least；　had　to　be　very　careful　of　her　glances；　for　not　only　was　her　father　at　the　table；　but　just　opposite　her　sat　none　other　than　Messrs。　William　Cary　and　Arthur　St。　Leger；　lieutenants　in　her　majesty's　Irish　army；　who　had　returned　on　furlough　a　few　days　before。

Rose　Salterne　and　the　Spaniard　had　not　exchanged　a　word　in　the　last　six　months；　though　they　had　met　many　times。　　The　Spaniard　by　no　means　avoided　her　company；　except　in　her　father's　house；　he　only　took　care　to　obey　her　carefully；　by　seeming　always　unconscious　of　her　presence；　beyond　the　stateliest　of　salutes　at　entering　and　departing。　　But　he　took　care；　at　the　same　time；　to　lay　himself　out　to　the　very　best　advantage　whenever　he　was　in　her　presence；　to　be　more　witty；　more　eloquent；　more　romantic；　more　full　of　wonderful　tales　than　he　ever　yet　had　been。　　The　cunning　Don　had　found　himself　foiled　in　his　first　tactic；　and　he　was　now　trying　another；　and　a　far　more　formidable　one。　　In　the　first　place；　Rose　deserved　a　very　severe　punishment；　for　having　dared　to　refuse　the　love　of　a　Spanish　nobleman；　and　what　greater　punishment　could　he　inflict　than　withdrawing　the　honor　of　his　attentions；　and　the　sunshine　of　his　smiles？　　There　was　conceit　enough　in　that　notion；　but　there　was　cunning　too；　for　none　knew　better　than　the　Spaniard；　that　women；　like　the　world；　are　pretty　sure　to　value　a　man　（especially　if　there　be　any　real　worth　in　him）　at　his　own　price；　and　that　the　more　he　demands　for　himself；　the　more　they　will　give　for　him。

And　now　he　would　put　a　high　price　on　himself；　and　pique　her　pride；　as　she　was　too　much　accustomed　to　worship；　to　be　won　by　flattering　it。　　He　might　have　done　that　by　paying　attention　to　some　one　else：　but　he　was　too　wise　to　employ　so　coarse　a　method；　which　might　raise　indignation；　or　disgust；　or　despair　in　Rose's　heart；　but　would　have　never　brought　her　to　his　feetas　it　will　never　bring　any　woman　worth　bringing。　　So　he　quietly　and　unobtrusively　showed　her　that　he　could　do　without　her；　and　she；　poor　fool；　as　she　was　meant　to　do；　began　forthwith　to　ask　herselfwhy？　　What　was　the　hidden　treasure；　what　was　the　reserve　force；　which　made　him　independent　of　her；　while　she　could　not　say　that　she　was　independent　of　him？　　Had　he　a　secret？　how　pleasant　to　know　it！　　Some　huge　ambition？　how　pleasant　to　share　in　it！　　Some　mysterious　knowledge？　how　pleasant　to　learn　it！　　Some　capacity　of　love　beyond　the　common？　how　delicious　to　have　it　all　for　her　own！　　He　must　be　greater；　wiser；　richer…hearted　than　she　was；　as　well　as　better…born。　　Ah；　if　his　wealth　would　but　supply　her　poverty！　　And　so；　step　by　step；　she　was　being　led　to　sue　in　forma　pauperis　to　the　very　man　whom　she　had　spurned　when　he　sued　in　like　form　to　her。　　That　temptation　of　having　some　mysterious　private　treasure；　of　being　the　priestess　of　some　hidden　sanctuary；　and　being　able　to　thank　Heaven　that　she　was　not　as　other　women　are；　was　becoming　fast　too　much　for　Rose；　as　it　is　too　much　for　most。　For　none　knew　better　than　the　Spaniard　how　much　more　fond　women　are；　by　the　very　law　of　their　sex；　of　worshipping　than　of　being　worshipped；　and　of　obeying　than　of　being　obeyed；　how　their　coyness；　often　their　scorn；　is　but　a　mask　to　hide　their　consciousness　of　weakness；　and　a　mask；　too；　of　which　they　themselves　will　often　be　the　first　to　tire。

And　Rose　was　utterly　tired　of　that　same　mask　as　she　sat　at　table　at　Annery　that　day；　and　Don　Guzman　saw　it　in　her　uneasy　and　downcast　looks；　and　thinking　（conceited　coxcomb）　that　she　must　be　by　now　sufficiently　punished；　stole　a　glance　at　her　now　and　then；　and　was　not　abashed　when　he　saw　that　she　dropped　her　eyes　when　they　met　his；　because　he　saw　her　silence　and　abstraction　increase；　and　something　like　a　blush　steal　into　her　cheeks。　　So　he　pretended　to　be　as　much　downcast　and　abstracted　as　she　was；　and　went　on　with　his　glances；　till　he　once　found　her；　poor　thing；　looking　at　him　to　see　if　he　was　looking　at　her；　and　then　he　knew　his　prey　was　safe；　and　asked　her；　with　his　eyes；　〃Do　you　forgive　me？〃　and　saw　her　stop　dead　in　her　talk　to　her　next　neighbor；　and　falter；　and　drop　her　eyes；　and　raise　them　again　after　a　minute　in　search　of　his；　that　he　might　repeat　the　pleasant　question。　　And　then　what　could　she　do　but　answer　with　all　her　face　and　every　bend　of　her　pretty　neck；　〃And　do　you　forgive　me　in　turn？〃

Whereon　Don　Guzman　broke　out　jubilant；　like　nightingale　on　bough；　with　story；　and　jest；　and　repartee；　and　became　forthwith　the　soul　of　the　whole　company；　and　the　most　charming　of　all　cavaliers。　　And　poor　Rose　knew　that　she　was　the　cause　of　his　sudden　change　of　mood；　and　blamed　herself　for　what　she　had　done；　and　shuddered　and　blushed　at　her　own　delight；　and　longed　that　the　feast　was　over；　that　she　might　hurry　home　and　hide　herself　alone　with　sweet　fancies　about　a　love　the　reality　of　which　she　felt　she　dared　not　face。

It　was　a　beautiful　sight；　the　great　terrace　at　Annery　that　afternoon；　with　the　smart　dames　in　their　gaudy　dresses　parading　up　and　down　in　twos　and　threes　before　the　stately　house；　or　looking　down　upon　the　park；　with　the　old　oaks；　and　the　deer；　and　the　broad　land…locked　river　spread　out　like　a　lake　beneath；　all　bright　in　the　glare　of　the　midsummer　sun；　or　listening　obsequiously　to　the　two　great　ladies　who　did　the　honors；　Mrs。　St。　Leger　the　hostess；　and　her　sister…in…law；　fair　Lady　Grenville。　　All　chatted；　and　laughed；　and　eyed　each　other's　dresses；　and　gossiped　about　each　other's　husbands　and　servants：　only　Rose　Salterne　kept　apart；　and　longed　to　get　into　a　corner　and　laugh　or　cry；　she　knew　not　which。

〃Our　pretty　Rose　seems　sad；〃　said　Lady　Grenville；　coming　up　to　her。　〃Cheer　up；　child！　we　want　you　to　come　and　sing　to　us。〃

Rose　answered　she　knew　not　what；　and　obeyed　mechanically。

She　took　the　lute；　and　sat　down　on　a　bench　beneath　the　house；　while　the　rest　grouped　themselves　round　her。

〃What　shall　I　sing？〃

〃Let　us　have　your　old　song；　'Earl　Haldan's　Daughter。'〃

Rose　shrank　from　it。　　It　was　a　loud　and　dashing　ballad；　which　chimed　in　but　little　with　her　thoughts；　and　Frank　had　praised　it　too；　in　happier　days　long　since　gone　by。　　She　thought　of　him；　and　of　others；　and　of　her　pride　and　carelessness；　and　the　song　seemed　ominous　to　her：　and　yet　for　that　very　reason　she　dared　not　refuse　to　sing　it；　for　fear　of　suspicion　where　no　one　suspected；　and　so　she　began　per　force


I。

〃It　was　Earl　Haldan's　daughter；　She　look'd　across　the　sea；　She　look'd　across　the　water；　And　long　and　loud　laugh'd　she；　'The　locks　of　six　princesses　Must　be　my　marriage…fee；　So　hey　bonny　boat；　and　ho　bonny　boat！　Who　comes　a　wooing　me？'

II。

〃It　was　Earl　Haldan's　daughter；　She　walk'd　along　the　sand；　When　she　was　aware　of　a　knight　so　fair；　Come　sailing　to　the　land。　His　sails　were　all　of　velvet；　His　mast　of　beaten　gold；　And　'hey　bonny　boat；　and　ho　bonny　boat；　Who　saileth　here　so　bold？'

III。

〃'The　locks　of　five　princesses　I　won　beyond　the　sea；　I　shore　their　golden　tresses；　To　fringe　a　cloak　for　thee。　One　handful　yet　is　wanting；　But　one　of　all　the　tale；　So　hey　bonny　boat；　and　ho　bonny　boat！　Furl　up　thy　velvet　sail！'

IV。

〃He　leapt　into　the　water；　That　rover　young　and　bold；　He　gript　Earl　Haldan's　daughter；　He　shore　her　locks　of　gold；　'Go　weep；　go　weep；　proud　maiden；　The　tale　is　full　to…day。　Now　hey　bonny　boat；　and　ho　bonny　boat！　Sail　Westward…ho；　and　away！'〃


As　she　ceased；　a　measured　voice；　with　a　foreign　accent；　thrilled　through　her。

〃In　the　East；　they　say　the　nightingale　sings　to　the　rose；　Devon；　more　happy；　has　nightingale　and　rose　in　one。〃

〃We　have　no　nightingales　in　Devon；　Don　Guzman；〃　said　Lady　Grenville；　〃but　our　little　forest　thrushes　sing；　as　you　hear；　sweetly　enough　to　content　any　ear。　　But　what　brings　you　away　from　the　gentlemen　so　early？〃

〃These　letters；〃　said　he；　〃which　have　just　been　put　into　my　hand；　and　as　they　call　me　home　to　Spain；　I　was　loath　to　lose　a　moment　of　that　delightful　company　from　which　I　must　part　so　soon。〃

〃To　Spain？〃　asked　half…a…dozen　voices：　for　the　Don　was　a　general　favorite。

〃Yes；　and　thence　to　the　Indies。　　My　ransom　has　arrived；　and　with　it　the　promise　of　an　office。　　I　am　to　be　Governor　of　La　Guayra　in　Caracas。　　Congratulate　me　on　my　promotion。〃

A　mist　was　over　Rose's　eyes。　　The　Spaniard's　voice　was　hard　and　flippant。　　Did　he　care　for　her；　after　all？　　And　if　he　did；　was　it　nevertheless　hopeless？　　How　her　cheeks　glowed！　　Everybody　must　see　it！　　Anything　to　turn　away　their　attention　from　her；　and　in　that　nervous　haste　which　makes　people　speak；　and　speak　foolishly　too；　just　because　they　ought　to　be　silent；　she　asked

〃And　where　is　La　Guayra？〃

〃Half　round　the　world；　on　the　coast　of　the　Spanish　Main。　　The　loveliest　place　on　earth；　and　the　loveliest　governor's　house；　in　a　fores