westward ho-第64节

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oing　down　with　the　wives　of　the　cacique　to　draw　water　in　the　river；　she　saw　on　the　opposite　bank　a　white　man　in　a　tattered　Spanish　dress；　with　a　drawn　sword　in　his　hand；　who　had　no　sooner　espied　her；　than　shrieking　her　name；　he　plunged　into　the　stream；　swam　across；　landed　at　her　feet；　and　clasped　her　in　his　arms。　　It　was　no　other；　ladies；　incredible　as　it　may　seem；　than　Don　Sebastian　himself；　who　had　returned　with　Ruiz　Moschera　to　the　tower；　and　found　it　only　a　charred　and　bloodstained　heap　of　ruins。

〃He　guessed；　as　by　inspiration；　what　had　passed；　and　whither　his　lady　was　gone；　and　without　a　thought　of　danger；　like　a　true　Spanish　gentleman　and　a　true　Spanish　lover；　darted　off　alone　into　the　forest；　and　guided　only　by　the　inspiration　of　his　own　loyal　heart；　found　again　his　treasure；　and　found　it　still　unstained　and　his　own。

〃Who　can　describe　the　joy；　and　who　again　the　terror；　of　their　meeting？　　The　Indian　women　had　fled　in　fear；　and　for　the　short　ten　minutes　that　the　lovers　were　left　together；　life；　to　be　sure；　was　one　long　kiss。　　But　what　to　do　they　knew　not。　　To　go　inland　was　to　rush　into　the　enemy's　arms。　　He　would　have　swum　with　her　across　the　river；　and　attempted　it；　but　his　strength；　worn　out　with　hunger　and　travel；　failed　him；　he　drew　her　with　difficulty　on　shore　again；　and　sat　down　by　her　to　await　their　doom　with　prayer；　the　first　and　last　resource　of　virtuous　ladies；　as　weapons　are　of　cavaliers。

〃Alas　for　them！　　May　no　true　lovers　ever　have　to　weep　over　joys　so　soon　lost；　after　having　been　so　hardly　found！　　For；　ere　a　quarter　of　an　hour　was　passed；　the　Indian　women；　who　had　fled　at　his　approach；　returned　with　all　the　warriors　of　the　tribe。　　Don　Sebastian；　desperate；　would　fain　have　slain　his　wife　and　himself　on　the　spot；　but　his　hand　sank　againand　whose　would　not　but　an　Indian's？as　he　raised　it　against　that　fair　and　faithful　breast；　in　a　few　minutes　he　was　surrounded；　seized　from　behind；　disarmed；　and　carried　in　triumph　into　the　village。　　And　if　you　cannot　feel　for　him　in　that　misery；　fair　ladies；　who　have　known　no　sorrow；　yet　I；　a　prisoner；　can。〃

Don　Guzman　paused　a　moment；　as　if　overcome　by　emotion；　and　I　will　not　say　that；　as　he　paused；　he　did　not　look　to　see　if　Rose　Salterne's　eyes　were　on　him；　as　indeed　they　were。

〃Yes；　I　can　feel　with　him；　I　can　estimate；　better　than　you；　ladies；　the　greatness　of　that　love　which　could　submit　to　captivity；　to　the　loss　of　his　sword；　to　the　loss　of　that　honor；　which；　next　to　god　and　his　mother；　is　the　true　Spaniard's　deity。　　There　are　those　who　have　suffered　that　shame　at　the　hands　of　valiant　gentlemen〃　（and　again　Don　Guzman　looked　up　at　Rose）；　〃and　yet　would　have　sooner　died　a　thousand　deaths；　but　he　dared　to　endure　it　from　the　hands　of　villains；　savages；　heathens；　for　he　was　a　true　Spaniard；　and　therefore　a　true　lover：　but　I　will　go　on　with　my　tale。

〃This　wretched　pair；　then；　as　I　have　been　told　by　Ruiz　Moschera　himself；　stood　together　before　the　cacique。　　He；　like　a　true　child　of　the　devil；　comprehending　in　a　moment　who　Don　Sebastian　was；　laughed　with　delight　at　seeing　his　rival　in　his　power；　and　bade　bind　him　at　once　to　a　tree；　and　shoot　him　to　death　with　arrows。

〃But　the　poor　Miranda　sprang　forward；　and　threw　herself　at　his　feet；　and　with　piteous　entreaties　besought　for　mercy　from　him　who　knew　no　mercy。

〃And　yet　love　and　the　sight　of　her　beauty；　and　the　terrible　eloquence　of　her　words；　while　she　invoked　on　his　head　the　just　vengeance　of　Heaven；　wrought　even　on　his　heart：　nevertheless　the　pleasure　of　seeing　her；　who　had　so　long　scorned　him；　a　suppliant　at　his　feet；　was　too　delicate　to　be　speedily　foregone；　and　not　till　she　was　all　but　blind　with　tears；　and　dumb　with　agony　of　pleading；　did　he　make　answer；　that　if　she　would　consent　to　become　his　wife；　her　husband's　life　should　be　spared。　　She；　in　her　haste　and　madness；　sobbed　out　desperately　I　know　not　what　consent。　　Don　Sebastian；　who　understood；　if　not　the　language；　still　the　meaning　（so　had　love　quickened　his　understanding）；　shrieked　to　her　not　to　lose　her　precious　soul　for　the　sake　of　his　worthless　body；　that　death　was　nothing　compared　to　the　horror　of　that　shame；　and　such　other　words　as　became　a　noble　and　valiant　gentleman。　　She；　shuddering　now　at　her　own　frailty；　would　have　recalled　her　promise；　but　Siripa　kept　her　to　it；　vowing；　if　she　disappointed　him　again；　such　a　death　to　her　husband　as　made　her　blood　run　cold　to　hear　of；　and　the　wretched　woman　could　only　escape　for　the　present　by　some　story；　that　it　was　not　the　custom　of　her　race　to　celebrate　nuptials　till　a　month　after　the　betrothment；　that　the　anger　of　Heaven　would　be　on　her；　unless　she　first　performed　in　solitude　certain　religious　rites；　and　lastly；　that　if　he　dared　to　lay　hands　on　her　husband；　she　would　die　so　resolutely；　that　every　drop　of　water　should　be　deep　enough　to　drown　her；　every　thorn　sharp　enough　to　stab　her　to　the　heart：　till　fearing　lest　by　demanding　too　much　he　should　lose　all；　and　awed　too；　as　he　had　been　at　first　by　a　voice　and　looks　which　seemed　to　be；　in　comparison　with　his　own；　divine；　Siripa　bade　her　go　back　to　her　hut；　promising　her　husband　life；　but　promising　too；　that　if　he　ever　found　the　two　speaking　together；　even　for　a　moment；　he　would　pour　out　on　them　both　all　the　cruelty　of　those　tortures　in　which　the　devil；　their　father；　has　so　perfectly　instructed　the　Indians。

〃So　Don　Sebastian；　being　stripped　of　his　garments；　and　painted　after　the　Indian　fashion；　was　set　to　all　mean　and　toilsome　work；　amid　the　buffetings　and　insults　of　the　whole　village。　　And　this；　ladies；　he　endured　without　a　murmur；　ay；　took　delight　in　enduring　it；　as　he　would　have　endured　things　worse　a　thousand　times；　only　for　the　sake；　like　a　true　lover　as　he　was；　of　being　near　the　goddess　whom　he　worshipped；　and　of　seeing　her　now　and　then　afar　off；　happy　enough　to　be　repaid　even　by　that　for　all　indignities。

〃And　yet；　you　who　have　loved　may　well　guess；　as　I　can；　that　ere　a　week　had　passed；　Don　Sebastian　and　the　Lady　Miranda　had　found　means；　in　spite　of　all　spiteful　eyes；　to　speak　to　each　other　once　and　again；　and　to　assure　each　other　of　their　love；　even　to　talk　of　escape；　before　the　month's　grace　should　be　expired。　　And　Miranda；　whose　heart　was　full　of　courage　as　long　as　she　felt　her　husband　near　her；　went　so　far　as　to　plan　a　means　of　escape　which　seemed　possible　and　hopeful。

For　the　youngest　wife　of　the　cacique；　who；　till　Miranda's　coming；　had　been　his　favorite；　often　talked　with　the　captive；　insulting　and　tormenting　her　in　her　spite　and　jealousy；　and　receiving　in　return　only　gentle　and　conciliatory　words。　　And　one　day　when　the　woman　had　been　threatening　to　kill　her；　Miranda　took　courage　to　say；　'Do　you　fancy　that　I　shall　not　be　as　glad　to　be　rid　of　your　husband；　as　you　to　be　rid　of　me？　　Why　kill　me　needlessly；　when　all　that　you　require　is　to　get　me　forth　of　the　place？　　Out　of　sight；　out　of　mind。　　When　I　am　gone；　your　husband　will　soon　forget　me；　and　you　will　be　his　favorite　as　before。'　　Soon；　seeing　that　the　girl　was　inclined　to　listen；　she　went　on　to　tell　her　of　her　love　to　Don　Sebastian；　entreating　and　adjuring　her；　by　the　love　which　she　bore　the　cacique；　to　pity　and　help　her；　and　so　won　upon　the　girl；　that　she　consented　to　be　privy　to　Miranda's　escape；　and　even　offered　to　give　her　an　opportunity　of　speaking　to　her　husband　about　it；　and　at　last　was　so　won　over　by　Miranda；　that　she　consented　to　keep　all　intruders　out　of　the　way；　while　Don　Sebastian　that　very　night　visited　Miranda　in　her　hut。

〃The　hapless　husband；　thirsting　for　his　love；　was　in　that　hut；　be　sure；　the　moment　that　kind　darkness　covered　his　steps：and　what　cheer　these　two　made　of　each　other；　when　they　once　found　themselves　together；　lovers　must　fancy　for　themselves：　but　so　it　was；　that　after　many　a　leave…taking；　there　was　no　departure；　and　when　the　night　was　well…nigh　past；　Sebastian　and　Miranda　were　still　talking　together　as　if　they　had　never　met　before；　and　would　never　meet　again。

〃But　it　befell；　ladies　（would　that　I　was　not　speaking　truth；　but　inventing；　that　I　might　have　invented　something　merrier　for　your　ears）；　it　befell　that　very　night；　that　the　young　wife　of　the　cacique；　whose　heart　was　lifted　up　with　the　thought　that　her　rival　was　now　at　last　disposed　of；　tried　all　her　wiles　to　win　back　her　faithless　husband；　but　in　vain。　　He　only　answered　her　caresses　by　indifference；　then　by　contempt；　then　insults；　then　blows　（for　with　the　Indians；　woman　is　always　a　slave；　or　rather　a　beast　of　burden）；　and　went　on　to　draw　such　cruel　comparisons　between　her　dark　skin　and　the　glorious　fairness　of　the　Spanish　lady；　that　the　wretched　girl；　beside　herself　with　rage；　burst　out　at　last　with　her　own　secret。　　'Fool　that　you　are　to　madden　yourself　about　a　stranger　who　prizes　one　hair　of　her　Spanish　husband's　head　more　than　your　whole　body！　　Much　does　your　new　bride　care　for　you！　　She　is　at　this　moment　in　her　husband's　arms！'

〃The　cacique　screamed　furiously　to　know　what　she　meant；　and　she；　her　jealousy　and　hate　of　the　guiltless　lady　boiling　over　once　for　all；　bade　him；　if　he　doubted　her；　go　see　for　himself。

〃What　use　of　many　words？　　They　were　taken。　　Love；　or　rather　lust；　repelled；　turned　in　a　moment　into　devilish　hate；　and　the　cacique；　summoning　his　Indians；　bade　them　bind　the　wretched　Don　Sebastian