westward ho-第68节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CAMPBELL。


So　you　see；　my　dear　Mrs。　Hawkins；　having　the　silver；　as　your　own　eyes　show　you；　beside　the　ores　of　lead；　manganese；　and　copper；　and　above　all　this　gossan　（as　the　Cornish　call　it）；　which　I　suspect　to　be　not　merely　the　matrix　of　the　ore；　but　also　the　very　crude　form　and　materia　prima　of　all　metalsyou　mark　me？If　my　recipes；　which　I　had　from　Doctor　Dee；　succeed　only　half　so　well　as　I　expect；　then　I　refine　out　the　luna；　the　silver；　lay　it　by；　and　transmute　the　remaining　ores　into　sol；　gold。　　Whereupon　Peru　and　Mexico　become　superfluities；　and　England　the　mistress　of　the　globe。　　Strange；　no　doubt；　distant；　no　doubt：　but　possible；　my　dear　madam；　possible！〃

〃And　what　good　to　you　if　it　be；　Mr。　Gilbert？　　If　you　could　find　a　philosopher's　stone　to　turn　sinners　into　saints；　nowbut　naught　save　God's　grace　can　do　that；　and　that　last　seems　ofttimes　over　long　in　coming。〃　　And　Mrs。　Hawkins　sighed。

〃But　indeed；　my　dear　madam；　conceive　now。The　Comb　Martin　mine　thus　becomes　a　gold　mine；　perhaps　inexhaustible；　yields　me　wherewithal　to　carry　out　my　North…West　patent；　meanwhile　my　brother　Humphrey　holds　Newfoundland；　and　builds　me　fresh　ships　year　by　year　（for　the　forests　of　pine　are　boundless）　for　my　China　voyage。〃

〃Sir　Humphrey　has　better　thoughts　in　his　dear　heart　than　gold；　Mr。　Adrian；　a　very　close　and　gracious　walker　he　has　been　this　seven　year。　　I　wish　my　Captain　John　were　so　too。〃

〃And　how　do　you　know　I　have　naught　better　in　my　mind's　eye　than　gold？　　Or；　indeed；　what　better　could　I　have？　　Is　not　gold　the　Spaniard's　strengththe　very　mainspring　of　Antichrist？　　By　gold　only；　therefore；　can　we　out…wrestle　him。　　You　shake　your　head；　but　say；　dear　madam　（for　gold　England　must　have）；　which　is　better；　to　make　gold　bloodlessly　at　home；　or　take　it　bloodily　abroad？〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Gilbert；　Mr。　Gilbert！　is　it　not　written；　that　those　who　make　haste　to　be　rich；　pierce　themselves　through　with　many　sorrows？　Oh；　Mr。　Gilbert！　God's　blessing　is　not　on　it　all。〃

〃Not　on　you；　madam？　　Be　sure　that　brave　Captain　John　Hawkins's　star　told　me　a　different　tale；　when　I　cast　his　nativity　for　him。Born　under　stormy　planets；　truly；　but　under　right　royal　and　fortunate　ones。〃

〃Ah；　Mr。　Adrian！　I　am　a　simple　body；　and　you　a　great　philosopher；　but　I　hold　there　is　no　star　for　the　seaman　like　the　Star　of　Bethlehem；　and　that　goes　with　'peace　on　earth　and　good　will　to　men；'　and　not　with　such　arms　as　that；　Mr。　Adrian。　　I　can't　abide　to　look　upon　them。〃

And　she　pointed　up　to　one　of　the　bosses　of　the　ribbed　oak…roof；　on　which　was　emblazoned　the　fatal　crest　which　Clarencieux　Hervey　had　granted　years　before　to　her　husband；　the　〃Demi…Moor　proper；　bound。〃

〃Ah；　Mr。　Gilbert！　since　first　he　went　to　Guinea　after　those　poor　negroes；　little　lightness　has　my　heart　known；　and　the　very　day　that　that　crest　was　put　up　in　our　grand　new　house；　as　the　parson　read　the　first　lesson；　there　was　this　text　in　it；　Mr。　Gilbert；　'Woe　to　him　that　buildeth　his　house　by　iniquity；　and　his　chambers　by　wrong。　Shalt　thou　live　because　thou　closest　thyself　in　cedar？'　　And　it　went　into　my　ears　like　fire；　Mr。　Gilbert；　and　into　my　heart　like　lead；　and　when　the　parson　went　on；　'Did　not　thy　father　eat　and　drink；　and　do　judgment　and　justice？　　Then　it　was　well　with　him；'　I　thought　of　good　old　Captain　Will；　andI　tell　you；　Mr。　Gilbert；　those　negroes　are　on　my　soul　from　morning　until　night！　　We　are　all　mighty　grand　now；　and　money　comes　in　fast；　but　the　Lord　will　require　the　blood　of　them　at　our　hands　yet；　He　will！〃

〃My　dearest　madam；　who　can　prosper　more　than　you？　　If　your　husband　copied　the　Dons　too　closely　once　or　twice　in　the　matter　of　those　negroes　（which　I　do　not　deny；）　was　he　not　punished　at　once　when　he　lost　ships；　men；　all　but　life；　at　St。　Juan　d'Ulloa？〃

〃Ay；　yes；〃　she　said；　〃and　that　did　give　me　a　bit　of　comfort；　especially　when　the　queenGod　save　her　tender　heart！was　so　sharp　with　him　for　pity　of　the　poor　wretches；　but　it　has　not　mended　him。　He　is　growing　fast　like　the　rest　now；　Mr。　Gilbert；　greedy　to　win；　and　niggardly　to　spend　（God　forgive　him！）　and　always　fretting　and　plotting　for　some　new　gain；　and　envying　and　grudging　at　Drake；　and　all　who　are　deeper　in　the　snare　of　prosperity　than　he　is。　　Gold；　gold；　nothing　but　gold　in　every　mouththere　it　is！　　Ah！　I　mind　when　Plymouth　was　a　quiet　little　God…fearing　place　as　God　could　smile　upon：　but　ever　since　my　John；　and　Sir　Francis；　and　poor　Mr。　Oxenham　found　out　the　way　to　the　Indies；　it's　been　a　sad　place。　Not　a　sailor's　wife　but　is　crying　'Give；　give；'　like　the　daughters　of　the　horse…leech；　and　every　woman　must　drive　her　husband　out　across　seas　to　bring　her　home　money　to　squander　on　hoods　and　farthingales；　and　go　mincing　with　outstretched　necks　and　wanton　eyes；　and　they　will　soon　learn　to　do　worse　than　that；　for　the　sake　of　gain。　　But　the　Lord's　hand　will　be　against　their　tires　and　crisping…pins；　their　mufflers　and　farthingales；　as　it　was　against　the　Jews　of　old。　　Ah；　dear　me！〃

The　two　interlocutors　in　this　dialogue　were　sitting　in　a　low　oak…　panelled　room　in　Plymouth　town；　handsomely　enough　furnished；　adorned　with　carving　and　gilding　and　coats　of　arms；　and　noteworthy　for　many　strange　knickknacks；　Spanish　gold　and　silver　vessels　on　the　sideboard；　strange　birds　and　skins；　and　charts　and　rough　drawings　of　coast　which　hung　about　the　room；　while　over　the　fireplace；　above　the　portrait　of　old　Captain　Will　Hawkins；　pet　of　Henry　the　Eighth；　hung　the　Spanish　ensign　which　Captain　John　had　taken　in　fair　fight　at　Rio　de　la　Hacha　fifteen　years　before；　when；　with　two　hundred　men；　he　seized　the　town　in　despite　of　ten　hundred　Spanish　soldiers；　and　watered　his　ship　triumphantly　at　the　enemy's　wells。

The　gentleman　was　a　tall　fair　man；　with　a　broad　and　lofty　forehead；　wrinkled　with　study；　and　eyes　weakened　by　long　poring　over　the　crucible　and　the　furnace。

The　lady　had　once　been　comely　enough；　but　she　was　aged　and　worn；　as　sailors'　wives　are　apt　to　be；　by　many　sorrows。　　Many　a　sad　day　had　she　had　already；　for　although　John　Hawkins；　port…admiral　of　Plymouth；　and　patriarch　of　British　shipbuilders；　was　a　faithful　husband　enough；　and　as　ready　to　forgive　as　he　was　to　quarrel；　yet　he　was　obstinate　and　ruthless；　and　in　spite　of　his　religiosity　（for　all　men　were　religious　then）　was　by　no　means　a　〃consistent　walker。〃

And　sadder　days　were　in　store　for　her；　poor　soul。　　Nine　years　hence　she　would　be　asked　to　name　her　son's　brave　new　ship；　and　would　christen　it　The　Repentance；　giving　no　reason　in　her　quiet　steadfast　way　（so　says　her　son　Sir　Richard）　but　that　〃Repentance　was　the　best　ship　in　which　we　could　sail　to　the　harbor　of　heaven；〃　and　she　would　hear　that　Queen　Elizabeth；　complaining　of　the　name　for　an　unlucky　one；　had　re…christened　her　The　Dainty；　not　without　some　by…quip；　perhaps；　at　the　character　of　her　most　dainty　captain；　Richard　Hawkins；　the　complete　seaman　and　Euphuist　afloat；　of　whom；　perhaps；　more　hereafter。

With　sad　eyes　Mrs。　（then　Lady）　Hawkins　would　see　that　gallant　bark　sail　Westward…ho；　to　go　the　world　around；　as　many　another　ship　sailed；　and　then　wait；　as　many　a　mother　beside　had　waited；　for　the　sail　which　never　returned；　till；　dim　and　uncertain；　came　tidings　of　her　boy　fighting　for　four　days　three　great　Armadas　（for　the　coxcomb　had　his　father's　heart　in　him　after　all）；　a　prisoner；　wounded；　ruined；　languishing　for　weary　years　in　Spanish　prisons。　　And　a　sadder　day　than　that　was　in　store；　when　a　gallant　fleet　should　round　the　Ram　Head；　not　with　drum　and　trumpet；　but　with　solemn　minute…guns；　and　all　flags　half…mast　high；　to　tell　her　that　her　terrible　husband's　work　was　done；　his　terrible　heart　broken　by　failure　and　fatigue；　and　his　body　laid　by　Drake's　beneath　the　far…　off　tropic　seas。

And　if；　at　the　close　of　her　eventful　life；　one　gleam　of　sunshine　opened　for　a　while；　when　her　boy　Richard　returned　to　her　bosom　from　his　Spanish　prison；　to　be　knighted　for　his　valor；　and　made　a　privy　councillor　for　his　wisdom；　yet　soon；　how　soon；　was　the　old　cloud　to　close　in　again　above　her；　until　her　weary　eyes　should　open　in　the　light　of　Paradise。　　For　that　son　dropped　dead；　some　say　at　the　very　council…table；　leaving　behind　him　naught　but　broken　fortunes；　and　huge　purposes　which　never　were　fulfilled；　and　the　stormy　star　of　that　bold　race　was　set　forever；　and　Lady　Hawkins　bowed　her　weary　head　and　died；　the　groan　of　those　stolen　negroes　ringing　in　her　ears；　having　lived　long　enough　to　see　her　husband's　youthful　sin　become　a　national　institution；　and　a　national　curse　for　generations　yet　unborn。

I　know　not　why　she　opened　her　heart　that　night　to　Adrian　Gilbert；　with　a　frankness　which　she　would　hardly　have　dared　to　use　to　her　own　family。　　Perhaps　it　was　that　Adrian；　like　his　great　brothers；　Humphrey　and　Raleigh；　was　a　man　full　of　all　lofty　and　delicate　enthusiasms；　tender　and　poetical；　such　as　women　cling　to　when　their　hearts　are　lonely；　but　so　it　was；　and　Adrian；　half　ashamed　of　his　own　ambitious　dreams；　sate　looking　at　her　a　while　in　silence；　and　then

〃The　Lord　be　with　you；　dearest　lady。　　Strange；　how　you　women　sit　at　home　to　love　and　suffer；　while　we　men　rush　forth　to　break　our　hearts　and　yours　against　rocks　of　our　own　seeking！　　Ah　well！　were　it　not　for　Scripture；　I　should　have　thought　that　Adam；　rather　than　Eve；　had　been