westward ho-第69节

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　it　not　for　Scripture；　I　should　have　thought　that　Adam；　rather　than　Eve；　had　been　the　one　who　plucked　the　fruit　of　the　forbidden　tree。〃

〃We　women；　I　fear；　did　the　deed　nevertheless；　for　we　bear　the　doom　of　it　our　lives　long。〃

〃You　always　remind　me；　madam；　of　my　dear　Mrs。　Leigh　of　Burrough；　and　her　counsels。〃

〃Do　you　see　her　often？　　I　hear　of　her　as　one　of　the　Lord's　most　precious　vessels。〃

〃I　would　have　done　more　ere　now　than　see　her；〃　said　he　with　a　blush；　〃had　she　allowed　me：　but　she　lives　only　for　the　memory　of　her　husband　and　the　fame　of　her　noble　sons。〃

As　he　spoke　the　door　opened；　and　in　walked；　wrapped　in　his　rough　sea…gown；　none　other　than　one　of　those　said　noble　sons。

Adrian　turned　pale。

〃Amyas　Leigh！　　What　brings　you　hither？　how　fares　my　brother？　　Where　is　the　ship？〃

〃Your　brother　is　well；　Mr。　Gilbert。　　The　Golden　Hind　is　gone　on　to　Dartmouth；　with　Mr。　Hayes。　　I　came　ashore　here；　meaning　to　go　north　to　Bideford；　ere　I　went　to　London。　　I　called　at　Drake's　just　now；　but　he　was　away。〃

〃The　Golden　Hind？　　What　brings　her　home　so　soon？〃

〃Yet　welcome　ever；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Hawkins。　　〃This　is　a　great　surprise；　though。　　Captain　John　did　not　look　for　you　till　next　year。〃

Amyas　was　silent。

〃Something　is　wrong！〃　cried　Adrian。　　〃Speak！〃

Amyas　tried；　but　could　not。

〃Will　you　drive　a　man　mad；　sir？　　Has　the　adventure　failed？　　You　said　my　brother　was　well。〃

〃He　is　well。〃

〃Then　what　　Why　do　you　look　at　me　in　that　fashion；　sir？〃　and　springing　up；　Adrian　rushed　forward；　and　held　the　candle　to　Amyas's　face。

Amyas's　lip　quivered；　as　he　laid　his　hand　on　Adrian's　shoulder。

〃Your　great　and　glorious　brother；　sir；　is　better　bestowed　than　in　settling　Newfoundland。〃

〃Dead？〃　shrieked　Adrian。

〃He　is　with　the　God　whom　he　served！〃

〃He　was　always　with　Him；　like　Enoch：　parable　me　no　parables；　if　you　love　me；　sir！〃

〃And；　like　Enoch；　he　was　not；　for　God　took　him。〃

Adrian　clasped　his　hands　over　his　forehead；　and　leaned　against　the　table。

〃Go　on；　sir；　go　on。　　God　will　give　me　strength　to　hear　all。〃

And　gradually　Amyas　opened　to　Adrian　that　tragic　story；　which　Mr。　Hayes　has　long　ago　told　far　too　well　to　allow　a　second　edition　of　it　from　me：　of　the　unruliness　of　the　men；　ruffians；　as　I　said　before；　caught　up　at　hap…hazard；　of　conspiracies　to　carry　off　the　ships；　plunder　of　fishing　vessels；　desertions　multiplying　daily；　licenses　from　the　general　to　the　lazy　and　fearful　to　return　home：　till　Adrian　broke　out　with　a　groan

〃From　him？　　Conspired　against　him？　　Deserted　from　him？　　Dotards；　buzzards！　　Where　would　they　have　found　such　another　leader？〃

〃Your　illustrious　brother；　sir；〃　said　Amyas；　〃if　you　will　pardon　me；　was　a　very　great　philosopher；　but　not　so　much　of　a　general。〃

〃General；　sir？　　Where　was　braver　man？〃

〃Not　on　God's　earth；　but　that　does　not　make　a　general；　sir。　　If　Cortez　had　been　brave　and　no　more；　Mexico　would　have　been　Mexico　still。　　The　truth　is；　sir；　Cortez；　like　my　Captain　Drake；　knew　when　to　hang　a　man；　and　your　great　brother　did　not。〃

Amyas；　as　I　suppose；　was　right。　　Gilbert　was　a　man　who　could　be　angry　enough　at　baseness　or　neglect；　but　who　was　too　kindly　to　punish　it；　he　was　one　who　could　form　the　wisest　and　best…digested　plans；　but　who　could　not　stoop　to　that　hail…fellow…well…met　drudgery　among　his　subordinates　which　has　been　the　talisman　of　great　captains。

Then　Amyas　went　on　to　tell　the　rest　of　his　story；　the　setting　sail　from　St。　John's　to　discover　the　southward　coast；　Sir　Humphrey's　chivalrous　determination　to　go　in　the　little　Squirrel　of　only　ten　tons；　and　〃overcharged　with　nettings；　fights；　and　small　ordnance；〃　not　only　because　she　was　more　fit　to　examine　the　creeks；　but　because　he　had　heard　of　some　taunt　against　him　among　the　men；　that　he　was　afraid　of　the　sea。

After　that；　woe　on　woe；　how；　seven　days　after　they　left　Cape　Raz；　their　largest　ship；　the　Delight；　after　she　had　〃most　part　of　the　night〃　（I　quote　Hayes）；　〃like　the　swan　that　singeth　before　her　death；　continued　in　sounding　of　trumpets；　drums；　and　fifes；　also　winding　of　the　comets　and　hautboys；　and；　in　the　end　of　their　jollity；　left　off　with　the　battle　and　doleful　knells；〃　struck　the　next　day　（the　Golden　Hind　and　the　Squirrel　sheering　off　just　in　time）　upon　unknown　shoals；　where　were　lost　all　but　fourteen；　and　among　them　Frank's　philosopher　friend；　poor　Budaeus；　and　those　who　escaped；　after　all　horrors　of　cold　and　famine；　were　cast　on　shore　in　Newfoundland。　　How；　worn　out　with　hunger　and　want　of　clothes；　the　crews　of　the　two　remaining　ships　persuaded　Sir　Humphrey　to　sail　toward　England　on　the　31st　of　August；　and　on　〃that　very　instant；　even　in　winding　about；〃　beheld　close　alongside　〃a　very　lion　in　shape；　hair；　and　color；　not　swimming；　but　sliding　on　the　water；　with　his　whole　body；　who　passed　along；　turning　his　head　to　and　fro；　yawning　and　gaping　wide；　with　ugly　demonstration　of　long　teeth　and　glaring　eyes；　and　to　bid　us　farewell　（coming　right　against　the　Hind）　he　sent　forth　a　horrible　voice；　roaring　or　bellowing　as　doth　a　lion。〃　　〃What　opinion　others　had　thereof；　and　chiefly　the　general　himself；　I　forbear　to　deliver；　but　he　took　it　for　bonum　omen；　rejoicing　that　he　was　to　war　against　such　an　enemy；　if　it　were　the　devil。〃

〃And　the　devil　it　was；　doubtless；〃　said　Adrian；　〃the　roaring　lion　who　goes　about　seeking　whom　he　may　devour。〃

〃He　has　not　got　your　brother；　at　least；〃　quoth　Amyas。

〃No；〃　rejoined　Mrs。　Hawkins　（smile　not；　reader；　for　those　were　days　in　which　men　believed　in　the　devil）；　〃he　roared　for　joy　to　think　how　many　poor　souls　would　be　left　still　in　heathen　darkness　by　Sir　Humphrey's　death。　　God　be　with　that　good　knight；　and　send　all　mariners　where　he　is　now！〃

Then　Amyas　told　the　last　scene；　how；　when　they　were　off　the　Azores；　the　storms　came　on　heavier　than　ever；　with　〃terrible　seas；　breaking　short　and　pyramid…wise；〃　till；　on　the　9th　September；　the　tiny　Squirrel　nearly　foundered　and　yet　recovered；　〃and　the　general；　sitting　abaft　with　a　book　in　his　hand；　cried　out　to　us　in　the　Hind　so　oft　as　we　did　approach　within　hearing；　'We　are　as　near　heaven　by　sea　as　by　land；'　reiterating　the　same　speech；　well　beseeming　a　soldier　resolute　in　Jesus　Christ；　as　I　can　testify　he　was。

〃The　same　Monday；　about　twelve　of　the　clock；　or　not　long　after；　the　frigate　（the　Squirrel）　being　ahead　of　us　in　the　Golden　Hind；　suddenly　her　lights　were　out；　and　withal　our　watch　cried；　the　general　was　cast　away；　which　was　true；　for　in　that　moment　the　frigate　was　devoured　and　swallowed　up　of　the　sea。〃

And　so　ended　（I　have　used　Hayes'　own　words）　Amyas　Leigh's　story。

〃Oh；　my　brother！　my　brother！〃　moaned　poor　Adrian；　〃the　glory　of　his　house；　the　glory　of　Devon！〃

〃Ah！　what　will　the　queen　say？〃　asked　Mrs。　Hawkins　through　her　tears。

〃Tell　me；〃　asked　Adrian；　〃had　he　the　jewel　on　when　he　died？〃

〃The　queen's　jewel？　　He　always　wore　that；　and　his　own　posy　too；　'Mutare　vel　timere　sperno。'　　He　wore　it；　and　he　lived　it。〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Adrian；　〃the　same　to　the　last！〃

〃Not　quite　that；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃He　was　a　meeker　man　latterly　than　he　used　to　be。　　As　he　said　himself　once；　a　better　refiner　than　any　whom　he　had　on　board　had　followed　him　close　all　the　seas　over；　and　purified　him　in　the　fire。　　And　gold　seven　times　tried　he　was；　when　God；　having　done　His　work　in　him；　took　him　home　at　last。〃

And　so　the　talk　ended。　　There　was　no　doubt　that　the　expedition　had　been　an　utter　failure；　Adrian　was　a　ruined　man；　and　Amyas　had　lost　his　venture。

Adrian　rose；　and　begged　leave　to　retire；　he　must　collect　himself。

〃Poor　gentleman！〃　said　Mrs。　Hawkins；　〃it　is　little　else　he　has　left　to　collect。〃

〃Or　I　either；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃I　was　going　to　ask　you　to　lend　me　one　of　your　son's　shirts；　and　five　pounds　to　get　myself　and　my　men　home。〃

〃Five？　　Fifty；　Mr。　Leigh！　　God　forbid　that　John　Hawkins's　wife　should　refuse　her　last　penny　to　a　distressed　mariner；　and　he　a　gentleman　born。　　But　you　must　eat　and　drink。〃

〃It's　more　than　I　have　done　for　many　a　day　worth　speaking　of。〃

And　Amyas　sat　down　in　his　rags　to　a　good　supper；　while　Mrs。　Hawkins　told　him　all　the　news　which　she　could　of　his　mother；　whom　Adrian　Gilbert　had　seen　a　few　months　before　in　London；　and　then　went　on；　naturally　enough；　to　the　Bideford　news。

〃And　by　the　by；　Captain　Leigh；　I've　sad　news　for　you　from　your　place；　and　I　had　it　from　one　who　was　there　at　the　time。　　You　must　know　a　Spanish　captain；　a　prisoner〃

〃What；　the　one　I　sent　home　from　Smerwick？〃

〃You　sent？　　Mercy　on　us！　　Then；　perhaps；　you've　heard〃

〃How　can　I　have　heard？　　What？〃

〃That　he's　gone　off；　the　villain？〃

〃Without　paying　his　ransom？〃

〃I　can't　say　that；　but　there's　a　poor　innocent　young　maid　gone　off　with　him；　one　Salterne's　daughterthe　Popish　serpent！〃

〃Rose　Salterne；　the　mayor's　daughter；　the　Rose　of　Torridge！〃

〃That's　her。　　Bless　your　dear　soul；　what　ails　you？〃

Amyas　had　dropped　back　in　his　seat　as　if　he　had　been　shot；　but　he　recovered　himself　before　kind　Mrs。　Hawkins　could　rush　to　the　cupboard　for　cordials。

〃You'll　forgive　me；　madam；　but　I'm　weak　from　the　sea；　and　your　good　ale　has　turned　me　a　bit　dizzy；　I　think。〃

〃Ay；　yes；　'tis　too；　too　heavy；　till　you've　been　on　shore　a　while。　Try　the　aqua　vitae；　my　Captain　John　has　it　right　good；　and　a　bit　too　fond　of　it　too；