westward ho-第79节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　say　I。　　Eh；　Master　Towerson？〃

Towerson's　gray　beard；　which　has　stood　many　a　foreign　voyage；　both　fair　and　foul；　wags　grim　assent。　　But　at　this　moment　a　Waiter　enters；　and

〃Please　my　lord　mayor's　worship；　there　is　a　tall　gentleman　outside；　would　speak　with　the　Right　Honorable　Sir　Walter　Raleigh。〃

〃Show　him　in；　man。　　Sir　Walter's　friends　are　ours。〃

Amyas　enters；　and　stands　hesitating　in　the　doorway。

〃Captain　Leigh！〃　cry　half　a…dozen　voices。

〃Why　did　you　not　walk　in；　sir？〃　says　Osborne。　　〃You　should　know　your　way　well　enough　between　these　decks。〃

〃Well　enough；　my　lords　and　gentlemen。　　But；　Sir　Walteryou　will　excuse　me〃and　he　gave　Raleigh　a　look　which　was　enough　for　his　quick　wit。　　Turning　pale　as　death；　he　rose；　and　followed　Amyas　into　an　adjoining　cabin。　　They　were　five　minutes　together；　and　then　Amyas　came　out　alone。

In　few　words　he　told　the　company　the　sad　story　which　we　already　know。　　Ere　it　was　ended；　noble　tears　were　glistening　on　some　of　those　stern　faces。

〃The　old　Egyptians；〃　said　Sir　Edward　Osborne；　〃when　they　banqueted；　set　a　corpse　among　their　guests；　for　a　memorial　of　human　vanity。　Have　we　forgotten　God　and　our　own　weakness　in　this　our　feast；　that　He　Himself　has　sent　us　thus　a　message　from　the　dead？〃

〃Nay；　my　lord　mayor；〃　said　Sidney；　〃not　from　the　dead；　but　from　the　realm　of　everlasting　life。〃

〃Amen！〃　answered　Osborne。　　〃But；　gentlemen；　our　feast　is　at　an　end。　There　are　those　here　who　would　drink　on　merrily；　as　brave　men　should；　in　spite　of　the　private　losses　of　which　they　have　just　had　news；　but　none　here　who　can　drink　with　the　loss　of　so　great　a　man　still　ringing　in　his　ears。〃

It　was　true。　　Though　many　of　the　guests　had　suffered　severely　by　the　failure　of　the　expedition；　they　had　utterly　forgotten　that　fact　in　the　awful　news　of　Sir　Humphrey's　death；　and　the　feast　broke　up　sadly　and　hurriedly；　while　each　man　asked　his　neighbor；　〃What　will　the　queen　say？〃

Raleigh　re…entered　in　a　few　minutes；　but　was　silent；　and　pressing　many　an　honest　hand　as　he　passed；　went　out　to　call　a　wherry；　beckoning　Amyas　to　follow　him。　　Sidney；　Cumberland；　and　Frank　went　with　them　in　another　boat；　leaving　the　two　to　talk　over　the　sad　details。

They　disembarked　at　Whitehall…stairs；　Raleigh；　Sidney；　and　Cumberland　went　to　the　palace；　and　the　two　brothers　to　their　mother's　lodgings。

Amyas　had　prepared　his　speech　to　Frank　about　Rose　Salterne；　but　now　that　it　was　come　to　the　point；　he　had　not　courage　to　begin；　and　longed　that　Frank　would　open　the　matter。　　Frank；　too；　shrank　from　what　he　knew　must　come；　and　all　the　more　because　he　was　ignorant　that　Amyas　had　been　to　Bideford；　or　knew　aught　of　the　Rose's　disappearance。

So　they　went　upstairs；　and　it　was　a　relief　to　both　of　them　to　find　that　their　mother　was　at　the　Abbey；　for　it　was　for　her　sake　that　both　dreaded　what　was　coming。　　So　they　went　and　stood　in　the　bay…　window　which　looked　out　upon　the　river；　and　talked　of　things　indifferent；　and　looked　earnestly　at　each　other's　faces　by　the　fading　light；　for　it　was　now　three　years　since　they　had　met。

Years　and　events　had　deepened　the　contrast　between　the　two　brothers；　and　Frank　smiled　with　affectionate　pride　as　he　looked　up　in　Amyas's　face；　and　saw　that　he　was　no　longer　merely　the　rollicking　handy　sailor…lad；　but　the　self…confident　and　stately　warrior；　showing　in　every　look　and　gesture


　　　　　〃The　reason　firm；　the　temperate　will；　　　　　　　Endurance；　foresight；　strength；　and　skill；〃


worthy　of　one　whose　education　had　been　begun　by　such　men　as　Drake　and　Grenville；　and　finished　by　such　as　Raleigh　and　Gilbert。　　His　long　locks　were　now　cropped　close　to　the　head；　but　as　a　set…off；　the　lips　and　chin　were　covered　with　rich　golden　beard；　his　face　was　browned　by　a　thousand　suns　and　storms；　a　long　scar；　the　trophy　of　some　Irish　fight；　crossed　his　right　temple；　his　huge　figure　had　gained　breadth　in　proportion　to　its　height；　and　his　hand；　as　it　lay　upon　the　window…sill；　was　hard　and　massive　as　a　smith's。　　Frank　laid　his　own　upon　it；　and　sighed；　and　Amyas　looked　down；　and　started　at　the　contrast　between　the　twoso　slender；　bloodless；　all　but　transparent；　were　the　delicate　fingers　of　the　courtier。　　Amyas　looked　anxiously　into　his　brother's　face。　　It　was　changed；　indeed；　since　they　last　met。　　The　brilliant　red　was　still　on　either　cheek；　but　the　white　had　become　dull　and　opaque；　the　lips　were　pale；　the　features　sharpened；　the　eyes　glittered　with　unnatural　fire：　and　when　Frank　told　Amyas　that　he　looked　aged；　Amyas　could　not　help　thinking　that　the　remark　was　far　more　true　of　the　speaker　himself。

Trying　to　shut　his　eyes　to　the　palpable　truth；　he　went　on　with　his　chat；　asking　the　names　of　one　building　after　another。

〃And　so　this　is　old　Father　Thames；　with　his　bank　of　palaces？〃

〃Yes。　　His　banks　are　stately　enough；　yet；　you　see；　he　cannot　stay　to　look　at　them。　　He　hurries　down　to　the　sea；　and　the　sea　into　the　ocean；　and　the　ocean　Westward…ho；　forever。　　All　things　move　Westward…ho。　　Perhaps　we　may　move　that　way　ourselves　some　day；　Amyas。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that　strange　talk？〃

〃Only　that　the　ocean　follows　the　primum　mobile　of　the　heavens；　and　flows　forever　from　east　to　west。　　Is　there　anything　so　strange　in　my　thinking　of　that；　when　I　am　just　come　from　a　party　where　we　have　been　drinking　success　to　Westward…ho？〃

〃And　much　good　has　come　of　it！　　I　have　lost　the　best　friend　and　the　noblest　captain　upon　earth；　not　to　mention　all　my　little　earnings；　in　that　same　confounded　gulf　of　Westward…ho。〃

〃Yes；　Sir　Humphrey　Gilbert's　star　has　set　in　the　Westwhy　not？　Sun；　moon；　and　planets　sink　into　the　West：　why　not　the　meteors　of　this　lower　world？　why　not　a　will…o'…the…wisp　like　me；　Amyas？〃

〃God　forbid；　Frank！〃

〃Why；　then？　　Is　not　the　West　the　land　of　peace；　and　the　land　of　dreams？　　Do　not　our　hearts　tell　us　so　each　time　we　look　upon　the　setting　sun；　and　long　to　float　away　with　him　upon　the　golden…　cushioned　clouds？　　They　bury　men　with　their　faces　to　the　East。　　I　should　rather　have　mine　turned　to　the　West；　Amyas；　when　I　die；　for　I　cannot　but　think　it　some　divine　instinct　which　made　the　ancient　poets　guess　that　Elysium　lay　beneath　the　setting　sun。　　It　is　bound　up　in　the　heart　of　man；　that　longing　for　the　West。　　I　complain　of　no　one　for　fleeing　away　thither　beyond　the　utmost　sea；　as　David　wished　to　flee；　and　be　at　peace。〃

〃Complain　of　no　one　for　fleeing　thither？〃　asked　Amyas。　　〃That　is　more　than　I　do。〃

Frank　looked　inquiringly　at　him；　and　then

〃No。　　If　I　had　complained　of　any　one；　it　would　have　been　of　you　just　now；　for　seeming　to　be　tired　of　going　Westward…ho。〃

〃Do　you　wish　me　to　go；　then？〃

〃God　knows；〃　said　Frank；　after　a　moment's　pause。　　〃But　I　must　tell　you　now；　I　suppose；　once　and　for　all。　　That　has　happened　at　Bideford　which〃

〃Spare　us　both；　Frank；　I　know　all。　　I　came　through　Bideford　on　my　way　hither；　and　came　hither　not　merely　to　see　you　and　my　mother；　but　to　ask　your　advice　and　her　permission。〃

〃True　heart！　noble　heart！〃　cried　Frank。　　〃I　knew　you　would　be　stanch！〃

〃Westward…ho　it　is；　then？〃

〃Can　we　escape？〃

〃We？〃

〃Amyas；　does　not　that　which　binds　you　bind　me？〃

Amyas　started　back；　and　held　Frank　by　the　shoulders　at　arm's　length；　as　he　did　so；　he　could　feel　through；　that　his　brother's　arms　were　but　skin　and　bone。

〃You？　　Dearest　man；　a　month　of　it　would　kill　you！〃

Frank　smiled；　and　tossed　his　head　on　one　side　in　his　pretty　way。

〃I　belong　to　the　school　of　Thales；　who　held　that　the　ocean　is　the　mother　of　all　life；　and　feel　no　more　repugnance　at　returning　to　her　bosom　again　than　Humphrey　Gilbert　did。〃

〃But；　Frank；my　mother？〃

〃My　mother　knows　all；　and　would　not　have　us　unworthy　of　her。〃

〃Impossible！　　She　will　never　give　you　up！〃

〃All　things　are　possible　to　them　that　believe　in　God；　my　brother；　and　she　believes。　　But；　indeed；　Doctor　Dee；　the　wise　man；　gave　her　but　this　summer　I　know　not　what　of　prognostics　and　diagnostics　concerning　me。　　I　am　born；　it　seems；　under　a　cold　and　watery　planet；　and　need；　if　I　am　to　be　long…lived；　to　go　nearer　to　the　vivifying　heat　of　the　sun；　and　there　bask　out　my　little　life；　like　fly　on　wall。　　To　tell　truth；　he　has　bidden　me　spend　no　more　winters　here　in　the　East；　but　return　to　our　native　sea…breezes；　there　to　warm　my　frozen　lungs；　and　has　so　filled　my　mother's　fancy　with　stories　of　sick　men；　who　were　given　up　for　lost　in　Germany　and　France；　and　yet　renewed　their　youth；　like　any　serpent　or　eagle；　by　going　to　Italy；　Spain；　and　the　Canaries；　that　she　herself　will　be　more　ready　to　let　me　go　than　I　to　leave　her　all　alone。　　And　yet　I　must　go；　Amyas。　　It　is　not　merely　that　my　heart　pants；　as　Sidney's　does；　as　every　gallant's　ought；　to　make　one　of　your　noble　choir　of　Argonauts；　who　are　now　replenishing　the　earth　and　subduing　it　for　God　and　for　the　queen；　it　is　not　merely；　Amyas；　that　love　calls　me；love　tyrannous　and　uncontrollable；　strengthened　by　absence；　and　deepened　by　despair；　but　honor；　Amyasmy　oath〃

And　he　paused　for　lack　of　breath；　and　bursting　into　a　violent　fit　of　coughing；　leaned　on　his　brother's　shoulder；　while　Amyas　cried；

〃Fools；　fools　that　we　werethat　I　was；　I　meanto　take　that　fantastical　vow！〃

〃Not　so；〃　answered　a　gentle　voice　from　behind：　〃you　vowed　for　the　sake　of　peace　on　earth；　and　good…will　toward　men；　and　'Blessed　a