westward ho-第89节

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r　pretence；　but　the　eternal　fulness　of　reality　and　truth。　　One　thing　I　have　to　do　before　I　die；　for　God　has　laid　it　on　me。　　Let　that　be　done　to…night；　and　then；　farewell！〃

〃Frank！　Frank！　remember　our　mother！〃

〃I　do　remember　her。　　I　have　talked　over　these　things　with　her　many　a　time；　and　where　I　would　fain　be；　she　would　fain　be　also。　　She　sent　me　out　with　my　virgin　honor；　as　the　Spartan　mother　did　her　boy　with　the　shield；　saying；　'Come　back　either　with　this；　or　upon　this；'　and　one　or　the　other　I　must　do；　if　I　would　meet　her　either　in　this　life　or　in　the　next。　　But　in　the　meanwhile　do　not　mistake　me；　my　life　is　God's；　and　I　promise　not　to　cast　it　away　rashly。〃

〃What　would　you　do；　then？〃

〃Go　up　to　that　house；　Amyas；　and　speak　with　her；　if　Heaven　gives　me　an　opportunity；　as　Heaven；　I　feel　assured；　will　give。〃

〃And　do　you　call　that　no　rashness？〃

〃Is　any　duty　rashness？　　Is　it　rash　to　stand　amid　the　flying　bullets；　if　your　queen　has　sent　you？　　Is　it　more　rash　to　go　to　seek　Christ's　lost　lamb；　if　God　and　your　own　oath　hath　sent　you？　　John　Brimblecombe　answered　that　question　for　us　long　ago。〃

〃If　you　go；　I　go　with　you！〃　said　all　three　at　once。

〃No。　　Amyas；　you　owe　a　duty　to　our　mother　and　to　your　ship。　　Cary；　you　are　heir　to　great　estates；　and　are　bound　thereby　to　your　country　and　to　your　tenants。　　John　Brimblecombe〃

〃Ay！〃　squeaked　Jack。　　〃And　what　have　you　to　say；　Mr。　Frank；　against　my　going？I；　who　have　neither　ship　nor　estatesexcept；　I　suppose；　that　I　am　not　worthy　to　travel　in　such　good　company？〃

〃Think　of　your　old　parents；　John；　and　all　your　sisters。〃

〃I　thought　of　them　before　I　started；　sir；　as　Mr。　Cary　knows；　and　you　know　too。　　I　came　here　to　keep　my　vow；　and　I　am　not　going　to　turn　renegade　at　the　very　foot　of　the　cross。〃

〃Some　one　must　go　with　you；　Frank；〃　said　Amyas；　〃if　it　were　only　to　bring　back　the　boat's　crew　in　case〃　and　he　faltered。

〃In　case　I　fall；〃　replied　Frank；　with　a　smile。　　〃I　will　finish　your　sentence　for　you；　lad；　I　am　not　afraid　of　it；　though　you　may　be　for　me。　　Yet　some　one；　I　fear；　must　go。　　Unhappy　me！　that　I　cannot　risk　my　own　worthless　life　without　risking　your　more　precious　lives！〃

〃Not　so；　Mr。　Frank！　　Your　oath　is　our　oath；　and　your　duty　ours！〃　said　John。　　〃I　will　tell　you　what　we　will　do；　gentlemen　all。　　We　three　will　draw　cuts　for　the　honor　of　going　with　him。〃

〃Lots？〃　said　Amyas。　　〃I　don't　like　leaving　such　grave　matters　to　chance；　friend　John。〃

〃Chance；　sir？　　When　you　have　used　all　your　own　wit；　and　find　it　fail　you；　then　what　is　drawing　lots　but　taking　the　matter　out　of　your　own　weak　hands；　and　laying　it　in　God's　strong　hands？〃

〃Right；　John！〃　said　Frank。　　〃So　did　the　apostles　choose　their　successor；　and　so　did　holy　men　of　old　decide　controversies　too　subtle　for　them；　and　we　will　not　be　ashamed　to　follow　their　example。　　For　my　part；　I　have　often　said　to　Sidney　and　to　Spenser；　when　we　have　babbled　together　of　Utopian　governments　in　days　which　are　now　dreams　to　me；　that　I　would　have　all　officers　of　state　chosen　by　lot　out　of　the　wisest　and　most　fit；　so　making　sure　that　they　should　be　called　by　God；　and　not　by　man　alone。　　Gentlemen；　do　you　agree　to　Sir　John's　advice？〃

They　agreed；　seeing　no　better　counsel；　and　John　put　three　slips　of　paper　into　Frank's　hand；　with　the　simple　old　apostolic　prayer

〃Show　which　of　us　three　Thou　hast　chosen。〃

The　lot　fell　upon　Amyas　Leigh。

Frank　shuddered；　and　clasped　his　hands　over　his　face。

〃Well；〃　said　Cary；　〃I　have　ill…luck　to…night：　but　Frank　goes　at　least　in　good　company。〃

〃Ah；　that　it　had　been　I！〃　said　Jack；　〃though　I　suppose　I　was　too　poor　a　body　to　have　such　an　honor　fall　on　me。　　And　yet　it　is　hard　for　flesh　and　blood；　hard　indeed　to　have　come　all　this　way；　and　not　to　see　her　after　all！〃

〃Jack；〃　said　Frank；　〃you　are　kept　to　do　better　work　than　this；　doubt　not。　　But　if　the　lot　had　fallen　on　youay；　if　it　had　fallen　on　a　three　years'　child；　I　would　have　gone　up　as　cheerfully　with　that　child　to　lead　me；　as　I　do　now　with　this　my　brother！　　Amyas；　can　we　have　a　boat；　and　a　crew？　　It　is　near　midnight　already。〃

Amyas　went　on　deck；　and　asked　for　six　volunteers。　　Whosoever　would　come；　Amyas　would　double　out　of　his　own　purse　any　prize…money　which　might　fall　to　that　man's　share。

One　of　the　old　Pelican's　crew；　Simon　Evans　of　Clovelly；　stepped　out　at　once。

〃Why　six　only；　captain？　　Give　the　word；　and　any　and　all　of　us　will　go　up　with　you；　sack　the　house；　and　bring　off　the　treasure　and　the　lady；　before　two　hours　are　out。〃

〃No；　no；　my　brave　lads！　　As　for　treasure；　if　there　be　any；　it　is　sure　to　have　been　put　all　safe　into　the　forts；　or　hidden　in　the　mountains；　and　as　for　the　lady；　God　forbid　that　we　should　force　her　a　step　without　her　own　will。〃

The　honest　sailor　did　not　quite　understand　this　punctilio：　but

〃Well；　captain；〃　quoth　he；　〃as　you　like；　but　no　man　shall　say　that　you　asked　for　a　volunteer；　were　it　to　jump　down　a　shark's　throat；　but　what　you　had　me　first　of　all　the　crew。

After　this　sort　of　temper　had　been　exhibited；　three　or　four　more　came　forwardYeo　was　very　anxious　to　go；　but　Amyas　forbade　him。

〃I'll　volunteer；　sir；　without　reward；　for　this　or　anything；　though〃　（added　he　in　a　lower　tone）　〃I　would　to　Heaven　that　the　thought　had　never　entered　your　head。〃

〃And　so　would　I　have　volunteered；〃　said　Simon　Evans；　〃if　it　were　the　ship's　quarrel；　or　the　queen's；　but　being　it's　a　private　matter　of　the　captain's；　and　I've　a　wife　and　children　at　home；　why；　I　take　no　shame　to　myself　for　asking　money　for　my　life。〃

So　the　crew　was　made　up；　but　ere　they　pushed　off；　Amyas　called　Cary　aside

〃If　I　perish；　Will〃

〃Don't　talk　of　such　things；　dear　old　lad。〃

〃I　must。　　Then　you　are　captain。　　Do　nothing　without　Yeo　and　Drew。　But　if　they　approve；　go　right　north　away　for　San　Domingo　and　Cuba；　and　try　the　ports；　they　can　have　no　news　of　us　there；　and　there　is　booty　without　end。　　Tell　my　mother　that　I　died　like　a　gentleman；　and　mindmind；　dear　lad；　to　keep　your　temper　with　the　men；　let　the　poor　fellows　grumble　as　they　may。　　Mind　but　that；　and　fear　God；　and　all　will　go　well。〃

The　tears　were　glistening　in　Cary's　eyes　as　he　pressed　Amyas's　hand；　and　watched　the　two　brothers　down　over　the　side　upon　their　desperate　errand。

They　reached　the　pebble　beach。　　There　seemed　no　difficulty　about　finding　the　path　to　the　houseso　bright　was　the　moon；　and　so　careful　a　survey　of　the　place　had　Frank　taken。　　Leaving　the　men　with　the　boat　（Amyas　had　taken　care　that　they　should　be　well　armed）；　they　started　up　the　beach；　with　their　swords　only。　　Frank　assured　Amyas　that　they　would　find　a　path　leading　from　the　beach　up　to　the　house；　and　he　was　not　mistaken。　　They　found　it　easily；　for　it　was　made　of　white　shell　sand；　and　following　it；　struck　into　a　〃tunal；〃　or　belt　of　tall　thorny　cactuses。　　Through　this　the　path　wound　in　zigzags　up　a　steep　rocky　slope；　and　ended　at　a　wicket…　gate。　　They　tried　it；　and　found　it　open。

〃She　may　expect　us；〃　whispered　Frank。

〃Impossible！〃

〃Why　not？　　She　must　have　seen　our　ship；　and　if；　as　seems；　the　townsfolk　know　who　we　are；　how　much　more　must　she！　　Yes；　doubt　it　not；　she　still　longs　to　hear　news　of　her　own　land；　and　some　secret　sympathy　will　draw　her　down　towards　the　sea　to…night。　　See！　the　light　is　in　the　window　still！〃

〃But　if　not；〃　said　Amyas；　who　had　no　such　expectation；　〃what　is　your　plan？〃

〃I　have　none。〃

〃None？〃

〃I　have　imagined　twenty　different　ones　in　the　last　hour；　but　all　are　equally　uncertain；　impossible。　　I　have　ceased　to　struggleI　go　where　I　am　called；　love's　willing　victim。　　If　Heaven　accept　the　sacrifice；　it　will　provide　the　altar　and　the　knife。〃

Aymas　was　at　his　wits'　end。　　Judging　of　his　brother　by　himself；　he　had　taken　for　granted　that　Frank　had　some　well…concocted　scheme　for　gaining　admittance　to　the　Rose；　and　as　the　wiles　of　love　were　altogether　out　of　his　province；　he　had　followed　in　full　faith　such　a　sans…appel　as　he　held　Frank　to　be。　　But　now　he　almost　doubted　of　his　brother's　sanity；　though　Frank's　manner　was　perfectly　collected　and　his　voice　firm。　　Amyas；　honest　fellow；　had　no　understanding　of　that　intense　devotion；　which　so　many　in　those　days　（not　content　with　looking　on　it　as　a　lofty　virtue；　and　yet　one　to　be　duly　kept　in　its　place　by　other　duties）　prided　themselves　on　pampering　into　the　most　fantastic　and　self…willed　excesses。

Beautiful　folly！　the　death…song　of　which　two　great　geniuses　were　composing　at　that　very　moment；　each　according　to　his　light。　　For；　while　Spenser　was　embalming　in　immortal　verse　all　that　it　contained　of　noble　and　Christian　elements；　Cervantes　sat；　perhaps；　in　his　dungeon；　writing　with　his　left　hand　Don　Quixote；　saddest　of　books；　in　spite　of　all　its　wit；　the　story　of　a　pure　and　noble　soul；　who　mistakes　this　actual　life　for　that　ideal　one　which　he　fancies　（and　not　so　wrongly　either）　eternal　in　the　heavens：　and　finding　instead　of　a　battlefield　for　heroes　in　God's　cause；　nothing　but　frivolity；　heartlessness；　and　godlessness；　becomes　a　laughing…stock；and　dies。　　One　of　the　saddest　books；　I　say　again；　which　man　can　read。

Amyas　hardly　dare　trust　himself　to　speak；　for　fear　of　saying　too　much；　but　he　could　not　help　saying

〃You　are　going　to　certain　death；　Frank。〃

〃Did　I　not　entreat；〃　answered　he；　very　quietly；　〃to　go　alone？〃