westward ho-第97节

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y　and　many　a　brave　and　virtuous　captain　in　her　majesty's　service　at　this　very　day：　but　certainly　he　behaved　admirably　under　that　trial。　Drake　had　trained　him；　as　he　trained　many　another　excellent　officer；　to　be　as　stout　in　discipline；　and　as　dogged　of　purpose；　as　he　himself　was：　but　he　had　trained　him　also　to　feel　with　and　for　his　men；　to　make　allowances　for　them；　and　to　keep　his　temper　with　them；　as　he　did　this　day。　　True；　he　had　seen　Drake　in　a　rage；　he　had　seen　him　hang　one　man　for　a　mutiny　（and　that　man　his　dearest　friend）；　and　threaten　to　hang　thirty　more；　but　Amyas　remembered　well　that　that　explosion　took　place　when　having；　as　Drake　said　publicly　himself；　〃taken　in　hand　that　I　know　not　in　the　world　how　to　go　through　with；　it　passeth　my　capacity；　it　hath　even　bereaved　me　of　my　wits　to　think　of　it；〃　。　。　。　and　having　〃now　set　together　by　the　ears　three　mighty　princes；　her　majesty　and　the　kings　of　Spain　and　Portugal；〃　he　found　his　whole　voyage　ready　to　come　to　naught；　〃by　mutinies　and　discords；　controversy　between　the　sailors　and　gentlemen；　and　stomaching　between　the　gentlemen　and　sailors。〃　〃But；　my　masters〃　（quoth　the　self…trained　hero；　and　Amyas　never　forgot　his　words）；　〃I　must　have　it　left；　for　I　must　have　the　gentlemen　to　haul　and　draw　with　the　mariner；　and　the　mariner　with　the　gentlemen。　　I　would　like　to　know　him　that　would　refuse　to　set　his　hand　to　a　rope！〃

And　now　Amyas's　conscience　smote　him　（and　his　simple　and　pious　soul　took　the　loss　of　his　brother　as　God's　verdict　on　his　conduct）；　because　he　had　set　his　own　private　affection；　even　his　own　private　revenge；　before　the　safety　of　his　ship's　company；　and　the　good　of　his　country。

〃Ah；〃　said　he　to　himself；　as　he　listened　to　his　men's　reproaches；　〃if　I　had　been　thinking；　like　a　loyal　soldier；　of　serving　my　queen；　and　crippling　the　Spaniard；　I　should　have　taken　that　great　bark　three　days　ago；　and　in　it　the　very　man　I　sought！〃

So　〃choking　down　his　old　man；〃　as　Yeo　used　to　say；　he　made　answer　cheerfully

〃Pooh！　pooh！　brave　lads！　　For　shame；　for　shame！　　You　were　lions　half…an…hour　ago；　you　are　not　surely　turned　sheep　already！　　Why；　but　yesterday　evening　you　were　grumbling　because　I　would　not　run　in　and　fight　those　three　ships　under　the　batteries　of　La　Guayra；　and　now　you　think　it　too　much　to　have　fought　them　fairly　out　at　sea？　What　has　happened　but　the　chances　of　war；　which　might　have　happened　anywhere？　　Nothing　venture；　nothing　win；　and　nobody　goes　bird…　nesting　without　a　fall　at　times。　　If　any　one　wants　to　be　safe　in　this　life；　he'd　best　stay　at　home　and　keep　his　bed；　though　even　there；　who　knows　but　the　roof　might　fall　through　on　him？〃

〃Ah；　it's　all　very　well　for　you；　captain；〃　said　some　grumbling　younker；　with　a　vague　notion　that　Amyas　must　be　better　off　than　he；　because　he　was　a　gentleman。　　Amyas's　blood　rose。

〃Yes；　sirrah！　it　is　very　well　for　me；　as　long　as　God　is　with　me：　but　He　is　with　every　man　in　this　ship；　I　would　have　you　to　know；　as　much　as　He　is　with　me。　　Do　you　fancy　that　I　have　nothing　to　lose？　I　who　have　adventured　in　this　voyage　all　I　am　worth；　and　more；　who；　if　I　fail；　must　return　to　beggary　and　scorn？　　And　if　I　have　ventured　rashly；　sinfully；　if　you　will；　the　lives　of　any　of　you　in　my　own　private　quarrel；　am　I　not　punished？　　Have　I　not　lost？〃

His　voice　trembled　and　stopped　there；　but　he　recovered　himself　in　a　moment。

〃Pish！　I　can't　stand　here　chattering。　　Carpenter！　an　axe！　and　help　me　to　cast　these　spars　loose。　　Get　out　of　my　way；　there！　lumbering　the　scuppers　up　like　so　many　moulting　fowls！　　Here；　all　old　friends；　lend　a　hand！　　Pelican's　men；　stand　by　your　captain！　　Did　we　sail　round　the　world　for　nothing？〃

This　last　appeal　struck　home；　and　up　leaped　half…a…dozen　of　the　old　Pelicans；　and　set　to　work　at　his　side　manfully　to　rig　the　jury…mast。

〃Come　along！〃　cried　Cary　to　the　malcontents；　〃we're　raw　longshore　fellows；　but　we　won't　be　outdone　by　any　old　sea…dog　of　them　all。〃　And　setting　to　work　himself；　he　was　soon　followed　by　one　and　another；　till　order　and　work　went　on　well　enough。

〃And　where　are　we　going；　when　the　mast's　up？〃　shouted　some　saucy　hand　from　behind。

〃Where　you　daren't　follow　us　alone　by　yourself；　so　you　had　better　keep　us　company；〃　replied　Yeo。

〃I'll　tell　you　where　we　are　going；　lads；〃　said　Amyas；　rising　from　his　work。　　〃Like　it　or　leave　it　as　you　will；　I　have　no　secrets　from　my　crew。　　We　are　going　inshore　there　to　find　a　harbor；　and　careen　the　ship。〃

There　was　a　start　and　a　murmur。

〃Inshore？　　Into　the　Spaniards'　mouths？〃

〃All　in　the　Inquisition　in　a　week's　time。〃

〃Better　stay　here；　and　be　drowned。〃

〃You're　right　in　that　last；〃　shouts　Cary。　　〃That's　the　right　death　for　blind　puppies。　　Look　you！　　I　don't　know　in　the　least　where　we　are；　and　I　hardly　know　stem　from　stern　aboard　ship；　and　the　captain　may　be　right　or　wrongthat's　nothing　to　me；　but　this　I　know；　that　I　am　a　soldier；　and　will　obey　orders；　and　where　he　goes；　I　go；　and　whosoever　hinders　me　must　walk　up　my　sword　to　do　it。〃

Amyas　pressed　Cary's　hand；　and　then

〃And　here's　my　broadside　next；　men。　　I'll　go　nowhere；　and　do　nothing　without　the　advice　of　Salvation　Yeo　and　Robert　Drew；　and　if　any　man　in　the　ship　knows　better　than　these　two；　let　him　up；　and　we'll　give　him　a　hearing。　　Eh；　Pelicans？〃

There　was　a　grunt　of　approbation　from　the　Pelicans；　and　Amyas　returned　to　the　charge。

〃We　have　five　shot　between　wind　and　water；　and　one　somewhere　below。　Can　we　face　a　gale　of　wind　in　that　state；　or　can　we　not？〃

Silence。

〃Can　we　get　home　with　a　leak　in　our　bottom？〃

Silence。

〃Then　what　can　we　do　but　run　inshore；　and　take　our　chance？　　Speak！　It's　a　coward's　trick　to　do　nothing　because　what　we　must　do　is　not　pleasant。　　Will　you　be　like　children；　that　would　sooner　die　than　take　nasty　physic；　or　will　you　not？〃

Silence　still。

〃Come　along　now！　　Here's　the　wind　again　round　with　the　sun；　and　up　to　the　north…west。　　In　with　her！〃

Sulkily　enough；　but　unable　to　deny　the　necessity；　the　men　set　to　work；　and　the　vessel's　head　was　put　toward　the　land；　but　when　she　began　to　slip　through　the　water；　the　leak　increased　so　fast；　that　they　were　kept　hard　at　work　at　the　pumps　for　the　rest　of　the　afternoon。

The　current　had　by　this　time　brought　them　abreast　of　the　bay　of　Higuerote；　and；　luckily　for　them；　safe　out　of　the　short　heavy　swell　which　it　causes　round　Cape　Codera。　　Looking　inland；　they　had　now　to　the　south…west　that　noble　headland；　backed　by　the　Caracas　Mountains；　range　on　range；　up　to　the　Silla　and　the　Neguater；　while；　right　ahead　of　them　to　the　south；　the　shore　sank　suddenly　into　a　low　line　of　mangrove…wood；　backed　by　primaeval　forest。　　As　they　ran　inward；　all　eyes　were　strained　greedily　to　find　some　opening　in　the　mangrove　belt；　but　none　was　to　be　seen　for　some　time。　　The　lead　was　kept　going；　and　every　fresh　heave　announced　shallower　water。

〃We　shall　have　very　shoal　work　off　those　mangroves；　Yeo；〃　said　Amyas；　〃I　doubt　whether　we　shall　do　aught　now；　unless　we　find　a　river's　mouth。〃

〃If　the　Lord　thinks　a　river　good　for　us；　sir；　He'll　show　us　one。〃　So　on　they　went；　keeping　a　south…east　course；　and　at　last　an　opening　in　the　mangrove　belt　was　hailed　with　a　cheer　from　the　older　hands；　though　the　majority　shrugged　their　shoulders；　as　men　going　open…eyed　to　destruction。

Off　the　mouth　they　sent　in　Drew　and　Cary　with　a　boat；　and　watched　anxiously　for　an　hour。　　The　boat　returned　with　a　good　report　of　two　fathoms　of　water　over　the　bar；　impenetrable　forests　for　two　miles　up；　the　river　sixty　yards　broad；　and　no　sign　of　man。　　The　river's　banks　were　soft　and　sloping　mud；　fit　for　careening。

〃Safe　quarters；　sir；〃　said　Yeo；　privately；　〃as　far　as　Spaniards　go。　I　hope　in　God　it　may　be　as　safe　from　calentures　and　fevers。〃

〃Beggars　must　not　be　choosers；〃　said　Amyas。　　So　in　they　went。

They　towed　the　ship　up　about　half…a…mile　to　a　point　where　she　could　not　be　seen　from　the　seaward；　and　there　moored　her　to　the　mangrove…　stems。　　Amyas　ordered　a　boat　out；　and　went　up　the　river　himself　to　reconnoitre。　　He　rowed　some　three　miles；　till　the　river　narrowed　suddenly；　and　was　all　but　covered　in　by　the　interlacing　boughs　of　mighty　trees。　　There　was　no　sign　that　man　had　been　there　since　the　making　of　the　world。

He　dropped　down　the　stream　again；　thoughtfully　and　sadly。　　How　many　years　ago　was　it　that　he　passed　this　river's　mouth？　　Three　days。　And　yet　how　much　had　passed　in　them！　　Don　Guzman　found　and　lost　Rose　found　and　losta　great　victory　gained；　and　yet　lostperhaps　his　ship　lostabove　all；　his　brother　lost。

Lost！　O　God；　how　should　he　find　his　brother？

Some　strange　bird　out　of　the　woods　made　mournful　answer〃Never；　never；　never！〃

How　should　he　face　his　mother？

〃Never；　never；　never！〃　wailed　the　bird　again；　and　Amyas　smiled　bitterly；　and　said　〃Never！〃　likewise。

The　night　mist　began　to　steam　and　wreathe　upon　the　foul　beer…　colored　stream。　　The　loathy　floor　of　liquid　mud　lay　bare　beneath　the　mangrove　forest。　　Upon　the　endless　web　of　interarching　roots　great　purple　crabs　were　crawling　up　and　down。　　They　would　have　supped　with　pleasure　upon　Amyas's　corpse；　perhaps　they　might　sup　on　him　after　all；　for　a　heavy　sickening　graveyard　smell　made　his　heart　sink　within　him；　and　his　stomach　heave；　and　his　weary　body；　and　more　weary　soul；　gave　themselves　up　he