the path of the king-第27节

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　a　glass　of　whisky；　almost　the　last　of　the　thirty…two　gallon　cask　which　Lord　Boyle　had　given　him　in　Cork　on　his　way　out。　He　replenished　his　glass　with　water　from　a　silver　carafe；　and　sipped　it；　for　it　checked　his　cold　rigours。　As　he　set　it　down　he　looked　up　to　greet　a　man　who　had　just　entered。

The　new…comer　was　not　more　than　forty　years　old；　like　the　Admiral；　but　he　was　lame　of　his　left　leg；　and　held　himself　with　a　stoop。　His　left　arm；　too　hung　limp　and　withered　by　his　side。　The　skin　of　his　face　was　gnarled　like　the　bark　of　a　tree；　and　seamed　with　a　white　scar　which　drooped　over　the　corner　of　one　eye　and　so　narrowed　it　to　half　the　size　of　the　other。　He　was　the　captain　of　Raleigh's　flagship；　the　　Destiny；　an　old　seafarer；　who　in　twenty　years　had　lived　a　century　of　adventure。

〃I　wish　you　good　evening；　Sir　Walter；〃　he　said　in　his　deep　voice。　〃They　tell　me　the　fever　is　abating。〃

The　Admiral　smiled　wanly；　and　in　his　smile　there　was　still　a　trace　of　the　golden　charm　which　had　once　won　all　men's　hearts。

〃My　fever　will　never　abate　this　side　the　grave；〃　he　said。　〃Jasper；　old　friend；　I　would　have　you　sit　with　me　tonight。　I　am　like　King　Saul；　the　sport　of　devils。　Be　you　my　David　to　exorcise　them。　I　have　evil　news。　Tom　Keymis　is　dead。〃

The　other　nodded。　Tom　Keymis　had　been　dead　for　ten　days；　since　before　they　left　Trinidad。　He　was　aware　of　the　obsession　of　the　Admiral；　which　made　the　tragedy　seem　fresh　news　daily。

〃Dead；〃　said　Raleigh。　〃I　slew　him　by　my　harshness。　I　see　him　stumbling　off　to　his　cabin；　an　old　bent　man；　though　younger　than　me。　But　he　failed　me。　He　betrayed　his　trust。　。　。　。　Trust；　what　does　that　matter？　We　are　all　dying。　Old　Tom　has　only　gone　on　a　little　way　before　the　rest。　And　many　went　before　him。〃

The　voice　had　become　shrill　and　hard。　He　was　speaking　to　himself。

〃The　bestthe　very　best。　My　brave　young　Walter；　and　Cosmor　and　Piggot　and　John　Talbot　and　Ned　Coffyn。　。　。　。　Ned　was　your　kinsman；　Jasper？〃

〃My　cousinthe　son　of　my　mother's　brother。〃　The　man　spoke；　like　Raleigh；　in　a　Devon　accent；　with　the　creamy　slur　in　the　voice　and　the　sing…song　fall　of　West　England。

〃Ah；　I　remember。　Your　mother　was　Cecily　Coffyn；　from　Combas　on　the　Moor　at　the　back　of　Lustleigh。　A　pretty　girlI　mind　her　long　ago。　I　would　I　were　on　the　Moor　now；　where　it　is　always　fresh　and　blowing。　。　。　。　And　your　fatherthe　big　Frenchman　who　settled　on　one　of　Gawain　Champernoun's　manors。　I　loved　his　jolly　laugh。　But　Cecily　sobered　him；　for　the　Coffyns　were　always　a　grave　and　pious　race。　Gawain　is　dead　these　many　years。　Where　is　your　father？

〃He　died　in　'82　with　Sir　Humfrey　Gilbert。〃

Raleigh　bowed　his　head。　〃He　went　to　God　with　brother　Humfrey！　Happy　fate！　Happy　company！　But　he　left　a　brave　son　behind　him；　and　I　have　lost　mine。　Have　you　a　boy；　Jasper？〃

〃But　the　one。　My　wife　died　ten　years　ago　come　Martinmas。　The　child　is　with　his　grandmother　on　the　Moor。〃

〃A　promising　child？〃

〃A　good　lad；　so　far　as　I　have　observed　him；　and　that　is　not　once　a　twelvemonth。〃

〃You　are　a　hungry　old　sea…dog。　That　was　not　the　Coffyn　fashion。　Ned　was　for　ever　homesick　out　of　sight　of　Devon。　They　worshipped　their　bleak　acres　and　their　fireside　pieties。　Ah；　but　I　forget。　You　are　de　Laval　on　one　side；　and　that　is　strong　blood。　There　is　not　much　in　England　to　vie　with　it。　You　were　great　nobles　when　our　Cecils　were　husbandmen。〃

He　turned　on　a　new　tack。　〃You　know　that　Whitney　and　Wollaston　have　deserted　me。　They　would　have　had　me　turn　pirate；　and　when　I　refused　they　sailed　off　and　left　me。　This　morning　I　saw　the　last　of　their　topsails。　Did　I　right？；〃　he　asked　fiercely。

〃In　my　judgment　you　did　right。〃

〃But　whywhy？〃　Raleigh　demanded。　〃I　have　the　commission　of　the　King　of　France。　What　hindered　me　to　use　my　remnant　like　hounds　to　cut　off　the　stragglers　of　the　Plate　Fleet？　That　way　lies　much　gold；　and　gold　will　buy　pardon　for　all　offences。　What　hindered　me；　I　say？〃

〃Yourself；　Sir　Walter。〃

Raleigh　let　his　head　fall　back　on　the　couch　and　smiled　bitterly。

〃You　say　trulymyself。　'Tis　not　a　question　of　morals；　mark　ye。　A　better　man　than　I　might　turn　pirate　with　a　clear　conscience。　But　for　Walter　Raleigh　it　would　be　black　sin。　He　has　walked　too　brazenly　in　all　weathers　to　seek　common　ports　in　a　storm。　。　。　。　　It　becomes　not　the　fortune　in　which　he　once　lived　to　go　journeys　of　picory。　。　。　。　　And　there　is　another　reason。　I　have　suddenly　grown　desperate　old。　I　think　I　can　still　endure；　but　I　cannot　institute。　My　action　is　by　and　over　and　my　passion　has　come。〃

〃You　are　a　sick　man；〃　said　the　captain　with　pity　in　his　voice。

〃Sick！　Why；　yes。　But　the　disease　goes　very　deep。　The　virtue　has　gone　out　of　me；　old　comrade。　I　no　longer　hate　or　love；　and　once　I　loved　and　hated　extremely。　I　am　become　like　a　frail　woman　for　tolerance。　Spain　has　worsted　me；　but　I　bear　her　no　ill　will；　though　she　has　slain　my　son。　Yet　once　I　held　all　Spaniards　the　devil's　spawn。〃

〃You　spoke　kindly　of　them　in　your　History；〃　said　the　other；　〃when　you　praised　their　patient　virtue。〃

〃Did　I？　I　have　forgot。　Nay；　I　remember。　When　I　wrote　that　sentence　I　was　thinking　of　Berreo。　I　loved　him；　though　I　took　his　city。　He　was　a　valiant　and　liberal　gentleman；　and　of　a　great　heart。　I　mind　how　I　combated　his　melancholy；　for　he　was　most　melancholic。　But　now　I　have　grown　like　him。　Perhaps　Sir　Edward　Coke　was　right　and　I　have　a　Spanish　heat。　I　think　a　man　cannot　strive　whole…heartedly　with　an　enemy　unless　he　have　much　in　common　with　him；　and　as　the　strife　goes　on　he　gets　liker。　。　。　。　　Ah；　Jasper；　once　I　had　such　ambitions　that　they　made　a　fire　all　around　me。　Once　I　was　like　Kit　Marlowe's　Tamburlaine：

　　　　　〃'Threatening　the　world　with　high　astounding　terms；　　　　　　　　And　scourging　kingdoms　with　his　conquering　sword。'

But　now　the　flame　has　died　and　the　ashes　are　cold。　And　I　would　not　revive　them　if　I　could。　There　is　nothing　under　heaven　that　I　desire。〃

The　seaman's　face　was　grave　and　kindly。

〃I　think　you　have　flown　too　high；　Sir　Walter。　You　have　aimed　at　the　moon　and　forgotten　the　merits　of　our　earthly　hills。〃

〃True；　true！〃　Raleigh's　mien　was　for　a　moment　more　lively。　〃That　is　a　shrewd　comment。　After　three…score　years　I　know　my　own　heart。　I　have　been　cursed　with　a　devil　of　pride；　Jasper。　。　。　。　　Man；　I　have　never　had　a　friend。　Followers　and　allies　and　companions；　if　you　please；　but　no　friend。　Others　simple　folkwould　be　set　singing　by　a　May　morning；　or　a　warm　tavern　fire；　or　a　woman's　face。　I　have　known　fellows　to　whom　the　earth　was　so　full　of　little　pleasures　that　after　the　worst　clouts　they　rose　like　larks　from　a　furrow。　A　wise　philosophybut　I　had　none　of　it。　I　saw　always　the　little　pageant　of　man's　life　like　a　child's　peep…show　beside　the　dark　wastes　of　eternity。　Ah；　I　know　well　I　struggled　like　the　rest　for　gauds　and　honours；　but　they　were　only　tools　for　my　ambition。　For　themselves　I　never　valued　them。　I　aimed　at　a　master…fabric；　and　since　I　have　failed　I　have　now　no　terrestrial　cover。〃

The　night　had　fallen　black；　but　the　cabin　windows　were　marvellously　patined　by　stars。　Raleigh's　voice　had　sunk　to　the　hoarse　whisper　of　a　man　still　fevered。　He　let　his　head　recline　again　on　the　skins　and　closed　his　eyelids。　Instantly　it　became　the　face　of　an　old　and　very　weary　man。

The　sailor　Jasper　Lauvalfor　so　he　now　spelled　his　name　on　the　rare　occasions　when　he　wrote　it　thought　he　was　about　to　sleep　and　was　rising　to　withdraw；　when　Raleigh's　eyes　opened。

〃Stay　with　me；〃　he　commanded。　〃Your　silence　cheers　me。　If　you　leave　me　I　have　thoughts　that　might　set　me　following　Tom　Keymis。　Kit　Marlowe　again！　I　cannot　get　rid　of　his　accursed　jingles。　How　do　they　go？

　　　　　〃'Hell　hath　no　limite；　nor　is　circumscribed　　　　　　　　In　one　self…place；　for　where　we　are　is　hell　　　　　　　　And　where　hell　is　there　must　we　ever　be。'〃

Lauval　stretched　out　a　cool　hand　and　laid　it　on　the　Admiral's　hot　forehead。　He　had　a　curiously　steadfast　gaze　for　all　his　drooping　left　eye。　Raleigh　caught　sight　of　the　withered　arm。

〃Tell　me　of　your　life；　Jasper。　How　came　you　by　such　a　mauling？　Let　the　tale　of　it　be　like　David's　harping　and　scatter　my　demons。〃

The　seaman　sat　himself　in　a　chair。　〃That　was　my　purpose；　Sir　Walter。　For　the　tale　is　in　some　manner　a　commentary　on　your　late　words。〃

〃Nay；　I　want　no　moral。　Let　me　do　the　moralising。　The　tale's　the　thing。　See；　fill　a　glass　of　this　Irish　cordial。　Twill　keep　off　the　chill　from　the　night　air。　When　and　where　did　you　get　so　woefully　battered？〃

〃'Twas　six　years　back　when　I　was　with　Bovill。〃

Raleigh　whistled。　〃You　were　with　Robert　Bovill'　What　in　Heaven's　name　did　one　of　Coffyn　blood　with　Robert？　If　ever　man　had　a　devil；　'twas　he。　I　mind　his　sullen　black　face　and　his　beard　in　two　prongs。　I　have　heard　he　is　deadon　a　Panama　gibbet？〃

〃He　is　dead；　but　not　as　he　lived。　I　was　present　when　he　died。　He　went　to　God　a　good　Christian；　praying　and　praising。　Next　day　I　was　to　follow　him；　but　I　broke　prison　in　the　night　with　the　help　of　an　Indian；　and　went　down　the　coast　in　a　stolen　patache　to　a　place　where　thick　forests　lined　the　sea。　There　I　lay　hid　till　my　wounds　healed；　and　by　and　by　I　was　picked　up　by　a　Bristol　ship　that　had　put　in　to　water。〃

〃But　your　woundshow　got　you　them？〃

〃At　the　hands　of　the　priests。　They　would　have　made　a　martyr　of　me；　and　used　their　engines　to　bend