the path of the king-第28节

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〃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　my　mind。　Being　obstinate　by　nature　I　mocked　them　till　they　wearied　of　the　play。　But　they　left　their　marks　on　this　arm　and　leg。　The　scar　I　had　got　some　months　before　in　a　clean　battle。〃

〃Tell　me　all。　What　did　Robert　Bovill　seek？　And　where？〃

〃We　sought　the　Mountain　of　God；〃　said　the　seaman　reverently。

〃I　never　heard　o't。　My　own　Manoa；　maybe；　where　gold　is　quarried　like　stone。〃

〃Nay；　not　Manoa。　The　road　to　it　is　from　the　shore　of　the　Mexican　gulf。　There　was　much　gold。〃

〃You　found　it？〃

〃I　found　it　and　handled　it。　Enough；　could　we　have　brought　it　off；　to　freight　a　dozen　ships。　Likewise　jewels　beyond　the　imagining　of　kings。〃

Raleigh　had　raised　himself　on　his　elbow；　his　face　sharp　and　eager。

I　cannot　doubt　you；　for　you　could　not　lie　were　it　to　win　salvation。　But；　heavens！　man；　what　a　tale！　Why　did　I　not　know　of　this　before　I　broke　my　fortune　on　Tom　Keymis'　mine？〃

〃I　alone　know　of　it；　the　others　being　dead。〃

〃Who　first　told　you　of　it？〃

〃Captain　Bovill　had　the　rumour　from　a　dying　Frenchman　who　was　landed　in　his　last　hours　at　Falmouth。　The　man　mentioned　no　names；　but　the　tale　set　the　captain　inquiring　and　he　picked　up　the　clue　in　Bristol。　But　'twas　in　north　Ireland　that　he　had　the　whole　truth　and　a　chart　of　the　road。〃

〃These　charts！〃　sighed　Raleigh。　〃I　think　the　fairies　have　the　making　of　them；　for　they　bewitch　sober　men。　A　scrap　of　discoloured　paper　and　a　rag　of　canvas；　some　quaint　lines　drawn　often　in　a　man's　blood；　and　a　cross　in　a　corner　marking　'much　gold。'　We　mortals　are　eternally　babes；　and　our　heads　are　turned　by　toys。〃

〃This　chart　was　no　toy；　and　he　who　owned　it　bought　it　with　his　life。　Nay；　Sir　Walter；　I　am　of　your　mind。　Most　charts　are　playthings　from　the　devil。　But　this　was　in　manner　of　speaking　sent　from　God。　Only　we　did　not　read　it　right。　We　were　blind　men　that　thought　only　of　treasure。〃

〃It　is　the　common　story；〃　said　Raleigh。　〃Go　on；　Jasper。〃

〃We　landed　in　the　Gulf；　at　the　point　marked。　It　was　at　the　mouth　of　a　wide　river　so　split　up　by　sand　bars　that　no　ship　could　enter。　But　by　portage　and　hard　rowing　we　got　our　boats　beyond　the　shoals　and　found　deep　water。　We　had　learned　beforehand　that　there　were　no　Spanish　posts　within　fifty　miles；　for　the　land　was　barren　and　empty　even　of　Indians。　So　for　ten　days　we　rowed　and　poled　through　a　flat　plain；　sweating　mightily；　till　we　came　in　sight　of　mountains。　At　that　we　looked　for　more　comfort；　for　the　road　on　our　chart　now　led　away　from　the　river　up　a　side　valley。　There　we　hoped　for　fruits；　since　it　was　their　season；　and　for　deer；　and　'twas　time；　for　our　blood　was　thick　with　rotten　victuals。〃

The　man　shivered；　as　if　the　recollection　had　still　terrors　for　him。

〃If　ever　the　Almighty　permitted　hell　on　earth　'twas　that　valley。　There　was　no　stream　in　it　and　no　verdure。　Oathsome　fleshy　shrubs；　the　colour　of　mouldy　copper；　dotted　the　slopes；　and　a　wilderness　of　rocks　through　which　we　could　scarce　find　a　road。　There　was　no　living　thing　in　it　but　carrion　birds。　And　serpents。　They　dwelt　in　every　cranny　of　stone；　and　the　noise　of　them　was　like　bees　humming。　We　lost　two　stout　fellows　from　their　poison。　The　sky　was　brass　above　us　and　our　tongues　were　dry　sticks；　and　by　the　foul　vapours　of　the　place　our　scanty　food　was　corrupted。　Never　have　men　been　nearer　death。　I　think　we　would　have　retreated　but　for　our　captain；　who　had　a　honest　heart。　He　would　point　out　to　us　the　track　in　the　chart　running　through　that　accursed　valley；　and　at　the　end　the　place　lettered　'Mountain　of　God。'　I　mind　how　his　hand　shook　as　he　pointed；　for　he　was　as　sick　as　any。　He　was　very　gentle　too；　though　for　usual　a　choleric　man。〃

〃Choleric；　verily；〃　said　Raleigh。　〃It　must　have　been　no　common　sufferings　that　tamed　Robert　Bovill。　How　long　were　you　in　the　valley？〃

The　better　part　of　three　days。　'Twas　like　sword…cut　in　a　great　mountain　plain；　and　on　the　third　day　we　came　to　a　wall　of　rock　which　was　the　head　of　it。　This　we　scaled；　how　I　do　not　know；　by　cracks　and　fissures；　the　stronger　dragging　up　the　weaker　by　means　of　the　tow…rope　which　by　the　mercy　of　God　we　carried　with　us。　There　we　lost　Francis　Derrick；　who　fell　a　great　way　and　crushed　his　skull　on　a　boulder。　You　knew　the　man？〃

〃He　sailed　with　me　in　'95。　So　that　was　the　end　of　Francis？〃

〃We　were　now　eleven；　and　two　of　them　dying。　Above　the　rocks　on　the　plain　we　looked　for　ease；　but　found　none。　'Twas　like　the　bottom　of　a　dry　sea；　all　sand　and　great　clefts；　and　in　every　hollow　monstrous　crabs　that　scattered　the　sand　like　spindrift　as　they　fled　from　us。　Some　of　the　beasts　we　slew；　and　the　blood　of　them　was　green　as　ooze；　and　their　stench　like　a　charnel　house。　Likewise　there　were　everywhere　fat　vultures　that　dropped　so　close　they　fanned　us　with　their　wings。　And　in　some　parts　there　were　cracks　in　the　ground　through　which　rose　the　fumes　of　sulphur　that　set　a　man's　head　reeling。〃

Raleigh　shivered。　〃Madre　de　Dios；　you　portray　the　very　floor　of　hell。〃

〃Beyond　doubt　the　floor　of　hell。　There　was　but　one　thing　that　could　get　us　across　that　devil's　land；　for　our　bones　were　molten　with　fear。　At　the　end　rose　further　hills；　and　we　could　see　with　our　eyes　they　were　green。　。　。　。　Captain　Bovill　was　like　one　transfigured。　'See；'　he　cried；　'the　Mountain　of　God！　Paradise　is　before　you；　and　the　way　to　Paradise；　as　is　well　known；　lies　through　the　devil's　country。　A　little　longer；　brave　hearts；　and　we　shall　be　in　port。'　And　so　fierce　was　the　spirit　of　that　man　that　it　lifted　our　weary　shanks　and　fevered　bodies　through　another　two　days　of　torment。　I　have　no　clear　memory　of　those　hours。　Assuredly　we　were　all　mad　and　spoke　with　strange　voices。　My　eyes　were　so　gummed　together　that　I　had　often　to　tear　the　lids　apart　to　see。　But　hourly　that　green　hill　came　nearer；　and　towards　dusk　of　the　second　day　it　hung　above　us。　Also　we　found　sweet　water；　and　a　multitude　of　creeping　vines　bearing　a　wholesome　berry。　Then　as　we　lay　down　to　sleep；　the　priest　came　to　us。〃

Raleigh　exclaimed。　〃What　did　a　priest　in　those　outlands？　A　Spaniard？〃

〃Ay。　But　not　such　as　you　and　I　have　ever　known　elsewhere。　Papegot　or　no；　he　was　a　priest　of　the　Most　High。　He　was　white　and　dry　as　a　bone；　and　his　eyes　burned　glassily。　Captain　Bovill；　who　liked　not　the　dark　brothers；　would　have　made　him　prisoner；　for　he　thought　him　a　forerunner　of　a　Spanish　force；　but　he　held　up　a　ghostly　hand　and　all　of　us　were　struck　with　a　palsy　of　silence。　For　the　man　was　on　the　very　edge　of　death。

〃'Moriturus　te　saluto；'　he　says；　and　then　he　fell　to　babbling　in　Spanish；　which　we　understood　the　better。　Food；　such　as　we　had；　he　would　not　touch；　nor　the　sweet　well…water。　'I　will　drink　no　cup；'　he　said；　'till　I　drink　the　new　wine　with　Christ　in　His　Father's　Kingdom。　For　I　have　seen　what　mortal　eyes　have　not　seen；　and　I　have　spoken　with　God's　ministers；　and　am　anointed　into　a　new　priesthood。'

〃I　mind　how　he　sat　on　the　grass；　his　voice　drifting　faint　and　small　like　a　babe's　crying。　He　told　us　nothing　of　what　he　was　or　whence　he　came；　for　his　soul　was　possessed　of　a　revelation。　'These　be　the　hills　of　God；'　he　cried。　'In　a　little　you　will　come　to　a　city　of　the　old　kings　where　gold　is　as　plentiful　as　sand　of　the　sea。　There　they　sit　frozen　in　metal　waiting　the　judgment。　Yet　they　are　already　judged；　and；　I　take　it；　justified；　for　the　dead　men　sit　as　warders　of　a　greater　treasurehouse。

〃I　think　that　we　elevenand　two　of　us　near　deathwere　already　half　out　of　the　body；　for　weariness　and　longing　shift　the　mind　from　its　moorings。　I　can　hear　yet　Captain　Bovill　asking　very　gently　of　this　greater　treasure…house；　and　I　can　hear　the　priest；　like　one　in　a　trance；　speaking　high　and　strange。　'It　is　the　Mountain　of　God；　he　said；　'which　lies　a　little　way　further。　There　may　be　seen　the　heavenly　angels　ascending　and　descending。'〃

Raleigh　shook　his　head。　〃Madness；　Jasperthe　madness　begot　of　too　much　toil　。　。　。　I　know　it　。　。　。　And　yet　I　do　not　know。　'Tis　not　for　me　to　set　limits　to　the　marvels　that　are　hid　in　that　western　land。　What　next；　man？〃

〃In　the　small　hours　of　the　morning　the　priest　died。　Likewise　our　two　sick。　We　dug　graves　for　them；　and　the　Captain　bade　me　say　prayers　over　them。　The　nine　of　us　left　were　shaking　with　a　great　awe。　We　felt　lifted　up　in　bodily　strength；　as　if　for　a　holy　labour。　Captain　Bovill's　stout　countenance　wore　an　air　of　humility。　'We　be　dedicate；'　he　said；　'to　some　high　fortune。　Let　us　go　humbly　and　praise　God。'　The　first　steps　we　took　that　morning　we　walked　like　men　going　into　church。　Up　a　green　valley　we　journeyed；　where　every　fruit　grew　and　choirs　of　birds　sangup　a　crystal　river　to　a　cup　in　the　hills。　And　I　think　there　was　no　one　of　us　but　had　his　mind　more　on　the　angels　whom　the　priest　had　told　of　than　on　the　golden　kings。〃

Raleigh　had　raised　himself　from　the　couch；　and　sat　with　both　elbows　on　the　table；　staring　hard　at　the　speaker。　〃You　found　them？　The　gold　kings？〃

〃We　found　them。　Before　noon　we　came　into　a　city　of　tombs。　Grass　grew　in　the　streets　and　courts；　and　the　bronze　doors　hung　broken　on　their　hinges。　But　no　wild　things　had　laired　there。　The　place　was　clean　and　swept　and　silent。　In　each　dwelling　the　roof　was　of　beaten　gold；　and　the　square　p