to have and to hold-第3章
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!
vants or Indians or very old men。 It was as Rolfe had said; and the free and able…bodied of the plantations had put out; posthaste; for matrimony。 Chaplain's Choice appeared unpeopled; Piersey's Hundred slept in the sunshine; its wharf deserted; and but few; slow…moving figures in the tobacco fields; even the Indian villages looked scant of all but squaws and children; for the braves were gone to see the palefaces buy their wives。 Below Paspahegh a cockleshell of a boat carrying a great white sail overtook me; and I was hailed by young Hamor。
〃The maids are come!〃 he cried。 〃Hurrah!〃 and stood up to wave his hat。
〃Humph!〃 I said。 〃I guess thy destination by thy hose。 Are they not 'those that were thy peach…colored ones'?〃
〃Oons! yes!〃 he answered; looking down with complacency upon his tarnished finery。 〃Wedding garments; Captain Percy; wedding garments!〃
I laughed。 〃Thou art a tardy bridegroom。 I thought that the bachelors of this quarter of the globe slept last night in Jamestown。〃
His face fell。 〃I know it;〃 he said ruefully; 〃but my doublet had more rents than slashes in it; and Martin Tailor kept it until cockcrow。 That fellow rolls in tobacco; he hath grown rich off our impoverished wardrobes since the ship down yonder passed the capes。 After all;〃 he brightened; 〃the bargaining takes not place until toward midday; after solemn service and thanksgiving。 There's time enough!〃 He waved me a farewell; as his great sail and narrow craft carried him past me。
I looked at the sun; which truly was not very high; with a secret disquietude; for I had had a scurvy hope that after all I should be too late; and so the noose which I felt tightening about my neck might unknot itself。 Wind and tide were against me; and an hour later saw me nearing the peninsula and marveling at the shipping which crowded its waters。 It was as if every sloop; barge; canoe; and dugout between Point Comfort and Henricus were anchored off its shores; while above them towered the masts of the Marmaduke and Furtherance; then in port; and of the tall ship which had brought in those doves for sale。 The river with its dancing freight; the blue heavens and bright sunshine; the green trees waving in the wind; the stir and bustle in the street and market place thronged with gayly dressed gallants; made a fair and pleasant scene。 As I drove my boat in between the sloop of the commander of Shirley Hundred and the canoe of the Nansemond werowance; the two bells then newly hung in the church began to peal and the drum to beat。 Stepping ashore; I had a rear view only of the folk who had clustered along the banks and in the street; their faces and footsteps being with one accord directed toward the market place。 I went with the throng; jostled alike by velvet and dowlas; by youths with their estates upon their backs and naked fantastically painted savages; and trampling the tobacco with which the greedy citizens had planted the very street。 In the square I brought up before the Governor's house; and found myself cheek by jowl with Master Pory; our Secretary; and Speaker of the Assembly。
〃Ha; Ralph Percy!〃 he cried; wagging his gray head; 〃we two be the only sane younkers in the plantations! All the others are horn…mad!〃
〃I have caught the infection;〃 I said; 〃and am one of the bedlamites。〃
He stared; then broke into a roar of laughter。 〃Art in earnest?〃 he asked; holding his fat sides。 〃Is Saul among the prophets?〃
〃Yes;〃 I answered。 〃I diced last night; … yea or no; and the 'yea' … plague on 't … had it。〃
He broke into another roar。 〃And thou callest that bridal attire; man! Why; our cow…keeper goes in flaming silk to…day!〃
I looked down upon my suit of buff; which had in truth seen some service; and at my great boots; which I had not thought to clean since I mired in a swamp; coming from Henricus the week before; then shrugged my shoulders。
〃You will go begging;〃 he continued; wiping his eyes。 〃Not a one of them will so much as look at you。〃
〃Then will they miss seeing a man; and not a popinjay;〃 I retorted。 〃I shall not break my heart。〃
A cheer arose from the crowd; followed by a crashing peal of the bells and a louder roll of the drum。 The doors of the houses around and to right and left of the square swung open; and the company which had been quartered overnight upon the citizens began to emerge。 By twos and threes; some with hurried steps and downcast eyes; others more slowly and with free glances at the staring men; they gathered to the centre of the square; where; in surplice and band; there awaited them godly Master Bucke and Master Wickham of Henricus。 I stared with the rest; though I did not add my voice to theirs。
Before the arrival of yesterday's ship there had been in this natural Eden (leaving the savages out of the reckoning) several thousand Adams; and but some threescore Eves。 And for the most part; the Eves were either portly and bustling or withered and shrewish housewives; of age and experience to defy the serpent。 These were different。 Ninety slender figures decked in all the bravery they could assume; ninety comely faces; pink and white; or clear brown with the rich blood showing through; ninety pair of eyes; laughing and alluring; or downcast with long fringes sweeping rounded cheeks; ninety pair of ripe red lips; … the crowd shouted itself hoarse and would not be restrained; brushing aside like straws the staves of the marshal and his men; and surging in upon the line of adventurous damsels。 I saw young men; panting; seize hand or arm and strive to pull toward them some reluctant fair; others snatched kisses; or fell on their knees and began speeches out of Euphues; others commenced an inventory of their possessions; … acres; tobacco; servants; household plenishing。 All was hubbub; protestation; frightened cries; and hysterical laughter。 The officers ran to and fro; threatening and commanding; Master Pory alternately cried 〃Shame!〃 and laughed his loudest; and I plucked away a jackanapes of sixteen who had his hand upon a girl's ruff; and shook him until the breath was well…nigh out of him。 The clamor did but increase。
〃Way for the Governor!〃 cried the marshal。 〃Shame on you; my masters! Way for his Honor and the worshipful Council!〃
The three wooden steps leading down from the door of the Governor's house suddenly blossomed into crimson and gold; as his Honor with the attendant Councilors emerged from the hall and stood staring at the mob below。
The Governor's honest moon face was quite pale with passion。 〃What a devil is this?〃 he cried wrathfully。 〃Did you never see a woman before? Where's the marshal? I'll imprison the last one of you for rioters!〃
Upon the platform of the pillory; which stood in the centre of the market place; suddenly appeared a man of a gigantic frame; with a strong face deeply lined and a great shock of grizzled hair; … a strange thing; for he was not old。 I knew him to be one Master Jeremy Sparrow; a minister brought by the Southampton a month before; and as yet without a charge; but at that time I had not spoken with him。 Without word of warning he thundered into a psalm of thanksgiving; singing it at the top of a powerful and yet sweet and tender voice; and with a fervor and exaltation that caught the heart of the riotous crowd。 The two ministers in the throng beneath took up the strain; Master Pory added a husky tenor; eloquent of much sack; presently we were all singing。 The audacious suitors; charmed into rationality; fell back; and the broken line re…formed。 The Governor and the Council descended; and with pomp and solemnity took their places between the maids and the two ministers who were to head the column。 The psalm ended; the drum beat a thundering roll; and the procession moved forward in the direction of the church。
Master Pory having left me; to take his place among his brethren of the Council; and the mob of those who had come to purchase and of the curious idle having streamed away at the heels of the marshal and his officers; I found myself alone in the square; save for the singer; who now descended from the pillory and came up to me。
〃Captain Ralph Percy; if I mistake not?〃 he said; in a voice as deep and rich as the bass of an organ。
〃The