westward ho-第101章

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tent　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？〃

Amyas　had　half　a　mind　to　compel　him　to　return：　but　he　feared　Frank's　obstinacy；　and　feared；　too；　the　shame　of　returning　on　board　without　having　done　anything；　so　they　went　up　through　the　wicket…　gate；　along　a　smooth　turf　walk；　into　what　seemed　a　pleasure…garden；　formed　by　the　hand　of　man；　or　rather　of　woman。　　For　by　the　light；　not　only　of　the　moon；　but　of　the　innumerable　fireflies；　which　flitted　to　and　fro　across　the　sward　like　fiery　imps　sent　to　light　the　brothers　on　their　way；　they　could　see　that　the　bushes　on　either　side；　and　the　trees　above　their　heads；　were　decked　with　flowers　of　such　strangeness　and　beauty；　that；　as　Frank　once　said　of　Barbados；　even　the　gardens　of　Wilton　were　a　desert　in　comparison。〃　　All　around　were　orange　and　lemon　trees　（probably　the　only　addition　which　man　had　made　to　Nature's　prodigality）；　the　fruit　of　which；　in　that　strange　colored　light　of　the　fireflies；　flashed　in　their　eyes　like　balls　of　burnished　gold　and　emerald；　while　great　white　tassels　swinging　from　every　tree　in　the　breeze　which　swept　down　the　glade；　tossed　in　their　faces　a　fragrant　snow　of　blossoms；　and　glittering　drops　of　perfumed　dew。

〃What　a　paradise！〃　said　Amyas　to　Frank；　〃with　the　serpent　in　it；　as　of　old。　　Look！〃

And　as　he　spoke；　there　dropped　slowly　down　from　a　bough；　right　before　them；　what　seemed　a　living　chain　of　gold；　ruby；　and　sapphire。　　Both　stopped；　and　another　glance　showed　the　small　head　and　bright　eyes　of　a　snake；　hissing　and　glaring　full　in　their　faces。

〃See！〃　said　Frank。　　〃And　he　comes；　as　of　old；　in　the　likeness　of　an　angel　of　light。　　Do　not　strike　it。　　There　are　worse　devils　to　be　fought　with　to…night　than　that　poor　beast。〃　　And　stepping　aside；　they　passed　the　snake　safely；　and　arrived　in　front　of　the　house。

It　was；　as　I　have　said；　a　long　low　house；　with　balconies　along　the　upper　story；　and　the　under　part　mostly　open　to　the　wind。　　The　light　was　still　burning　in　the　window。

〃Whither　now？〃　said　Amyas；　in　a　tone　of　desperate　resignation。

〃Thither！　　Where　else　on　earth？〃　and　Frank　pointed　to　the　light；　trembling　from　head　to　foot；　and　pushed　on。

〃For　Heaven's　sake！　　Look　at　the　negroes　on　the　barbecue！〃

It　was　indeed　time　to　stop；　for　on　the　barbecue；　or　terrace　of　white　plaster；　which　ran　all　round　the　front；　lay　sleeping　full　twenty　black　figures。

〃What　will　you　do　now？　　You　must　step　over　them　to　gain　an　entrance。〃

〃Wait　here；　and　I　will　go　up　gently　towards　the　window。　　She　may　see　me。　　She　will　see　me　as　I　step　into　the　moonlight。　　At　least　I　know　an　air　by　which　she　will　recognize　me；　if　I　do　but　hum　a　stave。〃

〃Why；　you　do　not　even　know　that　that　light　is　hers！Down；　for　your　life！〃

And　Amyas　dragged　him　down　into　the　bushes　on　his　left　hand；　for　one　of　the　negroes；　wakening　suddenly　with　a　cry；　had　sat　up；　and　began　crossing　himself　four　or　five　times；　in　fear　of　〃Duppy；〃　and　mumbling　various　charms；　ayes；　or　what　not。

The　light　above　was　extinguished　instantly。

〃Did　you　see　her？〃　whispered　Frank。

〃No。〃

〃I　didthe　shadow　of　the　face；　and　the　neck！　　Can　I　be　mistaken？〃　And　then；　covering　his　face　with　his　hands；　he　murmured　to　himself；　〃Misery！　misery！　　So　near　and　yet　impossible？〃

〃Would　it　be　the　less　impossible　were　you　face　to　face？　　Let　us　go　back。　　We　cannot　go　up　without　detection；　even　if　our　going　were　of　use。　　Come　back；　for　God's　sake；　ere　all　is　lost！　　If　you　have　seen　her；　as　you　say；　you　know　at　least　that　she　is　alive；　and　safe　in　his　house〃

〃As　his　mistress？　or　as　his　wife？　　Do　I　know　that　yet；　Amyas；　and　can　I　depart　until　I　know？〃　　There　was　a　few　minutes'　silence；　and　then　Amyas；　making　one　last　attempt　to　awaken　Frank　to　the　absurdity　of　the　whole　thing；　and　to　laugh　him；　if　possible；　out　of　it；　as　argument　had　no　effect

〃My　dear　fellow；　I　am　very　hungry　and　sleepy；　and　this　bush　is　very　prickly；　and　my　boots　are　full　of　ants〃

〃So　are　mine。Look！〃　and　Frank　caught　Amyas's　arm；　and　clenched　it　tight。

For　round　the　farther　corner　of　the　house　a　dark　cloaked　figure　stole　gently；　turning　a　look　now　and　then　upon　the　sleeping　negroes；　and　came　on　right　toward　them。

〃Did　I　not　tell　you　she　would　come？〃　whispered　Frank；　in　a　triumphant　tone。

Amyas　was　quite　bewildered；　and　to　his　mind　the　apparition　seemed　magical；　and　Frank　prophetic；　for　as　the　figure　came　nearer；　incredulous　as　he　tried　to　be；　there　was　no　denying　that　the　shape　and　the　walk　were　exactly　those　of　her；　to　find　whom　they　had　crossed　the　Atlantic。　　True；　the　figure　was　somewhat　taller；　but　then；　〃she　must　be　grown　since　I　saw　her；〃　thought　Amyas；　and　his　heart　for　the　moment　beat　as　fiercely　as　Frank's。

But　what　was　that　behind　her？　　Her　shadow　against　the　white　wall　of　the　house。　　Not　so。　　Another　figure；　cloaked　likewise；　but　taller　far；　was　following　on　her　steps。　　It　was　a　man's。　　They　could　see　that　he　wore　a　broad　sombrero。　　It　could　not　be　Don　Guzman；　for　he　was　at　sea。　　Who　then？　　Here　was　a　mystery；　perhaps　a　tragedy。　　And　both　brothers　held　their　breaths；　while　Amyas　felt　whether　his　sword　was　loose　in　the　sheath。

The　Rose　（if　indeed　it　was　she）　was　within　ten　yards　of　them；　when　she　perceived　that　she　was　followed。　　She　gave　a　little　shriek。　The　cavalier　sprang　forward；　lifted　his　hat　courteously；　and　joined　her；　bowing　low。　　The　moonlight　was　full　upon　his　face。

〃It　is　Eustace；　our　cousin！　　How　came　he　here；　in　the　name　of　all　the　fiends？〃

〃Eustace！　　Then　that　is　she；　after　all！〃　said　Frank；　forgetting　everything　else　in　her。

And　now　flashed　across　Amyas　all　that　had　passed　between　him　and　Eustace　in　the　moorland　inn；　and　Parracombe's　story；　too；　of　the　suspicious　gipsy。　　Eustace　had　been　beforehand　with　them；　and　warned　Don　Guzman！　　All　was　explained　now：　but　how　had　he　got　hither？

〃The　devil；　his　master；　sent　him　hither　on　a　broomstick；　I　suppose：　or　what　matter　how？　　Here　he　is；　and　here　we　are；　worse　luck！〃　And；　setting　his　teeth；　Amyas　awaited　the　end。

The　two　came　on；　talking　earnestly；　and　walking　at　a　slow　pace；　so　that　the　brothers　could　hear　every　word。

〃What　shall　we　do　now？〃　said　Frank。　　〃We　have　no　right　to　be　eavesdroppers。〃

〃But　we　must　be；　right　or　none。〃　　And　Amyas　held　him　down　firmly　by　the　arm。

〃But　whither　are　you　going；　then；　my　dear　madam？〃　they　heard　Eustace　say　in　a　wheedling　tone。　　〃Can　you　wonder　if　such　strange　conduct　should　cause　at　least　sorrow　to　your　admirable　and　faithful　husband？〃

〃Husband！〃　whispered　Frank　faintly　to　Amyas。　　〃Thank　God；　thank　God！　　I　am　content。　　Let　us　go。〃

But　to　go　was　impossible；　for；　as　fate　would　have　it；　the　two　had　stopped　just　opposite　them。

〃The　inestimable　Senor　Don　Guzman〃　began　Eustace　again。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　praising　him　to　me　in　this　fulsome　way；　sir？　Do　you　suppose　that　I　do　not　know　his　virtues　better　than　you？〃

〃If　you　do；　madam〃　（this　was　spoken　in　a　harder　tone）；　〃it　were　wise　for　you　to　try　them　less　severely；　than　by　wandering　down　towards　the　beach　on　the　very　night　that　you　know　his　most　deadly　enemies　are　lying　in　wait　to　slay　him；　plunder　his　house；　and　most　probably　to　carry　you　off　from　him。〃

〃Carry　me　off？　　I　will　die　first！〃

〃Who