westward ho-第108章

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urling　up　to　his　very　eyes；　stood　the　Spanish　captain。

Now　was　the　moment　for　a　counter…stroke。　　Amyas　shouted　for　the　boarders；　and　in　two　minutes　more　he　was　over　the　side；　and　clutching　at　the　Spaniard's　mizzen　rigging。

What　was　this？　　The　distance　between　him　and　the　enemy's　side　was　widening。　　Was　she　sheering　off？　　Yesand　rising　too；　growing　bodily　higher　every　moment；　as　if　by　magic。　　Amyas　looked　up　in　astonishment　and　saw　what　it　was。　　The　Spaniard　was　heeling　fast　over　to　leeward　away　from　him。　　Her　masts　were　all　sloping　forward；　swifter　and　swifterthe　end　was　come；　then！

〃Back！　in　God's　name　back；　men！　　She　is　sinking　by　the　head！〃　　And　with　much　ado　some　were　dragged　back；　some　leaped　backall　but　old　Michael　Heard。

With　hair　and　beard　floating　in　the　wind；　the　bronzed　naked　figure；　like　some　weird　old　Indian　fakir；　still　climbed　on　steadfastly　up　the　mizzen…chains　of　the　Spaniard；　hatchet　in　hand。

〃Come　back；　Michael！　　Leap　while　you　may！〃　shouted　a　dozen　voices。　Michael　turned

〃And　what　should　I　come　back　for；　then；　to　go　home　where　no　one　knoweth　me？　　I'll　die　like　an　Englishman　this　day；　or　I'll　know　the　rason　why！〃　and　turning；　he　sprang　in　over　the　bulwarks；　as　the　huge　ship　rolled　up　more　and　more；　like　a　dying　whale；　exposing　all　her　long　black　hulk　almost　down　to　the　keel；　and　one　of　her　lower…　deck　guns；　as　if　in　defiance；　exploded　upright　into　the　air；　hurling　the　ball　to　the　very　heavens。

In　an　instant　it　was　answered　from　the　Rose　by　a　column　of　smoke；　and　the　eighteen…pound　ball　crashed　through　the　bottom　of　the　defenceless　Spaniard。

〃Who　fired？　　Shame　to　fire　on　a　sinking　ship！〃

〃Gunner　Yeo；　sir；〃　shouted　a　voice　up　from　the　main…deck。　　〃He's　like　a　madman　down　here。〃

〃Tell　him　if　he　fires　again；　I'll　put　him　in　irons；　if　he　were　my　own　brother。　　Cut　away　the　grapples　aloft；　men。　　Don't　you　see　how　she　drags　us　over？　　Cut　away；　or　we　shall　sink　with　her。〃

They　cut　away；　and　the　Rose；　released　from　the　strain；　shook　her　feathers　on　the　wave…crest　like　a　freed　sea…gull；　while　all　men　held　their　breaths。

Suddenly　the　glorious　creature　righted　herself；　and　rose　again；　as　if　in　noble　shame；　for　one　last　struggle　with　her　doom。　　Her　bows　were　deep　in　the　water；　but　her　after…deck　still　dry。　　Righted：　but　only　for　a　moment；　long　enough　to　let　her　crew　come　pouring　wildly　up　on　deck；　with　cries　and　prayers；　and　rush　aft　to　the　poop；　where；　under　the　flag　of　Spain；　stood　the　tall　captain；　his　left　hand　on　the　standard…staff；　his　sword　pointed　in　his　right。

〃Back；　men！〃　they　heard　him　cry；　〃and　die　like　valiant　mariners。〃

Some　of　them　ran　to　the　bulwarks；　and　shouted　〃Mercy！　　We　surrender！〃　and　the　English　broke　into　a　cheer　and　called　to　them　to　run　her　alongside。

〃Silence！〃　shouted　Amyas。　　〃I　take　no　surrender　from　mutineers。　Senor；〃　cried　he　to　the　captain；　springing　into　the　rigging　and　taking　off　his　hat；　〃for　the　love　of　God　and　these　men；　strike！　and　surrender　a　buena　querra。〃

The　Spaniard　lifted　his　hat　and　bowed　courteously；　and　answered；　〃Impossible；　senor。　　No　querra　is　good　which　stains　my　honor。〃

〃God　have　mercy　on　you；　then！〃

〃Amen！〃　said　the　Spaniard；　crossing　himself。

She　gave　one　awful　lounge　forward；　and　dived　under　the　coming　swell；　hurling　her　crew　into　the　eddies。　　Nothing　but　the　point　of　her　poop　remained；　and　there　stood　the　stern　and　steadfast　Don；　cap…a…pie　in　his　glistening　black　armor；　immovable　as　a　man　of　iron；　while　over　him　the　flag；　which　claimed　the　empire　of　both　worlds；　flaunted　its　gold　aloft　and　upwards　in　the　glare　of　the　tropic　noon。

〃He　shall　not　carry　that　flag　to　the　devil　with　him；　I　will　have　it　yet；　if　I　die　for　it！〃　said　Will　Cary；　and　rushed　to　the　side　to　leap　overboard；　but　Amyas　stopped　him。

〃Let　him　die　as　he　has　lived；　with　honor。〃

A　wild　figure　sprang　out　of　the　mass　of　sailors　who　struggled　and　shrieked　amid　the　foam；　and　rushed　upward　at　the　Spaniard。　　It　was　Michael　Heard。　　The　Don；　who　stood　above　him；　plunged　his　sword　into　the　old　man's　body：　but　the　hatchet　gleamed；　nevertheless：　down　went　the　blade　through　headpiece　and　through　head；　and　as　Heard　sprang　onward；　bleeding；　but　alive；　the　steel…clad　corpse　rattled　down　the　deck　into　the　surge。　　Two　more　strokes；　struck　with　the　fury　of　a　dying　man；　and　the　standard…staff　was　hewn　through。　　Old　Michael　collected　all　his　strength；　hurled　the　flag　far　from　the　sinking　ship；　and　then　stood　erect　one　moment　and　shouted；　〃God　save　Queen　Bess！〃　and　the　English　answered　with　a　〃Hurrah！〃　which　rent　the　welkin。

Another　moment　and　the　gulf　had　swallowed　his　victim；　and　the　poop；　and　him；　and　nothing　remained　of　the　Madre　Dolorosa　but　a　few　floating　spars　and　struggling　wretches；　while　a　great　awe　fell　upon　all　men；　and　a　solemn　silence；　broken　only　by　the　cry


　　　　　〃Of　some　strong　swimmer　in　his　agony。〃


And　then；　suddenly　collecting　themselves；　as　men　awakened　from　a　dream；　half…a…dozen　desperate　gallants；　reckless　of　sharks　and　eddies；　leaped　overboard；　swam　towards　the　flag；　and　towed　it　alongside　in　triumph。

〃Ah！〃　said　Salvation　Yeo；　as　he　helped　the　trophy　up　over　the　side；　〃ah！　it　was　not　for　nothing　that　we　found　poor　Michael！　　He　was　always　a　good　comradenigh　as　good　a　one　as　William　Penberthy　of　Marazion；　whom　the　Lord　grant　I　meet　in　bliss！　　And　now；　then；　my　masters；　shall　we　inshore　again　and　burn　La　Guayra？〃

〃Art　thou　never　glutted　with　Spanish　blood；　thou　old　wolf？〃　asked　Will　Cary。

〃Never；　sir；〃　answered　Yeo。

〃To　St。　Jago　be　it；〃　said　Amyas；　〃if　we　can　get　there；　butGod　help　us！〃

And　he　looked　round　sadly　enough；　while　no　one　needed　that　he　should　finish　his　sentence；　or　explain　his　〃but。〃

The　foremast　was　gone；　the　main…yard　sprung；　the　rigging　hanging　in　elf…locks；　the　hull　shot　through　and　through　in　twenty　places；　the　deck　strewn　with　the　bodies　of　nine　good　men；　beside　sixteen　wounded　down　below；　while　the　pitiless　sun；　right　above　their　heads；　poured　down　a　flood　of　fire　upon　a　sea　of　glass。

And　it　would　have　been　well　if　faintness　and　weariness　had　been　all　that　was　the　matter；　but　now　that　the　excitement　was　over；　the　collapse　came；　and　the　men　sat　down　listlessly　and　sulkily　by　twos　and　threes　upon　the　deck；　starting　and　wincing　when　they　heard　some　poor　fellow　below　cry　out　under　the　surgeon's　knife；　or　murmuring　to　each　other　that　all　was　lost。　　Drew　tried　in　vain　to　rouse　them；　telling　them　that　all　depended　on　rigging　a　jury…mast　forward　as　soon　as　possible。　　They　answered　only　by　growls；　and　at　last　broke　into　open　reproaches。　　Even　Will　Cary's　volatile　nature；　which　had　kept　him　up　during　the　fight；　gave　way；　when　Yeo　and　the　carpenter　came　aft；　and　told　Amyas　in　a　low　voice

〃We　are　hit　somewhere　forward；　below　the　water…line；　sir。　　She　leaks　a　terrible　deal；　and　the　Lord　will　not　vouchsafe　to　us　to　lay　our　hands　on　the　place；　for　all　our　searching。〃

〃What　are　we　to　do　now；　Amyas；　in　the　devil's　name？〃　asked　Cary；　peevishly。

〃What　are　we　to　do；　in　God's　name；　rather；〃　answered　Amyas；　in　a　low　voice。　　〃Will；　Will；　what　did　God　make　you　a　gentleman　for；　but　to　know　better　than　those　poor　fickle　fellows　forward；　who　blow　hot　and　cold　at　every　change　of　weather！〃

〃I　wish　you'd　come　forward　and　speak　to　them；　sir；〃　said　Yeo；　who　had　overheard　the　last　words；　〃or　we　shall　get　naught　done。〃

Amyas　went　forward　instantly。

〃Now　then；　my　brave　lads；　what's　the　matter　here；　that　you　are　all　sitting　on　your　tails　like　monkeys？〃

〃Ugh！〃　grunts　one。　　〃Don't　you　think　our　day's　work　has　been　long　enough　yet；　captain？〃

〃You　don't　want　us　to　go　in　to　La　Guayra　again；　sir？　　There　are　enough　of　us　thrown　away　already；　I　reckon；　about　that　wench　there。〃

〃Best　sit　here；　and　sink　quietly。　　There's　no　getting　home　again；　that's　plain。〃

〃Why　were　we　brought　out　here　to　be　killed？〃

〃For　shame；　men！〃　cries　Yeo；　〃you're　no　better　than　a　set　of　stiff…　necked　Hebrew　Jews；　murmuring　against　Moses　the　very　minute　after　the　Lord　has　delivered　you　from　the　Egyptians。〃

Now　I　do　not　wish　to　set　Amyas　up　as　a　perfect　man；　for　he　had　his　faults；　like　every　one　else；　nor　as　better；　thank　God；　than　many　and　many　a　brave　and　virtuous　captain　in　her　majesty's　service　at　this　very　day：　but　certainly　he