westward ho-第124章

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man　had　ever　been　the　worse　for　any　man　of　his。　　He　had　preached　on　this　point　month　after　month；　and　practised　what　he　preached；　and　now　his　pride　was　sorely　hurt。

Moreover；　he　dreaded　offence　to　the　Indians　themselves：　but　on　this　score　the　cacique　soon　comforted　him；　telling　him　that　the　girls；　as　far　as　he　could　find；　had　gone　off　of　their　own　free　will；　intimating　that　he　thought　it　somewhat　an　honor　to　the　tribe　that　they　had　found　favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　bearded　men；　and　moreover；　that　late　wars　had　so　thinned　the　ranks　of　their　men；　that　they　were　glad　enough　to　find　husbands　for　their　maidens；　and　had　been　driven　of　late　years　to　kill　many　of　their　female　infants。　　This　sad　story；　common　perhaps　to　every　American　tribe；　and　one　of　the　chief　causes　of　their　extermination；　reassured　Amyas　somewhat：　but　he　could　not　stomach　either　the　loss　of　his　men；　or　their　breach　of　discipline；　and　look　for　them　he　would。　　Did　any　one　know　where　they　were？　　If　the　tribe　knew；　they　did　not　care　to　tell：　but　Ayacanora；　the　moment　she　found　out　his　wishes；　vanished　into　the　forest；　and　returned　in　two　days；　saying　that　she　had　found　the　fugitives；　but　she　would　not　show　him　where　they　were；　unless　he　promised　not　to　kill　them。　　He；　of　course；　had　no　mind　for　so　rigorous　a　method：　he　both　needed　the　men；　and　he　had　no　malice　against　them；for　the　one；　Ebsworthy；　was　a　plain；　honest；　happy…　go…lucky　sailor；　and　as　good　a　hand　as　there　was　in　the　crew；　and　the　other　was　that　same　ne'er…do…weel　Will　Parracombe；　his　old　schoolfellow；　who　had　been　tempted　by　the　gipsy…Jesuit　at　Appledore；　and　resisting　that　bait；　had　made　a　very　fair　seaman。

So　forth　Amyas　went；　with　Ayacanora　as　a　guide；　some　five　miles　upward　along　the　forest　slopes；　till　the　girl　whispered；　〃There　they　are；〃　and　Amyas；　pushing　himself　gently　through　a　thicket　of　bamboo；　beheld　a　scene　which；　in　spite　of　his　wrath；　kept　him　silent；　and　perhaps　softened；　for　a　minute。

On　the　farther　side　of　a　little　lawn；　the　stream　leapt　through　a　chasm　beneath　overarching　vines；　sprinkling　eternal　freshness　upon　all　around；　and　then　sank　foaming　into　a　clear　rock…basin；　a　bath　for　Dian's　self。　　On　its　farther　side；　the　crag　rose　some　twenty　feet　in　height；　bank　upon　bank　of　feathered　ferns　and　cushioned　moss；　over　the　rich　green　beds　of　which　drooped　a　thousand　orchids；　scarlet；　white；　and　orange；　and　made　the　still　pool　gorgeous　with　the　reflection　of　their　gorgeousness。　　At　its　more　quiet　outfall；　it　was　half…hidden　in　huge　fantastic　leaves　and　tall　flowering　stems；　but　near　the　waterfall　the　grassy　bank　sloped　down　toward　the　stream；　and　there；　on　palm…leaves　strewed　upon　the　turf；　beneath　the　shadow　of　the　crags；　lay　the　two　men　whom　Amyas　sought；　and　whom；　now　he　had　found　them；　he　had　hardly　heart　to　wake　from　their　delicious　dream。

For　what　a　nest　it　was　which　they　had　found！　the　air　was　heavy　with　the　scent　of　flowers；　and　quivering　with　the　murmur　of　the　stream；　the　humming　of　the　colibris　and　insects；　the　cheerful　song　of　birds；　the　gentle　cooing　of　a　hundred　doves；　while　now　and　then；　from　far　away；　the　musical　wail　of　the　sloth；　or　the　deep　toll　of　the　bell…bird；　came　softly　to　the　ear。　　What　was　not　there　which　eye　or　ear　could　need？　　And　what　which　palate　could　need　either？　For　on　the　rock　above；　some　strange　tree；　leaning　forward；　dropped　every　now　and　then　a　luscious　apple　upon　the　grass　below；　and　huge　wild　plantains　bent　beneath　their　load　of　fruit。

There；　on　the　stream　bank；　lay　the　two　renegades　from　civilized　life。　　They　had　cast　away　their　clothes；　and　painted　themselves；　like　the　Indians；　with　arnotto　and　indigo。　　One　lay　lazily　picking　up　the　fruit　which　fell　close　to　his　side；　the　other　sat；　his　back　against　a　cushion　of　soft　moss；　his　hands　folded　languidly　upon　his　lap；　giving　himself　up　to　the　soft　influence　of　the　narcotic　coca…　juice；　with　half…shut　dreamy　eyes　fixed　on　the　everlasting　sparkle　of　the　waterfall


　　　　　〃While　beauty；　born　of　murmuring　sound；　　　　　　　Did　pass　into　his　face。〃


Somewhat　apart　crouched　their　two　dusky　brides；　crowned　with　fragrant　flowers；　but　working　busily；　like　true　women；　for　the　lords　whom　they　delighted　to　honor。　　One　sat　plaiting　palm　fibres　into　a　basket；　the　other　was　boring　the　stem　of　a　huge　milk…tree；　which　rose　like　some　mighty　column　on　the　right　hand　of　the　lawn；　its　broad　canopy　of　leaves　unseen　through　the　dense　underwood　of　laurel　and　bamboo；　and　betokened　only　by　the　rustle　far　aloft；　and　by　the　mellow　shade　in　which　it　bathed　the　whole　delicious　scene。

Amyas　stood　silent　for　awhile；　partly　from　noble　shame　at　seeing　two　Christian　men　thus　fallen　of　their　own　self…will；　partly　becauseand　he　could　not　but　confess　thata　solemn　calm　brooded　above　that　glorious　place；　to　break　through　which　seemed　sacrilege　even　while　he　felt　it　a　duty。　　Such；　he　thought；　was　Paradise　of　old；　such　our　first　parents'　bridal　bower！　　Ah！　if　man　had　not　fallen；　he　too　might　have　dwelt　forever　in　such　a　homewith　whom？　He　started；　and　shaking　off　the　spell；　advanced　sword　in　hand。

The　women　saw　him；　and　springing　to　their　feet；　caught　up　their　long　pocunas；　and　leapt　like　deer　each　in　front　of　her　beloved。　There　they　stood；　the　deadly　tubes　pressed　to　their　lips；　eyeing　him　like　tigresses　who　protect　their　young；　while　every　slender　limb　quivered；　not　with　terror；　but　with　rage。

Amyas　paused；　half　in　admiration；　half　in　prudence；　for　one　rash　step　was　death。　　But　rushing　through　the　canes；　Ayacanora　sprang　to　the　front；　and　shrieked　to　them　in　Indian。　　At　the　sight　of　the　prophetess　the　women　wavered；　and　Amyas；　putting　on　as　gentle　a　face　as　he　could；　stepped　forward；　assuring　them　in　his　best　Indian　that　he　would　harm　no　one。

〃Ebsworthy！　　Parracombe！　　Are　you　grown　such　savages　already；　that　you　have　forgotten　your　captain？　　Stand　up；　men；　and　salute！〃

Ebsworthy　sprang　to　his　feet；　obeyed　mechanically；　and　then　slipped　behind　his　bride　again；　as　if　in　shame。　　The　dreamer　turned　his　head　languidly；　raised　his　hand　to　his　forehead；　and　then　returned　to　his　contemplation。

Amyas　rested　the　point　of　his　sword　on　the　ground；　and　his　hands　upon　the　hilt；　and　looked　sadly　and　solemnly　upon　the　pair。　Ebsworthy　broke　the　silence；　half　reproachfully；　half　trying　to　bluster　away　the　coming　storm。

〃Well；　noble　captain；　so　you've　hunted　out　us　poor　fellows；　and　want　to　drag　us　back　again　in　a　halter；　I　suppose？〃

〃I　came　to　look　for　Christians；　and　I　find　heathens；　for　men；　and　I　find　swine。　　I　shall　leave　the　heathens　to　their　wilderness；　and　the　swine　to　their　trough。　　Parracombe！〃

〃He's　too　happy　to　answer　you；　sir。　　And　why　not？　　What　do　you　want　of　us？　　Our　two　years　vow　is　out；　and　we　are　free　men　now。〃

〃Free　to　become　like　the　beasts　that　perish？　　You　are　the　queen's　servants　still；　and　in　her　name　I　charge　you

〃Free　to　be　happy；〃　interrupted　the　man。　　〃With　the　best　of　wives；　the　best　of　food；　a　warmer　bed　than　a　duke's；　and　a　finer　garden　than　an　emperor's。　　As　for　clothes；　why　the　plague　should　a　man　wear　them　where　he　don't　need　them？　　As　for　gold；　what's　the　use　of　it　where　Heaven　sends　everything　ready…made　to　your　hands？　Hearken；　Captain　Leigh。　　You've　been　a　good　captain　to　me；　and　I'll　repay　you　with　a　bit　of　sound　advice。　　Give　up　your　gold…hunting；　and　toiling　and　moiling　after　honor　and　glory；　and　copy　us。　　Take　that　fair　maid　behind　you　there　to　wife；　pitch　here　with　us；　and　see　if　you　are　not　happier　in　one　day　than　ever　you　were　in　all　your　life　before。〃

〃You　are　drunk；　sirrah！　　William　Parracombe！　　Will　you　speak　to　me；　or　shall　I　heave　you　into　the　stream　to　sober　you？〃

〃Who　calls　William　Parracombe？〃　answered　a　sleepy　voice。

〃I；　fool！your　captain。〃

〃I　am　not　William　Parracombe。　　He　is　dead　long　ago　of　hunger；　and　labor；　and　heavy　sorrow；　and　will　never　see　Bideford　town　any　more。　He　is　turned　into　an　Indian　now；　and　he　is　to　sleep；　sleep；　sleep　for　a　hundred　years；　till　he　gets　his　strength　again；　poor　fellow〃

〃Awake；　then；　thou　that　sleepest；　and　arise　from　the　dead；　and　Christ　shall　give　thee　light！　　A　christened　Englishman；　and　living　thus　the　life　of　a　beast？〃

〃Christ　shall　give　thee　light？〃　answered　the　same　unnatural　abstracted　voice。　　〃Yes；　so　the　parsons　say。