westward ho-第130章

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utting　off　his　limbs　for　fear　of　doing　harm　with　them；　neither　is　it　for　throwing　away　those　packages；　which；　by　your　leave；　we　shall　deposit　in　one　of　these　caves。　　We　must　be　your　neighbors；　I　fear；　for　a　day　or　two；　but　I　can　promise　you；　that　your　garden　shall　be　respected；　on　condition　that　you　do　not　inform　any　human　soul　of　our　being　here。〃

〃God　forbid；　senor；　that　I　should　try　to　increase　the　number　of　my　visitors；　much　less　to　bring　hither　strife　and　blood；　of　which　I　have　seen　too　much　already。　　As　you　have　come　in　peace；　in　peace　depart。　　Leave　me　alone　with　God　and　my　penitence；　and　may　the　Lord　have　mercy　on　you！〃

And　he　was　about　to　withdraw；　when；　recollecting　himself；　he　turned　suddenly　to　Amyas　again

〃Pardon　me；　senor；　if；　after　forty　years　of　utter　solitude；　I　shrink　at　first　from　the　conversation　of　human　beings；　and　forget；　in　the　habitual　shyness　of　a　recluse；　the　duties　of　a　hospitable　gentleman　of　Spain。　　My　garden；　and　all　which　it　produces；　is　at　your　service。　　Only　let　me　entreat　that　these　poor　Indians　shall　have　their　share；　for　heathens　though　they　be；　Christ　died　for　them；　and　I　cannot　but　cherish　in　my　soul　some　secret　hope　that　He　did　not　die　in　vain。〃

〃God　forbid！〃　said　Brimblecombe。　　〃They　are　no　worse　than　we；　for　aught　I　see；　whatsoever　their　fathers　may　have　been；　and　they　have　fared　no　worse　than　we　since　they　have　been　with　us；　nor　will；　I　promise　you。〃

The　good　fellow　did　not　tell　that　he　had　been　starving　himself　for　the　last　three　days　to　cram　the　children　with　his　own　rations；　and　that　the　sailors；　and　even　Amyas；　had　been　going　out　of　their　way　every　five　minutes；　to　get　fruit　for　their　new　pets。

A　camp　was　soon　formed；　and　that　evening　the　old　hermit　asked　Amyas；　Cary；　and　Brimblecombe　to　come　up　into　his　cavern。

They　went；　and　after　the　accustomed　compliments　had　passed；　sat　down　on　mats　upon　the　ground；　while　the　old　man　stood；　leaning　against　a　slab　of　stone　surmounted　by　a　rude　wooden　cross；　which　evidently　served　him　as　a　place　of　prayer。　　He　seemed　restless　and　anxious；　as　if　he　waited　for　them　to　begin　the　conversation；　while　they；　in　their　turn；　waited　for　him。　　At　last；　when　courtesy　would　not　allow　him　to　be　silent　any　longer；　he　began　with　a　faltering　voice：

〃You　may　be　equally　surprised；　senors；　at　my　presence　in　such　a　spot；　and　at　my　asking　you　to　become　my　guests　even　for　one　evening；　while　I　have　no　better　hospitality　to　offer　you。〃

〃It　is　superfluous；　senor；　to　offer　us　food　in　your　own　habitation　when　you　have　already　put　all　that　you　possess　at　our　command。〃

〃True；　senors：　and　my　motive　for　inviting　you　was；　perhaps；　somewhat　of　a　selfish　one。　　I　am　possessed　by　a　longing　to　unburthen　my　heart　of　a　tale　which　I　never　yet　told　to　man；　and　which　I　fear　can　give　to　you　nothing　but　pain；　and　yet　I　will　entreat　you；　of　your　courtesy；　to　hear　of　that　which　you　cannot　amend；　simply　in　mercy　to　a　man　who　feels　that　he　must　confess　to　some　one；　or　die　as　miserable　as　he　has　lived。　　And　I　believe　my　confidence　will　not　be　misplaced；　when　it　is　bestowed　upon　you。　　I　have　been　a　cavalier；　even　as　you　are；　and；　strange　as　it　may　seem；　that　which　I　have　to　tell　I　would　sooner　impart　to　the　ears　of　a　soldier　than　of　a　priest；　because　it　will　then　sink　into　souls　which　can　at　least　sympathize；　though　they　cannot　absolve。　　And　you；　cavaliers；　I　perceive　to　be　noble；　from　your　very　looks；　to　be　valiant；　by　your　mere　presence　in　this　hostile　land；　and　to　be　gentle；　courteous；　and　prudent；　by　your　conduct　this　day　to　me　and　to　your　captives。　　Will　you；　then；　hear　an　old　man's　tale？　　I　am；　as　you　see；　full　of　words；　for　speech；　from　long　disuse；　is　difficult　to　me；　and　I　fear　at　every　sentence　lest　my　stiffened　tongue　should　play　the　traitor　to　my　worn…out　brain：　but　if　my　request　seems　impertinent；　you　have　only　to　bid　me　talk　as　a　host　should；　of　matters　which　concern　his　guests；　and　not　himself。〃

The　three　young　men；　equally　surprised　and　interested　by　this　exordium；　could　only　entreat　their　host　to　〃use　their　ears　as　those　of　his　slaves；〃　on　which；　after　fresh　apologies；　he　began：

〃Know；　then；　victorious　cavaliers；　that　I；　whom　you　now　see　here　as　a　poor　hermit；　was　formerly　one　of　the　foremost　of　that　terrible　band　who　went　with　Pizarro　to　the　conquest　of　Peru。　　Eighty　years　old　am　I　this　day；　unless　the　calendar　which　I　have　carved　upon　yonder　tree　deceives　me；　and　twenty　years　old　was　I　when　I　sailed　with　that　fierce　man　from　Panama；　to　do　that　deed　with　which　all　earth；　and　heaven；　and　hell　itself；　I　fear；　has　rung。　　How　we　endured；　suffered；　and　triumphed；　how；　mad　with　success；　and　glutted　with　blood；　we　turned　our　swords　against　each　other；　I　need　not　tell　to　you。　　For　what　gentleman　of　Europe　knows　not　our　glory　and　our　shame？〃

His　hearers　bowed　assent。

〃Yes；　you　have　heard　of　our　prowess：　for　glorious　we　were　awhile；　in　the　sight　of　God　and　man。　　But　I　will　not　speak　of　our　glory；　for　it　is　tarnished；　nor　of　our　wealth；　for　it　was　our　poison；　nor　of　the　sins　of　my　comrades；　for　they　have　expiated　them；　but　of　my　own　sins；　senors；　which　are　more　in　number　than　the　hairs　of　my　head；　and　a　burden　too　great　to　bear。　　Miserere　Domine！〃

And　smiting　on　his　breast；　the　old　warrior　went　on：

〃As　I　said；　we　were　mad　with　blood；　and　none　more　mad　than　I。　Surely　it　is　no　fable　that　men　are　possessed；　even　in　this　latter　age；　by　devils。　　Why　else　did　I　rejoice　in　slaying？　　Why　else　was　I；　the　son　of　a　noble　and　truthful　cavalier　of　Castile；　among　the　foremost　to　urge　upon　my　general　the　murder　of　the　Inca？　　Why　did　I　rejoice　over　his　dying　agonies？　　Why；　when　Don　Ferdinando　de　Soto　returned；　and　upbraided　us　with　our　villainy；　did　I；　instead　of　confessing　the　sin　which　that　noble　cavalier　set　before　us；　withstand　him　to　his　face；　ay；　and　would　have　drawn　the　sword　on　him；　but　that　he　refused　to　fight　a　liar；　as　he　said　that　I　was？〃

〃Then　Don　de　Soto　was　against　the　murder？　　So　his　own　grandson　told　me。　　But　I　had　heard　of　him　only　as　a　tyrant　and　a　butcher。〃

〃Senor；　he　was　compact　of　good　and　evil；　as　are　other　men：　he　has　paid　dearly　for　his　sin；　let　us　hope　that　he　has　been　paid　in　turn　for　his　righteousness。〃

John　Brimblecombe　shook　his　head　at　this　doctrine；　but　did　not　speak。

〃So　you　know　his　grandson？　　I　trust　he　is　a　noble　cavalier？〃

Amyas　was　silent；　the　old　gentleman　saw　that　he　had　touched　some　sore　point；　and　continued：

〃And　why；　again；　senors；　did　I　after　that　day　give　myself　up　to　cruelty　as　to　a　sport；　yea；　thought　that　I　did　God　service　by　destroying　the　creatures　whom　He　had　made；　I　who　now　dare　not　destroy　a　gnat；　lest　I　harm　a　being　more　righteous　than　myself？　Was　I　mad？　　If　I　was；　how　then　was　I　all　that　while　as　prudent　as　I　am　this　day？　　But　I　am　not　here　to　argue；　senors；　but　to　confess。　In　a　word；　there　was　no　deed　of　blood　done　for　the　next　few　years　in　which　I　had　not　my　share；　if　it　were　but　within　my　reach。　　When　Challcuchima　was　burned；　I　was　consenting；　when　that　fair　girl；　the　wife　of　Inca　Manco；　was　tortured　to　death；　I　smiled　at　the　agonies　at　which　she　too　smiled；　and　taunted　on　the　soldiers；　to　try　if　I　could　wring　one　groan　from　her　before　she　died。　　You　know　what　followed；　the　pillage；　the　violence；　the　indignities　offered　to　the　virgins　of　the　Sun。　　Senors；　I　will　not　pollute　your　chaste　ears　with　what　was　done。　　But；　senors；　I　had　a　brother。〃

And　the　old　man　paused　awhile。

〃A　brotherwhether　better　or　worse　than　me；　God　knows；　before　whom　he　has　appeared　ere　now。　　At　least　he　did　not；　as　I　did；　end　as　a　rebel　to　his　king！　　There　was　a　maiden　in　one　of　those　convents；　senors；　more　beautiful　than　day：　and　（I　blush　to　tell　it）　the　two　brothers　of　whom　I　spoke　quarrelled　for　the　possession　of　her。　They　struck　each　other；　senors！　　Who　struck　first　I　know　not；　but　swords　were　drawn；　and　　The　cavaliers　round　parted　them；　crying　shame。　　And　one　of　those　two　brothersthe　one　who　speaks　to　you　nowcrying；　'If　I　cannot　have　her；　no　man　shall！'　turned　the　sword　which　was　aimed　at　his　brother；　against　that　hapless　maidenand　hear　me　out；　senors；　before　you　flee　from　my　presence　as　from　that　of　a　monster！stabbed　her　to　the　heart。　　And　as　she　diedone　moment　more；　senors；　that　I　may　confess　all！she　looked