westward ho-第139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！


r　pardon；　we　have　done。　　We　took　our　sails　of　Indian　cloth；　whitened　them　likewise　with　clay　which　we　had　brought　with　us　from　the　river　（expecting　to　find　a　Spanish　ship　as　we　went　along　the　coast；　and　determined　to　attempt　her；　or　die　with　honor）；　and　laid　them　over　us　on　the　canoes；　paddling　from　underneath　them。　　So　that；　had　your　sentinels　been　awake；　they　would　have　hardly　made　us　out；　till　we　were　close　on　board。　　We　had　provided　ourselves；　instead　of　ladders；　with　bamboos　rigged　with　cross…pieces；　and　a　hook　of　strong　wood　at　the　top　of　each；　they　hang　at　your　stern…gallery　now。　　And　the　rest　of　the　tale　I　need　not　tell　you。〃

The　commandant　rose　in　his　courtly　Spanish　way；

〃Your　admirable　story；　senor；　proves　to　me　how　truly　your　nation；　while　it　has　yet；　and　I　trust　will　ever　have；　to　dispute　the　palm　of　valor　with　our　own；　is　famed　throughout　the　world　for　ingenuity；　and　for　daring　beyond　that　of　mortal　man。　　You　have　succeeded；　valiant　captain；　because　you　have　deserved　to　succeed；　and　it　is　no　shame　to　me　to　succumb　to　enemies　who　have　united　the　cunning　of　the　serpent　with　the　valor　of　the　lion。　　Senor；　I　feel　as　proud　of　becoming　your　guest　as　I　should　have　been　proud；　under　a　happier　star；　of　becoming　your　host。〃

〃You　are；　like　your　nation；　only　too　generous；　senor。　　But　what　noise　is　that　outside？　　Cary；　go　and　see。〃

But　ere　Cary　could　reach　the　door；　it　was　opened；　and　Evans　presented　himself　with　a　terrified　face。

〃Here's　villainy；　sir！　　The　Don's　murdered；　and　cold；　the　Indian　lass　fled；　and　as　we　searched　the　ship　for　her；　we　found　an　Englishwoman；　as　I'm　a　sinful　man！and　a　shocking　sight　she　is　to　see！〃

〃An　Englishwoman？〃　cried　all　three；　springing　forward。

〃Bring　her　in！〃　said　Amyas；　turning　very　pale；　and　as　he　spoke；　Yeo　and　another　led　into　the　cabin　a　figure　scarcely　human。

An　elderly　woman；　dressed　in　the　yellow　〃San　Benito〃　of　the　Inquisition；　with　ragged　gray　locks　hanging　about　a　countenance　distorted　by　suffering　and　shrunk　by　famine。　　Painfully；　as　one　unaccustomed　to　the　light；　she　peered　and　blinked　round　her。　　Her　fallen　lip　gave　her　a　half…idiotic　expression；　and　yet　there　was　an　uneasy　twinkle　in　the　eye；　as　of　boundless　terror　and　suspicion。　She　lifted　up　her　fettered　wrist　to　shade　her　face；　and　as　she　did　so；　disclosed　a　line　of　fearful　scars　upon　her　skinny　arm。

〃Look　there；　sirs！〃　said　Yeo；　pointing　to　them　with　a　stern　smile。　〃Here's　some　of　these　Popish　gentry's　handiwork。　　I　know　well　enough　how　those　marks　came；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　similar　scars　on　his　own　wrist。

The　commandant；　as　well　as　the　Englishmen；　recoiled　with　horror。

〃Holy　Virgin！　what　wretch　is　this　on　board　my　ship？　　Bishop；　is　this　the　prisoner　whom　you　sent　on　board？〃

The　bishop；　who　had　been　slowly　recovering　his　senses；　looked　at　her　a　moment；　and　then　thrusting　his　chair　back；　crossed　himself；　and　almost　screamed；　〃Malefica！　　Malefica！　　Who　brought　her　here？　Turn　her　away；　gentlemen；　turn　her　eye　away；　she　will　bewitch；　fascinate〃and　he　began　muttering　prayers。

Amyas　seized　him　by　the　shoulder；　and　shook　him　on　to　his　legs。

〃Swine！　who　is　this？　　Wake　up；　coward；　and　tell　me；　or　I　will　cut　you　piecemeal！〃

But　ere　the　bishop　could　answer；　the　woman　uttered　a　wild　shriek；　and　pointing　to　the　taller　of　the　two　monks；　cowered　behind　Yeo。

〃He　here？〃　cried　she；　in　broken　Spanish。　　〃Take　me　away！　　I　will　tell　you　no　more。　　I　have　told　you　all；　and　lies　enough　beside。　Oh！　why　is　he　come　again？　　Did　they　not　say　that　I　should　have　no　more　torments？〃

The　monk　turned　pale：　but　like　a　wild　beast　at　bay；　glared　firmly　round　on　the　whole　company；　and　then；　fixing　his　dark　eyes　full　on　the　woman；　he　bade　her　be　silent　so　sternly；　that　she　shrank　down　like　a　beaten　hound。

〃Silence；　dog！〃　said　Will　Cary；　whose　blood　was　up；　and　followed　his　words　with　a　blow　on　the　monk's　mouth；　which　silenced　him　effectually。

〃Don't　be　afraid；　good　woman；　but　speak　English。　　We　are　all　English　here；　and　Protestants　too。　　Tell　us　what　they　have　done　for　you。〃

〃Another　trap！　another　trap！〃　cried　she；　in　a　strong　Devonshire　accent。　　〃You　be　no　English！　　You　want　to　make　me　lie　again；　and　then　torment　me。　　Oh！　wretched；　wretched　that　I　am！〃　cried　she；　bursting　into　tears。　　〃Whom　should　I　trust？　　Not　myself：　no；　nor　God；　for　I　have　denied　Him！　　O　Lord！　O　Lord！〃

Amyas　stood　silent　with　fear　and　horror；　some　instinct　told　him　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　hearing　news　for　which　he　feared　to　ask。　　But　Jack　spoke

〃My　dear　soul！　my　dear　soul！　don't　you　be　afraid；　and　the　Lord　will　stand　by　you；　if　you　will　but　tell　the　truth。　　We　are　all　Englishmen；　and　men　of　Devon；　as　you　seem　to　be　by　your　speech；　and　this　ship　is　ours；　and　the　pope　himself　sha'n't　touch　you。〃

〃Devon？〃　she　said　doubtingly；　〃Devon！　　Whence；　then？〃

〃Bideford　men。　　This　is　Mr。　Will　Cary；　to　Clovelly。　　If　you　are　a　Devon　woman；　you've　heard　tell　of　the　Carys；　to　be　sure。〃

The　woman　made　a　rush　forward；　and　threw　her　fettered　arms　round　Will's　neck；

〃Oh；　Mr。　Cary；　my　dear　life！　　Mr。　Cary！　and　so　you　be！　　Oh；　dear　soul　alive！　but　you're　burnt　so　brown；　and　I　be　'most　blind　with　misery。　　Oh；　who　ever　sent　you　here；　my　dear　Mr。　Will；　then；　to　save　a　poor　wretch　from　the　pit？〃

〃Who　on　earth　are　you？〃

〃Lucy　Passmore；　the　white　witch　to　Welcombe。　　Don't　you　mind　Lucy　Passmore；　as　charmed　your　warts　for　you　when　you　was　a　boy？〃

〃Lucy　Passmore！〃　almost　shrieked　all　three　friends。　　〃She　that　went　off　with〃

〃Yes！　she　that　sold　her　own　soul；　and　persuaded　that　dear　saint　to　sell　hers；　she　that　did　the　devil's　work；　and　has　taken　the　devil's　wages；after　this　fashion！〃　and　she　held　up　her　scarred　wrists　wildly。

〃Where　is　Dona　deRose　Salterne？〃　shouted　Will　and　Jack。

〃Where　is　my　brother　Frank？〃　shouted　Amyas。

〃Dead；　dead；　dead！〃

〃I　knew　it；〃　said　Amyas；　sitting　down　again　calmly。

〃How　did　she　die？〃

〃The　Inquisitionhe！〃　pointing　to　the　monk。　　〃Ask　himhe　betrayed　her　to　her　death。　　And　ask　him！〃　pointing　to　the　bishop；　〃he　sat　by　her　and　saw　her　die。〃

〃Woman；　you　rave！〃　said　the　bishop；　getting　up　with　a　terrified　air；　and　moving　as　far　as　possible　from　Amyas。

〃How　did　my　brother　die；　Lucy？〃　asked　Amyas；　still　calmly。

〃Who　be　you；　sir？〃

A　gleam　of　hope　flashed　across　Amyasshe　had　not　answered　his　question。

〃I　am　Amyas　Leigh　of　Burrough。　　Do　you　know　aught　of　my　brother　Frank；　who　was　lost　at　La　Guayra？〃

〃Mr。　Amyas！　　Heaven　forgive　me　that　I　did　not　know　the　bigness　of　you。　　Your　brother；　sir；　died　like　a　gentleman　as　he　was。〃

〃But　how？〃　gasped　Amyas。

〃Burned　with　her；　sir！〃

〃Is　this　true；　sir？〃　said　Amyas；　turning　to　the　bishop；　with　a　very　quiet　voice。

〃I；　sir？〃　stammered　he；　in　panting　haste。　　〃I　had　nothing　to　doI　was　compelled　in　my　office　of　bishop　to　be　an　unwilling　spectator　the　secular　arm；　sir；　I　could　not　interfere　with　thatany　more　than　I　can　with　the　Holy　Office。　　I　do　not　belong　to　itask　that　gentlemansir！　　Saints　and　angels；　sir！　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃　shrieked　he；　as　Amyas　laid　a　heavy　hand　upon　his　shoulder；　and　began　to　lead　him　towards　the　door。

〃Hang　you！〃　said　Amyas。　　〃If　I　had　been　a　Spaniard　and　a　priest　like　yourself；　I　should　have　burnt　you　alive。〃

〃Hang　me？〃　shrieked　the　wretched　old　Balaam；　and　burst　into　abject　howls　for　mercy。

〃Take　the　dark　monk；　Yeo；　and　hang　him　too。　　Lucy　Passmore；　do　you　know　that　fellow　also？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　said　Lucy。

〃Lucky　for　you；　Fray　Gerundio；〃　said　Will　Cary；　while　the　good　friar　hid　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　burst　into　tears。　　Lucky　it　was　for　him；　indeed；　for　he　had　been　a　pitying　spectator　of　the　tragedy。　　〃Ah！〃　thought　he；　〃if　life　in　this　mad　and　sinful　world　be　a　reward；　perhaps　this　escape　is　vouchsafed　to　me　for　having　pleaded　the　cause　of　the　poor　Indian！〃

But　the　bishop　shrieked　on。

〃Oh！　not　yet。　　An　hour；　only　an　hour！　　I　am　not　fit　to　die。〃

〃That　is　no　concern　of　mine；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃I　only　know　that　you　are　not　fit　to　live。〃

〃Let　us　at　least　make　our　peace　with　God；〃　said　the　dark　monk。

〃Hound！　if　your　saints　can　really　smuggle　you　up　the　back…stairs　to　heaven；　they　will　do　it　without　five　minutes'　more　coaxing　and　flattering。〃

Fray　Gerundio　and　the　condemned　man　alike　stopped