westward ho-第140章

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〃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　their　ears　at　the　blasphemy。

〃Oh；　Fray　Gerundio！〃　screamed　the　bishop；　〃pray　for　me。　　I　have　treated　you　like　a　beast。　　Oh；　Fray；　Fray！〃

〃Oh；　my　lord！　my　lord！〃　said　the　good　man；　as　with　tears　streaming　down　his　face　he　followed　his　shrieking　and　struggling　diocesan　up　the　stairs；　〃who　am　I？　　Ask　no　pardon　of　me。　　Ask　pardon　of　God　for　all　your　sins　against　the　poor　innocent　savages；　when　you　saw　your　harmless　sheep　butchered　year　after　year；　and　yet　never　lifted　up　your　voice　to　save　the　flock　which　God　had　committed　to　you。　　Oh；　confess　that；　my　lord！　confess　it　ere　it　be　too　late！〃

〃I　will　confess　all　about　the　Indians；　and　the　gold；　and　Tita　too；　Fray；　peccavi；　peccavionly　five　minutes；　senors；　five　little　minutes'　grace；　while　I　confess　to　the　good　Fray！〃and　he　grovelled　on　the　deck。

〃I　will　have　no　such　mummery　where　I　command；〃　said　Amyas；　sternly。　〃I　will　be　no　accomplice　in　cheating　Satan　of　his　due。〃

〃If　you　will　confess；〃　said　Brimblecombe；　whose　heart　was　melting　fast；　〃confess　to　the　Lord；　and　He　will　forgive　you。　　Even　at　the　last　moment　mercy　is　open。　　Is　it　not；　Fray　Gerundio？〃

〃It　is；　senor；　it　is；　my　lord；〃　said　Gerundio；　but　the　bishop　only　clasped　his　hands　over　his　head。

〃Then　I　am　undone！　　All　my　money　is　stolen！　　Not　a　farthing　left　to　buy　masses　for　my　poor　soul！　　And　no　absolution；　no　viaticum；　nor　anything！　　I　die　like　a　dog　and　am　damned！〃

〃Clear　away　that　running　rigging！〃　said　Amyas；　while　the　dark　Dominican　stood　perfectly　collected；　with　something　of　a　smile　of　pity　at　the　miserable　bishop。　　A　man　accustomed　to　cruelty；　and　firm　in　his　fanaticism；　he　was　as　ready　to　endure　suffering　as　to　inflict　it；　repeating　to　himself　the　necessary　prayers；　he　called　Fray　Gerundio　to　witness　that　he　died；　however　unworthy；　a　martyr；　in　charity　with　all　men；　and　in　the　communion　of　the　Holy　Catholic　Church；　and　then；　as　he　fitted　the　cord　to　his　own　neck；　gave　Fray　Gerundio　various　petty　commissions　about　his　sister　and　her　children；　and　a　little　vineyard　far　away　upon　the　sunny　slopes　of　Castile；　and　so　died；　with　a　〃Domine；　in　manus　tuas；〃　like　a　valiant　man　of　Spain。

Amyas　stood　long　in　solemn　silence；　watching　the　two　corpses　dangling　above　his　head。　　At　last　he　drew　a　long　breath；　as　if　a　load　was　taken　off　his　heart。

Suddenly　he　looked　round　to　his　men；　who　were　watching　eagerly　to　know　what　he　would　have　done　next。

〃Hearken　to　me；　my　masters　all；　and　may　God　hearken　too；　and　do　so　to　me；　and　more　also；　if；　as　long　as　I　have　eyes　to　see　a　Spaniard；　and　hands　to　hew　him　down；　I　do　any　other　thing　than　hunt　down　that　accursed　nation　day　and　night；　and　avenge　all　the　innocent　blood　which　has　been　shed　by　them　since　the　day　in　which　King　Ferdinand　drove　out　the　Moors！〃

〃Amen！〃　said　Salvation　Yeo。　　〃I　need　not　to　swear　that　oath；　for　I　have　sworn　it　long　ago；　and　kept　it。　　Will　your　honor　have　us　kill　the　rest　of　the　idolaters？〃

〃God　forbid！〃　said　Cary。　　〃You　would　not　do　that；　Amyas？〃

〃No；　we　will　spare　them。　　God　has　shown　us　a　great　mercy　this　day；　and　we　must　be　merciful　in　it。　　We　will　land　them　at　Cabo　Velo。　But　henceforth　till　I　die　no　quarter　to　a　Spaniard。〃

〃Amen！〃　said　Yeo。

Amyas's　whole　countenance　had　changed　in　the　last　half…hour。　　He　seemed　to　have　grown　years　older。　　His　brow　was　wrinkled；　his　lip　compressed；　his　eyes　full　of　a　terrible　stony　calm；　as　of　one　who　had　formed　a　great　and　dreadful　purpose；　and　yet　for　that　very　reason　could　afford　to　be　quiet　under　the　burden　of　it；　even　cheerful；　and　when　he　returned　to　the　cabin　he　bowed　courteously　to　the　commandant；　begged　pardon　of　him　for　having　played　the　host　so　ill；　and　entreated　him　to　finish　his　breakfast。

〃But；　senoris　it　possible？　　Is　his　holiness　dead？〃

〃He　is　hanged　and　dead；　senor。　　I　would　have　hanged；　could　I　have　caught　them；　every　living　thing　which　was　present　at　my　brother's　death；　even　to　the　very　flies　upon　the　wall。　　No　more　words；　senor；　your　conscience　tells　you　that　I　am　just。〃

〃Senor；〃　said　the　commandant〃one　wordI　trust　there　are　no　listenersnone　of　my　crew；　I　mean；　but　I　must　exculpate　myself　in　your　eyes。〃

〃Walk　out；　then；　into　the　gallery　with　me。〃

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　senorI　trust　in　Heaven　no　one　overhears。　You　are　just。　　This　Inquisition　is　the　curse　of　us；　the　weight　which　is　crushing　out　the　very　life　of　Spain。　　No　man　dares　speak。　No　man　dares　trust　his　neighbor；　no；　not　his　child；　or　the　wife　of　his　bosom。　　It　avails　nothing　to　be　a　good　Catholic；　as　I　trust　I　am；〃　and　he　crossed　himself；　〃when　any　villain　whom　you　may　offend；　any　unnatural　son　or　wife　who　wishes　to　be　rid　of　you；　has　but　to　hint　heresy　against　you；　and　you　vanish　into　the　Holy　Officeand　then　God　have　mercy　on　you；　for　man　has　none。　　Noble　ladies　of　my　family；　sir；　have　vanished　thither；　carried　off　by　night；　we　know　not　why；　we　dare　not　ask　why。　　To　expostulate；　even　to　inquire；　would　have　been　to　share　their　fate。　　There　is　one　now；　senor　Heaven　alone　knows　whether　she　is　alive　or　dead！It　was　nine　years　since；　and　we　have　never　heard；　and　we　shall　never　hear。〃

And　the　commandant's　face　worked　frightfully。

〃She　was　my　sister；　senor！〃

〃Heavens！　sir；　and　have　you　not　avenged　her？〃

〃On　churchmen；　senor；　and　I　a　Catholic？　　To　be　burned　at　the　stake　in　this　life；　and　after　that　to　all　eternity　beside？　　Even　a　Spaniard　dare　not　face　that。　　Beside；　sir；　the　mob　like　this　Inquisition；　and　an　Auto…da…fe　is　even　better　sport　to　them　than　a　bull…fight。　　They　would　be　the　first　to　tear　a　man　in　pieces　who　dare　touch　an　Inquisitor。　　Sir；　may　all　the　saints　in　heaven　obtain　me　forgiveness　for　my　blasphemy；　but　when　I　saw　you　just　now　fearing　those　churchmen　no　more　than　you　feared　me；　I　longed；　sinner　that　I　am；　to　be　a　heretic　like　you。〃

〃It　will　not　take　long　to　make　a　brave　and　wise　gentleman　who　has　suffered　such　things　as　you　have；　a　heretic；　as　you　call　ita　free　Christian　man；　as　we　call　it。〃

〃Tempt　me　not；　sir！〃　said　the　poor　man；　crossing　himself　fervently。　〃Let　us　say　no　more。　　Obedience　is　my　duty；　and　for　the　rest　the　Church　must　decide；　according　to　her　infallible　authorityfor　I　am　a　good　Catholic；　senor；　the　best　of　Catholics；　though　a　great　sinner。I　trust　no　one　has　overheard　us！〃

Amyas　left　him　with　a　smile　of　pity；　and　went　to　look　for　Lucy　Passmore；　whom　the　sailors　were　nursing　and　feeding；　while　Ayacanora　watched　them　with　a　puzzled　face。

〃I　will　talk　to　you　when　you　are　better；　Lucy；〃　said　he；　taking　her　hand。　　〃Now　you　must　eat　and　drink；　and　forget　all　among　us　lads　of　Devon。〃

〃Oh；　dear　blessed　sir；　and　you　will　send　Sir　John　to　pray　with　me？　For　I　turned；　sir；　I　turned：　but　I　could　not　help　itI　could　not　abear　the　torments：　but　she　bore　them；　sweet　angeland　more　than　I　did。　　Oh；　dear　me！〃

〃Lucy；　I　am　not　fit　now　to　hear　more。　　You　shall　tell　me　all　to…　morrow；〃　and　he　turned　away。

〃Why　do　you　take　her　hand？〃　said　Ayacanora；　half…scornfully。　　〃She　is　old；　and　ugly；　and　dirty。〃

〃She　is　an　Englishwoman；　child；　and　a　martyr；　poor　thing；　and　I　would　nurse　her　as　I　would　my　own　mother。〃

〃Why　don't　you　make　me　an　Englishwoman；　and　a　martyr？　　I　could　learn　how　to　do　anything　that　that　old　hag　could　do！〃

〃Instead　of　calling　her　names；　go　and　tend　her；　that　would　be　much　fitter　work　for　a　woman　than　fighting　among　men。〃

Ayacanora　darted　from　him；　thrust　the　sailors　aside；　and　took　possession　of　Lucy　Passmore。

〃Where　shall　I　put　her？〃　asked　she　of　Amyas；　without　looking　up。

〃In　the　best　cabin；　and　let　her　be　served　like　a　queen；　lads。〃

〃No　one　shall　touch　her　but　me；〃　and　taking　up　the　withered　frame　in　her　arms；　as　if　it　were　a　doll；　Ayacanora　walked　off　with　her　in　triumph；　telling　the　men　to　go　and　mind　the　ship。

〃The　girl　is　mad；〃　said　one。

〃Mad　or　not；　she　has　an　eye　to　our　captain；〃　said　another。

〃And　where's　the　man　that　would　behave　to　the　poor　wild　thing　as　he　does？〃

〃Sir　Francis　Drake　would；　from　whom　he　got　his　lesson。　　Do　you　mind　his　putting　the　negro　lass　ashore　after　he　found　out　about〃

〃Hush！　　Bygones　be　byg