westward ho-第141章

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〃Hush！　　Bygones　be　bygones；　and　those　that　did　it　are　in　their　graves　long　ago。　　But　it　was　too　hard　of　him　on　the　poor　thing。〃

〃If　he　had　not　got　rid　of　her；　there　would　have　been　more　throats　than　one　cut　about　the　lass；　that's　all　I　know；〃　said　another；　〃and　so　there　would　have　been　about　this　one　before　now；　if　the　captain　wasn't　a　born　angel　out　of　heaven；　and　the　lieutenant　no　less。〃

〃Well；　I　suppose　we　may　get　a　whet　by　now。　　I　wonder　if　these　Dons　have　any　beer　aboard。〃

〃Naught　but　grape　vinegar；　which　fools　call　wine；　I'll　warrant。〃

〃There　was　better　than　vinegar　on　the　table　in　there　just　now。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　one　grumbler　of　true　English　breed；　〃but　that's　not　for　poor　fellows　like　we。〃

〃Don't　lie；　Tom　Evans；　you　never　were　given　that　way　yet；　and　I　don't　think　the　trade　will　suit　a　good　fellow　like　you。〃

The　whole　party　stared；　for　the　speaker　of　these　words　was　none　other　than　Amyas　himself；　who　had　rejoined　them；　a　bottle　in　each　hand。

〃No；　Tom　Evans。　　It　has　been　share　and　share　alike　for　three　years；　and　bravely　you　have　all　held　up；　and　share　alike　it　shall　be　now；　and　here's　the　handsel　of　it。　　We'll　serve　out　the　good　wine　fairly　all　round　as　long　as　it　lasts；　and　then　take　to　the　bad：　but　mind　you　don't　get　drunk；　my　sons；　for　we　are　much　too　short　of　hands　to　have　any　stout　fellows　lying　about　the　scuppers。〃

But　what　was　the　story　of　the　intendant's　being　murdered？　Brimblecombe　had　seen　him　run　into　a　neighboring　cabin；　and　when　the　door　of　it　was　opened；　there　was　the　culprit；　but　dead　and　cold；　with　a　deep　knife…wound　in　his　side。　　Who　could　have　done　the　deed？　　It　must　have　been　Tita；　whom　Brimblecombe　had　seen　loose；　and　trying　to　free　her　lover。

The　ship　was　searched　from　stem　to　stern：　but　no　Tita。　　The　mystery　was　never　explained。　　That　she　had　leapt　overboard；　and　tried　to　swim　ashore；　none　doubted：　but　whether　she　had　reached　it；　who　could　tell？　　One　thing　was　strange；　that　not　only　had　she　carried　off　no　treasure　with　her；　but　that　the　gold　ornaments　which　she　had　worn　the　night　before；　lay　together　in　a　heap　on　the　table；　close　by　the　murdered　man。　　Had　she　wished　to　rid　herself　of　everything　which　had　belonged　to　her　tyrants？

The　commandant　heard　the　whole　story　thoughtfully。

〃Wretched　man！〃　said　he；　〃and　he　has　a　wife　and　children　in　Seville。〃

〃A　wife　and　children？〃　said　Amyas；　〃and　I　heard　him　promise　marriage　to　the　Indian　girl。〃

That　was　the　only　hint　which　gave　a　reason　for　his　death。　　What　if；　in　the　terror　of　discovery　and　capture；　the　scoundrel　had　dropped　any　self…condemning　words　about　his　marriage；　any　prayer　for　those　whom　he　had　left　behind；　and　the　Indian　had　overheard　them？　　It　might　be　so；　at　least　sin　had　brought　its　own　punishment。

And　so　that　wild　night　and　day　subsided。　　The　prisoners　were　kindly　used　enough；　for　the　Englishman；　free　from　any　petty　love　of　tormenting；　knows　no　mean　between　killing　a　foe　outright；　and　treating　him　as　a　brother；　and　when；　two　days　afterwards；　they　were　sent　ashore　in　the　canoes　off　Cabo　Velo；　captives　and　captors　shook　hands　all　round；　and　Amyas；　after　returning　the　commandant　his　sword；　and　presenting　him　with　a　case　of　the　bishop's　wine；　bowed　him　courteously　over　the　side。

〃I　trust　that　you　will　pay　us　another　visit；　valiant　senor　capitan；〃　said　the　Spaniard；　bowing　and　smiling。

〃I　should　most　gladly　accept　your　invitation；　illustrious　senor　commandant；　but　as　I　have　vowed　henceforth；　whenever　I　shall　meet　a　Spaniard；　neither　to　give　nor　take　quarter；　I　trust　that　our　paths　to　glory　may　lie　in　different　directions。〃

The　commandant　shrugged　his　shoulders；　the　ship　was　put　again　before　the　wind；　and　as　the　shores　of　the　Main　faded　lower　and　dimmer　behind　her；　a　mighty　cheer　broke　from　all　on　board；　and　for　once　the　cry　from　every　mouth　was　Eastward…ho！

Scrap　by　scrap；　as　weakness　and　confusion　of　intellect　permitted　her；　Lucy　Passmore　told　her　story。　　It　was　a　simple　one　after　all；　and　Amyas　might　almost　have　guessed　it　for　himself。　　Rose　had　not　yielded　to　the　Spaniard　without　a　struggle。　　He　had　visited　her　two　or　three　times　at　Lucy's　house　（how　he　found　out　Lucy's　existence　she　herself　could　never　tell；　unless　from　the　Jesuits）　before　she　agreed　to　go　with　him。　　He　had　gained　Lucy　to　his　side　by　huge　promises　of　Indian　gold；　and；　in　fine；　they　had　gone　to　Lundy；　where　the　lovers　were　married　by　a　priest；　who　was　none　other；　Lucy　would　swear；　than　the　shorter　and　stouter　of　the　two　who　had　carried　off　her　husband　and　his　boatin　a　word；　Father　Parsons。

Amyas　gnashed　his　teeth　at　the　thought　that　he　had　had　Parsons　in　his　power　at　Brenttor　down；　and　let　him　go。　　It　was　a　fresh　proof　to　him　that　Heaven's　vengeance　was　upon　him　for　letting　one　of　its　enemies　escape。　　Though　what　good　to　Rose　or　Frank　the　hanging　of　Parsons　would　have　been；　I；　for　my　part；　cannot　see。

But　when　had　Eustace　been　at　Lundy？　　Lucy　could　throw　no　light　on　that　matter。　　It　was　evidently　some　by…thread　in　the　huge　spider's　web　of　Jesuit　intrigue；　which　was；　perhaps；　not　worth　knowing　after　all。

They　sailed　from　Lundy　in　a　Portugal　ship；　were　at　Lisbon　a　few　days　（during　which　Rose　and　Lucy　remained　on　board）；　and　then　away　for　the　West　Indies；　while　all　went　merry　as　a　marriage　bell。　〃Sir；　he　would　have　kissed　the　dust　off　her　dear　feet；　till　that　evil　eye　of　Mr。　Eustace's　came；　no　one　knew　how　or　whence。〃　　And；　from　that　time；　all　went　wrong。　　Eustace　got　power　over　Don　Guzman；　whether　by　threatening　that　the　marriage　should　be　dissolved；　whether　by　working　on　his　superstitious　scruples　about　leaving　his　wife　still　a　heretic；　or　whether　（and　this　last　Lucy　much　suspected）　by　insinuations　that　her　heart　was　still　at　home　in　England；　and　that　she　was　longing　for　Amyas　and　his　ship　to　come　and　take　her　home　again；　the　house　soon　became　a　den　of　misery；　and　Eustace　the　presiding　evil　genius。　　Don　Guzman　had　even　commanded　him　to　leave　itand　he　went；　but；　somehow；　within　a　week　he　was　there　again；　in　greater　favor　than　ever。　　Then　came　preparations　to　meet　the　English；　and　high　words　about　it　between　Don　Guzman　and　Rose；　till　a　few　days　before　Amyas's　arrival；　the　Don　had　dashed　out　of　the　house　in　a　fury；　saying　openly　that　she　preferred　these　Lutheran　dogs　to　him；　and　that　he　would　have　their　hearts'　blood　first；　and　hers　after。

The　rest　was　soon　told。　　Amyas　knew　but　too　much　of　it　already。　The　very　morning　after　he　had　gone　up　to　the　villa；　Lucy　and　her　mistress　were　taken　（they　knew　not　by　whom）　down　to　the　quay；　in　the　name　of　the　Holy　Office；　and　shipped　off　to　Cartagena。

There　they　were　examined；　and　confronted　on　a　charge　of　witchcraft；　which　the　wretched　Lucy　could　not　well　deny。　　She　was　tortured　to　make　her　inculpate　Rose；　and　what　she　said；　or　did　not　say；　under　the　torture；　the　poor　wretch　could　never　tell。　　She　recanted；　and　became　a　Romanist；　Rose　remained　firm。　　Three　weeks　afterwards；　they　were　brought　out　to　an　Auto…da…fe；　and　there；　for　the　first　time；　Lucy　saw　Frank　walking；　dressed　in　a　San　Benito；　in　that　ghastly　procession。　　Lucy　was　adjudged　to　receive　publicly　two　hundred　stripes；　and　to　be　sent　to　〃The　Holy　House〃　at　Seville　to　perpetual　prison。　　Frank　and　Rose；　with　a　renegade　Jew；　and　a　negro　who　had　been　convicted　of　practising　〃Obi；〃　were　sentenced　to　death　as　impenitent；　and　delivered　over　to　the　secular　arm；　with　prayers　that　there　might　be　no　shedding　of　blood。　　In　compliance　with　which　request；　the　Jew　and　the　negro　were　burnt　at　one　stake；　Frank　and　Rose　at　another。　　She　thought　they　did　not　feel　it　more　than　twenty　minutes。　　They　were　both　very　bold　and　steadfast；　and　held　each　other's　hand　（that　she　would　swear　to）　to　the　very　last。

And　so　ended　Lucy　Passmore's　story。　　And　if　Amyas　Leigh；　after　he　had　heard　it；　vowed　afresh　to　give　no　quarter　to　Spaniards　wherever　he　should　find　them；　who　can　wonder；　even　if　they　blame？



CHAPTER　XXVII

HOW　SALVATION　YEO　FOUND　HIS　LITTLE　MAID　AGAIN


〃All　precious　things；　discover'd　late；　　　　To　them　who　seek　them　issue　forth；　For　love　in　sequel　works　with　fate；　　　　And　draws　the　veil　from　hidden　worth。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Sleeping　Beauty。


And　so　Ayacanora　took　up　her　abode　in　Lucy's　cabin；　as　a　regularly　accredited　me