westward ho-第156章

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ound　themselves　thrown　back　three　hundred　years　into　the　pleasant　summer　days　of　1588？

Mount　Edgecombe　is　still　there；　beautiful　as　ever：　but　where　are　the　docks；　and　where　is　Devonport？　　No　vast　dry…dock　roofs　rise　at　the　water's　edge。　　Drake's　island　carries　but　a　paltry　battery；　just　raised　by　the　man　whose　name　it　bears；　Mount　Wise　is　a　lone　gentleman's　house　among　fields；　the　citadel　is　a　pop…gun　fort；　which　a　third…class　steamer　would　shell　into　rubble　for　an　afternoon's　amusement。　　And　the　shipping；　where　are　they？　　The　floating　castles　of　the　Hamoaze　have　dwindled　to　a　few　crawling　lime…hoys；　and　the　Catwater　is　packed；　not　as　now；　with　merchant　craft；　but　with　the　ships　who　will　to…morrow　begin　the　greatest　sea…fight　which　the　world　has　ever　seen。

There　they　lie；　a　paltry　squadron　enough　in　modern　eyes；　the　largest　of　them　not　equal　in　size　to　a　six…and…thirty…gun　frigate；　carrying　less　weight　of　metal　than　one　of　our　new　gun…boats；　and　able　to　employ　even　that　at　not　more　than　a　quarter　of　our　modern　range。　　Would　our　modern　spectators；　just　come　down　by　rail　for　a　few　hours；　to　see　the　cavalry　embark；　and　return　tomorrow　in　time　for　dinner；　have　looked　down　upon　that　petty　port；　and　petty　fleet；　with　a　contemptuous　smile；　and　begun　some　flippant　speech　about　the　progress　of　intellect；　and　the　triumphs　of　science；　and　our　benighted　ancestors？　　They　would　have　done　so；　doubt　it　not；　if　they　belonged　to　the　many　who　gaze　on　those　very　triumphs　as　on　a　raree…show　to　feed　their　silly　wonder；　or　use　and　enjoy　them　without　thankfulness　or　understanding；　as　the　ox　eats　the　clover　thrust　into　his　rack；　without　knowing　or　caring　how　it　grew。　　But　if　any　of　them　were　of　the　class　by　whom　those　very　triumphs　have　been　achieved；　the　thinkers　and　the　workers；　who；　instead　of　entering　lazily　into　other　men's　labors；　as　the　mob　does；　labor　themselves；　who　know　by　hard　experience　the　struggles；　the　self…　restraints；　the　disappointments；　the　slow　and　staggering　steps；　by　which　the　discoverer　reaches　to　his　prize；　then　the　smile　of　those　men　would　not　have　been　one　of　pity；　but　rather　of　filial　love。　For　they　would　have　seen　in　those　outwardly　paltry　armaments　the　potential　germ　of　that　mightier　one　which　now　loads　the　Black　Sea　waves；　they　would　have　been　aware；　that　to　produce　it；　with　such　materials　and　knowledge　as　then　existed；　demanded　an　intellect；　an　energy；　a　spirit　of　progress　and　invention；　equal；　if　not　superior；　to　those　of　which　we　now　so　loudly　boast。

But　if；　again；　he　had　been　a　student　of　men　rather　than　of　machinery；　he　would　have　found　few　nobler　companies　on　whom　to　exercise　his　discernment；　than　he　might　have　seen　in　the　little　terrace　bowling…green　behind　the　Pelican　Inn；　on　the　afternoon　of　the　nineteenth　of　July。　　Chatting　in　groups；　or　lounging　over　the　low　wall　which　commanded　a　view　of　the　Sound　and　the　shipping　far　below；　were　gathered　almost　every　notable　man　of　the　Plymouth　fleet；　the　whole　posse　comitatus　of　〃England's　forgotten　worthies。〃　The　Armada　has　been　scattered　by　a　storm。　　Lord　Howard　has　been　out　to　look　for　it；　as　far　as　the　Spanish　coast；　but　the　wind　has　shifted　to　the　south；　and　fearing　lest　the　Dons　should　pass　him；　he　has　returned　to　Plymouth；　uncertain　whether　the　Armada　will　come　after　all　or　not。　　Slip　on　for　a　while；　like　Prince　Hal；　the　drawer's　apron；　come　in　through　the　rose…clad　door　which　opens　from　the　tavern；　with　a　tray　of　long…necked　Dutch　glasses；　and　a　silver　tankard　of　wine；　and　look　round　you　at　the　gallant　captains；　who　are　waiting　for　the　Spanish　Armada；　as　lions　in　their　lair　might　wait　for　the　passing　herd　of　deer。

See　those　five　talking　earnestly；　in　the　centre　of　a　ring；　which　longs　to　overhear；　and　yet　is　too　respectful　to　approach　close。　Those　soft　long　eyes　and　pointed　chin　you　recognize　already；　they　are　Walter　Raleigh's。　　The　fair　young　man　in　the　flame…colored　doublet；　whose　arm　is　round　Raleigh's　neck；　is　Lord　Sheffield；　opposite　them　stands；　by　the　side　of　Sir　Richard　Grenville；　a　man　as　stately　even　as　he；　Lord　Sheffield's　uncle；　the　Lord　Charles　Howard　of　Effingham；　lord　high　admiral　of　England；　next　to　him　is　his　son…in…law；　Sir　Robert　Southwell；　captain　of　the　Elizabeth　Jonas：　but　who　is　that　short；　sturdy；　plainly　dressed　man；　who　stands　with　legs　a　little　apart；　and　hands　behind　his　back；　looking　up；　with　keen　gray　eyes；　into　the　face　of　each　speaker？　　His　cap　is　in　his　hands；　so　you　can　see　the　bullet　head　of　crisp　brown　hair　and　the　wrinkled　forehead；　as　well　as　the　high　cheek　bones；　the　short　square　face；　the　broad　temples；　the　thick　lips；　which　are　yet　firm　as　granite。　　A　coarse　plebeian　stamp　of　man：　yet　the　whole　figure　and　attitude　are　that　of　boundless　determination；　self…　possession；　energy；　and　when　at　last　he　speaks　a　few　blunt　words；　all　eyes　are　turned　respectfully　upon　him；for　his　name　is　Francis　Drake。

A　burly；　grizzled　elder；　in　greasy　sea…stained　garments；　contrasting　oddly　with　the　huge　gold　chain　about　his　neck；　waddles　up；　as　if　he　had　been　born；　and　had　lived　ever　since；　in　a　gale　of　wind　at　sea。　　The　upper　half　of　his　sharp　dogged　visage　seems　of　brick…red　leather；　the　lower　of　badger's　fur；　and　as　he　claps　Drake　on　the　back；　and；　with　a　broad　Devon　twang；　shouts；　〃be　you　a　coming　to　drink　your　wine；　Francis　Drake；　or　be　you　not？saving　your　presence；　my　lord；〃　the　lord　high　admiral　only　laughs；　and　bids　Drake　go　and　drink　his　wine；　for　John　Hawkins；　admiral　of　the　port；　is　the　patriarch　of　Plymouth　seamen；　if　Drake　be　their　hero；　and　says　and　does　pretty　much　what　he　likes　in　any　company　on　earth；　not　to　mention　that　to…day's　prospect　of　an　Armageddon　fight　has　shaken　him　altogether　out　of　his　usual　crabbed　reserve；　and　made　him　overflow　with　loquacious　good…humor；　even　to　his　rival　Drake。

So　they　push　through　the　crowd；　wherein　is　many　another　man　whom　one　would　gladly　have　spoken　with　face　to　face　on　earth。　　Martin　Frobisher　and　John　Davis　are　sitting　on　that　bench；　smoking　tobacco　from　long　silver　pipes；　and　by　them　are　Fenton　and　Withrington；　who　have　both　tried　to　follow　Drake's　path　round　the　world；　and　failed；　though　by　no　fault　of　their　own。　　The　man　who　pledges　them　better　luck　next　time；　is　George　Fenner；　known　to　〃the　seven　Portugals；〃　Leicester's　pet；　and　captain　of　the　galleon　which　Elizabeth　bought　of　him。　　That　short　prim　man　in　the　huge　yellow　ruff；　with　sharp　chin；　minute　imperial；　and　self…satisfied　smile；　is　Richard　Hawkins；　the　Complete　Seaman；　Admiral　John's　hereafter　famous　and　hapless　son。　　The　elder　who　is　talking　with　him　is　his　good　uncle　William；　whose　monument　still　stands；　or　should　stand；　in　Deptford　Church；　for　Admiral　John　set　it　up　there　but　one　year　after　this　time；　and　on　it　record　how　he　was；　〃A　worshipper　of　the　true　religion；　an　especial　benefactor　of　poor　sailors；　a　most　just　arbiter　in　most　difficult　causes；　and　of　a　singular　faith；　piety；　and　prudence。〃　　That；　and　the　fact　that　he　got　creditably　through　some　sharp　work　at　Porto　Rico；　is　all　I　know　of　William　Hawkins：　but　if　you　or　I；　reader；　can　have　as　much　or　half　as　much　said　of　us　when　we　have　to　follow　him；　we　shall　have　no　reason　to　complain。

There　is　John　Drake；　Sir　Francis'　brother；　ancestor　of　the　present　stock　of　Drakes；　and　there　is　George；　his　nephew；　a　man　not　overwise；　who　has　been　round　the　world　with　Amyas；　and　there　is　Amyas　himself；　talking　to　one　who　answers　him　with　fierce　curt　sentences；　Captain　Barker　of　Bristol；　brother　of　the　hapless　Andrew　Barker　who　found　John　Oxenham's　guns；　and；　owing　to　a　mutiny　among　his　men；　perished　by　the　Spaniards　in　Honduras；　twelve　years　ago。　Barker　is　now　captain　of　the　Victory；　one　of　the　queen's　best　ships；　and　he　has　his　accounts　to　settle　with　the　Dons；　as　Amyas　has；　so　they　are　both　growling　together　in　a　corner；　while　all　the　rest　are　as　merry　as　the　flies　upon　the　vine　above　their　heads。

But　who　is　the　aged　man　who　sits　upon　a　bench；　against　the　sunny　south　wall　of　the　tavern；　his　long　white　beard　flowing　almost　to　his　waist；　his　hands　upon　his　knees；　his　palsied　head　moving　slowly　from　side　to　side；　to　catch　the　scraps　of　discourse　of　the　passing　captains？　　His　great…grandchild；　a　little　maid　of　six；　has　laid　her　curly　head　upon　his　knees；　and　his　grand…daughter；