westward ho-第159章

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〃Well　spoken；　son　Dick！and　like　a　true　courtier；　too！　　Ah！　thou　hast　the　palabras；　and　the　knee；　and　the　cap；　and　the　quip；　and　the　innuendo；　and　the　true　town　fashion　of　it　allno　old　tarry…breeks　of　a　sea…dog；　like　thy　dad！　　My　lord；　you'll　let　them　fight？〃

〃The　Spaniard；　sir；　but　no　one　else。　　But；　captains　and　gentlemen；　consider　well　my　friend　the　Port　Admiral's　advice；　and　if　any　man's　heart　misgives　him；　let　him；　for　the　sake　of　his　country　and　his　queen；　have　so　much　government　of　his　tongue　to　hide　his　fears　in　his　own　bosom；　and　leave　open　complaining　to　ribalds　and　women。　For　if　the　sailor　be　not　cheered　by　his　commander's　cheerfulness；　how　will　the　ignorant　man　find　comfort　in　himself？　　And　without　faith　and　hope；　how　can　he　fight　worthily？〃

〃There　is　no　croaking　aboard　of　us；　we　will　warrant；〃　said　twenty　voices；　〃and　shall　be　none；　as　long　as　we　command　on　board　our　own　ships。〃

Hawkins；　having　blown　off　his　steam；　went　back　to　Drake　and　the　bowls。

〃Fill　my　pipe；　Drawerthat　croaking　fellow's　made　me　let　it　out；　of　course！　　Spoil…sports！　　The　father　of　all　manner　of　troubles　on　earth；　be　they　noxious　trade　of　croakers！　　'Better　to　meet　a　bear　robbed　of　her　whelps；'　Francis　Drake；　as　Solomon　saith；　than　a　fule　who　can't　keep　his　mouth　shut。　　What　brought　Mr。　Andrew　Barker　to　his　death　but　croakers？　　What　stopped　Fenton's　China　voyage　in　the　'82；　and　lost　your　nephew　John；　and　my　brother　Will；　glory　and　hard　cash　too；　but　croakers？　　What　sent　back　my　Lord　Cumberland's　armada　in　the　'86；　and　that　after　they'd　proved　their　strength；　too；　sixty　o'　mun　against　six　hundred　Portugals　and　Indians；　and　yet　wern't　ashamed　to　turn　round　and　come　home　empty…handed；　after　all　my　lord's　expenses　that　he　had　been　at？　　What　but　these　same　beggarly　croakers；　that　be　only　fit　to　be　turned　into　yellow…hammers　up　to　Dartymoor；　and　sit　on　a　tor　all　day；　and　cry　'Very　little　bit　of　bread；　and　no　chee…e…ese！'　　Marry；　sneak…up！　say　I　again。〃

〃And　what；〃　said　Drake；　〃would　have　kept　me；　if　I'd　let　'em；　from　ever　sailing　round　the　world；　but　these　same　croakers？　　I　hanged　my　best　friend　for　croaking；　John　Hawkins；　may　God　forgive　me　if　I　was　wrong；　and　I　threatened　a　week　after　to　hang　thirty　more；　and　I'd　have　done　it；　too；　if　they　hadn't　clapped　tompions　into　their　muzzles　pretty　fast。〃

〃You'm　right；　Frank。　　My　old　father　always　told　meand　old　King　Hal　（bless　his　memory！）　would　take　his　counsel　among　a　thousand；　'And；　my　son；'　says　he　to　me；　'whatever　you　do；　never　you　stand　no　croaking；　but　hang　mun；　son　Jack；　hang　mun　up　for　an　ensign。　There's　Scripture　for　it；'　says　he　（he　was　a　mighty　man　to　his　Bible；　after　bloody　Mary's　days；　leastwise）；　'and　'tis　written；'　says　he；　'It's　expedient　that　one　man　die　for　the　crew；　and　that　the　whole　crew　perish　not；　so　show　you　no　mercy；　son　Jack；　or　you'll　find　none；　least…wise　in　they　manner　of　cattle；　for　if　you　fail；　they　stamps　on　you；　and　if　you　succeeds；　they　takes　the　credit　of　it　to　themselves；　and　goes　to　heaven　in　your　shoes。'　Those　were　his　words；　and　I've　found　mun　true。Who　com'th　here　now？〃

〃Captain　Fleming；　as　I'm　a　sinner。〃

〃Fleming？　　Is　he　tired　of　life；　that　he　com'th　here　to　look　for　a　halter？　　I've　a　warrant　out　against　mun；　for　robbing　of　two　Flushingers　on　the　high　seas；　now　this　very　last　year。　　Is　the　fellow　mazed　or　drunk；　then？　or　has　he　seen　a　ghost？　　Look　to　mun！〃

〃I　think　so；　truly；〃　said　Drake。　　〃His　eyes　are　near　out　of　his　head。〃

The　man　was　a　rough…bearded　old　sea…dog；　who　had　just　burst　in　from　the　tavern　through　the　low　hatch；　upsetting　a　drawer　with　all　his　glasses；　and　now　came　panting　and　blowing　straight　up　to　the　high　admiral；

〃My　lord；　my　lord！　　They'm　coming！　　I　saw　them　off　the　Lizard　last　night！〃

〃Who？　my　good　sir；　who　seem　to　have　left　your　manners　behind　you。〃

〃The　Armada；　your　worshipthe　Spaniard；　but　as　for　my　manners；　'tis　no　fault　of　mine；　for　I　never　had　none　to　leave　behind　me。〃

〃If　he　has　not　left　his　manners　behind；〃　quoth　Hawkins；　〃look　out　for　your　purses；　gentlemen　all！　　He's　manners　enough；　and　very　bad　ones　they　be；　when　he　com'th　across　a　quiet　Flushinger。〃

〃If　I　stole　Flushingers'　wines；　I　never　stole　negurs'　souls；　Jack　Hawkins；　so　there's　your　answer。　　My　lord；　hang　me　if　you　will；　life's　short　and　death's　easy　'specially　to　seamen；　but　if　I　didn't　see　the　Spanish　fleet　last　sun…down；　coming　along　half…moon　wise；　and　full　seven　mile　from　wing　to　wing；　within　a　four　mile　of　me；　I'm　a　sinner。〃

〃Sirrah；〃　said　Lord　Howard；　〃is　this　no　fetch；　to　cheat　us　out　of　your　pardon　for　these　piracies　of　yours？〃

〃You'll　find　out　for　yourself　before　nightfall；　my　lord　high　admiral。　　All　Jack　Fleming　says　is；　that　this　is　a　poor　sort　of　an　answer　to　a　man　who　has　put　his　own　neck　into　the　halter　for　the　sake　of　his　country。〃

〃Perhaps　it　is；〃　said　Lord　Howard。　　〃And　after　all；　gentlemen；　what　can　this　man　gain　by　a　lie；　which　must　be　discovered　ere　a　day　is　over；　except　a　more　certain　hanging？〃

〃Very　true；　your　lordship；〃　said　Hawkins；　mollified。　　〃Come　here；　Jack　Flemingwhat　wilt　drain；　man？　　Hippocras　or　Alicant；　Sack　or　John　Barleycorn；　and　a　pledge　to　thy　repentance　and　amendment　of　life。〃

〃Admiral　Hawkins；　Admiral　Hawkins；　this　is　no　time　for　drinking。〃

〃Why　not；　then；　my　lord？　　Good　news　should　be　welcomed　with　good　wine。　　Frank；　send　down　to　the　sexton；　and　set　the　bells　a…ringing　to　cheer　up　all　honest　hearts。　　Why；　my　lord；　if　it　were　not　for　the　gravity　of　my　office；　I　could　dance　a　galliard　for　joy！〃

〃Well；　you　may　dance；　port　admiral：　but　I　must　go　and　plan；　but　God　give　to　all　captains　such　a　heart　as　yours　this　day！〃

〃And　God　give　all　generals　such　a　head　as　yours！　　Come；　Frank　Drake；　we'll　play　the　game　out　before　we　move。　　It　will　be　two　good　days　before　we　shall　be　fit　to　tackle　them；　so　an　odd　half…hour　don't　matter。〃

〃I　must　command　the　help　of　your　counsel；　vice…admiral；〃　said　Lord　Charles；　turning　to　Drake。

〃And　it's　this；　my　good　lord；〃　said　Drake；　looking　up；　as　he　aimed　his　bowl。　　〃They'll　come　soon　enough　for　us　to　show　them　sport；　and　yet　slow　enough　for　us　to　be　ready；　so　let　no　man　hurry　himself。　And　as　example　is　better　than　precept；　here　goes。〃

Lord　Howard　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　departed；　knowing　two　things：　first；　that　to　move　Drake　was　to　move　mountains；　and　next；　that　when　the　self…taught　hero　did　bestir　himself；　he　would　do　more　work　in　an　hour　than　any　one　else　in　a　day。　　So　he　departed；　followed　hastily　by　most　of　the　captains；　and　Drake　said　in　a　low　voice　to　Hawkins：

〃Does　he　think　we　are　going　to　knock　about　on　a　lee…shore　all　the　afternoon　and　run　our　noses　at　nightand　dead　up…wind；　toointo　the　Dons'　mouths？　　No；　Jack；　my　friend。　　Let　Orlando…Furioso…　punctilio…fire…eaters　go　and　get　their　knuckles　rapped。　　The　following　game　is　the　game；　and　not　the　meeting　one。　　The　dog　goes　after　the　sheep；　and　not　afore　them；　lad。　　Let　them　go　by；　and　go　by；　and　stick　to　them　well　to　windward；　and　pick　up　stragglers；　and　pickings；　too；　Jackthe　prizes；　Jack！〃

〃Trust　my　old　eyes　for　not　being　over…quick　at　seeing　signals；　if　I　be　hanging　in　the　skirts　of　a　fat…looking　Don。　　We'm　the　eagles；　Drake；　and　where　the　carcase　is；　is　our　place；　eh？〃

And　so　the　two　old　sea…dogs　chatted　on；　while　their　companions　dropped　off　one　by　one；　and　only　Amyas　remained。

〃Eh；　Captain　Leigh；　where's　my　boy　Dick？〃

〃Gone　off　with　his　lordship；　Sir　John。〃

〃On　his　punctilios　too；　I　suppose；　the　young　slashed…breeks。　　He's　half　a　Don；　that　fellow；　with　his　fine　scholarship；　and　his　fine　manners；　and　his　fine　clothes。　　He'll　get　a　taking　down　before　he　dies；　unless　he　mends。　　Why　ain't　you　gone　too；　sir？〃

〃I　follow　my　leader；〃　said　Amyas；　filling　his　pipe。

〃Well　said；　my　big　man；〃　quoth　Drake。　　〃If　I　could　lead　you　round　the　world；　I　can　lead　you　up　Channel；　can't　I？Eh？　my　little　bantam…cock　of　the　Orinoco？　　Drink；　lad！　　You're　over…sad　to…day。〃

〃Not　a　whit；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Only　I　can't　help　wondering　whether　I　shall　find　him　after　all。〃

〃Whom？　　That　Don？　　We'll　find　him　for　you；　if　he's　in　the　fleet。　We'll　squeeze　it　out　of　our　prisoners　somehow。　　Eh；　Hawkins？　　I　thought　all　the　captains　had　promised　to　send　you　news　if　they　heard　of　him。〃

〃Ay；　but　it's