westward ho-第163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！


ay　morning；　eight　fire…ships　〃besmeared　with　wild…fire；　brimstone；　pitch；　and　resin；　and　all　their　ordnance　charged　with　bullets　and　with　stones；〃　are　stealing　down　the　wind　straight　for　the　Spanish　fleet；　guided　by　two　valiant　men　of　Devon；　Young　and　Prowse。　　（Let　their　names　live　long　in　the　land！）　　The　ships　are　fired；　the　men　of　Devon　steal　back；　and　in　a　moment　more；　the　heaven　is　red　with　glare　from　Dover　Cliffs　to　Gravelines　Tower；　and　weary…hearted　Belgian　boors　far　away　inland；　plundered　and　dragooned　for　many　a　hideous　year；　leap　from　their　beds；　and　fancy　（and　not　so　far　wrongly　either）　that　the　day　of　judgment　is　come　at　last；　to　end　their　woes；　and　hurl　down　vengeance　on　their　tyrants。

And　then　breaks　forth　one　of　those　disgraceful　panics；　which　so　often　follow　overweening　presumption；　and　shrieks；　oaths；　prayers；　and　reproaches；　make　night　hideous。　　There　are　those　too　on　board　who　recollect　well　enough　Jenebelli's　fire…ships　at　Antwerp　three　years　before；　and　the　wreck　which　they　made　of　Parma's　bridge　across　the　Scheldt。　　If　these　should　be　like　them！　　And　cutting　all　cables；　hoisting　any　sails；　the　Invincible　Armada　goes　lumbering　wildly　out　to　sea；　every　ship　foul　of　her　neighbor。

The　largest　of　the　four　galliasses　loses　her　rudder；　and　drifts　helpless　to　and　fro；　hindering　and　confusing。　　The　duke；　having　（so　the　Spaniards　say）　weighed　his　anchor　deliberately　instead　of　leaving　it　behind　him；　runs　in　again　after　awhile；　and　fires　a　signal　for　return：　but　his　truant　sheep　are　deaf　to　the　shepherd's　pipe；　and　swearing　and　praying　by　turns；　he　runs　up　Channel　towards　Gravelines　picking　up　stragglers　on　his　way；　who　are　struggling　as　they　best　can　among　the　flats　and　shallows：　but　Drake　and　Fenner　have　arrived　as　soon　as　he。　　When　Monday's　sun　rises　on　the　quaint　old　castle　and　muddy　dykes　of　Gravelines　town；　the　thunder　of　the　cannon　recommences；　and　is　not　hushed　till　night。　　Drake　can　hang　coolly　enough　in　the　rear　to　plunder　when　he　thinks　fit；　but　when　the　battle　needs　it；　none　can　fight　more　fiercely；　among　the　foremost；　and　there　is　need　now；　if　ever。　　That　Armada　must　never　be　allowed　to　re…form。　　If　it　does；　its　left　wing　may　yet　keep　the　English　at　bay；　while　its　right　drives　off　the　blockading　Hollanders　from　Dunkirk　port；　and　sets　Parma　and　his　flotilla　free　to　join　them；　and　to　sail　in　doubled　strength　across　to　the　mouth　of　Thames。

So　Drake　has　weighed　anchor；　and　away　up　Channel　with　all　his　squadron；　the　moment　that　he　saw　the　Spanish　fleet　come　up；　and　with　him　Fenner　burning　to　redeem　the　honor　which；　indeed；　he　had　never　lost；　and　ere　Fenton；　Beeston；　Crosse；　Ryman；　and　Lord　Southwell　can　join　them；　the　Devon　ships　have　been　worrying　the　Spaniards　for　two　full　hours　into　confusion　worse　confounded。

But　what　is　that　heavy　firing　behind　them？　　Alas　for　the　great　galliasse！　　She　lies；　like　a　huge　stranded　whale；　upon　the　sands　where　now　stands　Calais　pier；　and　Amyas　Preston；　the　future　hero　of　La　Guayra；　is　pounding　her　into　submission；　while　a　fleet　of　hoys　and　drumblers　look　on　and　help；　as　jackals　might　the　lion。

Soon；　on　the　south…west　horizon；　loom　up　larger　and　larger　two　mighty　ships；　and　behind　them　sail　on　sail。　　As　they　near　a　shout　greets　the　Triumph　and　the　Bear；　and　on　and　in　the　lord　high　admiral　glides　stately　into　the　thickest　of　the　fight。

True；　we　have　still　but　some　three…and…twenty　ships　which　can　cope　at　all　with　some　ninety　of　the　Spaniards：　but　we　have　dash；　and　daring；　and　the　inspiration　of　utter　need。　　Now；　or　never；　must　the　mighty　struggle　be　ended。　　We　worried　them　off　Portland；　we　must　rend　them　in　pieces　now；　and　in　rushes　ship　after　ship；　to　smash　her　broadsides　through　and　through　the　wooden　castles；　〃sometimes　not　a　pike's　length　asunder；〃　and　then　out　again　to　re…load；　and　give　place　meanwhile　to　another。　　The　smaller　are　fighting　with　all　sails　set；　the　few　larger；　who；　once　in；　are　careless　about　coming　out　again；　fight　with　top…sails　loose；　and　their　main　and　foreyards　close　down　on　deck；　to　prevent　being　boarded。　　The　duke；　Oquenda；　and　Recalde；　having　with　much　ado　got　clear　of　the　shallows；　bear　the　brunt　of　the　fight　to　seaward；　but　in　vain。　　The　day　goes　against　them　more　and　more；　as　it　runs　on。　　Seymour　and　Winter　have　battered　the　great　San　Philip　into　a　wreck；　her　masts　are　gone　by　the　board；　Pimentelli　in　the　San　Matthew　comes　up　to　take　the　mastiffs　off　the　fainting　bull；　and　finds　them　fasten　on　him　instead；　but　the　Evangelist；　though　smaller；　is　stouter　than　the　Deacon；　and　of　all　the　shot　poured　into　him；　not　twenty　〃lackt　him　thorough。〃　　His　masts　are　tottering；　but　sink　or　strike　he　will　not。

〃Go　ahead；　and　pound　his　tough　hide；　Leigh；〃　roars　Drake　off　the　poop　of　his　ship；　while　he　hammers　away　at　one　of　the　great　galliasses。　　〃What　right　has　he　to　keep　us　all　waiting？〃

Amyas　slips　in　as　best　he　can　between　Drake　and　Winter；　as　he　passes　he　shouts　to　his　ancient　enemy；

〃We　are　with　you；　sir；　all　friends　to…day！〃　and　slipping　round　Winter's　bows；　he　pours　his　broadside　into　those　of　the　San　Matthew；　and　then　glides　on　to　re…load；　but　not　to　return。　　For　not　a　pistol　shot　to　leeward；　worried　by　three　or　four　small　craft；　lies　an　immense　galleon；　and　on　her　poopcan　he　believe　his　eyes　for　joy？the　maiden　and　the　wheel　which　he　has　sought　so　long！

〃There　he　is！〃　shouts　Amyas；　springing　to　the　starboard　side　of　the　ship。　　The　men；　too；　have　already　caught　sight　of　that　hated　sign；　a　cheer　of　fury　bursts　from　every　throat。

〃Steady；　men！〃　says　Amyas；　in　a　suppressed　voice。　　〃Not　a　shot！　Re…load；　and　be　ready；　I　must　speak　with　him　first；〃　and　silent　as　the　grave；　amid　the　infernal　din；　the　Vengeance　glides　up　to　the　Spaniard's　quarter。

〃Don　Guzman　Maria　Magdalena　Sotomayor　de　Soto！〃　shouts　Amyas　from　the　mizzen　rigging；　loud　and　clear　amid　the　roar。

He　has　not　called　in　vain。　　Fearless　and　graceful　as　ever；　the　tall；　mail…clad　figure　of　his　foe　leaps　up　upon　the　poop…railing；　twenty　feet　above　Amyas's　head；　and　shouts　through　his　vizor；

〃At　your　service；　sir　whosoever　you　may　be。〃

A　dozen　muskets　and　arrows　are　levelled　at　him；　but　Amyas　frowns　them　down。　　〃No　man　strikes　him　but　I。　　Spare　him；　if　you　kill　every　other　soul　on　board。　　Don　Guzman！　　I　am　Captain　Sir　Amyas　Leigh；　I　proclaim　you　a　traitor　and　a　ravisher；　and　challenge　you　once　more　to　single　combat；　when　and　where　you　will。〃

〃You　are　welcome　to　come　on　board　me；　sir；〃　answers　the　Spaniard；　in　a　clear；　quiet　tone；　〃bringing　with　you　this　answer；　that　you　lie　in　your　throat；〃　and　lingering　a　moment　out　of　bravado；　to　arrange　his　scarf；　he　steps　slowly　down　again　behind　the　bulwarks。

〃Coward！〃　shouts　Amyas　at　the　top　of　his　voice。

The　Spaniard　re…appears　instantly。　　〃Why　that　name；　senor；　of　all　others？〃　asks　he　in　a　cool；　stern　voice。

〃Because　we　call　men　cowards　in　England；　who　leave　their　wives　to　be　burnt　alive　by　priests。〃

The　moment　the　words　had　passed　Amyas's　lips；　he　felt　that　they　were　cruel　and　unjust。　　But　it　was　too　late　to　recall　them。　　The　Spaniard　started；　clutched　his　sword…hilt；　and　then　hissed　back　through　his　closed　vizor；

〃For　that　word；　sirrah；　you　hang　at　my　yardarm；　if　Saint　Mary　gives　me　grace。〃

〃See　that　your　halter　be　a　silken　one；　then；〃　laughed　Amyas；　〃for　I　am　just　dubbed　knight。〃　　And　he　stepped　down　as　a　storm　of　bullets　rang　through　the　rigging　round　his　head；　the　Spaniards　are　not　as　punctilious　as　he。

〃Fire！〃　　His　ordnance　crash　through　the　stern…works　of　the　Spaniard；　and　then　he　sails　onward；　while　her　balls　go　humming　harmlessly　through　his　rigging。

Half…an…hour　has　passed　of　wild　noise　and　fury；　three　times　has　the　Vengeance；　as　a　dolphin　might；　sailed　clean　round　and　round　the　Sta。　Catharina；　pouring　in　broadside　after　broadside；　till　the　guns　are　leaping　to　the　deck…beams　with　their　own　heat；　and　the　Spaniard's　sides　are　slit　and　spotted　in　a　hundred　places。　　And　yet；　so　high　has　been　his　fire　in　return；　and　so　strong　the　deck　defences　of　the　Vengeance；　that　a　few　spars　broken；　and　two　or　three　men　wounded　by　musketry；　are　all　her　loss。　　But　still　the　Spaniard　endures；　magnificent　as　ever；　it　is　the　battle　of　the　thresher　and　the　whale；　the　end　is　certain；　but　the　work　is　long。

〃Can　I