westward ho-第164章

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it　is　the　battle　of　the　thresher　and　the　whale；　the　end　is　certain；　but　the　work　is　long。

〃Can　I　help　you；　Captain　Leigh？〃　asked　Lord　Henry　Seymour；　as　he　passes　within　oar's　length　of　him；　to　attack　a　ship　ahead。　　〃The　San　Matthew　has　had　his　dinner；　and　is　gone　on　to　Medina　to　ask　for　a　digestive　to　it。〃

〃I　thank　your　lordship：　but　this　is　my　private　quarrel；　of　which　I　spoke。　　But　if　your　lordship　could　lend　me　powder〃

〃Would　that　I　could！　　But　so；　I　fear；　says　every　other　gentleman　in　the　fleet。〃

A　puff　of　wind　clears　away　the　sulphurous　veil　for　a　moment；　the　sea　is　clear　of　ships　towards　the　land；　the　Spanish　fleet　are　moving　again　up　Channel；　Medina　bringing　up　the　rear；　only　some　two　miles　to　their　right　hand；　the　vast　hull　of　the　San　Philip　is　drifting　up　the　shore　with　the　tide；　and　somewhat　nearer　the　San　Matthew　is　hard　at　work　at　her　pumps。　　They　can　see　the　white　stream　of　water　pouring　down　her　side。

〃Go　in；　my　lord；　and　have　the　pair；〃　shouts　Amyas。

〃No；　sir！　　Forward　is　a　Seymour's　cry。　　We　will　leave　them　to　pay　the　Flushingers'　expenses。　　And　on　went　Lord　Henry；　and　on　shore　went　the　San　Philip　at　Ostend；　to　be　plundered　by　the　Flushingers；　while　the　San　Matthew；　whose　captain；　〃on　a　hault　courage；〃　had　refused　to　save　himself　and　his　gentlemen　on　board　Medina's　ship；　went　blundering　miserably　into　the　hungry　mouths　of　Captain　Peter　Vanderduess　and　four　other　valiant　Dutchmen；　who；　like　prudent　men　of　Holland；　contrived　to　keep　the　galleon　afloat　till　they　had　emptied　her；　and　then　〃hung　up　her　banner　in　the　great　church　of　Leyden；　being　of　such　a　length；　that　being　fastened　to　the　roof；　it　reached　unto　the　very　ground。〃

But　in　the　meanwhile；　long　ere　the　sun　had　set；　comes　down　the　darkness　of　the　thunderstorm；　attracted；　as　to　a　volcano's　mouth；　to　that　vast　mass　of　sulphur…smoke　which　cloaks　the　sea　for　many　a　mile；　and　heaven's　artillery　above　makes　answer　to　man's　below。　But　still；　through　smoke　and　rain；　Amyas　clings　to　his　prey。　　She　too　has　seen　the　northward　movement　of　the　Spanish　fleet；　and　sets　her　topsails；　Amyas　calls　to　the　men　to　fire　high；　and　cripple　her　rigging：　but　in　vain：　for　three　or　four　belated　galleys；　having　forced　their　way　at　last　over　the　shallows；　come　flashing　and　sputtering　up　to　the　combatants；　and　take　his　fire　off　the　galleon。　Amyas　grinds　his　teeth；　and　would　fain　hustle　into　the　thick　of　the　press　once　more；　in　spite　of　the　galleys'　beaks。

〃Most　heroical　captain；〃　says　cary；　pulling　a　long　face；　〃if　we　do；　we　are　stove　and　sunk　in　five　minutes；　not　to　mention　that　Yeo　says　he　has　not　twenty　rounds　of　great　cartridge　left。〃

So；　surely　and　silent；　the　Vengeance　sheers　off；　but　keeps　as　near　as　she　can　to　the　little　squadron；　all　through　the　night　of　rain　and　thunder　which　follows。　　Next　morning　the　sun　rises　on　a　clear　sky；　with　a　strong　west…north…west　breeze；　and　all　hearts　are　asking　what　the　day　will　bring　forth。

They　are　long　past　Dunkirk　now；　the　German　Ocean　is　opening　before　them。　　The　Spaniards；　sorely　battered；　and　lessened　in　numbers；　have；　during　the　night；　regained　some　sort　of　order。　　The　English　hang　on　their　skirts　a　mile　or　two　behind。　　They　have　no　ammunition；　and　must　wait　for　more。　　To　Amyas's　great　disgust；　the　Sta。　Catharina　has　rejoined　her　fellows　during　the　night。

〃Never　mind；〃　says　Cary；　〃she　can　neither　dive　nor　fly；　and　as　long　as　she　is　above　water；　we　　What　is　the　admiral　about？〃

He　is　signalling　Lord　Henry　Seymour　and　his　squadron。　　Soon　they　tack；　and　come　down　the　wind　for　the　coast　of　Flanders。　　Parma　must　be　blockaded　still；　and　the　Hollanders　are　likely　to　be　too　busy　with　their　plunder　to　do　it　effectually。　　Suddenly　there　is　a　stir　in　the　Spanish　fleet。　　Medina　and　the　rearmost　ships　turn　upon　the　English。　　What　can　it　mean？　　Will　they　offer　battle　once　more？　　If　so；　it　were　best　to　get　out　of　their　way；　for　we　have　nothing　wherewith　to　fight　them。　　So　the　English　lie　close　to　the　wind。　They　will　let　them　pass；　and　return　to　their　old　tactic　of　following　and　harassing。

〃Good…bye　to　Seymour；〃　says　Cary；　〃if　he　is　caught　between　them　and　Parma's　flotilla。　　They　are　going　to　Dunkirk。〃

〃Impossible！　　They　will　not　have　water　enough　to　reach　his　light　craft。　　Here　comes　a　big　ship　right　upon　us！　　Give　him　all　you　have　left；　lads；　and　if　he　will　fight　us；　lay　him　alongside；　and　die　boarding。〃

They　gave　him　what　they　had；　and　hulled　him　with　every　shot；　but　his　huge　side　stood　silent　as　the　grave。　　He　had　not　wherewithal　to　return　the　compliment。

〃As　I　live；　he　is　cutting　loose　the　foot　of　his　mainsail！　the　villain　means　to　run。〃

〃There　go　the　rest　of　them！　Victoria！〃　shouted　Cary；　as　one　after　another；　every　Spaniard　set　all　the　sail　he　could。

There　was　silence　for　a　few　minutes　throughout　the　English　fleet；　and　then　cheer　upon　cheer　of　triumph　rent　the　skies。　　It　was　over。　The　Spaniard　had　refused　battle；　and　thinking　only　of　safety；　was　pressing　downward　toward　the　Straits　again。　　The　Invincible　Armada　had　cast　away　its　name；　and　England　was　saved。

〃But　he　will　never　get　there；　sir；〃　said　old　Yeo；　who　had　come　upon　deck　to　murmur　his　Nunc　Domine；　and　gaze　upon　that　sight　beyond　all　human　faith　or　hope：　〃Never；　never　will　he　weather　the　Flanders　shore；　against　such　a　breeze　as　is　coming　up。　　Look　to　the　eye　of　the　wind；　sir；　and　see　how　the　Lord　is　fighting　for　His　people！〃

Yes；　down　it　came；　fresher　and　stiffer　every　minute　out　of　the　gray　north…west；　as　it　does　so　often　after　a　thunder…storm；　and　the　sea　began　to　rise　high　and　white　under　the　〃　Claro　Aquilone；〃　till　the　Spaniards　were　fain　to　take　in　all　spare　canvas；　and　lie…to　as　best　they　could；　while　the　English　fleet；　lying…to　also；　awaited　an　event　which　was　in　God's　hands　and　not　in　theirs。

〃They　will　be　all　ashore　on　Zealand　before　the　afternoon；〃　murmured　Amyas；　〃and　I　have　lost　my　labor！　　Oh；　for　powder；　powder；　powder！　to　go　in　and　finish　it　at　once！〃

〃Oh；　sir；〃　said　Yeo；　〃don't　murmur　against　the　Lord　in　the　very　day　of　His　mercies。　　It　is　hard；　to　be　sure；　but　His　will　be　done。〃

〃Could　we　not　borrow　powder　from　Drake　there？〃

〃Look　at　the　sea；　sir！〃

And；　indeed；　the　sea　was　far　too　rough　for　any　such　attempt。　　The　Spaniards　neared　and　neared　the　fatal　dunes；　which　fringed　the　shore　for　many　a　dreary　mile；　and　Amyas　had　to　wait　weary　hours；　growling　like　a　dog　who　has　had　the　bone　snatched　out　of　his　mouth；　till　the　day　wore　on；　when；　behold；　the　wind　began　to　fall　as　rapidly　as　it　had　risen。　　A　savage　joy　rose　in　Amyas's　heart。

〃They　are　safe！　safe　for　us！　　Who　will　go　and　beg　us　powder？　　A　cartridge　here　and　a　cartridge　there？anything　to　set　to　work　again！〃

Cary　volunteered；　and　returned　in　a　couple　of　hours　with　some　quantity：　but　he　was　on　board　again　only　just　in　time；　for　the　south…wester　had　recovered　the　mastery　of　the　skies；　and　Spaniards　and　English　were　moving　away；　but　this　time　northward。　　Whither　now？　　To　Scotland？　　Amyas　knew　not；　and　cared　not；　provided　he　was　in　the　company　of　Don　Guzman　de　Soto。

The　Armada　was　defeated；　and　England　saved。　　But　such　great　undertakings　seldom　end　in　one　grand　melodramatic　explosion　of　fireworks；　through　which　the　devil　arises　in　full　roar　to　drag　Dr。　Faustus　forever　into　the　flaming　pit。　　On　the　contrary；　the　devil　stands　by　his　servants　to　the　last；　and　tries　to　bring　off　his　shattered　forces　with　drums　beating　and　colors　flying；　and；　if　possible；　to　lull　his　enemies　into　supposing　that　the　fight　is　ended；　long　before　it　really　is　half　over。　　All　which　the　good　Lord　Howard　of　Effingham　knew　well；　and　knew；　too；　that　Medina　had　one　last　card　to　play；　and　that　was　the　filial　affection　of　that　dutiful　and　chivalrous　son；　James　of　Scotland。　　True；　he　had　promised　faith　to　Elizabeth：　but　that　was　no　reason　why　he　should　keep　it。　　He　had　been　hankering　and　dabbling　after　Spain　for　years　past；　for　its　absolution　was　dear　to　his　inmost　soul；　and　Queen　Elizabeth　had　had　to　warn　him；　scold　him；　call　him　a　liar；　for　so　doing；　so　the　Armada　might　still　find　shelter　and　provision　in　the　Firth　of　Forth。　　But　whether　Lord　Howard　knew　or　not；　Medina　did　not　know；　that　Elizabeth　had　played　her　card　cunningly；　in　the　shape　of　one　of　those　appeals　to　the　purse；　which；　to　J