westward ho-第169章

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ock；　bespangled　with　golden　lichens。　　As　they　approached；　a　raven；　who　sat　upon　the　topmost　stone；　black　against　the　bright　blue　sky；　flapped　lazily　away；　and　sank　down　the　abysses　of　the　cliff；　as　if　he　scented　the　corpses　underneath　the　surge。　　Below　them　from　the　Gull…rock　rose　a　thousand　birds；　and　filled　the　air　with　sound；　the　choughs　cackled；　the　hacklets　wailed；　the　great　blackbacks　laughed　querulous　defiance　at　the　intruders；　and　a　single　falcon；　with　an　angry　bark；　dashed　out　from　beneath　their　feet；　and　hung　poised　high　aloft；　watching　the　sea…fowl　which　swung　slowly　round　and　round　below。

It　was　a　glorious　sight　upon　a　glorious　day。　　To　the　northward　the　glens　rushed　down　toward　the　cliff；　crowned　with　gray　crags；　and　carpeted　with　purple　heather　and　green　fern；　and　from　their　feet　stretched　away　to　the　westward　the　sapphire　rollers　of　the　vast　Atlantic；　crowned　with　a　thousand　crests　of　flying　foam。　　On　their　left　hand；　some　ten　miles　to　the　south；　stood　out　against　the　sky　the　purple　wall　of　Hartland　cliffs；　sinking　lower　and　lower　as　they　trended　away　to　the　southward　along　the　lonely　ironbound　shores　of　Cornwall；　until　they　faded；　dim　and　blue；　into　the　blue　horizon　forty　miles　away。

The　sky　was　flecked　with　clouds；　which　rushed　toward　them　fast　upon　the　roaring　south…west　wind；　and　the　warm　ocean…breeze　swept　up　the　cliffs；　and　whistled　through　the　heather…bells；　and　howled　in　cranny　and　in　crag；


　　　　　〃Till　the　pillars　and　clefts　of　the　granite　　　　　　　　　Rang　like　a　God…swept　lyre；〃


while　Amyas；　a　proud　smile　upon　his　lips；　stood　breasting　that　genial　stream　of　airy　wine　with　swelling　nostrils　and　fast…heaving　chest；　and　seemed　to　drink　in　life　from　every　gust。　　All　three　were　silent　for　awhile；　and　Jack　and　Cary；　gazing　downward　with　delight　upon　the　glory　and　the　grandeur　of　the　sight；　forgot　for　awhile　that　their　companion　saw　it　not。　　Yet　when　they　started　sadly；　and　looked　into　his　face；　did　he　not　see　it？　　So　wide　and　eager　were　his　eyes；　so　bright　and　calm　his　face；　that　they　fancied　for　an　instant　that　he　was　once　more　even　as　they。

A　deep　sigh　undeceived　them。　　〃I　know　it　is　all　herethe　dear　old　sea；　where　I　would　live　and　die。　　And　my　eyes　feel　for　it；　feel　for　itand　cannot　find　it；　never；　never　will　find　it　again　forever！　God's　will　be　done！〃

〃Do　you　say　that？〃　asked　Brimblecombe；　eagerly。

〃Why　should　I　not？　　Why　have　I　been　raving　in　hell…fire　for　I　know　not　how　many　days；　but　to　find　out　that；　John　Brimblecombe；　thou　better　man　than　I？〃

〃Not　that　last：　but　Amen！　Amen！　and　the　Lord　has　indeed　had　mercy　upon　thee！〃　said　Jack；　through　his　honest　tears。

〃Amen！〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Now　set　me　where　I　can　rest　among　the　rocks　without　fear　of　fallingfor　life　is　sweet　still；　even　without　eyes；　friendsand　leave　me　to　myself　awhile。〃

It　was　no　easy　matter　to　find　a　safe　place；　for　from　the　foot　of　the　crag　the　heathery　turf　slopes　down　all　but　upright；　on　one　side　to　a　cliff　which　overhangs　a　shoreless　cove　of　deep　dark　sea；　and　on　the　other　to　an　abyss　even　more　hideous；　where　the　solid　rock　has　sunk　away；　and　opened　inland　in　the　hillside　a　smooth…walled　pit；　some　sixty　feet　square　and　some　hundred　and　fifty　in　depth；　aptly　known　then　as　now；　as　the　Devil's…limekiln；　the　mouth　of　which；　as　old　wives　say；　was　once　closed　by　the　Shutter…rock　itself；　till　the　fiend　in　malice　hurled　it　into　the　sea；　to　be　a　pest　to　mariners。　　A　narrow　and　untrodden　cavern　at　the　bottom　connects　it　with　the　outer　sea；　they　could　even　then　hear　the　mysterious　thunder　and　gurgle　of　the　surge　in　the　subterranean　adit；　as　it　rolled　huge　boulders　to　and　fro　in　darkness；　and　forced　before　it　gusts　of　pent…up　air。　　It　was　a　spot　to　curdle　weak　blood；　and　to　make　weak　heads　reel：　but　all　the　fitter　on　that　account　for　Amyas　and　his　fancy。

〃You　can　sit　here　as　in　an　arm…chair；〃　said　Cary；　helping　him　down　to　one　of　those　square　natural　seats　so　common　in　the　granite　tors。

〃Good；　now　turn　my　face　to　the　Shutter。　　Be　sure　and　exact。　　So。　Do　I　face　it　full？〃

〃Full；〃　said　Cary。

〃Then　I　need　no　eyes　wherewith　to　see　what　is　before　me；〃　said　he；　with　a　sad　smile。　　〃I　know　every　stone　and　every　headland；　and　every　wave　too；　I　may　say；　far　beyond　aught　that　eye　can　reach。　Now　go；　and　leave　me　alone　with　God　and　with　the　dead！〃

They　retired　a　little　space　and　watched　him。　　He　never　stirred　for　many　minutes；　then　leaned　his　elbows　on　his　knees；　and　his　head　upon　his　hands；　and　so　was　still　again。　　He　remained　so　long　thus；　that　the　pair　became　anxious；　and　went　towards　him。　　He　was　asleep；　and　breathing　quick　and　heavily。

〃He　will　take　a　fever；〃　said　Brimblecombe；　〃if　he　sleeps　much　longer　with　his　head　down　in　the　sunshine。〃

〃We　must　wake　him　gently　if　we　wake　him　at　all。〃　　And　Cary　moved　forward　to　him。

As　he　did　so；　Amyas　lifted　his　head；　and　turning　it　to　right　and　left；　felt　round　him　with　his　sightless　eyes。

〃You　have　been　asleep；　Amyas。〃

〃Have　I？　　I　have　not　slept　back　my　eyes；　then。　　Take　up　this　great　useless　carcase　of　mine；　and　lead　me　home。　　I　shall　buy　me　a　dog　when　I　get　to　Burrough；　I　think；　and　make　him　tow　me　in　a　string；　eh？　　So！　　Give　me　your　hand。　　Now　march！〃

His　guides　heard　with　surprise　this　new　cheerfulness。

〃Thank　God；　sir；　that　your　heart　is　so　light　already；〃　said　good　Jack；　〃it　makes　me　feel　quite　upraised　myself；　like。〃

〃I　have　reason　to　be　cheerful；　Sir　John；　I　have　left　a　heavy　load　behind　me。　　I　have　been　wilful；　and　proud；　and　a　blasphemer；　and　swollen　with　cruelty　and　pride；　and　God　has　brought　me　low　for　it；　and　cut　me　off　from　my　evil　delight。　　No　more　Spaniard…hunting　for　me　now；　my　masters。　　God　will　send　no　such　fools　as　I　upon　His　errands。〃

〃You　do　not　repent　of　fighting　the　Spaniards。〃

〃Not　I：　but　of　hating　even　the　worst　of　them。　　Listen　to　me；　Will　and　Jack。　　If　that　man　wronged　me；　I　wronged　him　likewise。　　I　have　been　a　fiend　when　I　thought　myself　the　grandest　of　men；　yea；　a　very　avenging　angel　out　of　heaven。　　But　God　has　shown　me　my　sin；　and　we　have　made　up　our　quarrel　forever。〃

〃Made　it　up？〃

〃Made　it　up；　thank　God。　　But　I　am　weary。　　Set　me　down　awhile；　and　I　will　tell　you　how　it　befell。〃

Wondering；　they　set　him　down　upon　the　heather；　while　the　bees　hummed　round　them　in　the　sun；　and　Amyas　felt　for　a　hand　of　each；　and　clasped　it　in　his　own　hand；　and　began：

〃When　you　left　me　there　upon　the　rock；　lads；　I　looked　away　and　out　to　sea；　to　get　one　last　snuff　of　the　merry　sea…breeze；　which　will　never　sail　me　again。　　And　as　I　looked；　I　tell　you　truth；　I　could　see　the　water　and　the　sky；　as　plain　as　ever　I　saw　them；　till　I　thought　my　sight　was　come　again。　　But　soon　I　knew　it　was　not　so；　for　I　saw　more　than　man　could　see；　right　over　the　ocean；　as　I　live；　and　away　to　the　Spanish　Main。　　And　I　saw　Barbados；　and　Grenada；　and　all　the　isles　that　we　ever　sailed　by；　and　La　Guayra　in　Caracas；　and　the　Silla；　and　the　house　beneath　it　where　she　lived。　　And　I　saw　him　walking　with　her　on　the　barbecue；　and　he　loved　her　then。　　I　saw　what　I　saw；　and　he　loved　her；　and　I　say　he　loves　her　still。

〃Then　I　saw　the　cliffs　beneath　me；　and　the　Gull…rock；　and　the　Shutter；　and　the　Ledge；　I　saw　them；　William　Cary；　and　the　weeds　beneath　the　merry　blue　sea。　　And　I　saw　the　grand　old　galleon；　Will；　she　has　righted　with　the　sweeping　of　the　tide。　　She　lies　in　fifteen　fathoms；　at　the　edge　of　the　rocks；　upon　the　sand；　and　her　men　are　all　lying　around　her；　asleep　until　the　judgment…day。〃

Cary　and　Jack　looked　at　him；　and　then　at　each　other。　　His　eyes　were　clear；　and　bright；　and　full　of　meaning；　and　yet　they　knew　that　he　was　blind。　　His　voice　was　shaping　itself　into　a　song。　　Was　he　inspired？　　Insane？　　What　was　it？　　And　they　listened　with　awe…struck　faces；　as　the　giant　pointed　down　into　the　blue　depths　far　below；　and　went　on。

〃And　I　saw　him　sitting　in　his　cabin；　like　a　valiant　gentleman　of　Spain；　and　his　officers　were　sitting　round　him；　with　their　swords　upon　the　table　at　the　wine。　　And　the　prawns　and　the　crayfish　and　the　rockling；　they　swam　in　and　out　above　their　heads：　but　Don　Guzman　he　never　heeded；　but　sat　still；　and　drank　his　wine。　　Then　he　took　a　locket　from　his　bosom；　and　I　heard　him　speak；　Will；　and　he　said：　'Here's　the　picture　of　my　fair　and　true　lady；　drink　to