westward ho-第2章

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s　of　shotten　herrings；　wasn't　it　worth　more　to　save　him　than　the　dirty　silver？　for　silver　we　can　get　again；　brave　boys：　there's　more　fish　in　the　sea　than　ever　came　out　of　it；　and　more　silver　in　Nombre　de　Dios　than　would　pave　all　the　streets　in　the　west　country：　but　of　such　captains　as　Franky　Drake；　Heaven　never　makes　but　one　at　a　time；　and　if　we　lose　him；　good…bye　to　England's　luck；　say　I；　and　who　don't　agree；　let　him　choose　his　weapons；　and　I'm　his　man。〃

He　who　delivered　this　harangue　was　a　tall　and　sturdy　personage；　with　a　florid　black…bearded　face；　and　bold　restless　dark　eyes；　who　leaned；　with　crossed　legs　and　arms　akimbo；　against　the　wall　of　the　house；　and　seemed　in　the　eyes　of　the　schoolboy　a　very　magnifico；　some　prince　or　duke　at　least。　　He　was　dressed　（contrary　to　all　sumptuary　laws　of　the　time）　in　a　suit　of　crimson　velvet；　a　little　the　worse；　perhaps；　for　wear；　by　his　side　were　a　long　Spanish　rapier　and　a　brace　of　daggers；　gaudy　enough　about　the　hilts；　his　fingers　sparkled　with　rings；　he　had　two　or　three　gold　chains　about　his　neck；　and　large　earrings　in　his　ears；　behind　one　of　which　a　red　rose　was　stuck　jauntily　enough　among　the　glossy　black　curls；　on　his　head　was　a　broad　velvet　Spanish　hat；　in　which　instead　of　a　feather　was　fastened　with　a　great　gold　clasp　a　whole　Quezal　bird；　whose　gorgeous　plumage　of　fretted　golden　green　shone　like　one　entire　precious　stone。　　As　he　finished　his　speech；　he　took　off　the　said　hat；　and　looking　at　the　bird　in　it

〃Look　ye；　my　lads；　did　you　ever　see　such　a　fowl　as　that　before？　That's　the　bird　which　the　old　Indian　kings　of　Mexico　let　no　one　wear　but　their　own　selves；　and　therefore　I　wear　it；I；　John　Oxenham　of　South　Tawton；　for　a　sign　to　all　brave　lads　of　Devon；　that　as　the　Spaniards　are　the　masters　of　the　Indians；　we're　the　masters　of　the　Spaniards：〃　and　he　replaced　his　hat。

A　murmur　of　applause　followed：　but　one　hinted　that　he　〃doubted　the　Spaniards　were　too　many　for　them。〃

〃Too　many？　　How　many　men　did　we　take　Nombre　de　Dios　with？　　Seventy…　three　were　we；　and　no　more　when　we　sailed　out　of　Plymouth　Sound；　and　before　we　saw　the　Spanish　Main；　half　were　gastados；　used　up；　as　the　Dons　say；　with　the　scurvy；　and　in　Port　Pheasant　Captain　Rawse　of　Cowes　fell　in　with　us；　and　that　gave　us　some　thirty　hands　more；　and　with　that　handful；　my　lads；　only　fifty…three　in　all；　we　picked　the　lock　of　the　new　world！　　And　whom　did　we　lose　but　our　trumpeter；　who　stood　braying　like　an　ass　in　the　middle　of　the　square；　instead　of　taking　care　of　his　neck　like　a　Christian？　　I　tell　you；　those　Spaniards　are　rank　cowards；　as　all　bullies　are。　　They　pray　to　a　woman；　the　idolatrous　rascals！　and　no　wonder　they　fight　like　women。〃

〃You'm　right；　captain；〃　sang　out　a　tall　gaunt　fellow　who　stood　close　to　him；　〃one　westcountry…man　can　fight　two　easterlings；　and　an　easterling　can　beat　three　Dons　any　day。　　Eh！　my　lads　of　Devon？


　　　　　〃For　O！　it's　the　herrings　and　the　good　brown　beef；　　　　　　　　　And　the　cider　and　the　cream　so　white；　　　　　　　O！　they　are　the　making　of　the　jolly　Devon　lads；　　　　　　　　　For　to　play；　and　eke　to　fight。〃


〃Come；〃　said　Oxenham；　〃come　along！　　Who　lists？　who　lists？　who'll　make　his　fortune？


　　　　　〃Oh；　who　will　join；　jolly　mariners　all？　　　　　　　　　And　who　will　join；　says　he；　O！　　　　　　　To　fill　his　pockets　with　the　good　red　goold；　　　　　　　　　By　sailing　on　the　sea；　O！〃


〃Who'll　list？〃　cried　the　gaunt　man　again；　〃now's　your　time！　　We've　got　forty　men　to　Plymouth　now；　ready　to　sail　the　minute　we　get　back；　and　we　want　a　dozen　out　of　you　Bideford　men；　and　just　a　boy　or　two；　and　then　we'm　off　and　away；　and　make　our　fortunes；　or　go　to　heaven。


　　　　　〃Our　bodies　in　the　sea　so　deep；　　　　　　　　　Our　souls　in　heaven　to　rest！　　　　　　　Where　valiant　seamen；　one　and　all；　　　　　　　　　Hereafter　shall　be　blest！〃


〃Now；〃　said　Oxenham；　〃you　won't　let　the　Plymouth　men　say　that　the　Bideford　men　daren't　follow　them？　　North　Devon　against　South；　it　is。　　Who'll　join？　who'll　join？　　It　is　but　a　step　of　a　way；　after　all；　and　sailing　as　smooth　as　a　duck…pond　as　soon　as　you're　past　Cape　Finisterre。　　I'll　run　a　Clovelly　herring…boat　there　and　back　for　a　wager　of　twenty　pound；　and　never　ship　a　bucketful　all　the　way。　　Who'll　join？　　Don't　think　you're　buying　a　pig　in　a　poke。　　I　know　the　road；　and　Salvation　Yeo；　here；　too；　who　was　the　gunner's　mate；　as　well　as　I　do　the　narrow　seas；　and　better。　　You　ask　him　to　show　you　the　chart　of　it；　now；　and　see　if　he　don't　tell　you　over　the　ruttier　as　well　as　Drake　himself。〃

On　which　the　gaunt　man　pulled　from　under　his　arm　a　great　white　buffalo　horn　covered　with　rough　etchings　of　land　and　sea；　and　held　it　up　to　the　admiring　ring。

〃See　here；　boys　all；　and　behold　the　pictur　of　the　place；　dra'ed　out　so　natural　as　ever　was　life。　　I　got　mun　from　a　Portingal；　down　to　the　Azores；　and　he'd　pricked　mun　out；　and　pricked　mun　out；　wheresoever　he'd　sailed；　and　whatsoever　he'd　seen。　　Take　mun　in　your　hands　now；　Simon　Evans；　take　mun　in　your　hands；　look　mun　over；　and　I'll　warrant　you'll　know　the　way　in　five　minutes　so　well　as　ever　a　shark　in　the　seas。〃

And　the　horn　was　passed　from　hand　to　hand；　while　Oxenham；　who　saw　that　his　hearers　were　becoming　moved；　called　through　the　open　window　for　a　great　tankard　of　sack；　and　passed　that　from　hand　to　hand；　after　the　horn。

The　school…boy；　who　had　been　devouring　with　eyes　and　ears　all　which　passed；　and　had　contrived　by　this　time　to　edge　himself　into　the　inner　ring；　now　stood　face　to　face　with　the　hero　of　the　emerald　crest；　and　got　as　many　peeps　as　he　could　at　the　wonder。　　But　when　he　saw　the　sailors；　one　after　another；　having　turned　it　over　a　while；　come　forward　and　offer　to　join　Mr。　Oxenham；　his　soul　burned　within　him　for　a　nearer　view　of　that　wondrous　horn；　as　magical　in　its　effects　as　that　of　Tristrem；　or　the　enchanter's　in　Ariosto；　and　when　the　group　had　somewhat　broken　up；　and　Oxenham　was　going　into　the　tavern　with　his　recruits；　he　asked　boldly　for　a　nearer　sight　of　the　marvel；　which　was　granted　at　once。

And　now　to　his　astonished　gaze　displayed　themselves　cities　and　harbors；　dragons　and　elephants；　whales　which　fought　with　sharks；　plate　ships　of　Spain；　islands　with　apes　and　palm…trees；　each　with　its　name　over…written；　and　here　and　there；　〃Here　is　gold；〃　and　again；　〃Much　gold　and　silver；〃　inserted　most　probably；　as　the　words　were　in　English；　by　the　hands　of　Mr。　Oxenham　himself。　　Lingeringly　and　longingly　the　boy　turned　it　round　and　round；　and　thought　the　owner　of　it　more　fortunate　than　Khan　or　Kaiser。　　Oh；　if　he　could　but　possess　that　horn；　what　needed　he　on　earth　beside　to　make　him　blest！

〃I　say；　will　you　sell　this？〃

〃Yea；　marry；　or　my　own　soul；　if　I　can　get　the　worth　of　it。〃

〃I　want　the　horn；I　don't　want　your　soul；　it's　somewhat　of　a　stale　sole；　for　aught　I　know；　and　there　are　plenty　of　fresh　ones　in　the　bay。〃

And　therewith；　after　much　fumbling；　he　pulled　out　a　tester　（the　only　one　he　had）；　and　asked　if　that　would　buy　it？

〃That！　no；　nor　twenty　of　them。〃

The　boy　thought　over　what　a　good　knight…errant　would　do　in　such　case；　and　then　answered；　〃Tell　you　what：　I'll　fight　you　for　it。〃

〃Thank　'ee；　sir！

〃Break　the　jackanapes's　head　for　him；　Yeo；〃　said　Oxenham。

〃Call　me　jackanapes　again；　and　I　break　yours；　sir。〃　　And　the　boy　lifted　his　fist　fiercely。

Oxenham　looked　at　him　a　minute　smilingly。　　〃Tut！　tut！　my　man；　hit　one　of　your　own　size；　if　you　will；　and　spare　little　folk　like　me！〃

〃If　I　have　a　boy's　age；　sir；　I　have　a　man's　fist。　　I　shall　be　fifteen　years　old　this　month；　and　know　how　to　answer　any　one　who　insults　me。〃

〃Fifteen；　my　young　cockerel？　you　look　liker　twenty；〃　said　Oxenham；　with　an　admiring　glance　at　the　lad's　broad　limbs；　keen　blue　eyes；　curling　golden　locks；　and　round　honest　face。　　〃Fifteen？　　If　I　had　half…a…dozen　such　lads　as　you；　I　would　make　knights　of　them　before　I　died。　　Eh；　Yeo？〃

〃He'll　do；〃　said　Yeo；　〃he　will　make　a　brave　gamecock　in　a　year　or　two；　if　he　dares　ruffle　up　so　early　at　a　tough　old　hen…master　like　the　captain。〃

At　which　there　was　a　general　laugh；　in　which　Oxenham　joined　as　loudly　as　any；　and　then　bade　the　lad　tell　him　why　he　was　so　keen　after　the　horn。

〃Because；〃　said　he；　looking　up　boldly；　〃I　want　to　go　to　sea。　　I　want　to　see　the　Indies。　　I　want　to　fight　the　Spaniards。　　Though　I　am　a　gentleman's　so