westward ho-第22章

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o　runs　squealing　round　and　round　before　the　weasel；　into　whose　jaws　it　knows　that　it　must　jump　at　last　by　force　of　fascination；　he　parried　and　parried；　and　pretended　to　be　stupid；　and　surprised；　and　honorably　scrupulous；　and　even　angry；　while　every　question　as　to　her　being　married　or　single；　Catholic　or　heretic；　English　or　foreign；　brought　his　tormentor　a　step　nearer　the　goal。　　At　last；　when　Campian；　finding　the　business　not　such　a　very　bad　one；　had　asked　something　about　her　worldly　wealth；　Eustace　saw　a　door　of　escape　and　sprang　at　it。

〃Even　if　she　be　a　heretic；　she　is　heiress　to　one　of　the　wealthiest　merchants　in　Devon。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Campian；　thoughtfully。　　〃And　she　is　but　eighteen；　you　say？〃

〃Only　eighteen。〃

〃Ah！　well；　my　son；　there　is　time。　　She　may　be　reconciled　to　the　Church：　or　you　may　change。〃

〃I　shall　die　first。〃

〃Ah；　poor　lad！　　Well；　she　may　be　reconciled；　and　her　wealth　may　be　of　use　to　the　cause　of　Heaven。〃

〃And　it　shall　be　of　use。　　Only　absolve　me；　and　let　me　be　at　peace。　Let　me　have　but　her；〃　he　cried　piteously。　　〃I　do　not　want　her　wealth；not　I！　　Let　me　have　but　her；　and　that　but　for　one　year；　one　month；　one　day！and　all　the　restmoney；　fame；　talents；　yea；　my　life　itself；　hers　if　it　be　neededare　at　the　service　of　Holy　Church。　　Ay；　I　shall　glory　in　showing　my　devotion　by　some　special　sacrifice；some　desperate　deed。　　Prove　me　now；　and　see　what　there　is　I　will　not　do！〃

And　so　Eustace　was　absolved；　after　which　Campian　added；

〃This　is　indeed　well；　my　son：　for　there　is　a　thing　to　be　done　now；　but　it　may　be　at　the　risk　of　life。〃

〃Prove　me！〃　cried　Eustace；　impatiently。

〃Here　is　a　letter　which　was　brought　me　last　night；　no　matter　from　whence；　you　can　understand　it　better　than　I；　and　I　longed　to　have　shown　it　you；　but　that　I　feared　my　son　had　become〃

〃You　feared　wrongly；　then；　my　dear　Father　Campian。〃

So　Campian　translated　to　him　the　cipher　of　the　letter。

〃This　to　Evan　Morgans；　gentleman；　at　Mr。　Leigh's　house　in　Moorwinstow；　Devonshire。　　News　may　be　had　by　one　who　will　go　to　the　shore　of　Clovelly；　any　evening　after　the　25th　of　November；　at　dead　low　tide；　and　there　watch　for　a　boat；　rowed　by　one　with　a　red　beard；　and　a　Portugal　by　his　speech。　　If　he　be　asked；　'How　many？'　he　will　answer；　'Eight　hundred　and　one。'　　Take　his　letters　and　read　them。　　If　the　shore　be　watched；　let　him　who　comes　show　a　light　three　times　in　a　safe　place　under　the　cliff　above　the　town；　below　is　dangerous　landing。　　Farewell；　and　expect　great　things！〃

〃I　will　go；〃　said　Eustace；　〃to…morrow　is　the　25th；　and　I　know　a　sure　and　easy　place。　　Your　friend　seems　to　know　these　shores　well。〃

〃Ah！　what　is　it　we　do　not　know？〃　said　Campian；　with　a　mysterious　smile。　　〃And　now？〃

〃And　now；　to　prove　to　you　how　I　trust　to　you；　you　shall　come　with　me；　and　see　thisthe　lady　of　whom　I　spoke；　and　judge　for　yourself　whether　my　fault　is　not　a　venial　one。〃

〃Ah；　my　son；　have　I　not　absolved　you　already？　　What　have　I　to　do　with　fair　faces？　　Nevertheless；　I　will　come；　both　to　show　you　that　I　trust　you；　and　it　may　be　to　help　towards　reclaiming　a　heretic；　and　saving　a　lost　soul：　who　knows？〃

So　the　two　set　out　together；　and；　as　it　was　appointed；　they　had　just　got　to　the　top　of　the　hill　between　Chapel　and　Stow　mill；　when　up　the　lane　came　none　other　than　Mistress　Rose　Salterne　herself；　in　all　the　glories　of　a　new　scarlet　hood；　from　under　which　her　large　dark　languid　eyes　gleamed　soft　lightnings　through　poor　Eustace's　heart　and　marrow。　　Up　to　them　she　tripped　on　delicate　ankles　and　tiny　feet；　tall；　lithe；　and　graceful；　a　true　West…country　lass；　and　as　she　passed　them　with　a　pretty　blush　and　courtesy；　even　Campian　looked　back　at　the　fair　innocent　creature；　whose　long　dark　curls；　after　the　then　country　fashion；　rolled　down　from　beneath　the　hood　below　her　waist；　entangling　the　soul　of　Eustace　Leigh　within　their　glossy　nets。

〃There！〃　whispered　he；　trembling　from　head　to　foot。　　〃Can　you　excuse　me　now？〃

〃I　had　excused　you　long　ago；〃　said　the　kindhearted　father。　　〃Alas；　that　so　much　fair　red　and　white　should　have　been　created　only　as　a　feast　for　worms！〃

〃A　feast　for　gods；　you　mean！〃　cried　Eustace；　on　whose　common　sense　the　naive　absurdity　of　the　last　speech　struck　keenly；　and　then；　as　if　to　escape　the　scolding　which　he　deserved　for　his　heathenry

〃Will　you　let　me　return　for　a　moment？　　I　will　follow　you：　let　me　go！〃

Campian　saw　that　it　was　of　no　use　to　say　no；　and　nodded。　　Eustace　darted　from　his　side；　and　running　across　a　field；　met　Rose　full　at　the　next　turn　of　the　road。

She　started；　and　gave　a　pretty　little　shriek。

〃Mr。　Leigh！　　I　thought　you　had　gone　forward。〃

〃I　came　back　to　speak　to　you；　RoseMistress　Salterne；　I　mean。〃

〃To　me？〃

〃To　you　I　must　speak；　tell　you　all；　or　die！〃　　And　he　pressed　up　close　to　her。　　She　shrank　back；　somewhat　frightened。

〃Do　not　stir；　do　not　go；　I　implore　you！　　Rose；　only　hear　me！〃　　And　fiercely　and　passionately　seizing　her　by　the　hand；　he　poured　out　the　whole　story　of　his　love；　heaping　her　with　every　fantastic　epithet　of　admiration　which　he　could　devise。

There　was　little；　perhaps；　of　all　his　words　which　Rose　had　not　heard　many　a　time　before；　but　there　was　a　quiver　in　his　voice；　and　a　fire　in　his　eye；　from　which　she　shrank　by　instinct。

〃Let　me　go！〃　she　said；　〃you　are　too　rough；　sir！〃

〃Ay！〃　he　said；　seizing　now　both　her　hands；　〃rougher；　perhaps；　than　the　gay　gallants　of　Bideford；　who　serenade　you；　and　write　sonnets　to　you；　and　send　you　posies。　　Rougher；　but　more　loving；　Rose！　　Do　not　turn　away！　　I　shall　die　if　you　take　your　eyes　off　me！　　Tell　me；tell　me；　now　herethis　momentbefore　we　partif　I　may　love　you！〃

〃Go　away！〃　she　answered；　struggling；　and　bursting　into　tears。　〃This　is　too　rude。　　If　I　am　but　a　merchant's　daughter。　　I　am　God's　child。　　Remember　that　I　am　alone。　　Leave　me；　go！　or　I　will　call　for　help！〃

Eustace　had　heard　or　read　somewhere　that　such　expressions　in　a　woman's　mouth　were　mere　facons　de　parler；　and　on　the　whole　signs　that　she　had　no　objection　to　be　alone；　and　did　not　intend　to　call　for　help；　and　he　only　grasped　her　hands　the　more　fiercely；　and　looked　into　her　face　with　keen　and　hungry　eyes；　but　she　was　in　earnest；　nevertheless；　and　a　loud　shriek　made　him　aware　that；　if　he　wished　to　save　his　own　good　name；　he　must　go：　but　there　was　one　question；　for　an　answer　to　which　he　would　risk　his　very　life。

〃Yes；　proud　woman！　　I　thought　so！　　Some　one　of　those　gay　gallants　has　been　beforehand　with　me。　　Tell　me　who〃

But　she　broke　from　him；　and　passed　him；　and　fled　down　the　lane。

〃Mark　it！〃　cried　he；　after　her。　　〃You　shall　rue　the　day　when　you　despised　Eustace　Leigh！　　Mark　it；　proud　beauty！〃　　And　he　turned　back　to　join　Campian；　who　stood　in　some　trepidation。

〃You　have　not　hurt　the　maiden；　my　son？　　I　thought　I　heard　a　scream。〃

〃Hurt　her！　　No。　　Would　God　that　she　were　dead；　nevertheless；　and　I　by　her！　　Say　no　more　to　me；　father。　　We　will　home。〃　　Even　Campian　knew　enough　of　the　world　to　guess　what　had　happened；　and　they　both　hurried　home　in　silence。

And　so　Eustace　Leigh　played　his　move；　and　lost　it。

Poor　little　Rose；　having　run　nearly　to　Chapel；　stopped　for　very　shame；　and　walked　quietly　by　the　cottages　which　stood　opposite　the　gate；　and　then　turned　up　the　lane　towards　Moorwinstow　village；　whither　she　was　bound。　　But　on　second　thoughts；　she　felt　herself　so　〃red　and　flustered；〃　that　she　was　afraid　of　going　into　the　village；　for　fear　（as　she　said　to　herself）　of　making　people　talk；　and　so；　turning　into　a　by…path；　struck　away　toward　the　cliffs；　to　cool　her　blushes　in　the　sea…breeze。　　And　there　finding　a　quiet　grassy　nook　beneath　the　crest　of　the　rocks；　she　sat　down　on　the　turf；　and　fell　into　a　great　meditation。

Rose　Salterne　was　a　thorough　specimen　of　a　West…coast　maiden；　full　of　passionate　impulsive　affections；　and　wild　dreamy　imaginations；　a　fit　subject；　as　the　North…Devon　women　are　still；　for　all　romantic　and　gentle　superstitions。　　Left　early　without　mother's　care；　she　had　fed　her　fancy　upon　the　legends　and　ballads　of　her　native　land；　till　she　believedwhat　did　she　not　believe？of　mermaids　and　pixies；　charms　and　witches；　dreams　and　omens；　and　all　that　world　of　magic　in　which　most　of　the　countrywomen；　and　countrymen　too；　believed　firmly　enough　but　twenty　years　ago。