westward ho-第24章

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d　much　better　hold　your　tongue；　give　me　a　drink　of　cider；　and　leave　ill　alone；　lest　you　make　it　worse。〃

Not　that　Lucy　ever　proceeded　to　any　such　fearful　extremities。　　On　the　contrary；　her　boast；　and　her　belief　too；　was；　that　she　was　sent　into　the　world　to　make　poor　souls　as　happy　as　she　could；　by　lawful　means；　of　course；　if　possible；　but　if　notwhy；　unlawful　ones　were　better　than　none；　for　she　〃couldn't　a…bear　to　see　the　poor　creatures　taking　on；　she　was　too；　too　tender…hearted。〃　　And　so　she　was；　to　every　one　but　her　husband；　a　tall；　simple…hearted　rabbit…　faced　man；　a　good　deal　older　than　herself。　　Fully　agreeing　with　Sir　Richard　Grenville's　great　axiom；　that　he　who　cannot　obey　cannot　rule；　Lucy　had　been　for　the　last　five…and…twenty　years　training　him　pretty　smartly　to　obey　her；　with　the　intention；　it　is　to　be　charitably　hoped；　of　letting　him　rule　her　in　turn　when　his　lesson　was　perfected。　　He　bore　his　honors；　however；　meekly　enough；　having　a　boundless　respect　for　his　wife's　wisdom；　and　a　firm　belief　in　her　supernatural　powers；　and　let　her　go　her　own　way　and　earn　her　own　money；　while　he　got　a　little　more　in　a　truly　pastoral　method　（not　extinct　yet　along　those　lonely　cliffs）；　by　feeding　a　herd　of　some　dozen　donkeys　and　twenty　goats。　　The　donkeys　fetched；　at　each　low…　tide；　white　shell…sand　which　was　to　be　sold　for　manure　to　the　neighboring　farmers；　the　goats　furnished　milk　and　〃kiddy…pies；〃　and　when　there　was　neither　milking　nor　sand…carrying　to　be　done；　old　Will　Passmore　just　sat　under　a　sunny　rock　and　watched　the　buck…　goats　rattle　their　horns　together；　thinking　about　nothing　at　all；　and　taking　very　good　care　all　the　while　neither　to　inquire　nor　to　see　who　came　in　and　out　of　his　little　cottage　in　the　glen。

The　prophetess；　when　Rose　approached　her　oracular　cave；　was　seated　on　a　tripod　in　front　of　the　fire；　distilling　strong　waters　out　of　penny…royal。　　But　no　sooner　did　her　distinguished　visitor　appear　at　the　hatch；　than　the　still　was　left　to　take　care　of　itself；　and　a　clean　apron　and　mutch　having　been　slipt　on；　Lucy　welcomed　Rose　with　endless　courtesies；　and〃Bless　my　dear　soul　alive；　who　ever　would　have　thought　to　see　the　Rose　of　Torridge　to　my　poor　little　place！〃

Rose　sat　down：　and　then？　　How　to　begin　was　more　than　she　knew；　and　she　stayed　silent　a　full　five　minutes；　looking　earnestly　at　the　point　of　her　shoe；　till　Lucy；　who　was　an　adept　in　such　cases；　thought　it　best　to　proceed　to　business　at　once；　and　save　Rose　the　delicate　operation　of　opening　the　ball　herself；　and　so；　in　her　own　way；　half　fawning；　half　familiar

〃Well；　my　dear　young　lady；　and　what　is　it　I　can　do　for　ye？　　For　I　guess　you　want　a　bit　of　old　Lucy's　help；　eh？　　Though　I'm　most　mazed　to　see　ye　here；　surely。　　I　should　have　supposed　that　pretty　face　could　manage　they　sort　of　matters　for　itself。　　Eh？〃

Rose；　thus　bluntly　charged；　confessed　at　once；　and　with　many　blushes　and　hesitations；　made　her　soon　understand　that　what　she　wanted　was　〃To　have　her　fortune　told。〃

〃Eh？　　Oh！　I　see。　　The　pretty　face　has　managed　it　a　bit　too　well　already；　eh？　　Tu　many　o'　mun；　pure　fellows？　　Well；　'tain't　every　mayden　has　her　pick　and　choose；　like　some　I　know　of；　as　be　blest　in　love　by　stars　above。　　So　you　hain't　made　up　your　mind；　then？〃

Rose　shook　her　head。

〃Ahwell；〃　she　went　on；　in　a　half…bantering　tone。　　〃Not　so　asy；　is　it；　then？　　One's　gude　for　one　thing；　and　one　for　another；　eh？　　One　has　the　blood；　and　another　the　money。〃

And　so　the　〃cunning　woman〃　（as　she　truly　was）；　talking　half　to　herself；　ran　over　all　the　names　which　she　thought　likely；　peering　at　Rose　all　the　while　out　of　the　corners　of　her　foxy　bright　eyes；　while　Rose　stirred　the　peat　ashes　steadfastly　with　the　point　of　her　little　shoe；　half　angry；　half　ashamed；　half　frightened；　to　find　that　〃the　cunning　woman〃　had　guessed　so　well　both　her　suitors　and　her　thoughts　about　them；　and　tried　to　look　unconcerned　at　each　name　as　it　came　out。

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Lucy；　who　took　nothing　by　her　move；　simply　because　there　was　nothing　to　take；　〃think　over　itthink　over　it；　my　dear　life；　and　if　you　did　set　your　mind　on　any　onewhy；　then　then　maybe　I　might　help　you　to　a　sight　of　him。〃

〃A　sight　of　him？〃

〃His　sperrit；　dear　life；　his　sperrit　only；　I　mane。　　I　'udn't　have　no　keeping　company　in　my　house；　no；　not　for　gowld　untowld；　I　'udn't；　but　the　sperrit　of　munto　see　whether　mun　would　be　true　or　not；　you'd　like　to　know　that；　now；　'udn't　you；　my　darling？〃

Rose　sighed；　and　stirred　the　ashes　about　vehemently。

〃I　must　first　know　who　it　is　to　be。　　If　you　could　show　me　that　now〃

〃Oh；　I　can　show　ye　that；　tu；　I　can。　　Ben　there's　a　way　to　't；　a　sure　way；　but　'tis　mortal　cold　for　the　time　o'　year；　you　zee。〃

〃But　what　is　it；　then？〃　said　Rose；　who　had　in　her　heart　been　longing　for　something　of　that　very　kind；　and　had　half　made　up　her　mind　to　ask　for　a　charm。

〃Why；　you'm　not　afraid　to　goo　into　the　say　by　night　for　a　minute；　are　you？　　And　to…morrow　night　would　serve；　too；　't　will　be　just　low　tide　to　midnight。〃

〃If　you　would　come　with　me　perhaps〃

〃I'll　come；　I'll　come；　and　stand　within　call；　to　be　sure。　　Only　do　ye　mind　this；　dear　soul　alive；　not　to　goo　telling　a　crumb　about　mun；　noo；　not　for　the　world；　or　yu'll　see　naught　at　all；　indeed；　now。　　And　beside；　there's　a　noxious　business　grow'd　up　against　me　up　to　Chapel　there；　and　I　hear　tell　how　Mr。　Leigh　saith　I　shall　to　Exeter　gaol　for　a　witchdid　ye　ever　hear　the　likes？because　his　groom　Jan　saith　I　overlooked　munthe　Papist　dog！　　And　now　never　he　nor　th'　owld　Father　Francis　goo　by　me　without　a　spetting；　and　saying　of　their　Ayes　and　MalificasI　do　know　what　their　Rooman　Latin　do　mane；　zo　well　as　ever　they；　I　du！and　a　making　o'　their　charms　and　incantations　to　their　saints　and　idols！　　They　be　mortal　feared　of　witches；　they　Papists；　and　mortal　hard　on　'em；　even　on　a　pure　body　like　me；　that　doth　a　bit　in　the　white　way；　'case　why　you　see；　dear　life；〃　said　she；　with　one　of　her　humorous　twinkles；　〃tu　to　a　trade　do　never　agree。　　Do　ye　try　my　bit　of　a　charm；　now；　do　ye！〃

Rose　could　not　resist　the　temptation；　and　between　them　both　the　charm　was　agreed　on；　and　the　next　night　was　fixed　for　its　trial；　on　the　payment　of　certain　current　coins　of　the　realm　（for　Lucy；　of　course；　must　live　by　her　trade）；　and　slipping　a　tester　into　the　dame's　hand　as　earnest；　Rose　went　away　home；　and　got　there　in　safety。

But　in　the　meanwhile；　at　the　very　hour　that　Eustace　had　been　prosecuting　his　suit　in　the　lane　at　Moorwinstow；　a　very　different　scene　was　being　enacted　in　Mrs。　Leigh's　room　at　Burrough。

For　the　night　before；　Amyas；　as　he　was　going　to　bed；　heard　his　brother　Frank　in　the　next　room　tune　his　lute；　and　then　begin　to　sing。　　And　both　their　windows　being　open；　and　only　a　thin　partition　between　the　chambers；　Amyas's　admiring　ears　came　in　for　every　word　of　the　following　canzonet；　sung　in　that　delicate　and　mellow　tenor　voice　for　which　Frank　was　famed　among　all　fair　ladies：


　　　　　　〃Ah；　tyrant　Love；　Megaera's　serpents　bearing；　　　　　　Why　thus　requite　my　sighs　with　venom'd　smart？　　　　　　　　Ah；　ruthless　dove；　the　vulture's　talons　wearing；　　　　　　Why　flesh　them；　traitress；　in　this　faithful　heart？　　　　　　　　Is　this　my　meed？　　Must　dragons'　teeth　alone　　　　　　　　In　Venus'　lawns　by　lovers'　hands　be　sown？

　　　　　　〃Nay；　gentlest　Cupid；　'twas　my　pride　undid　me。　　　　　　Nay；　guiltless　dove；　by　mine　own　wound　I　fell。　　　　　　　　To　worship；　not　to　wed；　Celestials　bid　me：　　　　　　I　dreamt　to　mate　in　heaven；　and　wake　in　hell；　　　　　　　　Forever　doom'd；　Ixion…like；　to　reel　　　　　　　　On　mine　own　passions'　ever…burning　wheel。〃


At　which　the　simple　sailor　sighed；　and　longed　that　he　could　write　such　neat　verses；　and　sing　them　so　sweetly。　　How　he　would　besiege　the　ear　of　Rose　Salterne　with　amorous　ditties！　　But　still；　he　could　not　be　everything；　and　if　he　had　the　bone　and　muscle　of　the　family；　it　was　but　fair　that　Frank　should　have　the　brains　and　voice；　and；　after　all；　he　was　bone　of　his　bone　and　flesh　of　his　flesh；　and　it　was　just　the　same　as　if　he　himself　could　do　all　the　fine　things　which　Frank　could　do；　for　as　long　as　one　of　the　family　won　honor；　what　matter　which　of　them　it　was？　　Whereon　he　shouted　through　the　wall；　〃Good　night；　old　song…thrush；　I　suppose　I　need　not　pay　the　musicians。〃

〃What；　awake？〃　answered　Frank。　　〃Come　in