westward ho-第25章

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ld　song…thrush；　I　suppose　I　need　not　pay　the　musicians。〃

〃What；　awake？〃　answered　Frank。　　〃Come　in　here；　and　lull　me　to　sleep　with　a　sea…song。〃

So　Amyas　went　in；　and　found　Frank　laid　on　the　outside　of　his　bed　not　yet　undrest。

〃I　am　a　bad　sleeper；〃　said　he；　〃I　spend　more　time；　I　fear；　in　burning　the　midnight　oil　than　prudent　men　should。　　Come　and　be　my　jongleur；　my　minnesinger；　and　tell　me　about　Andes；　and　cannibals；　and　the　ice…regions；　and　the　fire…regions；　and　the　paradises　of　the　West。〃

So　Amyas　sat　down；　and　told：　but　somehow；　every　story　which　he　tried　to　tell　came　round；　by　crooked　paths；　yet　sure；　to　none　other　point　than　Rose　Salterne；　and　how　he　thought　of　her　here　and　thought　of　her　there；　and　how　he　wondered　what　she　would　say　if　she　had　seen　him　in　this　adventure；　and　how　he　longed　to　have　had　her　with　him　to　show　her　that　glorious　sight；　till　Frank　let　him　have　his　own　way；　and　then　out　came　the　whole　story　of　the　simple　fellow's　daily　and　hourly　devotion　to　her；　through　those　three　long　years　of　world…wide　wanderings。

〃And　oh；　Frank；　I　could　hardly　think　of　anything　but　her　in　the　church　the　other　day；　God　forgive　me！　and　it　did　seem　so　hard　for　her　to　be　the　only　face　which　I　did　not　seeand　have　not　seen　her　yet；　either。〃

〃So　I　thought；　dear　lad；〃　said　Frank；　with　one　of　his　sweetest　smiles；　〃and　tried　to　get　her　father　to　let　her　impersonate　the　nymph　of　Torridge。〃

〃Did　you；　you　dear　kind　fellow？　　That　would　have　been　too　delicious。〃

〃Just　so；　too　delicious；　wherefore；　I　suppose；　it　was　ordained　not　to　be；　that　which　was　being　delicious　enough。〃

〃And　is　she　as　pretty　as　ever？〃

〃Ten　times　as　pretty；　dear　lad；　as　half　the　young　fellows　round　have　discovered。　　If　you　mean　to　win　her　and　wear　her　（and　God　grant　you　may　fare　no　worse！）　you　will　have　rivals　enough　to　get　rid　of。〃

〃Humph！〃　said　Amyas；　〃I　hope　I　shall　not　have　to　make　short　work　with　some　of　them。〃

〃I　hope　not；〃　said　Frank；　laughing。　　〃Now　go　to　bed；　and　to…morrow　morning　give　your　sword　to　mother　to　keep；　lest　you　should　be　tempted　to　draw　it　on　any　of　her　majesty's　lieges。〃

〃No　fear　of　that；　Frank；　I　am　no　swash…buckler；　thank　God；　but　if　any　one　gets　in　my　way；　I'll　serve　him　as　the　mastiff　did　the　terrier；　and　just　drop　him　over　the　quay　into　the　river；　to　cool　himself；　or　my　name's　not　Amyas。〃

And　the　giant　swung　himself　laughing　out　of　the　room；　and　slept　all　night　like　a　seal；　not　without　dreams；　of　course；　of　Rose　Salterne。

The　next　morning；　according　to　his　wont；　he　went　into　his　mother's　room；　whom　he　was　sure　to　find　up　and　at　her　prayers；　for　he　liked　to　say　his　prayers；　too；　by　her　side；　as　he　used　to　do　when　he　was　a　little　boy。　　It　seemed　so　homelike；　he　said；　after　three　years'　knocking　up　and　down　in　no…man's　land。　　But　coming　gently　to　the　door；　for　fear　of　disturbing　her；　and　entering　unperceived；　beheld　a　sight　which　stopped　him　short。

Mrs。　Leigh　was　sitting　in　her　chair；　with　her　face　bowed　fondly　down　upon　the　head　of　his　brother　Frank；　who　knelt　before　her；　his　face　buried　in　her　lap。　　Amyas　could　see　that　his　whole　form　was　quivering　with　stifled　emotion。　　Their　mother　was　just　finishing　the　last　words　of　a　well…known　text；〃for　my　sake；　and　the　Gospel's；　shall　receive　a　hundred…fold　in　this　present　life；　fathers；　and　mothers；　and　brothers；　and　sisters。〃

〃But　not　a　wife！〃　interrupted　Frank；　with　a　voice　stifled　with　sobs；　〃that　was　too　precious　a　gift　for　even　Him　to　promise　to　those　who　gave　up　a　first　love　for　His　sake！〃

〃And　yet；〃　said　he；　after　a　moment's　silence；　〃has　He　not　heaped　me　with　blessings　enough　already；　that　I　must　repine　and　rage　at　His　refusing　me　one　more；　even　though　that　one　beNo；　mother！　I　am　your　son；　and　God's；　and　you　shall　know　it；　even　though　Amyas　never　does！〃　　And　he　looked　up　with　his　clear　blue　eyes　and　white　forehead；　and　his　face　was　as　the　face　of　an　angel。

Both　of　them　saw　that　Amyas　was　present；　and　started　and　blushed。　His　mother　motioned　him　away　with　her　eyes；　and　he　went　quietly　out；　as　one　stunned。　　Why　had　his　name　been　mentioned？

Love；　cunning　love；　told　him　all　at　once。　　This　was　the　meaning　of　last　night's　canzonet！　　This　was　why　its　words　had　seemed　to　fit　his　own　heart　so　well！　　His　brother　was　his　rival。　　And　he　had　been　telling　him　all　his　love　last　night。　　What　a　stupid　brute　he　was！　How　it　must　have　made　poor　Frank　wince！　　And　then　Frank　had　listened　so　kindly；　even　bid　him　God　speed　in　his　suit。　　What　a　gentleman　old　Frank　was；　to　be　sure！　　No　wonder　the　queen　was　so　fond　of　him；　and　all　the　Court　ladies！Why；　if　it　came　to　that；　what　wonder　if　Rose　Salterne　should　be　fond　of　him　too？　　Hey…day！　〃That　would　be　a　pretty　fish　to　find　in　my　net　when　I　come　to　haul　it！〃　quoth　Amyas　to　himself；　as　he　paced　the　garden；　and　clutching　desperately　hold　of　his　locks　with　both　hands；　as　if　to　hold　his　poor　confused　head　on　its　shoulders；　he　strode　and　tramped　up　and　down　the　shell…paved　garden　walks　for　a　full　half　hour；　till　Frank's　voice　（as　cheerful　as　ever；　though　he　more　than　suspected　all）　called　him。

〃Come　in　to　breakfast；　lad；　and　stop　grinding　and　creaking　upon　those　miserable　limpets；　before　thou　hast　set　every　tooth　in　my　head　on　edge！〃

Amyas；　whether　by　dint　of　holding　his　head　straight；　or　by　higher　means；　had　got　the　thoughts　of　the　said　head　straight　enough　by　this　time；　and　in　he　came；　and　fell　to　upon　the　broiled　fish　and　strong　ale；　with　a　sort　of　fury；　as　determined　to　do　his　duty　to　the　utmost　in　all　matters　that　day；　and　therefore；　of　course；　in　that　most　important　matter　of　bodily　sustenance；　while　his　mother　and　Frank　looked　at　him；　not　without　anxiety　and　even　terror；　doubting　what　turn　his　fancy　might　have　taken　in　so　new　a　case；　at　last

〃My　dear　Amyas；　you　will　really　heat　your　blood　with　all　that　strong　ale！　　Remember；　those　who　drink　beer；　think　beer。〃

〃Then　they　think　right　good　thoughts；　mother。　　And　in　the　meanwhile；　those　who　drink　water；　think　water。　　Eh；　old　Frank？　　and　here's　your　health。〃

〃And　clouds　are　water；〃　said　his　mother；　somewhat　reassured　by　his　genuine　good　humor；　〃and　so　are　rainbows；　and　clouds　are　angels'　thrones；　and　rainbows　the　sign　of　God's　peace　on　earth。〃

Amyas　understood　the　hint；　and　laughed。　　〃Then　I'll　pledge　Frank　out　of　the　next　ditch；　if　it　please　you　and　him。　　But　firstI　say　he　must　hearken　to　a　parable；　a　manner　mystery；　miracle　play；　I　have　got　in　my　head；　like　what　they　have　at　Easter；　to　the　town…　hall。　　Now　then；　hearken；　madam；　and　I　and　Frank　will　act。〃　　And　up　rose　Amyas；　and　shoved　back　his　chair；　and　put　on　a　solemn　face。

Mrs。　Leigh　looked　up；　trembling；　and　Frank；　he　scarce　knew　why；　rose。

〃No；　you　pitch　again。　　You　are　King　David；　and　sit　still　upon　your　throne。　　David　was　a　great　singer；　you　know；　and　a　player　on　the　viols；　and　ruddy；　too；　and　of　a　fair　countenance；　so　that　will　fit。　Now；　then；　mother；　don't　look　so　frightened。　　I　am　not　going　to　play　Goliath；　for　all　my　cubits；　I　am　to　present　Nathan　the　prophet。　　Now；　David；　hearken；　for　I　have　a　message　unto　thee；　O　King！

〃There　were　two　men　in　one　city；　one　rich；　and　the　other　poor：　and　the　rich　man　had　many　flocks　and　herds；　and　all　the　fine　ladies　in　Whitehall　to　court　if　he　liked；　and　the　poor　man　had　nothing　but〃

And　in　spite　of　his　broad　honest　smile；　Amyas's　deep　voice　began　to　tremble　and　choke。

Frank　sprang　up；　and　burst　into　tears：　〃Oh！　Amyas；　my　brother；　my　brother！　stop！　I　cannot　endure　this。　　Oh；　God！　was　it　not　enough　to　have　entangled　myself　in　this　fatal　fancy；　but　over　and　above；　I　must　meet　the　shame　of　my　brother's　discovering　it？〃

〃What　shame；　then；　I'd　like　to　know？〃　said　Amyas；　recovering　himself。　　〃Look　here；　brother　Frank！　　I've　thought　it　all　over　in　the　garden；　and　I　was　an　ass　and　a　braggart　for　talking　to　you　as　I　did　last　night。　　Of　course　you　love　her！　　Everybody　must；　and　I　was　a　fool　for　not　recollecting　that；　and　if　you　love　her；　your　taste　and　mine　agree；　and　what　can　be　better？　　I　think　you　are　a　sensible　fellow　for　loving　her；　and　you　think　me　one。　　And　as　for　who　has　her；　why；　you're　the　eldest；　and　first　come　first　served　is　the　rule；　and　best　to　keep　to　it。　　Besides；　brother　Frank；　though　I'm　no　scholar；　yet　I'm　not　so　blind　but　that　I　tel