westward ho-第30章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　outside　the　house；　and　then

〃Amyas；〃　said　Frank；　〃that　was　a　Devon　man's　handiwork；　nevertheless；　it　was　Eustace's　handwriting。〃

〃Impossible！〃

〃No；　lad。　　I　have　been　secretary　to　a　prince；　and　learnt　to　interpret　cipher；　and　to　watch　every　pen…stroke；　and；　young　as　I　am；　I　think　that　I　am　not　easily　deceived。　　Would　God　I　were！　　Come　on；　lad；　and　strike　no　man　hastily；　lest　thou　cut　off　thine　own　flesh。〃

So　forth　the　two　went；　along　the　park　to　the　eastward；　and　past　the　head　of　the　little　wood…embosomed　fishing…town；　a　steep　stair　of　houses　clinging　to　the　cliff　far　below　them；　the　bright　slate　roofs　and　white　walls　glittering　in　the　moonlight；　and　on　some　half…mile　farther；　along　the　steep　hill…side；　fenced　with　oak　wood　down　to　the　water's　edge；　by　a　narrow　forest　path；　to　a　point　where　two　glens　meet　and　pour　their　streamlets　over　a　cascade　some　hundred　feet　in　height　into　the　sea　below。　　By　the　side　of　this　waterfall　a　narrow　path　climbs　upward　from　the　beach；　and　here　it　was　that　the　two　brothers　expected　to　meet　the　messenger。

Frank　insisted　on　taking　his　station　below　Amyas。　　He　said　that　he　was　certain　that　Eustace　himself　would　make　his　appearance；　and　that　he　was　more　fit　than　Amyas　to　bring　him　to　reason　by　parley；　that　if　Amyas　would　keep　watch　some　twenty　yards　above；　the　escape　of　the　messenger　would　be　impossible。　　Moreover；　he　was　the　elder　brother；　and　the　post　of　honor　was　his　right。　　So　Amyas　obeyed　him；　after　making　him　promise　that　if　more　than　one　man　came　up　the　path；　he　would　let　them　pass　him　before　he　challenged；　so　that　both　might　bring　them　to　bay　at　the　same　time。

So　Amyas　took　his　station　under　a　high　marl　bank；　and；　bedded　in　luxuriant　crown…ferns；　kept　his　eye　steadily　on　Frank；　who　sat　down　on　a　little　knoll　of　rock　（where　is　now　a　garden　on　the　cliff…edge）　which　parts　the　path　and　the　dark　chasm　down　which　the　stream　rushes　to　its　final　leap　over　the　cliff。

There　Amyas　sat　a　full　half…hour；　and　glanced　at　whiles　from　Frank　to　look　upon　the　scene　around。　　Outside　the　southwest　wind　blew　fresh　and　strong；　and　the　moonlight　danced　upon　a　thousand　crests　of　foam；　but　within　the　black　jagged　point　which　sheltered　the　town；　the　sea　did　but　heave；　in　long　oily　swells　of　rolling　silver；　onward　into　the　black　shadow　of　the　hills；　within　which　the　town　and　pier　lay　invisible；　save　where　a　twinkling　light　gave　token　of　some　lonely　fisher's　wife；　watching　the　weary　night　through　for　the　boat　which　would　return　with　dawn。　　Here　and　there　upon　the　sea；　a　black　speck　marked　a　herring…boat；　drifting　with　its　line　of　nets；　and　right　off　the　mouth　of　the　glen；　Amyas　saw；　with　a　beating　heart；　a　large　two…masted　vessel　lying…tothat　must　be　the　〃Portugal〃！　　Eagerly　he　looked　up　the　glen；　and　listened；　but　he　heard　nothing　but　the　sweeping　of　the　wind　across　the　downs　five　hundred　feet　above；　and　the　sough　of　the　waterfall　upon　the　rocks　below；　he　saw　nothing　but　the　vast　black　sheets　of　oak…wood　sloping　up　to　the　narrow　blue　sky　above；　and　the　broad　bright　hunter's　moon；　and　the　woodcocks；　which；　chuckling　to　each　other；　hawked　to　and　fro；　like　swallows；　between　the　tree…tops　and　the　sky。

At　last　he　heard　a　rustle　of　the　fallen　leaves；　he　shrank　closer　and　closer　into　the　darkness　of　the　bank。　　Then　swift　light　steps　not　down　the　path；　from　above；　but　upward；　from　below；　his　heart　beat　quick　and　loud。　　And　in　another　half…minute　a　man　came　in　sight；　within　three　yards　of　Frank's　hiding…place。

Frank　sprang　out　instantly。　　Amyas　saw　his　bright　blade　glance　in　the　clear　October　moonlight。

〃Stand　in　the　queen's　name！〃

The　man　drew　a　pistol　from　under　his　cloak；　and　fired　full　in　his　face。　　Had　it　happened　in　these　days　of　detonators；　Frank's　chance　had　been　small；　but　to　get　a　ponderous　wheel…lock　under　weigh　was　a　longer　business；　and　before　the　fizzing　of　the　flint　had　ceased；　Frank　had　struck　up　the　pistol　with　his　rapier；　and　it　exploded　harmlessly　over　his　head。　　The　man　instantly　dashed　the　weapon　in　his　face　and　closed。

The　blow；　luckily；　did　not　take　effect　on　that　delicate　forehead；　but　struck　him　on　the　shoulder：　nevertheless；　Frank；　who　with　all　his　grace　and　agility　was　as　fragile　as　a　lily；　and　a　very　bubble　of　the　earth；　staggered；　and　lost　his　guard；　and　before　he　could　recover　himself；　Amyas　saw　a　dagger　gleam；　and　one；　two；　three　blows　fiercely　repeated。

Mad　with　fury；　he　was　with　them　in　an　instant。　　They　were　scuffling　together　so　closely　in　the　shade　that　he　was　afraid　to　use　his　sword　point；　but　with　the　hilt　he　dealt　a　single　blow　full　on　the　ruffian's　cheek。　　It　was　enough；　with　a　hideous　shriek；　the　fellow　rolled　over　at　his　feet；　and　Amyas　set　his　foot　on　him；　in　act　to　run　him　through。

〃Stop！　stay！〃　almost　screamed　Frank；　〃it　is　Eustace！　our　cousin　Eustace！〃　and　he　leant　against　a　tree。

Amyas　sprang　towards　him：　but　Frank　waved　him　off。

〃It　is　nothinga　scratch。　　He　has　papers：　I　am　sure　of　it。　　Take　them；　and　for　God's　sake　let　him　go！〃

〃Villain！　give　me　your　papers！〃　cried　Amyas；　setting　his　foot　once　more　on　the　writhing　Eustace；　whose　jaw　was　broken　across。

〃You　struck　me　foully　from　behind；〃　moaned　he；　his　vanity　and　envy　even　then　coming　out；　in　that　faint　and　foolish　attempt　to　prove　Amyas　not　so　very　much　better　a　man。

〃Hound；　do　you　think　that　I　dare　not　strike　you　in　front？　　Give　me　your　papers；　letters；　whatever　Popish　devilry　you　carry；　or　as　I　live；　I　will　cut　off　your　head；　and　take　them　myself；　even　if　it　cost　me　the　shame　of　stripping　your　corpse。　　Give　them　up！　Traitor；　murderer！　give　them；　I　say！〃　　And　setting　his　foot　on　him　afresh；　he　raised　his　sword。

Eustace　was　usually　no　craven：　but　he　was　cowed。　　Between　agony　and　shame；　he　had　no　heart　to　resist。　　Martyrdom；　which　looked　so　splendid　when　consummated　selon　les　regles　on　Tower　Hill　or　Tyburn；　before　pitying；　or　（still　better）　scoffing　multitudes；　looked　a　confused；　dirty；　ugly　business　there　in　the　dark　forest；　and　as　he　lay；　a　stream　of　moonlight　bathed　his　mighty　cousin's　broad　clear　forehead；　and　his　long　golden　locks；　and　his　white　terrible　blade；　till　he　seemed；　to　Eustace's　superstitious　eye；　like　one　of　those　fair　young　St。　Michaels　trampling　on　the　fiend；　which　he　had　seen　abroad　in　old　German　pictures。　　He　shuddered；　pulled　a　packet　from　his　bosom；　and　threw　it　from　him；　murmuring；　〃I　have　not　given　it。〃

〃Swear　to　me　that　these　are　all　the　papers　which　you　have　in　cipher　or　out　of　cipher。　　Swear　on　your　soul；　or　you　die！〃

Eustace　swore。

〃Tell　me；　who　are　your　accomplices？〃

〃Never！〃　said　Eustace。　　〃Cruel！　have　you　not　degraded　me　enough　already？〃　and　the　wretched　young　man　burst　into　tears；　and　hid　his　bleeding　face　in　his　hands。

One　hint　of　honor　made　Amyas　as　gentle　as　a　lamb。　　He　lifted　Eustace　up；　and　bade　him　run　for　his　life。

〃I　am　to　owe　my　life；　then；　to　you？〃

〃Not　in　the　least；　only　to　your　being　a　Leigh。　　Go；　or　it　will　be　worse　for　you！〃　　And　Eustace　went；　while　Amyas；　catching　up　the　precious　packet；　hurried　to　Frank。　　He　had　fainted　already；　and　his　brother　had　to　carry　him　as　far　as　the　park　before　he　could　find　any　of　the　other　watchers。　　The　blind；　as　far　as　they　were　concerned；　was　complete。　　They　had　heard　and　seen　nothing。　Whosoever　had　brought　the　packet　had　landed　they　knew　not　where；　and　so　all　returned　to　the　court；　carrying　Frank；　who　recovered　gradually；　having　rather　bruises　than　wounds；　for　his　foe　had　struck　wildly；　and　with　a　trembling　hand。

Half…an…hour　after；　Amyas；　Mr。　Cary；　and　his　son　Will　were　in　deep　consultation　over　the　following　epistle；　the　only　paper　in　the　packet　which　was　not　in　cipher：


〃'DEAR　BROTHER　N。　S。　in　Chto。　et　Ecclesia。

〃This　is　to　inform　you　and　the　friends　of　the　cause；　that　S。　Josephus　has　landed　in　Smerwick；　with　eight　hundred　valiant　Crusaders；　burning　with　holy　zeal　to　imitate　last　year's　martyrs　of　Carrigfolium；　and　to　expiate　their　offences　（which　I　fear　may　have　been　many）　by　the　propagation　of　our　most　holy　faith。　　I　have　purified　the　fort　（which　they　are　strenuously　rebuilding）　with　prayer　and　holy　water；　from　the　stain　of　heretical　footsteps；　and　consecrated　it　afresh　to　the　service　of　Heaven；　as　the　first…fruits　of　the　isle　of　saints；　and　having　displayed　the　co