westward ho-第45章

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nd；　as　if　it　had　been　a　kitten；　and　so　did　they　to　several　more　innocents　that　night；　after　they　had　christened　them；　saying　it　was　best　for　them　to　go　to　heaven　while　they　were　still　sure　thereof；　and　so　marched　us　all　for　slaves；　leaving　the　old　folk　and　the　wounded　to　die　at　leisure。　　But　when　morning　came；　and　they　knew　by　my　skin　that　I　was　no　Indian；　and　by　my　speech　that　I　was　no　Spaniard；　they　began　threatening　me　with　torments；　till　I　confessed　that　I　was　an　Englishman；　and　one　of　Oxenham's　crew。　　At　that　says　the　leader；　'Then　you　shall　to　Lima；　to　hang　by　the　side　of　your　captain　the　pirate；'　by　which　I　first　knew　that　my　poor　captain　was　certainly　gone；　but　alas　for　me！　the　priest　steps　in　and　claims　me　for　his　booty；　calling　me　Lutheran；　heretic；　and　enemy　of　God；　and　so；　to　make　short　a　sad　story；　to　the　Inquisition　at　Cartagena　I　went；　where　what　I　suffered；　gentlemen；　were　as　disgustful　for　you　to　hear；　as　unmanly　for　me　to　complain　of；　but　so　it　was；　that　being　twice　racked；　and　having　endured　the　water…　torment　as　best　I　could；　I　was　put　to　the　scarpines；　whereof　I　am；　as　you　see；　somewhat　lame　of　one　leg　to　this　day。　　At　which　I　could　abide　no　more；　and　so；　wretch　that　I　am！　denied　my　God；　in　hope　to　save　my　life；　which　indeed　I　did；　but　little　it　profited　me；　for　though　I　had　turned　to　their　superstition；　I　must　have　two　hundred　stripes　in　the　public　place；　and　then　go　to　the　galleys　for　seven　years。　　And　there；　gentlemen；　ofttimes　I　thought　that　it　had　been　better　for　me　to　have　been　burned　at　once　and　for　all：　but　you　know　as　well　as　I　what　a　floating　hell　of　heat　and　cold；　hunger　and　thirst；　stripes　and　toil；　is　every　one　of　those　accursed　craft。　　In　which　hell；　nevertheless；　gentlemen；　I　found　the　road　to　heaven；I　had　almost　said　heaven　itself。　　For　it　fell　out；　by　God's　mercy；　that　my　next　comrade　was　an　Englishman　like　myself；　a　young　man　of　Bristol；　who；　as　he　told　me；　had　been　some　manner　of　factor　on　board　poor　Captain　Barker's　ship；　and　had　been　a　preacher　among　the　Anabaptists　here　in　England。　　And；　oh！　Sir　Richard　Grenville；　if　that　man　had　done　for　you　what　he　did　for　me；　you　would　never　say　a　word　against　those　who　serve　the　same　Lord；　because　they　don't　altogether　hold　with　you。　　For　from　time　to　time；　sir；　seeing　me　altogether　despairing　and　furious；　like　a　wild　beast　in　a　pit；　he　set　before　me　in　secret　earnestly　the　sweet　promises　of　God　in　Christ；who　says；　'Come　to　me；　all　ye　that　are　heavy　laden；　and　I　will　refresh　you；　and　though　your　sins　be　as　scarlet；　they　shall　be　as　white　as　snow；till　all　that　past　sinful　life　of　mine　looked　like　a　dream　when　one　awaketh；　and　I　forgot　all　my　bodily　miseries　in　the　misery　of　my　soul；　so　did　I　loathe　and　hate　myself　for　my　rebellion　against　that　loving　God　who　had　chosen　me　before　the　foundation　of　the　world；　and　come　to　seek　and　save　me　when　I　was　lost；　and　falling　into　very　despair　at　the　burden　of　my　heinous　sins；　knew　no　peace　until　I　gained　sweet　assurance　that　my　Lord　had　hanged　my　burden　upon　His　cross；　and　washed　my　sinful　soul　in　His　most　sinless　blood；　Amen！〃

And　Sir　Richard　Grenville　said　Amen　also。

〃But；　gentlemen；　if　that　sweet　youth　won　a　soul　to　Christ；　he　paid　as　dearly　for　it　as　ever　did　saint　of　God。　　For　after　a　three　or　four　months；　when　I　had　been　all　that　while　in　sweet　converse　with　him；　and　I　may　say　in　heaven　in　the　midst　of　hell；　there　came　one　night　to　the　barranco　at　Lima；　where　we　were　kept　when　on　shore；　three　black　devils　of　the　Holy　Office；　and　carried　him　off　without　a　word；　only　saying　to　me；　'Look　that　your　turn　come　not　next；　for　we　hear　that　you　have　had　much　talk　with　the　villain。'　　And　at　these　words　I　was　so　struck　cold　with　terror　that　I　swooned　right　away；　and　verily；　if　they　had　taken　me　there　and　then；　I　should　have　denied　my　God　again；　for　my　faith　was　but　young　and　weak：　but　instead；　they　left　me　aboard　the　galley　for　a　few　months　more　（that　was　a　whole　voyage　to　Panama　and　back）；　in　daily　dread　lest　I　should　find　myself　in　their　cruel　claws　againand　then　nothing　for　me；　but　to　burn　as　a　relapsed　heretic。　　But　when　we　came　back　to　Lima；　the　officers　came　on　board　again；　and　said　to　me；　'That　heretic　has　confessed　naught　against　you；　so　we　will　leave　you　for　this　time：　but　because　you　have　been　seen　talking　with　him　so　much；　and　the　Holy　Office　suspects　your　conversion　to　be　but　a　rotten　one；　you　are　adjudged　to　the　galleys　for　the　rest　of　your　life　in　perpetual　servitude。'〃

〃But　what　became　of　him？〃　asked　Amyas。

〃He　was　burned；　sir；　a　day　or　two　before　we　got　to　Lima；　and　five　others　with　him　at　the　same　stake；　of　whom　two　were　Englishmen；　old　comrades　of　mine；　as　I　guess。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Amyas；　〃we　heard　of　that　when　we　were　off　Lima；　and　they　said；　too；　that　there　were　six　more　lying　still　in　prison；　to　be　burnt　in　a　few　days。　　If　we　had　had　our　fleet　with　us　（as　we　should　have　had　if　it　had　not　been　for　John　Winter）　we　would　have　gone　in　and　rescued　them　all；　poor　wretches；　and　sacked　the　town　to　boot：　but　what　could　we　do　with　one　ship？〃

〃Would　to　God　you　had；　sir；　for　the　story　was　true　enough；　and　among　them；　I　heard；　were　two　young　ladies　of　quality　and　their　confessor；　who　came　to　their　ends　for　reproving　out　of　Scripture　the　filthy　and　loathsome　living　of　those　parts；　which；　as　I　saw　well　enough　and　too　well；　is　liker　to　Sodom　than　to　a　Christian　town；　but　God　will　avenge　His　saints；　and　their　sins。　　Amen。〃

〃Amen；〃　said　Sir　Richard：　〃but　on　with　thy　tale；　for　it　is　as　strange　as　ever　man　heard。〃

〃Well；　gentlemen；　when　I　heard　that　I　must　end　my　days　in　that　galley；　I　was　for　awhile　like　a　madman：　but　in　a　day　or　two　there　came　over　me；　I　know　not　how；　a　full　assurance　of　salvation；　both　for　this　life　and　the　life　to　come；　such　as　I　had　never　had　before；　and　it　was　revealed　to　me　（I　speak　the　truth；　gentlemen；　before　Heaven）　that　now　I　had　been　tried　to　the　uttermost；　and　that　my　deliverance　was　at　hand。

〃And　all　the　way　up　to　Panama　（that　was　after　we　had　laden　the　'Cacafuogo'）　I　cast　in　my　mind　how　to　escape；　and　found　no　way：　but　just　as　I　was　beginning　to　lose　heart　again；　a　door　was　opened　by　the　Lord's　own　hand；　for　（I　know　not　why）　we　were　marched　across　from　Panama　to　Nombre；　which　had　never　happened　before；　and　there　put　all　together　into　a　great　barranco　close　by　the　quay…side；　shackled；　as　is　the　fashion；　to　one　long　bar　that　ran　the　whole　length　of　the　house。　　And　the　very　first　night　that　we　were　there；　I；　looking　out　of　the　window；　spied；　lying　close　aboard　of　the　quay；　a　good…sized　caravel　well　armed　and　just　loading　for　sea；　and　the　land　breeze　blew　off　very　strong；　so　that　the　sailors　were　laying　out　a　fresh　warp　to　hold　her　to　the　shore。　　And　it　came　into　my　mind；　that　if　we　were　aboard　of　her；　we　should　be　at　sea　in　five　minutes；　and　looking　at　the　quay；　I　saw　all　the　soldiers　who　had　　guarded　us　scattered　about　drinking　and　gambling；　and　some　going　into　taverns　to　refresh　themselves　after　their　journey。　　That　was　just　at　sundown；　and　half　an　hour　after；　in　comes　the　gaoler　to　take　a　last　look　at　us　for　the　night；　and　his　keys　at　his　girdle。　Whereon；　sirs　（whether　by　madness；　or　whether　by　the　spirit　which　gave　Samson　strength　to　rend　the　lion）；　I　rose　against　him　as　he　passed　me；　without　forethought　or　treachery　of　any　kind；　chained　though　I　was；　caught　him　by　the　head；　and　threw　him　there　and　then　against　the　wall；　that　he　never　spoke　word　after；　and　then　with　his　keys　freed　myself　and　every　soul　in　that　room；　and　bid　them　follow　me；　vowing　to　kill　any　man　who　disobeyed　my　commands。　　They　followed；　as　men　astounded　and　leaping　out　of　night　into　day；　and　death　into　life；　and　so　aboard　that　caravel　and　out　of　the　harbor　（the　Lord　only　knows　how；　who　blinded　the　eyes　of　the　idolaters）；　'with　no　more　hurt　than　a　few　chance…shot　from　the　soldiers　on　the　quay。　　But　my　tale　has　been　over…long　already；　gentlemen〃

〃Go　on　till　midnight；　my　good　fellow；　if　you　will。〃

〃Well；　sirs；　they　chose　me　for　captain；　and　a　certain　Genoese　for　lieutenant；　and　away　to　go。　　I　would　fain　have　gone　ashore　after　all；　and　back　to　Panama　to　hear　news　of　the　little　maid：　but　that　would　have　been　but　a　fool's　errand。　　Some　wanted　to　turn　pirates：　but　I；　and　the　Genoese　too；　who　was　a　pru