westward ho-第49章

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ly　to　the　end　（generously；　I　know；　you　will　hear　me）；　and　then；　if　you　are　still　incensed；　I　can　but　again　entreat　your　forgiveness　a　second　time。〃

Mr。　Coffin；　to　tell　the　truth；　had　at　that　time　never　been　to　Court；　and　he　was　therefore　somewhat　jealous　of　Frank；　and　his　Court　talk；　and　his　Court　clothes；　and　his　Court　company；　and　moreover；　being　the　eldest　of　the　guests；　and　only　two　years　younger　than　Frank　himself；　he　was　a　little　nettled　at　being　classed　in　the　same　category　with　some　who　were　scarce　eighteen。　And　if　Frank　had　given　the　least　hint　which　seemed　to　assume　his　own　superiority；　all　had　been　lost：　but　when；　instead　thereof；　he　sued　in　forma　pauperis；　and　threw　himself　upon　Coffin's　mercy；　the　latter；　who　was　a　true…hearted　man　enough；　and　after　all　had　known　Frank　ever　since　either　of　them　could　walk；　had　nothing　to　do　but　to　sit　down　again　and　submit；　while　Frank　went　on　more　earnestly　than　ever。

〃Believe　me；　believe　me；　Mr。　Coffin；　and　gentlemen　all；　I　no　more　arrogate　to　myself　a　superiority　over　you　than　does　the　sailor　hurled　on　shore　by　the　surge　fancy　himself　better　than　his　comrade　who　is　still　battling　with　the　foam。　　For　I　too；　gentlemen；let　me　confess　it；　that　by　confiding　in　you　I　may；　perhaps；　win　you　to　confide　in　me；have　loved；　ay　and　do　love；　where　you　love　also。　Do　not　start。　　Is　it　a　matter　of　wonder　that　the　sun　which　has　dazzled　you　has　dazzled　me；　that　the　lodestone　which　has　drawn　you　has　drawn　me？　　Do　not　frown；　either；　gentlemen。　　I　have　learnt　to　love　you　for　loving　what　I　love；　and　to　admire　you　for　admiring　that　which　I　admire。　　Will　you　not　try　the　same　lesson：　so　easy；　and；　when　learnt；　so　blissful？　　What　breeds　more　close　communion　between　subjects　than　allegiance　to　the　same　queen？　between　brothers；　than　duty　to　the　same　father？　between　the　devout；　than　adoration　for　the　same　Deity？　　And　shall　not　worship　for　the　same　beauty　be　likewise　a　bond　of　love　between　the　worshippers？　and　each　lover　see　in　his　rival　not　an　enemy；　but　a　fellow…sufferer？　　You　smile　and　say　in　your　hearts；　that　though　all　may　worship；　but　one　can　enjoy；　and　that　one　man's　meat　must　be　the　poison　of　the　rest。　Be　it　so；　though　I　deny　it。　　Shall　we　anticipate　our　own　doom；　and　slay　ourselves　for　fear　of　dying？　　Shall　we　make　ourselves　unworthy　of　her　from　our　very　eagerness　to　win　her；　and　show　ourselves　her　faithful　knights；　by　cherishing　envy；most　unknightly　of　all　sins？　Shall　we　dream　with　the　Italian　or　the　Spaniard　that　we　can　become　more　amiable　in　a　lady's　eyes；　by　becoming　hateful　in　the　eyes　of　God　and　of　each　other？　　Will　she　love　us　the　better；　if　we　come　to　her　with　hands　stained　in　the　blood　of　him　whom　she　loves　better　than　us？　　Let　us　recollect　ourselves　rather；　gentlemen；　and　be　sure　that　our　only　chance　of　winning　her；　if　she　be　worth　winning；　is　to　will　what　she　wills；　honor　whom　she　honors；　love　whom　she　loves。　If　there　is　to　be　rivalry　among　us；　let　it　be　a　rivalry　in　nobleness；　an　emulation　in　virtue。　　Let　each　try　to　outstrip　the　other　in　loyalty　to　his　queen；　in　valor　against　her　foes；　in　deeds　of　courtesy　and　mercy　to　the　afflicted　and　oppressed；　and　thus　our　love　will　indeed　prove　its　own　divine　origin；　by　raising　us　nearer　to　those　gods　whose　gift　it　is。　　But　yet　I　show　you　a　more　excellent　way；　and　that　is　charity。　　Why　should　we　not　make　this　common　love　to　her；　whom　I　am　unworthy　to　name；　the　sacrament　of　a　common　love　to　each　other？　　Why　should　we　not　follow　the　heroical　examples　of　those　ancient　knights；　who　having　but　one　grief；　one　desire；　one　goddess；　held　that　one　heart　was　enough　to　contain　that　grief；　to　nourish　that　desire；　to　worship　that　divinity；　and　so　uniting　themselves　in　friendship　till　they　became　but　one　soul　in　two　bodies；　lived　only　for　each　other　in　living　only　for　her；　vowing　as　faithful　worshippers　to　abide　by　her　decision；　to　find　their　own　bliss　in　hers；　and　whomsoever　she　esteemed　most　worthy　of　her　love；　to　esteem　most　worthy　also；　and　count　themselves；　by　that　her　choice；　the　bounden　servants　of　him　whom　their　mistress　had　condescended　to　advance　to　the　dignity　of　her　master？as　I　（not　without　hope　that　I　shall　be　outdone　in　generous　strife）　do　here　promise　to　be　the　faithful　friend；　and；　to　my　ability；　the　hearty　servant；　of　him　who　shall　be　honored　with　the　love　of　the　Rose　of　Torridge。〃

He　ceased；　and　there　was　a　pause。

At　last　young　Fortescue　spoke。

〃I　may　be　paying　you　a　left…handed　compliment；　sir：　but　it　seems　to　me　that　you　are　so　likely；　in　that　case；　to　become　your　own　faithful　friend　and　hearty　servant　（even　if　you　have　not　borne　off　the　bell　already　while　we　have　been　asleep）；　that　the　bargain　is　hardly　fair　between　such　a　gay　Italianist　and　us　country　swains。〃

〃You　undervalue　yourself　and　your　country；　my　dear　sir。　　But　set　your　mind　at　rest。　　I　know　no　more　of　that　lady's　mind　than　you　do：　nor　shall　I　know。　　For　the　sake　of　my　own　peace；　I　have　made　a　vow　neither　to　see　her；　nor　to　hear；　if　possible；　tidings　of　her；　till　three　full　years　are　past。　　Dixi？〃

Mr。　Coffin　rose。

〃Gentlemen；　I　may　submit　to　be　outdone　by　Mr。　Leigh　in　eloquence；　but　not　in　generosity；　if　he　leaves　these　parts　for　three　years；　I　do　so　also。〃

〃And　go　in　charity　with　all　mankind；〃　said　Cary。　　〃Give　us　your　hand；　old　fellow。　　If　you　are　a　Coffin；　you　were　sawn　out　of　no　wishy…washy　elm…board；　but　right　heart…of…oak。　　I　am　going；　too；　as　Amyas　here　can　tell；　to　Ireland　away；　to　cool　my　hot　liver　in　a　bog；　like　a　Jack…hare　in　March。　　Come；　give　us　thy　neif；　and　let　us　part　in　peace。　　I　was　minded　to　have　fought　thee　this　day〃

〃I　should　have　been　most　happy；　sir；〃　said　Coffin。

〃But　now　I　am　all　love　and　charity　to　mankind。　　Can　I　have　the　pleasure　of　begging　pardon　of　the　world　in　general；　and　thee　in　particular？　　Does　any　one　wish　to　pull　my　nose；　send　me　an　errand；　make　me　lend　him　five　pounds；　ay；　make　me　buy　a　horse　of　him；　which　will　be　as　good　as　giving　him　ten？　　Come　along！　　Join　hands　all　round；　and　swear　eternal　friendship；　as　brothers　of　the　sacred　order　of　theof　what。　　Frank　Leigh？　　Open　thy　mouth；　Daniel；　and　christen　us！〃

〃The　Rose！〃　said　Frank　quietly；　seeing　that　his　new　love…philtre　was　working　well；　and　determined　to　strike　while　the　iron　was　hot；　and　carry　the　matter　too　far　to　carry　it　back　again。

〃The　Rose！〃　cried　Cary；　catching　hold　of　Coffin's　hand　with　his　right；　and　Fortescue's　with　his　left。　　〃Come；　Mr。　Coffin！　　Bend；　sturdy　oak！　　'Woe　to　the　stiffnecked　and　stout…hearted！'　says　Scripture。〃

And　somehow　or　other；　whether　it　was　Frank's　chivalrous　speech；　or　Cary's　fun；　or　Amyas's　good　wine；　or　the　nobleness　which　lies　in　every　young　lad's　heart；　if　their　elders　will　take　the　trouble　to　call　it　out；　the　whole　party　came　in　to　terms　one　by　one；　shook　hands　all　round；　and　vowed　on　the　hilt　of　Amyas's　sword　to　make　fools　of　themselves　no　more；　at　least　by　jealousy：　but　to　stand　by　each　other　and　by　their　lady…love；　and　neither　grudge　nor　grumble；　let　her　dance　with；　flirt　with；　or　marry　with　whom　she　would；　and　in　order　that　the　honor　of　their　peerless　dame；　and　the　brotherhood　which　was　named　after　her；　might　be　spread　through　all　lands；　and　equal　that　of　Angelica　or　Isonde　of　Brittany；　they　would　each　go　home；　and　ask　their　fathers'　leave　（easy　enough　to　obtain　in　those　brave　times）　to　go　abroad　wheresoever　there　were　〃good　wars；〃　to　emulate　there　the　courage　and　the　courtesy　of　Walter　Manny　and　Gonzalo　Fernandes；　Bayard　and　Gaston　de　Foix。　　Why　not？　　Sidney　was　the　hero　of　Europe　at　five…and…twenty；　and　why　not　they？

And　Frank　watched　and　listened　with　one　of　his　quiet　smiles　（his　eyes；　as　some　folks'　do；　smiled　even　when　his　lips　were　still）；　and　only　said：　〃Gentlemen；　be　sure　that　you　will　never　repent　this　day。〃

〃Repent？〃　said　Cary。　　〃I　feel　already　as　angelical　as　thou　lookest；　Saint　Silvertongue。　　What　was　it　that　sneezed？the　cat？〃

〃The　lion；　rather；　by　the　roar　of　it；〃　said　Amyas；　making　a　dash　at　the　arras　behind　him。　　〃Why；　here　is　a　doorway　here！　and〃

And　rushing　under　the　arras；　through　an　open　door　behind；　he　returned；　dragging　out　by　the　head　Mr。　John　Brimblecombe。

Who　was　Mr。　John　Brimblecombe？

If　you　have　forgotten　him；　you　have　done　pretty　nearly　what　every　one　else　in　the　room　had　don