westward ho-第56章

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here　he　was　dropped；　with　his　feet　（luckily　for　him　mailed）　in　the　fire。

〃I　say；〃　quoth　Amyas；　〃some　of　you　had　better　take　him　up；　if　he　is　to　be　of　any　use。　　Unlace　his　helm；　Will　Cary。〃

〃Pull　his　feet　out　of　the　embers；　I　dare　say　he　would　have　been　glad　enough　to　put　us　to　the　scarpines；　but　that's　no　reason　we　should　put　him　to　them。〃

As　has　been　hinted；　there　was　no　love　lost　between　Admiral　Winter　and　Amyas；　and　Amyas　might　certainly　have　reported　himself　in　a　more　ceremonious　manner。　　So　Winter；　whom　Amyas　either　had　not　seen；　or　had　not　chosen　to　see；　asked　him　pretty　sharply；　〃What　the　plague　he　had　to　do　with　bringing　dead　men　into　camp？〃

〃If　he's　dead；　it's　not　my　fault。　　He　was　alive　enough　when　I　started　with　him；　and　I　kept　him　right　end　uppermost　all　the　way；　and　what　would　you　have　more；　sir？〃

〃Mr。　Leigh！〃　said　Winter；　〃it　behoves　you　to　speak　with　somewhat　more　courtesy；　if　not　respect；　to　captains　who　are　your　elders　and　commanders。〃

〃Ask　your　pardon；　sir；〃　said　the　giant；　as　he　stood　in　front　of　the　fire　with　the　rain　steaming　and　smoking　off　his　armor；　〃but　I　was　bred　in　a　school　where　getting　good　service　done　was　more　esteemed　than　making　fine　speeches。〃

〃Whatsoever　school　you　were　trained　in；　sir；〃　said　Winter；　nettled　at　the　hint　about　Drake；　〃it　does　not　seem　to　have　been　one　in　which　you　learned　to　obey　orders。　　Why　did　you　not　come　in　when　the　recall　was　sounded？〃

〃Because；〃　said　Amyas；　very　coolly；　〃in　the　first　place　I　did　not　hear　it；　and　in　the　next；　in　my　school　I　was　taught　when　I　had　once　started　not　to　come　home　empty…handed。〃

This　was　too　pointed；　and　Winter　sprang　up　with　an　oath〃Do　you　mean　to　insult　me；　sir？〃

〃I　am　sorry；　sir；　that　you　should　take　a　compliment　to　Sir　Francis　Drake　as　an　insult　to　yourself。　　I　brought　in　this　gentleman　because　I　thought　he　might　give　you　good　information；　if　he　dies　meanwhile；　the　loss　will　be　yours；　or　rather　the　queen's。〃

〃Help　me；　then；〃　said　Cary；　glad　to　create　a　diversion　in　Amyas's　favor；　〃and　we　will　bring　him　round；〃　while　Raleigh　rose；　and　catching　Winter's　arm；　drew　him　aside；　and　began　talking　earnestly。

〃What　a　murrain　have　you；　Leigh；　to　quarrel　with　Winter？〃　asked　two　or　three。

〃I　say；　my　reverend　fathers　and　dear　children；　do　get　the　Don's　talking　tackle　free　again；　and　leave　me　and　the　admiral　to　settle　it　our　own　way。〃

There　was　more　than　one　captain　sitting　in　the　ring；　but　discipline；　and　the　degrees　of　rank；　were　not　so　severely　defined　as　now；　and　Amyas；　as　a　〃gentleman　adventurer；〃　was；　on　land；　in　a　position　very　difficult　to　be　settled；　though　at　sea　he　was　as　liable　to　be　hanged　as　any　other　person　on　board；　and　on　the　whole　it　was　found　expedient　to　patch　the　matter　up。　　So　Captain　Raleigh　returning；　said　that　though　Admiral　Winter　had　doubtless　taken　umbrage　at　certain　words　of　Mr。　Leigh's；　yet　that　he　had　no　doubt　that　Mr。　Leigh　meant　nothing　thereby　but　what　was　consistent　with　the　profession　of　a　soldier　and　a　gentleman；　and　worthy　both　of　himself　and　of　the　admiral。

From　which　proposition　Amyas　found　it　impossible　to　dissent；　whereon　Raleigh　went　back；　and　informed　Winter　that　Leigh　had　freely　retracted　his　words；　and　fully　wiped　off　any　imputation　which　Mr。　Winter　might　conceive　to　have　been　put　upon　him；　and　so　forth。　　So　Winter　returned；　and　Amyas　said　frankly　enough

〃Admiral　Winter；　I　hope；　as　a　loyal　soldier；　that　you　will　understand　thus　far；　that　naught　which　has　passed　to…night　shall　in　any　way　prevent　you　finding　me　a　forward　and　obedient　servant　to　all　your　commands；　be　they　what　they　may；　and　a　supporter　of　your　authority　among　the　men；　and　honor　against　the　foe；　even　with　my　life。　　For　I　should　he　ashamed　if　private　differences　should　ever　prejudice　by　a　grain　the　public　weal。〃

This　was　a　great　effort　of　oratory　for　Amyas；　and　he　therefore；　in　order　to　be　safe　by　following　precedent；　tried　to　talk　as　much　as　he　could　like　Sir　Richard　Grenville。　　Of　course　Winter　could　answer　nothing　to　it；　in　spite　of　the　plain　hint　of　private　differences；　but　that　he　should　not　fail　to　show　himself　a　captain　worthy　of　so　valiant　and　trusty　a　gentleman；　whereon　the　whole　party　turned　their　attention　to　the　captive；　who；　thanks　to　Will　Cary；　was　by　this　time　sitting　up；　standing　much　in　need　of　a　handkerchief；　and　looking　about　him；　having　been　unhelmed；　in　a　confused　and　doleful　manner。

〃Take　the　gentleman　to　my　tent；〃　said　Winter；　〃and　let　the　surgeon　see　to　him。　　Mr。　Leigh；　who　is　he？〃

〃An　enemy；　but　whether　Spaniard　or　Italian　I　know　not；　but　he　seemed　somebody　among　them；　I　thought　the　captain　of　a　company。　　He　and　I　cut　at　each　other　twice　or　thrice　at　first；　and　then　lost　each　other；　and　after　that　I　came　on　him　among　the　sand…hills；　trying　to　rally　his　men；　and　swearing　like　the　mouth　of　the　pit；　whereby　I　guess　him　a　Spaniard。　　But　his　men　ran；　so　I　brought　him　in。〃

〃And　how？〃　asked　Raleigh。　　〃Thou　art　giving　us　all　the　play　but　the　murders　and　the　marriages。〃

〃Why；　I　bid　him　yield；　and　he　would　not。　　Then　I　bid　him　run；　and　he　would　not。　　And　it　was　too　pitch…dark　for　fighting；　so　I　took　him　by　the　ears；　and　shook　the　wind　out　of　him；　and　so　brought　him　in。〃

〃Shook　the　wind　out　of　him？〃　cried　Cary；　amid　the　roar　of　laughter　which　followed。　　〃Dost　know　thou　hast　nearly　wrung　his　neck　in　two？　His　vizor　was　full　of　blood。〃

〃He　should　have　run　or　yielded；　then；〃　said　Amyas；　and　getting　up；　slipped　off　to　find　some　ale；　and　then　to　sleep　comfortably　in　a　dry　burrow　which　he　scratched　out　of　a　sandbank。

The　next　morning；　as　Amyas　was　discussing　a　scanty　breakfast　of　biscuit　（for　provisions　were　running　very　short　in　camp）；　Raleigh　came　up　to　him。

〃What；　eating？　　That's　more　than　I　have　done　to…day。〃

〃Sit　down；　and　share；　then。〃

〃Nay；　lad；　I　did　not　come　a…begging。　　I　have　set　some　of　my　rogues　to　dig　rabbits；　but　as　I　live；　young　Colbrand；　you　may　thank　your　stars　that　you　are　alive　to…day　to　eat。　　Poor　young　CheekSir　John　Cheek；　the　grammarian's　songot　his　quittance　last　night　by　a　Spanish　pike；　rushing　headlong　on；　just　as　you　did。　　But　have　you　seen　your　prisoner？〃

〃No；　nor　shall；　while　he　is　in　Winter's　tent。〃

〃Why　not；　then？　　What　quarrel　have　you　against　the　admiral；　friend　Bobadil？　　Cannot　you　let　Francis　Drake　fight　his　own　battles；　without　thrusting　your　head　in　between　them？〃

〃Well；　that　is　good！　　As　if　the　quarrel　was　not　just　as　much　mine；　and　every　man's　in　the　ship。　　Why；　when　he　left　Drake；　he　left　us　all；　did　he　not？〃

〃And　what　if　he　did？　　Let　bygones　be　bygones　is　the　rule　of　a　Christian；　and　of　a　wise　man　too；　Amyas。　　Here　the　man　is；　at　least；　safe　home；　in　favor　and　in　power；　and　a　prudent　youth　will　just　hold　his　tongue；　mumchance；　and　swim　with　the　stream。〃

〃But　that's　just　what　makes　me　mad；　to　see　this　fellow；　after　deserting　us　there　in　unknown　seas；　win　credit　and　rank　at　home　here　for　being　the　first　man　who　ever　sailed　back　through　the　Straits。　　What　had　he　to　do　with　sailing　back　at　all！　　As　well　make　the　fox　a　knight　for　being　the　first　that　ever　jumped　down　a　jakes　to　escape　the　hounds。　　The　fiercer　the　flight　the　fouler　the　fear；　say　I。〃

〃Amyas！　Amyas！　thou　art　a　hard　hitter；　but　a　soft　politician。〃

〃I　am　no　politician；　Captain　Raleigh；　nor　ever　wish　to　be。　　An　honest　man's　my　friend；　and　a　rogue's　my　foe；　and　I'll　tell　both　as　much；　as　long　as　I　breathe。〃

〃And　die　a　poor　saint；〃　said　Raleigh；　laughing。　　〃But　if　Winter　invites　you　to　his　tent　himself；　you　won't　refuse　to　come？〃

〃Why；　no；　considering　his　years　and　rank；　but　he　knows　too　well　to　do　that。〃

〃He　knows　too　well　not　to　do　it；〃　said　Raleigh；　laughing　as　he　walked　away。　　And　verily　in　half…an…hour　came　an　invitation；　extracted　of　course；　from　the　admiral　by　Raleigh's　silver　tongue；　which　Amyas　could　not　but　obey。

〃We　all　owe　you　thanks　for　last　night's　service；　sir；〃　said　Winter；　who　had　for　some　good　reasons　changed　his　tone。　　〃Your　prisoner　is　found　to　be　a　gentleman　of　birth　and　experience；　and　the　leader　of　the　assault　last　night。　　He　has　already　told　us　more　than　we　had　hoped；　for　which　also　we　are　beholden　to　you；　and；　indeed；　my　Lord　Grey　has　been　asking　for　you　already。〃

〃I　have；　young　sir；〃　said　a　quiet　and　lofty　voice；