westward ho-第57章

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y　Lord　Grey　has　been　asking　for　you　already。〃

〃I　have；　young　sir；〃　said　a　quiet　and　lofty　voice；　and　Amyas　saw　limping　from　the　inner　tent　the　proud　and　stately　figure　of　the　stern　deputy；　Lord　Grey　of　Wilton；　a　brave　and　wise　man；　but　with　a　naturally　harsh　temper；　which　had　been　soured　still　more　by　the　wound　which　had　crippled　him；　while　yet　a　boy；　at　the　battle　of　Leith。　　He　owed　that　limp　to　Mary　Queen　of　Scots；　and　he　did　not　forget　the　debt。

〃I　have　been　asking　for　you；　having　heard　from　many；　both　of　your　last　night's　prowess；　and　of　your　conduct　and　courage　beyond　the　promise　of　your　years；　displayed　in　that　ever…memorable　voyage；　which　may　well　be　ranked　with　the　deeds　of　the　ancient　Argonauts。〃

Amyas　bowed　low；　and　the　lord　deputy　went　on；　〃You　will　needs　wish　to　see　your　prisoner。　　You　will　find　him　such　a　one　as　you　need　not　be　ashamed　to　have　taken；　and　as　need　not　be　ashamed　to　have　been　taken　by　you：　but　here　he　is；　and　will；　I　doubt　not；　answer　as　much　for　himself。　　Know　each　other　better；　gentlemen　both：　last　night　was　an　ill　one　for　making　acquaintances。　　Don　Guzman　Maria　Magdalena　Sotomayor　de　Soto；　know　the　hidalgo；　Amyas　Leigh！〃

As　he　spoke；　the　Spaniard　came　forward；　still　in　his　armor；　all　save　his　head；　which　was　bound　up　in　a　handkerchief。

He　was　an　exceedingly　tall　and　graceful　personage；　of　that　sangre　azul　which　marked　high　Visigothic　descent；　golden…haired　and　fair…　skinned；　with　hands　as　small　and　white　as　a　woman's；　his　lips　were　delicate　but　thin；　and　compressed　closely　at　the　corners　of　the　mouth；　and　his　pale　blue　eye　had　a　glassy　dulness。　　In　spite　of　his　beauty　and　his　carriage；　Amyas　shrank　from　him　instinctively；　and　yet　he　could　not　help　holding　out　his　hand　in　return；　as　the　Spaniard；　holding　out　his；　said　languidly；　in　most　sweet　and　sonorous　Spanish

〃I　kiss　his　hands　and　feet。　　The　senor　speaks；　I　am　told；　my　native　tongue？〃

〃I　have　that　honor。〃

〃Then　accept　in　it　（for　I　can　better　express　myself　therein　than　in　English；　though　I　am　not　altogether　ignorant　of　that　witty　and　learned　language）　the　expression　of　my　pleasure　at　having　fallen　into　the　hands　of　one　so　renowned　in　war　and　travel；　and　of　one　also；〃　he　added；　glancing　at　Amyas's　giant　bulk；　〃the　vastness　of　whose　strength；　beyond　that　of　common　mortality；　makes　it　no　more　shame　for　me　to　have　been　overpowered　and　carried　away　by　him　than　if　my　captor　had　been　a　paladin　of　Charlemagne's。〃

Honest　Amyas　bowed　and　stammered；　a　little　thrown　off　his　balance　by　the　unexpected　assurance　and　cool　flattery　of　his　prisoner；　but　he　said

〃If　you　are　satisfied；　illustrious　senor；　I　am　bound　to　be　so。　　I　only　trust　that　in　my　hurry　and　the　darkness　I　have　not　hurt　you　unnecessarily。〃

The　Don　laughed　a　pretty　little　hollow　laugh：　〃No；　kind　senor；　my　head；　I　trust；　will　after　a　few　days　have　become　united　to　my　shoulders；　and；　for　the　present；　your　company　will　make　me　forget　any　slight　discomfort。〃

〃Pardon　me；　senor；　but　by　this　daylight　I　should　have　seen　that　armor　before。〃

〃I　doubt　it　not；　senor；　as　having　been　yourself　also　in　the　forefront　of　the　battle；〃　said　the　Spaniard；　with　a　proud　smile。

〃If　I　am　right；　senor；　you　are　he　who　yesterday　held　up　the　standard　after　it　was　shot　down。〃

〃I　do　not　deny　that　undeserved　honor；　and　I　have　to　thank　the　courtesy　of　you　and　your　countrymen　for　having　permitted　me　to　do　so　with　impunity。〃

〃Ah；　I　heard　of　that　brave　feat；〃　said　the　lord　deputy。　　〃You　should　consider　yourself；　Mr。　Leigh；　honored　by　being　enabled　to　show　courtesy　to　such　a　warrior。〃

How　long　this　interchange　of　solemn　compliments；　of　which　Amyas　was　getting　somewhat　weary；　would　have　gone　on；　I　know　not；　but　at　that　moment　Raleigh　entered　hastily

〃My　lord；　they　have　hung　out　a　white　flag；　and　are　calling　for　a　parley！〃

The　Spaniard　turned　pale；　and　felt　for　his　sword；　which　was　gone；　and　then；　with　a　bitter　laugh；　murmured　to　himself〃As　I　expected。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　to　hear　it。　　Would　to　Heaven　they　had　simply　fought　it　out！〃　said　Lord　Grey；　half　to　himself；　and　then；　〃Go；　Captain　Raleigh；　and　answer　them　that　（saving　this　gentleman's　presence）　the　laws　of　war　forbid　a　parley　with　any　who　are　leagued　with　rebels　against　their　lawful　sovereign。〃

〃But　what　if　they　wish　to　treat　for　this　gentleman's　ransom？〃

〃For　their　own；　more　likely；〃　said　the　Spaniard；　〃but　tell　them；　on　my　part；　senor；　that　Don　Guzman　refuses　to　be　ransomed；　and　will　return　to　no　camp　where　the　commanding　officer；　unable　to　infect　his　captains　with　his　own　cowardice；　dishonors　them　against　their　will。〃

〃You　speak　sharply；　senor；〃　said　Winter；　after　Raleigh　had　gone　out。

〃I　have　reason；　Senor　Admiral；　as　you　will　find；　I　fear；　erelong。〃

〃We　shall　have　the　honor　of　leaving　you　here；　for　the　present；　sir；　as　Admiral　Winter's　guest；〃　said　the　lord　deputy。

〃But　not　my　sword；　it　seems。〃

〃Pardon　me；　senor；　but　no　one　has　deprived　you　of　your　sword；〃　said　Winter。

〃I　don't　wish　to　pain　you；　sir；〃　said　Amyas；　〃but　I　fear　that　we　were　both　careless　enough　to　leave　it　behind　last　night。〃

A　flash　passed　over　the　Spaniard's　face；　which　disclosed　terrible　depths　of　fury　and　hatred　beneath　that　quiet　mask；　as　the　summer　lightning　displays　the　black　abysses　of　the　thunder…storm；　but　like　the　summer　lightning　it　passed　almost　unseen；　and　blandly　as　ever；　he　answered：

〃I　can　forgive　you　for　such　a　neglect；　most　valiant　sir；　more　easily　than　I　can　forgive　myself。　　Farewell；　sir！　　One　who　has　lost　his　sword　is　no　fit　company　for　you。〃　　And　as　Amyas　and　the　rest　departed；　he　plunged　into　the　inner　tent；　stamping　and　writhing；　gnawing　his　hands　with　rage　and　shame。

As　Amyas　came　out　on　the　battery；　Yeo　hailed　him：

〃Master　Amyas！　　Hillo；　sir！　　For　the　love　of　Heaven；　tell　me！〃

〃What；　then？〃

〃Is　his　lordship　stanch？　　Will　he　do　the　Lord's　work　faithfully；　root　and　branch：　or　will　he　spare　the　Amalekites？〃

〃The　latter；　I　think；　old　hip…and…thigh；〃　said　Amyas；　hurrying　forward　to　hear　the　news　from　Raleigh；　who　appeared　in　sight　once　more。

〃They　ask　to　depart　with　bag　and　baggage；〃　said　he；　when　he　came　up。

〃God　do　so　to　me；　and　more　also；　if　they　carry　away　a　straw！〃　said　Lord　Grey。　　〃Make　short　work　of　it；　sir！〃

〃I　do　not　know　how　that　will　be；　my　lord；　as　I　came　up　a　captain　shouted　to　me　off　the　walls　that　there　were　mutineers；　and；　denying　that　he　surrendered；　would　have　pulled　down　the　flag　of　truce；　but　the　soldiers　beat　him　off。〃

〃A　house　divided　against　itself　will　not　stand　long；　gentlemen。　Tell　them　that　I　give　no　conditions。　　Let　them　lay　down　their　arms；　and　trust　in　the　Bishop　of　Rome　who　sent　them　hither；　and　may　come　to　save　them　if　he　wants　them。　　Gunners；　if　you　see　the　white　flag　go　down；　open　your　fire　instantly。　　Captain　Raleigh；　we　need　your　counsel　here。　　Mr。　Cary；　will　you　be　my　herald　this　time？〃

〃A　better　Protestant　never　went　on　a　pleasanter　errand；　my　lord。〃

So　Cary　went；　and　then　ensued　an　argument；　as　to　what　should　be　done　with　the　prisoners　in　case　of　a　surrender。

I　cannot　tell　whether　my　Lord　Grey　meant；　by　offering　conditions　which　the　Spaniards　would　not　accept；　to　force　them　into　fighting　the　quarrel　out；　and　so　save　himself　the　responsibility　of　deciding　on　their　fate；　or　whether　his　mere　natural　stubbornness；　as　well　as　his　just　indignation；　drove　him　on　too　far　to　retract：　but　the　council　of　war　which　followed　was　both　a　sad　and　a　stormy　one；　and　one　which　he　had　reason　to　regret　to　his　dying　day。　　What　was　to　be　done　with　the　enemy？　　They　already　outnumbered　the　English；　and　some　fifteen　hundred　of　Desmond's　wild　Irish　hovered　in　the　forests　round；　ready　to　side　with　the　winning　party；　or　even　to　attack　the　English　at　the　least　sign　of　vacillation　or　fear。　　They　could　not　carry　the　Spaniards　away　with　them；　for　they　had　neither　shipping　nor　food；　not　even　handcuffs　enough　for　them；　and　as　Mackworth　told　Winter　when　he　proposed　it；　the　only　plan　was　for　him　to　make　San　Josepho　a　present　of　his　ships；　and　swim　home　himself　as　he　could。　To　turn　loose　in　Ireland；　as　Captain　Touch　urged；　on　the　other　hand；　seven　hundred　such　monsters　of　lawlessness；　cruelty；　and　lust；　as　Spanish　and　Italian　condottieri　were　in　those　days；　was　as　fatal　to　t