westward ho-第58章

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essness；　cruelty；　and　lust；　as　Spanish　and　Italian　condottieri　were　in　those　days；　was　as　fatal　to　their　own　safety　as　cruel　to　the　wretched　Irish。　　All　the　captains；　without　exception；　followed　on　the　same　side。　　〃What　was　to　be　done；　then？〃　asked　Lord　Grey；　impatiently。　　〃Would　they　have　him　murder　them　all　in　cold　blood？〃

And　for　a　while　every　man；　knowing　that　it　must　come　to　that；　and　yet　not　daring　to　say　it；　till　Sir　Warham　St。　Leger；　the　marshal　of　Munster；　spoke　out　stoutly：　〃Foreigners　had　been　scoffing　them　too　long　and　too　truly　with　waging　these　Irish　wars　as　if　they　meant　to　keep　them　alive；　rather　than　end　them。　　Mercy　and　faith　to　every　Irishman　who　would　show　mercy　and　faith；　was　his　motto；　but　to　invaders；　no　mercy。　　Ireland　was　England's　vulnerable　point；　it　might　be　some　day　her　ruin；　a　terrible　example　must　be　made　of　those　who　dare　to　touch　the　sore。　　Rather　pardon　the　Spaniards　for　landing　in　the　Thames　than　in　Ireland！〃till　Lord　Grey　became　much　excited；　and　turning　as　a　last　hope　to　Raleigh；　asked　his　opinion：　but　Raleigh's　silver　tongue　was　that　day　not　on　the　side　of　indulgence。　　He　skilfully　recapitulated　the　arguments　of　his　fellow…captains；　improving　them　as　he　went　on；　till　each　worthy　soldier　was　surprised　to　find　himself　so　much　wiser　a　man　than　he　had　thought；　and　finished　by　one　of　his　rapid　and　passionate　perorations　upon　his　favorite　themethe　West　Indian　cruelties　of　the　Spaniards；　〃。　。　。　by　which　great　tracts　and　fair　countries　are　now　utterly　stripped　of　inhabitants　by　heavy　bondage　and　torments　unspeakable。　　Oh；　witless　Islanders！〃　said　he；　apostrophizing　the　Irish；　〃would　to　Heaven　that　you　were　here　to　listen　to　me！　　What　other　fate　awaits　you；　if　this　viper；　which　you　are　so　ready　to　take　into　your　bosom；　should　be　warmed　to　life；　but　to　groan　like　the　Indians；　slaves　to　the　Spaniard；　but　to　perish　like　the　Indians；　by　heavy　burdens；　cruel　chains；　plunder　and　ravishment；　scourged；　racked；　roasted；　stabbed；　sawn　in　sunder；　cast　to　feed　the　dogs；　as　simple　and　more　righteous　peoples　have　perished　ere　now　by　millions？　　And　what　else；　I　say；　had　been　the　fate　of　Ireland　had　this　invasion　prospered；　which　God　has　now；　by　our　weak　hands；　confounded　and　brought　to　naught？　　Shall　we　then　answer　it；　my　lord；　either　to　our　conscience；　our　God；　or　our　queen；　if　we　shall　set　loose　men　（not　one　of　whom；　I　warrant；　but　is　stained　with　murder　on　murder）　to　go　and　fill　up　the　cup　of　their　iniquity　among　these　silly　sheep？　　Have　not　their　native　wolves；　their　barbarous　chieftains；　shorn；　peeled；　and　slaughtered　them　enough　already；　but　we　must　add　this　pack　of　foreign　wolves　to　the　number　of　their　tormentors；　and　fit　the　Desmond　with　a　body…guard　of　seven；　yea；　seven　hundred　devils　worse　than　himself？　　Nay；　rather　let　us　do　violence　to　our　own　human　nature；　and　show　ourselves　in　appearance　rigorous；　that　we　may　be　kind　indeed；　lest　while　we　presume　to　be　over…merciful　to　the　guilty；　we　prove　ourselves　to　be　over…cruel　to　the　innocent。〃

〃Captain　Raleigh；　Captain　Raleigh；〃　said　Lord　Grey；　〃the　blood　of　these　men　be　on　your　head！〃

〃It　ill　befits　your　lordship；〃　answered　Raleigh；　〃to　throw　on　your　subordinates　the　blame　of　that　which　your　reason　approves　as　necessary。〃

〃I　should　have　thought；　sir；　that　one　so　noted　for　ambition　as　Captain　Raleigh　would　have　been　more　careful　of　the　favor　of　that　queen　for　whose　smiles　he　is　said　to　be　so　longing　a　competitor。　If　you　have　not　yet　been　of　her　counsels；　sir；　I　can　tell　you　you　are　not　likely　to　be。　　She　will　be　furious　when　she　hears　of　this　cruelty。〃

Lord　Grey　had　lost　his　temper：　but　Raleigh　kept　his；　and　answered　quietly

〃Her　majesty　shall　at　least　not　find　me　among　the　number　of　those　who　prefer　her　favor　to　her　safety；　and　abuse　to　their　own　profit　that　over…tenderness　and　mercifulness　of　heart　which　is　the　only　blemish　（and　yet；　rather　like　a　mole　on　a　fair　cheek；　but　a　new　beauty）　in　her　manifold　perfections。〃

At　this　juncture　Cary　returned。

〃My　lord；〃　said　he；　in　some　confusion；　〃I　have　proposed　your　terms；　but　the　captains　still　entreat　for　some　mitigation；　and；　to　tell　you　truth；　one　of　them　has　insisted　on　accompanying　me　hither　to　plead　his　cause　himself。〃

〃I　will　not　see　him；　sir。　　Who　is　he？〃

〃His　name　is　Sebastian　of　Modena；　my　lord。〃

〃Sebastian　of　Modena？　　What　think　you；　gentlemen？　　May　we　make　an　exception　in　favor　of　so　famous　a　soldier？〃

〃So　villainous　a　cut…throat；〃　said　Zouch　to　Raleigh；　under　his　breath。

All；　however；　were　for　speaking　with　so　famous　a　man；　and　in　came；　in　full　armor；　a　short；　bull…necked　Italian；　evidently　of　immense　strength；　of　the　true　Caesar　Borgia　stamp。

〃Will　you　please　to　be　seated；　sir？〃　said　Lord　Grey；　coldly。

〃I　kiss　your　hands；　most　illustrious：　but　I　do　not　sit　in　an　enemy's　camp。　　Ha；　my　friend　Zouch！　　How　has　your　signoria　fared　since　we　fought　side　by　side　at　Lepanto？　　So　you　too　are　here；　sitting　in　council　on　the　hanging　of　me。〃

〃What　is　your　errand；　sir？　　Time　is　short；〃　said　the　lord　deputy。

〃Corpo　di　Bacco！　　It　has　been　long　enough　all　the　morning；　for　my　rascals　have　kept　me　and　my　friend　the　Colonel　Hercules　（whom　you　know；　doubtless）　prisoners　in　our　tents　at　the　pike's　point。　　My　lord　deputy；　I　have　but　a　few　words。　　I　shall　thank　you　to　take　every　soldier　in　the　fortItalian；　Spaniard；　and　Irishand　hang　them　up　as　high　as　Haman；　for　a　set　of　mutinous　cowards；　with　the　arch…traitor　San　Josepho　at　their　head。〃

〃I　am　obliged　to　you　for　your　offer；　sir；　and　shall　deliberate　presently　as　to　whether　I　shall　not　accept　it。〃

〃But　as　for　us　captains；　really　your　excellency　must　consider　that　we　are　gentlemen　born；　and　give　us　either　buena　querra；　as　the　Spaniards　say；　or　a　fair　chance　for　life；　and　so　to　my　business。〃

〃Stay；　sir。　　Answer　this　first。　　Have　you　or　yours　any　commission　to　show　either　from　the　King　of　Spain　or　any　other　potentate？〃

〃Never　a　one　but　the　cause　of　Heaven　and　our　own　swords。　　And　with　them；　my　lord；　we　are　ready　to　meet　any　gentlemen　of　your　camp；　man　to　man；　with　our　swords　only；　half…way　between　your　leaguer　and　ours；　and　I　doubt　not　that　your　lordship　will　see　fair　play。　　Will　any　gentleman　accept　so　civil　an　offer？　　There　sits　a　tall　youth　in　that　corner　who　would　suit　me　very　well。　　Will　any　fit　my　gallant　comrades　with　half…an…hour's　punto　and　stoccado？〃

There　was　a　silence；　all　looking　at　the　lord　deputy；　whose　eyes　were　kindling　in　a　very　ugly　way。

〃No　answer？　　Then　I　must　proceed　to　exhortation。　　So！　　Will　that　be　sufficient？〃

And　walking　composedly　across　the　tent；　the　fearless　ruffian　quietly　stooped　down；　and　smote　Amyas　Leigh　full　in　the　face。

Up　sprang　Amyas；　heedless　of　all　the　august　assembly；　and　with　a　single　buffet　felled　him　to　the　earth。

〃Excellent！〃　said　he；　rising　unabashed。　　〃I　can　always　trust　my　instinct。　　I　knew　the　moment　I　saw　him　that　he　was　a　cavalier　worth　letting　blood。　　Now；　sir；　your　sword　and　harness；　and　I　am　at　your　service　outside！〃

The　solemn　and　sententious　Englishmen　were　altogether　taken　aback　by　the　Italian's　impudence；　but　Zouch　settled　the　matter。

〃Most　noble　captain；　will　you　be　pleased　to　recollect　a　certain　little　occurrence　at　Messina；　in　the　year　1575？　　For　if　you　do　not；　I　do；　and　beg　to　inform　this　gentleman　that　you　are　unworthy　of　his　sword；　and　had　you；　unluckily　for　you；　been　an　Englishman；　would　have　found　the　fashions　of　our　country　so　different　from　your　own　that　you　would　have　been　then　hanged；　sir；　and　probably　may　be　so　still。〃

The　Italian's　sword　flashed　out　in　a　moment：　but　Lord　Grey　interfered。

〃No　fighting　here；　gentlemen。　　That　may　wait；　and；　what　is　more；　shall　wait　tillStrike　their　swords　down；　Raleigh；　Mackworth！　Strike　their　swords　down！　　Colonel　Sebastian；　you　will　be　pleased　to　return　as　you　came；　in　safety；　having　lost　nothing；　as　（I　frankly　tell　you）　you　have　gained　nothing；　by　your　wild　bearing　here。　　We　shall　proceed　to　deliberate　on　your　fate。〃

〃I　trust；　my　lord；〃　said　Amyas；　〃that　you　will　spare　this　braggart's　life；　at　least　for　a　day　or　two。　　For　in　spite　of　Captain　Zouch's　warning；　I　must　have　to　do　with　him　yet；　or　my　cheek　will　rise　up　in　judgment　against　me　at　the　last　day。〃

〃Well　spoken；　lad；〃　said　the　col