westward ho-第70章

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　as　well　as　better…born。　　Ah；　if　his　wealth　would　but　supply　her　poverty！　　And　so；　step　by　step；　she　was　being　led　to　sue　in　forma　pauperis　to　the　very　man　whom　she　had　spurned　when　he　sued　in　like　form　to　her。　　That　temptation　of　having　some　mysterious　private　treasure；　of　being　the　priestess　of　some　hidden　sanctuary；　and　being　able　to　thank　Heaven　that　she　was　not　as　other　women　are；　was　becoming　fast　too　much　for　Rose；　as　it　is　too　much　for　most。　For　none　knew　better　than　the　Spaniard　how　much　more　fond　women　are；　by　the　very　law　of　their　sex；　of　worshipping　than　of　being　worshipped；　and　of　obeying　than　of　being　obeyed；　how　their　coyness；　often　their　scorn；　is　but　a　mask　to　hide　their　consciousness　of　weakness；　and　a　mask；　too；　of　which　they　themselves　will　often　be　the　first　to　tire。

And　Rose　was　utterly　tired　of　that　same　mask　as　she　sat　at　table　at　Annery　that　day；　and　Don　Guzman　saw　it　in　her　uneasy　and　downcast　looks；　and　thinking　（conceited　coxcomb）　that　she　must　be　by　now　sufficiently　punished；　stole　a　glance　at　her　now　and　then；　and　was　not　abashed　when　he　saw　that　she　dropped　her　eyes　when　they　met　his；　because　he　saw　her　silence　and　abstraction　increase；　and　something　like　a　blush　steal　into　her　cheeks。　　So　he　pretended　to　be　as　much　downcast　and　abstracted　as　she　was；　and　went　on　with　his　glances；　till　he　once　found　her；　poor　thing；　looking　at　him　to　see　if　he　was　looking　at　her；　and　then　he　knew　his　prey　was　safe；　and　asked　her；　with　his　eyes；　〃Do　you　forgive　me？〃　and　saw　her　stop　dead　in　her　talk　to　her　next　neighbor；　and　falter；　and　drop　her　eyes；　and　raise　them　again　after　a　minute　in　search　of　his；　that　he　might　repeat　the　pleasant　question。　　And　then　what　could　she　do　but　answer　with　all　her　face　and　every　bend　of　her　pretty　neck；　〃And　do　you　forgive　me　in　turn？〃

Whereon　Don　Guzman　broke　out　jubilant；　like　nightingale　on　bough；　with　story；　and　jest；　and　repartee；　and　became　forthwith　the　soul　of　the　whole　company；　and　the　most　charming　of　all　cavaliers。　　And　poor　Rose　knew　that　she　was　the　cause　of　his　sudden　change　of　mood；　and　blamed　herself　for　what　she　had　done；　and　shuddered　and　blushed　at　her　own　delight；　and　longed　that　the　feast　was　over；　that　she　might　hurry　home　and　hide　herself　alone　with　sweet　fancies　about　a　love　the　reality　of　which　she　felt　she　dared　not　face。

It　was　a　beautiful　sight；　the　great　terrace　at　Annery　that　afternoon；　with　the　smart　dames　in　their　gaudy　dresses　parading　up　and　down　in　twos　and　threes　before　the　stately　house；　or　looking　down　upon　the　park；　with　the　old　oaks；　and　the　deer；　and　the　broad　land…locked　river　spread　out　like　a　lake　beneath；　all　bright　in　the　glare　of　the　midsummer　sun；　or　listening　obsequiously　to　the　two　great　ladies　who　did　the　honors；　Mrs。　St。　Leger　the　hostess；　and　her　sister…in…law；　fair　Lady　Grenville。　　All　chatted；　and　laughed；　and　eyed　each　other's　dresses；　and　gossiped　about　each　other's　husbands　and　servants：　only　Rose　Salterne　kept　apart；　and　longed　to　get　into　a　corner　and　laugh　or　cry；　she　knew　not　which。

〃Our　pretty　Rose　seems　sad；〃　said　Lady　Grenville；　coming　up　to　her。　〃Cheer　up；　child！　we　want　you　to　come　and　sing　to　us。〃

Rose　answered　she　knew　not　what；　and　obeyed　mechanically。

She　took　the　lute；　and　sat　down　on　a　bench　beneath　the　house；　while　the　rest　grouped　themselves　round　her。

〃What　shall　I　sing？〃

〃Let　us　have　your　old　song；　'Earl　Haldan's　Daughter。'〃

Rose　shrank　from　it。　　It　was　a　loud　and　dashing　ballad；　which　chimed　in　but　little　with　her　thoughts；　and　Frank　had　praised　it　too；　in　happier　days　long　since　gone　by。　　She　thought　of　him；　and　of　others；　and　of　her　pride　and　carelessness；　and　the　song　seemed　ominous　to　her：　and　yet　for　that　very　reason　she　dared　not　refuse　to　sing　it；　for　fear　of　suspicion　where　no　one　suspected；　and　so　she　began　per　force


I。

〃It　was　Earl　Haldan's　daughter；　She　look'd　across　the　sea；　She　look'd　across　the　water；　And　long　and　loud　laugh'd　she；　'The　locks　of　six　princesses　Must　be　my　marriage…fee；　So　hey　bonny　boat；　and　ho　bonny　boat！　Who　comes　a　wooing　me？'

II。

〃It　was　Earl　Haldan's　daughter；　She　walk'd　along　the　sand；　When　she　was　aware　of　a　knight　so　fair；　Come　sailing　to　the　land。　His　sails　were　all　of　velvet；　His　mast　of　beaten　gold；　And　'hey　bonny　boat；　and　ho　bonny　boat；　Who　saileth　here　so　bold？'

III。

〃'The　locks　of　five　princesses　I　won　beyond　the　sea；　I　shore　their　golden　tresses；　To　fringe　a　cloak　for　thee。　One　handful　yet　is　wanting；　But　one　of　all　the　tale；　So　hey　bonny　boat；　and　ho　bonny　boat！　Furl　up　thy　velvet　sail！'

IV。

〃He　leapt　into　the　water；　That　rover　young　and　bold；　He　gript　Earl　Haldan's　daughter；　He　shore　her　locks　of　gold；　'Go　weep；　go　weep；　proud　maiden；　The　tale　is　full　to…day。　Now　hey　bonny　boat；　and　ho　bonny　boat！　Sail　Westward…ho；　and　away！'〃


As　she　ceased；　a　measured　voice；　with　a　foreign　accent；　thrilled　through　her。

〃In　the　East；　they　say　the　nightingale　sings　to　the　rose；　Devon；　more　happy；　has　nightingale　and　rose　in　one。〃

〃We　have　no　nightingales　in　Devon；　Don　Guzman；〃　said　Lady　Grenville；　〃but　our　little　forest　thrushes　sing；　as　you　hear；　sweetly　enough　to　content　any　ear。　　But　what　brings　you　away　from　the　gentlemen　so　early？〃

〃These　letters；〃　said　he；　〃which　have　just　been　put　into　my　hand；　and　as　they　call　me　home　to　Spain；　I　was　loath　to　lose　a　moment　of　that　delightful　company　from　which　I　must　part　so　soon。〃

〃To　Spain？〃　asked　half…a…dozen　voices：　for　the　Don　was　a　general　favorite。

〃Yes；　and　thence　to　the　Indies。　　My　ransom　has　arrived；　and　with　it　the　promise　of　an　office。　　I　am　to　be　Governor　of　La　Guayra　in　Caracas。　　Congratulate　me　on　my　promotion。〃

A　mist　was　over　Rose's　eyes。　　The　Spaniard's　voice　was　hard　and　flippant。　　Did　he　care　for　her；　after　all？　　And　if　he　did；　was　it　nevertheless　hopeless？　　How　her　cheeks　glowed！　　Everybody　must　see　it！　　Anything　to　turn　away　their　attention　from　her；　and　in　that　nervous　haste　which　makes　people　speak；　and　speak　foolishly　too；　just　because　they　ought　to　be　silent；　she　asked

〃And　where　is　La　Guayra？〃

〃Half　round　the　world；　on　the　coast　of　the　Spanish　Main。　　The　loveliest　place　on　earth；　and　the　loveliest　governor's　house；　in　a　forest　of　palms　at　the　foot　of　a　mountain　eight　thousand　feet　high：　I　shall　only　want　a　wife　there　to　be　in　paradise。〃

〃I　don't　doubt　that　you　may　persuade　some　fair　lady　of　Seville　to　accompany　you　thither；〃　said　Lady　Grenville。

〃Thanks；　gracious　madam：　but　the　truth　is；　that　since　I　have　had　the　bliss　of　knowing　English　ladies；　I　have　begun　to　think　that　they　are　the　only　ones　on　earth　worth　wooing。〃

〃A　thousand　thanks　for　the　compliment；　but　I　fear　none　of　our　free　English　maidens　would　like　to　submit　to　the　guardianship　of　a　duenna。　　Eh；　Rose？　how　should　you　like　to　be　kept　under　lock　and　key　all　day　by　an　ugly　old　woman　with　a　horn　on　her　forehead？〃

Poor　Rose　turned　so　scarlet　that　Lady　Grenville　knew　her　secret　on　the　spot；　and　would　have　tried　to　turn　the　conversation：　but　before　she　could　speak；　some　burgher's　wife　blundered　out　a　commonplace　about　the　jealousy　of　Spanish　husbands；　and　another；　to　make　matters　better；　giggled　out　something　more　true　than　delicate　about　West　Indian　masters　and　fair　slaves。

〃Ladies；〃　said　Don　Guzman；　reddening；　〃believe　me　that　these　are　but　the　calumnies　of　ignorance。　　If　we　be　more　jealous　than　other　nations；　it　is　because　we　love　more　passionately。　　If　some　of　us　abroad　are　profligate；　it　is　because　they；　poor　men；　have　no　helpmate；　which；　like　the　amethyst；　keeps　its　wearer　pure。　　I　could　tell　you　stories；　ladies；　of　the　constancy　and　devotion　of　Spanish　husbands；　even　in　the　Indies；　as　strange　as　ever　romancer　invented。〃

〃Can　you？　　Then　we　challenge　you　to　give　us　one　at　least。〃

〃I　fear　it　would　be　too　long；　madam。〃

〃The　longer　the　more　pleasant；　senor。　　How　can　we　spend　an　hour　better　this　afternoon；　while　the　gentlemen　within　are　finishing　their　wine？〃

Story…telling；　in　those　old　times；　when　books　（and　authors　also；　lucky　for　the　public）　were　rarer　than　now；　was　a　common　amusement；　and　as　the　Spaniard's　accomplishments　in　that　line　were　well　known；　all　the　ladies　crowded　round　him；　the　servants　brought　chairs　and　benches；　and　Don　Guzman；　taking