westward ho-第71章
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； all the ladies crowded round him； the servants brought chairs and benches； and Don Guzman； taking his seat in the midst； with a proud humility； at Lady Grenville's feet； began
〃Your perfections； fair and illustrious ladies； must doubtless have heard； ere now； how Sebastian Cabota； some forty…five years ago； sailed forth with a commission from my late master； the Emperor Charles the Fifth； to discover the golden lands of Tarshish； Ophir； and Cipango； but being in want of provisions； stopped short at the mouth of that mighty South American river to which he gave the name of Rio de la Plata； and sailing up it； discovered the fair land of Paraguay。 But you may not have heard how； on the bank of that river； at the mouth of the Rio Terceiro； he built a fort which men still call Cabot's Tower； nor have you； perhaps； heard of the strange tale which will ever make the tower a sacred spot to all true lovers。
〃For when he returned to Spain the year after； he left in his tower a garrison of a hundred and twenty men； under the command of Nuno de Lara； Ruiz Moschera； and Sebastian da Hurtado； old friends and fellow…soldiers of my invincible grandfather Don Ferdinando da Soto； and with them a jewel； than which Spain never possessed one more precious； Lucia Miranda； the wife of Hurtado； who； famed in the court of the emperor no less for her wisdom and modesty than for her unrivalled beauty； had thrown up all the pomp and ambition of a palace； to marry a poor adventurer； and to encounter with him the hardships of a voyage round the world。 Mangora； the cacique of the neighboring Timbuez Indians （with whom Lara had contrived to establish a friendship）； cast his eyes on this fair creature； and no sooner saw than he coveted； no sooner coveted than he plotted； with the devilish subtilty of a savage； to seize by force what he knew he could never gain by right。 She soon found out his passion （she was wise enoughwhat every woman is notto know when she is loved）； and telling her husband； kept as much as she could out of her new lover's sight； while the savage pressed Hurtado to come and visit him； and to bring his lady with him。 Hurtado； suspecting the snare； and yet fearing to offend the cacique； excused himself courteously on the score of his soldier's duty； and the savage； mad with desire and disappointment； began plotting against Hurtado's life。
〃So went on several weeks； till food grew scarce； and Don Hurtado and Don Ruiz Moschera； with fifty soldiers； were sent up the river on a foraging party。 Mangora saw his opportunity； and leapt at it forthwith。
〃The tower； ladies； as I have heard from those who have seen it； stands on a knoll at the meeting of the two rivers； while on the land side stretches a dreary marsh； covered with tall grass and bushes； a fit place for the ambuscade of four thousand Indians； which Mangora； with devilish cunning； placed around the tower； while he himself went boldly up to it； followed by thirty men； laden with grain； fruit； game； and all the delicacies which his forests could afford。
〃There； with a smiling face； he told the unsuspecting Lara his sorrow for the Spaniards' want of food； besought him to accept the provision he had brought； and was； as he had expected； invited by Lara to come in and taste the wines of Spain。
〃In went he and his thirty fellow…bandits； and the feast continued； with songs and libations； far into the night； while Mangora often looked round； and at last boldly asked for the fair Miranda： but she had shut herself into her lodging； pleading illness。
〃A plea； fair ladies； which little availed that hapless dame； for no sooner had the Spaniards retired to rest； leaving （by I know not what madness） Mangora and his Indians within； than they were awakened by the cry of fire； the explosion of their magazine； and the inward rush of the four thousand from the marsh outside。
〃Why pain your gentle ears with details of slaughter？ A few fearful minutes sufficed to exterminate my bewildered and unarmed countrymen； to bind the only survivors； Miranda （innocent cause of the whole tragedy） and four other women with their infants； and to lead them away in triumph across the forest towards the Indian town。
〃Stunned by the suddenness of the evils which had passed； and still more by the thought of those worse which were to come （as she too well foresaw）； Miranda travelled all night through the forest； and was brought in triumph at day…dawn before the Indian king to receive her doom。 Judge of her astonishment； when； on looking up； she saw that he was not Mangora。
〃A ray of hope flashed across her； and she asked where he was。
〃'He was slain last night；' said the king； 'and I； his brother Siripa； am now cacique of the Timbuez。'
〃It was true； Lara； maddened with drink； rage； and wounds； had caught up his sword； rushed into the thick of the fight； singled out the traitor； and slain him on the spot； and then； forgetting safety in revenge； had continued to plunge his sword into the corpse； heedless of the blows of the savages； till he fell pierced with a hundred wounds。
〃A ray of hope； as I said； flashed across the wretched Miranda for a moment； but the next she found that she had been freed from one bandit only to be delivered to another。
〃'Yes；' said the new king； in broken Spanish； 'my brother played a bold stake； and lost it； but it was well worth the risk； and he showed his wisdom thereby。 You cannot be his queen now： you must content yourself with being mine。'
〃Miranda； desperate； answered him with every fierce taunt which she could invent against his treachery and his crime； and asked him； how he came to dream that the wife of a Christian Spaniard would condescend to become the mistress of a heathen savage； hoping； unhappy lady； to exasperate him into killing her on the spot。 But in vain； she only prolonged thereby her own misery。 For； whether it was； ladies； that the novel sight of divine virtue and beauty awed （as it may have awed me ere now）； where it had just before maddened； or whether some dream crossed the savage （as it may have crossed me ere now）； that he could make the wisdom of a mortal angel help his ambition； as well as her beauty his happiness； or whether （which I will never believe of one of those dark children of the devil； though I can boldly assert it of myself） some spark of boldness within him made him too proud to take by force what he could not win by persuasion； certain it is； as the Indians themselves confessed afterwards； that the savage only answered her by smiles； and bidding his men unbind her； told her that she was no slave of his； and that it only lay with her to become the sovereign of him and all his vassals； assigned her a hut to herself； loaded her with savage ornaments； and for several weeks treated her with no less courtesy （so miraculous is the power of love） than if he had been a cavalier of Castile。
〃Three months and more； ladies； as I have heard； passed in this misery； and every day Miranda grew more desperate of all deliverance； and saw staring her in the face； nearer and nearer； some hideous and shameful end； when one day going down with the wives of the cacique to draw water in the river； she saw on the opposite bank a white man in a tattered Spanish dress； with a drawn sword in his hand； who had no sooner espied her； than shrieking her name； he plunged into the stream； swam across； landed at her feet； and clasped her in his arms。 It was no other； ladies； incredible as it may seem； than Don Sebastian himself； who had returned with Ruiz Moschera to the tower； and found it only a charred and bloodstained heap of ruins。
〃He guessed； as by inspiration； what had passed； and whither his lady was gone； and without a thought of danger； like a true Spanish gentleman and a true Spanish lover； darted off alone into the forest； and guided only by the inspiration of his own loyal heart； found again his treasure； and found it still unstained and his own。
〃Who can describe the joy； and who again the terror； of their meeting？ The Indian women had fled in fear； and for the short ten minutes that the lovers were left together； life； to be sure； was one long kiss。 But what to do they knew not。 To go inland was to rush into the enemy'
