westward ho-第73章

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〃What　use　of　many　words？　　They　were　taken。　　Love；　or　rather　lust；　repelled；　turned　in　a　moment　into　devilish　hate；　and　the　cacique；　summoning　his　Indians；　bade　them　bind　the　wretched　Don　Sebastian　to　a　tree；　and　there　inflicted　on　him　the　lingering　death　to　which　he　had　at　first　been　doomed。　　For　Miranda　he　had　more　exquisite　cruelty　in　store。　　And　shall　I　tell　it？　　Yes；　ladies；　for　the　honor　of　love　and　of　Spain；　and　for　a　justification　of　those　cruelties　against　the　Indians　which　are　so　falsely　imputed　to　our　most　Christian　nation；　it　shall　be　told：　he　delivered　the　wretched　lady　over　to　the　tender　mercies　of　his　wives；　and　what　they　were　is　neither　fit　for　me　to　tell；　nor　you　to　hear。

〃The　two　wretched　lovers　cast　themselves　upon　each　other's　neck；　drank　each　other's　salt　tears　with　the　last　kisses；　accused　themselves　as　the　cause　of　each　other's　death；　and　then；　rising　above　fear　and　grief；　broke　out　into　triumph　at　thus　dying　for　and　with　each　other；　and　proclaiming　themselves　the　martyrs　of　love；　commended　their　souls　to　God；　and　then　stepped　joyfully　and　proudly　to　their　doom。〃

〃And　what　was　that？〃　asked　half…a…dozen　trembling　voices。

〃Don　Sebastian；　as　I　have　said；　was　shot　to　death　with　arrows；　but　as　for　the　Lady　Miranda；　the　wretches　themselves　confessed　afterwards；　when　they　received　due　vengeance　for　their　crimes　（as　they　did　receive　it）；　that　after　all　shameful　and　horrible　indignities；　she　was　bound　to　a　tree；　and　there　burned　slowly　in　her　husband's　sight；　stifling　her　shrieks　lest　they　should　wring　his　heart　by　one　additional　pang；　and　never　taking　her　eyes；　to　the　last；　off　that　beloved　face。　　And　so　died　（but　not　unavenged）　Sebastian　de　Hurtado　and　Lucia　Miranda；a　Spanish　husband　and　a　Spanish　wife。〃

The　Don　paused；　and　the　ladies　were　silent　awhile；　for；　indeed；　there　was　many　a　gentle　tear　to　be　dried；　but　at　last　Mrs。　St。　Leger　spoke；　half；　it　seemed；　to　turn　off　the　too　painful　impression　of　the　over…true　tale；　the　outlines　whereof　may　be　still　read　in　old　Charlevoix。

〃You　have　told　a　sad　and　a　noble　tale；　sir；　and　told　it　well；　but；　though　your　story　was　to　set　forth　a　perfect　husband；　it　has　ended　rather　by　setting　forth　a　perfect　wife。〃

〃And　if　I　have　forgotten；　madam；　in　praising　her　to　praise　him　also；　have　I　not　done　that　which　would　have　best　pleased　his　heroical　and　chivalrous　spirit？　　He；　be　sure；　would　have　forgotten　his　own　virtue　in　the　light　of　hers；　and　he　would　have　wished　me；　I　doubt　not；　to　do　the　same　also。　　And　beside；　madam；　where　ladies　are　the　theme；　who　has　time　or　heart　to　cast　one　thought　upon　their　slaves？〃　　And　the　Don　made　one　of　his　deliberate　and　highly…　finished　bows。

〃Don　Guzman　is　courtier　enough；　as　far　as　compliments　go；〃　said　one　of　the　young　ladies；　〃but　it　was　hardly　courtier…like　of　him　to　find　us　so　sad　an　entertainment；　upon　a　merry　evening。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　another；　〃we　must　ask　him　for　no　more　stories。〃

〃Or　songs　either；〃　said　a　third。　　〃I　fear　he　knows　none　but　about　forsaken　maidens　and　despairing　lovers。〃

〃I　know　nothing　at　all　about　forsaken　ladies；　madam；　because　ladies　are　never　forsaken　in　Spain。〃

〃Nor　about　lovers　despairing　there；　I　suppose？〃

〃That　good　opinion　of　ourselves；　madam；　with　which　you　English　are　pleased　to　twit　us　now　and　then；　always　prevents　so　sad　a　state　of　mind。　　For　myself；　I　have　had　little　to　do　with　love；　but　I　have　had　still　less　to　do　with　despair；　and　intend；　by　help　of　Heaven；　to　have　less。〃

〃You　are　valiant；　sir。〃

〃You　would　not　have　me　a　coward；　madam？〃　and　so　forth。

Now　all　this　time　Don　Guzman　had　been　talking　at　Rose　Salterne；　and　giving　her　the　very　slightest　hint；　every　now　and　then；　that　he　was　talking　at　her；　till　the　poor　girl's　face　was　almost　crimson　with　pleasure；　and　she　gave　herself　up　to　the　spell。　　He　loved　her　still；　perhaps　he　knew　that　she　loved　him：　he　must　know　some　day。　She　felt　now　that　there　was　no　escape；　she　was　almost　glad　to　think　that　there　was　none。

The　dark；　handsome；　stately　face；　the　melodious　voice；　with　its　rich　Spanish　accent；　the　quiet　grace　of　the　gestures；　the　wild　pathos　of　the　story；　even　the　measured　and　inflated　style；　as　of　one　speaking　of　another　and　a　loftier　world；　the　chivalrous　respect　and　admiration　for　woman；　and　for　faithfulness　to　womanwhat　a　man　he　was！　　If　he　had　been　pleasant　heretofore；　he　was　now　enchanting。　All　the　ladies　round　felt　that；　she　could　see；　as　much　as　she　herself　did；　no；　not　quite　as　much；　she　hoped。　　She　surely　understood　him；　and　felt　for　his　loneliness　more　than　any　of　them。　Had　she　not　been　feeling　for　it　through　long　and　sad　months？　　But　it　was　she　whom　he　was　thinking　of；　she　whom　he　was　speaking　to；　all　along。　　Oh；　why　had　the　tale　ended　so　soon？　　She　would　gladly　have　sat　and　wept　her　eyes　out　till　midnight　over　one　melodious　misery　after　another；　but　she　was　quite　wise　enough　to　keep　her　secret　to　herself；　and　sat　behind　the　rest；　with　greedy　eyes　and　demure　lips；　full　of　strange　and　new　happinessor　misery；　she　knew　not　which　to　call　it。

In　the　meanwhile；　as　it　was　ordained；　Cary　could　see　and　hear　through　the　window　of　the　hall　a　good　deal　of　what　was　going　on。

〃How　that　Spanish　crocodile　ogles　the　Rose！〃　whispered　he　to　young　St。　Leger。

〃What　wonder？　　He　is　not　the　first　by　many　a　one。〃

〃Aybut　　By　heaven；　she　is　making　side…shots　at　him　with　those　languishing　eyes　of　hers；　the　little　baggage！〃

〃What　wonder？　　He　is　not　the　first；　say　I；　and　won't　be　the　last。　Pass　the　wine；　man。〃

〃I　have　had　enough；　between　sack　and　singing；　my　head　is　as　mazed　as　a　dizzy　sheep。　　Let　me　slip　out。〃

〃Not　yet；　man；　remember　you　are　bound　for　one　song　more。〃

So　Cary；　against　his　will；　sat　and　sang　another　song；　and　in　the　meanwhile　the　party　had　broken　up；　and　wandered　away　by　twos　and　threes；　among　trim　gardens　and　pleasaunces；　and　clipped　yew…walks


　　　　　Where　west…winds　with　musky　wing　　　　　　About　the　cedarn　alleys　fling　　　　　　Nard　and　cassia's　balmy　smells〃


admiring　the　beauty　of　that　stately　place；　long　since　passed　into　other　hands；　and　fallen　to　decay；　but　then　（if　old　Prince　speaks　true）　one　of　the　noblest　mansions　of　the　West。

At　last　Cary　got　away　and　out；　sober；　but　just　enough　flushed　with　wine　to　be　ready　for　any　quarrel；　and　luckily　for　him；　had　not　gone　twenty　yards　along　the　great　terrace　before　he　met　Lady　Grenville。

〃Has　your　ladyship　seen　Don　Guzman？〃

〃Yeswhy；　where　is　he？　　He　was　with　me　not　ten　minutes　ago。　　You　know　he　is　going　back　to　Spain。〃

〃Going！　　Has　his　ransom　come？〃

〃Yes；　and　with　it　a　governorship　in　the　Indies。〃

〃Governorship！　　Much　good　may　it　do　the　governed。〃

〃Why　not；　then？　　He　is　surely　a　most　gallant　gentleman。〃

〃Gallant　enoughyes；〃　said　Cary；　carelessly。　　〃I　must　find　him；　and　congratulate　him　on　his　honors。〃

〃I　will　help　you　to　find　him；〃　said　Lady　Grenville；　whose　woman's　eye　and　ear　had　already　suspected　something。　　〃Escort　me；　sir。〃

〃It　is　but　too　great　an　honor　to　squire　the　Queen　of　Bideford；〃　said　Cary；　offering　his　hand。

〃If　I　am　your　queen；　sir；　I　must　be　obeyed；〃　answered　she；　in　a　meaning　tone。　　Cary　took　the　hint；　and　went　on　chattering　cheerfully　enough。

But　Don　Guzman　was　not　to　be　found　in　garden　or　in　pleasaunce。

〃Perhaps；〃　at　last　said　a　burgher's　wife；　with　a　toss　of　her　head；　〃your　ladyship　may　meet　with　him　at　Hankford's　oak。〃

〃At　Hankford's　oak！　what　should　take　him　there？〃

〃Pleasant　company；　I　reckon〃　（with　another　toss）。　　〃I　heard　him　and　Mistress　Salterne　talking　about　the　oak　just　now。〃

Cary　turned　pale　and　drew　in　his　breath。

〃Very　likely；〃　said　Lady　Grenville；　quietly。　　〃Will　you　walk　with　me　so　far；　Mr。　Cary？〃

〃To　the　world's　end；　if　your　ladyship　condescends　so　far。〃　　And　off　they　went；　Lady　Grenville　wishing　that　they　were　going　anywhere　else；　but　afraid　to　let　Cary　go　alone；　and　suspecting；　too；　that　some　one　or　other　ought　to　go。

So　they　went　down　past　the　herds　of　deer；　by　a　trim…kept　path　into　the　lonely　dell　where　stood　the　fatal　oak；　and；　as　they　went；　Lady　Grenville；　to　avoid　more　unpleasant　talk；　poured　into　Cary's　unheeding　ears　the　story　（which　he　probably　had　heard　fifty　times　before）　how　old　Chief…justice　Hankford　（whom　some　contradictory　myths　make　the　man　who　c