westward ho-第75章

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er　low　tree…fringed　cliffs；　and　banks　of　golden　broom。　　A　mile　below；　the　long　bridge　and　the　white　walled　town；　all　sleeping　pearly　in　the　soft　haze；　beneath　a　cloudless　vault　of　blue。　　The　white　glare　of　dawn；　which　last　night　hung　high　in　the　northwest；　has　travelled　now　to　the　northeast；　and　above　the　wooded　wall　of　the　hills　the　sky　is　flushing　with　rose　and　amber。

A　long　line　of　gulls　goes　wailing　up　inland；　the　rooks　from　Annery　come　cawing　and　sporting　round　the　corner　at　Landcross；　while　high　above　them　four　or　five　herons　flap　solemnly　along　to　find　their　breakfast　on　the　shallows。　　The　pheasants　and　partridges　are　clucking　merrily　in　the　long　wet　grass；　every　copse　and　hedgerow　rings　with　the　voice　of　birds；　but　the　lark；　who　has　been　singing　since　midnight　in　the　〃blank　height　of　the　dark；〃　suddenly　hushes　his　carol　and　drops　headlong　among　the　corn；　as　a　broad…winged　buzzard　swings　from　some　wooded　peak　into　the　abyss　of　the　valley；　and　hangs　high…poised　above　the　heavenward　songster。　　The　air　is　full　of　perfume；　sweet　clover；　new…mown　hay；　the　fragrant　breath　of　kine；　the　dainty　scent　of　sea…weed　wreaths　and　fresh　wet　sand。　Glorious　day；　glorious　place；　〃bridal　of　earth　and　sky；〃　decked　well　with　bridal　garlands；　bridal　perfumes；　bridal　songs；What　do　those　four　cloaked　figures　there　by　the　river　brink；　a　dark　spot　on　the　fair　face　of　the　summer　morn？

Yet　one　is　as　cheerful　as　if　he　too；　like　all　nature　round　him；　were　going　to　a　wedding；　and　that　is　Will　Cary。　　He　has　been　bathing　down　below；　to　cool　his　brain　and　steady　his　hand；　and　he　intends　to　stop　Don　Guzman　Maria　Magdalena　Sotomayor　de　Soto's　wooing　for　ever　and　a　day。　　The　Spaniard　is　in　a　very　different　mood；　fierce　and　haggard；　he　is　pacing　up　and　down　the　sand。　　He　intends　to　kill　Will　Cary；　but　then？　　Will　he　be　the　nearer　to　Rose　by　doing　so？　　Can　he　stay　in　Bideford？　　Will　she　go　with　him？　Shall　he　stoop　to　stain　his　family　by　marrying　a　burgher's　daughter？　　It　is　a　confused；　all　but　desperate　business；　and　Don　Guzman　is　certain　but　of　one　thing；　that　he　is　madly　in　love　with　this　fair　witch；　and　that　if　she　refuse　him；　then；　rather　than　see　her　accept　another　man；　he　would　kill　her　with　his　own　hands。

Sir　Richard　Grenville　too　is　in　no　very　pleasant　humor；　as　St。　Leger　soon　discovers；　when　the　two　seconds　begin　whispering　over　their　arrangements。

〃We　cannot　have　either　of　them　killed；　Arthur。〃

〃Mr。　Cary　swears　he　will　kill　the　Spaniard；　sir。〃

〃He　sha'n't。　　The　Spaniard　is　my　guest。　　I　am　answerable　for　him　to　Leigh；　and　for　his　ransom　too。　　And　how　can　Leigh　accept　the　ransom　if　the　man　is　not　given　up　safe　and　sound？　　They　won't　pay　for　a　dead　carcass；　boy！　　The　man's　life　is　worth　two　hundred　pounds。〃

〃A　very　bad　bargain；；　sir；　for　those　who　pay　the　said　two　hundred　for　the　rascal；　but　what　if　he　kills　Cary？〃

〃Worse　still。　　Cary　must　not　be　killed。　　I　am　very　angry　with　him；　but　he　is　too　good　a　lad　to　be　lost；　and　his　father　would　never　forgive　us。　　We　must　strike　up　their　swords　at　the　first　scratch。〃

〃It　will　make　them　very　mad；　sir。〃

〃Hang　them！　let　them　fight　us　then；　if　they　don't　like　our　counsel。　It　must　be；　Arthur。〃

〃Be　sure；　sir；〃　said　Arthur；　〃that　whatsoever　you　shall　command　I　shall　perform。　　It　is　only　too　great　an　honor　to　a　young　man　as　I　am　to　find　myself　in　the　same　duel　with　your　worship；　and　to　have　the　advantage　of　your　wisdom　and　experience。〃

Sir　Richard　smiles；　and　says〃Now；　gentlemen！　are　you　ready？〃

The　Spaniard　pulls　out　a　little　crucifix；　and　kisses　it　devoutly；　smiting　on　his　breast；　crosses　himself　two　or　three　times；　and　says〃Most　willingly；　senor。〃

Cary　kisses　no　crucifix；　but　says　a　prayer　nevertheless。

Cloaks　and　doublets　are　tossed　off；　the　men　placed；　the　rapiers　measured　hilt　and　point；　Sir　Richard　and　St。　Leger　place　themselves　right　and　left　of　the　combatants；　facing　each　other；　the　points　of　their　drawn　swords　on　the　sand。　　Cary　and　the　Spaniard　stand　for　a　moment　quite　upright；　their　sword…arms　stretched　straight　before　them；　holding　the　long　rapier　horizontally；　the　left　hand　clutching　the　dagger　close　to　their　breasts。　　So　they　stand　eye　to　eye；　with　clenched　teeth　and　pale　crushed　lips；　while　men　might　count　a　score；　St。　Leger　can　hear　the　beating　of　his　own　heart；　Sir　Richard　is　praying　inwardly　that　no　life　may　be　lost。　　Suddenly　there　is　a　quick　turn　of　Cary's　wrist　and　a　leap　forward。　　The　Spaniard's　dagger　flashes；　and　the　rapier　is　turned　aside；　Cary　springs　six　feet　back　as　the　Spaniard　rushes　on　him　in　turn。　　Parry；　thrust；　parrythe　steel　rattles；　the　sparks　fly；　the　men　breathe　fierce　and　loud；　the　devil's　game　is　begun　in　earnest。

Five　minutes　have　the　two　had　instant　death　a　short　six　inches　off　from　those　wild　sinful　hearts　of　theirs；　and　not　a　scratch　has　been　given。　　Yes！　the　Spaniard's　rapier　passes　under　Cary's　left　arm；　he　bleeds。

〃A　hit！　a　hit！　　Strike　up；　Atty！〃　and　the　swords　are　struck　up　instantly。

Cary；　nettled　by　the　smart；　tries　to　close　with　his　foe；　but　the　seconds　cross　their　swords　before　him。

〃It　is　enough；　gentlemen。　　Don　Guzman's　honor　is　satisfied！〃

〃But　not　my　revenge；　senor；〃　says　the　Spaniard；　with　a　frown。　〃This　duel　is　a　l'outrance；　on　my　part；　and；　I　believe；　on　Mr。　Cary's　also。〃

〃By　heaven；　it　is！〃　says　Will；　trying　to　push　past。　　〃Let　me　go；　Arthur　St。　Leger；　one　of　us　must　down。　　Let　me　go；　I　say！〃

〃If　you　stir；　Mr。　Cary；　you　have　to　do　with　Richard　Grenville！〃　thunders　the　lion　voice。　　〃I　am　angry　enough　with　you　for　having　brought　on　this　duel　at　all。　　Don't　provoke　me　still　further；　young　hot…head！〃

Cary　stops　sulkily。

〃You　do　not　know　all；　Sir　Richard；　or　you　would　not　speak　in　this　way。〃

〃I　do；　sir；　all；　and　I　shall　have　the　honor　of　talking　it　over　with　Don　Guzman　myself。〃

〃Hey！〃　said　the　Spaniard。　　〃You　came　here　as　my　second；　Sir　Richard；　as　I　understood；　but　not　as　my　counsellor。〃

〃Arthur；　take　your　man　away！　　Cary！　obey　me　as　you　would　your　father；　sir！　　Can　you　not　trust　Richard　Grenville？〃

〃Come　away；　for　God's　sake！〃　says　poor　Arthur；　dragging　Cary's　sword　from　him；　〃Sir　Richard　must　know　best！〃

So　Cary　is　led　off　sulking；　and　Sir　Richard　turns　to　the　Spaniard；

〃And　now；　Don　Guzman；　allow　me；　though　much　against　my　will；　to　speak　to　you　as　a　friend　to　a　friend。　　You　will　pardon　me　if　I　say　that　I　cannot　but　have　seen　last　night's　devotion　to〃

〃You　will　be　pleased；　senor；　not　to　mention　the　name　of　any　lady　to　whom　I　may　have　shown　devotion。　　I　am　not　accustomed　to　have　my　little　affairs　talked　over　by　any　unbidden　counsellors。〃

〃Well；　senor；　if　you　take　offence；　you　take　that　which　is　not　given。　　Only　I　warn　you；　with　all　apologies　for　any　seeming　forwardness；　that　the　quest　on　which　you　seem　to　be　is　one　on　which　you　will　not　be　allowed　to　proceed。〃

〃And　who　will　stop　me？〃　asked　the　Spaniard；　with　a　fierce　oath。

〃You　are　not　aware；　illustrious　senor；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　parrying　the　question；　〃that　our　English　laity　look　upon　mixed　marriages　with　full　as　much　dislike　as　your　own　ecclesiastics。〃

〃Marriage；　sir？　　Who　gave　you　leave　to　mention　that　word　to　me？〃

Sir　Richard's　brow　darkened；　the　Spaniard；　in　his　insane　pride；　had　forced　upon　the　good　knight　a　suspicion　which　was　not　really　just。

〃Is　it　possible；　then；　Senor　Don　Guzman；　that　I　am　to　have　the　shame　of　mentioning　a　baser　word？〃

〃Mention　what　you　will；　sir。　　All　words　are　the　same　to　me；　for；　just　or　unjust；　I　shall　answer　them　alike　only　by　my　sword。〃

〃You　will　do　no　such　thing；　sir。　　You　forget　that　I　am　your　host。〃

〃And　do　you　suppose　that　you　have　therefore　a　right　to　insult　me？　Stand　on　your　guard；　sir！〃

Grenville　answered　by　slapping　his　own　rapier　home　into　the　sheath　with　a　quiet　smile。

〃Senor　Don　Guzman　must　be　well　enough　aware　of　who　Richard　Grenville　is；　to　know　that　he　may　claim　the　right　of　refusing　duel　to　any　man；　if　he　shall　so　think　fit。〃

〃Sir！〃　cried　the　Spaniard；　with　an　oath；　〃this　is　too　much！　　Do　you　dare　to　hint　that　I　am　unworthy　of　your　sword？　　Know；　insolent　Englishman；　I　am　not　merely　a　De　Soto；　though　that；　by　St。　James；　were　enough　for　you　or　any　man。　　I　am　a　Sotomayor；　a　Mendoza；　a　Bovadilla；　a　Losada；　asir！　I　have　blood　royal　in　my　veins；　and