westward ho-第77章

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th　carving　and　gilding　and　coats　of　arms；　and　noteworthy　for　many　strange　knickknacks；　Spanish　gold　and　silver　vessels　on　the　sideboard；　strange　birds　and　skins；　and　charts　and　rough　drawings　of　coast　which　hung　about　the　room；　while　over　the　fireplace；　above　the　portrait　of　old　Captain　Will　Hawkins；　pet　of　Henry　the　Eighth；　hung　the　Spanish　ensign　which　Captain　John　had　taken　in　fair　fight　at　Rio　de　la　Hacha　fifteen　years　before；　when；　with　two　hundred　men；　he　seized　the　town　in　despite　of　ten　hundred　Spanish　soldiers；　and　watered　his　ship　triumphantly　at　the　enemy's　wells。

The　gentleman　was　a　tall　fair　man；　with　a　broad　and　lofty　forehead；　wrinkled　with　study；　and　eyes　weakened　by　long　poring　over　the　crucible　and　the　furnace。

The　lady　had　once　been　comely　enough；　but　she　was　aged　and　worn；　as　sailors'　wives　are　apt　to　be；　by　many　sorrows。　　Many　a　sad　day　had　she　had　already；　for　although　John　Hawkins；　port…admiral　of　Plymouth；　and　patriarch　of　British　shipbuilders；　was　a　faithful　husband　enough；　and　as　ready　to　forgive　as　he　was　to　quarrel；　yet　he　was　obstinate　and　ruthless；　and　in　spite　of　his　religiosity　（for　all　men　were　religious　then）　was　by　no　means　a　〃consistent　walker。〃

And　sadder　days　were　in　store　for　her；　poor　soul。　　Nine　years　hence　she　would　be　asked　to　name　her　son's　brave　new　ship；　and　would　christen　it　The　Repentance；　giving　no　reason　in　her　quiet　steadfast　way　（so　says　her　son　Sir　Richard）　but　that　〃Repentance　was　the　best　ship　in　which　we　could　sail　to　the　harbor　of　heaven；〃　and　she　would　hear　that　Queen　Elizabeth；　complaining　of　the　name　for　an　unlucky　one；　had　re…christened　her　The　Dainty；　not　without　some　by…quip；　perhaps；　at　the　character　of　her　most　dainty　captain；　Richard　Hawkins；　the　complete　seaman　and　Euphuist　afloat；　of　whom；　perhaps；　more　hereafter。

With　sad　eyes　Mrs。　（then　Lady）　Hawkins　would　see　that　gallant　bark　sail　Westward…ho；　to　go　the　world　around；　as　many　another　ship　sailed；　and　then　wait；　as　many　a　mother　beside　had　waited；　for　the　sail　which　never　returned；　till；　dim　and　uncertain；　came　tidings　of　her　boy　fighting　for　four　days　three　great　Armadas　（for　the　coxcomb　had　his　father's　heart　in　him　after　all）；　a　prisoner；　wounded；　ruined；　languishing　for　weary　years　in　Spanish　prisons。　　And　a　sadder　day　than　that　was　in　store；　when　a　gallant　fleet　should　round　the　Ram　Head；　not　with　drum　and　trumpet；　but　with　solemn　minute…guns；　and　all　flags　half…mast　high；　to　tell　her　that　her　terrible　husband's　work　was　done；　his　terrible　heart　broken　by　failure　and　fatigue；　and　his　body　laid　by　Drake's　beneath　the　far…　off　tropic　seas。

And　if；　at　the　close　of　her　eventful　life；　one　gleam　of　sunshine　opened　for　a　while；　when　her　boy　Richard　returned　to　her　bosom　from　his　Spanish　prison；　to　be　knighted　for　his　valor；　and　made　a　privy　councillor　for　his　wisdom；　yet　soon；　how　soon；　was　the　old　cloud　to　close　in　again　above　her；　until　her　weary　eyes　should　open　in　the　light　of　Paradise。　　For　that　son　dropped　dead；　some　say　at　the　very　council…table；　leaving　behind　him　naught　but　broken　fortunes；　and　huge　purposes　which　never　were　fulfilled；　and　the　stormy　star　of　that　bold　race　was　set　forever；　and　Lady　Hawkins　bowed　her　weary　head　and　died；　the　groan　of　those　stolen　negroes　ringing　in　her　ears；　having　lived　long　enough　to　see　her　husband's　youthful　sin　become　a　national　institution；　and　a　national　curse　for　generations　yet　unborn。

I　know　not　why　she　opened　her　heart　that　night　to　Adrian　Gilbert；　with　a　frankness　which　she　would　hardly　have　dared　to　use　to　her　own　family。　　Perhaps　it　was　that　Adrian；　like　his　great　brothers；　Humphrey　and　Raleigh；　was　a　man　full　of　all　lofty　and　delicate　enthusiasms；　tender　and　poetical；　such　as　women　cling　to　when　their　hearts　are　lonely；　but　so　it　was；　and　Adrian；　half　ashamed　of　his　own　ambitious　dreams；　sate　looking　at　her　a　while　in　silence；　and　then

〃The　Lord　be　with　you；　dearest　lady。　　Strange；　how　you　women　sit　at　home　to　love　and　suffer；　while　we　men　rush　forth　to　break　our　hearts　and　yours　against　rocks　of　our　own　seeking！　　Ah　well！　were　it　not　for　Scripture；　I　should　have　thought　that　Adam；　rather　than　Eve；　had　been　the　one　who　plucked　the　fruit　of　the　forbidden　tree。〃

〃We　women；　I　fear；　did　the　deed　nevertheless；　for　we　bear　the　doom　of　it　our　lives　long。〃

〃You　always　remind　me；　madam；　of　my　dear　Mrs。　Leigh　of　Burrough；　and　her　counsels。〃

〃Do　you　see　her　often？　　I　hear　of　her　as　one　of　the　Lord's　most　precious　vessels。〃

〃I　would　have　done　more　ere　now　than　see　her；〃　said　he　with　a　blush；　〃had　she　allowed　me：　but　she　lives　only　for　the　memory　of　her　husband　and　the　fame　of　her　noble　sons。〃

As　he　spoke　the　door　opened；　and　in　walked；　wrapped　in　his　rough　sea…gown；　none　other　than　one　of　those　said　noble　sons。

Adrian　turned　pale。

〃Amyas　Leigh！　　What　brings　you　hither？　how　fares　my　brother？　　Where　is　the　ship？〃

〃Your　brother　is　well；　Mr。　Gilbert。　　The　Golden　Hind　is　gone　on　to　Dartmouth；　with　Mr。　Hayes。　　I　came　ashore　here；　meaning　to　go　north　to　Bideford；　ere　I　went　to　London。　　I　called　at　Drake's　just　now；　but　he　was　away。〃

〃The　Golden　Hind？　　What　brings　her　home　so　soon？〃

〃Yet　welcome　ever；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Hawkins。　　〃This　is　a　great　surprise；　though。　　Captain　John　did　not　look　for　you　till　next　year。〃

Amyas　was　silent。

〃Something　is　wrong！〃　cried　Adrian。　　〃Speak！〃

Amyas　tried；　but　could　not。

〃Will　you　drive　a　man　mad；　sir？　　Has　the　adventure　failed？　　You　said　my　brother　was　well。〃

〃He　is　well。〃

〃Then　what　　Why　do　you　look　at　me　in　that　fashion；　sir？〃　and　springing　up；　Adrian　rushed　forward；　and　held　the　candle　to　Amyas's　face。

Amyas's　lip　quivered；　as　he　laid　his　hand　on　Adrian's　shoulder。

〃Your　great　and　glorious　brother；　sir；　is　better　bestowed　than　in　settling　Newfoundland。〃

〃Dead？〃　shrieked　Adrian。

〃He　is　with　the　God　whom　he　served！〃

〃He　was　always　with　Him；　like　Enoch：　parable　me　no　parables；　if　you　love　me；　sir！〃

〃And；　like　Enoch；　he　was　not；　for　God　took　him。〃

Adrian　clasped　his　hands　over　his　forehead；　and　leaned　against　the　table。

〃Go　on；　sir；　go　on。　　God　will　give　me　strength　to　hear　all。〃

And　gradually　Amyas　opened　to　Adrian　that　tragic　story；　which　Mr。　Hayes　has　long　ago　told　far　too　well　to　allow　a　second　edition　of　it　from　me：　of　the　unruliness　of　the　men；　ruffians；　as　I　said　before；　caught　up　at　hap…hazard；　of　conspiracies　to　carry　off　the　ships；　plunder　of　fishing　vessels；　desertions　multiplying　daily；　licenses　from　the　general　to　the　lazy　and　fearful　to　return　home：　till　Adrian　broke　out　with　a　groan

〃From　him？　　Conspired　against　him？　　Deserted　from　him？　　Dotards；　buzzards！　　Where　would　they　have　found　such　another　leader？〃

〃Your　illustrious　brother；　sir；〃　said　Amyas；　〃if　you　will　pardon　me；　was　a　very　great　philosopher；　but　not　so　much　of　a　general。〃

〃General；　sir？　　Where　was　braver　man？〃

〃Not　on　God's　earth；　but　that　does　not　make　a　general；　sir。　　If　Cortez　had　been　brave　and　no　more；　Mexico　would　have　been　Mexico　still。　　The　truth　is；　sir；　Cortez；　like　my　Captain　Drake；　knew　when　to　hang　a　man；　and　your　great　brother　did　not。〃

Amyas；　as　I　suppose；　was　right。　　Gilbert　was　a　man　who　could　be　angry　enough　at　baseness　or　neglect；　but　who　was　too　kindly　to　punish　it；　he　was　one　who　could　form　the　wisest　and　best…digested　plans；　but　who　could　not　stoop　to　that　hail…fellow…well…met　drudgery　among　his　subordinates　which　has　been　the　talisman　of　great　captains。

Then　Amyas　went　on　to　tell　the　rest　of　his　story；　the　setting　sail　from　St。　John's　to　discover　the　southward　coast；　Sir　Humphrey's　chivalrous　determination　to　go　in　the　little　Squirrel　of　only　ten　tons；　and　〃overcharged　with　nettings；　fights；　and　small　ordnance；〃　not　only　because　she　was　more　fit　to　examine　the　creeks；　but　because　he　had　heard　of　some　taunt　against　him　among　the　men；　that　he　was　afraid　of　the　sea。

After　that；　woe　on　woe；　how；　seven　days　after　they　left　Cape　Raz；　their　largest　ship；　the　Delight；　after　she　had　〃most　part　of　the　night〃　（I　quote　Hayes）；　〃like　the　swan　that　singeth　before　her　death；　continued　in　sounding　of　trumpets；　drums；　and　fifes；　also　winding　of　the　comets　and　hautboys；　and；　in　the　end　of　their　jollity；　left　off　with　the　battle　and　doleful　knells；〃　struc