westward ho-第81章

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illainous　sour　cider？〃

The　men　came　in　yawning；　and　settled　themselves　to　sleep　on　the　floor。

〃Where's　Yeo？〃

No　one　knew；　he　had　gone　out　to　say　his　prayers；　and　had　not　returned。

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Amyas；　who　suspected　some　plot　on　the　old　man's　part。　　〃He'll　take　care　of　himself；　I'll　warrant　him。〃

〃No　fear　of　that；　sir；〃　and　the　four　tars　were　soon　snoring　in　concert　round　the　fire；　while　Amyas　laid　himself　on　the　settle；　with　his　saddle　for　a　pillow。

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It　was　about　midnight；　when　Amyas　leaped　to　his　feet；　or　rather　fell　upon　his　back；　upsetting　saddle；　settle；　and　finally；　table；　under　the　notion　that　ten　thousand　flying　dragons　were　bursting　in　the　window　close　to　his　ear；　with　howls　most　fierce　and　fell。　　The　flying　dragons　past；　however；　being　only　a　flock　of　terror…stricken　geese；　which　flew　flapping　and　screaming　round　the　corner　of　the　house；　but　the　noise　which　had　startled　them　did　not　pass；　and　another　minute　made　it　evident　that　a　sharp　fight　was　going　on　in　the　courtyard；　and　that　Yeo　was　hallooing　lustily　for　help。

Out　turned　the　men；　sword　in　hand；　burst　the　back　door　open；　stumbling　over　pails　and　pitchers；　and　into　the　courtyard；　where　Yeo；　his　back　against　the　stable…door；　was　holding　his　own　manfully　with　sword　and　buckler　against　a　dozen　men。

Dire　and　manifold　was　the　screaming；　geese　screamed；　chickens　screamed；　pigs　screamed；　donkeys　screamed；　Mary　screamed　from　an　upper　window；　and　to　complete　the　chorus；　a　flock　of　plovers；　attracted　by　the　noise；　wheeled　round　and　round　overhead；　and　added　their　screams　also　to　that　Dutch　concert。

The　screaming　went　on；　but　the　fight　ceased；　for；　as　Amyas　rushed　into　the　yard；　the　whole　party　of　ruffians　took　to　their　heels；　and　vanished　over　a　low　hedge　at　the　other　end　of　the　yard。

〃Are　you　hurt；　Yeo？〃

〃Not　a　scratch；　thank　Heaven！　　But　I've　got　two　of　them；　the　ringleaders；　I　have。　　One　of　them's　against　the　wall。　　Your　horse　did　for　t'other。〃

The　wounded　man　was　lifted　up；　a　huge　ruffian；　nearly　as　big　as　Amyas　himself。　　Yeo's　sword　had　passed　through　his　body。　　He　groaned　and　choked　for　breath。

〃Carry　him　indoors。　　Where　is　the　other？〃

〃Dead　as　a　herring；　in　the　straw。　　Have　a　care；　men；　have　a　care　how　you　go　in！　the　horses　are　near　mad！〃

However；　the　man　was　brought　out　after　a　while。　　With　him　all　was　over。　　They　could　feel　neither　pulse　nor　breath。

〃Carry　him　in　too；　poor　wretch。　　And　now；　Yeo；　what　is　the　meaning　of　all　this？〃

Yeo's　story　was　soon　told。　　He　could　not　get　out　of　his　Puritan　head　the　notion　（quite　unfounded；　of　course）　that　Eustace　had　meant　to　steal　the　horses。　　He　had　seen　the　inn…keeper　sneak　off　at　their　approach；　and　expecting　some　night…attack；　he　had　taken　up　his　lodging　for　the　night　in　the　stable。

As　he　expected；　an　attempt　was　made。　　The　door　was　opened　（how；　he　could　not　guess；　for　he　had　fastened　it　inside）；　and　two　fellows　came　in；　and　began　to　loose　the　beasts。　　Yeo's　account　was；　that　he　seized　the　big　fellow；　who　drew　a　knife　on　him；　and　broke　loose；　the　horses；　terrified　at　the　scuffle；　kicked　right　and　left；　one　man　fell；　and　the　other　ran　out；　calling　for　help；　with　Yeo　at　his　heels；　〃Whereon；〃　said　Yeo；　〃seeing　a　dozen　more　on　me　with　clubs　and　bows；　I　thought　best　to　shorten　the　number　while　I　could；　ran　the　rascal　through；　and　stood　on　my　ward；　and　only　just　in　time　I　was；　what's　more；　there's　two　arrows　in　the　house　wall；　and　two　or　three　more　in　my　buckler；　which　I　caught　up　as　I　went　out；　for　I　had　hung　it　close　by　the　door；　you　see；　sir；　to　be　all　ready　in　case；〃　said　the　cunning　old　Philistine…slayer；　as　they　went　in　after　the　wounded　man。

But　hardly　had　they　stumbled　through　the　low　doorway　into　the　back…　kitchen　when　a　fresh　hubbub　arose　insidemore　shouts　for　help。　Amyas　ran　forward　breaking　his　head　against　the　doorway；　and　beheld；　as　soon　as　he　could　see　for　the　flashes　in　his　eyes；　an　old　acquaintance；　held　on　each　side　by　a　sturdy　sailor。

With　one　arm　in　the　sleeve　of　his　doublet；　and　the　other　in　a　not　over　spotless　shirt；　holding　up　his　hose　with　one　hand；　and　with　the　other　a　candle；　whereby　he　had　lighted　himself　to　his　own　confusion；　foaming　with　rage；　stood　Mr。　Evan　Morgans；　alias　Father　Parsons；　looking；　between　his　confused　habiliments　and　his　fiery　visage　（as　Yeo　told　him　to　his　face）；　〃the　very　moral　of　a　half…　plucked　turkey…cock。〃　　And　behind　him；　dressed；　stood　Eustace　Leigh。

〃We　found　the　maid　letting　these　here　two　out　by　the　front　door；〃　said　one　of　the　captors。

〃Well；　Mr。　Parsons；〃　said　Amyas；　〃and　what　are　you　about　here？　　A　pretty　nest　of　thieves　and　Jesuits　we　seem　to　have　routed　out　this　evening。〃

〃About　my　calling；　sir；〃　said　Parsons；　stoutly。　　〃By　your　leave；　I　shall　prepare　this　my　wounded　lamb　for　that　account　to　which　your　man's　cruelty　has　untimely　sent　him。〃

The　wounded　man；　who　lay　upon　the　floor；　heard　Parsons'　voice；　and　moaned　for　the　〃Patrico。〃

〃You　see；　sir；〃　said　he；　pompously；　〃the　sheep　know　their　shepherd's　voice。〃

〃The　wolves　you　mean；　you　hypocritical　scoundrel！〃　said　Amyas；　who　could　not　contain　his　disgust。　　〃Let　the　fellow　truss　up　his　points；　lads；　and　do　his　work。　　After　all；　the　man　is　dying。〃

〃The　requisite　matters；　sir；　are　not　at　hand；〃　said　Parsons；　unabashed。

〃Eustace；　go　and　fetch　his　matters　for　him；　you　seem　to　be　in　all　his　plots。〃

Eustace　went　silently　and　sullenly。

〃What's　that　fresh　noise　at　the　back；　now？〃

〃The　maid；　sir；　a　wailing　over　her　uncle；　the　fellow　that　we　saw　sneak　away　when　we　came　up。　　It　was　him　the　horse　killed。〃

It　was　true。　　The　wretched　host　had　slipped　off　on　their　approach；　simply　to　call　the　neighboring　outlaws　to　the　spoil；　and　he　had　been　filled　with　the　fruit　of　his　own　devices。

〃His　blood　be　on　his　own　head；〃　said　Amyas。

〃I　question；　sir；〃　said　Yeo；　in　a　low　voice；　〃whether　some　of　it　will　not　be　on　the　heads　of　those　proud　prelates　who　go　clothed　in　purple　and　fine　linen；　instead　of　going　forth　to　convert　such　as　he；　and　then　wonder　how　these　Jesuits　get　hold　of　them。　　If　they　give　place　to　the　devil　in　their　sheepfolds；　sure　he'll　come　in　and　lodge　there。　　Look；　sir；　there's　a　sight　in　a　gospel　land！〃

And；　indeed；　the　sight　was　curious　enough。　　For　Parsons　was　kneeling　by　the　side　of　the　dying　man；　listening　earnestly　to　the　confession　which　the　man　sobbed　out　in　his　gibberish；　between　the　spasms　of　his　wounded　chest。　　Now　and　then　Parsons　shook　his　head；　and　when　Eustace　returned　with　the　holy　wafer；　and　the　oil　for　extreme　unction；　he　asked　him；　in　a　low　voice；　〃Ballard；　interpret　for　me。〃

And　Eustace　knelt　down　on　the　other　side　of　the　sufferer；　and　interpreted　his　thieves'　dialect　into　Latin；　and　the　dying　man　held　a　hand　of　each；　and　turned　first　to　one　and　then　to　the　other　stupid　eyes；not　without　affection；　though；　and　gratitude。

〃I　can't　stand　this　mummery　any　longer；〃　said　Yeo。　　〃Here's　a　soul　perishing　before　my　eyes；　and　it's　on　my　conscience　to　speak　a　word　in　season。〃

〃Silence！〃　whispered　Amyas；　holding　him　back　by　the　arm；　〃he　knows　them；　and　he　don't　know　you；　they　are　the　first　who　ever　spoke　to　him　as　if　he　had　a　soul　to　be　saved；　and　first　come；　first　served；　you　can　do　no　good。　　See；　the　man's　face　is　brightening　already。〃

〃But；　sir；　'tis　a　false　peace。〃

〃At　all　events　he　is　confessing　his　sins；　Yeo；　and　if　that's　not　good　for　him；　and　you；　and　me；　what　is？〃

〃Yea；　Amen！　sir；　but　this　is　not　to　the　right　person。〃

〃How　do　you　know　his　words　will　not　go　to　the　right　person；　after　all；　though　he　may　not　send　them　there？　　By　heaven！　the　man　is　dead！〃

It　was　so。　　The　dark　catalogue　of　brutal　deeds　had　been　gasped　out；　but　ere　the　words　of　absolution　could　follow；　the　head　had　fallen　back；　and　all　was　over。

〃Confession　in　extremis　is　sufficient；〃　said　Parsons　to　Eustace　（〃Ballard；〃　as　Parsons　called　him；　to　Amyas's　surprise）；　as　he　rose。　　〃As　for　the　rest；　the　intention　will　be　accepted　instead　of　the　act。〃

〃The　Lord　have　mercy　on　his　soul！〃　said　Eustace。

〃His　soul　is　lost　before　our　very　eyes；〃　said　Yeo。

〃Mind　your　own　business；〃　said　Amyas。

〃Humph；　but　I'll　tell　you；　sir；　what　our　business　is；　if　you'll　step　aside　with　me。　　I