westward ho-第84章

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hose　Chineses　do；　a　sword　to　each　hand？　　You　could　kill　more　that　way；　Captain　Leigh；　I　reckon？〃

Amyas　half　laughed。

〃One　will　do；　Mr。　Salterne；　if　one　is　quick　enough　with　it。〃

〃Humph！AhNo　use　being　in　a　hurry。　　I　haven't　been　in　a　hurry。　NoI　waited　for　you；　and　here　you　are　and　welcome；　sir！　　Here　comes　supper；　a　light　matter；　sir；　you　see。　　A　capon　and　a　brace　of　partridges。　　I　had　no　time　to　feast　you　as　you　deserve。〃

And　so　he　ran　on　all　supper…time；　hardly　allowing　Amyas　to　get　a　word　in　edge…ways；　but　heaping　him　with　coarse　flattery；　and　urging　him　to　drink；　till　after　the　cloth　was　drawn；　and　the　two　left　alone；　he　grew　so　outrageous　that　Amyas　was　forced　to　take　him　to　task　good…humoredly。

〃Now；　my　dear　sir；　you　have　feasted　me　royally；　and　better　far　than　I　deserve；　but　why　will　you　go　about　to　make　me　drunk　twice　over；　first　with　vainglory　and　then　with　wine？〃

Salterne　looked　at　him　a　while　fixedly；　and　then；　sticking　out　his　chin〃Because；　Captain　Leigh；　I　am　a　man　who　has　all　his　life　tried　the　crooked　road　first；　and　found　the　straight　one　the　safer　after　all。〃

〃Eh；　sir？　　That　is　a　strange　speech　for　one　who　bears　the　character　of　the　most　upright　man　in　Bideford。〃

〃Humph。　　So　I　thought　myself　once；　sir；　and　well　I　have　proved　it。　But　I'll　be　plain　with　you；　sir。　　You've　heard　howhow　I've　fared　since　you　saw　me　last？〃

Amyas　nodded　his　head。

〃I　thought　so。　　Shame　rides　post。　　Now　then；　Captain　Leigh；　listen　to　me。　　I；　being　a　plain　man　and　a　burgher；　and　one　that　never　drew　iron　in　my　life　except　to　mend　a　pen；　ask　you；　being　a　gentleman　and　a　captain　and　a　man　of　honor；　with　a　weapon　to　your　side；　and　harness　to　your　backwhat　would　you　do　in　my　place？〃

〃Humph！〃　said　Amyas；　〃that　would　very　much　depend　on　whether　'my　place'　was　my　own　fault　or　not。〃

〃And　what　if　it　were；　sir？　　What　if　all　that　the　charitable　folks　of　Bideford（Heaven　reward　them　for　their　tender　mercies！）have　been　telling　you　in　the　last　hour　be　true；　sir；true！　and　yet　not　half　the　truth？〃

Amyas　gave　a　start。

〃Ah；　you　shrink　from　me！　　Of　course　a　man　is　too　righteous　to　forgive　those　who　repent；　though　God　is　not。〃

〃God　knows；　sir〃

〃Yes；　sir；　God　does　knowall；　and　you　shall　know　a　littleas　much　as　I　can　tellor　you　understand。　　Come　upstairs　with　me；　sir；　as　you'll　drink　no　more；　I　have　a　liking　for　you。　　I　have　watched　you　from　your　boyhood；　and　I　can　trust　you；　and　I'll　show　you　what　I　never　showed　to　mortal　man　but　one。〃

And；　taking　up　a　candle；　he　led　the　way　upstairs；　while　Amyas　followed　wondering。

He　stopped　at　a　door；　and　unlocked　it。

〃There；　come　in。　　Those　shutters　have　not　been　opened　since　she〃　and　the　old　man　was　silent。

Amyas　looked　round　the　room。　　It　was　a　low　wainscoted　room；　such　as　one　sees　in　old　houses：　everything　was　in　the　most　perfect　neatness。　　The　snow…white　sheets　on　the　bed　were　turned　down　as　if　ready　for　an　occupant。　　There　were　books　arranged　on　the　shelves；　fresh　flowers　on　the　table；　the　dressing…table　had　all　its　woman's　mundus　of　pins；　and　rings；　and　brushes；　even　the　dressing…gown　lay　over　the　chair…back。　　Everything　was　evidently　just　as　it　had　been　left。

〃This　was　her　room；　sir；〃　whispered　the　old　man。

Amyas　nodded　silently；　and　half　drew　back。

〃You　need　not　be　modest　about　entering　it　now；　sir；〃　whispered　he；　with　a　sort　of　sneer。　　〃There　has　been　no　frail　flesh　and　blood　in　it　for　many　a　day。〃

Amyas　sighed。

〃I　sweep　it　out　myself　every　morning；　and　keep　all　tidy。　　See　here！〃　and　he　pulled　open　a　drawer。　　〃Here　are　all　her　gowns；　and　there　are　her　hoods；　and　thereI　know　'em　all　by　heart　now；　and　the　place　of　every　one。　　And　there；　sir〃

And　he　opened　a　cupboard；　where　lay　in　rows　all　Rose's　dolls；　and　the　worn…out　playthings　of　her　childhood。

〃That's　the　pleasantest　place　of　all　in　the　room　to　me；〃　said　he；　whispering　still；　〃for　it　minds　me　of　whenand　maybe；　she　may　become　a　little　child　once　more；　sir；　it's　written　in　the　Scripture；　you　know〃

〃Amen！〃　said　Amyas；　who　felt；　to　his　own　wonder；　a　big　tear　stealing　down　each　cheek。

〃And　now；〃　he　whispered；　〃one　thing　more。　　Look　here！〃and　pulling　out　a　key；　he　unlocked　a　chest；　and　lifted　up　tray　after　tray　of　necklaces　and　jewels；　furs；　lawns；　cloth　of　gold。　　〃Look　there！　Two　thousand　pound　won't　buy　that　chest。　　Twenty　years　have　I　been　getting　those　things　together。　　That's　the　cream　of　many　a　Levant　voyage；　and　East　Indian　voyage；　and　West　Indian　voyage。　　My　Lady　Bath　can't　match　those　pearls　in　her　grand　house　at　Tawstock；　I　got　'em　from　a　Genoese；　though；　and　paid　for　'em。　　Look　at　that　embroidered　lawn！　　There's　not　such　a　piece　in　London；　no；　nor　in　Alexandria；　I'll　warrant；　nor　short　of　Calicut；　where　it　came　from。　。　。　。　　Look　here　again；　there's　a　golden　cup！　　I　bought　that　of　one　that　was　out　with　Pizarro　in　Peru。　　And　look　here；　again！〃　and　the　old　man　gloated　over　the　treasure。

〃And　whom　do　you　think　I　kept　all　these　for？　　These　were　for　her　wedding…dayfor　her　wedding…day。　　For　your　wedding…day；　if　you'd　been　minded；　sir！　　Yes；　yours；　sir！　　And　yet；　I　believe；　I　was　so　ambitious　that　I　would　not　have　let　her　marry　under　an　earl；　all　the　while　I　was　pretending　to　be　too　proud　to　throw　her　at　the　head　of　a　squire's　son。　　Ah；　well！　　There　was　my　idol；　sir。　　I　made　her　mad；　I　pampered　her　up　with　gewgaws　and　vanity；　and　then；　because　my　idol　was　just　what　I　had　made　her；　I　turned　again　and　rent　her。

〃And　now；〃　said　he；　pointing　to　the　open　chest；　〃that　was　what　I　meant；　and　that〃　（pointing　to　the　empty　bed）　〃was　what　God　meant。　Never　mind。　　Come　downstairs　and　finish　your　wine。　　I　see　you　don't　care　about　it　all。　　Why　should　you！　you　are　not　her　father；　and　you　may　thank　God　you　are　not。　　Go；　and　be　merry　while　you　can；　young　sir！　。　。　。　　And　yet；　all　this　might　have　been　yours。　　Andbut　I　don't　suppose　you　are　one　to　be　won　by　moneybut　all　this　may　be　yours　still；　and　twenty　thousand　pounds　to　boot。〃

〃I　want　no　money；　sir；　but　what　I　can　earn　with　my　own　sword。〃

〃Earn　my　money；　then！〃

〃What　on　earth　do　you　want　of　me！〃

〃To　keep　your　oath；〃　said　Salterne；　clutching　his　arm；　and　looking　up　into　his　face　with　searching　eyes。

〃My　oath！　　How　did　you　know　that　I　had　one？〃

〃Ah！　you　were　well　ashamed　of　it；　I　suppose；　next　day！　　A　drunken　frolic　all　about　a　poor　merchant's　daughter！　　But　there　is　nothing　hidden　that　shall　not　be　revealed；　nor　done　in　the　closet　that　is　not　proclaimed　on　the　house…tops。〃

〃Ashamed　of　it；　sir；　I　never　was：　but　I　have　a　right　to　ask　how　you　came　to　know　it？〃

〃What　if　a　poor　fat　squinny　rogue；　a　low…born　fellow　even　as　I　am；　whom　you　had　baffled　and　made　a　laughing…stock；　had　come　to　me　in　my　loneliness　and　sworn　before　God　that　if　you　honorable　gentlemen　would　not　keep　your　words；　he　the　clown　would？〃

〃John　Brimblecombe？〃

〃And　what　if　I　had　brought　him　where　I　have　brought　you；　and　shown　him　what　I　have　shown　you；　and；　instead　of　standing　as　stiff　as　any　Spaniard；　as　you　do；　he　had　thrown　himself　on　his　knees　by　that　bedside；　and　wept　and　prayed；　sir；　till　he　opened　my　hard　heart　for　the　first　and　last　time；　and　I　fell　down　on　my　sinful　knees　and　wept　and　prayed　by　him？〃

〃I　am　not　given　to　weeping；　Mr。　Salterne；〃　said　Amyas；　〃and　as　for　praying；　I　don't　know　yet　what　I　have　to　pray　for；　on　her　account：　my　business　is　to　work。　　Show　me　what　I　can　do；　and　when　you　have　done　that；　it　will　be　full　time　to　upbraid　me　with　not　doing　it。〃

〃You　can　cut　that　fellow's　throat。〃

〃It　will　take　a　long　arm　to　reach　him。〃

〃I　suppose　it　is　as　easy　to　sail　to　the　Spanish　Main　as　it　was　to　sail　round　the　world。〃

〃My　good　sir；〃　said　Amyas；　〃I　have　at　this　moment　no　more　worldly　goods　than　my　clothes　and　my　sword；　so　how　to　sail　to　the　Spanish　Main；　I　don't　quite　see。〃

〃And　do　you　suppose；　sir；　that　I　should　hint　to　you　of　such　a　voyage　if　I　meant　you　to　be　at　the　charge　of　it？　　No；　sir；　if　you　want　two　thousand　pounds；　or　five；　to　fit　a　ship；　take　it！　　Take　it；　sir！　　I　hoarded　money　for　my　child：　and　now　I　will　spend　it　to　avenge　her。〃

Amyas　was　silent　for　a　while；　the　old　man　still　held　his　arm；　still　looked　up　steadfastly　and　fiercely　in　his　face。

〃Bring　me　home　that　man's　head；　and　take　ship；　prizesall！　　Keep　the　ga