westward ho-第86章

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〃

Poor　John　Braund；　whose　motive　for　entertaining　the　said　ugly　customers　had　probably　been　not　treason；　but　a　wife；　seven　children；　and　arrears　of　rent；　did　not　thrive　under　the　change　from　the　pure　air　of　Lundy　to　the　pestiferous　one　of　Exeter　gaol；　made　infamous；　but　two　years　after　（if　I　recollect　right）；　by　a　〃black　assizes；〃　nearly　as　fatal　as　that　more　notorious　one　at　Oxford；　for　in　it；　〃whether　by　the　stench　of　the　prisoners；　or　by　a　stream　of　foul　air；〃　judge；　jury；　counsel；　and　bystanders；　numbering　among　them　many　members　of　the　best　families　in　Devon；　sickened　in　court；　and　died　miserably　within　a　few　days。

John　Braund；　then；　took　the　gaol…fever　in　a　week；　and　died　raving　in　that　noisome　den：　his　secret；　if　he　had　one；　perished　with　him；　and　nothing　but　vague　suspicion　was　left　as　to　Rose　Salterne's　fate。　　That　she　had　gone　off　with　the　Spaniard；　few　doubted；　but　whither；　and　in　what　character？　　On　that　last　subject；　be　sure；　no　mercy　was　shown　to　her　by　many　a　Bideford　dame；　who　had　hated　the　poor　girl　simply　for　her　beauty；　and　by　many　a　country　lady；　who　had　〃always　expected　that　the　girl　would　be　brought　to　ruin　by　the　absurd　notice；　beyond　what　her　station　had　a　right　to；　which　was　taken　of　her；〃　while　every　young　maiden　aspired　to　fill　the　throne　which　Rose　had　abdicated。　　So　that；　on　the　whole；　Bideford　considered　itself　as　going　on　as　well　without　poor　Rose　as　it　had　done　with　her；　or　even　better。　　And　though　she　lingered　in　some　hearts　still　as　a　fair　dream；　the　business　and　the　bustle　of　each　day　soon　swept　that　dream　away；　and　her　place　knew　her　no　more。

And　Will　Cary？

He　was　for　a　while　like　a　man　distracted。　　He　heaped　himself　with　all　manner　of　superfluous　reproaches；　for　having　（as　he　said）　first　brought　the　Rose　into　disgrace；　and　then　driven　her　into　the　arms　of　the　Spaniard；　while　St。　Leger；　who　was　a　sensible　man　enough；　tried　in　vain　to　persuade　him　that　the　fault　was　not　his　at　all；　that　the　two　must　have　been　attached　to　each　other　long　before　the　quarrel；　that　it　must　have　ended　so；　sooner　or　later；　that　old　Salterne's　harshness；　rather　than　Cary's　wrath；　had　hastened　the　catastrophe；　and　finally；　that　the　Rose　and　her　fortunes　were；　now　that　she　had　eloped　with　a　Spaniard；　not　worth　troubling　their　heads　about。　　Poor　Will　would　not　be　so　comforted。　　He　wrote　off　to　Frank　at　Whitehall；　telling　him　the　whole　truth；　calling　himself　all　fools　and　villains；　and　entreating　Frank's　forgiveness；　to　which　he　received　an　answer；　in　which　Frank　said　that　Will　had　no　reason　to　accuse　himself；　that　these　strange　attachments　were　due　to　a　synastria；　or　sympathy　of　the　stars；　which　ruled　the　destinies　of　each　person；　to　fight　against　which　was　to　fight　against　the　heavens　themselves；　that　he；　as　a　brother　of　the　Rose；　was　bound　to　believe；　nay；　to　assert　at　the　sword's　point　if　need　were；　that　the　incomparable　Rose　of　Torridge　could　make　none　but　a　worthy　and　virtuous　choice；　and　that　to　the　man　whom　she　had　honored　by　her　affection　was　due　on　their　part；　Spaniard　and　Papist　though　he　might　be；　all　friendship；　worship；　and　loyal　faith　for　evermore。

And　honest　Will　took　it　all　for　gospel；　little　dreaming　what　agony　of　despair；　what　fearful　suspicions；　what　bitter　prayers；　this　letter　had　cost　to　the　gentle　heart　of　Francis　Leigh。

He　showed　the　letter　triumphantly　to　St。　Leger；　and　he　was　quite　wise　enough　to　gainsay　no　word　of　it；　at　least　aloud；　but　quite　wise　enough；　also；　to　believe　in　secret　that　Frank　looked　on　the　matter　in　quite　a　different　light；　however；　he　contented　himself　with　saying：

〃The　man　is　an　angel　as　his　mother　is！〃　and　there　the　matter　dropped　for　a　few　days；　till　one　came　forward　who　had　no　mind　to　let　it　drop；　and　that　was　Jack　Brimblecombe；　now　curate　of　Hartland　town；　and　〃passing　rich　on　forty　pounds　a　year。

〃I　hope　no　offence；　Mr。　William；　but　when　are　you　and　the　rest　going　afterafter　her？〃　　The　name　stuck　in　his　throat。

Cary　was　taken　aback。

〃What's　that　to　thee；　Catiline　the　blood…drinker？〃　asked　he；　trying　to　laugh　it　off。

〃What？　　Don't　laugh　at　me；　sir；　for　it's　no　laughing　matter。　　I　drank　that　night　naught　worse；　I　expect；　than　red　wine。　　Whatever　it　was；　we　swore　our　oaths；　Mr。　Cary；　and　oaths　are　oaths；　say　I。〃

〃Of　course；　Jack；　of　course；　but　to　go　to　look　for　herand　when　we've　found　her；　cut　her　lover's　throat。　　Absurd；　Jack；　even　if　she　were　worth　looking　for；　or　his　throat　worth　cutting。　　Tut；　tut；　tut〃

But　Jack　looked　steadfastly　in　his　face；　and　after　some　silence：

How　far　is　it　to　the　Caracas；　then；　sir？〃

〃What　is　that　to　thee；　man？〃

〃Why；　he　was　made　governor　thereof；　I　hear；　so　that　would　be　the　place　to　find　her？〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　go　thither　to　seek　her？〃　shouted　Cary；　forcing　a　laugh。

〃That　depends　on　whether　I　can　go；　sir；　but　if　I　can　scrape　the　money　together；　or　get　a　berth　on　board　some　ship；　why；　God's　will　must　be　done。〃

Will　looked　at　him；　to　see　if　he　had　been　drinking；　or　gone　mad；　but　the　little　pigs'　eyes　were　both　sane　and　sober。

Will　knew　no　answer。　　To　laugh　at　the　poor　fellow　was　easy　enough；　to　deny　that　he　was　right；　that　he　was　a　hero　and　cavalier；　outdoing　romance　itself　in　faithfulness；　not　so　easy；　and　Cary；　in　the　first　impulse；　wished　him　at　the　bottom　of　the　bay　for　shaming　him。　　Of　course；　his　own　plan　of　letting　ill　alone　was　the　rational；　prudent；　irreproachable　plan；　and　just　what　any　gentleman　in　his　senses　would　have　done；　but　here　was　a　vulgar；　fat　curate；　out　of　his　senses；　determined　not　to　let　ill　alone；　but　to　do　something；　as　Cary　felt　in　his　heart；　of　a　far　diviner　stamp。

〃Well；〃　said　Jack；　in　his　stupid　steadfast　way；　〃it's　a　very　bad　look…out；　but　mother's　pretty　well　off；　if　father　dies；　and　the　maidens　are　stout　wenches　enough；　and　will　make　tidy　servants；　please　the　Lord。　　And　you'll　see　that　they　come　to　no　harm；　Mr。　William；　for　old　acquaintance'　sake；　if　I　never　come　back。〃

Cary　was　silent　with　amazement。

〃And；　Mr。　William；　you　know　me　for　an　honest　man；　I　hope。　　Will　you　lend　me　a　five　pound；　and　take　my　books　in　pawn　for　them；　just　to　help　me　out？〃

〃Are　you　mad；　or　in　a　dream？　　You　will　never　find　her！〃

〃That's　no　reason　why　I　shouldn't　do　my　duty　in　looking　for　her；　Mr。　William。〃

〃But；　my　good　fellow；　even　if　you　get　to　the　Indies；　you　will　be　clapt　into　the　Inquisition；　and　burnt　alive；　as　sure　as　your　name　is　Jack。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　said　he；　in　a　doleful　tone；　〃and　a　sore　struggle　of　the　flesh　I　have　had　about　it；　for　I　am　a　great　coward；　Mr。　William；　a　dirty　coward；　and　always　was；　as　you　know：　but　maybe　the　Lord　will　take　care　of　me；　as　He　does　of　little　children　and　drunken　men；　and　if　not；　Mr。　Will；　I'd　sooner　burn；　and　have　it　over；　than　go　on　this　way　any　longer；　I　would！〃　and　Jack　burst　out　blubbering。

〃What　way；　my　dear　old　lad？〃　said　Will；　softened　as　he　well　might　be。

〃Why；　notnot　to　know　whetherwhetherwhether　she's　married　to　him　or　nother　that　I　looked　up　to　as　an　angel　of　God；　as　pure　as　the　light　of　day；　and　knew　she　was　too　good　for　a　poor　pot…head　like　me；　and　prayed　for　her　every　night；　God　knows；　that　she　might　marry　a　king；　if　there　was　one　fit　for　herand　I　not　to　know　whether　she's　living　in　sin　or　not；　Mr。　William。It's　more　than　I　can　bear；　and　there's　an　end　of　it。　　And　if　she　is　married　to　him　they　keep　no　faith　with　heretics；　they　can　dissolve　the　marriage；　or　make　away　with　her　into　the　Inquisition；　burn　her；　Mr。　Cary；　as　soon　as　burn　me；　the　devils　incarnate！〃

Cary　shuddered；　the　fact；　true　and　palpable　as　it　was；　had　never　struck　him　before。

〃Yes！　or　make　her　deny　her　God　by　torments；　if　she　hasn't　done　it　already　for　love　to　that　　I　know　how　love　will　make　a　body　sell　his　soul；　for　I've　been　in　love。　　Don't　you　laugh　at　me；　Mr。　Will；　or　I　shall　go　mad！〃

〃God　knows；　I　was　never　less　inclined　to　laugh　at　you　in　my　life；　my　brave　old　Jack。〃

〃Is　it　so；　then？　　Bless　you　for　that　word！〃　and　Jack　held　out　his　hand。　　〃But　what　will　become　of　my　soul；　after　my　oath；　if　I　don't　seek　her　out；　just　to　speak　to　her；　to　warn　her；　for　God's　sake；　even　if　it　did　no　good；　just　to　set　before　her　the　Lord's　curse　on　idolatry　and　Antichrist；　and　those　who　deny　Him　for　the　sake　of　any　creature；　though　I　can't　thin