westward ho-第87章

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on　idolatry　and　Antichrist；　and　those　who　deny　Him　for　the　sake　of　any　creature；　though　I　can't　think　he　would　be　hard　on　her；for　who　could？　　But　I　must　speak　all　the　same。　　The　Lord　has　laid　the　burden　on　me；　and　done　it　must　be。　　God　help　me！〃

〃Jack；〃　said　Cary；　〃if　this　is　your　duty；　it　is　others'。〃

〃No；　sir；　I　don't　say　that；　you're　a　layman；　but　I　am　a　deacon；　and　the　chaplain　of　you　all；　and　sworn　to　seek　out　Christ's　sheep　scattered　up　and　down　this　naughty　world；　and　that　innocent　lamb　first　of　all。〃

〃You　have　sheep　at　Hartland；　Jack；　already。〃

〃There's　plenty　better　than　I　will　tend　them；　when　I　am　gone；　but　none　that　will　tend　her；　because　none　love　her　like　me；　and　they　won't　venture。　　Who　will？　　It　can't　be　expected；　and　no　shame　to　them？〃

〃I　wonder　what　Amyas　Leigh　would　say　to　all　this；　if　he　were　at　home？〃

〃Say？　　He'd　do。　　He　isn't　one　for　talking。　　He'd　go　through　fire　and　water　for　her；　you　trust　him；　Will　Cary；　and　call　me　an　ass　if　he　won't。〃

〃Will　you　wait；　then；　till　he　comes　back；　and　ask　him？〃

〃He　may　not　be　back　for　a　year　and　more。〃

〃Hear　reason；　Jack。　　If　you　will　wait　like　a　rational　and　patient　man；　instead　of　rushing　blindfold　on　your　ruin；　something　may　be　done。〃

〃You　think　so！〃

〃I　cannot　promise；　but〃

〃But　promise　me　one　thing。　　Do　you　tell　Mr。　Frank　what　I　sayor　rather；　I'll　warrant；　if　I　knew　the　truth；　he　has　said　the　very　same　thing　himself　already。〃

〃You　are　out　there；　old　man；　for　here　is　his　own　handwriting。〃

Jack　read　the　letter　and　sighed　bitterly。　　〃Well；　I　did　take　him　for　another　guess　sort　of　fine　gentleman。　　Still；　if　my　duty　isn't　his；　it's　mine　all　the　same。　　I　judge　no　man；　but　I　go；　Mr。　Cary。〃

〃But　go　you　shall　not　till　Amyas　returns。　　As　I　live；　I　will　tell　your　father；　Jack；　unless　you　promise；　and　you　dare　not　disobey　him。〃

〃I　don't　know　even　that；　for　conscience'　sake；〃　said　Jack；　doubtfully。

〃At　least；　you　stay　and　dine　here；　old　fellow；　and　we　will　settle　whether　you　are　to　break　the　fifth　commandment　or　not；　over　good　brewed　sack。〃

Now　a　good　dinner　was　（as　we　know）　what　Jack　loved；　and　loved　too　oft　in　vain；　so　he　submitted　for　the　nonce；　and　Cary　thought；　ere　he　went；　that　he　had　talked　him　pretty　well　round。　　At　least　he　went　home；　and　was　seen　no　more　for　a　week。

But　at　the　end　of　that　time　he　returned；　and　said　with　a　joyful　voice

〃I　have　settled　all；　Mr。　Will。　　The　parson　of　Welcombe　will　serve　my　church　for　two　Sundays；　and　I　am　away　for　London　town；　to　speak　to　Mr。　Frank。〃

〃To　London？　　How　wilt　get　there？〃

〃On　Shanks　his　mare；〃　said　Jack；　pointing　to　his　bandy　legs。　　〃But　I　expect　I　can　get　a　lift　on　board　of　a　coaster　so　far　as　Bristol；　and　it's　no　way　on　to　signify；　I　hear。〃

Cary　tried　in　vain　to　dissuade　him；　and　then　forced　on　him　a　small　loan；　with　which　away　went　Jack；　and　Cary　heard　no　more　of　him　for　three　weeks。

At　last　he　walked　into　Clovelly　Court　again　just　before　supper…　time；　thin　and　leg…weary；　and　sat　himself　down　among　the　serving…　men　till　Will　appeared。

Will　took　him　up　above　the　salt；　and　made　much　of　him　（which　indeed　the　honest　fellow　much　needed）；　and　after　supper　asked　him　in　private　how　he　had　sped。

〃I　have　learnt　a　lesson；　Mr。　William。　　I've　learnt　that　there　is　one　on　earth　loves　her　better　than　I；　if　she　had　but　had　the　wit　to　have　taken　him。〃

〃But　what　says　he　of　going　to　seek　her？〃

〃He　says　what　I　say；　Go！　and　he　says　what　you　say；　Wait。〃

〃Go？　　Impossible！　　How　can　that　agree　with　his　letter？〃

〃That's　no　concern　of　mine。　　Of　course；　being　nearer　heaven　than　I　am；　he　sees　clearer　what　he　should　say　and　do　than　I　can　see　for　him。　　Oh；　Mr。　Will；　that's　not　a　man；　he's　an　angel　of　God；　but　he's　dying；　Mr。　Will。〃

〃Dying？〃

〃Yes；　faith；　of　love　for　her。　　I　can　see　it　in　his　eyes；　and　hear　it　in　his　voice；　but　I　am　of　tougher　hide　and　stiffer　clay；　and　so　you　see　I　can't　die　even　if　I　tried。　　But　I'll　obey　my　betters；　and　wait。〃

And　so　Jack　went　home　to　his　parish　that　very　evening；　weary　as　he　was；　in　spite　of　all　entreaties　to　pass　the　night　at　Clovelly。　　But　he　had　left　behind　him　thoughts　in　Cary's　mind；　which　gave　their　owner　no　rest　by　day　or　night；　till　the　touch　of　a　seeming　accident　made　them　all　start　suddenly　into　shape；　as　a　touch　of　the　freezing　water　covers　it　in　an　instant　with　crystals　of　ice。

He　was　lounging　（so　he　told　Amyas）　one　murky　day　on　Bideford　quay；　when　up　came　Mr。　Salterne。　　Cary　had　shunned　him　of　late；　partly　from　delicacy；　partly　from　dislike　of　his　supposed　hard…　heartedness。　　But　this　time　they　happened　to　meet　full；　and　Cary　could　not　pass　without　speaking　to　him。

〃Well；　Mr。　Salterne；　and　how　goes　on　the　shipping　trade？〃

〃Well　enough；　sir；　if　some　of　you　young　gentlemen　would　but　follow　Mr。　Leigh's　example；　and　go　forth　to　find　us　stay…at…homes　new　markets　for　our　ware。〃

〃What？　you　want　to　be　rid　of　us；　eh？〃

〃I　don't　know　why　I　should；　sir。　　We　sha'n't　cross　each　other　now；　sir；　whatever　might　have　been　once。　　But　if　I　were　you；　I　should　be　in　the　Indies　about　now；　if　I　were　not　fighting　the　queen's　battles　nearer　home。〃

〃In　the　Indies？　　I　should　make　but　a　poor　hand　of　Drake's　trade。〃　And　so　the　conversation　dropped；　but　Cary　did　not　forget　the　hint。

〃So；　lad；　to　make　an　end　of　a　long　story；〃　said　he　to　Amyas；　〃if　you　are　minded　to　take　the　old　man's　offer；　so　am　I：　and　Westward…　ho　with　you；　come　foul　come　fair。〃

〃It　will　be　but　a　wild…goose　chase；　Will。〃

〃If　she　is　with　him；　we　shall　find　her　at　La　Guayra。　　If　she　is　not；　and　the　villain　has　cast　her　off　down　the　wind；　that　will　be　only　an　additional　reason　for　making　an　example　of　him。〃

〃And　if　neither　of　them　are　there；　Will；　the　Plate…fleets　will　be；　so　it　will　be　our　own　shame　if　we　come　home　empty…handed。　　But　will　your　father　let　you　run　such　a　risk？〃

〃My　father！〃　said　Cary；　laughing。　　〃He　has　just　now　so　good　hope　of　a　long　string　of　little　Carys　to　fill　my　place；　that　he　will　be　in　no　lack　of　an　heir；　come　what　will。〃

〃Little　Carys？〃

〃I　tell　you　truth。　　I　think　he　must　have　had　a　sly　sup　of　that　fountain　of　perpetual　youth；　which　our　friend　Don　Guzman's　grandfather　went　to　seek　in　Florida；　for　some　twelvemonth　since；　he　must　needs　marry　a　tenant's　buxom　daughter；　and　Mistress　Abishag　Jewell　has　brought　him　one　fat　baby　already。　　So　I　shall　go；　back　to　Ireland；　or　with　you：　but　somewhere。　　I　can't　abide　the　thing's　squalling；　any　more　than　I　can　seeing　Mistress　Abishag　sitting　in　my　poor　dear　mother's　place；　and　informing　me　every　other　day　that　she　is　come　of　an　illustrious　house；　because　she　is　（or　is　not）　third　cousin　seven　times　removed　to　my　father's　old　friend；　Bishop　Jewell　of　glorious　memory。　　I　had　three…parts　of　a　quarrel　with　the　dear　old　man　the　other　day；　for　after　one　of　her　peacock…bouts；　I　couldn't　for　the　life　of　me　help　saying；　that　as　the　Bishop　had　written　an　Apology　for　the　people　of　England；　my　father　had　better　conjure　up　his　ghost　to　write　an　apology　for　him；　and　head　it；　'Why　green　heads　should　grow　on　gray　shoulders。'〃

〃You　impudent　villain！　　And　what　did　he　say？〃

Laughed　till　he　cried　again；　and　told　me　if　I　did　not　like　it　I　might　leave　it；　which　is　just　what　I　intend　to　do。　　Only　mind；　if　we　go；　we　must　needs　take　Jack　Brimblecombe　with　us；　or　he　will　surely　heave　himself　over　Harty　Point；　and　his　ghost　will　haunt　us　to　our　dying　day。〃

〃Jack　shall　go。　　None　deserves　it　better。〃

After　which　there　was　a　long　consultation　on　practical　matters；　and　it　was　concluded　that　Amyas　should　go　up　to　London　and　sound　Frank　and　his　mother　before　any　further　steps　were　taken。　　The　other　brethren　of　the　Rose　were　scattered　far　and　wide；　each　at　his　post；　and　St。　Leger　had　returned　to　his　uncle；　so　that　it　would　be　unfair　to　them；　as　well　as　a　considerable　delay；　to　demand　of　them　any　fulfilment　of　their　vow。　　And；　as　Amyas　sagely　remarked；　〃Too　many　cooks　spoil　the　broth；　and　half…a…dozen　gentlemen　aboard　one　ship　are　as　bad　as　two　kings　of　Brentford。〃

With　which　maxim　he　departed　next　morning　for　London；　leaving　Yeo　with　Cary。



CHAPTER　XVI

THE　MOST　CHIVALROUS　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　GOOD　SHIP　ROSE


〃He　is　brass　within；　and　steel　without；　With　beams　on　his　topcastle　strong；　And　eighteen　p