westward ho-第88章

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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　pieces　of　ordinance　He　carries　on　either　side　along。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sir　Andrew　Barton。


Let　us　take　boat；　as　Amyas　did；　at　Whitehall…stairs；　and　slip　down　ahead　of　him　under　old　London　Bridge；　and　so　to　Deptford　Creek；　where　remains；　as　it　were　embalmed；　the　famous　ship　Pelican；　in　which　Drake　had　sailed　round　the　world。　　There　she　stands；　drawn　up　high　and　dry　upon　the　sedgy　bank　of　Thames；　like　an　old　warrior　resting　after　his　toil。　　Nailed　upon　her　mainmast　are　epigrams　and　verses　in　honor　of　her　and　of　her　captain；　three　of　which；　by　the　Winchester　scholar；　Camden　gives　in　his　History；　and　Elizabeth's　self　consecrated　her　solemnly；　and　having　banqueted　on　board；　there　and　then　honored　Drake　with　the　dignity　of　knighthood。　　〃At　which　time　a　bridge　of　planks；　by　which　they　came　on　board；　broke　under　the　press　of　people；　and　fell　down　with　a　hundred　men　upon　it；　who；　notwithstanding；　had　none　of　them　any　harm。　　So　as　that　ship　may　seem　to　have　been　built　under　a　lucky　planet。〃

There　she　has　remained　since　as　a　show；　and　moreover　as　a　sort　of　dining…hall　for　jovial　parties　from　the　city；　one　of　which　would　seem　to　be　on　board　this　afternoon；　to　judge　from　the　flags　which　bedizen　the　masts；　the　sounds　of　revelry　and　savory　steams　which　issue　from　those　windows　which　once　were　portholes；　and　the　rushing　to　and　fro　along　the　river　brink；　and　across　that　lucky　bridge；　of　white…aproned　waiters　from　the　neighboring　Pelican　Inn。　　A　great　feast　is　evidently　toward；　for　with　those　white…aproned　waiters　are　gay　serving　men；　wearing　on　their　shoulders　the　city…badge。　　The　lord　mayor　is　giving　a　dinner　to　certain　gentlemen　of　the　Leicester　house　party；　who　are　interested　in　foreign　discoveries；　and　what　place　so　fit　for　such　a　feast　as　the　Pelican　itself？

Look　at　the　men　all　round；　a　nobler　company　you　will　seldom　see。　Especially　too；　if　you　be　Americans；　look　at　their　faces；　and　reverence　them；　for　to　them　and　to　their　wisdom　you　owe　the　existence　of　your　mighty　fatherland。

At　the　head　of　the　table　sits　the　lord　mayor；　whom　all　readers　will　recognize　at　once；　for　he　is　none　other　than　that　famous　Sir　Edward　Osborne；　clothworker；　and　ancestor　of　the　dukes　of　Leeds；　whose　romance　now…a…days　is　in　every　one's　hands。　　He　is　aged；　but　not　changed；　since　he　leaped　from　the　window　upon　London　Bridge　into　the　roaring　tide　below；　to　rescue　the　infant　who　is　now　his　wife。　The　chivalry　and　promptitude　of　the　'prentice　boy　have　grown　and　hardened　into　the　thoughtful　daring　of　the　wealthy　merchant　adventurer。　　There　he　sits；　a　right　kingly　man；　with　my　lord　Earl　of　Cumberland　on　his　right　hand；　and　Walter　Raleigh　on　his　left；　the　three　talk　together　in　a　low　voice　on　the　chance　of　there　being　vast　and　rich　countries　still　undiscovered　between　Florida　and　the　River　of　Canada。　　Raleigh's　half…scientific　declamation　and　his　often　quotations　of　Doctor　Dee　the　conjuror；　have　less　effect　on　Osborne　than　on　Cumberland　（who　tried　many　an　adventure　to　foreign　parts；　and　failed　in　all　of　them；　apparently　for　the　simple　reason　that；　instead　of　going　himself；　he　sent　other　people）；　and　Raleigh　is　fain　to　call　to　his　help　the　quiet　student　who　sits　on　his　left　hand；　Richard　Hakluyt；　of　Oxford。　　But　he　is　deep　in　talk　with　a　reverend　elder；　whose　long　white　beard　flows　almost　to　his　waist；　and　whose　face　is　furrowed　by　a　thousand　storms；　Anthony　Jenkinson　by　name；　the　great　Asiatic　traveller；　who　is　discoursing　to　the　Christ…church　virtuoso　of　reindeer　sledges　and　Siberian　steppes；　and　of　the　fossil　ivory；　plain　proof　of　Noah's　flood；　which　the　Tungoos　dig　from　the　ice…cliffs　of　the　Arctic　sea。　　Next　to　him　is　Christopher　Carlile；　Walsingham's　son…in…law　（as　Sidney　also　is　now）；　a　valiant　captain；　afterwards　general　of　the　soldiery　in　Drake's　triumphant　West　Indian　raid　of　1585；　with　whom　a　certain　Bishop　of　Carthagena　will　hereafter　drink　good　wine。　　He　is　now　busy　talking　with　Alderman　Hart　the　grocer；　Sheriff　Spencer　the　clothworker；　and　Charles　Leigh　（Amyas's　merchant…cousin）；　and　with　Aldworth　the　mayor　of　Bristol；　and　William　Salterne；　alderman　thereof；　and　cousin　of　our　friend　at　Bideford。　　For　Carlile；　and　Secretary　Walsingham　also；　have　been　helping　them　heart　and　soul　for　the　last　two　years　to　collect　money　for　Humphrey　and　Adrian　Gilbert's　great　adventures　to　the　North…West；　on　one　of　which　Carlile　was　indeed　to　have　sailed　himself；　but　did　not　go　after　all；　I　never　could　discover　for　what　reason。

On　the　opposite　side　of　the　table　is　a　group；　scarcely　less　interesting。　　Martin　Frobisher　and　John　Davis；　the　pioneers　of　the　North…West　passage；　are　talking　with　Alderman　Sanderson；　the　great　geographer　and　〃setter　forth　of　globes；〃　with　Mr。　Towerson；　Sir　Gilbert　Peckham；　our　old　acquaintance　Captain　John　Winter；　and　last；　but　not　least；　with　Philip　Sidney　himself；　who；　with　his　accustomed　courtesy；　has　given　up　his　rightful　place　toward　the　head　of　the　table　that　he　may　have　a　knot　of　virtuosi　all　to　himself；　and　has　brought　with　him；　of　course；　his　two　especial　intimates；　Mr。　Edward　Dyer　and　Mr。　Francis　Leigh。　　They　too　are　talking　of　the　North…West　passage：　and　Sidney　is　lamenting　that　he　is　tied　to　diplomacy　and　courts；　and　expressing　his　envy　of　old　Martin　Frobisher　in　all　sorts　of　pretty　compliments；　to　which　the　other　replies　that；

〃It's　all　very　fine　to　talk　of　here；　a　sailing　on　dry　land　with　a　good　glass　of　wine　before　you；　but　you'd　find　it　another　guess　sort　of　business；　knocking　about　among　the　icebergs　with　your　beard　frozen　fast　to　your　ruff；　Sir　Philip；　specially　if　you　were　a　bit　squeamish　about　the　stomach。〃

〃That　were　a　slight　matter　to　endure；　my　dear　sir；　if　by　it　I　could　win　the　honor　which　her　majesty　bestowed　on　you；　when　her　own　ivory　hand　waved　a　farewell　'kerchief　to　your　ship　from　the　windows　of　Greenwich　Palace。〃

〃Well；　sir；　folks　say　you　have　no　reason　to　complain　of　lack　of　favors；　as　you　have　no　reason　to　deserve　lack；　and　if　you　can　get　them　by　staying　ashore；　don't　you　go　to　sea　to　look　for　more；　say　I。　　Eh；　Master　Towerson？〃

Towerson's　gray　beard；　which　has　stood　many　a　foreign　voyage；　both　fair　and　foul；　wags　grim　assent。　　But　at　this　moment　a　Waiter　enters；　and

〃Please　my　lord　mayor's　worship；　there　is　a　tall　gentleman　outside；　would　speak　with　the　Right　Honorable　Sir　Walter　Raleigh。〃

〃Show　him　in；　man。　　Sir　Walter's　friends　are　ours。〃

Amyas　enters；　and　stands　hesitating　in　the　doorway。

〃Captain　Leigh！〃　cry　half　a…dozen　voices。

〃Why　did　you　not　walk　in；　sir？〃　says　Osborne。　　〃You　should　know　your　way　well　enough　between　these　decks。〃

〃Well　enough；　my　lords　and　gentlemen。　　But；　Sir　Walteryou　will　excuse　me〃and　he　gave　Raleigh　a　look　which　was　enough　for　his　quick　wit。　　Turning　pale　as　death；　he　rose；　and　followed　Amyas　into　an　adjoining　cabin。　　They　were　five　minutes　together；　and　then　Amyas　came　out　alone。

In　few　words　he　told　the　company　the　sad　story　which　we　already　know。　　Ere　it　was　ended；　noble　tears　were　glistening　on　some　of　those　stern　faces。

〃The　old　Egyptians；〃　said　Sir　Edward　Osborne；　〃when　they　banqueted；　set　a　corpse　among　their　guests；　for　a　memorial　of　human　vanity。　Have　we　forgotten　God　and　our　own　weakness　in　this　our　feast；　that　He　Himself　has　sent　us　thus　a　message　from　the　dead？〃

〃Nay；　my　lord　mayor；〃　said　Sidney；　〃not　from　the　dead；　but　from　the　realm　of　everlasting　life。〃

〃Amen！〃　answered　Osborne。　　〃But；　gentlemen；　our　feast　is　at　an　end。　There　are　those　here　who　would　drink　on　merrily；　as　brave　men　should；　in　spite　of　the　private　losses　of　which　they　have　just　had　news；　but　none　here　who　can　drink　with　the　loss　of　so　great　a　man　still　ringing　in　his　ears。〃

It　was　true。　　Though　many　of　the　guests　had　suffered　severely　by　the　failure　of　the　expedition；　they　had　utterly　forgotten　that　fact　in　the　awful　news　of　Sir　Humphrey's　death；　and　the　feast　broke　up　sadly　and　hurriedly；　while　each　man　asked　his　neighbor；　〃What　will　the　queen　say？〃

Raleigh　re…entered　in　a　few　minutes；　but　was　silent；　and　pressing　many　an　honest　hand　as　he　passed；　went　out　to　call　a　wherry；　beckoning　Amyas