westward ho-第5部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃And　which；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃they　might　have　avoided；　if；　instead　of　trusting　in　I　know　not　what　dumb　and　dark　destiny；　they　had　trusted　in　the　living　God；　by　faith　in　whom　men　may　remove　mountains；　and　quench　the　fire；　and　put　to　flight　the　armies　of　the　alien。　　I　too　know；　and　know　not　how　I　know；　that　I　shall　never　die　in　my　bed。〃

〃God　forfend！　〃　cried　Mrs。　Leigh。

〃And　why；　fair　madam；　if　I　die　doing　my　duty　to　my　God　and　my　queen？　　The　thought　never　moves　me：　nay；　to　tell　the　truth；　I　pray　often　enough　that　I　may　be　spared　the　miseries　of　imbecile　old　age；　and　that　end　which　the　old　Northmen　rightly　called　'a　cow's　death'　rather　than　a　man's。　　But　enough　of　this。　　Mr。　Leigh；　you　have　done　wisely　to…night。　　Poor　Oxenham　does　not　go　on　his　voyage　with　a　single　eye。　　I　have　talked　about　him　with　Drake　and　Hawkins；　and　I　guess　why　Mrs。　Leigh　touched　him　so　home　when　she　told　him　that　he　had　no　child。〃

〃Has　he　one；　then；　in　the　West　Indies？〃　cried　the　good　lady。

〃God　knows；　and　God　grant　we　may　not　hear　of　shame　and　sorrow　fallen　upon　an　ancient　and　honorable　house　of　Devon。　　My　brother　Stukely　is　woe　enough　to　North　Devon　for　this　generation。〃

〃Poor　braggadocio！〃　said　Mr。　Leigh；　〃and　yet　not　altogether　that　too；　for　he　can　fight　at　least。〃

〃So　can　every　mastiff　and　boar；　much　more　an　Englishman。　　And　now　come　hither　to　me；　my　adventurous　godson；　and　don't　look　in　such　doleful　dumps。　　I　hear　you　have　broken　all　the　sailor…boys'　heads　already。〃

〃Nearly　all；〃　said　young　Amyas；　with　due　modesty。。　　〃But　am　I　not　to　go　to　sea？〃

〃All　things　in　their　time；　my　boy；　and　God　forbid　that　either　I　or　your　worthy　parents　should　keep　you　from　that　noble　calling　which　is　the　safeguard　of　this　England　and　her　queen。　　But　you　do　not　wish　to　live　and　die　the　master　of　a　trawler？〃

〃I　should　like　to　be　a　brave　adventurer；　like　Mr。　Oxenham。〃

〃God　grant　you　become　a　braver　man　than　he！　for；　as　I　think；　to　be　bold　against　the　enemy　is　common　to　the　brutes；　but　the　prerogative　of　a　man　is　to　be　bold　against　himself。〃

〃How；　sir？〃

〃To　conquer　our　own　fancies；　Amyas；　and　our　own　lusts；　and　our　ambition；　in　the　sacred　name　of　duty；　this　it　is　to　be　truly　brave；　and　truly　strong；　for　he　who　cannot　rule　himself；　how　can　he　rule　his　crew　or　his　fortunes？　　Come；　now；　I　will　make　you　a　promise。　If　you　will　bide　quietly　at　home；　and　learn　from　your　father　and　mother　all　which　befits　a　gentleman　and　a　Christian；　as　well　as　a　seaman；　the　day　shall　come　when　you　shall　sail　with　Richard　Grenville　himself；　or　with　better　men　than　he；　on　a　nobler　errand　than　gold…hunting　on　the　Spanish　Main。〃

〃O　my　boy；　my　boy！〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh；　〃hear　what　the　good　Sir　Richard　promises　you。　　Many　an　earl's　son　would　be　glad　to　be　in　your　place。〃

〃And　many　an　earl's　son　will　be　glad　to　be　in　his　place　a　score　years　hence；　if　he　will　but　learn　what　I　know　you　two　can　teach　him。　　And　now；　Amyas；　my　lad；　I　will　tell　you　for　a　warning　the　history　of　that　Sir　Thomas　Stukely　of　whom　I　spoke　just　now；　and　who　was；　as　all　men　know；　a　gallant　and　courtly　knight；　of　an　ancient　and　worshipful　family　in　Ilfracombe；　well　practised　in　the　wars；　and　well　beloved　at　first　by　our　incomparable　queen；　the　friend　of　all　true　virtue；　as　I　trust　she　will　be　of　yours　some　day；　who　wanted　but　one　step　to　greatness；　and　that　was　this；　that　in　his　hurry　to　rule　all　the　world；　he　forgot　to　rule　himself。　　At　first；　he　wasted　his　estate　in　show　and　luxury；　always　intending　to　be　famous；　and　destroying　his　own　fame　all　the　while　by　his　vainglory　and　haste。　　Then；　to　retrieve　his　losses；　he　hit　upon　the　peopling　of　Florida；　which　thou　and　I　will　see　done　some　day；　by　God's　blessing；　for　I　and　some　good　friends　of　mine　have　an　errand　there　as　well　as　he。　　But　he　did　not　go　about　it　as　a　loyal　man；　to　advance　the　honor　of　his　queen；　but　his　own　honor　only；　dreaming　that　he　too　should　be　a　king；　and　was　not　ashamed　to　tell　her　majesty　that　he　had　rather　be　sovereign　of　a　molehill　than　the　highest　subject　of　an　emperor。〃

〃They　say；〃　said　Mr。　Leigh；　〃that　he　told　her　plainly　he　should　be　a　prince　before　he　died；　and　that　she　gave　him　one　of　her　pretty　quips　in　return。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　her　majesty　had　the　best　of　it。　　A　fool　is　many　times　too　strong　for　a　wise　man；　by　virtue　of　his　thick　hide。　　For　when　she　said　that　she　hoped　she　should　hear　from　him　in　his　new　principality；　'Yes；　sooth；'　says　he；　graciously　enough。　　'And　in　what　style？'　asks　she。　　'To　our　dear　sister；'　says　Stukely：　to　which　her　clemency　had　nothing　to　reply；　but　turned　away；　as　Mr。　Burleigh　told　me；　laughing。〃

〃Alas　for　him！〃　said　gentle　Mrs。　Leigh。　　〃Such　self…conceitand　Heaven　knows　we　have　the　root　of　it　in　ourselves　alsois　the　very　daughter　of　self…will；　and　of　that　loud　crying　out　about　I；　and　me；　and　mine；　which　is　the　very　bird…call　for　all　devils；　and　the　broad　road　which　leads　to　death。〃

〃It　will　lead　him　to　his；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃God　grant　it　be　not　upon　Tower…hill！　for　since　that　Florida　plot；　and　after　that　his　hopes　of　Irish　preferment　came　to　naught；　he　who　could　not　help　himself　by　fair　means　has　taken　to　foul　ones；　and　gone　over　to　Italy　to　the　Pope；　whose　infallibility　has　not　been　proof　against　Stukely's　wit；　for　he　was　soon　his　Holiness's　closet　counsellor；　and；　they　say；　his　bosom　friend；　and　made　him　give　credit　to　his　boasts　that；　with　three　thousand　soldiers　he　would　beat　the　English　out　of　Ireland；　and　make　the　Pope's　son　king　of　it。〃

〃Ay；　but；〃　said　Mr。　Leigh；　〃I　suppose　the　Italians　have　the　same　fetch　now　as　they　had　when　I　was　there；　to　explain　such　ugly　cases；　namely；　that　the　Pope　is　infallible　only　in　doctrine；　and　quoad　Pope；　while　quoad　hominem；　he　is　even　as　others；　or　indeed；　in　general；　a　deal　worse；　so　that　the　office；　and　not　the　man；　may　be　glorified　thereby。　　But　where　is　Stukely　now？〃

〃At　Rome　when　last　I　heard　of　him；　ruffling　it　up　and　down　the　Vatican　as　Baron　Ross；　Viscount　Murrough；　Earl　Wexford；　Marquis　Leinster；　and　a　title　or　two　more；　which　have　cost　the　Pope　little；　seeing　that　they　never　were　his　to　give；　and　plotting；　they　say；　some　hare…brained　expedition　against　Ireland　by　the　help　of　the　Spanish　king；　which　must　end　in　nothing　but　his　shame　and　ruin。　And　now；　my　sweet　hosts；　I　must　call　for　serving…boy　and　lantern；　and　home　to　my　bed　in　Bideford。〃

And　so　Amyas　Leigh　went　back　to　school；　and　Mr。　Oxenham　went　his　way　to　Plymouth　again；　and　sailed　for　the　Spanish　Main。



CHAPTER　II

HOW　AMYAS　CAME　HOME　THE　FIRST　TIME


〃Si　taceant　homines；　facient　te　sidera　notum；　　　　　Sol　nescit　comitis　immemor　esse　sui。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Old　Epigram　on　Drake。


Five　years　are　past　and　gone。　　It　is　nine　of　the　clock　on　a　still；　bright　November　morning；　but　the　bells　of　Bideford　church　are　still　ringing　for　the　daily　service　two　hours　after　the　usual　time；　and　instead　of　going　soberly　according　to　wont；　cannot　help　breaking　forth　every　five　minutes　into　a　jocund　peal；　and　tumbling　head　over　heels　in　ecstasies　of　joy。　　Bideford　streets　are　a　very　flower…　garden　of　all　the　colors；　swarming　with　seamen　and　burghers；　and　burghers'　wives　and　daughters；　all　in　their　holiday　attire。　Garlands　are　hung　across　the　streets；　and　tapestries　from　every　window。　　The　ships　in　the　pool　are　dressed　in　all　their　flags；　and　give　tumultuous　vent　to　their　feelings　by　peals　of　ordnance　of　every　size。　　Every　stable　is　crammed　with　horses；　and　Sir　Richard　Grenville's　house　is　like　a　very　tavern；　with　eating　and　drinking；　and　unsaddling；　and　running　to　and　fro　of　grooms　and　serving…men。　Along　the　little　churchyard；　packed　full　with　women；　streams　all　the　gentle　blood　of　North　Devon；tall　and　stately　men；　and　fair　ladies；　worthy　of　the　days　when　the　gentry　of　England　were　by　due　right　the　leaders　of　the　people；　by　personal　prowess　and　beauty；　as　well　as　by　intellect　and　education。　　And　first；　there　is　my　lady　Countess　of　Bath；　whom　Sir　Richard　Grenville　is　escorting；　cap　in　hand　（for　her　good　Earl　Bourchier　is　in　London　with　the　queen）；　and　there　are　Bassets　from　beautiful　Umberleigh；　and　Carys　from　more　beautiful　Clovelly；　and　Fortescues　of　Wear；　and　Fortescues　of　Buckland；　and　Fortescues　from　all　quarters；　and　Coles　from　Slade；　and　Stukelys　from　Affton；　and　St。　Legers　from　Annery；　and　Coffins　from　Portledge；　and　even　Coplestones　from　Eggesford；　thirty　miles　away：　and　last；　but　not　least　（for　almost　all　stop　to　give　them　place）；　Sir　John　Chichester　of　Ralegh；　followed　in　single　file；　after　the　good　old　patriarchal　fashion；　by　his　eight　daughters；　and　three　of　his　five　famous　sons　（one；　to　avenge　his　murdered　brother；　is　fighting　valiantly　in　Ireland；　hereafter　to　rule　there　wisely　also；　as　Lord　Deputy　and　Baron　of　Belfast）；　and　he　meets　at　the　gate　his　cousin　of　Arlington；　and　behind　him　a　train　of　four　daughters　and　nineteen　sons；　the　last　of　whom　has　not　yet　passed　the　town…hall；　while　the　first　is　at　the　Lychgate；　who；　laughing；　make　way　for　the　elder　though　shorter　branch　of　that　most　fruitful　tree；　and　so　on　into　the　church；　where　all　are　placed　according　to　their　degrees；　or　at　least　as　near　as　may　be；　not　without　a　few　sour　looks；　and　shovings；　and　whisperings；　from　one　high…born　matron　and　another；　till　the　churchwardens　and　sidesmen；　who　never　had　befo