westward ho-第114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！


naturally　for　the　vegetable　food　of　her　native　forests；　at　all　events　the　bishop's　stores　of　fruit　and　sweetmeats　diminished　rapidly；　and　what　was　worse；　so　did　the　sweet　Spanish　wine　which　Amyas　had　set　apart　for　poor　Lucy's　daily　cordial。　　Whereon　another　severe　lecture；　in　which　Amyas　told　her　how　mean　it　was　to　rob　poor　sick　Lucy；　whereat　she；　as　usual；　threatened　to　drown　herself；　and　was　running　upon　deck　to　do　it；　when　Amyas　caught　her　and　forgave　her。　On　which　a　violent　fit　of　crying；　and　great　penitence　and　promises；　and　a　week　after；　Amyas　found　that　she　had　cheated　Satan　and　her　own　conscience　by　tormenting　the　Portuguese　steward　into　giving　her　some　other　wine　instead：　but　luckily　for　her；　she　found　Amyas's　warnings　about　wine　making　her　mad　so　far　fulfilled；　that　she　did　several　foolish　things　one　evening；　and　had　a　bad　headache　next　morning；　so　the　murder　was　out；　and　Amyas　ordered　the　steward　up　for　a　sound　flogging；　but　Ayacanora；　honorably　enough；　not　only　begged　him　off；　but　offered　to　be　whipped　instead　of　him；　confessing　that　the　poor　fellow　spoke　truly　when　he　swore　that　she　had　threatened　to　kill　him；　and　that　he　had　given　her　the　wine　in　bodily　fear　for　his　life。

However；　her　own　headache　and　Amyas's　cold　looks　were　lesson　enough；　and　after　another　attempt　to　drown　herself；　the　wilful　beauty　settled　down　for　awhile；　and　what　was　better；　could　hardly　be　persuaded；　thenceforth　to　her　dying　day；　to　touch　fermented　liquors。

But；　in　the　meanwhile；　poor　Amyas　had　many　a　brains…beating　as　to　how　he　was　to　tame　a　lady　who；　on　the　least　provocation；　took　refuge　in　suicide。　　Punish　her　he　dared　not；　even　if　he　had　the　heart。　　And　as　for　putting　her　ashore；　he　had　an　instinct；　and　surely　not　a　superstitious　one；　that　her　strange　affection　for　the　English　was　not　unsent　by　Heaven；　and　that　God　had　committed　her　into　his　charge；　and　that　He　would　require　an　account　at　his　hands　of　the　soul　of　that　fair　lost　lamb。

So；　almost　at　his　wits'　end；　he　prayed　to　God；　good　simple　fellow；　and　that　many　a　time；　to　show　him　what　he　should　do　with　her　before　she　killed　either　herself；　or　what　was　just　as　likely；　one　of　the　crew；　and　it　seemed　best　to　him　to　make　Parson　Jack　teach　her　the　rudiments　of　Christianity；　that　she　might　be　baptized　in　due　time　when　they　got　home　to　England。

But　here　arose　a　fresh　troublefor　she　roundly　refused　to　learn　of　Jack；　or　of　any　one　but　Amyas　himself；　while　he　had　many　a　good　reason　for　refusing　the　office　of　schoolmaster；　so；　for　a　week　or　two　more；　Ayacanora　remained　untaught；　save　in　the　English　tongue；　which　she　picked　up　with　marvellous　rapidity。

And　next；　as　if　troubles　would　never　end；　she　took　a　violent　dislike；　not　only　to　John　Brimblecombe；　whose　gait　and　voice　she　openly　mimicked　for　the　edification　of　the　men；　but　also　to　Will　Cary；　whom　she　never　allowed　to　speak　to　her　or　approach　her。　Perhaps　she　was　jealous　of　his　intimacy　with　Amyas；　or　perhaps；　with　the　subtle　instinct　of　a　woman；　she　knew　that　he　was　the　only　other　man　on　board　who　might　dare　to　make　love　to　her　（though　Will；　to　do　him　justice；　was　as　guiltless　of　any　such　intention　as　Amyas　himself）。　　But　when　she　was　remonstrated　with；　her　only　answer　was　that　Cary　was　a　cacique　as　well　as　Amyas；　and　that　there　ought　not　to　be　two　caciques；　and　one　day　she　actually　proposed　to　Amyas　to　kill　his　supposed　rival；　and　take　the　ship　all　to　himself；　and　sulked　for　several　days　at　hearing　Amyas；　amid　shouts　of　laughter；　retail　her　precious　advice　to　its　intended　victim。

Moreover；　the　negroes　came　in　for　their　share；　being　regarded　all　along　by　her　with　an　unspeakable　repugnance；　which　showed　itself　at　first　in　hiding　from　them　whenever　she　could；　and；　afterwards；　in　throwing　at　them　everything　she　could　lay　hands　on；　till　the　poor　Quashies；　in　danger　of　their　lives；　complained　to　Amyas；　and　got　rest　for　awhile。

Over　the　rest　of　the　sailors　she　lorded　it　like　a　very　princess；　calling　them　from　their　work　to　run　on　her　errands　and　make　toys　for　her；　enforcing　her　commands　now　and　then　by　a　shrewd　box　on　the　ears；　while　the　good　fellows；　especially　old　Yeo；　like　true　sailors；　petted　her；　obeyed　her；　even　jested　with　her；　much　as　they　might　have　done　with　a　tame　leopard；　whose　claws　might　be　unsheathed　and　about　their　ears　at　any　moment。　　But　she　amused　them；　and　amused　Amyas　too。　　They　must　of　course　have　a　pet；　and　what　prettier　one　could　they　have？　　And　as　for　Amyas；　the　constant　interest　of　her　presence；　even　the　constant　anxiety　of　her　wilfulness；　kept　his　mind　busy；　and　drove　out　many　a　sad　foreboding　about　that　meeting　with　his　mother；　and　the　tragedy　which　he　had　to　tell　her；　which　would　otherwise；　so　heavily　did　they　weigh　on　him；　have　crushed　his　spirit　with　melancholy；　and　made　all　his　worldly　success　and　marvellous　deliverance　worthless　in　his　eyes。

At　last　the　matter；　as　most　things　luckily　do；　came　to　a　climax；　and　it　came　in　this　way。

The　ship　had　been　slipping　along　now　for　many　a　day；　slowly　but　steadily　before　a　favorable　breeze。　　She　had　passed　the　ring　of　the　West　India　islands；　and　was　now　crawling；　safe　from　all　pursuit；　through　the　vast　weed…beds　of　the　Sargasso　Sea。　　There；　for　the　first　time；　it　was　thought　safe　to　relax　the　discipline　which　had　been　hitherto　kept　up；　and　to　〃rummage〃　（as　was　the　word　in　those　days）　their　noble　prize。　　What　they　found；　of　gold　and　silver；　jewels；　and　merchandise；　will　interest　no　readers。　　Suffice　it　to　say；　that　there　was　enough　there；　with　the　other　treasure；　to　make　Amyas　rich　for　life；　after　all　claims　of　Cary's　and　the　crew；　not　forgetting　Mr。　Salterne's　third；　as　owner　of　the　ship；　had　been　paid　off。　　But　in　the　captain's　cabin　were　found　two　chests；　one　full　of　gorgeous　Mexican　feather　dresses；　and　the　other　of　Spanish　and　East　Indian　finery；　which；　having　come　by　way　of　Havana　and　Cartagena；　was　going　on；　it　seemed；　to　some　senora　or　other　at　the　Caracas。　　Which　two　chests　were；　at　Cary's　proposal；　voted　amid　the　acclamations　of　the　crew　to　Ayacanora；　as　her　due　and　fit　share　of　the　pillage；　in　consideration　of　her　Amazonian　prowess　and　valuable　services。

So　the　poor　child　took　greedy　possession　of　the　trumpery；　had　them　carried　into　Lucy's　cabin；　and　there　knelt　gloating　over　them　many　an　hour。　　The　Mexican　work　she　chose　to　despise　as　savage；　but　the　Spanish　dresses　were　a　treasure；　and　for　two　or　three　days　she　appeared　on　the　quarter…deck；　sunning　herself　like　a　peacock　before　the　eyes　of　Amyas　in　Seville　mantillas；　Madrid　hats；　Indian　brocade　farthingales；　and　I　know　not　how　many　other　gewgaws；　and　dare　not　say　how　put　on。

The　crew　tittered：　Amyas　felt　much　more　inclined　to　cry。　　There　is　nothing　so　pathetic　as　a　child's　vanity；　saving　a　grown　person　aping　a　child's　vanity；　and　saving；　too；　a　child's　agony　of　disappointment　when　it　finds　that　it　has　been　laughed　at　instead　of　being　admired。　　Amyas　would　have　spoken；　but　he　was　afraid：　however；　the　evil　brought　its　own　cure。　　The　pageant　went　on；　as　its　actor　thought；　most　successfully　for　three　days　or　so；　but　at　last　the　dupe；　unable　to　contain　herself　longer；　appealed　to　Amyas；〃Ayacanora　quite　English　girl　now；　is　she　not？〃heard　a　titter　behind　her；　looked　round；　saw　a　dozen　honest　faces　in　broad　grin；　comprehended　all　in　a　moment；　darted　down　the　companion…　ladder；　and　vanished。

Amyas；　fully　expecting　her　to　jump　overboard；　followed　as　fast　as　he　could。　　But　she　had　locked　herself　in　with　Lucy；　and　he　could　hear　her　violent　sobs；　and　Lucy's　faint　voice　entreating　to　know　what　was　the　matter。

In　vain　he　knocked。　　She　refused　to　come　out　all　day；　and　at　even　they　were　forced　to　break　the　door　open；　to　prevent　Lucy　being　starved。

There　sat　Ayacanora；　her　finery　half　torn　off；　and　scattered　about　the　floor　in　spite；　crying　still　as　if　her　heart　would　break；　while　poor　Lucy　cried　too；　half　from　fright　and　hunger；　and　half　for　company。

Amyas　tried　to　comfort　the　poor　child；　assured　her　that　the　men　should　never　laugh　at　her　again；　〃But　then；〃　added　he；　〃you　must　not　be　soso〃　　What　to　say　he　hardly　knew。

〃So　what？〃　asked　she；　crying　more　bitterly　than　ever。

〃So　like　a　wild　girl；　Ayacanora。〃

Her　hands　dropped　on　her　knees：　a　strong　spasm　ran　through　her　throat　and　bosom；　and　she　fell　on　her　knees　before　him；　and　looked　up　imploringly　in　his　face。

〃Yes；　wild　girlpoor；　bad　wild　girl。　。　。　。　　But　I　will　be　English　girl　now！〃

〃Fine　clothes　will　never　make　you　English；　my　child；〃　said　Amyas。

〃No！　not　English　clothesEnglish　heart！　　Good　heart；　like　yours！　Yes；　I　will　be　good；　and　Sir　John　shall　teach　me！〃

〃There's　my　good　maid；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Sir　John　shall　begin　and　teach　you　to…morrow。〃

〃No！　　Now！　now！　　Ayacanora　cannot　wait。　　She　will　drown　herself　if　she　is　bad　another　day！　　Come；　now！〃

And　she　made　him　fetch　Brimblecombe；　heard　the　honest　fellow　patiently　for　an　hour　or　more；　and　told　Lucy　that　very　night　all　that　he　had　said。　　And　from　that　day；　whenever　Jack　went　in　to　read　and　pray　with　the　poor　sufferer；　Ayacanora；　instead　of　escaping　on　deck　as　before；　stood　patiently　trying　to　make　it　all　out；　and　knelt　when　he　knelt；　and　tried　to　pray　toothat　she　might　have　an　English　heart；　and　doubtless　her　prayers；　dumb　as　they　were；　were　not　unheard。

So　went　on　a　few　days　more；　hopefully　enough；　without　any　outbreak；　till　one　morning；　just　after　they　had　passed　the　Sargasso…beds。　The　ship　was　taking　care　of　herself；　the　men　were　all　on　deck　under　the　awning；　tinkering；　and　cobbling；　and　chatting；　Brimblecombe　was　catechising　his　fair　pupil　in　the　cabin；　Amyas　and　Cary；　cigar　in　mouth；　were　chatting　about　all　heaven　and　earth；　and；　above　all；　of　the　best　way　of　getting　up　a　fresh　adventure　against　the　Spaniards　as　soon　as　they　returned；　while　Amyas　was　pouring　out　to　Will　that　dark　hatred　of　the　whole　nation；　that　dark　purpose　of　revenge　for　his　brother　and　for　Rose；　which　had　settled　down　like　a　murky　cloud　into　every　cranny　of　his　heart　and　mind。　　Suddenly　there　was　a　noise　below；　a　scuffle　and　a　shout；　which　made　them　both　leap　to　their　feet；　and　up　on　deck　rushed　Jack　Brimblecombe；　holding　his　head　on　with　both　his　hands。

〃Save　me！　save　me　from　that　she…fiend！　　She　is　possessed　with　a　legion！　　She　has　broken　my　nosetorn　out　half　my　hair！and　I'm　sure　I　have　none　to