westward ho-第13部分

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at　he　should　be　lost　for　holding　those　lands；　but　he　did　not　believe　it　wholly；　and；　therefore；　he　did　not　give　them　up；　which　was　the　case；　as　poor　Mary　Tudor　found　to　her　sorrow；　with　most　of　her　〃Catholic〃　subjects；　whose　consciences；　while　they　compelled　them　to　return　to　the　only　safe　fold　of　Mother　Church　（extra　quam　nulla　salus）；　by　no　means　compelled　them　to　disgorge　the　wealth　of　which　they　had　plundered　that　only　hope　of　their　salvation。　　Most　of　them；　however；　like　poor　Tom　Leigh；　felt　the　abbey　rents　burn　in　their　purses；　and；　as　John　Bull　generally　does　in　a　difficulty；　compromised　the　matter　by　a　second　folly　（as　if　two　wrong　things　made　one　right　one）；　and　petted　foreign　priests；　and　listened；　or　pretended　not　to　listen；　to　their　plottings　and　their　practisings；　and　gave　up　a　son　here；　and　a　son　there；　as　a　sort　of　a　sin…offering　and　scapegoat；　to　be　carried　off　to　Douay；　or　Rheims；　or　Rome；　and　trained　as　a　seminary　priest；　in　plain　English；　to　be　taught　the　science　of　villainy；　on　the　motive　of　superstition。　　One　of　such　hapless　scapegoats；　and　children　who　had　been　cast　into　the　fire　to　Moloch；　was　Eustace　Leigh；　whom　his　father　had　sent；　giving　the　fruit　of　his　body　for　the　sin　of　his　soul；　to　be　made　a　liar　of　at　Rheims。

And　a　very　fair　liar　he　had　become。　　Not　that　the　lad　was　a　bad　fellow　at　heart；　but　he　had　been　chosen　by　the　harpies　at　home；　on　account　of　his　〃peculiar　vocation；〃　in　plain　English；　because　the　wily　priests　had　seen　in　him　certain　capacities　of　vague　hysterical　fear　of　the　unseen　（the　religious　sentiment；　we　call　it　now…a…　days）；　and　with　them　that　tendency　to　be　a　rogue；　which　superstitious　men　always　have。　　He　was　now　a　tall；　handsome；　light…　complexioned　man；　with　a　huge　upright　forehead；　a　very　small　mouth；　and　a　dry　and　set　expression　of　face；　which　was　always　trying　to　get　free；　or　rather　to　seem　free；　and　indulge　in　smiles　and　dimples　which　were　proper；　for　one　ought　to　have　Christian　love；　and　if　one　had　love　one　ought　to　be　cheerful；　and　when　people　were　cheerful　they　smiled；　and　therefore　he　would　smile；　and　tried　to　do　so；　but　his　charity　prepense　looked　no　more　alluring　than　malice　prepense　would　have　done；　and；　had　he　not　been　really　a　handsome　fellow；　many　a　woman　who　raved　about　his　sweetness　would　have　likened　his　frankness　to　that　of　a　skeleton　dancing　in　fetters；　and　his　smiles　to　the　grins　thereof。

He　had　returned　to　England　about　a　month　before；　in　obedience　to　the　proclamation　which　had　been　set　forth　for　that　purpose　（and　certainly　not　before　it　was　needed）；　that；　〃whosoever　had　children；　wards；　etc。；　in　the　parts　beyond　the　seas；　should　send　in　their　names　to　the　ordinary；　and　within　four　months　call　them　home　again。〃　　So　Eustace　was　now　staying　with　his　father　at　Chapel；　having；　nevertheless；　his　private　matters　to　transact　on　behalf　of　the　virtuous　society　by　whom　he　had　been　brought　up；　one　of　which　private　matters　had　brought　him　to　Bideford　the　night　before。

So　he　sat　down　beside　Amyas　on　the　pebbles；　and　looked　at　him　all　over　out　of　the　corners　of　his　eyes　very　gently；　as　if　he　did　not　wish　to　hurt　him；　or　even　the　flies　on　his　back；　and　Amyas　faced　right　round；　and　looked　him　full　in　the　face。　　with　the　heartiest　of　smiles；　and　held　out　a　lion's　paw；　which　Eustace　took　rapturously；　and　a　great　shaking　of　hands　ensued；　Amyas　gripping　with　a　great　round　fist；　and　a　quiet　quiver　thereof；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃I　AM　glad　to　see　you；〃　and　Eustace　pinching　hard　with　white；　straight　fingers；　and　sawing　the　air　violently　up　and　down；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃DON'T　YOU　SEE　how　glad　I　am　to　see　you？〃　　A　very　different　greeting　from　the　former。

〃Hold　hard；　old　lad；〃　said　Amyas；　〃before　you　break　my　elbow。　　And　where　do　you　come　from？〃

〃From　going　to　and　fro　in　the　earth；　and　from　walking　up　and　down　in　it；〃　said　he；　with　a　little　smile　and　nod　of　mysterious　self…　importance。

〃Like　the　devil；　eh？　　Well；　every　man　has　his　pattern。　　How　is　my　uncle？〃

Now；　if　there　was　one　man　on　earth　above　another；　of　whom　Eustace　Leigh　stood　in　dread；　it　was　his　cousin　Amyas。　　In　the　first　place；　he　knew　Amyas　could　have　killed　him　with　a　blow；　and　there　are　natures；　who；　instead　of　rejoicing　in　the　strength　of　men　of　greater　prowess　than　themselves；　look　at　such　with　irritation；　dread；　at　last；　spite；　expecting；　perhaps；　that　the　stronger　will　do　to　them　what　they　feel　they　might　have　done　in　his　place。　　Every　one；　perhaps；　has　the　same　envious；　cowardly　devil　haunting　about　his　heart；　but　the　brave　men；　though　they　be　very　sparrows；　kick　him　out；　the　cowards　keep　him；　and　foster　him；　and　so　did　poor　Eustace　Leigh。

Next；　he　could　not　help　feeling　that　Amyas　despised　him。　　They　had　not　met　for　three　years；　but　before　Amyas　went；　Eustace　never　could　argue　with　him；　simply　because　Amyas　treated　him　as　beneath　argument。　　No　doubt　he　was　often　rude　and　unfair　enough；　but　the　whole　mass　of　questions　concerning　the　unseen　world；　which　the　priests　had　stimulated　in　his　cousin's　mind　into　an　unhealthy　fungus　crop；　were　to　Amyas　simply；　as　he　expressed　it；　〃wind　and　moonshine；〃　and　he　treated　his　cousin　as　a　sort　of　harmless　lunatic；　and；　as　they　say　in　Devon；　〃half…baked。〃　　And　Eustace　knew　it；　and　knew；　too；　that　his　cousin　did　him　an　injustice。　　〃He　used　to　undervalue　me；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃let　us　see　whether　he　does　not　find　me　a　match　for　him　now。〃　　And　then　went　off　into　an　agony　of　secret　contrition　for　his　self…seeking　and　his　forgetting　that　〃the　glory　of　God；　and　not　his　own　exaltation；〃　was　the　object　of　his　existence。

There；　dear　readers；　Ex　pede　Herculem；　I　cannot　tire　myself　or　you　（especially　in　this　book）　with　any　wire…drawn　soul…dissections。　　I　have　tried　to　hint　to　you　two　opposite　sorts　of　men；the　one　trying　to　be　good　with　all　his　might　and　main；　according　to　certain　approved　methods　and　rules；　which　he　has　got　by　heart；　and　like　a　weak　oarsman；　feeling　and　fingering　his　spiritual　muscles　over　all　day；　to　see　if　they　are　growing；　the　other　not　even　knowing　whether　he　is　good　or　not；　but　just　doing　the　right　thing　without　thinking　about　it；　as　simply　as　a　little　child；　because　the　Spirit　of　God　is　with　him。　　If　you　cannot　see　the　great　gulf　fixed　between　the　two；　I　trust　that　you　will　discover　it　some　day。

But　in　justice　be　it　said；　all　this　came　upon　Eustace；　not　because　he　was　a　Romanist；　but　because　he　was　educated　by　the　Jesuits。　　Had　he　been　saved　from　them；　he　might　have　lived　and　died　as　simple　and　honest　a　gentleman　as　his　brothers；　who　turned　out　like　true　Englishmen　（as　did　all　the　Romish　laity）　to　face　the　great　Armada；　and　one　of　whom　was　fighting　at　that　very　minute　under　St。　Leger　in　Ireland；　and　as　brave　and　loyal　a　soldier　as　those　Roman　Catholics　whose　noble　blood　has　stained　every　Crimean　battlefield；　but　his　fate　was　appointed　otherwise；　and　the　Upas…shadow　which　has　blighted　the　whole　Romish　Church；　blighted　him　also。

〃Ah；　my　dearest　cousin！〃　said　Eustace；　〃how　disappointed　I　was　this　morning　at　finding　I　had　arrived　just　a　day　too　late　to　witness　your　triumph！　　But　I　hastened　to　your　home　as　soon　as　I　could；　and　learning　from　your　mother　that　I　should　find　you　here；　hurried　down　to　bid　you　welcome　again　to　Devon。〃

〃Well；　old　lad；　it　does　look　very　natural　to　see　you。　　I　often　used　to　think　of　you　walking　the　deck　o'　nights。　　Uncle　and　the　girls　are　all　right；　then？　　But　is　the　old　pony　dead　yet？　　And　how's　Dick　the　smith；　and　Nancy？　　Grown　a　fine　maid　by　now；　I　warrant。　　'Slid；　it　seems　half　a　life　that　I've　been　away。

〃And　you　really　thought　of　your　poor　cousin？　　Be　sure　that　he；　too；　thought　of　you；　and　offered　up　nightly　his　weak　prayers　for　your　safety　（doubtless；　not　without　avail）　to　those　saints；　to　whom　would　that　you〃

〃Halt　there；　coz。　　If　they　are　half　as　good　fellows　as　you　and　I　take　them　for；　they'll　help　me　without　asking。〃

〃They　have　helped　you；　Amyas。〃

〃Maybe；　I'd　have　done　as　much；　I'm　sure；　for　them；　if　I　'd　been　in　their　place。〃

〃And　do　you　not　feel；　then；　that　you　owe　a　debt　of　gratitude　to　them；　and；　above　all；　to　her；　whose　intercessions　have；　I　doubt　not；　availed　for　your　preservation？　　Her；　the　star　of　the　sea；　the　all…compassionate　guide　of　the　mariner？〃

〃Humph！〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Here's　Frank；　let　him　answer。〃

And；　as　he　spoke；　up　came　Frank；　and　after　due　greetings；　sat　down　beside　them　on　the　ridge。

〃I　say；　brother；　here's　Eustace　trying　already　to　convert　me；　and　telling　me　that　I　owe　all　my　luck　to　the　Blessed　Virgin's　prayers　for　me。

〃It　may　be　so；〃　said　Frank；　〃at　least　you　owe　it　to　the　prayers　of　that　most　pure　and　peerless　virgin　by　whose　commands　you　sailed；　the　sweet　incense　of　whose　orisons　has　gone　up　for　you　daily；　and　for　whose　sake　you　were　preserved　from　flood　and　foe；　that　you　might　spread　the　fame　and　advance　the　power　of　the　spotless　championess　of　truth；　and　right；　and　freedom；Elizabeth；　your　queen。〃

Amyas　answered　this　rhapsody；　which　would　have　been　then　both　fashionable　and　sincere；　by　a　loyal　chuckle。　　Eustace　smiled　meekly；　but　answered　somewhat　venomously　nevertheless

〃I；　at　least；　am　certain　that　I　speak　the　truth；　when　I　call　my　patroness　a　virgin　undefiled。〃

Both　the　brothers'　brows　clouded　at　once。　　Amyas；　as　he　lay　on　his　back　on　the　pebbles；　said　quietly　to　the　gulls　over　his　head〃I　wonder　what　the　Frenchman　whose　head　I　cut　off　at　the　Azores；　thinks　by　now　about　all　that。〃

〃Cut　off　a　Frenchman's　head？〃　said　Frank。

〃Yes；　faith；　and　so　fleshed　my　maiden　sword。　　I'll　tell　you。　　It　was　in　some　tavern；　I　and　George　Drake　had　gone　in；　and　there　sat　this　Frenchman；　with　his　sword　on　the　table；　ready　for　a　quarrel　（I　found　afterwards　he　was　a　noted　bully）；　and　begins　with　us　loudly　enough　about　this　and　that；　but；　after　awhile；　by　the　instigation　of　the　devil；　what　does　he　vent　but　a　dozen　slanders　against　her　majesty's　honor；　one　atop　of　the　other？　　I　was　ashamed　to　hear　them；　and　I　should　be　more　ashamed　to　repeat　them。〃

〃I　have　heard　enough　of　such；〃　said　Frank。　　〃They　come　mostly　through　lewd　rascals　about　the　French　ambassador；　who　have　been　bred　（God　help　them）　among　the　filthy　vices　of　that　Medicean　Court　in　which　the　Queen　of　Scots　had　her　schooling；　and　can　only　perceive　in　a　virtuous　freedom　a　cloak　for　licentiousness　like　their　own。　　Let