westward ho-第131部分

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nd　Recalde；　having　with　much　ado　got　clear　of　the　shallows；　bear　the　brunt　of　the　fight　to　seaward；　but　in　vain。　　The　day　goes　against　them　more　and　more；　as　it　runs　on。　　Seymour　and　Winter　have　battered　the　great　San　Philip　into　a　wreck；　her　masts　are　gone　by　the　board；　Pimentelli　in　the　San　Matthew　comes　up　to　take　the　mastiffs　off　the　fainting　bull；　and　finds　them　fasten　on　him　instead；　but　the　Evangelist；　though　smaller；　is　stouter　than　the　Deacon；　and　of　all　the　shot　poured　into　him；　not　twenty　〃lackt　him　thorough。〃　　His　masts　are　tottering；　but　sink　or　strike　he　will　not。

〃Go　ahead；　and　pound　his　tough　hide；　Leigh；〃　roars　Drake　off　the　poop　of　his　ship；　while　he　hammers　away　at　one　of　the　great　galliasses。　　〃What　right　has　he　to　keep　us　all　waiting？〃

Amyas　slips　in　as　best　he　can　between　Drake　and　Winter；　as　he　passes　he　shouts　to　his　ancient　enemy；

〃We　are　with　you；　sir；　all　friends　to…day！〃　and　slipping　round　Winter's　bows；　he　pours　his　broadside　into　those　of　the　San　Matthew；　and　then　glides　on　to　re…load；　but　not　to　return。　　For　not　a　pistol　shot　to　leeward；　worried　by　three　or　four　small　craft；　lies　an　immense　galleon；　and　on　her　poopcan　he　believe　his　eyes　for　joy？the　maiden　and　the　wheel　which　he　has　sought　so　long！

〃There　he　is！〃　shouts　Amyas；　springing　to　the　starboard　side　of　the　ship。　　The　men；　too；　have　already　caught　sight　of　that　hated　sign；　a　cheer　of　fury　bursts　from　every　throat。

〃Steady；　men！〃　says　Amyas；　in　a　suppressed　voice。　　〃Not　a　shot！　Re…load；　and　be　ready；　I　must　speak　with　him　first；〃　and　silent　as　the　grave；　amid　the　infernal　din；　the　Vengeance　glides　up　to　the　Spaniard's　quarter。

〃Don　Guzman　Maria　Magdalena　Sotomayor　de　Soto！〃　shouts　Amyas　from　the　mizzen　rigging；　loud　and　clear　amid　the　roar。

He　has　not　called　in　vain。　　Fearless　and　graceful　as　ever；　the　tall；　mail…clad　figure　of　his　foe　leaps　up　upon　the　poop…railing；　twenty　feet　above　Amyas's　head；　and　shouts　through　his　vizor；

〃At　your　service；　sir　whosoever　you　may　be。〃

A　dozen　muskets　and　arrows　are　levelled　at　him；　but　Amyas　frowns　them　down。　　〃No　man　strikes　him　but　I。　　Spare　him；　if　you　kill　every　other　soul　on　board。　　Don　Guzman！　　I　am　Captain　Sir　Amyas　Leigh；　I　proclaim　you　a　traitor　and　a　ravisher；　and　challenge　you　once　more　to　single　combat；　when　and　where　you　will。〃

〃You　are　welcome　to　come　on　board　me；　sir；〃　answers　the　Spaniard；　in　a　clear；　quiet　tone；　〃bringing　with　you　this　answer；　that　you　lie　in　your　throat；〃　and　lingering　a　moment　out　of　bravado；　to　arrange　his　scarf；　he　steps　slowly　down　again　behind　the　bulwarks。

〃Coward！〃　shouts　Amyas　at　the　top　of　his　voice。

The　Spaniard　re…appears　instantly。　　〃Why　that　name；　senor；　of　all　others？〃　asks　he　in　a　cool；　stern　voice。

〃Because　we　call　men　cowards　in　England；　who　leave　their　wives　to　be　burnt　alive　by　priests。〃

The　moment　the　words　had　passed　Amyas's　lips；　he　felt　that　they　were　cruel　and　unjust。　　But　it　was　too　late　to　recall　them。　　The　Spaniard　started；　clutched　his　sword…hilt；　and　then　hissed　back　through　his　closed　vizor；

〃For　that　word；　sirrah；　you　hang　at　my　yardarm；　if　Saint　Mary　gives　me　grace。〃

〃See　that　your　halter　be　a　silken　one；　then；〃　laughed　Amyas；　〃for　I　am　just　dubbed　knight。〃　　And　he　stepped　down　as　a　storm　of　bullets　rang　through　the　rigging　round　his　head；　the　Spaniards　are　not　as　punctilious　as　he。

〃Fire！〃　　His　ordnance　crash　through　the　stern…works　of　the　Spaniard；　and　then　he　sails　onward；　while　her　balls　go　humming　harmlessly　through　his　rigging。

Half…an…hour　has　passed　of　wild　noise　and　fury；　three　times　has　the　Vengeance；　as　a　dolphin　might；　sailed　clean　round　and　round　the　Sta。　Catharina；　pouring　in　broadside　after　broadside；　till　the　guns　are　leaping　to　the　deck…beams　with　their　own　heat；　and　the　Spaniard's　sides　are　slit　and　spotted　in　a　hundred　places。　　And　yet；　so　high　has　been　his　fire　in　return；　and　so　strong　the　deck　defences　of　the　Vengeance；　that　a　few　spars　broken；　and　two　or　three　men　wounded　by　musketry；　are　all　her　loss。　　But　still　the　Spaniard　endures；　magnificent　as　ever；　it　is　the　battle　of　the　thresher　and　the　whale；　the　end　is　certain；　but　the　work　is　long。

〃Can　I　help　you；　Captain　Leigh？〃　asked　Lord　Henry　Seymour；　as　he　passes　within　oar's　length　of　him；　to　attack　a　ship　ahead。　　〃The　San　Matthew　has　had　his　dinner；　and　is　gone　on　to　Medina　to　ask　for　a　digestive　to　it。〃

〃I　thank　your　lordship：　but　this　is　my　private　quarrel；　of　which　I　spoke。　　But　if　your　lordship　could　lend　me　powder〃

〃Would　that　I　could！　　But　so；　I　fear；　says　every　other　gentleman　in　the　fleet。〃

A　puff　of　wind　clears　away　the　sulphurous　veil　for　a　moment；　the　sea　is　clear　of　ships　towards　the　land；　the　Spanish　fleet　are　moving　again　up　Channel；　Medina　bringing　up　the　rear；　only　some　two　miles　to　their　right　hand；　the　vast　hull　of　the　San　Philip　is　drifting　up　the　shore　with　the　tide；　and　somewhat　nearer　the　San　Matthew　is　hard　at　work　at　her　pumps。　　They　can　see　the　white　stream　of　water　pouring　down　her　side。

〃Go　in；　my　lord；　and　have　the　pair；〃　shouts　Amyas。

〃No；　sir！　　Forward　is　a　Seymour's　cry。　　We　will　leave　them　to　pay　the　Flushingers'　expenses。　　And　on　went　Lord　Henry；　and　on　shore　went　the　San　Philip　at　Ostend；　to　be　plundered　by　the　Flushingers；　while　the　San　Matthew；　whose　captain；　〃on　a　hault　courage；〃　had　refused　to　save　himself　and　his　gentlemen　on　board　Medina's　ship；　went　blundering　miserably　into　the　hungry　mouths　of　Captain　Peter　Vanderduess　and　four　other　valiant　Dutchmen；　who；　like　prudent　men　of　Holland；　contrived　to　keep　the　galleon　afloat　till　they　had　emptied　her；　and　then　〃hung　up　her　banner　in　the　great　church　of　Leyden；　being　of　such　a　length；　that　being　fastened　to　the　roof；　it　reached　unto　the　very　ground。〃

But　in　the　meanwhile；　long　ere　the　sun　had　set；　comes　down　the　darkness　of　the　thunderstorm；　attracted；　as　to　a　volcano's　mouth；　to　that　vast　mass　of　sulphur…smoke　which　cloaks　the　sea　for　many　a　mile；　and　heaven's　artillery　above　makes　answer　to　man's　below。　But　still；　through　smoke　and　rain；　Amyas　clings　to　his　prey。　　She　too　has　seen　the　northward　movement　of　the　Spanish　fleet；　and　sets　her　topsails；　Amyas　calls　to　the　men　to　fire　high；　and　cripple　her　rigging：　but　in　vain：　for　three　or　four　belated　galleys；　having　forced　their　way　at　last　over　the　shallows；　come　flashing　and　sputtering　up　to　the　combatants；　and　take　his　fire　off　the　galleon。　Amyas　grinds　his　teeth；　and　would　fain　hustle　into　the　thick　of　the　press　once　more；　in　spite　of　the　galleys'　beaks。

〃Most　heroical　captain；〃　says　cary；　pulling　a　long　face；　〃if　we　do；　we　are　stove　and　sunk　in　five　minutes；　not　to　mention　that　Yeo　says　he　has　not　twenty　rounds　of　great　cartridge　left。〃

So；　surely　and　silent；　the　Vengeance　sheers　off；　but　keeps　as　near　as　she　can　to　the　little　squadron；　all　through　the　night　of　rain　and　thunder　which　follows。　　Next　morning　the　sun　rises　on　a　clear　sky；　with　a　strong　west…north…west　breeze；　and　all　hearts　are　asking　what　the　day　will　bring　forth。

They　are　long　past　Dunkirk　now；　the　German　Ocean　is　opening　before　them。　　The　Spaniards；　sorely　battered；　and　lessened　in　numbers；　have；　during　the　night；　regained　some　sort　of　order。　　The　English　hang　on　their　skirts　a　mile　or　two　behind。　　They　have　no　ammunition；　and　must　wait　for　more。　　To　Amyas's　great　disgust；　the　Sta。　Catharina　has　rejoined　her　fellows　during　the　night。

〃Never　mind；〃　says　Cary；　〃she　can　neither　dive　nor　fly；　and　as　long　as　she　is　above　water；　we　　What　is　the　admiral　about？〃

He　is　signalling　Lord　Henry　Seymour　and　his　squadron。　　Soon　they　tack；　and　come　down　the　wind　for　the　coast　of　Flanders。　　Parma　must　be　blockaded　still；　and　the　Hollanders　are　likely　to　be　too　busy　with　their　plunder　to　do　it　effectually。　　Suddenly　there　is　a　stir　in　the　Spanish　fleet。　　Medina　and　the　rearmost　ships　turn　upon　the　English。　　What　can　it　mean？　　Will　they　offer　battle　once　more？　　If　so；　it　were　best　to　get　out　of　their　way；　for　we　have　nothing　wherewith　to　fight　them。　　So　the　English　lie　close　to　the　wind。　They　will　let　them　pass；　and　return　to　their　old　tactic　of　following　and　harassing。

〃Good…bye　to　Seymour；〃　says　Cary；　〃if　he　is　caught　between　them　and　Parma's　flotilla。　　They　are　going　to　Dunkirk。〃

〃Impossible！　　They　will　not　have　water　enough　to　reach　his　light　craft。　　Here　comes　a　big　ship　right　upon　us！　　Give　him　all　you　have　left；　lads；　and　if　he　will　fight　us；　lay　him　alongside；　and　die　boarding。〃

They　gave　him　what　they　had；　and　hulled　him　with　every　shot；　but　his　huge　side　stood　silent　as　the　grave。　　He　had　not　wherewithal　to　return　the　compliment。

〃As　I　live；　he　is　cutting　loose　the　foot　of　his　mainsail！　the　villain　means　to　run。〃

〃There　go　the　rest　of　them！　Victoria！〃　shouted　Cary；　as　one　after　another；　every　Spaniard　set　all　the　sail　he　could。

There　was　silence　for　a　few　minutes　throughout　the　English　fleet；　and　then　cheer　upon　cheer　of　triumph　rent　the　skies。　　It　was　over。　The　Spaniard　had　refused　battle；　and　thinking　only　of　safety；　was　pressing　downward　toward　the　Straits　again。　　The　Invincible　Armada　had　cast　away　its　name；　and　England　was　saved。

〃But　he　will　never　get　there；　sir；〃　said　old　Yeo；　who　had　come　upon　deck　to　murmur　his　Nunc　Domine；　and　gaze　upon　that　sight　beyond　all　human　faith　or　hope：　〃Never；　never　will　he　weather　the　Flanders　shore；　against　such　a　breeze　as　is　coming　up。　　Look　to　the　eye　of　the　wind；　sir；　and　see　how　the　Lord　is　fighting　for　His　people！〃

Yes；　down　it　came；　fresher　and　stiffer　every　minute　out　of　the　gray　north…west；　as　it　does　so　often　after　a　thunder…storm；　and　the　sea　began　to　rise　high　and　white　under　the　〃　Claro　Aquilone；〃　till　the　Spaniards　were　fain　to　take　in　all　spare　canvas；　and　lie…to　as　best　they　could；　while　the　English　fleet；　lying…to　also；　awaited　an　event　which　was　in　God's　hands　and　not　in　theirs。

〃They　will　be　all　ashore　on　Zealand　before　the　afternoon；〃　murmured　Amyas；　〃and　I　have　lost　my　labor！　　Oh；　for　powder；　powder；　powder！　to　go　in　and　finish　it　at　once！〃

〃Oh；　sir；〃　said　Yeo；　〃don't　murmur　against　the　Lord　in　the　very　day　of　His　mercies。　　It　is　hard；　to　be　sure；　but　His　will　be　done。〃

〃Could　we　not　borrow　powder　from　Drake　there？〃

〃Look　at　the　sea；　sir！〃

And；　indeed；　the　sea　was　far　too　rough　for　any　such　att