westward ho-第31部分

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Yeo。No　denying　that　last；　your　worship：　but　as　for　the　former；　I　doubtabout　the　unlawfulness；　I　mean；　being　the　negroes　are　of　the　children　of　Ham；　who　are　cursed　and　reprobate；　as　Scripture　declares；　and　their　blackness　testifies；　being　Satan's　own　livery；　among　whom　therefore　there　can　be　none　of　the　elect；　wherefore　the　elect　are　not　required　to　treat　them　as　brethren。

Sir　Richard。What　a　plague　of　a　pragmatical　sea…lawyer　have　we　here？　　And　I　doubt　not；　thou　hypocrite；　that　though　thou　wilt　call　the　negroes'　black　skin　Satan's　livery；　when　it　serves　thy　turn　to　steal　them；　thou　wilt　find　out　sables　to　be　Heaven's　livery　every　Sunday；　and　up　with　a　godly　howl　unless　a　parson　shall　preach　in　a　black　gown；　Geneva　fashion。　　Out　upon　thee！　　Go　on　with　thy　tale；　lest　thou　finish　thy　sermon　at　Launceston　after　all。

Yeo。The　Lord's　people　were　always　a　reviled　people　and　a　persecuted　people：　but　I　will　go　forward；　sir；　for　Heaven　forbid　but　that　I　should　declare　what　God　has　done　for　me。　　For　till　lately；　from　my　youth　up；　I　was　given　over　to　all　wretchlessness　and　unclean　living；　and　was　by　nature　a　child　of　the　devil；　and　to　every　good　work　reprobate；　even　as　others。

Sir　Richard。Hark　to　his　〃even　as　others〃！　　Thou　new…whelped　Pharisee；　canst　not　confess　thine　own　villainies　without　making　out　others　as　bad　as　thyself；　and　so　thyself　no　worse　than　others？　　I　only　hope　that　thou　hast　shown　none　of　thy　devil's　doings　to　Mr。　Oxenham。

Yeo。On　the　word　of　a　Christian　man；　sir；　as　I　said　before；　I　kept　true　faith　with　him；　and　would　have　been　a　better　friend　to　him；　sir；　what　is　more；　than　ever　he　was　to　himself。

Sir　Richard。Alas！　that　might　easily　be。

Yeo。I　think；　sir；　and　will　make　good　against　any　man；　that　Mr。　Oxenham　was　a　noble　and　valiant　gentleman；　true　of　his　word；　stout　of　his　sword；　skilful　by　sea　and　land；　and　worthy　to　have　been　Lord　High　Admiral　of　England　（saving　your　worship's　presence）；　but　that　through　two　great　sins；　wrath　and　avarice；　he　was　cast　away　miserably　or　ever　his　soul　was　brought　to　the　knowledge　of　the　truth。　　Ah；　sir；　he　was　a　captain　worth　sailing　under！

And　Yeo　heaved　a　deep　sigh。

Sir　Richard。Steady；　steady；　good　fellow！　　If　thou　wouldst　quit　preaching；　thou　art　no　fool　after　all。　　But　tell　us　the　story　without　more　bush…beating。

So　at　last　Yeo　settled　himself　to　his　tale：

〃Well；　sirs；　I　went；　as　Mr。　Leigh　knows；　to　Nombre　de　Dios；　with　Mr。　Drake　and　Mr。　Oxenham；　in　1572；　where　what　we　saw　and　did；　your　worship；　I　suppose；　knows　as　well　as　I；　and　there　was；　as　you've　heard　maybe；　a　covenant　between　Mr。　Oxenham　and　Mr。　Drake　to　sail　the　South　Seas　together；　which　they　made；　your　worship；　in　my　hearing；　under　the　tree　over　Panama。　　For　when　Mr。　Drake　came　down　from　the　tree；　after　seeing　the　sea　afar　off；　Mr。　Oxenham　and　I　went　up　and　saw　it　too；　and　when　we　came　down；　Drake　says；　'John；　I　have　made　a　vow　to　God　that　I　will　sail　that　water；　if　I　live　and　God　gives　me　grace；'　which　he　had　done；　sir；　upon　his　bended　knees；　like　a　godly　man　as　he　always　was；　and　would　I　had　taken　after　him！　and　Mr。　O。　says；　'I　am　with　you；　Drake；　to　live　or　die；　and　I　think　I　know　some　one　there　already；　so　we　shall　not　be　quite　among　strangers；'　and　laughed　withal。　　Well；　sirs；　that　voyage；　as　you　know；　never　came　off；　because　Captain　Drake　was　fighting　in　Ireland；　so　Mr。　Oxenham；　who　must　be　up　and　doing；　sailed　for　himself；　and　I；　who　loved　him；　God　knows；　like　a　brother　（saving　the　difference　in　our　ranks）；　helped　him　to　get　the　crew　together；　and　went　as　his　gunner。　　That　was　in　1575；　as　you　know；　he　had　a　140…ton　ship；　sir；　and　seventy　men　out　of　Plymouth　and　Fowey　and　Dartmouth；　and　many　of　them　old　hands　of　Drake's；　beside　a　dozen　or　so　from　Bideford　that　I　picked　up　when　I　saw　young　Master　here。〃

〃Thank　God　that　you　did　not　pick　me　up　too。〃

〃Amen；　amen！〃　said　Yeo；　clasping　his　hands　on　his　breast。　　〃Those　seventy　men；　sir；seventy　gallant　men；　sir；　with　every　one　of　them　an　immortal　soul　within　him；where　are　they　now？　　Gone；　like　the　spray！〃　　And　he　swept　his　hands　abroad　with　a　wild　and　solemn　gesture。　　〃And　their　blood　is　upon　my　head！〃

Both　Sir　Richard　and　Amyas　began　to　suspect　that　the　man's　brain　was　not　altogether　sound。

〃God　forbid；　my　man；〃　said　the　knight；　kindly。

〃Thirteen　men　I　persuaded　to　join　in　Bideford　town；　beside　William　Penberthy　of　Marazion；　my　good　comrade。　　And　what　if　it　be　said　to　me　at　the　day　of　judgment；　'Salvation　Yeo；　where　are　those　fourteen　whom　thou　didst　tempt　to　their　deaths　by　covetousness　and　lust　of　gold？'　　Not　that　I　was　alone　in　my　sin；　if　the　truth　must　be　told。　For　all　the　way　out　Mr。　Oxenham　was　making　loud　speech；　after　his　pleasant　way；　that　he　would　make　all　their　fortunes；　and　take　them　to　such　a　Paradise；　that　they　should　have　no　lust　to　come　home　again。　　And　IGod　knows　whyfor　every　one　boast　of　his　would　make　two；　even　to　lying　and　empty　fables；　and　anything　to　keep　up　the　men's　hearts。　　For　I　had　really　persuaded　myself　that　we　should　all　find　treasures　beyond　Solomon　his　temple；　and　Mr。　Oxenham　would　surely　show　us　how　to　conquer　some　golden　city　or　discover　some　island　all　made　of　precious　stones。　　And　one　day；　as　the　captain　and　I　were　talking　after　our　fashion；　I　said；　'And　you　shall　be　our　king；　captain。'　　To　which　he；　'If　I　be；　I　shall　not　be　long　without　a　queen；　and　that　no　Indian　one　either。'　　And　after　that　he　often　jested　about　the　Spanish　ladies；　saying　that　none　could　show　us　the　way　to　their　hearts　better　than　he。　　Which　speeches　I　took　no　count　of　then；　sirs：　but　after　I　minded　them；　whether　I　would　or　not。　Well；　sirs；　we　came　to　the　shore　of　New　Spain；　near　to　the　old　placethat's　Nombre　de　Dios；　and　there　Mr。　Oxenham　went　ashore　into　the　woods　with　a　boat's　crew；　to　find　the　negroes　who　helped　us　three　years　before。　　Those　are　the　Cimaroons；　gentles；　negro　slaves　who　have　fled　from　those　devils　incarnate；　their　Spanish　masters；　and　live　wild；　like　the　beasts　that　perish；　men　of　great　stature；　sirs；　and　fierce　as　wolves　in　the　onslaught；　but　poor　jabbering　mazed　fellows　if　they　be　but　a　bit　dismayed：　and　have　many　Indian　women　with　them；　who　take　to　these　negroes　a　deal　better　than　to　their　own　kin；　which　breeds　war　enough；　as　you　may　guess。

〃Well；　sirs；　after　three　days　the　captain　comes　back；　looking　heavy　enough；　and　says；　'We　played　our　trick　once　too　often；　when　we　played　it　once。　　There　is　no　chance　of　stopping　another　reco　（that　is；　a　mule…train；　sirs）　now。　　The　Cimaroons　say　that　since　our　last　visit　they　never　move　without　plenty　of　soldiers；　two　hundred　shot　at　least。　　Therefore；'　he　said；　'my　gallants；　we　must　either　return　empty…handed　from　this；　the　very　market　and　treasury　of　the　whole　Indies；　or　do　such　a　deed　as　men　never　did　before；　which　I　shall　like　all　the　better　for　that　very　reason。'　　And　we；　asking　his　meaning；　'Why；'　he　said；　'if　Drake　will　not　sail　the　South　Seas；　we　will；'　adding　profanely　that　Drake　was　like　Moses；　who　beheld　the　promised　land　afar；　but　he　was　Joshua；　who　would　enter　into　it；　and　smite　the　inhabitants　thereof。　　And；　for　our　confirmation；　showed　me　and　the　rest　the　superscription　of　a　letter：　and　said；　'How　I　came　by　this　is　none　of　your　business：　but　I　have　had　it　in　my　bosom　ever　since　I　left　Plymouth；　and　I　tell　you　now；　what　I　forbore　to　tell　you　at　first；　that　the　South　Seas　have　been　my　mark　all　along！　such　news　have　I　herein　of　plate…ships；　and　gold…ships；　and　what　not；　which　will　come　up　from　Quito　and　Lima　this　very　month；　all　which；　with　the　pearls　of　the　Gulf　of　Panama；　and　other　wealth　unspeakable；　will　be　ours；　if　we　have　but　true　English　hearts　within　us。'

〃At　which；　gentles；　we　were　like　madmen　for　lust　of　that　gold；　and　cheerfully　undertook　a　toil　incredible；　for　first　we　run　our　ship　aground　in　a　great　wood　which　grew　in　the　very　sea　itself；　and　then　took　out　her　masts；　and　covered　her　in　boughs；　with　her　four　cast　pieces　of　great　ordnance　（of　which　more　hereafter）；　and　leaving　no　man　in　her；　started　for　the　South　Seas　across　the　neck　of　Panama；　with　two　small　pieces　of　ordnance　and　our　culverins；　and　good　store　of　victuals；　and　with　us　six　of　those　negroes　for　a　guide；　and　so　twelve　leagues　to　a　river　which　runs　into　the　South　Sea。

〃And　there；　having　cut　wood；　we　made　a　pinnace　（and　work　enough　we　had　at　it）　of　five…and…forty　foot　in　the　keel；　and　in　her　down　the　stream；　and　to　the　Isle　of　Pearls　in　the　Gulf　of　Panama。〃

〃Into　the　South　Sea？　　Impossible！〃　said　Sir　Richard。　　〃Have　a　care　what　you　say；　my　man；　for　there　is　that　about　you　which　would　make　me　sorry　to　find　you　out　a　liar。〃

〃Impossible　or　not；　liar　or　none；　we　went　there；　sir。〃

〃Question　him；　Amyas；　lest　he　turn　out　to　have　been　beforehand　with　you。〃

The　man　looked　inquiringly　at　Amyas；　who　said

〃Well；　my　man；　of　the　Gulf　of　Panama　I　cannot　ask　you；　for　I　never　was　inside　it；　but　what　other　parts　of　the　coast　do　you　know？〃

〃Every　inch；　sir；　from　Cabo　San　Francisco　to　Lima；　more　is　my　sorrow；　for　I　was　a　galley…slave　there　for　two　years　and　more。〃

〃You　know　Lima？〃

〃I　was　there　three　times；　worshipful　gentlemen；　and　the　last　was　February　come　two　years；　and　there　I　helped　lade　a　great　plate…　ship；　the　Cacafuogo；'　they　called　her。〃

Amyas　started。　　Sir　Richard　nodded　to　him　gently　to　be　silent；　and　then

〃And　what　became　of　her；　my　lad？〃

〃God　knows；　who　knows　all；　and　the　devil　who　freighted　her。　　I　broke　prison　six　weeks　afterwards；　and　never　heard　but　that　she　got　safe　into　Panama。〃

〃You　never　heard；　then；　that　she　was　taken？〃

〃Taken；　your　worships？　　Who　should　take　her？〃

〃Why　should　not　a　good　English　ship　take　her　as　well　as　another？〃　said　Amyas。

〃Lord　love　you；　sir；　yes；　faith；　if　they　had　but　been　there。　Many's　the　time　that　I　thought　to　myself；　as　we　went　alongside；　'Oh；　if　Captain　Drake　was　but　here；　well　to　windward；　and　our　old　crew　of　the　〃Dragon〃！'　　Ask　your　pardon；　gentles：　but　how　is　Captain　Drake；　if　I　may　make　so　bold？〃

Neither　could　hold　out　longer。

〃Fellow；　fellow！〃　cried　Sir　Richard；　springing　up；　〃either　thou　art　the　cunningest　liar　that　ever　earned　a　halter；　or　thou　hast　done　a　deed　the　like　of　which　never　man　adventured。　　Dost　thou　not　know　that　Captain　Drake　took　that　'Cacafuogo'　and　all　her　freight；　in　February　come　two　years？