westward ho-第86部分

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〃And　one　culverin　three　of　their　footy　little　ordnance；〃　said　another。　　〃So　when　you　will；　captain；　and　have　at　her。〃

〃Let　her　come　abreast　of　us；　and　don't　burn　powder。　　We　have　the　wind；　and　can　do　what　we　like　with　her。　　Serve　the　men　out　a　horn　of　ale　all　round；　steward；　and　all　take　your　time。〃

So　they　waited　for　five　minutes　more；　and　then　set　to　work　quietly；　after　the　fashion　of　English　mastiffs；　though；　like　those　mastiffs；　they　waxed　right　mad　before　three　rounds　were　fired；　and　the　white　splinters　（sight　beloved）　began　to　crackle　and　fly。

Amyas；　having；　as　he　had　said；　the　wind；　and　being　able　to　go　nearer　it　than　the　Spaniard；　kept　his　place　at　easy　point…blank　range　for　his　two　eighteen…pounder　culverins；　which　Yeo　and　his　mate　worked　with　terrible　effect。

〃We　are　lacking　her　through　and　through　every　shot；〃　said　he。　〃Leave　the　small　ordnance　alone　yet　awhile；　and　we　shall　sink　her　without　them。〃

〃Whing；　whing；〃　went　the　Spaniard's　shot；　like　so　many　humming…　tops；　through　the　rigging　far　above　their　heads；　for　the　ill…　constructed　ports　of　those　days　prevented　the　guns　from　hulling　an　enemy　who　was　to　windward；　unless　close　alongside。

〃Blow；　jolly　breeze；〃　cried　one；　〃and　lay　the　Don　over　all　thou　canst。What　the　murrain　is　gone；　aloft　there？〃

Alas！　a　crack；　a　flap；　a　rattle；　and　blank　dismay！　　An　unlucky　shot　had　cut　the　foremast　（already　wounded）　in　two；　and　all　forward　was　a　mass　of　dangling　wreck。

〃Forward；　and　cut　away　the　wreck！〃　said　Amyas；　unmoved。　　〃Small　arm　men；　be　ready。　　He　will　be　aboard　of　us　in　five　minutes！〃

It　was　too　true。　　The　Rose；　unmanageable　from　the　loss　of　her　head…　sail；　lay　at　the　mercy　of　the　Spaniard；　and　the　archers　and　musqueteers　had　hardly　time　to　range　themselves　to　leeward；　when　the　Madre　Dolorosa's　chains　were　grinding　against　the　Rose's；　and　grapples　tossed　on　board　from　stem　to　stern。

〃Don't　cut　them　loose！〃　roared　Amyas。　　〃Let　them　stay　and　see　the　fun！　　Now；　dogs　of　Devon；　show　your　teeth；　and　hurrah　for　God　and　the　queen！〃

And　then　began　a　fight　most　fierce　and　fell：　the　Spaniards；　according　to　their　fashion；　attempting　to　board；　the　English；　amid　fierce　shouts　of　〃God　and　the　queen！〃　〃God　and　St。　George　for　England！〃　sweeping　them　back　by　showers　of　arrows　and　musquet　balls；　thrusting　them　down　with　pikes；　hurling　grenades　and　stink…　pots　from　the　tops；　while　the　swivels　on　both　sides　poured　their　grape；　and　bar；　and　chain；　and　the　great　main…deck　guns；　thundering　muzzle　to　muzzle；　made　both　ships　quiver　and　recoil；　as　they　smashed　the　round　shot　through　and　through　each　other。

So　they　roared　and　flashed；　fast　clenched　to　each　other　in　that　devil's　wedlock；　under　a　cloud　of　smoke　beneath　the　cloudless　tropic　sky；　while　all　around；　the　dolphins　gambolled；　and　the　flying…fish　shot　on　from　swell　to　swell；　and　the　rainbow…hued　jellies　opened　and　shut　their　cups　of　living　crystal　to　the　sun；　as　merrily　as　if　man　had　never　fallen；　and　hell　had　never　broken　loose　on　earth。

So　it　raged　for　an　hour　or　more；　till　all　arms　were　weary；　and　all　tongues　clove　to　the　mouth。　　And　sick　men；　rotting　with　scurvy；　scrambled　up　on　deck；　and　fought　with　the　strength　of　madness；　and　tiny　powder…boys；　handing　up　cartridges　from　the　hold；　laughed　and　cheered　as　the　shots　ran　past　their　ears；　and　old　Salvation　Yeo；　a　text　upon　his　lips；　and　a　fury　in　his　heart　as　of　Joshua　or　Elijah　in　old　time；　worked　on；　calm　and　grim；　but　with　the　energy　of　a　boy　at　play。　　And　now　and　then　an　opening　in　the　smoke　showed　the　Spanish　captain；　in　his　suit　of　black　steel　armor；　standing　cool　and　proud；　guiding　and　pointing；　careless　of　the　iron　hail；　but　too　lofty　a　gentleman　to　soil　his　glove　with　aught　but　a　knightly　sword…hilt：　while　Amyas　and　Will；　after　the　fashion　of　the　English　gentlemen；　had　stripped　themselves　nearly　as　bare　as　their　own　sailors；　and　were　cheering；　thrusting；　hewing；　and　hauling；　here；　there；　and　everywhere；　like　any　common　mariner；　and　filling　them　with　a　spirit　of　self…respect；　fellow…feeling；　and　personal　daring；　which　the　discipline　of　the　Spaniards；　more　perfect　mechanically；　but　cold　and　tyrannous；　and　crushing　spiritually；　never　could　bestow。　　The　black…plumed　senor　was　obeyed；　but　the　golden…locked　Amyas　was　followed；　and　would　have　been　followed　through　the　jaws　of　hell。

The　Spaniards；　ere　five　minutes　had　passed；　poured　en　masse　into　the　Rose's　waist；　but　only　to　their　destruction。　　Between　the　poop　and　forecastle　（as　was　then　the　fashion）　the　upper…deck　beams　were　left　open　and　unplanked；　with　the　exception　of　a　narrow　gangway　on　either　side；　and　off　that　fatal　ledge　the　boarders；　thrust　on　by　those　behind；　fell　headlong　between　the　beams　to　the　main…deck　below；　to　be　slaughtered　helpless　in　that　pit　of　destruction；　by　the　double　fire　from　the　bulkheads　fore　and　aft；　while　the　few　who　kept　their　footing　on　the　gangway；　after　vain　attempts　to　force　the　stockades　on　poop　and　forecastle；　leaped　overboard　again　amid　a　shower　of　shot　and　arrows。　　The　fire　of　the　English　was　as　steady　as　it　was　quick；　and　though　three…fourths　of　the　crew　had　never　smelt　powder　before；　they　proved　well　the　truth　of　the　old　chronicler's　saying　（since　proved　again　more　gloriously　than　ever；　at　Alma；　Balaklava；　and　Inkerman）；　that　〃the　English　never　fight　better　than　in　their　first　battle。〃

Thrice　the　Spaniards　clambered　on　board；　and　thrice　surged　back　before　that　deadly　hail。　　The　decks　on　both　sides　were　very　shambles；　and　Jack　Brimblecombe；　who　had　fought　as　long　as　his　conscience　would　allow　him；　found；　when　he　turned　to　a　more　clerical　occupation；　enough　to　do　in　carrying　poor　wretches　to　the　surgeon；　without　giving　that　spiritual　consolation　which　he　longed　to　give；　and　they　to　receive。　　At　last　there　was　a　lull　in　that　wild　storm。　　No　shot　was　heard　from　the　Spaniard's　upper…deck。

Amyas　leaped　into　the　mizzen　rigging；　and　looked　through　the　smoke。　Dead　men　he　could　descry　through　the　blinding　veil；　rolled　in　heaps；　laid　flat；　dead　men　and　dying：　but　no　man　upon　his　feet。　The　last　volley　had　swept　the　deck　clear；　one　by　one　had　dropped　below　to　escape　that　fiery　shower：　and　alone　at　the　helm；　grinding　his　teeth　with　rage；　his　mustachios　curling　up　to　his　very　eyes；　stood　the　Spanish　captain。

Now　was　the　moment　for　a　counter…stroke。　　Amyas　shouted　for　the　boarders；　and　in　two　minutes　more　he　was　over　the　side；　and　clutching　at　the　Spaniard's　mizzen　rigging。

What　was　this？　　The　distance　between　him　and　the　enemy's　side　was　widening。　　Was　she　sheering　off？　　Yesand　rising　too；　growing　bodily　higher　every　moment；　as　if　by　magic。　　Amyas　looked　up　in　astonishment　and　saw　what　it　was。　　The　Spaniard　was　heeling　fast　over　to　leeward　away　from　him。　　Her　masts　were　all　sloping　forward；　swifter　and　swifterthe　end　was　come；　then！

〃Back！　in　God's　name　back；　men！　　She　is　sinking　by　the　head！〃　　And　with　much　ado　some　were　dragged　back；　some　leaped　backall　but　old　Michael　Heard。

With　hair　and　beard　floating　in　the　wind；　the　bronzed　naked　figure；　like　some　weird　old　Indian　fakir；　still　climbed　on　steadfastly　up　the　mizzen…chains　of　the　Spaniard；　hatchet　in　hand。

〃Come　back；　Michael！　　Leap　while　you　may！〃　shouted　a　dozen　voices。　Michael　turned

〃And　what　should　I　come　back　for；　then；　to　go　home　where　no　one　knoweth　me？　　I'll　die　like　an　Englishman　this　day；　or　I'll　know　the　rason　why！〃　and　turning；　he　sprang　in　over　the　bulwarks；　as　the　huge　ship　rolled　up　more　and　more；　like　a　dying　whale；　exposing　all　her　long　black　hulk　almost　down　to　the　keel；　and　one　of　her　lower…　deck　guns；　as　if　in　defiance；　exploded　upright　into　the　air；　hurling　the　ball　to　the　very　heavens。

In　an　instant　it　was　answered　from　the　Rose　by　a　column　of　smoke；　and　the　eighteen…pound　ball　crashed　through　the　bottom　of　the　defenceless　Spaniard。

〃Who　fired？　　Shame　to　fire　on　a　sinking　ship！〃

〃Gunner　Yeo；　sir；〃　shouted　a　voice　up　from　the　main…deck。　　〃He's　like　a　madman　down　here。〃

〃Tell　him　if　he　fires　again；　I'll　put　him　in　irons；　if　he　were　my　own　brother。　　Cut　away　the　grapples　aloft；　men。　　Don't　you　see　how　she　drags　us　over？　　Cut　away；　or　we　shall　sink　with　her。〃

They　cut　away；　and　the　Rose；　released　from　the　strain；　shook　her　feathers　on　the　wave…crest　like　a　freed　sea…gull；　while　all　men　held　their　breaths。

Suddenly　the　glorious　creature　righted　herself；　and　rose　again；　as　if　in　noble　shame；　for　one　last　struggle　with　her　doom。　　Her　bows　were　deep　in　the　water；　but　her　after…deck　still　dry。　　Righted：　but　only　for　a　moment；　long　enough　to　let　her　crew　come　pouring　wildly　up　on　deck；　with　cries　and　prayers；　and　rush　aft　to　the　poop；　where；　under　the　flag　of　Spain；　stood　the　tall　captain；　his　left　hand　on　the　standard…staff；　his　sword　pointed　in　his　right。

〃Back；　men！〃　they　heard　him　cry；　〃and　die　like　valiant　mariners。〃

Some　of　them　ran　to　the　bulwarks；　and　shouted　〃Mercy！　　We　surrender！〃　and　the　English　broke　into　a　cheer　and　called　to　them　to　run　her　alongside。

〃Silence！〃　shouted　Amyas。　　〃I　take　no　surrender　from　mutineers。　Senor；〃　cried　he　to　the　captain；　springing　into　the　rigging　and　taking　off　his　hat；　〃for　the　love　of　God　and　these　men；　strike！　and　surrender　a　buena　querra。〃

The　Spaniard　lifted　his　hat　and　bowed　courteously；　and　answered；　〃Impossible；　senor。　　No　querra　is　good　which　stains　my　honor。〃

〃God　have　mercy　on　you；　then！〃

〃Amen！〃　said　the　Spaniard；　crossing　himself。

She　gave　one　awful　lounge　forward；　and　dived　under　the　coming　swell；　hurling　her　crew　into　the　eddies。　　Nothing　but　the　point　of　her　poop　remained；　and　there　stood　the　stern　and　steadfast　Don；　cap…a…pie　in　his　glistening　black　armor；　immovable　as　a　man　of　iron；　while　over　him　the　flag；　which　claimed　the　empire　of　both　worlds；　flaunted　its　gold　aloft　and　upwards　in　the　glare　of　the　tropic　noon。

〃He　shall　not　carry　that　flag　to　the　devil　with　him；　I　will　have　it　yet；　if　I　die　for　it！〃　said　Will　Cary；　and　rushed　to　the　side　to　leap　overboard；　but　Amyas　stopped　him。

〃Let　him　die　as　he　has　lived；　with　honor。〃

A　wild　figure　sprang　out　of　the　mass　of　sailors　who　struggled　and　shrieked　amid　the　foam；　and　rushed　upward　at　the　Spaniard。　　It　was　Michael　Heard。　　The　Don；　who　stood　above　him；　plunged　his　sword　into　the　old　man's　body：　but　the　hatchet　gleamed；　nevertheless：　down　went