westward ho-第87部分

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　down　went　the　blade　through　headpiece　and　through　head；　and　as　Heard　sprang　onward；　bleeding；　but　alive；　the　steel…clad　corpse　rattled　down　the　deck　into　the　surge。　　Two　more　strokes；　struck　with　the　fury　of　a　dying　man；　and　the　standard…staff　was　hewn　through。　　Old　Michael　collected　all　his　strength；　hurled　the　flag　far　from　the　sinking　ship；　and　then　stood　erect　one　moment　and　shouted；　〃God　save　Queen　Bess！〃　and　the　English　answered　with　a　〃Hurrah！〃　which　rent　the　welkin。

Another　moment　and　the　gulf　had　swallowed　his　victim；　and　the　poop；　and　him；　and　nothing　remained　of　the　Madre　Dolorosa　but　a　few　floating　spars　and　struggling　wretches；　while　a　great　awe　fell　upon　all　men；　and　a　solemn　silence；　broken　only　by　the　cry


　　　　　〃Of　some　strong　swimmer　in　his　agony。〃


And　then；　suddenly　collecting　themselves；　as　men　awakened　from　a　dream；　half…a…dozen　desperate　gallants；　reckless　of　sharks　and　eddies；　leaped　overboard；　swam　towards　the　flag；　and　towed　it　alongside　in　triumph。

〃Ah！〃　said　Salvation　Yeo；　as　he　helped　the　trophy　up　over　the　side；　〃ah！　it　was　not　for　nothing　that　we　found　poor　Michael！　　He　was　always　a　good　comradenigh　as　good　a　one　as　William　Penberthy　of　Marazion；　whom　the　Lord　grant　I　meet　in　bliss！　　And　now；　then；　my　masters；　shall　we　inshore　again　and　burn　La　Guayra？〃

〃Art　thou　never　glutted　with　Spanish　blood；　thou　old　wolf？〃　asked　Will　Cary。

〃Never；　sir；〃　answered　Yeo。

〃To　St。　Jago　be　it；〃　said　Amyas；　〃if　we　can　get　there；　butGod　help　us！〃

And　he　looked　round　sadly　enough；　while　no　one　needed　that　he　should　finish　his　sentence；　or　explain　his　〃but。〃

The　foremast　was　gone；　the　main…yard　sprung；　the　rigging　hanging　in　elf…locks；　the　hull　shot　through　and　through　in　twenty　places；　the　deck　strewn　with　the　bodies　of　nine　good　men；　beside　sixteen　wounded　down　below；　while　the　pitiless　sun；　right　above　their　heads；　poured　down　a　flood　of　fire　upon　a　sea　of　glass。

And　it　would　have　been　well　if　faintness　and　weariness　had　been　all　that　was　the　matter；　but　now　that　the　excitement　was　over；　the　collapse　came；　and　the　men　sat　down　listlessly　and　sulkily　by　twos　and　threes　upon　the　deck；　starting　and　wincing　when　they　heard　some　poor　fellow　below　cry　out　under　the　surgeon's　knife；　or　murmuring　to　each　other　that　all　was　lost。　　Drew　tried　in　vain　to　rouse　them；　telling　them　that　all　depended　on　rigging　a　jury…mast　forward　as　soon　as　possible。　　They　answered　only　by　growls；　and　at　last　broke　into　open　reproaches。　　Even　Will　Cary's　volatile　nature；　which　had　kept　him　up　during　the　fight；　gave　way；　when　Yeo　and　the　carpenter　came　aft；　and　told　Amyas　in　a　low　voice

〃We　are　hit　somewhere　forward；　below　the　water…line；　sir。　　She　leaks　a　terrible　deal；　and　the　Lord　will　not　vouchsafe　to　us　to　lay　our　hands　on　the　place；　for　all　our　searching。〃

〃What　are　we　to　do　now；　Amyas；　in　the　devil's　name？〃　asked　Cary；　peevishly。

〃What　are　we　to　do；　in　God's　name；　rather；〃　answered　Amyas；　in　a　low　voice。　　〃Will；　Will；　what　did　God　make　you　a　gentleman　for；　but　to　know　better　than　those　poor　fickle　fellows　forward；　who　blow　hot　and　cold　at　every　change　of　weather！〃

〃I　wish　you'd　come　forward　and　speak　to　them；　sir；〃　said　Yeo；　who　had　overheard　the　last　words；　〃or　we　shall　get　naught　done。〃

Amyas　went　forward　instantly。

〃Now　then；　my　brave　lads；　what's　the　matter　here；　that　you　are　all　sitting　on　your　tails　like　monkeys？〃

〃Ugh！〃　grunts　one。　　〃Don't　you　think　our　day's　work　has　been　long　enough　yet；　captain？〃

〃You　don't　want　us　to　go　in　to　La　Guayra　again；　sir？　　There　are　enough　of　us　thrown　away　already；　I　reckon；　about　that　wench　there。〃

〃Best　sit　here；　and　sink　quietly。　　There's　no　getting　home　again；　that's　plain。〃

〃Why　were　we　brought　out　here　to　be　killed？〃

〃For　shame；　men！〃　cries　Yeo；　〃you're　no　better　than　a　set　of　stiff…　necked　Hebrew　Jews；　murmuring　against　Moses　the　very　minute　after　the　Lord　has　delivered　you　from　the　Egyptians。〃

Now　I　do　not　wish　to　set　Amyas　up　as　a　perfect　man；　for　he　had　his　faults；　like　every　one　else；　nor　as　better；　thank　God；　than　many　and　many　a　brave　and　virtuous　captain　in　her　majesty's　service　at　this　very　day：　but　certainly　he　behaved　admirably　under　that　trial。　Drake　had　trained　him；　as　he　trained　many　another　excellent　officer；　to　be　as　stout　in　discipline；　and　as　dogged　of　purpose；　as　he　himself　was：　but　he　had　trained　him　also　to　feel　with　and　for　his　men；　to　make　allowances　for　them；　and　to　keep　his　temper　with　them；　as　he　did　this　day。　　True；　he　had　seen　Drake　in　a　rage；　he　had　seen　him　hang　one　man　for　a　mutiny　（and　that　man　his　dearest　friend）；　and　threaten　to　hang　thirty　more；　but　Amyas　remembered　well　that　that　explosion　took　place　when　having；　as　Drake　said　publicly　himself；　〃taken　in　hand　that　I　know　not　in　the　world　how　to　go　through　with；　it　passeth　my　capacity；　it　hath　even　bereaved　me　of　my　wits　to　think　of　it；〃　。　。　。　and　having　〃now　set　together　by　the　ears　three　mighty　princes；　her　majesty　and　the　kings　of　Spain　and　Portugal；〃　he　found　his　whole　voyage　ready　to　come　to　naught；　〃by　mutinies　and　discords；　controversy　between　the　sailors　and　gentlemen；　and　stomaching　between　the　gentlemen　and　sailors。〃　〃But；　my　masters〃　（quoth　the　self…trained　hero；　and　Amyas　never　forgot　his　words）；　〃I　must　have　it　left；　for　I　must　have　the　gentlemen　to　haul　and　draw　with　the　mariner；　and　the　mariner　with　the　gentlemen。　　I　would　like　to　know　him　that　would　refuse　to　set　his　hand　to　a　rope！〃

And　now　Amyas's　conscience　smote　him　（and　his　simple　and　pious　soul　took　the　loss　of　his　brother　as　God's　verdict　on　his　conduct）；　because　he　had　set　his　own　private　affection；　even　his　own　private　revenge；　before　the　safety　of　his　ship's　company；　and　the　good　of　his　country。

〃Ah；〃　said　he　to　himself；　as　he　listened　to　his　men's　reproaches；　〃if　I　had　been　thinking；　like　a　loyal　soldier；　of　serving　my　queen；　and　crippling　the　Spaniard；　I　should　have　taken　that　great　bark　three　days　ago；　and　in　it　the　very　man　I　sought！〃

So　〃choking　down　his　old　man；〃　as　Yeo　used　to　say；　he　made　answer　cheerfully

〃Pooh！　pooh！　brave　lads！　　For　shame；　for　shame！　　You　were　lions　half…an…hour　ago；　you　are　not　surely　turned　sheep　already！　　Why；　but　yesterday　evening　you　were　grumbling　because　I　would　not　run　in　and　fight　those　three　ships　under　the　batteries　of　La　Guayra；　and　now　you　think　it　too　much　to　have　fought　them　fairly　out　at　sea？　What　has　happened　but　the　chances　of　war；　which　might　have　happened　anywhere？　　Nothing　venture；　nothing　win；　and　nobody　goes　bird…　nesting　without　a　fall　at　times。　　If　any　one　wants　to　be　safe　in　this　life；　he'd　best　stay　at　home　and　keep　his　bed；　though　even　there；　who　knows　but　the　roof　might　fall　through　on　him？〃

〃Ah；　it's　all　very　well　for　you；　captain；〃　said　some　grumbling　younker；　with　a　vague　notion　that　Amyas　must　be　better　off　than　he；　because　he　was　a　gentleman。　　Amyas's　blood　rose。

〃Yes；　sirrah！　it　is　very　well　for　me；　as　long　as　God　is　with　me：　but　He　is　with　every　man　in　this　ship；　I　would　have　you　to　know；　as　much　as　He　is　with　me。　　Do　you　fancy　that　I　have　nothing　to　lose？　I　who　have　adventured　in　this　voyage　all　I　am　worth；　and　more；　who；　if　I　fail；　must　return　to　beggary　and　scorn？　　And　if　I　have　ventured　rashly；　sinfully；　if　you　will；　the　lives　of　any　of　you　in　my　own　private　quarrel；　am　I　not　punished？　　Have　I　not　lost？〃

His　voice　trembled　and　stopped　there；　but　he　recovered　himself　in　a　moment。

〃Pish！　I　can't　stand　here　chattering。　　Carpenter！　an　axe！　and　help　me　to　cast　these　spars　loose。　　Get　out　of　my　way；　there！　lumbering　the　scuppers　up　like　so　many　moulting　fowls！　　Here；　all　old　friends；　lend　a　hand！　　Pelican's　men；　stand　by　your　captain！　　Did　we　sail　round　the　world　for　nothing？〃

This　last　appeal　struck　home；　and　up　leaped　half…a…dozen　of　the　old　Pelicans；　and　set　to　work　at　his　side　manfully　to　rig　the　jury…mast。

〃Come　along！〃　cried　Cary　to　the　malcontents；　〃we're　raw　longshore　fellows；　but　we　won't　be　outdone　by　any　old　sea…dog　of　them　all。〃　And　setting　to　work　himself；　he　was　soon　followed　by　one　and　another；　till　order　and　work　went　on　well　enough。

〃And　where　are　we　going；　when　the　mast's　up？〃　shouted　some　saucy　hand　from　behind。

〃Where　you　daren't　follow　us　alone　by　yourself；　so　you　had　better　keep　us　company；〃　replied　Yeo。

〃I'll　tell　you　where　we　are　going；　lads；〃　said　Amyas；　rising　from　his　work。　　〃Like　it　or　leave　it　as　you　will；　I　have　no　secrets　from　my　crew。　　We　are　going　inshore　there　to　find　a　harbor；　and　careen　the　ship。〃

There　was　a　start　and　a　murmur。

〃Inshore？　　Into　the　Spaniards'　mouths？〃

〃All　in　the　Inquisition　in　a　week's　time。〃

〃Better　stay　here；　and　be　drowned。〃

〃You're　right　in　that　last；〃　shouts　Cary。　　〃That's　the　right　death　for　blind　puppies。　　Look　you！　　I　don't　know　in　the　least　where　we　are；　and　I　hardly　know　stem　from　stern　aboard　ship；　and　the　captain　may　be　right　or　wrongthat's　nothing　to　me；　but　this　I　know；　that　I　am　a　soldier；　and　will　obey　orders；　and　where　he　goes；　I　go；　and　whosoever　hinders　me　must　walk　up　my　sword　to　do　it。〃

Amyas　pressed　Cary's　hand；　and　then

〃And　here's　my　broadside　next；　men。　　I'll　go　nowhere；　and　do　nothing　without　the　advice　of　Salvation　Yeo　and　Robert　Drew；　and　if　any　man　in　the　ship　knows　better　than　these　two；　let　him　up；　and　we'll　give　him　a　hearing。　　Eh；　Pelicans？〃

There　was　a　grunt　of　approbation　from　the　Pelicans；　and　Amyas　returned　to　the　charge。

〃We　have　five　shot　between　wind　and　water；　and　one　somewhere　below。　Can　we　face　a　gale　of　wind　in　that　state；　or　can　we　not？〃

Silence。

〃Can　we　get　home　with　a　leak　in　our　bottom？〃

Silence。

〃Then　what　can　we　do　but　run　inshore；　and　take　our　chance？　　Speak！　It's　a　coward's　trick　to　do　nothing　because　what　we　must　do　is　not　pleasant。　　Will　you　be　like　children；　that　would　sooner　die　than　take　nasty　physic；　or　will　you　not？〃

Silence　still。

〃Come　along　now！　　Here's　the　wind　again　round　with　the　sun；　and　up　to　the　north…west。　　In　with　her！〃

Sulkily　enough；　but　unable　to　deny　the　necessity；　the　men　set　to　work；　and　the　vessel's　head　was　put　toward　the　land；　but　when　she　began　to　slip　through　the　water；　the　leak　increased　so　fast；　that　they　were　kept　hard　at　work　at　the　pumps　for　the　rest　of　the　afternoon。

The　current　had　by　this　time　br