westward ho- 第68部分

〃What　on　earth　do　you　want　of　me！〃

〃To　keep　your　oath；〃　said　Salterne；　clutching　his　arm；　and　looking　up　into　his　face　with　searching　eyes。

〃My　oath！　　How　did　you　know　that　I　had　one？〃

〃Ah！　you　were　well　ashamed　of　it；　I　suppose；　next　day！　　A　drunken　frolic　all　about　a　poor　merchant's　daughter！　　But　there　is　nothing　hidden　that　shall　not　be　revealed；　nor　done　in　the　closet　that　is　not　proclaimed　on　the　house…tops。〃

〃Ashamed　of　it；　sir；　I　never　was：　but　I　have　a　right　to　ask　how　you　came　to　know　it？〃

〃What　if　a　poor　fat　squinny　rogue；　a　low…born　fellow　even　as　I　am；　whom　you　had　baffled　and　made　a　laughing…stock；　had　come　to　me　in　my　loneliness　and　sworn　before　God　that　if　you　honorable　gentlemen　would　not　keep　your　words；　he　the　clown　would？〃

〃John　Brimblecombe？〃

〃And　what　if　I　had　brought　him　where　I　have　brought　you；　and　shown　him　what　I　have　shown　you；　and；　instead　of　standing　as　stiff　as　any　Spaniard；　as　you　do；　he　had　thrown　himself　on　his　knees　by　that　bedside；　and　wept　and　prayed；　sir；　till　he　opened　my　hard　heart　for　the　first　and　last　time；　and　I　fell　down　on　my　sinful　knees　and　wept　and　prayed　by　him？〃

〃I　am　not　given　to　weeping；　Mr。　Salterne；〃　said　Amyas；　〃and　as　for　praying；　I　don't　know　yet　what　I　have　to　pray　for；　on　her　account：　my　business　is　to　work。　　Show　me　what　I　can　do；　and　when　you　have　done　that；　it　will　be　full　time　to　upbraid　me　with　not　doing　it。〃

〃You　can　cut　that　fellow's　throat。〃

〃It　will　take　a　long　arm　to　reach　him。〃

〃I　suppose　it　is　as　easy　to　sail　to　the　Spanish　Main　as　it　was　to　sail　round　the　world。〃

〃My　good　sir；〃　said　Amyas；　〃I　have　at　this　moment　no　more　worldly　goods　than　my　clothes　and　my　sword；　so　how　to　sail　to　the　Spanish　Main；　I　don't　quite　see。〃

〃And　do　you　suppose；　sir；　that　I　should　hint　to　you　of　such　a　voyage　if　I　meant　you　to　be　at　the　charge　of　it？　　No；　sir；　if　you　want　two　thousand　pounds；　or　five；　to　fit　a　ship；　take　it！　　Take　it；　sir！　　I　hoarded　money　for　my　child：　and　now　I　will　spend　it　to　avenge　her。〃

Amyas　was　silent　for　a　while；　the　old　man　still　held　his　arm；　still　looked　up　steadfastly　and　fiercely　in　his　face。

〃Bring　me　home　that　man's　head；　and　take　ship；　prizesall！　　Keep　the　gain；　sir；　and　give　me　the　revenge！〃

〃Gain？　　Do　you　think　I　need　bribing；　sir？　　What　kept　me　silent　was　the　thought　of　my　mother。　　I　dare　not　go　without　her　leave。〃

Salterne　made　a　gesture　of　impatience。

〃I　dare　not；　sir；　I　must　obey　my　parent；　whatever　else　I　do。〃

〃Humph！〃　said　he。　　〃If　others　had　obeyed　theirs　as　well！But　you　are　right；　Captain　Leigh；　right。　　You　will　prosper；　whoever　else　does　not。　　Now；　sir；　good…night；　if　you　will　let　me　be　the　first　to　say　so。　　My　old　eyes　grow　heavy　early　now…a…days。　　Perhaps　it's　old　age；　perhaps　it's　sorrow。〃

So　Amyas　departed　to　the　inn；　and　there；　to　his　great　joy；　found　Cary　waiting　for　him；　from　whom　he　learnt　details；　which　must　be　kept　for　another　chapter；　and　which　I　shall　tell；　for　convenience'　sake；　in　my　own　words　and　not　in　his。



CHAPTER　XV

HOW　MR。　JOHN　BRIMBLECOMBE　UNDERSTOOD　THE　NATURE　OF　AN　OATH


　　　　　〃The　Kynge　of　Spayn　is　a　foul　paynim；　　　　　　　And　lieveth　on　Mahound；　　　　　　　And　pity　it　were　that　lady　fayre　　　　　　　Should　marry　a　heathen　hound。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Kyng　Estmere。


About　six　weeks　after　the　duel；　the　miller　at　Stow　had　come　up　to　the　great　house　in　much　tribulation；　to　borrow　the　bloodhounds。　Rose　Salterne　had　vanished　in　the　night；　no　man　knew　whither。

Sir　Richard　was　in　Bideford：　but　the　old　steward　took　on　himself　to　send　for　the　keepers；　and　down　went　the　serving…men　to　the　mill　with　all　the　idle　lads　of　the　parish　at　their　heels；　thinking　a　maiden…hunt　very　good　sport；　and　of　course　taking　a　view　of　the　case　as　favorable　as　possible　to　Rose。

They　reviled　the　miller　and　his　wife　roundly　for　hard…hearted　old　heathens；　and　had　no　doubt　that　they　had　driven　the　poor　maid　to　throw　herself　over　cliff；　or　drown　herself　in　the　sea；　while　all　the　women　of　Stow；　on　the　other　hand；　were　of　unanimous　opinion　that　the　hussy　had　〃gone　off〃　with　some　bad　fellow；　and　that　pride　was　sure　to　have　a　fall；　and　so　forth。

The　facts　of　the　case　were；　that　all　Rose's　trinkets　were　left　behind；　so　that　she　had　at　least　gone　off　honestly；　and　nothing　seemed　to　be　missing；　but　some　of　her　linen；　which　old　Anthony　the　steward　broadly　hinted　was　likely　to　be　found　in　other　people's　boxes。　　The　only　trace　was　a　little　footmark　under　her　bedroom　window。　　On　that　the　bloodhound　was　laid　（of　course　in　leash）；　and　after　a　premonitory　whimper；　lifted　up　his　mighty　voice；　and　started　bell…mouthed　through　the　garden　gate；　and　up　the　lane；　towing　behind　him　the　panting　keeper；　till　they　reached　the　downs　above；　and　went　straight　away　for　Marslandmouth；　where　the　whole　posse　comitatus　pulled　up　breathless　at　the　door　of　Lucy　Passmore。

Lucy；　as　perhaps　I　should　have　said　before；　was　now　a　widow；　and　found　her　widowhood　not　altogether　contrary　to　her　interest。　　Her　augury　about　her　old　man　had　been　fulfilled；　he　had　never　returned　since　the　night　on　which　he　put　to　sea　with　Eustace　and　the　Jesuits。


　　　　　〃Some　natural　tears　she　shed；　but　dried　them　soon〃


as　many　of　them；　at　least；　as　were　not　required　for　purposes　of　business；　and　then　determined　to　prevent　suspicion　by　a　bold　move；　she　started　off　to　Stow；　and　told　Lady　Grenville　a　most　pathetic　tale：　how　her　husband　had　gone　out　to　pollock　fishing；　and　never　returned：　but　how　she　had　heard　horsemen　gallop　past　her　window　in　the　dead　of　night；　and　was　sure　they　must　have　been　the　Jesuits；　and　that　they　had　carried　off　her　old　man　by　main　force；　and　probably；　after　making　use　of　his　services；　had　killed　and　salted　him　down　for　provision　on　their　voyage　back　to　the　Pope　at　Rome；　after　which　she　ended　by　entreating　protection　against　those　〃Popish　skulkers　up　to　Chapel；〃　who　were　sworn　to　do　her　a　mischief；　and　by　an　appeal　to　Lady　Grenville's　sense　of　justice；　as　to　whether　the　queen　ought　not　to　allow　her　a　pension；　for　having　had　her　heart's　love　turned　into　a　sainted　martyr　by　the　hands　of　idolatrous　traitors。

Lady　Grenville　（who　had　a　great　opinion　of　Lucy's　medical　skill；　and　always　sent　for　her　if　one　of　the　children　had　a　〃housty；〃　i。　e。　sore　throat）　went　forth　and　pleaded　the　case　before　Sir　Richard　with　such　effect；　that　Lucy　was　on　the　whole　better　off　than　ever　for　the　next　two　or　three　years。　　But　nowwhat　had　she　to　do　with　Rose's　disappearance？　and；　indeed；　where　was　she　herself？　　Her　door　was　fast；　and　round　it　her　flock　of　goats　stood；　crying　in　vain　for　her　to　come　and　milk　them；　while　from　the　down　above；　her　donkeys；　wandering　at　their　own　sweet　will；　answered　the　bay　of　the　bloodhound　with　a　burst　of　harmony。

〃They'm　laughing　at　us；　keper；　they　neddies；　sure　enough；　we'm　lost　our　labor　here。〃

But　the　bloodhound；　after　working　about　the　door　a　while；　turned　down　the　glen；　and　never　stopped　till　he　reached　the　margin　of　the　sea。

〃They'm　taken　water。　　Let's　go　back；　and　rout　out　the　old　witch's　house。〃

〃'Tis　just　like　that　old　Lucy；　to　lock　a　poor　maid　into　shame。〃

And　returning；　they　attacked　the　cottage；　and　by　a　general　plebiscitum；　ransacked　the　little　dwelling；　partly　in　indignation；　and　partly；　if　the　truth　be　told；　in　the　hope　of　plunder；　but　plunder　there　was　none。　　Lucy　had　decamped　with　all　her　movable　wealth；　saving　the　huge　black　cat　among　the　embers；　who　at　the　sight　of　the　bloodhound　vanished　up　the　chimney　（some　said　with　a　strong　smell　of　brimstone）；　and　being　viewed　outside；　was　chased　into　the　woods；　where　she　lived；　I　doubt　not；　many　happy　years；　a　scourge　to　all　the　rabbits　of　the　glen。

The　goats　and　donkeys　were　driven　off　up　to　Stow；　and　the　mob　returned；　a　little　ashamed　of　themselves　when　their　brief　wrath　was　past；　and　a　little　afraid；　too；　of　what　Sir　Richard　might　say。

He；　when　he　returned；　sold　the　donkeys　and　goats；　and　gave　the　money　to　the　poor；　promising　to　refund　the　same；　if　Lucy　returned　and　gave　herself　up　to　justice。　　But　Lucy　did　not　return；　and　her　cottage；　from　which　the　neighbors　shrank　as　from　a　haunted　place；　remained　as　she　had　left　it；　and　crumbled　slowly　down　to　four　fern…　covered　walls；　past　which　the　little　stream　went　murmuring　on　from　pool　to　poolthe　only　voice；　for　many　a　year　to　come；　which　broke　the　silence　of　that　lonely　glen。

A　few　days　afterwards；　Sir　Richard；　on　his　way　from　Bideford　to　Stow；　looked　in　at　Clovelly　Court；　and　mentioned；　with　a　〃by　the　by；〃　news　which　made　Will　Cary　leap　from　his　seat　almost　to　the　ceiling。　　What　it　was　we　know　already。

〃And　there　is　no　clue？〃　asked　old　Cary；　for　his　son　was　speechless。

〃Only　this；　I　hear　that　some　fellow　prowling　about　the　cliffs　that　night　saw　a　pinnace　running　for　Lundy。〃

Will　rose；　and　went　hastily　out　of　the　room。

In　half　an　hour　he　and　three　or　four　armed　servants　were　on　board　a　trawling…skiff；　and　away　to　Lundy。　　He　did　not　return　for　three　days；　and　then　brought　news：　that　an　elderly　man；　seemingly　a　foreigner；　had　been　lodging　for　some　months　past　in　a　part　of　the　ruined　Moresco　Castle；　which　was　tenanted　by　one　John　Braund；　that　a　few　weeks　since　a　younger　man；　a　foreigner　also；　had　joined　him　from　on　board　a　ship：　the　ship　a　Flushinger；　or　Easterling　of　some　sort。　　The　ship　came　and　went　more　than　once；　and　the　young　man　in　her。　　A　few　days　since；　a　lady　and　her　maid；　a　stout　woman；　came　with　him　up　to　the　castle；　and　talked　with　the　elder　man　a　long　while　in　secret；　abode　there　all　night；　and　then　all　three　sailed　in　the　morning。　　The　fishermen　on　the　beach　had　heard　the　young　man　call　the　other　father。　　He　was　a　very　still　man；　much　as　a　mass…　priest　might　be。　　More　they　did　not　know；　or　did　not　choose　to　know。

Whereon　old　Cary　and　Sir　Richard　sent　Will　on　a　second　trip　with　the　parish　constable　of　Hartland　（in　which　huge　parish；　for　its　sins；　is　situate　the　Isle　of　Lundy；　ten　miles　out　at　sea）；　who　returned　with　the　body　of　the　hapless　John　Braund；　farmer；　fisherman；　smuggler；　etc。；　which　worthy；　after　much　fruitless　examination　（wherein　examinate　was　afflicted　with　extreme　deafness　and　loss　of　memory）；　departed　to　Exeter　gaol；　on　a　charge　of　〃harboring　priests；　Jesuits；　gipsies；　and　other　suspect　and　traitorous　persons。〃

Poor　John　Braund；