westward ho-第39章

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y　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？〃

〃Captain　Drake！　　God　forgive　me；　sir；　butCaptain　Drake　in　the　South　Seas？　　He　saw　them；　sir；　from　the　tree…top　over　Panama；　when　I　was　with　him；　and　I　too；　but　sailed　them；　sir？sailed　them？〃

〃Yes；　and　round　the　world　too；〃　said　Amyas；　〃and　I　with　him；　and　took　that　very　'Cacafuogo'　off　Cape　San　Francisco；　as　she　came　up　to　Panama。〃

One　glance　at　the　man's　face　was　enough　to　prove　his　sincerity。　The　great　stern　Anabaptist；　who　had　not　winced　at　the　news　of　his　mother's　death；　dropt　right　on　his　knees　on　the　floor；　and　burst　into　violent　sobs。

〃Glory　to　God！　　Glory　to　God！　　O　Lord；　I　thank　thee！　　Captain　Drake　in　the　South　Seas！　　The　blood　of　thy　innocents　avenged；　O　Lord！　The　spoiler　spoiled；　and　the　proud　robbed；　and　all　they　whose　hands　were　mighty　have　found　nothing。　　Glory；　glory！　　Oh；　tell　me；　sir；　did　she　fight？〃

〃We　gave　her　three　pieces　of　ordnance　only；　and　struck　down　her　mizzenmast；　and　then　boarded　sword　in　hand；　but　never　had　need　to　strike　a　blow；　and　before　we　left　her；　one　of　her　own　boys　had　changed　her　name；　and　rechristened　her　the　'Cacaplata。'〃

〃Glory；　glory！　　Cowards　they　are；　as　I　told　them。　　I　told　them　they　never　could　stand　the　Devon　mastiffs；　and　well　they　flogged　me　for　saying　it；　but　they　could　not　stop　my　mouth。　　O　sir；　tell　me；　did　you　get　the　ship　that　came　up　after　her？〃

〃What　was　that？〃

〃A　long　race…ship；　sir；　from　Guayaquil；　with　an　old　gentleman　on　board；Don　Francisco　de　Xararte　was　his　name；　and　by　token；　he　had　a　gold　falcon　hanging　to　a　chain　round　his　neck；　and　a　green　stone　in　the　breast　of　it。　　I　saw　it　as　we　rowed　him　aboard。　　O　tell　me；　sir；　tell　me　for　the　love　of　God；　did　you　take　that　ship？〃

〃We　did　take　that　ship；　and　the　jewel　too；　and　her　majesty　has　it　at　this　very　hour。〃

〃Then　tell　me；　sir；〃　said　he　slowly；　as　if　he　dreaded　an　answer；　〃tell　me；　sir；　and　oh；　try　and　mindwas　there　a　little　maid　aboard　with　the　old　gentleman？〃

〃A　little　maid？　　Let　me　think。　　No；　I　saw　none。〃

The　man　settled　his　features　again　sadly。

〃I　thought　not。　　I　never　saw　her　come　aboard。　　Still　I　hoped；　like