westward ho-第79章

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〃But　now　I　am　informed　that　they　begin　to　be　civilized；　and　tender　their　children　to　baptism；　and　return　to　be　men；　yea；　Christians　again。　　I　hope　no　CIVIL　people　amongst　us　will　turn　barbarians；　now　these　barbarians　begin　to　be　civilized。〃*


*　Fuller；　p。　398。


With　which　quip　against　the　Anabaptists　of　his　day；　Fuller　ends　his　story；　and　I　leave　him　to　set　forth　how　Amyas；　in　fear　of　these　same　Scythians　and　heathens；　rode　out　of　Plymouth　on　a　right　good　horse；　in　his　full　suit　of　armor；　carrying　lance　and　sword；　and　over　and　above　two　great　dags；　or　horse…pistols；　and　behind　him　Salvation　Yeo；　and　five　or　six　north　Devon　men　（who　had　served　with　him　in　Ireland；　and　were　returning　on　furlough）；　clad　in　head…　pieces　and　quilted　jerkins；　each　man　with　his　pike　and　sword；　and　Yeo　with　arquebuse　and　match；　while　two　sumpter　ponies　carried　the　baggage　of　this　formidable　troop。

They　pushed　on　as　fast　as　they　could；　through　Tavistock；　to　reach　before　nightfall　Lydford；　where　they　meant　to　sleep；　but　what　with　buying　the　horses；　and　other　delays；　they　had　not　been　able　to　start　before　noon；　and　night　fell　just　as　they　reached　the　frontiers　of　the　enemy's　country。　　A　dreary　place　enough　it　was；　by　the　wild　glare　of　sunset。　　A　high　tableland　of　heath；　banked　on　the　right　by　the　crags　and　hills　of　Dartmoor；　and　sloping　away　to　the　south　and　west　toward　the　foot　of　the　great　cone　of　Brent…Tor；　which　towered　up　like　an　extinct　volcano　（as　some　say　that　it　really　is）；　crowned　with　the　tiny　church；　the　votive　offering　of　some　Plymouth　merchant　of　old　times；　who　vowed　in　sore　distress　to　build　a　church　to　the　Blessed　Virgin　on　the　first　point　of　English　land　which　he　should　see。　　Far　away；　down　those　waste　slopes；　they　could　see　the　tiny　threads　of　blue　smoke　rising　from　the　dens　of　the　Gubbings；　and　more　than　once　they　called　a　halt；　to　examine　whether　distant　furze…bushes　and　ponies　might　not　be　the　patrols　of　an　advancing　army。　　It　is　all　very　well　to　laugh　at　it　now；　in　the　nineteenth　century；　but　it　was　no　laughing　matter　then；　as　they　found　before　they　had　gone　two　miles　farther。

On　the　middle　of　the　down　stood　a　wayside　inn；　a　desolate　and　villainous…looking　lump　of　lichen…spotted　granite；　with　windows　paper…patched；　and　rotting　thatch　kept　down　by　stones　and　straw…　banks；　and　at　the　back　a　rambling　court…ledge　of　barns　and　walls；　around　which　pigs　and　barefoot　children　grunted　in　loving　communion　of　dirt。　　At　the　door；　rapt　apparently　in　the　contemplation　of　the　mountain　peaks　which　glowed　rich　orange　in　the　last　lingering　sun…　rays；　but　really　watching　which　way　the　sheep　on　the　moor　were　taking；　stood　the　innkeeper；　a　brawny；　sodden…visaged；　blear…eyed　six　feet　of　brutishness；　holding　up　his　hose　with　one　hand；　for　want　of　points；　and　clawing　with　the　other　his　elf…locks；　on　which　a　fair　sprinkling　of　feathers　might　denote：　first；　that　he　was　just　out　of　bed；　having　been　out　sheep…stealing　all　the　night　before；　and　secondly；　that　by　natural　genius　he　had　anticipated　the　opinion　of　that　great　apostle　of　sluttishness；　Fridericus　Dedekind；　and　his　faithful　disciple　Dekker；　which　last　speaks　thus　to　all　gulls　and　grobians：　〃Consider　that　as　those　trees　of　cobweb　lawn；　woven　by　spinners　in　the　fresh　May　mornings；　do　dress　the　curled　heads　of　the　mountains；　and　adorn　the　swelling　bosoms　of　the　valleys；　or　as　those　snowy　fleeces；　which　the　naked　briar　steals　from　the　innocent　sheep　to　make　himself　a　warm　winter　livery；　are；　to　either　of　them　both；　an　excellent　ornament；　so　make　thou　account；　that　to　have　feathers　sticking　here　and　there　on　thy　head　will　embellish　thee；　and　set　thy　crown　out　rarely。　　None　dare　upbraid　thee；　that　like　a　beggar　thou　hast　lain　on　straw；　or　like　a　travelling　pedlar　upon　musty　flocks；　for　those　feathers　will　rise　up　as　witnesses　to　choke　him　that　says　so；　and　to　prove　thy　bed　to　have　been　of　the　softest　down。〃　　Even　so　did　those　feathers　bear　witness　that　the　possessor　of　Rogues'　Harbor　Inn；　on　Brent…Tor　Down；　whatever　else　he　lacked；　lacked　not　geese　enough　to　keep　him　in　soft　lying。

Presently　he　spies　Amyas　and　his　party　coming　slowly　over　the　hill；　pricks　up　his　ears；　and　counts　them；　sees　Amyas's　armor；　shakes　his　head　and　grunts；　and　then；　being　a　man　of　few　words；　utters　a　sleepy　howl

〃Mirooi！Fushing　pooale！〃

A　strapping　lasswhose　only　covering　（for　country　women　at　work　in　those　days　dispensed　with　the　ornament　of　a　gown）　is　a　green　bodice　and　red　petticoat；　neither　of　them　over　amplebrings　out　his　fishing…rod　and　basket；　and　the　man；　having　tied　up　his　hose　with　some　ends　of　string；　examines　the　footlink。

〃Don　vlies'　gone！〃

〃May　be；〃　says　Mary；　〃shouldn't　hay'　left　mun　out　to　coort。　　May　be　old　hen's　ate　mun　off。　　I　see　her　chocking　about　a　while　agone。〃

The　host　receives　this　intelligence　with　an　oath；　and　replies　by　a　violent　blow　at　Mary's　head；　which　she；　accustomed　to　such　slight　matters；　dodges；　and　then　returns　the　blow　with　good　effect　on　the　shock　head。

Whereon　mine　host；　equally　accustomed　to　such　slight　matters；　quietly　shambles　off；　howling　as　he　departs

〃Tell　Patrico！〃

Mary　runs　in；　combs　her　hair；　slips　a　pair　of　stockings　and　her　best　gown　over　her　dirt；　and　awaits　the　coming　guests；　who　make　a　few　long　faces　at　the　〃mucksy　sort　of　a　place；〃　but　prefer　to　spend　the　night　there　than　to　bivouac　close　to　the　enemy's　camp。

So　the　old　hen　who　has　swallowed　the　dun　fly　is　killed；　plucked；　and　roasted；　and　certain　〃black　Dartmoor　mutton〃　is　put　on　the　gridiron；　and　being　compelled　to　confess　the　truth　by　that　fiery　torment；　proclaims　itself　to　all　noses　as　red…deer　venison。　　In　the　meanwhile　Amyas　has　put　his　horse　and　the　ponies　into　a　shed；　to　which　he　can　find　neither　lock　nor　key；　and　therefore　returns　grumbling；　not　without　fear　for　his　steed's　safety。　　The　baggage　is　heaped　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　and　Amyas　stretches　his　legs　before　a　turf　fire；　while　Yeo；　who　has　his　notions　about　the　place；　posts　himself　at　the　door；　and　the　men　are　seized　with　a　desire　to　superintend　the　cooking；　probably　to　be　attributed　to　the　fact　that　Mary　is　cook。

Presently　Yeo　comes　in　again。

〃There's　a　gentleman　just　coming　up；　sir；　all　alone。〃

〃Ask　him　to　make　one　of　our　party；　then；　with　my　compliments。〃　Yeo　goes　out；　and　returns　in　five　minutes。

〃Please；　sir；　he's　gone　in　back　ways；　by　the　court。〃

〃Well；　he　has　an　odd　taste；　if　he　makes　himself　at　home　here。〃

Out　goes　Yeo　again；　and　comes　back　once　more　after　five　minutes；　in　high　excitement。

〃Come　out；　sir；　for　goodness'　sake　come　out。　　I've　got　him。　　Safe　as　a　rat　in　a　trap；　I　have！〃

〃Who？〃

〃A　Jesuit；　sir。〃

〃Nonsense；　man！〃

〃I　tell　you　truth；　sir。　　I　went　round　the　house；　for　I　didn't　like　the　looks　of　him　as　he　came　up。　　I　knew　he　was　one　of　them　villains　the　minute　he　came　up；　by　the　way　he　turned　in　his　toes；　and　put　down　his　feet　so　still　and　careful；　like　as　if　he　was　afraid　of　offending　God　at　every　step。　　So　I　just　put　my　eye　between　the　wall　and　the　dern　of　the　gate；　and　I　saw　him　come　up　to　the　back　door　and　knock；　and　call　'Mary！'　quite　still；　like　any　Jesuit；　and　the　wench　flies　out　to　him　ready　to　eat　him；　and　'Go　away；'　I　heard　her　say；　'there's　a　dear　man；'　and　then　something　about　a　'queer　cuffin'　（that's　a　justice　in　these　canters'　thieves'　Latin）；　and　with　that　he　takes　out　a　somewhatI'll　swear　it　was　one　of　those　Popish　Agnusesand　gives　it　her；　and　she　kisses　it；　and　crosses　herself；　and　asks　him　if　that's　the　right　way；　and　then　puts　it　into　her　bosom；　and　he　says；　'Bless　you；　my　daughter；'　and　then　I　was　sure　of　the　dog：　and　he　slips　quite　still　to　the　stable；　and　peeps　in；　and　when　he　sees　no　one　there；　in　he　goes；　and　out　I　go；　and　shut　to　the　door；　and　back　a　cart　that　was　there　up　against　it；　and　call　out　one　of　the　men　to　watch　the　stable；　and　the　girl's　crying　like　mad。〃

〃What　a　fool's　trick；　man！　　How　do　you　know　that　he　is　not　some　honest　gentleman；　after　all？〃

〃Fool　or　none；　sir；　honest　gentlemen　don't　give　maidens　Agnuses。　I've　put　him　in；　and　if　you　want　him　let　out　again；　you　must　come　and　do　it　yourself；　for　my　conscience　is　against　it；　sir。　　If　the　Lord's　enemies　are　delivered　into　my　hand；　I'm　answerable；　sir；〃　went　on　Yeo　as　Amyas　hurried　out　wit