westward ho- 第103部分

But　the　young　girl；　who　was　last　of　all　in　the　line；　as　soon　as　she　was　loosed；　sprang　to　her　father's　body；　speaking　no　word；　lifted　it　in　her　thin　arms；　laid　it　across　her　knees；　kissed　the　fallen　lips；　stroked　the　furrowed　cheeks；　murmured　inarticulate　sounds　like　the　cooing　of　a　woodland　dove；　of　which　none　knew　the　meaning　but　she；　and　he　who　heard　not；　for　his　soul　had　long　since　fled。　Suddenly　the　truth　flashed　on　her；　silent　as　ever；　she　drew　one　long　heaving　breath；　and　rose　erect；　the　body　in　her　arms。

Another　moment；　and　she　had　leaped　into　the　abyss。

They　watched　her　dark　and　slender　limbs；　twined　closely　round　the　old　man's　corpse；　turn　over；　and　over；　and　over；　till　a　crash　among　the　leaves；　and　a　scream　among　the　birds；　told　that　she　had　reached　the　trees；　and　the　green　roof　hid　her　from　their　view。

〃Brave　lass！〃　shouted　a　sailor。

〃The　Lord　forgive　her！〃　said　Yeo。　　〃But；　your　worship；　we　must　have　these　rascals'　ordnance。〃

〃And　their　clothes　too；　Yeo；　if　we　wish　to　get　down　the　Magdalena　unchallenged。　　Now　listen；　my　masters　all！　　We　have　won；　by　God's　good　grace；　gold　enough　to　serve　us　the　rest　of　our　lives；　and　that　without　losing　a　single　man；　and　may　yet　win　more；　if　we　be　wise；　and　He　thinks　good。　　But　oh；　my　friends；　remember　Mr。　Oxenham　and　his　crew；　and　do　not　make　God's　gift　our　ruin；　by　faithlessness；　or　greediness；　or　any　mutinous　haste。〃

〃You　shall　find　none　in　us！〃　cried　several　men。　　〃We　know　your　worship。　　We　can　trust　our　general。〃

〃Thank　God！〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Now　then；　it　will　be　no　shame　or　sin　to　make　the　Indians　carry　it；　saving　the　women；　whom　God　forbid　we　should　burden。　　But　we　must　pass　through　the　very　heart　of　the　Spanish　settlements；　and　by　the　town　of　Saint　Martha　itself。　　So　the　clothes　and　weapons　of　these　Spaniards　we　must　have；　let　it　cost　us　what　labor　it　may。　　How　many　lie　in　the　road？〃

〃Thirteen　here；　and　about　ten　up　above；〃　said　Cary。

〃Then　there　are　near　twenty　missing。　　Who　will　volunteer　to　go　down　over　cliff；　and　bring　up　the　spoil　of　them？〃

〃I；　and　I；　and　I；〃　and　a　dozen　stepped　out；　as　they　did　always　when　Amyas　wanted　anything　done；　for　the　simple　reason；　that　they　knew　that　he　meant　to　help　at　the　doing　of　it　himself。

〃Very　well；　then；　follow　me。　　Sir　John；　take　the　Indian　lad　for　your　interpreter；　and　try　and　comfort　the　souls　of　these　poor　heathens。　　Tell　them　that　they　shall　all　be　free。〃

〃Why；　who　is　that　comes　up　the　road？〃

All　eyes　were　turned　in　the　direction　of　which　he　spoke。　　And；　wonder　of　wonders！　up　came　none　other　than　Ayacanora　herself；　blow…　gun　in　hand；　bow　on　back；　and　bedecked　in　all　her　feather　garments；　which　last　were　rather　the　worse　for　a　fortnight's　woodland　travel。

All　stood　mute　with　astonishment；　as；　seeing　Amyas；　she　uttered　a　cry　of　joy；　quickened　her　pace　into　a　run；　and　at　last　fell　panting　and　exhausted　at　his　feet。

〃I　have　found　you！〃　she　said；　〃you　ran　away　from　me；　but　you　could　not　escape　me！〃　　And　she　fawned　round　Amyas；　like　a　dog　who　has　found　his　master；　and　then　sat　down　on　the　bank；　and　burst　into　wild　sobs。

〃God　help　us！〃　said　Amyas；　clutching　his　hair；　as　he　looked　down　upon　the　beautiful　weeper。　　〃What　am　I　to　do　with　her；　over　and　above　all　these　poor　heathens？〃

But　there　was　no　time　to　be　lost；　and　over　the　cliff　he　scrambled；　while　the　girl；　seeing　that　the　main　body　of　the　English　remained；　sat　down　on　a　point　of　rock　to　watch　him。

After　half…an…hour's　hard　work；　the　weapons；　clothes；　and　armor　of　the　fallen　Spaniards　were　hauled　up　the　cliff；　and　distributed　in　bundles　among　the　men；　the　rest　of　the　corpses　were　thrown　over　the　precipice；　and　they　started　again　upon　their　road　toward　the　Magdalena；　while　Yeo　snorted　like　a　war…horse　who　smells　the　battle；　at　the　delight　of　once　more　handling　powder　and　ball。

〃We　can　face　the　world　now；　sir！　　Why　not　go　back　and　try　Santa　Fe；　after　all？〃

But　Amyas　thought　that　enough　was　as　good　as　a　feast；　and　they　held　on　downwards；　while　the　slaves　followed；　without　a　sign　of　gratitude；　but　meekly　obedient　to　their　new　masters；　and　testifying　now　and　then　by　a　sign　or　a　grunt；　their　surprise　at　not　being　beaten；　or　made　to　carry　their　captors。　　Some；　however；　caught　sight　of　the　little　calabashes　of　coca　which　the　English　carried。　That　woke　them　from　their　torpor；　and　they　began　coaxing　abjectly　（and　not　in　vain）　for　a　taste　of　that　miraculous　herb；　which　would　not　only　make　food　unnecessary；　and　enable　their　panting　lungs　to　endure　that　keen　mountain　air；　but　would　rid　them；　for　awhile　at　least；　of　the　fallen　Indian's　most　unpitying　foe；　the　malady　of　thought。

As　the　cavalcade　turned　the　corner　of　the　mountain；　they　paused　for　one　last　look　at　the　scene　of　that　fearful　triumph。　　Lines　of　vultures　were　already　streaming　out　of　infinite　space；　as　if　created　suddenly　for　the　occasion。　　A　few　hours　and　there　would　be　no　trace　of　that　fierce　fray；　but　a　few　white　bones　amid　untrodden　beds　of　flowers。

And　now　Amyas　had　time　to　ask　Ayacanora　the　meaning　of　this　her　strange　appearance。　　He　wished　her　anywhere　but　where　she　was：　but　now　that　she　was　here；　what　heart　could　be　so　hard　as　not　to　take　pity　on　the　poor　wild　thing？　　And　Amyas　as　he　spoke　to　her　had；　perhaps；　a　tenderness　in　his　tone；　from　very　fear　of　hurting　her；　which　he　had　never　used　before。　　Passionately　she　told　him　how　she　had　followed　on　their　track　day　and　night；　and　had　every　evening　made　sounds；　as　loud　as　she　dared；　in　hopes　of　their　hearing　her；　and　either　waiting　for　her；　or　coming　back　to　see　what　caused　the　noise。

Amyas　now　recollected　the　strange　roaring　which　had　followed　them。

〃Noises？　　What　did　you　make　them　with？〃

Ayacanora　lifted　her　finger　with　an　air　of　most　self…satisfied　mystery；　and　then　drew　cautiously　from　under　her　feather　cloak　an　object　at　which　Amyas　had　hard　work　to　keep　his　countenance。

〃Look！〃　whispered　she；　as　if　half　afraid　that　the　thing　itself　should　hear　her。　　〃I　have　itthe　holy　trumpet！〃

There　it　was　verily；　that　mysterious　bone　of　contention；　a　handsome　earthen　tube　some　two　feet　long；　neatly　glazed；　and　painted　with　quaint　grecques　and　figures　of　animals；　a　relic　evidently　of　some　civilization　now　extinct。

Brimblecombe　rubbed　his　little　fat　hands。　　〃Brave　maid！　you　have　cheated　Satan　this　time；〃　quoth　he；　while　Yeo　advised　that　the　〃idolatrous　relic〃　should　be　forthwith　〃hove　over　cliff。〃

〃Let　be；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this；　Ayacanora？　And　why　have　you　followed　us？〃

She　told　a　long　story；　from　which　Amyas　picked　up；　as　far　as　he　could　understand　her；　that　that　trumpet　had　been　for　years　the　torment　of　her　life；　the　one　thing　in　the　tribe　superior　to　her；　the　one　thing　which　she　was　not　allowed　to　see；　because；　forsooth；　she　was　a　woman。　　So　she　determined　to　show　them　that　a　woman　was　as　good　as　a　man；　and　hence　her　hatred　of　marriage；　and　her　Amazonian　exploits。　　But　still　the　Piache　would　not　show　her　that　trumpet；　or　tell　her　where　it　was；　and　as　for　going　to　seek　it；　even　she　feared　the　superstitious　wrath　of　the　tribe　at　such　a　profanation。　　But　the　day　after　the　English　went；　the　Piache　chose　to　express　his　joy　at　their　departure；　whereon；　as　was　to　be　expected；　a　fresh　explosion　between　master　and　pupil；　which　ended；　she　confessed；　in　her　burning　the　old　rogue's　hut　over　his　head；　from　which　he　escaped　with　loss　of　all　his　conjuring…tackle；　and　fled　raging　into　the　woods；　vowing　that　he　would　carry　off　the　trumpet　to　the　neighboring　tribe。　　Whereon；　by　a　sudden　impulse；　the　young　lady　took　plenty　of　coca；　her　weapons；　and　her　feathers；　started　on　his　trail；　and　ran　him　to　earth　just　as　he　was　unveiling　the　precious　mystery。　　At　which　sight　（she　confessed）　she　was　horribly　afraid；　and　half　inclined　to　run；　but；　gathering　courage　from　the　thought　that　the　white　men　used　to　laugh　at　the　whole　matter；　she　rushed　upon　the　hapless　conjuror；　and　bore　off　her　prize　in　triumph；　and　there　it　was！

〃I　hope　you　have　not　killed　him？〃　said　Amyas。

〃I　did　beat　him　a　little；　but　I　thought　you　would　not　let　me　kill　him。〃

Amyas　was　half　amused　with　her　confession　of　his　authority　over　her；　but　she　went　on

〃And　then　I　dare　not　go　back　to　the　Indians；　so　I　was　forced　to　come　after　you。〃

〃And　is　that；　then；　your　only　reason　for　coming　after　us？〃　asked　stupid　Amyas。

He　had　touched　some　secret　chordthough　what　it　was　he　was　too　busy　to　inquire。　　The　girl　drew　herself　up　proudly；　blushing　scarlet；　and　said：

〃You　never　tell　lies。　　Do　you　think　that　I　would　tell　lies？〃

On　which　she　fell　to　the　rear；　and　followed　them　steadfastly；　speaking　to　no　one；　but　evidently　determined　to　follow　them　to　the　world's　end。

They　soon　left　the　highroad；　and　for　several　days　held　on　downwards；　hewing　their　path　slowly　and　painfully　through　the　thick　underwood。　　On　the　evening　of　the　fourth　day；　they　had　reached　the　margin　of　a　river；　at　a　point　where　it　seemed　broad　and　still　enough　for　navigation。　　For　those　three　days　they　had　not　seen　a　trace　of　human　beings；　and　the　spot　seemed　lonely　enough　for　them　to　encamp　without　fear　of　discovery；　and　begin　the　making　of　their　canoes。　　They　began　to　spread　themselves　along　the　stream；　in　search　of　the　soft…wooded　trees　proper　for　their　purpose；　but　hardly　had　their　search　begun；　when；　in　the　midst　of　a　dense　thicket；　they　came　upon　a　sight　which　filled　them　with　astonishment。　　Beneath　a　honeycombed　cliff；　which　supported　one　enormous　cotton…tree；　was　a　spot　of　some　thirty　yards　square　sloping　down　to　the　stream；　planted　in　rows　with　magnificent　banana…plants；　full　twelve　feet　high；　and　bearing　among　their　huge　waxy　leaves　clusters　of　ripening　fruit；　while；　under　their　mellow　shade；　yams　and　cassava　plants　were　flourishing　luxuriantly；　the　whole　being　surrounded　by　a　hedge　of　orange　and　scarlet　flowers。　There　it　lay；　streaked　with　long　shadows　from　the　setting　sun；　while　a　cool　southern　air　rustled　in　the　cotton…tree；　and　flapped　to　and　fro　the　great　banana…leaves；　a　tiny　paradise　of　art　and　care。　　But　where　was　its　inhabitant？

Aroused　by　the　noise　of　their　approach；　a　figure　issued　from　a　cave　in　the　rocks；　and；　after　gazing　at　them　for　a　moment；　came　down　the　garden　towards　them。　　He　was　a　tall　and　stately　old　man；　whose　snow…white　beard　and　hair　covered　his　che