westward ho- 第106部分

〃And　if　you　win　the　mothers；〃　quoth　Will；　〃the　poor　fathers　must　needs　obey　their　wives；　and　follow　in　the　wake。〃

The　old　man　only　sighed。　　〃The　prattle　of　these　little　ones　softens　my　hard　heart；　senors；　with　a　new　pleasure；　but　it　saddens　me；　when　I　recollect　that　there　may　be　children　of　mine　now　in　the　world　children　who　have　never　known　a　father's　lovenever　known　aught　but　a　master's　threats〃

〃God　has　taken　care　of　these　little　ones。　　Trust　that　He　has　taken　care　of　yours。〃

That　day　Amyas　assembled　the　Indians；　and　told　them　that　they　must　obey　the　hermit　as　their　king；　and　settle　there　as　best　they　could：　for　if　they　broke　up　and　wandered　away；　nothing　was　left　for　them　but　to　fall　one　by　one　into　the　hands　of　the　Spaniards。　　They　heard　him　with　their　usual　melancholy　and　stupid　acquiescence；　and　went　and　came　as　they　were　bid；　like　animated　machines；　but　the　negroes　were　of　a　different　temper；　and　four　or　five　stout　fellows　gave　Amyas　to　understand　that　they　had　been　warriors　in　their　own　country；　and　that　warriors　they　would　be　still；　and　nothing　should　keep　them　from　Spaniard…hunting。　　Amyas　saw　that　the　presence　of　these　desperadoes　in　the　new　colony　would　both　endanger　the　authority　of　the　hermit；　and　bring　the　Spaniards　down　upon　it　in　a　few　weeks；　so；　making　a　virtue　of　necessity；　he　asked　them　whether　they　would　go　Spaniard…hunting　with　him。

This　was　just　what　the　bold　Coromantees　wished　for；　they　grinned　and　shouted　their　delight　at　serving　under　so　great　a　warrior；　and　then　set　to　work　most　gallantly；　getting　through　more　in　the　day　than　any　ten　Indians；　and　indeed　than　any　two　Englishmen。

So　went　on　several　days；　during　which　the　trees　were　felled；　and　the　process　of　digging　them　out　began；　while　Ayacanora；　silent　and　moody；　wandered　into　the　woods　all　day　with　her　blow…gun；　and　brought　home　at　evening　a　load　of　parrots；　monkeys；　and　curassows；　two　or　three　old　hands　were　sent　out　to　hunt　likewise；　so　that；　what　with　the　game　and　the　fish　of　the　river；　which　seemed　inexhaustible；　and　the　fruit　of　the　neighboring　palm…trees；　there　was　no　lack　of　food　in　the　camp。　　But　what　to　do　with　Ayacanora　weighed　heavily　on　the　mind　of　Amyas。　　He　opened　his　heart　on　the　matter　to　the　old　hermit；　and　asked　him　whether　he　would　take　charge　of　her。　　The　latter　smiled；　and　shook　his　head　at　the　notion。　　〃If　your　report　of　her　be　true；　I　may　as　well　take　in　hand　to　tame　a　jaguar。〃　　However；　he　promised　to　try；　and　one　evening；　as　they　were　all　standing　together　before　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　Ayacanora　came　up　smiling　with　the　fruit　of　her　day's　sport；　and　Amyas；　thinking　this　a　fit　opportunity；　began　a　carefully　prepared　harangue　to　her；　which　he　intended　to　be　altogether　soothing；　and　even　pathetic；to　the　effect　that　the　maiden；　having　no　parents；　was　to　look　upon　this　good　old　man　as　her　father；　that　he　would　instruct　her　in　the　white　man's　religion　（at　which　promise　Yeo；　as　a　good　Protestant；　winced　a　good　deal）；　and　teach　her　how　to　be　happy　and　good；　and　so　forth；　and　that；　in　fine；　she　was　to　remain　there　with　the　hermit。

She　heard　him　quietly；　her　great　dark　eyes　opening　wider　and　wider；　her　bosom　swelling；　her　stature　seeming　to　grow　taller　every　moment；　as　she　clenched　her　weapons　firmly　in　both　her　hands。　Beautiful　as　she　always　was；　she　had　never　looked　so　beautiful　before；　and　as　Amyas　spoke　of　parting　with　her；　it　was　like　throwing　away　a　lovely　toy；　but　it　must　be　done；　for　her　sake；　for　his；　perhaps　for　that　of　all　the　crew。

The　last　words　had　hardly　passed　his　lips；　when；　with　a　shriek　of　mingled　scorn；　rage；　and　fear；　she　dashed　through　the　astonished　group。

〃Stop　her！〃　were　Amyas's　first　words；　but　his　next　were；　〃Let　her　go！〃　for；　springing　like　a　deer　through　the　little　garden　and　over　the　flower…fence；　she　turned；　menacing　with　her　blow…gun　the　sailors；　who　had　already　started　in　her　pursuit。

〃Let　her　alone；　for　Heaven's　sake！〃　shouted　Amyas；　who；　he　scarce　knew　why；　shrank　from　the　thought　of　seeing　those　graceful　limbs　struggling　in　the　seamen's　grasp。

She　turned　again；　and　in　another　minute　her　gaudy　plumes　had　vanished　among　the　dark　forest　stems；　as　swiftly　as　if　she　had　been　a　passing　bird。

All　stood　thunderstruck　at　this　unexpected　end　to　the　conference。　At　last　Aymas　spoke：

〃There's　no　use　in　standing　here　idle；　gentlemen。　　Staring　after　her　won't　bring　her　back。　　After　all；　I'm　glad　she's　gone。〃

But　the　tone　of　his　voice　belied　his　words。　　Now　he　had　lost　her；　he　wanted　her　back；　and　perhaps　every　one　present；　except　he；　guessed　why。

But　Ayacanora　did　not　return；　and　ten　days　more　went　on　in　continual　toil　at　the　canoes　without　any　news　of　her　from　the　hunters。　　Amyas；　by　the　by；　had　strictly　bidden　these　last　not　to　follow　the　girl；　not　even　to　speak　to　her；　if　they　came　across　her　in　their　wanderings。　　He　was　shrewd　enough　to　guess　that　the　only　way　to　cure　her　sulkiness　was　to　outsulk　her；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　her　presence　in　any　direction；　and　the　canoes　being　finished　at　last；　the　gold；　and　such　provisions　as　they　could　collect；　were　placed　on　board；　and　one　evening　the　party　prepared　for　their　fresh　voyage。　　They　determined　to　travel　as　much　as　possible　by　night；　for　fear　of　discovery；　especially　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　few　Spanish　settlements　which　were　then　scattered　along　the　banks　of　the　main　stream。　　These；　however；　the　negroes　knew；　so　that　there　was　no　fear　of　coming　on　them　unawares；　and　as　for　falling　asleep　in　their　night　journeys；　〃Nobody；〃　the　negroes　said；　〃ever　slept　on　the　Magdalena；　the　mosquitoes　took　too　good　care　of　that。〃　　Which　fact　Amyas　and　his　crew　verified　afterwards　as　thoroughly　as　wretched　men　could　do。

The　sun　had　sunk；　the　night　had　all　but　fallen；　the　men　were　all　on　board；　Amyas　in　command　of　one　canoe；　Cary　of　the　other。　　The　Indians　were　grouped　on　the　bank；　watching　the　party　with　their　listless　stare；　and　with　them　the　young　guide；　who　preferred　remaining　among　the　Indians；　and　was　made　supremely　happy　by　the　present　of　Spanish　sword　and　an　English　axe；　while；　in　the　midst；　the　old　hermit；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　prayed　God's　blessing　on　them。

〃I　owe　to　you；　noble　cavaliers；　new　peace；　new　labor；　I　may　say；　new　life。　　May　God　be　with　you；　and　teach　you　to　use　your　gold　and　your　swords　better　than　I　used　mine。

The　adventurers　waved　their　hands　to　him。

〃Give　way；　men；〃　cried　Amyas；　and　as　he　spoke　the　paddles　dashed　into　the　water；　to　a　right　English　hurrah！　which　sent　the　birds　fluttering　from　their　roosts；　and　was　answered　by　the　yell　of　a　hundred　monkeys；　and　the　distant　roar　of　the　jaguar。

About　twenty　yards　below；　a　wooded　rock；　some　ten　feet　high；　hung　over　the　stream。　　The　river　was　not　there　more　than　fifteen　yards　broad；　deep　near　the　rock；　shallow　on　the　farther　side；　and　Amyas's　canoe　led　the　way；　within　ten　feet　of　the　stone。

As　he　passed；　a　dark　figure　leapt　from　the　bushes　on　the　edge；　and　plunged　heavily　into　the　water　close　to　the　boat。　　All　started。　　A　jaguar？　　No；　he　would　not　have　missed　so　short　a　spring。　　What；　then？　　A　human　being？

A　head　rose　panting　to　the　surface；　and　with　a　few　strong　strokes　the　swimmer　had　clutched　the　gunwale。　　It　was　Ayacanora！

〃Go　back！〃　shouted　Amyas。　　〃Go　back；　girl！〃

She　uttered　the　same　wild　cry　with　which　she　had　fled　into　the　forest。

〃I　will　die；　then！〃　and　she　threw　up　her　arms。　　Another　moment；　and　she　had　sunk。

To　see　her　perish　before　his　eyes！　who　could　bear　that？　　Her　hands　alone　were　above　the　surface。　　Amyas　caught　convulsively　at　her　in　the　darkness；　and　seized　her　wrist。

A　yell　rose　from　the　negroes：　a　roar　from　the　crew　as　from　a　cage　of　lions。　　There　was　a　rush　and　a　swirl　along　the　surface　of　the　stream；　and　〃Caiman！　caiman！〃　shouted　twenty　voices。

Now；　or　never；　for　the　strong　arm！　　〃To　larboard；　men；　or　over　we　go！〃　cried　Amyas；　and　with　one　huge　heave　he　lifted　the　slender　body　upon　the　gunwale。　　Her　lower　limbs　were　still　in　the　water；　when；　within　arm's　length；　rose　above　the　stream　a　huge　muzzle。　The　lower　jaw　lay　flat；　the　upper　reached　as　high　as　Amyas's　head。　He　could　see　the　long　fangs　gleam　white　in　the　moonshine；　he　could　see　for　one　moment　full　down　the　monstrous　depths　of　that　great　gape；　which　would　have　crushed　a　buffalo。　　Three　inches；　and　no　more；　from　that　soft　side；　the　snout　surged　up

There　was　the　gleam　of　an　axe　from　above；　a　sharp　ringing　blow；　and　the　jaws　came　together　with　a　clash　which　rang　from　bank　to　bank。　He　had　missed　her！　　Swerving　beneath　the　blow；　his　snout　had　passed　beneath　her　body；　and　smashed　up　against　the　side　of　the　canoe；　as　the　striker；　overbalanced；　fell　headlong　overboard　upon　the　monster's　back。

〃Who　is　it？〃

〃Yeo！〃　shouted　a　dozen。

Man　and　beast　went　down　together；　and　where　they　sank；　the　moonlight　shone　on　a　great　swirling　eddy；　while　all　held　their　breaths；　and　Ayacanora　cowered　down　into　the　bottom　of　the　canoe；　her　proud　spirit　utterly　broken；　for　the　first　time；　by　the　terror　of　that　great　need；　and　by　a　bitter　loss。　　For　in　the　struggle；　the　holy　trumpet；　companion　of　all　her　wanderings；　had　fallen　from　her　bosom；　and　her　fond　hope　of　bringing　magic　prosperity　to　her　English　friends　had　sunk　with　it　to　the　bottom　of　the　stream。

None　heeded　her；　not　even　Amyas；　round　whose　knees　she　clung；　fawning　like　a　spaniel　dog：　for　where　was　Yeo？

Another　swirl；　a　shout　from　the　canoe　abreast　of　them；　and　Yeo　rose；　having　dived　clean　under　his　own　boat；　and　risen　between　the　two。

〃Safe　as　yet；　lads！　　Heave　me　a　line；　or　he'll　have　me　after　all。〃

But　ere　the　brute　reappeared；　the　old　man　was　safe　on　board。

〃The　Lord　has　stood　by　me；〃　panted　he；　as　he　shot　the　water　from　his　ears。　　〃We　went　down　together：　I　knew　the　Indian　trick；　and　being　uppermost；　had　my　thumbs　in　his　eyes　before　he　could　turn：　but　he　carried　me　down　to　the　very　mud。　　My　breath　was　nigh　gone；　so　I　left　go；　and　struck　up：　but　my　toes　tingled　as　I　rose　again；　I'll　warrant。　　There　the　beggar　is；　looking　for　me；　I　declare！〃

And；　true　enough；　there　was　the　huge　brute　swimming　slowly　round　and　round；　in　search　of　his　lost　victim。　　It　was　too　dark　to　put　an　arrow　into　his　eye；　so　they　paddled　on；　while　Ayacanora　crouched　silently　at　Amyas's　feet。

〃Yeo！〃　asked　he；　in　a　low　voice；　〃what　s