westward ho- 第2部分

〃Too　many？　　How　many　men　did　we　take　Nombre　de　Dios　with？　　Seventy…　three　were　we；　and　no　more　when　we　sailed　out　of　Plymouth　Sound；　and　before　we　saw　the　Spanish　Main；　half　were　gastados；　used　up；　as　the　Dons　say；　with　the　scurvy；　and　in　Port　Pheasant　Captain　Rawse　of　Cowes　fell　in　with　us；　and　that　gave　us　some　thirty　hands　more；　and　with　that　handful；　my　lads；　only　fifty…three　in　all；　we　picked　the　lock　of　the　new　world！　　And　whom　did　we　lose　but　our　trumpeter；　who　stood　braying　like　an　ass　in　the　middle　of　the　square；　instead　of　taking　care　of　his　neck　like　a　Christian？　　I　tell　you；　those　Spaniards　are　rank　cowards；　as　all　bullies　are。　　They　pray　to　a　woman；　the　idolatrous　rascals！　and　no　wonder　they　fight　like　women。〃

〃You'm　right；　captain；〃　sang　out　a　tall　gaunt　fellow　who　stood　close　to　him；　〃one　westcountry…man　can　fight　two　easterlings；　and　an　easterling　can　beat　three　Dons　any　day。　　Eh！　my　lads　of　Devon？


　　　　　〃For　O！　it's　the　herrings　and　the　good　brown　beef；　　　　　　　　　And　the　cider　and　the　cream　so　white；　　　　　　　O！　they　are　the　making　of　the　jolly　Devon　lads；　　　　　　　　　For　to　play；　and　eke　to　fight。〃


〃Come；〃　said　Oxenham；　〃come　along！　　Who　lists？　who　lists？　who'll　make　his　fortune？


　　　　　〃Oh；　who　will　join；　jolly　mariners　all？　　　　　　　　　And　who　will　join；　says　he；　O！　　　　　　　To　fill　his　pockets　with　the　good　red　goold；　　　　　　　　　By　sailing　on　the　sea；　O！〃


〃Who'll　list？〃　cried　the　gaunt　man　again；　〃now's　your　time！　　We've　got　forty　men　to　Plymouth　now；　ready　to　sail　the　minute　we　get　back；　and　we　want　a　dozen　out　of　you　Bideford　men；　and　just　a　boy　or　two；　and　then　we'm　off　and　away；　and　make　our　fortunes；　or　go　to　heaven。


　　　　　〃Our　bodies　in　the　sea　so　deep；　　　　　　　　　Our　souls　in　heaven　to　rest！　　　　　　　Where　valiant　seamen；　one　and　all；　　　　　　　　　Hereafter　shall　be　blest！〃


〃Now；〃　said　Oxenham；　〃you　won't　let　the　Plymouth　men　say　that　the　Bideford　men　daren't　follow　them？　　North　Devon　against　South；　it　is。　　Who'll　join？　who'll　join？　　It　is　but　a　step　of　a　way；　after　all；　and　sailing　as　smooth　as　a　duck…pond　as　soon　as　you're　past　Cape　Finisterre。　　I'll　run　a　Clovelly　herring…boat　there　and　back　for　a　wager　of　twenty　pound；　and　never　ship　a　bucketful　all　the　way。　　Who'll　join？　　Don't　think　you're　buying　a　pig　in　a　poke。　　I　know　the　road；　and　Salvation　Yeo；　here；　too；　who　was　the　gunner's　mate；　as　well　as　I　do　the　narrow　seas；　and　better。　　You　ask　him　to　show　you　the　chart　of　it；　now；　and　see　if　he　don't　tell　you　over　the　ruttier　as　well　as　Drake　himself。〃

On　which　the　gaunt　man　pulled　from　under　his　arm　a　great　white　buffalo　horn　covered　with　rough　etchings　of　land　and　sea；　and　held　it　up　to　the　admiring　ring。

〃See　here；　boys　all；　and　behold　the　pictur　of　the　place；　dra'ed　out　so　natural　as　ever　was　life。　　I　got　mun　from　a　Portingal；　down　to　the　Azores；　and　he'd　pricked　mun　out；　and　pricked　mun　out；　wheresoever　he'd　sailed；　and　whatsoever　he'd　seen。　　Take　mun　in　your　hands　now；　Simon　Evans；　take　mun　in　your　hands；　look　mun　over；　and　I'll　warrant　you'll　know　the　way　in　five　minutes　so　well　as　ever　a　shark　in　the　seas。〃

And　the　horn　was　passed　from　hand　to　hand；　while　Oxenham；　who　saw　that　his　hearers　were　becoming　moved；　called　through　the　open　window　for　a　great　tankard　of　sack；　and　passed　that　from　hand　to　hand；　after　the　horn。

The　school…boy；　who　had　been　devouring　with　eyes　and　ears　all　which　passed；　and　had　contrived　by　this　time　to　edge　himself　into　the　inner　ring；　now　stood　face　to　face　with　the　hero　of　the　emerald　crest；　and　got　as　many　peeps　as　he　could　at　the　wonder。　　But　when　he　saw　the　sailors；　one　after　another；　having　turned　it　over　a　while；　come　forward　and　offer　to　join　Mr。　Oxenham；　his　soul　burned　within　him　for　a　nearer　view　of　that　wondrous　horn；　as　magical　in　its　effects　as　that　of　Tristrem；　or　the　enchanter's　in　Ariosto；　and　when　the　group　had　somewhat　broken　up；　and　Oxenham　was　going　into　the　tavern　with　his　recruits；　he　asked　boldly　for　a　nearer　sight　of　the　marvel；　which　was　granted　at　once。

And　now　to　his　astonished　gaze　displayed　themselves　cities　and　harbors；　dragons　and　elephants；　whales　which　fought　with　sharks；　plate　ships　of　Spain；　islands　with　apes　and　palm…trees；　each　with　its　name　over…written；　and　here　and　there；　〃Here　is　gold；〃　and　again；　〃Much　gold　and　silver；〃　inserted　most　probably；　as　the　words　were　in　English；　by　the　hands　of　Mr。　Oxenham　himself。　　Lingeringly　and　longingly　the　boy　turned　it　round　and　round；　and　thought　the　owner　of　it　more　fortunate　than　Khan　or　Kaiser。　　Oh；　if　he　could　but　possess　that　horn；　what　needed　he　on　earth　beside　to　make　him　blest！

〃I　say；　will　you　sell　this？〃

〃Yea；　marry；　or　my　own　soul；　if　I　can　get　the　worth　of　it。〃

〃I　want　the　horn；I　don't　want　your　soul；　it's　somewhat　of　a　stale　sole；　for　aught　I　know；　and　there　are　plenty　of　fresh　ones　in　the　bay。〃

And　therewith；　after　much　fumbling；　he　pulled　out　a　tester　（the　only　one　he　had）；　and　asked　if　that　would　buy　it？

〃That！　no；　nor　twenty　of　them。〃

The　boy　thought　over　what　a　good　knight…errant　would　do　in　such　case；　and　then　answered；　〃Tell　you　what：　I'll　fight　you　for　it。〃

〃Thank　'ee；　sir！

〃Break　the　jackanapes's　head　for　him；　Yeo；〃　said　Oxenham。

〃Call　me　jackanapes　again；　and　I　break　yours；　sir。〃　　And　the　boy　lifted　his　fist　fiercely。

Oxenham　looked　at　him　a　minute　smilingly。　　〃Tut！　tut！　my　man；　hit　one　of　your　own　size；　if　you　will；　and　spare　little　folk　like　me！〃

〃If　I　have　a　boy's　age；　sir；　I　have　a　man's　fist。　　I　shall　be　fifteen　years　old　this　month；　and　know　how　to　answer　any　one　who　insults　me。〃

〃Fifteen；　my　young　cockerel？　you　look　liker　twenty；〃　said　Oxenham；　with　an　admiring　glance　at　the　lad's　broad　limbs；　keen　blue　eyes；　curling　golden　locks；　and　round　honest　face。　　〃Fifteen？　　If　I　had　half…a…dozen　such　lads　as　you；　I　would　make　knights　of　them　before　I　died。　　Eh；　Yeo？〃

〃He'll　do；〃　said　Yeo；　〃he　will　make　a　brave　gamecock　in　a　year　or　two；　if　he　dares　ruffle　up　so　early　at　a　tough　old　hen…master　like　the　captain。〃

At　which　there　was　a　general　laugh；　in　which　Oxenham　joined　as　loudly　as　any；　and　then　bade　the　lad　tell　him　why　he　was　so　keen　after　the　horn。

〃Because；〃　said　he；　looking　up　boldly；　〃I　want　to　go　to　sea。　　I　want　to　see　the　Indies。　　I　want　to　fight　the　Spaniards。　　Though　I　am　a　gentleman's　son；　I'd　a　deal　liever　be　a　cabin…boy　on　board　your　ship。〃　　And　the　lad；　having　hurried　out　his　say　fiercely　enough；　dropped　his　head　again。

〃And　you　shall；〃　cried　Oxenham；　with　a　great　oath；　〃and　take　a　galloon；　and　dine　off　carbonadoed　Dons。　　Whose　son　are　you；　my　gallant　fellow？〃

〃Mr。　Leigh's；　of　Burrough　Court。〃

〃Bless　his　soul！　　I　know　him　as　well　as　I　do　the　Eddystone；　and　his　kitchen　too。　　Who　sups　with　him　to…night？〃

〃Sir　Richard　Grenville。〃

〃Dick　Grenville？　　I　did　not　know　he　was　in　town。　　Go　home　and　tell　your　father　John　Oxenham　will　come　and　keep　him　company。　　There；　off　with　you！　　I'll　make　all　straight　with　the　good　gentleman；　and　you　shall　have　your　venture　with　me；　and　as　for　the　horn；　let　him　have　the　horn；　Yeo；　and　I'll　give　you　a　noble　for　it。〃

〃Not　a　penny；　noble　captain。　　If　young　master　will　take　a　poor　mariner's　gift；　there　it　is；　for　the　sake　of　his　love　to　the　calling；　and　Heaven　send　him　luck　therein。〃　　And　the　good　fellow；　with　the　impulsive　generosity　of　a　true　sailor；　thrust　the　horn　into　the　boy's　hands；　and　walked　away　to　escape　thanks。

〃And　now；〃　quoth　Oxenham；　〃my　merry　men　all；　make　up　your　minds　what　mannered　men　you　be　minded　to　be　before　you　take　your　bounties。　　I　want　none　of　your　rascally　lurching　longshore　vermin；　who　get　five　pounds　out　of　this　captain；　and　ten　out　of　that；　and　let　him　sail　without　them　after　all；　while　they　are　stowed　away　under　women's　mufflers；　and　in　tavern　cellars。　　If　any　man　is　of　that　humor；　he　had　better　to　cut　himself　up；　and　salt　himself　down　in　a　barrel　for　pork；　before　he　meets　me　again；　for　by　this　light；　let　me　catch　him；　be　it　seven　years　hence；　and　if　I　do　not　cut　his　throat　upon　the　streets；　it's　a　pity！　　But　if　any　man　will　be　true　brother　to　me；　true　brother　to　him　I'll　be；　come　wreck　or　prize；　storm　or　calm；　salt　water　or　fresh；　victuals　or　none；　share　and　fare　alike；　and　here's　my　hand　upon　it；　for　every　man　and　all！　and　so


　　　　　〃Westward　ho！　with　a　rumbelow；　　　　　　　　　And　hurra　for　the　Spanish　Main；　O！〃


After　which　oration　Mr。　Oxenham　swaggered　into　the　tavern；　followed　by　his　new　men；　and　the　boy　took　his　way　homewards；　nursing　his　precious　horn；　trembling　between　hope　and　fear；　and　blushing　with　maidenly　shame；　and　a　half…sense　of　wrong…doing　at　having　revealed　suddenly　to　a　stranger　the　darling　wish　which　he　had　hidden　from　his　father　and　mother　ever　since　he　was　ten　years　old。

Now　this　young　gentleman；　Amyas　Leigh；　though　come　of　as　good　blood　as　any　in　Devon；　and　having　lived　all　his　life　in　what　we　should　even　now　call　the　very　best　society；　and　being　（on　account　of　the　valor；　courtesy；　and　truly　noble　qualities　which　he　showed　forth　in　his　most　eventful　life）　chosen　by　me　as　the　hero　and　centre　of　this　story；　was　not；　saving　for　his　good　looks；　by　any　means　what　would　be　called　now…a…days　an　〃interesting〃　youth；　still　less　a　〃highly　educated〃　one；　for；　with　the　exception　of　a　little　Latin；　which　had　been　driven　into　him　by　repeated　blows；　as　if　it　had　been　a　nail；　he　knew　no　books　whatsoever；　save　his　Bible；　his　Prayer…book；　the　old　〃Mort　d'Arthur〃　of　Caxton's　edition；　which　lay　in　the　great　bay　window　in　the　hall；　and　the　translation　of　〃Las　Casas'　History　of　the　West　Indies；〃　which　lay　beside　it；　lately　done　into　English　under　the　title　of　〃The　Cruelties　of　the　Spaniards。〃　　He　devoutly　believed　in　fairies；　whom　he　called　pixies；　and　held　that　they　changed　babies；　and　made　the　mushroom　rings　on　the　downs　to　dance　in。　　When　he　had　warts　or　burns；　he　went　to　the　white　witch　at　Northam　to　charm　them　away；　he　thought　that　the　sun　moved　round　the　earth；　and　that　the　moon　had　some　kindred　with　a　Cheshire　cheese。　He　held　that　the　swallows　slept　all　the　winter　at　the　bottom　of　the　horse…pond；　talked；　like　Raleigh；　Grenville；　and　other　low　persons；　with　a　broad　Devonshire　accent；　and　was　in　many　other　respects　so　very　ignorant　a　youth；　that　any　pert　monitor　in　a　national　school　might　have　had　a　hearty　laugh　at　him。　　Never