westward ho- 第26部分

Cary　looked　earnestly　at　the　window；　and　then　sharply　enough　at　Amyas；　but　Amyas　was　busy　settling　his　stirrup；　and　Cary　rode　on；　unconscious　that　every　fibre　in　his　companion's　huge　frame　was　trembling　like　his　own。

〃Muggy　and　close　down　here；〃　said　Amyas；　who；　in　reality；　was　quite　faint　with　his　own　inward　struggles。

〃We　shall　be　at　Stow　gate　in　five　minutes；〃　said　Cary；　looking　back　and　down　longingly　as　his　horse　climbed　the　opposite　hill；　but　a　turn　of　the　zigzag　road　hid　the　cottage；　and　the　next　thought　was；　how　to　effect　an　entrance　into　Stow　at　three　in　the　morning　without　being　eaten　by　the　ban…dogs；　who　were　already　howling　and　growling　at　the　sound　of　the　horse…hoofs。

However；　they　got　safely　in；　after　much　knocking　and　calling；　through　the　postern　gate　in　the　high　west　wall；　into　a　mansion；　the　description　whereof　I　must　defer　to　the　next　chapter；　seeing　that　the　moon　has　already　sunk　into　the　Atlantic；　and　there　is　darkness　over　land　and　sea。

Sir　Richard；　in　his　long　gown；　was　soon　downstairs　in　the　hall；　the　letter　read；　and　the　story　told；　but　ere　it　was　half　finished

〃Anthony；　call　up　a　groom；　and　let　him　bring　me　a　horse　round。　Gentlemen；　if　you　will　excuse　me　five　minutes；　I　shall　be　at　your　service。〃

〃You　will　not　go　alone；　Richard？〃　asked　Lady　Grenville；　putting　her　beautiful　face　in　its　nightcoif　out　of　an　adjoining　door。

〃Surely；　sweet　chuck；　we　three　are　enough　to　take　two　poor　polecats　of　Jesuits。　　Go　in；　and　help　me　to　boot　and　gird。〃

In　half　an　hour　they　were　down　and　up　across　the　valley　again；　under　the　few　low　ashes　clipt　flat　by　the　sea…breeze　which　stood　round　the　lonely　gate　of　Chapel。

〃Mr。　Cary；　there　is　a　back　path　across　the　downs　to　Marsland；　go　and　guard　that。〃　　Cary　rode　off；　and　Sir　Richard；　as　he　knocked　loudly　at　the　gate

〃Mr。　Leigh；　you　see　that　I　have　consulted　your　honor；　and　that　of　your　poor　uncle；　by　adventuring　thus　alone。　　What　will　you　have　me　do　now；　which　may　not　be　unfit　for　me　and　you？〃

〃Oh；　sir！〃　said　Amyas；　with　tears　in　his　honest　eyes；　〃you　have　shown　yourself　once　more　what　you　always　have　beenmy　dear　and　beloved　master　on　earth；　not　second　even　to　my　admiral　Sir　Francis　Drake。〃

〃Or　the　queen；　I　hope；〃　said　Grenville；　smiling；　〃but　pocas　palabras。　　What　will　you　do？〃

〃My　wretched　cousin；　sir；　may　not　have　returnedand　if　I　might　watch　for　him　on　the　main　roadunless　you　want　me　with　you。〃

〃Richard　Grenville　can　walk　alone；　lad。　　But　what　will　you　do　with　your　cousin？〃

〃Send　him　out　of　the　country；　never　to　return；　or　if　he　refuses；　run　him　through　on　the　spot。〃

〃Go；　lad。〃　　And　as　he　spoke；　a　sleepy　voice　asked　inside　the　gate；　〃Who　was　there？〃

〃Sir　Richard　Grenville。　　Open；　in　the　queen's　name？〃

〃Sir　Richard？　　He　is　in　bed；　and　be　hanged　to　you。　　No　honest　folk　come　at　this　hour　of　night。〃

〃Amyas！〃　shouted　Sir　Richard。　　Amyas　rode　back。

〃Burst　that　gate　for　me；　while　I　hold　your　horse。〃

Amyas　leaped　down；　took　up　a　rock　from　the　roadside；　such　as　Homer's　heroes　used　to　send　at　each　other's　heads；　and　in　an　instant　the　door　was　flat　on　the　ground；　and　the　serving…man　on　his　back　inside；　while　Sir　Richard　quietly　entering　over　it；　like　Una　into　the　hut；　told　the　fellow　to　get　up　and　hold　his　horse　for　him　（which　the　clod；　who　knew　well　enough　that　terrible　voice；　did　without　further　murmurs）；　and　then　strode　straight　to　the　front　door。　　It　was　already　opened。　　The　household　had　been　up　and　about　all　along；　or　the　noise　at　the　entry　had　aroused　them。

Sir　Richard　knocked；　however；　at　the　open　door；　and；　to　his　astonishment；　his　knock　was　answered　by　Mr。　Leigh　himself；　fully　dressed；　and　candle　in　hand。

〃Sir　Richard　Grenville！　　What；　sir！　is　this　neighborly；　not　to　say　gentle；　to　break　into　my　house　in　the　dead　of　night？〃

〃I　broke　your　outer　door；　sir；　because　I　was　refused　entrance　when　I　asked　in　the　queen's　name。　　I　knocked　at　your　inner　one；　as　I　should　have　knocked　at　the　poorest　cottager's　in　the　parish；　because　I　found　it　open。　　You　have　two　Jesuits　here；　sir！　and　here　is　the　queen's　warrant　for　apprehending　them。　　I　have　signed　it　with　my　own　hand；　and；　moreover；　serve　it　now；　with　my　own　hand；　in　order　to　save　you　scandaland　it　may　be；　worse。　　I　must　have　these　men；　Mr。　Leigh。〃

〃My　dear　Sir　Richard！〃

〃I　must　have　them；　or　I　must　search　the　house；　and　you　would　not　put　either　yourself　or　me　to　so　shameful　a　necessity？〃

〃My　dear　Sir　Richard！〃

〃Must　I；　then；　ask　you　to　stand　back　from　your　own　doorway；　my　dear　sir？〃　said　Grenville。　　And　then　changing　his　voice　to　that　fearful　lion's　roar；　for　which　he　was　famous；　and　which　it　seemed　impossible　that　lips　so　delicate　could　utter；　he　thundered；　〃Knaves；　behind　there！　　Back！〃

This　was　spoken　to　half…a…dozen　grooms　and　serving…men；　who；　well　armed；　were　clustered　in　the　passage。

〃What？　swords　out；　you　sons　of　cliff　rabbits？〃　　And　in　a　moment；　Sir　Richard's　long　blade　flashed　out　also；　and　putting　Mr。　Leigh　gently　aside；　as　if　he　had　been　a　child；　he　walked　up　to　the　party；　who　vanished　right　and　left；　having　expected　a　cur　dog；　in　the　shape　of　a　parish　constable；　and　come　upon　a　lion　instead。　　They　were　stout　fellows　enough；　no　doubt；　in　a　fair　fight：　but　they　had　no　stomach　to　be　hanged　in　a　row　at　Launceston　Castle；　after　a　preliminary　running　through　the　body　by　that　redoubted　admiral　and　most　unpeaceful　justice　of　the　peace。

〃And　now；　my　dear　Mr。　Leigh；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　as　blandly　as　ever；　〃where　are　my　men？　　The　night　is　cold；　and　you；　as　well　as　I；　need　to　be　in　our　beds。〃

〃The　men；　Sir　Richardthe　Jesuitsthey　are　not　here；　indeed。〃

〃Not　here；　sir？〃

〃On　the　word　of　a　gentleman；　they　left　my　house　an　hour　ago。　Believe　me；　sir；　they　did。　　I　will　swear　to　you　if　you　need。〃

〃I　believe　Mr。　Leigh　of　Chapel's　word　without　oaths。　　Whither　are　they　gone？〃

〃Nay；　sirhow　can　I　tell？　　They　arethey　are；　as　I　may　say；　fled；　sir；　escaped。〃

〃With　your　connivance；　at　least　with　your　son's。　　Where　are　they　gone？〃

〃As　I　live；　I　do　not　know。〃

Mr。　Leighis　this　possible？　　Can　you　add　untruth　to　that　treason　from　the　punishment　of　which　I　am　trying　to　shield　you？〃

Poor　Mr。　Leigh　burst　into　tears。

〃Oh！　my　God！　my　God！　is　it　come　to　this？　　Over　and　above　having　the　fear　and　anxiety　of　keeping　these　black　rascals　in　my　house；　and　having　to　stop　their　villainous　mouths　every　minute；　for　fear　they　should　hang　me　and　themselves；　I　am　to　be　called　a　traitor　and　a　liar　in　my　old　age；　and　that；　too；　by　Richard　Grenville！　　Would　God　I　had　never　been　born！　　Would　God　I　had　no　soul　to　be　saved；　and　I'd　just　go　and　drown　care　in　drink；　and　let　the　queen　and　the　Pope　fight　it　out　their　own　way！〃　　And　the　poor　old　man　sank　into　a　chair；　and　covered　his　face　with　his　hands；　and　then　leaped　up　again。

〃Bless　my　heart！　　Excuse　me；　Sir　Richardto　sit　down　and　leave　you　standing。　　'S　life；　sir；　sorrow　is　making　a　hawbuck　of　me。　　Sit　down；　my　dear　sir！　my　worshipful　sir！　or　rather　come　with　me　into　my　room；　and　hear　a　poor　wretched　man's　story；　for　I　swear　before　God　the　men　are　fled；　and　my　poor　boy　Eustace　is　not　home　either；　and　the　groom　tells　me　that　his　devil　of　a　cousin　has　broken　his　jaw　for　him；　and　his　mother　is　all　but　mad　this　hour　past。　　Good　lack！　good　lack！〃

〃He　nearly　murdered　his　angel　of　a　cousin；　sir！　〃　said　Sir　Richard；　severely。

〃What；　sir？　　They　never　told　me。〃

〃He　had　stabbed　his　cousin　Frank　three　times；　sir；　before　Amyas；　who　is　as　noble　a　lad　as　walks　God's　earth；　struck　him　down。　　And　in　defence　of　what；　forsooth；　did　he　play　the　ruffian　and　the　swashbuckler；　but　to　bring　home　to　your　house　this　letter；　sir；　which　you　shall　hear　at　your　leisure；　the　moment　I　have　taken　order　about　your　priests。〃　　And　walking　out　of　the　house　he　went　round　and　called　to　Cary　to　come　to　him。

〃The　birds　are　flown；　Will；〃　whispered　he。　　〃There　is　but　one　chance　for　us；　and　that　is　Marsland　Mouth。　　If　they　are　trying　to　take　boat　there；　you　may　be　yet　in　time。　　If　they　are　gone　inland　we　can　do　nothing　till　we　raise　the　hue　and　cry　to…morrow。〃

And　Will　galloped　off　over　the　downs　toward　Marsland；　while　Sir　Richard　ceremoniously　walked　in　again；　and　professed　himself　ready　and　happy　to　have　the　honor　of　an　audience　in　Mr。　Leigh's　private　chamber。　　And　as　we　know　pretty　well　already　what　was　to　be　discussed　therein；　we　had　better　go　over　to　Marsland　Mouth；　and；　if　possible；　arrive　there　before　Will　Cary：　seeing　that　he　arrived　hot　and　swearing；　half　an　hour　too　late。


Note。I　have　shrunk　somewhat　from　giving　these　and　other　sketches　（true　and　accurate　as　I　believe　them　to　be）　of　Ireland　during　Elizabeth's　reign；　when　the　tyranny　and　lawlessness　of　the　feudal　chiefs　had　reduced　the　island　to　such　a　state　of　weakness　and　barbarism；　that　it　was　absolutely　necessary　for　England　either　to　crush　the　Norman…Irish　nobility；　and　organize　some　sort　of　law　and　order；　or　to　leave　Ireland　an　easy　prey　to　the　Spaniards；　or　any　other　nation　which　should　go　to　war　with　us。　　The　work　was　done　clumsily　rather　than　cruelly；　but　wrongs　were　inflicted；　and　avenged　by　fresh　wrongs；　and　those　by　fresh　again。　　May　the　memory　of　them　perish　forever！　　It　has　been　reserved　for　this　age；　and　for　the　liberal　policy　of　this　age；　to　see　the　last　ebullitions　of　Celtic　excitability　die　out　harmless　and　ashamed　of　itself；　and　to　find　that　the　Irishman；　when　he　is　brought　as　a　soldier　under　the　regenerative　influence　of　law；　discipline；　self…respect；　and　loyalty；　can　prove　himself　a　worthy　rival　of　the　more　stern　Norse…　Saxon　warrior。　　God　grant　that　the　military　brotherhood　between　Irish　and　English；　which　is　the　special　glory　of　the　present　war；　may　be　the　germ　of　a　brotherhood　industrial；　political；　and　hereafter；　perhaps；　religious　also；　and　that　not　merely　the　corpses　of　heroes；　but　the　feuds　and　wrongs　which　have　parted　them　for　centuries；　may　lie　buried；　once　and　forever；　in　the　noble　graves　of　Alma　and　Inkerman。



CHAPTER　VI

THE　COMBES　OF　THE　FAR　WEST


　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Far；　far　from　hence　　　　　　The　Adriatic　breaks　in　a　warm　bay　　　　　　Among　the　green　Illyrian　hills；　and　there　　　　　　The　sunshine　in　the　happy　glens　is　fair；　　　　　　And　by　the　sea　and　in　the　brakes　　　　　　The　grass　is　cool；　the　sea…side　air　　　　　　Buoyant　and　fresh；　the　mountain　flowers　　　　　　More