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westward ho-第162章

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y House〃 at Seville to perpetual prison。  Frank and Rose; with a renegade Jew; and a negro who had been convicted of practising 〃Obi;〃 were sentenced to death as impenitent; and delivered over to the secular arm; with prayers that there might be no shedding of blood。  In compliance with which request; the Jew and the negro were burnt at one stake; Frank and Rose at another。  She thought they did not feel it more than twenty minutes。  They were both very bold and steadfast; and held each other's hand (that she would swear to) to the very last。

And so ended Lucy Passmore's story。  And if Amyas Leigh; after he had heard it; vowed afresh to give no quarter to Spaniards wherever he should find them; who can wonder; even if they blame?



CHAPTER XXVII

HOW SALVATION YEO FOUND HIS LITTLE MAID AGAIN


〃All precious things; discover'd late;    To them who seek them issue forth; For love in sequel works with fate;    And draws the veil from hidden worth。〃

                    The Sleeping Beauty。


And so Ayacanora took up her abode in Lucy's cabin; as a regularly accredited member of the crew。

But a most troublesome member; for now began in her that perilous crisis which seems to endanger the bodies and souls of all savages and savage tribes; when they first mingle with the white man; that crisis which; a few years afterwards; began to hasten the extermination of the North American tribes; and had it not been for the admirable good sense and constancy of Amyas; Ayacanora might have ended even more miserably than did the far…famed Pocahontas; daughter of the Virginian king; who; after having been received at Court by the old pedant James the First; with the honors of a sister sovereign; and having become the reputed ancestress of more than one ancient Virginian family; ended her days in wretchedness in some Wapping garret。

For the mind of the savage; crushed by the sight of the white man's superior skill; and wealth; and wisdom; loses at first its self… respect; while his body; pampered with easily obtained luxuries; instead of having to win the necessaries of life by heavy toil; loses its self…helpfulness; and with self…respect and self…help vanish all the savage virtues; few and flimsy as they are; and the downward road toward begging and stealing; sottishness and idleness; is easy; if not sure。

And down that road; it really seemed at first; that poor Ayacanora was walking fast。  For the warrior…prophetess of the Omaguas soon became; to all appearance; nothing but a very naughty child; and the Diana of the Meta; after she had satisfied her simple wonder at the great floating house by rambling from deck to deck; and peeping into every cupboard and cranny; manifested a great propensity to steal and hide (she was too proud or too shy to ask for) every trumpery which smit her fancy; and when Amyas forbade her to take anything without leave; threatened to drown herself; and went off and sulked all day in her cabin。  Nevertheless; she obeyed him; except in the matter of sweet things。  Perhaps she craved naturally for the vegetable food of her native forests; at all events the bishop's stores of fruit and sweetmeats diminished rapidly; and what was worse; so did the sweet Spanish wine which Amyas had set apart for poor Lucy's daily cordial。  Whereon another severe lecture; in which Amyas told her how mean it was to rob poor sick Lucy; whereat she; as usual; threatened to drown herself; and was running upon deck to do it; when Amyas caught her and forgave her。 On which a violent fit of crying; and great penitence and promises; and a week after; Amyas found that she had cheated Satan and her own conscience by tormenting the Portuguese steward into giving her some other wine instead: but luckily for her; she found Amyas's warnings about wine making her mad so far fulfilled; that she did several foolish things one evening; and had a bad headache next morning; so the murder was out; and Amyas ordered the steward up for a sound flogging; but Ayacanora; honorably enough; not only begged him off; but offered to be whipped instead of him; confessing that the poor fellow spoke truly when he swore that she had threatened to kill him; and that he had given her the wine in bodily fear for his life。

However; her own headache and Amyas's cold looks were lesson enough; and after another attempt to drown herself; the wilful beauty settled down for awhile; and what was better; could hardly be persuaded; thenceforth to her dying day; to touch fermented liquors。

But; in the meanwhile; poor Amyas had many a brains…beating as to how he was to tame a lady who; on the least provocation; took refuge in suicide。  Punish her he dared not; even if he had the heart。  And as for putting her ashore; he had an instinct; and surely not a superstitious one; that her strange affection for the English was not unsent by Heaven; and that God had committed her into his charge; and that He would require an account at his hands of the soul of that fair lost lamb。

So; almost at his wits' end; he prayed to God; good simple fellow; and that many a time; to show him what he should do with her before she killed either herself; or what was just as likely; one of the crew; and it seemed best to him to make Parson Jack teach her the rudiments of Christianity; that she might be baptized in due time when they got home to England。

But here arose a fresh troublefor she roundly refused to learn of Jack; or of any one but Amyas himself; while he had many a good reason for refusing the office of schoolmaster; so; for a week or two more; Ayacanora remained untaught; save in the English tongue; which she picked up with marvellous rapidity。

And next; as if troubles would never end; she took a violent dislike; not only to John Brimblecombe; whose gait and voice she openly mimicked for the edification of the men; but also to Will Cary; whom she never allowed to speak to her or approach her。 Perhaps she was jealous of his intimacy with Amyas; or perhaps; with the subtle instinct of a woman; she knew that he was the only other man on board who might dare to make love to her (though Will; to do him justice; was as guiltless of any such intention as Amyas himself)。  But when she was remonstrated with; her only answer was that Cary was a cacique as well as Amyas; and that there ought not to be two caciques; and one day she actually proposed to Amyas to kill his supposed rival; and take the ship all to himself; and sulked for several days at hearing Amyas; amid shouts of laughter; retail her precious advice to its intended victim。

Moreover; the negroes came in for their share; being regarded all along by her with an unspeakable repugnance; which showed itself at first in hiding from them whenever she could; and; afterwards; in throwing at them everything she could lay hands on; till the poor Quashies; in danger of their lives; complained to Amyas; and got rest for awhile。

Over the rest of the sailors she lorded it like a very princess; calling them from their work to run on her errands and make toys for her; enforcing her commands now and then by a shrewd box on the ears; while the good fellows; especially old Yeo; like true sailors; petted her; obeyed her; even j
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