westward ho-第19部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


These　last　words　touched　poor　Mr。　Leigh　in　a　sore　point；　and　breaking　all　bounds；　he　swore　roundly　at　Parsons；　who　stood　foaming　with　rage。

〃A　plague　upon　you；　sir；　and　a　black　assizes　for　you；　for　you　will　come　to　the　gallows　yet！　　Do　you　mean　to　taunt　me　in　my　own　house　with　that　Hartland　land？　　You　had　better　go　back　and　ask　those　who　sent　you　where　the　dispensation　to　hold　the　land　is；　which　they　promised　to　get　me　years　ago；　and　have　gone　on　putting　me　off；　till　they　have　got　my　money；　and　my　son；　and　my　conscience；　and　I　vow　before　all　the　saints；　seem　now　to　want　my　head　over　and　above。　God　help　me！〃and　the　poor　man's　eyes　fairly　filled　with　tears。

Now　was　Eustace's　turn　to　be　roused；　for；　after　all；　he　was　an　Englishman　and　a　gentleman；　and　he　said　kindly　enough；　but　firmly

〃Courage；　my　dearest　father。　　Remember　that　I　am　still　your　son；　and　not　a　Jesuit　yet；　and　whether　I　ever　become　one；　I　promise　you；　will　depend　mainly　on　the　treatment　which　you　meet　with　at　the　hands　of　these　reverend　gentlemen；　for　whom　I；　as　having　brought　them　hither；　must　consider　myself　as　surety　to　you。〃

If　a　powder…barrel　had　exploded　in　the　Jesuits'　faces；　they　could　not　have　been　more　amazed。　　Campian　looked　blank　at　Parsons；　and　Parsons　at　Campian；　till　the　stouter…hearted　of　the　two；　recovering　his　breath　at　last

〃Sir！　do　you　know；　sir；　the　curse　pronounced　on　those　who；　after　putting　their　hand　to　the　plough；　look　back？〃

Eustace　was　one　of　those　impulsive　men；　with　a　lack　of　moral　courage；　who　dare　raise　the　devil；　but　never　dare　fight　him　after　he　has　been　raised；　and　he　now　tried　to　pass　off　his　speech　by　winking　and　making　signs　in　the　direction　of　his　father；　as　much　as　to　say　that　he　was　only　trying　to　quiet　the　old　man's　fears。　　But　Campian　was　too　frightened；　Parsons　too　angry；　to　take　his　hints：　and　he　had　to　carry　his　part　through。

〃All　I　read　is；　Father　Parsons；　that　such　are　not　fit　for　the　kingdom　of　God；　of　which　high　honor　I　have　for　some　time　past　felt　myself　unworthy。　　I　have　much　doubt　just　now　as　to　my　vocation；　and　in　the　meanwhile　have　not　forgotten　that　I　am　a　citizen　of　a　free　country。〃　　And　so　saying；　he　took　his　father's　arm；　and　walked　out。

His　last　words　had　hit　the　Jesuits　hard。　　They　had　put　the　poor　cobweb…spinners　in　mind　of　the　humiliating　fact；　which　they　have　had　thrust　on　them　daily　from　that　time　till　now；　and　yet　have　never　learnt　the　lesson；　that　all　their　scholastic　cunning；　plotting；　intriguing；　bulls；　pardons；　indulgences；　and　the　rest　of　it；　are；　on　this　side　the　Channel；　a　mere　enchanter's　cloud…castle　and　Fata　Morgana；　which　vanishes　into　empty　air　by　one　touch　of　that　magic　wand；　the　constable's　staff。　　〃A　citizen　of　a　free　country！〃there　was　the　rub；　and　they　looked　at　each　other　in　more　utter　perplexity　than　ever。　　At　last　Parsons　spoke。

〃There's　a　woman　in　the　wind。　　I'll　lay　my　life　on　it。　　I　saw　him　blush　up　crimson　yesterday　when　his　mother　asked　him　whether　some　Rose　Salterne　or　other　was　still　in　the　neighborhood。〃

〃A　woman！　　Well；　the　spirit　may　be　willing；　though　the　flesh　be　weak。　　We　will　inquire　into　this。　　The　youth　may　do　us　good　service　as　a　layman；　and　if　anything　should　happen　to　his　elder　brother　（whom　the　saints　protect！）　he　is　heir　to　some　wealth。　　In　the　meanwhile；　our　dear　brother　Parsons　will　perhaps　see　the　expediency　of　altering　our　tactics　somewhat　while　we　are　here。〃

And　thereupon　a　long　conversation　began　between　the　two；　who　had　been　sent　together；　after　the　wise　method　of　their　order；　in　obedience　to　the　precept；　〃Two　are　better　than　one；〃　in　order　that　Campian　might　restrain　Parsons'　vehemence；　and　Parsons　spur　on　Campian's　gentleness；　and　so　each　act　as　the　supplement　of　the　other；　and　each　also；　it　must　be　confessed；　gave　advice　pretty　nearly　contradictory　to　his　fellow's　if　occasion　should　require；　〃without　the　danger；〃　as　their　writers　have　it；　〃of　seeming　changeable　and　inconsistent。〃

The　upshot　of　this　conversation　was；　that　in　a　day　or　two　（during　which　time　Mr。　Leigh　and　Eustace　also　had　made　the　amende　honorable；　and　matters　went　smoothly　enough）　Father　Campian　asked　Father　Francis；　the　household　chaplain；　to　allow　him；　as　an　especial　favor；　to　hear　Eustace's　usual　confession　on　the　ensuing　Friday。

Poor　Father　Francis　dared　not　refuse　so　great　a　man；　and　assented　with　an　inward　groan；　knowing　well　that　the　intent　was　to　worm　out　some　family　secrets；　whereby　his　power　would　be　diminished；　and　the　Jesuits'　increased。　　For　the　regular　priesthood　and　the　Jesuits　throughout　England　were　toward　each　other　in　a　state　of　armed　neutrality；　which　wanted　but　little　at　any　moment　to　become　open　war；　as　it　did　in　James　the　First's　time；　when　those　meek　missionaries；　by　their　gentle　moral　tortures；　literally　hunted　to　death　the　poor　Popish　bishop　of　Hippopotamus　（that　is　to　say；　London）　for　the　time　being。

However；　Campian　heard　Eustace's　confession；　and　by　putting　to　him　such　questions　as　may　be　easily　conceived　by　those　who　know　anything　about　the　confessional；　discovered　satisfactorily　enough；　that　he　was　what　Campian　would　have　called　〃in　love：〃　though　I　should　question　much　the　propriety　of　the　term　as　applied　to　any　facts　which　poor　prurient　Campian　discovered；　or　indeed　knew　how　to　discover；　seeing　that　a　swine　has　no　eye　for　pearls。　　But　he　had　found　out　enough：　he　smiled；　and　set　to　work　next　vigorously　to　discover　who　the　lady　might　be。

If　he　had　frankly　said　to　Eustace；　〃I　feel　for　you；　and　if　your　desires　are　reasonable；　or　lawful；　or　possible；　I　will　help　you　with　all　my　heart　and　soul；〃　he　might　have　had　the　young　man's　secret　heart；　and　saved　himself　an　hour's　trouble；　but；　of　course；　he　took　instinctively　the　crooked　and　suspicious　method；　expected　to　find　the　case　the　worst　possible；as　a　man　was　bound　to　do　who　had　been　trained　to　take　the　lowest　possible　view　of　human　nature；　and　to　consider　the　basest　motives　as　the　mainspring　of　all　human　action；and　began　his　moral　torture　accordingly　by　a　series　of　delicate　questions；　which　poor　Eustace　dodged　in　every　possible　way；　though　he　knew　that　the　good　father　was　too　cunning　for　him；　and　that　he　must　give　in　at　last。　　Nevertheless；　like　a　rabbit　who　runs　squealing　round　and　round　before　the　weasel；　into　whose　jaws　it　knows　that　it　must　jump　at　last　by　force　of　fascination；　he　parried　and　parried；　and　pretended　to　be　stupid；　and　surprised；　and　honorably　scrupulous；　and　even　angry；　while　every　question　as　to　her　being　married　or　single；　Catholic　or　heretic；　English　or　foreign；　brought　his　tormentor　a　step　nearer　the　goal。　　At　last；　when　Campian；　finding　the　business　not　such　a　very　bad　one；　had　asked　something　about　her　worldly　wealth；　Eustace　saw　a　door　of　escape　and　sprang　at　it。

〃Even　if　she　be　a　heretic；　she　is　heiress　to　one　of　the　wealthiest　merchants　in　Devon。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Campian；　thoughtfully。　　〃And　she　is　but　eighteen；　you　say？〃

〃Only　eighteen。〃

〃Ah！　well；　my　son；　there　is　time。　　She　may　be　reconciled　to　the　Church：　or　you　may　change。〃

〃I　shall　die　first。〃

〃Ah；　poor　lad！　　Well；　she　may　be　reconciled；　and　her　wealth　may　be　of　use　to　the　cause　of　Heaven。〃

〃And　it　shall　be　of　use。　　Only　absolve　me；　and　let　me　be　at　peace。　Let　me　have　but　her；〃　he　cried　piteously。　　〃I　do　not　want　her　wealth；not　I！　　Let　me　have　but　her；　and　that　but　for　one　year；　one　month；　one　day！and　all　the　restmoney；　fame；　talents；　yea；　my　life　itself；　hers　if　it　be　neededare　at　the　service　of　Holy　Church。　　Ay；　I　shall　glory　in　showing　my　devotion　by　some　special　sacrifice；some　desperate　deed。　　Prove　me　now；　and　see　what　there　is　I　will　not　do！〃

And　so　Eustace　was　absolved；　after　which　Campian　added；

〃This　is　indeed　well；　my　son：　for　there　is　a　thing　to　be　done　now；　but　it　may　be　at　the　risk　of　life。〃

〃Prove　me！〃　cried　Eustace；　impatiently。

〃Here　is　a　letter　which　was　brought　me　last　night；　no　matter　from　whence；　you　can　understand　it　better　than　I；　and　I　longed　to　have　shown　it　you；　but　that　I　feared　my　son　had　become〃

〃You　feared　wrongly；　then；　my　dear　Father　Campian。〃

So　Campian　translated　to　him　the　cipher　of　the　letter。

〃This　to　Evan　Morgans；　gentleman；　at　Mr。　Leigh's　house　in　Moorwinstow；　Devonshire。　　News　may　be　had　by　one　who　will　go　to　the　shore　of　Clovelly；　any　evening　after　the　25th　of　November；　at　dead　low　tide；　and　there　watch　for　a　boat；　rowed　by　one　with　a　red　beard；　and　a　Portugal　by　his　speech。　　If　he　be　asked；　'How　many？'　he　will　answer；　'Eight　hundred　and　one。'　　Take　his　letters　and　read　them。　　If　the　shore　be　watched；　let　him　who　comes　show　a　light　three　times　in　a　safe　place　under　the　cliff　above　the　town；　below　is　dangerous　landing。　　Farewell；　and　expect　great　things！〃

〃I　will　go；〃　said　Eustace；　〃to…morrow　is　the　25th；　and　I　know　a　sure　and　easy　place。　　Your　friend　seems　to　know　these　shores　well。〃

〃Ah！　what　is　it　we　do　not　know？〃　said　Campian；　with　a　mysterious　smile。　　〃And　now？〃

〃And　now；　to　prove　to　you　how　I　trust　to　you；　you　shall　come　with　me；　and　see　thisthe　lady　of　whom　I　spoke；　and　judge　for　yourself　whether　my　fault　is　not　a　venial　one。〃

〃Ah；　my　son；　have　I　not　absolved　you　already？　　What　have　I　to　do　with　fair　faces？　　Nevertheless；　I　will　come；　both　to　show　you　that　I　trust　you；　and　it　may　be　to　help　towards　re