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westward ho-第99部分
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t for encampment within the reach of water; he had supported Amyas; when again and again the weary crew entreated to be dragged no farther; and had gone back again a dozen times to cheer them upward; while Cary; who brought up the rear; bullied and cheered on the stragglers who sat down and refused to move; drove back at the sword's point more than one who was beating a retreat; carried their burdens for them; sang them songs on the halt; in all things approving himself the gallant and hopeful soul which he had always been: till Amyas; beside himself with joy at finding that the two men on whom he had counted most were utterly worthy of his trust; went so far as to whisper to them both; in confidence; that very night
〃Cortez burnt his ships when he landed。 Why should not we?〃
Yeo leapt upright; and then sat down again; and whispered
〃Do you say that; captain? 'Tis from above; then; that's certain; for it's been hanging on my mind too all day。〃
〃There's no hurry;〃 quoth Amyas; 〃we must clear her out first; you know;〃 while Cary sat silent and musing。 Amyas had evidently more schemes in his head than he chose to tell。
The men were too tired that evening to do much; but ere the sun rose next morning Amyas had them hard at work fortifying their position。 It was; as I said; strong enough by nature; for though it was commanded by high cliffs on three sides; yet there was no chance of an enemy coming over the enormous mountain…range behind them; and still less chance that; if he came; he would discover them through the dense mass of trees which crowned the cliff; and clothed the hills for a thousand feet above。 The attack; if it took place; would come from below; and against that Amyas guarded by felling the smaller trees; and laying them with their boughs outward over the crest of the slope; thus forming an abatis (as every one who has shot in thick cover knows to his cost) warranted to bring up in two steps; horse; dog; or man。 The trunks were sawn into logs; laid lengthwise; and steadied by stakes and mould; and three or four hours' hard work finished a stockade which would defy anything but artillery。 The work done; Amyas scrambled up into the boughs of the enormous ceiba…tree; and there sat inspecting his own handiwork; looking out far and wide over the forest…covered plains and the blue sea beyond; and thinking; in his simple straightforward way; of what was to be done next。
To stay there long was impossible; to avenge himself upon La Guayra was impossible; to go until he had found out whether Frank was alive or dead seemed at first equally impossible。 But were Brimblecombe; Cary; and those eighty men to be sacrificed a second time to his private interest? Amyas wept with rage; and then wept again with earnest; honest prayer; before he could make up his mind。 But he made it up。 There were a hundred chances to one that Frank was dead; and if not; he was equally past their help; for he wasAmyas knew that too wellby this time in the hands of the Inquisition。 Who could lift him from that pit? Not Amyas; at least! And crying aloud in his agony; 〃God help him! for I cannot!〃 Amyas made up his mind to move。 But whither? Many an hour he thought and thought alone; there in his airy nest; and at last he went down; calm and cheerful; and drew Cary and Yeo aside。 They could not; he said; refit the ship without dying of fever during the process; an assertion which neither of his hearers was bold enough to deny。 Even if they refitted her; they would be pretty certain to have to fight the Spaniards again; for it was impossible to doubt the Indian's story; that they had been forewarned of the Rose's coming; or to doubt; either; that Eustace had been the traitor。
〃Let us try St。 Jago; then; sack it; come down on La Guayra in the rear; take a ship there; and so get home。〃
〃Nay; Will。 If they have strengthened themselves against us at La Guayra; where they had little to lose; surely they have done so at St。 Jago; where they have much。 I hear the town is large; though new; and besides; how can we get over these mountains without a guide?〃
〃Or with one?〃 said Cary; with a sigh; looking up at the vast walls of wood and rock which rose range on range for miles。 〃But it is strange to find you; at least; throwing cold water on a daring plot。〃
〃What if I had a still more daring one? Did you ever hear of the golden city of Manoa?〃
Yeo laughed a grim but joyful laugh。 〃I have; sir; and so have the old hands from the Pelican and the Jesus of Lubec; I doubt not。〃
〃So much the better;〃 and Amyas began to tell Cary all which he had learned from the Spaniard; while Yeo capped every word thereof with rumors and traditions of his own gathering。 Cary sat half aghast as the huge phantasmagoria unfolded itself before his dazzled eyes; and at last
〃So that was why you wanted to burn the ship! Well; after all; nobody needs me at home; and one less at table won't be missed。 So you want to play Cortez; eh?〃
〃We shall never need to play Cortez (who was not such a bad fellow after all; Will); because we shall have no such cannibal fiends' tyranny to rid the earth of; as he had。 And I trust we shall fear God enough not to play Pizarro。〃
So the conversation dropped for the time; but none of them forgot it。
In that mountain…nook the party spent some ten days and more。 Several of the sick men died; some from the fever superadded to their wounds; some; probably; from having been bled by the surgeon; the others mended steadily; by the help of certain herbs which Yeo administered; much to the disgust of the doctor; who; of course; wanted to bleed the poor fellows all round; and was all but mutinous when Amyas stayed his hand。 In the meanwhile; by dint of daily trips to the ship; provisions were plentiful enough;beside the raccoons; monkeys; and other small animals; which Yeo and the veterans of Hawkins's crew knew how to catch; and the fruit and vegetables; above all; the delicious mountain cabbage of the Areca palm; and the fresh milk of the cow…tree; which they brought in daily; paying well thereby for the hospitality they received。
All day long a careful watch was kept among the branches of the mighty ceiba…tree。 And what a tree that was! The hugest English oak would have seemed a stunted bush beside it。 Borne up on roots; or rather walls; of twisted board; some twelve feet high; between which the whole crew; their ammunitions; and provisions; were housed roomily; rose the enormous trunk full forty feet in girth; towering like some tall lighthouse; smooth for a hundred feet; then crowned with boughs; each of which was a stately tree; whose topmost twigs were full two hundred and fifty feet from the ground。 And yet it was easy for the sailors to ascend; so many natural ropes had kind Nature lowered for their use; in the smooth lianes which hung to the very earth; often without a knot or leaf。 Once in the tree; you were within a new world; suspended between heaven and earth; and as Cary said; no wonder if; like Jack when he climbed the magic bean…stalk; you had found a castle; a giant; and a few acres of well…stocked park; packed away somewhere amid that labyrinth of timber。 Flower…gardens at least were there in plenty; for every limb was covered with pendent cactuses; gorgeous orchises; and wild pines; and while one…half the tree was clothed in rich foliage; the other half; utterly leafless; bore on every twig brilliant yellow flowers; around which humming…birds whirred all day long。 Parrots peeped in and out of every cranny; while; within the airy woodland; brilliant lizards basked like living gems upon the bark; gaudy finches flitted and chirruped; butterflies of every size and color hovered over the topmost twigs; innumerable insects hummed from morn till eve; and when the sun went down; tree…toads came out to snore and croak till dawn。 There was more life round that one tree than in a whole square mile of English soil。
And Amyas; as he lounged among the branches; felt at moments as if he would be content to stay there forever; and feed his eyes and ears with all its wondersand then started sighing from his dream; as he recollected that a few days must bring the foe upon them; and force him to decide upon some scheme at which the bravest heart might falter without shame。 So there he sat (for he often took the scout's place himself); looking out over the fantastic tropic forest at his feet; and the flat mangrove…swamps below; and the white sheet of foam…flecked blue; and yet no sail appeared; and the men; as their fear of fever subsided; began to ask when they would go down and refit the ship; and Amyas put them off as best he could; till one noon he saw slipping along the shore from the westward; a large ship under easy sail; and recognized in her; or thought he did so; the ship which they had passed upon their way。
If it was she; she must have run past them to La Guayra in the night; and have now returned; perhaps; to search for them along the coast。
She crept along slowly。 He was in hopes that she might pass the river's mouth: but no。 She lay…to close to the shore; and; after a while; Amyas saw two boats pull in from her; and vanish behind the mangroves。
Sliding down a liane; he told
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