登陆注册
5150400000166

第166章

The lad, as soon as he saw there was no escape, resigned himself to his fate with true Indian stoicism, was brought in, and treated kindly enough, but refused to eat.For which, after much questioning, he gave as a reason, that he would make them kill him at once; for fat him they should not; and gradually gave them to understand that the English always (so at least the Spaniards said)fatted and ate their prisoners like the Caribs; and till he saw them go out and bury the bodies of the Spaniards, nothing would persuade him that the corpses were not to be cooked for supper.

However, kind words, kind looks, and the present of that inestimable treasure--a knife, brought him to reason; and he told Amyas that he belonged to a Spaniard who had an "encomienda" of Indians some fifteen miles to the south-west; that he had fled from his master, and lived by hunting for some months past; and having seen the ship where she lay moored, and boarded her in hope of plunder, had been surprised therein by the Spaniards, and forced by threats to go with them as a guide in their search for the English.

But now came a part of his story which filled the soul of Amyas with delight.He was an Indian of the Llanos, or great savannahs which lay to the southward beyond the mountains, and had actually been upon the Orinoco.He had been stolen as a boy by some Spaniards, who had gone down (as was the fashion of the Jesuits even as late as 1790) for the pious purpose of converting the savages by the simple process of catching, baptizing, and making servants of those whom they could carry off, and murdering those who resisted their gentle method of salvation.Did he know the way back again? Who could ask such a question of an Indian? And the lad's black eyes flashed fire, as Amyas offered him liberty and iron enough for a dozen Indians, if he would lead them through the passes of the mountains, and southward to the mighty river, where lay their golden hopes.Hernando de Serpa, Amyas knew, had tried the same course, which was supposed to be about one hundred and twenty leagues, and failed, being overthrown utterly by the Wikiri Indians; but Amyas knew enough of the Spaniards' brutal method of treating those Indians, to be pretty sure that they had brought that catastrophe upon themselves, and that he might avoid it well enough by that common justice and mercy toward the savages which he had learned from his incomparable tutor, Francis Drake.

Now was the time to speak; and, assembling his men around him, Amyas opened his whole heart, simply and manfully.This was their only hope of safety.Some of them had murmured that they should perish like John Oxenham's crew.This plan was rather the only way to avoid perishing like them.Don Guzman would certainly return to seek them; and not only he, but land-forces from St.Jago.Even if the stockade was not forced, they would be soon starved out; why not move at once, ere the Spaniards could return, and begin a blockade? As for taking St.Jago, it was impossible.The treasure would all be safely hidden, and the town well prepared to meet them.If they wanted gold and glory, they must seek it elsewhere.

Neither was there any use in marching along the coast, and trying the ports: ships could outstrip them, and the country was already warned.There was but this one chance; and on it Amyas, the first and last time in his life, waxed eloquent, and set forth the glory of the enterprise, the service to the queen, the salvation of heathens, and the certainty that, if successful, they should win honor and wealth and everlasting fame, beyond that of Cortez or Pizarro, till the men, sulky at first, warmed every moment; and one old Pelican broke out with--"Yes, sir! we didn't go round the world with you for naught; and watched your works and ways, which was always those of a gentleman, as you are--who spoke a word for a poor fellow when he was in a scrape, and saw all you ought to see, and naught that you ought not.And we'll follow you, sir, all alone to ourselves; and let those that know you worse follow after when they're come to their right mind."Man after man capped this brave speech; the minority, who, if they liked little to go, liked still less to be left behind, gave in their consent perforce; and, to make a long story short, Amyas conquered, and the plan was accepted.

"This," said Amyas, "is indeed the proudest day of my life! I have lost one brother, but I have gained fourscore.God do so to me and more also, if I do not deal with you according to the trust which you have put in me this day!"We, I suppose, are to believe that we have a right to laugh at Amyas's scheme as frantic and chimerical.It is easy to amuse ourselves with the premises, after the conclusion has been found for us.We know, now, that he was mistaken: but we have not discovered his mistake for ourselves, and have no right to plume ourselves on other men's discoveries.Had we lived in Amyas's days, we should have belonged either to the many wise men who believed as he did, or to the many foolish men, who not only sneered at the story of Manoa, but at a hundred other stories, which we now know to be true.Columbus was laughed at: but he found a new world, nevertheless.Cortez was laughed at: but he found Mexico.Pizarro: but he found Peru.I ask any fair reader of those two charming books, Mr.Prescott's Conquest of Mexico and his Conquest of Peru, whether the true wonders in them described do not outdo all the false wonders of Manoa.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 挚爱戒指

    挚爱戒指

    爱一个人可以到什么程度?生离死别并不是爱情的句号。新型的写作手法,伴随您一起诠释一段刻苦铭心。我是一个有才华却没有朋友的人,QQ群:698848854,欢迎与我一起讨论写作。
  • 谍影重重

    谍影重重

    《谍影重重》间谍的主要任务之一,就是采取非法或合法手段、通过秘密或公开徐径窃取情报,也进行颠覆、暗杀、绑架、爆炸、心战、破坏等隐蔽行为;被派谴或收买来从事刺探机密、情报或进行破坏活动。
  • 重生种田生活

    重生种田生活

    重活一次只想平平凡凡过自己的小日子,可是很多时候事不从人愿,既然如此,那么就让自己顺应现实,打造不一样的种田生活吧!
  • 31岁小美女的幸福经

    31岁小美女的幸福经

    一个幸福的女人无论走了多远,走得多累,眼神中、仪态里、言语中,永远都抹不掉那种优雅、那份灵秀,仿若一场婉转、一泓深情。内心幸福的女人无论那时多辛劳,别人觉得有多苦,她都能安之若素,最终重返自在安逸。一种途径获得一种幸福,一种幸福洋溢一种气质。幸福的气质是温暖的气质,是迷人的气质。幸福更多的是一种感觉,一种满足安然的感觉。有时候,平安健康地活着,自由自在地呼吸,身边有珍惜自己也值得自己珍惜的人,就已经是莫大的幸福了。
  • 蚀骨婚事

    蚀骨婚事

    五年前,他对她说:要么离婚,要么守活寡!五年后,她对他说:这位先生,我们认识吗?结婚纪念日,她等来的是一份离婚协议以及老公亲手给他准备的生日礼物……一个没穿衣服的男人。该说她的前夫慷慨,还是体贴呢?容貌被毁,她记下了;蚀骨之痛,百倍奉还。待她华丽逆袭,复仇之路才刚刚开启。
  • 少奶奶超甜超强的

    少奶奶超甜超强的

    夜罗云煌,千年豪门夜罗家族的少主,权倾天下,清贵无双,传言他爱妻如命,宠妻上天。那一年,她被欺骗伤害,倒在血泊中,绝望之中,是他出现救了她。活过来后,古凝霜有两件事要做,一个是报仇虐渣,另一个是报恩。可是这突然冒出来喊她妈妈的小男孩是谁?她能说她还是个处吗?最早时,古凝霜:“夜罗少主,我不能做夜罗家族的少奶奶。”后来,古凝霜:“夜罗云煌,孩子都有了,你要对我负责,要宠我爱我。”夜罗云煌:“人都是你的,心都给你了,还不够宠你爱你?”
  • 造仙

    造仙

    女娲炼石补天、黏土造人,谁又创造仙?一个颠覆传统神话的全新世界,告诉你仙从何而来!
  • 遇见亿万分之一的你

    遇见亿万分之一的你

    白小陌从未谈过一场保质期能过十二个月的恋爱。去德国旅行之前,男友人间蒸发,白小陌不顾男闺蜜贾少辰的劝阻,决定独自前往德国,不料机缘巧合认识与前男友名字(拼音)相同的男人萧锐。两人在短暂的旅途中,你争我吵,闹出不少笑话。半个月之后,白小陌阴差阳错地进了公司新部门,总部派来直接管理该部门的副总裁竟就是萧锐。两个“冤家”开始腹黑PK小九九。公司总裁于伟与萧锐之间早有罅隙,想要挤兑走萧锐。萧锐深谙职场,与白小陌两人反倒在打闹中做成了卫生巾项目。赢项目的同时,萧锐发现项目后帮助自己的贵人竟然就是白小陌口中的“打工仔”男闺蜜贾少辰。贾少辰担心自己会患上家族疾病,随时可能失忆,一直暗恋白小陌却不敢说出口,更不敢告诉白小陌自己的身份。然而,命运却将三人联系在一起。贾少辰身为新地百货集团少帅与董事洪建国正面交战,而于伟也在借洪建国,要整垮萧锐。因之前项目得了口碑的萧锐不想深陷桃色风波,白小陌却在这场掀起的风波中与萧锐相爱,两人更是携手应对于伟与洪建国策划的更大阴谋。贾少辰渐渐发现自己离白小陌越来越远,怅然若失之际,竟被白小陌发现先前人间蒸发的男友们都是收了钱后离开的自己。而始作俑者竟然是贾少辰,同时,贾少辰的身份也终于暴露。虽然此事背后实际另有他人,但看到白小陌深爱萧锐,贾少辰决意藏起自己的爱情。
  • 论自由

    论自由

    约翰·穆勒的《论自由》一直是政治哲学乃至人文思想领域内享誉至高的作品,虽然篇幅不大,却是一部划时代的思想巨著,它深化了启蒙运动以来关于个人自由和政治自由的论述,集古典自由主义理论体系之大成,成为历久不衰的经典之作。本书清晰地阐明了自由主义的核心思想:个人只要在不伤害他人的范围内,就应该拥有完全的思想自由、言论自由和个性自由(行动自由),而这一原则的实施,有赖于对政府及社会权力的界定和限制,这也正是本书最早的中译者严复先生将其译为“群己权界”的渊源所在,这种思考对每一个迈向现代社会的国家来说,仍然至关重要。
  • 李鱼的一生

    李鱼的一生

    大女主文旨在挖掘女性中的不屈、智慧、成长等力量愿每个人都能勇敢地面对世界,并有勇气去改变世界!