登陆注册
19471600000129

第129章

On the opposite side of the table is a group, scarcely less interesting.Martin Frobisher and John Davis, the pioneers of the North-West passage, are talking with Alderman Sanderson, the great geographer and "setter forth of globes;" with Mr.Towerson, Sir Gilbert Peckham, our old acquaintance Captain John Winter, and last, but not least, with Philip Sidney himself, who, with his accustomed courtesy; has given up his rightful place toward the head of the table that he may have a knot of virtuosi all to himself; and has brought with him, of course, his two especial intimates, Mr.Edward Dyer and Mr.Francis Leigh.They too are talking of the North-West passage: and Sidney is lamenting that he is tied to diplomacy and courts, and expressing his envy of old Martin Frobisher in all sorts of pretty compliments; to which the other replies that, "It's all very fine to talk of here, a sailing on dry land with a good glass of wine before you; but you'd find it another guess sort of business, knocking about among the icebergs with your beard frozen fast to your ruff, Sir Philip, specially if you were a bit squeamish about the stomach.""That were a slight matter to endure, my dear sir, if by it I could win the honor which her majesty bestowed on you, when her own ivory hand waved a farewell 'kerchief to your ship from the windows of Greenwich Palace.""Well, sir, folks say you have no reason to complain of lack of favors, as you have no reason to deserve lack; and if you can get them by staying ashore, don't you go to sea to look for more, say I.Eh, Master Towerson?"Towerson's gray beard, which has stood many a foreign voyage, both fair and foul, wags grim assent.But at this moment a Waiter enters, and--"Please my lord mayor's worship, there is a tall gentleman outside, would speak with the Right Honorable Sir Walter Raleigh.""Show him in, man.Sir Walter's friends are ours."Amyas enters, and stands hesitating in the doorway.

"Captain Leigh!" cry half a-dozen voices.

"Why did you not walk in, sir?" says Osborne."You should know your way well enough between these decks.""Well enough, my lords and gentlemen.But, Sir Walter--you will excuse me"--and he gave Raleigh a look which was enough for his quick wit.Turning pale as death, he rose, and followed Amyas into an adjoining cabin.They were five minutes together; and then Amyas came out alone.

In few words he told the company the sad story which we already know.Ere it was ended, noble tears were glistening on some of those stern faces.

"The old Egyptians," said Sir Edward Osborne, "when they banqueted, set a corpse among their guests, for a memorial of human vanity.

Have we forgotten God and our own weakness in this our feast, that He Himself has sent us thus a message from the dead?""Nay, my lord mayor," said Sidney, "not from the dead, but from the realm of everlasting life.""Amen!" answered Osborne."But, gentlemen, our feast is at an end.

There are those here who would drink on merrily, as brave men should, in spite of the private losses of which they have just had news; but none here who can drink with the loss of so great a man still ringing in his ears."It was true.Though many of the guests had suffered severely by the failure of the expedition, they had utterly forgotten that fact in the awful news of Sir Humphrey's death; and the feast broke up sadly and hurriedly, while each man asked his neighbor, "What will the queen say?"Raleigh re-entered in a few minutes, but was silent, and pressing many an honest hand as he passed, went out to call a wherry, beckoning Amyas to follow him.Sidney, Cumberland, and Frank went with them in another boat, leaving the two to talk over the sad details.

They disembarked at Whitehall-stairs; Raleigh, Sidney, and Cumberland went to the palace; and the two brothers to their mother's lodgings.

Amyas had prepared his speech to Frank about Rose Salterne, but now that it was come to the point, he had not courage to begin, and longed that Frank would open the matter.Frank, too, shrank from what he knew must come, and all the more because he was ignorant that Amyas had been to Bideford, or knew aught of the Rose's disappearance.

So they went upstairs; and it was a relief to both of them to find that their mother was at the Abbey; for it was for her sake that both dreaded what was coming.So they went and stood in the bay-window which looked out upon the river, and talked of things indifferent, and looked earnestly at each other's faces by the fading light, for it was now three years since they had met.

Years and events had deepened the contrast between the two brothers; and Frank smiled with affectionate pride as he looked up in Amyas's face, and saw that he was no longer merely the rollicking handy sailor-lad, but the self-confident and stately warrior, showing in every look and gesture "The reason firm, the temperate will, Endurance, foresight, strength, and skill,"worthy of one whose education had been begun by such men as Drake and Grenville, and finished by such as Raleigh and Gilbert.His long locks were now cropped close to the head; but as a set-off, the lips and chin were covered with rich golden beard; his face was browned by a thousand suns and storms; a long scar, the trophy of some Irish fight, crossed his right temple; his huge figure had gained breadth in proportion to its height; and his hand, as it lay upon the window-sill, was hard and massive as a smith's.Frank laid his own upon it, and sighed; and Amyas looked down, and started at the contrast between the two--so slender, bloodless, all but transparent, were the delicate fingers of the courtier.Amyas looked anxiously into his brother's face.It was changed, indeed, since they last met.The brilliant red was still on either cheek, but the white had become dull and opaque; the lips were pale, the features sharpened; the eyes glittered with unnatural fire: and when Frank told Amyas that he looked aged, Amyas could not help thinking that the remark was far more true of the speaker himself.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 汉魂

    汉魂

    穿越回大汉盛世,被封为骁骑校尉,北击匈奴,平定南越,笑傲沙场,驰骋天下……犯我华夏者,虽远必诛!
  • 小楼里的太阳花(百花小说)

    小楼里的太阳花(百花小说)

    百花文学的源头当有二:“一是汉初司马迁的《史记》中的游侠、刺客列传;二是魏晋、六朝间盛行的‘杂记体’神异、志怪小说。”如果说先秦两汉乃至魏晋志怪,为武侠小说的产生构筑了坚实的基础,为之前奏;那么唐传奇在文学史上一领风骚时,武侠小说即真正开始萌芽。
  • 绝世傲天:逆天废材

    绝世傲天:逆天废材

    这年头再不穿越就out了,看看她怎么颠倒世界。废材变天才,万人唾弃变追捧。弑父杀姐,灭小三!魔兽,她不稀罕;神兽,本小姐太多不需要;圣兽,超萌吃货甩也甩不走。圣丹,她当糖吃,魔剑,堆积如山。但是,帅哥太多不好,一个就够了。
  • 柔软的心要坚强

    柔软的心要坚强

    主人公莹莹误会爱人林枫出轨,坚持离婚后从全职太太转身职业女性,得知前夫林枫患癌后辞职照料陪伴最后时光,遇上失去联系的从小玩伴林强,就是林枫的主治医生,莹莹创办幸福农庄,后患乳腺癌康复,却救人身亡。
  • 绝世好仙

    绝世好仙

    凌小雨的穿越之旅,仙侠之旅!〔想了很久,放着也不是事儿,开一本又很怪异,毕竟,就算是好仙和绝世二者,完全没有一点迎合主题。〕
  • 状元之死

    状元之死

    书中以丰富翔实的历史资料、风趣浓郁的社会逸闻和力透纸背的笔力,重点描写了宋代状元、招远人王俊民的坎坷悲壮命运、南宋状元丞相文天祥的忠烈之气和中国惟一女状元、太平天国女丞相傅善祥的花开花落,以及明代解元唐伯虎的状元梦殇、明代状元赵秉忠殿试状元卷的扑朔迷离、清代康熙皇帝亲自审理江南科考弊案的曲折离奇等,同时概括了颇具传奇色彩的中国状元之最等精粹珍闻、悠悠1300年科举历史的历史梗概,并集纳了迄今为止最完备的中国文武状元全名录,勾勒出了一幅昔日科举的全景图,描绘了一群古代状元的众生相。
  • 晨窗集

    晨窗集

    符江的杂文和随笔我几年前就读过,但作为一本结集领略其全貌,还是在这次他将《晨窗集》交付出版社出版之前。尽管对他的作品风格并不陌生,但通读全文,仍为他的杂文、随笔、小品所显示出的内容的丰富性,多方面的知识性和健康的趣味性所吸引。我认为这是一部可亲、可感、可读的难得的杂文、随笔、小品集。我想,作者是一位年轻的业余作家,能将如此丰厚、适合各种年龄的精神食粮奉献给读者,更令人感到可喜。
  • 末世之生存录

    末世之生存录

    末世来临,地球变成了丧尸的乐园。主人公浩然只是一个普通的高中生··············································
  • 赠别前蔚州契苾使君

    赠别前蔚州契苾使君

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 最萌身高差

    最萌身高差

    你们是否想过,如果有一天,你和偶像生活在同一个屋檐下,看到他/她卸下明星光环后的样子,你还会爱他/她吗?也许他/她不再是那个屏幕上温柔的绅士/淑女,而是和我们一样有着自己小脾气的普通人;也许他/她不再是灯光下耀眼的start,而是和我们一样饱受外界摧残而面目全非的平常人。那个时候你还会爱他/她吗?还有勇气接受他/她吗?我相信大家都有自己的选择,所以我的主人公也有他们的选择,你们愿意陪着萧霖和陈萧走过这段心路历程吗?