the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第14节
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midnight。
All this I had done on the spur of the moment。 But outside； hanging
by my hands in the darkness； the strokes of the great bell in my ears； I had
a moment in which to think。 The sense of the vibrating depth below me；
the airiness； the space and gloom around； frightened me。 〃Are you
ready？〃 muttered Marie； perhaps with a little impatience。 He had not a
scrap of imagination； had Marie。
〃No！ wait a minute！〃 I blurted out； clinging to the sill； and taking a
last look at the bare room； and the two dark figures between me and the
light。 〃No！〃 I added； hurriedly。 〃Croisetteboys； I called you cowards
just now。 I take it back！ I did not mean it！ That is all！〃 I gasped。
〃Let go！〃
A warm touch on my hand。 Something like a sob。
The next moment I felt myself sliding down the face of the house；
down into the depth。 The light shot up。 My head turned giddily。 I clung；
oh； how I clung to that rope！ Half way down the thought struck me that
in case of accident those above might not be strong enough to pull me up
again。 But it was too late to think of that； and in another second my feet
touched the beam。 I breathed again。 Softly； very gingerly； I made good
my footing on the slender bridge； and； disengaging the rope； let it go。
Then； not without another qualm； I sat down astride of the beam； and
whistled in token of success。 Success so far！
It was a strange position； and I have often dreamed of it since。 In the
darkness about me Paris lay to all seeming asleep。 A veil； and not the
veil of night only； was stretched between it and me； between me； a mere
lad； and the strange secrets of a great city； stranger； grimmer； more deadly
that night than ever before or since。 How many men were watching
under those dimly… seen roofs； with arms in their hands？ How many sat
with murder at heart？ How many were waking； who at dawn would
sleep for ever； or sleeping who would wake only at the knife's edge？
These things I could not know； any more than I could picture how many
boon…companions were parting at that instant； just risen from the dice； one
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to go blindlythe other watching himto his death？ I could not imagine；
thank Heaven for it； these secrets； or a hundredth part of the treachery and
cruelty and greed that lurked at my feet； ready to burst all bounds at a
pistol…shot。 It had no significance for me that the past day was the 23rd
of August； or that the morrow was St。 Bartholomew's feast！
No。 Yet mingled with the jubilation which the possibility of triumph
over our enemy raised in my breast； there was certainly a foreboding。
The Vidame's hints； no less than his open boasts； had pointed to something
to happen before morningsomething wider than the mere murder of a
single man。 The warning also which the Baron de Rosny had given us at
the inn occurred to me with new meaning。 And I could not shake the
feeling off。 I fancied； as I sat in the darkness astride of my beam； that I
could see； closing the narrow vista of the street； the heavy mass of the
Louvre； and that the murmur of voices and the tramp of men assembling
came from its courts； with now and again the stealthy challenge of a sentry；
the restrained voice of an officer。 Scarcely a wayfarer passed beneath me：
so few； indeed； that I had no fear of being detected from below。 And yet
unless I was mistaken； a furtive step； a subdued whisper were borne to me
on every breeze； from every quarter。 And the night was full of phantoms。
Perhaps all this was mere nervousness； the outcome of my position。
At any rate I felt no more of it when Croisette joined me。 We had our
daggers； and that gave me some comfort。 If we could once gain entrance
to the house opposite； we had only to beg； or in the last resort force our
way downstairs and out； and then to hasten with what speed we might to
Pavannes' dwelling。 Clearly it was a question of time only now； whether
Bezers' band or we should first reach it。 And struck by this I whispered
Marie to be quick。 He seemed to be long in coming。
He scrambled down hand over hand at last； and then I saw that he had
not lingered above for nothing。 He had contrived after getting out of the
window to let down the shutter。 And more he had at some risk
lengthened our rope； and made a double line of it； so that it ran round a
hinge of the shutter； and when he stood beside us； he took it by one end
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and disengaged it。 Good； clever Marie！
〃Bravo！〃 I said softly； clapping him on the back。 〃Now they will
not know which way the birds have flown！〃
So there we all were； one of us； I confess； trembling。 We slid easily
enough along the beam to the opposite house。 But once there in a row
one behind the other with our faces to the wall； and the night air blowing
slantwisewell I am nervous on a height and I gasped。 The window was
a good six feet above the beam； The casementit was unglazedwas open；
veiled by a thin curtain； and alas！ protected by three horizontal bars
stout bars they looked。
Yet we were bound to get up； and to get in； and I was preparing to rise
to my feet on the giddy bridge as gingerly as I could； when Marie crawled
quickly over us； and swung himself up to the narrow sill； much as I should
mount a horse on the level。 He held out his foot to me； and making an
effort I reached the same dizzy perch。 Croisette for the time remained
below。
A narrow window…ledge sixty feet above the pavement； and three bars
to cling to！ I cowered to my holdfasts； envying even Croisette。 My legs
dangled airily； and the black chasm of the street seemed to yawn for me。
For a moment I turned sick。 I recovered from that to feel desperate。 I
remembered that go forward we must； bars or no bars。 We could not
regain our old prison if we would。
It was equally clear that we could not go forward if the inmates should
object。 On that narrow perch even Marie was helpless。 The bars of the
window were close together。 A woman； a child； could disengage our
hands； and thenI turned sick again。 I thought of the cruel stones。 I
glued my face to the bars； and pushing aside a corner of the curtain；
looked in。
There was only one person in the rooma woman； who was moving
about fully dressed； late as it was。 The room was a mere attic； the
counterpart of that we had left。 A box…bed with a canopy roughly nailed
over it stood in a corner。 A couple of chairs were by the hearth； and all
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seemed to speak of poverty and bareness。 Yet the woman whom we saw
was richly dressed； though her silks and velvets were disordered。 I saw a
jewel gleam in her hair； and others on her hands。 When she turned her
face towards usa wild； beautiful face； perplexed and tear…stainedI knew
her instantly for a gentlewoman； and when she walked hastily to the door；
and laid her hand upon it； and seemed to listen when she shook the latch
and dropped her hands in despair and went back to the hearth； I made
another discovery I knew at once； seeing her there； that we were likely but
to change one prison for another。 Was every house in Paris then a
dungeon？ And did each roof cover its tragedy？
〃Madame！〃 I said； speaking softly； to attract her attention。
〃Madame！〃
She started violently； not knowing whence the sound came； and looked
round； at the door first。 Then she moved towards the window； and with
an affrighted gesture drew the curtain rapidly aside。
Our eyes met。 What if she scre
