the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第26节
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〃About an hour before midnight；〃 he answered。
〃Then you know nothing of what is happening？〃 I replied quickly。 〃
Why； even while we are loitering herebut listen！〃
And with all speed； stammering indeed in my haste and anxiety； I told
him what I had noticed in the streets； and the hints I had heard； and I
showed him the badges with which Madame had furnished me。
His manner when he had heard me out frightened me still more。 He
drew me on in a kind of fury to a house in the windows of which some
lighted candles had appeared not a minute before。
〃The ring！〃 he cried； 〃let me see the ring！ Whose is it？〃
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He held up my hand to this chance light and we looked at the ring。 It
was a heavy gold signet； with one curious characteristic： it had two
facets。 On one of these was engraved the letter 〃H；〃 and above it a
crown。 On the other was an eagle with outstretched wings。
Pavannes let my hand drop and leaned against the wall in sudden
despair。 〃It is the Duke of Guise's；〃 he muttered。 〃It is the eagle of
Lorraine。〃
〃Ha！〃 said I softly； seeing light。 The Duke was the idol then； as
later； of the Parisian populace； and I understood now why the citizen
soldiers had shown me such respect。 They had taken me for the Duke's
envoy and confidant。
But I saw no farther。 Pavannes did； and murmured bitterly； 〃We may
say our prayers； we Huguenots。 That is our death…warrant。 To…morrow
night there will not be one left in Paris； lad。 Guise has his father's death
to avenge； and these cursed Parisians will do his bidding like the wolves
they are！ The Baron de Rosny warned us of this； word for word。 I
would to Heaven we had taken his advice！〃
〃Stay！〃 I criedhe was going too fast for me〃stay！〃 His
monstrous conception； though it marched some way with my own
suspicions； outran them far！ I saw no sufficient grounds for it。 〃The
Kingthe king would not permit such a thing； M。 de Pavannes；〃 I argued。
〃Boy； you are blind！〃 he rejoined impatiently； for now he saw all and
I nothing。 〃Yonder was the Duke of Anjou's captain Monsieur's officer；
the follower of France's brother； mark you！ And HEhe obeyed the Duke's
ring！ The Duke has a free hand to… night； and he hates us。 And the
river。 Why are we not to cross the river？ The King indeed！ The King
has undone us。 He has sold us to his brother and the Guises。 VA
CHASSER L'IDOLE〃 for the second time I heard the quaint phrase； which
I learned afterwards was an anagram of the King's name； Charles de Valois；
used by the Protestants as a password〃VA CHASSER L'IDOLE has
betrayed us！ I remember the very words he used to the Admiral； 'Now
we have got you here we shall not let you go so easily！' Oh； the traitor！
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The wretched traitor！〃
He leaned against the wall overcome by the horror of the conviction
which had burst upon him； and unnerved by the imminence of the peril。
At all times he was an unready man； I fancy； more fit； courage apart； for
the college than the field； and now he gave way to despair。 Perhaps the
thought of his wife unmanned him。 Perhaps the excitement through
which he had already gone tended to stupefy him； or the suddenness of the
discovery。
At any rate； I was the first to gather my wits together； and my earliest
impulse was to tear into two parts a white handkerchief I had in my pouch；
and fasten one to his sleeve； the other in his hat； in rough imitation of the
badges I wore myself。
It will appear from this that I no longer trusted Madame d'O。 I was
not convinced； it is true； of her conscious guilt； still I did not trust her
entirely。 〃Do not wear them on your return；〃 she had said and that was
odd； although I could not yet believe that she was such a siren as Father
Pierre had warned us of； telling tales from old poets。 Yet I doubted；
shuddering as I did so。 Her companionship with that vile priest； her
strange eagerness to secure Pavannes' return； her mysterious directions to
me； her anxiety to take her sister homehome； where she would be
exposed to danger； as being in a known Huguenot's house these things
pointed to but one conclusion； still that one was so horrible that I would
not； even while I doubted and distrusted her； I would not； I could not
accept it。 I put it from me； and refused to believe it； although during the
rest of that night it kept coming back to me and knocking for admission at
my brain。
All this flashed through my mind while I was fixing on Pavannes'
badges。 Not that I lost time about it； for from the moment I grasped the
position as he conceived it； every minute we had wasted on explanations
seemed to me an hour。 I reproached myself for having forgotten even for
an instant that which had brought us to townthe rescue of Kit's lover。
We had small chance now of reaching him in time； misled as we had been
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by this miserable mistake in identity。 If my companion's fears were well
founded； Louis would fall in the general massacre of the Huguenots；
probably before we could reach him。 If ill…founded； still we had small
reason to hope。 Bezers' vengeance would not wait。 I knew him too
well to think it。 A Guise might spare his foe； but the Vidamethe
Vidame never！ We had warned Madame de Pavannes it was true； but
that abnormal exercise of benevolence could only； I cynically thought；
have the more exasperated the devil within him； which now would be
ravening like a dog disappointed of its victuals。
I glanced up at the line of sky visible between the tall houses； and lo！
the dawn was coming。 It wanted scarcely half…an…hour of daylight；
though down in the dark streets about us the night still reigned。 Yes； the
morning was coming； bright and hopeful； and the city was quiet。 There
were no signs； no sounds of riot or disorder。 Surely； I thought； surely
Pavannes must be mistaken。 Either the plot had never existed； that was
most likely； or it had been abandoned； or perhapsCrack！
A pistol shot！ Short； sharp； ominous it rang out on the instant； a
solitary sound in the night！ It was somewhere near us； and I stopped。 I
had been speaking to my companion at the moment。 〃Where was it？〃 I
cried； looking behind me。
〃Close to us。 Near the Louvre；〃 he answered； listening intently。 〃See！
See！ Ah； heavens！〃 he continued in a voice of despair； 〃it was a
signal！〃
It was。 One； two； three！ Before I could count so far； lights sprang
into brightness in the windows of nine out of ten houses in the short street
where we stood； as if lighted by a single hand。 Before too I could count
as many more； or ask him what this meant； before indeed； we could speak
or stir from the spot； or think what we should do； with a hurried clang and
clash； as if brought into motion by furious frenzied hands； a great bell just
above our heads began to boom and whirr！ It hurled its notes into space；
it suddenly filled all the silence。 It dashed its harsh sounds down upon
the trembling city； till the air heaved； and the houses about us rocked。 It
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made in an instant a pandemonium of the quiet night。
We turned and hurried instinctively from the place； crouching and
am
