the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第32节
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reproach him or no。 He； however； was not one whit abashed； but
returned our regards with a not unkindly leer。
〃I bear no malice； young gentlemen；〃 he said impudently。
〃No； I should think not；〃 I answered。
〃And besides； we are quits now；〃 the knave continued。
〃You are very kind；〃 I said。
〃To be sure。 You did me a good turn once；〃 he answered； much to
my surprise。 He seemed to be in earnest now。 〃You do not remember it；
young gentleman； but it was you and your brother here〃he pointed to
Croisette〃did it！ And by the Pope and the King of Spain I have not
forgotten it！〃
〃I have；〃 I said。
〃What！ You have forgotten spitting that fellow at Caylus ten days
ago？ CA！ SA！ You remember。 And very cleanly done； too！ A pretty
stroke！ Well； M。 Anne； that was a clever fellow； a very clever fellow。
He thought so and I thought so； and what was more to the purpose the
most noble Raoul de Bezers thought so too。 You understand！〃
He leered at me and I did understand。 I understood that unwittingly I
had rid Blaise Bure of a rival。 This accounted for the respectful； almost
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the kindly way in which he hadwell； deceived us。
〃That is all；〃 he said。 〃If you want as much done for you； let me
know。 For the present； gentlemen； farewell！〃
He cocked his hat fiercely； and went off at speed the way we had
ourselves been going； humming as he went；
〃Ce petit homme tant joli； Qui toujours cause et toujours rit；
Qui toujours baise sa mignonne Dieu gard' de mal ce petit homme！〃
His reckless song came back to us on the summer breeze。 We
watched him make a playful pass at a corpse which some one had propped
in ghastly fashion against a doorand miss itand go on whistling the
same airand then a corner hid him from view。
We lingered only a moment ourselves； merely to speak to the boy we
had befriended。
〃Show the books if anyone challenges you；〃 said Croisette to him
shrewdly。 Croisette was so much of a boy himself； with his fair hair like
a halo about his white； excited face； that the picture of the two； one
advising the other； seemed to me a strangely pretty one。 〃Show the
books and point to the cross on them。 And Heaven send you safe to your
college。〃
〃I would like to know your name； if you please；〃 said the boy。 His
coolness and dignity struck me as admirable under the circumstances。 〃I
am Maximilian de Bethune； son of the Baron de Rosny；〃
〃Then；〃 said Croisette briskly； 〃one good turn has deserved another。
Your father； yesterday； at Etampesno it was the day before； but we have
not been in bedwarned us〃
He broke off suddenly； then cried； 〃Run！ run！〃
The boy needed no second warning indeed。 He was off like the wind
down the street； for we had seen and so had he； the stealthy approach of
two or three prowling rascals on the look out for a victim。 They caught
sight of him and were strongly inclined to follow him； but we were their
match in numbers。 The street was otherwise empty at the moment： and
we showed them three excellent reasons why they should give him a clear
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start。
His after adventures are well…known： for he； too； lives。 He was
stopped twice after he left us。 In each case he escaped by showing his
book of offices。 On reaching the college the porter refused to admit him；
and he remained for some time in the open street exposed to constant
danger of losing his life； and knowing not what to do。 At length he
induced the gatekeeper； by the present of some small pieces of money； to
call the principal of the college； and this man humanely concealed him for
three days。 The massacre being then at an end； two armed men in his
father's pay sought him out and restored him to his friends。 So near was
France to losing her greatest minister； the Duke de Sully。
To return to ourselves。 The lad out of sight； we instantly resumed our
purpose； and trying to shut our eyes and ears to the cruelty； and ribaldry；
and uproar through which we had still to pass； we counted our turnings
with a desperate exactness； intent only on one thingto reach Louis de
Pavannes； to reach the house opposite to the Head of Erasmus； as quickly
as we could。 We presently entered a long； narrow street。 At the end of
it the river was visible gleaming and sparkling in the sunlight。 The street
was quiet； quiet and empty。 There was no living soul to be seen from end
to end of it； only a prowling dog。 The noise of the tumult raging in other
parts was softened here by distance and the intervening houses。 We
seemed to be able to breathe more freely。
〃This should be our street；〃 said Croisette。
I nodded。 At the same moment I espied； half…way down it； the sign
we needed and pointed to it； But ah！ were we in time？ Or too late？
That was the question。 By a single impulse we broke into a run； and shot
down the roadway at speed。 A few yards short of the Head of Erasmus
we came； one by one； Croisette first； to a full stop。 A full stop！
The house opposite the bookseller's was sacked！ gutted from top to
bottom。 It was a tall house； immediately fronting the street； and every
window in it was broken。 The door hung forlornly on one hinge； glaring
cracks in its surface showing where the axe had splintered it。 Fragments
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of glass and ware； hung out and shattered in sheer wantonness； strewed the
steps： and down one corner of the latter a dark red stream trickledto
curdle by and by in the gutter。 Whence came the stream？ Alas！ there
was something more to be seen yet； something our eyes instinctively
sought last of all。 The body of a man。
It lay on the threshold； the head hanging back； the wide glazed eyes
looking up to the summer sky whence the sweltering heat would soon pour
down upon it。 We looked shuddering at the face。 It was that of a servant；
a valet who had been with Louis at Caylus。 We recognised him at once
for we had known and liked him。 He had carried our guns on the hills a
dozen times； and told us stories of the war。 The blood crawled slowly
from him。 He was dead。
Croisette began to shake all over。 He clutched one of the pillars；
which bore up the porch； and pressed his face against its cold surface；
hiding his eyes from the sight。 The worst had come。 In our hearts I
think we had always fancied some accident would save our friend； some
stranger warn him。
〃Oh； poor； poor Kit！〃 Croisette cried； bursting suddenly into violent
sobs。 〃Oh； Kit！ Kit！〃
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CHAPTER X。
HAU； HAU； HUGUENOTS！
His late Majesty； Henry the Fourth； I rememberthan whom no braver
man wore sword； who loved danger indeed for its own sake； and courted it
as a mistresscould never sleep on the night before an action。 I have
heard him say himself that it was so before the fight at Arques。 Croisette
partook of this nature too； being high…strung and apt to be easily over…
wrought； but never until the necessity for exertion had passed away：
while Marie and I； though not a whit stouter at a pinch； were slower to feel
and less easy
