the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第38节
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himto put you on your guard； you know。〃 And I briefly sketched our
adventures； and the strange circumstances and mistakes which had delayed
us hour after hour； through all that strange night； until the time had gone
by when we could do good。
His eyes glistened and his colour rose as I told the story。 He wrung
my hand warmly； and looked back to smile at Marie and Croisette。 〃It
was like you！〃 he ejaculated with emotion。 〃It was like her cousins！
Brave； brave lads！ The Vicomte will live to be proud of you！ Some day
you will all do great things！ I say it！〃
〃But oh； Louis！〃 I exclaimed sorrowfully； though my heart was
bounding with pride at his words； 〃if we had only been in time！ If we had
only come to you two hours earlier！〃
〃You would have spoken to little purpose then； I fear；〃 he replied；
shaking his head。 〃We were given over as a prey to the enemy。
Warnings？ We had warnings in plenty。 De Rosny warned us； and we
scoffed at him。 The king's eye warned us； and we trusted him。 But〃
and Louis' form dilated and his hand rose as he went on； and I thought of
his cousin's prediction〃it will never be so again in France； Anne！ Never！
No man will after this trust another！ There will be no honour； no faith；
no quarter； and no peace！ And for the Valois who has done this； the
sword will never depart from his house！ I believe it！ I do believe it！〃
How truly he spoke we know now。 For two…and…twenty years after
that twenty…fourth of August； 1572； the sword was scarcely laid aside in
France for a single month。 In the streets of Paris； at Arques； and Coutras；
and Ivry； blood flowed like water that the blood of the St。 Bartholomew
might be forgottenthat blood which； by the grace of God； Navarre saw
fall from the dice box on the eve of the massacre。 The last of the Valois
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passed to the vaults of St。 Denis： and a greater king； the first of all
Frenchmen； alive or dead； the bravest； gayest； wisest of the land；
succeeded him： yet even he had to fall by the knife； in a moment most
unhappy for his country； before France； horror… stricken； put away the
treachery and evil from her。
Talking with Louis as we rode； it was not unnaturalnay； it was the
natural result of the situationthat I should avoid one subject。 Yet that
subject was the uppermost in my thoughts。 What were the Vidame's
intentions？ What was the meaning of this strange journey？ What was
to be Louis' fate？ I shrank with good reason from asking him these
questions。 There could be so little room for hope； even after that smile
which I had seen Bezers smile； that I dared not dwell upon them。 I
should but torture him and myself。
So it was he who first spoke about it。 Not at that time； but after
sunset； when the dusk had fallen upon us； and found us still plodding
southward with tired horses； a link outwardly like other links in the long
chain of riders； toiling onwards。 Then he said suddenly； 〃Do you know
whither we are going； Anne？〃
I started； and found myself struggling with a strange confusion before
I could reply。 〃Home；〃 I suggested at random。
〃Home？ No。 And yet nearly home。 To Cahors；〃 he answered with
an odd quietude。 〃Your home； my boy； I shall never see again； Nor Kit！
Nor my own Kit！〃 It was the first time I had heard him call her by the
fond name we used ourselves。 And the pathos in his tone as of the past；
not the present； as of pure memoryI was very thankful that I could not in
the dusk see his face shook my self…control。 I wept。 〃Nay； my lad；〃
he went on； speaking softly and leaning from his saddle so that he could
lay his hand on my shoulder 〃we are all men together。 We must be brave。
Tears cannot help us； so we should leave them to the women。〃
I cried more passionately at that。 Indeed his own voice quavered
over the last word。 But in a moment he was talking to me coolly and
quietly。 I had muttered something to the effect that the Vidame would
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not dareit would be too public。
〃There is no question of daring in it；〃 he replied。 〃And the more
public it is； the better he will like it。 They have dared to take thousands
of lives since yesterday。 There is no one to call him to account since the
kingour king forsooth！has declared every Huguenot an outlaw； to be
killed wherever he be met with。 No； when Bezers disarmed me yonder；〃
he pointed as he spoke to his wound； 〃I looked of course for instant death。
Anne！ I saw blood in his eyes！ But he did not strike。〃
〃Why not？〃 I asked in suspense。
〃I can only guess；〃 Louis answered with a sigh。 〃He told me that my
life was in his hands； but that he should take it at his own time。 Further
that if I would not give my word to go with him without trying to escape；
he would throw me to those howling dogs outside。 I gave my word。
We are on the road together。 And oh； Anne！ yesterday； only yesterday；
at this time I was riding home with Teligny from the Louvre； where we
had been playing at paume with the king！ And the worldthe world was
very fair。〃
〃I saw you； or rather Croisette did；〃 I muttered as his sorrow not for
himself； but his friendsforced him to stop。 〃Yet how； Louis； do you
know that we are going to Cahors？〃
〃He told me； as we passed through the gates； that he was appointed
Lieutenant…Governor of Quercy to carry out the edict against the religion。
Do you not see； Anne？〃 my companion added bitterly； 〃to kill me at
once were too small a revenge for him！ He must torture meor rather he
would if he couldby the pains of anticipation。
Besides； my execution will so finely open his bed of justice。 Bah！〃
and Pavannes raised his head proudly； 〃I fear him not！ I fear him not a
jot！〃
For a moment he forgot Kit； the loss of his friends； his own doom。
He snapped his fingers in derision of his foe。
But my heart sank miserably。 The Vidame's rage I remembered had
been directed rather against my cousin than her lover； and now by the light
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of his threats I read Bezers' purpose more clearly than Louis could。 His
aim was to punish the woman who had played with him。 To do so he was
bringing her lover from Paris that he might execute himAFTER GIVING
HER NOTICE！ That was it： after giving her notice； it might be in her
very presence！ He would lure her to Cahors； and then
I shuddered。 I well might feel that a precipice was opening at my feet。
There was something in the plan so devilish； yet so accordant with those
stories I had heard of the Wolf； that I felt no doubt of my insight。 I read
his evil mind； and saw in a moment why he had troubled himself with us。
He hoped to draw Mademoiselle to Cahors by our means。
Of course I said nothing of this to Louis。 I hid my feelings as well as
I could。 But I vowed a great vow that at the eleventh hour we would
baulk the Vidame。 Surely if all else failed we could kill him； and； though
we died ourselves； spare Kit this ordeal。 My tears were dried up as by a
fire。 My heart burned with a great and noble rage： or so it seemed to
me！
I do not think that there was ever any journey so strange as this one of
ours。 We met with the same incidents which had pleased us on the road
to Paris。 But their novelty was gone。 Gone too were the cosy chats
with old rogues of
