the path of the king-第25节

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e　waxing　daylight。

The　Jacobin　stood　at　their　elbow。　〃Follow　me；　my　lords　of　Spain；〃　he　cried。　〃No　friends　of　God　and　the　Duke　dare　be　idle　this　happy　morn。　Follow；　and　I　will　show　you　wonders。〃

He　led　them　east　to　where　a　broader　street　ran　to　the　river。

〃Somewhere　here　lies　Teligny；〃　he　croaked。　〃Once　he　is　dead　the　second　head　is　lopped　from　the　dragon　of　Babylon。　Oh　that　God　would　show　us　where　Conde　and　Navarre　are　hid；　for　without　them　our　task　is　incomplete。

There　was　a　great　crowd　about　the　door　of　one　house；　and　into　it　the　Jacobin　fought　his　way　with　prayers　and　threats。　Some　HuguenotTeligny　it　might　bewas　cornered　there；　but　in　the　narrow　place　only　a　few　could　join　in　the　hunt；　and　the　hunters；　not　to　be　impeded　by　the　multitude；　presently　set　a　guard　at　the　street　door。　The　mob　below　was　already　drunk　with　blood；　and　found　waiting　intolerable；　but　it　had　no　leader　and　foamed　aimlessly　about　the　causeway。　There　were　women　in　it　with　flying　hair　like　Maenads；　who　shrilled　obscenities；　and　drunken　butchers　and　watermen　and　grooms　who　had　started　out　for　loot　and　ended　in　sheer　lust　of　slaying；　and　dozens　of　broken　desperadoes　and　led…captains　who　looked　on　the　day　as　their　carnival。　But　to　the　mob　had　come　one　of　those　moments　of　indecision　when　it　halted　and　eddied　like　a　whirlpool。

Suddenly　in　its　midst　appeared　two　tall　horsemen。

〃Men　of　Paris；〃　cried　Gaspard　with　that　masterful　voice　which　is　born　of　the　deep　seas。　〃You　see　this　jewel。　It　was　given　me　an　hour　back　by　Henry　of　Guise。〃

A　ruffian　examined　it。　〃Ay；〃　he　murmured　with　reverence；　〃it　is　our　Duke's。　I　saw　it　on　his　breast　before　Coligny's　house。〃

The　mob　was　all　ears。　〃I　have　the　Duke's　command；〃　Gaspard　went　on。　〃He　pursues　Montgomery　and　the　Vidame　of　Chartres。　Coligny　is　dead。　Teliguy　in　there　is　about　to　die。　But　where　are　all　the　others？　Where　is　La　Rochefoucault？　Where　is　Rosny？　Where　is　Grammont？　Where；　above　all；　are　the　young　Conde　and　the　King　of　Navarre？〃

The　names　set　the　rabble　howling。　Every　eye　was　on　the　speaker。

Gaspard　commanded　silence。　〃I　will　tell　you。　The　Huguenots　are　cunning　as　foxes。　They　planned　this　very　day　to　seize　the　King　and　make　themselves　masters　of　France。　They　have　copied　your　badge；〃　and　he　glanced　towards　his　left　arm。　〃Thousands　of　them　are　waiting　for　revenge；　and　before　it　is　full　day　they　will　be　on　you。　You　will　not　know　them；　you　will　take　them　for　your　friends；　and　you　will　have　your　throats　cut　before　you　find　out　your　error。〃

A　crowd　may　be　wolves　one　moment　and　chickens　the　next；　for　cruelty　and　fear　are　cousins。　A　shiver　of　apprehension　went　through　the　soberer　part。　One　drunkard　who　shouted　was　clubbed　on　the　head　by　his　neighbour。　Gaspard　saw　his　chance。

〃My　word　to　youthe　Duke's　wordis　to　forestall　this　devilry。　Follow　me；　and　strike　down　every　band　of　white…badged　Huguenots。　For　among　them　be　sure　is　the　cub　of　Navarre。〃

It　was　the　leadership　which　the　masterless　men　wanted。　Fifty　swords　were　raised；　and　a　shout　went　up　which　shook　the　windows　of　that　lodging　where　even　now　Teliguy　was　being　done　to　death。　With　the　two　horsemen　at　their　head　the　rabble　poured　westwards　towards　the　Rue　d'Arbre　Sec　and　the　Louvre；　for　there　in　the　vicinity　of　the　Palace　were　the　likeliest　coverts。

〃Now　Heaven　send　us　Petrucci；〃　said　Gaspard。　〃Would　that　the　Little　Man　had　been　alive　and　with　us！　This　would　have　been　a　ruse　after　his　own　heart；〃

〃I　think　the　great　Conde　would　have　specially　misliked　yon　monk；〃　said　the　Englishman。

〃Patience；　Gawain。　One　foe　at　a　time。　My　heart　tells　me　that　you　will　get　your　priest。〃

The　streets；　still　dim　in　the　dawn；　were　thickly　carpeted　with　dead。　The　mob　kicked　and　befouled　the　bodies；　and　the　bravos　in　sheer　wantonness　spiked　them　with　their　swords。　There　were　women　there；　and　children；　lying　twisted　on　the　causeway。　Once　a　fugitive　darted　out　of　an　entry；　to　be　brought　down　by　a　butcher's　axe。

〃I　have　never　seen　worse　in　the　Indies；〃　and　Champernoun　shivered。　〃My　stomach　turns。　For　heaven's　sake　let　us　ride　down　this　rabble！〃

〃Patience；〃　said　Gaspard；　his　eyes　hard　as　stones。　〃Cursed　be　he　that　putteth　his　hand　to　the　plough　and　then　turns　back。〃

They　passed　several　small　bodies　of　Catholic　horse；　which　they　greeted　with　cheers。　That　was　in　the　Rue　des　Poulies；　and　at　the　corner　where　it　abutted　on　the　quay　before　the　Hotel　de　Bourbon；　a　ferret…faced　man　ran　blindly　into　them。　Gaspard　caught　him　and　drew　him　to　his　horse's　side；　for　he　recognised　the　landlord　of　the　tavern　where　he　had　supped。

〃What　news；　friend？〃　he　asked。

The　man　was　in　an　anguish　of　terror；　but　he　recognised　his　former　guest。

〃There　is　a　band　on　the　quay；〃　he　stammered。　〃They　are　mad　and　do　not　know　a　Catholic　when　they　see　him。　They　would　have　killed　me；　had　not　the　good　Father　Antoine　held　them　till　I　made　off。〃

〃Who　leads　them？〃　Gaspard　asked；　having　a　premonition。

〃A　tall　man　in　crimson　with　a　broken　plume。〃

〃How　many？〃

〃Maybe　a　hundred；　and　at　least　half　are　men…at…arms。〃

Gaspard　turned　to　Champernoun。

〃We　have　found　our　quarry；〃　he　said。

Then　he　spoke　to　his　following；　and　noted　with　comfort　that　it　was　now　some　hundred　strong；　and　numbered　many　swords。　〃There　is　a　Huguenot　band　before　us；〃　he　cried。　〃They　wear　our　crosses；　and　this　honest　fellow　has　barely　escaped　from　them。　They　are　less　than　three　score。　On　them；　my　gallant　lads；　before　they　increase　their　strength；　and　mark　specially　the　long　man　in　red；　for　he　is　the　Devil。　It　may　be　Navarre　is　with　them。〃

The　mob　needed　no　second　bidding。　Their　chance　had　come；　and　they　swept　along　with　a　hoarse　mutter　more　fearful　than　any　shouting。

〃Knee　to　knee；　Gawain；〃　said　Gaspard；　〃as　at　St。　John　d'Ulloa。　Remember；　Petrucci　is　for　me。〃

The　Italian's　band；　crazy　with　drink　and　easy　slaying；　straggled　across　the　wide　quay　and　had　no　thought　of　danger　till　the　two　horsemen　were　upon　them。　The　songs　died　on　their　lips　as　they　saw　bearing　down　on　them　an　avenging　army。　The　scared　cries　of　〃The　Huguenots！〃　〃Montgomery！〃　were　to　Gaspard's　following　a　confirmation　of　their　treachery。　The　swords　of　the　bravos　and　the　axes　and　knives　of　the　Parisian　mob　made　havoc　with　the　civilian　rabble；　but　the　men…at…arms　recovered　themselves　and　in　knots　fought　a　stout　battle。　But　the　band　was　broken　at　the　start　by　the　two　grim　horsemen　who　rode　through　it　as　through　meadow　grass；　their　blades　falling　terribly；　and　then　turned　and　cut　their　way　back。　Yet　a　third　time　they　turned；　and　in　that　last　mowing　they　found　their　desire。　A　tall　man　in　crimson　appeared　before　them。　Gaspard　flung　his　reins　to　Champernoun　and　in　a　second　was　on　the　ground；　fighting　with　a　fury　that　these　long　hours　had　been　stifled。　Before　his　blade　the　Italian　gave　ground　till　he　was　pinned　against　the　wall　of　the　Bourbon　hotel。　His　eyes　were　staring　with　amazement　and　dawning　fear。　〃I　am　a　friend；〃　he　stammered　in　broken　French　and　was　answered　in　curt　Spanish。　Presently　his　guard　weakened　and　Gaspard　gave　him　the　point　in　his　heart。　As　he　drooped　to　the　ground；　his　conquetor　bent　over　him。　〃The　Admiral　is　avenged；〃　he　said。　〃Tell　your　master　in　hell　that　you　died　at　the　hands　of　Coligny's　kinsman。〃

Gaspard　remounted；　and；　since　the　fight　had　now　gone　eastward；　they　rode　on　to　the　main　gate　of　the　Louvre；　where　they　met　a　company　of　the　royal　Guards　coming　out　to　discover　the　cause　of　an　uproar　so　close　to　the　Palace。　He　told　his　tale　of　the　Spanish　Embassy　and　showed　Guise's　jewel。　〃The　streets　are　full　of　Huguenots　badged　as　Catholics。　His　Majesty　will　be　well　advised　to　quiet　the　rabble　or　he　will　lose　some　trusty　servants。〃

In　the　Rue　du　Coq；　now　almost　empty；　the　two；　horsemen　halted。

〃We　had　better　be　journeying；　Gawain。　Guise's　jewel　will　open　the　gates。　In　an　hour's　time　all　Paris　will　be　on　our　trail。〃

〃There　is　still　that　priest；〃　said　Champernoun　doggedly。　He　was　breathing　heavily；　and　his　eyes　were　light　and　daring。　Like　all　his　countrymen；　he　was　slow　to　kindle　but　slower　to　cool。

〃In　an　hour；　if　we　linger　here；　we　shall　be　at　his　mercy。　Let　us　head　for　the　St。　Antoine　gate。〃

The　jewel　made　their　way　easy；　for　through　that　gate　Henry　of　Guise　himself　had　passed　in　the　small　hours。　〃Half　an　hour　ago；〃　the　lieutenant　of　the　watch　told　them；　〃I　opened　to　another　party　which　bore　the　Duke's　credentials。　They　were　for　Amiens　to　spread　the　good　news。〃

〃Had　they　a　priest　with　them？〃

〃Ay；　a　Jacobin　monk；　who　cried　on　them　to　hasten　and　not　spare　their　horses。　He　said　there　was　much　to　do　in　the　north。〃

〃I　think　the　holy　man　spoke　truth；〃　said　Gaspard；　and　they　rode　into　open　country。

They　broke　their　fast　on　black　bread　and　a　cup　of　wine　at　the　first　inn；　where　a　crowd　of　frightened　countrymen　were　looking　in　the　direction　of　Paris。　It　was　now　about　seven　o'clock；　and　a　faint　haze；　which　promised　heat；　cloaked　the　ground。　From　it　rose　the　towers　and　high…peaked　roofs　of　the　city；　insubstantial　as　a　dream。

〃Eaucourt　by　the　waters！〃　sighed　Gaspard。　〃That　the　same　land　should　hold　that　treasure　and　this　foul　city！〃

Their　horses；　rested　and　fed；　carried　them　well　on　the　north　road；　but　by　ten　o'clock　they　had　overtaken　no　travellers；　save　a　couple　of　servants；　on　sorry　nags；　who　wore　th