the path of the king-第34节

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　hoped　that　the　magistrate　would　make　for　Kensington；　for　that　was　a　lonely　path。

But　Sir　Edmund　seemed　to　be　possessed　of　a　freakish　devil。　No　sooner　was　he　in　Paddington　than；　after　buying　a　glass　of　milk　from　a　milk…woman；　he　set　off　citywards　again　by　the　Oxford　road。　Here　there　were　many　people；　foot　travellers　and　coaches；　and　Mr。　Lovel　began　to　fear　for　his　chance。　But　at　Tyburn　Godfrey　struck　into　the　fields　and　presently　was　in　the　narrow　lane　called　St。　Martin's　Hedges；　which　led　to　Charing　Cross。　Now　was　the　occasion。　The　dusk　was　falling；　and　a　light　mist　was　creeping　up　from　Westminster。　Lovel　quickened　his　steps；　for　the　magistrate　was　striding　at　a　round　pace。　Then　came　mischance。　First　one；　then　another　of　the　Marylebone　cow…keepers　blocked　the　lane　with　their　driven　beasts。　The　place　became　as　public　as　Bartholomew's　Fair。　Before　he　knew　it　he　was　at　Charing　Cross。

He　was　now　in　a　foul　temper。　He　cursed　his　weakness　in　the　morning；　when　fate　had　given　him　every　opportunity。　He　was　in　despair　too。　His　case　was　hopeless　unless　he　struck　soon。　If　Godfrey　returned　to　Hartshorn　Lane　he　himself　would　be　in　Newgate　on　the　morrow。　。　。　。　Fortunately　the　strange　man　did　not　seem　to　want　to　go　home。　He　moved　east　along　the　Strand；　Lovel　a　dozen　yards　behind　him。

Out　from　the　dark　Savoy　entry　ran　a　woman；　screaming；　and　with　her　hair　flying。　She　seized　on　Godfrey　and　clutched　his　knees。　There　was　a　bloody　fray　inside；　in　which　her　husband　fought　against　odds。　The　watch　was　not　to　be　found。　Would　he；　the　great　magistrate；　intervene？　The　very　sight　of　his　famous　face　would　quell　riot。

Sir　Edmund　looked　up　and　down　the　street；　pinched　his　chin　and　peered　down　the　precipitous　Savoy　causeway。　Whatever　the　burden　on　his　soul　he　did　not　forget　his　duty。

〃Show　me；〃　he　said；　and　followed　her　into　the　gloom。

Lovel　outside　stood　for　a　second　hesitating。　His　chance　had　come。　His　foe　had　gone　of　his　own　will　into　the　place　in　all　England　where　murder　could　be　most　safely　done。　But　now　that　the　moment　had　come　at　last；　he　was　all　of　a　tremble　and　his　breath　choked。　Only　the　picture；　always　horribly　clear　in　his　mind；　of　a　gallows　dark　against　a　pale　sky　and　the　little　fire　beneath　where　the　entrails　of　traitors　were　burneda　nightmare　which　had　long　ridden　himnerved　him　to　the　next　step。　〃His　life　or　mine；〃　he　told　himself；　as　he　groped　his　way　into　a　lane　as　steep；　dank；　and　black　as　the　sides　of　a　well。

For　some　twenty　yards　he　stumbled　in　an　air　thick　with　offal　and　garlic。　He　heard　steps　ahead；　the　boots　of　the　doomed　magistrate　and　the　slipshod　pattens　of　the　woman。　Then。　they　stopped；　his　quarry　seemed　to　be　ascending　a　stair　on　the　right。　It　was　a　wretched　tenement　of　wood；　two　hundred　years　old；　once　a　garden　house　attached　to　the　Savoy　palace。　Lovel　scrambled　up　some　rickety　steps　and　found　himself　on　the　rotten　planks　of　a　long　passage；　which　was　lit　by　a　small　window　giving　to　the　west。　He　heard　the　sound　of　a　man　slipping　at　the　other　end；　and　something　like　an　oath。　Then　a　door　slammed　violently；　and　the　place　shook。　After　that　it　was　quiet。　Where　was　the　bloody　fight　that　Godfrey　had　been　brought　to　settle？

It　was　very　dark　there；　the　window　in　the　passage　was　only　a　square　of　misty　grey。　Lovel　felt　eerie；　a　strange　mood　for　an　assassin。　Magistrate　and　woman　seemed　to　have　been　spirited　away。　。　。　。　　He　plucked　up　courage　and　continued；　one　hand　on　the　wall　on　his　left。　Then　a　sound　broke　the　silencea　scuffle；　and　the　long　grate　of　something　heavy　dragged　on　a　rough　floor。　Presently　his　fingers　felt　a　door。　The　noise　was　inside　that　door。　There　were　big　cracks　in　the　panelling　through　which　an　eye　could　look；　but　all　was　dark　within。　There　were　human　beings　moving　there；　and　speaking　softly。　Very　gingerly　he　tried　the　hasp；　but　it　was　fastened　firm　inside。

Suddenly　someone　in　the　room　struck　a　flint　and　lit　a　lantern。　Lovel　set　his　eyes　to　a　crack　and　stood　very　still。　The　woman　had　gone；　and　the　room　held　three　men。　One　lay　on　the　floor　with　a　coarse　kerchief；　such　as　grooms　wear；　knotted　round　his　throat。　Over　him　bent　a　man　in　a　long　coat　with　a　cape；　a　man　in　a　dark　peruke；　whose　face　was　clear　in　the　lantern's　light。　Lovel　knew　him　for　one　Bedloe；　a　led…captain　and　cardsharper；　whom　he　had　himself　employed　on　occasion。　The　third　man　stood　apart　and　appeared　from　his　gesticulations　to　be　speaking　rapidly。　He　wore　his　own　sandy　hair；　and　every　line　of　his　mean　freckled　face　told　of　excitement　and　fear。　Him　also　Lovel　recognisedCarstairs；　a　Scotch　informer　who　had　once　made　a　handsome　living　through　spying　on　conventicles；　but　had　now　fallen　into　poverty　owing　to　conducting　an　affair　of　Buckingham's　with　a　brutality　which　that　fastidious　nobleman　had　not　bargained　for。　。　。　。　Lovel　rubbed　his　eyes　and　looked　again。　He　knew　likewise　the　man　on　the　floor。　It　was　Sir　Edmund　Godfrey；　and　Sir　Edmund　Godfrey　was　dead。

The　men　were　talking。　〃No　blood…letting；〃　said　Bedloe　〃This　must　be　a　dry　job。　Though；　by　God；　I　wish　I　could　stick　my　knife　into　himonce　for　Trelawney；　once　for　Frewen；　and　a　dozen　times　for　myself。　Through　this　swine　I　have　festered　a　twelvemonth　in　Little　Ease。〃

Lovel's　first　thought；　as　he　stared；　was　an　immense　relief。　His　business　had　been　done　for　him；　and　he　had　escaped　the　guilt　of　it。　His　second；　that　here　lay　a　chance　of　fair　profit。　Godfrey　was　a　great　man；　and　Bedloe　and　Carstairs　were　the　seediest　of　rogues。　He　might　make　favor　for　himself　with　the　Government　if　he　had　them　caught　red…handed。　It　would　help　his　status　in　Aldersgate　Street。　。　。　。　　But　he　must　act　at　once　or　the　murderers　would　be　gone。　He　tiptoed　back　along　the　passage；　tumbled　down　the　crazy　steps；　and　ran　up　the　steep　entry　to　where　he　saw　a　glimmer　of　light　from　the　Strand。

At　the　gate　he　all　but　fell　into　the　arms　of　a　mana　powerful　fellow；　for　it　was　like　running　against　a　brick　wall。　Two　strong　arms　gripped　Lovel　by　the　shoulder；　and　a　face　looked　into　his。　There　was　little　light　in　the　street；　but　the　glow　from　the　window　of　a　Court　perruquier　was　sufficient　to　reveal　the　features。　Lovel　saw　a　gigantic　face；　with　a　chin　so　long　that　the　mouth　seemed　to　be　only　half…way　down　it。　Small　eyes；　red　and　fiery；　were　set　deep　under　a　beetling　forehead。　The　skin　was　a　dark　purple；　and　the　wig　framing　it　was　so　white　and　fleecy　that　the　man　had　the　appearance　of　a　malevolent　black…faced　sheep。

Lovel　gasped；　as　he　recognised　the　celebrated　Salamanca　Doctor。　He　was　the　man　above　all　others　whom　he　most　wished　to　see。

〃Dr。　Oates！〃　he　cried。　〃There's　bloody　work　in　the　Savoy。　I　was　passing　through　a　minute　agone　and　I　saw　that　noble　Justice；　Sir　Edmund　Berry　Godfrey；　lie　dead；　and　his　murderers　beside　the　body。　Quick；　let　us　get　the　watch　and　take　them　red…handed。〃

The　big　paws；　like　a　gorilla's；　were　withdrawn　from　his　shoulders。　The　purple　complexion　seemed　to　go　nearly　black；　and　the　wide　mouth　opened　as　if　to　bellow。　But　the　sound　which　emerged　was　only　a　whisper。

〃By　the　maircy　of　Gaad　we　will　have　'em！　。　。　。

A　　maist　haarrid　and　unnaitural　craime。　I　will　take　'em　with　my　own　haands。　Here　is　one　who　will　help。〃　And　he　turned　to　a　man　who　had　come　up　and　who　looked　like　a　city　tradesman。　〃Lead　on；　honest　fellow；　and　we　will　see　justice　done。　'Tis　pairt　of　the　bloody　Plaat。　。　。　。　I　foresaw　it。　I　warned　Sir　Edmund；　but　he　flouted　me。　Ah；　poor　soul；　he　has　paid　for　his　unbelief。〃

Lovel；　followed　by　Oates　and　the　other　whom　he　called　Prance；　dived　again　into　the　darkness。　Now　he　had　no　fears。　He　saw　himself　acclaimed　with　the　Doctor　as　the　saviour　of　the　nation；　and　the　door　of　Aldersgate　Street　open　at　his　knocking。　The　man　Prance　produced　a　lantern；　and　lighted　them　up　the　steps　and　into　the　tumbledown　passage。　Fired　with　a　sudden　valour；　Lovel　drew　his　sword　and　led　the　way　to　the　sinister　room。　The　door　was　open；　and　the　place　lay　empty；　save　for　the　dead　body。

Oates　stood　beside　it；　looking；　with　his　bandy　legs　great　shoulders；　and　bull　neck；　like　some　forest　baboon。

〃Oh；　maist　haunourable　and　noble　victim！〃　he　cried。　〃England　will　maarn　you；　and　the　spawn　of　Raam　will　maarn　you；　for　by　this　deed　they　have　rigged　for　thaimselves　the　gallows。　Maark　ye；　Sir　Edmund　is　the　proto…martyr　of　this　new　fight　for　the　Praatestant　faith。　He　has　died　that　the　people　may　live；　and　by　his　death　Gaad　has　given　England　the　sign　she　required。　。　。　。　　Ah；　Prance；　how　little　Tony　Shaston　will　exult　in　our　news！　'Twill　be　to　him　like　a　bone　to　a　cur…dog　to　take　his　ainemies　thus　red…haanded。〃

By　your　leave；　sir；〃　said　Lovel；　〃those　same　enemies　have　escaped　us。　I　saw　them　here　five　minutes　since；　but　they　have　gone　to　earth。　What　say　you　to　a　hue…and…crythough　this　Savoy　is　a　snug　warrin　to　hide　vermin。〃

Oates　seemed　to　be　in　no　hurry。　He　took　the　lantern　from　Prance　and　scrutinised　Lovel's　face　with　savage　intensity。

〃Ye　saw　them；　ye　say。　。　。　。　　I　think；　friend；　I　have　seen　ye　before；　and　I　doubt　in　no　good　quaarter。　There's　a　Paapist　air　about　you。〃

〃If　you　have　seen　me；　'twas　in　the　house　of　my　Lord　Shaftesbury；　whom　I　have　the　honour　to　serve；〃　said　Lovel　stoutly。

〃Whoy；　that　is　an　haanest　house　enough。　Whaat　like　were　the　villains；　then？　Jaisuits；　I'll　warrant？　Foxes　from　St。　Omer's　airth？〃