the path of the king-第35节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

〃They　were　two　common　cutthroats　whose　names　I　know。〃

〃Tools；　belike。　Fingers　of　the　Paape's　hand。　。　。　。　Ye　seem　to　have　a　good　acquaintance　among　rogues；　Mr。　Whaat's…you…name。〃

The　man　Prance　had　disappeared；　and　Lovel　suddenly　saw　his　prospects　less　bright。　The　murderers　were　being　given　a　chance　to　escape；　and　to　his　surprise　he　found　himself　in　a　fret　to　get　after　them。　Oates　had　clearly　no　desire　for　their　capture；　and　the　reason　flashed　on　his　mind。　The　murder　had　come　most　opportunely　for　him；　and　he　sought　to　lay　it　at　Jesuit　doors。　It　would　ill　suit　his　plans　if　only　two　common　rascals　were　to　swing　for　it。　Far　better　let　it　remain　a　mystery　open　to　awful　guesses。　Omne　ignotum　pro　horrifico。　。　。　。　　Lovel's　temper　was　getting　the　better　of　his　prudence；　and　the　sight　of　this　monstrous　baboon　with　his　mincing　speech　stirred　in　him　a　strange　abhorrence。

〃I　can　bear　witness　that　the　men　who　did　the　deed　were　no　more　Jesuits　than　you。　One　is　just　out　of　Newgate；　and　the　other　is　a　blackguard　Scot　late　dismissed　the　Duke　of　Buckingham's　service。〃

〃Ye　lie；〃　and　Oates'　rasping　voice　was　close　to　his　ear。　〃'Tis　an　incraidible　tale。　Will　ye　outface　me；　who　alone　discovered　the　Plaat；　and　dispute　with　me　on　high　poalicy？　。　。　。　Now　I　come　to　look　at　it；　ye　have　a　true　Jaisuit　face。　I　maind　of　ye　at　St。　Omer。　I　judge　ye　an　accoamplice　。　。　。〃

At　that　moment　Prance　returned　and　with　him　another；　a　man　in　a　dark　peruke；　wearing　a　long　coat　with　a　cape。　Lovel's　breath　went　from　him　as　he　recognised　Bedloe。

〃There　is　the　murderer；〃　he　cried　in　a　sudden　fury　〃I　saw　him　handle　the　body。　I　charge　you　to　hold　him。

Bedloe　halted　and　looked　at　Oates；　who　nodded。　Then　he　strode　up　to　Lovel　and　took　him　by　the　throat

〃Withdraw　your　words；　you　dog；〃　he　said；　〃or　I　will　cut　your　throat。　I　have　but　this　moment　landed　at　the　river　stairs　and　heard　of　this　horrid　business。　If　you　say　you　have　ever　seen　me　before　you　lie　most　foully。　Quick；　you　ferret。　Will　Bedloe　suffers　no　man　to　charge　his　honour。〃

The　strong　hands　on　his　neck；　the　fierce　eyes　of　the　bravo；　brought　back　Lovel's　fear　and　with　it　his　prudence。　He　saw　very　plainly　the　game；　and　he　realised　that　he　must　assent　to　it。　His　contrition　was　deep　and　voluble。

〃I　withdraw；〃　he　stammered；　〃and　humbly　crave　pardon。　I　have　never　seen　this　honest　gentleman　before。〃

〃But　ye　saw　this　foul　murder；　and　though　the　laight　was　dim　ye　saw　the　murderers；　and　they　had　the　Jaisuitical　air？〃

Oates'　menacing　voice　had　more　terror　for　Lovel　than　Bedloe's　truculence。　〃Beyond　doubt；〃　he　replied。

〃Whoy；　that　is　so　far　good；〃　and　the　Doctor　laughed。　〃Ye　will　be　helped　later　to　remember　the　names　for　the　benefit　of　his　Maajesty's　Court。　。　。　。　'Tis　time　we　set　to　work。　Is　the　place　quiet？〃

〃As　the　grave；　doctor；〃　said　Prance。

〃Then　I　will　unfold　to　you　my　pairpose。　This　noble　magistrate　is　foully　murdered　by　pairsons　unknown　as　yet；　but　whom　this　haanest　man　will　swear　to　have　been　disguised　Jaisuits。　Now　in　the　sairvice　of　Goad　and　the　King　'tis　raight　to　pretermit　no　aiffort　to　bring　the　guilty　to　justice。　The　paiple　of　England　are　already　roused　to　a　holy　fairvour；　and　this　haarrid　craime　will　be　as　the　paistol　flash　to　the　powder　caask。　But　that　the　craime　may　have　its　full　effaict　on　the　paapulace　'tis　raight　to　take　some　trouble　with　the　staging。　'Tis　raight　so　to　dispose　of　the　boady　that　the　complaicity　of　the　Paapists　will　be　clear　to　every　doubting　fool。　I；　Taitus　Oates；　take　upon　myself　this　responsibility；　seeing　that　under　Goad　I　am　the　chosen　ainstrument　for　the　paiple's　salvation。　To　Soamersait　Haase　with　it；　say　I；　which　is　known　for　a　haaunt　of　the　paapistically…minded。　。　。　。　The　postern　ye　know　of　is　open；　Mr。　Prance？〃

〃I　have　seen　to　it；〃　said　the　man；　who　seemed　to　conduct　himself　in　this　wild　business　with　the　decorum　of　a　merchant　in　his　shop。

〃Up　with　him；　then；〃　said　Oates。

Prance　and　Bedloe　swung　the　corpse　on　their　shoulders　and　moved　out；　while　the　doctor；　gripping　Lovel's　arm　like　a　vice；　followed　at　a　little　distance。

The　Savoy　was　very　quiet　that　night；　and　very　dark。　The　few　loiterers　who　observed　the　procession　must　have　shrugged　their　shoulders　and　turned　aside；　zealous　only　to　keep　out　of　trouble。　Such　sights　were　not　uncommon　in　the　Savoy。　They　entered　a　high　ruinous　house　on　the　east　side；　and　after　threading　various　passages　reached　a　door　which　opened　on　a　flight　of　broken　steps　where　it　was　hard　for　more　than　one　to　pass　at　a　time。　Lovel　heard　the　carriers　of　the　dead　grunting　as　they　squeezed　up　with　their　burden。　At　the　top　another　door　gave　on　an　outhouse　in　the　yard　of　Somerset　House　between　the　stables　and　the　west　water…gate。　。　。　。　　Lovel；　as　he　stumbled　after　them　with　Oates'　bulk　dragging　at　his　arm；　was　in　a　confusion　of　mind　such　as　his　mean　time…serving　life　had　never　known。

He　was　in　mortal　fear；　and　yet　his　quaking　heart　would　suddenly　be　braced　by　a　gust　of　anger。　He　knew　he　was　a　rogue；　but　there　were　limits　to　roguery；　and　something　in　himconscience；　maybe；　or　forgotten　gentilitysickened　at　this　outrage。　He　had　an　impulse　to　defy　them；　to　gain　the　street　and　give　the　alarm　to　honest　men。　These　fellows　were　going　to　construct　a　crime　in　their　own　way　which　would　bring　death　to　the　innocent。　。　。　。　Mr。　Lovel　trembled　at　himself；　and　had　to　think　hard　on　his　family　in　the　Billingsgate　attic　to　get　back　to　his　common…sense。　He　would　not　be　believed　if　he　spoke　out。　Oates　would　only　swear　that　he　was　the　culprit；　and　Oates　had　the　ear　of　the　courts　and　the　mob。　Besides　；　he　had　too　many　dark　patches　in　his　past。　It　was　not　for　such　as　he　to　be　finicking。

The　body　was　pushed　under　an　old　truckle…bed　which　stood　in　the　corner；　and　a　mass　of　frails；　such　as　gardeners　use；　flung　over　it　for　concealment。　Oates　rubbed　his　hands。

〃The　good　work　goes　merrily；〃　he　said。　〃Sir　Edmund　dead；　and　for　a　week　the　good　fawk　of　London　are　a…fevered。　Then　the　haarrid　discovery；　and　such　a　Praatestant　uprising　as　will　shake　the　maightiest　from　his　pairch。　Wonderful　are　Goad's　ways　and　surprising　His　jaidgements！　Every　step　must　be　weighed；　since　it　is　the　Laard's　business。　Five　days　we　must　give　this　city　to　grow　uneasy；　and　then　。　。　。　The　boady　will　be　safe　here？〃

〃I　alone　have　the　keys；〃　said　Prance。

The　doctor　counted　on　his　thick　fingers。　〃MondayTuesdayWaidnesdayaye；　Waidneday's　the　day。　Captain　Bedloe；　ye　have　chairge　of　the　removal。　Before　dawn　by　the　water…gate；　and　then　a　chair　and　a　trusty　man　to　cairry　it　to　the　plaace　of　discovery。　Ye　have　appainted　the　spoat？〃

〃Any　ditch　in　the　Marylebone　fields；〃　said　Bedloe。

〃And　before　ye　remove　iton　the　Tuesday　naight　haplyye　will　run　the　boady　through　with　his　swaardSir　Edmund's　swaard。〃

〃So　you　tell　me；〃　said　Bedloe　gruffly；　〃but　I　see　no　reason　in　it。　The　foolishest　apothecary　will　be　able　tell　how　the　man　met　his　death。〃

Oates　grinned　and　laid　his　finger　to　his　nose。　〃Ye　laack　subtelty；　fraiend。　The　priests　of　Baal　must　be　met　with　their　own　waipons。　Look　ye。　This　poor　man　is　found　with　his　swaard　in　his　braist。　He　has　killed　himself；　says　the　fool。　Not　so；　say　the　apothecaries。　Then　why　the　swaard〃　asks　the　coroner。　Because　of　the　daivilish　cunning　of　his　murderers；　says　Doctor　Taitus　Oates。　A　clear　proof　that　the　Jaisuits　are　in　it；　says　every　honest　Praatistant。　D'ye　take　me？〃

Bedloe　declared　with　oaths　his　admiration　of　the　Doctor's　wit；　and　good　humour　filled　the　hovel；　All　but　Lovel；　who　once　again　was　wrestling　with　something　elemental　in　him　that　threatened　to　ruin　every　thing。　He　remembered　the　bowed　stumbling　figure　that　had　gone　before　him　in　the　Marylebone　meadows。　Then　he　had　been　its　enemy；　now　by　a　queer　contortion　of　the　mind　he　thought　of　himself　as　the　only　protector　of　that　cold　clay　under　the　bedhonoured　in　life；　but　in　death　a　poor　pawn　in　a　rogue's　cause。　He　stood　a　little　apart　from　the　others　near　the　door；　and　his　eyes　sought　it　furtively。　He　was　not　in　the　plot；　and　yet　the　plotters　did　not　trouble　about　him。　They　assumed　his　complaisance。　Doubtless　they　knew　his　shabby　past。

He　was　roused　by　Oates'　voice。　The　Doctor　was　arranging　his　plan　of　campaign　with　gusto。　Bedloe　was　to　disappear　to　the　West　Country　till　the　time　came　for　him　to　offer　his　evidence。　Prance　was　to　go　about　his　peaceful　trade　till　Bedloe　gave　him　the　cue。　It　was　a　masterly　stratagemBedloe　to　start　the　ball；　Prance　to　be　accused　as　accomplice　and　then　on　his　own　account　to　give　the　other　scoundrel　corroboration。

〃Attend；　you　sir；〃　the　doctor　shouted　to　Lovel。　〃Ye　will　be　called　to　swear　to　the　murderers　whom　this　haanest　man　will　name。　If　ye　be　a　true　Praatestant　ye　will　repeat　the　laisson　I　taich　you。　If　not；　ye　will　be　set　down　as　one　of　the　villains　and　the　good　fawk　of　this　city　will　tear　the　limbs　from　ye　at　my　nod。　Be　well　advaised；　my　friend；　for　I　hold　ye　in　my　haand。〃　And　Oates　raised　a　great　paw　and　opened　and　shut　it。

Lovel　mumbled　assent。　Fear　had　again　descended　on　him。　He　heard　dimly　the　Doctor　going　over　the　names　of　those　to　be　accused。

〃Ye　must　bring　in　one　of　the　sairvants　of　this　place；〃　he　said。　〃Som