the path of the king-第39节

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nd　with　it　had　flown　all　his　complacence。　He　felt　small　and　mean　and　despised；　and　the　talents　he　had　been　pluming　himself　on　an　hour　before　had　now　shrunk　to　windlestraws。

〃I　do　assure　you；　sirs；〃　he　faltered；　〃the　ring　is　mine　own。　I　had　it　from　my　father；　who　had　it　from　his。　I　am　of　an　ancient　house；　though　somewhat　decayed。〃

His　eyes　sought　those　of　his　inquisitors　with　the　pathos　of　a　dog。　But　he　saw　only　hostile　faces　Talbot's　grave　and　grim；　Lord　Charles'　contemptuous；　the　boy's　smiling　ironically。

〃Decayed；　indeed；〃　said　the　dark　man；　〃pitifully　decayed。　If　you　be　gentle　the　more　shame　on　you。〃

Mr。　Lovel　was　almost　whining。　〃I　swear　I　am　honest。　I　do　my　master's　commissions　and　report　what　I　learn。〃

〃Aye；　sir；　but　how　do　you　learn　it？　By　playing　the　imposter　and　winning　your　way　into　an　unsuspecting　confidence。　To　you　friendship　is　a　tool　and　honour　a　convenience。　You　cheat　in　every　breath　you　draw。　And　what　a　man　gives　you　in　his　innocence　may　bring　him　to　the　gallows。　By　God！　I'd　rather　slit　throats　on　a　highway　for　a　purse　or　two　than　cozen　men　to　their　death　by　such　arts　as　yours。〃

In　other　circumstances　Mr。　Lovel　might　have　put　up　a　brazen　defence；　but　now　he　seemed　to　have　lost　assurance。　〃I　do　no　ill；〃　was　all　he　could　stammer；　〃for　I　have　no　bias。　I　am　for　no　side　in　politics。〃

〃So　much　the　worse。　A　man　who　spies　for　a　cause　in　which　he　believes　may　redeem　by　that　faith　a　dirty　trade。　But　in　cold　blood　you　practise　infamy。〃

The　night　was　growing　wilder；　and　even　in　that　sheltered　room　its　echoes　were　felt。　Wind　shook　the　curtains　and　blew　gusts　of　ashes　from　the　fire。　The　place　had　become　bleak　and　tragic　and　Mr。　Lovel　felt　the　forlornness　in　his　bones。　Something　had　woke　in　him　which　shivered　the　fabric　of　a　lifetime。　The　three　faces；　worn；　anxious；　yet　of　a　noble　hardihood；　stirred　in　him　a　strange　emotion。　Hopes　and　dreams；　long　forgotten；　flitted　like　spectres　across　his　memory。　He　had　something　to　say；　something　which　demanded　utterance；　and　his　voice　grew　bold。

〃What　do　you　know　of　my　straits？〃　he　cried。　〃Men　of　fortune　like　you！　My　race　is　old；　but　I　never　had　the　benefit　of　it。　I　was　bred　in　a　garret　and　have　all　my　days　been　on　nodding　terms　with　starvation。　。　。　。　　What　should　I　know　about　your　parties？　What　should　I　care　for　Whig　and　Tory　or　what　king　has　his　hinderend　on　the　throne？　Tell　me　in　God's　name　how　should　such　as　I　learn　loyalty　except　to　the　man　who　gives　me　gold　to　buy　food　and　shelter？　Heaven　knows　I　have　never　betrayed　a　master　while　I　served　him。〃

The　shabby　man　with　the　lean　face　had　secured　an　advantage。　For　a　moment　the　passion　in　his　voice　dominated　the　room。

〃Cursed　if　this　does　not　sound　like　truth；〃　said　the　boy；　and　his　eyes　were　almost　friendly。

But　Talbot　did　not　relax。

〃By　your　own　confession　you　are　outside　the　pale　of　gentility。　I　do　not　trouble　to　blame　you；　but　I　take　leave　to　despise　you。　By　your　grace；　sir；　we　will　dispense　with　your　company。〃

The　ice　of　his　scorn　did　not　chill　the　strange　emotion　which　seemed　to　have　entered　the　air。　The　scarecrow　by　the　fire　had　won　a　kind　of　dignity。

〃I　am　going；〃　he　said。　〃Will　you　have　the　goodness　to　send　for　my　horse？　。　。　。　If　you　care　to　know；　gentleman；　you　have　cut　short　a　promising　career。　　。　。　　To　much　of　what　you　say　I　submit。　You　have　spoken　truthnot　all　the　truth；　but　sufficient　to　unman　me。　I　am　a　rogue　by　your　reckoning；　for　I　think　only　of　my　wages。　Pray　tell　me　what　moves　you　to　ride　out　on　what　at　the　best　is　a　desperate　venture？〃

There　was　nothing　but　sincerity　in　the　voice；　and　Talbot　answered。

〃I　fight　for　the　King　ordained　by　God　and　for　a　land　which　cannot　flourish　under　the　usurper。　My　loyalty　to　throne；　Church；　and　fatherland　constrains　me。〃

Lovel's　eye　passed　to　Lord　Charles。　The　Highlander　whistled　very　softly　a　bar　or　two　of　a　wild　melody　with　longing　and　a　poignant　sorrow　in　it。

〃That；〃　he　said。　〃I　fight　for　the　old　ways　and　the　old　days　that　are　passing。〃

Nick　Wogan　smiled。　〃And　I　for　neitherwholly。　I　have　a　little　of　Talbot　in　me　and　more　of　Charles。　But　I　strike　my　blow　for　romancethe　little　against　the　big；　the　noble　few　against　the　base　many。　I　am　for　youth　against　all　dull　huckstering　things。〃

Mr。　Lovel　bowed。　I　am　answered。　I　congratulate　you；　gentlemen；　on　your　good　fortune。　It　is　my　grief　that　I　do　not　share　it。　I　have　not　Mr。　Talbot's　politics；　nor　am　I　a　great　Scotch　lord；　nor　have　I　the　felicity　to　be　young。　。　。　。　　I　would　beg　you　not　to　judge　me　harshly。〃

By　this　time　he　had　struggled　into　his　coat　and　boots　He　stepped　to　the　table　and　picked　up　the　papers。

〃By　your　leave；〃　he　said；　and　flung　them　into　the　fire。

You　were　welcome　to　them；〃　said　Talbot。　〃Long　ere　they　got　to　Marlborough　they　would　be　useless。〃

〃That　is　scarcely　the　point；〃　said　Lovel　〃I　am　somewhat　dissatisfied　with　my　calling　and　contemplate　a　change。〃

〃You　may　sleep　here　if　you　wish；〃　said　Lord　Charles。

〃I　thank　you；　but　I　am　no　fit　company　for　you。　I　am　better　on　the　road。〃

Talbot　took　a　guinea　from　his　purse　〃Here's　to　help　your　journey；〃　he　was　saying；　when　Nick　Wogan　flushing　darkly；　intervened。　〃Damn　you；　James　don't　be　a　boor；〃　he　said。

The　boy　picked　up　the　ring　and　offered　it　to　Mr。　Lovel　as　he　passed　through　the　door。　He　also　gave　him　his　hand。

。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。

The　traveller　spurred　his　horse　into　the　driving　rain；　but　he　was　oblivious　of　the　weather。　When　he　came　to　Brampton　he　discovered　to　his　surprise　that　he　had　been　sobbing。　Except　in　liquor；　he　had　not　wept　since　he　was　a　child。



CHAPTER　12。　IN　THE　DARK　LAND

The　fire　was　so　cunningly　laid　that　only　on　one　side　did　it　cast　a　glow；　and　there　the　light　was　absorbed　by　a　dark　thicket　of　laurels。　It　was　built　under　an　overhang　of　limestone　so　that　the　smoke　in　the　moonlight　would　be　lost　against　the　grey　face　of　the　rock。　But；　though　the　moon　was　only　two　days　past　the　full；　there　was　no　sign　of　it；　for　the　rain　had　come　and　the　world　was　muffled　in　it。　That　morning　the　Kentucky　vales；　as　seen　from　the　ridge　where　the　camp　lay；　had　been　like　a　furnace　with　the　gold　and　scarlet　of　autumn；　and　the　air　had　been　heavy　with　sweet　October　smells。　Then　the　wind　had　suddenly　shifted；　the　sky　had　grown　leaden；　and　in　a　queer　dank　chill　the　advance…guard　of　winter　had　appearedthat　winter　which　to　men　with　hundreds　of　pathless　miles　between　them　and　their　homes　was　like　a　venture　into　an　uncharted　continent；

One　of　the　three　hunters　slipped　from　his　buffalo　robe　and　dived　into　the　laurel　thicket　to　replenish　the　fire　from　the　stock　of　dry　fuel。　His　figure　revealed　itself　fitfully　in　the　firelight；　a　tall　slim　man　with　a　curious　lightness　of　movement　like　a　cat's。　When　he　had　done　his　work　he　snuggled　down　in　his　skins　in　the　glow；　and　his　two　companions　shifted　their　positions　to　be　near　him。　The　fire…tender　was　the　leader　of　the　little　party　The　light　showed　a　face　very　dark　with　weather。　He　had　the　appearance　of　wearing　an　untidy　perruque；　which　was　a　tight…fitting　skin…cap　with　the　pelt　hanging　behind。　Below　its　fringe　straggled　a　selvedge　of　coarse　black　hair。　But　his　eyes　were　blue　and　very　bright；　and　his　eyebrows　and　lashes　were　flaxen；　and　the　contrast　of　light　and　dark　had　the　effect　of　something　peculiarly　bold　and　masterful。　Of　the　others　one　was　clearly　his　brother；　heavier　in　build；　but　with　the　same　eyes　and　the　same　hard　pointed　chin　and　lean　jaws。　The　third　man　was　shorter　and　broader；　and　wore　a　newer　hunting　shirt　than　his　fellows　and　a　broad　belt　of　wool　and　leather。

This　last　stretched　his　moccasins　to　the　blaze　and　sent　thin　rings　of　smoke　from　his　lips　into　the　steam　made　by　the　falling　rain。

He　bitterly　and　compendiously　cursed　the　weather。　The　little　party　had　some　reason　for　ill…temper。　There　had　been　an　accident　in　the　creek　with　the　powder　supply；　and　for　the　moment　there　were　only　two　charges　left　in　the　whole　outfit。　Hitherto　they　had　been　living　on　ample　supplies　of　meat；　though　they　were　on　short　rations　of　journey…cake；　for　their　stock　of　meal　was　low。　But　that　night　they　had　supped　poorly；　for　one　of　them　had　gone　out　to　perch　a　turkey；　since　powder　could　not　be　wasted；　and　had　not　come　back。

〃I　reckon　we're　the　first　as　ever　concluded　to　winter　in　Kaintuckee；〃　he　said　between　his　puffs。　〃Howard　and　Salling　went　in　in　June；　I've　heerd。　And　Finley？　What　about　Finley；　Dan'l？〃

He　never　stopped　beyond　the　fall；　though　he　was　once　near　gripped　by　the　snow。　But　there　ain't　no　reason　why　winter　should　be　worse　on　the　O…hio　than　on　the　Yadkin。　It's　a　good　hunting　time；　and　snow'll　keep　the　redskins　quiet。　What's　bad　for　us　is　wuss　for　them；　says　I。　。　。　。　　I　won't　worry　about　winter　nor　redskins；　if　old　Jim　Lovelle　'ud　fetch　up。　It　beats　me　whar　the　man　has　got　to。〃

〃Wandered；　maybe？〃　suggested　the　first　speaker；　whose　name　was　Neely。

〃I　reckon　not。　Ye'd　as　soon　wander　a　painter。　There　ain't　no　sech　hunter　as　Jim　ever　came　out　of　Virginny；　no；　nor　out　of　Caroliny；　neither。　It　was　him　that　fust　telled　me　of　Kaintuck'。　'The　dark　and　bloody　land；　the　Shawnees　calls　it；'　he　says；　speakin'　in　his　eddicated　way；　and　dark　and　bloody　it　is；　but　that's　man's　doing　and　not　the　Almighty's。　The　land　flows　with