red eve-第20节

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alone　against　a　crowd；　did　but　use　his　skill　to　save　us。　Is　it　murder；
then　to　protect　our　honour　and　to　save　ourselves　from　death？　And　am　I
wrong　to　refuse　to　marry　a　fine　French　knave　when　I　chance　to　love　an
honest　man？〃

〃And；　pray；　am　I　your　father；　girl；　that　you　dare　to　scold　at　me
thus？〃　shouted　Sir　John；　growing　purple　with　wrath。　〃If　I　choose　a
husband　for　you；　by　what　right　do　you　refuse　him；　saying　that　you　love
a　Dunwich　shop…boy？　Down　on　your　knees　and　beg　my　pardon；　or　you　shall
have　the　whipping　you　have　earned。〃

Now　Eve's　black　eyes　glittered　dangerously。

〃Ill　would　it　go　with　any　man　who　dared　to　lay　a　hand　upon　me；〃　she
said；　drawing　herself　up　and　grasping　the　dagger　in　her　girdle。　〃Yes；
very　ill；　even　though　he　were　my　own　father。　Look　at　me　and　say　am　I
one　to　threaten？　Ay；　and　before　you　answer　bear　in　mind　that　there　are
those　at　my　call　who　can　strike　hard；　and　that　among　them　I　think
you'll　find　the　King　of　England。〃

She　paused。

〃What　hellish　plot　is　this　that　you　hatch　against　me？〃　asked　Sir　John；
with　some　note　of　doubt　in　his　voice。　〃What　have　I　to　fear　from　my
liege　lord；　the　King　of　England？〃

〃Only；　sir；　that　you　consort　with　and　would　wed　me　to　one　who；
although　you　may　not　know　it；　has；　I　am　told；　much　to　fear　from　him；
so　much　that　I　wonder　that　he　has　ridden　to　seek　his　Grace's　presence。
Well；　you　are　ill　and　I　am　angered　and　together　we　are　but　as　steel
and　flint；　from　the　meeting　of　which　comes　fire　that　may　burn　us　both。
Therefore；　since　being　better　than　I　thought；　you　need　me　not　and　have
only　cruel　words　for　greeting；　I'll　bid　you　farewell　and　get　me　back
to　those　who　are　kindlier。　God　be　with　you；　and　give　you　your　health
again。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　or　rather　snarled　Sir　John；　〃I　thought　as　much　and　am　ready
for　the　trick。　You'd　win　back　to　sanctuary；　would　you；　and　the　company
of　that　old　wizard；　Andrew　Arnold；　thence　to　make　a　mock　of　me？　Well；
not　one　step　do　you　take　upon　that　road　while　I　live；〃　and　pushing
past　her　he　opened　the　door　and　shouted　aloud。

Apparently　the　men　and　woman　whom　Eve　had　met　in　the　passage　were
still　waiting　there；　for　instantly　they　all　reappeared。

〃Now；　fellows；〃　said　Sir　John；　〃and　you；　Jane　Mell；　take　this
rebellious　girl　of　mine　to　the　chamber　in　the　prisoners'　tower；　whence
I　think　she'll　find　it　hard　to　fly　to　sanctuary。　There　lock　her　fast；
feeding　her　with　the　bread　and　water　of　affliction　to　tame　her　proud
spirit；　and　suffering　none　to　go　near　her　save　this　woman；　Jane　Mell。
Stay；　give　me　that　bodkin　which　she　wears　lest　she；　who　has　learned
bloody　ways　of　late；　should　do　some　of　you　or　herself　a　mischief。〃

As　he　spoke　one　of　the　men　deftly　snatched　the　dagger　from　Eve's
girdle　and　handed　it　to　Sir　John　who　threw　it　into　the　farthest　corner
of　the　room。　Then　he　turned　and　said：

〃Now；　girl；　will　you　go；　or　must　you　be　dragged？〃

She　raised　her　head　slowly　and　looked　him　in　the　eyes。　Mad　as　he　was
with　passion　there　was　something　in　her　face　that　frightened　him。

〃Can　you　be　my　father？〃　she　said　in　a　strained；　quiet　voice。　〃Oh！　glad
am　I　that　my　mother　did　not　live　to　see　this　hour。〃

Then　she　wheeled　round　and　addressed　the　men。

〃Hearken；　fellows。　He　who　lays　a　finger　on　me；　dies。　Soon　or　late
assuredly　he　dies　as　he　would　not　wish　to　die。　Yes；　even　if　you　murder
me；　for　I　have　friends　who　will　learn　the　truth　and　pay　back　coin　for
coin　with　interest　a　hundredfold。　Now　I'll　go。　Stand　clear；　knaves；
and　pray　to　God　that　never　again　may　Red　Eve　cross　the　threshold　of
her　prison。　Pray　also　that　never　again　may　you　look　on　Hugh　de
Cressi's　sword　or　hear　Grey　Dick's　arrows　sing；　or　face　the　curse　of
old　Sir　Andrew。〃

So　proud　and　commanding　was　her　mien　and　so　terrible　the　import　of　her
words；　that　these　rough　hinds　shrank　away　from　her　and　the　woman　hid
her　face　in　her　hands。　But　Sir　John　thundered　threats　and　oaths　at
them；　so　that　slowly　and　unwillingly　they　ringed　Eve　round。　Then　with
head　held　high　she　walked　thence　in　the　midst　of　them。

The　prisoners'　chamber　beneath　the　leads　of　the　lofty　tower　was　cold
and　unfurnished　save　for　a　stool　and　a　truckle…bed。　It　had　a　great
door　of　oak　locked　and　barred　on　the　outer　side；　with　a　grille　in　it
through　which　the　poor　wretch　within　could　be　observed。　There　was　no
window；　only　high　up　beneath　the　ceiling　were　slits　like　loopholes
that　not　a　child　could　have　passed。　Such　was　the　place　to　which　Eve
was　led。

Here　they　left　her。　At　nightfall　the　door　was　opened　and　Jane　Mell
entered；　bearing　a　loaf　of　bread　and　a　jug　of　water；　which　she　set
down　upon　the　floor。

〃Would　you　aught　else？〃　she　asked。

〃Ay；　woman；〃　answered　Eve；　〃my　thick　red　woollen　cloak　from　my
chamber；　and　hood　to　match。　Also　water　to　wash　me；　for　this　place　is
cold　and　foul；　and　I　would　die　warm　and　clean。〃

〃First　I　must　get　leave　from　my　lord　your　father；〃　said　the　woman　in　a
surly　voice。

〃Get　it　then　and　be　swift；〃　said　Eve；　〃or　leave　it　ungotten；　I　care
little。〃

Mell　went　and　within　half　an　hour　returned　with　the　garments；　the
water　and　some　other　things。　Setting　them　down　without　a　word　she
departed；　locking　and　bolting　the　door　behind　her。

While　there　remained　a　few　rays　of　light　to　see　by；　Eve　ate　and　drank
heartily；　for　she　needed　food。　Then　having　prayed　according　to　her
custom；　she　laid　herself　down　and　slept　as　a　child　sleeps；　for　she　was
very　strong　of　will　and　one　who　had　always　taught　herself　to　make　the
best　of　evil　fortune。　When　she　woke　the　daws　were　cawing　around　the
tower　and　the　sun　shone　through　the　loopholes。　She　rose　refreshed　and
ate　the　remainder　of　her　bread；　then　combed　her　hair　and　dressed
herself　as　best　she　could。

Two　or　three　hours　later　the　door　was　opened　and　her　father　entered。
Glancing　at　him　she　saw　that　little　sleep　had　visited　him　that　night；
for　he　looked　old　and　very　weary；　so　weary　that　she　motioned　to　him　to
sit　upon　the　stool。　This　he　did；　breathing　heavily　and　muttering
something　about　the　steepness　of　the　tower　stairs。　Presently　he　spoke。

〃Eve；〃　he　said；　〃is　your　proud　spirit　broken　yet？〃

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃nor　ever　will　be；　living　or　dead！　You　may　kill　my
body；　but　my　spirit　is　me；　and　that　you　will　never　kill。　As　God　gave
it　so　I　will　return　it　to　Him　again。〃

He　stared　at　her；　with　something　of　wonder　and　more　of　admiration　in
his　look。

〃Christ's　truth；〃　he　said；　〃how　proud　I　could　be　of　you；　if　only　you'd
let　me！　I　deem　your　courage　comes　from　your　mother；　but　she　never　had
your　shape　and　beauty。　And　now　you　are　the　only　one　left；　and　you　hate
me　with　all　your　proud　heart；　you；　the　heiress　of　the　Claverings！〃

〃Whose　estate　is　this；〃　she　answered；　pointing　to　the　bare　stone
walls。　〃Think　you；　my　father；　that　such　treatment　as　I　have　met　with
at　your　hands　of　late　would　breed　love　in　the　humblest　heart？　What
devil　drives　you　on　to　deal　with　me　as　you　have　done？〃

〃No　devil；　girl；　but　a　desire　for　your　own　good；　and；〃　he　added　with　a
burst　of　truth；　〃for　the　greatness　of　my　House　after　I　am　gone；　which
will　be　soon。　For　your　old　wizard　spoke　rightly　when　he　said　that　I
stand　near　to　death。〃

〃Will　marrying　me　to　a　man　I　hate　be　for　my　good　and　make　your　House
great？　I　tell　you；　sir；　it　would　kill　me　and　bring　the　Claverings　to
an　end。　Do　you　desire　also　that　your　broad　lands　should　go　to　patch　a
spendthrift　Frenchman's　cloak？　But　what　matters　your　desire　seeing
that　I'll　not　do　it；　who　love　another　man　worth　a　score　of　him；　one；
too；　who　will　sit　higher　than　any　Count　of　Noyon　ever　stood。〃

〃Pish！〃　he　said。　〃'Tis　but　a　girl's　whim。　You　speak　folly；　being　young
and　headstrong。　Now；　to　have　done　with　all　this　mummer's　talk；　will
you　swear　to　me　by　our　Saviour　and　on　the　welfare　of　your　soul　to
break　with　Hugh　de　Cressi　once　and　forever？　For　if　so　I'll　let　you
free；　to　leave　me　if　you　will；　and　dwell　where　it　pleases　you。〃

She　opened　her　lips　to　answer；　but　he　held　up　his　hand；　saying：

〃Wait　ere　you　speak；　I　have　not　done。　If　you　take　my　offer　I'll　not
even　press　Sir　Edmund　Acour　on　you；　that　matter　shall　stand　the　chance
of　time　and　tide。　Only　while　you　live　you　must　have　no　more　to　do　with
the　man　who　slew　your　brother。　Now　will　you　swear？〃

〃Not　I；〃　she　answered。　〃How　can　I　who　but　a　few　days　ago　before　God's
altar　and　His　priest　vowed　myself　to　this　same　Hugh　de　Cressi　for　all
his　life？〃

Sir　John　rose　from　the　stool　and　walked；　or；　rather；　tottered　to　the
door。

〃Then　stay　here　till　you　rot；〃　he　said　quite　quietly；　〃for　I'll　give
you　no　burial。　As　for　this　Hugh；　I　would　have　spared　him；　but　you　have
signed　his　death…warrant。〃

He　was　gone。　The　heavy　door　shut；　the　bars　clanged　into　their　sockets。
Thus　these　two　parted；　for　when　they　met　once　more　no　word　passed
between　them；　and　although　she　knew　not　how　these　things　would　end；
Eve　felt　that　parting　to　be　dreadful。　Turning　her　face　to　the　wall；
for　a　while　she　wept；　then；　when　the　woman　Mell　came　with　her　bread
and　water；　wiped　away　her　tears　and　faced　her　calmly。　After　all；　she
could　have　answered　no　otherwise；　her　soul　was　pure　of　sin；　and；　for
the　rest；　God　must　rule　it。　At　least　she　would　die　clean　and　honest。

That　night　she　was　wakened　from　her　sleep