red eve-第23节

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court；　on　one　side　of　which　stood　the　chapel；　and　still　there　was　no
one　to　be　seen。　Dick　tapped　Hugh　upon　the　shoulder；　pointing　to　a
window　of　this　chapel　that　lay　in　the　shadow；　through　which　came　a
faint　glimmering　of　light；　as　though　tapers　burned　upon　the　altar。

〃I　think　there's　a　burying　yonder；〃　he　whispered；　〃at　which　all　men
gather。〃

Hugh　blanched；　for　might　it　not　be　Eve　whom　they　buried？　But　Sir
Andrew；　noting　it；　said：

〃Nay；　nay；　Sir　John　was　sick。　Come；　let　us　look。〃

The　door　of　the　chapel　was　open　and　they　walked　through　it　as　quietly
as　they　could；　to　find　the　place；　which　was　not　very　large；　filled
with　people。　Of　these　they　took　no　heed；　for　the　last　rays　of　the
sunlight　flowing　through　the　western　window；　showed　them　a　scene　that
held　their　eyes。

A　priest　stood　before　the　lighted　altar　holding　his　hands　in
benediction　over　a　pair　who　kneeled　at　its　rail。　One　of　these　wore　a
red　cloak　down　which　her　dark　hair　streamed。　She　leaned　heavily
against　the　rail；　as　a　person　might　who　is　faint　with　sleep　or　with
the　ardour　of　her　orisons。　It　was　Red　Eve；　no　other！

At　her　side；　clad　in　gleaming　mail；　kneeled　a　knight。　Close　by　Eve
stood　her　father；　looking　at　her　with　a　troubled　air；　and　behind　the
knight　were　other　knights　and　men…at…arms。　In　the　little　nave　were　all
the　people　of　the　manor　and　with　them　those　that　dwelt　around；　every
one　of　them　intently　watching　the　pair　before　the　altar。

The　priest　perceived　them　at　first　just　as　the　last　word　of　the
blessing　passed　his　lips。

〃Why　do　armed　strangers　disturb　God's　house？〃　he　asked　in　a　warning
voice。

The　knight　at　the　altar　rails　sprang　up　and　turned　round。　Hugh　saw
that　it　was　Acour；　but　even　then　he　noted　that　the　woman　at　his　side；
she　who　wore　Eve's　garment；　never　stirred　from　her　knees。

Sir　John　Clavering　glared　down　the　chapel；　and　all　the　other　people
turned　to　look　at　them。　Now　Hugh　and　his　company　halted　in　the　open
space　where　the　nave　joined　the　chancel；　and　said；　answering　the
priest：

〃I　come　hither　with　my　companions　bearing　the　warrant　of　the　King　to
seize　Edmund　Acour；　Count　de　Noyon；　and　convey　him　to　London；　there　to
stand　his　trial　on　a　charge　of　high　treason　toward　his　liege　lord；
Edward　of　England。　Yield　you；　Sir　Edmund　Acour。〃

At　these　bold　words　the　French　knights　and　squires　drew　their　swords
and　ringed　themselves　round　their　captain；　whereon　Hugh　and　his　party
also　drew　their　swords。

〃Stay；〃　cried　old　Sir　Andrew　in　his　ringing　voice。　〃Let　no　blood　be
shed　in　the　holy　house　of　God。　You　men　of　Suffolk；　know　that　you
harbour　a　foul　traitor　in　your　bosoms；　one　who　plots　to　deliver　you　to
the　French。　Lift　no　hand　on　his　behalf；　lest　on　you　also　should　fall
the　vengeance　of　the　King；　who　has　issued　his　commands　to　all　his
officers　and　people；　to　seize　Acour　living　or　dead。〃

Now　a　silence　fell　upon　the　place；　for　none　liked　this　talk　of　the
King's　warrant；　and　in　the　midst　of　it　Hugh　asked：

〃Do　you　yield；　Sir　Edmund　Acour；　or　must　we　and　the　burgesses　of
Dunwich　who　gather　without　seize　you　and　your　people？〃

Acour　turned　and　began　to　talk　rapidly　with　the　priest　Nicholas；　while
the　congregation　stared　at　each　other。　Then　Sir　John　Clavering；　who
all　this　while　had　been　listening　like　a　man　in　a　dream；　suddenly
stepped　forward。

〃Hugh　de　Cressi；〃　he　said；　〃tell　me；　does　the　King's　writ　run　against
John　Clavering？〃

〃Nay；〃　answered　Hugh；　〃I　told　his　Grace　that　you　were　an　honest　man
deceived　by　a　knave。〃

〃Then　what　do　you；　slayer　of　my　son；　in　my　house？　Know　that　I　have
just　married　my　daughter　to　this　knight　whom　you　name　traitor；　and
that　I　here　defend　him　to　the　last　who　is　now　my　kin。　Begone　and　seek
elsewhere；　or　stay　and　die。〃

〃How　have　you　married　her？〃　asked　Hugh　in　a　hollow　voice。　〃Not　of　her
own　will；　surely？　Rise；　Eve；　and　tell　us　the　truth。〃

Eve　stirred。　Resting　her　hands　upon　the　altar　rails；　slowly　she　raised
herself　to　her　feet　and　turned　her　white　face　toward　him。

〃Who　spoke？〃　she　said。　〃Was　it　Hugh　that　Acour　swore　is　dead？　Oh！
where　am　I？　Hugh；　Hugh；　what　passes？〃

〃Your　honour；　it　seems；　Eve。　They　say　you　are　married　to　this
traitor。〃

〃I　married；　and　in　this　red　robe！　Why；　that　betokens　blood；　as　blood
there　must　be　if　I　am　wed　to　any　man　save　you；〃　and　she　laughed；　a
dreadful　laugh。

〃In　the　name　of　Christ；〃　thundered　old　Sir　Andrew；　〃tell　me；　John
Clavering；　what　means　this　play？　Yonder　woman　is　no　willing　wife。
She's　drugged　or　mad。　Man；　have　you　doctored　your　own　daughter？〃

〃Doctored　my　daughter？　I！　I！　Were　you　not　a　priest　I'd　tear　out　your
tongue　for　those　words。　She's　married　and　of　her　own　will。　Else　would
she　have　stood　silent　at　this　altar？〃

〃It　shall　be　inquired　of　later；〃　Hugh　answered　coldly。　〃Now　yield　you；
Sir　Edmund　Acour；　the　King's　business　comes　first。〃

〃Nay；〃　shouted　Clavering；　springing　forward　and　drawing　his　sword；　〃in
my　house　my　business　comes　first。　Acour　is　my　daughter's　husband　and
so　shall　stay　till　death　or　Pope　part　them。　Out　of　this；　Hugh　de
Cressi；　with　all　your　accursed　chapman　tribe。〃

Hugh　walked　toward　Acour；　taking　no　heed。　Then　suddenly　Sir　John
lifted　his　sword　and　smote　with　all　his　strength。　The　blow　caught　Hugh
on　the　skull　and　down　he　fell；　his　mail　clattering　on　the　stones；　and
lay　still。　With　a　whine　of　rage；　Grey　Dick　leapt　at　Clavering；　drawing
from　his　side　the　archer's　axe　he　always　wore。　But　old　Sir　Andrew
caught　and　held　him　in　his　arms。

〃Vengeance　is　God's；　not　ours；〃　he　said。　〃Look！〃

As　he　spoke　Sir　John　began　to　sway　to　and　fro。　He　let　fall　his
murdering　sword；　he　pressed　his　hands　upon　his　heart；　he　threw　them
high。　Then　suddenly　his　knees　gave　beneath　him；　he　sank　to　the　floor　a
huddled　heap　and　sat　there；　resting　against　the　altar　rail　over　which
his　head　hung　backward；　open　mouthed　and　eyed。

The　last　light　of　the　sky　went　out；　only　that　of　the　tapers　remained。
Eve；　awake　at　last；　sent　up　shriek　after　shriek；　Sir　Andrew　bending
over　the　two　fallen　men；　the　murderer　and　the　murdered；　began　to
shrive　them　swiftly　ere　the　last　beat　of　life　should　have　left　their
pulses。　His　father；　brothers；　and　Grey　Dick　clustered　round　Hugh　and
lifted　him。　The　fox…faced　priest；　Nicholas；　whispered　quick　words　into
the　ears　of　Acour　and　his　knights。　Acour　nodded　and　took　a　step　toward
Eve；　who　just　then　fell　swooning　and　was　grasped　by　Grey　Dick　with　his
left　hand；　for　in　his　right　he　still　held　the　axe。

〃No；　no；〃　hissed　Nicholas；　dragging　Sir　Edmund　back；　〃life　is　more
than　any　woman。〃　Then　some　one　overset　the　tapers；　so　that　the　place
was　plunged　in　gloom；　and　through　it　none　saw　Acour　and　his　train
creep　out　by　the　chancel　door　and　hurry　to　their　horses；　which　waited
saddled　in　the　inner　yard。

The　frightened　congregation　fled　from　the　nave　with　white　faces；　each
seeking　his　own　place；　or　any　other　that　was　far　from　Blythburgh
Manor。　For　did　not　their　dead　master's　guilt　cling　to　them；　and　would
they　not　also　be　held　guilty　of　the　murder　of　the　King's　officer；　and
swing　for　it　from　the　gallows？　So　it　came　about　that　when　at　last
lights　were　brought　Hugh's　people　found　themselves　alone。

〃The　Frenchmen　have　fled！〃　cried　Grey　Dick。　〃Follow　me；　men；〃　and　with
most　of　them　he　ran　out　and　began　to　search　the　manor；　till　at　length
they　found　a　woman　who　told　them　that　thirty　minutes　gone　Acour　and
all　his　following　had　ridden　through　the　back　gates　and　vanished　at
full　gallop　into　the　darkness　of　the　woods。

With　these　tidings；　Dick　returned　to　the　chapel。

〃Master　de　Cressi；〃　said　Sir　Andrew　when　he　had　heard　it；　〃back　with
some　of　your　people　to　Dunwich　and　raise　the　burgesses；　warning　them
that　the　King's　wrath　will　be　great　if　these　traitors　escape　the　land。
Send　swift　messengers　to　all　the　ports；　discover　where　Acour　rides　and
follow　him　in　force　and　if　you　come　up　with　him；　take　him　dead　or
living。　Stop　not　to　talk；　man；　begone！　Nay；　bide　here；　Richard；　and
those　who　rode　with　you　to　London；　for　Acour　may　return　again　and　some
must　be　left　to　guard　the　lady　Eve　and　your　master；　quick　or　dead。〃

De　Cressi；　his　two　sons　and　servants　went；　and　presently　were　riding
for　Dunwich　faster　than　ever　they　rode　before。　But；　as　it　proved；
Acour　was　too　swift　for　them。　When　at　length　a　messenger　galloped　into
Lynn；　whither　they　learned　that　he　had　fled；　it　was　to　find　that　his
ship；　which　awaited　him　with　sails　hoisted；　had　cleared　the　port　three
hours　before；　with　a　wind　behind　her　which　blew　straight　for　Flanders。

〃Ah！〃　said　Grey　Dick　when　he　heard　the　news；　〃this　is　what　comes　of
wasting　arrows　upon　targets　which　should　have　been　saved　for　traitors'
hearts！　With　those　three　hours　of　daylight　in　hand　we'd　have　ringed
the　rogues　in　or　run　them　down。　Well；　the　devil's　will　be　done；　he
does　but　spare　his　own　till　a　better　day。〃

But　when　the　King　heard　the　news　he　was　very　wroth；　not　with　Hugh　de
Cressi；　but　with　the　burgesses　of　Dunwich；　whose　Mayor；　although　he
was　blameless；　lost　his　office　over　the　matter。　Nor　was　there　any
other　chosen　afterward　in　his　place；　as　those　who　read　the　records　of
that　ancient　port　may　discover　for　themselves。



When　Master　de　Cressi　and　his　people　were　gone；　having