red eve-第3节

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already　has　no　bottom；　and　if　he　refused；　we　would　take　one；　for　the
captain　is　my　friend。　And　I　have　some　little　store　set　by；　it　came　to
me　from　my　mother。〃

〃You　ask　much；〃　she　said；　〃all　a　woman　has；　my　life；　perchance；　as
well。　Yet　there　it　is；　I'll　go　because　I'm　a　fool；　Hugh；　and；　as　it
chances；　you　are　more　to　me　than　aught；　and　I　hate　this　fine　French
lord。　I　tell　you　I　sicken　at　his　glance　and　shiver　when　he　touches　me。
Why；　if　he　came　too　near　I　should　murder　him　and　be　hanged。　I'll　go；
though　God　alone　knows　the　end　of　it。〃

〃Our　purpose　being　honest；　the　end　will　be　good；　Eve；　though　perhaps
before　all　is　done　we　may　often　think　it　evil。　And　now　let's　away；
though　I　wish　that　you　were　dressed　in　another　colour。〃

〃Red　Eve　they　name　me；　and　red　is　my　badge；　because　it　suits　my　dark
face　best。　Cavil　not　at　my　robe；　Hugh；　for　it　is　the　only　dowry　you
will　get　with　Eve　Clavering。　How　shall　we　go？　By　the　Walberswick
ferry？　You　have　no　horses。〃

〃Nay；　but　I　have　a　skiff　hidden　in　the　reeds　five　miles　furlongs　off。
We　must　keep　to　the　heath　above　Walberswick；　for　there　they　might　know
your　red　cloak　even　after　dark；　and　I　would　not　have　you　seen　till　we
are　safe　with　Sir　Arnold　in　the　Preceptory。　Mother　of　Heaven！　what　is
that？〃

〃A　peewit；　no　more；〃　she　answered　indifferently。

〃Nay；　it　is　my　man　Dick；　calling　like　a　peewit。　That　is　his　sign　when
trouble　is　afoot。　Ah；　here　he　comes。〃

As　he　spoke　a　tall；　gaunt　man　appeared；　advancing　towards　them。　His
gait　was　a　shambling　trot　that　seemed　slow；　although；　in　truth；　he　was
covering　the　ground　with　extraordinary　swiftness。　Moreover；　he　moved
so　silently　that　even　on　the　frost…held　soil　his　step　could　not　be
heard；　and　so　carefully　that　not　a　reed　stirred　as　he　threaded　in　and
out　among　their　clumps　like　an　otter；　his　head　crouched　down　and　his
long　bow　pointed　before　him　as　though　it　were　a　spear。　Half　a　minute
more；　and　he　was　before　thema　very　strange　man　to　see。　His　years
were　not　so　many；　thirty　perhaps；　and　yet　his　face　looked　quite　old
because　of　its　lack　of　colouring；　its　thinness；　and　the　hard　lines
that　marked　where　the　muscles　ran　down　to　the　tight；　straight　mouth
and　up　to　the　big　forehead；　over　which　hung　hair　so　light　that　at　a
little　distance　he　seemed　ashen…grey。　Only　in　this　cold；　rocky　face；
set　very　far　apart；　were　two　pale…blue　eyes；　which　just　now；　when　he
chose　to　lift　their　lids　that　generally　kept　near　together；　as　though
he　were　half　asleep；　were　full　of　fire　and　quick　cunning。

Reaching　the　pair；　this　strange　fellow　dropped　to　his　knee　and　raised
his　cap　to　Eve；　the　great　lady　of　the　ClaveringsRed　Eve；　as　they
called　her　through　that　country…side。　Then　he　spoke；　in　a　low；　husky
voice：

〃They're　coming；　master！　You　and　your　mistress　must　to　earth　unless
you　mean　to　face　them　in　the　open；〃　and　the　pale　eyes　glittered　as　he
tapped　his　great　black　bow。

〃Who　are　coming；　Dick？　Be　plain；　man！〃

〃Sir　John　Clavering；　my　lady's　father；　young　John；　my　lady's　brother；
the　fine　French　lord　who　wears　a　white　swan　for　a　crest；　three　of　the
nights；　his　companions；　and　sixno　sevenmen…at…arms。　Also　from　the
other　side　of　the　grieve；　Thomas　of　Kessland；　and　with　him　his　marsh
men　and　verderers。〃

〃And　what　are　they　coming　for？〃　he　asked　again。　〃Have　they　hounds；　and
hawk　on　wrist？〃

〃Nay；　but　they　have　swords　and　knife　on　thigh；〃　and　he　let　his　pale
eyes　fall　on　Eve。

〃Oh；　have　done！〃　she　broke　in。　〃They　come　to　take　me；　and　I'll　not　be
taken！　They　come　to　kill　you；　and　I'll　not　see　you　slain　and　live。　I
had　words　with　my　father　this　morning　about　the　Frenchman　and；　I　fear；
let　out　the　truth。　He　told　me　then　that　ere　the　Dunwich　roses　bloomed
again　she　who　loved　you　would　have　naught　but　bones　to　kiss。　Dick；　you
know　the　fen；　where　can　we　hide　till　nightfall？〃

〃Follow　me；〃　said　the　man；　〃and　keep　low！〃

Plunging　into　the　dense　brake　of　reeds；　through　which　he　glided　like　a
polecat；　Dick　led　them　over　ground　whereon；　save　in　times　of　hard
frost；　no　man　could　tread；　heading　toward　the　river　bank。　For　two
hundred　paces　or　more　they　went　thus；　till；　quite　near　to　the　lip　of
the　stream；　they　came　to　a　patch　of　reeds　higher　and　thicker　than　the
rest；　in　the　centre　of　which　was　a　little　mound　hid　in　a　tangle　of
scrub　and　rushes。　Once；　perhaps　a　hundred　or　a　thousand　years　before；
some　old　marsh　dweller　had　lived　upon　this　mound；　or　been　buried　in
it。　At　any　rate；　on　its　southern　side；　hidden　by　reeds　and　a　withered
willow；　was　a　cavity　of　which　the　mouth　could　not　be　seen　that　might
have　been　a　chamber　for　the　living　or　the　dead。

Thrusting　aside　the　growths　that　masked　it；　Dick　bade　them　enter　and
lie　still。

〃None　will　find　us　here；〃　he　said　as　he　lifted　up　the　reeds　behind
them；　〃unless　they　chance　to　have　hounds；　which　I　did　not　see。　Hist！
be　still；　they　come！〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　II

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FIGHT　BY　THE　RIVER

For　a　while　Hugh　and　Eve　heard　nothing；　but　Grey　Dick's　ears　were
sharper　than　theirs；　quick　as　these　might　be。　About　half　a　minute
later；　however；　they　caught　the　sound　of　horses'　hoofs　ringing　on　the
hard　earth；　followed　by　that　of　voices　and　the　crackle　of　breaking
reeds。

Two　of　the　speakers　appeared　and　pulled　up　their　horses　near　by　in　a
dry　hollow　that　lay　between　them　and　the　river　bank。　Peeping　between
the　reeds　that　grew　about　the　mouth　of　the　earth…dwelling；　Eve　saw
them。

〃My　father　and　the　Frenchman；〃　she　whispered。　〃Look！〃　And　she　slid
back　a　little　so　that　Hugh　might　see。

Peering　through　the　stems　of　the　undergrowth；　set　as　it　were　in　a
little　frame　against　the　red　and　ominous　sky；　the　eyes　of　Hugh　de
Cressi　fell　upon　Sir　Edmund　Acour；　a　gallant；　even　a　splendid…looking
knightthat　was　his　first　impression　of　him。　Broad　shouldered；
graceful；　in　age　neither　young　nor　old；　clean　featured；　quick　eyed；
with　a　mobile　mouth　and　a　little；　square…cut　beard；　soft　and　languid
voiced；　black　haired；　richly　dressed　in　a　fur　robe；　and　mounted　on　a
fine　black　horse；　such　was　the　man。

Staring　at　Acour；　and　remembering　that　he；　too；　loved　Red　Eve；　Hugh
grew　suddenly　ashamed。　How　could　a　mere　merchant　compare　himself　with
this　magnificent　lord；　this　high…bred；　many…titled　favourite　of　courts
and　of　fortune？　How　could　he　rival　him；　he　who　had　never　yet　travelled
a　hundred　miles　from　the　place　where　he　was　born；　save　once；　when　he
sailed　on　a　trading　voyage　to　Calais？　As　well　might　a　hooded　crow　try
to　match　a　peregrine　that　swooped　to　snatch　away　the　dove　from　beneath
its　claws。　Yes；　he；　Hugh；　was　the　grey　crow；　Eve　was　the　dove　whom　he
had　captured；　and　yonder　shifty…eyed　Count　was　the　fleet；　fierce
peregrine　who　soon　would　tear　out　his　heart　and　bear　the　quarry　far
away。　Hugh　shivered　a　little　as　the　thought　struck　him；　not　with　fear
for　himself；　but　at　the　dread　of　that　great　and　close　bereavement。

The　girl　at　his　side　felt　the　shiver；　and　her　mind；　quickened　by　love
and　peril；　guessed　its　purport。　She　said　nothing；　for　words　were
dangerous；　only　turning　her　beautiful　face　she　pressed　her　lips　upon
her　lover's　hand。　It　was　her　message　to　him；　thereby；　as　he　knew　well；
humble　as　he　might　be；　she　acknowledged　him　her　lord　forever。　I　am
with　you；　said　that　kiss。　Have　no　fear；　in　life　or　in　death　none　shall
divide　us。　He　looked　at　her　with　grateful　eyes；　and　would　have　spoken
had　she　not　placed　her　hand　upon　his　mouth　and　pointed。

Acour　was　speaking　in　English；　which　he　used　with　a　strong　French
accent。

〃Well；　we　do　not　find　your　beautiful　runaway；　Sir　John；〃　he　said；　in　a
clear　and　cultivated　voice；　〃and　although　I　am　not　vain；　for　my　part　I
cannot　believe　that　she　has　come　to　such　a　place　as　this　to　meet　a
merchant's　clerk；　she　who　should　company　with　kings。〃

〃Yet　I　fear　it　is　so；　Sir　Edmund；〃　answered　Sir　John　Clavering；　a
stout；　dark　man　of　middle　age。　〃This　girl　of　mine　is　very　heady；　as　I
give　warning　you　will　find　out　when　she　is　your　wife。　For　years　she
has　set　her　fancy　upon　Hugh　de　Cressi；　yes；　since　they　were　boy　and
girl　together；　as　I　think；　and　while　he　lives　I　doubt　she'll　never
change　it。〃

〃While　he　livesthen　why　should　he　continue　to　live；　Sir　John？〃　asked
the　Count　indifferently。　〃Surely　the　world　will　not　miss　a　chapman's
son！〃

〃The　de　Cressis　are　my　kin；　although　I　hate　them；　Sir　Edmund。　Also
they　are　rich　and　powerful；　and　have　many　friends　in　high　places。　If
this　young　man　died　by　my　command　it　would　start　a　blood　feud　of　which
none　can　tell　the　end；　for；　after　all；　he　is　nobly　born。〃

〃Then；　Sir　John；　he　shall　die　by　mine。　No；　not　at　my　own　hands；　since
I　do　not　fight　with　traders。　But　I　have　those　about　me　who　are　pretty
swordsmen　and　know　how　to　pick　a　quarrel。　Before　a　week　is　out　there
will　be　a　funeral　in　Dunwich。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　your　men；　and　do　not　want　to　hear　of　their
quarrels；　past　or　future；〃　said　Sir　John　testily。

〃Of　course　not；〃　answered　the　Count。　〃I　pray　you；　forget　my　words。
Name　of　God！　what　an　accursed　and　ill…omened　spot　is　this。　I　feel　as
though　I　were　standing　by　my　own　graveit　came　upon　me　suddenly。〃　And
he　shivered　and　turned　pale。

Dick　lifted　his　bow；　but　Hugh　knocked　the　arrow　aside　ere　he　c