red eve-第30节

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it　desolate。〃

〃And　what　think　folk　of　such　talk；　father？〃

〃Indeed；　son；　they　know　not　what　to　think。　Most　say　that　he　is　mad；
others　say　that　he　is　inspired　of　God。　Yet　others　declare　that　he　is　a
wizard　and　that　his　familiar　brings　him　tidings　from　Cathay；　where
once　he　dwelt；　or　perchance；　from　hell　itself。　These　went　to　the
bishop；　who　summoned　Sir　Andrew　and　was　closeted　with　him　for　three
hours。　Afterward　he　called　in　the　complainers　and　bade　them　cease
their　scandal　of　wizardry；　since　he　was　sure　that　what　the　holy　Father
said　came　from　above　and　not　from　below。　He　added　that　they　would　do
well　to　mend　their　lives　and　prepare　to　render　their　account；　as　for
his　part　he　should　also；　since　the　air　was　thick　with　doom。　Then　he
gave　his　benediction　to　the　old　knight　and　turned　away　weeping；　and
since　that　hour　none　talk　of　wizardry　but　all　of　judgment。　Men　in
Dunwich　who　have　quarrelled　from　boyhood；　forgive　each　other　and　sing
psalms　instead　of　swearing　oaths；　and　I　have　been　paid　debts　that　have
been　owing　to　me　for　years；　all　because　of　these　sermons。〃

〃An　awesome　tale；　truly；〃　said　Hugh。　〃Yet　like　this　bishop　I　believe
that　what　Sir　Andrew　says　will　come　to　pass；　for　I　know　well　that　he
is　not　as　other　men　are。〃

That　night；　by　special　leave；　Hugh　waited　on　the　King；　and　with　him
Grey　Dick；　who　was　ever　his　shadow。

〃What　is　it　now；　Sir　Hugh　de　Cressi？〃　asked　Edward。

〃Sire；　after　the　great　battle；　nigh　upon　a　year　ago；　you　told　me　that
I　must　serve　you　till　Calais　fell。　I　have　served　as　best　I　could　and
Calais　has　fallen。　Now　I　ask　your　leave　to　go　seek　my　enemyand　yours
Sir　Edmund　Acour；　Count　de　Noyon。〃

〃Then　you　must　go　far；　Sir　Hugh；　for　I　have　tidings　that　this　rogue
who　was　not　ashamed　to　wear　another　man's　armour；　and　so　save　himself
from　your　sword；　is　away　to　Italy　this　six　months　gone；　where；　as　the
Seigneur　de　Cattrina；　he　has　estates　near　Venice。　But　tell　me　how
things　stand。　Doubtless　that　Red　Eve　of　yoursstrangely　enough　I
thought　of　her　at　Crecy　when　the　sky　grew　so　wondrous　at　nightfallis
at　the　bottom　of　them。〃

〃That　is　so；　Sire；〃　and　he　told　him　all　the　tale。

〃A　strange　case　truly；　Sir　Hugh；〃　said　the　King　when　he　had　heard　it
out。　〃I'll　write　to　Clement　for　you　both；　but　I　doubt　me　whether　you
and　your　Eve　will　get　justice　from　him；　being　English。　England　and
Englishmen　find　little　favour　at　Avignon　just　now；　and　mayhap　Philip
has　already　written　on　behalf　of　de　Noyon。　At　the　best　His　Holiness
will　shear　you　close　and　keep　you　waiting　while　he　weighs　the　wool。
No；　Red　Eve　is　right：　this　is　a　knot　soonest　severed　by　the　sword。　If
you　should　find　him；　de　Noyon　could　scarce　refuse　to　meet　you；　for　you
shall　fight　him　as　the　champion　of　our　cause　as　well　as　of　your　own。
He's　at　Venice；　for　our　Envoy　there　reported　it　to　me；　trying　to　raise
a　fresh　force　of　archers　for　the　French。

〃You　have　leave　to　go；　Sir　Hugh；　who　deserve　much　more；　having　served
us　well；〃　went　on　the　King。　〃We'll　give　you　letters　to　Sir　Geoffrey
Carleon；　who　represents　us　there；　and　through　him　to　the　Doge。
Farewell　to　you；　Sir　Hugh　de　Cressi；　and　to　you；　Captain　Richard　the
Archer。　When　all　this　game　is　played；　return　and　make　report　to　us　of
your　adventures；　and　of　how　de　Noyon　died。　The　Queen　will　love　to　hear
the　tale；　and　your　nuptials　and　Red　Eve's　shall　be　celebrated　at
Westminster　in　our　presence；　for　you　have　earned　no　less。　Master
Secretary；　get　your　tools；　I　will　dictate　the　letters。　After　they　are
signed　to…morrow；　see　them　into　the　hands　of　Sir　Hugh；　with　others
that　I　will　give　him　for　safe　carriage；　for　alas　I　have　creditors　at
Venice。　Make　out　an　open　patent　also　to　show　that　he　and　this　captain
travel　as　our　messengers；　charging　all　that　do　us　service　to　forward
them　upon　their　journey。〃



Three　days　later　Hugh　and　Grey　Dick；　in　the　character　of　royal
messengers　from　the　King　of　England　to　the　Doge　of　Venice；　took
passage　in　a　great　vessel　bound　for　Genoa　with　a　cargo　of　wool　and
other　goods。　On　board　this　ship　before　he　sailed　Hugh　handed　to　his
father　letters　for　Eve　and　for　Sir　Andrew　Arnold。　Also　he　received
from　him　money　in　plenty　for　his　faring；　and　bills　of　exchange　upon
certain　merchants　of　Italy；　which　would　bring　him　more　should　it　be
needed。

Their　parting　was　very　sad；　since　the　prophecies　of　Sir　Andrew　had
taken　no　small　hold　upon　Master　de　Cressi's　mind。

〃I　fear　me　greatly；　dear　son；〃　he　said；　〃that　we　part　to　meet　no　more。
Well；　such　is　the　lot　of　parents。　They　breed　those　children　that
heaven　decrees　to　them；　with　toil　and　thought　and　fears　they　rear　them
up　from　infancy；　learning　to　love　them　more　than　their　own　souls；　for
their　sakes　fighting　a　hard　world。　Then　the　sons　go　forth；　north　and
south；　and　the　daughters　find　husbands　and　joys　and　sorrows　of　their
own；　and　both　half　forget　them；　as　is　nature's　way。　Last　of　all　those
parents　die；　as　also　is　nature's　way；　and　the　half　forgetfulness
becomes　whole　as　surely　as　the　young　moon　grows　to　full。　Well；　well；
this　is　a　lesson　that　each　generation　must　learn　in　turn；　as　you　will
know　ere　all　is　done。　Although　you　are　my　youngest；　I'll　not　shame　to
say　I　have　loved　you　best　of　all；　Hugh。　Moreover；　I've　made　such
provision　as　I　can　for　you；　who　have　raised　up　the　old　name　to　honour；
and　who；　as　I　hope；　will　once　more　blend　the　de　Cressis　and　the
Claverings；　the　foes　of　three　generations；　into　a　single　House。〃

〃Speak　not　so；　father；〃　answered　Hugh；　who　was　moved　almost　to　tears。
〃Mayhap　it　is　I　who　shall　die；　while　you　live　on　to　a　green　old　age。
At　least　know　that　I　am　not　forgetful　of　your　love　and　kindness；
seeing　that　after　Eve　you　are　dearer　to　me　than　any　on　the　earth。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　after　Eve　and　Eve's　children。　Still　you'll　have　a　kind
thought　for　me　now　and　then；　the　old　merchant　who　so　often　thwarted
you　when　you　were　a　wayward　ladfor　your　own　good；　as　he　held。　For
what　more　can　a　father　hope？　But　let　us　not　weep　before　all　these
stranger　men。　Farewell；　son　Hugh；　of　whom　I　am　so　proud。　Farewell；　son
Hugh；〃　and　he　embraced　him　and　went　across　the　gangway；　for　the
sailors　were　already　singing　their　chanty　at　the　anchor。

〃I　never　had　a　father　than　I　can　mind；〃　said　Grey　Dick　aloud　to
himself；　after　his　fashion；　〃yet　now　I　wish　I　had；　for　I'd　like　to
think　on　his　last　words　when　there　was　nothing　else　to　do。　It's　an
ugly　world　as　I　see　it；　but　there's　beauty　in　such　love　as　this。　The
man　for　the　maid　and　the　maid　for　the　manpish！　they　want　each　other。
But　the　father　and　the　motherthey　give　all　and　take　nothing。　Oh；
there's　beauty　in　such　love　as　this；　so　perhaps　God　made　it。　Only；
then；　how　did　He　also　make　Crecy　Field；　and　Calais　siege；　and　my　black
bow；　and　me　the　death　who　draws　it？〃



The　voyage　to　Genoa　was　very　long；　for　at　this　season　of　the　year　the
winds　were　light　and　for　the　most　part　contrary。　At　length；　however；
Hugh　and　Dick　came　there　safe　and　sound。　Having　landed　and　bid
farewell　to　the　captain　and　crew　of　the　ship；　they　waited　on　the　head
of　a　great　trading　house　with　which　Master　de　Cressi　had　dealings。

This　signor；　who　could　speak　French；　gave　them　lodging　and　welcomed
them　well；　both　for　the　sake　of　Hugh's　father　and　because　they　came　as
messengers　from　the　King　of　England。　On　the　morrow　of　their　arrival　he
took　them　to　a　great　lord　in　authority；　who　was　called　a　Duke。　This
Duke；　when　he　learned　that　one　was　a　knight　and　the　other　a　captain
archer　of　the　English　army　and　that　they　both　had　fought　at　Crecy；
where　so　many　of　his　countrymenthe　Genoese　bowmenhad　been　slain；
looked　on　them　somewhat　sourly。

Had　he　known　all　the　part　they　played　in　that　battle；　in　truth　his
welcome　would　have　been　rough。　But　Hugh；　with　the　guile　of　the
serpent；　told　him　that　the　brave　Genoese　had　been　slain；　not　by　the
English　arrows；　for　which　even　with　their　wet　strings　they　were　quite
a　match　（here　Dick；　who　was　standing　to　one　side　grinned　faintly　and
stroked　the　case　of　his　black　bow；　as　though　to　bid　it　keep　its
memories　to　itself）；　but　by　the　cowardly　French；　their　allies。　Indeed
Hugh's　tale　of　that　horrible　and　treacherous　slaughter　was　so　moving
that　the　Duke　burst　into　tears　and　swore　that　he　would　cut　the　throat
of　every　Frenchman　on　whom　he　could　lay　hands。

After　this　he　began　to　extol　the　merits　of　the　cross…bow　as　against
the　long　arm　of　the　English；　and　Hugh　agreed　that　there　was　much　in
what　he　said。　But　Grey　Dick；　who　was　no　courtier；　did　not　agree。
Indeed；　of　a　sudden　he　broke　in；　offering　in　his　bad　French　to　fight
any　cross…bow　man　in　Genoa　at　six　score　yards；　so　that　the　Duke　might
learn　which　was　the　better　weapon。　But　Hugh　trod　on　his　foot　and
explained　that　he　meant　something　quite　different；　being　no　master　of
the　French　tongue。　So　that　cloud　passed　by。

The　end　of　it　was　that　this　Duke；　or　Doge；　whose　name　they　learned　was
Simon　Boccanera；　gave　them　safe　conduct　through　all　his　dominion；　with
an　order　for　relays　of　horses。　Also　he　made　use　of　them　to　take　a
letter　to　the　Doge　of　Venice；　between　which　town　and　Genoa；　although
they　hated　each　other　bitterly；　there　was　at　the　moment　some　kind　of
hollow　truce。　So　having　drunk　a　cup　of　wine　with　him　they　bade　him
farewel