red eve-第37节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Then　of　a　sudden　a　meteor　blazed　out　in　the　sky；　such　a　meteor　as　no
living　man　had　ever　seen　in　Venice；　for　the　size　of　it　was　that　of　the
sun。　It　seemed　to　rise　out　of　the　ocean　to　the　east　and　to　travel　very
slowly　across　the　whole　arc　of　the　firmament　till　at　last　it　burst
with　a　terrible　noise　over　the　city　and　vanished。　While　it　shone；　the
light　it　gave　was　that　of　mid…day；　only　pale　blue　in　colour；　turning
all　it　touched　to　a　livid　and　unnatural　white。

It　showed　the　placid　sea　and　fish　leaping　on　its　silver　face　half…a…
mile　or　more　away。　It　showed　the　distant　land　with　every　rock　and
house　and　bush。　It　showed　the　wharf　and　the　watchers　on　it；　among　them
Hugh　noted　a　man　embracing　his　sweetheart；　as　he　thought　under　cover
of　the　cloud。　But　most　of　all　it　showed　that　galley　down　to　her　last
rope　and　even　the　lines　of　caulking　on　her　deck。　Oh；　and　now　they　saw
the　rowers；　for　they　lay　in　heaps　about　the　oars。　Some　of　them　even
hung　over　these　limply；　moving　to　and　fro　as　they　swung；　while　others
were　stretched　upon　the　benches　as　though　they　slept。　They　were　dead
all　dead；　the　wind　following　the　meteor　and　blowing　straight　on　shore
told　them　that　they　were　certainly　all　dead。　Three　hundred　men　and
more　upon　that　great　ship；　and　all　dead！

Nay；　not　all；　for　now　on　the　high　poop　stood　a　single　figure　who
seemed　to　wear　a　strange　red　head…dress；　and　about　his　shoulders　a
black　robe。　Straight　and　silent　he　stood；　a　very　fearful　figure；　and
in　his　hand　a　coil　of　rope。　The　sight　of　him　sent　those　watchers　mad。
They　ceased　from　their　whisperings；　they　raved　aloud。

〃It　is　Satan！〃　they　shouted；　〃Satan；　who　comes　to　drag　the　folk　of
Venice　down　to　hell。　Kill　him　ere　he　lands。　Kill　him！〃

Even　Grey　Dick　went　mad　like　a　dog　when　he　meets　a　ghost。　His　pale
hair　rose　upon　his　head；　his　cold；　quiet　eyes　started。　He　set　an　arrow
on　the　string　of　the　black　bow；　drew　it　to　his　ear　and　loosed　at　the
figure　on　the　poop。　But　that　arrow　never　left　the　string；　it　shattered
to　flinders　where　it　was　and　fell　tinkling　to　the　marble　floor。　Only
the　barb　of　it　turned　and　wounded　Grey　Dick　in　the　chin；　yes；　and
stuck　there　for　a　while；　for　his　right　arm　was　numbed　so　that　he　could
not　lift　his　hand　to　pull　it　forth。

〃Truly；　I　have　shot　at　the　Fiend　and　hit　that　at　which　I　did　not　aim；〃
muttered　Grey　Dick；　and　sat　himself　down　on　a　post　of　the　quay　to
consider　the　matter。　Only；　as　it　seemed　to　him；　he　who　stood　on　the
poop　of　the　ship　not　ten　yards　away　smiled　a　little。

Unheeding　of　the　clamour；　this　man　upon　the　poop　suddenly　lifted　the
coil　of　rope　and　threw　it　shoreward。　It　was　a　thick　and　heavy　rope；
with　a　noose　at　its　end；　so　heavy　that　none　would　have　believed　that
one　mortal　could　handle　it。　Yet　it　shot　from　him　till　it　stood　out
stiff　as　an　iron　bar。　Yes；　and　the　noose　fell　over　one　of　the　stone
posts　on　the　quay；　and　caught　there。　Now　the　rope　grew　straighter
still；　stretching　and　groaning　like　a　thing　in　pain　as　it　took　the
weight　of　the　great；　drifting　ship。　She　stayed；　she　swung　round　slowly
and　ranged　herself　broadside　on　against　the　quay　as　a　berthed　ship
does。　Then　down　the　ladder　on　her　side　came　the　Man。　Deliberately　he
set　his　white…sandalled　feet　upon　the　quay；　advanced　a　few　paces　into
the　full　light　of　the　bright　moon　and　stood　still　as　though　to　suffer
himself　to　be　seen　of　every　eye。

Truly　he　was　worth　the　seeing。　Hugh　noted　his　garments　first；　and
particularly　the　head…dress；　which　caught　his　glance　and　held　it；　for
never　had　he　known　such　a　one　before。　It　was　a　cap　fitting　tight　to
the　skull；　only　running　across　the　crown　of　it　was　a　stiff　raised
ridge；　of　leather　perhaps；　jagged　and　pointed　something　like　the　comb
of　a　cock。　This　comb；　of　brilliant　red；　was　surmounted　at　its　highest
point　by　a　ball　of　black　of　the　size　of　a　small　apple。　The　cap　itself
was　yellow；　except　its　lowest　band；　which　stood　out　from　it　and　was
also　black。　In　the　centre　of　this　band　upon　the　forehead　glowed　a
stone　like　a　ruby。

Such　was　the　head…dress。　The　broad　shoulders　beneath　were　covered　with
a　cape　of　long　and　glossy　fur　blacker　than　coal；　on　to　either　shoulder
of　which　drooped　ear…rings　made　of　rings　of　green　stone　which
afterward　Hugh　came　to　know　was　jade。　The　cape　of　fur；　which　hung　down
to　the　knees　and　was　set　over　a　kind　of　surplice　of　yellow　silk；　was
open　in　front；　revealing　its　wearer's　naked　bosom　that　was　clothed
only　with　row　upon　row　of　round　gems　of　the　size　of　a　hazel　nut。　These
like　the　fur　were　black；　but　shone　with　a　strange　and　lustrous　sheen。
The　man's　thick　arms　were　naked；　but　on　his　hands　he　wore　white
leather　gloves　made　without　division　like　a　sock；　as　though　to　match
the　white　sandals　on　his　feet。

This　was　the　Man's　attire。　Now　for　him　who　wore　it。　He　was　tall；　but
not　taller　than　are　many　other　men；　he　was　broad；　but　not　broader　than
many　other　men；　and　yet　he　looked　stronger　than　all　the　men　in　the
world。　On　his　brow；　which　was　prominent；　smooth　black　hair　parted　in
the　middle　was　plastered　back　as　that　of　women　sometimes　is；　making
hard　lines　against　the　yellow　skin　below。　He　had　very　thin　eyebrows
that　ran　upward　on　either　side　of　a　bow…shaped　wrinkle　in　the　centre
of　his　forehead。　The　eyes　beneath　were　small　and　palepaler　even　than
those　of　Grey　Dickyet　their　glance　was　like　the　points　of　thrusting
swords。　With　those　little　eyes　alone　he　seemed　to　smile；　for　the　rest
of　his　countenance　did　not　move。　The　nose　was　long　and　broad　at　the
end　with　wide　spreading　nostrils　and　a　deep　furrow　on　either　side。　The
mouth　was　thin…lipped　and　turned　downward　at　the　corners；　and　the　chin
was　like　a　piece　of　iron；　quite　hairless；　and　lean　as　that　of　a　man
long　dead。

There　he　stood　like　some　wild　vision　of　a　dream；　smiling　with　those
small　unblinking　eyes　that　seemed　to　take　in　all　present　one　by　one。
There　he　stood　in　the　moonlit　silence；　for　the　mob　was　quiet　enough
now　for　a　little　while；　that　yet　was　not　silence　because　of　a　soughing
noise　which　seemed　to　proceed　from　the　air　about　his　head。

Then　suddenly　the　tumult　broke　out　again　with　its　cries　of　〃Kill　the
devil！　Tear　the　wizard　to　pieces！　Death　is　behind　him！　He　brings
death！　Kill；　kill；　kill！〃

A　score　of　knives　flashed　in　the　air；　only　this　time　Grey　Dick　set　no
arrow　on　his　string。　Their　holders　ran　forward；　then　the　Man　lifted
his　hand；　in　which　was　no　weapon；　and　they　stopped。

Now　he　spoke　in　a　low　voice　so　cold　that；　to　Hugh's　excited　fancy；　the
words　seemed　to　tinkle　like　falling　ice　as　one　by　one　they　came　from
his　lips。　He　spoke　in　Italianperfect　Italian　of　Veniceand　young
Day；　whose　teeth　where　chattering　with　fear；　translated　his　words。

〃Is　this　your　welcome　to　a　stranger；〃　he　said；　〃the　companions　of
whose　voyage　have　unhappily　met　with　misfortune？〃　Here　with　a　faint
motion　of　his　fingerless　glove　he　indicated　the　dead　who　lay　all　about
the　decks　of　that　fatal　ship。　〃Would　you；　men　of　Venice；　kill　a　poor；
unarmed　stranger　who　has　travelled　to　visit　you　from　the　farthest　East
and　seen　much　sorrow　on　his　way？〃

〃Ay；　we　would；　sorcerer！〃　shouted　one。　〃Our　brothers　were　in　that
ship；　which　we　know；　and　you　have　murdered　them。〃

〃How　did　you　learn　Italian　in　the　farthest　East？〃　asked　another。

Then　for　the　second　time；　like　hounds　closing　in　on　a　stag　at　bay；
they　sprang　toward　him　with　their　poised　knives。

Again　he　lifted　his　hand；　again　the　semi…circle　halted　as　though　it
must；　and　again　he　spoke。

〃Are　there　none　here　who　will　befriend　a　stranger　in　a　strange　land？
None　who　are　ashamed　to　see　a　poor；　unarmed　stranger　from　the　East
done　to　death　by　these　wolves　who　call　themselves　children　of　the
white　Christ　of　Mercy？〃

Now　Hugh　touched　Dick　upon　the　shoulder。

〃Rise　and　come；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　our　fate〃；　and　Dick　obeyed。

Only　after　he　had　translated　the　Man's　words；　David　fell　down　flat
upon　the　quay　and　lay　there。

They　stepped　to　the　yellow…capped　Man　and　stood　on　each　side　of　him；
Hugh　drawing　his　sword　and　Dick　the　battle…axe　that　he　carried　beneath
his　robe　of　silk。

〃We　will；〃　said　Hugh　shortly；　in　English。

〃Now　there　are　three　of　us；〃　went　on　the　Man。　〃The　stranger　from　the
East　has　found　defenders　from　the　West。　On；　defenders；　for　I　do　not
fight　thus；〃　and　he　folded　his　arms　across　his　broad　breast　and　smiled
with　the　awful　eyes。

Hugh　and　Dick　knew　no　Italian；　yet　they　both　of　them　understood；　and
with　a　shout　leaped　forward　toward　those　hungry　knives。　But　their
holders　never　waited　for　them。　Some　sudden　panic　seized　them　all；　so
that　they　turned　and　ranran　straight　across　the　wide　Place　of　Arms
and　vanished　into　the　network　of　narrow　streets　by　which　it　was
surrounded。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIII

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MURGH'S　ARROW

Hugh　and　Dick　came　back。　Something　seemed　to　call　them　back；　although
no　blow　had　been　struck。　The　Man　stood　where　they　had　left　him；
staring　at　nothing　in　particular。　Apparently　he　was　engaged　in
meditation。

〃Thanking　his　gods　because　they　have　saved　him　from　sudden　death；〃
muttered　Grey　Dick。　〃If　he's　got　any　gods！〃　he　added　doubtfully。

Now　the　three；　or　rather　the　four　of　them；　for　David　Day　had
recovered；　and　once　m