red eve-第40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！


seen　wonderful　things　this　night　and　made　a　strange　friend；　as　you　may
think　by　chance；　although　truly　in　all　the　wide　universe　there　is　no
room　for　such　a　thing　as　chance。　Now　my　counsel　to　you　and　your
companion　is　that　you　speak　no　word　of　these　matters　lest　you　should
be　set　upon　as　wizards。　We　part；　but　we　shall　meet　again　twice　more；
and　after　many　years　a　third　time；　but　that　third　meeting　do　not　seek；
for　it　will　be　when　the　last　grains　of　sand　are　running　from　the
glass。　Also　you　may　see　me　at　other　times；　but　if　so；　unless　I　speak
to　you；　do　not　speak　to　me。　Now　go　your　ways；　fearing　nothing。　However
great　may　seem　your　peril；　I　say　to　youfear　nothing。　Soon　you　will
hear　ill　things　spoken　of　me；　yet〃and　here　a　touch　of　human
wistfulness　came　into　his　inhuman　voice〃I　pray　you　believe　them　not。
When　I　am　named　Murgh　the　Fiend　and　Murgh　the　Sword；　then　think　of　me
as　Murgh　the　Helper。　What　I　do　is　decreed　by　That　which　is　greater
than　I；　and　if　you　could　understand　it；　leads　by　terrible　ways　to　a
goal　of　good；　as　all　things　do。　Richard　the　Archer；　I　will　answer　the
riddle　that　you　asked　yourself　upon　the　ship　at　Calais。　The　Strength
which　made　your　black　bow　an　instrument　of　doom　made　you　who　loose　its
shafts　and　me　who　can　outshoot　you　far。　As　the　arrow　travels　whither
it　is　sent；　and　there　does　its　appointed　work；　so　do　you　travel　and　so
do　I；　and　many　another　thing；　seen　and　unseen；　and　therefore　I　told
you　truly　that　although　we　differ　in　degree；　yet　we　are　one。　Yes；　even
Murgh　the　Eating　Fire；　Murgh　the　Gate；　and　that　bent　wand　of　yours　are
one　in　the　Hand　that　shaped　and　holds　us　both。〃

Then　divesting　himself　of　the　long　robe　which　he　had　borrowed　from　the
lad；　he　handed　it　to　Hugh；　and；　taking　the　oars；　rowed　away　clad　in
his　rich；　fantastic　garb　which　now；　as　at　first；　could　be　seen　by　all。
He　rowed　away；　and　for　a　while　the　three　whom　he　had　left　behind　heard
the　soughing　of　the　innumerable　wings　that　went　ever　with　him；　after
which　came　silence。

Silence；　but　not　for　long；　for　presently　from　the　borders　of　the　great
canal　into　which　his　skiff　must　enter；　rose　shouts　of　fear　and　rage；
near　by　at　first；　then　farther　and　farther　off；　till　these　too　were
lost　in　silence。

〃Oh！　Sir　Hugh！〃　sobbed　poor　David　Day；　〃who　and　what　is　that　dreadful
man？〃

〃I　think　his　name　is　Death；〃　answered　Hugh　solemnly；　while　Dick　nodded
his　head　but　said　nothing。

〃Then　we　must　die；〃　went　on　David　in　his　terror；　〃and　I　am　not　fit　to
die。〃

〃I　think　not；〃　said　Hugh　again。　〃Be　comforted。　Death　has　passed　us　by。
Only　be　warned　also　and；　as　he　bade　you；　say　nothing　of　all　that　you
have　heard　and　seen。〃

〃By　Death　himself；　I'll　say　nothing　for　my　life's　sake；〃　he　replied
faintly；　for　he　was　shaking　in　every　limb。

Then　they　walked　up　the　street　to　the　yard　door。　As　they　went　Hugh
asked　Dick　what　it　was　that　he　had　in　his　mind　as　a　mark　for　the　arrow
that　Murgh　had　shot；　that　arrow　which　to　his　charmed　sight　had　seemed
to　rush　over　Venice　like　a　flake　of　fire。

〃I'll　not　tell　you；　master；〃　answered　Dick；　〃lest　you　should　think　me
madder　than　I　am；　which　to…night　would　be　very　mad　indeed。　Stay；
though；　I'll　tell　David　here；　that　he　may　be　a　witness　to　my　folly；〃
and　he　called　the　young　man　to　him　and　spoke　with　him　apart。

Then　they　unlocked　the　courtyard　gate　and　entered　the　house　by　the
kitchen　door；　as　it　chanced　quite　unobserved；　for　now　all　the　servants
were　abed。　Indeed；　of　that　household　none　ever　knew　that　they　had　been
outside　its　walls　this　night；　since　no　one　saw　them　go　or　return；　and
Sir　Geoffrey　and　his　lady　thought　that　they　had　retired　to　their
chamber。

They　came　to　the　door　of　their　room；　David　still　with　them；　for　the
place　where　he　slept　was　at　the　end　of　this　same　passage。

〃Bide　here　a　while；〃　said　Dick　to　him。　〃My　master　and　I　may　have　a
word　to　say　to　you　presently。〃

Then　they　lit　tapers　from　a　little　Roman　lamp　that　burned　all　night　in
the　passage　and　entered　the　room。　Dick　walked　at　once　to　the　window…
place；　looked　and　laughed　a　little。

〃The　arrow　has　missed；〃　he　said；　〃or　rather；〃　he　added　doubtfully；
〃the　target　is　gone。〃

〃What　target？〃　asked　Hugh　wearily；　for　now　he　desired　sleep　more　than
he　had　ever　done　in　all　his　life。　Then　he　turned；　the　taper　in　his
hand；　and　started　back　suddenly；　pointing　to　something　which　hung　upon
his　bed…post　that　stood　opposite　to　the　window。

〃Who　nails　his　helm　upon　my　bed？〃　he　said。　〃Is　this　a　challenge　from
some　knight　of　Venice？〃

Dick　stepped　forward　and　looked。

〃An　omen；　not　a　challenge；　I　think。　Come　and　see　for　yourself；〃　he
said。

This　is　what　Hugh　saw：　Fixed　to　the　post　by　a　shaft　which　pierced　it
and　the　carved　olivewood　from　side　to　side；　was　the　helm　that　they　had
stripped　from　the　body　of　Sir　Pierre　de　la　Roche；　the　helm　of　Sir
Edmund　Acour；　which　Sir　Pierre　had　worn　at　Crecy　and　Dick　had　tumbled
out　of　his　sack　in　the　presence　of　the　Doge　before　Cattrina's　face。　On
his　return　to　the　house　of　Sir　Geoffrey　Carleon　he　had　set　it　down　in
the　centre　of　the　open　window…place　and　left　it　there　when　they　went
out　to　survey　the　ground　where　they　must　fight　upon　the　morrow。

Having　studied　it　for　a　moment；　Dick　went　to　the　door　and　called　to
David。

〃Friend；〃　he　said；　standing　between　him　and　the　bed；　so　that　he　could
see　nothing；　〃what　was　it　that　just　now　I　told　you　was　in　my　mind　when
yonder　Murgh　asked　me　at　what　target　he　should　shoot　with　my　bow　on
the　Place　of　Arms？〃

〃A　knight's　helm；〃　answered　David；　〃which　stood　in　the　window　of　your
room　at　the　ambassador's　housea　knight's　helmet　that　had　a　swan　for
its　crest。〃

〃You　hear？〃　said　Dick　to　Hugh；　〃now　come；　both　of　you；　and　see。　What
is　that　which　hangs　upon　the　bed…post？　Answer　you；　David；　for
perchance　my　sight　is　bewitched。〃

〃A　knight's　helm；〃　answered　David；　〃bearing　the　crest　of　a　floating
swan　and　held　there　by　an　arrow　which　has　pierced　it　through。〃

〃What　was　the　arrow　like　which　I　gave　this　night　to　one　Murgh；
master？〃　asked　Dick　again。

〃It　was　a　war　shaft　having　two　black　feathers　and　the　third　white　but
chequered　with　four　black　spots　and　a　smear　of　brown；〃　answered　Hugh。

〃Then　is　that　the　same　arrow；　master；　which　this　Murgh　loosed　from
more　than　a　mile　away？〃

Hugh　examined　it　with　care。　Thrice　he　examined　it；　point　and　shaft　and
feathers。　Then　in　a　low　voice　he　answered：

〃/Yes！/〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIV

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AT　THE　PLACE　OF　ARMS

Notwithstanding　all　that　has　been　told；　Hugh　and　Dick　never　slept　more
soundly　than　they　did　that　night；　nor　was　their　rest　broken　by　any
dreams。　At　half　past　five　in　the　morningfor　they　must　be　stirring
earlyDavid　came　to　call　them。　He　too；　it　seemed；　had　slept　well。
Also　in　the　light　of　day　the　worst　of　his　fear　had　left　him。

〃I　am　wondering；　Sir　Hugh；〃　he　said；　looking　at　him　curiously；
〃whether　I　saw　certain　things　last　night　down　yonder　at　the　Place　of
Arms　and　in　the　boat；　or　whether　I　thought　I　saw　them。〃

〃Doubtless　you　thought　you　saw　them；　David；〃　answered　Hugh；　adding
with　meaning；　〃and　it　is　not　always　well　to　talk　of　things　we　think
that　we　have　seen。〃

The　lad；　who　was　sharp　enough；　nodded。　But　as　he　turned　to　hand　Hugh
some　garment　his　eye　fell　upon　the　swan…crested　helm　that　was　still
nailed　by　the　long　war…shaft　with　two　black　feathers　and　one　white　to
the　carved　olivewood　post　of　the　bed。

〃It　must　have　been　a　mighty　arm　that　shot　this　arrow；　Sir　Hugh；〃　he
said　reflectively；　〃which　could　pierce　a　casque　of　Milan　steel　from
side　to　side　and　a　hardwood　post　beyond。　Well　for　the　owner　of　the
helm　that　his　head　was　not　inside　of　it。〃

〃Very　well；　and　a　very　mighty　arm；　David。　So　mighty　that　I　should　say
nothing　about　it　for　fear　lest　it　should　set　another　arrow　upon
another　string　and　shoot　again。〃

〃God's　truth；　not　I！〃　exclaimed　David；　〃and　for　your　comfort；　sir；
know　that　none　saw　us　leave　this　house　or　re雗ter　it　last　night。〃

Then　Hugh　and　Dick　clothed　themselves　and　saw　to　their　weapons　and
mail；　but　this　they　did　not　don　as　yet；　fearing　lest　the　weight　of　it
should　weary　them　in　that　great　heat。　Although　the　day　was　so　young；
this　heat　was　terrible；　more　oppressive　indeed　than　any　they　had　yet
known　in　Venice。

When　they　were　ready　David　left　them　to　see　to　the　horse　which　de
Cressi　would　ride　in　his　combat　with　Cattrina。　Hugh；　as　became　a　God…
fearing　knight　whom　Sir　Andrew　Arnold　had　instructed　from　childhood；
crossed　himself；　knelt　down　and　said　his　prayers；　which　that　morning
were　long　and　earnest。　Indeed　he　would　have　confessed　himself　also　if
he　could；　only　there　was　no　priest　at　hand　who　knew　his　language；　Sir
Geoffrey's　chaplain　being　away。　After　watching　him　a　while　even　Grey
Dick；　whose　prayers　were　few；　followed　his　example；　kneeling　in　front
of　his　bow　as　though　it　were　an　image　that　he　worshipped。　When　they
had　risen　again；　he　said：

〃You　grieve　that　there　is　none　to　shrive　us；　master；　but　I　hold
otherwise；　since　when　it　was　told　what　company　we　kept　last　night
absolution　might　be　lacking。　This　would　weigh　on　you　if　not　on　me；
who；　after　what　I　have　learned　of　Father　Nicholas　and　others；　love　but
one　priest；　and　he