red eve-第48节

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singing　hymns　and　flogging　themselves　till　the　blood　ran　down　to　their
heels；　while　the　passers…by　prostrated　themselves　before　them。　These
were　the　forerunners　of　the　〃Mad　Dancers〃　of　the　following　year。

In　a　field　outside　of　this　city　they　came　upon　even　a　more　dreadful
sight。　Here　forty　or　fifty　frenzied　people；　most　of　them　drunk；　were
engaged　in　burning　a　poor　Jew；　his　wife　and　two　children　upon　a　great
fire　made　of　the　staves　of　wine…casks；　which　they　had　plundered　from
some　neighbouring　cellars。　When　Hugh　and　his　companions　came　upon　the
scene　the　Jew　had　already　burned　and　this　crowd　of　devils　were
preparing　to　cast　his　wife　and　children　into　the　flames；　which　they
had　been　forced　to　see　devour　their　husband　and　father。　Indeed；　with
yells　of　brutal　laughter；　they　were　thrusting　the　children　into　two
great　casks　ere　they　rolled　them　into　the　heart　of　the　fire；　while　the
wretched　mother　stood　by　and　shrieked。

〃What　do　you；　sirs？〃　asked　Hugh；　riding　up　to　them。

〃We　burn　wizards　and　their　spawn；　Sir　Knight；〃　answered　the
ringleader。　〃Know　that　these　accursed　Jews　have　poisoned　the　wells　of
our　townwe　have　witnesses　who　saw　them　do　itand　thus　brought　the
plague　upon　us。　Moreover；　she；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　woman〃was　seen
talking　not　fourteen　days　ago　to　the　devil　in　a　yellow　cap；　who
appears　everywhere　before　the　Death　begins。　Now；　roll　them　in；　roll
them　in！〃

Hugh　drew　his　sword；　for　this　sight　was　more　than　his　English　flesh
and　blood　could　bear。　Dick　also　unsheathed　the　black　bow；　while　young
David　produced　a　great　knife　which　he　carried。

〃Free　those　children！〃　said　Hugh　to　the　man　with　whom　he　had　spoken；　a
fat　fellow；　with　rolling；　bloodshot　eyes。

〃Get　you　to　hell；　stranger；〃　he　answered；　〃or　we'll　throw　you　on　the
fire　also　as　a　Jew　in　knight's　dress。〃

〃Free　those　children！〃　said　Hugh　again　in　a　terrible　voice；　〃or　I　send
you　before　them。　Be　warned！　I　speak　truth。〃

〃Be　you　warned；　stranger；　for　I　speak　truth　also；〃　replied　the　man；
mimicking　him。　〃Now　friends；〃　he　added；　〃tuck　up　the　devil's　brats　in
their　warm　bed。〃

They　were　his　last　words；　for　Hugh　thrust　with　his　sword　and　down　he
went。

Now　a　furious　clamour　arose。　The　mob　snatched　up　burning　staves；
bludgeons；　knives　or　whatever　they　had　at　hand；　and　prepared　to　kill
the　three。　Without　waiting　for　orders；　Dick　began　to　shoot。　David；　a
bold　young　man；　rushed　at　one　of　the　most　violent　and　stabbed　him；　and
Hugh；　who　had　leapt　from　his　horse；　set　himself　back　to　back　with　the
other　two。　Thrice　Dick　shot；　and　at　the　third　deadly　arrow　these
drunken　fellows　grew　sober　enough　to　understand　that　they　wished　no
more　of　them。

Suddenly；　acting　on　a　common　impulse；　they　fled　away；　every　one；　only
leaving　behind　them　those　who　had　fallen　beneath　the　arrows　and　the
sword。　But　some　who　were　so　full　of　wine　that　they　could　not　run；
tumbled　headlong　and　lay　there　helpless。

〃Woman；〃　said　Hugh　when　they　had　departed；　〃your　husband　is　lost；　but
you　and　your　children　are　saved。　Now　go　your　ways　and　thank　whatever
God　you　worship　for　His　small　mercies。〃

〃Alas！　Sir　Knight；〃　the　poor　creature；　a　still　young　and　not
unhandsome　Jewess；　wailed　in　answer；　〃whither　shall　I　go？　If　I　return
to　that　town　those　Christian　men　will　surely　murder　me　and　my　children
as　they　have　already　murdered　my　husband。　Kill　us　now　by　the　sword　or
the　bowit　will　be　a　kindnessbut　leave　us　not　here　to　be　tortured
by　the　Christian　men　according　to　their　fashion　with　us　poor　Jews。〃

〃Are　you　willing　to　go　to　Avignon？〃　asked　Hugh；　after　thinking　awhile。

〃Ay；　Sir　Knight；　or　anywhere　away　from　these　Christians。　Indeed；　at
Avignon　I　have　a　brother　who　perchance　will　protect　us。〃

〃Then　mount　my　horse；〃　said　Hugh。　〃Dick　and　David；　draw　those　two
youngsters　from　the　tubs　and　set　them　on　your　beasts；　we　can　walk。〃

So　the　children；　two　comely　little　girls　of　eight　and　six　years　of
age；　or　thereabout；　were　dragged　out　of　their　dreadful　prisons　and
lifted　to　the　saddle。　The　wretched　widow；　running　to　the　bonfire；
snatched　from　it　her　husband's　burnt…off　hand　and　hid　it　in　the　bosom
of　her　filthy　robe。　Then　she　took　some　of　the　white　ashes　and　threw
them　toward　that　city；　muttering　curses　as　she　did　so。

〃What　do　you？〃　asked　Hugh　curiously。

〃I　pray；　sir；　to　Jehovah；　the　God　of　the　Jews；　that　for　every　grain　of
these　ashes　He　may　take　a　life　in　payment　for　that　of　my　murdered
husband；　and　I　think　that　He　will　listen。〃

〃Like　enough；〃　answered　Hugh；　crossing　himself；　〃but；　woman；　can　you
wonder　that　we　Christians　hold　you　sorcerers　when　we　hear　such　prayers
from　your　lips？〃

She　turned　with　a　tragic　motion；　and；　pointing　to　the　bones　of　her
husband　smouldering　in　the　fire；　answered：

〃And　can　you　wonder；　sir；　that　we　wretched　creatures　utter　such
prayers　when　you；　our　masters；　do　such　deeds　as　this？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Hugh；　〃I　cannot。　Let　us　be　going　from　this　shambles。〃

So　they　went；　a　melancholy　procession　if　ever　there　one　was　seen　upon
this　earth。　As　the　three　Englishmen　marched　behind　the　horses　with
their　weeping　burdens　Grey　Dick　reflected　aloud　after　his　fashion。

〃Jew　and　Christian！〃　he　said。　〃The　Jews　killed　one　Man　who　chanced　to
be　a　God；　though　they　knew　it　not；　and　ever　since　the　Christians　have
killed　thousands　of　the　Jews。　Now；　which　is　the　most　wicked；　those
Jews　who　killed　the　Man　Who　was　a　God；　because　He　said　He　was　a　God；
or　those　Christians　who　throw　a　man　into　a　fire　to　burn　before　his
wife's　and　children's　eyes？　A　man　who　never　said　that　he　was　a　god；
but　who；　they　said；　put　poison　into　their　wells；　which　he　did　not　do；
but　which　they　believed　he　did　because　he　was　one　of　the　race　that
thirteen　hundred　years　ago　killed　their　God？　Ah；　well！　Jew　and
Christian；　I　think　the　same　devil　dwells　in　them　all；　but　Murgh　alone
knows　the　truth　of　the　matter。　If　ever　we　meet　again；　I'll　ask　him　of
it。　Meanwhile；　we　go　to　Avignon　in　strange　company；　whereof　all　the
holy　priests　yonder；　if　any　of　them　still　live；　to　say　nothing　of　the
people；　may　demand　an　account　of　us。〃

So　spoke　Dick　as　one　who　seeks　an　answer；　but　neither　of　his
companions　gave　him　any。

On　they　went　through　the　ruined　land　unpursued；　although　they　had　just
brought　sundry　men　to　their　deaths。　For　now　neither　law　nor　justice
was　left　and　those　killed　who　could　and　those　died　who　must；　unwept
and　unavenged。　Only　certain　travellers；　flying　they　knew　not　whither；
flying　from　doom　to　doom；　eyed　them　with　hate　and　loathing　because　of
their　companions。　Those　who　consorted　with　Jews　must；　they　thought；　be
the　enemies　of　every　Christian　soul。

Well　was　it　for　them　perhaps　that　the　early　winter　night　was　closing
in　when　they　reached　the　wonderful　bridge　of　St。　B閚閦et；　now　quite
unguarded；　since　a　worse　foe　reigned　in　Avignon　than　any　that　it　could
fear　from　without。　They　crossed　it；　unnoted；　for　here　none　lingered　in
the　gloom　and　rain　save　one　poor　woman；　who　called　out　to　them　that
all　she　loved　were　dead　and　that　she　went　to　seek　them。　Then；　before
they　could　interfere；　she　scrambled　to　the　parapet　of　the　bridge　and
with　a　wild　cry　leapt　into　the　foaming　waters　that　rushed　beneath。

〃God　forgive　and　rest　her！〃　muttered　Hugh；　crossing　himself。　The
others　only　shrugged　their　shoulders。　Such　dreadful　sights　fed　their
eyes　daily　till　they　learned　to　take　little　note　of　them。

In　a　deserted　place　on　the　farther　side　of　the　bridge　they　halted；　and
Hugh　said　to　the　Jewish　widow：

〃Woman；　here　is　Avignon；　where　you　tell　us　there　are　those　who　will
befriend　you；　so　now　let　us　part。　We　have　done　what　we　can　for　you　and
it　is　not　safe　either　for　you　or　for　us　that　we　should　be　seen
together　in　this　Christian　city。〃

〃Sir；　you　speak　well；〃　she　answered。　〃Be　pleased　ere　we　separate；　to
meet　no　more　perchance；　to　tell　me　your　names　that　I　may　remember　them
and　hand　them　down　among　my　people　from　generation　to　generation。〃

So　he　told　her；　and　thrust　onto　her　a　gift　of　money　and　the　most　of
such　food　as　remained　to　them。　Then　the　poor　woman　lifted　up　her　arms
and　said：

〃I；　Rebecca；　daughter　of　Onias　and　wife　of　Nathan；　call　down　on　you；
Hugh　de　Cressi；　Richard　Archer　and　David　Day；　and　on　your　children
forever；　the　blessings　of　Jehovah；　because　you　have　rescued　the　widow
and　her　children　from　the　fire　and　avenged　the　murder　of　the　husband
and　the　father。　O　God　of　my　people；　as　Thou　didst　save　Lot　and　his
house　from　the　flames　of　Sodom；　so　save　these　true…hearted　and
merciful　men！　Turn　from　them　the　sword　of　Thy　wrath　when　it　smites　the
sinful　cities！　Cast　the　cloak　of　Thy　protection　about　them　and　all
they　love！　Prosper　their　handiwork　in　peace　and　in　war；　fulfil　their
desire　upon　their　enemies；　and　at　last　let　them　die　full　of　years　and
honour　and　so　be　gathered　into　Thy　eternal　bosom！　Thus　prayeth
Rebecca；　the　daughter　of　Onias；　and　thus　shall　it　be。〃

Then；　leading　her　children；　she　turned　and　vanished　into　the　darkness。

〃Now；〃　said　Dick　when　she　had　gone；　〃although　they　were　spoken　by　a
Jew　whom　men　call　accursed　because　their　forefathers；　fulfilling
prophecy；　or　some　few　of　them；　wrought　a　great　crime　when　the　world
was　young　and　thereby　brought　about　the　salvation　of　mankind；　as