red eve-第52节

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in　their　madness。　Now　be　strong　lest　joy　should　kill　you；　as　it　has
done　by　many　a　one　before。〃

Then　he　turned　to　the　shadow　behind　him　and　said；　〃Come。〃　Next　instant
Hugh　was　kneeling　at　Eve's　bedside　and　pressing　his　lips　upon　her
hand。



Oh！　they　had　much　to　say　to　each　other；　so　much　that　the　half　of　it
remained　unsaid。　Still　Hugh　learned　that　she　and　Sir　Andrew　had　come
to　Avignon　upon　the　Pope's　summons　to　lay　this　matter　of　her　alleged
marriage　before　him　in　person。　When　they　reached　the　town　they　found
it　already　in　the　grip　of　the　great　plague；　and　that　to　see　his
Holiness　was　almost　impossible；　since　he　had　shut　himself　up　in　his
palace　and　would　admit　no　one。　Yet　an　interview　was　promised　through
Sir　Andrew's　high…placed　friends；　only　then　the　sickness　struck　Eve
and　she　could　not　go；　nor　was　Sir　Andrew　allowed　to　do　so；　since　he
was　nursing　one　who　lay　ill。

Then　Hugh　began　to　tell　his　tale；　to　which　Eve　and　Sir　Andrew　Arnold
listened　greedily。　Of　Murgh；　for　sundry　reasons；　he　said　nothing；　and
of　the　fight　from　which　Acour　had　fled　in　Venice　before　the　earthquake
but　little。　He　told　them；　however；　that　he　had　heard　that　this　Acour
had　been　or　was　in　Avignon　and　that　he　had　learned　from　a　notary　named
Basil；　whom　he；　Hugh；　had　retained；　that　Acour　had　won　from　the　Pope　a
confirmation　of　his　marriage。

〃A　lie！〃　interrupted　Sir　Andrew。　〃His　Holiness　caused　me　to　be
informed　expressly　that　he　would　give　no　decision　in　this　cause　until
all　the　case　was　before　him。〃

As　he　said　the　words　a　disturbance　arose　in　the　outer　room；　and　the
harsh　voice　of　Grey　Dick　was　heard　saying：

〃Back；　you　dog！　Would　you　thrust　yourself　into　the　chamber　of　the　lady
of　Clavering？　Back；　or　I　will　cast　you　through　the　window…place。〃

Sir　Andrew　went　to　see　what　was　the　matter；　and　Hugh；　breaking　off　his
tale；　followed　him；　to　find　the　notary；　Basil；　on　his　knees　with　Grey
Dick　gripping　him　by　the　collar　of　his　robe。

〃Sir　Knight；〃　said　Basil；　recognizing　Hugh；　〃should　I；　your　faithful
agent；　be　treated　thus　by　this　fierce…faced　squire　of　yours？〃

〃That　depends　on　what　you　have　done；　Sir　Lawyer；〃　answered　Hugh；
motioning　to　Dick　to　loose　the　man。

〃All　I　have　done；　Sir　Knight；　is　to　follow　you　into　a　house　where　I
chanced　to　see　you　enter；　in　order　to　give　you　some　good　tidings。　Then
this　fellow　caught　me　by　the　throat　and　said　that　if　I　dared　to　break
in　upon　the　privacy　of　one　whom　he　called　Red　Eve　and　Lady　Clavering；
he　would　kill　me。〃

〃He　had　his　orders；　lawyer。〃

〃Then；　Sir　Knight；　he　might　have　executed　them　less　roughly。　Had　he
but　told　me　that　you　were　alone　with　some　lady；　I　should　have
understand　and　withdrawn　for　a　while；　although　to　do　so　would　have
been　to　let　precious　moments　slip；〃　and　the　lean…faced　knave　leered
horribly。

〃Cease　your　foul　talk　and　state　your　business；〃　interrupted　Sir
Andrew；　thrusting　himself　in　front　of　Hugh；　who　he　feared　would　strike
the　fellow。

〃And　pray；　who　may　you　be？〃　asked　the　lawyer；　glancing　up　at　the　tall
figure　that　towered　above　him。

Sir　Andrew　threw　back　his　hood；　revealing　his　aged；　hawk…like
countenance；　his　dark　and　flashing　eyes　and　his　snow…white　hair　and
beard。

〃If　you　would　learn；　man；〃　he　said；　in　his　great　voice；　〃in　the　world
I　was　known　as　Sir　Andrew　Arnold；　one　of　the　priors　of　the　Order　of
the　Templars；　which　is　a　name　that　you　may　have　heard。　But　now　that　I
have　laid　aside　all　worldly　pomp　and　greatness；　I　am　but　Father
Andrew；　of　Dunwich；　in　England。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　have　heard　the　name；　who　has　not？〃　said　the　lawyer
humbly；　〃also　you　are　here　as　guardian　to　the　lady　Eve　Clavering；　are
you　not；　to　lay　a　certain　cause　before　his　Holiness？　Oh！　do　not　start；
all　these　matters　came　to　my　knowledge　who　am　concerned　in　every　great
business　in　Avignon　as　the　chief　agent　and　procurator　of　the　Papal
Court；　though　it　is　true　that　this　tiding　has　reached　me　only　within
the　last　few　minutes　and　from　the　lips　of　your　own　people。　Holy
Father；　I　pray　your　pardon　for　breaking　in　upon　you；　which　I　did　only
because　the　matter　is　very　pressing。　Sir　Hugh　de　Cressi　here　has　a
cause　to　lay　before　the　Pope　with　which　you　may　be　acquainted。　Well；
for　two　days　I　have　striven　to　win　him　an　audience；　and　now　through　my
sole　influence；　behold！　'tis　granted。　See　here；〃　and　he　produced　a
parchment　that　purported　to　be　signed　by　the　Pope's　secretary　and
countersigned　by　a　cardinal；　and　read：

〃'If　the　English　knight；　Sir　Hugh　de　Cressi；　and　his　squire；　the
captain　Richard；　will　be　in　the　chamber　of　audience　at　the　palace　at
seven　of　the　clock　this　evening'　（that　is；　within　something　less　than
half　an　hour）；　'his　Holiness　will　be　pleased　to　receive　them　as　a　most
special　boon；　having　learned　that　the　said　Sir　Hugh　is　a　knight　much
in　favour　with　his　Grace　of　England；　who　appointed　him　his　champion　in
a　combat　that　was　lately　to　be　fought　at　Venice。'〃

〃That's　true　enough；　though　I　know　not　how　the　Pope　heard　of　it；〃
interrupted　Hugh。

〃Through　me；　Sir　Knight；　for　I　learn　everything。　None　have　so　much
power　in　Avignon　as　I；　although　it　often　pleases　me　to　seem　poor　and
of　no　account。　But　let　that　pass。　Either　you　must　take　this
opportunity　or　be　content　not　to　see　his　Holiness　at　all。　Orders　have
been　issued　because　of　the　increase　of　this　pest　in　Avignon；　that　from
to…night　forward　none　shall　be　admitted　to　the　palace　upon　any　pretext
whatsoever；　no；　not　even　a　king。〃

〃Then　I　had　best　go；〃　said　Hugh。

〃Ay；〃　answered　Sir　Andrew；　〃and　return　here　with　your　tidings　as　soon
as　may　be。　Yet；〃　he　added　in　a　low　voice　to　Grey　Dick；　〃I　love　not　the
look　of　this　scurvy　guide　of　yours。　Could　not　your　master　have　found　a
better　attorney？〃

〃Perhaps；〃　answered　Dick；　〃that　is　if　one　is　left　alive　in　Avignon。
Being　in　haste　we　took　the　first　that　came　to　hand；　and　it　seems　that
he　will　serve　our　turn。　At　least；　if　he　plays　tricks；　I　promise　it
will　be　the　worse　for　him；〃　and　he　looked　grimly　at　the　rogue；　who　was
talking　to　David　Day　and　appeared　to　hear　nothing。

So　they　went；　and　with　them　David；　who　had　witnessed　the　confession　of
Father　Nicholas。　Therefore　they　thought　it　best　that　he　should
accompany　them　to　testify　to　it　if　there　were　need。

〃Bid　my　lady　keep　a　good　heart　and　say　that　I　will　be　with　her　again
ere　long；〃　said　Hugh　as　they　descended　the　stairs　in　haste。

Following　the　guidance　of　Basil；　they　turned　first　this　way　and　then
that；　till　soon　in　the　gathering　darkness　they　knew　not　where　they
were。

〃What　was　the　name　of　the　street　in　which　Sir　Andrew　had　his　lodging？〃
asked　Hugh；　halting。

〃Rue　St。　Benezet；〃　answered　Basil。　〃Forward；　we　have　no　time　to　lose。〃

〃Did　you　tell　Sir　Andrew　where　we　dwelt；　master？〃　said　Dick　presently；
〃for　I　did　not。〃

〃By　my　faith；　Dick；　no；　it　slipped　my　mind。〃

〃Then　it　will　be　hard　for　him　to　find　us　if　he　has　need；　master；　in
this　rabbit　warren　of　a　town。　Still　that　can't　be　mended　now。　I　wish
we　were　clear　of　this　business；　for　it　seems　to　me　that　yon　fellow　is
not　leading　us　toward　the　palace。　Almost　am　I　minded〃　and　he
looked　at　Basil；　then　checked　himself。

Presently　Dick　wished　it　still　more。　Taking　yet　another　turn　they
found　themselves　in　an　open　square　or　garden　that　was　surrounded　by
many　mean　houses。　In　this　square　great　pest…fires　burned；　lighting　it
luridly。　By　the　flare　of　them　they　saw　that　hundreds　of　people　were
gathered　there　listening　to　a　mad…eyed　friar　who　was　preaching　to　them
from　the　top　of　a　wine…cart。　As　they　drew　near　to　the　crowd　through
which　Basil　was　leading　them；　Hugh　heard　the　friar　shouting：

〃Men　of　Avignon；　this　pest　which　kills　us　is　the　work　not　of　God；　but
of　the　Jew　blasphemers　and　of　the　sorcerers　who　are　in　league　with
them。　I　tell　you　that　two　such　sorcerers　who　pass　as　Englishmen　are　in
your　city　now　and　have　been　consorting　with　the　Jews；　plotting　your
destruction。　One　looks　like　a　young　knight；　but　the　other　has　the　face
of　Death　himself；　and　both　of　them　wrought　murders　in　a　neighbouring
town　to　protect　the　Jews。　Until　you　kill　the　accursed　Jews　this　plague
will　never　pass。　You　will　die；　every　one　of　you；　with　your　wives　and
children　if　you　do　not　kill　the　Jews　and　their　familiars。〃

Just　then　the　man；　rolling　his　wild　eyes　about；　caught　sight　of　Hugh
and　Dick。

〃See！〃　he　screamed。　〃There　are　the　wizards　who　in　Venice　were　seen　in
the　company　of　the　Enemy　of　Mankind。　That　good　Christian；　Basil；　has
brought　them　face　to　face　with　you；　as　he　promised　me　that　he　would。〃

As　he　heard　these　words　Hugh　drew　his　sword　and　leapt　at　Basil。　But
the　rogue　was　watching。　With　a　yell　of　fear　he　threw　himself　among　the
crowd　and　there　vanished。

〃Out　weapons；　and　back　to　back！〃　cried　Hugh；　〃for　we　are　snared。〃

So　the　three　of　them　ranged　themselves　together　facing　outward。　In
front　of　them　gleamed　Grey　Dick's　axe；　Hugh's　sword　and　David's　great
knife。　In　a　moment　the　furious　mob　was　surging　round　them　like　the
sea；　howling；　〃Down　with　the　foreign　wizards！　Kill　the　friends　of　the
Jews！〃　one　solid　wall　of　changing　white　faces。

A　man　struck　at　them　with　a　halbert；　but　the　blow　fell　short；　for　he
was　afraid　to　come　too　near。　Grey　Dick　leapt　forward；　and　in　a　moment