red eve-第59节

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Hugh　heard　and　drew　his　sword。　Acour　drew　his　sword　also；　then　cried
out；　pointing　to　Grey　Dick：

〃Here　be　two　against　one。　If　I　conquer　he　will　shoot　me　with　his　bow。〃

〃Have　no　fear；　Sir　Thief　and　Liar；〃　hissed　Grey　Dick；　〃for　that　shaft
will　not　be　needed。　Slay　the　master　if　you　can　and　go　safe　from　the
squire；〃　and　he　unstrung　his　black　bow　and　hid　it　in　its　case。

Now　Hugh　stepped　to　where　Red　Eve　stood；　the　wounded　Sir　Andrew
leaning　on　her　shoulder。　Bending　down　he　kissed　her　on　the　lips；
saying：

〃Soon；　very　soon；　my　sweet；　whom　I　have　lost　and　found　again；　you　will
be　mine　on　earth；　or　I　shall　be　yours　in　heaven。　This；　then；　in
greeting　or　farewell。〃

〃In　greeting；　beloved；　not　in　farewell；〃　she　answered　as　she　kissed
him　back；　〃for　if　you　die；　know　that　I　follow　hard　upon　your　road。　Yet
I　say　that　yonder　grave　was　not　dug　for　you。〃

〃Nay；　not　for　you；　son；　not　for　you；〃　said　Sir　Andrew　lifting　his
faint　head。　〃One　fights　for　you　whom　you　do　not　see；　and　against　Him
Satan　and　his　servant　cannot　stand；〃　and　letting　fall　the　sword　hilt
he　stretched　out　his　thin　hand　and　blessed　him。

Now　when　Acour　saw　that　embrace　his　jealous　fury　prevailed　against　his
fears。　With　a　curse　upon　his　lips　he　leapt　at　Hugh　and　smote；　thinking
to　take　him　unawares。　But　Hugh　was　watching；　and　sprang　back；　and　then
the　fray　began；　if　fray　it　can　be　called。

A　wild　joy　shining　in　his　eyes；　Hugh　grasped　his　long　sword　with　both
hands　and　struck。　So　great　was　that　blow　that　it　bit　through　Acour's
armour；　beneath　his　right　arm；　deep　into　the　flesh　and　sent　him
staggering　back。　Again　he　struck　and　wounded　him　in　the　shoulder；　a
third　time　and　clove　his　helm　so　that　the　blood　poured　down　into　his
eyes　and　blinded　him。

Back　reeled　Acour；　back　to　the　very　edge　of　the　grave；　and　stood　there
swaying　to　and　fro。　At　the　sight　of　his　helplessness　Hugh's　fury
seemed　to　leave　him。　His　lifted　sword　sank　downward。

〃Let　God　deal　with　you；　knave；〃　he　said；　〃for　I　cannot。〃

For　a　while　there　was　silence。　There　they　stood　and　stared　at　the
smitten　man　waiting　the　end；　whatever　it　might　be。　They　all　stared
save　Murgh；　who　fixed　his　stony　eyes　upon　the　sky。

Presently　it　came。　The　sword；　falling　from　Acour's　hand　into　the
grave；　rested　there　point　upward。　With　a　last　effort　he　drew　his
dagger。　Dashing　the　blood　from　his　eyes；　he　hurled　it　with　all　his
dying　strength；　not　at　Hugh；　but　at　Red　Eve。　Past　her　ear　it　hissed；
severing　a　little　tress　of　her　long　hair；　which　floated　down　on　to　the
snow。

Then　Acour　threw　his　arms　wide　and　fell　backwardfell　backward　and
vanished　in　the　grave。

Dick　ran　to　look。　There　he　lay　dead；　pierced　through　back　and　bosom　by
the　point　of　his　own　sword。

For　one　brief　flash　of　time　a　black　dove…shaped　bird　was　seen　hovering
round　the　head　of　Murgh。

〃Finished！〃　said　Dick　straightening　himself。　〃Well；　I　had　hoped　to　see
a　better　fight；　but　cowards　die　as　cowards　live。〃

Leaning　on　Red　Eve's　shoulder　Sir　Andrew　limped　to　the　side　of　the
grave。　They　both　looked　down　on　that　which　lay　therein。

〃Daughter；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃through　many　dangers　it　has　come　about
as　I　foretold。　The　bond　that　in　your　drugged　sleep　bound　you　to　this
highborn　knave　is　severed　by　God's　sword　of　death。　Christ　have　pity　on
his　sinful　soul。　Now；　Sir　Hugh　de　Cressi；　come　hither　and　be　swift；
for　my　time　is　short。〃

Hugh　obeyed；　and　at　a　sign　took　Eve　by　the　hand。　Then；　speaking　very
low　and　as　quickly　as　he　might　for　all　his　life　was　draining　from　him
through　the　red　wound　in　his　side；　the　old　priest　spoke　the　hallowed
words　that　bound　these　two　together　till　death　should　part　them。　Yes；
there　by　the　graveside；　over　the　body　of　the　dead　Acour；　there　in　the
red　light　of　the　morning；　amidst　the　lonely　snows；　was　celebrated　the
strangest　marriage　the　world　has　ever　seen。　In　nature's　church　it　was
celebrated；　with　the　grim；　grey　Archer　for　a　clerk；　and　Death's　own
fearful　minister　for　congregation。

It　was　done　and　with　uplifted；　trembling　hands　Sir　Andrew　blessed　them
boththem　and　the　fruit　of　their　bodies　which　was　to　be。　He　blessed
them　in　the　name　of　the　all…seeing　God　he　served。　He　bade　them　put
aside　their　grief　for　those　whom　they　had　lost。　Soon；　he　said；　their
short　day　done；　the　lost　would　be　found　again；　made　glorious；　and　with
them　himself；　who；　loving　them　both　on　earth；　would　love　them　through
eternity。

Then；　while　their　eyes　grew　blind　with　tears；　and　even　the　fierce
archer　turned　aside　his　face；　Sir　Andrew　staggered　to　where　he　stood
who　in　the　Land　of　Sunrise　had　been　called　Gateway　of　the　Gods。　Before
him　he　bent　his　grey　and　ancient　head。

〃O　thou　who　dwellest　here　below　to　do　the　will　of　heaven；　to　thee　I
come　as　once　thou　badest　me；〃　he　said；　and　was　silent。

Murgh　let　his　eyes　rest　on　him。　Then　stretching　out　his　hand；　he
touched　him　very　gently　on　the　breast；　and　as　he　touched　him　smiled　a
sweet　and　wondrous　smile。

〃Good　and　faithful　servant；〃　he　said；　〃thy　work　is　done　on　earth。　Now
I；　whom　all　men　fear；　though　I　be　their　friend　and　helper；　am　bidden
by　the　Lord　of　life　and　death　to　call　thee　home。　Look　up　and　pass！〃

The　old　priest　obeyed。　It　seemed　to　those　who　watched　that　the
radiance　on　the　face　of　Murgh　had　fallen　upon　him　also。　He　smiled；　he
stretched　his　arms　upward　as　though　to　clasp　what　they　might　not　see。
Then　down　he　sank　gently；　as　though　upon　a　bed；　and　lay　white　and
still　in　the　white；　still　snow。



The　Helper　turned　to　the　three　who　remained　alive。

〃Farewell　for　a　little　time；〃　he　said。　〃I　must　be　gone。　But　when　we
meet　again；　as　meet　we　shall；　then　fear　me　not；　for　have　you　not　seen
that　to　those　who　love　me　I　am　gentle？〃

Hugh　de　Cressi　and　Red　Eve　made　no　answer；　for　they　knew　not　what　to
say。　But　Grey　Dick　spoke　out　boldly。

〃Sir　Lord；　or　Sir　Spirit；〃　he　said；　〃save　once　at　the　beginning；　when
the　arrow　burst　upon　my　string；　I　never　feared　you。　Nor　do　I　fear　your
gifts；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　grave　and　to　dead　Sir　Andrew；　〃which　of
late　have　been　plentiful　throughout　the　world；　as　we　of　Dunwich　know。
Therefore　I　dare　to　ask　you　one　question　ere　we　part　for　a　while。　Why
do　you　take　one　and　leave　another？　Is　it　because　you　must；　or　because
every　shaft　does　not　hit　its　mark？〃

Now　Murgh　looked　him　up　and　down　with　his　sunken　eyes；　then　answered：

〃Come　hither；　archer；　and　I　will　lay　my　hand　upon　your　heart　also　and
you　shall　learn。〃

〃Nay；〃　cried　Grey　Dick；　〃for　now　I　have　the　answer　to　the　riddle；
since　I　know　you　cannot　lie。　When　we　die　we　still　live　and　know；
therefore　I'm　content　to　wait。〃

Again　that　smile　swept　across　Murgh's　awful　face　though　that　smile　was
cold　as　the　winter　dawn。　Then　he　turned　and　slowly　walked　away　toward
the　west。

They　watched　him　go　till　he　became　but　a　blot　of　fantastic　colour　that
soon　vanished　on　the　moorland。



Hugh　spoke　to　Red　Eve　and　said：

〃Wife；　let　us　away　from　this　haunted　place　and　take　what　joy　we　can。
Who　knows　when　Murgh　may　return　again　and　make　us　as　are　all　the
others　whom　we　love！〃

〃Ay；　husband　won　at　last；〃　she　answered；　〃who　knows？　Yet；　after　so
much　fear　and　sorrow；　first　I　would　rest　a　while　with　you。〃

So　hand　in　hand　they　went　till　they；　too；　grew　small　and　vanished　on
the　snowy　marsh。



But　Grey　Dick　stayed　there　alone　with　the　dead；　and　presently　spoke
aloud　for　company。

〃The　woman　has　him　heart　and　soul；〃　he　said；　〃as　is　fitting；　and
where's　the　room　between　the　two　for　an　archer…churl　to　lodge？　Mayhap；
after　all；　I　should　have　done　well　to　take　yonder　Murgh　for　lord　when
I　had　the　chance。　Man；　or　god；　or　ghost；　he's　a　fellow　to　my　liking；
and　once　he　had　led　me　through　the　Gates　no　woman　would　have　dared　to
come　to　part　us。　Well；　good…bye；　Hugh　de　Cressi；　till　you　are　sick　of
kisses　and　the　long　shafts　begin　to　fly　again；　for　then　you　will
bethink　you　of　a　certain　bow　and　of　him　who　alone　can　bend　it。〃

Having　spoken　thus　in　his　hissing　voice；　whereof　the　sound　resembled
that　of　an　arrow　in　its　flight；　Grey　Dick　descended　into　the　grave　and
trod　the　earth　over　Acour's　false　and　handsome　face；　hiding　it　from
the　sight　of　men　forever。



Then　he　lifted　up　the　dead　Sir　Andrew　in　his　strong　arms　and　slowly
bore　him　thence　to　burial。







End