the virgin of the sun-第22节

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it　grew　and　knew　it　to　be　caused　by　another　wine；　that　of　her　blood。
Also　I　noted　that　from　the　midst　of　it　seen　in　the　lamplight；　just
beneath　the　snake…encircled　ruby　heart；　appeared　the　little　handle　of
a　dagger。

I　sprang　to　her；　but　she　lifted　her　hand　and　waved　me　back。

〃Touch　me　not；〃　she　whispered；　〃I　am　not　fit；　also　the　thrust　is
mortal。　If　you　draw　the　knife　I　shall　die　at　once；　and　first　I　would
speak。　I　would　have　you　know　that　I　love　you　and　hoped　to　be　a　good
wife　to　you。　What　I　said　was　true。　That　dead　man　tricked　me　with　a
false　marriage　when　I　was　scarcely　more　than　a　child；　and　afterwards
he　would　not　mend　it　with　an　honest。　Perchance　he　himself　was　wed；　or
he　had　other　reasons；　I　do　not　know。　My　father　guessed　much　but　not
all。　I　tried　to　warn　you　when　you　offered　yourself；　but　you　were　deaf
and　blind　and　would　not　see　or　listen。　Then　I　gave　way；　liking　you
well　and　thinking　that　I　should　find　rest；　as　indeed　I　do；　thinking
also　that　I　should　be　wealthy　and　able　to　shut　that　villain's　mouth
with　gold。　I　never　knew　he　was　coming　here　or　even　that　he　had　sailed
home　from　France；　but　he　broke　in　upon　me；　having　learned　that　you
were　away；　and　was　about　to　leave　when　you　returned。　He　came　for　money
for　which　he　believed　that　I　had　wed；　and　thinking　to　win　me　back　from
one　doomed　by　his　lies　to　a　traitor's　death。　You　know　the　rest；　and
for　me　there　was　but　one　thing　to　do。　Be　glad　that　you　are　no　longer
burdened　with　me　and　go　find　happiness　in　the　arms　of　a　more　fortunate
or　a　better　woman。　Fly；　and　swiftly；　for　Deleroy　had　many　friends　and
the　King　himself　loved　him　as　a　brotheras　well　he　may。　Fly；　I　say；
and　forgiveforgive！　Hubert；　farewell！〃

Thus　she　spoke；　ever　more　slowly　and　lower；　till　with　the　last　word
her　life　left　her　lips。



Thus　ended　the　story　of　my　marriage　with　Blanche　Aleys。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　II



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　I

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　NEW　WORLD

They　were　forever　silent　now；　who；　but　a　breath　before；　had　been　so
full　of　life　and　the　stir　of　mortal　passion；　Deleroy　dead　beneath　the
cloak　upon　the　floor；　Blanche　dead　in　the　oaken　chair。　We　who　remained
alive　were　silent　also。　I　glanced　at　Kari's　face；　it　was　as　that　of　a
stone　statue　on　a　tomb；　only　in　it　his　large　eyes　shone；　noting　all
things　and；　as　I　imagined　in　my　distraught　fancy；　filled　with　triumph
and　foreknowledge。　Considering　it　in　that　strange　calm　of　the　spirit
which　sometimes　supervenes　on　great　and　terrible　events　that　for　a
while　crush　its　mortality　from　the　soul　and　set　it　free　to　marvel　at
the　temporal　pettiness　of　all　we　consider　immediate　and　mighty；　I
wondered　what　was　the　aspect　of　my　own。

At　the　moment；　I；　who　on　this　day　had　passed　the　portals　of　so　many
emotions：　that　of　the　lover's　longing　for　his　bride　won　at　last；　only
to　be　lost　again；　that　of　acute　and　necessary　business；　that　of　the
ancient　joy　of　battle　and　vengeance　wreaked　upon　an　evil　man；　that　of
the　unshuttering　of　my　own　eyes　to　the　flame　of　a　hellish　truth；　that
of　the　self…murder　and　turning　to　cold　clay　before　those　same　eyes　of
her　whom　I　had　hoped　to　clasp　in　honest　loveI；　I　say；　felt　as　though
I；　too；　were　dead。　Indeed　all　within　was　dead；　only　the　shell　of　flesh
remained　alive；　and　in　my　heart　I　echoed　the　words　of　my　old　uncle　and
of　a　wiser　than　he　who　went　before　him〃Vanity　of　vanities！　All　is
vanity！〃

It　was　Kari　who　spoke　first；　Kari　as　ever　calm　and　even…voiced；　saying
in　his　broken　English　of　which　but　the　substance　is　recorded：

〃Things　have　happened；　good　things　I　hold；　though　you；　Master；　may
think　otherwise　for　a　little　while。　Yet　in　this　rough　land　of　savages
and　small　justice　these　things　may　bring　trouble。　That　lord　brought　a
writing；〃　and　he　nodded　towards　the　document　on　the　table；　〃and　talked
of　death　for　/you/；　Masternot　for　himself。　And　the　lady；　while　she
still　lived；　she　say'Fly；　fly　or　die！'　And　now？〃　and　he　glanced　at
the　two　bodies。

I　looked　at　him　vacantly　for　the　numbness　following　the　first　shock
was　passing　away　and　all　the　eating　agony　of　my　loss　began　to　fix　its
fangs　upon　my　heart。

〃Whither　can　I　fly？〃　I　asked。　〃And　why　should　I　fly？　I　am　an　innocent
man　and　for　the　rest；　the　sooner　I　am　dead　the　better。〃

〃My　Master　must　fly；〃　answered　Kari　in　swift；　broken　words；　〃because
he　still　live　and　is　free。　Also　sorrow　behind；　joy　before。　Kari；　who
hate　women　and　read　heart；　Kari　who　drink　this　same　bitter　water　long
ago；　guess　these　things　coming　and　think　and　think。　No　need　that
Master　trouble；　Kari　settle　all　and　tell　Master　that　if　he　do　what　he
say；　everything　come　right。〃

〃What　am　I　to　do？〃　I　asked　with　a　groan。

〃Ship　/Blanche/　on　great　river　ready　for　sea。　Master　and　Kari　sail　in
her　before　daybreak。　Here　leave　everything：　much　land；　much　wealth
what　matter？　Life　more　than　these　things　which　can　get　again。　Come。
No；　one　minute；　wait。〃

Then　he　went　to　the　body　of　Deleroy　and　with　wonderful　swiftness　took
off　it　the　chain　coat　he　wore　beneath　his　tunic；　which　he　put　on　his
own　body。　Also　he　took　his　sword　and　buckled　it　about　him；　while　the
parchment　writ　he　threw　upon　the　fire。　Then　he　extinguished　the
hanging　lamp　and　gave　me　one　of　the　candles；　taking　the　other　himself。

At　the　door　I　held　up　my　candle　and　by　the　light　of　it　looked　my　last
upon　the　ashen　face　of　Blanche；　which　face　I　knew　must　go　with　me
through　all　my　life's　days。

Kari　locked　the　stout　oaken　door　of　the　solar　from　the　outside　and
took　me　into　my　chamber；　where　was　the　armour　of　the　knight　whom　I　had
killed　on　Hastings　Hill；　which　armour　I　had　caused　to　be　altered　to
fit　myself。　Swiftly　he　buckled　it　on　to　me；　throwing　over　all　a　long；
dark　robe　such　as　merchants　wear。　From　the　cupboard；　too；　he　brought
the　big　black　bow　and　a　sheath　of　arrows；　also　a　purseful　of　gold
pieces　from　where　they　were　kept；　and　with　them　the　leathern　bag　which
he　had　worn　when　I　found　him　on　the　quay。

We　went　into　the　room　where　the　feast　had　been　held　and　there　drank
some　wine；　though　eat　I　could　not。　The　cup　from　which　I　drank　was；　as
it　chanced；　the　same　in　which　I　had　pledged　Blanche　at　the　bride
feast。　Now　I　pledged　her　spirit　whereon　I　prayed　God's　mercy。

We　left　the　house　and　in　the　stable　saddled　two　horses；　strong；　quiet
beasts。　Then　by　way　of　the　back　yard　we　rode　out　into　the　night；　none
seeing　us；　for　by　now　all　were　asleep；　and　in　that　weather　the　streets
were　empty；　even　of　such　as　walked　them　in　darkness。

We　reached　the　quay　I　know　not　how　long　afterwards　whose　mind　was　full
of　thoughts　that　blotted　out　all　else。　How　strange　had　been　my　life
that　was　one　of　them。　Within　a　few　years　I　had　risen　to　great　wealth；
and　won　the　woman　I　desired。　And　now　where　was　the　wealth　and　where
was　the　woman；　and　what　was　I？　One　flying　his　native　land　by　night
with　blood　upon　his　hands；　the　blood　of　a　King's　favourite　that；　if　he
were　taken；　would　bring　him　to　the　noose。　Oh！　how　great　was　the
contrast　between　the　morn　and　the　midnight　of　that　day　for　me！　〃Vanity
of　vanities。　All　is　vanity！〃

I　think　that　my　mind　must　have　wandered；　for　when　my　soul　was
swallowed　in　this　deepest　pit　of　hell；　it　seemed　to　me　that　he　whom　I
had　worshipped　as　a　heavenly　patron；　St。　Hubert；　appeared　striding　by
my　horse　with　a　shining　countenance　and　said　to　me：

〃Have　good　courage；　Godson；　and　remember　your　mother's　wordsa
wanderer　shall　you　be；　but　where'er　you　go　the　good　bow　and　the　good
sword　shall　keep　you　safe　and　I　wander　with　you。　Nor　does　all　love　die
with　one　woman's　passing　breath。〃

This　phantasy；　as　it　were；　lanced　the　abscess　of　my　pain　and　for　a
while　I　was　easier。　Also　something　of　hope　came　back　to　me。　I　no
longer　desired　to　die　but　rather　to　live　and　in　life；　not　in　the　tomb；
to　find　forgetfulness。

We　reached　the　quay　and　placed　the　horses　in　a　shed　that　served　as
stables　there；　ridding　them　of　their　bits　and　saddles　that　they　might
eat　of　the　hay　in　the　racks。　The　thought　to　do　this　came　to　me；　which
showed　that　my　mind　was　working　again　since　still　I　could　attend　to
the　wants　of　other　creatures。　Then　we　went　to　the　quayside　where　was
made　fast　that　boat　in　which　I　had　come　ashore　some　hours　gone。　There
was　a　moon　which　now　and　again　showed　between　the　drifting　clouds；　and
by　the　light　of　it　I　saw　that　the　/Blanche/　lay　safe　at　her　anchors
not　a　bowshot　away。　The　gale　had　fallen　much　with　the　rising　of　the
moon；　as　it　often　does；　and　so　it　came　about　that　although　the　boat
was　over…large　for　two　men　to　handle　rightly；　Kari　and　I；　by　watching
our　chance；　were　able　to　row　it　to　the　ship；　on　to　which　we　climbed　by
the　ladder。

Here　we　found　a　sailor　on　watch　who　was　amazed　to　see　us；　and　with　his
help；　made　the　boat　fast　by　the　tow　rope　to　the　stern　of　the　ship。

This　done　I　caused　the　captain　to　be　awakened　and　told　him　briefly
that　as　the　gale　had　abated　and　tide　and　wind　served；　I　desired　to
sail　at　once。　He　stared　at　me；　thinking　me　mad；　whom　he　knew　to　have
been　married　but　that　day。

Surely；　he　said；　I　should　wait　for　the　light　and　to　gather　up　those　of
the　ship's　company　who　were　still　ashore。　I　answered　that　I　would　wait
for　nothing；　and　w