the virgin of the sun-第25章

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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　when　he　asked　why；　was　inspired　to　tell　him　that　it
was　because　I　went　about　the　King's　business；　having　letters　from　his
Grace　to　deliver　to　his　Envoys　in　the　South　Seas　that　brooked　of　no
delay；　since　on　them　hung　peace　or　war。

〃Beware；〃　I　said　to　him；　〃how　you；　or　any　of　you；　dare　to　disobey　the
King's　orders；　for　you　know　that　the　fate　of　such　is　a　short　shrift
and　a　long　rope。〃

Then　that　captain　grew　frightened　and　summoned　the　sailors；　who　by　now
had　slept　off　their　drink；　and　to　them　he　told　my　commands。　They
murmured；　pointing　to　the　sky；　but　when　they　saw　me　standing　there；
wearing　a　knight's　armour　and　looking　very　stern　with　my　hand　upon　my
sword；　when　also　through　Kari　I　promised　them　double　pay　for　the
voyage；　they；　too；　grew　frightened；　and　having　set　some　small　sails；
got　up　the　anchors。

So　it　came　about　that　within　little　more　than　an　hour　of　our　boarding
of　that　ship　she　was　running　out　towards　the　sea　as　fast　as　tide　and
wind　could　drive　her。　I　think　that　it　was　not　too　soon；　for　as　the
quay　vanished　in　the　gloom　I　saw　men　with　lanterns　moving　on　it；　and
thought　to　myself　that　perhaps　an　alarm　had　been　given　and　they　were
come　to　take　me。

This　captain　was　one　who　knew　the　river　well；　and　with　the　help　of
another　sailor　he　steered　us　down　its　reaches　safely。　By　dawn　we　had
passed　Tilbury　and　at　full　light　were　off　Gravesend　racing　for　the
open　sea。　Now　it　was　that　behind　us　we　perceived　from　the　rushing
clouds　that　the　gale；　which　had　lulled　during　the　night；　was　coming　up
more　strongly　than　ever　and　still　easterly。　The　sailors　grew　afraid
again　and　together　with　the　captain　vowed　that　it　was　madness　to　face
the　sea　in　such　weather；　and　that　we　must　anchor；　or　make　the　shore　if
we　could。

I　refused　to　listen　to　them；　whereat　they　seemed　to　give　way。

At　that　moment　Kari；　who　had　gone　forward；　called　to　me。　I　went　to　him
and　he　pointed　out　to　me　men　galloping　along　the　bank　and　waving
kerchiefs；　as　though　to　signal　to　us　to　stop。

〃I　think；　Master；〃　said　Kari；　〃that　some　have　entered　the　sun…r