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第11章

the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第11章

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        〃Va chasser l'Idole。〃 

     No   more。     I   looked   at   him  puzzled;   able   to   make   nothing   out   of   it。 

St。 Croix wrinkled his brow over it with the same result。 It was no good 

handing it to Marie; therefore。 

     〃You do not understand?〃           the stranger continued; as he put the scrap 

of paper back in his pouch。 

     〃No;〃 I answered; shaking my head。              We had all risen out of respect 

to him; and were standing a little group about him。 

     〃Just so; it is all right then;〃 he answered; looking at us as it seemed to 

me with grave good…nature。           〃It is nothing。      Go your way。        ButI have 

a son yonder not much younger than you; young gentlemen。                      And if you 

had understood; I should have said to you; 'Do not go!                There are enough 



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sheep for the shearer!'〃 

     He was turning away with this oracular saying when Croisette touched 

his sleeve。     〃Pray can you tell us if it be true;〃 the lad said eagerly; 〃that 

the Admiral de Coligny was wounded yesterday?〃 

     〃It   is  true;〃   the   other   answered;      turning    his  grave    eyes    on   his 

questioner; while for a moment his stern look failed him; 〃It is true; my 

boy;〃 he added with an air of strange solemnity。              〃 Whom the Lord loveth; 

He   chasteneth。       And;   God   forgive   me   for   saying   it;   whom   He   would 

destroy; He first maketh mad。〃 

     He had gazed with peculiar favour at Croisette's girlish face; I thought: 

Marie and I were dark and ugly by the side of the boy。 But he turned from 

him now with a queer; excited gesture; thumping his gold…headed cane on 

the   floor。   He   called   his   servants   in   a   loud;   rasping   voice;   and   left   the 

room in seeming anger; driving them before him; the one carrying his dag; 

and the other; two candles。 

     When   I   came   down   early   next   morning;   the   first   person   I   met   was 

Blaise Bure。       He looked rather fiercer and more shabby by daylight than 

candlelight。      But he saluted me respectfully; and this; since it was clear 

that he did not respect many people; inclined me to regard him with favour。 

It   is   always   so;   the   more   savage   the   dog;   the   more   highly   we   prize   its 

attentions。     I   asked   him   who   the   Huguenot   noble   was   who   had   supped 

with us。     For a Huguenot we knew he must be。 

     〃The   Baron   de   Rosny;〃   he   answered;   adding   with   a   sneer;   〃He   is   a 

careful   man!     If   they   were   all   like   him;   with   eyes   on   both   sides   of   his 

head and a dag by his candlewell; my lord; there would be one more king 

in Franceor one less!         But they are a blind lot:        as blind as bats。〃       He 

muttered something farther in which I caught the word 〃to…night。〃                      But I 

did not hear it all; or understand any of it。 

     〃Your lordships are going to Paris?〃             he resumed in a different tone。 

When   I   said   that   we   were;   he   looked   at   me   in   a   shamefaced   way;   half 

timid; half arrogant。       〃I have a small favour to ask of you then;〃 he said。 

〃I am going to Paris myself。            I am not afraid of odds; as you have seen。 



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But the roads will be in a queer state if there be anything on foot in the 

city; andwell; I would rather ride was you gentlemen than alone。〃 

     〃You are welcome to join us;〃 I said。             〃But we start in half…an… hour。 

Do you know Paris well?〃 

     〃As well as my sword…hilt;〃 he replied briskly; relieved I thought by 

my   acquiescence;   〃And   I   have   known   that   from   my   breeching。         If   you 

want a game at PAUME; or a pretty girl to kiss; I can put you in the way 

for the one or the other。〃 

     The half rustic shrinking from the great city which I felt; suggested to 

me   that   our   swashbuckling   friend   might   help   us   if he   would。     〃Do   you 

know M。 de Pavannes?〃             I asked impulsively; 〃Where he lives in Paris; I 

mean?〃 

     〃M。 Louis de Pavannes?〃           quoth he。 

     〃Yes。〃 

     〃I   know〃   he   replied   slowly;   rubbing   his   chin   and   looking   at   the 

ground     in  thought〃where       he   had   his  lodgings    in  town    a  while    ago; 

beforeAh!       I   do   know!    I   remember;〃   he   added;   slapping   his   thigh; 

〃when I was in Paris a fortnight ago I was told that his steward had taken 

lodgings for him in the Rue St。 Antoine。〃 

     〃Good!〃      I answered overjoyed。          〃Then we want to dismount there; 

if you can guide us straight to the house。〃 

     〃I   can;〃   he   replied simply。    〃And   you   will   not   be   the   worse   for   my 

company。       Paris   is   a   queer   place   when   there   is   trouble   to   the   fore;   but 

your lordships have got the right man to pilot you through it。〃 

     I did not ask him what trouble he meant; but ran indoors to buckle on 

my sword; and tell Marie and Croisette of the ally I had secured。                     They 

were much pleased; as was natural; so that we took the road in excellent 

spirits intending to reach the city in the afternoon。            But Marie's horse cast 

a   shoe;   and   it   was   some   time   before   we   could   find   a   smith。 Then   at 

Etampes;   where   we   stopped   to   lunch;   we   were   kept   an   unconscionable 

time   waiting   for   it。  And   so   we   approached   Paris   for   the   first   time   at 

sunset。     A ruddy glow was at the moment warming the eastern heights; 



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and picking out with flame the twin towers of Notre Dame; and the one 

tall tower of St。 Jacques la Boucherie。             A dozen roofs higher than their 

neighbours shone hotly;   and   a great   bank of   cloud;  which lay  north  and 

south;    and   looked    like  a  man's    hand    stretched   over   the   city;  changed 

gradually  from  blood…red   to   violet;  and   from  violet   to   black;   as   evening 

fell。 

     Passing within the gates and across first one bridge and then another; 

we were astonished and utterly confused by the noise and hubbub through 

which we rode。        Hundreds seemed to be moving this way and that in the 

narrow      streets。   Women        screamed     to   one   another     from   window      to 

window。       The     bells  of  half…a…dozen      churches     rang   the  curfew。     Our 

country ears were deafened。            Still our eyes had leisure to take in the tall 

houses with their high… pitched roofs; and here and there a tower built into 

the wall; the quaint churches; and the groups of townsfolksullen fellows 

some   of   them   with   a   fierce   gleam   in   their   eyes…who;   standing   in   the 

mouths of reeking alleys; watched us go by。 

     But presently we had to stop。           A crowd had gathered to watch a little 

cavalcade of six gentlemen pass across our path。                 They were riding two 

and     two;   lounging     in   their   saddles    and   chattering     to  one    another; 

distainfully   unconscious   of   the   people   about   them;   or   the   remarks   they 

excited。     Their     graceful    bearing    and   the   richness    of  their  dress   and 

equipment       surpassed     anything    I  had   ever   seen。    A   dozen     pages   and 

lackeys   were   attending   them   on   foot;   and   the   sound   of   their   jests   and 

laughter came to us over the heads of the crowd。 

     While I was gazing at 

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