the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第48章
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of hate！ If you had flinched I would have killed you； for so you would
have suffered most； M。 de Pavannes。 As it is； take your lifea gift！ and
suffer as I should if I were saved and spared by my enemy！〃
Slowly the full sense of his words came home to me。 Slowly； not in
its full completeness indeed until I heard Louis in broken phrases； phrases
half proud and half humble； thanking him for his generosity。 Even then I
almost lost the true and wondrous meaning of the thing when I heard his
answer。 For he cut Pavannes short with bitter caustic gibes； spurned his
proffered gratitude with insults； and replied to his acknowledgments with
threats。
〃Go！ go！〃 he continued to cry violently。 〃Have I brought you so
far safely that you will cheat me of my vengeance at the last； and provoke
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me to kill you？ Away！ and take these blind puppies with you！
Reckon me as much your enemy now as ever！ And if I meet you； be sure
you will meet a foe！ Begone； M。 de Pavannes； begone！〃
〃But； M。 de Bezers；〃 Louis persisted； 〃hear me。 It takes two to〃
〃Begone！ begone！ before we do one another a mischief！〃 cried
the Vidame furiously。 〃Every word you say in that strain is an injury to
me。 It robs me of my vengeance。 Go！ in God's name！〃
And we went； for there was no change； no promise of softening in his
malignant aspect as he spoke； nor any as he stood and watched us draw off
slowly from him。 We went one by one； each lingering after the other；
striving； out of a natural desire to thank him； to break through that stern
reserve。 But grim and unrelenting； a picture of scorn to the last； he saw
us go。
My latest memory of that strange manstill fresh after a lapse of two
and fifty yearsis of a huge form towering in the gloom below the state
canopy； the sunlight which poured in through the windows and flooded us；
falling short of him； of a pair of fierce cross eyes； that seemed to glow as
they covered us； of a lip that curled as in the enjoyment of some cruel jest。
And so Iand I think each of us four saw the last of Raoul de Mar； Vidame
de Bezers； in this life。
He was a man whom we cannot judge by to…day's standard； for he was
such an one in his vices and his virtues as the present day does not know；
one who in his time did immense eviland if his friends be believed； little
good。 But the evil is forgotten； the good lives。 And if all that good save
one act were buried with him； this one act alone； the act of a French
gentleman； would be told of himay！ and will be toldas long as the
kingdom of France； and the gracious memory of the late king； shall
endure。
* * * * * *
I see again by the simple process of shutting my eyes； the little party of
fivefor Jean； our servant； had rejoined uswho on that summer day rode
over the hills to Caylus； threading the mazes of the holm…oaks； and
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galloping down the rides； and hallooing the hare from her form； but never
pursuing her； arousing the nestling farmhouses from their sleepy stillness
by joyous shout and laugh； and sniffing； as we climbed the hill…side again；
the scent of the ferns that died crushed under our horses' hoofsdied only
that they might add one little pleasure more to the happiness God had
given us。 Rare and sweet indeed are those few days in life； when it
seems that all creation lives only that we may have pleasure in it； and
thank God for it。 It is well that we should make the most of them； as we
surely did of that day。
It was nightfall when we reached the edge of the uplands； and looked
down on Caylus。 The last rays of the sun lingered with us； but the valley
below was dark； so dark that even the rock about which our homes
clustered would have been invisible save for the half…dozen lights that
were beginning to twinkle into being on its summit。 A silence fell upon
us as we slowly wended our way down the well…known path。
All day long we had ridden in great joy； if thoughtless； yet innocent； if
selfish； yet thankful； and always blithely； with a great exultation and relief
at heart； a great rejoicing for our own sakes and for Kit's。
Now with the nightfall and the darkness； now when we were near our
home； and on the eve of giving joy to another； we grew silent。 There
arose other thoughtsthoughts of all that had happened since we had last
ascended that track； and so our minds turned naturally back to him to
whom we owed our happinessto the giant left behind in his pride and
power and his loneliness。 The others could think of him with full hearts；
yet without shame。 But I reddened； reflecting how it would have been
with us if I had had my way； if I had resorted in my shortsightedness to
one last violent； cowardly deed； and killed him； as I had twice wished to
do。
Pavannes would then have been lost almost certainly。 Only the
Vidame with his powerful troopwe never knew whether he had gathered
them for that purpose or merely with an eye to his governmentcould
have saved him。 And few men however powerful perhaps Bezers only
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of all men in Paris would have dared to snatch him from the mob when
once it had sighted him。 I dwell on this now that my grandchildren may
take warning by it； though never will they see such days as I have seen。
And so we clattered up the steep street of Caylus with a pleasant
melancholy upon us； and passed； not without a more serious thought； the
gloomy； frowning portals； all barred and shuttered； of the House of the
Wolf； and under the very window； sombre and vacant； from which Bezers
had incited the rabble in their attack on Pavannes' courier。 We had gone
by day； and we came back by night。 But we had gone trembling； and we
came back in joy。
We did not need to ring the great bell。 Jean's cry； 〃Ho！ Gate there！
Open for my lords！〃 had scarcely passed his lips before we were
admitted。 And ere we could mount the ramp； one person outran those
who came forth to see what the matter was； one outran Madame Claude；
outran old Gil； outran the hurrying servants； and the welcome of the house。
I saw a slender figure all in white break away from the little crowd and
dart towards us； disclosing as it reached me a face that seemed still whiter
than its robes； and yet a face that seemed all eyeseyes that asked the
question the lips could not frame。
I stood aside with a low bow； my hat in my hand； and said simply it
was the great effect of my life〃VOILA Monsieur！〃
And then I saw the sun rise in a woman's face。
* * * * * *
The Vidame de Bezers died as he had lived。 He was still Governor of
Cahors when Henry the Great attacked it on the
