to have and to hold-第71章

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；　look　to　it　that　one　meets　not　you　too；　when　you　come　at　last。　But　come；　in　the　name　of　all　the　fiends；　and　play　your　last　card。　There's　your　cursed　beauty　still。　Come；　and　let　the　King　behold　your　face　once　more〃　…　The　rest　was　hidden。

I　put　out　my　hand　and　touched　him　upon　the　shoulder；　and　he　raised　his　head　and　stared　at　me　as　at　one　come　from　the　grave。

Over　one　side　of　his　face；　from　temple　to　chin；　was　drawn　and　fastened　a　black　cloth；　the　unharmed　cheek　was　bloodless　and　shrunken；　the　lip　twisted。　Only　the　eyes；　dark；　sinister；　and　splendid；　were　as　they　had　been。　〃I　dig　not　my　graves　deep　enough；〃　he　said。　〃Is　she　behind　you　there　in　the　shadow？〃

Flung　across　a　chair　was　a　cloak　of　scarlet　cloth。　I　took　it　and　spread　it　out　upon　the　floor；　then　unsheathed　a　dagger　which　I　had　taken　from　the　rack　of　weapons　in　the　Governor's　hall。　〃Loosen　thy　poniard；　thou　murderer；〃　I　cried；　〃and　come　stand　with　me　upon　the　cloak。〃

〃Art　quick　or　dead？〃　he　answered。　〃I　will　not　fight　the　dead。〃　He　had　not　moved　in　his　seat；　and　there　was　a　lethargy　and　a　dullness　in　his　voice　and　eyes。　〃There　is　time　enough；〃　he　said。　〃I　too　will　soon　be　of　thy　world；　thou　haggard；　bloody　shape。　Wait　until　I　come；　and　I　will　fight　thee；　shadow　to　shadow。〃

〃I　am　not　dead；〃　I　said；　〃but　there　is　one　that　is。　　Stand　up；　villain　and　murderer；　or　I　will　kill　you　sitting　there；　with　her　blood　upon　your　hands！〃

He　rose　at　that；　and　drew　his　dagger　from　the　sheath。　I　laid　aside　my　doublet；　and　he　followed　my　example；　but　his　hands　moved　listlessly　and　his　fingers　bungled　at　the　fastenings。　I　waited　for　him　in　some　wonder；　it　not　being　like　him　to　come　tardily　to　such　pastime。

He　came　at　length；　slowly　and　with　an　uncertain　step；　and　we　stood　together　on　the　scarlet　cloak。　I　raised　my　left　arm　and　he　raised　his；　and　we　locked　hands。　There　was　no　strength　in　his　clasp；　his　hand　lay　within　mine　cold　and　languid。　〃Art　ready？〃　I　demanded。

〃Yea；〃　he　answered　in　a　strange　voice；　〃but　I　would　that　she　did　not　stand　there　with　her　head　upon　your　breast。　。　。　。　I　too　loved　thee；　Jocelyn；　…　Jocelyn　lying　dead　in　the　forest！〃

I　struck　at　him　with　the　dagger　in　my　right　hand；　and　wounded　him；　but　not　deeply；　in　the　side。　He　gave　blow　for　blow；　but　his　poniard　scarce　drew　blood；　so　nerveless　was　the　arm　that　would　have　driven　it　home。　I　struck　again；　and　he　stabbed　weakly　at　the　air；　then　let　his　arm　drop　to　his　side；　as　though　the　light　and　jeweled　blade　had　weighed　it　down。

Loosening　the　clasp　of　our　left　hands；　I　fell　back　until　the　narrow　scarlet　field　was　between　us。　〃Hast　no　more　strength　than　that？〃　I　cried。　〃I　cannot　murder　you！〃

He　stood　looking　past　me　as　into　a　great　distance。　He　was　bleeding；　but　I　had　as　yet　been　able　to　strike　no　mortal　blow。　〃It　is　as　you　choose；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　as　one　bound　before　you。　I　am　sick　unto　death。〃

Turning；　he　went　back；　swaying　as　he　walked；　to　　his　chair；　and　sinking　into　it　sat　there　a　minute　with　half…closed　eyes；　then　raised　his　head　and　looked　at　me；　with　a　shadow　of　the　old　arrogance；　pride；　and　disdain　upon　his　scarred　face。　〃Not　yet；　captain？〃　he　demanded。　〃To　the　heart；　man！　So　I　would　strike　an　you　sat　here　and　I　stood　there。〃

〃I　know　you　would；〃　I　said；　and　going　to　the　window　I　flung　the　dagger　down　into　the　empty　street；　then　stood　and　watched　the　smoke　across　the　river；　and　thought　it　strange　that　the　sun　shone　and　the　birds　sang。

When　I　turned　to　the　room　again；　he　still　sat　there　in　the　great　chair；　a　tragic；　splendid　figure；　with　his　ruined　face　and　the　sullen　woe　of　his　eyes。　〃I　had　sworn　to　kill　you；〃　I　said。　〃It　is　not　just　that　you　should　live。〃

He　gazed　at　me　with　something　like　a　smile　upon　his　bloodless　lips。　〃Fret　not　thyself；　Ralph　Percy；〃　he　said。　〃Within　a　week　I　shall　be　gone。　Did　you　see　my　servant；　my　Italian　doctor；　lying　dead　upon　the　floor；　there　beyond　the　screen？　He　had　poisons；　had　Nicolo　whom　men　called　the　Black　Death；　…　poisons　swift　and　strong；　or　subtle　and　slow。　Day　and　night；　the　earth　and　sunshine　have　become　hateful　to　me。　I　will　go　to　the　fires　of　hell；　and　see　if　they　can　make　me　forget；　…　can　make　me　forget　the　face　of　a　woman。〃　He　was　speaking　half　to　me；　half　to　himself。　〃Her　eyes　are　dark　and　large；〃　he　said；　〃and　there　are　shadows　beneath　them；　and　the　mark　of　tears。　She　stands　there　day　and　night　with　her　eyes　upon　me。　Her　lips　are　parted；　but　she　never　speaks。　There　was　a　way　that　she　had　with　her　hands；　holding　them　one　within　the　other；　thus〃　…

I　stopped　him　with　a　cry　for　silence；　and　I　leaned　　trembling　against　the　table。　〃Thou　wretch！〃　I　cried。　〃Thou　art　her　murderer！〃

He　raised　his　head　and　looked　beyond　me　with　that　strange；　faint　smile。　〃I　know；〃　he　replied；　with　the　dignity　which　was　his　at　times。　〃You　may　play　the　headsman；　if　you　choose。　I　dispute　not　your　right。　But　it　is　scarce　worth　while。　I　have　taken　poison。〃

The　sunshine　came　into　the　room；　and　the　wind　from　the　river；　and　the　trumpet　notes　of　swans　flying　to　the　north。　〃The　George　is　ready　for　sailing；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃To…morrow　or　the　next　day　she　will　be　going　home　with　the　tidings　of　this　massacre。　I　shall　go　with　her；　and　within　a　week　they　will　bury　me　at　sea。　There　is　a　stealthy；　slow；　and　secret　poison。　。　。　。　I　would　not　die　in　a　land　where　I　have　lost　every　throw　of　the　dice；　and　I　would　not　die　in　England　for　Buckingham　to　come　and　look　upon　my　face；　and　so　I　took　that　poison。　For　the　man　upon　the　floor；　there；　…　prison　and　death　awaited　him　at　home。　He　chose　to　flee　at　once。〃

He　ceased　to　speak；　and　sat　with　his　head　bowed　upon　his　breast。　〃If　you　are　content　that　it　should　be　as　it　is；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃perhaps　you　will　leave　me？　I　am　not　good　company　to…day。〃

His　hand　was　busy　again　with　the　letter　upon　the　table；　and　his　gaze　was　fixed　beyond　me。　〃I　have　lost；〃　he　muttered。　〃How　I　came　to　play　my　cards　so　badly　I　do　not　know。　The　stake　was　heavy；　…　I　have　not　wherewithal　to　play　again。〃

His　head　sank　upon　his　outstretched　arm。　As　for　me；　I　stood　a　minute　with　set　lips　and　clenched　hands；　and　then　I　turned　and　went　out　of　the　room　and　down　the　stair　and　out　into　the　street。　In　the　dust　beneath　the　window　lay　my　dagger。　I　picked　it　up；　sheathed　it；　and　went　my　way。　ILLUSTRATION　

The　street　was　very　quiet。　All　windows　and　doors　were　closed　and　barred；　not　a　soul　was　there　to　trouble　me　with　look　or　speech。　The　yelling　from　the　forest　had　ceased；　only　the　keen　wind　blew；　and　brought　from　the　Esperance　upon　the　river　a　sound　of　singing。　The　sea　was　the　home　of　the　men　upon　her　decks；　and　their　hearts　dwelt　not　in　this　port；　they　could　sing　while　the　smoke　went　up　from　our　homes　and　the　dead　lay　across　the　thresholds。

I　went　on　through　the　sunshine　and　the　stillness　to　the　minister's　house。　The　trees　in　the　garden　were　bare；　the　flowers　dead。　The　door　was　not　barred。　I　entered　the　house　and　went　into　the　great　room　and　flung　the　heavy　shutters　wide；　then　stood　and　looked　about　me。　Naught　was　changed；　it　was　as　we　had　left　it　that　wild　November　night。　Even　the　mirror　which；　one　other　night；　had　shown　me　Diccon　still　hung　upon　the　wall。　Master　Bucke　had　been　seldom　at　home；　perhaps；　or　was　feeble　and　careless　of　altering　matters。　All　was　as　though　we　had　been　but　an　hour　gone；　save　that　no　fire　burned　upon　the　hearth。

I　went　to　the　table；　and　the　books　upon　it　were　Jeremy　Sparrow's：　the　minister's　house；　then；　had　been　his　home　once　more。　Beside　the　books　lay　a　packet；　tied　with　silk；　sealed；　and　addressed　to　me。　Perhaps　the　Governor　had　given　it；　the　day　before；　into　Master　Bucke's　care；　…　I　do　not　know；　at　any　rate；　there　it　lay。　I　looked　at　the　〃By　the　Esperance〃　upon　the　cover；　and　wondered　dully　who　at　home　would　care　to　write　to　me；　then　broke　the　seal　and　untied　the　silk。　Within　the　cover　there　was　a　letter　with　the　superscription；　〃To　a　Gentleman　who　has　served　me　well。〃

I　read　the　letter　through　to　the　signature；　which　　was　that　of　his　Grace　of　Buckingham；　and　then　I　laughed；　who　had　never　thought　to　laugh　again；　and　threw　the　paper　down。　It　mattered　naught　to　me　now　that　George　Villiers　should　be　grateful；　or　that　James　Stewart　could　deny　a　favorite　nothing。　〃The　King　graciously　sanctions　the　marriage　of　his　sometime　ward；