red eve-第13章

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shall　lose　little　by　it。　I　promise　you；〃　he　added　in　a　whisper；　〃that
if　you　bring　my　boy　safe　home　again；　you　shall　not　want　for　all　your
life；　ay；　and　if　there　is　need；　I'll　pay　your　blood…scot　for　you。〃

〃Thank　you；　master；　thank　you。　I'll　remember；　and　for　my　part　promise
you　this；　that　if　he　does　not　return　safe；　Dick　the　Archer　never　will。
But　I　think　I'll　live　to　shoot　more　than　your　four　dozen　of　arrows。〃

As　he　spoke　there　came　a　knock　upon　the　outer　door　and　every　one
sprang　up。

〃Fear　not；〃　said　Sir　Andrew；　〃doubtless　it　will　be　the　men　with　the
horses。　I'll　go　look。　Come　you　with　me；　Richard。〃

Presently　he　returned；　saying　that　it　was　so；　and　that　Master　de
Cressi's　servants　were　waiting　with　the　beasts　in　the　courtyard。　Also
that　they　brought　tidings　that　some　of　the　Clavering　party　were　now　at
the　Mayor's　house；　rousing　him　from　his　sleep；　doubtless　to　lay
information　of　the　slayings　and　ask　for　warrant　to　take　those　who
wrought　them；　should　they　be　in　the　borough。

〃Then　we　had　best　be　going；〃　said　Hugh；　〃since　soon　they　will　be　here
with　or　without　their　warrant。〃

〃Ay；〃　answered　Sir　Andrew。　〃Here　are　the　papers。　Take　them；　Hugh；　and
hide　them　well；　and　if　any　accident　should　befall　you；　try　to　pass
them　on　to　Richard　that　they　may　be　delivered　into　the　King's　hands　at
Westminster。　Say　that　Sir　Andrew　Arnold　sends　you　on　business　that　has
to　do　with　his　Grace's　safety；　and　neither　of　you　will　be　refused　a
hearing。　Then　act　as　he　may　command　you；　and　maybe　ere　long　we　shall
see　you　back　at　Dunwich　pardoned。〃

〃I　think　it　is　the　Claverings　and　their　French　lord　who　need　pardon；
not　I；〃　said　Hugh。　〃But　be　that　as　it　may；　what　of　Eve？〃

〃Fear　not　for　Eve；　son；　for　here　she　bides　in　sanctuary　until　the
Frenchman　is　out　of　England；　or　perchance；〃　he　added　grimly；　〃under
English　soil。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　we'll　guard　the　maid；〃　broke　in　Master　de　Cressi。　〃Come！　to
saddle　ere　you　be　trapped。〃

So　they　descended　to　a　back　entrance；　and　through　it　into　the
courtyard；　where　the　four　armed　men　waited　with　six　good　horses；　one
of　them　Hugh's　own。　Here　he　bade　farewell　to　his　brothers；　to　his
father；　who　kissed　him　on　the　brow；　and　to　Sir　Andrew；　who　stretched
his　hand　above　his　head　in　blessing。　Then　he　turned　to　Eve　and　was
about　to　embrace　her　even　before　that　company；　when　Sir　Andrew　looked
at　him；　and；　remembering　the　penance　that　had　been　laid　upon　him；　he
but　pressed　her　hand；　whispering：

〃God　be　with　you；　sweetheart！〃

〃He　is　with　us　all；　but　I　would　that　you　could　be　with　me　also；〃　she
answered　in　the　same　low　voice。　〃Still；　man　must　forth　to　battle　and
woman　must　wait　and　watch；　for　that　is　the　world's　way。　Whate'er
befalls；　remember　that　dead　or　living　I'll　be　wife　to　no　man　but　you。
Begone　now　ere　my　heart　fails　me；　and　guard　yourself　well；　remembering
that　you　bear　in　your　breast　not　one　life；　but　two。〃

Then　Hugh　swung　himself　to　the　saddle　of　which　Grey　Dick　had　already
tested　the　girths　and　stirrup　leathers。　In　another　minute　the　six　of
them　were　clattering　over　the　stones　of　Middlegate　Street；　while　the
burgesses　of　Dunwich　peeped　from　their　window　places；　wondering　what
knight　with　armed　men　rode　through　their　town　thus　early。

Just　as　the　grey　dawn　broke　they　passed　the　gate；　which；　there　being
peace　in　the　land；　was　already　open。　Fifteen　minutes　later　they　were
on　the　lonely　Westleton　Heath；　where　for　a　while　naught　was　to　be
heard　save　the　scream　of　the　curlew　and　the　rush　of　the　wings　of　the
wild…duck　passing　landward　from　the　sea。　Presently；　however；　another
sound　reached　their　ears；　that　of　horses　galloping　behind　them。　Grey
Dick　pulled　rein　and　listened。

〃Seven；　I　think；　not　more；〃　he　said。　〃Now；　master；　do　you　stand　or
run；　for　these　will　be　Clavering　horses？〃

Hugh　thought　for　a　moment。　His　aim　was　not　to　fight；　but　to　get
through　to　London。　Yet　if　he　fled　the　pursuers　would　raise　the　country
on　them　as　they　came；　so　that　in　the　end　they　must　be　taken；　since
those　who　followed　would　find　fresh　horses。

〃It　seems　best　to　stand；〃　he　said。

〃So　say　I；〃　answered　Grey　Dick；　and　led　the　way　to　a　little　hillock　by
the　roadside　on　which　grew　some　wind…bent　firs。

Here　they　dismounted　and　gave　their　horses　into　the　keeping　of　one
man；　while　Grey　Dick　and　the　others　drew　their　bows　from　the　cases　and
strung　them。　Scarcely　had　they　done　so　when　the　mist；　lifting　in　the
morning　breeze；　showed　them　their　pursuersseven　of　them；　as　Dick　had
saidheaded　by　one　of　the　French　knights；　and　riding　scattered；
between　two　and　three　hundred　yards　away。　At　the　same　moment　a　shout
told　them　that　they　had　been　seen。

〃Hark　now　all！〃　said　Hugh。　〃I　would　shed　no　more　blood　if　it　may　be
so；　who　have　earned　enough　of　penance。　Therefore　shoot　at　the　horses；
not　at　the　riders；　who　without　them　will　be　helpless。　And　let　no　man
harm　a　Clavering　unless　it　be　to　save　his　own　life。〃

〃Poor　sport！〃　grunted　Grey　Dick。

Nevertheless；　when　the　Norman　knight　who　led　came　within　two　hundred
yards；　shouting　to　them　in　French　to　surrender；　Dick　lifted　his　great
bow；　drew　and　loosed　carelessly；　as　though　he　shot　at　hazard；　the
others　holding　their　bows　till　the　Claverings　were　nearer。　Yet　there
was　little　of　hazard　when　Grey　Dick　shot；　save　to　that　at　which　he
aimed。　Away　rushed　the　arrow；　rising　high　and；　as　it　seemed；　bearing
somewhat　to　the　left　of　the　knight。　Yet　when　it　drew　near　to　that
knight　the　wind　told　on　it　and　bent　it　inward；　as　he　knew　it　would。
Fair　and　full　it　struck　upon　the　horse's　chest；　piercing　through　to
the　heart；　so　that　down　the　poor　beast　came；　throwing　its　rider　to　the
ground。

〃A　good　shot　enough；〃　grumbled　Grey　Dick。　〃Still；　it　is　a　shame　to
slay　nags　of　such　a　breed　and　let　the　rogues　who　ride　them　go。〃

But　his　companions　only　stared　at　him　almost　in　awe；　while　the　other
Clavering　men　rode　on。　Before　they　had　covered　fifty　paces；　again　the
great　bow　twanged；　and　again　a　horse　was　seen　to　rear　itself　up；
shaking　the　rider　from　its　back；　and　then　plunge　away　to　die。　Now
Hugh's　serving…men　also　lifted　their　bows；　but　Grey　Dick　hissed：

〃Leave　them　to　me！　This　is　fine　work；　and　you'd　muddle　it！〃

Ere　the　words　had　ceased　to　echo　another　horse　was　down。

Then；　as　those　who　remained　still　came　on；　urged　by　the　knight　who　ran
shouting　behind　them；　all　loosed；　and　though　some　arrows　went　wide；
the　end　of　it　was　that　ere　they　reached　the　little　mound　every
Clavering　horse　was　dead　or　sore　wounded；　while　on　the　heath　stood　or
lay　seven　helpless　men。

〃Now；〃　said　Grey　Dick；　〃let　us　go　and　talk　with　these　foot…soldiers。〃

So　they　went　out；　all　of　them；　except　he　who　had　the　horses；　and　Hugh
called　aloud　that　the　first　man　of　the　Claverings　who　lifted　a　bow　or
drew　a　sword　should　die　without　mercy。　And　he　pointed　to　Grey　Dick；
who　stood　beside　him；　arrow　on　string。

The　Claverings　began　to　talk　together　excitedly。

〃Throw　down　your　weapons！〃　commanded　Hugh。

Still　they　hesitated。　Then；　without　further　warning　Dick　sent　an
artful　arrow　through　the　cap　of　one　of　them；　lifting　it　from　his　head；
and　instantly　set　another　shaft　to　his　string。　After　this；　down　went
the　swords　and　bows。

〃Daggers　and　knives；　too；　if　it　please　you；　masters！〃

Then　these　followed。

Now　Hugh　spoke　a　word　to　his　men；　who；　going　to　the　dead　and　dying
horses；　took　from　them　the　stirrup…leathers　and　bridle…reins　and
therewith　bound　the　Claverings　back　to　back。　But　the　French　knight；　in
acknowledgment　of　his　rank；　they　trussed　up　by　himself；　having　first
relieved　him　of　his　purse　by　way　of　fine。　As　it　chanced；　however；　Hugh
turned　and　saw　them　in　the　act。

〃God's　truth！　Would　you　make　common　thieves　of　us？〃　he　said　angrily。
〃Their　weapons　and　harness　are　ours　by　right　of　war；　but　I'll　hunt　the
man　who　steals　their　money　out　of　my　company。〃

So　the　purse　was　restored。　When　it　was　safe　in　the　knight's　pouch
again　Hugh　saluted　him；　begging　his　pardon　that　it　should　have　been
touched。

〃But　how　are　you　named；　sir？〃　he　added。

〃Sir　Pierre　de　la　Roche　is　my　name；〃　replied　the　knight　sadly；　and　in
French。

〃Then；　Sir　Pierre　de　la　Roche；〃　said　Hugh；　〃here　you　and　your　people
must　bide　until　some　come　to　set　yo