red eve-第15章

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was　advancing　toward　a　hall　which　he　was　told　that　he　might　enter；　an
officer　came　up。

〃His　Grace　desires　your　presence　before　you　sup；〃　he　said。

Pointing　to　Grey　Dick；　at　whom　the　officer　looked　doubtfully；　Hugh
asked　that　he　might　accompany　him；　as　he　had　much　to　do　with　the
message。　After　some　argument　they　were　led　through　various　passages　to
a　chamber；　at　the　door　of　which　the　officer　wished　to　take　away　Dick's
bow。　But　he　would　not　give　it　up。

〃The　bow　and　I　do　not　part；〃　he　said；　in　his　croaking　voice；　〃for　we
are　husband　and　wife；　and　live　and　sleep　together　as　the　married
should。〃

As　Dick　spoke　the　door　was　opened；　and　Prince　Edward　appeared。

〃And　do　you　eat　together　also；　good　fellow？〃　he　asked；　having
overheard　the　talk。

〃Ay；　sir；　we　feed　full　together；〃　replied　Dick　grimly；　〃or　so　thought
some　on　Blythburgh　Marsh　a　few　days　gone。〃

〃I　should　like　to　hear　that　tale；〃　said　the　Prince。　〃Meanwhile；　since
both　my　father　and　I　love　archers；　let　him　pass　with　his　bow。　Only
keep　his　arrows　lest　it　should　happen　to　grow　hungry　here。〃

Then　they　entered　the　chamber；　led　by　the　Prince。　It　was　a　fine　place；
with　a　vaulted　stone　roof　and　windows　of　coloured　glass；　that　looked
like　the　chancel　of　a　church。　Only　at　the　head　of　it；　where　the　altar
should　have　been；　was　a　kind　of　dais。　On　this　dais　were　set　some　high…
backed　oaken　chairs　with　many　lanterns　behind　them　in　which　burned
tapers　that；　together　with　a　great　wood　fire；　gave　light　to　the
chamber。

In　one　of　these　chairs　sat　a　gracious　lady；　who　was　embroidering
something　silken　in　a　frame。　This　was　Queen　Philippa；　and　talking　to
her　stood　the　tall　King；　clad　in　a　velvet　robe　lined　with　fur。　Behind；
seated　at　a　little　table　on　which　lay　parchments；　was　a　man　in　a
priest's　robe；　writing。　There　was　no　one　else　in　the　room。

Hugh　and　Dick　advanced　to　the　foot　of　the　dais；　and　stood　there
bowing。

〃Who　are　these？〃　asked　the　King　of　the　Prince。　〃Oh；　I　remember；　the
man　who　overthrew　Sir　Ambrose　and　said　he　had　a　message！〃

〃Ay；　Sire；〃　answered　the　Prince；　〃and　this　dust…coloured　fellow　is　his
servant；　who　will　not　part　with　his　bow；　which　he　calls　his　wife　and
says　he　sleeps　with。〃

〃I　would　all　Englishmen　did　the　same；〃　broke　in　the　King。　〃Say；　man；
can　you　shoot　straight？〃

〃I　know　not；　Sire；〃　replied　Grey　Dick；　〃but　perhaps　straighter　than
most；　for　God；　Who　withheld　all　else　from　me；　gave　me　this　gift。　At
least；　if　I　be　not　made　drunk　overnight；　I'll　match　myself　against　any
man　at　this　Court；　noble　or　simple；　and　stake　twenty　angels　on　it。〃

〃Twenty　angels！　Have　you　so　much；　fellow？〃

〃Nay；　Sire；　nor　more　than　one；　but　as　I　know　I　shall　win；　what　does
that　matter？〃

〃Son；〃　said　the　King；　〃see　that　this　man　is　kept　sober　to…night；　and
to…morrow　we　will　have　a　shooting　match。　But；　sirrah；　if　you　prove
yourself　to　be　a　boaster　you　shall　be　whipped　round　the　walls；　for　I
love　not　tall　words　and　small　deeds。　And　now；　young　Master　de　Cressi；
what　is　this　message　of　yours？〃

Hugh　thrust　his　hand　into　his　bosom；　and　produced　a　sealed　packet
which　was　addressed　to　〃His　Grace　King　Edward　of　England；　sent　from
Andrew　Arnold；　priest；　by　the　hand　of　Hugh　de　Cressi。〃

〃Can　you　read？〃　the　King　asked　of　Hugh　when　he　had　spelt　out　this
superscription。

〃Ay；　Sire；　at　least　if　the　writing　be　that　of　Sir　Andrew　Arnold；　for
he　was　my　master。〃

〃A　learned　one　and　a　brave；　Hugh　de　Cressi。　Well；　break　seal；　we
listen。〃

Hugh　obeyed；　and　read　as　follows：

　〃Your　Grace：

　〃Mayhap；　Sire；　you　will　remember　me；　Andrew　Arnold；　late　master　of
　　the　Templars　in　this　town　of　Dunwich；　in　whose　house；　by　your
　　warrant　for　certain　services　rendered　to　your　grandsire；　your
　　sire；　and　to　yourself；　I　still　dwell　on　as　a　priest　ordained。
　　Sire；　the　bearer　of　this；　Hugh　de　Cressi；　my　godchild；　is　the　son
　　of　Geoffrey　de　Cressi；　of　this　town；　the　great　wool…merchant；　with
　　whom　your　Highness　has　had　dealings〃

〃In　truth　I　have！〃　interrupted　the　King；　with　a　laugh。　〃Also　I　think
the　account　is　still　openagainst　myself。　Well；　it　shall　be　paid　some
day；　when　I　have　conquered　France。　Forward！〃

　〃Sire；　this　Hugh　is　enamoured　of　Eve　Clavering；　daughter　of　Sir
　　John　Clavering　of　Blythburgh；　a　cousin　of　his　House；　a　very
　　beauteous　maiden；　commonly　known　as　Red　Eve；　and　she　in　turn　is
　　enamoured　of　and　betrothed　to　him〃

Here　Queen　Philippa　suddenly　became　interested。

〃Why　is　the　lady　called　Red　Eve；　sir？〃　she　asked　in　her　soft　voice。
〃Because　her　cheeks　are　red？〃

〃No；　Madam；〃　answered　Hugh；　blushing；　〃because　she　always　loves　to
wear　red　garments。〃

〃Ah；　then　she　is　dark！〃

〃That　is　so；　Madam；　her　eyes　and　hair　are　black　as　ash…buds。〃

〃God's　truth！　Lady；〃　interrupted　King　Edward；　〃is　this　young　man's
message　of　the　colour　of　the　eyes　of　his　mistress；　which；　without
doubt；　being　in　love；　he　describes　falsely？　On　with　the　letter！〃

　〃Out　of　this　matter；〃　continued　Hugh；　〃rose　a　feud　yesterday；
　　during　which　Hugh　de　Cressi　killed　his　cousin　John；　fighting　/？
　　outrance/；　and　his　servant；　Richard　the　Archer；　who　accompanies
　　him；　commonly　known　as　Grey　Dick；　slew　three　men　with　as　many
　　arrows；　two　of　them　being　Normans　whose　names　are　unknown　to　us；
　　and　the　third　a　grieve　to　Sir　John　Clavering；　called　Thomas　of
　　Kessland。　Also；　he　killed　a　horse；　and　when　another　Frenchman
　　tried　to　grasp　his　master；　sent　a　shaft　through　the　palm　of　his
　　hand。〃

〃By　St。　George；〃　said　the　King；　〃but　here　is　shooting！　Were　they　near
to　you；　Grey　Dick？〃

〃Not　so　far　away；　Sire。　Only　the　light　was　very　bad；　or　I　should　have
had　the　fourth。　I　aimed　low；　Sire；　fearing　to　miss　his　skull；　and　he
jerked　up　his　horse's　head　to　take　the　arrow。〃

〃A　good　trick！　I've　played　it　myself。　Well；　let　us　have　done　with　the
letter；　and　then　we'll　come　to　archery。〃

　〃Sire；〃　read　on　Hugh；　〃I　ask　your　royal　pardon　to　Hugh　de　Cressi
　　and　Richard　the　Archer　for　these　slayings；　believing　that　when　you
　　have　read　these　letters　it　will　be　granted。〃

〃That　remains　to　be　seen；〃　muttered　the　King。

　〃Sire；　Sir　Edmund　Acour；　who　has　lands　here　in　Suffolk；　Count　de
　　Noyon　in　Normandy；　and　Seigneur　of　Cattrina　in　Italy〃

〃I　know　the　man；〃　exclaimed　Edward　to　the　Queen；　〃and　so　do　you。　A
handsome　knight　and　a　pleasant；　but　one　of　whom　I　have　always
misdoubted　me。〃

　〃Is　also　enamoured　of　Eve　Clavering；　and　with　her　father's　will
　　seeks　to　make　her　his　wife；　though　she　hates　him；　and　by　the
　　charter　of　Dunwich；　of　which　she　is　a　citizen；　has　the　right　to
　　wed　whom　she　will。〃

〃It　is　well　there　are　not　many　such　charters。　The　old　storybrave　men
done　to　death　for　the　sake　of　a　woman　who　is　rightly　named　Red　Eve；〃
mused　the　King。

　〃My　Liege；　I　pray　that　you　will　read　the　letter　herein　enclosed。
　　Hugh　de　Cressi　will　tell　you　how　it　came　to　my　hand；　since　I　lack
　　time　to　write　all　the　story。　If　it　seems　good　to　your　Grace；　I
　　pray　you　scotch　this　snake　while　he　is　in　your　garden；　lest　he
　　should　live　to　sting　you　when　you　walk　abroad。　If　it　please　you　to
　　give　your　royal　warrant　to　the　bearer　of　this　letter；　and　to
　　address　the　same　to　such　of　your　subjects　in　Dunwich　as　you　may
　　think　good；　I　doubt　not　but　that　men　can　be　found　to　execute　the
　　same。　Thus　would　a　great　and　traitorous　plot　be　brought　to
　　nothing；　to　your　own　glory　and　the　discomfiture　of　your　foes　in
　　France；　who　hope　to　lay　their　murderous　hands　upon　the　throne　of
　　England。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Your　humble　servant　and　subject；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Andrew　Arnold。〃

〃What's　this？〃　exclaimed　the　King　starting　from　his　seat。　〃To　lay
hands　upon　the　throne　of　England！　Quick　with　the　other　letter；　man！〃

〃I　was　charged　that　it　is　for　your　Grace's　eye　alone；〃　said　Hugh　as　he
unfolded　the　paper。　〃Is　it　your　pleasure　that　I　read　it　aloud；　if　I
can；　for　it　is　writ　in　French？〃

〃Give　it　me；〃　said　the　King。　〃Philippa；　come　help　me　with　this　crabbed
stuff。〃

Then　they　withdrew　to　the　side　of　the　dais；　and；　standing　under　a
lantern；　spelled　out　Sir　Edmund　Acour's　letter　to　the　Duke　of
Normandy；　word　by　word。

The　King　finished　the　letter；　and；　still　holding　it　in　his　h