red eve-第19章

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Cressi　on　the　business　which　I　have　given　him　to　do；　and；　when　it　is
finished；　should　both　or　either　of　you　live；　neglect　not　our　command
to　rejoin　us　here；　orif　we　have　crossed　the　seain　France。　Edward
of　England　needs　the　service　of　such　a　sword　and　such　a　bow。〃

〃You　shall　have　them　both；　Sire；〃　broke　in　Hugh；　〃for　what　they　are
worth。　Moreover；　I　pray　your　Grace　be　not　angry　with　Grey　Dick's
words；　for　if　God　gave　him　a　quick　eye；　He　also　gave　him　a　rough
tongue。〃

〃Not　I；　Hugh　de　Cressi；　for　know；　we　love　what　is　rough　if　it　be　also
honest。　It　is　smooth；　false　words　of　treachery　that　we　hate；　such
words　as　are　ever　on　the　lips　of　one　whom　we　send　you　forth　to　bring
to　his　account。　Now　to　your　duty。　Farewell　till　we　meet　again；　whether
it　be　here　or　where　all　men；　true　or　traitors；　must　foot　their　bill　at
last。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VI

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SNARE

About　noon　of　the　day　on　which　Hugh　and　his　company　had　ridden　for
London；　another　company　entered　Dunwichnamely；　Sir　John　Clavering
and　many　of　his　folk；　though　with　him　were　neither　Sir　Edmund　Acour
nor　any　of　his　French　train。　Sir　John's　temper　had　never　been　of　the
best；　for　he　was　a　man　who；　whatever　his　prosperity；　found　life　hard
and　made　it　harder　for　all　those　about　him。　But　seldom　had　he　been
angrier　than　he　was　this　day；　when　his　rage　was　mingled　with　real
sorrow　for　the　loss　of　his　only　son；　slain　in　a　fight　brought　about　by
the　daughter　of　one　of　them　and　the　sister　of　the　other　and　urged　for
honour's　sake　by　himself；　the　father　of　them　both。

Moreover；　the　marriage　on　which　he　had　set　his　heart　between　Eve　and
the　glittering　French　lord　whose　future　seemed　so　great　had　been
brought　to　naught；　and　this　turbulent；　hot…hearted　Eve　had　fled　into
sanctuary。　Her　lover；　too；　the　youngest　son　of　a　merchant；　had　ridden
away　to　London；　doubtless　upon　some　mission　which　boded　no　good　to　him
or　his；　leaving　a　blood　feud　behind　him　between　the　wealthy　de　Cressis
and　all　the　Clavering　kin。

There　was　but　one　drop　of　comfort　in　his　cup。　By　now；　as　he　hoped；
Hugh　and　his　death's…head；　Grey　Dick；　a　spawn　of　Satan　that　all　the
country　feared；　and　who；　men　said；　was　a　de　Cressi　bastard　by　a　witch；
were　surely　slain　or　taken　by　those　who　followed　upon　their　heels。

Sir　John　rode　to　the　Preceptory　and　hammered　fiercely　on　its　oaken
door。　Presently　it　was　opened　by　Sir　Andrew　Arnold　himself；　who　stood
in　the　entrance；　grey　and　grim；　a　long　sword　girt　about　his　loins　and
armour　gleaming　beneath　his　monkish　robe。

〃What　would　you；　Sir　John　Clavering；　that　you　knock　at　this　holy　house
thus　rudely？〃　he　asked。

〃My　daughter；　priest；　who；　they　say；　has　sheltered　here。〃

〃They　say　well；　knight；　she　has　sheltered　here　beneath　the　wings　of
St。　Mary　and　St。　John。　Begone　and　leave　her　in　peace。〃

〃I　make　no　more　of　such　wings　than　if　they　were　those　of　farmyard
geese；〃　roared　the　furious　man。　〃Bring　her　or　I　will　pluck　her　forth。〃

〃Do　so；〃　replied　Sir　Andrew；　〃if　you　live　to　pass　this　consecrated
sword；〃　and　he　laid　his　hand　upon　its　hilt。　〃Take　with　her　also　the
curse　of　the　Mother　of　God；　and　His　beloved　Apostle；　and　that　of　the
whole　Church　of　Christ；　by　me　declared　upon　your　head　in　this　world
and　upon　your　soul　in　the　world　to　come。　Man；　this　is　sanctuary；　and
if　you　dare　to　set　foot　within　it　in　violence；　may　your　body　perish
and　your　soul　scorch　everlastingly　in　the　fires　of　hell。　And　you；〃　he
added；　raising　his　voice　till　it　rang　like　a　trumpet；　addressing　the
followers　of　Sir　John；　〃on　you　also　let　the　curse　of　excommunication
fall。　Now　slay　me　and　enter　if　you　will；　but　then　every　drop　of　blood
in　these　veins　shall　find　a　separate　tongue　and　cry　out　for　vengeance
on　you　before　the　judgment　seat　of　God；　where　presently　I　summon　you
to　meet　me。〃

Then　he　crossed　himself；　drew　the　great　sword；　and；　holding　it　in　his
left　hand；　stretched　out　his　right　toward　them　in　malediction。

The　Clavering　men　heard　and　saw。　They　looked　at　each　other；　and；　as
though　by　common　consent；　turned　and　rode　away；　crossing　themselves
also。　In　truth；　they　had　no　stomach　for　the　curse　of　the　Church　when
it　was　thundered　forth　from　the　lips　of　such　a　monk　as　Sir　Andrew
Arnold；　who；　they　knew　well；　had　been　one　of　the　greatest　and　holiest
warriors　of　his　generation；　and；　so　said　rumour；　was　a　white　wizard　to
boot　with　all　the　magic　of　the　East　at　his　command。

〃Your　men　have　gone；　Sir　John；〃　said　the　old　priest；　〃will　you　follow
them　or　will　you　enter？〃

Now　fear　drove　out　the　knight's　rage　and　he　spoke　in　another　voice。

〃Sir　Andrew；　why　do　you　bring　all　these　wrongs　upon　me？　My　boy　is　dead
at　the　hand　of　Hugh　de　Cressi；　your　godson；　and　he　has　robbed　me　of　my
daughter；　whom　I　have　affianced　to　a　better　and　a　nobler　man。　Now　you
give　her　sanctuary　and　threaten　me　with　the　curse　of　the　Church
because　I　would　claim　her；　my　own　flesh　and　blood；　ay；　and　my　heiress
too　to…day。　Tell　me；　as　one　man　to　another；　why　do　you　do　these
things？〃

〃And　tell　me；　Sir　John　Clavering；　why　for　the　sake　of　pelf　and　of
honours　that　you　will　never　harvest　do　you　seek　to　part　those　who　love
each　other　and　whom　God　has　willed　to　bring　together？　Why　would　you
sell　your　child　to　a　gilded　knave　whom　she　hates？　Nay；　stop　me　not。
I'd　call　him　that　and　more　to　his　face　and　none　have　ever　known　me
lie。　Why　did　you　suffer　this　Frenchman　or　your　dead　son；　or　both　of
them；　to　try　to　burn　out　Hugh　de　Cressi　and　Red　Eve　as　though　they
were　rats　in　rubbish？〃

〃Would　you　know；　Father？　Then　I'll　tell　you。　Because　I　wish　to　see　my
daughter　set　high　among　lords　and　princes　and　not　the　wife　of　a
merchant's　lad；　who　by　law　may　wear　cloth　only　and　rabbit　fur。
Because；　also；　I　hate　him　and　all　his　kin；　and　if　this　is　true　of
yesterday；　how　much　more　true　is　it　now　that　he　has　killed　my　son；　and
by　the　arrows　of　that　wolf…man　who　dogs　his　heels；　slain　my　guests　and
my　grieve。　Think　not　I'll　rest　till　I　have　vengeance　of　him　and　all
his　cursed　House。　I'll　appeal　to　the　King；　and　if　he　will　not　give　me
justice　I'll　take　it　for　myself。　Ay；　though　you　are　old；　I　tell　you
you　shall　live　to　see　the　de　Cressi　vault　crowded　with　the　de　Cressi
dead。〃

Sir　Andrew　hid　his　eyes　for　a　moment　with　his　hand；　then　let　it　fall
and　spoke　in　a　changed　voice。

〃It　comes　upon　me　that　you　speak　truth；　Sir　John；　for　since　I　met　a
certain　great　Master　in　the　East；　at　times　I　have　a　gift　of　foresight。
I　think　that　much　sorrow　draws　near　this　land；　ay；　and　others。　I　think
that　many　vaults　and　many　churchyards；　too；　will　ere　long　be　filled
with　dead；　also　that　the　tomb　of　the　Claverings　at　Blythburgh　will
soon　be　opened。　Mayhap　the　end　of　this　world　draws　near　to　all　men；　as
surely　it　draws　near　to　you　and　me。　I　know　notyet　truth　was　in　your
lips　just　now；　and　in　mine　as　well；　I　think。　Oh；　man；　man！〃　he　went　on
after　a　pause；　〃appeal　not　unto　the　world's　C鎠ar　lest　C鎠ar　render
different　judgment　to　that　which　you　desire。　Get　you　home；　and　on　your
knees　appeal　unto　God　to　forgive　you　your　proud；　vengeance…seeking
heart。　Sickness　draws　near　to　you；　death　draws　near　to　you；　and　after
death；　hellor　heaven。　I　have　finished。〃

As　he　heard　these　words　Sir　John's　swarthy　face　grew　pale　and　for　a
little　while　his　rage　died　down。　Then　it　flared　up　again。

〃Don't　dream　to　frighten　me　with　your　spells；　old　wizard；〃　he　said。
〃I'm　a　hale　man　yet；　though　I　do　lose　my　breath　at　times　when　my　mind
is　vexed　with　wrongs；　and　I'll　square　my　own　account　with　God　without
your　help　or　counsel。　So　you'll　not　give　me　my　daughter？〃

〃Nay；　here　she　bides　in　sanctuary　for　so　long　as　it　shall　please　her。〃

〃Does　she　in　truth？　Perhaps　you　married　her　to　this　merchant　fellow
ere　he　rode　this　morning。〃

〃Nay；　Sir　John；　they　betrothed　themselves　before　the　altar　and　in
presence　of　his　kin；　no　more。　Moreover；　if　you　would　know；　because　of
your　son's　blood　which　runs　between　them　I；　after　thought　and　prayer；
speaking　in　the　name　of　the　Church；　swore　them　to　this　penancethat
for　a　year　from　yesterday　they　should　not　wed　nor　play　the　part　of
lovers。〃

〃I　thank　you；　priest；　for　this　small　grace；〃　answered　Sir　John；　with　a
bit