red eve-第2章

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funeral　fires　flared　no　more。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　I

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　TRYSTING…PLACE

On　the　very　day　when　Murgh　the　Messenger　sailed　forth　into　that
uttermost　sea；　a　young　man　and　a　maiden　met　together　at　the　Blythburgh
marshes；　near　to　Dunwich；　on　the　eastern　coast　of　England。　In　this；
the　month　of　February　of　the　year　1346；　hard　and　bitter　frost　held
Suffolk　in　its　grip。　The　muddy　stream　of　Blyth；　it　is　true；　was　frozen
only　in　places；　since　the　tide；　flowing　up　from　the　Southwold　harbour；
where　it　runs　into　the　sea　between　that　ancient　town　and　the　hamlet　of
Walberswick；　had　broken　up　the　ice。　But　all　else　was　set　hard　and
fast；　and　now　toward　sunset　the　cold　was　bitter。

Stark　and　naked　stood　the　tall；　dry　reeds。　The　blackbirds　and
starlings　perched　upon　the　willows　seemed　swollen　into　feathery　balls；
the　fur　started　on　the　backs　of　hares；　and　a　four…horse　wain　could
travel　in　safety　over　swamps　where　at　any　other　time　a　schoolboy　dared
not　set　his　foot。

On　such　an　eve；　with　snow　threatening；　the　great　marsh　was　utterly
desolate；　and　this　was　why　these　two　had　chosen　it　for　their　meeting
place。

To　look　on　they　were　a　goodly　pairthe　girl；　who　was　clothed　in　the
red　she　always　wore；　tall；　dark；　well　shaped；　with　large　black　eyes
and　a　determined　face；　one　who　would　make　a　very　stately　woman；　the
man　broad　shouldered；　with　grey　eyes　that　were　quick　and　almost
fierce；　long　limbed；　hard；　agile；　and　healthy；　one　who　had　never　known
sickness；　who　looked　as　though　the　world　were　his　own　to　master。　He
was　young；　but　three…and…twenty　that　day；　and　his　simple　dress；　a
tunic　of　thick　wool　fastened　round　him　with　a　leathern　belt；　to　which
hung　a　short　sword；　showed　that　his　degree　was　modest。

The　girl；　although　she　seemed　his　elder；　in　fact　was　only　in　her
twentieth　year。　Yet　from　her　who　had　been　reared　in　the　hard　school　of
that　cruel　age　childhood　had　long　departed；　leaving　her　a　ripened
woman　before　her　time。

This　pair　stood　looking　at　each　other。

〃Well；　Cousin　Eve　Clavering；〃　said　the　man；　in　his　clear　voice；　〃why
did　your　message　bid　me　meet　you　in　this　cold　place？〃

〃Because　I　had　a　word　to　say　to　you；　Cousin　Hugh　de　Cressi；〃　she
answered　boldly；　〃and　the　marsh　being　so　cold　and　so　lonesome　I
thought　it　suited　to　my　purpose。　Does　Grey　Dick　watch　yonder？〃

〃Ay；　behind　those　willows；　arrow　on　string；　and　God　help　him　on　whom
Dick　draws！　But　what　was　that　word；　Eve？〃

〃One　easy　to　understand；〃　she　replied；　looking　him　in　the　eyes
〃Farewell！〃

He　shivered　as　though　with　the　cold；　and　his　face　changed。

〃An　ill　birthday　greeting；　yet　I　feared　it；〃　he　muttered　huskily；　〃but
why　more　now　than　at　any　other　time？〃

〃Would　you　know；　Hugh？　Well；　the　story　is　short；　so　I'll　let　it　out。
Our　great…grandmother；　the　heiress　of　the　de　Cheneys；　married　twice；
did　she　not；　and　from　the　first　husband　came　the　de　Cressis；　and　from
the　second　the　Claverings。　But　in　this　way　or　in　that　we　Claverings
got　the　lands；　or　most　of　them；　and　you　de　Cressis；　the　nobler　stock；
took　to　merchandise。　Now　since　those　days　you　have　grown　rich　with
your　fishing　fleets；　your　wool　mart；　and　your　ferry　dues　at
Walberswick　and　Southwold。　We；　too；　are　rich　in　manors　and　land；
counting　our　acres　by　the　thousand；　but　yet　poor；　lacking　your　gold；
though　yonder　manor〃and　she　pointed　to　some　towers　which　rose　far
away　above　the　trees　upon　the　high　land〃has　many　mouths　to　feed。
Also　the　sea　has　robbed　us　at　Dunwich；　where　I　was　born；　taking　our
great　house　and　sundry　streets　that　paid　us　rent；　and　your　market　of
Southwold　has　starved　out　ours　at　Blythburgh。〃

〃Well；　what　has　all　this　to　do　with　you　and　me；　Eve？〃

〃Much；　Hugh；　as　you　should　know　who　have　been　bred　to　trade；〃　and　she
glanced　at　his　merchant's　dress。　〃Between　de　Cressi　and　Clavering
there　has　been　rivalry　and　feud　for　three　long　generations。　When　we
were　children　it　abated　for　a　while；　since　your　father　lent　money　to
mine；　and　that　is　why　they　suffered　us　to　grow　up　side　by　side。　But
then　they　quarrelled　about　the　ferry　that　we　had　set　in　pawn；　and　your
father　asked　his　gold　back　again；　and；　not　getting　it；　took　the　ferry；
which　I　have　always　held　a　foolish　and　strife…breeding　deed；　since
from　that　day　forward　the　war　was　open。　Therefore；　Hugh；　if　we　meet　at
all　it　must　be　in　these　frozen　reeds　or　behind　the　cover　of　a　thicket；
like　a　village　slut　and　her　man。〃

〃I　know　that　well　enough；　Eve；　who　have　spoken　with　you　but　twice　in
nine　months。〃　And　he　devoured　her　beautiful　face　with　hungry　eyes。
〃But　of　that　word；　'Farewell'〃

〃Of　that　ill　word；　this；　Hugh：　I　have　a　new　suitor　up　yonder；　a　fine
French　suitor；　a　very　great　lord　indeed；　whose　wealth；　I　am　told；　none
can　number。　From　his　mother　he　has　the　Valley　of　the　Waveney　up　to
Bungay　townay；　and　beyondand　from　his　father；　a　whole　county　in
Normandy。　Five　French　knights　ride　behind　his　banner；　and　with　them
ten　squires　and　I　know　not　how　many　men…at…arms。　There　is　feasting
yonder　at　the　manor；　I　can　tell　you。　Ere　his　train　leaves　us　our
winter　provender　will　be　done；　and　we'll　have　to　drink　small　beer　till
the　wine　ships　come　from　France　in　spring。〃

〃And　what　is　this　lord's　name？〃

〃God's　truth；　he　has　several；〃　she　answered。　〃Sir　Edmund　Acour　in
England；　and　in　France　the　high　and　puissant　Count　of　Noyon；　and　in
Italy；　near　to　the　city　of　Venicefor　there；　too；　he　has　possessions
which　came　to　him　through　his　grandmotherthe　Seigneur　of　Cattrina。〃

〃And　having　so　much；　does　he　want　you；　too；　as　I　have　heard；　Eve？　And
if　so；　why？〃

〃So　he　swears；〃　she　answered　slowly；　〃and　as　for　the　reason；　why；　I
suppose　you　must　seek　it　in　my　face；　which　by　ill…fortune　has　pleased
his　lordship　since　first　he　saw　it　a　month　ago。　At　the　least　he　has
asked　me　in　marriage　of　my　father；　who　jumped　at　him　like　a　winter
pike；　and　so　I'm　betrothed。〃

〃And　do　you　want　him；　Eve？〃

〃Ay；　I　want　him　as　far　as　the　sun　is　from　the　moon　or　the　world　from
either。　I　want　him　in　heaven　or　beneath　the　earth；　or　anywhere　away
from　me。〃

At　these　words　a　light　shone　in　Hugh's　keen　grey　eyes。

〃I'm　glad　of　that；　Eve；　for　I've　been　told　much　of　this　fine　fellow
amongst　other　things　that　he　is　a　traitor　come　here　to　spy　on　England。
But　should　I　be　a　match　for　him；　man　to　man；　Eve？〃　he　asked　after　a
little　pause。

She　looked　him　up　and　down；　then　answered：

〃I　think　so；　though　he　is　no　weakling；　but　not　for　him　and　the　five
knights　and　the　ten　squires；　and　my　noble　father；　and　my　brother；　and
the　rest。　Oh；　Hugh；　Hugh！〃　she　added　bitterly；　〃cannot　you　understand
that　you　are　but　a　merchant's　lad；　though　your　blood　be　as　noble　as
any　in　this　realma　merchant's　lad；　the　last　of　five　brothers？　Why
were　you　not　born　the　first　of　them　if　you　wished　for　Eve　Clavering；
for　then　your　red　gold　might　have　bought　me。〃

〃Ask　that　of　those　who　begot　me；〃　said　Hugh。　〃Come　now；　what's　in　your
mind？　You're　not　one　to　be　sold　like　a　heifer　at　a　faring　and　go
whimpering　to　the　altar；　and　I　am　not　one　to　see　you　led　there　while　I
stand　upon　my　feet。　We　are　made　of　a　clay　too　stiff　for　a　French
lord's　fingers；　Eve；　though　it　is　true　that　they　may　drag　you　whither
you　would　not　walk。〃

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃I　think　I　shall　take　some　marrying　against　my
wish。　Moreover；　I　am　Dunwich　born。〃

〃What　of　that；　Eve？〃

〃Go　ask　your　godsire　and　my　friend；　Sir　Andrew　Arnold；　the　old　priest。
In　the　library　of　the　Temple　there　he　showed　me　an　ancient　roll；　a
copy　of　the　charter　granted　by　John　and　other　kings　of　England　to　the
citizens　of　Dunwich。〃

〃What　said　this　writing；　Eve？〃

〃It　said；　among　other　things；　that　no　man　or　maid　of　Dunwich　can　be
forced　to　marry　against　their　will；　even　in　the　lifetime　of　their
parents。〃

〃But　will　it　hold　to…day？〃

〃Ay；　I　think　so。　I　think　that　is　why　the　holy　Sir　Andrew　showed　it　to
me；　knowing　something　of　our　case；　for　he　is　my　confessor　when　I　can
get　to　him。〃

〃Then；　sweet；　you　are　safe！〃　exclaimed　Hugh；　with　a　sigh　of　relief。

〃Ay；　so　safe　that　to…morrow　Father　Nicholas；　the　French　chaplain　in
his　train；　has　been　warned　to　wed　me　to　my　lord　Acourthat　is；　if　I'm
there　to　wed。〃

〃And　if