red eve-第20章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


lovers。〃

〃I　thank　you；　priest；　for　this　small　grace；〃　answered　Sir　John；　with　a
bitter　laugh；　〃and　in　my　turn　I　swear　this；　that　after　the　year　they
shall　not　wed；　since　the　one　of　them　will　be　clay　and　the　other　the
wife　of　the　man　whom　I　have　chosen。　Now；　play　no　tricks　on　me；　lest　I
burn　this　sanctuary　of　yours　about　your　head　and　throw　your　old
carcass　to　roast　among　the　flames。〃

Sir　Andrew　made　no　reply；　only；　resting　his　long　sword　on　the
threshold；　he　leant　upon　its　hilt；　and　fixed　his　clear　grey　eyes　upon
Clavering's　face。　What　Sir　John　saw　in　those　eyes　he　never　told；　but
it　was　something　which　scared　him。　At　least　that　shortening　of　the
breath　of　which　he　had　spoken　seemed　to　take　a　hold　of　him；　for　he
swayed　upon　his　horse　as　though　he　were　about　to　fall；　then；
recovering；　turned　and　rode　straight　for　Blythburgh。



It　was　the　second　night　after　that　day　when　Sir　Andrew　had　looked　John
Clavering　in　the　eyes。

Secretly　and　in　darkness　those　three　whom　Grey　Dick　had　killed　were
borne　into　the　nave　of　Blythburgh　church　and　there　laid　in　the　grave
which　had　been　made　ready　for　them。　Till　now　their　corpses　had　been
kept　above　ground　in　the　hope　that　the　body　of　John　Clavering　the
younger　might　be　added　to　their　number。　But　search　as　they　would　upon
seashore　and　river…bank；　nothing　of　him　was　ever　seen　again。　This
funeral　was　celebrated　in　the　darkness；　since　neither　Sir　John　nor
Acour　desired　that　all　men　should　see　three　bodies　that　had　been　slain
by　one　archer；　aided　by　a　merchant's　lad；　standing　alone　against　a
score；　and　know；　to　say　naught　of　the　wounded；　that　there　was　yet
another　to　be　added　to　the　tale。　Therefore　they　interred　them　by　night
with　no　notice　of　the　ceremony。

It　was　a　melancholy　scene。　The　nave　of　the　great　church；　lighted　only
with　the　torches　borne　by　the　six　monks　of　the　black　Augustines　from
the　neighbouring　priory　of　St。　Osyth；　the　candles；　little　stars　of
light；　burning　far　away　upon　the　altar；　the　bearers　of　the　household
of　the　Claverings　and　the　uncoffined　corpses　lying　on　their　biers　by
the　edge　of　the　yawning　graves；　the　mourners　in　their　mail；　the　low
voice　of　the　celebrating　priest；　a　Frenchman；　Father　Nicholas；
chaplain　to　Acour；　who　hurried　through　the　Latin　service　as　though　he
wished　to　be　done　with　it；　the　deep　shadows　of　the　groined　roof
whereon　the　rain　patteredsuch　were　the　features　of　this　interment。
It　was　done　at　last；　and　the　poor　dead；　but　a　few　days　before　so　full
of　vigour　and　of　passion；　were　left　to　their　last　sleep　in　the
unremembered　grave。　Then　the　mourners　marched　back　to　the　manor　across
the　Middle　Marsh　and　sought　their　beds　in　a　sad　silence。

Shortly　after　daybreak　they　were　called　from　them　again　by　the　news
that　those　who　had　followed　Hugh　de　Cressi　had　returned。　Quickly　they
rose；　thinking　that　these　came　back　with　tidings　of　accomplished
vengeance；　to　find　themselves　face　to　face　with　seven　starved　and
miserable　men　who；　all　their　horses　being　dead；　had　walked　hither　from
Dunwich。

The　wretched　story　was　learned　at　length；　and　then　followed　that
violent　scene；　which　has　been　told　already；　when　Acour　cursed　his
followers　as　cowards；　and　Clavering；　sobered　perhaps　by　the　sadness　of
the　midnight　burial　or　by　the　memory　of　Arnold's　words；　reproved　him。
Lastly；　stung　by　the　taunts　that　were　heaped　upon　them；　Sir　Pierre　de
la　Roche　gave　Hugh's　messagethat　if　they　lifted　hand　against　his
love　or　his　House　he　would　kill　them　like　ravening　wolves；　〃which　I
think　he　certainly　will　do；　for　none　can　conquer　him　and　his
henchman；〃　he　added　shortly。

Then　Sir　John's　rage　flared　up　again　like　fire　when　fresh　fuel　is
thrown　on　ashes。　He　cursed　Hugh　and　Grey　Dick；　he　cursed　his　daughter；
he　even　cursed　Acour　and　asked　for　the　second　time　how　it　came　about
that　he　who　had　brought　all　this　trouble　on　him　was　given　the　evil
name　of　traitor。

〃I　know　not；〃　answered　Sir　Edmund　fiercely；　and　laying　his　hand　upon
his　sword；　〃but　this　I　know；　that　you　or　any　man　will　do　well　not　to
repeat　it　if　you　value　life。〃

〃Do　you　threaten　me？〃　asked　Sir　John。　〃Because；　if　so；　you　will　do
well　to　begone　out　of　this　house　of　shame　and　woe　lest　you　be　borne
out　feet　first。　Nay；　nay；　I　forgot；〃　he　added　slowly；　clasping　his
head　in　his　hands；　〃you　are　my　daughter's　affianced；　are　you　not；　and
will　give　her　high　place　and　many　famous　titles；　and　her　son　shall　be
called　Clavering；　that　the　old　name　may　not　die　but　be　great　in
England；　in　France；　and　in　Italy。　You　must　bide　to　marry　her；　lest
that　cuckoo；　Hugh　de　Cressi；　that　cuckoo　with　the　sharp　bill；　should
creep　into　my　nest。　I'll　not　be　worsted　by　a　stripling　clad　in
merchant's　cloth　who　slew　my　only　son。　Take　not　my　words　ill；　noble
Noyon；　for　I　am　overdone　with　grief　for　the　past　and　fear　for　the
future。　You　must　bide　to　marry　her　by　fair　means　or　by　foul。　Draw　her
from　the　sanctuary　and　marry　her　whether　she　say　you　yea　or　nay。　You
have　my　leave；　noble　Noyon；〃　and　so　speaking　he　swayed　and　fell　prone
upon　the　floor。

At　first　they　thought　that　he　was　dead。　But　the　chaplain；　Nicholas；
who　was　a　leech；　bled　him；　and　he　came　to　himself　again；　although　he
still　wandered　in　his　talk　and　lay　abed。

Then　Acour　and　Nicholas　took　counsel　together。

〃What　is　to　be　done？〃　said　Sir　Edmund；　〃for　I　am　on　fire　for　this
maid；　and　all　her　scorn　and　hate　do　but　fan　my　flame。　Moreover；　she　is
now　very　rich；　for　that　old　hot…head　cannot　live　long。　His　violent
humours　will　kill　him；　and；　as　you　know；　Father；　although　I　have　great
possessions；　my　costs　are　large　and　I　have　still　greater　debts。
Lastly；　shall　de　Noyon　and　his　knights　be　worsted　by　a　wool…merchant's
younger　son；　a　mere　'prentice　lad；　and　his　henchman；　a　common　archer
of　the　fens？　Show　me　how　to　get　her；　Nicholas；　and　I'll　make　an　abbot
of　you　yet。　This　sanctuary；　now？　will　it　hold？　If　we　stormed　the　place
and　took　her；　would　the　Holy　Father　give　us　absolution；　do　you　think？〃

〃No；　my　lord；〃　answered　the　fox…faced　Nicholas。　〃The　Church　is　great
because　the　Church　is　one；　and　what　the　priest　does　the　Pope　upholds；
especially　when　that　priest　is　no　mean　man。　This　holy　monk；　Sir　Andrew
Arnold；　has　reputation　throughout　Europe；　and；　though　he　seems　so
humble；　because　of　his　wisdom　is　in　the　counsel　of　many　great　men
whose　fathers　or　grandfathers　were　guided　by　him　long　ago。　Commit　what
crime　you　will；　dip　yourself　to　the　lips　in　blood；　and　you　may　find
forgiveness；　but　touch　not　an　ancient　and　acknowledged　sanctuary　of
the　Church；　since　for　this　offence　there　will　be　none。〃

〃What　then；　Nicholas？　Must　I　give　up　the　chase　and　fly？　To　speak
truth；　things　seem　to　threaten　me。　Why　has　that　Hugh　twice　called　me
traitor？　Have　any　of　my　letters　fallen　into　strange　hands；　think　you？
I　have　written　several；　and　you　know　my　mission　here。〃

〃It　is　possible；　lord；　all　things　are　possible；　but　I　think　not。　I
think　that　he　only　draws　the　bow　at　a　hazard；　which　is　more　than　Grey
Dick　does；〃　he　added　with　a　chuckle。　〃These　brute　English　hate　us
French；　whom　they　know　to　be　their　masters　in　all　that　makes　a　man；
and　traitor　to　their　fool　king　is　the　least　of　the　words　they　throw　at
us。〃

〃Well；　priest；　my　mother　was　English；　as　my　wife　will　be。　Therefore
stay　your　tongue　on　that　matter　and　tell　me　how　I　am　to　make　her　my
wife；〃　answered　Acour　haughtily。

The　chaplain　cringed　and　bowed；　rubbing　his　thin　hands　together。

〃I　thought　you　wished　to　speak　of　the　English；　my　lord；　otherwise　I
should　not　have　venturedbut　as　to　the　lady　Eve；　something　comes　to
me。　Why　does　she　stay　in　sanctuary　who　herself　has　committed　no　crime？
Is　it　not；　such　is　her　madness；　because　she　would　be　out　of　reach　of
you　and　your　endearments？　Now　if　she　believed　you　gone　far　enough
away；　let　us　say　to　France；　and　knew　that　her　father　lay　ill；　why
then〃　and　he　paused。

〃You　mean　that　she　might　come　out　of　sanctuary　of　her　own　accord？〃

〃Yes；　lord；　and　we　might　set　a　springe　to　catch　this　bird　so　rare　and
shy；　and　though　she'd　flutter；　flutter；　flutter；　and　peck；　peck；　peck；
what　could　she　do　when　you　smoothed　her　plumage　with　your　loving　hand；
and　a　priest　was　waiting　to　say　the　word　that　should　cause　her　to