red eve-第23章

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water　and　some　other　things。　Setting　them　down　without　a　word　she
departed；　locking　and　bolting　the　door　behind　her。

While　there　remained　a　few　rays　of　light　to　see　by；　Eve　ate　and　drank
heartily；　for　she　needed　food。　Then　having　prayed　according　to　her
custom；　she　laid　herself　down　and　slept　as　a　child　sleeps；　for　she　was
very　strong　of　will　and　one　who　had　always　taught　herself　to　make　the
best　of　evil　fortune。　When　she　woke　the　daws　were　cawing　around　the
tower　and　the　sun　shone　through　the　loopholes。　She　rose　refreshed　and
ate　the　remainder　of　her　bread；　then　combed　her　hair　and　dressed
herself　as　best　she　could。

Two　or　three　hours　later　the　door　was　opened　and　her　father　entered。
Glancing　at　him　she　saw　that　little　sleep　had　visited　him　that　night；
for　he　looked　old　and　very　weary；　so　weary　that　she　motioned　to　him　to
sit　upon　the　stool。　This　he　did；　breathing　heavily　and　muttering
something　about　the　steepness　of　the　tower　stairs。　Presently　he　spoke。

〃Eve；〃　he　said；　〃is　your　proud　spirit　broken　yet？〃

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃nor　ever　will　be；　living　or　dead！　You　may　kill　my
body；　but　my　spirit　is　me；　and　that　you　will　never　kill。　As　God　gave
it　so　I　will　return　it　to　Him　again。〃

He　stared　at　her；　with　something　of　wonder　and　more　of　admiration　in
his　look。

〃Christ's　truth；〃　he　said；　〃how　proud　I　could　be　of　you；　if　only　you'd
let　me！　I　deem　your　courage　comes　from　your　mother；　but　she　never　had
your　shape　and　beauty。　And　now　you　are　the　only　one　left；　and　you　hate
me　with　all　your　proud　heart；　you；　the　heiress　of　the　Claverings！〃

〃Whose　estate　is　this；〃　she　answered；　pointing　to　the　bare　stone
walls。　〃Think　you；　my　father；　that　such　treatment　as　I　have　met　with
at　your　hands　of　late　would　breed　love　in　the　humblest　heart？　What
devil　drives　you　on　to　deal　with　me　as　you　have　done？〃

〃No　devil；　girl；　but　a　desire　for　your　own　good；　and；〃　he　added　with　a
burst　of　truth；　〃for　the　greatness　of　my　House　after　I　am　gone；　which
will　be　soon。　For　your　old　wizard　spoke　rightly　when　he　said　that　I
stand　near　to　death。〃

〃Will　marrying　me　to　a　man　I　hate　be　for　my　good　and　make　your　House
great？　I　tell　you；　sir；　it　would　kill　me　and　bring　the　Claverings　to
an　end。　Do　you　desire　also　that　your　broad　lands　should　go　to　patch　a
spendthrift　Frenchman's　cloak？　But　what　matters　your　desire　seeing
that　I'll　not　do　it；　who　love　another　man　worth　a　score　of　him；　one；
too；　who　will　sit　higher　than　any　Count　of　Noyon　ever　stood。〃

〃Pish！〃　he　said。　〃'Tis　but　a　girl's　whim。　You　speak　folly；　being　young
and　headstrong。　Now；　to　have　done　with　all　this　mummer's　talk；　will
you　swear　to　me　by　our　Saviour　and　on　the　welfare　of　your　soul　to
break　with　Hugh　de　Cressi　once　and　forever？　For　if　so　I'll　let　you
free；　to　leave　me　if　you　will；　and　dwell　where　it　pleases　you。〃

She　opened　her　lips　to　answer；　but　he　held　up　his　hand；　saying：

〃Wait　ere　you　speak；　I　have　not　done。　If　you　take　my　offer　I'll　not
even　press　Sir　Edmund　Acour　on　you；　that　matter　shall　stand　the　chance
of　time　and　tide。　Only　while　you　live　you　must　have　no　more　to　do　with
the　man　who　slew　your　brother。　Now　will　you　swear？〃

〃Not　I；〃　she　answered。　〃How　can　I　who　but　a　few　days　ago　before　God's
altar　and　His　priest　vowed　myself　to　this　same　Hugh　de　Cressi　for　all
his　life？〃

Sir　John　rose　from　the　stool　and　walked；　or；　rather；　tottered　to　the
door。

〃Then　stay　here　till　you　rot；〃　he　said　quite　quietly；　〃for　I'll　give
you　no　burial。　As　for　this　Hugh；　I　would　have　spared　him；　but　you　have
signed　his　death…warrant。〃

He　was　gone。　The　heavy　door　shut；　the　bars　clanged　into　their　sockets。
Thus　these　two　parted；　for　when　they　met　once　more　no　word　passed
between　them；　and　although　she　knew　not　how　these　things　would　end；
Eve　felt　that　parting　to　be　dreadful。　Turning　her　face　to　the　wall；
for　a　while　she　wept；　then；　when　the　woman　Mell　came　with　her　bread
and　water；　wiped　away　her　tears　and　faced　her　calmly。　After　all；　she
could　have　answered　no　otherwise；　her　soul　was　pure　of　sin；　and；　for
the　rest；　God　must　rule　it。　At　least　she　would　die　clean　and　honest。

That　night　she　was　wakened　from　her　sleep　by　the　clatter　of　horses'
hoofs　on　the　courtyard　stones。　She　could　hear　no　more　because　a　wind
blew　that　drowned　all　sound　of　voices。　For　a　while　a　wild　hope　had
filled　her　that　Hugh　had　come；　or　perchance　Sir　Andrew；　with　the
Dunwich　folk；　but　presently　she　remembered　that　this　was　foolish；
since　these　would　never　have　been　admitted　within　the　moat。　So　sighing
sadly　she　turned　to　rest　again；　thinking　to　herself　that　doubtless　her
father　had　called　in　some　of　his　vassal　tenants　from　the　outlying
lands　to　guard　the　manor　in　case　it　should　be　attacked。

Next　morning　the　woman　Jane　Mell　brought　her　better　garments　to　wear；
of　her　best　indeed；　and；　though　she　wondered　why　they　were　sent；　for
the　lack　of　anything　else　to　do　she　arrayed　herself　in　them；　and
braided　her　hair　with　the　help　of　a　silver　mirror　that　was　among　the
garments。　A　little　later　this　woman　appeared　again；　bearing　not　bread
and　water；　but　good　food　and　a　cup　of　wine。　The　food　she　ate　with
thankfulness；　but　the　wine　she　would　not　drink；　because　she　knew　that
it　was　French　and　had　heard　Acour　praise　it。

The　morning　wore　away　to　noon；　and　again　the　door　opened　and　there
stood　before　herSir　Edmund　Acour　himself；　gallantly　dressed；　as　she
noticed　vaguely；　in　close…fitting　tunic　of　velvet；　long　shoes　that
turned　up　at　the　toes　and　a　cap　in　which　was　set　a　single　nodding
plume。　She　rose　from　her　stool　and　set　her　back　against　the　wall　with
a　prayer　to　God　in　her　heart；　but　no　word　upon　her　lips；　for　she　felt
that　her　best　refuge　was　silence。　He　drew　the　cap　from　his　head；　and
began　to　speak。

〃Lady；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　wonder　to　see　me　here　after　my　letter　to
you；　bidding　you　farewell；　but　you　will　remember　that　in　this　letter　I
wrote　that　Fate　might　bring　us　together　again；　and　it　has　done　so
through　no　fault　or　wish　of　mine。　The　truth　is　that　when　I　was　near　to
London　I　heard　that　danger　awaited　me　there　on　account　of　certain
false　accusations；　such　danger　that　I　must　return　again　to　Suffolk　and
seek　a　ship　at　some　eastern　port。　Well；　I　came　here　last　night；　and
learned　that　you　were　back　out　of　sanctuary　and　also　that　you　had
quarrelled　with　your　father　who　in　his　anger　had　imprisoned　you　in
this　poor　place。　An　ill　deed；　as　I　think；　but　in　truth　he　is　so
distraught　with　grief　and　racked　with　sickness　that　he　scarce　knows
what　he　does。〃

Now　he　paused；　but　as　Eve　made　no　answer　went　on：

〃Pity　for　your　lot；　yes；　and　my　love　for　you　that　eats　my　heart　out；
caused　me　to　seek　your　father's　leave　to　visit　you　and　see　if
perchance　I　could　not　soften　your　wrath　against　me。〃

Again　he　paused　and　again　there　was　no　answer。

〃Moreover；〃　he　added；　〃I　have　news　for　you　which　I　fear　you　will　think
sad　and　which；　believe　me；　I　pray　you；　it　pains　me　to　give；　though　the
man　was　my　rival　and　my　enemy。　Hugh　de　Cressi；　to　whom　you　held
yourself　affianced；　is　dead。〃

She　quivered　a　little　at　the　words；　but　still　made　no　answer；　for　her
will　was　very　strong。

〃I　had　the　story；〃　he　continued；　〃from　two　of　his　own　men；　whom　we　met
flying　back　to　Dunwich　from　London。　It　seems　that　messengers　from　your
father　reached　the　Court　of　the　King　before　this　Hugh；　telling　him　of
the　slaying　in　Blythburgh　Marsh。　Then　came　Hugh　himself；　whereon　the
King　seized　him　and　his　henchman；　the　archer；　and　at　once　put　them　on
their　trial　as　the　murderers　of　John　Clavering；　of　my　knights；　and
Thomas　of　Kessland；　which　they　admitted　boldly。　Thereon　his　Grace；　who
was　beside　himself　with　rage；　said　that　in　a　time　of　war；　when　every
man　was　needed　to　fight　the　French；　he　was　determined　by　a　signal
example　to　put　a　stop　to　the　shedding　of　blood　in　these　private　feuds。
So　he　ordered　the　merchant　to　the　block；　and　his　henchman；　the　archer；
to　the　gallows；　giving　them　but　one　hour　to　make　their　peace　with　God。
Moreover；〃　he　went　on；　searching　her　cold　impassive　face　with　his
eyes；　〃I　did　not　escape　his　wrath；　for　he　gave　command　that　I　was　to
be　seized　wherever　I　might　be　found　and　cast　into　prison　till　I　could
be　put　upon　my　trial；　and　my　k