red eve-第24章

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be　seized　wherever　I　might　be　found　and　cast　into　prison　till　I　could
be　put　upon　my　trial；　and　my　knights　with　me。　Of　your　father's　case　he
is　considering　since　his　only　son　has　been　slain　and　he　holds　him　in
regard。　Therefore　it　is　that　I　am　obliged　to　avoid　London　and　take
refuge　here。〃

Still　Eve　remained　silent；　and　in　his　heart　Acour　cursed　her
stubbornness。

〃Lady；〃　he　proceeded；　though　with　somewhat　less　assurancefor　now　he
must　leave　lies　and　get　to　pleading；　and　never　did　a　suit　seem　more
hopeless；　〃these　things　being　so　through　no　fault　of　mine　whose　hands
are　innocent　of　any　share　in　this　young　man's　end；　I　come　to　pray　of
you；　the　sword　of　death　having　cut　all　your　oaths；　that　you　will　have
pity　on　my　love　and　take　me　as　your　husband；　as　is　your　father's　wish
and　my　heart's　desire。　Let　not　your　young　life　be　swallowed　up　in
grief；　but　make　it　joyous　in　my　company。　I　can　give　you　greatness；　I
can　give　you　wealth；　but　most　of　all　I　can　give　you　such　tender
adoration　as　never　woman　had　before。　Oh！　sweet　Eve；　your　answer；〃　and
he　cast　himself　upon　the　ground　before　her；　and；　snatching　the　hem　of
her　robe；　pressed　it　to　his　lips。

Then　at　length　Eve　spoke　in　a　voice　that　rang　like　steel：

〃Get　you　gone；　knave；　whose　spurs　should　be　hacked　from　your　heels　by
scullions。　Get　you　gone；　traitor　and　liar；　for　well　I　know　that　Hugh
de　Cressi　is　not　dead；　who　had　a　certain　tale　to　tell　of　you　to　the
King　of　England。　Get　you　back　to　the　Duke　of　Normandy　and　there　ask
the　price　of　your　betrayal　of　your　liege　lord；　Edward；　and　show　him
the　plans　of　our　eastern　coast　and　the　shores　where　his　army　may　land
in　safety。〃

Acour　sprang　to　his　feet　and　his　face　went　white　as　ashes。　Thrice　he
strove　to　speak　but　could　not。　Then　with　a　curse　he　turned　and　left
the　chamber。



〃The　hunt's　up；〃　said　Father　Nicholas　when　he　had　heard　all　this　tale
a　little　later；　〃and　now；　lord；　I　think　that　you　had　better　away　to
France；　unless　you　desire　to　stop　without　companions　in　the　church
yonder。〃

〃Ay；　priest；　I'll　away；　but　by　God's　blood；　I'll　take　that　Red　Eve
with　me！　For　one　thing　she　knows　too　much　to　leave　her　behind。　For　a
second　I　mean　to　pay　her　back；　and　for　a　third；　although　you　may　think
it　strange；　I'm　mad　for　her。　I　tell　you　she　looked　wondrous　standing
with　her　back　against　that　wall；　her　marble　face　never　wincing　when　I
told　her　all　the　lie　about　young　de　Cressi's　deathwhich　will　be　holy
truth　when　I　get　a　chance　at　himwatching　me　out　of　those　great；　dark
eyes　of　hers。〃

〃Doubtless；　lord；　but　how　did　she　look　when　she　called　you　knave　and
traitor？　I　think　you　said　those　were　her　wicked　words。　Oh！〃　he　added
with　a　ring　of　earnestness　in　his　smooth　voice；　〃let　this　Red　Eve　be。
At　bed　or　board　she's　no　mate　for　you。　Something　fights　at　her　side；
be　it　angel　or　devil；　or　just　raw　chance。　At　the　least　she'll　prove
your　ruin　unless　you　let　her　be。〃

〃Then　I'll　be　ruined；　Nicholas；　for　I'll　not　leave　her；　for　a　while；
at　any　rate。　What！　de　Noyon；　whom　they　call　Danger　of　Dames；　beaten　by
a　country　girl　who　has　never　seen　London　or　Paris！　I'd　sooner　die。〃

〃As　well　may　chance　if　the　country　lad　and　the　country　archer　come
back　with　Edward's　warrant　in　their　pouch；〃　answered　the　priest；
shrugging　his　lean　shoulders。　〃Well；　lord；　what　is　your　plan？〃

〃To　carry　her　off。　Can't　we　manage　nine　stone　of　womanhood　between
us？〃

〃If　she　were　dead　it　might　be　done；　though　hardlyover　these　Suffolk
roads。　But　being　very　much　alive　with　a　voice　to　scream　with；　hands　to
fight　with；　a　brain　to　think　with　and　friends　who　know　her　from　here
to　Yarmouth；　or　to　Hull；　and　Monsieur　Grey　Dick's　arrows　pricking　us
behind　perchancewell；　I　don't　know。〃

〃Friend；〃　said　Acour；　tapping　him　on　the　shoulder　meaningly；　〃there
must　be　some　way；　there　are　always　ways；　and　I　pray　you　to　hunt　them
out。　Come；　find　me　one；　or　stay　here　alone　to　explain　affairs；　first
to　this　Dick　whom　you　have　so　much　upon　the　brain；　and　afterward　to
Edward　of　England　or　his　officers。〃

Father　Nicholas　looked　at　the　great　Count's　face。　Then　he　looked　at
the　ground；　and；　having　studied　it　a　while　without　result；　turned　his
beady　eyes　to　the　heavens；　where　it　would　seem　that　he　found
inspiration。

〃I　am　a　stranger　to　love；　thank　the　Saints；〃　he　said；　〃but；　as　you
know；　lord；　I　am　a　master　leech；　and　amongst　other　things　have　studied
certain　medicines　which　breed　that　passion　in　the　human　animal。〃

〃Love　philtres？〃　queried　Acour　doubtfully。

〃Yes；　that　kind　of　thing。　One　dose；　and　those　who　hate　become
enamoured；　and　those　who　are　enamoured　hate。〃

〃Then　in　God's　or　Satan's　name；　give　her　one。　Only　be　careful　it　is
the　right　sort；　for　if　you　made　a　mistake　so　that　she　hated　me　any
more　than　she　does　at　present；　I　know　not　what　would　happen。　Also　if
you　kill　her　I'll　dig　a　sword　point　through　you。　How　would　the　stuff
work？〃

〃She'll　seem　somewhat　stupid　for　a　while；　perhaps　not　speak；　but　only
smile　kindly。　That　will　last　twelve　hours　or　so；　plenty　of　time　for
you　to　be　married；　and　afterward；　when　the　grosser　part　of　the　potion
passes　off　leaving　only　its　divine　essence；　why；　afterward　she'll　love
you　furiously。〃

〃A　powerful　medicine；　truly；　that　can　change　the　nature　of　woman。
Moreover；　I'd　rather　that　she　loved　mewell；　as　happy　brides　do。
Still　I　put　up　with　the　fury　provided　it　be　of　the　good　kind。　And　now
how　is　it　to　be　done？〃

〃Leave　that　to　me；　lord；〃　said　Nicholas；　with　a　cunning　smile。　〃Give
me　a　purse　of　gold；　not　less　than　ten　pieces；　for　some　is　needed　to
melt　in　the　mixture；　and　more　to　bribe　that　woman　and　others。　For　the
rest；　hold　yourself　ready　to　become　a　husband　before　sunset　to…morrow。
Go　see　Sir　John　and　tell　him　that　the　lady　softens。　Send　men　on　to
King's　Lynn　also　to　bid　them　have　our　ship　prepared　to　sail　the　minute
we　appear；　which　with　good　fortune　should　be　within　forty…eight　hours
from　now。　Above　all；　forget　not　that　I　run　great　risk　to　soul　and　body
for　your　sake　and　that　there　are　abbeys　vacant　in　Normandy。　Now；
farewell；　I　must　to　my　work；　for　this　medicine　takes　much　skill　such
as　no　other　leech　has　save　myself。　Ay；　and　much　prayer　also；　that
naught　may　hinder　its　powerful　working。〃

〃Prayer　to　the　devil；　I　think；〃　said　his　master　looking　after　him　with
a　shrug　of　his　shoulders。　〃God's　truth！　if　any　one　had　told　me　three
months　gone　that　de　Noyon　would　live　to　seek　the　aid　of　priests　and
potions　to　win　a　woman's　favour；　I'd　have　named　him　liar　to　his　face。
What　would　those　who　have　gone　before　her　think　of　this　story；　I
wonder？〃

Then　with　a　bitter　laugh　he　turned　and　went　about　his　business；　which
was　to　lie　to　the　father　as　he　had　lied　to　the　daughter。　Only　in　this
second　case　he　found　one　more　willing　to　listen　and　easier　to　deceive。



On　the　following　morning；　as　it　chanced；　Eve　had　no　relish　for　the
food　that　was　brought　to　her；　for　confinement　in　that　narrow　place　had
robbed　her　of　her　appetite。　Also　she　had　suffered　much　from　grievous
fear　and　doubt；　for　whatever　she　might　say　to　Acour；　how　could　she　be
sure　that　his　story　was　not　true？　How　could　she　be　sure　that　her　lover
did　not；　in　fact；　now　lie　dead　at　the　headsman's　hands？　Such　things
often　happened　when　kings　were　wroth　and　would　not　listen。　Or　perhaps
Acour　himself　had　found　and　murdered　him；　or　hired　others　to　do　the
deed。　She　did　not　know；　and；　imprisoned　here　without　a　friend；　what
means　had　she　of　coming　at　the　truth？　Oh！　if　only　she　could　escape！　If
only　she　could　speak　with　Sir　Andrew　for　one　brief　minute；　she；　poor
fool；　who　had　walked　into　this　trap　of　her　own　will。

She　sent　away　the　food　and　bade　the　woman　Mell　bring　her　milk；　for
that　would　be　easy　to　swallow　and　give　her　sustenance。　After　some
hours　it　came；　Mell　explaining　that　she　had　been　obliged　to　send　for
it　to　the　farmsteading；　as　none　drank　milk　in　the　manor…house。　Being
thirsty；　Eve　took　the　pitcher　and　drained　it　to　the　last　drop；　then
threw　it　down；　saying　that　the　vessel　was　foul　and　made　the　milk　taste
ill。

The　woman　did　not　answer；　only　smiled　a　little　as　she　left　the
chamber；　and　Eve　wondered　why　she　smiled。

A　while　later　she　grew　very　sleepy；　and；　as　it　seemed　to　her