red eve-第3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！
his train； has been warned to wed me to my lord Acourthat is； if I'm
there to wed。〃
〃And if this Acour is here； I'll seek him out to…night and challenge
him； Eve；〃 and Hugh laid hand upon his sword。
〃Doubtless；〃 she replied sarcastically； 〃Sir Edmund Acour； Count of
Noyon； Seigneur of Cattrina； will find it honour to accept the
challenge of Hugh de Cressi； the merchant's youngest son。 Oh； Hugh；
Hugh！ are your wits frozen like this winter marsh？ Not thus can you
save me。〃
The young man thought a while； staring at the ground and biting his
lips。 Then he looked up suddenly and said：
〃How much do you love me； Eve？〃
With a slow smile； she opened her arms； and next moment they were
kissing each other as heartily as ever man and maid have kissed since
the world began； so heartily； indeed； that when at length she pushed
him from her； her lovely face was as red as the cloak she wore。
〃You know well that I love you； to my sorrow and undoing；〃 she said；
in a broken voice。 〃From childhood it has been so between us； and till
the grave takes one or both it will be so； and for my part beyond it；
if the priests speak true。 For； whatever may be your case； I am not
one to change my fancy。 When I give； I give all； though it be of
little worth。 In truth； Hugh； if I could I would marry you to…night；
though you are naught but a merchant's son； or even〃 And she
paused； wiping her eyes with the back of her slim； strong hand。
〃I thank you；〃 he answered； trembling with joy。 〃So it is with me。 For
you and no other woman I live and die； and though I am so humble I'll
be worthy of you yet。 If God keeps me in breath you shall not blush
for your man； Eve。 Well； I am not great at words； so let us come to
deeds。 Will you away with me now？ I think that Father Arnold would
find you lodging for the night and an altar to be wed at； and
to…morrow our ship sails for Flanders and for France。〃
〃Yes； but would your father give us passage in it； Hugh？〃
〃Why not？ It could not deepen the feud between our Houses； which
already has no bottom； and if he refused； we would take one； for the
captain is my friend。 And I have some little store set by； it came to
me from my mother。〃
〃You ask much；〃 she said； 〃all a woman has； my life； perchance； as
well。 Yet there it is； I'll go because I'm a fool； Hugh； and； as it
chances； you are more to me than aught； and I hate this fine French
lord。 I tell you I sicken at his glance and shiver when he touches me。
Why； if he came too near I should murder him and be hanged。 I'll go；
though God alone knows the end of it。〃
〃Our purpose being honest； the end will be good； Eve； though perhaps
before all is done we may often think it evil。 And now let's away；
though I wish that you were dressed in another colour。〃
〃Red Eve they name me； and red is my badge； because it suits my dark
face best。 Cavil not at my robe； Hugh； for it is the only dowry you
will get with Eve Clavering。 How shall we go？ By the Walberswick
ferry？ You have no horses。〃
〃Nay； but I have a skiff hidden in the reeds five miles furlongs off。
We must keep to the heath above Walberswick； for there they might know
your red cloak even after dark； and I would not have you seen till we
are safe with Sir Arnold in the Preceptory。 Mother of Heaven！ what is
that？〃
〃A peewit； no more；〃 she answered indifferently。
〃Nay； it is my man Dick； calling like a peewit。 That is his sign when
trouble is afoot。 Ah； here he comes。〃
As he spoke a tall； gaunt man appeared； advancing towards them。 His
gait was a shambling trot that seemed slow； although； in truth； he was
covering the ground with extraordinary swiftness。 Moreover； he moved
so silently that even on the frost…held soil his step could not be
heard； and so carefully that not a reed stirred as he threaded in and
out among their clumps like an otter； his head crouched down and his
long bow pointed before him as though it were a spear。 Half a minute
more； and he was before thema very strange man to see。 His years
were not so many； thirty perhaps； and yet his face looked quite old
because of its lack of colouring； its thinness； and the hard lines
that marked where the muscles ran down to the tight； straight mouth
and up to the big forehead； over which hung hair so light that at a
little distance he seemed ashen…grey。 Only in this cold； rocky face；
set very far apart； were two pale…blue eyes； which just now； when he
chose to lift their lids that generally kept near together； as though
he were half asleep； were full of fire and quick cunning。
Reaching the pair； this strange fellow dropped to his knee and raised
his cap to Eve； the great lady of the ClaveringsRed Eve； as they
called her through that country…side。 Then he spoke； in a low； husky
voice：
〃They're coming； master！ You and your mistress must to earth unless
you mean to face them in the open；〃 and the pale eyes glittered as he
tapped his great black bow。
〃Who are coming； Dick？ Be plain； man！〃
〃Sir John Clavering； my lady's father； young John； my lady's brother；
the fine French lord who wears a white swan for a crest； three of the
nights； his companions； and sixno sevenmen…at…arms。 Also from the
other side of the grieve； Thomas of Kessland； and with him his marsh
men and verderers。〃
〃And what are they coming for？〃 he asked again。 〃Have they hounds； and
hawk on wrist？〃
〃Nay； but they have swords and knife on thigh；〃 and he let his pale
eyes fall on Eve。
〃Oh； have done！〃 she broke in。 〃They come to take me； and I'll not be
taken！ They come to kill you； and I'll not see you slain and live。 I
had words with my father this morning about the Frenchman and； I fear；
let out the truth。 He told me then that ere the Dunwich roses bloomed
again she who loved you would have naught but bones to kiss。 Dick； you
know the fen； where can we hide till nightfall？〃
〃Follow me；〃 said the man； 〃and keep low！〃
Plunging into the dense brake of reeds； through which he glided like a
polecat； Dick led them over ground whereon； save in times of hard
frost； no man could tread； heading toward the river bank。 For two
hundred paces or more they went thus； till； quite near to the lip of
the stream； they came to a patch of reeds higher and thicker than the
rest； in the centre of which was a little mound hid in a tangle of
scrub and rushes。 Once； perhaps a hundred or a thousand years before；
some old marsh dweller had lived upon this mound； or been buried in
it。 At any rate； on its southern side； hidden by reeds and a withered
willow； was a cavity of which the mouth could not be seen that might
have been a chamber for the living or the dead。
Thrusting aside the growths that masked it； Dick bade them enter and
lie still。
〃None will find us here；〃 he said as he lifted up the reeds behind
them； 〃unless they chance to have hounds； which I did not see。 Hist！
be still； they come！〃
CHAPTER II
THE FIGHT BY THE RIVER
For a while Hugh and Eve heard nothing； but Grey Dick's ears were
sharper than theirs； quick as these might be。 About half a minute
later； however； they caught the sound of horses' hoofs ringing on the
hard earth； followed by that of voices and the crackle of breaking
reeds。
Two of the speakers appeared and pulled up their horses near by in a
dry hollow that lay between them and the river bank。 Peeping between
the reeds that grew about the mouth of the earth…dwelling； Eve saw
them。
〃My father and the Frenchman；〃 she whispered。 〃Look！〃 And she slid
back a little so that Hugh might see。
Peering through the stems of the undergrowth； set as it were in a
little frame against the red and ominous sky； the eyes of Hugh de
Cressi fell upon Sir Edmund Acour； a gallant； even a splendid…looking
knightthat was his first impression of him。 Broad shouldered；
graceful； in age neither young nor old； clean featured； quick eyed；
with a mobile mouth and a little； square…cut beard； soft and languid
voiced； black haired； richly dressed in a fur robe； and mounted on a
fine black horse； such was the man。
Staring at Acour； and remembering that he； too； loved Red Eve； Hugh
grew suddenly ashamed。 How cou
