red eve-第32章

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So　speaking　he　leapt　upon　the　man　out　of　the　shadow　of　some　thorns
that　grew　there。

〃Lift　your　shield　and　fight；〃　said　Hugh；　advancing　on　him　with　raised
sword。　〃I　am　Hugh　de　Cressi。〃

〃Then；　sir；　I　yield　myself　your　prisoner；〃　answered　the　knight；
〃seeing　that　you　are　two　and　I　but　one。〃

〃Not　so。　I　take　no　prisoners；　who　seek　vengeance；　not　ransom；　and
least　of　all　from　you。　My　companion　shall　not　touch　you　unless　I　fall。
Swift　now；　the　light　dies；　and　I　would　kill　you　fighting。〃

The　knight　picked　up　his　shield。

〃I　know　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　not　he　you　think。〃

〃And　I　know　you；〃　answered　Hugh。　〃Now；　no　words；　of　them　there　have
been　enough　between　us；〃　and　he　smote　at　him。

For　two　minutes　or　more　they　fought；　for　the　armour　of　both　was　good；
and　one　was　full　of　rage　and　the　other　of　despair。　There　was　little
fine　sword…play　about　this　desperate　duel；　the　light　was　too　low　for
it。　They　struck　and　warded；　that　was　all；　while　Grey　Dick　stood　by　and
watched　grimly。　Some　more　fugitives　came　up；　but　seeing　that　blows
passed；　veered　off　to　the　left；　for　of　blows　they　had　known　enough
that　day。　The　swan　knight　missed　a　great　stroke；　for　Hugh　leapt　aside；
then；　as　the　Frenchman　staggered　forward；　struck　at　him　with　all　his
strength。　The　heavy　sword；　grasped　in　both　hands；　for　Hugh　had　thrown
aside　his　shield；　caught　his　foe　where　neck　joins　shoulder　and　sank
through　his　mail　deep　into　the　flesh　beneath。　Down　he　went。　It　was
finished。

〃Unlace　his　helm；　Dick；〃　grasped　Hugh。　〃I　would　see　his　face　for　the
last　time；　and　if　he　still　lives〃

Dick　obeyed；　cutting　the　lashings　of　the　helm。

〃By　the　Saints！〃　he　said　presently　in　a　startled　voice；　〃if　this　be
Sir　Edmund　Acour　he　has　strangely　changed。〃

〃I　am　not　Acour；　lord　of　Noyon；〃　said　the　dying　man　in　a　hollow　voice。
〃Had　you　given　me　time　I　would　have　told　you　so。〃

〃Then；　in　Christ's　name；　who　are　you？〃　asked　Hugh；　〃that　wear　de
Noyon's　cognizance？〃

〃I　am　Pierre　de　la　Roche；　one　of　his　knights。　You　have　seen　me　in
England。　I　was　with　him　there；　and　you　made　me　prisoner　on　Dunwich
heath。　He　bade　me　change　arms　with　him　before　the　battle；　promising　me
great　reward；　because　he　knew　that　if　he　were　taken；　Edward　of　England
would　hang　him　as　a　traitor；　whereas　me　they　might　ransom。　Also；　he
feared　your　vengeance。〃

〃Well；　of　a　truth；　you　have　the　reward；〃　said　Dick；　looking　at　his
ghastly　wound。

〃Where　then　is　Acour？〃　gasped　Hugh。

〃I　know　not。　He　fled　from　the　battle　an　hour　ago　with　the　King　of
France；　but　I　who　was　doomed　would　not　fly。　Oh；　that　I　could　find　a
priest　to　shrive　me！〃

〃Whither　does　he　fly？〃　asked　Hugh　again。

〃I　know　not。　He　said　that　if　the　battle　went　against　us　he　would　seek
his　castle　in　Italy；　where　Edward　cannot　reach　him。〃

〃What　armour　did　he　wear？〃　asked　Dick。

〃Mine；　minea　wolf　upon　his　shield；　a　wolf's　head　for　crest。〃

Hugh　reeled　as　though　an　arrow　had　passed　through　him。

〃The　wolf　knight；　Acour！〃　he　groaned。　〃And　I　spared　his　life。〃

〃A　very　foolish　deed；　for　which　you　now　pay　the　price；〃　said　Dick；　as
though　to　himself。

〃We　met　in　the　battle　and　he　told　me；〃　said　de　la　Roche；　speaking　very
slowly；　for　he　grew　weak。　〃Yes；　he　told　me　and　laughed。　Truly　we　are
Fate's　fools；　all　of　us；〃　and　he　smiled　a　ghastly　smile　and　died。

Hugh　hid　his　face　in　his　hands　and　sobbed　in　his　helpless　rage。

〃The　innocent　slain；〃　he　said；　〃by　me；　and　the　guilty　sparedby　me。
Oh；　God！　my　cup　is　full。　Take　his　arms；　man；　that　one　day　I　may　show
them　to　Acour；　and　let　us　be　going　ere　we　share　this　poor　knight's
fate。　Ah！　who　could　have　guessed　it　was　thus　that　I　and　Sir　Pierre
should　meet　and　part　again。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　X

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　KING'S　CHAMPION

Back　over　that　fearful　field；　whereof　the　silence　was　broken　only　by
the　groans　of　the　wounded　and　the　dying；　walked　Hugh　and　Grey　Dick。
They　came　to　the　great　rampart　of　dead　men　and　horses　that　surrounded
the　English　line；　and　climbed　it　as　though　it　were　a　wall。　On　the
further　side　bonfires　had　been　lit　to　lighten　the　darkness；　and　by　the
flare　of　them　they　saw　Edward　of　England　embracing　and　blessing　his
son；　the　Black　Prince；　who；　unhelmeted；　bowed　low　before　him　in　his
bloodstained　mail。

〃Who　were　they　besides；　Sir　Robert　Fitzsimmon　and　Richard　de　Beaumont
who　helped　you　when　you　were　down；　my　son？〃　asked　the　King。

The　Prince　looked　about　him。

〃I　know　not；　Sire。　Many；　but　here　is　one　of　them；〃　and　he　pointed　to
Hugh；　who　just　then　appeared　within　the　circle　of　the　firelight。　〃I
think　that　he　slew　the　Count　Louis　of　Flanders。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　the　King；　〃our　young　merchant　of　Dunwicha　gallant　man。
Kneel　you　down；　merchant　of　Dunwich。〃

Hugh　knelt；　and　the　King；　taking　the　red　sword　from　his　hand；　struck
him　with　it　on　the　shoulder；　saying：

〃Rise；　Sir　Hugh　de　Cressi；　for　now　I　give　you　that　boon　which　your
deathfaced　servant　asked　before　the　battle。　You　have　served　us；　or
rather　England　well；　both　of　you。　But　whose　armour　is　that　the　archer
carries；　Sir　Hugh？〃

〃Sir　Edmund　Acour's；　lord　de　Noyon；　Sire；　only；　alack！　another　man　was
within　the　armour。〃

〃Your　meaning？〃　said　the　King　briefly；　and　in　few　words　Hugh　told　the
tale。

〃A　strange　story；　Sir　Hugh。　It　would　seem　that　God　fought　against　you
in　this　matter。　Also　I　am　wroth；　my　orders　were　that　none　of　my　men
should　sally　out；　though　I　fear　me　that　you　are　not　the　only　one　who
has　broken　them；　and　for　your　great　deeds　I　forgive　you。〃

〃Sire；〃　said　Hugh；　dropping　to　his　knee　again；　〃a　boon。　This　de　Noyon；
your　enemy　and　mine；　has　cheated　and　mocked　me。　Grant　to　me　and　my
servant；　Richard　the　archer；　permission　to　follow　after　him　and　be
avenged　upon　him。〃

〃What　is　this　you　ask；　Sir　Hugh？　That　you　and　your　brave　henchman
should　wander　off　into　the　depths　of　France；　there　to　perish　in　a
dungeon　or　be　hanged　like　felons？　Nay；　nay；　we　need　good　men　and　have
none　to　spare　for　private　quarrels。　As　for　this　traitor；　de　Noyon；　and
his　plot；　that　egg　is　broken　ere　it　was　hatched；　and　we　fear　him　no
more。　You　follow　me；　Sir　Hugh；　and　your　servant　with　you；　whom　we　make
a　captain　of　our　archers。　Until　Calais　is　taken；　leave　not　our　person
for　any　cause；　and　ask　no　more　such　boons　lest　you　lose　our　favour。
Nay；　we　have　no　more　words　for　you　since　many　others　seek　them。　Stand
back；　Sir　Hugh！　What　say　you；　my　lord　of　Warwick？　Ay；　it　is　a　gruesome
task；　but　let　the　Welshmen　out；　those　wounded　will　be　well　rid　of
their　pain；　and　Christ　have　mercy　on　their　souls。　Forget　not　when　it
is　finished　to　gather　all　men　that　they　may　give　thanks　to　God　for　His
great　mercies。〃



Well　nigh　a　year　had　gone；　for　once　again　the　sun　shone　in　the　brazen
August　heavens。　Calais　had　fallen　at　last。　Only　that　day　six　of　her
noblest　citizens　had　come　forth；　bearing　the　keys　of　the　fortress；
clad　in　white　shirts；　with　ropes　about　their　necks；　and　been　rescued
from　instant　death　at　the　hands　of　the　headsman　by　the　prayer　of　Queen
Philippa。

In　his　tent　sat　Hugh　de　Cressi；　who；　after　so　much　war　and　hardship；
looked　older　than　his　years；　perhaps　because　of　a　red　scar　across　the
forehead；　which　he　had　come　by　during　the　siege。　With　him　was　his
father；　Master　de　Cressi；　who　had　sailed　across　from　Dunwich　with　a
cargo　of　provisions；　whereof；　if　the　truth　were　known；　he　had　made　no
small　profit。　For　they　were　sold；　every　pound　of　them；　before　they
left　the　ship's　hold；　though　it　is　true　the　money　remained　to　be
collected。

〃You　say　that　Eve　is　well；　my　father？〃

〃Aye；　well　enough；　son。　Never　saw　I　woman　better　or　more　beautiful；
though　she　wears　but　a　sad　face。　I　asked　her　if　she　would　not　sail
with　me　and　visit　you。　But　she　answered：　'Nay；　how　can　I　who　am
another　man's　wife？　Sir　Hugh；　your　son；　should　have　killed　the　wolf
and　let　the　poor　swan　go。　When　the　wolf　is　dead；　then；　perchance；　I
will　visit　him。　But；　meanwhile；　say　to　him　that　Red　Eve's　heart　is
where　it　always　was；　and　that；　like　all　Dunwich；　she　joys　greatly　in
his　fame　and　is　honoured　in　his　honour。'　Moreover；　to　Grey　Dick　here；
she　sends　many　messages；　and　a　present　of　wines　and　spiced　foods　for
his　stomach　and　of　six　score　arrows　m