red eve-第36章

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things　have　happened　to　me　in　that　time。〃

〃Eighteen　months　only！　Why；　'tis　four　long　years　since　I　looked　upon
the　downs　of　Sussex；　which　are　my　home；　the　dear　downs　of　Sussex；　that
I　shall　see　never　again。〃

〃Why　say　you　so；　lady；　who　should　have　many　years　of　life　before　you？〃

〃Because　they　are　done；　Sir　Hugh。　Oh；　in　my　heart　I　feel　that　they　are
done。　That　should　not　grieve　me；　since　my　only　child　is　buried　in　this
glittering；　southern　city　whereof　I　hate　the　sounds　and　sights　that
men　call　so　beautiful。　Yet　I　would　that　I　might　have　been　laid　at　last
in　the　kind　earth　of　Sussex　where　for　generations　my　forbears　have
been　borne　to　rest；〃　and　suddenly　she　began　to　weep。

〃What　ails　you；　lady？　You　are　not　well？〃

〃Oh；　I　know　not。　I　think　it　is　the　heat　or　some　presage　of　woe　to
come；　not　to　me　only；　but　to　all　men。　Look；　nature　herself　is　sick；〃
and　she　led　him　to　the　broad　balcony　of　the　chamber　and　pointed　to
long　lines　of　curious　mist　which　in　the　bright　moonlight　they　could
see　creeping　toward　Venice　from　the　ocean；　although　what　wind　there
was　appeared　to　be　off　land。

〃Those　fogs　are　unnatural；〃　she　went　on。　〃At　this　season　of　the　year
there　should　be　none；　and　these　come；　not　from　the　lagoons；　but　up
from　the　sea　where　no　such　vapours　were　ever　known　to　rise。　The
physicians　say　that　they　foretell　sickness；　whereof　terrible　rumours
have　for　some　time　past　reached　us　from　the　East；　though　none　know
whether　these　be　true　or　false。〃

〃The　East　is　a　large　place；　where　there　is　always　sickness；　lady；　or
so　I　have　heard。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　it　is　the　home　of　Death；　and　I　think　that　he　travels　to　us
thence。　And　not　only　I；　not　only　I；　half　the　folk　in　Venice　think　the
same；　though　why；　they　cannot　tell。　Listen。〃

As　she　spoke；　the　sound　of　solemn　chanting　broke　upon　Hugh's　ear。
Nearer　it　grew；　and　nearer；　till　presently　there　emerged　from　a　side
street　a　procession　of　black　monks　who　bore　in　front　of　them　a
crucifix　of　white　ivory。　Along　the　narrow　margin　which　lay　between　the
houses　and　the　canal　they　marched；　followed　by　a　great　multitude　of
silent　people。

〃It　is　a　dirge　for　the　dead　that　they　sing；〃　said　Dame　Carleon；　〃and
yet　they　bury　no　man。　Oh！　months　ago　I　would　have　escaped　from　this
city；　and　we　had　leave　to　go。　But　then　came　orders　from　the　King　that
we　must　bide　here　because　of　his　creditors。　So　here　we　bide　for　good
and　all。　Hush！　I　hear　my　husband　coming；　say　nothing　of　my　talk；　it
angers　him。　Rest　you　well；　Sir　Hugh。〃

〃Truly　that　lady　has　a　cheerful　mind；〃　grumbled　Grey　Dick；　when　she
had　gone；　leaving　them　alone　upon　the　balcony。　〃Ten　minutes　more　of
her　and　I　think　I　should　go　hang　myself；　or　squat　upon　these　stones
and　howl　at　the　moon　like　a　dog　or　those　whimpering　friars。〃

Hugh　made　no　answer；　for　he　was　thinking　of　his　father's　tale　of　the
prophecies　of　Sir　Andrew　Arnold；　and　how　they　grew　sad　in　Dunwich
also。　In　truth；　like　Lady　Carleon；　he　found　it　in　his　heart　to　wish
that　he　too　were　clear　of　Venice；　which　he　had　reached　with　so　much
toil。

〃Bah！〃　he　said　presently；　〃this　place　stinks　foully。　It　puts　me　in
mind　of　some　woman；　most　beauteous　indeed；　but　three　days　dead。　Let　us
go　in。〃



On　the　following　morning；　while　they　sat　at　breakfast；　there　came　a
messenger　from　the　Doge　of　Venice；　whose　name　Hugh　learned　was　Andrea
Dandolo；　bearing　a　letter　sealed　with　a　great　seal。　This　letter；　when
opened；　was　found　to　be　from　some　high　officer。　It　stated　that　the
Doge　would　hold　a　Court　at　noon；　after　which　it　was　his　pleasure　to
receive　the　English　knight　who　came　as　a　messenger　from　the　mighty
monarch；　King　Edward；　and　to　talk　with　him　on　matters　set　out　in　the
letter　of　Sir　Geoffrey　Carleon。　The　writing　added　that　the　Seigneur　of
Cattrina；　who　in　France　was　known　as　the　Count　de　Noyon　and　in　England
as　Sir　Edmund　Acour；　would　be　present　at　the　Court　and　doubtless　ready
to　answer　all　questions　that　might　be　put　to　him。

〃Then　at　last　we　shall　come　face　to　face；〃　said　Hugh；　with　a　fierce
laugh。

〃Yes；　master；〃　put　in　Dick；　〃but　you've　done　that　several　times　before
and　always　ended　back　to　back。　Pray　the　Saints　such　may　not　be　the
finish　of　this　meeting　also。〃

Then　he　turned　and　went　to　clean　his　master's　armour；　for　in　this
martial　dress；　notwithstanding　the　great　heat；　Hugh　determined　to
appear　before　the　Doge。　It　was　good　armour；　not　that；　save　for　the
sword；　which　Sir　Arnold　had　given　him；　whereat　the　Court　at　Windsor
had　laughed　as　out　of　date；　but　mail　of　a　newer　fashion；　some　of　it；
from　the　bodies　of　knights　who　fell　at　Crecy；　after　which　battle　such
wares　had　been　cheap。

Still；　Dick　could　have　wished　that　it　had　been　better　for　so　fine　an
occasion；　seeing　that　it　was　marked　with　many　a　battle　dint　and　that
right　across　the　Cressi　cognizance；　which　Hugh　had　painted　on　his
shield　after　he　was　knighteda　golden　star　rising　from　an　argent
oceanwas　a　scar　left　by　the　battle…axe　of　a　Calais　man…at…arms。
Moreover　Hugh；　or　rather　Dick；　took　with　him　other　armour；　namely；
that　of　the　knight；　Sir　Pierre　de　la　Roche；　whom　Hugh　had　killed　at
Crecy　thinking　that　he　was　Edmund　Acour；　whose　mail　Pierre　wore。

For　the　rest；　Dick　clad　himself　in　his　uniform　of　a　captain　of　archers
of　King　Edward's　guard；　wearing　a　green　tunic　over　his　mail　shirt；　and
a　steel…lined　cap　from　which　rose　a　heron's　plume；　pinned　thereto　with
his　Grace's　golden　arrow。

All　being　ready　they　started　in　a　painted　barge；　accompanied　by　Sir
Geoffrey　Carleon；　who　wore　his　velvet　robe　of　office；　and　grumbled　at
its　weight　and　warmth。　A　row　of　some　fifteen　minutes　along　the　great
canal　brought　them　to　a　splendid　portal　upon　the　mole；　with　marble
steps。　Hence　they　were　conducted　by　guards　across　a　courtyard；　where
stood　many　gaily　dressed　people　who　watched　them　curiously；　especially
Grey　Dick；　whose　pale；　sinister　face　caused　them　to　make　a　certain
sign　with　their　fingers；　to　avert　the　evil　eye；　as　Sir　Geoffrey
explained　to　them。　Leaving　this　courtyard　they　went　up　more　steps　and
along　great　corridors　into　the　finest　apartment　that　they　had　ever
seen。　It　was　a　glitter　of　gold　and　marble；　and　rich　with　paintings。

Here　on　a　kind　of　throne　sat　the　Doge　Dandolo；　an　imperial…looking
man；　magnificently　attired。　Guards　stood　like　statues　behind　him；
while　in　front；　talking　together　and　moving　from　place　to　place；　were
gathered　all　the　great　nobles　of　Venice；　with　their　beauteous　ladies。
From　time　to　time　the　Doge　summoned　one　or　other　of　these；　who　was
called　to　him　by　a　black…robed　secretary。　Advancing　with　bows　the
courtier　talked　to　him　a　while；　then　was　dismissed　by　a　gracious
motion　of　the　hand。

As　the　Englishmen　entered　this　hall　a　herald　called　their　names　thus
from　a　written　slip　of　paper：

〃The　Cavalier　Geoffrey　Carleon；　Ambassador　of　England。　The　Cavalier
Hugh　de　Cressi；　Messenger　from　the　King　of　England；　and　the　Captain
Richard　Archer；　his　companion。〃

Now　all　talk　was　hushed　and　every　eye　turned　to　scan　these　strangers
of　whose　business；　it　would　seem；　something　was　already　known。

〃A　fine　man；〃　said　one　lady　to　another　of　Hugh；　〃but　why　does　he　come
here　in　dinted　armour？〃

〃Oh！　he　is　English　and　the　English　are　barbarians　who　like　to　be　ready
to　cut　some　one's　throat；〃　answered　her　companion。　〃But　Holy　Jesus！
look　at　the　long　fellow　with　the　death's　head　who　walks　behind　him；
and　carries　his　luggage　in　a　sack。　His　face　makes　my　back　creep。〃

Fortunately　neither　Hugh　nor　Dick　understood　these　and　other　such
sayings　which　Sir　Geoffrey　repeated　to　them　afterward　and　therefore
walked　on　with　their　host　unconcerned。　Once；　however；　Grey　Dick　nudged
his　master　and　whispered　in　his　ear：

〃Be　glad；　our　man　is　here。　It　is　he　who　mocks　us　to　those　popinjays。
Nay；　turn　not　to　look；　you　will　see　plenty　of　his　sweet　face
presently。〃

Now　they　stood　before　the　chair　of　state；　from　which　the　Doge　rose；
and　advanced　two　steps　to　greet　the　Ambassador　of　England。　When　these
courtesies　were　over　Sir　Geoffrey　presented　Hugh　to　him；　to　whom　he
bowed；　and　Dick；　whose　salute　he　acknowledged　with　a　wave　of　his
jewelled　hand。　Afterward　they　talked；　all　crowding　round　to　listen；
Sir　Geoffrey　himself；　who　spoke　Ita