red eve-第4章

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Staring　at　Acour；　and　remembering　that　he；　too；　loved　Red　Eve；　Hugh
grew　suddenly　ashamed。　How　could　a　mere　merchant　compare　himself　with
this　magnificent　lord；　this　high…bred；　many…titled　favourite　of　courts
and　of　fortune？　How　could　he　rival　him；　he　who　had　never　yet　travelled
a　hundred　miles　from　the　place　where　he　was　born；　save　once；　when　he
sailed　on　a　trading　voyage　to　Calais？　As　well　might　a　hooded　crow　try
to　match　a　peregrine　that　swooped　to　snatch　away　the　dove　from　beneath
its　claws。　Yes；　he；　Hugh；　was　the　grey　crow；　Eve　was　the　dove　whom　he
had　captured；　and　yonder　shifty…eyed　Count　was　the　fleet；　fierce
peregrine　who　soon　would　tear　out　his　heart　and　bear　the　quarry　far
away。　Hugh　shivered　a　little　as　the　thought　struck　him；　not　with　fear
for　himself；　but　at　the　dread　of　that　great　and　close　bereavement。

The　girl　at　his　side　felt　the　shiver；　and　her　mind；　quickened　by　love
and　peril；　guessed　its　purport。　She　said　nothing；　for　words　were
dangerous；　only　turning　her　beautiful　face　she　pressed　her　lips　upon
her　lover's　hand。　It　was　her　message　to　him；　thereby；　as　he　knew　well；
humble　as　he　might　be；　she　acknowledged　him　her　lord　forever。　I　am
with　you；　said　that　kiss。　Have　no　fear；　in　life　or　in　death　none　shall
divide　us。　He　looked　at　her　with　grateful　eyes；　and　would　have　spoken
had　she　not　placed　her　hand　upon　his　mouth　and　pointed。

Acour　was　speaking　in　English；　which　he　used　with　a　strong　French
accent。

〃Well；　we　do　not　find　your　beautiful　runaway；　Sir　John；〃　he　said；　in　a
clear　and　cultivated　voice；　〃and　although　I　am　not　vain；　for　my　part　I
cannot　believe　that　she　has　come　to　such　a　place　as　this　to　meet　a
merchant's　clerk；　she　who　should　company　with　kings。〃

〃Yet　I　fear　it　is　so；　Sir　Edmund；〃　answered　Sir　John　Clavering；　a
stout；　dark　man　of　middle　age。　〃This　girl　of　mine　is　very　heady；　as　I
give　warning　you　will　find　out　when　she　is　your　wife。　For　years　she
has　set　her　fancy　upon　Hugh　de　Cressi；　yes；　since　they　were　boy　and
girl　together；　as　I　think；　and　while　he　lives　I　doubt　she'll　never
change　it。〃

〃While　he　livesthen　why　should　he　continue　to　live；　Sir　John？〃　asked
the　Count　indifferently。　〃Surely　the　world　will　not　miss　a　chapman's
son！〃

〃The　de　Cressis　are　my　kin；　although　I　hate　them；　Sir　Edmund。　Also
they　are　rich　and　powerful；　and　have　many　friends　in　high　places。　If
this　young　man　died　by　my　command　it　would　start　a　blood　feud　of　which
none　can　tell　the　end；　for；　after　all；　he　is　nobly　born。〃

〃Then；　Sir　John；　he　shall　die　by　mine。　No；　not　at　my　own　hands；　since
I　do　not　fight　with　traders。　But　I　have　those　about　me　who　are　pretty
swordsmen　and　know　how　to　pick　a　quarrel。　Before　a　week　is　out　there
will　be　a　funeral　in　Dunwich。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　your　men；　and　do　not　want　to　hear　of　their
quarrels；　past　or　future；〃　said　Sir　John　testily。

〃Of　course　not；〃　answered　the　Count。　〃I　pray　you；　forget　my　words。
Name　of　God！　what　an　accursed　and　ill…omened　spot　is　this。　I　feel　as
though　I　were　standing　by　my　own　graveit　came　upon　me　suddenly。〃　And
he　shivered　and　turned　pale。

Dick　lifted　his　bow；　but　Hugh　knocked　the　arrow　aside　ere　he　could
loose　it。

〃To　those　who　talk　of　death；　death　often　draws　near；〃　replied
Clavering；　crossing　himself；　〃though　I　find　the　place　well　enough；
seeing　the　hour　and　season。〃

〃Do　youdo　you；　Sir　John？　Look　at　that　sky；　look　at　the　river　beneath
which　has　turned　to　blood。　Hark　to　the　howl　of　the　wind　in　the　reeds
and　the　cry　of　the　birds　we　cannot　see。　Ay；　and　look　at　our　shadows　on
the　snow。　Mine　lies　flat　by　a　great　hole；　and　yours　rising　against
yonder　bank　is　that　of　a　hooded　man　with　hollow　eyesDeath　himself　as
I　should　limn　him！　There；　it　is　gone！　What　a　fool　am　I；　or　how　strong
is　that　wine　of　yours！　Shall　we　be　going　also？〃

〃Nay；　here　comes　my　son　with　tidings。　Well；　Jack；　have　you　found　your
sister？〃　he　added；　addressing　a　dark　and　somewhat　saturnine　young　man
who　now　rode　up　to　them　from　over　the　crest　of　the　hollow。

〃No；　sir；　though　we　have　beat　the　marsh　through　and　through；　so　that
scarce　an　otter　could　have　escaped　us。　And　yet　she's　here；　for　Thomas
of　Kessland　caught　sight　of　her　red　cloak　among　the　reeds；　and　what's
more；　Hugh　de　Cressi　is　with　her；　and　Grey　Dick　too；　for　both　were
seen。〃

〃I　am　glad　there's　a　third；〃　said　Sir　John　drily；　〃though　God　save　me
from　his　arrows！　This　Grey　Dick；〃　he　added　to　the　Count；　〃is　a　wild；
homeless　half…wit　whom　they　call　Hugh　de　Cressi's　shadow；　but　the
finest　archer　in　Suffolk；　with　Norfolk　thrown　in；　one　who　can　put　a
shaft　through　every　button　on　your　doublet　at　fifty　pacesay；　and
bring　down　wild　geese　on　the　wing　twice　out　of　four　times；　for　I　have
seen　him　do　it　with　that　black　bow　of　his。〃

〃Indeed？　Then　I　should　like　to　see　him　shootat　somebody　else；〃
answered　Acour；　for　in　those　days　such　skill　was　of　interest　to　all
soldiers。　〃Kill　Hugh　de　Cressi　if　you　will；　friend；　but　spare　Grey
Dick；　he　might　be　useful。〃

〃Ay；　Sir　Edmund；〃　broke　in　the　young　man　furiously；　〃I'll　kill　him　if
I　can　catch　him；　the　dog　who　dares　to　bring　scandal　on　my　sister's
name。　Let　the　Saints　but　give　me　five　minutes　face　to　face　with　him
alone；　with　none　to　help　either　of　us；　and　I'll　beat　him　to　a　pulp；
and　hang　what's　left　of　him　upon　the　nearest　tree　to　be　a　warning　to
all　such　puppies。〃

〃I　note　the　challenge；〃　said　Sir　Edmund；　〃and　should　the　chance　come
my　way　will　keep　the　lists　for　you　with　pleasure；　since　whatever　this
Hugh　may　be　I　doubt　that　from　his　blood　he'll　prove　no　coward。　But；
young　sir；　you　must　catch　your　puppy　ere　you　hang　him；　and　if　he　is　in
this　marsh　he　must　have　gone　to　ground。〃

〃I　think　so；　too；　Sir　Edmund；　but；　if　so；　we'll　soon　start　the　badger。
Look　yonder。〃　And　he　pointed　to　smoke　rising　at　several　spots　half　a
mile　or　more　away。

〃What　have　you　done；　son？〃　asked　Sir　John　anxiously。

〃Fired　the　reeds；〃　he　said　with　a　savage　laugh；　〃and　set　men　to　watch
that　the　game　does　not　break　back。　Oh；　have　no　fear；　father！　Red　Eve
will　take　no　harm。　The　girl　ever　loved　fire。　Moreover；　if　she　is　there
she　will　run　to　the　water　before　it；　and　be　caught。〃

〃Fool；〃　thundered　Sir　John；　〃do　you　know　your　sister　so　little？　As
like　as　not　she'll　stay　and　burn；　and　then　I'll　lose　my　girl；　who；
when　all　is　said；　is　worth　ten　of　you！　Well；　what　is　done　cannot　be
undone；　but　if　death　comes　of　this　mad　trick　it　is　on　your　head；　not
mine！　To　the　bank；　and　watch　with　me；　Sir　Edmund；　for　we　can　do　no
more。〃



Ten　minutes　later；　and　the　fugitives　in　the　mound；　peeping　out　from
their　hole；　saw　clouds　of　smoke　floating　above　them。

〃You　should　have　let　me　shoot；　Master　Hugh；〃　said　Grey　Dick；　in　his
hard；　dry　whisper。　〃I'd　have　had　these　three；　at　least；　and　they'd
have　been　good　company　on　the　road　to　hell；　which　now　we　must　walk
alone。〃

〃Nay；〃　answered　Hugh　sternly；　〃I'll　murder　none；　though　they　strive　to
murder　us；　and　these　least　of　all；〃　and　he　glanced　at　Eve；　who　sat
staring　out　of　the　mouth　of　the　hole；　her　chin　resting　on　her　hand。
〃You　had　best　give　in；　sweetheart；〃　he　said　hoarsely。　〃Fire　is　worse
than　foes；　and　it　draws　near。〃

〃I　fear　it　less；〃　she　answered。　〃Moreover；　marriage　is　worse　than
eithersometimes。〃

Hugh　took　counsel　with　Grey　Dick。

〃This　place　will　burn　like　tinder；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　dry　reeds
which　grew　thickly　all　about　them；　and　to　the　masses　of　brushwood　and
other　rubbish　that　had　drifted　against　the　side　of　the　little　mound　in
times　of　flood。　〃If　the　fire　reaches　us　we　must　perish　of　flame；　or
smoke；　or　both。〃

〃Ay；〃　answered　Dick；　〃like　old　witch　Sarah　when　they　burned　her　in　her
house。　She　screeched　a　lot；　though　some　say　it　was　her　cat　that
screeched　and　she　died　mum。〃

〃If　we　could　get　into　the　water　now；　Dick？〃

He　shook　his　ash…hued　head。

〃The　pools　are　frozen。　Moreover；　as　well　die　of　heat　as　cold；　I　love
not　ice…water。〃

〃What　counsel；　then；　Dick？〃

〃You'll　not　take　the　best；　masterto　loose　my　bow　upon　them。　That
fine　fellow　did　well　to　be　afraid；　for　had　you　not　knocked　up　my　hand
there'd　be　an　arrow　sticking　in　his　throat　by　now。　He　was　right；　Death
walked　near　to　him。〃

〃It　must　not　be；　Dick；　unless　they　strike　f