red eve-第40章

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Come；　these　men　have　been　watched　since　they　set　foot　in　Venice。　Have
they　offended　none　besides　myself　and　the　Swiss？〃

A　look　of　intelligence　crept　into　the　eyes　of　Nicholas。

〃Now　that　you　mention　it；　lord；　they　have。　There　is　a　certain　boatman
and　bravo　called　Giuseppe。　With　him　and　his　mates　they　quarrelled
about　their　fare　and　threw　them　into　the　canal　in　front　of　the
ambassador's　house；　just　because　they　drew　a　knife　or　two。　A　woman　I
know　told　me　of　it。　He's　a　great　villain；　this　Giuseppe；　who　would　do
anything　for　ten　pieces；　also　revengeful　and　a　hater　of　cold　water。〃

〃Send　for　him；　Nicholas；　or　send　this　woman　to　himthat　may　be　safer。
Ten　pieces！　I'll　pay　him　fifty。〃

〃Ay；　lord；　but　the　Englishman　may　not　give　him　a　chance。　Only　fools
would　go　out　walking　in　Venice　along　after　dark　if　they　should　happen
to　have　enemies　here；　and　the　house　is　watched　by　the　Doge's　Guards。
Yet　one　can　try。　Fortune　loves　the　brave；　and　Englishmen　are　very
great　fools。　They　might　stroll　abroad　to　see　the　moon　rise　over　the
Adriatic。〃

〃Try；　Nicholas；　try　as　you　never　tried　before。　Succeed；　too；　lest　you
and　I　should　part　company　and　you　never　be　named　abbot　after　all。〃



The　afternoon　of　the　day　of　their　reception　by　the　Doge　was　well
filled　for　Hugh　and　Dick。　Scarcely　had　they　eaten　with　their　host　when
the　Marshal　and　his　officers　arrived　with　the　articles　of　the　Morrow's
combat　very　fully　drawn　up；　each　of　which　must　be　considered　with　the
help　of　Sir　Geoffrey　Carleon；　lest　they　should　hide　some　trick；　before
they　confirmed　them　with　their　signatures。　Not　that　Hugh　was　over…
anxious　about　the　details。　As　he　said　to　Sir　Geoffrey；　all　he　sought
was　to　come　face　to　face　with　his　enemy；　even　if　he　had　but　a　club　for
a　weapon。

At　length　these　articles　were　signed　and　the　Marshal　departed　with　his
fee；　for　they　must　be　paid　for　as　though　they　were　a　legal　document。
Next　Hugh　must　try　various　horses　from　Sir　Geoffrey's　stable；　and
choose　one　of　them　as　his　war　steed　for　the　morrow；　since　the　beast　he
had　ridden　to　Venice　was　in　no　condition　to　bear　a　full…armed　knight。
In　the　end　he　selected　a　grey　gelding；　quiet　of　temperament　and　rather
heavy　of　build；　which　it　was　reported　had　been　used　by　its　former
owner　in　several　tournaments　and　there　borne　itself　handsomely。　This
done；　well　or　ill；　his　armour　must　be　seen　to；　and　Dick's　also；　such
as　it　was；　his　lance　tested；　and　all　their　other　weapons　sharpened　on
a　whetstone　that　Sir　Geoffrey　borrowed。　For　this　was　a　task　that　Grey
Dick　would　leave　to　no　other　hand。

At　length　all　was　prepared　as　well　as　possible　in　such　haste；　and　they
went　to　supper　with　Lady　Carleon；　who；　now　she　understood　that　they
were　to　fight　for　their　lives　on　the　morrow；　was　more　mournful　even
than　she　had　been　on　the　previous　night。　When　at　last　she　asked　what
they　desired　as　to　their　funerals　and　if　they　had　any　tokens　to　be
sent　to　friends　in　England；　Hugh；　whose　thoughts　were　already　sad
enough；　could　bear　no　more　of　it。　So　he　rose；　saying　that　he　would
seek　Sir　Geoffrey；　who　was　already　in　his　cabinet　engaged　upon　a
letter　to　King　Edward　descriptive　of　these　events　and　other　business。
But　when　they　were　out　of　the　room　he　said　that　he　must　have　fresh　air
or　he　would　faint；　which　was　not　strange；　seeing　that　heat　prevailed
on　this　night　in　Venice　of　an　intensity　unknown　there　at　this　season
of　the　year。

〃Whither　shall　we　go？〃　asked　Dick；　mopping　his　brow。　〃Guards　stand　at
the　door　and；　I　doubt；　will　not　let　us　pass。〃

〃I　wish　to　see　the　place　where　we　are　to　fight　to…morrow；〃　answered
Hugh；　〃so　as　to　form　my　judgment　of　it；　if　only　we　may　come　there。〃

At　this　moment　an　English　lad　of　Sir　Geoffrey's　household　chanced　to
pass　by；　having　come　to　ask　as　to　the　feeding　of　the　horse　which　Hugh
should　ride。　Dick　caught　him　by　the　arm　and　asked　whether　he　could　get
them　out　of　the　house　secretly；　so　that　the　Guards　would　not　see　them；
and　conduct　them　to　the　spot　called　the　Place　of　Arms；　where　they
understood　they　were　to　fight。

The　lad；　whose　name　was　David　Day；　replied　somewhat　doubtfully　that　he
could　do　so　by　a　back　door　near　the　kitchen；　and　guide　them　also；　but
that　they　must　protect　him　from　the　anger　of　Sir　Geoffrey。　This　Hugh
promised　to　do。　So　presently　they　started；　carrying　their　weapons；　but
wearing　no　mail　because　of　the　intense　heat；　although　Dick　reminded
his　master　how　they　had　been　told　that　they　should　not　venture　forth
without　body　armour。

〃I　have　a　sword　and　you　have　bow　and　axe；〃　answered　Hugh；　〃so　we'll
risk　it。　In　leather…lined　mail　we　should　surely　melt。〃

So　they　put　on　some　light　cloaks　made　of　black　silk；　with　hoods　to
them；　such　as　the　Venetians　wore　at　their　masques；　for　David　knew
where　these　were　to　be　found。　Slipping　out　quite　unobserved　by　the
kitchen　door　into　a　little　courtyard；　they　passed　into　an　unlighted
back　street　through　a　postern　gate　whereof　the　lad　had　the　key。　At　the
end　of　the　street　they　came　to　a　canal；　where　David；　who　talked
Italian　perfectly；　hailed　a　boat；　into　which　they　entered　without
exciting　remark。　For　this　sharp　youth　pointed　to　their　cloaks　and　told
the　boatman　that　they　were　gallants　engaged　upon　some　amorous
adventure。

On　they　rowed　down　the　silent　lanes　of　water；　through　the　slumbrous
city　of　palaces；　turning　here；　turning　there；　till　soon　they　lost　all
knowledge　of　the　direction　in　which　they　headed。　At　length　David
whispered　to　them　that　they　drew　near　the　place　where　they　must　land。
Everybody　seemed　to　speak　in　a　whisper　that　heavy　night；　even　the
folk；　generally　so　light　of　heart　and　quick　of　tongue；　who　sat　on　the
steps　or　beneath　the　porticoes　of　their　houses　gasping　for　air；　and
the　passers…by　on　the　/rivas/　or　footwalks　that　bordered　the　canals。
At　a　sign　from　David　the　boat　turned　inward　and　grated　against　the
steps　of　a　marble　quay。　He　paid　the　boatman；　who　seemed　to　have　no
energy　left　to　dispute　the　fare；　telling　him　in　the　same　low　voice
that　if　he　cared　to　wait　he　might　perhaps　row　them　back　within　an　hour
or　so。　Then　they　climbed　steps　and　entered　a　narrow　street　where　there
was　no　canal；　on　either　side　of　which　stood　tall　houses　or　dark
frowning　gateways。

Just　as　they　stepped　into　the　shadow　of　this　street　they　heard　the
prow　of　another　boat　grate　against　the　marble　steps　behind　them　and
caught　the　faint　sound　of　talk；　apparently　between　their　rower　and
others　in　the　second　boat。

〃Forward；　Sir　Hugh；〃　said　Day　a　little　nervously。　〃This　part　of　Venice
has　no　good　name；　for　many　wicked　deeds　are　done　here；　but　soon　we
shall　be　through　it。〃

So　they　stepped　out　briskly；　and　when　they　were　about　half…way　down
the　street　heard　other　steps　behind　them。　They　turned　and　looked　back
through　the　gloom；　whereon　the　sound　of　the　following　steps　died　away。
They　pushed　on　again；　and　so；　unless　the　echo　deceived　them；　did　those
quick；　stealthy　steps。　Then；　as　though　by　common　consent；　though　no
one　gave　the　word；　they　broke　into　a　run　and　gained　the　end　of　the
street；　which　they　now　saw　led　into　a　large　open　space　lit　by　the
light　of　the　great　moon；　that　broke　suddenly　through　the　veil　of　cloud
or　mist。　Again；　as　though　by　common　consent；　they　wheeled　round；　Hugh
drawing　his　sword；　and　perceived　emerging　from　the　street　six　or　seven
cloaked　fellows；　who；　on　catching　sight　of　the　flash　of　steel；　halted
and　melted　back　into　the　gloom。

〃Who　follow　us　so　fast？〃　asked　Hugh。

〃Thieves；　I　think；〃　answered　David；　even　more　nervously　than　before；
adding；　〃but　if　so；　we　are　safe　from　them　here。〃

〃Yes；　sure　enough；〃　said　Grey　Dick；　〃for　I　can　shoot　by　moonlight；〃
and；　drawing　the　black　bow　from　its　case；　which　he　threw　to　the　lad　to
carry；　he　strung　it；　after　which　they　saw　no　more　of　their　pursuers。

Having　waited　a　while；　they　began　to　examine　the　spot　where　they　found
themselves；　which　Day　told　them　was　that　Place　of　Arms　where　they　must
fight　on　the　morrow。　It　was　large　and　level；　having　been　used　as　a
drilling　ground　for　generations。　Perhaps　it　measured　four　hundred
yards　square；　and　almost　in　the　centre　of　it　rose　a　stand　of　painted
timber　roofed　with　canvas；　and　ornamented　with　gilded　flagstaffs；　from
which　hu