red eve-第42章

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a　cape　of　long　and　glossy　fur　blacker　than　coal；　on　to　either　shoulder
of　which　drooped　ear…rings　made　of　rings　of　green　stone　which
afterward　Hugh　came　to　know　was　jade。　The　cape　of　fur；　which　hung　down
to　the　knees　and　was　set　over　a　kind　of　surplice　of　yellow　silk；　was
open　in　front；　revealing　its　wearer's　naked　bosom　that　was　clothed
only　with　row　upon　row　of　round　gems　of　the　size　of　a　hazel　nut。　These
like　the　fur　were　black；　but　shone　with　a　strange　and　lustrous　sheen。
The　man's　thick　arms　were　naked；　but　on　his　hands　he　wore　white
leather　gloves　made　without　division　like　a　sock；　as　though　to　match
the　white　sandals　on　his　feet。

This　was　the　Man's　attire。　Now　for　him　who　wore　it。　He　was　tall；　but
not　taller　than　are　many　other　men；　he　was　broad；　but　not　broader　than
many　other　men；　and　yet　he　looked　stronger　than　all　the　men　in　the
world。　On　his　brow；　which　was　prominent；　smooth　black　hair　parted　in
the　middle　was　plastered　back　as　that　of　women　sometimes　is；　making
hard　lines　against　the　yellow　skin　below。　He　had　very　thin　eyebrows
that　ran　upward　on　either　side　of　a　bow…shaped　wrinkle　in　the　centre
of　his　forehead。　The　eyes　beneath　were　small　and　palepaler　even　than
those　of　Grey　Dickyet　their　glance　was　like　the　points　of　thrusting
swords。　With　those　little　eyes　alone　he　seemed　to　smile；　for　the　rest
of　his　countenance　did　not　move。　The　nose　was　long　and　broad　at　the
end　with　wide　spreading　nostrils　and　a　deep　furrow　on　either　side。　The
mouth　was　thin…lipped　and　turned　downward　at　the　corners；　and　the　chin
was　like　a　piece　of　iron；　quite　hairless；　and　lean　as　that　of　a　man
long　dead。

There　he　stood　like　some　wild　vision　of　a　dream；　smiling　with　those
small　unblinking　eyes　that　seemed　to　take　in　all　present　one　by　one。
There　he　stood　in　the　moonlit　silence；　for　the　mob　was　quiet　enough
now　for　a　little　while；　that　yet　was　not　silence　because　of　a　soughing
noise　which　seemed　to　proceed　from　the　air　about　his　head。

Then　suddenly　the　tumult　broke　out　again　with　its　cries　of　〃Kill　the
devil！　Tear　the　wizard　to　pieces！　Death　is　behind　him！　He　brings
death！　Kill；　kill；　kill！〃

A　score　of　knives　flashed　in　the　air；　only　this　time　Grey　Dick　set　no
arrow　on　his　string。　Their　holders　ran　forward；　then　the　Man　lifted
his　hand；　in　which　was　no　weapon；　and　they　stopped。

Now　he　spoke　in　a　low　voice　so　cold　that；　to　Hugh's　excited　fancy；　the
words　seemed　to　tinkle　like　falling　ice　as　one　by　one　they　came　from
his　lips。　He　spoke　in　Italianperfect　Italian　of　Veniceand　young
Day；　whose　teeth　where　chattering　with　fear；　translated　his　words。

〃Is　this　your　welcome　to　a　stranger；〃　he　said；　〃the　companions　of
whose　voyage　have　unhappily　met　with　misfortune？〃　Here　with　a　faint
motion　of　his　fingerless　glove　he　indicated　the　dead　who　lay　all　about
the　decks　of　that　fatal　ship。　〃Would　you；　men　of　Venice；　kill　a　poor；
unarmed　stranger　who　has　travelled　to　visit　you　from　the　farthest　East
and　seen　much　sorrow　on　his　way？〃

〃Ay；　we　would；　sorcerer！〃　shouted　one。　〃Our　brothers　were　in　that
ship；　which　we　know；　and　you　have　murdered　them。〃

〃How　did　you　learn　Italian　in　the　farthest　East？〃　asked　another。

Then　for　the　second　time；　like　hounds　closing　in　on　a　stag　at　bay；
they　sprang　toward　him　with　their　poised　knives。

Again　he　lifted　his　hand；　again　the　semi…circle　halted　as　though　it
must；　and　again　he　spoke。

〃Are　there　none　here　who　will　befriend　a　stranger　in　a　strange　land？
None　who　are　ashamed　to　see　a　poor；　unarmed　stranger　from　the　East
done　to　death　by　these　wolves　who　call　themselves　children　of　the
white　Christ　of　Mercy？〃

Now　Hugh　touched　Dick　upon　the　shoulder。

〃Rise　and　come；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　our　fate〃；　and　Dick　obeyed。

Only　after　he　had　translated　the　Man's　words；　David　fell　down　flat
upon　the　quay　and　lay　there。

They　stepped　to　the　yellow…capped　Man　and　stood　on　each　side　of　him；
Hugh　drawing　his　sword　and　Dick　the　battle…axe　that　he　carried　beneath
his　robe　of　silk。

〃We　will；〃　said　Hugh　shortly；　in　English。

〃Now　there　are　three　of　us；〃　went　on　the　Man。　〃The　stranger　from　the
East　has　found　defenders　from　the　West。　On；　defenders；　for　I　do　not
fight　thus；〃　and　he　folded　his　arms　across　his　broad　breast　and　smiled
with　the　awful　eyes。

Hugh　and　Dick　knew　no　Italian；　yet　they　both　of　them　understood；　and
with　a　shout　leaped　forward　toward　those　hungry　knives。　But　their
holders　never　waited　for　them。　Some　sudden　panic　seized　them　all；　so
that　they　turned　and　ranran　straight　across　the　wide　Place　of　Arms
and　vanished　into　the　network　of　narrow　streets　by　which　it　was
surrounded。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIII

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MURGH'S　ARROW

Hugh　and　Dick　came　back。　Something　seemed　to　call　them　back；　although
no　blow　had　been　struck。　The　Man　stood　where　they　had　left　him；
staring　at　nothing　in　particular。　Apparently　he　was　engaged　in
meditation。

〃Thanking　his　gods　because　they　have　saved　him　from　sudden　death；〃
muttered　Grey　Dick。　〃If　he's　got　any　gods！〃　he　added　doubtfully。

Now　the　three；　or　rather　the　four　of　them；　for　David　Day　had
recovered；　and　once　more　stood　upon　his　feet　from　time　to　time
glancing　at　the　stranger's　costume　with　a　frightened　eye；　were　left
alone　upon　the　great　place　with　no　company　save　the　shipful　of　dead
behind　them　and　the　wild；　white　moon　above。　The　silence　that；　save　for
the　soughing　sound　for　which　they　could　not　account；　was　intense；
oppressed　them；　as　also　did　the　heat。

Grey　Dick　coughed；　but　the　Man　took　no　notice。　Then　he　dropped　his　axe
with　a　clatter　on　the　marble　flooring　of　the　quay　and　picked　it　up
again；　but　still　the　Man　took　no　notice。　Evidently　his　Eastern
imperturbability　was　not　to　be　disturbed　by　such　trifles。　What　was
worse；　or　so　thought　Dick；　his　master　Hugh　had　fallen　into　a　very
similar　mood。　He　stood　there　staring　at　the　Man；　while　the　Man　stared
over　or　through　himat　nothing　in　particular。

Grey　Dick　felt　aggrieved。　An　arrow　had　burst　to　pieces　unaccountably
in　his　bow；　numbing　his　arm　and　wounding　him　on　the　chin；　and　now　he
was　outpaced　at　his　own　game　of　cold　silence。　He　grew　angry　and　dug
David　in　the　ribs　with　his　elbow。

〃Tell　that　foreigner；〃　he　said；　〃that　my　master　and　I　have　saved　his
life。　Those　Italian　cut…throats　have　run　away；　and　if　he　is　a
gentleman　he　should　say　'thank　you。'〃

David　hesitated；　whereon　Dick　gave　him　another　dig；　harder　than　the
first；　and　asked　if　he　heard　what　he　said。　Then　David　obeyed；
addressing　the　Man　as　〃Most　Illustrious〃　as　though　he　were　the　Doge；
and　ending　his　speech　with　a　humble　apology　in　case　he　should　have
interrupted　his　pious　thanksgiving。

The　Man　seemed　to　awake。　Taking　no　notice　of　Day；　he　addressed　himself
to　Dick；　speaking　in　English　and　using　just　that　dialect　of　it　to
which　he；　Dick；　had　been　accustomed　from　his　childhood　in　the
neighbourhood　of　Dunwich。　Not　even　the　familiar　Suffolk　whine　was
forgotten。

〃You　and　your　master　have　saved　my　life；　have　you？〃　he　said。　〃Well；
neighbour；　why　did　you　try　to　save　my　life　by　shooting　at　me　with　that
great　black　bow　of　yours；　which　I　see　is　made　of　Eastern　woods？〃　He
stared　at　the　case　in　which　it　was　now　again　hidden　as　though　tanned
leather　were　no　obstacle　to　his　sight；　then　went　on：　〃Do　not　answer：　I
will　tell　you　why。　You　shot　at　me　because　you　were　afraid　of　me；　and
fear　is　ever　cruel；　is　it　not？　Only　something　happened　to　your　arrow；
something　that　has　never　happened　to　any　arrow　of　yours　before。　Oh；
yes；　you　have　saved　me　from　the　Italian　cut…throats；　and　being　a
gentleman　I　thank　you　very　much。　Only　why　did　the　arrow　burst　in　your
bow？〃　and　he　smiled　with　those　dreadful　eyes　of　his。

Now；　feeling　overwhelmed　for　the　second　time　that　night；　Grey　Dick　sat
himself　down　upon　a　quay　post。　It　was　clear　to　him　that　to　argue　with
this　person　in　a　yellow　cap　who　talked　Suffolk　so　well　was　quite
useless。　Why；　then；　waste　breath　which　was　probably　his　last？

Everybody　seemed　to　be　falling　into　meditation　again；　when　the　Man；
shifting　his　head　slowly；　began　to　consider　Hugh。

〃What　is　your　name　and　which　is　your　country；　O　my　second　saviour？〃　he
asked；　still　speaking　in　English。　Only　now　the　E