red eve-第43章

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〃What　is　your　name　and　which　is　your　country；　O　my　second　saviour？〃　he
asked；　still　speaking　in　English。　Only　now　the　English　was　of　a
different　and　more　refined　sort　to　that　which　he　had　used　when　he
addressed　Dick；　such　English；　for　instance；　as　came　from　the　lips　of
Sir　Geoffrey　Carleon　or　from　those　of　the　lords　of　Edward's　Court。

〃I　am　Sir　Hugh　de　Cressi　of　Dunwich；　in　the　county　of　Suffolk；　in
England；〃　answered　Hugh　slowly。

〃England。　I　have　heard　of　England；　and　Dunwich；　I　have　heard　of
Dunwich。　Indeed；　I　travel　thither；　having　an　appointment　with　an　old
friend　in　that　town。〃

Now　a　light　came　into　Hugh's　bewildered　face；　but　he　said　nothing。

〃I　seem　to　have　touched　some　chord　of　recollection　in　your　mind；　O　my
saviour　of　Dunwich；〃　said　the　Man。　〃Look　at　me　and　tell　me；　who　am　I？〃

Hugh　looked；　and　shook　his　head。

〃I　never　saw　you　before；　nor　any　one　at　all　like　you；〃　he　answered。

〃No；　no；　you　never　saw　me；　though　I　have　been　very　near　to　you　once　or
twice。　Yet；　your　pardon；　look　again。〃

Hugh　obeyed；　and　this　time；　for　a　second　only；　perceived　that　the
Man's　head　was　surrounded　by　a　multitude　of　doves。　Two　endless　lines
of　doves；　one　line　black　and　the　other　line　white；　stretched　from　his
right　shoulder　and　from　his　left　shoulder；　till　miles　away　they　melted
into　the　lofty　gloom　of　the　sky　that　was　full　of　the　soughing　sound　of
their　wings。

Now　he　knew；　and　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　fell　upon　his　knees　to
a　man；　or　to　what　bore　the　semblance　of　man。

〃You　are　named　Murgh；　Gate　of　the　Gods；〃　he　said。　〃Murgh；　whom　old　Sir
Andrew　saw　in　that　courtyard　over　which　the　iron　dragons　watch　in　the
country　called　Cathay；　that　courtyard　with　the　pool　of　water　and　the
many　doors。〃

〃Ay；〃　answered　the　Man　in　a　new　voice；　a　great　voice　that　seemed　to
fill　the　air　like　the　mutter　of　distant　thunder。　〃I　am　Murgh；　Gateway
of　the　Gods；　and　since　you　have　striven　to　defend　Murgh；　he　who　is　the
friend　of　all　men；　although　they　know　it　not；　will　above　all　be　your
friend　and　the　friend　of　those　you　love。〃

He　stretched　out　his　long　arms　and　laid　his　white…gloved　hands　for　an
instant；　one　of　them　upon　Hugh's　head　and　one　on　the　shoulder　of　Grey
Dick；　who　sat　upon　the　pillar　of　stone。

Hugh　muttered；　〃I　thank　you；〃　not　knowing　what　else　to　say。　But　in　his
heart　he　wondered　what　kind　of　friendship　this　mighty　and　awful　being
would　show　to　him　and　his。　Perhaps　he　might　hold　that　the　truest
kindness　would　be　to　remove　him　and　them　from　the　miseries　of　a　sinful
world。

If　Murgh　read　his　thoughts　he　only　answered　them　with　that　smile　of
his　cold　eyes　which　was　more　awful　than　the　frown　of　any　mortal　man。
Turning　his　head　slowly　he　began　to　contemplate　Dick　sitting　on　his
stone。

〃If　I　had　a　son；〃　he　said；　〃by　that　face　of　yours　you　might　be　he。〃

〃Perchance；〃　answered　Dick；　〃since　I　never　knew　for　certain　who　my
father　was。　Only　I　have　always　heard　that　Life　begets；　not　Death。〃

〃Death！　You　honour　me　with　a　great　name。　Well；　life　and　death　are　one；
and　you　and　I　are　one　with　the　moon　and　the　stars　above　us；　and　many
other　things　and　beings　that　you　cannot　see。　Therefore　the　begetter
and　the　begotten　are　one　in　the　Hand　that　holds　them　all。〃

〃Ay；〃　answered　Dick；　〃and　so　my　bow　and　I　are　one：　I've　often　thought
it。　Only　you　nearly　made　me　one　with　my　own　arrow；　which　is　closer
kinship　than　I　seek；〃　and　he　touched　the　cut　upon　his　chin。　〃Since　you
are　so　wise；　my　father；　or　my　son；　tell　me；　what　is　this　Hand　that
holds　them　all？〃

〃Gladly。　Only　if　I　do；　first　I　must　ask　you　to　die；　thensay　in　a
minute　or　twoyou　shall　know。〃

Dick　peered　at　him　doubtfully；　and　said：

〃If　that　be　so；　I　think　I'll　wait　for　the　answer；　which　I　am　sure　to
learn　soon　or　late。〃

〃Ah！　Many　men　have　thought　the　same；　and　you　have　sent　some　to　seek
it；　have　you　not；　being　so　good　an　archer。　For　instance；　that　was　a
long　shaft　you　shot　before　Crecy　fray　at　the　filthy　fool　who　mocked
your　English　host。　Doubtless　now　he　knows　the　answer　to　your　riddle。〃

〃Who　told　you　of　that？〃　asked　Dick；　springing　up。

〃A　friend　of　mine　who　was　in　the　battle。　He　said　also　that　your　name
was　Richard　the　Archer。〃

〃A　friend！　I　believe　that　you　were　there　yourself；　as；　if　you　are
Death；　you　may　well　have　been。〃

〃Perhaps　you　are　right；　Richard。　Have　I　not　just　told　you　that　we　all
are　one；　yes；　even　the　slayer　and　the　slain。　Therefore；　if　my　friend
did　you　call　him　Death？was　there；　I　was　there；　if　you　were　there　I
was　there　and　it　was　my　hand　that　drew　yonder　great　black　bow　of　yours
and　my　eye　that　guided　the　straight　shaft　which　laid　the　foulmouthed
jester　low。　Why；　did　you　not　say　as　much　yourself　when　your　master
here　bade　farewell　to　his　father　in　the　ship　at　Calais？　What　were　the
words？　Oh；　I　remember　them。　You　wondered　how　One　I　may　not　name；〃　and
he　bowed　his　solemn　head；　〃came　to　make　that　black　bow　and　yours　and
you　'the　death　that　draw　it。'〃

Now　at　length　Grey　Dick's　courage　gave　out。

〃Of　no　man　upon　earth　am　I　afraid；〃　he　said。　〃But　from　you；　O　god　or
devil；　who　read　the　secret　hearts　of　men　and　hear　their　secret　words；
my　blood　flows　backward　as　it　did　when　first　my　eyes　fell　on　you。　You
would　kill　me　because　I　dared　to　shoot　at　you。　Well；　kill；　but　do　not
torture。　It　is　unworthy　of　a　knight；　even　if　he　took　his　accolade　in
hell；〃　and　he　placed　his　hands　before　his　eyes　and　stood　before　him
with　bent　head　waiting　for　the　end。

〃Why　give　me　such　high　names；　Richard　the　Fatherless；　when　you　have
heard　two　humbler　ones？　Call　me　Murgh；　as　do　my　friends。　Or　call　me
'The　Gate；'　as　do　those　who　as　yet　know　me　less　well。　But　talk　not　of
gods　or　devils；　lest　suddenly　one　of　them　should　answer　you。　Nay；　man；
have　no　fear。　Those　who　seek　Death　he　often　flees；　as　I　think　he　flees
from　you　to…night。　Yet　let　us　see　if　we　cannot　send　a　longer　shaft；
you　and　I；　than　that　which　we　loosed　on　Crecy　field。　Give　me　the　bow。〃

Dick；　although　he　had　never　suffered　living　man　to　shoot　with　it
before；　handed　him　the　black　bow；　and　with　it　a　war　shaft；　which　he
drew　from　his　quiver。

〃Tell　me；　Archer　Dick；　have　you　any　enemy　in　this　town　of　Venice？
Because　if　so　we　might　try　a　shot　at　him。〃

〃One　or　two；　Gate　Murgh；〃　answered　Dick；　〃Still　whatever　your　half　of
me　may　do；　my　bit　of　you　does　not　love　to　strike　down　men　by　magic　in
the　dark。〃

〃Well　said　and　better　thought。　Then　bethink　you　of　something　that
belongs　to　an　enemy　which　will　serve　as　well　for　a　test　of　shooting。
Ah！　I　thank　you；　well　thought　again。　Yes；　I　see　the　mark；　though　'tis
far；　is　it　not？　Now　set　your　mind　on　it。　But　stay！　First；　will　you
know　this　arrow　again？〃

〃Surely；〃　answered　Dick；　〃I　made　it　myself。　Moreover；　though　two　of
the　feathers　are　black；　the　third　is　white　with　four　black　spots　and　a
little　splash　of　brown。　Look　on　it；　Sir　Hugh；　it　cannot　be　mistook。〃

Hugh　looked　and　nodded；　speak　he　could　not　for　the　life　of　him。

Then　Murgh　began　to　play　a　little　with　the　bow；　and　oh！　strange　and
dreadful　was　the　music　that　came　from　its　string　beneath　the　touch　of
his　gloved　fingers。　It　sang　like　a　harp　and　wailed　like　a　woman；　so
fearfully　indeed　that　the　lad　Day；　who　all　this　while　stood　by　aghast；
stopped　his　ears　with　his　fingers；　and　Hugh　groaned。　Then　this　awful
archer　swiftly　set　the　arrow　on　the　string。

〃Now　think　with　your　mind　and　shoot　with　your　heart；〃　he　said　in　his
cold　voice；　and；　so　saying；　drew　and　loosed　as　though　at　a　hazard。

Out　toward　Venice　leaped　the　shaft　with　a　rushing　sound　like　to　that
of　wings　and；　as　it　seemed　to　the　watchers；　light　went　with　it；　for　it
travelled　like　a　beam　of　light。　Far　over　the　city　it　travelled；
describing　a　mighty　arc　such　as　no　arrow　ever　flew　before；　then　sank
down　and　vanished　behind　some　palace　tower。

〃A　very　good　bow；〃　said　the　shooter；　as　he　handed　it　back　to　Dick。
〃Never　have　I　used　a　better；　who　have　used　thousands　made　of　many　a
substance。　Indeed；　I　think　that　I　remember　it。　Did　you　chance　to　find
it　years　ago　by　the　seashore？　Yes？　Well；　it　was　a　gift　of　mine　to　a
famous　archer　who　died　upon　a　ship。　Nay；　it　is　not　strained；　I　can
judge　of　the　breaking　strength　of　a　bow。　Whether　or　no　I　can　judge　of
t