red eve-第48章

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stepping　aside。　Recovering　himself；　again　Ambrosio　struck。　This　blow
Dick　caught　upon　his　shield；　then；　as　though　he　were　afraid；　began　to
retreat；　slowly　at　first；　but　afterward　faster　till　his　walk　broke
into　a　run。

At　this　sight　all　that　mighty　audience　set　up　a　hooting。　〃Coward！　Dog！
Pig　of　an　Englishman！〃　they　yelled；　and　the　louder　they　yelled　the
more　quickly　did　Grey　Dick　run；　till　at　last　even　Hugh　grew　puzzled
wondering　what　was　in　his　mind　and　hoping　that　he　would　change　it
soon。　So　the　audience　hooted；　and　Grey　Dick　ran　and　the　giant　Swiss
lumbered　along　after　him；　bellowing　triumphantly　and　brandishing　his
battle…axe；　which；　it　was　noted；　never　seemed　to　be　quite　long　enough
to　reach　his　flying　foe。

When　this　had　gone　on　for　two　or　three　minutes；　Grey　Dick　stumbled　and
fell。　The　Swiss；　who　was　following　fast；　likewise　tripped　and　fell
over　him　heavily；　whereon　the　multitude　shouted：

〃Foul　play！　A　dirty；　foreign　trick！〃

In　an　instant　Dick　was　up　again；　and　had　leapt　upon　the　prostrate
Swiss；　as　all　thought；　to　kill　him。　But　instead　the　only　thing　he　did
was　to　get　behind　him　and　kick　him　with　his　foot　until　he　also　rose。
Thereat　some　laughed；　but　others；　who　had　bets　upon　their　champion；
groaned。

Now　the　Swiss；　having　lost　his　shield　in　his　fall；　rushed　at　Dick；
grasping　his　axe　with　both　hands。　As　before；　the　Englishman　avoided
the　blow；　but　for　the　first　time　he　struck　back；　catching　the　giant　on
the　shoulder　though　not　very　heavily。　Then　with　a　shout　of　〃St。　George
and　England！〃　he　went　in　at　him。

Hither　and　thither　sprang　Dick；　now　out　of　reach　of　the　axe　of　the
Swiss　and　now　beneath　his　guard。　But　ever　as　he　sprang　he　delivered
blow　upon　blow；　each　harder　than　the　last；　till　there　appeared　scars
and　rents　in　the　fine　white　mail。　Soon　it　became　clear　that　the　great
Swiss　was　overmatched　and　spent。　He　breathed　heavily；　his　strokes　grew
wild；　he　over…balanced；　recovered　himself；　and　at　last　in　his　turn
began　to　fly　in　good　earnest。

Now　after　him　went　Dick；　battering　at　his　back；　but；　as　all　might　see；
with　the　flat　of　his　axe；　not　with　its　edge。　Yes；　he　was　beating　him
as　a　man　might　beat　a　carpet；　beating　him　till　he　roared　with　pain。

〃Fight；　Ambrosio；　fight！　Don't　fly！〃　shouted　the　crowd；　and　he　tried
to　wheel　round；　only　to　be　knocked　prostrate　by　a　single　blow　upon　the
head　which　the　Englishman　delivered　with　the　hammer…like　back　of　his
axe。

Then　Dick　was　seen　to　kneel　upon　him　and　cut　the　lashings　of　his
helmet　with　his　dagger；　doubtless　to　give　the　/coup　de　gr鈉e/；　or　so
they　thought。

〃Our　man　is　murdered！〃　yelled　the　common　people；　while　those　of　the
better　sort　remained　shamed　and　silent。

Dick　rose；　and　they　groaned；　thinking　that　all　was　done。　But　lo！
stooping　down　he　helped　the　breathless　Swiss；　whom　he　had　disarmed；　to
his　feet。　Then；　taking　him　by　the　nape　of　the　neck；　which　was　easy；　as
his　helmet　was　off；　with　one　hand；　while　in　the　other　he　held　his
bared　knife；　Dick　thrust　him　before　him　till　they　reached　the　tribune
of　the　Doge。

〃Be　pleased　to　tell　the　Illustrious；〃　he　said；　to　Sir　Geoffrey；　〃that
this　braggart　having　surrendered；　I　spared　his　life　and　now　return　him
to　his　brother　the　Page　quite　unharmed；　since　I　did　not　wish　to　wound
one　who　was　in　my　power　from　the　first。　Only　when　he　gets　home　I　pray
that　he　will　look　at　his　back　in　a　glass　and　judge　which　of　us　it　is
that　has　been　'beaten　to　a　pulp。'　Let　him　return　thanks　also　to　his
patron　saint；　who　put　pity　in　my　heart；　so　that　I　did　not　cut　him　into
collops；　as　I　promised。　For　know；　sir；　that　when　I　walked　out　yonder
it　was　my　purpose　to　hew　off　his　hands　and　shorten　him　at　the　knees。
Stayone　word　more。　If　yonder　boaster　has　more　brothers　who　really
wish　to　fight；　I'll　take　them　one　by　one　and　swear　to　them　that　this
time　I'll　not　give　back　a　step　unless　I'm　carried。〃

〃Do　you　indeed　yield　and　accept　the　Englishman's　mercy？〃　asked　the
Doge　in　a　stern　voice。

The　poor　Ambrosio；　making　no　answer；　blundered　forward　among　the　crowd
and　there　vanished；　and　this　was　the　last　that　Dick　ever　saw　or　heard
of　him。　But；　although　he　waited　there　a　while；　feeling　the　edge　of　his
axe　and　glaring　about　him；　none　of　the　captain's　companions　came
forward　to　accept　his　challenge。

At　length；　with　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders；　Dick　turned。　Having　taken
his　bow　and　quiver　from　David；　who　could　not　conceal　his　indecent　joy
at　the　utter　humiliation　of　Ambrosio；　whom　he　hated　with　a　truly
British　hate；　he　walked　slowly　to　where　Hugh　sat　upon　his　horse。

〃The　jest　is　done；　master；　and　now　for　good　earnest；　since　'tis　your
turn。　The　Saints　save　me　such　another　cow　hunt　in　this　hell's　heat。
Had　I　killed　him　at　once　I　should　be　cooler　now；　but　it　came　into　my
mind　to　let　the　hound　live。　Indeed；　to　speak　truth；　I　thought　that　I
heard　the　voice　of　Murgh　behind　me；　saying；　'Spare；'　and　knew　that　I
must　obey。〃

〃I　hope　he　will　say　nothing　of　the　sort　to　me　presently；〃　answered
Hugh；　〃if　he　is　here；　which　I　doubt。　Why；　what　is　it　now？　Those　gold…
coated　marshals　are　talking　again。〃

Talking　they　were；　evidently　at　the　instance　of　Cattrina；　or　his
counsellors；　who　had　raised　some　new　objections；　which　Sir　Geoffrey
stepped　forward　to　explain　to　them。　But　Hugh　would　not　even　hear　him
out。

〃Tell　the　man　and　all　whom　it　may　concern；〃　he　said　in　an　angry　voice；
〃that　I　am　ready　to　fight　him　as　he　will；　on　horse　or　on　foot；　with
lance　or　sword　or　axe　or　dagger；　or　any　or　all　of　them；　in　mail　or
without　it；　or；　if　it　pleases　him；　stripped　to　the　shirt。　Only　let　him
settle　swiftly；　since　unless　the　sweat　runs　into　my　eyes　and　dims
them；　it　seems　to　me　that　night　is　coming　before　it　is　noon。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　answered　Sir　Geoffrey；　〃this　gathering　gloom　is
ominous　and　fearful。　I　think　that　some　awesome　tempest　must　be　about
to　burst。　Also　it　seems　to　me　that　Cattrina　has　no　stomach　for　this
fray；　else　he　would　not　raise　so　many　points　of　martial　law　and
custom。〃

Then　wiping　his　brow　with　a　silken　handkerchief　he　returned　to　deliver
the　message。

Now　Hugh　and　Dick；　watching；　saw　that　Cattrina　and　those　who　advised
him　could　find　no　further　loophole　for　argument。　They　saw；　moreover；
that　the　Doge　grew　angry；　for　he　rose　in　his　seat；　throwing　off　his
velvet　robe　of　office；　of　which　it　appeared　that　he　could　no　longer
bear　the　weight；　and　spoke　in　a　hard　voice　to　Cattrina　and　his
squires。　Next；　once　more　the　titles　of　the　combatants　were　read；　and
their　cause　of　combat；　and　while　this　went　on　Hugh　bade　Dick　bind
about　his　right　arm　a　certain　red　ribbon　that　Eve　had　given　him；
saying　that　he　wished　to　fight　wearing　his　lady's　favour。

Dick　obeyed；　muttering　that　he　thought　such　humours　foolish　and　that　a
knight　might　as　well　wear　a　woman's　petticoat　as　her　ribbon。　By　now；
so　dim　had　the　light　grown；　he　could　scarce　see　to　tie　the　knot。

Indeed；　the　weather　was　very　strange。

From　the　dark；　lowering　sky　above　a　palpable　blackness　sank　downward
as　though　the　clouds　themselves　were　falling　of　their　own　weight；
while　from　the　sea　great　rolls　of　vapour　came　sweeping　in　like　waves。
Also　this　sea　itself　had　found　a　voice；　for；　although　it　was　so　calm；
it　moaned　like　a　world　in　pain。　The　great　multitude　began　to　murmur；
and　their　faces；　lifted　upward　toward　the　sky；　grew　ghastly　white。
Fear；　they　knew　not　of　what；　had　got　hold　of　them。　A　voice　cried
shrilly：

〃Let　them　fight　and　have　done。　We　would　get　home　ere　the　tempest
bursts。〃

The　first　trumpet　blew　and　the　horses　of　the　knights；　which　whinnied
uneasily；　were　led　to　their　stations。　The　second　trumpet　blew　and　the
knights　laid　their　lances　in　rest。　Then　ere　the　third　trumpet　could
sound；　suddenly　the　darkness　of　midnight　swallowed　all　the　scene。

Dick　groped　his　way　to　Hugh's　side。　〃Bide　where　you　are；〃　he　said；
〃the　end　of　the　world　is　here；　let　us　meet　it　like　men　and　together。〃

〃Ay；〃　answered　Hugh；　and　his　voice　rang　hollow　through　his　closed
visor；　〃without　doubt　it　is　the　end　of　the　world；　and　Murgh；　the
Minister；　has　been　sent　to　open　the　doors　of　heaven　and　hell。　God　have
mercy　on　us　all！〃

So　they　stayed　there；　hearkening　to　the　groans　and　prayers　of　the
terrified