red eve-第51章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


officers　come　and　bear　her　away　to　some　common　grave；　from　which　her
rank　will　not　protect　her。〃

Then　he　went　to　visit　Sir　Geoffrey。　Returning　presently；　he　gave　them
some　directions　as　to　his　treatment；　and　rushed　out　as　he　had　rushed
in。　They　never　saw　him　again。　Two　days　later　they　learned　that　he
himself　was　dead　of　the　pest。

That　night　they　buried　Lady　Carleon　in　her　son's　grave；　which　Dick　had
helped　to　prepare　for　her；　since　no　sexton　could　be　bribed　to　do　the
work。　Indeed　these　were　all　busy　enough　attending　to　the　interment　of
the　great　ones　of　Venice。　In　that　churchyard　alone　they　saw　six
buryings　in　progress。　Also　after　the　priest　had　read　his　hurried
Office；　as　they　left　the　gates；　whence　Lady　Carleon's　bearers　had
already　fled　affrighted；　they　met　more　melancholy　processions　heralded
by　a　torch　or　two　whereof　the　light　fell　upon　some　sheeted　and
uncoffined　form。

〃'Twixt　earthquake　and　plague　Murgh　the　Helper　is　helping　very　well；〃
said　Grey　Dick　grimly；　and　Hugh　only　groaned　in　answer。



Such　was　the　beginning　of　the　awful　plague　which　travelled　from　the
East　to　Venice　and　all　Europe　and　afterward　became　known　by　the　name
of　the　Black　Death。　Day　by　day　the　number　of　its　victims　increased；
the　hundreds　of　yesterday　were　the　thousands　of　the　morrow。　Soon　the
graveyards　were　full；　the　plague　pits；　long　and　deep；　were　full；　and
the　dead　were　taken　out　to　sea　by　shiploads　and　there　cast　into　the
ocean。　At　length　even　this　could　not　be　done；　since　none　were
forthcoming　who　would　dare　the　task。　For　it　became　known　that　those
who　did　so　themselves　would　surely　die。

So　where　folk　fell；　there　they　lay。　In　the　houses　were　many　of　them；
they　cumbered　and　poisoned　the　streets　and　the　very　churches。　Even　the
animals　sickened　and　perished；　until　that　great　city　was　turned　into
an　open　tomb。　The　reek　of　it　tainted　the　air　for　miles　around；　so　that
even　those　who　passed　it　in　ships　far　out　to　sea　turned　faint　and
presently　themselves　sickened　and　died。　But　ere　they　died　they　bore　on
the　fatal　gift　to　other　lands。

Moreover；　starvation　fell　upon　the　place。　Though　the　houses　were　full
of　riches；　these　would　scarce　suffice　to　buy　bread　for　those　who
remained　alive。　The　Doge　and　some　of　his　Council　passed　laws　to
lighten　the　misery　of　the　people；　but　soon　few　heeded　these　laws　which
none　were　left　to　enforce。　The　vagabonds　and　evil…minded　men　who　began
by　robbing　the　deserted　houses　of　jewels；　money　and　plate；　ended　by
searching　them　for　food　and　casting　aside　their　treasures　as　worthless
dross。　It　was　even　said　that　some　of　them　did　worse　things；　things　not
to　be　named；　since　in　its　extremities　nature　knows　no　shame。　Only　if
bread　and　meat　were　scarce；　wine　remained　in　plenty。　In　the　midst　of
death　menyes；　and　womenwho　perhaps　had　deserted　their　wives；　their
husbands　or　their　children；　fearing　to　take　the　evil　from　them；　made
the　nights　horrible　by　their　drunken　blasphemies　and　revellings；　as
sailors　sometimes　do　upon　a　sinking　ship。　Knowing　that　they　must　die；
they　wished　to　die　merry。



Sir　Geoffrey　Carleon　lived　a　long　while　after　the　death　of　his　wife。
When　he　passed　away　at　last；　ten　days　or　so　later；　it　was　painlessly
of　the　mortification　of　his　broken　limb；　not　of　the　pest；　which　went
by　him　as　though　it　knew　that　he　was　already　doomed。

All　this　time　Hugh；　Grey　Dick；　and　David　Day　nursed　him　without
ceasing。　Indeed　with　the　exception　of　a　woman　so　ancient　and
shrivelled　that　nothing　seemed　able　to　harm　her　any　more；　no　one　else
was　left　in　the　great　/palazzo/；　for　all　the　rest　of　the　household　had
perished　or　fled　away。　This　woman；　who　was　the　grandmother　of　one　of
the　servants；　now　dead　of　the　plague；　cooked　their　food。　Of　such
provision　fortunately　there　was　much　laid　up　in　the　storerooms　for　use
in　the　winter；　since　Lady　Carleon　had　been　a　good　and　provident
housewife。

So　those　three　did　not　starve；　although　Sir　Geoffrey　would　touch
little　of　the　salted　stuff。　He　existed　on　a　few　fruits　when　they　could
get　them；　and　after　these　were　gone；　on　wine　mingled　with　water。

At　length　came　the　end。　For　two　days　he　had　lain　senseless。　One　night；
however；　David；　who　was　watching　in　his　chamber；　crept　into　the　room
where　Hugh　slept　hard　by　and　told　them　that　Sir　Geoffrey　was　awake　and
calling　them。　They　rose　and　went　to　him。　By　the　light　of　the　moon
which　shone　in　at　the　open　window；　that　same　window　through　which　Lady
Carleon　had　looked　toward　England　ere　she　passed　away；　they　saw　him
lying　quietly；　a　happy　smile　upon　his　face。

〃Friends；〃　he　said　in　a　weak　voice；　〃by　the　mercy　of　God；　I　go　out　of
this　hell　to　heaven；　or　so　I　think。　But；　if　indeed　this　be　not　the　end
of　the　world；　I　hope　that　you　who　have　lived　so　long　will　continue　to
live；　and　I　have　sent　for　you　to　bless　you　and　to　thank　you　both。　In
yonder　case　are　certain　papers　that　have　to　do　with　the　King's
business。　I　pray　you　deliver　them　to　his　Grace　if　you　can　and　with
them　my　homage　and　my　thanks　for　the　trust　that　he　has　reposed　in　me。
Tell　him　what　I　have　not　written　in　the　letters〃and　here　he　smiled
faintly〃that　I　think　that　few　of　his　creditors　in　Venice　will
trouble　him　at　present；　though　afterward　their　heirs；　if　they　have
left　any；　may　do　so。　Say；　too；　to　the　Doge；　who；　I　believe；　still
lives；　that　I　send　him　my　good　wishes　and　respects。　Also　that　I　grieve
that　I　have　not　been　able　to　hand　him　my　letters　of　recall　in　person；
since　the　King　who　summons　me　sends　none。

〃So　much　for　business；　but　there　are　two　things　more：　I　have　no
relatives　living　save　my　wife's　sister。　Therefore；　Sir　Hugh　and
Captain　Richard；　I　have　made　you　my　joint　heirs　with　her；　my　testament
duly　signed　and　witnessed　is　in　that　case　with　the　other　papers。　My
wealth　is　not　great。　Still　there　are　certain　land　and　manors　in
England；　a　sum　of　money　placed　with　a　merchant　in　London；　whose　name
you　will　find　written　in　the　testament；　my　plate　and　gold　coin　here；
though　the　former　you　may　not　be　able　to　move。　Therefore　I　charge　you
to　bury　it　and　return　for　it　later　on；　if　you　can。　It　is　of　value；
since　all　my　life　I　have　collected　such　trinkets。　I　beg　you　to　make
provision　also　for　this　good　lad；　David；　should　he　be　spared。〃

He　paused　a　while；　for　he　was　growing　very　weak；　then　added：

〃Another　thing　is　that　I　ask　you；　if　it　be　possible；　to　row　my　body
out　to　sea　and　there　sink　it　in　deep　water；　deep；　clean　water；　far
from　this　place　of　stench　and　pestilence；　for　I　would　not　lie　in　the
common　pit　at　last。　Now　kneel　down　and　pray　for　my　passing　soul；　since
there　is　no　priest　to　give　me　absolution；　and　I　must　seek　it　straight
from　God。　Nay；　thank　me　not。　I　have　done　with　the　world　and　its
affairs。　Kneel　down　and　pray；　as　I　pray　for　you；　that　you　may　be
spared　on　earth　and　that　we　may　meet　again　in　heaven；　where　my　wife
and　others　await　me。〃

They　obeyed；　weeping；　yes；　even　Grey　Dick　wept　a　little。　Presently
when　they　looked　up　they　saw　that　Sir　Geoffrey　was　dead；　dead　without
pain　or　sorrow。　Of　the　first　he　had　suffered　none　for　days；　and　the
second　was　far　from　him　who　wished　to　die。

Leaving　the　ancient　woman　in　charge　of　the　house；　which　she　barred　and
bolted；　next　morning　they　took　a　boat；　and　the　three　of　them　rowed　the
body　of　the　old　knight　a　league　out　into　the　quiet　sea。　There；　after　a
brief　prayer；　they　cast　him　into　the　deep；　weighted　with　stones；　so
that　he　might　never　rise　again。

Then　they　returned；　not　too　soon；　for　they　found　thieves　in　the　act　of
breaking　into　the　house；　probably　in　search　of　food。　These　miserable；
half…starved　men　they　spared；　though　they　could　have　killed　them
easily　enough。　They　even　gave　them　a　pouch　full　of　biscuit　and　dried
meat　ere　they　dismissed　them。　This　they　did　quickly；　since　one　of
them；　as　they　could　see；　was　already　stricken　by　the　plague　and　had
not　long　to　live。　When　they　were　gone；　the　old　woman　being　out　of　the
house；　whence　she　had　fled　on　hearing　the　robbers；　they　collected　all
Sir　Geoffrey's　and　his　lady's　jewels　and　plate；　of　which　there　was
much；　for　he　lived　in　state　in　Venice；　as　became　an　ambassador。　These
they　buried　in　three　large　iron　boxes　beneath　the　flagstones　of　the
cellar；　the　safest　plac