red eve-第56章

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particulars　of　the　suit。

〃Sir　Edmund　Acour；　Count　de　Noyon；　Seigneur　of　Cattrina？〃　he　said
presently。　〃Why　I　think　that　a　lord　of　those　names　had　audience　with
his　Holiness　some　while　ago；　just　before　the　pest　grew　bad　in　Avignon
and　the　gates　of　the　palace　were　ordered　to　be　shut。　I　know　not　what
passed　on　the　occasion；　not　having　been　retained　in　the　cause；　but　I
will　find　out　and　tell　you　to…morrow。〃

〃Find　out　also；　if　it　pleases　you；　learned　Basil；〃　said　Hugh；　〃whether
or　no　this　knight　with　the　three　names　is　still　in　Avignon。　If　so；　I
have　a　word　or　two　to　say　to　him。〃

〃I　will；　I　will；〃　answered　the　lantern…jawed　notary。　〃Yet　I　think　it
most　unlikely　that　any　one　who　can　buy　or　beg　a　horse　to　ride　away　on
should　stay　in　this　old　city　just　now；　unless　indeed；　the　laws　of　his
order　bind　him　to　do　so　that　he　may　minister　to　the　afflicted。　Well；
if　the　pest　spares　me　and　you；　to…morrow　morning　I　will　be　back　here
at　this　hour　to　tell　you　all　that　I　can　gather。〃

〃How　did　this　sickness　begin　in　Avignon？〃　asked　Grey　Dick。

〃Noble　Squire；　none　know　for　certain。　In　the　autumn　we　had　great
rains；　heavy　mists　and　other　things　contrary　to　the　usual　course　of
nature；　such　as　strange　lights　shining　in　the　heavens；　and　so　forth。
Then　after　a　day　of　much　heat；　one　evening　a　man　clad　in　a　red　and
yellow　cap；　who　wore　a　cloak　of　thick　black　furs　and　necklaces　of
black　pearls；　was　seen　standing　in　the　market…place。　Indeed；　I　saw　him
myself。　There　was　something　so　strange　and　dreadful　about　the
appearance　of　this　man；　although　it　is　true　that　some　say　he　was　no
more　than　a　common　mountebank　arrayed　thus　to　win　pence；　that　the
people　set　upon　him。　They　hurled　stones　at　him；　they　attacked　him　with
swords　and　every　other　weapon；　and　thought　that　they　had　killed　him；
when　suddenly　he　appeared　outside　the　throng　unhurt。　Then　he　stretched
out　his　white…gloved　hand　toward　them　and　melted　into　the　gloom。

〃Only；〃　added　Basil　nervously；　〃it　was　noted　afterward　that　all　those
who　had　tried　to　injure　the　man　were　among　the　first　to　die　of　the
pest。　Thank　God；　I　was　not　one　of　them。　Indeed　I　did　my　best　to　hold
them　back；　which；　perhaps；　is　the　reason　why　I　am　alive　to…day。〃

〃A　strange　story；〃　said　Hugh；　〃though　I　have　heard　something　like　it
in　other　cities　through　which　we　have　passed。　Well；　till　to…morrow　at
this　hour；　friend　Basil。〃

〃We　have　learned　two　things；　master；〃　said　Dick；　when　the　lawyer　had
bowed　himself　out。　〃First；　that　Acour　is；　or　has　been；　in　Avignon；　and
secondly；　that　Murgh　the　Messenger；　Murgh　the　Sword；　has　been　or　is　in
Avignon。　Let　us　go　seek　for　one　of　the　other　of　them；　since　for　my
part　I　desire　to　meet　them　both。〃

So　all　that　day　they　sought　but　found　neither。

Next　morning　Basil　reappeared；　according　to　his　promise；　and　informed
them　that　their　business　was　on　foot。　Also　he　said　that　it　was　likely
to　prove　more　difficult　than　he　anticipated。　Indeed；　he　understood
that　he　who　was　named　de　Noyon　and　Cattrina；　having　friends　among　the
cardinals；　had　already　obtained　some　provisional　ratification　of　his
marriage　with　the　lady　Eve　Clavering。　This　ratification　it　would　now
be　costly　and　difficult　to　set　aside。

Hugh　answered　that　if　only　he　could　be　granted　an　audience　with　his
Holiness；　he　had　evidence　which　would　make　the　justice　of　his　cause
plain。　What　he　sought　was　an　audience。

The　notary　scratched　his　lantern　jaws　and　asked　how　that　could　be
brought　about　when　every　gate　of　the　palace　was　shut　because　of　the
plague。　Still；　perhaps；　it　might　be　managed；　he　added；　if　a　certain
sum　were　forthcoming　to　bribe　various　janitors　and　persons　in
authority。

Hugh　gave　him　the　sum　out　of　the　store　of　gold　they　had　taken　from　the
robbers　in　the　mountains；　with　something　over　for　himself。　So　Basil
departed；　saying　that　he　would　return　at　the　same　hour　on　the　morrow；
if　the　plague　spared　him　and　them；　his　patrons；　as　he　prayed　the
Saints　that　it　might　do。

Hugh　watched　him　go；　then　turned　to　Dick　and　said：

〃I　mistrust　me　of　that　hungry　wolf　in　sheep's　clothing　who　talks　so
large　and　yet　does　nothing。　Let　us　go　out　and　search　Avignon　again。
Perchance　we　may　meet　Acour；　or　at　least　gather　some　tidings　of　him。〃

So　they　went；　leaving　the　Tower　locked　and　barred；　who　perchance　would
have　been　wiser　to　follow　Basil。　A　debased　and　fraudulent　lawyer　of　no
character　at　all；　this　man　lived　upon　such　fees　as　he　could　wring
without　authority　from　those　who　came　to　lay　their　suits　before　the
Papal　Court；　playing　upon　their　hopes　and　fears　and　pretending　to　a
power　which　he　did　not　possess。　Had　they　done　so；　they　might　have　seen
him　turn　up　a　certain　side　street；　and；　when　he　was　sure　that　none
watched　him；　slip　into　the　portal　of　an　ancient　house　where　visitors
of　rank　were　accustomed　to　lodge。

Mounting　some　stairs　without　meeting　any　one；　for　this　house；　like
many　others；　seemed　to　be　deserted　in　that　time　of　pestilence；　he
knocked　upon　a　door。

〃Begone；　whoever　you　are；〃　growled　a　voice　from　within。　〃Here　there
are　neither　sick　to　be　tended　nor　dead　to　be　borne　away。〃

Had　they　been　there　to　hear　it；　Hugh　and　Dick　might　have　found　that
voice　familiar。

〃Noble　lord；〃　he　replied；　〃I　am　the　notary；　Basil；　and　come　upon　your
business。〃

〃Maybe；〃　said　the　voice；　〃but　how　know　I　that　you　have　not　been　near
some　case　of　foul　sickness　and　will　not　bring　it　here？〃

〃Have　no　fear；　lord；　I　have　been　waiting　on　the　healthy；　not　on　the
sicka　task　which　I　leave　to　others　who　have　more　taste　that　way。〃

Then　the　door　was　opened　cautiously；　and　from　the　room　beyond　it　came
a　pungent　odour　of　aromatic　essences。　Basil　passed　in；　shutting　it
quickly　behind　him。　Before　him　at　the　further　side　of　the　table　and
near　to　a　blazing　fire　stood　Acour　himself。　He　was　clothed　in　a　long
robe　and　held　a　piece　of　linen　that　was　soaked　in　some　strong…smelling
substance　before　his　nose　and　mouth。

〃Nay；　come　no　nearer；〃　he　said　to　the　clerk；　〃for　this　infection　is
most　subtle；　andbe　so　good　as　to　cast　off　that　filthy　cloak　of　yours
and　leave　it　by　the　door。〃

Basil　obeyed；　revealing　an　undergarment　that　was　still　more　foul。　He
was　not　one　who　wasted　money　on　new　apparel。

〃Well；　man；〃　said　Acour；　surveying　him　with　evident　disgust　and
throwing　a　handful　of　dried　herbs　upon　the　fire；　〃what　news　now？　Has
my　cause　been　laid　before　his　Holiness？　I　trust　so；　for　know　that　I
grow　weary　of　being　cooped　up　here　like　a　falcon　in　a　cage　with　the
dread　of　a　loathsome　death　and　a　handful　of　frightened　servants　as
companions　who　do　nothing　but　drone　out　prayers　all　day　long。〃

〃Yes；　lord；　it　has。　I　have　it　straight　from　Clement's　own　secretary；
and　the　answer　is　that　his　Holiness　will　attend　to　the　matter　when　the
pest　has　passed　away　from　Avignon；　and　not　before。　He　adds　also　that
when　it　does　so；　if　ever；　all　the　parties　to　the　cause；　by　themselves
or　by　their　representatives；　must　appear　before　him。　He　will　give　no
/ex　parte/　judgment　upon　an　issue　which；　from　letters　that　have
reached　him　appears　to　be　complicated　and　doubtful。〃

〃Mother　of　Heaven！〃　exclaimed　Acour；　〃what　a　fool　am　I　to　let　you　in
to　tell　me　such　tidings。　Well；　if　that　is　all　you　have　to　say　the
sooner　I　am　out　of　this　hateful　city　the　better。　I　ride　this
afternoon；　or；　if　need　be；　walk　on　foot。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Basil。　〃Then　you　leave　behind　you　some　who　are　not　so
frightened　of　their　health；　but　who　bide　here　upon　a　very　similar
errand。　Doubtless；　as　often　happens　to　the　bold；　they　will　find　a　way
to　fulfil　it。〃

〃And　who　may　these　be；　fellow？〃

〃A　bold　and　warlike　knight；　a　squire　with　hair　like　tow　and　a　face
that　might　be　worn　by　Death　himself；　and　a　young　English　serving　man。〃

Acour　started　up　from　the　chair　in　which　he　had　sat　down。

〃No　need　to　tell　me　their　names；〃　he　said；　〃but　how；　by　hell's　gate；
came　de　Cressi　and　his　familiar　here。〃

〃By　the　road；　I　imagine；　lord；　like　others。　At　least；　a　few　days　ago
they　were　seen　travelling　toward　the　bridge　of　St。　B閚閦et　in　the
company　of　certain　Jews；　whom；　I　am　informed；　they　had　rescued　from
the　just　reward　of　their　witchcraft。　I　have　a　note　of　all　the　facts；
which　include　the　slaying　of　sundry　good　Chri