red eve-第58章
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〃Ay；〃 broke in the lad David； who was following； 〃and I felt a cold
wind as though some one stirred the air。〃
Grey Dick also opened his lips to speak； then changed his mind and was
silent； but Sir Andrew said impatiently：
〃I saw no one； therefore there was no one to see。 Enter！〃 and he
opened the door。
Now they found themselves in a lighted room； beyond which lay another
room。
〃Bide you here； Richard； with your companion；〃 said Sir Andrew。 〃Hugh；
follow me； and let us learn whether I have trusted to God in vain。〃
Then very gently he opened the door； and they passed in together；
closing it behind them。
This is what Hugh saw。 At the far end of the room was a bed； near to
which stood a lamp that showed； sitting up in the bed； a beautiful
young woman； whose dark hair fell all about her。 Her face was flushed
but not wasted or made dreadful by the sickness； as happened to so
many。 There she sat staring before her with her large dark eyes and a
smile upon her sweet lips； like one that muses on happy things。
〃See；〃 whispered Sir Andrew； 〃she is awakened from her swoon。 I think
I did not trust in vain； my son。〃
She caught the tones of his voice and spoke。
〃Is that you； Father？〃 she asked dreamily。 〃Draw near； for I have such
a strange story to tell you。〃
He obeyed； leaving Hugh in the shadow； and she went on：
〃Just now I awoke from my sleep and saw a man standing by my bed。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 Sir Andrew said； 〃the physician whom I sent for to see
you。〃
〃Do physicians in Avignon wear caps of red and yellow and robes of
black fur and strings of great black pearls that； to tell truth； I
coveted sorely？〃 she asked； laughing a little。 〃No； no。 If this were a
physician； he is of the sort that heals souls。 Indeed； now that I
think of it； when I asked him his name and business； he answered that
the first was the Helper； and the second； to bring peace to those in
trouble。〃
〃Well； daughter； and what else did the man say？〃 asked Sir Andrew；
soothingly。
〃You think I wander；〃 she said； interpreting the tone of his voice and
not his words； 〃but indeed it is not so。 Well； he said little； only
that I had been very ill； near to death； in truth； much nearer than I
thought； but that now I should recover and within a day or two be
quite well and strong again。 I asked him why he had come to tell me
this。 He replied； because he thought that I should like to know that
he had met one whom I loved in the city of Venice in Italy； one who
was named Hugh de Cressi。 Yes； Father； he said Hugh de Cressi； who；
with his squire； an archer； had befriended him thereand that this
Hugh was well and would remain so； and that soon I should see him
again。 Also he added that he had met one whom I hated； who was named
the lord of Cattrina； and that if this Cattrina threatened me I should
do wisely to fly back to England； since there I should find peace and
safety。 Then； suddenly； just before you came in； he was gone。〃
〃You have strange dreams； Eve；〃 said Sir Andrew； 〃yet there is truth
in their madness。 Now be strong lest joy should kill you； as it has
done by many a one before。〃
Then he turned to the shadow behind him and said； 〃Come。〃 Next instant
Hugh was kneeling at Eve's bedside and pressing his lips upon her
hand。
Oh！ they had much to say to each other； so much that the half of it
remained unsaid。 Still Hugh learned that she and Sir Andrew had come
to Avignon upon the Pope's summons to lay this matter of her alleged
marriage before him in person。 When they reached the town they found
it already in the grip of the great plague； and that to see his
Holiness was almost impossible； since he had shut himself up in his
palace and would admit no one。 Yet an interview was promised through
Sir Andrew's high…placed friends； only then the sickness struck Eve
and she could not go； nor was Sir Andrew allowed to do so； since he
was nursing one who lay ill。
Then Hugh began to tell his tale； to which Eve and Sir Andrew Arnold
listened greedily。 Of Murgh； for sundry reasons； he said nothing； and
of the fight from which Acour had fled in Venice before the earthquake
but little。 He told them； however； that he had heard that this Acour
had been or was in Avignon and that he had learned from a notary named
Basil； whom he； Hugh； had retained； that Acour had won from the Pope a
confirmation of his marriage。
〃A lie！〃 interrupted Sir Andrew。 〃His Holiness caused me to be
informed expressly that he would give no decision in this cause until
all the case was before him。〃
As he said the words a disturbance arose in the outer room； and the
harsh voice of Grey Dick was heard saying：
〃Back； you dog！ Would you thrust yourself into the chamber of the lady
of Clavering？ Back； or I will cast you through the window…place。〃
Sir Andrew went to see what was the matter； and Hugh； breaking off his
tale； followed him； to find the notary； Basil； on his knees with Grey
Dick gripping him by the collar of his robe。
〃Sir Knight；〃 said Basil； recognizing Hugh； 〃should I； your faithful
agent； be treated thus by this fierce…faced squire of yours？〃
〃That depends on what you have done； Sir Lawyer；〃 answered Hugh；
motioning to Dick to loose the man。
〃All I have done； Sir Knight； is to follow you into a house where I
chanced to see you enter； in order to give you some good tidings。 Then
this fellow caught me by the throat and said that if I dared to break
in upon the privacy of one whom he called Red Eve and Lady Clavering；
he would kill me。〃
〃He had his orders； lawyer。〃
〃Then； Sir Knight； he might have executed them less roughly。 Had he
but told me that you were alone with some lady； I should have
understand and withdrawn for a while； although to do so would have
been to let precious moments slip；〃 and the lean…faced knave leered
horribly。
〃Cease your foul talk and state your business；〃 interrupted Sir
Andrew； thrusting himself in front of Hugh； who he feared would strike
the fellow。
〃And pray； who may you be？〃 asked the lawyer； glancing up at the tall
figure that towered above him。
Sir Andrew threw back his hood； revealing his aged； hawk…like
countenance； his dark and flashing eyes and his snow…white hair and
beard。
〃If you would learn； man；〃 he said； in his great voice； 〃in the world
I was known as Sir Andrew Arnold； one of the priors of the Order of
the Templars； which is a name that you may have heard。 But now that I
have laid aside all worldly pomp and greatness； I am but Father
Andrew； of Dunwich； in England。〃
〃Yes； yes； I have heard the name； who has not？〃 said the lawyer
humbly； 〃also you are here as guardian to the lady Eve Clavering； are
you not； to lay a certain cause before his Holiness？ Oh！ do not start；
all these matters came to my knowledge who am concerned in every great
business in Avignon as the chief agent and procurator of the Papal
Court； though it is true that this tiding has reached me only within
the last few minutes and from the lips of your own people。 Holy
Father； I pray your pardon for breaking in upon you； which I did only
because the matter is very pressing。 Sir Hugh de Cressi here has a
cause to lay before the Pope with which you may be acquainted。 Well；
for two days I have striven to win him an audience； and now through my
sole influence； behold！ 'tis granted。 See here；〃 and he produced a
parchment that purported to be signed by the Pope's secretary and
countersigned by a cardinal； and read：
〃'If the English knight； Sir Hugh de Cressi； and his squire； the
captain Richard； will be in the chamber of audience at the palace at
seven of the clock this evening' （that is； within something less than
half an hour）； 'his Holiness will be pleased to receive them as a most
special boon； having learned that the said Sir Hugh is a knight much
in favour with his Grace of England； who appointed him his champion in
a combat that was lately to be fought at Venice。'〃
〃That's true enough； though I know not how the Pope heard of it；〃
interrupted Hugh。
〃Through me； Sir Knight； for I learn everything。 None have so much
power in Avignon as I； although it often pleases me to seem poor and
of no account。 But let that pass
