red eve-第59章

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power　in　Avignon　as　I；　although　it　often　pleases　me　to　seem　poor　and
of　no　account。　But　let　that　pass。　Either　you　must　take　this
opportunity　or　be　content　not　to　see　his　Holiness　at　all。　Orders　have
been　issued　because　of　the　increase　of　this　pest　in　Avignon；　that　from
to…night　forward　none　shall　be　admitted　to　the　palace　upon　any　pretext
whatsoever；　no；　not　even　a　king。〃

〃Then　I　had　best　go；〃　said　Hugh。

〃Ay；〃　answered　Sir　Andrew；　〃and　return　here　with　your　tidings　as　soon
as　may　be。　Yet；〃　he　added　in　a　low　voice　to　Grey　Dick；　〃I　love　not　the
look　of　this　scurvy　guide　of　yours。　Could　not　your　master　have　found　a
better　attorney？〃

〃Perhaps；〃　answered　Dick；　〃that　is　if　one　is　left　alive　in　Avignon。
Being　in　haste　we　took　the　first　that　came　to　hand；　and　it　seems　that
he　will　serve　our　turn。　At　least；　if　he　plays　tricks；　I　promise　it
will　be　the　worse　for　him；〃　and　he　looked　grimly　at　the　rogue；　who　was
talking　to　David　Day　and　appeared　to　hear　nothing。

So　they　went；　and　with　them　David；　who　had　witnessed　the　confession　of
Father　Nicholas。　Therefore　they　thought　it　best　that　he　should
accompany　them　to　testify　to　it　if　there　were　need。

〃Bid　my　lady　keep　a　good　heart　and　say　that　I　will　be　with　her　again
ere　long；〃　said　Hugh　as　they　descended　the　stairs　in　haste。

Following　the　guidance　of　Basil；　they　turned　first　this　way　and　then
that；　till　soon　in　the　gathering　darkness　they　knew　not　where　they
were。

〃What　was　the　name　of　the　street　in　which　Sir　Andrew　had　his　lodging？〃
asked　Hugh；　halting。

〃Rue　St。　Benezet；〃　answered　Basil。　〃Forward；　we　have　no　time　to　lose。〃

〃Did　you　tell　Sir　Andrew　where　we　dwelt；　master？〃　said　Dick　presently；
〃for　I　did　not。〃

〃By　my　faith；　Dick；　no；　it　slipped　my　mind。〃

〃Then　it　will　be　hard　for　him　to　find　us　if　he　has　need；　master；　in
this　rabbit　warren　of　a　town。　Still　that　can't　be　mended　now。　I　wish
we　were　clear　of　this　business；　for　it　seems　to　me　that　yon　fellow　is
not　leading　us　toward　the　palace。　Almost　am　I　minded〃　and　he
looked　at　Basil；　then　checked　himself。

Presently　Dick　wished　it　still　more。　Taking　yet　another　turn　they
found　themselves　in　an　open　square　or　garden　that　was　surrounded　by
many　mean　houses。　In　this　square　great　pest…fires　burned；　lighting　it
luridly。　By　the　flare　of　them　they　saw　that　hundreds　of　people　were
gathered　there　listening　to　a　mad…eyed　friar　who　was　preaching　to　them
from　the　top　of　a　wine…cart。　As　they　drew　near　to　the　crowd　through
which　Basil　was　leading　them；　Hugh　heard　the　friar　shouting：

〃Men　of　Avignon；　this　pest　which　kills　us　is　the　work　not　of　God；　but
of　the　Jew　blasphemers　and　of　the　sorcerers　who　are　in　league　with
them。　I　tell　you　that　two　such　sorcerers　who　pass　as　Englishmen　are　in
your　city　now　and　have　been　consorting　with　the　Jews；　plotting　your
destruction。　One　looks　like　a　young　knight；　but　the　other　has　the　face
of　Death　himself；　and　both　of　them　wrought　murders　in　a　neighbouring
town　to　protect　the　Jews。　Until　you　kill　the　accursed　Jews　this　plague
will　never　pass。　You　will　die；　every　one　of　you；　with　your　wives　and
children　if　you　do　not　kill　the　Jews　and　their　familiars。〃

Just　then　the　man；　rolling　his　wild　eyes　about；　caught　sight　of　Hugh
and　Dick。

〃See！〃　he　screamed。　〃There　are　the　wizards　who　in　Venice　were　seen　in
the　company　of　the　Enemy　of　Mankind。　That　good　Christian；　Basil；　has
brought　them　face　to　face　with　you；　as　he　promised　me　that　he　would。〃

As　he　heard　these　words　Hugh　drew　his　sword　and　leapt　at　Basil。　But
the　rogue　was　watching。　With　a　yell　of　fear　he　threw　himself　among　the
crowd　and　there　vanished。

〃Out　weapons；　and　back　to　back！〃　cried　Hugh；　〃for　we　are　snared。〃

So　the　three　of　them　ranged　themselves　together　facing　outward。　In
front　of　them　gleamed　Grey　Dick's　axe；　Hugh's　sword　and　David's　great
knife。　In　a　moment　the　furious　mob　was　surging　round　them　like　the
sea；　howling；　〃Down　with　the　foreign　wizards！　Kill　the　friends　of　the
Jews！〃　one　solid　wall　of　changing　white　faces。

A　man　struck　at　them　with　a　halbert；　but　the　blow　fell　short；　for　he
was　afraid　to　come　too　near。　Grey　Dick　leapt　forward；　and　in　a　moment
was　back　again；　leaving　that　man　dead；　smitten　through　from　skull　to
chin。　For　a　while　there　was　silence；　since　this　sudden　death　gave　them
pause；　and　in　it　Hugh　cried　out：

〃Are　blameless　men　to　be　murdered　thus？　Have　we　no　friends　in
Avignon？〃

〃Some；〃　answered　a　voice　from　the　outer　shadow；　though　who　spoke　they
could　not　see。

〃Save　the　protectors　of　the　Jews！〃　cried　the　voice　again。

Then　came　a　rush　and　a　counter…rush。　Fighting　began　around　them　in
which　they　took　no　share。　When　it　had　passed　over　them　like　a　gust　of
wind；　David　Day　was　gone；　killed　or　trodden　down；　as　his　companions
thought。

〃Now；　master；　we　are　alone；〃　said　Grey　Dick。　〃Set　your　shoulders
against　mine　and　let　us　die　a　death　that　these　dogs　of　Avignon　will
remember。〃

〃Ay；　ay！〃　answered　Hugh。　〃But　don't　overreach；　Dick；　'tis　ever　the
archer's　fault。〃

The　mob　closed　in　on　them；　then　rolled　back　like　water　from　a　rock；
leaving　some　behind。　Again　they　closed　in　and　again　rolled　back。

〃Bring　bows！〃　they　cried；　widening　out。　〃Bring　bows　and　shoot　them
down。〃

〃Ah！〃　gasped　Dick；　〃that　is　a　game　two　can　play；　now　that　I　have　arm
room。〃

Almost　before　the　words　had　left　his　lips　the　great　black　bow　he　bore
was　out　and　strung。　Next　instant　the　shafts　began　to　rush；　piercing
all　before　them；　till　at　the　third　arrow　those　in　front　of　him　melted
away；　save　such　as　would　stir　no　more。　Only　now　missiles　began　to　come
in　answer　from　this　side　and　from　that；　although　as　yet　none　struck
them。

〃Unstring　your　bow；　Dick；　and　let　us　charge；〃　said　Hugh。　〃We　have　no
other　chance　save　flight。　They'll　pelt　us　under。〃

Dick　did　not　seem　to　hear。　At　least　he　shot　on　as　one　who　was　not
minded　to　die　unavenged。　An　arrow　whistled　through　Hugh's　cap；　lifting
it　from　his　head；　and　another　glanced　from　the　mail　on　his　shoulder。
He　ground　his　teeth　with　rage；　for　now　none　would　come　within　reach　of
his　long　sword。

〃Good…bye；　friend　Dick；〃　he　said。　〃I　die　charging；〃　and　with　a　cry　of
〃A　Cressi！　A　Cressi！〃　he　sprang　forward。

One　leap　and　Dick　was　at　his　side；　who　had　only　bided　to　sheath　his
bow。　The　mob　in　front　melted　away　before　the　flash　of　the　white　sword
and　the　gleam　of　the　grey　axe。　Still　they　must　have　fallen；　for　their
pursuers　closed　in　behind　them　like　hunting　hounds　when　they　view　the
quarry；　and　there　were　none　to　guard　their　backs。　But　once　more　the
shrill　voice　cried：

〃Help　the　friends　of　the　Jews！　Save　those　who　saved　Rebecca　and　her
children！〃

Then　again　there　came　a　rush　of　dark…browed　men；　who　hissed　and
whistled　as　they　fought。

So　fierce　was　the　rush　that　those　who　followed　them　were　cut　off；　and
Dick；　glancing　back　over　his　shoulder；　saw　the　mad…eyed　priest；　their
leader；　go　down　like　an　ox　beneath　the　blow　of　a　leaded　bludgeon。　A
score　of　strides　and　they　were　out　of　the　range　of　the　firelight；
another　score　and　they　were　hidden　by　the　gloom　in　the　mouth　of　one　of
the　narrow　streets。

〃Which　way　now？〃　gasped　Hugh；　looking　back　at　the　square　where　in　the
flare　of　the　great　fires　Christians　and　Jews；　fighting　furiously；
looked　like　devils　struggling　in　the　mouth　of　hell。

As　he　spoke　a　shock…headed；　half…clad　lad　darted　up　to　them　and　Dick
lifted　his　axe　to　cut　him　down。

〃Friend；〃　he　said　in　a　guttural　voice；　〃not　foe！　I　know　where　you
dwell；　trust　and　follow　me；　who　am　of　the　kin　of　Rebecca；　wife　of
Nathan。〃

〃Lead　on　then；　kin　of　Rebecca；〃　exclaimed　Hugh；　〃but　know　that　if　you
cheat　us；　you　die。〃

〃Swift；　swift！〃　cried　the　lad；　〃lest　those　swine　should　reach　your
house　before　you；〃　and；　catching　Hugh　by　the　hand；　he　began　to　run
like　a　hare。

Down　the　dark　streets　they　went；　past　the　great　rock　where　the　fires
burned　at　the　gates　of　the　palace　of　the　Pope；　then　along　more　streets
and　across　an　open　place　where　thieves　and　night…birds　peered　at　them
curiously；　but　at　the　sight　of　their　drawn　steel；　slunk　away。　At
length　their　guide　halted。

〃See！〃　he　said。　〃There　is　your　dwelling。　Enter　now　and　up　with　the
bridge。　Hark！　They　come。　Farewell。〃

He　was　gone。