red eve-第64章

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unshriven　dead；　nor　of　these　would　any　stay　to　speak　with　them；
fearing　lest　they　had　brought　a　fresh　curse　from　overseas。　Even　the
horses　that　they　rode　they　took　from　a　stable　where　they　whinnied
hungrily；　none　being　there　to　feed　them；　leaving　in　their　place　a
writing　of　the　debt。

Betwixt　Yarmouth　and　Dunwich　they　had　travelled　through　smitten　towns
and　villages；　where　a　few　wandered　fearfully；　distraught　with　sorrow
or　seeking　food。　In　the　streets　the　very　dogs　lay　dead　and　in　the
fields　they　saw　the　carcasses　of　cattle　dragged　from　the　smokeless　and
deserted　steadings　and　half　hidden　in　a　winding…sheet　of　snow。　For　the
Black　Plague　spared　neither　man　nor　beast。

At　the　little　port　of　Lowestoft　they　met　a　sullen　sailorman　who　stood
staring　at　the　beach　whereon　his　fishing　boat　lay　overturned　and　awash
for　lack　of　hands　to　drag　it　out　of　reach　of　the　angry　sea。　They　asked
him　if　he　knew　of　how　it　fared　with　Dunwich。

By　way　of　answer　he　cursed　them；　adding：

〃Must　I　be　forever　pestered　as　to　Dunwich？　This　is　the　third　time　of
late　that　I　have　heard　of　Dunwich　from　wandering　folk。　Begone　thither
and　gather　tidings　for　yourselves；　which　I　hope　will　please　you　as
well　as　they　do　me。〃

〃Now；　if　I　were　not　in　haste　I　would　stay　a　while　to　teach　you
manners；　you　foul…mouthed　churl；〃　muttered　Grey　Dick　between　his
teeth。

〃Let　the　fellow　be；〃　said　Hugh　wearily；　〃the　men　of　Lowestoft　have
ever　hated　those　of　Dunwich；　and　it　seems　that　a　common　woe　does　not
soften　hearts。　Soon　enough　we　shall　learn　the　truth。〃

〃Ay；　you'll　learn　it　soon　enough；〃　shouted　the　brute　after　them。
〃Dunwich　boats　won't　steel　Lowestoft　herrings　for　many　a　year！〃

So　they　rode　on　through　Kessland；　which　they　reached　as　night　was
closing　in；　through　Benacre　and　Wrentham；　also　past　houses　in　which
none　seemed　to　dwell。

〃Murgh　has　been　here　before　us；　I　think；〃　said　Dick　at　length。

〃Then　I　hope　that　we　may　overtake　him；〃　answered　Hugh　with　a　smile；
〃for　I　need　his　tidingsor　his　rest。　Oh！　Dick；　Dick；〃　he　added；　〃I
wonder　has　ever　man　borne　a　heavier　burden　for　all　this　weary　while？
If　I　were　sure；　it　would　not　be　so　bad；　for　when　earthly　hope　is　done
we　may　turn　to　other　comfort。　But　I'm　not　sure；　Basil　may　have　lied。
The　priest　by　the　pit　could　only　swear　to　the　red　cloak；　of　which
there　are　many；　though　few　be　buried　in　them。　And；　Dick；　there　are
worse　things　than　that。　Perchance　Acour　got　her　after　all。〃

〃And　perchance　he　didn't；〃　answered　Dick。　〃Well；　fret　on　if　you　will；
the　thing　does　not　trouble　me　who　for　my　part　am　sure　enough。〃

〃Of　what；　man；　of　what？〃

〃Of　seeing　the　lady　Eve　ere　long。〃

〃In　this　world　or　the　next；　Dick？〃

〃In　this。　I　don't　reckon　of　the　next；　mayhap　there　we　shall　be　blind
and　not　see。　Besides；　of　what　use　is　that　world　to　you　where　it　is
written　that　they　neither　marry　nor　are　given　in　marriage；　but　are　as
the　angels？　You'll　make　no　good　angel；　I'm　thinking；　while　as　for　the
lady　Eve；　she's　too　human　for　it　as　yet。〃

〃Why　do　you　think　we　shall　see　her　on　earth？〃　asked　Hugh；　ignoring
these　reflections。

〃Because　he　who　is　called　the　Helper　said　as　much；　and　whatever　he　may
be　he　is　no　liar。　Do　you　not　remember　what　Red　Eve　told　you　when　she
awoke　from　that　dream　of　hers；　which　was　no　dream？　And　do　you　not
remember　what　Sir　Andrew　told　you　as　to　a　certain　meeting　in　the　snow
pest　upon　it！〃　and　he　wiped　some　of　the　driving　flakes　from　his　face
〃Sir　Andrew；　who　is　a　saint；　and；　therefore；　like　Murgh；　can　be　no
liar？〃

〃If　you　think　thus；〃　said　Hugh　in　a　new　voice；　〃why　did　you　not　say　so
before？〃

〃Because　I　love　not　argument；　master；　and　if　I　had；　you　would　ever
have　reasoned　with　me　from　Avignon　to　Yarmouth　town　and　spoilt　my
sleep　of　nights。　Oh！　where　is　your　faith？〃

〃What　is　faith；　Dick？〃

〃The　gift　of　belief；　master。　A　very　great　gift；　seeing　what　a　man
believes　is　and　will　be　true　for　him；　however　false　it　may　prove　for
others。　He　who　believes　nothing；　sows　nothing；　and　therefore　reaps
nothing；　good　or　ill。〃

〃Who　taught　you　these　things；　Dick？〃

〃One　whom　I　am　not　likely　to　forget；　or　you；　either。　One　who　is　my
master　at　archery　and　whose　words；　like　his　arrows；　though　they　be
few；　yet　strike　the　heart　of　hidden　truth。　Oh；　fear　not；　doubtless
sorrow　waits　you　yonder；〃　and　he　pointed　toward　Dunwich。　〃Yet　it　comes
to　my　lips　that　there's　joy　beyond　the　sorrows；　the　joy　of　battle　and
of　lovefor　those　who　care　for　love；　which　I　think　foolishness。　There
stands　a　farm；　and　the　farmer　is　a　friend　of　mine；　or　used　to　be。　Let
us　go　thither　and　feed　these　poor　beasts　and　ourselves；　or　I　think　we
will　never　come　to　Dunwich　through　this　cold　and　snow。　Moreover；〃　he
added　thoughtfully；　〃joy　or　sorrow　or　both　of　them　are　best　met　by
full　men；　and　I　wish　to　look　to　your　harness　and　my　own；　for　sword　and
axe　are　rusted　with　the　sea。　Who　knows　but　that　we　may　need　them　in
Dunwich；　or　beyond；　when　we　meet　with　Murgh；　as　he　promised　that　we
should。〃

So　they　rode　up　to　the　house　and　found　Dick's　friend；　the　farmer；
lying　dead　there　in　his　own　yard；　whither　his　family　had　dragged　him
ere　they　determined　to　fly　the　place。　Still；　there　was　fodder　in　the
stable　and　they　lit　a　fire　in　the　kitchen　hearth　and　drank　of　the　wine
which　they　had　brought　with　them　from　the　ship；　and　ate　of　the　bacon
which　still　hung　from　the　rafters。　This　done；　they　lay　down　to　sleep　a
while。　About　one　in　the　morning；　however；　Hugh　roused　Dick　and　David；
saying　that　he　could　rest　no　more　and　that　something　in　his　heart　bade
him　push　on　to　Dunwich。

〃Then　let　us　follow　your　heart；　master；〃　said　Dick；　yawning。　〃Yet　I
wish　it　had　waited　till　dawn　to　move　you。　Yes；　let　us　follow　your
heart　to　good　or　evil。　David；　go　you　out　and　saddle　up　those　nags。〃

For　Dick　had　worked　late　at　their　mail　and　weapons；　which　now　were
bright　and　sharp　again；　and　was　very　weary。



It　was　after　three　in　the　morning　when　at　length；　leaving　the　heath；
they　rode　up　to　Dunwich　Middlegate；　expecting　to　find　it　shut　against
them　at　such　an　hour。　But　it　stood　open；　nor　did　any　challenge　them
from　the　guardhouse。

〃They　keep　an　ill　watch　in　Dunwich　now…a…days；〃　grumbled　Dick。　〃Well；
perchance　there　is　one　here　to　whom　they　can　trust　that　business。〃

Hugh　made　no　answer；　only　pressed　on　down　the　narrow　street；　that　was
deep　and　dumb　with　snow；　till　at　length　they　drew　reign　before　the
door　of　his　father's　house；　in　the　market…place；　the　great　house　where
he　was　born。　He　looked　at　the　windows　and　noted　that；　although　they
were　unshuttered；　no　friendly　light　shone　in　them。　He　called　aloud；
but　echo　was　his　only　answer；　echo　and　the　moan　of　the　bitter　wind　and
the　sullen　roar　of　the　sea。

〃Doubtless　all　men　are　asleep；〃　he　said。　〃Why　should　it　be　otherwise
at　such　an　hour？　Let　us　enter　and　waken　them。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　answered　Dick　as　he　dismounted　and　threw　the　reins　of　his
horse　to　David。　〃They　are　like　the　rest　of　Dunwichasleep。〃

So　they　entered　and　began　to　search　the　house　by　the　dim　light　of　the
moon。　First　they　searched　the　lower　chambers；　then　those　where　Hugh's
father　and　his　brothers　had　slept；　and　lastly　the　attics。　Here　they
found　the　pallets　of　the　serving…folk　upon　the　floor；　but　none　at　rest
upon　them。

〃The　house　is　deserted；〃　said　Hugh　heavily。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　answered　Dick　again；　in　a　cheerful　voice；　〃doubtless
Master　de　Cressi　and　your　brothers　have　moved　away　to　escape　the
pest。〃

〃Pray　God　they　have　escaped　it！〃　muttered　Hugh。　〃This　place　stifles
me；〃　he　added。　〃Let　us　out。〃

〃Whither　shall　we　go；　master？〃

〃To　Blythburgh　Manor；〃　he　answered；　〃for　there　I　may　win　tidings。
David；　bide　you　here；　and　if　you　can　learn　aught　follow　us　across　the
moor。　The　manor　cannot　be　missed。〃

So　once　more　Hugh　and　Dick　mounted　their　horses　and　rode　away　through
the　town；　stopping　now　and　again　before　some　house　they　knew　and
calling　to　its　inmates。　But　though　they　called　loudly　none　answered。
Soon　they　grew　sure　that　this　was　because　there　were　none　to　answer；
since　of　those　houses　many　of　the　doors　stood　open。　Only　one　living
creature　did　they　see　in　Dunwich。　As　they　turned　the　corner　near　to
the　Blythburgh　Gate　they　met　a　grey…haired　man　w