red eve-第31部分

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where　we　do　I'd　thrust　it　down　your　false　throat；　and　with　it　twist
out　your　slanderous　tongue。〃

〃Peace；　peace！〃　cried　the　Doge；　while　those　present　who　understood
English　translated　Dick's　wild　words　to　their　neighbours；　and　Cattrina
laughed　mockingly　at　the　success　of　his　sneer。　〃Have　I　not　said　that
such　words　are　unseemly？　Ah！　I　thought　it；　well；　my　lord；　you　have
brought　it　on　yourself。〃

For　while　he　spoke；　the　page；　a　mincing　young　man　tied　up　with　bows
and　ribbon　like　a　woman；　had　lifted　the　glove。　Holding　it　between　his
thumb　and　forefinger；　he　returned　it　to　Hugh　with　a　low；　mock　bow；
being　careful　as　he　did　so；　as　all　might　see；　to　tread　upon　Dick's
foot　and　hustle　him。　Next　moment　two　things　happened。　The　first　was
that；　dropping　his　cased　bow；　Grey　Dick　seized　that　young　in　his　iron
grip　and　hurled　him　into　the　air　so　that　he　fell　heavily　on　the　marble
floor　and　lay　there　stunned；　the　blood　running　from　his　nose　and
mouth。　The　second　was　that；　seizing　his　gauntlet；　Hugh　strode　to　where
Cattrina　stood；　and　struck　him　with　it　across　the　face；　saying：

〃Let　your　lips　kiss　what　your　fingers　are　too　fine　to　touch。〃

With　an　oath　Cattrina　drew　his　sword　and　out　flashed　Hugh's　in　answer；
as　he　cried：

〃Ay；　here　and　now　if　you　will！　Here　and　now！〃

Then　the　Guard　rushed　in　and　forced　them　apart。

〃Is　this　a　place　for　brawling？〃　cried　Dandolo　in　wrath；　adding：　〃Yet　I
cannot　blame　the　Englishmen　overmuch；　seeing　that　they　were　sore
affronted；　as　I　saw　with　my　eyes　and　heard　with　my　ears。　Be　silent；　my
lord　of　Cattrina。　After　your　fashion　you　make　trouble　at　my　Court。　And
hearken　allblood　so　hot　had　best　be　quickly　cooled　lest　one　or
other　of　these　knights　should　take　a　fever。　Moreover；　the　noble
Cattrina　has　but　to…day　asked　my　leave　to　ride　from　Venice　to…morrow；
having　urgent　business　at　Avignon　at　the　Court　of　Pope　Clement。　So　I
decree　that　this　combat　/？outrance/　shall　take　place　in　our　presence
on　the　Campo　del　Marte　to…morrow；　three　hours　before　noon；　ere　the　sun
grows　too　hot。　To　all　the　details　of　the　combat　our　heralds　will
attend　forthwith。　Officer；　take　soldiers　and　escort　the　Ambassador　and
the　Champion　of　his　Grace　of　England；　together　with　this　Captain　of
Archers；　back　to　their　own　door。　Set　guards　there　and　see　that　none
molest　them　by　word　or　deed　under　pain　of　fine　and　strait
imprisonment。　Sir　Geoffrey　Carleon；　your　requests　are　granted；　be
pleased　to　write　it　to　the　most　puissant　Edward；　whom　you　serve；　and
for　this　time　fare　you　well。　Why；　what　is　it；　Captain　Ambrosio？〃　he
added　irritably；　addressing　a　raw…boned；　lantern…jawed　giant　of　a　man
clad　in　the　splendid　uniform　of　the　Guard　who　stepped　before　his
throne　and　saluted。

〃Most　Illustrious；〃　said　Ambrosio；　in　bad；　guttural　Italian；　〃my
mother　was　a　Swiss。〃

〃Then　congratulations　to　the　Swiss；　Ambrosio；　but　what　of　it？〃

〃Very　Illustrious；〃　replied　the　captain　in　his　hollow　voice；　〃the
Swiss　are　brave　and　do　not　swallow　insults。　That　lad　whom　the
Englishman　kicked；　or　smote；　or　tossed　like　a　bull；〃　and　he　pointed　to
the　poor　page；　who；　still　senseless；　was　being　carried　from　the　hall；
〃is　my　youngest　brother；　who　resembles　our　Venetian　father　somewhat
more　than　I　do。〃

〃We　see　it；　we　see　it。　Indeed　are　you　sure　that　the　father　was〃
and　the　Doge　checked　himself。　〃The　point；　captain；　we　would　dine。〃

〃Illustrious；　I　would　avenge　my　brother　and　myself　on　the　Englishman；
whom　I　will　beat　to　a　jelly；〃　said　the　giant。　〃I　crave　leave　to　fight
him　to…morrow　when　the　lord　Cattrina　fights　his　master；〃　and　advancing
toward　Grey　Dick　he　made　as　though　he　would　pull　his　nose。

〃What　is　it　he　wants？〃　asked　Grey　Dick；　staring　up　at　the　great　fellow
with　a　look　in　his　eyes　that　caused　Ambrosio　to　cease　flourishing　his
fists。

The　challenge　was　translated　to　him；　and　its　reason。　〃Oh；〃　said　Dick；
〃tell　him　I　am　much　obliged　and　that　I　will　fight　him　with　the　bow　or
with　the　axe　and　dagger；　or　with　all　three。　Then　we　will　see　whether
he　beats　me　to　a　jelly；　or　whether　I　cut　him　into　collops；　who；　as　I
think；　needs　shortening。〃

Now　the　Captain　Ambrosio　consulted　with　his　friends；　who　with　much
earnestness　prayed　him　have　nothing　to　do　with　arrows。　They　pointed
out　that　there　his　bulk　would　put　him　at　a　disadvantage；　especially　in
dealing　with　an　English　archer　who　had　an　eye　like　a　snake　and　a　face
like　that　of　death　itself。

In　short；　one　and　all　they　recommended　the　battle…axe　and　the　dagger
as　his　most　appropriate　weaponssince　his　adversary　refused　swords。
The　battle…axe　with　which　to　knock　him　down；　as　he　could　easily　do；
being　so　strong；　and　the　dagger　with　which　to　finish　him。

When　this　was　explained　to　Grey　Dick　he　assented　to　the　proposal　with
a　kind　of　unholy　joy　that　was　almost　alarming　to　those　who　saw　it。
Moreover；　as　neither　of　them　had　gauntlets　to　throw　down　or　pick　up；
he　stretched　out　his　hand　to　seal　the　bargain；　which；　incautiously
enough；　the　huge；　half…breed　Swiss　accepted。

Dick's　grasp；　indeed；　was　so　firm　and　long　that　presently　the　giant
was　observed　first　to　move　uneasily；　secondly　to　begin　to　dance　and
thirdly　to　shout　out　with　pain。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　his　friends。

〃The　matter　is；〃　he　groaned；　as　Dick　let　go；　〃that　this　son　of　Satan
has　a　blacksmith's　vise　in　place　of　a　hand；〃　and　he　showed　his　great
fingers；　from　beneath　the　nails　of　which　the　blood　was　oozing。

His　Venetian　companions　of　the　Guard　looked　at　them；　then　they　looked
at　Grey　Dick　and　gave　him　a　wide　berth。　Also　Ambrosio　said　something
about　having　offered　to　fight　a　man　and　not　a　fiend。　But　it　was　too
late　to　retract；　for　the　Doge；　taking；　as　was　natural；　no　share　in
this　small　matter；　had　already　left　his　throne。

Then；　escorted　by　Sir　Geoffrey　and　the　city　Guards；　Hugh　and　Grey　Dick
passed　through　that　splendid　company　away　home　to　dinner；　Dick
carrying　his　bow…case　in　one　hand　and　the　sack　of　armour　which　de
Noyon　had　not　thought　fit　to　claim　in　the　other。

In　the　midst　of　dead　silence；　they　departed；　for　now　no　one　seemed　to
find　either　of　them　a　fit　subject　for　jest。　Indeed　there　were　some　who
said；　as　they　watched　the　pair　pass　the　door；　that　Cattrina　and　the
giant　would　do　well　to　consult　a　lawyer　and　a　priest　that　night。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XII

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　MAN　FROM　THE　EAST

In　a　great；　cool　room　of　his　splendid　Venetian　palace；　Sir　Edmund
Acour；　Seigneur　of　Cattrina　sat　in　consultation　with　the　priest
Nicholas。　Clearly　he　was　ill　at　ease；　his　face　and　his　quick；
impatient　movements　showed　it。

〃You　arrange　badly；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　quite　devoid　of　its　ordinary
melodious　tones。　〃Everything　goes　wrong。　How　is　it　you　did　not　know
that　this　accursed　Englishman　and　his　Death's…head　were　coming　here？
What　is　the　use　of　a　spy　who　never　spies？　Man；　they　should　have　been
met　upon　the　road；　for　who　can　be　held　answerable　for　what　brigands
do？　Or；　at　the　least；　I　might　have　started　for　Avignon　two　days
earlier。〃

〃Am　I　omnipotent；　lord；　that　I　should　be　held　able　to　read　the　minds
of　men　in　far　countries　and　to　follow　their　footsteps？〃　asked　the
aggrieved　Nicholas。　〃Still　it　might　have　been　guessed　that　this
bulldog　of　a　Briton　would　hang　to　your　heels　till　you　kick　out　his
brains　or　he　pulls　you　down。　Bah！　the　sight　of　that　archer；　who　cannot
miss；　always　gives　me　a　cold　pain　in　the　stomach；　as　though　an　arrow…
point　were　working　through　my　vitals。　I　pity　yonder　poor　fool　of　a
Swiss　to…morrow；　for　what　chance　has　he　against　a　fish…eyed　wizard？〃

〃Ten　thousand　curses　on　the　Swiss！〃　said　Acour。　〃He　thrust　himself
into　the　affair　and　will　deserve　all　he　gets。　I　pity　myself。　You　know
I　am　no　coward；　as　not　a　few　have　learned　before　to…day；　but　I　have
little　luck　against　this　Englishman。　I　tell　you　that　there　at　Crecy　I
went　down　before　him　like　a　ninepin；　and　he　spared　my　life。　My　God！　he
spared　my　life；　being　a　fool　like　all　his　breed。　And　now　the　tale　is
known　against　me　and　that　of　the　changed　armour；　too。　Why　could　not　de
la　Roche　die　without　speaking；　the　faithless　hound　whom　I　had　fed　so
well！　So；　so；　regrets　are　vain；　de　Cressi　is　here；　and　must　be　faced
or　I　be　shamed。〃

〃You　may　be　killed　as　well　as　shamed；〃　Nicholas　suggested
unpleasantly。　〃It　is　certain　that　either　you　or　that　Englishman　will
die　to…morrow；　since　he's　set　for　no　fancy　tilting　with　waving　of
ladies'　kerchiefs　and　tinsel　crowns　of　victory；　and　so　forth。　Merchant
bred　or　not；　he　is　a　sturdy　fighter；　as　we　all　learned　in　France。
Moreover；　his　heart　is　full　with　wrong；　and　the　man　whose　quarrel　is
just　is　always　to　be　feared。〃

〃A　pest　on　you！〃　snarled　Cattrina。　〃Have　you　the　evil　eye　that　you
then　croak　disaster　in　my　ears？　Look　you；　priest；　I　must　come　through
this　game　unharmed。　Death　is　a　companion　I　do　not　seek　just　yet；　who
have　too　much　to　live　forpower　and　wealth　and　high　renown；　if　my
plans　succeed；　and　as　you　should　know；　they　are　well　laid。　Moreover；
there　is　that　English　girl；　Red　Eve；　my　wife；　from　whose　sweet　side
you　made　me　flee。　I　tell　you；　Nicholas；　I　burn　for　her　and　had　rather
taste　her　hate　than　the　love　of　any　other　woman　on　the　earth。　Now；
too；　the　Pope　has　summoned　me　to　Avignon；　and　her　also；　to　lay　our
causes　before　him。　Being　bold；　mayhap　she　will　come；　for　his　Holiness
has　sent　her　safe…conduct　under　his　own　hand。　Nor　has　he　mentioned
for　I　saw　a　copy　of　the　briefthat　the　same　business　will　take　me　to
Avignon　about　this　time。　Well；　if　she　comes　she　will　not　go　away　again
alone；　the　French　roads　are　too　rough　for　ladies　to　travel　unescorted。
And　if　she　does　not　come；　at　least　our　marriage　will　be　declared　valid
and　I'll　take　her　when　and　where　I　can；　and　her　wealth　with　her；　which
will　be　useful。〃

〃Only　then；　lord；　you　must　not　die；　nor　even　be　wounded；　to…morrow。　It
is　the　Englishman　who　should　die；　for　whatever　the　Pope　may　decree　I
think　that　while　de　Cressi　lives　the　slumbrous　eyes　of　that　Eve　of
yours　will　find　a　way　to　charm　you　to　a　sleep　that　has　no　wakening。
She　is　not　a　fair…haired　toy　that　weeps；　forgets　and　at　last　grows
happy　in　her　babe。　She's　a　woman　to　make　men　or　break　them。　Oh；　when
her　sense　came　back　to　her；　for　a　flash　she　looked　me　cold