red eve-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


for　his　ship　to　sail　in　the　morning。　The　good　wife　who　keeps　that
tavernask　not　her　namewould　go　far　to　serve　me。　That　night　this
priest　slept　sound；　and　while　he　slept　a　letter　was　cut　from　the
lining　of　his　cassock；　and　another　without　writing　sewn　there　in　place
of　it；　so　that　he'll　never　know　the　difference　till　he　reaches　John　of
Normandy；　and　then　not　where　he　lost　it。　Stay；　you　shall　see；〃　and　he
went　to　the　wall　and　from　some　secret　place　behind　the　hangings
produced　a　writing；　which　he　handed　to　Hugh；　who　looked　at　it；　then
gave　it　back　to　him；　saying：

〃Read　it　to　me；　Father；　English　I　can　spell　out；　but　this　French
puzzles　my　eyes。〃

So　he　read；　Hugh　listening　eagerly　to　every　word：

　　My　Lord　Duke：

　　This　by　a　faithful　hand　that　you　know　to　tell　you　all　goes　well
　　with　your　Grace's　business；　and　with　that　of　your　royal　father。
　　While　pretending　to　hunt　or　hawk　I　have　found　three　places　along
　　this　seaboard　at　any　one　of　which　the　army　can　land　next　summer
　　with　little　resistance　to　fear；　for　though　the　land　is　rich　in
　　cattle　and　corn；　the　people　are　few。

　　These　places　of　which　I　have　made　survey　have　deep　water　up　to　the
　　beach。　I　will　tell　you　of　them　more　particularly　when　I　return。
　　Meanwhile　I　linger　here　for　sundry　reasons；　which　you　know；　hoping
　　to　draw　those　of　whom　you　speak　to　me　to　your　cause；　which；　God
　　aiding　me；　I　shall　do；　since　he　of　England　has　wronged　one　of　them
　　and　slighted　the　others；　so　that　they　are　bitter　against　him；　and
　　ready　to　listen　to　the　promises　which　I　make　in　your　name。

　　As　an　excuse　for　my　long　stay　that　has　caused　doubts　in　some
　　quarters；　I　speak　of　my　Suffolk　lands　which　need　my　care。　Also　I
　　court　the　daughter　of　my　host　here；　the　Knight　of　Clavering；　a
　　stubborn　Englishman　who　cannot　be　won；　but　a　man　of　great　power
　　and　repute。　This　courtship；　which　began　in　jest；　has　ended　in
　　earnest；　since　the　girl　is　very　haughty　and　beautiful；　and　as　she
　　will　not　be　played　with　I　propose；　with　your　good　leave；　to　make
　　her　my　wife。　Her　father　accepts　my　suit；　and　when　he　and　the
　　brother　are　out　of　the　way；　as　doubtless　may　happen　after　your
　　army　comes；　she　will　have　great　possessions。

　　I　thank　your　Grace　for　the　promise　of　the　wide　English　lands　of
　　which　I　spoke　to　you；　and　the　title　that　goes　with　them。　These　I
　　will　do　my　best　to　earn；　nor　will　I　ask　for　them　till　I　kneel
　　before　you　when　you　are　crowned　King　of　England　at　Westminster；　as
　　I　doubt　not　God　will　bring　about　before　this　year　is　out。　I　have
　　made　a　map　of　the　road　by　which　your　army　should　march　on　London
　　after　landing；　and　of　the　towns　to　be　sacked　upon　the　way　thither。
　　This；　however；　I　keep；　since　although　not　one　in　ten　thousand　of
　　these　English　swine　can　read　French；　or　any　other　tongue；　should
　　it　chance　to　be　lost；　all　can　understand　a　map。　Not　that　there　is
　　any　fear　of　loss；　for　who　will　meddle　with　a　priest　who　carries
　　credentials　signed　by　his　Holiness　himself。

　　I　do　homage　to　your　Grace。　This　written　with　my　hand　from
　　Blythburgh；　in　Suffolk；　on　the　twentieth　day　of　February；　1346。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Edmund　of　Noyon。

Father　Arnold　ceased　reading；　and　Hugh　gasped　out：

〃What　a　fool　is　this　knave…Count！〃

〃Most　men　are；　my　son；　in　this　way　or　in　that；　and　the　few　wise　profit
by　their　folly。　Thus　this　letter；　which　he　thought　so　safe；　will　save
England　to　Edward　and　his　race；　you　from　many　dangers；　your　betrothed
from　a　marriage　which　she　hatesthat　is；　if　you　can　get　safe　away
with　it　from　Dunwich。〃

〃Where　to；　Father？〃

〃To　King　Edward　in　London；　with　another　that　I　will　write　for　you　ere
the　dawn。〃

〃But　is　it　safe；　Father；　to　trust　so　precious　a　thing　to　me；　who　have
bitter　enemies　awaiting　me；　and　may　as　like　as　not　be　crow's　meat　by
to…morrow？〃

Father　Arnold　looked　at　him　with　his　soft　and　dreamy　eyes；　then　said：

〃I　think　the　crow's　not　hatched　that　will　pick　your　bones；　Hugh；
though　at　the　last　there　be　crows；　or　worms；　for　all　of　us。〃

〃Why　not；　Father？　Doubtless；　this　morning　young　John　of　Clavering
thought　as　much；　and　now　he　is　in　the　stake…nets；　or　food　for　fishes。〃

〃Would　you　like　to　hear；　Hugh；　and　will　you　keep　it　to　yourself；　even
from　Eve？〃

〃Ay；　that　I　would　and　will。〃

〃He'll　think　me　mad！〃　muttered　the　old　priest　to　himself；　then　went　on
aloud　as　one　who　takes　a　sudden　resolution。　〃Well；　I'll　tell　you；
leaving　you　to　make　what　you　will　of　a　story　that　till　now　has　been
heard　by　no　living　man。〃

〃Far　in　the　East　is　the　great　country　that　we　call　Cathay；　though　in
truth　it　has　many　other　names；　and　I　alone　of　all　who　breathe　in
England　have　visited　that　land。〃

〃How　did　you　get　there？〃　asked　Hugh；　amazed；　for　though　he　knew　dimly
that　Father　Arnold　had　travelled　much　in　his　youth；　he　never　dreamed
that　he　had　reached　the　mystic　territories　of　Cathay；　or　indeed　that
such　a　place　really　was　except　in　fable。

〃It　would　take　from　now　till　morning　to　tell；　son；　nor　even　then　would
you　understand　the　road。　It　is　enough　to　say　that　I　went　on　a
pilgrimage　to　Jerusalem；　where　our　blessed　Saviour　died。　That　was　the
beginning。　Thence　I　travelled　with　Arabs　to　the　Red　Sea；　where　wild
men　made　a　slave　of　me；　and　we　were　blown　across　the　Indian　Ocean　to　a
beauteous　island　named　Ceylon；　in　which　all　the　folk　are　black。

〃From　this　place　I　escaped　in　a　vessel　called　a　junk；　that　brought　me
to　the　town　of　Singapore。　Thence　at　last；　following　my　star；　I　came　to
Cathay　after　two　years　of　journeyings。　There　I　dwelt　in　honour　for
three　more　years；　moving　from　place　to　place；　since　never　before　had
its　inhabitants　seen　a　Western　man；　and　they　made　much　of　me；　always
sending　me　forward　to　new　cities。　So　at　length　I　reached　the　greatest
of　them　all；　which　is　called　Kambaluc；　or　Peking；　and　there　was　the
guest　of　its　Emperor；　Timur。

〃All　the　story　of　my　life　and　adventures　yonder　I　have　written　down；
and　any　who　will　may　read　it　after　I　am　dead。　But　of　these　I　have　no
time　to　speak；　nor　have　they　anything　to　do　with　you。　Whilst　I　dwelt
in　Kambaluc　as　the　guest　of　the　Emperor　Timur；　I　made　study　of　the
religion　of　this　mighty　people；　who；　I　was　told；　worshipped　gods　in
the　shape　of　men。　I　visited　a　shrine　called　the　Temple　of　Heaven；
hoping　that　there　I　should　see　such　a　god　who　was　named　Tien；　but
found　in　it　nothing　but　splendid　emptiness。

〃Then　I　asked　if　there　was　no　god　that　I　could　see　with　my　eyes；
whereon　the　Emperor　laughed　at　me　and　said　there　was　such　a　god；　but
he　counselled　me　not　to　visit　him。　I　prayed　him　to　suffer　me　to　do　so；
since　I；　who　worshipped　the　only　true　God；　feared　no　other。　Whereon；
growing　angry；　he　commanded　some　of　his　servants　to　'take　this　fool　to
the　house　of　Murgh　and　let　him　see　whether　his　God　could　protect　him
against　Murgh。'　Having　said　this　he　bade　me　farewell；　adding　that
though　every　man　must　meet　Murgh　once；　few　met　him　twice；　and
therefore　he　did　not　think　that　he　should　see　me　again。

〃Now；　in　my　heart　I　grew　afraid；　but　none　would　tell　me　more　of　this
Murgh　or　what　was　likely　to　happen　to　me　at　his　hands。　Still；　I　would
not　show　any　fear；　and；　strong　in　the　faith　of　Christ；　I　determined　to
look　upon　this　idol；　for　such　I　expected　him　to　be。

〃That　night　the　servants　of　Timur　bore　me　out　of　the　city　in　a　litter；
and　by　the　starlight　I　saw　that　we　travelled　toward　a　hill　through
great　graveyards；　where　people　were　burying　their　dead。　At　the　foot　of
the　hill　they　set　me　down　upon　a　road；　and　told　me　to　walk　up　it；　and
that　at　dawn　I　should　see　the　House　of　Murgh；　whereof　the　gates　were
always　open；　and　could　enter　there　if　I　wished。　I　asked　if　they　would
wait　for　my　return；　whereon　they　answered；　smiling；　that　if　I　so
desired　they　would　do　so　till　evening；　but　that　it　seemed　scarcely
needful；　since　they　did　not　suppose　that　I　should　return。

〃'Do　yonder　pilgrims　to　the　House　of　Murgh　return？'　asked　their
captain；　pointing　towards　those　graveyards　which　we　had　passed。

〃I　made　no　answer；　but　walked　forward　up　a　broad　and　easy　road；
unchallenged　of　any；　till　I　came　to　what；　even　in　that　dim　light；　I
could　see　was　a　great　and　frowning　gateway；　whereof　the　doors　appeared
to　be　open。　Now；　at　first　I　thought　I　would　pass　this　gateway　at　once
and　see　what　lay　beyond。　But　from　this　I　was　held　back　by　some　great
fear；　for　which　I　could　find　no　cause；　unless　it　were　bred　of　what　the
Emperor　and　his　servants　had　said　to　me。　So　I　remembered　their　words
namely；　that　I　should　tarry　till　dawn　to　enter　the　house。

〃There；　then；　I　tarried；　seated　on　the　ground　before　the　gateway；　and
feeling　as　though；　yet　alive；　I　had　descended　among　the　dead。　Indeed；
the　silence　was　that　of　the　dead。　No　voice　spoke；　no　hound　barked；　no
leaf　stirred。　Only　far　above　me　I　heard　a　continual　soughing；　as
though　winged　souls　passed　to　and　fro。　Never　in　my　life　had　I　felt　so
much　alone；　never　so　much　afraid。

〃At　length　the　dawn　broke；　and　oh；　glad　was　I　to　see　its　light；　for
fear　lest　I　should　die　in　darkness！　Now　I　saw　that　I　was　on　a　hilltop
where　grew　great　groves　of　cedar　trees；　and　that　set　amid　them　was　a
black…tiled　temple；　surrounded　by　a　wall　built　of　black　brick。

〃It　was　not　a　great　place；　although　the　gateway；　which　was　surmounted
by　two　black　dragons　of　stone　or　iron；　was　very　great；　so　great　that　a
tall　ship　could　have　sailed　through　it　and　left　its　arch　untouched。

〃I　kneeled　down　and　prayed　to　the　blessed　Saints　and　the　guardian
angels　to　protect　me。　Then　I　arose；　crossed　myself　to　scare　off　all
evil　things　by　that　holy　sign；　and　set　forward　toward　the　mighty
gateway。　Oh；　never；　never　till　that　hour　had　I　understood　how　lowly　a
thing　is　man！　On　that　broad　road；　travelling　toward　the　awful；　dragon…
guarded　arch；　beyond　which　lay　I　knew　not　what；　it　seemed　to　me　that　I
was　the　only　man　left　in　the　world；　I；　whose　hour　had　come　to　enter
the　portals　of　destruction。

〃I　passed　into　the　cold　shadow　of　the　gateway；　unchallenged　by　any
watchman；　and　found　myself　in　a　courtyard　surrounded　by　a　wall　also
built　of　black　brick；　which　had　doors　in　it　that　seemed　to　be　of　dark
stone　or　iron。　Whither　these　doors　led　I　do　not　know；　since　the　wall
c