red eve-第25章

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Carleon；　who　represents　us　there；　and　through　him　to　the　Doge。
Farewell　to　you；　Sir　Hugh　de　Cressi；　and　to　you；　Captain　Richard　the
Archer。　When　all　this　game　is　played；　return　and　make　report　to　us　of
your　adventures；　and　of　how　de　Noyon　died。　The　Queen　will　love　to　hear
the　tale；　and　your　nuptials　and　Red　Eve's　shall　be　celebrated　at
Westminster　in　our　presence；　for　you　have　earned　no　less。　Master
Secretary；　get　your　tools；　I　will　dictate　the　letters。　After　they　are
signed　to…morrow；　see　them　into　the　hands　of　Sir　Hugh；　with　others
that　I　will　give　him　for　safe　carriage；　for　alas　I　have　creditors　at
Venice。　Make　out　an　open　patent　also　to　show　that　he　and　this　captain
travel　as　our　messengers；　charging　all　that　do　us　service　to　forward
them　upon　their　journey。〃



Three　days　later　Hugh　and　Grey　Dick；　in　the　character　of　royal
messengers　from　the　King　of　England　to　the　Doge　of　Venice；　took
passage　in　a　great　vessel　bound　for　Genoa　with　a　cargo　of　wool　and
other　goods。　On　board　this　ship　before　he　sailed　Hugh　handed　to　his
father　letters　for　Eve　and　for　Sir　Andrew　Arnold。　Also　he　received
from　him　money　in　plenty　for　his　faring；　and　bills　of　exchange　upon
certain　merchants　of　Italy；　which　would　bring　him　more　should　it　be
needed。

Their　parting　was　very　sad；　since　the　prophecies　of　Sir　Andrew　had
taken　no　small　hold　upon　Master　de　Cressi's　mind。

〃I　fear　me　greatly；　dear　son；〃　he　said；　〃that　we　part　to　meet　no　more。
Well；　such　is　the　lot　of　parents。　They　breed　those　children　that
heaven　decrees　to　them；　with　toil　and　thought　and　fears　they　rear　them
up　from　infancy；　learning　to　love　them　more　than　their　own　souls；　for
their　sakes　fighting　a　hard　world。　Then　the　sons　go　forth；　north　and
south；　and　the　daughters　find　husbands　and　joys　and　sorrows　of　their
own；　and　both　half　forget　them；　as　is　nature's　way。　Last　of　all　those
parents　die；　as　also　is　nature's　way；　and　the　half　forgetfulness
becomes　whole　as　surely　as　the　young　moon　grows　to　full。　Well；　well；
this　is　a　lesson　that　each　generation　must　learn　in　turn；　as　you　will
know　ere　all　is　done。　Although　you　are　my　youngest；　I'll　not　shame　to
say　I　have　loved　you　best　of　all；　Hugh。　Moreover；　I've　made　such
provision　as　I　can　for　you；　who　have　raised　up　the　old　name　to　honour；
and　who；　as　I　hope；　will　once　more　blend　the　de　Cressis　and　the
Claverings；　the　foes　of　three　generations；　into　a　single　House。〃

〃Speak　not　so；　father；〃　answered　Hugh；　who　was　moved　almost　to　tears。
〃Mayhap　it　is　I　who　shall　die；　while　you　live　on　to　a　green　old　age。
At　least　know　that　I　am　not　forgetful　of　your　love　and　kindness；
seeing　that　after　Eve　you　are　dearer　to　me　than　any　on　the　earth。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　after　Eve　and　Eve's　children。　Still　you'll　have　a　kind
thought　for　me　now　and　then；　the　old　merchant　who　so　often　thwarted
you　when　you　were　a　wayward　ladfor　your　own　good；　as　he　held。　For
what　more　can　a　father　hope？　But　let　us　not　weep　before　all　these
stranger　men。　Farewell；　son　Hugh；　of　whom　I　am　so　proud。　Farewell；　son
Hugh；〃　and　he　embraced　him　and　went　across　the　gangway；　for　the
sailors　were　already　singing　their　chanty　at　the　anchor。

〃I　never　had　a　father　than　I　can　mind；〃　said　Grey　Dick　aloud　to
himself；　after　his　fashion；　〃yet　now　I　wish　I　had；　for　I'd　like　to
think　on　his　last　words　when　there　was　nothing　else　to　do。　It's　an
ugly　world　as　I　see　it；　but　there's　beauty　in　such　love　as　this。　The
man　for　the　maid　and　the　maid　for　the　manpish！　they　want　each　other。
But　the　father　and　the　motherthey　give　all　and　take　nothing。　Oh；
there's　beauty　in　such　love　as　this；　so　perhaps　God　made　it。　Only；
then；　how　did　He　also　make　Crecy　Field；　and　Calais　siege；　and　my　black
bow；　and　me　the　death　who　draws　it？〃



The　voyage　to　Genoa　was　very　long；　for　at　this　season　of　the　year　the
winds　were　light　and　for　the　most　part　contrary。　At　length；　however；
Hugh　and　Dick　came　there　safe　and　sound。　Having　landed　and　bid
farewell　to　the　captain　and　crew　of　the　ship；　they　waited　on　the　head
of　a　great　trading　house　with　which　Master　de　Cressi　had　dealings。

This　signor；　who　could　speak　French；　gave　them　lodging　and　welcomed
them　well；　both　for　the　sake　of　Hugh's　father　and　because　they　came　as
messengers　from　the　King　of　England。　On　the　morrow　of　their　arrival　he
took　them　to　a　great　lord　in　authority；　who　was　called　a　Duke。　This
Duke；　when　he　learned　that　one　was　a　knight　and　the　other　a　captain
archer　of　the　English　army　and　that　they　both　had　fought　at　Crecy；
where　so　many　of　his　countrymenthe　Genoese　bowmenhad　been　slain；
looked　on　them　somewhat　sourly。

Had　he　known　all　the　part　they　played　in　that　battle；　in　truth　his
welcome　would　have　been　rough。　But　Hugh；　with　the　guile　of　the
serpent；　told　him　that　the　brave　Genoese　had　been　slain；　not　by　the
English　arrows；　for　which　even　with　their　wet　strings　they　were　quite
a　match　（here　Dick；　who　was　standing　to　one　side　grinned　faintly　and
stroked　the　case　of　his　black　bow；　as　though　to　bid　it　keep　its
memories　to　itself）；　but　by　the　cowardly　French；　their　allies。　Indeed
Hugh's　tale　of　that　horrible　and　treacherous　slaughter　was　so　moving
that　the　Duke　burst　into　tears　and　swore　that　he　would　cut　the　throat
of　every　Frenchman　on　whom　he　could　lay　hands。

After　this　he　began　to　extol　the　merits　of　the　cross…bow　as　against
the　long　arm　of　the　English；　and　Hugh　agreed　that　there　was　much　in
what　he　said。　But　Grey　Dick；　who　was　no　courtier；　did　not　agree。
Indeed；　of　a　sudden　he　broke　in；　offering　in　his　bad　French　to　fight
any　cross…bow　man　in　Genoa　at　six　score　yards；　so　that　the　Duke　might
learn　which　was　the　better　weapon。　But　Hugh　trod　on　his　foot　and
explained　that　he　meant　something　quite　different；　being　no　master　of
the　French　tongue。　So　that　cloud　passed　by。

The　end　of　it　was　that　this　Duke；　or　Doge；　whose　name　they　learned　was
Simon　Boccanera；　gave　them　safe　conduct　through　all　his　dominion；　with
an　order　for　relays　of　horses。　Also　he　made　use　of　them　to　take　a
letter　to　the　Doge　of　Venice；　between　which　town　and　Genoa；　although
they　hated　each　other　bitterly；　there　was　at　the　moment　some　kind　of
hollow　truce。　So　having　drunk　a　cup　of　wine　with　him　they　bade　him
farewell。

Next　morning　the　horses　arrived；　and　with　them　two　led　beasts　to　carry
their　baggage；　in　charge　of　a　Genoese　guide。　So　they　departed　on　their
long　ride　of　something　over　two　hundred　English　miles；　which　they
hoped　to　cover　in　about　a　week。　In　fact；　it　took　them　ten　days；　for
the　roads　were　very　rough　and　the　pack…beasts　slow。　Once；　too；　after
they　had　entered　the　territory　of　Venice；　they　were　set　on　in　a　defile
by　four　thieves；　and　might　have　met　their　end　had　not　Grey　Dick's　eyes
been　so　sharp。　As　it　was　he　saw　them　coming；　and；　having　his　bow　at
hand；　for　he　did　not　like　the　look　of　the　country　or　its　inhabitants；
leaped　to　earth　and　shot　two　of　them　with　as　many　arrows；　whereon　the
other　two　ran　away。　Before　they　went；　however；　they　shot　also　and
killed　a　pack…beast；　so　that　the　Englishmen　were　obliged　to　throw　away
some　of　their　gear　and　go　on　with　the　one　that　remained。

At　length；　on　the　eleventh　afternoon；　they　saw　the　lovely　city　of
Venice；　sparkling　like　a　cluster　of　jewels；　set　upon　its　many　islands
amid　the　blue　waters　of　the　Adriatic。　Having　crossed　some　two　miles　of
open　water　by　a　ferry　which　plied　for　the　convenience　of　travellers；
they　entered　the　town　through　the　western　gate；　and　inquired　as　best
they　could　（for　now　they　had　no　guide；　the　Genoese　having　left　them
long　before）　for　the　house　of　Sir　Geoffrey　Carleon；　the　English　Envoy。
For　a　long　while　they　could　make　no　one　understand。　Indeed；　the　whole
place　seemed　to　be　asleep；　perhaps　because　of　the　dreadful　heat；　which
lay　over　it　like　a　cloud　and　seemed　to　burn　them　to　the　very　bones。

Perplexed　and　outworn；　at　last　Hugh　produced　a　piece　of　gold　and　held
it　before　a　number　of　men　who　were　watching　them　idly；　again
explaining　in　French　that　he　wished　to　be　led　to　the　house　of　the
English　ambassador。　The　sight　of　the　money　seemed　to　wake　their　wits；
for　two　or　three　of　the　fellows　ran　forward　quarrelling　with　each
other；　till　one　of　them　getting　the　mastery；　seized　Hugh's　tired　horse
by　the　bridle　and　dragged　it　down　a　side　street　to　the　banks　of　a
broad　canal。

Here　he　called　something　aloud；　and　presently　two　men　appeared　rowing
a　large；　flat…bottomed　punt　from　a　dock　where　it　was　hidden。　Into　this
boat　the　horses　and　pack…beast　were　driven；　much　against　their　will。
Hugh　and　Dick　having　followed　them；　the　three　Italians　began　to　punt
them　along　the　canal；　which　was　bordered　with　tall　houses。　A　mile　or
so　farther　on　it　entered　another　canal；　where　the　houses　were　much
finer　and　built　in　a　style　of　which　they　had　never　seen　the　like；　with
beautiful　and　fantastic　arches　supported　upon　pillars。

At　length　to　their　great　joy　they　came　opposite　to　a　house　over　the
gateway　of　which；　stirless　in　the　still　air；　hung　a　flag　whereon　were
blazoned　the　leopards　of　England。　Here　the　boatmen；　pulling　in　their
poles；　save　one　to　which　they　made　the　punt　fast　in　mid…stream；　showed
by　their　gestures　that　they　desired　to　be　paid。　Hugh　handed　the　piece
of　gold　to　the　man　who　had　led　them　to　the　boat；　whereon　he　was　seized
with　a　fit　of　uncontrollable　fury。　He　swore；　he　raved；　he　took　the
piece　of　gold　and　cast　it　down　on　the　bilge…boards；　he　spat　on　it　and
his　two　companions　did　likewise。

〃Surely　they　are　mad；〃　said　Hugh。

〃Mad　or　no；　I　like　not　the　looks　of　them；〃　answered　Dick。　〃Have　a
care；　they　are　drawing　their　knives；〃　and　as　he　spoke　one　of　the
rogues　struck　him　in　the　face；　while　another　strove　to　snatch　away　the
pouch　that　hung　at　his　side。

Now　Grey　Dick　awoke；　as　it　were。　To　the　man　who　had　tried　to　take　his
pouch　he　dealt　such　a　buffet　that　he　plunged　into　the　canal。　But　him
who　had　struck　him　he　seized　by　the　arm　and　twisted　it　till　the　knife
fell　from　his　hand。　Then　gripping　his　neck　in　an　iron　grasp　he　forced
him　downward　and　rubbed　his　nose　backward　and　forward　upon　the　rough
edge　of　the　boat；　for　the　Italian　was　but　as　a　child　to　him　when　he
put　out　his　strength。

In　vain　did　his　victim　yell　for　mercy。　He　showed　him　none；　till　at
length　wearying　of　the　game；　he　dealt　him　such　a　kick　that　he　also
flew　over　the　thwarts　to　join　his　fellow…bully　in　the　water。

Then　seeing　how　it　had　gone　with　his　companions　who；　sorely　damaged；
swam　to　the　farther　side　of　the　canal　and　vanished；　the　third　man；　he
whom　they　had　first　met；　sheathed　his　knife。　With　many　bows　and
cringes　he　pulled　up　the　pole　and　pushed　the　punt　to　the　steps　of　the
house　over　which　the　flag　hung；　where　people　were　gathering；　drawn　by
the　clamour。

〃Does　Sir　Geoffrey　Carleon　dwell　here？〃　asked　Hugh　in　a　loud　voice；
whereon　a　gentleman　with　a　pale　face　and　a　grizzled　beard　who　appeared
to　be　sick；　for　he　was　leaning　on　a　staff；　hobbled　from　out　the　porch；
saying：

〃Ay；　ay；　that　is　my　name。　Who　are　you　that　make　this　tumult　at　my
gates？　Another　turbulent　Englishman；　I'll　be　bound。〃

〃Ay；　sir；　an　Englishman　called　Sir　Hugh　de　Cressi；　and　his　companion；
Richard　the　Archer；　whom　these　rogues　have　tried　to　rob　and　murder；
messengers　from　his　Grace　King　Edward。〃

Now　Sir　Geoffrey　changed　his　t