red eve-第36章

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been　indeed　but　a　little　while　before。　The　figure　was　clothed　in　a　red
and　yellow　cap　shaped　like　a　cock's…comb；　in　black　furs；　a　yellow　robe
and　white　gloves　and　sandals。　Yonder　it　stood；　fantastic；　fearful；　its
bare　and　brawny　arms　crossed　upon　its　breast；　its　head　bowed　as　though
it　contemplated　the　ground。　There　was　not　an　eye　of　all　the　tens　of
thousands　of　those　who　were　present　that　did　not　see　it；　there　was　not
a　voice　that　did　not　break　into　a　yell　of　terror　and　hate；　till　the
earth　shook　with　such　a　sound　as　might　reverberate　through　the　choked
abyss　of　hell。

〃The　fiend！　The　fiend！　The　fiend！〃　said　the　shout。　〃Kill　him！　Kill
him！　Kill　him！〃

The　figure　looked　up；　the　red　light　shone　upon　its　stony　face　that
seemed　one　blotch　of　white　amidst　its　glow。　Then　it　stooped　down　and
lifted　from　the　sand　a　knight's　lance　such　as　Cattrina　had　held。　It
raised　the　lance　and　with　it　pointed　four　times；　east　and　west　and
north　and　south；　holding　it　finally　for　a　while　in　the　direction　of
the　tribune；　where　sat　the　Doge　with　all　his　noble　company；　and　of
Venice　beyond。　Lastly；　with　a　quick　and　easy　motion；　it　cast　the　lance
toward　the　sky；　whence　it　fell；　remaining　fixed　point　downward　in　the
earth。　Then　a　tongue　of　mist　that　had　crept　up　from　the　sea　enveloped
it；　and　when　that　mist　cleared　away　the　shape　was　gone。

Now　the　red　haze　thinned；　and　for　the　first　time　that　morning　the　sun
shone　out　in　a　sickly　fashion。　Although　their　nerves　were　torn　by　the
unnatural　darkness　and　the　apparition　that　followed　it；　which　all　saw；
yet　none　quite　believed　that　they　had　seen；　the　multitude　shouted　for
the　combat　to　proceed。

Once　more　Hugh　laid　his　lance　in　rest；　thinking　that　Cattrina　was
there；　although　he　could　not　see　him。

Then　the　third　trumpet　rang　outin　that　silence　it　sounded　like　the
blast　of　doomand　Hugh　spurred　his　horse　forward　a　little　way；　but
halted；　for　he　could　perceive　no　foe　advancing　against　him。　He　stared
about　him；　and　at　last　in　a　rage　threw　his　lance　to　a　squire；　and；
turning　his　horse；　galloped　to　the　tribune。　There　he　pulled　it　to　his
haunches　and　shouted　out　in　a　great　voice：

〃Where　is　Cattrina？　Am　I　to　be　fooled；　who　appear　here　as　the　champion
of　the　King　of　England？　Where　is　Cattrina？　Produce　Cattrina　that　I　may
slay　him　or　be　slain；　or；　Chivalry　of　Venice；　be　forever　shamed！〃

The　Doge　rose；　uttering　swift　commands；　and　heralds　ran　here　and
there。　Knights　and　captains　searched　the　pavilions　and　every　other
place　where　a　mounted　man　might　hide。　But　they　never　found　Cattrina；
and；　returning　at　length；　confessed　as　much　with　bowed　heads。

The　Doge；　maddened　by　this　ignominy；　seized　the　great　gold　chain　upon
his　beast　and　burst　it　in　two。

〃Cattrina　has　fled！〃　he　shouted。　〃Or　Satan　himself　has　carried　him
away！　At　the　least　let　his　name　be　erased　from　the　Golden　Book　of
Venice；　and　until　he　prove　himself　innocent；　let　no　noble　of　Venice
stretch　out　to　him　the　hand　of　fellowship。　Men　of　Venice；　for　you
Cattrina　and　his　House　are　dead。〃

〃Will　none　take　up　his　cause　and　fight　for　him？〃　asked　Hugh　through
Sir　Geoffrey；　and　presently；　at　the　Doge's　command；　the　challenge　was
repeated　thrice　by　the　herald。　But　to　it　no　answer　came。　Of　this
afterward　Hugh　was　glad；　since　it　was　Cattrina's　life　he　sought；　not
that　of　any　other　man。　Then　Hugh　spoke　again；　saying：

〃I　claim；　O　Illustrious；　that　I　be　written　down　as　victor　in　this
combat　to　the　death；　bloodless　through　no　fault　of　mine。〃

〃It　shall　be　so　written；　noble　Hugh　de　Cressi；〃　said　the　Doge。　〃Let
all　Venice　take　notice　thereof。〃



As　the　words　left　his　lips　the　solid　earth　began　to　heave　and　rock。

At　the　first　heave　Hugh　leaped　from　his　horse；　which　screamed　aloud
and　fled　away；　and　gripped　hold　of　Grey　Dick。　At　the　second；　the
multitude　broke　out　into　wild　cries；　prayers　and　blasphemies；　and
rushed　this　way　and　that。　At　the　third；　which　came　quite　slowly　and
was　the　greatest　of　them　all；　the　long　stand　of　timber　bent　its　flags
toward　him　as　though　in　salute；　then；　with　a　slow；　grinding　crash；
fell　over；　entangling　all　within　it　beneath　its　ruin。　Also　in　the　city
beyond；　houses；　whole　streets　of　them；　gabled　churches　and　tall
towers；　sank　to　the　earth；　while　where　they　had　been　rose　up　wreathed
columns　of　dust。　To　the　south　the　sea　became　agitated。　Spouts　of　foam
appeared　upon　its　smooth　face；　it　drew　back　from　the　land；　revealing
the　slime　of　ages　and　embedded　therein　long…forgotten　wrecks。　It
heaped　itself　up　like　a　mountain；　then；　with　a　swift　and　dreadful
motion；　advanced　again　in　one　vast　wave。

In　an　instant　all　that　multitude　were　in　full　flight。

Hugh　and　Dick　fled　like　the　rest；　and　with　them　David；　though　whither
they　went　they　knew　not。

All　they　knew　was　that　the　ground　leapt　and　quivered　beneath　their
feet；　while　behind　them　came　the　horrible；　seething　hiss　of　water　on
the　crest　of　which　men　were　tossed　up　and　down　like　bits　of　floating
wood。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XV

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　DEATH　AT　WORK

Presently　Hugh　halted；　taking　shelter　with　his　two　companions　behind
the　stone　wall　of　a　shed　that　the　earthquake　had　shattered；　for　here
they　could　not　be　trodden　down　by　the　mob　of　fugitives。

〃The　wave　has　spent　itself；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　line　of　foam
that　now　retreated　toward　the　ocean；　taking　with　it　many　drowned　or
drowning　men。　〃Let　us　return　and　seek　for　Sir　Geoffrey。　It　will　be
shameful　if　we　leave　him　trapped　yonder　like　a　rat。〃

Dick　nodded；　and　making　a　wide　circuit　to　avoid　the　maddened　crowd；
they　came　safely　to　the　wrecked　stand　where　they　had　last　seen　Sir
Geoffrey　talking　with　the　Doge。　Every　minute　indeed　the　mob　grew
thinner；　since　the　most　of　them　had　already　passed；　treading　the　life
out　of　those　who　fell　as　they　went。

From　this　stand　more　than　three　fourths　of　those　who　were　seated　there
had　already　broken　out；　since　it　had　not　fallen　utterly；　and　by　good
fortune　was　open　on　all　sides。　Some；　however；　tangled　in　the　canvas
roof；　were　still　trying　to　escape。　Other　poor　creatures　had　been
crushed　to　death；　or；　broken…limbed；　lay　helpless；　or；　worse　still；
were　held　down　beneath　the　fallen　beams。

Several　of　these　they　freed；　whereon　those　who　were　unharmed　at　once
ran　away　without　thanking　them。　But　for　a　long　while　they　could　find
no　trace　of　Sir　Geoffrey。　Indeed；　they　were　near　to　abandoning　their
search；　for　the　sights　and　sounds　were　sickening　even　to　men　who　were
accustomed　to　those　of　battlefields；　when　Dick's　quick　ears　caught　the
tones　of　an　English　voice　calling　for　help。　Apparently　it　came　from
the　back　of　the　Doge's　tribune；　where　lay　a　heap　of　dead。　Gaily
dressed　folk　who　had　fallen　in　the　flight　and　been　crushed；　not　by　the
earthquake；　but　by　the　feet　of　their　fellows。　These　blackened　and
disfigured　men　and　women　they　dragged　away　with　much　toil；　and　at
last；　to　their　joy；　beneath　them　all　found　Sir　Geoffrey　Carleon。　In
another　few　minutes　he　must　have　died；　for　he　was　almost　suffocated。

Indeed　he　would　certainly　have　perished　with　the　others　had　he　not
been　thrown　under　a　fixed　bench；　whence　one　leg　projected；　which；　as
they　could　see　at　once；　was　crushed　and　broken。　They　drew　him　out　as
gently　as　they　could　and　gave　him　water　to　drink；　whereof；　mercifully
for　them　all；　since　by　now　they　were　utterly　parched　with　thirst；　they
had　discovered　a　large　silver　pitcher　full；　standing　in　the　corner　of
a　little　ante…chamber　to　the　tribune。　It　was　half　hidden　with
fragments　of　fine　dresses　and　even　jewels　torn　from　the　persons　of　the
lords　and　ladies。

〃I　thank　you；　friends；〃　he　said　faintly。　〃I　prayed　them　to　keep
seated；　but　they　went　mad　and　would　not　listen。　Those　behind　trod　down
those　in　front；　till　that　doorway　was　choked　and　I　was　hurled　beneath
the　bench。　Oh；　it　was　terrible　to　hear　them　dying　about　me　and　to　know
that　soon　I　must　follow！　This；　had　it　not　been　for　you；　I　should　have
done；　for　my　leg　is　crushed　and　there　was　no　air。〃

Then；　having　drunk　and　drunk　until　even　their　raging　thirst　was
satisfied；　they　found　a　plank。　Laying　Sir　Geoffrey　on　it；　they
departed　from　that　human　shambles；　whence　the　piteous　cries　of　those
still　imprisoned　there；　whom　they　could　not　reach；　pursued　them
horribly。

Thus；　slowly　enough；　for　there　were　but　three　of　them；　two　hampered　by
their　mail；　they　bore　Sir　Geoffrey　across　the　Place　of　Arms。　Save　for
the　dead　and　dying；　and　some　ghoul…like　knaves　who　plundered　them；　by
this　time　it　was　almost　deserted。

Indeed；　a　large　band　of　these　wretches；　who　had　emerged　like　wolves
from　their　lairs　in　the　lowest　quarters　of　the　great　city；　catching
sight　of　the　gold　chain　Sir　Geoffrey　wore；　ran　up　with　drawn　daggers
to　kill　and　rob　them。

Seeing　them　come　Grey　Dick　slipped　the　black　bow　from　its　case　and
sent　an　arrow　singing　through　the　heart　of　the　one…eyed　villain　who
captained　them。　Thereon　the　rest　left　him　where　he　fell　and　ran　off　to
steal　and　slay　elsewhere。　Then　without　a　word　Dick　unstrung　the　bow
and　once　more　laid　hold　of　an　end　of　the　plank。

They　came　to　the　mouth　of　that　street　where　the　bravoes　had　waylaid
them　on　the　previous　night；　only　to　find　that　they　could　not　pass　this
way。　Here　most　of　the　houses　were　thrown　down；　and　from　their　ruins
rose　smoke　and　the　hideous　screams　of　those　who　perished。　It　was　this
part　of　Venice；　the　home　of　the　poorer　folk；　which　suffered　most　from
the　earthquake；　that　had　scarcely　touched　many　of　the　finer　quarters。
Still；　it　was　reckoned　afterward　that　in　all　it　took　a　toll　of　nearly
ten　thousand　lives。

Turning　from　this　street；　they　made　their　way　to　the　banks　of　a　great
canal　that　here　ran　into　the　harbour；　that　on　which　they　had　been
rowed　to　the　Place　of　Arms。　Here　by　good　luck　they　found　a　small　boat
floating　keep　uppermost；　for　it　had　been　overturned　by　the　number　of
people　who　crowded　into　it。　This　boat　they　righted　with　much　toil　and
discovered　within　it　a　drowned　lady；　also　an　oar　caught　beneath　the
seat。　After　this　their　dreadful　journey　was　easy；　at　least　by
comparison。　For　now　all　the　gloom　had　rolled　away；　the　sun　shone　out
and　a　fresh　and　pleasant　wind　blew　from　the　sea　toward　the　land。

So；　at　last；　passing　many　sad　and　strange　scenes　that　need　not　be
described；　they　came　safely　to　the　steps　of　the　ambassador's　beautiful
house　which　was　quite　uninjured。　Here　they　found　several　of　his
servants　wringing　their　hands　and　weeping；　for　word　had　been　brought
to　them　that　he　was　dead。　Also　in　the　hall　they　were　met　by　another
woe；　for　there　on　a　couch　lay　stretched　the　Lady　Carleon　smitten　with
some　dread　sickness　which　caused　blood　to　flow　from　her　mouth　and
ears。　A　physician　was　bending　over　her；　for　by　good　fortune　one　had
been　found。

Sir　Geoffrey　asked　him　what　ailed　his　wife。　He　answered　that　he　did
not　know；　having　never　seen　the　like　till　that　morning；　when　he　had
been　called　in　to　attend　three　such　cases　in　houses　far　apart；　whereof
one　died　within　ten　minutes　of　being　struck。

Just　then　Lady　Carleon's　senses　returned；　and　opening　her　eyes　she　saw
Sir　Geoffrey；　whom　they　had　laid　down　upon　another　couch　close　to　her。

〃Oh；　they　told　me　that　you　were　dead；　husband；〃　she　said；　〃crushed　or
swallowe