the jacket (the star-rover)-第15章

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fair。〃



〃Oh；　well；　I'll　think　the　matter　over；〃　I　said　airily；　as　I　bowed

the　priest　to　the　door。



He　stopped　abruptly　at　the　threshold。



〃The　time　for　thinking　is　past；〃　he　said。　　〃It　is　decision　I　came

for。〃



〃I　will　think　the　matter　over；〃　I　repeated；　then　added；　as

afterthought：　　〃If　the　lady's　plans　do　not　accord　with　mine；　then

mayhap　the　plans　of　your　master　may　fruit　as　he　desires。　　For

remember；　priest；　he　is　no　master　of　mine。〃



〃You　do　not　know　my　master；〃　he　said　solemnly。



〃Nor　do　I　wish　to　know　him；〃　I　retorted。



And　I　listened　to　the　lithe；　light　step　of　the　little　intriguing

priest　go　down　the　creaking　stairs。



Did　I　go　into　the　minutiae　of　detail　of　all　that　I　saw　this　half　a

day　and　half　a　night　that　I　was　Count　Guillaume　de　Sainte…Maure；　not

ten　books　the　size　of　this　I　am　writing　could　contain　the　totality

of　the　matter。　　Much　I　shall　skip；　in　fact；　I　shall　skip　almost　all；

for　never　yet　have　I　heard　of　a　condemned　man　being　reprieved　in

order　that　he　might　complete　his　memoirsat　least；　not　in

California。



When　I　rode　out　in　Paris　that　day　it　was　the　Paris　of　centuries

agone。　　The　narrow　streets　were　an　unsanitary　scandal　of　filth　and

slime。　　But　I　must　skip。　　And　skip　I　shall；　all　of　the　afternoon's

events；　all　of　the　ride　outside　the　walls；　of　the　grand　fete　given

by　Hugh　de　Meung；　of　the　feasting　and　the　drinking　in　which　I　took

little　part。　　Only　of　the　end　of　the　adventure　will　I　write；　which

begins　with　where　I　stood　jesting　with　Philippa　herselfah；　dear

God；　she　was　wondrous　beautiful。　　A　great　ladyay；　but　before　that；

and　after　that；　and　always；　a　woman。



We　laughed　and　jested　lightly　enough；　as　about　us　jostled　the　merry

throng；　but　under　our　jesting　was　the　deep　earnestness　of　man　and

woman　well　advanced　across　the　threshold　of　love　and　yet　not　too

sure　each　of　the　other。　　I　shall　not　describe　her。　　She　was　small；

exquisitely　slenderbut　there；　I　am　describing　her。　　In　brief；　she

was　the　one　woman　in　the　world　for　me；　and　little　I　recked　the　long

arm　of　that　gray　old　man　in　Rome　could　reach　out　half　across　Europe

between　my　woman　and　me。



And　the　Italian；　Fortini；　leaned　to　my　shoulder　and　whispered：



〃One　who　desires　to　speak。〃



〃One　who　must　wait　my　pleasure；〃　I　answered　shortly。



〃I　wait　no　man's　pleasure；〃　was　his　equally　short　reply。



And；　while　my　blood　boiled；　I　remembered　the　priest；　Martinelli；　and

the　gray　old　man　at　Rome。　　The　thing　was　clear。　　It　was　deliberate。

It　was　the　long　arm。　　Fortini　smiled　lazily　at　me　while　I　thus

paused　for　the　moment　to　debate；　but　in　his　smile　was　the　essence　of

all　insolence。



This；　of　all　times；　was　the　time　I　should　have　been　cool。　　But　the

old　red　anger　began　to　kindle　in　me。　　This　was　the　work　of　the

priest。　　This　was　the　Fortini；　poverished　of　all　save　lineage；

reckoned　the　best　sword　come　up　out　of　Italy　in　half　a　score　of

years。　　To…night　it　was　Fortini。　　If　he　failed　the　gray　old　man's

command　to…morrow　it　would　be　another　sword；　the　next　day　another。

And；　perchance　still　failing；　then　might　I　expect　the　common　bravo's

steel　in　my　back　or　the　common　poisoner's　philter　in　my　wine；　my

meat；　or　bread。



〃I　am　busy；〃　I　said。　　〃Begone。〃



〃My　business　with　you　presses；〃　was　his　reply。



Insensibly　our　voices　had　slightly　risen；　so　that　Philippa　heard。



〃Begone；　you　Italian　hound；〃　I　said。　　〃Take　your　howling　from　my

door。　　I　shall　attend　to　you　presently。〃



〃The　moon　is　up；〃　he　said。　　〃The　grass　is　dry　and　excellent。　　There

is　no　dew。　　Beyond　the　fish…pond；　an　arrow's　flight　to　the　left；　is

an　open　space；　quiet　and　private。〃



〃Presently　you　shall　have　your　desire；〃　I　muttered　impatiently。



But　still　he　persisted　in　waiting　at　my　shoulder。



〃Presently；〃　I　said。　　〃Presently　I　shall　attend　to　you。〃



Then　spoke　Philippa；　in　all　the　daring　spirit　and　the　iron　of　her。



〃Satisfy　the　gentleman's　desire；　Sainte…Maure。　　Attend　to　him　now。

And　good　fortune　go　with　you。〃　　She　paused　to　beckon　to　her　her

uncle；　Jean　de　Joinville；　who　was　passinguncle　on　her　mother's

side；　of　the　de　Joinvilles　of　Anjou。　　〃Good　fortune　go　with　you；〃

she　repeated；　and　then　leaned　to　me　so　that　she　could　whisper：　　〃And

my　heart　goes　with　you；　Sainte…Maure。　　Do　not　be　long。　　I　shall

await　you　in　the　big　hall。〃



I　was　in　the　seventh　heaven。　　I　trod　on　air。　　It　was　the　first　frank

admittance　of　her　love。　　And　with　such　benediction　I　was　made　so

strong　that　I　knew　I　could　kill　a　score　of　Fortinis　and　snap　my

fingers　at　a　score　of　gray　old　men　in　Rome。



Jean　de　Joinville　bore　Philippa　away　in　the　press；　and　Fortini　and　I

settled　our　arrangements　in　a　trice。　　We　separatedhe　to　find　a

friend　or　so；　and　I　to　find　a　friend　or　so；　and　all　to　meet　at　the

appointed　place　beyond　the　fish…pond。



First　I　found　Robert　Lanfranc；　and；　next；　Henry　Bohemond。　　But

before　I　found　them　I　encountered　a　windlestraw　which　showed　which

way　blew　the　wind　and　gave　promise　of　a　very　gale。　　I　knew　the

windlestraw；　Guy　de　Villehardouin；　a　raw　young　provincial；　come　up

the　first　time　to　Court；　but　a　fiery　little　cockerel　for　all　of

that。　　He　was　red…haired。　　His　blue　eyes；　small　and　pinched　close　to

ether；　were　likewise　red；　at　least　in　the　whites　of　them；　and　his

skin；　of　the　sort　that　goes　with　such　types；　was　red　and　freckled。

He　had　quite　a　parboiled　appearance。



As　I　passed　him　by　a　sudden　movement　he　jostled　me。　　Oh；　of　course；

the　thing　was　deliberate。　　And　he　flamed　at　me　while　his　hand

dropped　to　his　rapier。



〃Faith；〃　thought　I；　〃the　gray　old　man　has　many　and　strange　tools；〃

while　to　the　cockerel　I　bowed　and　murmured；　〃Your　pardon　for　my

clumsiness。　　The　fault　was　mine。　　Your　pardon；　Villehardouin。〃



But　he　was　not　to　be　appeased　thus　easily。　　And　while　he　fumed　and

strutted　I　glimpsed　Robert　Lanfranc；　beckoned　him　to　us；　and

explained　the　happening。



〃Sainte…Maure　has　accorded　you　satisfaction；〃　was　his　judgment。　　〃He

has　prayed　your　pardon。〃



〃In　truth；　yes；〃　I　interrupted　in　my　suavest　tones。　　〃And　I　pray

your　pardon　again；　Villehardouin；　for　my　very　great　clumsiness。　　I

pray　your　pardon　a　thousand　times。　　The　fault　was　mine；　though

unintentioned。　　In　my　haste　to　an　engagement　I　was　clumsy；　most

woful　clumsy；　but　without　intention。〃



What　could　the　dolt　do　but　grudgingly　accept　the　amends　I　so　freely

proffered　him？　　Yet　I　knew；　as　Lanfranc　and　I　hastened　on；　that　ere

many　days；　or　hours；　the　flame…headed　youth　would　see　to　it　that　we

measured　steel　together　on　the　grass。



I　explained　no　more　to　Lanfranc　than　my　need　of　him；　and　he　was

little　interested　to　pry　deeper　into　the　matter。　　He　was　himself　a

lively　youngster　of　no　more　than　twenty；　but　he　had　been　trained　to

arms；　had　fought　in　Spain；　and　had　an　honourable　record　on　the

grass。　　Merely　his　black　eyes　flashed　when　he　learned　what　was

toward；　and　such　was　his　eagerness　that　it　was　he　who　gathered　Henry

Bohemond　in　to　our　number。



When　the　three　of　us　arrived　in　the　open　space　beyond　the　fish…pond

Fortini　and　two　friends　were　already　waiting　us。　　One　was　Felix

Pasquini；　nephew　to　the　Cardinal　of　that　name；　and　as　close　in　his

uncle's　confidence　as　was　his　uncle　close　in　the　confidence　of　the

gray　old　man。　　The　other　was　Raoul　de　Goncourt；　whose　presence

surprised　me；　he　being　too　good　and　noble　a　man　for　the　company　he

kept。



We　saluted　properly；　and　properly　went　about　the　business。　　It　was

nothing　new　to　any　of　us。　　The　footing　was　good；　as　promised。　　There

was　no　dew。　　The　moon　shone　fair；　and　Fortini's　blade　and　mine　were

out　and　at　earnest　play。



This　I　knew：　　good　swordsman　as　they　reckoned　me　in　France；　Fortini

was　a　better。　　This；　too；　I　knew：　　that　I　carried　my　lady's　heart

with　me　this　night；　and　that　this　night；　because　of　me；　there　would

be　one　Italian　less　in　the　world。　　I　say　I　knew　it。　　In　my　mind　the

issue　could　not　be　in　doubt。　　And　as　our　rapiers　played　I　pondered

the　manner　I　should　kill　him。　　I　was　not　minded　for　a　long　contest。

Quick　and　brilliant　had　always　been　my　way。　　And　further；　what　of　my

past　gay　months　of　carousal　and　of　singing　〃Sing　cucu；　sing　cucu；

sing　cucu；〃　at　ungodly　hours；　I　knew　I　was　not　conditioned　for　a

long　contest。　　Quick　and　brilliant　was　my　decision。



But　quick　and　brilliant　was　a　difficult　matter　with　so　consummate　a

swordsman　as　Fortini　opposed　to　me。　　Besides；　as　luck　would　have　it；

Fortini；　always　the　cold　one；　always　the　tireless…wristed；　always

sure　and　long；　as　report　had　it；　in　going　about　such　business；　on

this　night　elected；　too；　the　quick　and　brilliant。



It　was　nervous；　tingling　work；　for　as　surely　as　I　sensed　his

intention　of　briefness；　just　as　surely　had　he　sensed　mine。　　I　doubt

that　I　could　have　done　the　trick　had　it　been　broad　day　instead　of

moonlight。　　The　dim　light　aided　me。　　Also　was　I　aided　by　divining；

the　moment　in　advance；　what　he　had　in　mind。　　It　was　the　time　attack；

a　common　but　perilous　trick　that　every　novice　knows；　that　has　laid

on　his　back　many　a　good　man　who　attempted　it；　and　that　is　so　fraught

with　danger　to　the　perpetrator　that　swordsmen　are　not　enamoured　of

it。



We　had　been　at　work　barely　a　minute；　when　I　knew　under　all　his

darting；　flashing　show　of　offence　that　Fortini　meditated　this　very

time　attack。　　He　desired　of　me　a　thrust　and　lunge；　not　that　he　might

parry　it　but　that　he　might　time　it　and　deflect　it　by　the　customary

slight　turn　of　the　wrist；　his　rapier　point　directed　to　meet　me　as　my

body　followed　in　the　lunge。　　A　ticklish　thingay；　a　ticklish　thing

in　the　best　of　light。　　Did　he　deflect　a　fraction　of　a　second　too

early；　I　should　be　warned　and　saved。　　Did　he　deflect　a　fraction　of　a

second　too　late；　my　thrust　would　go　home　to　him。



〃Quick　and　brilliant　is　it？〃　was　my　thought。　　〃Very　well；　my　Italian

friend；　quick　and　brilliant　shall　it　be；　and　especially　shall　it　be

quick。〃



In　a　way；　it　was　time　attack　against　time　attack；　but　I　would　fool

him　on　the　time　by　being　over…quick。　　And　I　was　quick。　　As　I　said；

we　had　been　at　work　scarcely　a　minute　when　it　happened。　　Quick？

That　thrust　and　lunge　of　mine　were　one。　　A　snap　of　action　it　was；　an

explosion；　an　instantaneousness。　　I　swear　my　thrust　and　lunge　were　a

fraction　of　a　second　quicker　than　any　man　is　supposed　to　thrust　and

lunge。　　I　won　the　fraction　of　a　second。　　By　that　fraction　of　a

second　too　late　Fortini　attempted　to　deflect　my　blade　and　impale　me

on　his。　　But　it　was　his　blade　that　was　deflected。　　It　flashed　past

my　breast；　and　I　was　ininside　his　weapon；　which　extended　full

length　in　the　empty　air　behind　meand　my　blade　was　inside　of　him；

and　through　him；　heart…high；　from　right　side　of　him　to　left　side　of

him　and　outside　of　him　beyond。



It　is　a　strange　thing　to　do；　to　spit　a　live　man　on　a　length　of

steel。　　I　sit　here　in　my　cell；　and　cease　from　writing　a　space；　while

I　consider