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Then of a sudden a meteor blazed out in the sky； such a meteor as no
living man had ever seen in Venice； for the size of it was that of the
sun。 It seemed to rise out of the ocean to the east and to travel very
slowly across the whole arc of the firmament till at last it burst
with a terrible noise over the city and vanished。 While it shone； the
light it gave was that of mid…day； only pale blue in colour； turning
all it touched to a livid and unnatural white。
It showed the placid sea and fish leaping on its silver face half…a…
mile or more away。 It showed the distant land with every rock and
house and bush。 It showed the wharf and the watchers on it； among them
Hugh noted a man embracing his sweetheart； as he thought under cover
of the cloud。 But most of all it showed that galley down to her last
rope and even the lines of caulking on her deck。 Oh； and now they saw
the rowers； for they lay in heaps about the oars。 Some of them even
hung over these limply； moving to and fro as they swung； while others
were stretched upon the benches as though they slept。 They were dead
all dead； the wind following the meteor and blowing straight on shore
told them that they were certainly all dead。 Three hundred men and
more upon that great ship； and all dead！
Nay； not all； for now on the high poop stood a single figure who
seemed to wear a strange red head…dress； and about his shoulders a
black robe。 Straight and silent he stood； a very fearful figure； and
in his hand a coil of rope。 The sight of him sent those watchers mad。
They ceased from their whisperings； they raved aloud。
〃It is Satan！〃 they shouted； 〃Satan； who comes to drag the folk of
Venice down to hell。 Kill him ere he lands。 Kill him！〃
Even Grey Dick went mad like a dog when he meets a ghost。 His pale
hair rose upon his head； his cold； quiet eyes started。 He set an arrow
on the string of the black bow； drew it to his ear and loosed at the
figure on the poop。 But that arrow never left the string； it shattered
to flinders where it was and fell tinkling to the marble floor。 Only
the barb of it turned and wounded Grey Dick in the chin； yes； and
stuck there for a while； for his right arm was numbed so that he could
not lift his hand to pull it forth。
〃Truly； I have shot at the Fiend and hit that at which I did not aim；〃
muttered Grey Dick； and sat himself down on a post of the quay to
consider the matter。 Only； as it seemed to him； he who stood on the
poop of the ship not ten yards away smiled a little。
Unheeding of the clamour； this man upon the poop suddenly lifted the
coil of rope and threw it shoreward。 It was a thick and heavy rope；
with a noose at its end； so heavy that none would have believed that
one mortal could handle it。 Yet it shot from him till it stood out
stiff as an iron bar。 Yes； and the noose fell over one of the stone
posts on the quay； and caught there。 Now the rope grew straighter
still； stretching and groaning like a thing in pain as it took the
weight of the great； drifting ship。 She stayed； she swung round slowly
and ranged herself broadside on against the quay as a berthed ship
does。 Then down the ladder on her side came the Man。 Deliberately he
set his white…sandalled feet upon the quay； advanced a few paces into
the full light of the bright moon and stood still as though to suffer
himself to be seen of every eye。
Truly he was worth the seeing。 Hugh noted his garments first； and
particularly the head…dress； which caught his glance and held it； for
never had he known such a one before。 It was a cap fitting tight to
the skull； only running across the crown of it was a stiff raised
ridge； of leather perhaps； jagged and pointed something like the comb
of a cock。 This comb； of brilliant red； was surmounted at its highest
point by a ball of black of the size of a small apple。 The cap itself
was yellow； except its lowest band； which stood out from it and was
also black。 In the centre of this band upon the forehead glowed a
stone like a ruby。
Such was the head…dress。 The broad shoulders beneath were covered with
a cape of long and glossy fur blacker than coal； on to either shoulder
of which drooped ear…rings made of rings of green stone which
afterward Hugh came to know was jade。 The cape of fur； which hung down
to the knees and was set over a kind of surplice of yellow silk； was
open in front； revealing its wearer's naked bosom that was clothed
only with row upon row of round gems of the size of a hazel nut。 These
like the fur were black； but shone with a strange and lustrous sheen。
The man's thick arms were naked； but on his hands he wore white
leather gloves made without division like a sock； as though to match
the white sandals on his feet。
This was the Man's attire。 Now for him who wore it。 He was tall； but
not taller than are many other men； he was broad； but not broader than
many other men； and yet he looked stronger than all the men in the
world。 On his brow； which was prominent； smooth black hair parted in
the middle was plastered back as that of women sometimes is； making
hard lines against the yellow skin below。 He had very thin eyebrows
that ran upward on either side of a bow…shaped wrinkle in the centre
of his forehead。 The eyes beneath were small and palepaler even than
those of Grey Dickyet their glance was like the points of thrusting
swords。 With those little eyes alone he seemed to smile； for the rest
of his countenance did not move。 The nose was long and broad at the
end with wide spreading nostrils and a deep furrow on either side。 The
mouth was thin…lipped and turned downward at the corners； and the chin
was like a piece of iron； quite hairless； and lean as that of a man
long dead。
There he stood like some wild vision of a dream； smiling with those
small unblinking eyes that seemed to take in all present one by one。
There he stood in the moonlit silence； for the mob was quiet enough
now for a little while； that yet was not silence because of a soughing
noise which seemed to proceed from the air about his head。
Then suddenly the tumult broke out again with its cries of 〃Kill the
devil！ Tear the wizard to pieces！ Death is behind him！ He brings
death！ Kill； kill； kill！〃
A score of knives flashed in the air； only this time Grey Dick set no
arrow on his string。 Their holders ran forward； then the Man lifted
his hand； in which was no weapon； and they stopped。
Now he spoke in a low voice so cold that； to Hugh's excited fancy； the
words seemed to tinkle like falling ice as one by one they came from
his lips。 He spoke in Italianperfect Italian of Veniceand young
Day； whose teeth where chattering with fear； translated his words。
〃Is this your welcome to a stranger；〃 he said； 〃the companions of
whose voyage have unhappily met with misfortune？〃 Here with a faint
motion of his fingerless glove he indicated the dead who lay all about
the decks of that fatal ship。 〃Would you； men of Venice； kill a poor；
unarmed stranger who has travelled to visit you from the farthest East
and seen much sorrow on his way？〃
〃Ay； we would； sorcerer！〃 shouted one。 〃Our brothers were in that
ship； which we know； and you have murdered them。〃
〃How did you learn Italian in the farthest East？〃 asked another。
Then for the second time； like hounds closing in on a stag at bay；
they sprang toward him with their poised knives。
Again he lifted his hand； again the semi…circle halted as though it
must； and again he spoke。
〃Are there none here who will befriend a stranger in a strange land？
None who are ashamed to see a poor； unarmed stranger from the East
done to death by these wolves who call themselves children of the
white Christ of Mercy？〃
Now Hugh touched Dick upon the shoulder。
〃Rise and come；〃 he said； 〃it is our fate〃； and Dick obeyed。
Only after he had translated the Man's words； David fell down flat
upon the quay and lay there。
They stepped to the yellow…capped Man and stood on each side of him；
Hugh drawing his sword and Dick the battle…axe that he carried beneath
his robe of silk。
〃We will；〃 said Hugh shortly； in English。
〃Now there are three of us；〃 went on the Man。 〃The stranger from the
East has found defenders from the West。 On； defenders； for I do not
fight thus；〃 and he folded his arms across his broad breast and smiled
with the awful eyes。
Hugh and Dick knew no Italian； yet they both of them understood； and
with a shout leaped forward toward those hungry knives。 But their
holders never waited for them。 Some sudden panic seized them all； so
that they turned and ranran straight across the wide Place of Arms
and vanished into the network of narrow streets by which it was
surrounded。
CHAPTER XIII
MURGH'S ARROW
Hugh and Dick came back。 Something seemed to call them back； although
no blow had been struck。 The Man stood where they had left him；
staring at nothing in particular。 Apparently he was engaged in
meditation。
〃Thanking his gods because they have saved him from sudden death；〃
muttered Grey Dick。 〃If he's got any gods！〃 he added doubtfully。
Now the three； or rather the four of them； for David Day had
recovered； and once m