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！
yellow cap is fulfilled on me。 For the sake of Jesus； stay！ I'll tell
all I know。〃
〃Speak then； and be swift。 You have no time to spare； I think。〃
〃When the darkness fell there in the Place of Arms；〃 began Nicholas；
〃while you knights were waiting for the third blast of the trumpet；
Cattrina fled under cover it。〃
〃As I thought； the accursed coward！〃 exclaimed Hugh bitterly。
〃Nay； to be just； it was not all cowardice。 The wizard in the yellow
cap； he who showed himself to the people afterward and called down
this Black Death on Venice； appeared to him in the darkness and said
something to him that turned his heart to water。 I think it was that
if he stayed； within five short minutes he'd be dead； who otherwise；
if he fled； had yet a breathing space of life。 So he went。〃
〃Ay。 But whither； man？ Whither？〃
〃Here to his house； where he disguised himself and bade me prepare to
travel with him。 Only then the sickness took me and I could not。 So he
went with some of his people； riding for Avignon。〃
〃What to do at Avignon？〃
〃To obtain the confirmation of his marriage with the lady Eve
Clavering。 It has been promised to him by certain cardinals at Court
who have the ear of his Holiness the Pope。〃
〃Ah； I thought it！ What more？〃
〃Only this： tidings reached him that the lady Clavering； with the old
Templar； Sir Andrew Arnold； journeys to Avignon from England； there to
obtain the dissolution of their marriage with Sir Edmund Acour； Count
de Noyon； Lord of Cattrina。 In Avignon； however the cause may go；
Cattrina purposes to snare and make her his； which will be easy； for
there he has many friends and she has none。〃
〃Except God！〃 exclaimed Hugh； grinding his teeth。
〃And Sir Andrew Arnold；〃 broke in Dick； 〃who； like some others； is； I
think； one of His ministers。 Still； we had better be riding； master。〃
〃Nay； nay；〃 cried Nicholas in a hoarse scream。 〃Tarry a while and I'll
tell you that which will force the Pope to void this marriage。 Yes； it
shall be set in writing and signed by me and witnessed ere I die。
There is ink and parchment in yonder little room。〃
〃That's a good thought；〃 said Hugh。 〃Dick； fetch the tools； for if we
try to move this fellow he will go farther than we can follow him。〃
Dick went and returned presently with an ink…horn； a roll of
parchment； pens and a little table。 Then Hugh sat himself down on the
altar rail； placing the table in front of him and said：
〃Say on。 I'll write； since you cannot。〃
Now Nicholas； having before his glazing eyes the vision of imminent
judgment； briefly but clearly told all the truth at last。 He told how
he had drugged Red Eve； giving the name of the bane which he mixed in
the milk she drank。 He told how when her mind was sleeping； though her
body was awake； none knowing the wickedness that had been wrought save
he and Acour； and least of all her father； they had led her to the
altar like a lamb to the slaughter； and there married her to the man
she hated。 He told how； although he had fled from England to save his
life； Acour had never ceased to desire her and to plot to get her into
his power； any more than he had ceased to fear Hugh's vengeance。 For
this reason； he said； he had clad himself in the armour of another
knight at Crecy； and in that guise accepted mercy at Hugh's hand；
leaving de la Roche to die in his place beneath that same hand。 For
this reason also he had commanded him； Nicholas； to bring about the
death of Hugh de Cressi and his squire beneath the daggers of
assassins in the streets of Venice； a fate from which they had been
saved only by the wizard in the yellow cap； whom no steel could harm。
〃The black…hearted villain！〃 hissed Dick。 〃Well； for your comfort；
holy priest； I'll tell you who that wizard is。 He is Death himself；
Death the Sword； Death the Fire； Death the Helper； and presently
you'll meet him again。〃
〃I knew it； I knew it；〃 groaned the wretched man。 〃Oh！ such is the end
of sin whereof we think so little in our day of strength。〃
〃Nay；〃 broke in Hugh； 〃you'll meet； not the minister； but Him whom he
serves and in His hand are mercies。 Be silent； Dick； for this wretch
makes confession and his time is short。 Spare the tool and save your
wrath for him who wielded it。 Go now and fetch David Day that he may
witness also。〃
So Dick went； and Nicholas continued his tale； throwing light into
many a dark place； though there was little more that Hugh thought
worthy of record。
Presently David came and started back in horror at the sight of that
yellow tortured face set upon a living skeleton。 Then the writing was
read and Nicholas； held up by Dick； set his signature with a trembling
hand to this his confession of the truth。 This done they signed as
witnesses； all three of them。
Now Hugh； whose pity was stirred； wished to move Nicholas and lay him
on a bed in some chamber； and if they could； find someone to watch him
till the end。 But the priest refused this charity。
〃Let me die before the altar；〃 he said； 〃where I may set my eyes upon
Him whom I have betrayed afresh；〃 and he pointed to the carved ivory
crucifix which hung above it。 〃Oh！ be warned； be warned； my brethren；〃
he went on in a wailing voice。 〃You are all of you still young； you
may be led astray as I was by the desire for power； by the hope of
wealth。 You may sell yourselves to the wicked as I did； I who once was
good and strove toward the right。 If Satan tempts you thus； then
remember Nicholas the priest； and his dreadful death； and see how he
pays his servants。 The plague has taken others； yet they have died at
peace； but I； I die in hell before I see its fires。〃
〃Not so；〃 said Hugh； 〃you have repented； and I； against whom you have
sinned perhaps more than all； forgive you； as I am sure my lady would；
could she know。〃
〃Then it is more than I do；〃 muttered Grey Dick to himself。 〃Why
should I forgive him because he rots alive； as many a better man has
done； and goes to reap what he has sown； who if he had won his way
would have sent us before him at the dagger's point？ Yet who knows？
Each of us sins in his own fashion； and perchance sin is born of the
blood and not of the will。 If ever I meet Murgh again I'll ask him。
But perhaps he will not answer。〃
Thus reflected Dick； half to David； who feared and did not understand
him； and half to himself。 Ere ever he had finished with his thoughts；
which were not such as Sir Andrew would have approved； Father Nicholas
began to die。
It was not a pleasant sight this death of his； though of its physical
part nothing shall be written。 Let that be buried with other records
of the great plague。 Only in this case his mind triumphed for a while
over the dissolution of his body。 When there was little left of him
save bone and sinew； still he found strength to cry out to God for
mercy。 Yes； and to raise himself and cast what had been arms about the
ivory rood and kiss its feet with what had been lips； and in his last
death struggle to drag it down and pant out his ultimate breath
beneath its weight。
So there they left him； a horrible； huddled heap upon which gleamed
the ivory crucifix； and went their way； gasping； into the air。
CHAPTER XVI
AT AVIGNON
Hard upon two months had gone by when at length these three； Hugh；
Grey Dick； and David Day； set eyes upon the towers of stately Avignon
standing red against the sunset and encircled by the blue waters of
the Rhone。 Terrible beyond imagination had been the journey of these
men； who followed in the footsteps of Murgh。 They saw him not； it is
true； but always they saw his handiwork。 Death； death； everywhere
death； nothing but death！
One night they supped at an inn with the host； his family and
servants； twelve folk in all； in seeming health。 When they rose in the
morning one old woman and a little child alone remained； the rest were
dead or dying。 One day they were surprised and taken by robbers；
desperate outcasts of the mountains； who gave them twenty…four hours
to 〃make their peace with heaven〃ere they hanged them because they
had slain so many of the band before they were overpowered。
But when those twenty…four hours of grace had elapsed； it would have
been easy for them to hang all who remained of those robbers
themselves。 So they took the best of their horses and their ill…gotten
gold and rode on again； leaving the murderers murdered by a stronger
power than man。
They went through desolate villages； where the crops rotted in the
fields； they went through stricken towns whereof the moan and the
stench rose in a foul incense to heaven； they crossed rivers where the
very fish had died by thousands； poisoned of the dead that rolled
seaward in their waters。 The pleasant land had become a hell； and
untouched； unharmed； they plodded onward through those deeps of hell。
But a night or two before they had slept in a city whereof the
population； or those who remained alive of them； seemed to have gone
mad。 In one place they danced and sang and made love in an open
square。 In another bands of naked creatures marched the streets
singing hymns and flogging themselves till the blood ran down to