red eve-第33章
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his stomach and of six score arrows made after his own pattern for his
quiver。〃
〃But for me no gift； father？〃 said Hugh。
〃Nothing； son； save her love； which she said was enough。 Also； in all
this press of business and in my joy at finding you safe I had almost
forgotten it； there is a letter from the holy Father； Sir Andrew。 I
have it somewhere in my pouch amid the bills of exchange；〃 and he
began to hunt through the parchments which he carried in a bag within
his robe。
At length the letter was found。 It ran thus：
To Sir Hugh de Cressi； knight； my beloved godson：
With what rejoicings I and another have heard of your knightly
deeds through the letters that you have sent to us and from the
mouths of wounded soldiers returned from the war； your honoured
father will tell you。 I thank God for them； and pray Him that this
may find you unhurt and growing ever in glory。
My son； I have no good news for you。 The Pope at Avignon； having
studied the matter； （if indeed it ever reached his own ears）
writes by one of his secretaries to say that he will not dissolve
the alleged marriage between the Count of Noyon and the lady Eve
of Clavering until the parties have appeared before him and set
out their cause to his face。 Therefore Eve cannot come to you； nor
must you come to her while de Noyon lives； unless the mind of his
Holiness can be changed。 Should France become more quiet； so that
English folk can travel there in safety； perchance Eve and I will
journey to Avignon to lay her plaint before the Holy Father。 But
as yet this seems scarcely possible。 Moreover； I trust that the
traitor； Acour； may meet his end in this way or in that； and so
save us the necessity。 For； as you know； such cases take long to
try； and the cost of them is great。 Moreover； at the Court of
Avignon the cause of one of our country must indeed be good just
now when the other party to it is of the blood of France。
Soon I hope to write to you again； who at present have no more to
say； save that notwithstanding my years I am well and strong； and
would that I sat with you before the walls of Calais。 God's
blessing and mine be on you； and to Richard the archer； greetings。
Dunwich has heard how he shot the foul…tongued Frenchman before
the great battle closed； and the townsfolk lit a bonfire on the
walls and feasted all the archers in his honour。
Andrew Arnold。
〃I have found another letter；〃 said Master de Cressi； when Hugh had
finished reading； 〃which I remember Sir Andrew charged me to give to
you also；〃 and he handed him a paper addressed in a large； childish
hand。
Hugh broke its silk eagerly； for he knew that writing。
〃Hugh；〃 it began simply； 〃Clement the Pope will not void my false
marriage unless I appear before him； and this as yet I cannot do
because of the French wars。 Moreover； he sets the curse of the
Church upon me and any man with whom I shall dare to re…marry
until this be done。 For myself I would defy the Church； but not
for you or for children that might come to us。 Moreover； the holy
father； Sir Andrew； forbids it； saying that God will right all in
His season and that we must not make Him wroth。 Therefore； Hugh；
lover you are； but husband you may not be while de Noyon lives or
until the Pope gives his dispensation of divorce； which latter may
be long in winning； for the knave de Noyon has been whispering in
his ear。 Hugh； this is my counsel： Get you to the King again and
crave his leave to follow de Noyon； for if once you twain can come
face to face I know well how the fray will end。 Then； when he is
dead； return to one who waits for you through this world and the
next。
〃Hugh； I am proud of your great deeds。 No longer can they mock you
as 'the merchant's son；' Sir Hugh。 God be with you； as are my
prayers and love。
〃Eve Clavering。〃
〃I forgot to tell you that Sir Andrew is disturbed in heart。 He
looks into a crystal which he says he brought with him from the
East； and swears he sees strange sights there； pictures of woe
such as have not been since the beginning of the world。 Of this
woe he preaches to the folk of Dunwich； warning them of judgment
to come； and they listen affrighted because they know him to be a
holy man who has a gift from God。 Yet he says that you and I； Eve；
need fear nothing。 May it be so； Hugh。E。〃
Now when he had thought awhile and hidden up Eve's letter； Hugh turned
to his father and asked him what were these sermons that Sir Andrew
preached。
〃I heard but one of them； son；〃 answered Master de Cressi； 〃though
there have been three。 By the Holy Mother！ it frightened me so much
that I needed no more of that medicine。 Nor； to tell truth； when I got
home again could I remember all he said； save that it was of some
frightful ill which comes upon the world from the East and will leave
it desolate。〃
〃And what think folk of such talk； father？〃
〃Indeed； son； they know not what to think。 Most say that he is mad；
others say that he is inspired of God。 Yet others declare that he is a
wizard and that his familiar brings him tidings from Cathay； where
once he dwelt； or perchance； from hell itself。 These went to the
bishop； who summoned Sir Andrew and was closeted with him for three
hours。 Afterward he called in the complainers and bade them cease
their scandal of wizardry； since he was sure that what the holy Father
said came from above and not from below。 He added that they would do
well to mend their lives and prepare to render their account； as for
his part he should also； since the air was thick with doom。 Then he
gave his benediction to the old knight and turned away weeping； and
since that hour none talk of wizardry but all of judgment。 Men in
Dunwich who have quarrelled from boyhood； forgive each other and sing
psalms instead of swearing oaths； and I have been paid debts that have
been owing to me for years； all because of these sermons。〃
〃An awesome tale； truly；〃 said Hugh。 〃Yet like this bishop I believe
that what Sir Andrew says will come to pass； for I know well that he
is not as other men are。〃
That night； by special leave； Hugh waited on the King； and with him
Grey Dick； who was ever his shadow。
〃What is it now； Sir Hugh de Cressi？〃 asked Edward。
〃Sire； after the great battle； nigh upon a year ago； you told me that
I must serve you till Calais fell。 I have served as best I could and
Calais has fallen。 Now I ask your leave to go seek my enemyand yours
Sir Edmund Acour； Count de Noyon。〃
〃Then you must go far； Sir Hugh； for I have tidings that this rogue
who was not ashamed to wear another man's armour； and so save himself
from your sword； is away to Italy this six months gone； where； as the
Seigneur de Cattrina； he has estates near Venice。 But tell me how
things stand。 Doubtless that Red Eve of yoursstrangely enough I
thought of her at Crecy when the sky grew so wondrous at nightfallis
at the bottom of them。〃
〃That is so； Sire；〃 and he told him all the tale。
〃A strange case truly； Sir Hugh；〃 said the King when he had heard it
out。 〃I'll write to Clement for you both； but I doubt me whether you
and your Eve will get justice from him； being English。 England and
Englishmen find little favour at Avignon just now； and mayhap Philip
has already written on behalf of de Noyon。 At the best His Holiness
will shear you close and keep you waiting while he weighs the wool。
No； Red Eve is right： this is a knot soonest severed by the sword。 If
you should find him； de Noyon could scarce refuse to meet you； for you
shall fight him as the champion of our cause as well as of your own。
He's at Venice； for our Envoy there reported it to me； trying to raise
a fresh force of archers for the French。
〃You have leave to go； Sir Hugh； who deserve much more； having served
us well；〃 went on the King。 〃We'll give you letters to Sir Geoffrey
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 g
