red eve-第41章

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yards　square；　and　almost　in　the　centre　of　it　rose　a　stand　of　painted
timber　roofed　with　canvas；　and　ornamented　with　gilded　flagstaffs；　from
which　hung　banners。　On　this　stand；　David　said；　the　Doge　and　nobles
would　take　their　seats　to　see　the　fray；　for　in　front　of　it　the
charging　knights　must　meet。

They　walked　up　and　down　the　course　taking　note　of　everything；　and
especially　of　how　the　sun　would　shine　upon　them　and　the　foothold　of
the　soil；　which　appeared　to　be　formed　of　fine；　trodden　sand。

〃I　ask　no　better　ground　to　fight　on；〃　said　Hugh　at　length；　〃though　it
is　strange　to　think；〃　he　added　with　a　sigh；　〃that　here　within　a　dozen
hours　or　so　two　men　must　bid　the　world　farewell。〃

〃Ay；〃　answered　Dick；　who　alone　seemed　untouched　by　the　melancholy　of
that　night。　〃Here　will　die　the　knave　with　three　names　and　the　big　fool
of　a　half…bred　Swiss；　and　descend　to　greet　their　ancestors　in　a　place
that　is　even　hotter　than　this　Venice；　with　but　a　sorry　tale　to　tell
them。　By　St。　George！　I　wish　it　were　nine　of　the　clock　to…morrow。〃

〃Brag　not；　Dick；〃　said　Hugh　with　a　sad　smile；　〃for　war　is　an　uncertain
game；　and　who　knows　which　of　us　will　be　talking　with　his　ancestors　and
praying　the　mercy　of　his　Maker　by　this　time　to…morrow　night？〃

Then；　having　learned　all　they　could；　they　walked　across　the　ground　to
the　quay　that　bordered　it　on　the　seaward　side。　Here；　as　they　guessed
from　the　stone　pillars　to　which　ships　were　made　fast；　was　one　of　the
harbours　of　Venice；　although　as　it　happened　none　lay　at　that　quay　this
night。　Yet；　as　they　looked　they　saw　one　coming　in；　watched　curiously
by　groups　of　men　gathered　on　the　wall。

〃Never　knew　I　vessel　make　harbour　in　such　a　fashion；〃　exclaimed　Dick
presently。　〃See！　she　sails　stern　first。〃

Hugh　studied　her　and　saw　that　she　was　a　great；　decked　galley　of　many
oars；　such　as　the　Venetians　used　in　trading　to　the　East；　high…bowed
and　pooped。　But　the　strange　thing　was　that　none　worked　these　oars；
which；　although　they　were　lashed；　swung　to　and　fro　aimlessly；　some　yet
whole　and　some　with　their　blades　broken　off　and　their　shafts　bundles
of　jagged　splinters。　Certain　sails　were　still　set　on　the　ship's　mast；
in　tatters　for　the　most　part；　though　a　few　remained　sound；　and　it　was
by　these　that　she　moved；　for　with　the　moonrise　a　faint　wind　had　sprung
up。　Lastly；　she　showed　no　light　at　peak　or　poop；　and　no　sound　of
officer's　command　or　of　boatswain's　whistle　came　from　her　deck。　Only
slowly　and　yet　as　though　of　set　purpose　she　drifted　in　toward　the
quay。

Those　who　watched　her；　sailors　such　as　ever　linger　about　harbours
seeking　their　bread　from　the　waters；　though　among　these　were　mingled
people　from　the　town　who　had　come　to　this　open　place　to　escape　the
heat；　began　to　talk　together　affrightedly；　but　always　in　the　dread
whisper　that　was　the　voice　of　this　fearful　knight。　Yes；　even　the
hoarse…throated　sailormen　whispered　like　a　dying　woman。

〃She's　no　ship；〃　said　one；　〃she's　the　wraith　of　a　ship。　When　I　was　a
lad　I　saw　such　a　craft　in　the　Indian　seas；　and　afterward　we　foundered；
and　I　and　the　cook's　mate　alone　were　saved。〃

〃Pshaw！〃　answered　another；　〃she's　a　ship　right　enough。　Look　at　the
weed　and　barnacles　on　her　sides　when　she　heaves。　Only　where　in
Christ's　name　are　her　crew？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　a　third；　〃and　how　could　she　win　through　all　the　secret
channels　without　a　pilot？〃

〃What　use　would　be　a　pilot；〃　said　a　fourth；　〃if　there　are　none　to　work
the　rudder　and　shift　the　sails？　Do　I　not　know；　who　am　of　the　trade？〃

〃At　least　she　is　coming　straight　to　the　quay；〃　exclaimed　a　fifth；
〃though　what　sends　her　Satan　alone　knows；　for　the　tide　is　slack　and
this　wind　would　scarce　move　a　sponge　boat。　Stand　by　with　the　hawser；
or　she'll　swing　round　and　stave　herself　against　the　pier。〃

So　they　talked；　and　all　the　while　the　great　galley　drifted　onward　with
a　slow；　majestic　motion；　her　decks　hid　in　shadow；　for　a　sail　cut　off
the　light　of　the　low　moon　from　them。　Presently；　too；　even　this　was
gone；　for　the　veil　of　cloud　crept　again　over　the　moon's　face；
obscuring　everything。

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　sh