the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第20章
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induced these good men to bring me down〃
〃Then；〃 cried the captain； brutally interrupting him； 〃you have lost
your labour； Monsieur。〃
〃You do not know me；〃 replied the prisoner with sternnessa prisoner
he seemed to be。 〃You do not understand that I am a friend of the Prince
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of Conde； and that〃
He would have said more； but the Italian again cut him short。 〃A fig
for the Prince of Conde！〃 he cried； 〃I understand my duty。 You may as
well take things easily。 You cannot cross； and you cannot go home； and
you cannot have any explanation； except that it is the King's will！
Explanation？〃 he grumbled； in a lower tone； 〃you will get it soon
enough； I warrant！ Before you want it！〃
〃But there is a boat going to cross；〃 said the other； controlling his
temper by an effort and speaking with dignity。 〃You told me that by the
King's order no one could cross； and you arrested me because； having
urgent need to visit St。 Germain； I persisted。 Now what does this mean；
Captain Pallavicini？ Others are crossing。 I ask what this means？〃
〃Whatever you please； M。 de Pavannes；〃 the Italian retorted
contemptuously。 〃Explain it for yourself！〃
I started as the name struck my ear； and at once cried out in surprise；
〃M。 de Pavannes！〃 Had I heard aright？
Apparently I had； for the prisoner turned to me with a bow。 〃Yes； sir；〃
he said with dignity； 〃I am M。 de Pavannes。 I have not the honour of
knowing you； but you seem to be a gentleman。〃 He cast a withering glance
at the captain as he said this。 〃Perhaps you will explain to me why this
violence has been done to me。 If you can； I shall consider it a favour； if
not； pardon me。〃
I did not answer him at once； for a good reasonthat every faculty I
had was bent on a close scrutiny of the man himself。 He was fair； and of a
ruddy complexion。 His beard was cut in the short pointed fashion of the
court； and in these respects he bore a kind of likeness； a curious likeness；
to Louis de Pavannes。 But his figure was shorter and stouter。 He was less
martial in bearing； with more of the air of a scholar than a soldier。 〃You
are related to M。 Louis de Pavannes？〃 I said； my heart beginning to beat
with an odd excitement。 I think I foresaw already what was coming。
〃I am Louis de Pavannes；〃 he replied with impatience。
I stared at him in silence： thinkingthinkingthinking。 And then I
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said slowly； 〃You have a cousin of the same name？〃
〃I have。〃
〃He fell prisoner to the Vicomte de Caylus at Moncontour？〃
〃He did；〃 he answered curtly。 〃But what of that； sir？〃
Again I did not answerat once。 The murder was out。 I
remembered； in the dim fashion in which one remembers such things after
the event； that I had heard Louis de Pavannes； when we first became
acquainted with him； mention this cousin of the same name； the head of a
younger branch。 But our Louis living in Provence and the other in
Normandy； the distance between their homes； and the troubles of the times
had loosened a tie which their common religion might have strengthened。
They had scarcely ever seen one another。 As Louis had spoken of his
namesake but once during his long stay with us； and I had not then
foreseen the connection to be formed between our families； it was no
wonder that in the course of months the chance word had passed out of my
head； and I had clean forgotten the subject of it。 Here however； he was
before my eyes； and seeing him； I saw too what the discovery meant。 It
meant a most joyful thing！ a most wonderful thing which I longed to tell
Croisette and Marie。 It meant that our Louis de Pavannesmy cheek
burned for my want of faith in himwas no villain after all； but such a
noble gentleman as we had always till this day thought him！ It meant
that he was no court gallant bent on breaking a country heart for sport； but
Kit's own true lover！ Andand it meant moreit meant that he was yet
in danger； and still ignorant of the vow that unchained fiend Bezers had
taken to have his life！ In pursuing his namesake we had been led astray；
how sadly I only knew now！ And had indeed lost most precious time。
〃Your wife； M。 de Pavannes〃I began in haste； seeing the necessity of
explaining matters with the utmost quickness。 〃Your wife is〃
〃Ah； my wife！〃 he cried interrupting me； with anxiety in his tone。
〃What of her？ You have seen her！〃
〃I have。 She is safe at your house in the Rue de St。 Merri。〃
〃Thank Heaven for that！〃 he replied fervently。 Before he could say
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more Captain Andrea interrupted us。 I could see that his suspicions were
aroused afresh。 He pushed rudely between us； and addressing me said；
〃Now； young sir； your boat is ready。〃
〃My boat？〃 I answered； while I rapidly considered the situation。 Of
course I did not want to cross the river now。 No doubt Pavannes…this
Pavannescould guide me to Louis' address。 〃My boat？〃
〃Yes； it is waiting；〃 the Italian replied； his black eyes roving from one
to the other of us。
〃Then let it wait！〃 I answered haughtily； speaking with an
assumption of anger。 〃Plague upon you for interrupting us！ I shall not
cross the river now。 This gentleman can give me the information I want。
I shall take him back with me。〃
〃To whom？〃
〃To whom？ To those who sent me； sirrah！〃
I thundered。 〃You do not seem to be much in the Duke's confidence；
captain；〃 I went on； 〃now take a word of advice from me！ There is
nothing： so easily cast off as an over…officious servant！ He goes too
farand he goes like an old glove！ An old glove；〃 I repeated grimly；
sneering in his face； 〃which saves the hand and suffers itself。 Beware of
too much zeal； Captain Pallavicini！ It is a dangerous thing！〃
He turned pale with anger at being thus treated by a beardless boy。
But he faltered all the same。 What I said was unpleasant； but the bravo
knew it was true。
I saw the impression I had made； and I turned to the soldiers standing
round。
〃Bring here； my friends；〃 I said； 〃M。 de Pavannes' sword！〃
One ran up to the guard house and brought it at once。 They were
townsfolk； burgher guards or such like； and for some reason betrayed so
evident a respect for me； that I soberly believe they would have turned on
their temporary leader at my bidding。 Pavannes took his sword； and placed
it under his arm。 We both bowed ceremoniously to Pallavicini； who
scowled in response； and slowly； for I was afraid to show any signs of
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haste； we walked across the moonlit space to the bottom of the street by
which I had come。 There the gloom swallowed us up at once。
Pavannes touched my sleeve and stopped in the darkness。
〃I beg to be allowed to thank you for your aid；〃 he said with emotion；
turning and facing me。 〃Whom have I the honour of addressing？〃
〃M。 Anne de Caylus； a friend of your cousin；〃 I replied。
〃Indeed？〃 he said 〃well； I thank you most heartily；〃 and we
embraced with warmth。
〃But I could have done little；〃 I answered modestly； 〃on your behalf； if
it had not been for this ring。〃
〃And the virtue of the ring lies in〃
〃InI am sure I cannot say in what！〃 I confessed。 And then； in the
sympathy which the scene had naturally created between us； I forgot one
portion of my lady's commands and I added impulsively； 〃All I know is
that Madame d'O gave it me； and that it has done all； and more than all she
said it would。〃
〃Who gave it to you？〃 he asked； grasping my arm so tightly as to
hurt me。
〃Madame d'O；〃 I repeated。 It was too late to draw back now。
〃That woman！〃 he ejaculated in a strange low whisper。 〃Is it
possible？ That woman gave it you？〃
I wandered what on earth he meant； surprise； scorn and dislike were so
blended in his tone。 It even seemed to me that he drew off from me
somewhat。 〃Yes； M。 de Pavannes；〃 I replied； offended and indignant； 〃It
is so far possible that it is the truth； and more； I think you would not so
speak of this lady if you knew all； and that it was through her your wife
was to…day freed from those who were detaining her； and taken safely
home！〃
〃Ha！〃 he cried eagerly。 〃Then where has my wife been？〃
〃At the house of Mirepoix； the glover；〃 I answered coldly； 〃in the Rue
Platriere。 Do you know him？ You do。 Well； she was kept there a
prisoner； until we helped her to escape an hour or so ago。〃
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He did not seem to comprehend even then。 I could see little of his
face； but there was doubt and wonder in his tone when he spoke。
〃Mirepoix the glover；〃 he murmured。 〃He is an honest man enough；
though a Catholic。 She was kept there！ Who kept her there？〃
〃The Abbess of the Ursulines seems to have been at the bottom of it；〃 I
explained； fretting with impatience。 This wonder w
