the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第31章
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When we presently； at a signal from Bure； took to the road again； I asked
no permission； but thrusting my horse forward； rode to his side as he
passed through the gateway。
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CHAPTER XI。
A NIGHT OF SORROW。
〃Louis！ Louis！〃
He turned with a start at the sound of my voice； joy and bewilderment…
…and no wonderin his countenance。 He had not supposed us to be
within a hundred leagues of him。 And lo！ here we were； knee to knee；
hand meeting hand in a long grasp； while his eyes； to which tears sprang
unbidden； dwelt on my face as though they could read in it the features of
his sweetheart。 Some one had furnished him with a hat； and enabled him
to put his dress in order； and wash his wound； which was very slight； and
these changes had improved his appearance； so that the shadow of grief
and despondency passing for a moment from him in the joy of seeing me；
he looked once more his former self： as he had looked in the old days at
Caylus on his return from hawking； or from some boyish escapade among
the hills。 Only； alas！ he wore no sword。
〃And now tell me all；〃 he cried； after his first exclamation of wonder
had found vent。 〃How on earth do you come here？ Here； of all places；
and by my side？ Is all well at Caylus？ Surely Mademoiselle is not〃
〃Mademoiselle is well！ perfectly well！ And thinking of you； I
swear！〃 I answered passionately。 〃For us；〃 I went on； eager for the
moment to escape that subjecthow could I talk of it in the daylight and
under strange eyes？〃Marie and Croisette are behind； We left Caylus eight
days ago。 We reached Paris yesterday evening。 We have not been to
bed！ We have passed； Louis； such a night as I never〃
He stopped me with a gesture。 〃Hush！〃 he said； raising his hand。
〃Don't speak of it； Anne！〃 and I saw that the fate of his friends was still
too recent； the horror of his awakening to those dreadful sights and sounds
was still too vivid for him to bear reference to them。 Yet after riding for a
time in silence though his lips movedhe asked me again what had
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brought us up。
〃We came to warn youof him；〃 I answered； pointing to the solitary；
moody figure of the Vidame； who was riding ahead of the party。 〃Hehe
said that Kit should never marry you； and boasted of what he would do to
you； and frightened her。 So； learning he was going to Paris； we followed
himto put you on your guard； you know。〃 And I briefly sketched our
adventures； and the strange circumstances and mistakes which had delayed
us hour after hour； through all that strange night； until the time had gone
by when we could do good。
His eyes glistened and his colour rose as I told the story。 He wrung
my hand warmly； and looked back to smile at Marie and Croisette。 〃It
was like you！〃 he ejaculated with emotion。 〃It was like her cousins！
Brave； brave lads！ The Vicomte will live to be proud of you！ Some day
you will all do great things！ I say it！〃
〃But oh； Louis！〃 I exclaimed sorrowfully； though my heart was
bounding with pride at his words； 〃if we had only been in time！ If we had
only come to you two hours earlier！〃
〃You would have spoken to little purpose then； I fear；〃 he replied；
shaking his head。 〃We were given over as a prey to the enemy。
Warnings？ We had warnings in plenty。 De Rosny warned us； and we
scoffed at him。 The king's eye warned us； and we trusted him。 But〃
and Louis' form dilated and his hand rose as he went on； and I thought of
his cousin's prediction〃it will never be so again in France； Anne！ Never！
No man will after this trust another！ There will be no honour； no faith；
no quarter； and no peace！ And for the Valois who has done this； the
sword will never depart from his house！ I believe it！ I do believe it！〃
How truly he spoke we know now。 For two…and…twenty years after
that twenty…fourth of August； 1572； the sword was scarcely laid aside in
France for a single month。 In the streets of Paris； at Arques； and Coutras；
and Ivry； blood flowed like water that the blood of the St。 Bartholomew
might be forgottenthat blood which； by the grace of God； Navarre saw
fall from the dice box on the eve of the massacre。 The last of the Valois
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passed to the vaults of St。 Denis： and a greater king； the first of all
Frenchmen； alive or dead； the bravest； gayest； wisest of the land；
succeeded him： yet even he had to fall by the knife； in a moment most
unhappy for his country； before France； horror… stricken； put away the
treachery and evil from her。
Talking with Louis as we rode； it was not unnaturalnay； it was the
natural result of the situationthat I should avoid one subject。 Yet that
subject was the uppermost in my thoughts。 What were the Vidame's
intentions？ What was the meaning of this strange journey？ What was
to be Louis' fate？ I shrank with good reason from asking him these
questions。 There could be so little room for hope； even after that smile
which I had seen Bezers smile； that I dared not dwell upon them。 I
should but torture him and myself。
So it was he who first spoke about it。 Not at that time； but after
sunset； when the dusk had fallen upon us； and found us still plodding
southward with tired horses； a link outwardly like other links in the long
chain of riders； toiling onwards。 Then he said suddenly； 〃Do you know
whither we are going； Anne？〃
I started； and found myself struggling with a strange confusion before
I could reply。 〃Home；〃 I suggested at random。
〃Home？ No。 And yet nearly home。 To Cahors；〃 he answered with
an odd quietude。 〃Your home； my boy； I shall never see again； Nor Kit！
Nor my own Kit！〃 It was the first time I had heard him call her by the
fond name we used ourselves。 And the pathos in his tone as of the past；
not the present； as of pure memoryI was very thankful that I could not in
the dusk see his face shook my self…control。 I wept。 〃Nay； my lad；〃
he went on； speaking softly and leaning from his saddle so that he could
lay his hand on my shoulder 〃we are all men together。 We must be brave。
Tears cannot help us； so we should leave them to the women。〃
I cried more passionately at that。 Indeed his own voice quavered
over the last word。 But in a moment he was talking to me coolly and
quietly。 I had muttered something to the effect that the Vidame would
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not dareit would be too public。
〃There is no question of daring in it；〃 he replied。 〃And the more
public it is； the better he will like it。 They have dared to take thousands
of lives since yesterday。 There is no one to call him to account since the
kingour king forsooth！has declared every Huguenot an outlaw； to be
killed wherever he be met with。 No； when Bezers disarmed me yonder；〃
he pointed as he spoke to his wound； 〃I looked of course for instant death。
Anne！ I saw blood in his eyes！ But he did not strike。〃
〃Why not？〃 I asked in suspense。
〃I can only guess；〃 Louis answered with a sigh。 〃He told me that my
life was in his hands； but that he should take it at his own time。 Further
that if I would not give my word to go with him without trying to escape；
he would throw me to those howling dogs outside。 I gave my word。
We are on the road together。 And oh； Anne！ yesterday； only yesterday；
at this time I was riding home with Teligny from the Louvre； where we
had been playing at paume with the king！ And the worldthe world was
very fair。〃
〃I saw you； or rather Croisette did；〃 I muttered as his sorrow not for
himself； but his friendsforced him to stop。 〃Yet how； Louis； do you
know that we are going to Cahors？〃
〃He told me； as we passed through the gates； that he was appointed
Lieutenant…Governor of Quercy to carry out the edict against the religion。
Do you not see； Anne？〃 my companion added bitterly； 〃to kill me at
once were too small a revenge for him！ He must torture meor rather he
would if he couldby the pains of anticipation。
Besides； my execution will so finely open his bed of justice。 Bah！〃
and Pavannes raised his head proudly； 〃I fear him not！ I fear him not a
jot！〃
For a moment he forgot Kit； the loss of his friends； his own doom。
He snapped his fingers in derision of his foe。
But my heart sank miserably。 The Vidame's rage I remembered had
been directed rather against my cousin than her lover； and now by the light
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of his threats I read Bezers' purpose more clearly than Louis could。 His
aim was to punish the woman who had played with him。 To do so he was
bringing her lover from Paris that he might execute himAFTER GIVING
HER NOTICE！ That was it： after giving her notice； it might be in her
very presence！ He would lure her to Cahors； and then
I shuddered。 I well might feel that a precipice was opening at my feet。
There was something
