登陆注册
15324000000041

第41章 EAUCOURT BY THE WATERS(4)

"Faith, Gawain, you are the true campaigner.Let us forward, and trust to Heaven to show us a road."They galloped down the Rue St.Honore, finding an open space in the cobbles of the centre, but at the turning into the Rue d'Arbre Sec they met a block.A great throng with torches was coming in on the right from the direction of the Bourbon and d'Alencon hotels.Yet by pressing their horses with whip and spur, and by that awe which the two tall dark cavaliers inspired even in a mob which had lost its wits, they managed to make their way to the entrance of the Rue de Bethisy.There they came suddenly upon quiet.

The crowd was held back by mounted men who made a ring around the gate of a high dark building.Inside its courtyard there were cries and the rumour of fighting, but out in the street there was silence.Every eye was turned to the archway, which was bright as day with the glare of fifty lanterns.

The two rode straight to the ring of soldiers.

"Make way," Gaspard commanded, speaking with a foreign accent.

"For whom, monsieur?" one asked who seemed to be of a higher standing than the rest.

"For the Ambassador of the King of Spain."The man touched his bonnet and opened up a road by striking the adjacent horses with the flat of his sword, and the two rode into the ring so that they faced the archway.They could see a little way inside the courtyard, where the light gleamed on armour.The men there were no rabble, but Guise's Swiss.

A priest came out, wearing the Jacobin habit, one of those preaching friars who had been fevering the blood of Paris.The crowd behind the men-at-arms knew him, for even in its absorption it sent up shouts of greeting.He flitted like a bat towards Gaspard and Champernoun and peered up at them.

His face was lean and wolfish, with cruel arrogant eyes.

"Hail, father!" said Gaspard in Spanish."How goes the good work?"He replied in the same tongue."Bravely, my children.But this is but the beginning.Are you girt and ready for the harvesting?""We are ready," said Gaspard.His voice shook with fury, but the Jacobin took it for enthusiasm.He held up his hand in blessing and fluttered back to the archway.

>From inside the courtyard came the sound of something falling, and then a great shout.The mob had jumped to a conclusion."That is the end of old Toothpick," a voice cried, using the Admiral's nickname There was a wild surge round the horsemen, but the ring held.A body of soldiers poured out of the gate, with blood on their bare swords.Among them was one tall fellow all in armour, with a broken plume on his bonnet.His face was torn and disfigured and he was laughing horribly.The Jacobin rushed to embrace him, and the man dropped on his knees to receive a blessing.

"Behold our hero," the friar cried."His good blade has rid us of the arch-heretic," and the mob took up the shout.

Gaspard was cool now.His fury had become a cold thing like a glacier.

"I know him!" he whispered to Champernoun.He is the Italian Petrucci.He is our first quarry."The second will be that damned friar," was the Englishman's answer.

Suddenly the ring of men-at-arms drew inward as a horseman rode out of the gate followed by half a dozen attendants.He was a tall young man, very noble to look upon, with a flushed face like a boy warm from the game of paume.His long satin coat was richly embroidered, and round his neck hung the thick gold collar of some Order.He was wiping a stain from his sleeve with a fine lawn handkerchief.

What is that thing gilt like a chalice?" whispered Champernoun.

"Henry of Guise," said Gaspard.

The Duke caught sight of the two men in the centre of the ring.The lanterns made the whole place bright and he could see every detail of their dress and bearing.He saluted them courteously.

"We make your Grace our compliments," said Gaspard."We are of the household of the Ambassador of Spain, and could not rest indoors when great deeds were being done in the city."The young man smiled pleasantly.There was a boyish grace in his gesture.

"You are welcome, gentlemen.I would have every good Catholic in Europe see with his own eyes the good work of this Bartholomew's day.I would ask you to ride with me, but I leave the city in pursuit of the Count of Montgomery, who is rumoured to have escaped.There will be much for you to see on this happy Sunday.But stay! You are not attended, and our streets are none too safe for strangers.Presently the Huguenots will counterfeit our white cross, and blunders may be made by the overzealous."He unclasped the jewel which hung at the end of his chain.It was a little Agnus of gold and enamel, surmounting a lozenge-shaped shield charged with an eagle.

"Take this," he said, "and return it to me when the work is over.Show it if any man dares to question you.It is a passport from Henry of Guise....

And now forward," he cried to his followers."Forward for Montgomery and the Vidame."The two looked after the splendid figure."That bird is in fine feather,"said Champernoun.

Gaspard's jaw was very grim."Some day he will lie huddled under the assassin's knife.He will die as he has made my chief die, and his body will be cast to the dog's....

But he has given me a plan," and he spoke in his companion's ear.

The Englishman laughed.His stolidity had been slow to quicken, but his eyes were now hot and he had altogether ceased to swear.

"First let me get back to Walsingham's lodging.I have a young kinsman there, they call him Walter Raleigh, who would dearly love this venture.""Tut, man, be serious.We play a desperate game, and there is no place for boys in it.We have Guise's jewel, and by the living God we will use it.My mark is Petrucci.""And the priest," said Champernoun.

同类推荐
  • 送客归常州

    送客归常州

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 简明医彀

    简明医彀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 葬书

    葬书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 医闾漫记

    医闾漫记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 妒记

    妒记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 我的那些小男孩

    我的那些小男孩

    我只是一个平凡的女孩希望那些所有出现在我生命中的男孩子能够幸福和快乐也许你们永远不会明白什么叫做不能爱那是因为她要把你们以后所有可能会受到的伤害都掐灭在萌芽状态遇到新的爱情你们就会忘记曾经死也不想放手的这个平凡的女孩但是这个平凡的女孩会一直记得你们差点相爱好好生活天天向上多想美事身体健康大家一起加油哦!!这是我的留言拉,和作品没有一点关系,在这里祝福大家一定要幸福快乐!!
  • 守护骑士之伊洛传奇

    守护骑士之伊洛传奇

    本文是以骑士这个职业的兴衰起落,勾画一段历史前进的无奈与辛酸,命运不是早已注定,只是巧合的按照固有的轨迹运行罢了,尚未有人打破而已,在历史的沉浮之中,就看谁能把握机会,站在历史的潮头,翻云覆雨。
  • 重生之门:傲娇帝后哪里跑

    重生之门:傲娇帝后哪里跑

    穿越的,都是差不多现代嗝屁了的。安晓仰天长望,泪流满面,想着跟前恨不得亲手捏死她的几人,顶着不受宠的帽子,拼不了爹就只能拼脑子了。“爷,太子妃把你的千年鲫鱼给抓去炖了!”笔墨弹飞,叶子青一张黑脸,去收拾那正悠哉吃鱼的主仆两,恨不得掀了桌子。隔日。“爷,太子妃把那苏良娣给打了。”某人的脸已经不黑了。“给太子妃送几瓶消肿的药膏去。”“嗯?爷,被打的是苏良娣啊。”“我知道。”叶子青眼一瞪,薄唇一勾,微微笑着。小二子一边拿着药膏一边往太子妃那边去,嘴里嘀咕:“爷最近可变得真奇怪。”【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 千玺,我陪你一辈子

    千玺,我陪你一辈子

    小说写了一个名叫任婷婷的女孩,从小一直暗恋TFBOYS中的易烊千玺。妈妈告诉她,她的偶像是自己儿时的玩伴,相当于青梅竹马。同样,自己一直喜欢的王源和王俊凯小时候也与她玩过。虽然关系很好,但她一直爱着千玺,她最终会和千玺在一起吗?
  • 绝缘

    绝缘

    呵呵,这是对我们的惩罚。天地之间依然回荡着女子那绝望的声音。
  • 承诺:旧年时光未择心

    承诺:旧年时光未择心

    她是叶氏集团的千金,他是程氏集团的少爷。他们青梅竹马但在她7岁那年,不幸出了车祸,便离开了A市。她这次再次回来A市,却遇见了他……
  • 一壶小酒渡余苼

    一壶小酒渡余苼

    大龄剩女相亲记,蔺小酒从来没有想过自己会在二十七岁的时候还没有把自己嫁出去。明明当初计划的是本命年出嫁啊!长相身材学历收入都还不错,没有情伤没有暗恋没有放不下的曾经没有神经的父母没有乖僻的性格没有公主的傲娇,可是就是遇不到动心的人。却也逃不过被八卦被逼婚被相亲的经历,不过这都算是小事。自从遇到余苼,于是,蔺小酒摊上大事了!一对欢喜冤家的美满人生。
  • 无上剑尊

    无上剑尊

    苏阳,本是苏家最低微的外门弟子,一次机缘巧合之下,他的体内,出现了九柄上古魔剑,每一柄魔剑,都具有鬼神莫测的能力。在这九柄魔剑的帮助下,苏阳从此实力猛进,剑道通达,走上了一条传奇的武道之路!
  • 拓荒者的恋歌(天津卷)

    拓荒者的恋歌(天津卷)

    本书记述1989年12月6日天津经济技术开发区创办以来生动的历程。
  • 组织复杂性管理

    组织复杂性管理

    本书试图从组织复杂性研究的一些最基础的问题入手,并逐步展开.提出用结构敏感性及行为逻辑通道分析的方式来解释复杂组织及复杂性形成机制,同时建立了专门化的解决方案,搭建起了解决组织复杂性的理论架构,涵盖了组织复杂性研究的最为基础的研究内容,包括界定了组织复杂性,给出了组织复杂的来源、形成机制及复杂组织的判断条件,构建了解决组织复杂性的基本方法等。本书主要适合于大专院校及科研机构从事专业的组织复杂性研究的学者参考与阅读,对于复杂性研究的入门研究者也有一定的借鉴作用。