Part 24 (1/2)

Now all talk was hushed and every eye turned to scan these strangers of whose business, it would seem, something was already known.

”A fine man,” said one lady to another of Hugh, ”but why does he come here in dinted armour?”

”Oh! he is English and the English are barbarians who like to be ready to cut some one's throat,” answered her companion. ”But Holy Jesus!

look at the long fellow with the death's head who walks behind him, and carries his luggage in a sack. His face makes my back creep.”

Fortunately neither Hugh nor d.i.c.k understood these and other such sayings which Sir Geoffrey repeated to them afterward and therefore walked on with their host unconcerned. Once, however, Grey d.i.c.k nudged his master and whispered in his ear:

”Be glad, our man is here. It is he who mocks us to those popinjays.

Nay, turn not to look; you will see plenty of his sweet face presently.”

Now they stood before the chair of state, from which the Doge rose, and advanced two steps to greet the Amba.s.sador of England. When these courtesies were over Sir Geoffrey presented Hugh to him, to whom he bowed, and d.i.c.k, whose salute he acknowledged with a wave of his jewelled hand. Afterward they talked, all crowding round to listen, Sir Geoffrey himself, who spoke Italian well, acting as the interpreter.

”You come hither, Cavalier de Cressi,” said the Doge, ”on behalf of his royal Grace, King Edward, who speaks of you in his letter in terms of which any knight may well be proud. We understand that this captain with you is your companion,” and he glanced curiously at d.i.c.k out of the corners of his dark eyes, adding, ”If those are gifts which he bears in that leathern sack and the long case in his hand, let our servants relieve him of them.”

”Let his servants leave me alone,” growled Grey d.i.c.k when this was translated. ”Say to this fine lord, Sir Knight, that the gifts in the sack are not for him, and that which the case scatters he would scarcely care to have.”

Sir Geoffrey made some explanation in a low voice, and with a smile the Doge waved the matter by, then said:

”Will the n.o.ble cavalier be so good as to set out his business, unless it is for our private ear alone?”

Hugh answered that it was for the public ear of all Venice, and especially for that of the lord who was called Sir Edmund Acour in England, the Count de Noyon in France, and the Seigneur of Cattrina in Italy.

”Will you pleased to point out this lord to us,” said the Doge, glancing at the gorgeous throng which was gathered behind them.

”I cannot, ill.u.s.trious Doge,” answered Hugh, ”that is, with certainty.

As it chances I have seen his face but twice--once in a marsh when I had other things to think of who must watch my enemy's sword, and once at eve in the corner of a dark chapel, where he had just gone through the rite of marriage with a lady whom he had drugged, which lady was my affianced wife. Often afterward I sought to see that face, especially in the great fray of Crecy, but failed, in a case which with your leave I will narrate to you.”

Now when all that company understood the meaning of these outspoken words, they swayed to and fro and whispered like reeds in an evening wind. Presently above this whispering a soft yet penetrating voice was heard to say:

”If this English knight desires to study the poor face of Acour, de Noyon, and Cattrina, he who owns it is much honoured and prays your Excellency's leave to wait upon his pleasure.”

So saying a tall and n.o.ble-looking man, who wore the badge of a white swan worked in pearls upon his rich tunic, stepped forward out of the ring of courtiers and bowed, first to the Doge and next to Hugh.

De Cressi looked at his handsome face with its quick dark eyes and little, square-cut, black beard, and answered:

”I thank you, Sir Edmund Acour, for I take it you are he. Now I shall never forget you again, for though a man may s.h.i.+ft his armour he cannot change his countenance”--a saying at which de Noyon coloured a little and looked down uneasily.

”Cavalier de Cressi, he whom you seek is before you; we ourselves vouch for his ident.i.ty,” said the Doge. ”Now be pleased to set out your case.”

”My private case I thrust to one side,” answered Hugh, Sir Geoffrey interpreting all the time, ”for it is a matter between this Count, a certain lady and myself, and can wait. That which I have to lay before you, Ill.u.s.trious, has to do with my master the King of England, as whose champion I am here to-day. I accuse this lord of the three names of black treachery to his august liege, Edward, all details of which treason I am prepared to furnish, and on behalf of that most puissant monarch I challenge him to single combat, as I am empowered and commissioned to do.”

”Why should I fight the King of England's bravoes?” inquired Acour in a languid voice of those who stood about him, a question at which they laughed.

”If the charge of treason is not sufficient,” went on Hugh, ”I'll add to it one of cowardice. At the battle of Crecy, as a man here will bear me witness,” and he pointed to d.i.c.k, ”I overcame in single combat a knight who wore upon his s.h.i.+eld the cognizance of a wolf and on his helm a wolf's head, which were the arms of Sir Pierre de la Roche. At this knight's prayer I spared his life, for that day we took no prisoners, and let him go. Afterward I fought with another knight carrying the cognizance of a white swan, the arms of the Count de Noyon, and slew him in fair and single fight. But before he died he told me that he bore that armour by command of his lord, the Count de Noyon, and that the said Count fought that day in his mail because he feared the vengeance of the King of England and my own. Thus it came about that the Wolf who fought paid the price for the Swan who fled away, hid in the armour of his friend, whom he left to die for him.”

There followed a great silence, for all those n.o.ble lords and ladies who thought little of treason, which to most of them was a very familiar thing, were not a little stirred by this tale of cowardice and false arms. The Doge said:

”n.o.ble Cattrina, you have heard the story of the English knight. What do you answer to it?”