The afternoon of the day of their reception by the Doge was well filledfor Hugh and Dick. Scarcely had they eaten with their host when theMarshal and his officers arrived with the articles of the Morrow'scombat very fully drawn up, each of which must be considered with thehelp of Sir Geoffrey Carleon, lest they should hide some trick,before they confirmed them with their signatures. Not that Hugh wasover-anxious about the details. As he said to Sir Geoffrey, all hesought was to come face to face with his enemy, even if he had but aclub for a weapon.
At length these articles were signed and the Marshal departed with hisfee, for they must be paid for as though they were a legal document.Next Hugh must try various horses from Sir Geoffrey's stable, and chooseone of them as his war steed for the morrow, since the beast he hadridden to Venice was in no condition to bear a full-armed knight. In theend he selected a grey gelding, quiet of temperament and rather heavyof build, which it was reported had been used by its former owner inseveral tournaments and there borne itself handsomely. This done, wellor ill, his armour must be seen to, and Dick's also, such as it was; hislance tested, and all their other weapons sharpened on a whetstone thatSir Geoffrey borrowed. For this was a task that Grey Dick would leave tono other hand.
At length all was prepared as well as possible in such haste, and theywent to supper with Lady Carleon, who, now she understood that they wereto fight for their lives on the morrow, was more mournful even than shehad been on the previous night. When at last she asked what they desiredas to their funerals and if they had any tokens to be sent to friendsin England, Hugh, whose thoughts were already sad enough, could bear nomore of it. So he rose, saying that he would seek Sir Geoffrey, who wasalready in his cabinet engaged upon a letter to King Edward descriptiveof these events and other business. But when they were out of the roomhe said that he must have fresh air or he would faint, which was notstrange, seeing that heat prevailed on this night in Venice of anintensity unknown there at this season of the year.
"Whither shall we go?" asked Dick, mopping his brow. "Guards stand atthe door and, I doubt, will not let us pass."
"I wish to see the place where we are to fight to-morrow," answeredHugh, "so as to form my judgment of it, if only we may come there."
At this moment an English lad of Sir Geoffrey's household chanced topass by, having come to ask as to the feeding of the horse which Hughshould ride. Dick caught him by the arm and asked whether he could getthem out of the house secretly, so that the Guards would not see them,and conduct them to the spot called the Place of Arms, where theyunderstood they were to fight.
The lad, whose name was David Day, replied somewhat doubtfully that hecould do so by a back door near the kitchen, and guide them also, butthat they must protect him from the anger of Sir Geoffrey. This Hughpromised to do. So presently they started, carrying their weapons, butwearing no mail because of the intense heat, although Dick reminded hismaster how they had been told that they should not venture forth withoutbody armour.
"I have a sword and you have bow and axe," answered Hugh, "so we'll riskit. In leather-lined mail we should surely melt."
So they put on some light cloaks made of black silk, with hoods to them,such as the Venetians wore at their masques, for David knew where thesewere to be found. Slipping out quite unobserved by the kitchen door intoa little courtyard, they passed into an unlighted back street through apostern gate whereof the lad had the key. At the end of the street theycame to a canal, where David, who talked Italian perfectly, hailed aboat, into which they entered without exciting remark. For this sharpyouth pointed to their cloaks and told the boatman that they weregallants engaged upon some amorous adventure.
On they rowed down the silent lanes of water, through the slumbrouscity of palaces, turning here, turning there, till soon they lostall knowledge of the direction in which they headed. At length Davidwhispered to them that they drew near the place where they must land.Everybody seemed to speak in a whisper that heavy night, even the folk,generally so light of heart and quick of tongue, who sat on the stepsor beneath the porticoes of their houses gasping for air, and thepassers-by on the _rivas_ or footwalks that bordered the canals. At asign from David the boat turned inward and grated against the steps ofa marble quay. He paid the boatman, who seemed to have no energy left todispute the fare, telling him in the same low voice that if he caredto wait he might perhaps row them back within an hour or so. Then theyclimbed steps and entered a narrow street where there was no canal, oneither side of which stood tall houses or dark frowning gateways.
Just as they stepped into the shadow of this street they heard the prowof another boat grate against the marble steps behind them and caughtthe faint sound of talk, apparently between their rower and others inthe second boat.
"Forward, Sir Hugh," said Day a little nervously. "This part of Venicehas no good name, for many wicked deeds are done here, but soon we shallbe through it."
So they stepped out briskly, and when they were about half-way downthe street heard other steps behind them. They turned and looked backthrough the gloom, whereon the sound of the following steps died away.They pushed on again, and so, unless the echo deceived them, did thosequick, stealthy steps. Then, as though by common consent, though no onegave the word, they broke into a run and gained the end of the street,which they now saw led into a large open space lit by the light ofthe great moon, that broke suddenly through the veil of cloud or mist.Again, as though by common consent, they wheeled round, Hugh drawinghis sword, and perceived emerging from the street six or seven cloakedfellows, who, on catching sight of the flash of steel, halted and meltedback into the gloom.
"Who follow us so fast?" asked Hugh.
"Thieves, I think," answered David, even more nervously than before,adding, "but if so, we are safe from them here."
"Yes, sure enough," said Grey Dick, "for I can shoot by moonlight," and,drawing the black bow from its case, which he threw to the lad to carry,he strung it, after which they saw no more of their pursuers.
Having waited a while, they began to examine the spot where they foundthemselves, which Day told them was that Place of Arms where they mustfight on the morrow. It was large and level, having been used as adrilling ground for generations. Perhaps it measured four hundred yardssquare, and almost in the centre of it rose a stand of painted timberroofed with canvas, and ornamented with gilded flagstaffs, from whichhung banners. On this stand, David said, the Doge and nobles would taketheir seats to see the fray, for in front of it the charging knightsmust meet.
They walked up and down the course taking note of everything, andespecially of how the sun would shine upon them and the foothold of thesoil, which appeared to be formed of fine, trodden sand.
"I ask no better ground to fight on," said Hugh at length, "though it isstrange to think," he added with a sigh, "that here within a dozen hoursor so two men must bid the world farewell."
"Ay," answered Dick, who alone seemed untouched by the melancholy ofthat night. "Here will die the knave with three names and the big foolof a half-bred Swiss, and descend to greet their ancestors in a placethat is even hotter than this Venice, with but a sorry tale to tellthem. 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 uncertaingame, and who knows which of us will be talking with his ancestors andpraying the mercy of his Maker by this time to-morrow night?"
Then, having learned all they could, they walked across the ground tothe quay that bordered it on the seaward side. Here, as they guessedfrom the stone pillars to which ships were made fast, was one of theharbours of Venice, although as it happened none lay at that quay thisnight. Yet, as they looked they saw one coming in, watched curiously bygroups of men gathered on the wall.
"Never knew I vessel make harbour in such a fashion," exclaimed Dickpresently. "See! she sails stern first."
Hugh studied her and saw that she was a great, decked galley of manyoars, such as the Venetians used in trading to the East, high-
bowed andpooped. But the strange thing was that none worked these oars, which,although they were lashed, swung to and fro aimlessly, some yet wholeand some with their blades broken off and their shafts bundles of jaggedsplinters. Certain sails were still set on the ship's mast, in tattersfor the most part, though a few remained sound, and it was by these thatshe moved, for with the moonrise a faint wind had sprung up. Lastly, sheshowed no light at peak or poop, and no sound of officer's command or ofboatswain's whistle came from her deck. Only slowly and yet as though ofset purpose she drifted in toward the quay.
Those who watched her, sailors such as ever linger about harboursseeking their bread from the waters, though among these were mingledpeople from the town who had come to this open place to escape the heat,began to talk together affrightedly, but always in the dread whisperthat was the voice of this fearful knight. Yes, even the hoarse-throatedsailormen whispered like a dying woman.
"She's no ship," said one, "she's the wraith of a ship. When I was a ladI saw such a craft in the Indian seas, and afterward we foundered, and Iand the cook's mate alone were saved."
"Pshaw!" answered another, "she's a ship right enough. Look at the weedand barnacles on her sides when she heaves. Only where in Christ's nameare her crew?"
"Yes," said a third, "and how could she win through all the secretchannels without a pilot?"
"What use would be a pilot," said a fourth, "if there are none to workthe 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 andthis wind would scarce move a sponge boat. Stand by with the hawser, orshe'll swing round and stave herself against the pier."
So they talked, and all the while the great galley drifted onward witha slow, majestic motion, her decks hid in shadow, for a sail cut off thelight of the low moon from them. Presently, too, even this was gone,for the veil of cloud crept again over the moon's face, obscuringeverything.
Then of a sudden a meteor blazed out in the sky, such a meteor as noliving man had ever seen in Venice, for the size of it was that of thesun. It seemed to rise out of the ocean to the east and to travel veryslowly across the whole arc of the firmament till at last it burst witha terrible noise over the city and vanished. While it shone, the lightit gave was that of mid-day, only pale blue in colour, turning all ittouched to a livid and unnatural white.
It showed the placid sea and fish leaping on its silver face half-a-mileor more away. It showed the distant land with every rock and house andbush. It showed the wharf and the watchers on it; among them Hugh noteda 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 thelines of caulking on her deck. Oh, and now they saw the rowers, for theylay in heaps about the oars. Some of them even hung over these limply,moving to and fro as they swung, while others were stretched uponthe benches as though they slept. They were dead--all dead; the windfollowing the meteor and blowing straight on shore told them that theywere certainly all dead. Three hundred men and more upon that greatship, and all dead!
Nay, not all, for now on the high poop stood a single figure who seemedto 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 acoil of rope. The sight of him sent those watchers mad. They ceased fromtheir whisperings, they raved aloud.
"It is Satan!" they shouted, "Satan, who comes to drag the folk ofVenice 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 hairrose upon his head, his cold, quiet eyes started. He set an arrow on thestring of the black bow, drew it to his ear and loosed at the figure onthe poop. But that arrow never left the string; it shattered to flinderswhere it was and fell tinkling to the marble floor. Only the barb ofit turned and wounded Grey Dick in the chin, yes, and stuck there for awhile, for his right arm was numbed so that he could not lift his handto 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 toconsider the matter. Only, as it seemed to him, he who stood on the poopof the ship not ten yards away smiled a little.
Unheeding of the clamour, this man upon the poop suddenly lifted thecoil 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 onemortal could handle it. Yet it shot from him till it stood out stiff asan iron bar. Yes, and the noose fell over one of the stone posts on thequay, and caught there. Now the rope grew straighter still, stretchingand groaning like a thing in pain as it took the weight of the great,drifting ship. She stayed; she swung round slowly and ranged herselfbroadside on against the quay as a berthed ship does. Then down theladder on her side came the Man. Deliberately he set his white-sandalledfeet upon the quay, advanced a few paces into the full light of thebright moon and stood still as though to suffer himself to be seen ofevery eye.
Truly he was worth the seeing. Hugh noted his garments first, andparticularly the head-dress, which caught his glance and held it, fornever had he known such a one before. It was a cap fitting tight to theskull, only running across the crown of it was a stiff raised ridge, ofleather perhaps, jagged and pointed something like the comb of a cock.This comb, of brilliant red, was surmounted at its highest point by aball 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. Inthe 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 acape of long and glossy fur blacker than coal, on to either shoulderof which drooped ear-rings made of rings of green stone which afterwardHugh came to know was jade. The cape of fur, which hung down to theknees and was set over a kind of surplice of yellow silk, was open infront, revealing its wearer's naked bosom that was clothed only with rowupon row of round gems of the size of a hazel nut. These like the furwere black, but shone with a strange and lustrous sheen. The man's thickarms were naked, but on his hands he wore white leather gloves madewithout division like a sock, as though to match the white sandals onhis feet.
This was the Man's attire. Now for him who wore it. He was tall, but nottaller than are many other men; he was broad, but not broader than manyother men, and yet he looked stronger than all the men in the world. Onhis brow, which was prominent, smooth black hair parted in the middlewas plastered back as that of women sometimes is, making hard linesagainst the yellow skin below. He had very thin eyebrows that ran upwardon either side of a bow-shaped wrinkle in the centre of his forehead.The eyes beneath were small and pale--paler even than those of GreyDick--yet their glance was like the points of thrusting swords.With those little eyes alone he seemed to smile, for the rest of hiscountenance did not move. The nose was long and broad at the end withwide spreading nostrils and a deep furrow on either side. The mouth wasthin-lipped and turned downward at the corners, and the chin was like apiece of iron, quite hairless, and lean as that of a man long dead.
There he stood like some wild vision of a dream, smiling with thosesmall unblinking eyes that seemed to take in all present one by one.There he stood in the moonlit silence, for the mob was quiet enough nowfor a little while, that yet was not silence because of a soughing noisewhich seemed to proceed from the air about his head.
Then suddenly the tumult broke out again with its cries of "Kill thedevil! Tear the wizard to pieces! Death is behind him! He brings death!Kill, kill, kill!"
A score of knives flashed in the air, only this time Grey Dick set noarrow on his string. Their holders ran forward; then the Man lifted hishand, in which was no weapon, and they stopped.
Now he spoke in a low voice so cold that, to Hugh's excited fancy, thewords seemed to tinkle like falling ice as one by one they came fromhis lips. He spoke in Italian--perfect Italian of Venice--and you
ng Day,whose teeth where chattering with fear, translated his words.
"Is this your welcome to a stranger," he said, "the companions of whosevoyage have unhappily met with misfortune?" Here with a faint motion ofhis fingerless glove he indicated the dead who lay all about the decksof that fatal ship. "Would you, men of Venice, kill a poor, unarmedstranger who has travelled to visit you from the farthest East and seenmuch sorrow on his way?"
"Ay, we would, sorcerer!" shouted one. "Our brothers were in that ship,which we know, and you have murdered them."
"How did you learn Italian in the farthest East?" asked another.
Then for the second time, like hounds closing in on a stag at bay, theysprang toward him with their poised knives.
Again he lifted his hand, again the semi-circle halted as though itmust, and again he spoke.
"Are there none here who will befriend a stranger in a strange land?None who are ashamed to see a poor, unarmed stranger from the Eastdone to death by these wolves who call themselves children of the whiteChrist of Mercy?"
Now Hugh touched Dick upon the shoulder.
"Rise and come," he said, "it is our fate"; and Dick obeyed.
Only after he had translated the Man's words, David fell down flat uponthe quay and lay there.
They stepped to the yellow-capped Man and stood on each side of him,Hugh drawing his sword and Dick the battle-axe that he carried beneathhis robe of silk.
"We will," said Hugh shortly, in English.
"Now there are three of us," went on the Man. "The stranger from theEast has found defenders from the West. On, defenders, for I do notfight thus," and he folded his arms across his broad breast and smiledwith the awful eyes.
Hugh and Dick knew no Italian, yet they both of them understood, andwith a shout leaped forward toward those hungry knives. But theirholders never waited for them. Some sudden panic seized them all, sothat they turned and ran--ran straight across the wide Place of Arms andvanished into the network of narrow streets by which it was surrounded.