The articles, which were lengthy, had been read, and the breakfast, orso much as they could eat of it, consumed. At last Hugh, accompanied bya Venetian squire of high birth sent by the Doge to bear his casque andother armour, stood in the vestibule waiting for the ambassador's bargeof state. With him was Grey Dick, accompanied by no one and carrying themail shirt in which he was to fight, like a housewife's parcel beneathhis arm, although he wore bow on back, axe and dagger at side and ironcap upon his head.
Presently, while they lingered thus, out from a side-door appearedLady Carleon, clothed in a white garment such as women wear when theirdressing is half done, down which her grey hair hung dishevelled.
"I am come thus unkempt, Sir Hugh," she said, "for, not feeling well, Icould not rise early, to bid you good-bye, since I am sure that we shallnot meet again. However much that black-browed Doge may press it, Icannot go down yonder to see my countrymen butchered in this heat. Oh!oh!" and she pressed her hand upon her heart.
"What's the matter, madam?" asked Hugh anxiously.
"A pain in my breast, that is all, as though some one drove a daggerthrough me. There, there, 'tis gone."
"I thank you for your goodness, Lady Carleon," said Hugh when she washerself again; then paused, for he knew not what to add.
"Not so, Sir Hugh, not so; 'tis for your sakes in truth since youremember you never told me what you would wish done--afterward. Yourpossessions also--where are they to be sent? Doubtless you have moneyand other things of value. Be sure that they shall be sealed up. I'llsee to it myself, but--how shall I dispose of them?"
"Madame, I will tell you when I return," said Hugh shortly.
"Nay, nay, Sir Hugh; pray do not return. Those who are gone had bestkeep gone, I think, who always have had a loathing of ghosts. Therefore,I beg you, tell me now, but do not come back shining like a saint andgibbering like a monkey at dead of night, because if you do I am sureI shall not understand, and if there is an error, who will set itstraight?"
Hugh leaned against a marble pillar in the hall and looked at hishostess helplessly, while Sir Geoffrey, catching her drift at length,broke in:
"Cease such ill-omened talk, wife. Think you that it is of a kind togive brave men a stomach in a fight to the end?"
"I know not, Geoffrey, but surely 'tis better to have these matterssettled, for, as you often say, death is always near us."
"Ay, madam," broke in Grey Dick, who could bear no more of it, "deathis always near to all of us, and especially so in Venice just now.Therefore, I pray you tell me--in case we should live and _you_ shoulddie, you and all about you--whether you have any commands to give asto what should be done with your gold and articles of value, or anymessages to leave for friends in England."
Then, having uttered this grim jest, Dick took his master by the arm anddrew him through the door.
Afterward, for a reason that shall be told, he was sorry that it hadever passed his lips. Still in the boat Sir Geoffrey applauded him,saying that his lady's melancholy had grown beyond all bearing, and thatshe did little but prate to him about his will and what colour of marblehe desired for his tomb.
After a journey that seemed long to Hugh, who wished to have thisbusiness over, they came to the Place of Arms. Their route there,however, was not the same which they had followed on the previous night.Leaving the short way through the low part of the town untraversed, theyrowed from one of the canals into the harbour itself, where they werejoined by many other boats which waited for them and so on to the quay.Hugh saw at once that the death ship, _Light of the East_, was gone, andincautiously said as much to Sir Geoffrey.
"Yes," he answered, "one of my rowers tells me that they have towed herto an island out at sea, since the stench from her holds was more thancould be borne. But how did you know that she lay at this particularquay, Sir Hugh?"
"I thought you said so," he answered carelessly, adding, to change thesubject: "Look, our fray will not lack for spectators," and he pointedto the thousands gathered upon the great tilting-ground.
"No, no, all Venice will be there, for these people love a show,especially if there be death in it."
"Mayhap they will see more of him than they wish before all is done,"muttered Grey Dick, pausing from the task of whetting his axe's edgewith a little stone which he carried in his pouch. Then he replaced theaxe in its hanger, and, drawing Hugh's sword from its sheath, began togive some final touches to its razor edge, saying: "Father Sir AndrewArnold blessed it, which should be enough, but Milan steel is hard andhis old battle blade will bite none the worse for an extra sharpening.Go for his throat, master, go for his throat, the mail is alwaysthinnest there."
"God above us, what a grim man!" exclaimed Sir Geoffrey, and so thoughtall in that boat and in those around them. At least they looked at Dickaskance as he whetted and whetted, and then, plucking out one of thepale hairs from his head, drew it along the edge of the steel, whichsevered it in twain.
"There! That'll do," said Grey Dick cheerfully, as he returned the longsword to its sheath, "and God help this Cattrina, I say, for he comesto his last battle. That is, unless he runs away," he added afterreflection.
Now they landed and were received by heralds blowing trumpets, andconducted through a great multitude of people with much pomp andceremony to a pavilion which had been pitched for them, where they mustarm and make ready.
This then they did, helped or hindered by bowing squires whose languagethey could not understand.
At length, when it lacked but a quarter to the hour of nine, David Dayled Hugh's horse into the wide entrance of the pavilion, where theyexamined its armour, bridle, selle and trappings.
"The beast sweats already," said Hugh, "and so do I, who, to tell truth,dread this heat more than Cattrina's sword. Pray that they get to thebusiness quickly, or I shall melt like butter on a hot plate."
Then his lance was given to him, a lance that was sharp and strong.When they had been tested by them both, Hugh mounted the grey and at theagreed signal of a single blast upon a trumpet, walked it slowly fromthe pavilion, Dick going at his side on foot.
At their coming a shout went up from the assembled thousands, for intruth it seemed, as Sir Geoffrey had said, as though all the folk inVenice were gathered on that place. When they had finished shouting thepeople began to criticise, finding much in the appearance of this pairthat moved their ready wit. Indeed there was little show about them, forHugh's plain armour, which lacked all ornament or inlay, was worn withwar and travel, and his horse came along as soberly as if it were goingout to plough. Nor was there anything fine about the apparel of GreyDick, who wore a loose chain shirt much out of fashion--it was thatwhich Sir Andrew had given to Hugh--an iron cap with ear-pieces, andleather buskins on his legs. In his hand was his axe, heavy but notover large; at his side hung a great knife, and on his back was the longblack bow and a quiver of arrows.
Thus arrayed, taking no heed of the jests and chatter of the multitude,they were led to the front of the bedecked timber stand which they hadseen on the previous night. In the centre of this stand, occupying akind of tribune, sat the Doge Dandolo in state, and with him many noblesand captains, while to right and left the whole length of the course,for the stand was very long, were packed a countless number of thebest-born men and women in Venice. These, however, were but a tithe ofthe spectators, who encircled the Place of Arms in one serried hordewhich was kept back by a line of soldiers.
Arriving in front of the Doge's tribune, the pair halted and salutedhim, whereon he and his escort rose and saluted them in turn. Thenanother trumpet blew and from a second pavilion at the other end ofthe course appeared Cattrina, wearing a splendid suit of white armour,damascened in gold, with a silver swan upon the helm and a swan paintedon his shield.
"Very fine, isn't it?" said Grey Dick to his master, "only this timeI hope he's inside the steel. Ask to see his face before you fight,master."
On came Cattrina on a noble black horse, which pawed and caracolednotwithstanding the heat,
while after him strode a gigantic figurealso clad from top to toe in white mail, who fiercely brandished along-handled battle-axe.
"Ambrosio!" said Dick. "Now I ought to feel as much afraid as thoughthat fellow wore a yellow cap and fur cape and pearls like anotherwarrior whom we met last night. Yet, to speak the truth, I believe hehas the fainter heart of the two. Also if he swings that chopper aboutso much he'll grow tired."
To the multitude, however, the gallant appearance of this pair, whomthey looked on as the champions of Venice against foreigners, appealednot a little. Amidst clapping of hands and "_evvivas!_" they advancedto the Doge's tribune and there made their salutations, which theIllustrious acknowledged as he had those of the Englishmen.
Then the heralds intervened and again all the articles of combat wereread and translated, although to these, of which they were weary,Hugh and Dick listened little. Next they were asked if they had anyobjections to make and with one voice answered, "None." But on the samequestion being put to their adversaries, the Swiss, Ambrosio, said thathe with whom he must fight appeared to be armed with a bow, which wasagainst the articles. Thereon Dick handed the bow and quiver to David,bidding him guard them until he asked for them again as he would his ownlife. In the event of his death, however, David was to give them to SirHugh, or if they both should die, to his own master, Sir Geoffrey. Allof these things David promised to do.
Next followed a long discussion as to whether the four of them wereto fight in pairs, Cattrina and Ambrosio against Hugh and Dicksimultaneously, or whether Ambrosio was to fight alone with Dick, andCattrina with Hugh. Upon Cattrina and Ambrosio being asked their wishes,the former said that he desired to fight alone, as he feared lest theEnglish archer, if he overcame Ambrosio, should turn on him also, orperhaps hamstring his horse.
Then the Englishmen were asked what they wished, and replied that theydid not care how it was arranged, being ready to fight either togetheror separately, as the Doge might decree.
The end of it was that after long consultations with sundry experts insuch matters, the Most Illustrious decided that the Captains Ambrosioand Richard the Archer should first engage on foot, and when thatbusiness was settled the two knights should take their place in thearena.
So the end of it was that more than half an hour after the combat shouldhave begun, Dick and the gigantic Ambrosio found themselves standingface to face waiting for the signal to engage, the Swiss shoutingthreats and defiance and Grey Dick grinning and watching him out of hishalf-shut eyes.
At length it came in the shape of a single blast upon a trumpet. Nowseeing that Dick stood quite still, not even raising his axe, the Swissadvanced and struck a mighty blow at him, which Dick avoided by steppingaside. Recovering himself, again Ambrosio struck. This blow Dick caughtupon his shield, then, as though he were afraid, began to retreat,slowly at first, but afterward faster till his walk broke into a run.
At this sight all that mighty audience set up a hooting. "Coward! Dog!Pig of an Englishman!" they yelled; and the louder they yelled the morequickly did Grey Dick run, till at last even Hugh grew puzzled wonderingwhat was in his mind and hoping that he would change it soon. So theaudience hooted, and Grey Dick ran and the giant Swiss lumbered alongafter him, bellowing triumphantly and brandishing his battle-axe, which,it was noted, never seemed to be quite long enough to reach his flyingfoe.
When this had gone on for two or three minutes, Grey Dick stumbled andfell. The Swiss, who was following fast, likewise tripped and fell overhim heavily, whereon the multitude shouted:
"Foul play! A dirty, foreign trick!"
In an instant Dick was up again, and had leapt upon the prostrate Swiss,as all thought, to kill him. But instead the only thing he did was toget behind him and kick him with his foot until he also rose. Thereatsome laughed, but others, who had bets upon their champion, groaned.
Now the Swiss, having lost his shield in his fall, rushed at Dick,grasping his axe with both hands. As before, the Englishman avoided theblow, but for the first time he struck back, catching the giant on theshoulder though not very heavily. Then with a shout of "St. George andEngland!" he went in at him.
Hither and thither sprang Dick, now out of reach of the axe of the Swissand now beneath his guard. But ever as he sprang he delivered blow uponblow, each harder than the last, till there appeared scars and rentsin the fine white mail. Soon it became clear that the great Swiss wasovermatched and spent. He breathed heavily, his strokes grew wild, heover-balanced, recovered himself, and at last in his turn began to flyin good earnest.
Now after him went Dick, battering at his back, but, as all might see,with the flat of his axe, not with its edge. Yes, he was beating him asa man might beat a carpet, beating him till he roared with pain.
"Fight, Ambrosio, fight! Don't fly!" shouted the crowd, and he tried towheel round, only to be knocked prostrate by a single blow upon the headwhich the Englishman delivered with the hammer-like back of his axe.
Then Dick was seen to kneel upon him and cut the lashings of his helmetwith his dagger, doubtless to give the _coup de grace_, or so theythought.
"Our man is murdered!" yelled the common people, while those of thebetter sort remained shamed and silent.
Dick rose, and they groaned, thinking that all was done. But lo!stooping down he helped the breathless Swiss, whom he had disarmed, tohis feet. Then, taking him by the nape of the neck, which was easy, ashis helmet was off, with one hand, while in the other he held his baredknife, Dick thrust him before him till they reached the tribune of theDoge.
"Be pleased to tell the Illustrious," he said, to Sir Geoffrey, "thatthis braggart having surrendered, I spared his life and now return himto his brother the Page quite unharmed, since I did not wish to woundone who was in my power from the first. Only when he gets home I praythat he will look at his back in a glass and judge which of us it isthat has been 'beaten to a pulp.' Let him return thanks also to hispatron saint, who put pity in my heart, so that I did not cut him intocollops, as I promised. For know, sir, that when I walked out yonderit was my purpose to hew off his hands and shorten him at the knees.Stay--one word more. If yonder boaster has more brothers who really wishto fight, I'll take them one by one and swear to them that this timeI'll not give back a step unless I'm carried."
"Do you indeed yield and accept the Englishman's mercy?" asked the Dogein a stern voice.
The poor Ambrosio, making no answer, blundered forward among the crowdand there vanished, and this was the last that Dick ever saw or heard ofhim. But, although he waited there a while, feeling the edge of his axeand glaring about him, none of the captain's companions came forward toaccept his challenge.
At length, with a shrug of his shoulders, Dick turned. Having taken hisbow and quiver from David, who could not conceal his indecent joy at theutter humiliation of Ambrosio, whom he hated with a truly British hate,he walked slowly to where Hugh sat upon his horse.
"The jest is done, master, and now for good earnest, since 'tis yourturn. The Saints save me such another cow hunt in this hell's heat. HadI killed him at once I should be cooler now, but it came into my mind tolet the hound live. Indeed, to speak truth, I thought that I heard thevoice of Murgh behind me, saying, 'Spare,' and knew that I must obey."
"I hope he will say nothing of the sort to me presently," answered Hugh,"if he is here, which I doubt. Why, what is it now? Those gold-coatedmarshals are talking again."
Talking they were, evidently at the instance of Cattrina, or hiscounsellors, who had raised some new objections, which Sir Geoffreystepped forward to explain to them. But Hugh would not even hear himout.
"Tell the man and all whom it may concern," he said in an angry voice,"that I am ready to fight him as he will, on horse or on foot, withlance or sword or axe or dagger, or any or all of them, in mail orwithout it; or, if it pleases him, stripped to the shirt. Only let himsettle swiftly, since unless the sweat runs into my eyes and dims them,it seems to me that night is coming before it is noon."
"You are right
," answered Sir Geoffrey, "this gathering gloom is ominousand fearful. I think that some awesome tempest must be about to burst.Also it seems to me that Cattrina has no stomach for this fray, else hewould not raise so many points of martial law and custom."
Then wiping his brow with a silken handkerchief he returned to deliverthe message.
Now Hugh and Dick, watching, saw that Cattrina and those who advised himcould find no further loophole for argument. They saw, moreover, thatthe Doge grew angry, for he rose in his seat, throwing off his velvetrobe of office, of which it appeared that he could no longer bear theweight, and spoke in a hard voice to Cattrina and his squires. Next,once more the titles of the combatants were read, and their cause ofcombat, and while this went on Hugh bade Dick bind about his right arma certain red ribbon that Eve had given him, saying that he wished tofight wearing his lady's favour.
Dick obeyed, muttering that he thought such humours foolish and that aknight might as well wear a woman's petticoat as her ribbon. By now, sodim had the light grown, he could scarce see to tie the knot.
Indeed, the weather was very strange.
From the dark, lowering sky above a palpable blackness sank downwardas though the clouds themselves were falling of their own weight, whilefrom the sea great rolls of vapour came sweeping in like waves. Alsothis sea itself had found a voice, for, although it was so calm, itmoaned like a world in pain. The great multitude began to murmur, andtheir faces, lifted upward toward the sky, grew ghastly white. Fear,they knew not of what, had got hold of them. A voice cried shrilly:
"Let them fight and have done. We would get home ere the tempestbursts."
The first trumpet blew and the horses of the knights, which whinnieduneasily, were led to their stations. The second trumpet blew and theknights laid their lances in rest. Then ere the third trumpet couldsound, suddenly the darkness of midnight swallowed all the scene.
Dick groped his way to Hugh's side. "Bide where you are," he said, "theend of the world is here; let us meet it like men and together."
"Ay," answered Hugh, and his voice rang hollow through his closed visor,"without doubt it is the end of the world, and Murgh, the Minister, hasbeen sent to open the doors of heaven and hell. God have mercy on usall!"
So they stayed there, hearkening to the groans and prayers of theterrified multitude about them, Dick holding the bridle of the horse,which shook from head to foot, but never stirred. For some minutesthey remained thus, till suddenly the sky began to lighten, but withno natural light. The colour of it, of the earth beneath and of theair between was a deep, terrible red, that caused all things to seemas though they were dyed in blood. Lighter and lighter and redder andredder it grew, the long stand and the pavilions became visible, andafter them the dense, deep ring of spectators. Many of these werekneeling, while others, who could find no space to kneel, held theirhands upstretched toward heaven, or beat their breasts and wept in theemotional fashion of the country.
Yet not on them were the eyes of Hugh and Grey Dick fixed, but rather ona single figure which stood quite alone in the midst of that greatarena where Cattrina and his horse should have been, where they had beenindeed but a little while before. The figure was clothed in a red andyellow cap shaped like a cock's-comb, in black furs, a yellow robe andwhite gloves and sandals. Yonder it stood, fantastic, fearful, its bareand brawny arms crossed upon its breast, its head bowed as thoughit contemplated the ground. There was not an eye of all the tens ofthousands of those who were present that did not see it; there was not avoice that did not break into a yell of terror and hate, till the earthshook with such a sound as might reverberate through the choked abyss ofhell.
"The fiend! The fiend! The fiend!" said the shout. "Kill him! Kill him!Kill him!"
The figure looked up, the red light shone upon its stony face thatseemed one blotch of white amidst its glow. Then it stooped down andlifted from the sand a knight's lance such as Cattrina had held. Itraised the lance and with it pointed four times, east and west andnorth and south, holding it finally for a while in the direction of thetribune, where sat the Doge with all his noble company, and of Venicebeyond. Lastly, with a quick and easy motion, it cast the lance towardthe sky, whence it fell, remaining fixed point downward in the earth.Then a tongue of mist that had crept up from the sea enveloped it, andwhen that mist cleared away the shape was gone.
Now the red haze thinned, and for the first time that morning the sunshone out in a sickly fashion. Although their nerves were torn by theunnatural darkness and the apparition that followed it, which all saw,yet none quite believed that they had seen, the multitude shouted forthe combat to proceed.
Once more Hugh laid his lance in rest, thinking that Cattrina was there,although he could not see him.
Then the third trumpet rang out--in that silence it sounded like theblast of doom--and Hugh spurred his horse forward a little way, buthalted, for he could perceive no foe advancing against him. He staredabout him, and at last in a rage threw his lance to a squire, and,turning his horse, galloped to the tribune. There he pulled it to hishaunches and shouted out in a great voice:
"Where is Cattrina? Am I to be fooled, who appear here as the championof the King of England? Where is Cattrina? Produce Cattrina that I mayslay him or be slain, or, Chivalry of Venice, be forever shamed!"
The Doge rose, uttering swift commands, and heralds ran here and there.Knights and captains searched the pavilions and every other place wherea mounted man might hide. But they never found Cattrina, and, returningat length, confessed as much with bowed heads.
The Doge, maddened by this ignominy, seized the great gold chain uponhis beast and burst it in two.
"Cattrina has fled!" he shouted. "Or Satan himself has carried him away!At the least let his name be erased from the Golden Book of Venice, anduntil he prove himself innocent, let no noble of Venice stretch outto him the hand of fellowship. Men of Venice, for you Cattrina and hisHouse are dead."
"Will none take up his cause and fight for him?" asked Hugh throughSir Geoffrey, and presently, at the Doge's command, the challengewas repeated thrice by the herald. But to it no answer came. Of thisafterward Hugh was glad, since it was Cattrina's life he sought, notthat of any other man. Then Hugh spoke again, saying:
"I claim, O Illustrious, that I be written down as victor in this combatto the death, bloodless through no fault of mine."
"It shall be so written, noble Hugh de Cressi," said the Doge. "Let allVenice take notice thereof."