CHAPTER XV
THE DEATH AT WORK
Presently Hugh halted, taking shelter with his two companions behind thestone wall of a shed that the earthquake had shattered, for here theycould not be trodden down by the mob of fugitives.
"The wave has spent itself," he said, pointing to the line of foam thatnow retreated toward the ocean, taking with it many drowned or drowningmen. "Let us return and seek for Sir Geoffrey. It will be shameful if weleave him trapped yonder like a rat."
Dick nodded, and making a wide circuit to avoid the maddened crowd, theycame safely to the wrecked stand where they had last seen Sir Geoffreytalking with the Doge. Every minute indeed the mob grew thinner, sincethe most of them had already passed, treading the life out of those whofell as they went.
From this stand more than three fourths of those who were seated therehad already broken out, since it had not fallen utterly, and by goodfortune was open on all sides. Some, however, tangled in the canvasroof, were still trying to escape. Other poor creatures had been crushedto death, or, broken-limbed, lay helpless, or, worse still, were helddown beneath the fallen beams.
Several of these they freed, whereon those who were unharmed at onceran away without thanking them. But for a long while they could findno trace of Sir Geoffrey. Indeed, they were near to abandoning theirsearch, for the sights and sounds were sickening even to men who wereaccustomed to those of battlefields, when Dick's quick ears caught thetones of an English voice calling for help. Apparently it came from theback of the Doge's tribune, where lay a heap of dead. Gaily dressed folkwho had fallen in the flight and been crushed, not by the earthquake,but by the feet of their fellows. These blackened and disfigured menand women they dragged away with much toil, and at last, to their joy,beneath them all found Sir Geoffrey Carleon. In another few minutes hemust have died, for he was almost suffocated.
Indeed he would certainly have perished with the others had he not beenthrown under a fixed bench, whence one leg projected, which, as theycould see at once, was crushed and broken. They drew him out as gentlyas they could and gave him water to drink, whereof, mercifully forthem all, since by now they were utterly parched with thirst, they haddiscovered a large silver pitcher full, standing in the corner of alittle ante-chamber to the tribune. It was half hidden with fragmentsof fine dresses and even jewels torn from the persons of the lords andladies.
"I thank you, friends," he said faintly. "I prayed them to keep seated,but they went mad and would not listen. Those behind trod down those infront, till that doorway was choked and I was hurled beneath the bench.Oh, it was terrible to hear them dying about me and to know that soon Imust follow! This, had it not been for you, I should have done, for myleg is crushed and there was no air."
Then, having drunk and drunk until even their raging thirst wassatisfied, they found a plank. Laying Sir Geoffrey on it, they departedfrom that human shambles, whence the piteous cries of those stillimprisoned there, whom they could not reach, pursued them horribly.
Thus, slowly enough, for there were but three of them, two hampered bytheir mail, they bore Sir Geoffrey across the Place of Arms. Save forthe dead and dying, and some ghoul-like knaves who plundered them, bythis time it was almost deserted.
Indeed, a large band of these wretches, who had emerged like wolves fromtheir lairs in the lowest quarters of the great city, catching sight ofthe gold chain Sir Geoffrey wore, ran up with drawn daggers to kill androb them.
Seeing them come Grey Dick slipped the black bow from its case and sentan arrow singing through the heart of the one-eyed villain who captainedthem. Thereon the rest left him where he fell and ran off to steal andslay elsewhere. Then without a word Dick unstrung the bow and once morelaid hold of an end of the plank.
They came to the mouth of that street where the bravoes had waylaid themon the previous night, only to find that they could not pass this way.Here most of the houses were thrown down, and from their ruins rosesmoke and the hideous screams of those who perished. It was this partof Venice, the home of the poorer folk, which suffered most from theearthquake, that had scarcely touched many of the finer quarters. Still,it was reckoned afterward that in all it took a toll of nearly tenthousand lives.
Turning from this street, they made their way to the banks of a greatcanal that here ran into the harbour, that on which they had been rowedto the Place of Arms. Here by good luck they found a small boat floatingkeep uppermost, for it had been overturned by the number of people whocrowded into it. This boat they righted with much toil and discoveredwithin it a drowned lady, also an oar caught beneath the seat. Afterthis their dreadful journey was easy, at least by comparison. Fornow all the gloom had rolled away, the sun shone out and a fresh andpleasant wind blew from the sea toward the land.
So, at last, passing many sad and strange scenes that need not bedescribed, they came safely to the steps of the ambassador's beautifulhouse which was quite uninjured. Here they found several of his servantswringing their hands and weeping, for word had been brought to them thathe was dead. Also in the hall they were met by another woe, for there ona couch lay stretched the Lady Carleon smitten with some dread sicknesswhich caused blood to flow from her mouth and ears. A physician wasbending over her, for by good fortune one had been found.
Sir Geoffrey asked him what ailed his wife. He answered that he did notknow, having never seen the like till that morning, when he had beencalled in to attend three such cases in houses far apart, whereof onedied within ten minutes of being struck.
Just then Lady Carleon's senses returned, and opening her eyes she sawSir Geoffrey, whom they had laid down upon another couch close to her.
"Oh, they told me that you were dead, husband," she said, "crushed orswallowed in the earthquake! But I thank God they lied. Yet what ailsyou, sweetheart, that you do not stand upon your feet?"
"Little, dear wife, little," he answered in a cheerful voice. "My footis somewhat crushed, that is all. Still 'tis true that had it not beenfor this brave knight and his squire I must have lain where I was till Iperished."
Now Lady Carleon raised herself slightly and looked at Hugh and Dick,who stood together, bewildered and overwhelmed.
"Heaven's blessings be on your heads," she exclaimed, "for theseVenetians would surely have left him to his doom. Ah, I thought that itwas you who must die to-day, but now I know it is I, and perchance mylord. Physician," she added after a pause, "trouble not with me, for myhour has come; I feel it at my heart. Tend my lord there, who, unlessthis foul sickness takes him also, may yet be saved."
So they carried them both to their own large sleeping chamber on theupper floor. There the surgeon set Sir Geoffrey's broken bone skilfullyenough, though when he saw the state of the crushed limb, he shookhis head and said it would be best to cut it off. This, however, SirGeoffrey would not suffer to be done.
"It will kill me, I am sure, or if not, then the pest which that ship,_Light of the East_, has brought here from Cyprus, will do its work onme. But I care nothing, for since you say that my wife must die I woulddie with her and be at rest."
At sunset Lady Carleon died. Ere she passed away she sent for Hugh andDick. Her bed by her command had been moved to an open window, for sheseemed to crave air. By it was placed that of Sir Geoffrey so that thetwo of them could hold each other's hand.
"I would die looking toward England, Sir Hugh," she said, with a faintsmile, "though alas! I may not sleep in that churchyard on the Sussexdowns where I had hoped that I might lie at last. Now, Sir Hugh, I praythis of your Christian charity and by the English blood which runs inus, that you will swear to me that you and your squire will not leavemy lord alone among these Southern folk, but that you will bide with himand nurse him till he recovers or dies, as God may will. Also that youwill see me buried by the bones of my child--they will tell you where."
"Wife," broke in Sir Geoffrey, "this knight is not of our kin. Doubtlesshe has business elsewhere. How can he bide with me here, mayhap forweeks?"
But Lady Carleon, who
could speak no more, only looked at Hugh, whoanswered:
"Fear nothing. Here we will stay until he recovers--unless," he added,"we ourselves should die."
She smiled at him gratefully, then turned her face toward Sir Geoffreyand pressed his hand. So presently she passed away, the tears runningfrom her faded eyes.
When it was over and the women had covered her, Hugh and Dick left theroom, for they could bear no more.
"I have seen sad sights," said Hugh, with something like a sob, "butnever before one so sad."
"Ay," answered Dick, "that of the wounded dying on Crecy field was a MayDay revel compared to this, though it is but one old woman who has gone.Oh, how heavily they parted who have dwelt together these forty years!And 'twas my careless tongue this morning that foretold it as a jest!"
In the hall they met the physician, who rushed wild-eyed through thedoorway to ask how his patients fared.
"Ah!" he said to them in French when he knew. "Well, signors, thatnoble lady has not gone alone. I tell you that scores of whom I knoware already dead in Venice, swept off by this swift and horrible plague.Death and all his angels stalk through the city. They say that hehimself appeared last night, and this morning on the tilting groundby the quay, and by God's mercy--if He has any left for us--I can wellbelieve it. The Doge and his Council but now have issued a decree thatall who perish must be buried at once. See to it, signors, lest theofficers come and bear her away to some common grave, from which herrank will not protect her."
Then he went to visit Sir Geoffrey. Returning presently, he gave themsome directions as to his treatment, and rushed out as he had rushed in.They never saw him again. Two days later they learned that he himselfwas dead of the pest.
That night they buried Lady Carleon in her son's grave, which Dick hadhelped to prepare for her, since no sexton could be bribed to do thework. Indeed these were all busy enough attending to the interment ofthe great ones of Venice. In that churchyard alone they saw six buryingsin progress. Also after the priest had read his hurried Office, asthey left the gates, whence Lady Carleon's bearers had already fledaffrighted, they met more melancholy processions heralded by a torch ortwo whereof the light fell upon some sheeted and uncoffined form.
"'Twixt earthquake and plague Murgh the Helper is helping very well,"said Grey Dick grimly, and Hugh only groaned in answer.