the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第30节
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apart from the herd and well behind their fugleman。
The speaker's courage arose no doubt from his position at the back of
the room； for the foremost of the assailants seemed less determined。 We
were only three； and we must have gone down； barricade and all； before a
rush。 But three are three。 And an arquebuseCroisette's match burned
splendidlywell loaded with slugs is an ugly weapon at five paces； and
makes nasty wounds； besides scattering its charge famously。 This； a
good many of them and the leaders in particular； seemed to recognise。
We might certainly take two or three lives： and life is valuable to its
owner when plunder is afoot。 Besides most of them had common sense
enough to remember that there were scores of Huguenots genuine
hereticsto be robbed for the killing； so why go out of the way； they
reasoned； to cut a Catholic throat； and perhaps get into trouble。 Why risk
Montfaucon for a whim？ and offend a man of influence like the Vicomte
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de Caylus； for nothing！
Unfortunately at this crisis their original design was recalled to their
minds by the same voice behind； crying out； 〃Pavannes！ Where is
Pavannes？〃
〃Ay！〃 shouted the butcher； grasping the idea； and at the same time
spitting on his hands and taking a fresh grip of the axe； 〃Show us the
heretic dog； and go！ Let us at him。〃
〃M。 de Pavannes；〃 I said coollybut I could not take my eyes off the
shining blade of that man's axe； it was so very broad and sharp〃is not
here！〃
〃That is a lie！ He is in that room behind you！〃 the prudent
gentleman in the background called out。 〃Give him up！〃
〃Ay； give him up！〃 echoed the man of the pole…axe almost good
humouredly； 〃or it will be the worse for you。 Let us have at him and get
you gone！〃
This with an air of much reason； while a growl as of a chained beast
ran through the crowd； mingled with cries of 〃A MORT LES
HUGUENOTS！ VIVE LORRAINE！〃cries which seemed to show that
all did not approve of the indulgence offered us。
〃Beware； gentlemen； beware；〃 I urged； 〃I swear he is not here！ I
swear it； do you hear？〃
A howl of impatience and then a sudden movement of the crowd as
though the rush were coming warned me to temporize no longer。 〃Stay！
Stay！〃 I added hastily。 〃One minute！ Hear me！ You are too many
for us。 Will you swear to let us go safe and untouched； if we give you
passage？〃
A dozen voices shrieked assent。 But I looked at the butcher only。
He seemed to be an honest man； out of his profession。
〃Ay； I swear it！〃 he cried with a nod。
〃By the Mass？〃
〃By the Mass。〃
I twitched Croisette's sleeve； and he tore the fuse from his weapon； and
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flung the guntoo heavy to be of use to us longer to the ground。 It was
done in a moment。 While the mob swept over the barricade； and
smashed the rich furniture of it in wanton malice； we filed aside； and
nimbly slipped under it one by one。 Then we hurried in single file to the
end of the room； no one taking much notice of us。 All were pressing on；
intent on their prey。 We gained the door as the butcher struck his first
blow on that which we had guardedon that which we had given up。 We
sprang down the stairs with bounding hearts； heard as we reached the
outer door the roar of many voices； but stayed not to look behindpaused
indeed for nothing。 Fear； to speak candidly； lent us wings。 In three
seconds we had leapt the prostrate gates； and were in the street。 A cripple；
two or three dogs； a knot of women looking timidly yet curiously in； a
horse tethered to the staplewe saw nothing else。 No one stayed us。
No one raised a hand； and in another minute we had turned a corner； and
were out of sight of the house。
〃They will take a gentleman's word another time；〃 I said with a quiet
smile as I put up my sword。
〃I would like to see her face at this moment；' Croisette replied。 〃You
saw Madame d'O？〃
I shook my head； not answering。 I was not sure； and I had a queer；
sickening dread of the subject。 If I had seen her； I had seen oh！ it was
too horrible； too unnatural！ Her own sister！ Her own brother in…law！
I hastened to change the subject。 〃The Pavannes；〃 I made shift to say；
〃must have had five minutes' start。〃
〃More；〃 Croisette answered； 〃if Madame and he got away at once。 If
all has gone well with them； and they have not been stopped in the streets
they should be at Mirepoix's by now。 They seemed to be pretty sure that
he would take them in。〃
〃Ah！〃 I sighed。 〃What fools we were to bring madame from that
place！ If we had not meddled with her affairs we might have reached
Louis long ago our Louis； I mean。〃
〃True；〃 Croisette answered softly； 〃but remember that then we should
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not have saved the other Louis as I trust we have。 He would still be in
Pallavicini's hands。 Come； Anne； let us think it is all for the best；〃 he
added； his face shining with a steady courage that shamed me。 〃To the
rescue！ Heaven will help us to be in time yet！〃
〃Ay； to the rescue！〃 I replied； catching his spirit。 〃First to the right；
I think； second to the left； first on the right again。 That was the direction
given us； was it not？ The house opposite a book…shop with the sign of
the Head of Erasmus。 Forward； boys！ We may do it yet。〃
But before I pursue our fortunes farther let me explain。 The room we
had guarded so jealously was empty！ The plan had been mine and I was
proud of it。 For once Croisette had fallen into his rightful place。 My
flight from the gate； the vain attempt to close the house； the barricade
before the inner doorthese were all designed to draw the assailants to one
spot。 Pavannes and his wifethe latter hastily disguised as a boyhad
hidden behind the door of the hutch by the gatesthe porter's hutch； and
had slipped out and fled in the first confusion of the attack。
Even the servants； as we learned afterwards； who had hidden
themselves in the lower parts of the house got away in the same manner；
though some of themthey were but few in all were stopped as Huguenots
and killed before the day ended。 I had the more reason to hope that
Pavannes and his wife would get clear off； inasmuch as I had given the
Duke's ring to him； thinking it might serve him in a strait； and believing
that we should have little to fear ourselves once clear of his house； unless
we should meet the Vidame indeed。
We did not meet him as it turned out； but before we had traversed a
quarter of the distance we had to go we found that fears based on reason
were not the only terrors we had to resist。 Pavannes' house； where we
had hitherto been； stood at some distance from the centre of the blood…
storm which was enwrapping unhappy Paris that morning。 It was several
hundred paces from the Rue de Bethisy where the Admiral lived； and what
with this comparative remoteness and the excitement of our own little
drama； we had not attended much to the fury of the bells； the shots and
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cries and uproar which proclaimed the state of the city。 We had not
pictured the scenes which were happening so near。 Now in the streets the
truth
