said； as they watched the pair pass the door； that Cattrina and the
giant would do well to consult a lawyer and a priest that night。
CHAPTER XII
THE MAN FROM THE EAST
In a great； cool room of his splendid Venetian palace； Sir Edmund
Acour； Seigneur of Cattrina sat in consultation with the priest
Nicholas。 Clearly he was ill at ease； his face and his quick；
impatient movements showed it。
〃You arrange badly；〃 he said in a voice quite devoid of its ordinary
melodious tones。 〃Everything goes wrong。 How is it you did not know
that this accursed Englishman and his Death's…head were coming here？
What is the use of a spy who never spies？ Man； they should have been
met upon the road； for who can be held answerable for what brigands
do？ Or； at the least； I might have started for Avignon two days
earlier。〃
〃Am I omnipotent； lord； that I should be held able to read the minds
of men in far countries and to follow their footsteps？〃 asked the
aggrieved Nicholas。 〃Still it might have been guessed that this
bulldog of a Briton would hang to your heels till you kick out his
brains or he pulls you down。 Bah！ the sight of that archer； who cannot
miss； always gives me a cold pain in the stomach； as though an arrow…
point were working through my vitals。 I pity yonder poor fool of a
Swiss to…morrow； for what chance has he against a fish…eyed wizard？〃
〃Ten thousand curses on the Swiss！〃 said Acour。 〃He thrust himself
into the affair and will deserve all he gets。 I pity myself。 You know
I am no coward； as not a few have learned before to…day； but I have
little luck against this Englishman。 I tell you that there at Crecy I
went down before him like a ninepin； and he spared my life。 My God！ he
spared my life； being a fool like all his breed。 And now the tale is
known against me and that of the changed armour； too。 Why could not de
la Roche die without speaking； the faithless hound whom I had fed so
well！ So； so； regrets are vain； de Cressi is here； and must be faced
or I be shamed。〃
〃You may be killed as well as shamed；〃 Nicholas suggested
unpleasantly。 〃It is certain that either you or that Englishman will
die to…morrow； since he's set for no fancy tilting with waving of
ladies' kerchiefs and tinsel crowns of victory； and so forth。 Merchant
bred or not； he is a sturdy fighter； as we all learned in France。
Moreover； his heart is full with wrong； and the man whose quarrel is
just is always to be feared。〃
〃A pest on you！〃 snarled Cattrina。 〃Have you the evil eye that you
then croak disaster in my ears？ Look you； priest； I must come through
this game unharmed。 Death is a companion I do not seek just yet； who
have too much to live forpower and wealth and high renown； if my
plans succeed； and as you should know； they are well laid。 Moreover；
there is that English girl； Red Eve； my wife； from whose sweet side
you made me flee。 I tell you； Nicholas； I burn for her and had rather
taste her hate than the love of any other woman on the earth。 Now；
too； the Pope has summoned me to Avignon； and her also； to lay our
causes before him。 Being bold； mayhap she will come； for his Holiness
has sent her safe…conduct under his own hand。 Nor has he mentioned
for I saw a copy of the briefthat the same business will take me to
Avignon about this time。 Well； if she comes she will not go away again
alone； the French roads are too rough for ladies to travel unescorted。
And if she does not come； at least our marriage will be declared valid
and I'll take her when and where I can； and her wealth with her； which
will be useful。〃
〃Only then； lord； you must not die； nor even be wounded； to…morrow。 It
is the Englishman who should die； for whatever the Pope may decree I
think that while de Cressi lives the slumbrous eyes of that Eve of
yours will find a way to charm you to a sleep that has no wakening。
She is not a fair…haired toy that weeps； forgets and at last grows
happy in her babe。 She's a woman to make men or break them。 Oh； when
her sense came back to her； for a flash she looked me cold yonder in
that English chapel； and it seemed to me that God's curse was in her
stare。〃
〃You've caught the terror； Nicholas； like so many just now in Venice。
Why； to…day I've not met a man or woman who is not afraid of
something； they know not whatsave the Englishman and his death's…
head。 I think 'tis the unwholesome air of this strange season； and all
the signs and omens we hear of on every side that conjure vapours to
the brain。〃
〃Yes； I've the terror；〃 said Nicholas with something like a groan。
〃Every sin I ever didand most of them have been for you； lordseems
to haunt my sleep。 Yes； and to walk with me when I wake； preaching woe
at me with fiery tongues that repentance or absolution cannot quench
or still。〃
〃Yet； Nicholas； I think that you must add one more to their count； or
a share of it； which should weigh light among so many。 Either I or de
Cressi must pack for our last journey； and if we meet face to face
to…morrow； how know I that it will be de Cressi？ Better far that we
should not meet。〃
〃Lord； lord； you cannot fly！ He is King Edward's champion； so
proclaimed before all whose names are written in the Golden Book of
Venice。 He would cry your shame in every Court； and so would they。
There's not a knight in Europe but would spit upon you as a dastard；
or a common wench but would turn you her back！ You cannot fly！〃
〃Nay； fool； but he can dieand before to…morrow。 What makes your
brain so dull； Nicholas？ It is not its wont。〃
〃Ah； I seenot flight； murder。 I had forgotten； it is not a usual
sauce to a banquet of honour even in Italy； and therefore； perhaps；
the safer to serve。 But how is it to be done？ Poison？ He is in
Carleon's house； Carleon has faithful servants。 Though perhaps a
basket of rare fruitsbut then he might not eat them； those
Englishmen live mostly on half…raw meat。 The signora would probably
eat them； and the others。〃
〃Nay； no more of your drugs； your skill in them is too well known。
Come； these men have been watched since they set foot in Venice。 Have
they offended none besides myself and the Swiss？〃
A look of intelligence crept into the eyes of Nicholas。
〃Now that you mention it； lord； they have。 There is a certain boatman
and bravo called Giuseppe。 With him and his mates they quarrelled
about their fare and threw them into the canal in front of the
ambassador's house； just because they drew a knife or two。 A woman I
know told me of it。 He's a great villain； this Giuseppe； who would do
anything for ten pieces； also revengeful and a hater of cold water。〃
〃Send for him； Nicholas； or send this woman to himthat may be safer。
Ten pieces！ I'll pay him fifty。〃
〃Ay； lord； but the Englishman may not give him a chance。 Only fools
would go out walking in Venice along after dark if they should happen
to have enemies here； and the house is watched by the Doge's Guards。
Yet one can try。 Fortune loves the brave； and Englishmen are very
great fools。 They might stroll abroad to see the moon rise over the
Adriatic。〃
〃Try； Nicholas； try as you never tried before。 Succeed； too； lest you
and I should part company and you never be named abbot after all。〃
The afternoon of the day of their reception by the Doge was well
filled for Hugh and Dick。 Scarcely had they eaten with their host when
the Marshal and his officers arrived with the articles of the Morrow's
combat very fully drawn up； each of which must be considered with the
help of Sir Geoffrey Carleon； lest they should hide some trick； before
they confirmed them with their signatures。 Not that Hugh was over…
anxious about the details。 As he said to Sir Geoffrey； all he sought
was to come face to face with his enemy； even if he had but a club for
a weapon。
At length these articles were signed and the Marshal departed with his
fee； 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
choose one of them as his war steed for the morrow； since the beast he
had ridden to Venice was in no condition to bear a full…armed knight。
In the end he selected a grey gelding； quiet of temperament and rather
heavy of build； which it was reported had been used by its former
owner in several tournaments and there borne itself handsomely。 This
done； well or ill； his armour must be seen to； and Dick's also； such
as it was； his lance tested； and all their other weapons sharpened on
a whetstone that Sir Geoffrey borrowed。 For this was a task that Grey
Dick would leave to no other hand。
At length all was prepared as well as possible in such haste； and they
went to supper with Lady Carleon； who； now she understood that they
were to fight for their lives on the morrow； was more mournful even
than she had been on the previous night。 When at last she asked what
they desired as to their funerals and if they had any tokens to be
sent to friends in England； Hugh； whose thoughts were already sad
enough； could bear no more of it。 So he rose； saying that he would
seek Sir Geoffrey； who was already in his cabinet engaged upon a
letter to King Edward descriptive of thes