clouds hid the stars。
〃Let us bide here a while；〃 said Grey Dick as their horses blundered
through the thick reeds。 〃It will soon be sunrise； and if we go on in
this gloom we shall fall into some boghole or into the river； which I
hear running on our left。〃
So they halted their weary horses and sat still； for in his
wretchedness Hugh cared not what he did。
At length the east began to lighten； turning the sky to a smoky red。
Then the rim of the sun rising out of the white…flecked ocean； threw
athwart the desolate marsh a fierce ray that lay upon the snows like a
sword of blood。 They were standing on the crest of a little mound； and
Dick； looking about him； knew the place。
〃See；〃 he said； pointing toward the river that ran near by； 〃it is
just here that you killed young Clavering this day two years ago。
Yonder also I shot the French knights； and Red Eve and you leapt into
the Blythe and swam it。〃
〃Ay；〃 said Hugh； looking up idly； 〃but did you say two years； Dick？
Nay； surely 'tis a score。 Why；〃 he added in a changed voice； 〃who may
that be in the hollow？〃 and he pointed to a tall figure which stood
beneath them at a distance； half…hidden by the dank snow…mists。
〃Let us go and see；〃 said Dick； speaking almost in a whisper； for
there was that about this figure which sent the blood to his throat
and cheeks。
He drove the spurs into his tired horse's sides； causing it to leap
forward。
Half a minute later they had ridden down the slope of the hollow。 A
puff of wind that came with the sun drove away the mist。 Dick uttered
a choking cry and leapt from his saddle。 For there； calm； terrible；
mighty； clothed in his red and yellow cap and robe of ebon furs； stood
he who was named Murgh the Fire； Murgh the Sword； Murgh the Helper；
Murgh； Gateway of the Gods！
They knelt before him in the snow； while； screaming in their fright；
the horses fled away。
〃Knight and Archer；〃 said Murgh； in his icy voice； counting with the
thumb of his white…gloved right hand upon the hidden fingers of his
left。 〃Friends； you keep your tryst； but there are more to come。 Have
patience； there are more to come。〃
Then he became quiet； nor dared they ask him any questions。 Only at a
motion of his arm they rose from their knees and stood before him。
A long while they stood thus in silence； till under Murgh's dreadful
gaze Hugh's brain began to swim。 He looked about him； seeking some
natural thing to feed his eyes。 Lo！ yonder was that which he might
watch； a hare crouching in its form not ten paces distant。 See； out of
the reeds crept a great red fox。 The hare smelt or saw； and leaped
away。 The fox sprang at it； too late； for the white fangs closed
emptily behind its scut。 Then with a little snarl of hungry rage it
turned and vanished into the brake。
The hare and the fox； the dead reeds； the rising sun； the snowoh；
who had told him of these things？
Ah！ he remembered now； and that memory set the blood pulsing in his
veins。 For where these creatures were should be more besides Grey Dick
and himself and the Man of many names。
He looked toward Murgh to see that he had bent himself and with his
gloved hand was drawing lines upon the snow。 Those lines when they
were done enclosed the shape of a grave！
〃Archer；〃 said Murgh； 〃unsheath your axe and dig。〃
As though he understood； Dick obeyed； and began to hollow out a grave
in the soft and boggy soil。
Hugh watched him like one who dreams； wondering who was destined to
fill that grave。 Presently a sound behind caused him to turn his head。
Oh！ certainly he was mad； for there over the rise not a dozen yards
away came the beautiful ghost of Eve Clavering； clad in her red cloak。
With her was another ghost； that of old Sir Andrew Arnold； blood
running down the armour beneath his robe and in his hand the hilt of a
broken sword。
Hugh tried to speak； but his lips were dumb； nor did these ghosts take
any heed of him； for their eyes were fixed elsewhere。 To Murgh they
went and stood before him silent。 For a while he looked at them； then
asked in his cold voice：
〃Who am I； Eve Clavering？〃
〃The Man who came to visit me in my dream at Avignon and told me that
I should live；〃 she answered slowly。
〃And who say you that I am； Andrew Arnold； priest of Christ the God？〃
〃He whom I visited in my youth in far Cathay；〃 answered the old knight
in an awed whisper。 〃He who sat beside the pool behind the dragon…
guarded doors and was named Gateway of the Gods。 He who showed to me
that we should meet again in such a place and hour as this。〃
〃Whence come you now； priest and woman； and why？〃
〃We come from Avignon。 We fled thence from one who would have done
this maiden grievous wrong。 He followed us。 Not an hour gone he
overtook us with his knaves。 He set them on to seize this woman；
hanging back himself。 Old as I am I slew them both and got my death in
it；〃 and he touched the great wound in his side with the hilt of the
broken sword。 〃Our horses were the better； we fled across the swamp
for Blythburgh； he hunting us and seeking my life and her honour。 Thus
we found you as it was appointed。〃
Murgh turned his eyes。 Following their glance； for the first time they
saw Hugh de Cressi and near him Grey Dick labouring at the grave。 Eve
stretched out her arms and so stood with head thrown back； the light
of the daybreak shining in her lovely eyes and on her outspread hair。
Hugh opened his lips to speak but Murgh lifted his hand and pointed
behind them。
They turned and there； not twenty paces from them； clad in armour and
seated on a horse was Edmund Acour； Count de Noyon； Seigneur of
Cattrina。
He saw； then wheeled round to fly。
〃Archer； to your work！〃 said Murgh； 〃you know it。〃
Ere the words had left his lips the great black bow was bent and ere
the echoes died away the horse； struck in its side by the keen arrow；
sank dying to the ground。
Then Murgh beckoned to the rider and he came as a man who must。 But；
throwing down the bow； Grey Dick once more began to labour at the
grave like one who takes no further heed of aught save his allotted
task。
Acour stood before Murgh like a criminal before his judge。
〃Man；〃 said the awful figure addressing him； 〃where have you been and
what have you done since last we spoke together in the midday dark at
Venice？〃
Now； dragged word by slow word from his unwilling lips； came the
answer of the traitor's heart。
〃I fled from the field at Venice because I feared this knight； and
you； O Spirit of Death。 I journeyed to Avignon； in France； and there
strove to possess myself of yonder woman whom here in England； with
the help of one Nicholas； I had wed； when she was foully drugged。 I
strove to possess myself of her by fraud and by violence。 But some
fate was against me。 She and that aged priest bribed the knave whom I
trusted。 He caused a dead man and woman dressed in their garments to
be borne from their lodging to the plague pit while they fled from
Avignon disguised。〃
Here for a moment Grey Dick paused from his labours at the grave and
looked up at Hugh。 Then he fell to them again； throwing out the peaty
soil with both hands。
〃My enemy and his familiar； for man he can scarcely be；〃 went on
Acour； pointing first to Hugh and then to Dick； 〃survived all my plans
to kill them and instead killed those whom I had sent after them。 I
learned that the woman and the priest were not dead； but fled； and
followed them； and after me came my enemy and his familiar。 Twice we
passed each other on the road； once we slept in the same house。 I knew
them but they knew me not and the Fate which blinded me from them；
saved them also from all my plots to bring them to their doom。 The
woman and the priest took ship to England； and I followed in another
ship； being made mad with desire and with jealous rage； for there I
knew my enemy would find and win her。 In the darkness before this very
dawn I overtook the woman and the priest at last and set my fellows on
to kill the man。 Myself I would strike no blow； fearing lest my death
should come upon me； and so I should be robbed of her。 But God fought
with His aged servant who in his youth was the first of knights。 He
slew my men； then fled on with the woman； Eve of Clavering。 I
followed； knowing that he was sore wounded and must die； and that then
the beauty which has lured me to shame and ruin would be mine； if only
for an hour。 I followed； and here at this place of evil omen； where
first I saw my foe； I found /you/； O Incarnate Sword of Vengeance。〃
Murgh unfolded his bare arms and lifted his head； which was sunk upon
his breast。
〃Your pardon；〃 he said gently； 〃my name is Hand of Fate and not Sword
of Vengeance。 There is no vengeance save that which men work upon
themselves。 What fate may be and vengeance may be I know not fully；
and none will ever know until they have passed the Gateway of the
Gods。 Archer the grave is deep enough。 Come forth now and let us learn
who it is decreed shall fill it。 Knights； the hour is at hand for you
to finish that which you began at Crecy and at Venice。〃
Hugh heard and drew his sword。 Acour drew his sword also； then cried
out； pointing to Grey Dick：
〃Here be two ag