按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
murmured irresolutely。
The Coadjutor fixed his baleful eyes on him。 〃Mirepoix；〃 he said
grimly； 〃can explain nothing！ Nothing！ I dare him to explain！〃
And certainly Mirepoix thus challenged was silent。 〃Come；〃 the
priest continued peremptorily； turning to the lady who had entered with
him； 〃your sister must leave with us at once。 We have no time to lose。〃
〃But what what does it mean！〃 Madame de Pavannes said； as though
she hesitated even now。 〃Is there danger still？〃
〃Danger！〃 the priest exclaimed； his form seeming to swell； and the
exaltation I had before read in his voice and manner again asserting itself。
〃I put myself at your service； Madame； and danger disappears！ I am as
God to…night with powers of life and death！ You do not understand me？
Presently you shall。 But you are ready。 We will go then。 Out of the
way； fellow！〃 he thundered； advancing upon the door。
But Mirepoix； who had placed himself with his back to it； to my
astonishment did not give way。 His full bourgeois face was pale； yet
peeping through my chink； I read in it a desperate resolution。 And oddly…
…very oddly； because I knew that； in keeping Madame de Pavannes a
prisoner； he must be in the wrongI sympathised with him。 Low…bred
trader； tool of Pavannes though he was； I sympathised with him； when he
said firmly：
〃She shall not go！〃
61
… Page 62…
THE HOUSE OF THE WOLF
〃I say she shall！〃 the priest shrieked； losing all control over himself。
〃 Fool！ Madman！ You know not what you do！〃 As the words passed
his lips； he made an adroit forward movement； surprised the other；
clutched him by the arms； and with a strength I should never have thought
lay in his meagre frame； flung him some paces into the room。 〃Fool！〃
he hissed； shaking his crooked fingers at him in malignant triumph。
〃There is no man in Paris； do you hearor woman eithershall thwart me
to… night！〃
〃Is that so？ Indeed？〃
The words； and the cold； cynical voice； were not those of Mirepoix；
they came from behind。 The priest wheeled round； as if he had been
stabbed in the back。 I clutched Croisette； and arrested the cramped limb I
was moving under cover of the noise。 The speaker was Bezers！ He stood
in the open door…way； his great form filling it from post to post； the old
gibing smile on his face。 We had been so taken up； actors and audience
alike； with the altercation； that no one had heard him ascend the stairs。
He still wore the black and silver suit； but it was half hidden now under a
dark riding cloak which just disclosed the glitter of his weapons。 He was
booted and spurred and gloved as for a journey。
〃Is that so？〃 he repeated mockingly； as his gaze rested in turn on
each of the four； and then travelled sharply round the room。 〃So you will
not be thwarted by any man in Paris； to…night； eh？ Have you considered；
my dear Coadjutor； what a large number of people there are in Paris？ It
would amuse me very greatly now and I'm sure it would the ladies too；
who must pardon my abrupt entranceto see you put to the test； pitted
againstshall we say the Duke of Anjou？ Or M。 de Guise； our great man？
Or the Admiral？ Say the Admiral foot to foot？〃
Rage and fearrage at the intrusion； fear of the intruder struggled in
the priest's face。 〃How do you come here； and what do you want？〃 he
inquired hoarsely。 If looks and tones could kill； we three； trembling
behind our flimsy screen； had been freed at that moment from our enemy。
〃I have come in search of the young birds whose necks you were for
62
… Page 63…
THE HOUSE OF THE WOLF
stretching； my friend！〃 was Bezers' answer。 〃They have vanished。
Birds they must be； for unless they have come into this house by that
window； they have flown away with wings。〃
〃They have not passed this way；〃 the priest declared stoutly； eager only
to get rid of the other and I blessed him for the words！ 〃I have been here
since I left you。〃
But the Vidame was not one to accept any man's statement。 〃Thank
you； I think I will see for myself；〃 he answered coolly。 〃Madame；〃 he
continued； speaking to Madame de Pavannes as he passed her； 〃permit
me。〃
He did not look at her； or see her emotion； or I think he must have
divined our presence。 And happily the others did not suspect her of
knowing more than they did。 He crossed the floor at his leisure；and
sauntered to the window； watched by them with impatience。 He drew
aside the curtain； and tried each of the bars； and peered through the
opening both up and down； An oath and an expression of wonder escaped
him。 The bars were standing； and firm and strong； and it did not occur to
him that we could have passed between them。 I am afraid to say how
few inches they were apart。
As he turned； he cast a casual glance at the bedat us； and hesitated。
He had the candle in his hand； having taken it to the window the better to
examine the bars； and it obscured his sight。 He did not see us。 The three
crouching forms； the strained white faces； the starting eyes； that lurked in
the shadow of the curtain escaped him。 The wild beating of our hearts
did not reach his ears。 And it was well for him that it was so。 If he had
come up to the bed I think that we should have killed him； I know that we
should have tried。 All the blood in me had gone to my head； and I saw
him through a hazelarger than life。 The exact spot near the buckle of
his cloak where I would strike him； downwards and inwards； an inch
above the collar…bone；this only I saw clearly。 I could not have missed it。
But he turned away； his face darkening； and went back to the group near
the door； and never knew the risk he had run。
63
… Page 64…