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Cattrina stood； and struck him with it across the face； saying：
〃Let your lips kiss what your fingers are too fine to touch。〃
With an oath Cattrina drew his sword and out flashed Hugh's in answer；
as he cried：
〃Ay； here and now if you will！ Here and now！〃
Then the Guard rushed in and forced them apart。
〃Is this a place for brawling？〃 cried Dandolo in wrath； adding： 〃Yet I
cannot blame the Englishmen overmuch； seeing that they were sore
affronted； as I saw with my eyes and heard with my ears。 Be silent； my
lord of Cattrina。 After your fashion you make trouble at my Court。 And
hearken allblood so hot had best be quickly cooled lest one or
other of these knights should take a fever。 Moreover； the noble
Cattrina has but to…day asked my leave to ride from Venice to…morrow；
having urgent business at Avignon at the Court of Pope Clement。 So I
decree that this combat /？outrance/ shall take place in our presence
on the Campo del Marte to…morrow； three hours before noon； ere the sun
grows too hot。 To all the details of the combat our heralds will
attend forthwith。 Officer； take soldiers and escort the Ambassador and
the Champion of his Grace of England； together with this Captain of
Archers； back to their own door。 Set guards there and see that none
molest them by word or deed under pain of fine and strait
imprisonment。 Sir Geoffrey Carleon； your requests are granted； be
pleased to write it to the most puissant Edward； whom you serve； and
for this time fare you well。 Why； what is it； Captain Ambrosio？〃 he
added irritably； addressing a raw…boned； lantern…jawed giant of a man
clad in the splendid uniform of the Guard who stepped before his
throne and saluted。
〃Most Illustrious；〃 said Ambrosio； in bad； guttural Italian； 〃my
mother was a Swiss。〃
〃Then congratulations to the Swiss； Ambrosio； but what of it？〃
〃Very Illustrious；〃 replied the captain in his hollow voice； 〃the
Swiss are brave and do not swallow insults。 That lad whom the
Englishman kicked； or smote； or tossed like a bull；〃 and he pointed to
the poor page； who； still senseless； was being carried from the hall；
〃is my youngest brother； who resembles our Venetian father somewhat
more than I do。〃
〃We see it； we see it。 Indeed are you sure that the father was〃
and the Doge checked himself。 〃The point； captain； we would dine。〃
〃Illustrious； I would avenge my brother and myself on the Englishman；
whom I will beat to a jelly；〃 said the giant。 〃I crave leave to fight
him to…morrow when the lord Cattrina fights his master；〃 and advancing
toward Grey Dick he made as though he would pull his nose。
〃What is it he wants？〃 asked Grey Dick； staring up at the great fellow
with a look in his eyes that caused Ambrosio to cease flourishing his
fists。
The challenge was translated to him； and its reason。 〃Oh；〃 said Dick；
〃tell him I am much obliged and that I will fight him with the bow or
with the axe and dagger； or with all three。 Then we will see whether
he beats me to a jelly； or whether I cut him into collops； who； as I
think； needs shortening。〃
Now the Captain Ambrosio consulted with his friends； who with much
earnestness prayed him have nothing to do with arrows。 They pointed
out that there his bulk would put him at a disadvantage； especially in
dealing with an English archer who had an eye like a snake and a face
like that of death itself。
In short； one and all they recommended the battle…axe and the dagger
as his most appropriate weaponssince his adversary refused swords。
The battle…axe with which to knock him down； as he could easily do；
being so strong； and the dagger with which to finish him。
When this was explained to Grey Dick he assented to the proposal with
a kind of unholy joy that was almost alarming to those who saw it。
Moreover； as neither of them had gauntlets to throw down or pick up；
he stretched out his hand to seal the bargain； which； incautiously
enough； the huge； half…breed Swiss accepted。
Dick's grasp； indeed； was so firm and long that presently the giant
was observed first to move uneasily； secondly to begin to dance and
thirdly to shout out with pain。
〃What is the matter？〃 asked his friends。
〃The matter is；〃 he groaned； as Dick let go； 〃that this son of Satan
has a blacksmith's vise in place of a hand；〃 and he showed his great
fingers； from beneath the nails of which the blood was oozing。
His Venetian companions of the Guard looked at them； then they looked
at Grey Dick and gave him a wide berth。 Also Ambrosio said something
about having offered to fight a man and not a fiend。 But it was too
late to retract； for the Doge； taking； as was natural； no share in
this small matter； had already left his throne。
Then； escorted by Sir Geoffrey and the city Guards； Hugh and Grey Dick
passed through that splendid company away home to dinner； Dick
carrying his bow…case in one hand and the sack of armour which de
Noyon had not thought fit to claim in the other。
In the midst of dead silence； they departed； for now no one seemed to
find either of them a fit subject for jest。 Indeed there were some who
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