floating swan； and beneath； in letters of faded gold； the titles of
Acour； de Noyon； and Cattrina。 No wonder they were open； since the
porter's lodge was occupied only by a grisly corpse that lay rotting
on the floor； a heavy key in its hand。 The courtyard beyond was empty
and so； save for a dead horse； were the stables to the right。 Passing
up the steps of the hall that also stood open； they entered。
Here the place was in confusion； as though those who dwelt there had
left in haste。 The mouldering remains of a meal lay on the broad oak
table； a great dower…chest inlaid with ivory； but half filled with
arms and armour； stood wide。 A silver crucifix that had hung above was
torn down and cast upon the floor； perchance by thieves who had found
it too heavy to bear away。 The earthquake had thrown over a carved
cabinet and some bowls of glazed ware that stood upon it。 These lay
about shattered amidst shields and swords thrown from the walls； where
pictures of saints or perchance of dead Cattrinas hung all awry。 In
short； if an army had sacked it this stately hall could scarce have
seemed more ruined。
Hugh and Dick crossed it to a stairway of chestnut wood whereof every
newel…post was surmounted by the crest of a swan； and searched the
saloons above； where also there was wreck and ruin。 Then； still
mounting the stair； they came to the bed…chambers。 From one of these
they retreated hastily； since on entering it hundreds of flies buzzing
in a corner advised them that something lay there which they did not
wish to see。
〃Let us be going。 I grow sick；〃 exclaimed Hugh。
But Dick； who had the ears of a fox； held up his hand and said：
〃Hark！ I hear a voice。〃
Following the sound； he led his master down two long corridors that
ended in a chapel。 There； lying before the altar； they found a man
clad in a filthy priest's robe； a dying man who still had the strength
to cry for help or mercy； although in truth he was wasted to a
skeleton； since the plague which had taken him was of the most
lingering sort。 Indeed； little seemed to be left of him save his
rolling eyes； prominent nose and high cheekbones covered with yellow
parchment that had been skin； and a stubbly growth of unshaven hair。
Dick scanned him。 Dick； who never forgot a face； then stepped forward
and said：
〃So once more we meet in a chapel； Father Nicholas。 Say； how has it
fared with you since you fled through the chancel door of that at
Blythburgh Manor？ No； I forgot； that was not the last time we met。 A
man in a yellow cap ripped off your mask in a by…street near the Place
of Arms one night and said something which it did not please you to
hear。〃
〃Water！〃 moaned Nicholas。 〃For Christ's sake give me water！〃
〃Why should I give you water in payment for your midnight steel yonder
in the narrow street？ What kind of water was it that you gave Red Eve
far away at Blythburgh town？〃 asked Dick in his hissing voice which
sounded like that of an angry snake。
But Hugh； who could bear no more of it； ran down to the courtyard；
where he had seen a pitcher standing by a well； and brought water。
〃Thank God that you have come again；〃 said the wretched priest； as he
snatched at it； 〃for I cannot bear to die with this white…faced devil
glaring at me；〃 and he pointed to Grey Dick； who leaned against the
chancel wall； his arms folded on his breast； smiling coldly。
Then he drank greedily； Hugh holding the pitcher to his lips； for his
wasted arms could not bear its weight。
〃Now；〃 said Hugh； when his thirst was satisfied； 〃tell me； where is
your master； Cattrina？〃
〃God or the fiend can say alone。 When he found that I was smitten with
the plague he left me to perish； as did the others。〃
〃And as we shall do unless you tell me whither my enemy has gone；〃 and
Hugh made as though to leave the place。
The priest clutched at him with his filthy； claw…like hand。
〃For Christ's sake do not desert me；〃 he moaned。 〃Let one Christian
soul be near me at the last ere the curse of that wizard with the
yellow cap is fulfilled on me。 For the sake of Jesus； stay！ I'll tell
all I know。〃
〃Speak then； and be swift。 You have no time to spare； I think。〃
〃When the darkness fell there in the Place of Arms；〃 began Nicholas；
〃while you knights were waiting for the third blast of the trumpet；
Cattrina fled under cover it。〃
〃As I thought； the accursed coward！〃 exclaimed Hugh bitterly。
〃Nay； to be just； it was not all cowardice。 The wizard in the yellow
cap； he who showed himself to the people afterward and called down
this Black Death on Venice； appeared to him in the darkness and said
something to him that turned his heart to water。 I think it was that
if he stayed； within five short minutes he'd be dead； who otherwise；
if he fled； had yet a breathing space of life。 So he went。〃
〃Ay。 But whither； man？ Whither？〃
〃Here to his house； where he disguised himself and bade me prepare to
travel with him。 Only then the sickness took me and I could not。 So he
went with some of his people； riding for Avignon。〃
〃What to do at Avignon？〃
〃To obtain the confirmation of his marriage with the lady Eve
Clavering。 It has been promised to him by certain cardinals at Court
who have the ear of his Holiness the Pope。〃
〃Ah； I thought it！ What more？〃
〃Only this： tidings reached him that the lady Clavering； with the old
Templar； Sir Andrew Arnold； journeys to Avignon from England； there to
obtain the dissolution of their marriage with Sir Edmund Acour； Count
de Noyon； Lord of Cattrina。 In Avignon； however the cause may go；
Cattrina purposes to snare and make her his； which will be easy； for
there he has many friends and she has none。〃
〃Except God！〃 exclaimed Hugh； grinding his teeth。
〃And Sir Andrew Arnold；〃 broke in Dick； 〃who； like some others； is； I
think； one of His ministers。 Still； we had better be riding； master。〃
〃Nay； nay；〃 cried Nicholas in a hoarse scream。 〃Tarry a while and I'll
tell you that which will force the Pope to void this marriage。 Yes； it
shall be set in writing and signed by me and witnessed ere I die。
There is ink and parchment in yonder little room。〃
〃That's a good thought；〃 said Hugh。 〃Dick； fetch the tools； for if we
try to move this fellow he will go farther than we can follow him。〃
Dick went and returned presently with an ink…horn； a roll of
parchment； pens and a little table。 Then Hugh sat himself down on the
altar rail； placing the table in front of him and said：
〃Say on。 I'll write； since you cannot。〃
Now Nicholas； having before his glazing eyes the vision of imminent
judgment； briefly but clearly told all the truth at last。 He told how
he had drugged Red Eve； giving the name of the bane which he mixed in
the milk she drank。 He told how when her mind was sleeping； though her
body was awake； none knowing the wickedness that had been wrought save
he and Acour； and least of all her father； they had led her to the
altar like a lamb to the slaughter； and there married her to the man
she hated。 He told how； although he had fled from England to save his
life； Acour had never ceased to desire her and to plot to get her into
his power； any more than he had ceased to fear Hugh's vengeance。 For
this reason； he said； he had clad himself in the armour of another
knight at Crecy； and in that guise accepted mercy at Hugh's hand；
leaving de la Roche to die in his place beneath that same hand。 For
this reason also he had commanded him； Nicholas； to bring about the
death of Hugh de Cressi and his squire beneath the daggers of
assassins in the streets of Venice； a fate from which they had been
saved only by the wizard in the yellow cap； whom no steel could harm。
〃The black…hearted villain！〃 hissed Dick。 〃Well； for your comfort；
holy priest； I'll tell you who that wizard is。 He is Death himself；
Death the Sword； Death the Fire； Death the Helper； and presently
you'll meet him again。〃
〃I knew it； I knew it；〃 groaned the wretched man。 〃Oh！ such is the end
of sin whereof we think so little in our day of strength。〃
〃Nay；〃 broke in Hugh； 〃you'll meet； not the minister； but Him whom he
serves and in His hand are mercies。 Be silent； Dick； for this wretch
makes confession and his time is short。 Spare the tool and save your
wrath for him who wielded it。 Go now and fetch David Day that he may
witness also。〃
So Dick went； and Nicholas continued his tale； throwing light into
many a dark place； though there was little more that Hugh thought
worthy of record。
Presently David came and started back in horror at the sight of that
yellow tortured face set upon a living skeleton。 Then the writing was
read and Nicholas； held up by Dick； set his signature with a trembling
hand to this his confession of the truth。 This done they signed as
witnesses； all three of them。
Now Hugh； whose pity was stirred； wished to move Nicholas and lay him
on a bed in some chamber； and if they could； find someone to watch him
till the end。 But the priest refused this charity。
〃Let me die before the altar；〃 he said； 〃where I may set my eyes upon
Him whom I have betrayed afresh；〃 and he pointed to the carved ivory
crucifix which hung above it。 〃Oh！ be warned； be warned； my brethren；〃
he went on in a wailing voice。 〃You are all of you still young； you
may be led astray as I was by the desire for power； by the hope of
wealth。 You may sell yourselves to the wicked as I did； I who once was
good and strove toward the right。 If Satan tempts you thus； then
remember Nicholas the priest； and his dreadful death； and see how he
pays his servants。 The plague has taken others； yet they have died at
peace； but I； I die in hell before I see its fires。〃
〃Not so；〃 said Hugh； 〃you have repented； and I； against whom you have
sinned perhaps more than all； forgive you； as I am sure my lady would；
could she know。〃
〃Then it is more than I do；〃 muttered Grey Dick to himself。 〃Why
should I forgive him because he rots alive； as many a better man has
done； and goes to reap what he has sown； who if he had won his way
would have sent us before him at the dagger's point？ Yet who knows？
Each of us sins in his own fashion； and perchance sin is born of the
blood and not of the will。 If ever I meet