from the guardhouse。
〃They keep an ill watch in Dunwich now…a…days；〃 grumbled Dick。 〃Well；
perchance there is one here to whom they can trust that business。〃
Hugh made no answer； only pressed on down the narrow street； that was
deep and dumb with snow； till at length they drew reign before the
door of his father's house； in the market…place； the great house where
he was born。 He looked at the windows and noted that； although they
were unshuttered； no friendly light shone in them。 He called aloud；
but echo was his only answer； echo and the moan of the bitter wind and
the sullen roar of the sea。
〃Doubtless all men are asleep；〃 he said。 〃Why should it be otherwise
at such an hour？ Let us enter and waken them。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 answered Dick as he dismounted and threw the reins of his
horse to David。 〃They are like the rest of Dunwichasleep。〃
So they entered and began to search the house by the dim light of the
moon。 First they searched the lower chambers； then those where Hugh's
father and his brothers had slept； and lastly the attics。 Here they
found the pallets of the serving…folk upon the floor； but none at rest
upon them。
〃The house is deserted；〃 said Hugh heavily。
〃Yes； yes；〃 answered Dick again； in a cheerful voice； 〃doubtless
Master de Cressi and your brothers have moved away to escape the
pest。〃
〃Pray God they have escaped it！〃 muttered Hugh。 〃This place stifles
me；〃 he added。 〃Let us out。〃
〃Whither shall we go； master？〃
〃To Blythburgh Manor；〃 he answered； 〃for there I may win tidings。
David； bide you here； and if you can learn aught follow us across the
moor。 The manor cannot be missed。〃
So once more Hugh and Dick mounted their horses and rode away through
the town； stopping now and again before some house they knew and
calling to its inmates。 But though they called loudly none answered。
Soon they grew sure that this was because there were none to answer；
since of those houses many of the doors stood open。 Only one living
creature did they see in Dunwich。 As they turned the corner near to
the Blythburgh Gate they met a grey…haired man wrapped up in tattered
blankets which were tied about him with haybands。 He carried in his
hand a beautiful flagon of silver。 Doubtless he had stolen it from
some church。
Seeing them； he cast this flagon into the snow and began to whimper
like a dog。
〃Mad Tom；〃 said Dick； recognizing the poor fellow。 〃Tell us； Thomas；
where are the folk of Dunwich？〃
〃Dead； dead； all dead！〃 he wailed； and fled away。
〃Stay！ What of Master de Cressi？〃 called Hugh。 But the tower of the
church round which he had vanished only echoed back across the snow；
〃What of Master de Cressi？〃
Then at last Hugh understood the awful truth。
It was that； save those who had fled； the people of Dunwich were slain
with the Sword of Pestilence； and all his kin among them。
They were on the Blythburgh Marshes； travelling thither by the
shortest road。 The moon was down and the darkness dense； for the snow…
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；〃