for his ship to sail in the morning。 The good wife who keeps that
tavernask not her namewould go far to serve me。 That night this
priest slept sound； and while he slept a letter was cut from the
lining of his cassock； and another without writing sewn there in place
of it； so that he'll never know the difference till he reaches John of
Normandy； and then not where he lost it。 Stay； you shall see；〃 and he
went to the wall and from some secret place behind the hangings
produced a writing； which he handed to Hugh； who looked at it； then
gave it back to him； saying：
〃Read it to me； Father； English I can spell out； but this French
puzzles my eyes。〃
So he read； Hugh listening eagerly to every word：
My Lord Duke：
This by a faithful hand that you know to tell you all goes well
with your Grace's business； and with that of your royal father。
While pretending to hunt or hawk I have found three places along
this seaboard at any one of which the army can land next summer
with little resistance to fear； for though the land is rich in
cattle and corn； the people are few。
These places of which I have made survey have deep water up to the
beach。 I will tell you of them more particularly when I return。
Meanwhile I linger here for sundry reasons； which you know； hoping
to draw those of whom you speak to me to your cause； which； God
aiding me； I shall do； since he of England has wronged one of them
and slighted the others； so that they are bitter against him； and
ready to listen to the promises which I make in your name。
As an excuse for my long stay that has caused doubts in some
quarters； I speak of my Suffolk lands which need my care。 Also I
court the daughter of my host here； the Knight of Clavering； a
stubborn Englishman who cannot be won； but a man of great power
and repute。 This courtship； which began in jest； has ended in
earnest； since the girl is very haughty and beautiful； and as she
will not be played with I propose； with your good leave； to make
her my wife。 Her father accepts my suit； and when he and the
brother are out of the way； as doubtless may happen after your
army comes； she will have great possessions。
I thank your Grace for the promise of the wide English lands of
which I spoke to you； and the title that goes with them。 These I
will do my best to earn； nor will I ask for them till I kneel
before you when you are crowned King of England at Westminster； as
I doubt not God will bring about before this year is out。 I have
made a map of the road by which your army should march on London
after landing； and of the towns to be sacked upon the way thither。
This； however； I keep； since although not one in ten thousand of
these English swine can read French； or any other tongue； should
it chance to be lost； all can understand a map。 Not that there is
any fear of loss； for who will meddle with a priest who carries
credentials signed by his Holiness himself。
I do homage to your Grace。 This written with my hand from
Blythburgh； in Suffolk； on the twentieth day of February； 1346。
Edmund of Noyon。
Father Arnold ceased reading； and Hugh gasped out：
〃What a fool is this knave…Count！〃
〃Most men are； my son； in this way or in that； and the few wise profit
by their folly。 Thus this letter； which he thought so safe； will save
England to Edward and his race； you from many dangers； your betrothed
from a marriage which she hatesthat is； if you can get safe away
with it from Dunwich。〃
〃Where to； Father？〃
〃To King Edward in London； with another that I will write for you ere
the dawn。〃
〃But is it safe； Father； to trust so precious a thing to me； who have
bitter enemies awaiting me； and may as like as not be crow's meat by
to…morrow？〃
Father Arnold looked at him with his soft and dreamy eyes； then said：
〃I think the crow's not hatched that will pick your bones； Hugh；
though at the last there be crows； or worms； for all of us。〃
〃Why not； Father？ Doubtless； this morning young John of Clavering
thought as much； and now he is in the stake…nets； or food for fishes。〃
〃Would you like to hear； Hugh； and will you keep it to yourself； even
from Eve？〃
〃Ay； that I would and will。〃
〃He'll think me mad！〃 muttered the old priest to himself； then went on
aloud as one who takes a sudden resolution。 〃Well； I'll tell you；
leaving you to make what you will of a story that till now has been
heard by no living man。〃
〃Far in the East is the great country that we call Cathay； though in
truth it has many other names； and I alone of all who breathe in
England have visited that land。〃
〃How did you get there？〃 asked Hugh； amazed； for though he knew dimly
that Father Arnold had travelled much in his youth； he never dreamed
that he had reached the mystic territories of Cathay； or indeed that
such a place really was except in fable。
〃It would take from now till morning to tell； son； nor even then would
you understand the road。 It is enough to say that I went on a
pilgrimage to Jerusalem； where our blessed Saviour died。 That was the
beginning。 Thence I travelled with Arabs to the Red Sea； where wild
men made a slave of me； and we were blown across the Indian Ocean to a
beauteous island named Ceylon； in which all the folk are black。
〃From this place I escaped in a vessel called a junk； that brought me
to the town of Singapore。 Thence at last； following my star； I came to
Cathay after two years of journeyings。 There I dwelt in honour for
three more years； moving from place to place； since never before had
its inhabitants seen a Western man； and they made much of me； always
sending me forward to new cities。 So at length I reached the greatest
of them all； which is called Kambaluc； or Peking； and there was the
guest of its Emperor； Timur。
〃All the story of my life and adventures yonder I have written down；
and any who will may read it after I am dead。 But of these I have no
time to speak； nor have they anything to do with you。 Whilst I dwelt
in Kambaluc as the guest of the Emperor Timur； I made study of the
religion of this mighty people； who； I was told； worshipped gods in
the shape of men。 I visited a shrine called the Temple of Heaven；
hoping that there I should see such a god who was named Tien； but
found in it nothing but splendid emptiness。
〃Then I asked if there was no god that I could see with my eyes；
whereon the Emperor laughed at me and said there was such a god； but
he counselled me not to visit him。 I prayed him to suffer me to do so；
since I； who worshipped the only true God； feared no other。 Whereon；
growing angry； he commanded some of his servants to 'take this fool to
the house of Murgh and let him see whether his God could protect him
against Murgh。' Having said this he bade me farewell； adding that
though every man must meet Murgh once； few met him twice； and
therefore he did not think that he should see me again。
〃Now； in my heart I grew afraid； but none would tell me more of this
Murgh or what was likely to happen to me at his hands。 Still； I would
not show any fear； and； strong in the faith of Christ； I determined to
look upon this idol； for such I expected him to be。
〃That night the servants of Timur bore me out of the city in a litter；
and by the starlight I saw that we travelled toward a hill through
great graveyards； where people were burying their dead。 At the foot of
the hill they set me down upon a road； and told me to walk up it； and
that at dawn I should see the House of Murgh； whereof the gates were
always open； and could enter there if I wished。 I asked if they would
wait for my return； whereon they answered； smiling； that if I so
desired they would do so till evening； but that it seemed scarcely
needful； since they did not suppose that I should return。
〃'Do yonder pilgrims to the House of Murgh return？' asked their
captain； pointing towards those graveyards which we had passed。
〃I made no answer； but walked forward up a broad and easy road；
unchallenged of any； till I came to what； even in that dim light； I
could see was a great and frowning gateway； whereof the doors appeared
to be open。 Now； at first I thought I would pass this gateway at once
and see what lay beyond。 But from this I was held back by some great
fear； for which I could find no cause； unless it were bred of what the
Emperor and his servants had said to me。 So I remembered their words
namely； that I should tarry till dawn to enter the house。
〃There； then； I tarried； seated on the ground before the gateway； and
feeling as though； yet alive； I had descended among the dead。 Indeed；
the silence was that of the dead。 No voice spoke； no hound barked； no
leaf stirred。 Only far above me I heard a continual soughing； as
though winged souls passed to and fro。 Never in my life had I felt so
much alone； never so much afraid。
〃At length the dawn broke； and oh； glad was I to see its light； for
fear lest I should die in darkness！ Now I saw that I was on a hilltop
where grew great groves of cedar trees； and that set amid them was a
black…tiled temple； surrounded by a wall built of black brick。
〃It was not a great place； although the gateway； which was surmounted
by two black dragons of stone or iron； was very great； so great that a
tall ship could have sailed through it and left its arch untouched。
〃I kneeled down and prayed to the blessed Saints and the guardian
angels to protect me。 Then I arose； crossed myself to scare off all
evil things by that holy sign； and set forward toward the mighty
gateway。 Oh； never； never till that hour had I understood how lowly a
thing is man！ On that broad road； travelling toward the awful； dragon…
guarded arch； beyond which lay I knew not what； it seemed to me that I
was the only man left in the world； I； whose hour had come to enter
the portals of destruction。
〃I passed into the cold shadow of the gateway； unchallenged by any
watchman； and found myself in a courtyard surrounded by a wall also
built of black brick； which had doors in it that seemed to be of dark
stone or iron。 Whither these doors led I do not know； since the wall
c