The Secret Rose-第7章

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　the　crucifix　and　the　holy　candles。　the　white　lights　from　the　altar　threw　the　shadows　of　the　troopers　up　on　to　roof　and　wall。　as　the　troopers　moved　about；　the　shadows　began　a　fantastic　dance　among　the　corbels　and　the　memorial　tablets。　for　a　little　while　all　was　silent；　and　then　five　troopers　who　were　the　body？guard　of　sir　frederick　hamilton　lifted　their　muskets；　and　shot　down　five　of　the　friars。　the　noise　and　the　smoke　drove　away　the　mystery　of　the　pale　altar　lights；　and　the　other　troopers　took　courage　and　began　to　strike。　in　a　moment　the　friars　lay　about　the　altar　steps；　their　white　habits　stained　with　blood。　set　fire　to　the　house！　cried　sir　frederick　hamilton；　and　at　his　word　one　went　out；　and　came　in　again　carrying　a　heap　of　dry　straw；　and　piled　it　against　the　western　wall；　and；　having　done　this；　fell　back；　for　the　fear　of　the　crucifix　and　of　the　holy　candles　was　still　in　his　heart。　seeing　this；　the　five　troopers　who　were　sir　frederick　hamiltons　body？guard　darted　forward；　and　taking　each　a　holy　candle　set　the　straw　in　a　blaze。　the　red　tongues　of　fire　rushed　up　and　flickered　from　corbel　to　corbel　and　from　tablet　to　tablet；　and　crept　along　the　floor；　setting　in　a　blaze　the　seats　and　benches。　the　dance　of　the　shadows　passed　away；　and　the　dance　of　the　fires　began。　the　troopers　fell　back　towards　the　door　in　the　southern　wall；　and　watched　those　yellow　dancers　springing　hither　and　thither。

for　a　time　the　altar　stood　safe　and　apart　in　the　midst　of　its　white　light；　the　eyes　of　the　troopers　turned　upon　it。

the　abbot　whom　they　had　thought　dead　had　risen　to　his　feet　and　now　stood　before　it　with　the　crucifix　lifted　in　both　hands　high　above　his　head。　suddenly　he　cried　with　a　loud　voice；　woe　unto　all　who　smite　those　who　dwell　within　the　light　of　the　lord；　for　they　shall　wander　among　the　ungovernable　shadows；　and　follow　the　ungovernable　fires！　and　having　so　cried　he　fell　on　his　face　dead；　and　the　brazen　crucifix　rolled　down　the　steps　of　the　altar。　the　smoke　had　now　grown　very　thick；　so　that　it　drove　the　troopers　out　into　the　open　air。

before　them　were　burning　houses。　behind　them　shone　the　painted　windows　of　the　abbey　filled　with　saints　and　martyrs；　awakened；　as　from　a　sacred　trance；　into　an　angry　and　animated　life。　the　eyes　of　the　troopers　were　dazzled；　and　for　a　while　could　see　nothing　but　the　flaming　faces　of　saints　and　martyrs。　presently；　however；　they　saw　a　man　covered　with　dust　who　came　running　towards　them。　two　messengers；　he　cried；　have　been　sent　by　the　defeated　irish　to　raise　against　you　the　whole　country　about　manor　hamilton；　and　if　you　do　not　stop　them　you　will　be　overpowered　in　the　woods　before　you　reach　home　again！　they　ride　north？east　between　ben　bulben　and　cashel？na？gael。

sir　frederick　hamilton　called　to　him　the　five　troopers　who　had　first　fired　upon　the　monks　and　said；　mount　quickly；　and　ride　through　the　woods　towards　the　mountain；　and　get　before　these　men；　and　kill　them。

in　a　moment　the　troopers　were　gone；　and　before　many　moments　they　had　splashed　across　the　river　at　what　is　now　called　buckleys　ford；　and　plunged　into　the　woods。　they　followed　a　beaten　track　that　wound　along　the　northern　bank　of　the　river。　the　boughs　of　the　birch　and　quicken　trees　mingled　above；　and　hid　the　cloudy　moonlight；　leaving　the　pathway　in　almost　plete　darkness。　they　rode　at　a　rapid　trot；　now　chatting　together；　now　watching　some　stray　weasel　or　rabbit　scuttling　away　in　the　darkness。　gradually；　as　the　gloom　and　silence　of　the　woods　oppressed　them；　they　drew　closer　together；　and　began　to　talk　rapidly；　they　were　old　rades　and　knew　each　others　lives。　one　was　married；　and　told　how　glad　his　wife　would　be　to　see　him　return　safe　from　this　harebrained　expedition　against　the　white　friars；　and　to　hear　how　fortune　had　made　amends　for　rashness。　the　oldest　of　the　five；　whose　wife　was　dead；　spoke　of　a　flagon　of　wine　which　awaited　him　upon　an　upper　shelf；　while　a　third；　who　was　the　youngest；　had　a　sweetheart　watching　for　his　return；　and　he　rode　a　little　way　before　the　others；　not　talking　at　all。　suddenly　the　young　man　stopped；　and　they　saw　that　his　horse　was　trembling。　i　saw　something；　he　said；　and　yet　i　do　not　know　but　it　may　have　been　one　of　the　shadows。　it　looked　like　a　great　worm　with　a　silver　crown　upon　his　head。　one　of　the　five　put　his　hand　up　to　his　forehead　as　if　about　to　cross　himself；　but　remembering　that　he　had　changed　his　religion　he　put　it　down；　and　said：　i　am　certain　it　was　but　a　shadow；　for　there　are　a　great　many　about　us；　and　of　very　strange　kinds。　then　they　rode　on　in　silence。　it　had　been　raining　in　the　earlier　part　of　the　day；　and　the　drops　fell　from　the　branches；　wetting　their　hair　and　their　shoulders。　in　a　little　they　began　to　talk　again。　they　had　been　in　many　battles　against　many　a　rebel　together；　and　now　told　each　other　over　again　the　story　of　their　wounds；　and　so　awakened　in　their　hearts　the　strongest　of　all　fellowships；　the　fellowship　of　the　sword；　and　half　forgot　the　terrible　solitude　of　the　woods。

suddenly　the　first　two　horses　neighed；　and　then　stood　still；　and　would　go　no　further。　before　them　was　a　glint　of　water；　and　they　knew　by　the　rushing　sound　that　it　was　a　river。　they　dismounted；　and　after　much　tugging　and　coaxing　brought　the　horses　to　the　river？side。　in　the　midst　of　the　water　stood　a　tall　old　woman　with　grey　hair　flowing　over　a　grey　dress。　she　stood　up　to　her　knees　in　the　water；　and　stooped　from　time　to　time　as　though　washing。　presently　they　could　see　that　she　was　washing　something　that　half　floated。　the　moon　cast　a　flickering　light　upon　it；　and　they　saw　that　it　was　the　dead　body　of　a　man；　and；　while　they　were　looking　at　it；　an　eddy　of　the　river　turned　the　face　towards　them；　and　each　of　the　five　troopers　recognised　at　the　same　moment　his　own　face。　while　they　stood　dumb　and　motionless　with　horror；　the　woman　began　to　speak；　saying　slowly　and　loudly：　did　you　see　my　son？　he　has　a　crown　of　silver　on　his　head；　and　there　are　rubies　in　the　crown。

then　the　oldest　of　the　troopers；　he　who　had　been　most　often　wounded；　drew　his　sword　and　cried：　i　have　fought　for　the　truth　of　my　god；　and　need　not　fear　the　shadows　of　satan；　and　with　that　rushed　into　the　water。　in　a　moment　he　returned。　the　woman　had　vanished；　and　though　he　had　thrust　his　sword　into　air　and　water　he　had　found　nothing。

the　five　troopers　remounted；　and　set　their　horses　at　the　ford；　but　all　to　no　purpose。　they　tried　again　and　again；　and　went　plunging　hither　and　thither；　the　horses　foaming　and　rearing。　let　us；　said　the　old　trooper；　ride　back　a　little　into　the　wood；　and　strike　the　river　higher　up。　they　rode　in　under　the　boughs；　the　ground？ivy　crackling　under　the　hoofs；　and　the　branches　striking　against　their　steel　caps。　after　about　twenty　minutes　riding　they　came　out　again　upon　the　river；　and　after　another　ten　minutes　found　a　place　where　it　was　possible　to　cross　without　sinking　below　the　stirrups。　the　wood　upon　the　other　side　was　very　thin；　and　broke　the　moonlight　into　long　streams。　the　wind　had　arisen；　and　had　begun　to　drive　the　clouds　rapidly　across　the　face　of　the　moon；　so　that　thin　streams　of　light　seemed　to　be　dancing　a　grotesque　dance　among　the　scattered　bushes　and　small　fir？trees。　the　tops　of　the　trees　began　also　to　moan；　and　the　sound　of　it　was　like　the　voice　of　the　dead　in　the　wind；　and　the　troopers　remembered　the　belief　that　tells　how　the　dead　in　purgatory　are　spitted　upon　the　points　of　the　trees　and　upon　the　points　of　the　rocks。　they　turned　a　little　to　the　south；　in　the　hope　that　they　might　strike　the　beaten　path　again；　but　they　could　find　no　trace　of　it。

meanwhile；　the　moaning　grew　louder　and　louder；　and　the　dance　of　the　white　moon？fires　more　and　more　rapid。　gradually　they　began　to　be　aware　of　a　sound　of　distant　music。　it　was　the　sound　of　a　bagpipe；　and　they　　rode　towards　it　with　great　joy。　it　came　from　the　bottom　of　a　deep；　cup？like　hollow。　in　the　midst　of　the　hollow　was　an　old　man　with　a　red　cap　and　withered　face。　he　sat　beside　a　fire　of　sticks；　and　had　a　burning　torch　thrust　into　the　earth　at　his　feet；　and　played　an　old　bagpipe　furiously。　his　red　hair　dripped　over　his　face　like　the　iron　rust　upon　a　rock。　did　you　see　my　wife？　he　cried；　looking　up　a　moment；　she　was　washing！　she　was　washing！

i　am　afraid　of　him；　said　the　young　trooper；　i　fear　he　is　one　of　the　sidhe。　no；　said　the　old　trooper；　he　is　a　man；　for　i　can　see　the　sun？freckles　upon　his　face。　we　will　pel　him　to　be　our　guide；　and　at　that　he　drew　his　sword；　and　the　others　did　the　same。　they　stood　in　a　ring　round　the　piper；　and　pointed　their　swords　at　him；　and　the　old　trooper　then　told　him　that　they　must　kill　two　rebels；　who　had　taken　the　road　between　ben　bulben　and　the　great　mountain　spur　that　is　called　cashel？　na？gael；　and　that　he　must　get　up　before　one　of　them　and　be　their　guide；　for　they　had　lost　their　way。　the　piper　turned；　and　pointed　to　a　neighbouring　tree；　and　they　saw　an　old　white　horse　ready　bitted；　bridled；　and　saddled。　he　slung　the　pipe　across　his　back；　and；　taking　the　torch　in　his　hand；　got　upon　the　horse；　and　started　off　before　them；　as　hard　as　he　could　go。

the　wood　grew　thinner　and　thinner；　and　the　ground　began　to　slope　up　toward　the　mountain。　the　moon　had　already　set；　and　the　little　white　flames　of　the　stars　had　e　out　everywhere。　the　ground　sloped　more　and　more　until　at　last　they　rode　fa