Chapter 76

SOPHIE'S DEAD, I whispered.

She stared at me, transfixed. Then she moved forward to support me. What has happened? Tell me.

The duke's men have had her all along, Emilie. Sophie has beenhere....Not in Treille, with my enemies, buthere , in the tower, among myfriends.

This cannot be.

Itcan , Emilie. It is the truth. I leaned myself back against the wall. There are no more games to play. No more pretexts¹. It ends now.

Shouts and pounding sounded at the door I had bolted. What a wretched sight I must have made. My clothes torn, slick with blood, the look of madness in my eyes.

Anne, I muttered. I told you.... She is behind it all. I have to find out why she allowed these men to destroy my family. Stephen'sguard... I chortled, almost a laugh. These are not knights³, Emilie. They are scavengers, from the Holy Land. The lowest form of butcher. Even the Turks ran in fear of them. They hunt for relics⁴, spoils. That is why the two knights were murdered. But my family...We had nothing.

The commotion⁵ outside the door grew louder. Anne's men were trying to smash it in. Emilie gripped my arm. It doesn't matter now. Anne is not in the castle. She has gone to meet her husband at La Thanay. Come with me.

It is too late. The time for kindness is finished. There is nothing left for me now but to face her men.

She put her face inches from my own. I could feel Emilie's breath on my cheek. Whatever you've done, if Anne is behind this, I will do everything to see justice is given you. But you must come. I can't help you if you're dead.

Emilie hurried me out of the room, down a narrow corridor in the royal quarters. She pushed me into a small chamber⁶ and quickly barred the door. I could see she was afraid, and it touched me deeply.

Emilie searched through a drawer and found a heavy brown cloak, which upon closer inspection⁷ proved to be the robe of a monk⁸. Here... I thought at some point you might need it to gain access to the tower. Put it on.

I stared at it, confused, amazed that Emilie did this for me.

Go now. They will search every room. Send me word. Through Norbert. You have friends here; you must believe that.

A moment later, I was no longer a jester but a monk, the hood⁹ pulled over my head.

Your new pretext². Emilie smiled bravely.

I took a deep breath. I fear this one will be a greater trick than before.

Then let me add to it, Emilie said. She pulled me close by the collar and, to my surprise, pressed a quick, hard kiss upon my lips.

My blood came to a halt. The softness of her lips, the boldness of her touch. I felt my knees lock, the breath massed inside my chest. In truth, I didn't know what to feel at that moment. My head spun¹⁰.

She looked into my eyes. I know your pain is deep. I know every part of you cries out to revenge your wife and child. But, common or noble, there is a specialness within you. I saw it the first time I looked into your eyes. And I have never seen it waver since. We will find a way to right these wrongs. Now go.

There wasa small window above her bed. Below, it was only a short jump to the courtyard. From there, the gardens...

I hoisted¹¹ myself up and pushed through a leg. I looked out and saw the darkened shadows of roofs in the distance. I looked back into Emilie's face. By what luck, lady, have I earned you as a friend?

Byleaving , right now. This instant.

I smiled and lifted myself through the narrow window. I turned. I hope, in all the world, to see you again.

There was a pounding at her door. I waved at Emilie, then dropped from the window.

You will, Hugh De Luc, I heard her say from above. If you hope that...you will.

1 pretexts   

n.借口，托辞( pretext的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• On various pretexts they all moved off. 他们以各种各样的借口纷纷离开了。 来自辞典例句
• Pretexts and appearances no longer deceive us. 那些托辞与假象再也不会欺骗我们了。 来自辞典例句

2 pretext   

n.借口，托词

参考例句：

• He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。
• He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。

3 knights   

骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

4 relics   

[pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸

参考例句：

• The area is a treasure house of archaeological relics. 这个地区是古文物遗迹的宝库。
• Xi'an is an ancient city full of treasures and saintly relics. 西安是一个有很多宝藏和神圣的遗物的古老城市。

5 commotion   

n.骚动，动乱

参考例句：

• They made a commotion by yelling at each other in the theatre.他们在剧院里相互争吵，引起了一阵骚乱。
• Suddenly the whole street was in commotion.突然间，整条街道变得一片混乱。

6 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

7 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

8 monk   

n.和尚，僧侣，修道士

参考例句：

• The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
• Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

9 hood   

n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖

参考例句：

• She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
• The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

10 spun   

v.纺，杜撰，急转身

参考例句：

• His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
• Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

11 hoisted   

把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He hoisted himself onto a high stool. 他抬身坐上了一张高凳子。
• The sailors hoisted the cargo onto the deck. 水手们把货物吊到甲板上。