m, since
in such affairs the Venetians are punctilious. But now tell me the tale
that I may judge better."

So Hugh told him all.

"A strange story and a good cause," said Sir Geoffrey when he had done.
"Only this Cattrina is dangerous. Had he known you came to Venice,
mayhap you had never lived to reach my house. Go armed, young knight,
especially after the sun sinks. I'll away to write to the Doge, setting
out the heads of the matter and asking audience. The messenger shall
leave ere I sleep, if sleep I may in this heat. Bide you here and talk
with my lady, if it so pleases you, for I would show you my letter ere
we bid good-night, and the thing is pressing. We must catch Cattrina
before he gets wind of your presence in Venice."

CHAPTER XI

THE CHALLENGE

"How long is it since you have seen England, Sir Hugh?" asked Dame
Carleon languidly.

"Some eighteen months, lady, although in truth it seems more, for many
things have happened to me in that time."

"Eighteen months only! Why, 'tis four long years since I looked upon
the downs of Sussex, which are my home, the dear downs of Sussex, that I
shall see never again."

"Why say you so, lady, who should have many years of life before you?"

"Because they are done, Sir Hugh. Oh, in my heart I feel that they are
done. That should not grieve me, since my only child is buried in this
glittering, southern city whereof I hate the sounds and sights that men
call so beautiful. Yet I would that I might have been laid at last in
the kind earth of Sussex where for generations my forbears have been
borne to rest," and suddenly she began to weep.

"What ails you, lady? You are not well?"

"Oh, I know not. I think it is the heat or some presage of woe to come,
not to me only, but to all men. Look, nature herself is sick," and she
led him to the broad balcony of the chamber and pointed to long lines
of curious mist which in the bright moonlight they could see creeping
toward Venice from the ocean, although what wind there was appeared to
be off land.

"Those fogs are unnatural," she went on. "At this season of the year
there should be none, and these come, not from the lagoons, but up from
the sea where no such vapours were ever known to rise. The physicians
say that they foretell sickness, whereof terrible rumours have for some
time past reached us from the East, though none know whether these be
true or false."

"The East is a large place, where there is always