saint george for england-第2节

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t　her　kind　entertainers　would　be　hurt　by　the　offer　of　money；　the　lady　contented　herself　with　thanking　Madge　warmly；　and　saying　that　she　hoped　to　come　across　the　bridge　one　day　with　Dame　Fletcher；　then；　under　the　guidance　of　Geoffrey；　who　insisted　on　carrying　the　boy；　she　set　out　from　the　smith's　cottage。　They　passed　under　the　outer　gate　and　across　the　bridge；　which　later　on　was　covered　with　a　double　line　of　houses　and　shops；　but　was　now　a　narrow　structure。　Over　the　gateway　across　the　river；　upon　pikes；　were　a　number　of　heads　and　human　limbs。　The　lady　shuddered　as　she　looked　up。

〃It　is　an　ugly　sight；〃　the　smith　said；　〃and　I　can　see　no　warrant　for　such　exposure　of　the　dead。　There　are　the　heads　of　Wallace；　of　three　of　Robert　Bruce's　brothers；　and　of　many　other　valiant　Scotsmen　who　fought　against　the　king's　grandfather　some　twenty　years　back。　But　after　all　they　fought　for　their　country；　just　as　Harold　and　our　ancestors　against　the　Normans　under　William；　and　I　think　it　a　foul　shame　that　men　who　have　done　no　other　harm　should　be　beheaded；　still　less　that　their　heads　and　limbs　should　be　stuck　up　there　gibbering　at　all　passers…by。　There　are　over　a　score　of　them；　and　every　fresh　trouble　adds　to　their　number；　but　pardon　me；〃　he　said　suddenly　as　a　sob　from　the　figure　by　his　side　called　his　attention　from　the　heads　on　the　top　of　the　gateway；　〃I　am　rough　and　heedless　in　speech；　as　my　sister　Madge　does　often　tell　me；　and　it　may　well　be　that　I　have　said　something　which　wounded　you。〃

〃You　meant　no　ill；〃　the　lady　replied；　〃it　was　my　own　thoughts　and　troubles　which　drew　tears　from　me；　say　not　more　about　it；　I　pray　you。

They　passed　under　the　gateway；　with　its　ghastly　burden；　and　were　soon　in　the　crowded　streets　of　London。　High　overhead　the　houses　extended；　each　story　advancing　beyond　that　below　it　until　the　occupiers　of　the　attics　could　well…nigh　shake　hands　across。　They　soon　left　the　more　crowded　streets；　and　turning　to　the　right；　after　ten　minutes　walking；　the　smith　stopped　in　front　of　a　bowyer　shop　near　Aldgate。

〃This　is　the　shop；〃　he　said；　〃and　there　is　Giles　Fletcher　himself　trying　the　spring　and　pull　of　one　of　his　bows。　Here　I　will　leave　you；　and　will　one　of　these　days　return　to　inquire　if　your　health　has　taken　ought　of　harm　by　the　rough　buffeting　of　the　storm　of　yester…even。〃

So　saying　he　handed　the　child　to　its　mother；　and　with　a　wave　of　the　hand　took　his　leave；　not　waiting　to　listen　to　the　renewed　thanks　which　his　late　guest　endeavoured　to　give　him。

The　shop　was　open　in　front；　a　projecting　penthouse　sheltered　it　from　the　weather；　two　or　three　bows　lay　upon　a　wide　shelf　in　front；　and　several　large　sheaves　of　arrows　tied　together　stood　by　the　wall。　A　powerful　man　of　some　forty　years　old　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　shop　with　a　bent　bow　in　his　arm；　taking　aim　at　a　spot　in　the　wall。　Through　an　open　door　three　men　could　be　seen　in　an　inner　workshop　cutting　and　shaping　the　wood　for　bows。　The　bowyer　looked　round　as　his　visitor　entered　the　shop；　and　then；　with　a　sudden　exclamation；　lowered　the　bow。

〃Hush；　Giles！〃　the　lady　exclaimed；　〃it　is　I；　but　name　no　names；　it　were　best　that　none　knew　me　here。〃

The　craftsman　closed　the　door　of　communication　into　the　inner　room。　〃My　Lady　Alice；〃　he　exclaimed　in　a　low　tone；　〃you　here；　and　in　such　a　guise？〃

〃Surely　it　is　I；〃　the　lady　sighed；　〃although　sometimes　I　am　well…nigh　inclined　to　ask　myself　whether　it　be　truly　I　or　not；　or　whether　this　be　not　all　a　dreadful　dream。〃

〃I　had　heard　but　vaguely　of　your　troubles；〃　Giles　Fletcher　said；　〃but　hoped　that　the　rumours　were　false。　Ever　since　the　Duke　of　Kent　was　executed　the　air　has　been　full　of　rumours。　Then　came　news　of　the　killing　of　Mortimer　and　of　the　imprisonment　of　the　king's　mother；　and　it　was　said　that　many　who　were　thought　to　be　of　her　party　had　been　attacked　and　slain；　and　I　heard　…〃　and　there　he　stopped。

〃You　heard　rightly；　good　Giles；　it　is　all　true。　A　week　after　the　slaying　of　Mortimer　a　band　of　knights　and　men…at…arms　arrived　at　our　castle　and　demanded　admittance　in　the　king's　name。　Sir　Roland　refused；　for　he　had　news　that　many　were　taking　up　arms；　but　it　was　useless。　The　castle　was　attacked；　and　after　three　days'　fighting；　was　taken。　Roland　was　killed；　and　I　was　cast　out　with　my　child。　Afterwards　they　repented　that　they　had　let　me　go；　and　searched　far　and　wide　for　me；　but　I　was　hidden　in　the　cottage　of　a　woodcutter。　　They　were　too　busy　in　hunting　down　others　whom　they　proclaimed　to　be　enemies　of　the　king；　as　they　had　wrongfully　said　of　Roland；　who　had　but　done　his　duty　faithfully　to　Queen　Isabella；　and　was　assuredly　no　enemy　of　her　son；　although　he　might　well　be　opposed　to　the　weak　and　indolent　king；　his　father。　However；　when　the　search　relaxed　I　borrowed　the　cloak　of　the　good　man's　wife　and　set　out　for　London；　whither　I　have　traveled　on　foot；　believing　that　you　and　Bertha　would　take　me　in　and　shelter　me　in　my　great　need。〃

〃Aye；　that　will　we　willingly；〃　Giles　said。　〃Was　not　Bertha　your　nurse　？　and　to　whom　should　you　come　if　not　to　her？　　But　will　it　please　you　to　mount　the　stairs；　for　Bertha　will　not　forgive　me　if　I　keep　you　talking　down　here。　What　a　joy　it　will　be　to　her　to　see　you　again！〃

So　saying；　Giles　led　the　way　to　the　apartment　above。　　There　was　a　scream　of　surprise　and　joy　from　his　wife；　and　then　Giles　quietly　withdrew　downstairs　again；　leaving　the　women　to　cry　in　each　other's　arms。

A　few　days　later　Geoffrey　Ward　entered　the　shop　of　Giles　Fletcher。

〃I　have　brought　you　twenty　score　of　arrowheads；　Master　Giles；〃　he　said。　〃They　have　been　longer　in　hand　than　is　usual　with　me；　but　I　have　been　pressed。　And　how　goes　it　with　the　lady　whom　I　brought　to　your　door　last　week？〃

〃But　sadly；　Master　Ward；　very　sadly；　as　I　told　you　when　I　came　across　to　thank　you　again　in　her　name　and　my　own　for　your　kindness　to　her。　She　was　but　in　poor　plight　after　her　journey；　poor　thing；　she　was　little　accustomed　to　such　wet　and　hardship；　and　doubtless　they　took　all　the　more　effect　because　she　was　low　in　spirit　and　weakened　with　much　grieving。　That　night　she　was　taken　with　a　sort　of　fever；　hot　and　cold　by　turns；　and　at　times　off　her　head。　Since　then　she　has　lain　in　a　high　fever　and　does　not　know　even　my　wife；　her　thoughts　ever　go　back　to　the　storming　of　the　castle；　and　she　cries　aloud　and　begs　them　to　spare　her　lord's　life。　It　is　pitiful　to　hear　her。　The　leech　gives　but　small　hope　for　her　life；　and　in　troth；　Master　Ward；　methinks　that　God　would　deal　most　gently　with　her　were　He　to　take　her。　Her　heart　is　already　in　her　husband's　grave；　for　she　was　ever　of　a　most　loving　and　faithful　nature。　Here　there　would　be　little　comfort　for　her　…　she　would　fret　that　her　boy　would　never　inherit　the　lands　of　his　father；　and　although　she　knows　well　enough　that　she　would　be　always　welcome　here；　and　that　Bertha　would　serve　her　as　gladly　and　faithfully　as　ever　she　did　when　she　was　her　nurse；　yet　she　could　not　but　greatly　feel　the　change。　　She　was　tenderly　brought　up；　being；　as　I　told　you　last　week；　the　only　daughter　of　Sir　Harold　Broome。　Her　brother；　who　but　a　year　ago　became　lord　of　Broomecastle　at　the　death　of　his　father；　was　one　of　the　queen's　men；　and　it　was　he；　I　believe；　who　brought　Sir　Roland　Somers　to　that　side。　He　was　slain　on　the　same　night　as　Mortimer；　and　his　lands；　like　those　of　Sir　Roland；　have　been　seized　by　the　crown。　The　child　upstairs　is　by　right　heir　to　both　estates；　seeing　that　his　uncle　died　unmarried。　They　will　doubtless　be　conferred　upon　those　who　have　aided　the　young　king　in　freeing　himself　from　his　mother's　domination；　for　which；　indeed；　although　I　lament　that　Lady　Alice　should　have　suffered　so　sorely　in　the　doing　of　it；　I　blame　him　not　at　all。　He　is　a　noble　prince　and　will　make　us　a　great　king；　and　the　doings　of　his　mother　have　been　a　shame　to　us　all。　However；　I　meddle　not　in　politics。　If　the　poor　lady　dies；　as　methinks　is　well…nigh　certain；　Bertha　and　I　will　bring　up　the　boy　as　our　own。　I　have　talked　it　over　with　my　wife；　and　so　far　she　and　I　are　not　of　one　mind。　I　think　it　will　be　best　to　keep　him　in　ignorance　of　his　birth　and　lineage；　since　the　knowledge　cannot　benefit　him；　and　will　but　render　him　discontented　with　his　lot　and　make　him　disinclined　to　take　to　my　calling；　in　which　he　might　otherwise　earn　a　living　and　rise　to　be　a　respected　citizen。　But　Bertha　hath　notions。　You　have　not　taken　a　wife　to　yourself；　Master　Geoffrey；　or　you　would　know　that　women　oft　have　fancies　which　wander　widely　from　hard　facts；　and　she　says　she　would　have　him　brought　up　as　a　man…at…arms；　so　that　he　may　do　valiant　deeds；　and　win　back　some　day　the　title　and　honour　of　his　family。〃

Geoffrey　Ward　laughed。　〃Trust　a　woman　for　being　romantic；〃　he　said。　〃However；　Master　Fletcher；　you　need　not　for　the　present　trouble　about　the　child's　calling；　even　should　its　mother　die。　At　any　rate；　whether　he　follows　your　trade；　or　whether　the　blood　in　his　veins　leads　him　to　take　to　martial　deeds；　the　knowledge　of　arms　may　well　be　of　use　to　him；　and　I　promise　you　that　such　skill　as　I　have　I　will　teach　him　when　he　grows　old　enough　to　wield　sword　and　battle…axe。　As　you　know　I　may；　without　boasting；　say　that　he　could　scarce　have　a　better　master；　seeing　that　I　have　for　three　years　carried　away　the　prize　for　the　best　sword…　player　at　the　sports。　Methinks　the　boy　will　gr