saint george for england-第33节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃It　was　well　we　took　off　our　armour；　Ralph；　its　pattern　would　have　been　recognized　in　an　instant。〃

Walter　had　thrown　off　his　helmet　as　he　bounded　up　the　stairs；　and　both　he　and　his　companion　had　rid　themselves　of　their　heavy　armour。

〃I　would　give　a　good　deal；〃　he　said；　〃for　two　bourgeois　jerkins；　even　were　they　as　foul　as　those　of　the　skinners。　This　is　a　woman's　apartment；〃　he　added；　looking　round；　〃and　nothing　here　will　cover　my　six　feet　of　height；　to　say　nothing　of　your　four　inches　extra。　Let　us　peep　into　some　of　the　other　rooms。　　This　is；　doubtless；　the　house　of　some　person　of　importance；　and　in　the　upper　floor　we　may　find　some　clothes　of　servants　or　retainers。〃

They　were　not　long　in　their　search。　The　next　room　was　a　large　one；　and　contained　a　number　of　pallet　beds；　and　hanging　from　pegs　on　walls　were　jerkins；　mantles；　and　other　garments；　evidently　belonging　to　the　retainers　of　the　house。　　Walter　and　Ralph　were　not　long　in　transmogrifying　their　appearance；　and　had　soon　the　air　of　two　respectable　serving…men　in　a　Flemish　household。

〃But　how　are　we　to　descend？〃　Ralph　asked。　〃We　can　hardly　hope　to　walk　down　the　stairs　and　make　our　escape　without　being　seen；　especially　as　the　doors　will　all　be　barred　and　bolted；　seeing　the　tumult　which　is　raging　outside。〃

〃It　all　depends　whether　our　means　of　escape　are　suspected；〃　Walter　replied；　〃I　should　scarce　think　that　they　would　be。　The　attention　of　our　pursuers　was　wholly　taken　up　by　Van　Artevelde；　and　some　minutes　must　have　passed　before　they　followed　us。　No　doubt　they　will　search　every　place　in　the　house；　and　all　within　it　will　by　this　time　have　been　slaughtered。　But　they　will　scarce　organize　any　special　search　for　us。　All　will　be　fully　occupied　with　the　exciting　events　which　have　taken　place；　and　as　the　casement　by　which　we　entered　is　closed　it　is　scarcely　likely　to　occur　to　any　one　that　we　have　escaped　by　that　means。　I　will　listen　first　if　the　house　is　quiet。　If　so；　we　will　descend　and　take　refuge　in　some　room　below；　where　there　is　a　better　chance　of　concealment　than　here。　Put　the　pieces　of　armour　into　that　closet　so　that　they　may　not　catch　the　eye　of　any　who　may　happen　to　come　hither。　The　day　is　already　closing。　In　half　an　hour　it　will　be　nightfall。　Then　we　will　try　and　make　our　way　out。

Listening　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　they　could　hear　voices　below；　but　as　the　gallery　was　quiet　and　deserted　they　made　their　way　a　floor　lower；　and　seeing　an　open　door　entered　it。　　Walter　looked　from　the　window。

〃There　is　a　back…yard　below；〃　he　said；　〃with　a　door　opening　upon　a　narrow　lane。　　We　are　now　upon　the　second　storey；　and　but　some　twenty…five　feet　above　the　ground。　We　will　not　risk　going　down　through　the　house；　which　could　scarce　be　accomplished　without　detection；　but　will　at　once　tear　up　into　strips　the　coverings　of　the　bed；　and　I　will　make　a　rope　by　which　we　may　slip　down　into　the　courtyard　as　soon　as　it　is　dark。　We　must　hope　that　none　will　come　up　before　that　time；　but；　indeed；　all　will　be　so　full　of　the　news　of　the　events　which　have　happened　that　it　is　scarce　likely　that　any　will　come　above　at　present。〃

The　linen　sheets　and　coverings　were　soon　cut　up　and　knotted　together　in　a　rope。　　By　the　time　that　this　was　finished　the　darkness　was　closing　in；　and　after　waiting　patiently　for　a　few　minutes　they　lowered　the　rope　and　slid　down　into　the　yard。　Quietly　they　undid　the　bolts　of　the　gate　and　issued　into　the　lane。　The　mantles　were　provided　with　hoods；　as　few　of　the　lower　class　of　Flemings　wore　any　other　head…covering。

Drawing　these　hoods　well　over　their　heads　so　as　to　shade　their　faces　the　two　sallied　out　from　the　lane。　They　were　soon　in　one　of　the　principal　streets；　which　was　crowded　with　people。　Bands　of　weavers；　butchers；　skinners；　and　others　were　parading　the　streets　shouting　and　singing　in　honour　of　their　victory　and　of　the　downfall　and　death　of　him　whom　they　had　but　a　few　days　before　regarded　as　the　mainstay　of　Flanders。　Many　of　the　better　class　of　burghers　stood　in　groups　in　the　streets　and　talked　in　low　and　rather　frightened　voices　of　the　consequences　which　the　deed　of　blood　would　bring　upon　the　city。　On　the　one　hand　Edward　might　march　upon　it　with　his　army　to　avenge　the　murder　of　his　ally。　Upon　the　other　hand　they　were　now　committed　to　France。　Their　former　ruler　would　return；　and　all　the　imposts　and　burdens　against　which　they　had　rebelled　would　again　be　laid　upon　the　city。

〃What　shall　we　do　now？〃　Ralph　asked；　〃for　assuredly　there　will　be　no　issue　by　the　gates。〃

〃We　must　possess　ourselves　of　a　length　of　rope　if　possible；　and　make　our　escape　over　the　wall。　How　to　get　one　I　know　not；　for　the　shops　are　all　closed；　and　even　were　it　not　so　I　could　not　venture　in　to　purchase　any；　for　my　speech　would　betray　us　at　once。　Let　us　separate；　and　each　see　whether　he　can　find　what　we　want。　We　will　meet　again　at　the　entrance　to　this　church　in　an　hour's　time。　One　or　other　of　us　may　find　what　we　seek。〃

Walter　searched　in　vain。　Wherever　he　saw　the　door　of　a　yard　open　he　peered　in；　but　in　no　case　could　he　see　any　signs　of　rope。　At　the　end　of　the　hour　he　returned　to　their　rendezvous。　Ralph　was　already　there。

〃I　have　found　nothing；　Ralph。　Have　you　had　better　fortune？〃

〃That　have　I；　Master　Walter；　and　was　back　nigh　an　hour　since。　Scarce　had　I　left　you　when　in　a　back　street　I　came　upon　a　quiet　hostelry；　and　in　the　courtyard　were　standing　half　a　dozen　teams　of　cattle。　Doubtless　their　owners　had　brought　hay　or　corn　into　the　city；　and　when　the　tumult　arose　and　the　gates　were　closed　found　themselves　unable　to　escape。　　The　masters　were　all　drinking　within；　so　without　more　ado　I　cut　off　the　ropes　which　served　as　traces　for　the　oxen；　and　have　them　wound　round　my　body　under　my　mantle。　There　must　be　twenty　yards　at　least；　and　as　each　rope　is　strong　enough　to　hold　double　our　weight　there　will　be　no　difficulty　in　lowering　ourselves　from　the　walls。〃

〃You　have　done　well　indeed；　Ralph；〃　Walter　said。　〃Let　us　make　our　way　thither　at　once。　Everyone　is　so　excited　in　the　city；　that；　as　yet；　there　will　be　but　few　guards　upon　the　wall。　The　sooner；　therefore；　that　we　attempt　to　make　our　escape　the　better。〃



CHAPTER　XIII：　THE　WHITE　FORD


They　made　their　way　without　interruption　to　the　wall。　　This　they　found；　as　they　expected；　entirely　deserted；　although；　no　doubt；　guards　had　been　posted　at　the　gates。　The　Flemings；　however；　could　have　felt　no　fear　of　an　attack　by　so　small　a　force　as　the　five　hundred　English　whom　they　knew　to　be　in　the　neighbourhood。

Walter　and　his　companion　soon　knotted　the　ropes　together　and　lowered　themselves　into　the　moat。　A　few　strokes　took　them　to　the　other　side；　and　scrambling　out；　they　made　their　way　across　the　country　to　the　spot　where　the　English　had　been　posted。　They　found　the　Earl　of　Salisbury；　who　commanded；　in　a　great　state　of　uneasiness。　No　message　had　reached　him　during　the　day。　He　had　heard　the　alarm…　bells　of　the　city　ring；　and　a　scout　who　had　gone　forward　returned　with　the　news　that　the　gates　were　closed　and　the　drawbridges　raised；　and　that　a　strong　body　of　men　manned　the　walls。

〃Your　news　is　indeed　bad；〃　he　said；　when　Walter　related　to　him　the　events　which　had　taken　place　in　the　town。　〃This　will　altogether　derange　the　king's　plans。　Now　that　his　ally　is　killed　I　fear　that　his　hopes　of　acquiring　Flanders　for　England　will　fall　to　the　ground。　It　is　a　thousand　pities　that　he　listened　to　Van　Artevelde　and　allowed　him　to　enter　Ghent　alone。　Had　his　majesty　landed；　as　he　wished；　and　made　a　progress　through　the　country；　the　prince　receiving　the　homage　of　all　the　large　towns；　we　could　then　very　well　have　summoned　Ghent　as　standing　alone　against　all　Flanders。　The　citizens　then　would；　no　doubt；　have　gladly　opened　their　gates　and　received　the　prince；　and　if　they　had　refused　we　would　have　made　short　work　of　them。　However；　as　it　has　turned　out；　it　is　as　well　that　we　did　not　enter　the　town　with　the　Fleming；　for　against　so　large　and　turbulent　a　population　we　should　have　had　but　little　chance。　And　now；　Master　Somers；　we　will　march　at　once　for　Sluys　and　bear　the　news　to　the　king；　and　you　shall　tell　me　as　we　ride　thither　how　you　and　your　man…at…arms　managed　to　escape　with　whole　skins　from　such　a　tumult。〃

The　king　was　much　grieved　when　he　heard　of　the　death　of　Artevelde；　and　held　a　council　with　his　chief　leaders。　At　first；　in　his　indignation　and　grief；　he　was　disposed　to　march　upon　Ghent　and　to　take　vengeance　for　the　murder　of　his　ally；　but　after　a　time　calmer　counsels　prevailed。

The　Flemings　were　still　in　rebellion　against　their　count；　who　was　the　friend　of　France。　Were　the　English　to　attack　Ghent　they　would　lose　the　general　goodwill　of　the　Flemings；　and　would　drive　them　into　the　arms　of　France；　while；　if　matters　were　left　alone；　the　effect　of　the　popular　outburst　which　had　caused　the　death　of　Artevelde　would　die　away；　and　motives　of　interest　and　the　fear　of　France　would　again　drive　them　into　the　arms　of　England。　The　expedition　therefore　returned　to　England；　and　there　the　king；　in　a　proclamation　to　his　people；　avoided　all　allusion　to　the　death　of　his　ally；　but　simply　stated　that　he　had　been　waited　upon　by　the　councils　of　all　the　Flemish　towns；　and　that　their　faithful　obedience　to　himself　as　legitimate　King　of　France；　was　established　upon　a　firmer　basis　than　ever。