saint george for england-第4节

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nd　hold　to　their　rights　even　against　the　king。　　The　contingent　which　the　city　sends　to　the　wars　bears　itself　as　well　as　those　of　any　of　the　barons。〃

〃See！〃　the　boy　interrupted；　〃they　are　going　to　charge　again。　Their　leader　has　himself　seized　the　flag　and　has　swung　his　shield　behind　him；　just　as　a　knight　might　do　if　leading　the　stormers　against　a　place　of　strength。　Let　us　stop　till　we　see　the　end　of　it。〃

With　a　shout　of　〃Aldgate！　Aldgate！〃　the　leader　of　the　assailants　dashed　forward；　followed　by　his　comrades；　and　with　a　rush　reached　the　top　of　the　heap。

〃Well　done！〃　the　young　prince　exclaimed；　clapping　his　hands。　〃See　how　he　lays　about　him　with　that　club　of　his。　　There；　he　has　knocked　down　the　leader　of　the　defenders　as　if　his　club　had　been　a　battle…axe。　Well　done；　young　sir；　well　done！　　But　his　followers　waver。　The　others　are　too　strong　for　them。　Stand；　you　cowards；　rally　round　your　leader！〃　and　in　his　enthusiasm　the　young　prince　urged　his　horse　forward　to　the　scene　of　conflict。

But　the　assailants　were　mastered；　few　of　them　could　gain　the　top　of　the　heap；　and　those　who　did　so　were　beaten　back　from　it　by　the　defenders。　Heavy　blows　were　exchanged；　and　blood　flowed　freely　from　many　of　their　heads　and　faces；　for　in　those　days　boys　thought　less　than　they　do　now　of　hard　knocks；　and　manliness　and　courage　were　considered　the　first　of　virtues。　Their　leader；　however；　still　stood　his　ground　on　the　crest；　though　hardly　pressed　on　all　sides；　and　used　his　club　both　to　strike　and　parry　with　a　skill　which　aroused　the　warmest　admiration　on　the　part　of　the　prince。　In　vain　his　followers　attempted　to　come　to　his　rescue；　each　time　they　struggled　up　the　heap　they　were　beaten　back　again　by　those　on　the　crest。

〃Yield　thee　prisoner；〃　the　assailants　of　their　leader　shouted；　and　the　prince　in　his　excitement　echoed　the　cry。　　The　lad；　however；　heard　or　heeded　them　not。　He　still　kept　his　flag　aloft　in　his　left　hand。　With　a　sudden　spring　he　struck　down　one　of　his　opponents；　plucked　up　their　flag　from　the　ground；　and　then　fought　his　way　back　through　his　foes　to　the　edge　of　the　battleground；　then　a　heavy　blow　struck　him　on　the　temple；　and；　still　holding　the　flags；　he　rolled　senseless　to　the　foot　of　the　heap。　The　defenders　with　shouts　of　triumph　were　rushing　down　when　the　prince　urged　his　horse　forward。

〃Cease！〃　he　said　authoritatively。　〃Enough　has　been　done；　my　young　masters；　and　the　sport　is　becoming　a　broil。〃

Hitherto　the　lads；　absorbed　in　their　strife；　had　paid　but　little　heed　to　the　party　of　onlookers；　but　at　the　word　they　at　once　arrested　their　arms；　and；　baring　their　heads；　stood　still　in　confusion。

〃No　harm　is　done；〃　the　prince　said；　〃though　your　sport　is　of　the　roughest；　but　I　fear　that　your　leader　is　hurt；　he　moves　not；　lift　his　head　from　the　ground。〃　The　boy　was　indeed　still　insensible。　〃My　lords；〃　the　prince　said　to　the　knights　who　had　now　ridden　up；　〃I　fear　that　this　boy　is　badly　hurt；　he　is　a　gallant　lad；　and　has　the　spirit　of　a　true　knight　in　him；　citizen's　son　though　he　be。　My　Lord　de　Vaux；　will　you　bid　your　squire　ride　at　full　speed　to　the　Tower　and　tell　Master　Roger；　the　leech；　to　come　here　with　all　haste；　and　to　bring　such　nostrums　as　may　be　needful　for　restoring　the　boy　to　life。〃

The　Tower　was　but　half　a　mile　distant；　but　before　Master　Roger　arrived　Walter　had　already　recovered　consciousness；　and　was　just　sitting　up　when　the　leech　hurried　up　to　the　spot。

〃You　have　arrived　too　late；　Master　Roger；〃　the　prince　said；　〃but　I　doubt　not　that　a　dose　of　cordials　may　yet　be　of　use；　for　he　is　still　dazed；　and　the　blow　he　got　would　have　cracked　his　skull　had　it　been　a　thin　one。〃

The　leech　poured　some　cordial　from　a　vial　into　a　small　silver　cup　and　held　it　to　the　boy's　lips。　It　was　potent　and　nigh　took　his　breath　away；　but　when　he　had　drunk　it　he　struggled　to　his　feet；　looking　ashamed　and　confused　when　he　saw　himself　the　centre　of　attention　of　so　many　knights　of　the　court。

〃What　is　thy　name；　good　lad？〃　the　prince　asked。

〃I　am　known　as　Walter　Fletcher。〃

〃You　are　a　brave　lad；〃　the　prince　said；　〃and　if　you　bear　you　as　well　as　a　man　as　you　did　but　now；　I　would　wish　no　better　to　ride　beside　me　in　the　day　of　battle。　　Should　the　time　ever　come　when　you　tire　of　the　peaceable　life　of　a　citizen　and　wish　to　take　service　in　the　wars；　go　to　the　Tower　and　ask　boldly　for　the　Prince　of　Wales；　and　I　will　enroll　you　among　my　own　men…at…arms；　and　I　promise　you　that　you　shall　have　your　share　of　fighting　as　stark　as　that　of　the　assault　of　yon　heap。　Now；　my　lords；　let　us　ride　on；　I　crave　your　pardon　for　having　so　long　detained　you。〃

Walter　was　some　days　before　he　could　again　cross　London　Bridge　to　inform　his　friend　Geoffrey　of　the　honour　which　had　befallen　him　of　being　addressed　by　the　Prince　of　Wales。　During　the　interval　he　was　forced　to　lie　abed；　and　he　was　soundly　rated　by　Master　Giles　for　again　getting　into　mischief。　Geoffrey　was　far　more　sympathetic；　and　said　〃Well；　Walter；　although　I　would　not　that　Gaffer　Giles　heard　me　say　so；　I　think　you　have　had　a　piece　of　rare　good　fortune。　It　may　be　that　you　may　never　have　cause　to　recall　the　young　prince's　promise　to　him；　but　should　you　some　day　decide　to　embrace　the　calling　of　arms；　you　could　wish　for　nothing　better　than　to　ride　behind　the　Prince　of　Wales。　He　is；　by　all　accounts；　of　a　most　noble　and　generous　disposition；　and　is　said；　young　as　he　is；　to　be　already　highly　skilled　in　arms。　Men　say　that　he　will　be　a　wise　king　and　a　gallant　captain；　such　a　one　as　a　brave　soldier　might　be　proud　to　follow；　and　as　the　king　will　be　sure　to　give　him　plenty　of　opportunities　of　distinguishing　himself；　those　who　ride　with　him　may　be　certain　of　a　chance　of　doing　valorous　deeds。　I　will　go　across　the　bridge　tomorrow；　and　will　have　a　talk　with　Master　Fletcher。　The　sooner　you　are　apprenticed；　the　sooner　you　will　be　out　of　your　time；　and　since　Madge　married　eight　years　since　I　have　been　lonely　in　the　house　and　shall　be　glad　to　have　you　with　me。〃

Geoffrey　Ward　found　his　friend　more　ready　to　accede　to　his　request；　that　Walter　should　be　apprenticed　to　him；　than　he　had　expected。　The　bowyer；　indeed；　was　a　quiet　man；　and　the　high　spirits　and　somewhat　turbulent　disposition　of　his　young　charge　gave　him　so　much　uneasiness；　that　he　was　not　sorry　the　responsibility　of　keeping　him　in　order　should　be　undertaken　by　Geoffrey。　Moreover；　he　could　not　but　agree　with　the　argument；　that　the　promise　of　the　Prince　of　Wales　offered　a　more　favourable　opportunity　for　Walter　to　enter　upon　the　career　of　arms　and　so；　perhaps；　someday　to　win　his　way　back　to　rank　and　honours　than　could　have　been　looked　for。　Therefore；　on　the　following　week　Walter　was　indentured　to　the　armourer；　and；　as　was　usual　at　the　time；　left　his　abode　in　Aldgate　and　took　up　his　residence　with　his　master。　He　threw　himself　with　his　whole　heart　into　the　work；　and　by　the　time　he　was　fifteen　was　on　the　way　to　become　a　skilful　craftsman。　His　frame　and　muscles　developed　with　labour；　and　he　was　now　able　to　swing　all　save　the　very　heaviest　hammers　in　the　shop。　He　had　never　abated　in　his　practice　at　arms；　and　every　day　when　work　was　over；　he　and　his　master　had　a　long　bout　together　with　cudgel　or　quarterstaff；　sword　or　axe；　Walter　of　course　used　light　weapons；　but　so　quick　was　he　with　them　that　Geoffrey　Ward　acknowledged　that　he　needed　to　put　out　all　his　skill　to　hold　his　own　with　his　pupil。　　But　it　was　not　alone　with　Geoffrey　that　Walter　had　an　opportunity　of　learning　the　use　of　arms。　Whenever　a　soldier；　returned　from　the　wars；　came　to　have　a　weapon　repaired　by　the　armourer；　he　would　be　sure　of　an　invitation　to　come　in　in　the　evening　and　take　a　stoup　of　ale；　and　tell　of　the　battles　and　sieges　he　had　gone　through；　and　in　the　course　of　the　evening　would　be　asked　to　have　a　bout　of　arms　with　the　young　apprentice；　whom　Geoffrey　represented　as　being　eager　to　learn　how　to　use　the　sword　as　well　as　how　to　make　it。

Thus　Walter　became　accustomed　to　different　styles　of　fighting；　but　found　that　very　few；　indeed；　of　their　visitors　were　nearly　so　well　skilled　with　their　arms　as　his　master。　Some　of　the　soldiers　were　mortified　at　finding　themselves　unable　to　hold　their　own　with　a　boy；　others　would　take　their　reverses　in　good　part　and　would　come　again；　bringing　with　them　some　comrade　known　to　be　particularly　skilled　with　his　weapons；　to　try　the　temper　of　the　armourer's　apprentice。　At　the　age　of　fifteen　Walter　had　won　the　prize　at　the　sports；　both　for　the　best　cudgel　play　and　the　best　sword…and…buckler　play　among　the　apprentices；　to　the　great　disgust　of　many　who　had　almost　reached　the　age　of　manhood　and　were　just　out　of　their　time。

On　Sundays　Walter　always　spent　the　day　with　Giles　Fletcher　and　his　wife；　going　to　mass　with　them　and　walking　in　the　fields；　where；　after　service；　the　citizens　much　congregated。　Since　Walter　had　gone　to　work　he　had　taken　no　part　in　the　fights　and　frolics　of　his　former　comrades；　he　was　in　fact；　far　too　tired　at　the　end　of　his　day's　work　to　have　any　desire　to　do　aught　but　to　sit　and　listen　to　the　tales　of　the　wars；　of　the　many　old　soldiers　who　pervaded　the　country。　　Some　of　these　men　were　disabled　by　wounds　or　long　service；　but　the　greater　portion　were　idle　scamps；　who　cared　not　for　the　hard　blows　and　sufferings　of　a　campaign；　liking　better　to　hang　about　taverns　drink