prologue-第1节

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THE　BLACK　ARROW　…　A　TALE　OF　THE　TWO　ROSES





PROLOGUE　…　JOHN　AMEND…ALL







On　a　certain　afternoon；　in　the　late　springtime；　the　bell　upon

Tunstall　Moat　House　was　heard　ringing　at　an　unaccustomed　hour。　　Far

and　near；　in　the　forest　and　in　the　fields　along　the　river；　people

began　to　desert　their　labours　and　hurry　towards　the　sound；　and　in

Tunstall　hamlet　a　group　of　poor　country…folk　stood　wondering　at　the

summons。



Tunstall　hamlet　at　that　period；　in　the　reign　of　old　King　Henry　VI。；

wore　much　the　same　appearance　as　it　wears　to…day。　　A　score　or　so　of

houses；　heavily　framed　with　oak；　stood　scattered　in　a　long　green

valley　ascending　from　the　river。　　At　the　foot；　the　road　crossed　a

bridge；　and　mounting　on　the　other　side；　disappeared　into　the

fringes　of　the　forest　on　its　way　to　the　Moat　House；　and　further

forth　to　Holywood　Abbey。　　Half…way　up　the　village；　the　church　stood

among　yews。　　On　every　side　the　slopes　were　crowned　and　the　view

bounded　by　the　green　elms　and　greening　oak…trees　of　the　forest。



Hard　by　the　bridge；　there　was　a　stone　cross　upon　a　knoll；　and　here

the　group　had　collected　…　half　a　dozen　women　and　one　tall　fellow　in

a　russet　smock　…　discussing　what　the　bell　betided。　　An　express　had

gone　through　the　hamlet　half　an　hour　before；　and　drunk　a　pot　of　ale

in　the　saddle；　not　daring　to　dismount　for　the　hurry　of　his　errand；

but　he　had　been　ignorant　himself　of　what　was　forward；　and　only　bore

sealed　letters　from　Sir　Daniel　Brackley　to　Sir　Oliver　Oates；　the

parson；　who　kept　the　Moat　House　in　the　master's　absence。



But　now　there　was　the　noise　of　a　horse；　and　soon；　out　of　the　edge

of　the　wood　and　over　the　echoing　bridge；　there　rode　up　young　Master

Richard　Shelton；　Sir　Daniel's　ward。　　He；　at　the　least；　would　know；

and　they　hailed　him　and　begged　him　to　explain。　　He　drew　bridle

willingly　enough　…　a　young　fellow　not　yet　eighteen；　sun…browned　and

grey…eyed；　in　a　jacket　of　deer's　leather；　with　a　black　velvet

collar；　a　green　hood　upon　his　head；　and　a　steel　cross…bow　at　his

back。　　The　express；　it　appeared；　had　brought　great　news。　　A　battle

was　impending。　　Sir　Daniel　had　sent　for　every　man　that　could　draw　a

bow　or　carry　a　bill　to　go　post…haste　to　Kettley；　under　pain　of　his

severe　displeasure；　but　for　whom　they　were　to　fight；　or　of　where

the　battle　was　expected；　Dick　knew　nothing。　　Sir　Oliver　would　come

shortly　himself；　and　Bennet　Hatch　was　arming　at　that　moment；　for　he

it　was　who　should　lead　the　party。



〃It　is　the　ruin　of　this　kind　land；〃　a　woman　said。　　〃If　the　barons

live　at　war；　ploughfolk　must　eat　roots。〃



〃Nay；〃　said　Dick；　〃every　man　that　follows　shall　have　sixpence　a

day；　and　archers　twelve。〃



〃If　they　live；〃　returned　the　woman；　〃that　may　very　well　be；　but　how

if　they　die；　my　master？〃



〃They　cannot　better　die　than　for　their　natural　lord；〃　said　Dick。



〃No　natural　lord　of　mine；〃　said　the　man　in　the　smock。　　〃I　followed

the　Walsinghams；　so　we　all　did　down　Brierly　way；　till　two　years

ago；　come　Candlemas。　　And　now　I　must　side　with　Brackley！　　It　was

the　law　that　did　it；　call　ye　that　natural？　　But　now；　what　with　Sir

Daniel　and　what　with　Sir　Oliver　…　that　knows　more　of　law　than

honesty　…　I　have　no　natural　lord　but　poor　King　Harry　the　Sixt；　God

bless　him！　…　the　poor　innocent　that　cannot　tell　his　right　hand　from

his　left。〃



〃Ye　speak　with　an　ill　tongue；　friend；〃　answered　Dick；　〃to　miscall

your　good　master　and　my　lord　the　king　in　the　same　libel。　　But　King

Harry　…　praised　be　the　saints！　…　has　come　again　into　his　right

mind；　and　will　have　all　things　peaceably　ordained。　　And　as　for　Sir

Daniel；　y'　are　very　brave　behind　his　back。　　But　I　will　be　no　tale…

bearer；　and　let　that　suffice。〃



〃I　say　no　harm　of　you；　Master　Richard；〃　returned　the　peasant。　　〃Y'

are　a　lad；　but　when　ye　come　to　a　man's　inches；　ye　will　find　ye　have

an　empty　pocket。　　I　say　no　more：　　the　saints　help　Sir　Daniel's

neighbours；　and　the　Blessed　Maid　protect　his　wards！〃



〃Clipsby；〃　said　Richard；　〃you　speak　what　I　cannot　hear　with　honour。

Sir　Daniel　is　my　good　master；　and　my　guardian。〃



〃Come；　now；　will　ye　read　me　a　riddle？〃　returned　Clipsby。　　〃On　whose

side　is　Sir　Daniel？〃



〃I　know　not；〃　said　Dick；　colouring　a　little；　for　his　guardian　had

changed　sides　continually　in　the　troubles　of　that　period；　and　every

change　had　brought　him　some　increase　of　fortune。



〃Ay；〃　returned　Clipsby；　〃you；　nor　no　man。　　For；　indeed；　he　is　one

that　goes　to　bed　Lancaster　and　gets　up　York。〃



Just　then　the　bridge　rang　under　horse…shoe　iron；　and　the　party

turned　and　saw　Bennet　Hatch　come　galloping　…　a　brown…faced；

grizzled　fellow；　heavy　of　hand　and　grim　of　mien；　armed　with　sword

and　spear；　a　steel　salet　on　his　head；　a　leather　jack　upon　his　body。

He　was　a　great　man　in　these　parts；　Sir　Daniel's　right　hand　in　peace

and　war；　and　at　that　time；　by　his　master's　interest；　bailiff　of　the

hundred。



〃Clipsby；〃　he　shouted；　〃off　to　the　Moat　House；　and　send　all　other

laggards　the　same　gate。　　Bowyer　will　give　you　jack　and　salet。　　We

must　ride　before　curfew。　　Look　to　it：　　he　that　is　last　at　the　lych…

gate　Sir　Daniel　shall　reward。　　Look　to　it　right　well！　　I　know　you

for　a　man　of　naught。　　Nance；〃　he　added；　to　one　of　the　women；　〃is

old　Appleyard　up　town？〃



〃I'll　warrant　you；〃　replied　the　woman。　　〃In　his　field；　for　sure。〃



So　the　group　dispersed；　and　while　Clipsby　walked　leisurely　over　the

bridge；　Bennet　and　young　Shelton　rode　up　the　road　together；　through

the　village　and　past　the　church。



〃Ye　will　see　the　old　shrew；〃　said　Bennet。　　〃He　will　waste　more　time

grumbling　and　prating　of　Harry　the　Fift　than　would　serve　a　man　to

shoe　a　horse。　　And　all　because　he　has　been　to　the　French　wars！〃



The　house　to　which　they　were　bound　was　the　last　in　the　village；

standing　alone　among　lilacs；　and　beyond　it；　on　three　sides；　there

was　open　meadow　rising　towards　the　borders　of　the　wood。



Hatch　dismounted；　threw　his　rein　over　the　fence；　and　walked　down

the　field；　Dick　keeping　close　at　his　elbow；　to　where　the　old

soldier　was　digging；　knee…deep　in　his　cabbages；　and　now　and　again；

in　a　cracked　voice；　singing　a　snatch　of　song。　　He　was　all　dressed

in　leather；　only　his　hood　and　tippet　were　of　black　frieze；　and　tied

with　scarlet；　his　face　was　like　a　walnut…shell；　both　for　colour　and

wrinkles；　but　his　old　grey　eye　was　still　clear　enough；　and　his

sight　unabated。　　Perhaps　he　was　deaf；　perhaps　he　thought　it

unworthy　of　an　old　archer　of　Agincourt　to　pay　any　heed　to　such

disturbances；　but　neither　the　surly　notes　of　the　alarm　bell；　nor

the　near　approach　of　Bennet　and　the　lad；　appeared　at　all　to　move

him；　and　he　continued　obstinately　digging；　and　piped　up；　very　thin

and　shaky：





〃Now；　dear　lady；　if　thy　will　be；

I　pray　you　that　you　will　rue　on　me。〃





〃Nick　Appleyard；〃　said　Hatch；　〃Sir　Oliver　commends　him　to　you；　and

bids　that　ye　shall　come　within　this　hour　to　the　Moat　House；　there

to　take　command。〃



The　old　fellow　looked　up。



〃Save　you；　my　masters！〃　he　said；　grinning。　　〃And　where　goeth　Master

Hatch？〃



〃Master　Hatch　is　off　to　Kettley；　with　every　man　that　we　can　horse；〃

returned　Bennet。　　〃There　is　a　fight　toward；　it　seems；　and　my　lord

stays　a　reinforcement。〃



〃Ay；　verily；〃　returned　Appleyard。　　〃And　what　will　ye　leave　me　to

garrison　withal？〃



〃I　leave　you　six　good　men；　and　Sir　Oliver　to　boot；〃　answered　Hatch。



〃It'll　not　hold　the　place；〃　said　Appleyard；　〃the　number　sufficeth

not。　　It　would　take　two　score　to　make　it　good。〃



〃Why；　it's　for　that　we　came　to　you；　old　shrew！〃　replied　the　other。

〃Who　else　is　there　but　you　that　could　do　aught　in　such　a　house　with

such　a　garrison？〃



〃Ay！　when　the　pinch　comes；　ye　remember　the　old　shoe；〃　returned

Nick。　　〃There　is　not　a　man　of　you　can　back　a　horse　or　hold　a　bill；

and　as　for　archery　…　St。　Michael！　if　old　Harry　the　Fift　were　back

again；　he　would　stand　and　let　ye　shoot　at　him　for　a　farthen　a

shoot！〃



〃Nay；　Nick；　there's　some　can　draw　a　good　bow　yet；〃　said　Bennet。



〃Draw　a　good　bow！〃　cried　Appleyard。　　〃Yes！　　But　who'll　shoot　me　a

good　shoot？　　It's　there　the　eye　comes　in；　and　the　head　between　your

shoulders。　　Now；　what　might　you　call　a　long　shoot；　Bennet　Hatch？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Bennet；　looking　about　him；　〃it　would　be　a　long　shoot

from　here　into　the　forest。〃



〃Ay；　it　would　be　a　longish　shoot；〃　said　the　old　fellow；　turning　to

look　over　his　shoulder；　and　then　he　put　up　his　hand　over　his　eyes；

and　stood　staring。



〃Why；　what　are　you　looking　at？〃　asked　Bennet；　with　a　chuckle。　　〃Do；

you　see　Harry　the　Fift？〃



The　veteran　continued　looking　up　the　hill　in　silence。　　The　sun

shone　broadly　over　the　shelving　meadows；　a　few　white　sheep　wandered

browsing；　all　was　still　but　the　distant　jangle　of　the　bell。



〃What　is　it；　Appleyard？〃　asked　Dick。



〃Why；　the　birds；〃　said　Appleyard。



And；　sure　enough；　over　the　top　of　the　forest；　where　it　ran　down　in

a　tongue　among　the　meadows；　and　ended　in　a　pair　of　g