the path of the king-第6节

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　from　the　south。　He　was　creeping　round　in　the　darkness　by　the　walls；　and　had　in　his　hands　a　knife。　No　mailed　hauberk　protected　the　interloper's　back　and　there　was　a　space　there　for　steel　to　quiver　between　his　shoulder　blades。

The　newcomer　did　not　see；　but　the　eyes　of　the　wounded　man　seemed　to　have　been　cleared　by　the　scuffle。　He　was　now　free；　and　from　the　floor　he　snatched　the　round　shield　which　the　ex…priest　had　carried；　and　hurled　it　straight　at　the　creeping　miscreant。　It　was　a　heavy　oaken　thing　with　rim　and　boss　of　iron；　and　it　caught　him　fairly　above　the　ear；　so　that　he　dropped　like　a　poled　ox。　The　stranger　turned　his　head　to　see　what　was　happening。　〃A　lucky　shot；　friend；〃　he　cried。　〃I　thank　you。〃　And　he　addressed　himself　to　the　two　pitiful　bandits　who　remained。

But　their　eyes　were　looking　beyond　him　to　the　door；　and　their　jaws　had　dropped　in　terror。　For　from　outside　came　the　sound　of　horses'　hooves　and　bridles；　and　two　riders　had　dismounted　and　were　peering　into　the　hut。　The　first　was　a　very　mountain　of　a　man；　whose　conical　helmet　surmounted　a　vast　pale　face；　on　which　blond　moustaches　hung　like　the　teeth　of　a　walrus。　The　said　helmet　was　grievously　battered；　and　the　nose…piece　was　awry　as　if　from　some　fierce　blow；　but　there　was　no　scar　on　the　skin。　His　long　hauberk　was　wrought　in　scales　of　steel　and　silver；　and　the　fillets　which　bound　his　great　legs　were　of　fine　red　leather。　Behind　him　came　a　grizzled　squire；　bearing　a　kite…shaped　shield　painted　with　the　cognisance　of　a　dove。

〃What　have　we　here？〃　said　the　knight　in　a　reedy　voice　like　a　boy's。　His　pale　eyes　contemplated　the　figuresthe　wounded　man；　now　faint　again　with　pain　and　half…fallen　on　the　litter　of　branches；　his　deliverer；　tall　and　grim；　but　with　laughing　face；　the　two　murderers　cringing　in　their　fear；　in　a　corner　the　huddled　body　of　the　man　from　the　south　half　hidden　by　the　shield。　〃Speak；　fellow；〃　and　he　addressed　the　soldier。　〃What　work　has　been　toward？　Have　you　not　had　your　bellyfull　of　battles　that　you　must　scrabble　like　rats　in　this　hovel？　What　are　you　called；　and　whence　come　you？〃

The　soldier　lifted　his　brow；　looked　his　questioner　full　in　the　face；　and；　as　if　liking　what　he　found　there；　bowed　his　head　in　respect。　The　huge　man　had　the　air　of　one　to　be　obeyed。

〃I　am　of　the　Duke's　army；〃　he　said；　〃and　was　sent　on　to　reconnoitre　the　forest　roads　I　stumbled　on　this　hut　and　found　four　men　about　to　slay　a　wounded　English。　One　lies　outside　where　I　flung　him；　another　is　there　with　a　cracked　skull；　and　you　have　before　you　the　remnant。〃

The　knight　seemed　to　consider。　〃And　why　should　a　soldier　of　the　Duke's　be　so　careful　of　English　lives？〃　he　asked。

〃I　would　help　my　lord　Duke　to　conquer　this　land；〃　was　the　answer。　〃We　have　broken　their　army　and　the　way　is　straight　before　us。　We　shall　have　to　fight　other　armies；　but　we　cannot　be　fighting　all　our　days；　and　we　do　not　conquer　England　till　England　accepts　us。　I　have　heard　enough　of　that　stubborn　people　to　know　that　the　way　to　win　them　is　not　by　murder。　At　fair　fight；　and　then　honest　dealing　and　mercy；　say　I。〃

The　knight　laughed。　〃A　Solomon　in　judgment；〃　he　cried。　〃But　who　are　you　that　bear　a　sword　and　wear　gold　on　your　finger？〃

The　old　squire　broke　in。　〃My　lord　Count；　I　know　the　man。　He　is　a　hunter　of　the　Lord　Odo's；　and　has　a　name　for　valour。　He　wrought　mightily　this　morning　on　the　hill。　They　call　him　Jehan　the　Hunter；　and　sometimes　Jehan　the　Outborn；　for　no　man　knows　his　comings。　There　is　a　rumour　that　he　is　of　high　blood；　and　truly　in　battle　he　bears　himself　like　a　prince。　The　monks　loved　him　not；　but　the　Lord　Odo　favoured　him。〃

The　knight　looked　steadily　for　the　space　of　a　moment　at　the　tall　soldier；　and　his　light　eyes　seemed　to　read　deep。　〃Are　you　that　man；〃　he　asked　at　last；　and　got　the　reply：　〃I　am　Jehan　the　Hunter。〃

〃Bid　my　fellows　attend　to　yon　scum；〃　he　told　his　squire。　〃The　camp　marshal　will　have　fruit　for　his　gallows。　The　sweepings　of　all　Europe　have　drifted　with　us　to　England；　and　it　is　our　business　to　make　bonfire　of　them　before　they　breed　a　plague。。。。　See　to　the　wounded　man；　likewise。　He　may　be　one　of　the　stout　house…carles　who　fought　with　Harold　at　Stamford；　and　to　meet　us　raced　like　a　gale　through　the　length　of　England。　By　the　Mount　of　the　Archangel；　I　would　fain　win　such　mettle　to　our　cause。〃

Presently　the　hut　was　empty　save　for　the　two　soldiers；　who　faced　each　other　while　the　lantern　flickered　to　its　end　on　the　rafters。

〃The　good　Odo　is　dead；〃　said　the　knight。　〃An　arrow　in　the　left　eye　has　bereft　our　Duke　of　a　noble　ally　and　increased　the　blessedness　of　the　City　of　Paradise。　You　are　masterless　now。　Will　you　ride　with　me　on　my　service；　you　Jehan　the　Hunter？　It　would　appear　that　we　are　alike　in　our　ways　of　thinking。　They　call　me　the　Dove　from　the　shield　I　bear；　and　a　dove　I　seek　to　be　in　the　winning　of　England。　The　hawk's　task　is　over　when　the　battle　is　won；　and　he　who　has　but　the　sword　for　weapon　is　no　hawk；　but　carrion…crow。　We　have　to　set　our　Duke　on　the　throne；　but　that　is　but　the　first　step。　There　are　more　battles　before　us；　and　when　they　are　ended　begins　the　slow　task　of　the　conquest　of　English　hearts。　How　say　you；　Jehan？　Will　you　ride　north　with　me　on　this　errand；　and　out　of　the　lands　which　are　granted　me　to　govern　have　a　corner　on　which　to　practise　your　creed？〃

So　it　befell　that　Jehan　the　Hunter；　sometimes　called　Jehan　the　Outborn；　joined　the　company　of　Ivo　of　Dives；　and　followed　him　when　Duke　William　swept　northward　laughing　his　gross　jolly　laughter　and　swearing　terribly　by　the　splendour　of　God。

Part　2

Two　years　later　in　the　same　month　of　the　year　Jehan　rode　east　out　of　Ivo's　new　castle　of　Belvoir　to　visit　the　manor　of　which；　by　the　grace　of　God　and　the　King　and　the　favour　of　the　Count　of　Dives；　he　was　now　the　lord。　By　the　Dove's　side　he　had　been　north　to　Durham　and　west　to　the　Welsh　marches；　rather　on　falcon's　than　on　dove's　errands；　for　Ivo　held　that　the　crooning　of　peace　notes　came　best　after　hard　blows。　But　at　his　worst　he　was　hawk　and　not　crow；　and　malice　did　not　follow　his　steps。　The　men　he　beat　had　a　rude　respect　for　one　who　was　just　and　patient　in　victory；　and　whose　laughter　did　not　spare　himself。　Like　master　like　man；　and　Jehan　was　presently　so　sealed　of　Ivo's　brotherhood　that　in　the　tales　of　the　time　the　two　names　were　rarely　separate。　The　jealous；　swift　to　deprecate　good　fortune；　spared　the　Outborn；　for　it　was　observed　that　he　stood　aside　while　others　scrambled　for　gain。　Also；　though　no　man　knew　his　birth；　he　bore　himself　with　the　pride　of　a　king。

When　Ivo's　raw　stone　towers　faded　in　the　blue　distance；　the　road　led　from　shaggy　uplands　into　a　forested　plain；　with　knolls　at　intervals　which　gave　the　traveller　a　prospect　of　sullen　levels　up　to　the　fringe　of　the　fens　and　the　line　of　the　sea。　Six　men…at…arms　jolted　at　his　back　on　little　country…red　horses；　for　Jehan　did　his　tasks　with　few　helpers；　and　they　rode　well　in　the　rear；　for　he　loved　to　be　alone。　The　weather　was　all　October　gleams　and　glooms；　now　the　sunshine　of　April；　now　the　purple　depths　of　a　thunderstorm。　There　was　no　rain　in　the　air；　but　an　infinity　of　mist；　which　moved　in　fantastic　shapes；　rolling　close　about　the　cavalcade；　so　that　the　very　road　edge　was　obscured；　now　dissolving　into　clear　light；　now　opening　up　corridors　at　the　end　of　which　some　landmark　appeared　at　an　immeasurable　distance。　In　that　fantastic　afternoon　the　solid　earth　seemed　to　be　dissolving；　and　Jehan's　thoughts　as　he　journeyed　ranged　like　the　mists。

He　told　himself　that　he　had　discovered　his　country。　He；　the　Outborn；　had　come　home；　the　landless　had　found　his　settlement。　He　loved　every　acre　of　this　strange　Englandits　changing　skies；　the　soft　pastures　in　the　valleys；　the　copses　that　clung　like　moss　to　the　hills；　the　wide　moorland　that　lay　quiet　as　a　grave　from　mountain　to　mountain。　But　this　day　something　new　had　been　joined　to　his　affection。　The　air　that　met　him　from　the　east　had　that　in　it　which　stirred　some　antique　memory。　There　was　brine　in　it　from　the　unruly　eastern　sea；　and　the　sourness　of　marsh　water；　and　the　sweetness　of　marsh　herbage。　As　the　forest　thinned　into　scrub　again　it　came　stronger　and　fresher；　and　he　found　himself　sniffing　it　like　a　hungry　man　at　the　approach　of　food。　〃If　my　manor　of　Highstead　is　like　this；〃　he　told　himself；　〃I　think　I　will　lay　my　bones　there。〃

At　a　turn　of　the　road　where　two　grassy　tracks　forked；　he　passed　a　graven　stone　now　chipped　and　moss…grown；　set　on　noble　eminence　among　reddening　thorns。　It　was　an　altar　to　the　old　gods　of　the　land；　there　had　been　another　such　in　the　forest　of　his　childhood。　The　priest　had　told　him　it　was　the　shrine　of　the　Lord　Apollo　and　forbade　him　on　the　pain　of　a　mighty　cursing　to　do　reverence　to　it。　Nevertheless　he　had　been　wont　to　doff　his　cap　when　he　passed　it；　for　he　respected　a　god　that　lived　in　the　woods　instead　of　a　clammy　church。　Now　the　sight　of　the　ancient　thing　seemed　an　omen。　It　linked　up　the　past　and　the　present。　He　waved　a　greeting　to　it。　〃Hail；　old　friend；〃　he　said。　〃Bid　your　master　be　with　me；　whoever　he　be；　for　I　go　to　find　a　home。〃

One　of　his　fellows　rode　up　to　his　side。　〃We　are　within　a　mile　of　Highstead；〃　he　told　him。　〃Better　go　warily；　for　the　King's　law　runs　limpingly　in　the　fanlands。　I　counsel　that　a　picket　be　sent　forward　to　report　if