sir nigel-第12节

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upheld。〃

〃Brother　sacrist；〃　said　the　Abbot　angrily；　〃methinks　you　show
overmuch　zeal　in　this　case；　and　certes；　we　are　well　able　to　uphold
the　dignity　and　honor　of　the　Abbey　court　without　any　rede　of
thine。　　As　to　you；　worthy　summoner；　you　will　give　your　opinion
when　we　crave　for　it；　and　not　before；　or　you　may　yourself　get　some
touch　of　the　power　of　our　tribunal。　　But　your　case　hath　been
tried；　Squire　Loring；　and　judgment　given。　　I　have　no　more　to　say。〃

He　motioned　with　his　hand；　and　an　archer　laid　his　grip　upon　the
shoulder　of　the　prisoner。　　But　that　rough　plebeian　touch　woke
every　passion　of　revolt　in　Nigel's　spirit。　　Of　all　his　high　line
of　ancestors；　was　there　one　who　had　been　subjected　to　such
ignominy　as　this？　　Would　they　not　have　preferred　death？　　And
should　he　be　the　first　to　lower　their　spirit　or　their　traditions？
With　a　quick；　lithe　movement；　he　slipped　under　the　arm　of　the
archer；　and　plucked　the　short；　straight　sword　from　the　soldier's
side　as　he　did　so。　　The　next　instant　he　had　wedged　himself　into
the　recess　of　one　of　the　narrow　windows；　and　there　were　his　pale
set　face；　his　burning　eyes；　and　his　ready　blade　turned　upon　the
assembly。

〃By　Saint　Paul！〃　said　he；　〃I　never　thought　to　find　honorable
advancement　under　the　roof　of　an　abbey；　but　perchance　there　may；
be　some　room　for　it　ere　you　hale　me　to　your　prison。〃

The　chapter…house　was　in　an　uproar。　　Never　in　the　long　and
decorous　history　of　the　Abbey　had　such　a　scene　been　witnessed
within　its　walls。　　The　monks　themselves　seemed　for　an　instant　to
be　infected　by　this　spirit　of　daring　revolt。　　Their　own　lifelong
fetters　hung　more　loosely　as　they　viewed　this　unheard…of　defiance
of　authority。　　They　broke　from　their　seats　on　either　side　and
huddled　half…scared；　half…fascinated；　in　a　large　half…circle　round
the　defiant　captive；　chattering；　pointing；　grimacing；　a　scandal
for　all　time。　　Scourges　should　fall　and　penance　be　done　for　many　a
long　week　before　the　shadow　of　that　day　should　pass　from　Waverley。
But　meanwhile　there　was　no　effort　to　bring　them　back　to　their
rule。　　Everything　was　chaos　and　disorder。　　The　Abbot　had　left　his
seat　of　justice　and　hurried　angrily　forward；　to　be　engulfed　and
hustled　in　the　crowd　of　his　own　monks　like　a　sheep…dog　who　finds
himself　entangled　amid　a　flock。

Only　the　sacrist　stood　clear。　　He　had　taken　shelter　behind　the
half…dozen　archers；　who　looked　with　some　approval　and　a　good　deal
of　indecision　at　this　bold　fugitive　from　justice。

〃On　him！〃　cried　the　sacrist。　　〃Shall　he　defy　the　authority　of　the
court；　or　shall　one　man　hold　six　of　you　at　bay？　　Close　in　upon　him
and　seize　him。　　You；　Baddlesmere；　why　do　you　hold　back？〃

The　man　in　question；　a　tall　bushy…bearded　fellow；　clad　like　the
others　in　green　jerkin　and　breeches　with　high　brown　boots；
advanced　slowly；　sword　in　hand；　against　Nigel。　　His　heart　was　not
in　the　business；　for　these　clerical　courts　were　not　popular；　and
everyone　had　a　tender　heart　for　the　fallen　fortunes　of　the　house
of　Loring　and　wished　well　to　its　young　heir。

〃Come；　young　sir；　you　have　caused　scathe　enough；〃　said　he。　　〃Stand
forth　and　give　yourself　up！〃

〃Come　and　fetch　me；　good　fellow；〃　said　Nigel；　with　a　dangerous
smile。

The　archer　ran　in。　　There　was　a　rasp　of　steel；　a　blade　flickered
like　a　swift　dart　of　flame；　and　the　man　staggered　back；　with　blood
running　down　his　forearm　and　dripping　from　his　fingers。　　He　wrung
them　and　growled　a　Saxon　oath。

〃By　the　black　rood　of　Bromeholm！〃　he　cried；　〃I　had　as　soon　put　my
hand　down　a　fox's　earth　to　drag　up　a　vixen　from　her　cubs。〃

〃Standoff！〃　said　Nigel　curtly。　　〃I　would　not　hurt　you；　but　by
Saint　Paul！　　I　will　not　be　handled；　or　some　one　will　be　hurt　in
the　handling。〃

So　fierce　was　his　eye　and　so　menacing　his　blade　as　he　crouched　in
the　narrow　bay　of　the　window　that　the　little　knot　of　archers　were
at　a　loss　what　to　do。　　The　Abbot　had　forced　his　way　through　the
crowd　and　stood；　purple　with　outraged　dignity；　at　their　side。

〃He　is　outside　the　law；〃　said　he。　　〃He　hath　shed　blood　in　a　court
of　justice；　and　for　such　a　sin　there　is　no　forgiveness。　　I　will
not　have　my　court　so　flouted　and　set　at　naught。　　He　who　draws　the
sword；　by　the　sword　also　let　him　perish。　　Forester　Hugh　lay　a
shaft　to　your　bow！〃

The　man；　who　was　one　of　the　Abbey's　lay　servants；　put　his　weight
upon　his　long　bow　and　slipped　the　loose　end　of　the　string　into　the
upper　notch。　　Then；　drawing　one　of　the　terrible　three…foot　arrows；
steel…tipped　and　gaudily　winged；　from　his　waist；　he　laid　it　to　the
string。

〃Now　draw　your　bow　and　hold　it　ready！〃　cried　the　furious　Abbot。
〃Squire　Nigel；　it　is　not　for　Holy　Church　to　shed　blood；　but　there
is　naught　but　violence　which　will　prevail　against　the　violent；　and
on　your　head　be　the　sin。　　Cast　down　the　sword　which　you　hold　in
your　hand！〃

〃Will　you　give　me　freedom　to　leave　your　Abbey？〃

〃When　you　have　abided　your　sentence　and　purged　your　sin。〃

〃Then　I　had　rather　die　where　I　stand　than　give　up　my　sword。〃

A　dangerous　flame　lit　in　the　Abbot's　eyes。　　He　came　of　a　fighting
Norman　stock；　like　so　many　of　those　fierce　prelates　who；　bearing　a
mace　lest　they　should　be　guilty　of　effusion　of　blood；　led　their
troops　into　battle；　ever　remembering　that　it　was　one　of　their　own
cloth　and　dignity　who；　crosier　in　hand；　had　turned　the　long…drawn
bloody　day　of　Hastings。　　The　soft　accent　of　the　churchman　was　gone
and　it　was　the　hard　voice　of　a　soldier　which　said　…

〃One　minute　I　give　you；　and　no　more。　　Then　when　I　cry　'Loose！'
drive　me　an　arrow　through　his　body。〃

The　shaft　was　fitted；　the　bow　was　bent；　and　the　stern　eyes　of　the
woodman　were　fixed　on　his　mark。　　Slowly　the　minute　passed；　while
Nigel　breathed　a　prayer　to　his　three　soldier　saints；　not　that　they
should　save　his　body　in　this　life；　but　that　they　should　have　a
kindly　care　for　his　soul　in　the　next。　　Some　thought　of　a　fierce
wildcat　sally　crossed　his　mind；　but　once　out　of　his　corner　he　was
lost　indeed。　　Yet　at　the　last　he　would　have　rushed　among　his
enemies；　and　his　body　was　bent　for　the　spring；　when　with　a　deep
sonorous　hum；　like　a　breaking　harp…string；　the　cord　of　the　bow　was
cloven　in　twain；　and　the　arrow　tinkled　upon　the　tiled　floor。　　At
the　same　moment　a　young　curly…headed　bowman；　whose　broad　shoulders
and　deep　chest　told　of　immense　strength；　as　clearly　as　his　frank；
laughing　face　and　honest　hazel　eyes　did　of　good　humor　and　courage；
sprang　forward　sword　in　hand　and　took　his　place　by　Nigel's　side。

〃Nay；　comrades！〃　said　he。　　〃Samkin　Aylward　cannot　stand　by　and　see
a　gallant　man　shot　down　like　a　bull　at　the　end　of　a　baiting。　　Five
against　one　is　long　odds；　but　two　against　four　is　better；　and　by
my　finger…bones！　　Squire　Nigel　and　I　leave　this　room　together；　be
it　on　our　feet　or　no。〃

The　formidable　appearance　of　this　ally　and　his　high　reputation
among　his　fellows　gave　a　further　chill　to　the　lukewarm　ardor　of
the　attack。　　Aylward's　left　arm　was　passed　through　his　strung　bow；
and　he　was　known　from　Woolmer　Forest　to　the　Weald　as　the　quickest；
surest　archer　that　ever　dropped　a　running　deer　at　tenscore　paces。

〃Nay；　Baddlesmere；　hold　your　fingers　from　your　string…case；　or　I
may　chance　to　give　your　drawing　hand　a　two　months'　rest；〃　said
Aylward。　　〃Swords；　if　you　will；　comrades；　but　no　man　strings　his
bow　till　I　have　loosed　mine。〃

Yet　the　angry　hearts　of　both　Abbot　and　sacrist　rose　higher　with　a
fresh　obstacle。

〃This　is　an　ill　day　for　your　father；　Franklin　Aylward；　who　holds
the　tenancy　of　Crooksbury；〃　said　the　sacrist。　　〃He　will　rue　it
that　ever　he　begot　a　son　who　will　lose　him　his　acres　and　his
steading。〃

〃My　father　is　a　bold　yeoman；　and　would　rue　it　evermore　that　ever
his　son　should　stand　by　while　foul　work　was　afoot；〃　said　Aylward
stoutly。　　〃Fall　on；　comrades！　　We　are　waiting。〃

Encouraged　by　promises　of　reward　if　they　should　fall　in　the
service　of　the　Abbey；　and　by　threats　of　penalties　if　they　should
hold　back；　the　four　archers　were　about　to　close；　when　a　singular
interruption　gave　an　entirely　new　turn　to　the　proceedings。

At　the　door　of　the　chapter…house；　while　these　fiery　doings　had
been　afoot；　there　had　assembled　a　mixed　crowd　of　lay　brothers；
servants　and　varlets　who　had　watched　the　development　of　the　drama
with　the　interest　and　delight　with　which　men　hail　a　sudden　break
in　a　dull　routine。　　Suddenly　there　was　an　agitation　at　the　back　of
this　group；　then　a　swirl　in　the　center；　and　finally　the　front　rank
was　violently　thrust　aside；　and　through　the　gap　there　emerged　a
strange　and　whimsical　figure；　who　from　the　instant　of　his
appearance　dominated　both　chapter…house　and　Abbey；　monks；　prelates
and　archers；　as　if　he　were　their　owner　and　their　master。

He　was　a　man　somewhat　above　middle　age；　with　thin　lemon…colored
hair；　a　curling　mustache；　a　tufted　chin　of　the　same　hue；　and　a
high　craggy　face；　all　running　to　a　great　hook　of　the　nose；　like
the　beak　of　an　eagle。　　His　skin　was　tanned　a　brown…red　by　much
exposure　to　the　wind　and　sun。　　In　height　he　was　tall；　and　his
figure　was　thin　and　loose…jointed；　but　stringy　and　hard…bitten。
One　eye　was　entirely　covered　by　its　lid；　which　lay　flat　over　an
empty　socket；　but　the　other　danced　and　sparkled　with　a　most
roguish　light；　darting　here　and