sir nigel-第14节

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if　you　have　by　chance　a　place　for　such　a　man。　　I　have　seen　your
following；　and　I　doubt　not　that　they　were　stout　fellows　in　your
grandfather's　time；　but　which　of　them　now　would　draw　a　bow…string
to　his　ear？　　Through　you　I　have　left　the　service　of　the　Abbey　of
Waverley；　and　where　can　I　look　now　for　a　post？　　If　I　stay　here　I
am　all　undone　like　a　fretted　bow…string。〃

〃Nay；　there　can　be　no　difficulty　there；〃　said　Chandos。　　〃Padieu！
a　roistering；　swaggering　dare…devil　archer　is　worth　his　price　on
the　French　border。　　There　are　two　hundred　such　who　march　behind　my
own　person；　and　I　would　ask　nothing　better　than　to　see　you　among
them。〃

〃I　thank　you；　noble　sir；　for　your　offer；〃　said　Aylward；　〃　and　I
had　rather　follow　your　banner　than　many　another　one；　for　it　is
well　known　that　it　goes　ever　forward；　and　I　have　heard　enough　of
the　wars　to　know　that　there　are　small　pickings　for　the　man　who
lags　behind。　　Yet；　if　the　Squire　will　have　me；　I　would　choose　to
fight　under　the　five　roses　of　Loring；　for　though　I　was　born　in　the
hundred　of　Easebourne　and　the　rape　of　Chichester；　yet　I　have　grown
up　and　learned　to　use　the　longbow　in　these　parts；　and　as　the　free
son　of　a　free　franklin　I　had　rather　serve　my　own　neighbor　than　a
stranger。〃

〃My　good　fellow；〃　said　Nigel；　〃I　have　told　you　that　I　could　in　no
wise　reward　you　for　such　service。〃

〃If　you　will　but　take　me　to　the　wars　I　will　see　to　my　own　reward；〃
said　Aylward。　　〃Till　then　I　ask　for　none；　save　a　corner　of　your
table　and　six　feet　of　your　floor；　for　it　is　certain　that　the　only
reward　I　would　get　from　the　Abbey　for　this　day's　work　would　be　the
scourge　for　my　back　and　the　stocks　for　my　ankles。　　Samkin　Aylward
is　your　man；　Squire　Nigel；　from　this　hour　on；　and　by　these　ten
finger…bones　he　trusts　the　Devil　will　fly　away　with　him　if　ever　he
gives　you　cause　to　regret　it！〃　　So　saying　he　raised　his　hand　to
his　steel　cap　in　salute；　slung　his　great　yellow　bow　over　his　back；
and　followed　on　some　paces　in　the　rear　of　his　new　master。

〃Pardieu！　　I　have　arrived　a　la　bonne　heure；〃　said　Chandos。　　〃I
rode　from　Windsor　and　came　to　your　manor　house；　to　find　it　empty
save　for　a　fine　old　dame；　who　old　me　of　your　troubles。　　From　her　I
walked　across　to　the　Abbey；　and　none　too　soon；　for　what　with
cloth…yard　shafts　for　your　body；　and　bell；　book　and　candle　for
your　soul；　it　was　no　very　cheerful　outlook。　　But　here　is　the　very
dame　herself；　if　I　mistake　not。〃

It　was　indeed　the　formidable　figure　of　the　Lady　Ermyntrude；　gaunt；
bowed　and　leaning　on　her　staff；　which　had　emerged　from　the　door　of
the　manor…house　and　advanced　to　greet　them。　　She　croaked　with
laughter；　and　shook　her　stick　at　the　great　building　as　she　heard
of　the　discomfiture　of　the　Abbey　court。　　Then　she　led　the　way　into
the　hall　where　the　best　which　she　could　provide　had　been　laid　out
for　their　illustrious　guest。　　There　was　Chandos　blood　in　her　own
veins；　traceable　back　through　the　de　Greys；　de　Multons；　de
Valences；　de　Montagues　and　other　high　and　noble　strains；　so　that
the　meal　had　been　eaten　and　cleared　before　she　had　done　tracing
the　network　of　intermarriages　and　connections；　with　quarterings；
impalements；　lozenges　and　augmentations　by　which　the　blazonry　of
the　two　families　might　be　made　to　show　a　common　origin。　　Back　to
the　Conquest　and　before　it　there　was　not　a　noble　family…tree　every
twig　and　bud　of　which　was　not　familiar　to　the　Dame　Ermyntrude。

And　now　when　the　trestles　were　cleared　and　the　three　were　left
alone　in　the　hall；　Chandos　broke　his　message　to　the　lady。　　〃King
Edward　hath　ever　borne　in　mind　that　noble　knight　your　son　Sir
Eustace；〃　said　he。　　〃He　will　journey　to　Southampton　next　week；　and
I　am　his　harbinger。　　He　bade　me　say；　noble　and　honored　lady；　that
he　would　come　from　Guildford　in　any　easy　stage　so　that　he　might
spend　one　night　under　your　roof。〃

The　old　dame　flushed　with　pleasure；　and　then　turned　white　with
vexation　at　the　words。　　〃It　is　in　truth　great　honor　to　the　house
of　Loring；〃　said　she；　〃yet　our　roof　is　now　humble　and；　as　you　have
seen；　our　fare　is　plain。　　The　King　knows　not　that　we　are　so　poor。
I　fear　lest　we　seem　churlish　and　niggard　in　his　eyes。〃

But　Chandos　reasoned　away　her　fears。　　The　King's　retinue　would
journey　on　to　Farnham　Castle。　　There　were　no　ladies　in　his　party。
Though　he　was　King；　still　he　was　a　hardy　soldier；　and　cared　little
for　his　ease。　　In　any　case；　since　he　had　declared　his　coming；　they
must　make　the　best　of　it。　　Finally；　with　all　delicacy；　Chandos
offered　his　own　purse　if　it　would　help　in　the　matter。　　But　already
the　Lady　Ermyntrude　had　recovered　her　composure。

〃Nay；　fair　kinsman；　that　may　not　be；〃　said　she。　　〃I　will　make　such
preparation　as　I　may　for　the　King。　　He　will　bear　in　mind　that　if
the　house　of　Loring　can　give　nothing　else；　they　have　always　held
their　blood　and　their　lives　at　his　disposal。〃

Chandos　was　to　ride　on　to　Farnham　Castle　and　beyond；　but　he
expressed　his　desire　to　have　a　warm　bath　ere　he　left　Tilford；　for
like　most　of　his　fellow…knights；　he　was　much　addicted　to　simmering
in　the　hottest　water　that　he　could　possibly　endure。　　The　bath
therefore；　a　high　hooped　arrangement　like　a　broader　but　shorter
churn；　was　carried　into　the　privacy　of　the　guest…chamber；　and
thither　it　was　that　Nigel　was　summoned　to　hold　him　company　while
he　stewed　and　sweltered　in　his　tub。

Nigel　perched　himself　upon　the　side　of　the　high　bed；　swinging　his
legs　over　the　edge　and　gazing　with　wonder　and　amusement　at　the
quaint　face；　the　ruffled　yellow　hair；　and　the　sinewy　shoulders　of
the　famous　warrior；　dimly　seen　amid　a　pillar　of　steam。　　He　was　in
a　mood　for　talk；　so　Nigel　with　eager　lips　plied　him　with　a
thousand　questions　about　the　wars；　hanging　upon　every　word　which
came　back　to　him；　like　those　of　the　ancient　oracles；　out　of　the
mist　and　the　cloud。　　To　Chandos　himself；　the　old　soldier　for　whom
war　had　lost　its　freshness；　it　was　a　renewal　of　his　own　ardent
youth　to　listen　to　Nigel's　rapid　questions　and　to　mark　the　rapt
attention　with　which　he　listened。

〃Tell　me　of　the　Welsh；　honored　sir；〃　asked　the　Squire。　　〃What
manner　of　soldiers　are　the　Welsh？〃

〃They　are　very　valiant　men　of　war；〃　said　Chandos；　splashing　about
in　his　tub。　　〃There　is　good　skirmishing　to　be　had　in　their　valleys
if　you　ride　with　a　small　following。　　They　flare　up　like　a
furzebush　in　the　flames；　but　if　for　a　short　space　you　may　abide
the　heat　of　it；　then　there　is　a　chance　that　it　may　be　cooler。〃

〃And　the　Scotch？〃　asked　Nigel。　　〃You　have　made　war　upon　them　also；
as　I　understand。〃

〃The　Scotch　knights　have　no　masters　in　the　world；　and　he　who　can
hold　his　own　with　the　best　of　them；　be　it　a　Douglas；　a　Murray　or　a
Seaton；　has　nothing　more　to　learn。　　Though　you　be　a　hard　man；　you
will　always　meet　as　hard　a　one　if　you　ride　northward。　　If　the
Welsh　be　like　the　furze　fire；　then；　padieu！　the　Scotch　are　the
peat；　for　they　will　smolder　and　you　will　never　come　to　the　end　of
them。　　I　have　had　many　happy　hours　on　the　marches　of　Scotland；　for
even　if　there　be　no　war　the　Percies　of　Alnwick　or　the　Governor　of
Carlisle　can　still　raise　a　little　bickering　with　the　border
clans。〃

〃I　bear　in　mind　that　my　father　was　wont　to　say　that　they　were　very
stout　spearmen。〃

〃No　better　in　the　world；　for　the　spears　are　twelve　foot　long　and
they　hold　them　in　very　thick　array；　but　their　archers　are　weak；
save　only　the　men　of　Ettrick　and　Selkirk　who　come　from　the　forest。
I　pray　you　to　open　the　lattice；　Nigel；　for　the　steam　is　overthick。
Now　in　Wales　it　is　the　spearmen　who　are　weak；　and　there　are　no
archers　in　these　islands　like　the　men　of　Gwent　with　their　bows　of
elm；　which　shoot　with　such　power　that　I　have　known　a　cavalier　to
have　his　horse　killed　when　the　shaft　had　passed　through　his　mail
breeches；　his　thigh　and　his　saddle。　　And　yet；　what　is　the　most
strongly　shot　arrow　to　these　new　balls　of　iron　driven　by　the　fire…
powder　which　will　crush　a　man's　armor　as　an　egg　is　crushed　by　a
stone？　　Our　fathers　knew　them　not。〃

〃Then　the　better　for　us；〃　cried　Nigel；　〃since　there　is　at　least
one　honorable　venture　which　is　all　our　own。〃

Chandos　chuckled　and　turned　upon　the　flushed　youth　a　twinkling　and
sympathetic　eye。　　〃You　have　a　fashion　of　speech　which　carries　me
back　to　the　old　men　whom　I　met　in　my　boyhood；〃　said　he。　　〃There
were　some　of　the　real　old　knight…errants　left　in　those　days；　and
they　spoke　as　you　do。　　Young　as　you　are；　you　belong　to　another
age。　　Where　got　you　that　trick　of　thought　and　word？〃

〃I　have　had　only　one　to　teach　me；　the　Lady　Ermyntrude。〃

〃Pardieu！　　she　has　trained　a　proper　young　hawk　ready　to　stoop　at　a
lordly　quarry；〃　said　Chandos。　　〃I　would　that　I　had　the　first
unhooding　of　you。　　Will　you　not　ride　with　me　to　the　wars？〃

The　tears　brimmed　over　from　Nigel's　eyes；　and　he　wrung　the　gaunt
hand　extended　from　the　bath。　　〃By　Saint　Paul！　what　could　I　ask
better　in　the　world？　　I　fear　to　leave　her；　for　she　has　none　other
to　care　for　her。　　But　if　it　can　in　any　way　be　arranged　…　〃

〃The　King's　hand　may　smooth　it　out。　　Say　no　more　until　he　is　here。
But　if　you　wish　to　ride　with　me　…　〃

〃What　could　man　wish　for　more？　　Is　there　a　Squire　in　England　who
would　not　serve　under　the　banner　of　Chandos！　　Whither　do　you　go；
fair　sir？　　And　when　do　y