sir nigel-第20节

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footer　and　a　swifter　flyer。　　An　Eastern　bird　in　yarak　has　no
peer。〃

〃I　had　one　once　from　the　Holy　Land；〃　said　de　Manny。　　〃It　was
fierce　and　keen　and　swift　as　the　Saracens　themselves。　　They　say　of
old　Saladin　that　in　his　day　his　breed　of　birds；　of　hounds　and　of
horses　had　no　equal　on　earth。〃

〃I　trust；　dear　father；　that　the　day　may　come　when　we　shall　lay　our
hands　on　all　three；〃　said　the　Prince；　looking　with　shining　eyes
upon　the　King。　　〃Is　the　Holy　Land　to　lie　forever　in　the　grasp　of
these　unbelieving　savages；　or　the　Holy　Temple　to　be　defiled　by
their　foul　presence？　　Ah！　　my　dear　and　most　sweet　lord；　give　to　me
a　thousand　lances　with　ten　thousand　bowmen　like　those　I　led　at
Crecy；　and　I　swear　to　you　by　God's　soul　that　within　a　year　I　will
have　done　homage　to　you　for　the　Kingdom　of　Jerusalem！〃

The　King　laughed　as　he　turned　to　Walter　Manny。　　〃Boys　will　still
be　boys；〃　said　he。

〃The　French　do　not　count　me　such！〃　cried　the　young　Prince；
flushing　with　anger。

〃Nay；　fair　son；　there　is　no　one　sets　you　at　a　higher　rate　than
your　father。　　But　you　have　the　nimble　mind　and　quick　fancy　of
youth；　turning　over　from　the　thing　that　is　half　done　to　a　further
task　beyond。　　How　would　we　fare　in　Brittany　and　Normandy　while　my
young　paladin　with　his　lances　and　his　bowmen　was　besieging　Ascalon
or　battering　at　Jerusalem？〃

〃Heaven　would　help　in　Heaven's　work。〃

〃From　what　I　have　heard　of　the　past；〃　said　the　King　dryly；　〃I
cannot　see　that　Heaven　has　counted　for　much　as　an　ally　in　these
wars　of　the　East。　　I　speak　with　reverence；　and　yet　it　is　but　sooth
to　say　that　Richard　of　the　Lion　Heart　or　Louis　of　France　might
have　found　the　smallest　earthly　principality　of　greater　service　to
him　than　all　the　celestial　hosts。　　How　say　you　to　that；　my　Lord
Bishop？〃

A　stout　churchman　who　had　ridden　behind　the　King　on　a　solid　bay
cob；　well…suited　to　his　weight　and　dignity；　jogged　up　to　the
monarch's　elbow。　　〃How　say　you；　sire？　　I　was　watching　the　goshawk
on　the　partridge　and　heard　you　not。〃

〃Had　I　said　that　I　would　add　two　manors　to　the　See　of　Chichester；
I　warrant　that　you　would　have　heard　me；　my　Lord　Bishop。〃

〃Nay；　fair　lord；　test　the　matter　by　saying　so；〃　cried　the　jovial
Bishop。

The　King　laughed　aloud。　　〃A　fair　counter；　your　reverence。　　By　the
rood！　　you　broke　your　lance　that　passage。　　But　the　question　I
debated　was　this：　How　is　it　that　since　the　Crusades　have
manifestly　been　fought　in　God's　quarrel；　we　Christians　have　had　so
little　comfort　or　support　in　fighting　them。　　After　all　our　efforts
and　the　loss　of　more　men　than　could　be　counted；　we　are　at　last
driven　from　the　country；　and　even　the　military　orders　which　were
formed　only　for　that　one　purpose　can　scarce　hold　a　footing　in　the
islands　of　the　Greek　sea。　　There　is　not　one　seaport　nor　one
fortress　in　Palestine　over　which　the　flag　of　the　Cross　still
waves。　　Where　then　was　our　ally？〃

〃Nay；　sire；　you　open　a　great　debate　which　extends　far　beyond　this
question　of　the　Holy　Land；　though　that　may　indeed　be　chosen　as　a
fair　example。　　It　is　the　question　of　all　sin；　of　all　suffering；　of
all　injustice　…　why　it　should　pass　without　the　rain　of　fire　and
the　lightnings　of　Sinai。　　The　wisdom　of　God　is　beyond　our
understanding。〃

The　King　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃This　is　an　easy　answer；　my　Lord
Bishop。　　You　are　a　prince　of　the　Church。　　It　would　fare　ill　with
an　earthly　prince　who　could　give　no　better　answer　to　the　affairs
which　concerned　his　realm。〃

〃There　are　other　considerations　which　might　be　urged；　most
gracious　sire。　　It　is　true　that　the　Crusades　were　a　holy
enterprise　which　might　well　expect　the　immediate　blessing　of　God；
but　the　Crusaders　…　is　it　certain　that　they　deserved　such　a
blessing？　　Have　I　not　heard　that　their　camp　was　the　most　dissolute
ever　seen？〃

〃Camps　are　camps　all　the　world　over；　and　you　cannot　in　a　moment
change　a　bowman　into　a　saint。　　But　the　holy　Louis　was　a　crusader
after　your　own　heart。　　Yet　his　men　perished　at　Mansurah　and　he
himself　at　Tunis。〃

〃Bethink　you　also　that　this　world　is　but　the　antechamber　of　the
next；〃　said　the　prelate。　　〃By　suffering　and　tribulation　the　soul
is　cleansed；　and　the　true　victor　may　be　he　who　by　the　patient
endurance　of　misfortune　merits　the　happiness　to　come。〃

〃If　that　be　the　true　meaning　of　the　Church's　blessing；　then　I　hope
that　it　will　be　long　before　it　rests　upon　our　banners　in　France；〃
said　the　King。　　〃But　methinks　that　when　one　is　out　with　a　brave
horse　and　a　good　hawk　one　might　find　some　other　subject　than
theology。　　Back　to　the　birds；　Bishop；　or　Raoul　the　falconer　will
come　to　interrupt　thee　in　thy　cathedral。〃

Straightway　the　conversation　came　back　to　the　mystery　of　the　woods
and　the　mystery　of　the　rivers；　to　the　dark…eyed　hawks　and　the
yellow…eyed；　to　hawks　of　the　lure　and　hawks　of　the　fist。　　The
Bishop　was　as　steeped　in　the　lore　of　falconry　as　the　King；　and　the
others　smiled　as　the　two　wrangled　hard　over　disputed　and　technical
questions：　if　an　eyas　trained　in　the　mews　can　ever　emulate　the
passage　hawk　taken　wild；　or　how　long　the　young　hawks　should　be
placed　at　hack；　and　how　long　weathered　before　they　are　fully
reclaimed。

Monarch　and　prelate　were　still　deep　in　this　learned　discussion；
the　Bishop　speaking　with　a　freedom　and　assurance　which　he　would
never　have　dared　to　use　in　affairs　of　Church　and　State；　for　in　all
ages　there　is　no　such　leveler　as　sport。　　Suddenly；　however；　the
Prince；　whose　keen　eyes　had　swept　from　time　to　time　over　the　great
blue　heaven；　uttered　a　peculiar　call　and　reined　up　his　palfrey；
pointing　at　the　same　time　into　the　air。

〃A　heron！〃　he　cried。　　〃A　heron　on　passage！〃

To　gain　the　full　sport　of　hawking　a　heron　must　not　be　put　up　from
its　feeding…ground；　where　it　is　heavy　with　its　meal；　and　has　no
time　to　get　its　pace　on　before　it　is　pounced　upon　by　the　more
active　hawk；　but　it　must　be　aloft；　traveling　from　point　to　point；
probably　from　the　fish…stream　to　the　heronry。　　Thus　to　catch　the
bird　on　passage　was　the　prelude　of　all　good　sport。　　The　object　to
which　the　Prince　had　pointed　was　but　a　black　dot　in　the　southern
sky；　but　his　strained　eyes　had　not　deceived　him；　and　both　Bishop
and　King　agreed　that　it　was　indeed　a　heron；　which　grew　larger
every　instant　as　it　flew　in　their　direction。

〃Whistle　him　off；　sire！　　Whistle　off　the　gerfalcon！〃　cried　the
Bishop。

〃Nay；　nay；　he　is　overfar。　　She　would　fly　at　check。〃

〃Now；　sire；　now！〃　cried　the　Prince；　as　the　great　bird　with　the
breeze　behind　him　came　sweeping　down　the　sky。

The　King　gave　the　shrill　whistle；　and　the　well…trained　hawk　raked
out　to　the　right　and　to　the　left　to　make　sure　which　quarry　she　was
to　follow。　　Then；　spying　the　heron；　she　shot　up　in　a　swift
ascending　curve　to　meet　him。

〃Well　flown；　Margot！　　Good　bird！〃　cried　the　King；　clapping　his
hands　to　encourage　the　hawk；　while　the　falconers　broke　into　the
shrill　whoop　peculiar　to　the　sport。

Going　on　her　curve；　the　hawk　would　soon　have　crossed　the　path　of
the　heron；　but　the　latter；　seeing　the　danger　in　his　front　and
confident　in　his　own　great　strength　of　wing　and　lightness　of　body；
proceeded　to　mount　higher　in　the　air；　flying　in　such　small　rings
that　to　the　spectators　it　almost　seemed　as　if　the　bird　was　going
perpendicularly　upward。

〃He　takes　the　air！〃　cried　the　King。　　〃But　strong　as　he　flies；　he
cannot　out　fly　Margot。　　Bishop；　I　lay　you　ten　gold　pieces　to　one
that　the　heron　is　mine。〃

〃I　cover　your　wager；　sire；〃　said　the　Bishop。　　〃I　may　not　take　gold
so　won；　and　yet　I　warrant　that　there　is　an　altar…cloth　somewhere
in　need　of　repairs。〃

〃You　have　good　store　of　altar…cloths；　Bishop；　if　all　the　gold　I
have　seen　you　win　at　tables　goes　to　the　mending　of　them；〃　said　the
King。　　〃Ah！　by　the　rood；　rascal；　rascal！　　See　how　she　flies　at
check！〃

The　quick　eyes　of　the　Bishop　had　perceived　a　drift　of　rooks　when
on　their　evening　flight　to　the　rookery　were　passing　along　the　very
line　which　divided　the　hawk　from　the　heron。　　A　rook　is　a　hard
temptation　for　a　hawk　to　resist。　　In　an　instant　the　inconstant
bird　had　forgotten　all　about　the　great　heron　above　her　and　was
circling　over　the　rooks；　flying　westward　with　them　as　she　singled
out　the　plumpest　for　her　stoop。

〃There　is　yet　time；　sire！　　Shall　I　cast　off　her　mate？〃　cried　the
falconer。

〃Or　shall　I　show　you；　sire；　how　a　peregrine　may　win　where　a
gerfalcon　fails？〃　said　the　Bishop。　　〃Ten　golden　pieces　to　one　upon
my　bird。〃

〃Done　with　you；　Bishop！〃　cried　the　King；　his　brow　dark　with
vexation。　　〃By　the　rood！　if　you　were　as　learned　in　the　fathers　as
you　are　in　hawks　you　would　win　to　the　throne　of　Saint　Peter！　　Cast
off　your　peregrine　and　make　your　boasting　good。〃

Smaller　than　the　royal　gerfalcon；　the　Bishop's　bird　was　none　the
less　a　swift　and　beautiful　creature。　　From　her　perch　upon　his
wrist　she　had　watched　with　fierce；　keen　eyes　the　birds　in　the
heaven；　mantling　herself　from　time　to　time　in　her　eagerness。　　Now
when　the　button　was　undone　and　the　leash　uncast　the　peregrine
dashed　off　with　a　whir　of　her　sharp…pointed　wings；　whizzing　round
in　a　great　ascending　circle　which　mounted　swiftly　upward；　growing
ever　smaller　as　she　approached　that　lofty　point　where；　a　mere
speck　in　the　sky；　the　heron　sought　escape　from　its　enemies