sir nigel-第23节

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With　a　white　face　the　Bishop　had　sprung　down　beside　the　prostrate
body；　pushing　through　the　knot　of　horrified　knights　and　squires。

〃I　fear　that　the　last　offices　of　the　Holy　Church　come　too　late；〃
said　he　in　a　quivering　voice。　　〃Most　unfortunate　young　man！　　How
sudden　an　end！　　In　medio　vitae；　as　the　Holy　Book　has　it　…　one
moment　in　the　pride　of　his　youth；　the　next　his　head　torn　from　his
body。　　Now　God　and　his　saints　have　mercy　upon　me　and　guard　me　from
evil！〃

The　last　prayer　was　shot　out　of　the　Bishop　with　an　energy　and
earnestness　unusual　in　his　orisons。　　It　was　caused　by　the　sudden
outcry　of　one　of　the　Squires　who；　having　lifted　the　helmet　from
the　ground；　cast　it　down　again　with　a　scream　of　horror。

〃It　is　empty！〃　he　cried。　　〃It　weighs　as　light　as　a　feather。〃

〃'Fore　God；　it　is　true！〃　cried　Manny；　laying　his　hand　on　it。
〃There　is　no　one　in　it。　　With　what　have　I　fought；　father　Bishop？
Is　it　of　this　world　or　of　the　next？〃

The　Bishop　had　clambered　on　his　horse　the　better　to　consider　the
point。　　〃If　the　foul　fiend　is　abroad；〃　said　he；　〃my　place　is　over
yonder　by　the　King's　side。　　Certes　that　sulphur…colored　horse　hath
a　very　devilish　look。　　I　could　have　sworn　that　I　saw　both　smoke
and　flame　from　its　nostrils。　　The　beast　is　fit　to　bear　a　suit　of
armor　which　rides　and　fights　and　yet　hath　no　man　within　it。〃

〃Nay；　not　too　fast；　father　Bishop；〃　said　one　of　the　knights。　　〃It
may　be　all　that　you　say　and　yet　come　from　a　human　workshop。　　When
I　made　a　campaign　in　South　Germany　I　have　seen　at　Nuremberg　a
cunning　figure；　devised　by　an　armorer；　which　could　both　ride　and
wield　a　sword。　　If　this　be　such　a　one　…　〃

〃I　thank　you　all　for　your　very　gentle　courtesy；〃　said　a　booming
voice　from　the　figure　upon　the　ground。

At　the　words　even　the　valiant　Manny　sprang　into　his　saddle。　　Some
rode　madly　away　from　the　horrid　trunk。　　A　few　of　the　boldest
lingered。

〃Most　of　all；〃　said　the　voice；　〃would　I　thank　the　most　noble
knight；　Sir　Walter　Manny；　that　he　should　deign　to　lay　aside　his
greatness　and　condescend　to　do　a　deed　of　arms　upon　so　humble　a
Squire。〃

〃'Fore　God！〃　said　Manny；　〃　if　this　be　the　Devil；　then　the　Devil
hath　a　very　courtly　tongue。　　I　will　have　him　out　of　his　armor；　if
he　blast　me！〃

So　saying　he　sprang　once　more　from　his　horse　and　plunging　his　hand
down　the　slit　in　the　collapsed　gorget　he　closed　it　tightly　upon　a
fistful　of　Nigel's　yellow　curls。　　The　groan　that　came　forth　was
enough　to　convince　him　that　it　was　indeed　a　man　who　lurked　within。
At　the　same　time　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　hole　in　the　mail　corselet
which　had　served　the　Squire　as　a　vizor；　and　he　burst　into
deep…chested　mirth。　　The　King；　the　Prince　and　Chandos；　who　had
watched　the　scene　from　a　distance；　too　much　amused　by　it　to
explain　or　interfere；　rode　up　weary　with　laughter；　now　that　all
was　discovered。

〃Let　him　out！〃　said　the　King；　with　his　hand　to　his　side。　　〃I　pray
you　to　unlace　him　and　let　him　out！　　I　have　shared　in　many　a
spear…running；　but　never　have　I　been　nearer　falling　from　my　horse
than　as　I　watched　this　one。　　I　feared　the　fall　had　struck　him
senseless；　since　he　lay　so　still。〃

Nigel　had　indeed　lain　with　all　the　breath　shaken　from　his　body；
and　as　he　was　unaware　that　his　helmet　had　been　carried　off；　he　had
not　understood　either　the　alarm　or　the　amusement　that　he　had
caused。　　Now　freed　from　the　great　hauberk　in　which　he　had　been
shut　like　a　pea　in　a　pod；　he　stood　blinking　in　the　light；　blushing
deeply　with　shame　that　the　shifts　to　which　his　poverty　had　reduced
him　should　be　exposed　to　all　these　laughing　courtiers。　　It　was　the
King　who　brought　him　comfort。

〃You　have　shown　that　you　can　use　your　father's　weapons；〃　said　he；
〃　and　you　have　proved　also　that　you　are　the　worthy　bearer　of　his
name　and　his　arms；　for　you　have　within　you　that　spirit　for　which
he　was　famous。　　But　I　wot　that　neither　he　nor　you　would　suffer　a
train　of　hungry　men　to　starve　before　your　door；　so　lead　on；　I　pray
you；　and　if　the　meat　be　as　good　as　this　grace　before　it；　then　it
will　be　a　feast　indeed。〃




X。　　HOW　THE　KING　GREETED　HIS　SENESCHAL　OF　CALAIS


It　would　have　fared　ill　with　the　good　name　of　Tilford　Manor　house
and　with　the　housekeeping　of　the　aged　Dame　Ermyntrude　had　the
King's　whole　retinue；　with　his　outer　and　inner　marshal；　his
justiciar；　his　chamberlain　and　his　guard；　all　gathered　under　the
one　roof。　　But　by　the　foresight　and　the　gentle　management　of
Chandos　this　calamity　was　avoided；　so　that　some　were　quartered　at
the　great　Abbey　and　others　passed　on　to　enjoy　the　hospitality　of
Sir　Roger　FitzAlan　at　Farnham　Castle。　　Only　the　King　himself；　the
Prince；　Manny；　Chandos；　Sir　Hubert　de　Burgh；　the　Bishop　and　two　or
three　more　remained　behind　as　the　guests　of　the　Lorings。

But　small　as　was　the　party　and　humble　the　surroundings；　the　King
in　no　way　relaxed　that　love　of　ceremony；　of　elaborate　form　and　of
brilliant　coloring　which　was　one　of　his　characteristics。　　The
sumpter…mules　were　unpacked；　squires　ran　hither　and　thither；　baths
smoked　in　the　bed…chambers；　silks　and　satins　were　unfolded；　gold
chains　gleamed　and　clinked；　so　that　when　at　last；　to　the　long
blast　of　two　court　trumpeters；　the　company　took　their　seats　at　the
board；　it　was　the　brightest；　fairest　scene　which　those　old　black
rafters　had　ever　spanned。

The　great　influx　of　foreign　knights　who　had　come　in　their　splendor
from　all　parts　of　Christendom　to　take　part　in　the　opening　of　the
Round　Tower　of　Windsor　six　years　before；　and　to　try　their　luck　and
their　skill　at　the　tournament　connected　with　it；　had　deeply
modified　the　English　fashions　of　dress。　　The　old　tunic；　over…tunic
and　cyclas　were　too　sad　and　simple　for　the　new　fashions；　so　now
strange　and　brilliant　cote…hardies；　pourpoints；　courtepies；
paltocks；　hanselines　and　many　other　wondrous　garments；
parti…colored　or　diapered；　with　looped；　embroidered　or　escalloped
edges；　flamed　and　glittered　round　the　King。　　He　himself；　in　black
velvet　and　gold；　formed　a　dark　rich　center　to　the　finery　around
him。　　On　his　right　sat　the　Prince；　on　his　left　the　Bishop；　while
Dame　Ermyntrude　marshaled　the　forces　of　the　household　outside；
alert　and　watchful；　pouring　in　her　dishes　and　her　flagons　at　the
right　moment；　rallying　her　tired　servants；　encouraging　the　van；
hurrying　the　rear；　hastening　up　her　reserves；　the　tapping　of　her
oak　stick　heard　everywhere　the　pressure　was　the　greatest。

Behind　the　King；　clad　in　his　best；　but　looking　drab　and　sorry　amid
the　brilliant　costumes　round　him；　Nigel　himself；　regardless　of　an
aching　body　and　a　twisted　knee；　waited　upon　his　royal　guests；　who
threw　many　a　merry　jest　at　him　over　their　shoulders　as　they　still
chuckled　at　the　adventure　of　the　bridge。

〃By　the　rood！〃　said　King　Edward；　leaning　back；　with　a　chicken　bone
held　daintily　between　the　courtesy　fingers　of　his　left　hand；　〃the
play　is　too　good　for　this　country　stage。　　You　must　to　Windsor　with
me；　Nigel；　and　bring　with　you　this　great　suit　of　harness　in　which
you　lurk。　　There　you　shall　hold　the　lists　with　your　eyes　in　your
midriff；　and　unless　some　one　cleave　you　to　the　waist　I　see　not　how
any　harm　can　befall　you。　　Never　have　I　seen　so　small　a　nut　in　so
great　a　shell。〃

The　Prince；　looking　back　with　laughing　eyes；　saw　by　Nigel's
flushed　and　embarrassed　face　that　his　poverty　hung　heavily　upon
him。　　〃　Nay；〃　said　he　kindly；　〃such　a　workman　is　surely　worthy　of
better　tools。〃

〃And　it　is　for　his　master　to　see　that　he　has　them；〃　added　the
King。　　〃The　court　armorer　will　look　to　it　that　the　next　time　your
helmet　is　carried　away；　Nigel；　your　head　shall　be　inside　it。〃

Nigel；　red　to　the　roots　of　his　flaxen　hair；　stammered　out　some
words　of　thanks。

John　Chandos；　however；　had　a　fresh　suggestion；　and　he　cocked　a
roguish　eye　as　he　made　it：　〃Surely；　my　liege；　your　bounty　is
little　needed　in　this　case。　　It　is　the　ancient　law　of　arms　that　if
two　cavaliers　start　to　joust；　and　one　either　by　maladdress　or
misadventure　fail　to　meet　the　shock；　then　his　arms　become　the
property　of　him　who　still　holds　the　lists。　　This　being　so；
methinks；　Sir　Hubert　de　Burgh；　that　the　fine　hauberk　of　Milan　and
the　helmet　of　Bordeaux　steel　in　which　you　rode　to　Tilford　should
remain　with　our　young　host　as　some　small　remembrance　of　your
visit。〃

The　suggestion　raised　a　general　chorus　of　approval　and　laughter；
in　which　all　joined；　save　only　Sir　Hubert　himself；　who；　flushed
with　anger；　fixed　his　baleful　eyes　upon　Chandos'　mischievous　and
smiling　face。

〃I　said　that　I　did　not　play　that　foolish　game；　and　I　know　nothing
of　its　laws；〃　said　he；　〃but　you　know　well；　John；　that　if　you　would
have　a　bout　with　sharpened　spear　or　sword；　where　two　ride　to　the
ground；　and　only　one　away　from　it；　you　have　not　far　to　go　to　find
it。〃

〃Nay；　nay；　would　you　ride　to　the　ground？　　Surely　you　had　best
walk；　Hubert；〃　said　Chandos。　　〃On　your　feet　I　know　well　that　I
should　not　see　your　back　as　we　have　seen　it　to…day。　　Say　what　you
will；　your　horse　has　played　you　false；　and　I　claim　your　suit　of
harness　for　Nigel　Loring。〃

〃Your　tongue　is　overlong；　John；　and　I　am　weary　of　its　endless
clack！〃　said　Sir　Hubert；　his　yellow　mustache　bristling　from　a
scarlet　face。　　〃If　you　claim　my　harness；　do　you　yourself　come　and
take　it。　　If　t