sir nigel-第28节

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glance　if　blood　be　dark　and　frothy；　which　means　a　mortal　hurt；　or
thin　and　clear；　which　means　that　the　arrow　has　struck　a　bone。

〃By　such　signs；〃　said　he；　〃you　will　surely　know　whether　to　lay　on
the　hounds　and　cast　down　the　blinks　which　hinder　the　stricken　deer
in　its　flight。　　But　above　all　I　pray　you；　Nigel；　to　have　a　care　in
the　use　of　the　terms　of　the　craft；　lest　you　should　make　some
blunder　at　table；　so　that　those　who　are　wiser　may　have　the　laugh
of　you；　and　we　who　love　you　may　be　shamed。〃

〃Nay；　Sir　John；〃　said　Nigel。　　〃I　think　that　after　your　teaching　I
can　hold　my　place　with　the　others。〃

The　old　Knight　shook　his　white　head　doubtfully。　　〃There　is　so　much
to　be　learned　that　there　is　no　one　who　can　be　said　to　know　all；〃
said　he。　　〃For　example；　Nigel；　it　is　sooth　that　for　every
collection　of　beasts　of　the　forest；　and　for　every　gathering　of
birds　of　the　air；　there　is　their　own　private　name　so　that　none　may
be　confused　with　another。〃

〃I　know　it；　fair　sir。〃

〃You　know　it；　Nigel；　but　you　do　not　know　each　separate　name；　else
are　you　a　wiser　man　than　I　had　thought　you。　　In　truth　…　none　can
say　that　they　know　all；　though　I　have　myself　picked　off　eighty；
and　six　for　a　wager　at　court；　and　it　is　said　that　the　chief
huntsman　of　the　Duke　of　Burgundy　has　counted　over　a　hundred　…　but
it　is　in　my　mind　that　he　may　have　found　them　as　he　went；　for　there
was　none　to　say　him　nay。　　Answer　me　now；　lad；　how　would　you　say　if
you　saw　ten　badgers　together　in　the　forest？〃

〃A　cete　of　badgers；　fair　sir。〃

〃Good；　Nigel　…　good；　by　my　faith！　　And　if　you　walk　in　Woolmer
Forest　and　see　a　swarm　of　foxes；　how　would　you　call　it？〃

〃A　skulk　of　foxes。〃

〃And　if　they　be　lions？〃

〃Nay；　fair　sir；　I　am　not　like　to　meet　several　lions　in　Woolmer
Forest。〃

〃Aye；　lad；　but　there　are　other　forests　besides　Woolmer；　and　other
lands　besides　England；　and　who　can　tell　how　far　afield　such　a
knight　errant　as　Nigel　of　Tilford　may　go；　when　he　sees　worship　to
be　won？　　We　will　say　that　you　were　in　the　deserts　of　Nubia；　and
that　afterward　at　the　court　of　the　great　Sultan　you　wished　to　say
that　you　had　seen　several　lions；　which　is　the　first　beast　of　the
chase；　being　the　king　of　all　animals。　　How　then　would　you　say　it？〃

Nigel　scratched　his　head。　　〃Surely；　fair　sir；　I　would　be　content
to　say　that　I　had　seen　a　number　of　lions；　if　indeed　I　could　say
aught　after　so　wondrous　an　adventure。〃

〃Nay；　Nigel；　a　huntsman　would　have　said　that　he　had　seen　a　pride
of　lions；　and　so　proved　that　he　knew　the　language　of　the　chase。
Now　had　it　been　boars　instead　of　lions？〃

〃One　says　a　singular　of　boars。〃

〃And　if　they　be　swine？〃

〃Surely　it　is　a　herd　of　swine。〃

〃Nay；　nay；　lad；　it　is　indeed　sad　to　see　how　little　you　know。　　Your
hands；　Nigel；　were　always　better　than　your　head。　　No　man　of　gentle
birth　would　speak　of　a　herd　of　swine；　that　is　the　peasant　speech。
If　you　drive　them　it　is　a　herd。　　If　you　hunt　them　it　is　other。
What　call　you　them；　then；　Edith？〃

〃Nay；　I　know　not；〃　said　the　girl　listlessly。　　A　crumpled　note
brought　in　by　a　varlet　was　clinched　in　her　right　hand　and　her　blue
eyes　looked　afar　into　the　deep　shadows　of　the　roof。

〃But　you　can　tell　us；　Mary？〃

〃Surely；　sweet　sir；　one　talks　of　a　sounder　of　swine。〃

The　old　Knight　laughed　exultantly。　　〃Here　is　a　pupil　who　never
brings　me　shame！〃　he　cried。　　〃Be　it　lore　…　of　chivalry　or　heraldry
or　woodcraft　or　what　you　will；　I　can　always　turn　to　Mary。　　Many　a
man　can　she　put　to　the　blush。〃

〃Myself　among　them；〃　said　Nigel。

〃Ah；　lad；　you　are　a　Solomon　to　some　of　them。　　Hark　ye！　　only　last
week　that　jack…fool；　the　young　Lord　of　Brocas；　was　here　talking　of
having　seen　a　covey　of　pheasants　in　the　wood。　　One　such　speech
would　have　been　the　ruin　of　a　young　Squire　at　the　court。　　How
would　you　have　said　it；　Nigel？〃

〃Surely；　fair　sir；　it　should　be　a　nye　of　pheasants。〃

〃Good；　Nigel　…　a　nye　of　pheasants；　even　as　it　is　a　gaggle　of　geese
or　a　badling　of　ducks；　a　fall　of　woodcock　or　a　wisp　of　snipe。　　But
a　covey　of　pheasants！　　What　sort　of　talk　is　that？　　I　made　him　sit
even　where　you　are　sitting；　Nigel；　and　I　saw　the　bottom　of　two
pots　of　Rhenish　ere　I　let　him　up。　　Even　then　I　fear　that　he　had　no
great　profit　from　his　lesson；　for　he　was　casting　his　foolish　eyes
at　Edith　when　he　should　have　been　turning　his　ears　to　her　father。
But　where　is　the　wench？〃

〃She　hath　gone　forth；　father。〃

〃She　ever　doth　go　forth　when　there　is　a　chance　of　learning　aught
that　is　useful　indoors。　　But　supper　will　soon　be　ready；　and　there
is　a　boar's　ham　fresh　from　the　forest　with　which　I　would　ask　your
help；　Nigel；　and　a　side　of　venison　from　the　King's　own　chase。　　The
tinemen　and　verderers　have　not　forgotten　me　yet；　and　my　larder　is
ever　full。　　Blow　three　moots　on　the　horn；　Mary；　that　the　varlets
may　set　the　table；　for　the　growing　shadow　and　my　loosening　belt
warn　me　that　it　is　time。〃




XII。　　HOW　NIGEL　FOUGHT　THE　TWISTED　MAN　OF　SHALFORD


In　the　days　of　which　you　read　all　classes；　save　perhaps　the　very
poor；　fared　better　in　meat　and　in　drink　than　they　have　ever　done
since。　　The　country　was　covered　with　woodlands　…　there　were
seventy　separate　forests　in　England　alone；　some　of　them　covering
half　a　shire。　　Within　these　forests　the　great　beasts　of　the　chase
were　strictly　preserved；　but　the　smaller　game；　the　hares；　the
rabbits；　the　birds；　which　swarmed　round　the　coverts；　found　their
way　readily　into　the　poor　man's　pot。　　Ale　was　very　cheap；　and
cheaper　still　was　the　mead　which　every　peasant　could　make　for
himself　out　of　the　wild　honey　in　the　tree…trunks。　　There　were　many
tea…like　drinks　also；　which　were　brewed　by　the　poor　at　no　expense：
mallow　tea；　tansy　tea；　and　others　the　secret　of　which　has　passed。

Amid　the　richer　classes　there　was　rude　profusion；　great　joints
ever　on　the　sideboard；　huge　pies；　beasts　of　the　field　and　beasts
of　the　chase；　with　ale　and　rough　French　or　Rhenish　wines　to　wash
them　down。　　But　the　very　rich　had　attained　to　a　high　pitch　of
luxury　in　their　food；　and　cookery　was　a　science　in　which　the
ornamentation　of　the　dish　was　almost　as　important　as　the　dressing
of　the　food。　　It　was　gilded；　it　was　silvered；　it　was　painted；　it
was　surrounded　with　flame。　　From　the　boar　and　the　peacock　down　to
such　strange　food　as　the　porpoise　and　the　hedgehog；　every　dish　had
its　own　setting　and　its　own　sauce；　very　strange　and　very　complex；
with　flavorings　of　dates；　currants；　cloves；　vinegar；　sugar　and
honey；　of　cinnamon；　ground　ginger；　sandalwood；　saffron；　brawn　and
pines。　　It　was　the　Norman　tradition　to　eat　in　moderation；　but　to
have　a　great　profusion　of　the　best　and　of　the　most　delicate　from
which　to　choose。　　From　them　came　this　complex　cookery；　so　unlike
the　rude　and　often　gluttonous　simplicity　of　the　old　Teutonic
stock。

Sir　John　Buttesthorn　was　of　that　middle　class　who　fared　in　the　old
fashion；　and　his　great　oak　supper…table　groaned　beneath　the
generous　pasties；　the　mighty　joints　and　the；　great　flagons。　　Below
were　the　household；　above　on　a　raised　dais　the　family　table；　with
places　ever　ready　for　those　frequent　guests　who　dropped　in　from
the　high　road　outside。　　Such　a　one　had　just　come；　an　old　priest；
journeying　from　the　Abbey　of　Chertsey　to　the　Priory　of　Saint　John
at　Midhurst。　　He　passed　often　that　way；　and　never　without　breaking
his　journey　at　the　hospitable　board　of　Cosford。

〃Welcome　again；　good　Father　Athanasius！〃　cried　the　burly　Knight。
〃Come　sit　here　on　my　right　and　give　me　the　news　of　the
country…side；　for　there　is　never　a　scandal　but　the　priests　are　the
first　to　know　it。〃

The　priest；　a　kindly；　quiet　man；　glanced　at　an　empty　place　upon
the　farther　side　of　his　host。　　〃Mistress　Edith？〃　said　he。

〃Aye；　aye；　where　is　the　hussy？〃　cried　her　father　impatiently。
〃Mary；　I　beg　you　to　have　the　horn　blown　again；　that　she　may　know
that　the　supper　is　on　the　table。　　What　can　the　little　owlet　do
abroad　at　this　hour　of　the　night？〃

There　was　trouble　in　the　priest's　gentle　eyes　as　he　touched　the
Knight　upon　the　sleeve。　　〃I　have　seen　Mistress　Edith　within　this
hour；〃　said　he。　　〃I　fear　that　she　will　hear　no　horn　that　you　may
blow；　for　she　must　be　at　Milford　ere　now。〃

〃At　Milford？　　What　does　she　there？〃

〃I　pray　you；　good　Sir　John；　to　abate　your　voice　somewhat；　for
indeed　this　matter　is　for　our　private　discourse；　since　it　touches
the　honor　of　a　lady。〃

〃Her　honor？〃　Sir　John's　ruddy　face　had　turned　redder　still；　as　he
stared　at　the　troubled　features　of　the　priest。　　〃Her　honor；　say
you　…　the　honor　of　my　daughter？　　Make　good　those　words；　or　never
set　your　foot　over　the　threshold　of　Cosford　again！〃

〃I　trust　that　I　have　done　no　wrong；　Sir　John；　but　indeed　I　must
say　what　I　have　seen；　else　would　I　be　a　false　friend　and　an
unworthy　priest。〃

〃Haste　man；　haste！　　What　in　the　Devil's　name　have　you　seen？〃

〃Know　you　a　little　man；　partly　misshapen；　named　Paul　de　la　Fosse？〃

〃I　know　him　well。　　He　is　a　man　of　noble　family　and　coat…armour；
being　the　younger　brother　of　Sir　Eustace　de　la　Fosse　of　Shalford。
Time　was　when　I　had　thought　that　I　might　call　him　son；　for　there
was　never　a　day　that　he　did　not　pass　with　my　girls；　but　I　fear
that　his　crooked　back　sped　him　ill　in　his　wooing。〃

〃Alas；　Sir　John！　　It　is　his　mind　that　is　more　c