sir nigel-第3节

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the　brethren；　glancing　up；　should　put　on　an　even　meeker　carriage
and　more　demure　expression　as　they　saw　the　watchful　face　in　the
window　above　them。

A　knock　at　the　door　of　his　studio　recalled　the　Abbot　to　his
immediate　duties；　and　he　returned　to　his　desk。　　Already　he　had
spoken　with　his　cellarer　and　prior；　almoner；　chaplain　and　lector；
but　now　in　the　tall　and　gaunt　monk　who　obeyed　his　summons　to　enter
he　recognized　the　most　important　and　also　the　most　importunate　of
his　agents；　Brother　Samuel　the　sacrist；　whose　office；
corresponding　to　that　of　the　layman's　bailiff；　placed　the　material
interests　of　the　monastery　and　its　dealings　with　the　outer　world
entirely　under　his　control；　subject　only　to　the　check　of　the
Abbot。　　Brother　Samuel　was　a　gnarled　and　stringy　old　monk　whose
stern　and　sharp…featured　face　reflected　no　light　from　above　but
only　that　sordid　workaday　world　toward　which　it　was　forever
turned。　　A　huge　book　of　accounts　was　tucked　under　one　of　his　arms；
while　a　great　bunch　of　keys　hung　from　the　other　hand；　a　badge　of
his　office；　and　also　on　occasion　of　impatience　a　weapon　of
offense；　as　many　a　scarred　head　among　rustics　and　lay　brothers
could　testify。

The　Abbot　sighed　wearily；　for　he　suffered　much　at　the　hands　of　his
strenuous　agent。　　〃Well；　Brother　Samuel；　what　is　your　will？〃　he
asked。

〃Holy　father；　I　have　to　report　that　I　have　sold　the　wool　to　Master
Baldwin　of　Winchester　at　two　shillings　a　bale　more　than　it　fetched
last　year；　for　the　murrain　among　the　sheep　has　raised　the　price。〃

〃You　have　done　well；　brother。〃

〃I　have　also　to　tell　you　that　I　have　distrained　Wat　the　warrener
from　his　cottage；　for　his　Christmas　rent　is　still　unpaid；　nor　the
hen…rents　of　last　year。〃

〃He　has　a　wife　and　four　children；　brother。〃　　He　was　a　good；　easy
man；　the　Abbot；　though　liable　to　be　overborne　by　his　sterner
subordinate。

〃It　is　true；　holy　father；　but　if　I　should　pass　him；　then　how　am　I
to　ask　the　rent　of　the　foresters　of　Puttenham；　or　the　hinds　in　the
village？　　Such　a　thing　spreads　from　house　to　house；　and　where　then
is　the　wealth　of　Waverley？〃

〃What　else；　Brother　Samuel？〃

〃There　is　the　matter　of　the　fish…ponds。〃

The　Abbot's　face　brightened。　　It　was　a　subject　upon　which　he　was
an　authority。　　If　the　rule　of　his　Order　had　robbed　him　of　the
softer　joys　of　life；　he　had　the　keener；　zest　for　those　which
remained。

〃How　have　the　char　prospered；　brother？〃

〃They　have　done　well；　holy　father；　but　the　carp　have　died　in　the
Abbot's　pond。〃

〃Carp　prosper　only　upon　a　gravel　bottom。　　They　must　be　put　in　also
in　their　due　proportion；　three　milters　to　one　spawner；　brother
sacrist；　and　the　spot　must　be　free　from　wind；　stony　and　sandy；　an
ell　deep；　with　willows　and　grass　upon　the　banks。　　Mud　for　tench；
brother；　gravel　for　carp。〃

The　sacrist　leaned　forward　with　the　face　of　one　who　bears　tidings
of　woe。　　〃There　are　pike　in　the　Abbot's　pond；〃　said　he。

〃Pike！〃　cried　the　Abbot　in　horror。　　〃As　well　shut　up　a　wolf　in　our
sheepfold。　　How　came　a　pike　in　the　pond？　　There　were　no　pike　last
year；　and　a　pike　does　not　fall　with　the　rain　nor　rise　in　the
springs。　　The　pond　must　be　drained；　or　we　shall　spend　next　Lent
upon　stockfish；　and　have　the　brethren　down　with　the　great　sickness
ere　Easter　Sunday　has　come　to　absolve　us　from　our　abstinence。〃

〃The　pond　shall　be　drained；　holy　father；　I　have　already　ordered
it。　　Then　we　shall　plant　pot…herbs　on　the　mud　bottom；　and　after　we
have　gathered　them　in；　return　the　fish　and　water　once　more　from
the　lower　pond；　so　that　they　may　fatten　among　the　rich　stubble。〃

〃Good！〃　cried　the　Abbot。　　〃I　would　have　three　fish…stews　in　every
well…ordered　house　…　one　dry　for　herbs；　one　shallow　for　the　fry
and　the　yearlings；　and　one　deep　for　the　breeders　and　the
tablefish。　　But　still；　I　have　not　heard　you　say　how　the　pike　came
in　the　Abbot's　pond。〃

A　spasm　of　anger　passed　over　the　fierce　face　of　the　sacrist；　and
his　keys　rattled　as　his　bony　hand　clasped　them　more　tightly。
〃Young　Nigel　Loring！〃　said　he。　　〃He　swore　that　he　would　do　us
scathe；　and　in　this　way　he　has　done　it。〃

〃How　know　you　this？〃

〃Six　weeks　ago　he　was　seen　day　by　day　fishing　for　pike　at　the
great　Lake　of　Frensham。　　Twice　at　night　he　has　been　met　with　a
bundle　of　straw　under　his　arm　on　the　Hankley　Down。　　Well；　I　wot
that　the　straw　was　wet　and　that　a　live　pike　lay　within　it。〃

The　Abbot　shook　his　head。　　〃I　have　heard　much　of　this　youth's　wild
ways；　but　now　indeed　he　has　passed　all　bounds　if　what　you　say　be
truth。　　It　was　bad　enough　when　it　was　said　that　he　slew　the　King's
deer　in　Woolmer　Chase；　or　broke　the　head　of　Hobbs　the　chapman；　so
that　he　lay　for　seven　days　betwixt　life　and　death　in　our
infirmary；　saved　only　by　Brother　Peter's　skill　in　the　pharmacies
of　herbs；　but　to　put　pike　in　the　Abbot's　pond…why　should　he　play
such　a　devil's　prank？〃

〃Because　he　hates　the　House　of　Waverley；　holy　father；　because　he
swears　that　we　hold　his　father's　land。〃

〃In　which　there　is　surely　some　truth。〃

〃But；　holy　father；　we　hold　no　more　than　the　law　has　allowed。〃

〃True；　brother；　and　yet　between　ourselves；　we　may　admit　that　the
heavier　purse　may　weigh　down　the　scales　of　Justice。　　When　I　have
passed　the　old　house　and　have　seen　that　aged　woman　with　her
ruddled　cheeks　and　her　baleful　eyes　look　the　curses　she　dare　not
speak；　I　have　many　a　time　wished　that　we　had　other　neighbors。〃

〃That　we　can　soon　bring　about；　holy　father。　　Indeed；　it　is　of　it
that　I　wished　to　speak　to　you。　　Surely　it　is　not　hard　for　us　to
drive　them　from　the　country…side。　　There　are　thirty　years'　claims
of　escuage　unsettled；　and　there　is　Sergeant　Wilkins；　the　lawyer　of
Guildford；　whom　I　will　warrant　to　draw　up　such　arrears　of　dues　and
rents　and　issues　of　hidage　and　fodder…corn　that　these　folk；　who
are　as　beggarly　as　they　are　proud；　will　have　to　sell　the　roof…tree
over　them　ere　they　can　meet　them。　　Within　three　days　I　will　have
them　at　our　mercy。〃

〃They　are　an　ancient　family　and　of　good　repute。　　I　would　not　treat
them　too　harshly；　brother。〃

〃Bethink　you　of　the　pike　in　the　carp　pond！〃

The　Abbot　hardened　his　heart　at　the　thought。　　〃It　was　indeed　a
devil's　deed　…　when　we　had　but　newly　stocked　it　with　char　and　with
carp。　　Well；　well；　the　law　is　the　law；　and　if　you　can　use　it　to
hurt；　it　is　still　lawful　to　do　so　Have　these　claims　been
advanced？〃

〃Deacon　the　bailiff　with　his　two　varlets　went　down　to　the　Hall
yesternight　on　the　matter　of　the　escuage；　and　came　screaming　back
with　this　young　hothead　raging　at　their　heels。　　He　is　small　and
slight；　yet　he　has　the　strength　of　many　men　in　the　hour　of　his
wrath。　　The　bailiff　swears　that　he　will　go　no　more；　save　with　half
a　score　of　archers　to　uphold　him。〃

The　Abbot　was　red　with　anger　at　this　new　offense。　　〃I　will　teach
him　that　the　servants　of　Holy　Church；　even　though　we　of　the　rule
of　Saint　Bernard　be　the　lowliest　and　humblest　of　her　children；　can
still　defend　their　own　against　the　froward　and　the　violent！　　Go；
cite　this　man　before　the　Abbey　court。　　Let　him　appear　in　the
chapter…house　after　tierce　to…morrow。〃

But　the　wary　sacrist　shook　his　head：　〃Nay；　holy　father；　the　times
are　not　yet　ripe。　　Give　me　three　days；　I　pray　you；　that　my　case
against　him　may　be　complete。　　Bear　in　mind　that　the　father　and　the
grandfather　of　this　unruly　squire　were　both　famous　men　of　their
day　and　the　foremost　knights　in　the　King's　own　service；　living　in
high　honor　and　dying　in　their　knightly　duty。　　The　Lady　Ermyntrude
Loring　was　first　lady　to　the　King's　mother。　　Roger　FitzAlan　of
Farnham　and　Sir　Hugh　Walcott　of　Guildford　Castle　were　each　old
comrades…in…arms　of　Nigel's　father；　and　sib　to　him　on　the　distaff
side。　　Already　there　has　been　talk　that　we　have　dealt　harshly　with
them。　　Therefore；　my　rede　is　that　we　be　wise　and　wary　and　wait
until　his　cup　be　indeed　full。〃

The　Abbot　had　opened　his　mouth　to　reply；　when　the　consultation　was
interrupted　by　a　most　unwonted　buzz　of；　excitement　from　among　the
monks　in　the　cloister　below。　　Questions　and　answers　in　excited
voices　sounded　from　one　side　of　the　ambulatory　to　the　other。
Sacrist　and　Abbot　were　gazing　at　each　other　in　amazement　at　such　a
breach　of　the　discipline　and　decorum　of　their　well…trained　flock；
when　there　came　a　swift　step　upon　the　stair；　and　a　white…faced
brother　flung　open　the　door　and　rushed　into　the　room。

〃Father　Abbot！〃　he　cried。　　〃Alas；　alas！　　Brother　John　is　dead；　and
the　holy　subprior　is　dead；　and　the　Devil　is　loose　in　the　five…
virgate　field！〃




III。　THE　YELLOW　HORSE　OF　CROOKSBURY


In　those　simple　times　there　was　a　great　wonder　and　mystery　in
life。　　Man　walked　in　fear　and　solemnity；　with　Heaven　very　close
above　his　head；　and　Hell　below　his　very　feet。　　God's　visible　hand
was　everywhere；　in　the　rainbow　and　the　comet；　in　the　thunder　and
the　wind。　　The　Devil　too　raged　openly　upon　the　earth；　he　skulked
behind　the　hedge…rows　in　the　gloaming；　he　laughed　loudly　in　the
night…time；　he　clawed　the　dying　sinner；　pounced　on　the　unbaptized
babe；　and　twisted　the　limbs　of　the　epileptic。　　A　foul　fiend　slunk
ever　by　a　man's　side　and　whispered　villainies　in　his　ear；　while
above　him　there　hovered　an　angel　of　grace　who　pointed　to　the　steep
and　narrow　track。　　How　could　one　doubt　these