sir nigel-第38节

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you　may；　while　I　and　my　mates　do　our　work　without　let　or
hindrance。〃

〃It　is　the　gentle　Chandos！〃　cried　some　one　in　the　crowd。　　〃It　is
the　good　Sir　John。〃

The　rough　harbor…master　changed　his　gruffness　to　smiles　in　an
instant。　　〃Nay；　Sir　John；　what　would　you？　　I　pray　you　to　hold　me
excused　if　I　was　short　of　speech；　but　we　port…wardens　are　sore
plagued　with　foolish　young　lordlings；　who　get　betwixt　us　and　our
work　and　blame　us　because　we　do　not　turn　an　ebb…tide　into　a　flood；
or　a　south　wind　into　a　north。　　I　pray　you　to　tell　me　how　I　can
serve　you。〃

〃That　boat！〃　said　Chandos；　pointing　to　the　already　distant　sail
rising　and　falling　on　the　waves。　　〃What　is　it？〃

Cock　Badding　shaded　his　keen　eyes　with　his　strong　brows　hand。
〃She　has　but　just　gone　out；〃　said　he。　　〃She　is　La　Pucelle；　a　small
wine…sloop　from　Gascony；　home…bound　and　laden　with　barrel…staves。〃

〃I　pray　you　did　any　man　join　her　at　the　very　last？〃

〃Nay；　I　know　not。　　I　saw　no　one。〃

〃But　I　know；〃　cried　a　seaman　in　the　crowd。　　〃I　was　standing　at　the
wharf…side　and　was　nigh　knocked　into　the　water　by　a　little
redheaded　fellow；　who　breathed　as　though　he　had　run　from　the　town。
Ere　I　had　time　to　give　him　a　cuff　he　had　jumped　aboard；　the　ropes
were　cast　off；　and　her　nose　was　seaward。〃

In　a　few　words　Chandos　made　all　clear　to　Badding；　the　crowd
pressing　eagerly　round。

〃Aye；　aye！〃　cried　a　seaman；　〃the　good　Sir　John　is　right。　　See　how
she　points。　　It　is　Picardy　and　not　Gascony　that　she　will　fetch
this　journey　in　spite　of　her　wine…staves。〃

〃Then　we　must　lay　her　aboard！〃　cried　Cock　Badding。　　〃Come；　lads；
here　is　my　own　Marie　Rose　ready　to　cast　off。　　Who's　for　a　trip
with　a　fight　at　the　end　of　it？〃

There　was　a　rush　for　the　boat；　but　the　stout　little　seaman　picked
his　men。　　〃Go　back；　Jerry！　　Your　heart　is　good；　but　you　are
overfat　for　the　work。　　You；　Luke；　and　you；　Thomas；　and　the　two
Deedes；　and　William　of　Sandgate。　　You　will　work　the　boat。　　And　now
we　need　a　few　men　of　their　hands。　　Do　you　come；　little　sir？〃

〃I　pray　you；　my　dear　lord；　to　let　me　go！〃　cried　Nigel。

〃Yes；　Nigel；　you　can　go；　and　I　will　bring　your　gear　over　to　Calais
this　night。〃

〃I　will　join　you　there；　fair　sir；　and　with　the　help　of　Saint　Paul
I　will　bring　this　Red　Ferret　with　me。〃

〃Aboard；　aboard！　　Time　passes！〃　cried　Badding　impatiently；　while
already　his　seamen　were　hauling　on　the　line　and　raising　the
mainsail。　　〃Now　then；　sirrah！　　who　are　you？　　It　was　　Aylward；　who
had　followed　Nigel　and　was　pushing　his　way　aboard。

〃Where　my　master　goes　I　go　also；〃　cried　Aylward；　〃so　stand　clear；
master…shipman；　or　you　may　come　by　a　hurt。〃

〃By　Saint　Leonard！　　archer；〃　said　Cock　Badding；　〃had　I　more　time　I
would　give　you　a　lesson　ere　I　leave　land。　　Stand　back　and　give
place　to　others！〃

〃Nay；　stand　back　and　give　place　to　me！〃　cried　Aylward；　and　seizing
Badding　round　the　waist　he　slung　him　into　the　dock。

There　was　a　cry　of　anger　from　the　crowd；　for　Badding　was　the　hero
of　all　the　Cinque　Ports　and　had　never　yet　met　his　match　in
manhood。　　The　epitaph　still　lingers　in　which　it　was　said　that　he
〃could　never　rest　until　he　had　foughten　his　fill。〃　　When；
therefore；　swimming　like　a　duck；　he　reached　a　rope　and　pulled
himself　hand　over　hand　up　to　the　quay；　all　stood　aghast　to　see
what　fell　fate　would　befall　this　bold　stranger。　　But　Badding
laughed　loudly；　dashing　the　saltwater　from　his　eyes　and　hair。

〃You　have　fairly　won　your　place；　archer；〃　said　he。　　〃You　are　the
very　man　for　our　work。　　Where　is　Black　Simon　of　Norwich？〃

A　tall　dark　young　man　with　a　long；　stern；　lean　face　came　forward。
〃I　am　with　you；　Cock；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　thank　you　for　my　place。〃

〃You　can　come；　Hugh　Baddlesmere；　and　you；　Hal　Masters；　and　you；
Dicon　of　Rye。　　That　is　enough。　　Now　off；　in　God's　name；　or　it　will
be　night　ere　we　can　come　up　with　them！〃

Already　the　head…sails　and　the　main…sail　had　been　raised；　while　a
hundred　willing　hands　poled　her　off　from　the　wharf。　　Now　the　wind
caught　her；　heeling　over；　and　quivering　with　eagerness　like　an
unleashed　hound　she　flew　through　the　opening　and　out　into　the
Channel。　　She　was　a　famous　little　schooner；　the　Marie　Rose　of
Winchelsea；　and　under　her　daring　owner　Cock　Badding；　half　trader
and　half　pirate；　had　brought　back　into　port　many　a　rich　cargo
taken　in　mid…Channel；　and　paid　for　in　blood　rather　than　money。
Small　as　she　was；　her　great　speed　and　the　fierce　character　of　her
master　had　made　her　a　name　of　terror　along　the　French　coast；　and
many　a　bulky　Eastlander　or　Fleming　as　he　passed　the　narrow　seas
had　scanned　the　distant　Kentish　shore；　fearing　lest　that
ill…omened　purple　sail　with　a　gold　Christopher　upon　it　should
shoot　out　suddenly　from　the　dim　gray　cliffs。　　Now　she　was　clear　of
the　land；　with　the　wind　on　her　larboard　quarter；　every　inch　of
canvas　set；　and　her　high　sharp　bows　smothered　in　foam；　as　she　dug
through　the　waves。

Cock　Badding　trod　the　deck　with　head　erect　and　jaunty　bearing；
glancing　up　at　the　swelling　sails　and　then　ahead　at　the　little
tilted　white　triangle；　which　stood　out　clear　and　hard　against　the
bright　blue　sky。　　Behind　was　the　lowland　of　the　Camber　marshes；
with　the　bluffs　of　Rye　and　Winchelsea；　and　the　line　of　cliffs
behind　them。　　On　the　larboard　bow　rose　the　great　white　walls　of
Folkestone　and　of　Dover；　and　far　on　the　distant　sky…line　the　gray
shimmer　of　those　French　cliffs　for　which　the　fugitives　were
making。

〃By　Saint　Paul！〃　cried　Nigel；　looking　with　eager　eyes　over　the
tossing　waters；　〃it　seems　to　me；　Master　Badding；　that　already　we
draw　in　upon　them。〃

The　master　measured　the　distance　with　his　keen　steady　gaze；　and
then　looked　up　at　the　sinking　sun。　　〃　We　have　still　four　hours　of
daylight；〃　said　he；　〃but　if　we　do　not　lay　her　aboard　ere　darkness
falls　she　will　save　herself；　for　the　nights　are　as　black　as　a
wolf's　mouth；　and　if　she　alter　her　course　I　know　not　how　we　may
follow　her。〃

〃Unless；　indeed；　you　might　guess　to　which　port　she　was　bound　and
reach　it　before　her。〃

〃Well　thought　of；　little　master！〃　cried　Badding。　　〃If　the　news　be
for　the　French　outside　Calais；　then　Ambleteuse　would　be　nearest　to
Saint　Omer。　　But　my　sweeting　sails　three　paces　to　that　lubber's
two；　and　if　the　wind　holds　we　shall　have　time　and　to　spare。　　How
now；　archer？　　You　do　not　seem　so　eager　as　when　you　made　your　way
aboard　this　boat　by　slinging　me　into　the　sea。〃

Aylward　sat　on　the　upturned　keel　of　a　skiff　which　lay　upon　the
deck。　　He　groaned　sadly　and　held　his；　green　face　between　his　two
hands。　　〃I　would　gladly　sling　you　into　the　sea　once　more；
mastershipman；〃　said　he；　〃if　by　so　doing　I　could　get　off　this　most
accursed　vessel　of　thine。　　Or　if　you　would　wish　to　have　your　turn；
then　I　would　thank　you　if　you　would　lend　me　a　hand　over　the　side；
for　indeed　I　am　but　a　useless　weight　upon　your　deck。　　Little　did　I
think　that　Samkin　Aylward　could　be　turned　into　a　weakling　by　an
hour　of　salt　water。　　Alas　the　day　that　ever　my　foot　wandered　from
the　good　red　heather　of　Crooksbury！〃

Cock　Badding　laughed　loud　and　long。　　〃Nay；　take　it　not　to　heart；
archer；〃　he　cried；　〃for　better　men　than　you　or　I　have　groaned　upon
this　deck。　　The　Prince　himself　with　ten　of　his　chosen　knights
crossed　with　me　once；　and　eleven　sadder　faces　I　never　saw。　　Yet
within　a　month　they　had　shown　at　Crecy　that　they　were　no
weaklings；　as　you　will　do　also；　I　dare　swear；　when　the　time　comes。
Keep　that　thick　head　of　thine　down　upon　the　planks；　and　all　will
be　well　anon。　　But　we　raise　her；　we　raise　her　with　every　blast　of
the　wind！〃

It　was　indeed　evident；　even　to　the　inexperienced　eyes　of　Nigel；
that　the　Marie　Rose　was　closing　in　swiftly　upon　the　stranger。　　She
was　a　heavy；　bluff…bowed；　broad…sterned　vessel　which　labored
clumsily　through　the　seas。　　The　swift；　fierce　little　Winchelsea
boat　swooping　and　hissing　through　the　waters　behind　her　was　like
some　keen　hawk　whizzing　down　wind　at　the　back　of　a　flapping
heavy…bodied　duck。　　Half　an　hour　before　La　Pucelle　had　been　a
distant　patch　of　canvas。　　Now　they　could　see　the　black　hull；　and
soon　the　cut　of　her　sails　and　the　lines　of　her　bulwarks。　　There
were　at　least　a　dozen　men　upon　her　deck；　and　the　twinkle　of
weapons　from　amongst　them　showed　that　they　were　preparing　to
resist。　　Cock　Badding　began　to　muster　his　own　forces。

He　had　a　crew　of　seven　rough；　hardy　mariners；　who　had　been　at　his
back　in　many　a　skirmish。　　They　were　armed　with　short　swords；　but
Cock　Badding　carried　a　weapon　peculiar　to　himself；　a　twenty…pound
blacksmith's　hammer；　the　memory　of　which；　as　〃Badding's　cracker；〃
still　lingers　in　the　Cinque　Ports。　　Then　there　were　the　eager
Nigel；　the　melancholy　Aylward；　Black　Simon　who　was　a　tried
swordsman；　and　three　archers；　Baddlesmere；　Masters　and　Dicon　of
Rye；　all　veterans　of　the　French　War。　　The　numbers　in　the　two
vessels　might　be　about　equal；　but　Badding　as　he　glanced　at　the
bold　harsh　faces　which　looked　to　him　for　orders　had　little　fear
for　the　result。

Glancing　round；　however；　he　saw　something　which　was　more　dangerous
to　his　plans　than　the　resistance　of　the　enemy。　　The　wind；　which
had　become　more　fitful　and　feebler；　now　fell　suddenly　away；　until
the　sails　hung　limp　and　straight　above　them。　　A　belt　of　calm　lay
along　the　horizon；　and　the　waves