sir nigel-第43节

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ever　higher　upon　the　chamber　wall；　Nigel　tossed　feverishly　upon
his　couch；　his　ears　straining　for　the　footfall　of　Aylward　or　of
Chandos；　bringing　news　of　the　fate　of　the　prisoner。　　At　last　the
door　flew　open；　and　there　before　him　stood　the　one　man　whom　he
least　expected；　and　yet　would　most　gladly　have　seen。　　It　was　the
Red　Ferret　himself；　free　and　joyous。

With　swift　furtive　steps　he　was　across　the　room　and　on　his　knees
beside　the　couch；　kissing　the　pendent　hand。　　〃You　have　saved　me；
most　noble　sir！〃　he　cried。　　〃The　gallows　was　fixed　and　the　rope
slung；　when　the　good　Lord　Chandos　told　the　King　that　you　would　die
by　your　own　hand　if　I　were　slain。　　‘Curse　this　mule…headed
Squire！'　he　cried。　　‘In　God's　name　let　him　have　his　prisoner；　and
let　him　do　what　he　will　with　him　so　long　as　he　troubles　me　no
more！'　　So　here　I　have　come；　fair　sir；　to　ask　you　what　I　shall
do。〃

〃I　pray　you　to　sit　beside　me　and　be　at　your　ease；〃　said　Nigel。
〃In　a　few　words　I　will　tell　you　what　I　would　have　you　do。　　Your
armor　I　will　keep；　that　I　may　have　some　remembrance　of　my　good
fortune　in　meeting　so　valiant　a　gentleman。　　We　are　of　a　size；　and
I　make　little　doubt　that　I　can　wear　it。　　Of　ransom　I　would　ask　a
thousand　crowns。〃

〃Nay；　nay！〃　cried　the　Ferret。　　〃It　would　be　a　sad　thing　if　a　man
of　my　position　was　worth　less　than　five　thousand。〃

〃A　thousand　will　suffice；　fair　sir；　to　pay　my　charges　for　the　war。
You　will　not　again　play　the　spy；　nor　do　us　harm　until　the　truce　is
broken。〃

〃That　I　will　swear。〃

〃And　lastly　there　is　a　journey　that　you　shall　make。〃

The　Frenchman's　face　lengthened。　　〃Where　you　order　I　must　go；〃
said　he；　〃but　I　pray　you　that　it　is　not　to　the　Holy　Land。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Nigel；　〃but　it　is　to　a　land　which　is　holy　to　me。　　You
will　make　your　way　back　to　Southampton。〃

〃I　know　it　well。　　I　helped　to　burn　it　down　some　years　ago。〃

〃I　rede　you　to　say　nothing　of　that　matter　when　you　get　there。　　You
will　then　journey　as　though　to　London　until　you　come　to　a　fair
town　named　Guildford。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　it。　　The　King　hath　a　hunt　there。〃

〃The　same。　　You　will　then　ask　for　a　house　named　Cosford；　two
leagues　from　the　town　on　the　side　of　a　long　hill。〃

〃I　will　bear　it　in　mind。〃

〃At　Cosford　you　will　see　a　good　knight　named　Sir　John　Buttesthorn；
and　you　will　ask　to　have　speech　with　his　daughter；　the　Lady　Mary。〃

〃I　will　do　so；　and　what　shall　I　say　to　the　Lady　Mary；　who　lives　at
Cosford　on　the　slope　of　a　long　hill　two　leagues　from　the　fair　town
of　Guildford？〃

〃Say　only　that　I　sent　my　greeting；　and　that　Saint　Catharine　has
been　my　friend　…　only　that　and　nothing　more。　　And　now　leave　me；　I
pray　you；　for　my　head　is　weary　and　I　would　fain　have　sleep。〃

Thus　it　came　about　that　a　month　later　on　the　eve　of　the　Feast　of
Saint　Matthew；　the　Lady　Mary；　as　she　walked　front　Cosford　gates；
met　with　a　strange　horseman；　richly　clad；　a　serving…man　behind
him；　looking　shrewdly　about　him　with　quick　blue　eyes；　which
twinkled　from　a　red　and　freckled　face。　　At　sight　of　her　he　doffed
his　hat　and　reined　his　horse。

〃This　house　should　be　Cosford；〃　said　he。　　〃Are　you　by　chance　the
Lady　Mary　who　dwells　there？〃

The　lady　bowed　her　proud　dark　head。

〃Then；〃　said　he；　〃Squire　Nigel　Loring　sends　you　greeting　and　tells
you　that　Saint　Catharine　has　been　his　friend。〃　　Then　turning　to
his　servant　he　cried：　〃Heh；　Raoul；　our　task　is　done！　　Your　master
is　a　free　man　once　more。　　Come；　lad；　come；　the　nearest　port　to
France！　　Hola！　　Hola！　　Hola！〃　　And　so　without　a　word　more　the　two；
master　and　man；　set　spurs　to　their　horses　and　galloped　like　madmen
down　the　long　slope　of　Hindhead；　until　as　she　looked　after　them
they　were　but　two　dark　dots　in　the　distance；　waist…high　in　the
ling　and　the　bracken。

She　turned　back　to　the　house；　a　smile　upon　her　face。　　Nigel　had
sent　her　greeting。　　A　Frenchman　had　brought　it。　　His　bringing　it
had　made　him　a　freeman。　　And　Saint　Catherine　had　been　Nigel's
friend。　　It　was　at　her　shrine　that　he　had　sworn　that　three　deeds
should　be　done　ere　he　should　set　eyes　upon　her　again。　　In　the
privacy　of　her　room　the　Lady　Mary　sank　upon　her　prie…dieu　and
poured　forth　the　thanks　of　her　heart　to　the　Virgin　that　one　deed
was　accomplished；　but　even　as　she　did　so　her　joy　was　overcast　by
the　thought　of　those　two　others　which　lay　before　him。




XVI。　　HOW　THE　KING'S　COURT　FEASTED　IN　CALAIS　CASTLE


It　was　a　bright　sunshiny　morning　when　Nigel　found　himself　at　last
able　to　leave　his　turret　chamber　and　to　walk　upon　the　rampart　of
the　castle。　　There　was　a　brisk　northern　wind；　heavy　and　wet　with
the　salt　of　the　sea；　and　he　felt；　as　he　turned　his　face　to　it；
fresh　life　and　strength　surging　in　his　blood　and　bracing　his
limbs。　　He　took　his　hand　from　Aylward's　supporting　arm　and　stood
with　his　cap　off；　leaning　on　the　rampart　and　breathing　in　the　cool
strong　air。　　Far　off　upon　the　distant　sky…line；　half　hidden　by　the
heave　of　the　waves；　was　the　low　white　fringe　of　cliffs　which
skirted　England。　　Between　him　and　them　lay　the　broad　blue　Channel；
seamed　and　flecked　with　flashing　foam；　for　a　sharp　sea　was　running
and　the　few　ships　in　sight　were　laboring　heavily。　　Nigel's　eyes
traversed　the　wide…spread　view；　rejoicing　in　the　change　from　the
gray　wall　of　his　cramped　chamber。　　Finally　they　settled　upon　a
strange　object　at　his　very　feet。

It　was　a　long　trumpet…shaped　engine　of　leather　and　iron　bolted
into　a　rude　wooden　stand　and　fitted　with　wheels。　　Beside　it　lay　a
heap　of　metal　slugs　and　lumps　of　stone。　　The　end　of　the　machine
was　raised　and　pointed　over　the　battlement。　　Behind　it　stood　an
iron　box　which　Nigel　opened。　　It　was　filled　with　a　black　coarse
powder；　like　gritty　charcoal。

〃By　Saint　Paul！〃　said　he；　passing　his　hands　over　the　engine；　〃I
have　heard　men　talk　of　these　things；　but　never　before　have　I　seen
one。　　It　is　none　other　than　one　of　those　wondrous　new…made
bombards。〃

〃In　sooth；　it　is　even　as　you　say；〃　Aylward　answered；　looking　at　it
with　contempt　and　dislike　in　his　face。　　〃I　have　seen　them　here
upon　the　ramparts；　and　have　also　exchanged　a　buffet　or　two　with
him　who　had　charge　of　them。　　He　was　jack…fool　enough　to　think　that
with　this　leather　pipe　he　could　outshoot　the　best　archer　in
Christendom。　　I　lent　him　a　cuff　on　the　ear　that　laid　him　across
his　foolish　engine。〃

〃It　is　a　fearsome　thing；〃　said　Nigel；　who　had　stooped　to　examine
it。　　〃We　live　in　strange　times　when　such　things　can　be　made。　　It
is　loosed　by　fire；　is　it　not；　which　springs　from　the　black　dust？〃

〃By　my　hilt！　　fair　sir；　I　know　not。　　And　yet　I　call　to　mind　that
ere　we　fell　out　this　foolish　bombardman　did　say　something　of　the
matter。　　The　fire…dust　is　within　and　so　also　is　the　ball。　　Then
you　take　more　dust　from　this　iron　box　and　place　it　in　the　hole　at
the　farther　end…so。　　It　is　now　ready。　　I　have　never　seen　one
fired；　but　I　wot　that　this　one　could　be　fired　now。〃

〃It　makes　a　strange　sound；　archer；　does　it　not？〃　said　Nigel
wistfully。

〃So　I　have　heard；　fair　sir　…　even　as　the　bow　twangs；　so　it　also
has　a　sound　when　you　loose　it。〃

〃There　is　no　one　to　hear；　since　we　are　alone　upon　the　rampart；　nor
can　it　do　scathe；　since　it　points　to　sea。　　I　pray　you　to　loose　it
and　I　will　listen　to　the　sound。〃　　He　bent　over　the　bombard　with　an
attentive　ear；　while　Aylward；　stooping　his　earnest　brown　face　over
the　touch…hole；　scraped　away　diligently　with　a　flint　and　steel。　　A
moment　later　both　he　and　Nigel　were　seated　some　distance　off　upon
the　ground　while　amid　the　roar　of　the　discharge　and　the　thick
cloud　of　smoke　they　had　a　vision　of　the　long　black　snakelike
engine　shooting　back　upon　the　recoil。　　For　a　minute　or　more　they
were　struck　motionless　with　astonishment　while　the　reverberations
died　away　and　the　smoke　wreaths　curled　slowly　up　to　the　blue
heavens。

〃Good　lack！〃　cried　Nigel　at　last；　picking　himself　up　and　looking
round　him。　　〃Good　lack；　and　Heaven　be　my　aid！　　I　thank　the　Virgin
that　all　stands　as　it　did　before。　　I　thought　that　the　castle　had
fallen。〃

〃Such　a　bull's　bellow　I　have　never　heard；〃　cried　Aylward；　rubbing
his　injured　limbs。　　〃One　could　hear　it　from　Frensham　Pond　to
Guildford　Castle。　　I　would　not　touch　one　again　…　not　for　a　hide　of
the　best　land　in　Puttenham！〃

〃It　may　fare　ill　with　your　own　hide；　archer；　if　you　do；〃　said　an
angry　voice　behind　them。　　Chandos　had　stepped　from　the　open　door
of　the　corner　turret　and　stood　looking　at　them　with　a　harsh　gaze。
Presently；　as　the　matter　was　made　clear　to　him　his　face　relaxed
into　a　smile。

〃Hasten　to　the　warden；　archer；　and　tell　him　how　it　befell。　　You
will　have　the　castle　and　the　town　in　arms。　　I　know　not　what　the
King　may　think　of　so　sudden　an　alarm。　　And　you；　Nigel；　how　in　the
name　of　the　saints　came　you　to　play　the　child　like　this？〃

〃I　knew　not　its　power；　fair　lord。〃

〃By　my　soul；　Nigel；　I　think　that　none　of　us　know　its　power。　　I　can
see　the　day　when　all　that　we　delight　in；　the　splendor　and　glory　of
war；　may　all　go　down　before　that　which　beats　through　the　plate　of
steel　as　easily　as　the　leathern　jacket。　　I　have　bestrode　my
warhorse　in　my　armor　and　have　looked　down　at　the　sooty；　smoky
bombardman　beside　me；　and　I　have　thought　that　perhaps　I　was　the
last　of　the　old　and　he　the　first　of　the　new；　that　there　w