sir nigel-第47节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


back；　cowed；　from　his　fierce　eyes。　　〃　Now　stint　your　noise；　all　of
you；　and　stretch　your　long　ears。　　Trumpeter；　blow　once　more！〃

A　bugle　call　had　been　sounded　every　quarter　of　an　hour　so　as　to
keep　in　touch　with　the　other　two　vessels　who　were　invisible　in　the
fog。　　Now　the　high　clear　note　rang　out　once　more；　the　call　of　a
fierce　sea…creature　to　its　mates；　but　no　answer　came　back　from　the
thick　wall　which　pent　them　in。　　Again　and　again　they　called；　and
again　and　again　with　bated　breath　they　waited　for　an　answer。

〃Where　is　the　Shipman？〃　asked　Knolles。　　〃　What　is　your　name；
fellow？　　Do　you　dare　call　yourself　master…mariner？〃

〃My　name　is　Nat　Dennis；　fair　sir；〃　said　the　gray…bearded　old
seaman。　　〃It　is　thirty　years　since　first　I　showed　my　cartel　and
blew　trumpet　for　a　crew　at　the　water…gate　of　Southampton。　　If　any
man　may　call　himself　master…mariner；　it　is　surely　I。〃

〃Where　are　our　two　ships？〃

〃Nay；　sir；　who　can　say　in　this　fog？〃

〃Fellow；　it　was　your　place　to　hold　them　together。〃

〃I　have　but　the　eyes　God　gave　me；　fair　sir；　and　they　cannot　see
through　a　cloud。〃

〃Had　it　been　fair；　I；　who　am　a　soldier；　could　have　kept　them　in
company。　　Since　it　was　foul；　we　looked　to　you；　who　are　called　a
mariner；　to　do　so。　　You　have　not　done　it。　　You　have　lost　two　of　my
ships　ere　the　venture　is　begun。〃

〃Nay；　fair　sir；　I　pray　you　to　consider　…　〃

〃Enough　words！〃　said　Knolles　sternly。　　〃Words　will　not　give　me
back　my　two　hundred　men。　　Unless　I　find　them　before　I　come　to
Saint…Malo；　I　swear　by　Saint　Wilfrid　of　Ripon　that　it　will　be　an
evil　day　for　you！　　Enough！　　Go　forth　and　do　what　you　may！〃

For　five　hours　with　a　light　breeze　behind　them　they　lurched
through　the　heavy　fog；　the　cold　rain　still　matting　their　beards
and　shining　on　their　faces。　　Sometimes　they　could　see　a　circle　of
tossing　water　for　a　bowshot　or　so　in　each　direction；　and　then　the
wreaths　would　crawl　in　upon　them　once　more　and　bank　them　thickly
round。　　They　had　long　ceased　to　blow　the　trumpet　for　their　missing
comrades；　but　had　hopes　when　clear　weather　came　to　find　them　still
in　sight。　　By　the　shipman's　reckoning　they　were　now　about　midway
between　the　two　shores。

Nigel　was　leaning　against　the　bulwarks；　his　thoughts　away　in　the
dingle　at　Cosford　and　out　on　the　heather…clad　slopes　of　Hindhead；
when　something　struck　his　ear。　　It　was　a　thin　clear　clang　of
metal；　pealing　out　high　above　the　dull　murmur　of　the　sea；　the
creak　of　the　boom　and　the　flap　of　the　sail。　　He　listened；　and
again　it　was　borne　to　his　ear。

〃Hark；　my　lord！〃　said　he　to　Sir　Robert。　　〃Is　there　not　a　sound　in
the　fog？　　〃

They　both　listened　together　with　sidelong　heads。　　Then　it　rang
clearly　forth　once　more；　but　this　time　in　another　direction。　　It
had　been　on　the　bow；　now　it　was　on　the　quarter。　　Again　it　sounded；
and　again。　　Now　it　had　moved　to　the　other　bow；　now　back　to　the
quarter　again；　now　it　was　near；　and　now　so　far　that　it　was　but　a
faint　tinkle　on　the　ear。　　By　this　time　every　man　on　board；　seamen；
archers　and　men…at…arms；　were　crowding　the　sides　of　the　vessel。
All　round　them　there　were　noises　in　the　darkness；　and　yet　the　wall
of　fog　lay　wet　against　their　very　faces。　　And　the　noises　were　such
as　were　strange　to　their　ears；　always　the　same　high　musical
clashing。

The　old　shipman　shook　his　head　and　crossed　himself。

〃In　thirty　years　upon　the　waters　I　have　never　heard　the　like；〃
said　he。　　〃The　Devil　is　ever　loose　in　a　fog。　　Well　is　he　named　the
Prince　of　Darkness。〃

A　wave　of　panic　passed　over　the　vessel；　and　these　rough　and　hardy
men　who　feared　no　mortal　foe　shook　with　terror　at　the　shadows　of
their　own　minds。　　They　stared　into　the　cloud　with　blanched　faces
and　fixed　eyes；　as　though　each　instant　some　fearsome　shape　might
break　in　upon　them。　　And　as　they　stared　there　came　a　gust　of　wind。
For　a　moment　the　fog…bank　rose　and　a　circle　of　ocean　lay　before
them。

It　was　covered　with　vessels。　　On　all　sides　they　lay　thick　upon　its
surface。　　They　were　huge　caracks；　high…ended　and　portly；　with　red
sides　and　bulwarks　carved　and　crusted　with　gold。　　Each　had　one
great　sail　set　and　was　driving　down　channel　on　the　same　course　at
the　Basilisk。　　Their　decks　were　thick　with　men；　and　from　their
high　poops　came　the　weird　clashing　which　filled　the　air。　　For　one
moment　they　lay　there；　this　wondrous　fleet；　surging　slowly
forward；　framed　in　gray　vapor。　　The　next　the　clouds　closed　in　and
they　had　vanished　from　view。　　There　was　a　long　hush；　and　then　a
buzz　of　excited　voices。

〃The　Spaniards！〃　cried　a　dozen　bowmen　and　sailors。

〃I　should　have　known　it；〃　said　the　shipman。　　〃I　call　to　mind　on
the　Biscay　Coast　how　they　would　clash　their　cymbals　after　the
fashion　of　the　heathen　Moor　with　whom　they　fight；　but　what　would
you　have　me　do；　fair　sir？　　If　the　fog　rises　we　are　all　dead　men。〃

〃There　were　thirty　ships　at　the　least；〃　said　Knolles；　with　a　moody
brow。　　〃If　we　have　seen　them　I　trow　that　they　have　also　seen　us。
They　will　lay　us　aboard。〃

〃Nay；　fair　sir；　it　is　in　my　mind　that　our；　ship　is　lighter　and
faster　than　theirs。　　If　the　fog　hold　another　hour　we　should　be
through　them。〃

〃Stand　to　your　arms！〃　yelled　Knolles。　　〃Stand　to　your　arms　…　！
They　are　on　us！〃

The　Basilisk　had　indeed　been　spied　from　the　Spanish　Admiral's　ship
before　the　fog　closed　down。　　With　so　light　a　breeze；　and　such　a
fog；　he　could　not　hope　to　find　her　under　sail。　　But　by　an　evil
chance　not　a　bowshot　from　the　great　Spanish　carack　was　a　low
galley；　thin　and　swift；　with　oars　which　could　speed　her　against
wind　or　tide。　　She　also　had　seen　the　Basilisk　and　it　was　to　her
that　the　Spanish　leader　shouted　his　orders。　　For　a　few　minutes　she
hunted　through　the　fog；　and　then　sprang　out　of　it　like　a　lean　and
stealthy　beast　upon　its　prey。　　It　was　the　sight　of　the　long　dark
shadow　gliding　after　them　which　had　brought　that　wild　shout　of
alarm　from　the　lips　of　the　English　knight。　　In　another　instant　the
starboard　oars　of　the　galley　had　been　shipped；　the　sides　of　the
two　vessels　grated　together；　and　a　stream　of　swarthy；　red…capped
Spaniards　were　swarming　up　the　sides　of　the　Basilisk　and　dropped
with　yells　of　triumph　upon　her　deck。

For　a　moment　it　seemed　as　if　the　vessel　was　captured　without　a
blow　being　struck；　for　the　men　of　the　English　ship　had　run　wildly
in　all　directions　to　look　for　their　arms。　　Scores　of　archers　might
be　seen　under　the　shadow　of　the　forecastle　and　the　poop　bending
their　bowstaves　to　string　them　with　the　cords　from　their
waterproof　cases。　　Others　were　scrambling　over　saddles；　barrels
and　cases　in　wild　search　of　their　quivers。　　Each　as　he　came　upon
his　arrows　pulled　out　a　few　to　lend　to　his　less　fortunate
comrades。　　In　mad　haste　the　men…at…arms　also　were　feeling　and
grasping　in　the　dark　corners；　picking　up　steel　caps　which　would
not　fit　them；　hurling　them　down　on　the　deck；　and　snatching　eagerly
at　any　swords　or　spears　that　came　their　way。

The　center　of　the　ship　was　held　by　the　Spaniards；　and　having　slain
all　who　stood　before　them；　they　were　pressing　up　to　either　end
before　they　were　made　to　understand　that　it　was　no　fat　sheep　but　a
most　fierce　old　wolf　which　they　had　taken　by　the　ears。

If　the　lesson　was　late；　it　was　the　more　thorough。　　Attacked　on
both　sides　and　hopelessly　outnumbered；　the　Spaniards；　who　had
never　doubted　that　this　little　craft　was　a　merchant…ship；　were　cut
off　to　the　last　man。　　It　was　no　fight；　but　a　butchery。　　In　vain
the　survivors　ran　screaming　prayers　to　the　saints　and　threw
themselves　down　into　the　galley　alongside。　　It　also　had　been
riddled　with　arrows　from　the　poop　of　the　Basilisk；　and　both　the
crew　on　the　deck　and　the　galley…slaves　in　the　outriggers　at　either
side　lay　dead　in　rows　under　the　overwhelming　shower　from　above。
》From　stem　to　rudder　every　foot　of　her　was　furred　with　arrows。　　It
was　but　a　floating　coffin　piled　with　dead　and　dying　men；　which
wallowed　in　the　waves　behind　them　as　the　Basilisk　lurched　onward
and　left　her　in　the　fog。

In　their　first　rush　on　to　the　Basilisk；　the　Spaniards　had　seized
six　of　the　crew　and　four　unarmed　archers。　　Their　throats　had　been
cut　and　their　bodies　tossed　overboard。　　Now　the　Spaniards　who
littered　the　deck；　wounded　and　dead；　were　thrust　over　the　side　in
the　same　fashion。　　One　ran　down　into　the　hold　and　had　to　be　hunted
and　killed　squealing　under　the　blows　like　a　rat　in　the　darkness。
Within　half　an　hour　no　sign　was　left　of　this　grim　meeting　in　the
fog　save　for　the　crimson　splashes　upon　bulwarks　and　deck。　　The
archers；　flushed　and　merry；　were　unstringing　their　bows　once　more；
for　in　spite　of　the　water　glue　the　damp　air　took　the　strength　from
the　cords。　　Some　were　hunting　about　for　arrows　which　might　have
stuck　inboard；　and　some　tying　up　small　injuries　received　in　the
scuffle。　　But　an　anxious　shadow　still　lingered　upon　the　face　of
Sir　Robert；　and　he　peered　fixedly　about　him　through　the　fog。

〃Go　among　the　archers；　Hawthorne；〃　said　he　to　his　Squire。　　〃Charge
them　on　their　lives　to　make　no　sound！　　You　also；　Loring。　　Go　to
the　afterguard　and　say　the　same　to　them。　　We　are　lost　if　one　of
these　great　ships　should　spy　us。〃

For　an　hour　with　bated　breath　they　stole　through　the　fleet；　still
hearing　the　cymbals　clashing　all　round　them；　for　in　this　way　th