sir nigel-第53节

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be　called　to　account；　made　war　upon　all　mankind；　and　wrung　with
rack　and　with　flame　the　last　shilling　from　all　who　fell　into　their
savage　hands。　　The　fields　had　long　been　untilled。　　Commerce　was
dead。　　From　Rennes　in　the　east　to　Hennebon　in　the　west；　and　from
Dinan　in　the　north　to　Nantes　in　the　south；　there　was　no　spot　where
a　man's　life　or　a　woman's　honor　was　safe。　　Such　was　the　land；　full
of　darkness　and　blood；　the　saddest；　blackest　spot　in　Christendom；
into　which　Knolles　and　his　men　were　now　advancing。

But　there　was　no　sadness　in　the　young　heart　of　Nigel；　as　he　rode
by　the　side　of　Knolles　at　the　head　of　a　clump　of　spears；　nor　did
it　seem　to　him　that　Fate　had　led　him　into　an　unduly　arduous　path。
On　the　contrary；　he　blessed　the　good　fortune　which　had　sent　him
into　so　delightful　a　country；　and　it　seemed　to　him　as　he　listened
to　dreadful　stories　of　robber　barons；　and　looked　round　at　the
black　scars　of　war　which　lay　branded　upon　the　fair　faces　of　the
hills；　that　no　hero　of　romances　or　trouveur　had　ever　journeyed
through　such　a　land　of　promise；　with　so　fair　a　chance　of　knightly
venture　and　honorable　advancement。

The　Red　Ferret　was　one　deed　toward　his　vow。　　Surely　a　second；　and
perhaps　a　better；　was　to　be　found　somewhere　upon　this　glorious
countryside。　　He　had　borne　himself　as　the　others　had　in　the
sea…fight；　and　could　not　count　it　to　his　credit　where　he　had　done
no　more　than　mere　duty。　　Something　beyond　this　was　needed　for　such
a　deed　as　could　be　laid　at　the　feet　of　the　Lady　Mary。　　But　surely
it　was　to　be　found　here　in　fermenting　war…distracted　Brittany。
Then　with　two　done　it　would　be　strange　if　he　could　not　find
occasion　for　that　third　one；　which　would　complete　his　service　and
set　him　free　to　look　her　in　the　face　once　more。　　With　the　great
yellow　horse　curveting　beneath　him；　his　Guildford　armor　gleaming
in　the　sun；　his　sword　clanking　against　his　stirrup…iron；　and　his
father's　tough　ash…spear　in　his　hand；　he　rode　with　a　light　heart
and　a　smiling　face；　looking　eagerly　to　right　and　to　left　for　any
chance　which　his　good　Fate　might　send。

The　road　from　Dinan　to　Caulnes；　along　which　the　small　army　was
moving；　rose　and　dipped　over　undulating　ground；　with　a　bare　marshy
plain　upon　the　left　where　the　river　Rance　ran　down　to　the　sea；
while　upon　the　right　lay　a　wooded　country　with　a　few　wretched
villages；　so　poor　and　sordid　that　they　had　nothing　with　which　to
tempt　the　spoiler。　　The　peasants　had　left　them　at　the　first
twinkle　of　a　steel　cap；　and　lurked　at　the　edges　of　the　woods；
ready　in　an　instant　to　dive　into　those　secret　recesses　known　only
to　themselves。　　These　creatures　suffered　sorely　at　the　hands　of
both　parties；　but　when　the　chance　came　they　revenged　their　wrongs
on　either　in　a　savage　way　which　brought　fresh　brutalities　upon
their　heads。

The　new…comers　soon　had　a　chance　of　seeing　to　what　lengths　they
would　go；　for　in　the　roadway　near　to　Caulnes　they　came　upon　an
English　man…at…arms　who　had　been　waylaid　and　slain　by　them。　　How
they　had　overcome　him　could　not　be　told；　but　how　they　had　slain
him　within　his　armor　was　horribly　apparent；　for　they　had　carried
such　a　rock　as　eight　men　could　lift；　and　had　dropped　it　upon　him
as　he　lay；　so　that　he　was　spread　out　in　his　shattered　case　like　a
crab　beneath　a　stone。　　Many　a　fist　was　shaken　at　the　distant　woods
and　many　a　curse　hurled　at　those　who　haunted　them；　as　the　column
of　scowling　soldiers　passed　the　murdered　man；　whose　badge　of　the
Molene　cross　showed　him　to　have　been　a　follower　of　that　House　of
Bentley；　whose　head；　Sir　Walter；　was　at　that　time　leader　of　the
British　forces　in　the　country。

Sir　Robert　Knolles　had　served　in　Brittany　before；　and　he　marshaled
his　men　on　the　march　with　the　skill　and　caution　of　the　veteran
soldier；　the　man　who　leaves　as　little　as　possible　to　chance；
having　too　steadfast　a　mind　to　heed　the　fool　who　may　think　him
overcautious。　　He　had　recruited　a　number　of　bowmen　and　men…at…arms
at　Dinan；　so　that　his　following　was　now　close　upon　five　hundred
men。　　In　front　under　his　own　leadership　were　fifty　mounted
lancers；　fully　armed　and　ready　for　any　sudden　attack。　　Behind　them
on　foot　came　the　archers；　and　a　second　body　of　mounted　men　closed
up　the　rear。　　Out　upon　either　flank　moved　small　bodies　of　cavalry；
and　a　dozen　scouts；　spread　fanwise；　probed　every　gorge　and　dingle
in　front　of　the　column。　　So　for　three　days　he　moved　slowly　down
the　Southern　Road。

Sir　Thomas　Percy　and　Sir　James　Astley　had　ridden　to　the　head　of
the　column；　and　Knolles　conferred　with　them　as　they　marched
concerning　the　plan　of　their　campaign。　　Percy　and　Astley　were
young　and　hot…headed　with　wild　visions　of　dashing　deeds　and　knight
errantry；　but　Knolles　with　cold；　clear　brain　and　purpose　of　iron
held　ever　his　object　in　view。

〃By　the　holy　Dunstan　and　all　the　saints　of　Lindisfarne！〃　cried　the
fiery　Borderer；　〃it　goes　to　my　heart　to　ride　forward　when　there
are　such　honorable　chances　on　either　side　of　us。　　Have　I　not　heard
that　the　French　are　at　Evran　beyond　the　river；　and　is　it　not　sooth
that　yonder　castle；　the　towers　of　which　I　see　above　the　woods；　is
in　the　hands　of　a　traitor；　who　is　false　to　his　liege　lord　of
Montford？　　There　is　little　profit　to　be　gained　upon　this　road；　for
the　folk　seem　to　have　no　heart　for　war。　　Had　we　ventured　as　far
over　the　marches　of　Scotland　as　we　now　are　in　Brittany；　we　should
not　have　lacked　some　honorable　venture　or　chance　of　winning
worship。〃

〃You　say　truth；　Thomas；〃　cried　Astley；　a　red…faced　and　choleric
young　man。　　〃It　is　well　certain　that　the　French　will　not　come　to
us；　and　surely　it　is　the　more　needful　that　we　go　to　them。　　In
sooth；　any　soldier　who　sees　us　would　smile　that　we　should　creep
for　three　days　along　this　road　as　though　a　thousand　dangers　lay
before　us；　when　we　have　but　poor　broken　peasants　to　deal　with。〃

But　Robert　Knolles　shook　his　head。　　〃We　know　not　what　are　in　these
woods；　or　behind　these　hills；〃　said　he；　〃and　when　I　know　nothing
it　is　my　wont　to　prepare　for　the　worst　which　may　befall。　　It　is
but　prudence　so　to　do。〃

〃Your　enemies　might　find　some　harsher　name　for　it；〃　said　Astley
with　a　sneer。　　〃Nay；　you　need　not　think　to　scare　me　by　glaring　at
me；　Sir　Robert；　nor　will　your　ill…pleasure　change　my　thoughts。　　I
have　faced　fiercer　eyes　than　thine；　and　I　have　not　feared。〃

〃Your　speech；　Sir　James；　is　neither　courteous　nor　good；〃　said
Knolles；　〃and　if　I　were　a　free　man　I　would　cram　your　words　down
your　throat　with　the　point　of　my　dagger。　　But　I　am　here　to　lead
these　men　in　profit　and　honor；　not　to　quarrel　with　every　fool　who
has　not　the　wit　to　understand　how　soldiers　should　be　led。　　Can　you
not　see　that　if　I　make　attempts　here　and　there；　as　you　would　have
me　do；　I　shall　have　weakened　my　strength　before　I　come　to　that
part　where　it　can　best　be　spent？〃

〃And　where　is　that？〃　asked　Percy。　　〃'Fore　God；　Astley；　it　is　in　my
mind　that　we　ride　with　one　who　knows　more　of　war　than　you　or　I；
and　that　we　would　be　wise　to　be　guided　by　his　rede。　　Tell　us　then
what　is　in　your　mind。〃

〃Thirty　miles　from　here；〃　said　Knolles；　〃there　is；　as　I　am　told；　a
fortalice　named　Ploermel；　and　within　it　is　one　Bambro'；　an
Englishman；　with　a　good　garrison。　　No　great　distance　from　him　is
the　Castle　of　Josselin　where　dwells　Robert　of　Beaumanoir　with　a
great　following　of　Bretons。　　It　is　my　intention　that　we　should
join　Bambro'；　and　so　be　in　such　strength　that　we　may　throw
ourselves　upon　Josselin；　and　by　taking　it　become　the　masters　of
all　mid…Brittany；　and　able　to　make　head　against　the　Frenchmen　in
the　south。〃

〃Indeed　I　think　that　you　can　do　no　better；〃　said　Percy　heartily；
〃and　I　swear　to　you　on　jeopardy　of　my　soul　that　I　will　stand　by
you　in　the　matter！　　I　doubt　not　that　when　we　come　deep　into　their
land　they　will　draw　together　and　do　what　they　may　to　make　head
against　us；　but　up　to　now　I　swear　by　all　the　saints　of　Lindisfarne
that　I　should　have　seen　more　war　in　a　summer's　day　in　Liddesdale
or　at　the　Forest　of　Jedburgh　than　any　that　Brittany　has　shown　us。
Bat　see；　yonder　horsemen　are　riding　in。　　They　are　our　own
hobblers；　are　they　not？　　And　who　are　these　who　are　lashed　to　their
stirrups？〃

A　small　troop　of　mounted　bowmen　had　ridden　out　of　an　oak　grove
upon　the　left　of　the　road。　　They　trotted　up　to　where　the　three
knights　had　halted。　　Two　wretched　peasants　whose　wrists　had　been
tied　to　their　leathers　came　leaping　and　straining　beside　the
horses　in　their　effort　not　to　be　dragged　off　their　feet。　　One　was
a　tall；　gaunt；　yellow…haired　man；　the　other　short　and　swarthy；　but
both　so　crusted　with　dirt；　so　matted　and　tangled　and　ragged；　that
they　were　more　like　beasts　of　the　wood　than　human　beings。

〃What　is　this？〃　asked　Knolles。　　〃Have　I　not　ordered　you　to　leave
the　countryfolk　at　peace？〃

The　leader　of　the　archers；　old　Wat　of　Carlisle；　held　up　a　sword；　a
girdle　and　a　dagger。　　〃If　it　please　you；　fair　sir；〃　said　he；　〃I
saw　the　glint　of　these；　and　I　thought　them　no　fit　tools　for　hands
which　were　made　for　the　spade　and　the　plow。　　But　when　we　had
ridden　them　down　and　taken　them；　there　was　the　Bentley　cross　upon
each；　and　we　knew　that　they　had　belonged　to　yonder　dead　Englishman
upon　the　road。　　Surely　then；　these　are　two　of　the　villains　who
have　slain　h