sir nigel-第55节

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overheavy；〃　said　the　knight。　　〃Now　mark　me；　Nigel！　　Yonder　betwixt
the　ash…tree　and　the　red　rock　what　do　you　see　on　the　side　of　the
far　hill？〃

〃There　is　a　white　dot　upon　it。　　Surely　it　is　a　horse。〃

〃I　have　marked　it　all　morning；　Nigel。　　This　horseman　has　kept　ever
upon　our　flank；　spying　upon　us　or　waiting　to　make　some　attempt
upon　us。　　Now　I　should　be　right　glad　to　have　a　prisoner；　for　it　is
my　wish　to　know　something　of　this　country…side；　and　these　peasants
can　speak　neither　French　nor　English。　　I　would　have　you　linger
here　in　hiding　when　we　go　forward。　　This　man　will　still　follow　us。
When　he　does　so；　yonder　wood　will　lie　betwixt　you　and　him。　　Do　you
ride　round　it　and　come　upon　him　from　behind。　　There　is　broad　plain
upon　his　left；　and　we　will　cut　him　off　upon　the　right。　　If　your
horse　be　indeed　the　swifter；　then　you　cannot　fail　to　take　him。〃

Nigel　had　already　sprung　down　and　was　tightening　Pommers'　girth。

〃Nay；　there　is　no　need　of　haste；　for　you　cannot　start　until　we　are
two　miles　upon　our　way。　　And　above　all　I　pray　you；　Nigel；　none　of
your　knight…errant　ways。　　It　is　this　roan　that　I　want；　him　and　the
news　that　he　can　bring　me。　　Think　little　of　your　own　advancement
and　much　of　the　needs　of　the　army。　　When　you　get　him；　ride
westwards　upon　the　sun；　and　you　cannot　fail　to　find　the　road。〃

Nigel　waited　with　Pommers　under　the　shadow　of　the　nunnery　wall；
horse　and　man　chafing　with　impatience；　whilst　above　them　six
round…eyed　innocent　nun…faces　looked　down　on　this　strange　and
disturbing　vision　from　the　outer　world。　　At　last　the　long　column
wound　itself　out　of　sight　round　a　curve　of　the　road；　and　the　white
dot　was　gone　from　the　bare　green　flank　of　the　hill。　　Nigel　bowed
his　steel　head　to　the　nuns；　gave　his　bridle　a　shake；　and　bounded
off　upon　his　welcome　mission。　　The　round…eyed　sisters　saw　yellow
horse　and　twinkling　man　sweep　round　the　skirt　of　the　wood；　caught
a　last　glimmer　of　him　through　the　tree…trunks；　and　paced　slowly
back　to　their　pruning　and　their　planting；　their　minds　filled　with
the　beauty　and　the　terror　of　that　outer　world　beyond　the　high　gray
lichen…mottled　wall。

Everything　fell　out　even　as　Knolles　had　planned。　　As　Nigel　rounded
the　oak　forest；　there　upon　the　farther　side　of　it；　with　only　good
greensward　between；　was　the　rider　upon　the　white　horse。　　Already
he　was　so　near　that　Nigel　could　see　him　clearly；　a　young　cavalier；
proud　in　his　bearing；　clad　in　purple　silk　tunic　with　a　red　curling
feather　in　his　low　black　cap。　　He　wore　no　armor；　but　his　sword
gleamed　at　his　side。　　He　rode　easily　and　carelessly；　as　one　who
cares　for　no　man；　and　his　eyes　were　forever　fixed　upon　the　English
soldiers　on　the　road。　　So　intent　was　he　upon　them　that　he　gave　no
thought　to　his　own　safety；　and　it　was　only　when　the　low　thunder　of
the　great　horse's　hoofs　broke　upon　his　ears　that　he　turned　in　his
saddle；　looked　very　coolly　and　steadily　at　Nigel；　then　gave　his
own　bridle　a　shake　and　darted　off；　swift　as　a　hawk；　toward　the
hills　upon　the　left。

Pommers　had　met　his　match　that　day。　　The　white　horse；　two　parts
Arab；　bore　the　lighter　weight；　since　Nigel　was　clad　in　full　armor。
For　five　miles　over　the　open　neither　gained　a　hundred　yards　upon
the　other。　　They　had　topped　the　hill　and　flew　down　the　farther
side；　the　stranger　continually　turning　in　his　saddle　to　have　a
look　at　his　pursuer。　　There　was　no　panic　in　his　flight；　but　rather
the　amused　rivalry　with　which　a　good　horseman　who　is　proud　of　his
mount　contends　with　one　who　has　challenged　him。　　Below　the　hill
was　a　marshy　plain；　studded　with　great　Druidic　stones；　some
prostrate；　some　erect；　some　bearing　others　across　their　tops　like
the　huge　doors　of　some　vanished　building。　　A　path　ran　through　the
marsh　with　green　rushes　as　a　danger　signal　on　either　side　of　it。
Across　this　path　many　of　the　huge　stones　were　lying；　but　the　white
horse　cleared　them　in　its　stride　and　Pommers　followed　close　upon
his　heels。　　Then　came　a　mile　of　soft　ground　where　the　lighter
weight　again　drew　to　the　front；　but　it　ended　in　a　dry　upland　and
once　again　Nigel　gained。　　A　sunken　road　crossed　it；　but　the　white
cleared　it　with　a　mighty　spring；　and　again　the　yellow　followed。
Two　small　hills　lay　before　them　with　a　narrow　gorge　of　deep　bushes
between。　　Nigel　saw　the　white　horse　bounding　chest…deep　amid　the
underwood。

Next　instant　its　hind　legs　were　high　in　the　air；　and　the　rider　had
been　shot　from　its　back。　　A　howl　of　triumph　rose　from　amidst　the
bushes；　and　a　dozen　wild　figures　armed　with　club　and　with　spear；
rushed　upon　the　prostrate　man。

〃A　moi；　Anglais；　a　moi！〃　cried　a　voice；　and　Nigel　saw　the　young
rider　stagger　to　his　feet；　strike　round　him　with　his　sword；　and
then　fall　once　more　before　the　rush　of　his　assailants。

There　was　a　comradeship　among　men　of　gentle　blood　and　bearing
which　banded　them　together　against　all　ruffianly　or　unchivalrous
attack。　　These　rude　fellows　were　no　soldiers。　　Their　dress　and
arms；　their　uncouth　cries　and　wild　assault；　marked　them　as
banditti　…　such　men　as　had　slain　the　Englishman　upon　the　road。
Waiting　in　narrow　gorges　with　a　hidden　rope　across　the　path；　they
watched　for　the　lonely　horseman　as　a　fowler　waits　by　his
bird…trap；　trusting　that　they　could　overthrow　the　steed　and　then
slay　the　rider　ere　he　had　recovered　from　his　fall。

Such　would　have　been　the　fate　of　the　stranger；　as　of　so　many
cavaliers　before　him；　had　Nigel　not　chanced　to　be　close　upon　his
heels。　　In　an　instant　Pommers　had　burst　through　the　group　who
struck　at　the　prostrate　man；　and　in　another　two　of　the　robbers　had
fallen　before　Nigel's　sword。　　A　spear　rang　on　his　breastplate；　but
one　blow　shore　off　its　head；　and　a　second　that　of　him　who　held　it。
In　vain　they　thrust　at　the　steel…girt　man。　　His　sword　played　round
them　like　lightning；　and　the　fierce　horse　ramped　and　swooped　above
them　with　pawing　iron…shod　hoofs　and　eyes　of　fire。　　With　cries　and
shrieks　they　flew　off　to　right　and　left　amidst　the　bushes；
springing　over　boulders　and　darting　under　branches　where　no
horseman　could　follow　them。　　The　foul　crew　had　gone　as　swiftly　and
suddenly　as　it　had　come；　and　save　for　four　ragged　figures　littered
amongst　the　trampled　bushes；　no　sign　remaining　of　their　passing。

Nigel　tethered　Pommers　to　a　thorn…bush　and　then　turned　his
attention　to　the　injured　man。　　The　white　horse　had　regained　his
feet　and　stood　whinnying　gently　as　he　looked　down　on　his　prostrate
master。　　A　heavy　blow；　half　broken　by　his　sword；　had　beaten　him
down　and　left　a　great　raw　bruise　upon　his　forehead。　　But　a　stream
gurgled　through　the　gorge；　and　a　capful　of　water　dashed　over　his
face　brought　the　senses　back　to　the　injured　man。　　He　was　a　mere
stripling；　with　the　delicate　features　of　a　woman；　and　a　pair　of
great　violet…blue　eyes　which　looked　up　presently　with　a　puzzled
stare　into　Nigel's　face。

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked。　　〃Ah　yes！　　I　call　you　to　mind。　　You　are
the　young　Englishman　who　chased　me　on　the　great　yellow　horse。　　By
our　Lady　of　Rocamadour　whose　vernicle　is　round　my　neck！　　I　could
not　have　believed　that　any　horse　could　have　kept　at　the　heels　of
Charlemagne　so　long。　　But　I　will　wager　you　a　hundred　crowns；
Englishman；　that　I　lead　you　over　a　five…mile　course。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Nigel；　〃we　will　wait　till　you　can　back　a　horse　ere　we
talk　of　racing　it。　　I　am　Nigel　of　Tilford；　of　the　family　of
Loring；　a　squire　by　rank　and　the　son　of　a　knight。　　How　are　you
called；　young　sir？〃

〃I　also　am　a　squire　by　rank　and　the　son　of　a　knight。　　I　am　Raoul
de　la　Roche　Pierre　de　Bras；　whose　father　writes　himself　Lord　of
Grosbois；　a　free　vavasor　of　the　noble　Count　of　Toulouse；　with　the
right　of　fossa　and　of　furca；　the　high　justice；　the　middle　and　the
low。〃　　He　sat　up　and　rubbed　his　eyes。　　〃Englishman；　you　have　saved
my　life　as　I　would　have　saved　yours；　had　I　seen　such　yelping　dogs
set　upon　a　man　of　blood　and　of　coat…armor。　　But　now　I　am　yours；
and　what　is　your　sweet　will？〃
〃　When　you　are　fit　to　ride；　you　will　come　back　with　me　to　my
people。〃

〃Alas！　　I　feared　that　you　would　say　so。　　Had　I　taken　you；　Nigel　…
that　is　your　name；　is　it　not？　…　had　I　taken　you；　I　would　not　have
acted　thus。〃

〃How　then　would　you　have　ordered　things？〃　asked　Nigel；　much　taken
with　the　frank　and　debonair　manner　of　his　captive。

〃I　would　not　have　taken　advantage　of　such　a　mischance　as　has
befallen　me　which　has　put　me　in　your　power。　　I　would　give　you　a
sword　and　beat　you　in　fair　fight；　so　that　I　might　send　you　to　give
greeting　to　my　dear　lady　and　show　her　the　deeds　which　I　do　for　her
fair　sake。〃

〃Indeed；　your　words　are　both　good　and　fair；〃　said　Nigel。　　〃By
Saint　Paul！　　I　cannot　call　to　mind　that　I　have　ever　met　a　man　who
bore　himself　better。　　But　since　I　am　in　my　armor　and　you　without；
I　see　not　how　we　can　debate　the　matter。〃

〃Surely；　gentle　Nigel；　you　could　doff　your　armor。〃

〃Then　have　I　only　my　underclothes。〃

〃Nay；　there　shall　be　no　unfairness　there；　for　I　also　will　very
gladly　strip　to　my　underclothes。〃

Nigel　looked　wistfully　at　the　Frenchman；　but　he　shook　his　head。
〃Alas！　　it　may　not　be；〃　said　he。　　〃The　last　words　that　Sir　Robert
said　to　me　were　that　I　was　to　bring　you　to　his　side；　for　he　would
have　speech　with　you。　　Would　that　I　could　do　what　you　ask；　for　I
also　h