sir nigel-第56节

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have　speech　with　you。　　Would　that　I　could　do　what　you　ask；　for　I
also　have　a　fair　lady　to　whom　I　would　fain　send　you。　　What　use　are
you　to　me；　Raoul；　since　I　have　gained　no　honor　in　the　taking　of
you？　　How　is　it　with　you　now？〃

The　young　Frenchman　had　risen　to　his　feet。　　〃Do　not　take　my
sword；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　yours；　rescue　or　no　rescue。　　I　think　now
that　I　could　mount　my　horse；　though　indeed　my　head　still　rings
like　a　cracked　bell。〃

Nigel　had　lost　all　traces　of　his　comrades；　but　he　remembered　Sir
Robert's　words　that　he　should　ride　upon　the　sun　with　the　certainty
that　sooner　or　later　he　would　strike　upon　the　road。　　As　they
jogged　slowly　along　over　undulating　hills；　the　Frenchman　shook　off

his　hurt　and　the　two　chatted　merrily　together。

〃I　had　but　just　come　from　France；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　had　hoped　to
win　honor　in　this　country；　for　I　have　ever　heard　that　the　English
are　very　hardy　men　and　excellent　people　to　fight　with。　　My　mules
and　my　baggage　are　at　Evran；　but　I　rode　forth　to　see　what　I　could
see；　and　I　chanced　upon　your　army　moving　down　the　road；　so　I
coasted　it　in　the　hopes　of　some　profit　or　adventure。　　Then　you
came　after　me　and　I　would　have　given　all　the　gold　goblets　upon　my
father's　table　if　I　had　my　harness　so　that　I　could　have　turned
upon　you。　　I　have　promised　the　Countess　Beatrice　that　I　will　send
her　an　Englishman　or　two　to　kiss　her　hands。〃

〃One　might　perchance　have　a　worse　fate；〃　said　Nigel。　　〃Is　this
fair　dame　your　betrothed？〃

〃She　is　my　love；〃　answered　the　Frenchman。　　〃We　are　but　waiting　for
the　Count　to　be　slain　in　the　wars；　and　then　we　mean　to　marry。　　And
this　lady　of　thine；　Nigel？　　I　would　that　I　could　see　her。〃

〃Perchance　you　shall；　fair　sir；〃　said　Nigel；　〃for　all　that　I　have
seen　of　you　fills　me　with　desire　to　go　further　with　you。　　It　is　in
my　mind　that　we　might　turn　this　thing　to　profit　and　to　honor；　for
when　Sir　Robert　has　spoken　with　you；　I　am　free　to　do　with　you　as　I
will。〃

〃And　what　will　you　do；　Nigel？〃

〃We　shall　surely　try　some　small　deed　upon　each　other；　so　that
either　I　shall　see　the　Lady　Beatrice；　or　you　the　Lady　Mary。　　Nay；
thank　me　not；　for　like　yourself；　I　have　come　to　this　country　in
search　of　honor；　and　I　know　not　where　I　may　better　find　it　than　at
the　end　of　your　sword…point。　　My　good　lord　and　master；　Sir　John
Chandos；　has　told　me　many　times　that　never　yet　did　he　meet　French
knight　nor　squire　that　he　did　not　find　great　pleasure　and　profit
from　their　company；　and　now　I　very　clearly　see　that　he　has　spoken
the　truth。〃

For　an　hour　these　two　friends　rode　together；　the　Frenchman　pouring
forth　the　praises　of　his　lady；　whose　glove　he　produced　from　one
pocket；　her　garter　from　his　vest；　and　her　shoe　from　his
saddle…bag。　　She　was　blond；　and　when　he　heard　that　Mary　was　dark；
he　would　fain　stop　then　and　there　to　fight　the　question　of　color。
He　talked　too　of　his　great　chateau　at　Lauta；　by　the　head　waters　of
the　pleasant　Garonne；　of　the　hundred　horses　in　the　stables；　the
seventy　hounds　in　the　kennels；　the　fifty　hawks　in　the　mews。　　His
English　friend　should　come　there　when　the　wars　were　over；　and　what
golden　days　would　be　theirs！　　Nigel　too；　with　his　English　coldness
thawing　before　this　young　sunbeam　of　the　South；　found　himself
talking　of　the　heather　slopes　of　Surrey；　of　the　forest　of　Woolmer；
even　of　the　sacred　chambers　of　Cosford。

But　as　they　rode　onward　towards　the　sinking　sun；　their　thoughts
far　away　in　their　distant　homes；　their　horses　striding　together；
there　came　that　which　brought　their　minds　back　in　an　instant　to
the　perilous　hillsides　of　Brittany。

It　was　the　long　blast　of　a　trumpet　blown　from　somewhere　on　the
farther　side　of　a　ridge　toward　which　they　were　riding。　　A　second
long…drawn　note　from　a　distance　answered　it。

〃It　is　your　camp；〃　said　the　Frenchman。

〃Nay；〃　said　Nigel；　〃we　have　pipes　with　us　and　a　naker　or　two；　but
I　have　heard　no　trumpet…call　from　our　ranks。　　It　behooves　us　to
take　heed；　for　we　know　not　what　may　be　before　us。　　Ride　this　way；
I　pray　you；　that　we　may　look　over　and　yet　be　ourselves　unseen。〃

Some　scattered　boulders　crowned　the　height；　and　from　behind　them
the　two　young　Squires　could　see　the　long　rocky　valley　beyond。
Upon　a　knoll　was　a　small　square　building　with　a　battlement　round
it。　　Some　distance　from　it　towered　a　great　dark　castle；　as　massive
as　the　rocks　on　which　it　stood；　with　one　strong　keep　at　the
corner；　and　four　long　lines　of　machicolated　walls。　　Above；　a　great
banner　flew　proudly　in　the　wind；　with　some　device　which　glowed　red
in　the　setting　sun。　　Nigel　shaded　his　eyes　and　stared　with
wrinkled　brow。

〃It　is　not　the　arms　of　England；　nor　yet　the　lilies　of　France；　nor
is　it　the　ermine　of　Brittany；〃　said　he。　　〃He　who　holds　this　castle
fights　for　his　own　hand；　since　his　own　device　flies　above　it。
Surely　it　is　a　head　gules　on　an　argent　field。〃

〃The　bloody　head　on　a　silver　tray！〃　cried　the　Frenchman。　　〃Was　I
not　warned　against　him？　　This　is　not　a　man；　friend　Nigel。　　It　is　a
monster　who　wars　upon　English；　French　and　all　Christendom。　　Have
you　not　heard　of　the　Butcher　of　La　Brohiniere？〃

〃Nay；　I　have　not　heard　of　him。〃

〃　His　name　is　accursed　in　France。　　Have　I　not　been　told　also　that
he　put　to　death　this　very　year　Gilles　de　St。　Pol；　a　friend　of　the
English　King？〃

〃Yes；　in　very　truth　it　comes　back　to　my　mind　now　that　I　heard
something　of　this　matter　in　Calais　before　we　started。〃

〃Then　there　he　dwells；　and　God　guard　you　if　ever　you　pass　under
yonder　portal；　for　no　prisoner　has　ever　come　forth　alive！　　Since
these　wars　began　he　hath　been　a　king　to　himself；　and　the　plunder
of　eleven　years　lies　in　yonder　cellars。　　How　can　justice　come　to
him；　when　no　man　knows　who　owns　the　land？　　But　when　we　have　packed
you　all　back　to　your　island；　by　the　Blessed　Mother　of　God；　we　have
a　heavy　debt　to　pay　to　the　man　who　dwells　in　yonder　pile！〃

But　even　as　they　watched；　the　trumpet…call　burst　forth　once　more。
It　came　not　from　the　castle　but　from　the　farther　end　of　the
valley。　　It　was　answered　by　a　second　call　from　the　walls。　　Then　in
a　long；　straggling　line　there　came　a　wild　troop　of　marauders
streaming　homeward　from　some　foray。　　In　the　van；　at　the　head　of　a
body　of　spearmen；　rode　a　tall　and　burly　man；　clad　in　brazen　armor；
so　that　he　shone　like　a　golden　image　in　the　slanting　rays　of　the
sun。　　His　helmet　had　been　loosened　from　his　gorget　and　was　held
before　him　on　his　horse's　neck。　　A　great　tangled　beard　flowed　over
his　breastplate；　and　his　hair　hung　down　as　far　behind。　　A　squire
at　his　elbow　bore　high　the　banner　of　the　bleeding　head。　　Behind
the　spearmen　were　a　line　of　heavily　laden　mules；　and　on　either
side　of　them　a　drove　of　poor　country　folk；　who　were　being　herded
into　the　castle。　　Lastly　came　a　second　strong　troop　of　mounted
spearmen；　who　conducted　a　score　or　more　of　prisoners　who　marched
together　in　a　solid　body。

Nigel　stared　at　them　and　then；　springing　on　his　horse；　he　urged　it
along　the　shelter　of　the　ridge　so　as　to　reach　unseen　a　spot　which
was　close　to　the　castle　gate。　　He　had　scarce　taken　up　his　new
position　when　the　cavalcade　reached　the　drawbridge；　and　amid　yells
of　welcome　from　those　upon　the　wall；　filed　in　a　thin　line　across
it。　　Nigel　stared　hard　once　more　at　the　prisoners　in　the　rear；　and
so　absorbed　was　he　by　the　sight　that　he　had　passed　the　rocks　and
was　standing　sheer　upon　the　summit。

〃By　Saint　Paul！〃　he　cried；　〃it　must　indeed　be　so。　　I　see　their
russet　jackets。　　They　are　English　archers！〃

As　he　spoke；　the　hindmost　one；　a　strongly　built；　broad…shouldered
man；　looked　round　and　saw　the　gleaming　figure　above　him　upon　the
hill；　with　open　helmet；　and　the　five　roses　glowing　upon　his
breast。　　With　a　sweep　of　his　hands　he　had　thrust　his　guardians
aside　and　for　a　moment　was　clear　of　the　throng。

〃Squire　Loring！　　Squire　Loring！〃　he　cried。　　〃It　is　I；　Aylward　the
archer！　　It　is　I；　Samkin　Aylward！〃　　The　next　minute　a　dozen　hands
had　seized　him；　his　cries　were　muffled　with　a　gag；　and　he　was
hurled；　the　last　of　the　band；　through　the　black　and　threatening
archway　of　the　gate。　　Then　with　a　clang　the　two　iron　wings　came
together；　the　portcullis　swung　upward；　and　captives　and　captors；
robbers　and　booty；　were　all　swallowed　up　within　the　grim　and
silent　fortress。




XX。　　HOW　THE　ENGLISH　ATTEMPTED　THE　CASTLE　OF　LA　BROHINIERE


For　some　minutes　Nigel　remained　motionless　upon　the　crest　of　the
hill；　his　heart；　like　lead　within　him；　and　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the
huge　gray　walls　which　contained　his　unhappy　henchman。　　He　was
roused　by　a　sympathetic　hand　upon　his　shoulder　and　the　voice　of
his　young　prisoner　in　his　ear。

〃Peste！〃　said　he。　　〃They　have　some　of　your　birds　in　their　cage；
have　they　not？　　What　then；　my　friend？　　Keep　your　heart　high！　　Is
it　not　the　chance　of　war；　to…day　to　them；　to…morrow　to　thee；　and
death　at　last　for　us　all？　　And　yet　I　had　rather　they　were　in　any
hands　than　those　of　Oliver　the　Butcher。〃

〃By　Saint　Paul；　we　cannot　suffer　it！〃　cried　Nigel　distractedly。
〃This　man　has　come　with　me　from　my　own　home。　　He　has　stood　between
me　and　death　before　now。　　It　goes　to　my　very　heart　that　he　should
call　upon　me　in　vain。　　I　pray　you；　Raoul；　to　use　your　wits；　for
mine　are　all　curdled　in　my　head。　　Tell　me　what　I　should