sir nigel-第58节

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drum。　　〃I　would　speak　with　your　leader。〃　he　cried。

Knolles　rode　forward。

〃Have　I　your　knightly　word　that　I　may　advance　unscathed　with　all
courteous　entreaty　as　befits　a　herald？〃

Knolles　nodded　his　head。

The　man　came　slowly　and　pompously　forward。　　〃I　am　the　messenger
and　liege　servant；〃　said　he；　〃of　the　high　baron；　Oliver　de　St。
Yvon；　Lord　of　La　Brohiniere。　　He　bids　me　to　say　that　if　you
continue　your　journey　and　molest　him　no　further　he　will　engage
upon　his　part　to　make　no　further　attack　upon　you。　　As　to　the　men
whom　he　holds；　he　will　enroll　them　in　his　own　honorable　service；
for　he　has　need　of　longbowmen；　and　has　heard　much　of　their　skill。
But　if　you　constrain　him　or　cause　him　further　displeasure　by
remaining　before　his　castle　he　hereby　gives　you　warning　that　he
will　hang　these　three　men　over　his　gateway　and　every　morning
another　three　until　all　have　been　slain。　　This　he　has　sworn　upon
the　rood　of　Calvery；　and　as　he　has　said　so　he　will　do　upon
jeopardy　of　his　soul。〃

Robert　Knolles　looked　grimly　at　the　messenger。　　〃You　may　thank　the
saints　that　you　have　had　my　promise；〃　said　he；　〃else　would　I　have
stripped　that　lying　tabard　from　thy　back　and　the　skin　beneath　it
from　thy　bones；　that　thy　master　might　have　a　fitting　answer　to　his
message。　　Tell　him　that　I　hold　him　and　all　that　are　within　his
castle　as　hostage　for　the　lives　of　my　men；　and　that　should　he　dare
to　do　them　scathe　he　and　every　man　that　is　with　him　shall　hang
upon　his　battlements。　　Go；　and　go　quickly；　less　my　patience　fail。

There　was　that　in　Knolles'　cold　gray　eyes　and　in　his　manner　of
speaking　those　last　words　which　sent　the　portly　envoy　back　at　a
quicker　gait　than　he　had　come。　　As　he　vanished　into　the　gloomy
arch　of　the　gateway　the　drawbridge　swung　up　with　creak　and　rattle
behind　him。

A　few　minutes　later　a　rough…bearded　fellow　stepped　out　over　the
portal　where　the　condemned　archers　stood　and　seizing　the　first　by
the　shoulders　he　thrust　him　over　the　wall。　　A　cry　burst　from　the
man's　lips　and　a　deep　groan　from　those　of　his　comrades　below　as　he
fell　with　a　jerk　which　sent　him　half…way　up　to　the　parapet　again；
and　then　after　dancing　like　a　child's　toy　swung　slowly　backward
and　forward　with　limp　limbs　and　twisted　neck。

The　hangman　turned　and　bowed　in　mock　reverence　to　the　spectators
beneath　him。　　He　had　not　yet　learned　in　a　land　of　puny　archers　how
sure　and　how　strong　is　the　English　bow。　　Half　a　dozen　men；　old　Wat
amongst　them；　had　run　forward　toward　the　wall。　　They　were　too　late
to　save　their　comrades；　but　at　least　their　deaths　were　speedily
avenged。

The　man　was　in　the　act　of　pushing　off　the　second　prisoner　when　an
arrow　crashed　through　his　head；　and　he　fell　stone　dead　upon　the
parapet。　　But　even　in　falling　he　had　given　the　fatal　thrust　and　a
second　russet　figure　swung　beside　the　first　against　the　dark
background　of　the　castle　wall。

There　only　remained　the　young　lad；　Johnny　Alspaye；　who　stood
shaking　with　fear；　an　abyss　below　him；　and　the　voices　of　those　who
would　hurl　him　over　it　behind。　　There　was　a　long　pause　before
anyone　would　come　forth　to　dare　those　deadly　arrows。　　Then　a
fellow；　crouching　double；　ran　forward　from　the　shelter；　keeping
the　young　archer's　body　as　a　shield　between　him　and　danger。

〃Aside；　John！　　Aside！〃　cried　his　comrades　from　below。

The　youth　sprang　as　far　as　the　rope　would　allow　him；　and　slipped
it　half　over　his　face　in　the　effort。　　Three　arrows　flashed　past
his　side；　and　two　of　them　buried　themselves　in　the　body　of　the　man
behind。　　A　howl　of　delight　burst　from　the　spectators　as　he　dropped
first　upon　his　knees　and　then　upon　his　face。　　A　life　for　a　life
was　no　bad　bargain。

But　it　was　only　a　short　respite　which　the　skill　of　his　comrades
had　given　to　the　young　archer。　　Over　the　parapet　there　appeared　a
ball　of　brass；　then　a　pair　of　great　brazen　shoulders；　and　lastly
the　full　figure　of　an　armored　man。　　He　walked　to　the　edge　and　they
heard　his　hoarse　guffaw　of　laughter　as　the　arrows　clanged　and
clattered　against　his　impenetrable　mail。　　He　slapped　his
breast…plate；　as　he　jeered　at　them。　　Well　he　knew　that　at　the
distance　no　dart　ever　sped　by　mortal　hands　could　cleave　through
his　plates　of　metal。　　So　he　stood；　the　great　burly　Butcher　of　La
Brohiniere；　with　head　uptossed；　laughing　insolently　at　his　foes。
Then　with　slow　and　ponderous　tread　he　walked　toward　his　boy
victim；　seized　him　by　the　ear；　and　dragged　him　across　so　that　the
rope　might　be　straight。　　Seeing　that　the　noose　had　slipped　across
the　face；　he　tried　to　push　it　down；　but　the　mail　glove　hampering
him　he　pulled　it　off；　and　grasped　the　rope　above　the　lad's　head
with　his　naked　hand。

Quick　as　a　flash　old　Wat's　arrow　had　sped；　and　the　Butcher　sprang
back　with　a　howl　of　pain；　his　hand　skewered　by　a　cloth…yard　shaft。
As　he　shook　it　furiously　at　his　enemies　a　second　grazed　his
knuckles。　　With　a　brutal　kick　of　his　metal…shod　feet　he　hurled
young　Alspaye　over　the　edge；　looked　down　for　a　few　moments　at　his
death　agonies；　and　then　walked　slowly　from　the　parapet；　nursing
his　dripping　hand；　the　arrows　still　ringing　loudly　upon　his
back…piece　as　he　went。

The　archers　below；　enraged　at　the　death　of　their　comrades；　leaped
and　howled　like　a　pack　of　ravening　wolves。

〃By　Saint　Dunstan；〃　said　Percy；　looking　round　at　their　flushed
faces；　〃if　ever　we　are　to　carry　it　now　is　the　moment；　for　these
men　will　not　be　stopped　if　hate　can　take　them　forward。〃

〃You　are　right；　Thomas！〃　cried　Knolles。　　〃Gather　together　twenty
men…at…arms　each　with　his　shield　to　cover　him。　　Astley；　do　you
place　the　bowmen　so　that　no　head　may　show　at　window　or　parapet。
Nigel；　I　pray　you　to　order　the　countryfolk　forward　with　their
fardels　of　fagots。　　Let　the　others　bring　up　the　lopped　pine…tree
which　lies　yonder　behind　the　horse　lines。　　Ten　men…at…arms　can
bear　it　on　the　right；　and　ten　on　the　left；　having　shields　over
their　heads。　　The　gate　once　down；　let　every　man　rush　in。　　And　God
help　the　better　cause！〃

Swiftly　and　yet　quietly　the　dispositions　were　made；　for　these　were
old　soldiers　whose　daily　trade　was　war。　　In　little　groups　the
archers　formed　in　front　of　each　slit　or　crevice　in　the　walls；
whilst　others　scanned　the　battlements　with　wary　eyes；　and　sped　an
arrow　at　every　face　which　gleamed　for　an　instant　above　them。　　The
garrison　shot　forth　a　shower　of　crossbow　bolts　and　an　occasional
stone　from　their　engine；　but　so　deadly　was　the　hail　which　rained
upon　them　that　they　had　no　time　to　dwell　upon　their　aim；　and　their
discharges　were　wild　and　harmless。　　Under　cover　of　the　shafts　of
the　bowmen　a　line　of　peasants　ran　unscathed　to　the　edge　of　the
ditch；　each　hurling　in　the　bundle　which　he　bore　in　his　arms；　and
then　hurrying　back　for　another　one。　　In　twenty　minutes　a　broad
pathway　of　fagots　lay　level　with　the　ground　upon　one　side　and　the
gate　upon　the　other。　　With　the　loss　of　two　peasants　slain　by　bolts
and　one　archer　crushed　by　a　stone；　the　ditch　had　been　filled　up。
All　was　ready　for　the　battering…ram。

With　a　shout；　twenty　picked　men　rushed　forward　with　the　pine…tree
under　their　arms；　the　heavy　end　turned　toward　the　gate。　　The
arbalesters　on　the　tower　leaned　over　and　shot　into　the　midst　of
them；　but　could　not　stop　their　advance。　　Two　dropped；　but　the
others　raising　their　shields　ran　onward　still　shouting；　crossed
the　bridge　of　fagots；　and　came　with　a　thundering　crash　against　the
door。　　It　splintered　from　base　to　arch；　but　kept　its　place。

Swinging　their　mighty　weapon；　the　storming　party　thudded　and
crashed　upon　the　gate；　every　blow　loosening　and　widening　the
cracks　which　rent　it　from　end　to　end。　　The　three　knights；　with
Nigel；　the　Frenchman　Raoul　and　the　other　squires；　stood　beside　the
ram；　cheering　on　the　men；　and　chanting　to　the　rhythm　of　the　swing
with　a　loud　〃Ha！〃　at　every　blow。　　A　great　stone　loosened　from　the
parapet　roared　through　the　air　and　struck　Sir　James　Astley　and
another　of　the　attackers；　but　Nigel　and　the　Frenchman　had　taken
their　places　in　an　instant；　and　the　ram　thudded　and　smashed　with
greater　energy　than　ever。　　Another　blow　and　another！　　the　lower
part　was　staving　inward；　but　the　great　central　bar　still　held
firm。　　Surely　another　minute　would　beat　it　from　its　sockets。

But　suddenly　from　above　there　came　a　great　deluge　of　liquid。　　A
hogshead　of　it　had　been　tilted　from　the　battlement　until　soldiers；
bridge；　and　ram　were　equally　drenched　in　yellow　slime。　　Knolles
rubbed　his　gauntlet　in　it；　held　it　to　his　visor；　and　smelled　it。

〃Back；　back！〃　he　cried。　　〃　Back　before　it　is　too　late！〃

There　was　a　small　barred　window　above　their　heads　at　the　side　of
the　gate。　　A　ruddy　glare　shone　through　it；　and　then　a　blazing
torch　was　tossed　down　upon　them。　　In　a　moment　the　oil　had　caught
and　the　whole　place　was　a　sheet　of　flame。　　The　fir…tree　that　they
carried；　the　fagots　beneath　them；　their　very　weapons；　were　all　in
a　blaze。

To　right　and　left　the　men　sprang　down　into　the　dry　ditch；　rolling
with　screams　upon　the　ground　in　their　endeavor　to　extinguish　the
flames。　　The　knights　and　squires　protected　by　their　armor　strove
hard；　stamping　and　slapping；　to　help　those　who　had　but　leather
jacks　to　shield　their　bodies。　　From　above　a　ceaseless　shower　of
darts　and　of　stones　were　poured　down