sir nigel-第60节

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and　soft　touch　of　the　Lady　Mary　had　changed　suddenly　to　the　harsh
accents　and　rough　grip　of　Black　Simon；　the　fierce　Norfolk
man…at…arms。

〃Surely　you　are　the　Squire　Loring；〃　he　said；　peering　close　to　his
face　in　the　darkness。

〃I　am　he。　　What　then？〃

〃I　have　searched　through　the　camp　for　you；　but　when　I　saw　the
great　horse　tethered　near　these　bushes；　I　thought　you　would　be
found　hard　by。　　I　would　have　a　word　with　you。〃

〃Speak　on。〃

〃This　man　Aylward　the　bowman　was　my　friend；　and　it　is　the　nature
that　God　has　given　me　to　love　my　friends　even　as　I　hate　my　foes。
He　is　also　thy　servant；　and　it　has　seemed　to　me　that　you　love　him
also。〃

〃I　have　good　cause　so　to　do。〃

〃Then　you　and　I；　Squire　Loring；　have　more　reason　to　strive　on　his
behalf　than　any　of　these　others；　who　think　more　of　taking　the
castle　than　of　saving　those　who　are　captives　within。　　Do　you　not
see　that　such　a　man　as　this　robber　lord　would；　when　all　else　had
failed　him；　most　surely　cut　the　throats　of　his　prisoners　at　the
last　instant　before　the　castle　fell；　knowing　well　that　come　what
might　he　would　have　short　shrift　himself　？　　Is　that　not　certain？〃

〃By　Saint　Paul！　　I　had　not　thought　of　it。〃

〃I　was　with　you；　hammering　at　the　inner　gate；〃　said　Simon；　〃and
yet　once　when　I　thought　that　it　was　giving　way　I　said　in　my　heart：
‘Good…by；　Samkin！　　I　shall　never　see　you　more。'　　This　Baron　has
gall　in　his　soul；　even　as　I　have　myself；　and　do　you　think　that　I
would　give　up　my　prisoners　alive；　if　I　were　constrained　so　to　do？
No；　no；　had　we　won　our　way　this　day　it　would　have　been　the
death…stroke　for　them　all。〃

〃It　may　be　that　you　are　right；　Simon；〃　said　Nigel；　〃and　the
thought　of　it　should　assuage　our　grief。　　But　if　we　cannot　save
them　by　taking　the　castle；　then　surely　they　are　lost　indeed。〃

〃It　may　be　so；　or　it　may　not；〃　Simon　answered　slowly。　　〃It　is　in
my　mind　that　if　the　castle　were　taken　very　suddenly；　and　in　such　a
fashion　that　they　could　not　foresee　it；　then　perchance　we　might
get　the　prisoners　before　they　could　do　them　scathe。〃

Nigel　bent　forward　eagerly；　his　hand　on　the　soldier's　arm。

〃You　have　some　plan　in　your　mind；　Simon。　　Tell　me　what　it　is。〃

〃I　had　wished　to　tell　Sir　Robert；　but　he　is　preparing　the　assault
for　to…morrow　and　will　not　be　turned　from　his　purpose。　　I　have
indeed　a　plan；　but　whether　it　be　good　or　not　I　cannot　say　until　I
have　tried　it。　　But　first　I　will　tell　you　what　put　it　into　my
thoughts。　　Know　then　that　this　morning　when　I　was　in　yonder　ditch
I　marked　one　of　their　men　upon　the　wall。　　He　was　a　big　man　with　a
white　face；　red　hair　and　a　touch　of　Saint　Anthony's　fire　upon　the
cheek。〃

〃But　what　has　this　to　do　with　Aylward？〃

〃I　will　show　you。　　This　evening　after　the　assault　I　chanced　to
walk　with　some　of　my　fellows；　round　yonder　small　fort　upon　the
knoll　to　see　if　we　could　spy　a　weak　spot　in　it。　　Some　of　them　came
to　the　wall　to　curse　us；　and　among　them　whom　should　I　see　but　a
big　man　with　a　white　face；　red　hair　and　a　touch　of　Anthony's　fire
upon　his　cheek？　　What　make　you　of　that；　Squire　Nigel？〃

〃That　this　man　had　crossed　from　the　castle　to　the　fort。〃

〃In　good　sooth；　it　must　indeed　be　so。　　There　are　not　two　such
ken…speckled　men　in　the　world。　　But　if　he　crossed　from　the　castle
to　the　fort；　it　was　not　above　the　ground；　for　our　own　people　were
between。〃

〃By　Saint　Paul！　　I　see　your　meaning！〃　cried　Nigel。　　〃It　is　in　your
mind　that　there　is　a　passage　under　the　earth　from　one　to　the
other。〃

〃I　am　well　sure　of　it。〃

〃Then　if　we　should　take　the　small　fort　we　may　pass　down　this
tunnel；　and　so　carry　the　great　castle　also。〃

〃Such　a　thing　might　happen；〃　said　Simon；　〃and　yet　it　is　dangerous
also；　for　surely　those　in　the　castle　would　hear　our　assault　upon
the　fort　and　so　be　warned　to　bar　the　passage　against　us；　and　to
slay　the　prisoners　before　we　could　come。〃

〃What　then　is　your　rede？〃

〃Could　we　find　where　the　tunnel　lay；　Squire　Nigel；　I　know　not　what
is　to　prevent　us　from　digging　down　upon　it　and　breaking　into　it　so
that　both　fort　and　castle　are　at　our　mercy　before　either　knows
that　we　are　there。〃

Nigel　clapped　his　hands　with　joy。　　〃'Fore　God！〃　he　cried。　　〃It　is
a　most　noble　plan！　　But　alas！　　Simon；　I　see　not　how　we　can　tell
the　course　of　this　passage　or　where　we　should　dig。〃

〃I　have　peasants　yonder　with　spades；〃　said　Simon。　　〃There　are　two
of　my　friends；　Harding　of　Barnstable　and　West…country　John　who　are
waiting　for　us　with　their　gear。　　If　you　will　come　to　lead　us；
Squire　Nigel；　we　are　ready　to　venture　our　bodies　in　the　attempt。〃

What　would　Knolles　say　in　case　they　failed？　　The　thought　flashed
through　Nigel's　mind；　but　another　came　swiftly　behind　it。　　He
would　not　venture　further　unless　he　found　hopes　of　success。　　And
if　he　did　venture　further　he　would　put　his　life　upon　it。　　Giving
that；　he　made　amends　for　all　errors。　　And　if　on　the　other　hand
success　crowned　their　efforts；　then　Knolles　would　forgive　his
failure　at　the　gateway。　　A　minute　later；　every　doubt　banished　from
his　mind；　he　was　making　his　way　through　the　darkness　under　the
guidance　of　Black　Simon。

Outside　the　camp　the　two　other　men…at…arms　were　waiting　for　them；
and　the　four　advanced　together。　　Presently　a　little　group　of
figures　loomed　up　in　the　darkness。　　It　was　a　cloudy　night；　and　a
thin　rain　was　falling　which　obscured　both　the　castle　and　the　fort；
but　a　stone　had　been　placed　by　Simon　in　the　daytime　which　assured
that　they　were　between　the　two。

〃Is　blind　Andreas　there？〃　asked　Simon。

〃Yes；　kind　sir；　I　am　here；〃　said　a　voice。

〃This　man；〃　said　Simon；　〃was　once　rich　and　of　good　repute；　but　he
was　beggared　by　this　robber　lord；　who　afterwards　put　out　his　eyes
so　that　he　has　lived　for　many　years　in　darkness　at　the　charity　of
others。〃

〃How　can　he　help　us　in　our　enterprise　if　he　be　indeed　blind？〃
asked　Nigel。

〃It　is　for　that　very　reason；　fair　lord；　that　he　can　be　of　greater
service　than　any　other　man；〃　Simon　answered；　〃for　it　often　happens
that　when　a　man　has　lost　a　sense　the　good　God　will　strengthen
those　that　remain。　　Hence　it　is　that　Andreas　has　such　ears　that　he
can　hear　the　sap　in　the　trees　or　the　cheep　of　the　mouse　in　its
burrow。　　He　has　come　to　help　us　to　find　the　tunnel。〃

〃And　I　have　found　it；〃　said　the　blind　man　proudly。　　〃Here　I　have
placed　my　staff　upon　the　line　of　it。　　Twice　as　I　lay　there　with　my
ear　to　the　ground　I　have　heard　footsteps　pass　beneath　me。〃

〃I　trust　you　make　no　mistake；　old　man；〃　said　Nigel。

For　answer　the　blind　man　raised　his　staff　and　smote　twice　upon　the
ground；　once　to　the　right　and　once　to　the　left。　　The　one　gave　a
dull　thud；　the　other　a　hollow　boom。

〃Can　you　not　hear　that？〃　he　asked。　　〃Will　you　ask　me　now　if　I　make
a　mistake？〃

〃Indeed；　we　are　much　beholden　to　you！〃　cried　Nigel。　　〃Let　the
peasants　dig　then；　and　as　silently　as　they　may。　　Do　you　keep　your
ear　upon　the　ground；　Andreas；　so　that　if　anyone　pass　beneath　us　we
shall　be　warned。〃

So；　amid　the　driving　rain；　the　little　group　toiled　in　the
darkness。　　The　blind　man　lay　silent；　flat　upon　his　face；　and　twice
they　heard　his　warning　hiss　and　stopped　their　work；　whilst　some
one　passed　beneath。　　In　an　hour　they　had　dug　down　to　a　stone　arch
which　was　clearly　the　outer　side　of　the　tunnel　roof。　　Here　was　a
sad　obstacle；　for　it　might　take　long　to　loosen　a　stone；　and　if
their　work　was　not　done　by　the　break　of　day　then　their　enterprise
was　indeed　hopeless。　　They　loosened　the　mortar　with　a　dagger；　and
at　last　dislodged　one　small　stone　which　enabled　them　to　get　at　the
others。　　Presently　a　dark　hole　blacker　than　the　night　around　them
yawned　at　their　feet；　and　their　swords　could　touch　no　bottom　to
it。　　They　had　opened　the　tunnel。

〃I　would　fain　enter　it　first；〃　said　Nigel。　　〃I　pray　you　to　lower
me　down。〃　　They　held　him　to　the　full　length　of　their　arms　and　then
letting　him　drop　they　heard　him　land　safely　beneath　them。　　An
instant　later　the　blind　man　started　up　with　a　low　cry　of　alarm。

〃I　hear　steps　coming；〃　said　he。　　〃They　are　far　off；　but　they　draw
nearer。〃

Simon　thrust　his　head　and　neck　down　the　hole。　　〃Squire　Nigel；〃　he
whispered；　〃can　you　hear　me？〃

〃I　can　hear　you；　Simon。〃

〃Andreas　says　that　some　one　comes。〃

〃Then　cover　over　the　hole；〃　came　the　answer。　　〃Quick；　I　pray　you；
cover　it　over！〃

A　mantle　was　stretched　across　it；　so　that　no　glimmer　of　light
should　warn　the　new…comer。　　The　fear　was　that　he　might　have　heard；
the　sound　of　Nigel's　descent。　　But　soon　it　was　clear　that　he　had
not　done　so；　for　Andreas　announced　that　he　was　still　advancing。
Presently　Nigel　could　hear　the　distant　thud　of　his　feet。　　If　he
bore　a　lantern　all　was　lost。　　But　no　gleam　of　light　appeared　in
the　black　tunnel；　and　still　the　footsteps　drew　nearer。

Nigel　breathed　a　prayer　of　thanks　to　all　his　guardian　saints　as　he
crouched　close　to　the　slimy　wall　and　waited　breathless；　his　dagger
in　his　hand。　　Nearer　yet　and　nearer　came　the　steps。　　He　could　hear
the　stranger's　coarse　breathing　in　the　darkness。　　Then　as　he
brushed　past　Nigel　bounded　upon　him　with　a　tiger　spring。　　There
was　one　gasp　of　astonishment；　and　not　a　sound　more；　for　the
Squire's　grip　was　on　the　man's　throat　and　his　body　was　pinned
motionless　against　the　wall。

〃Simon！　　Simon！〃　cried　Ni