sir nigel-第61节

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Squire's　grip　was　on　the　man's　throat　and　his　body　was　pinned
motionless　against　the　wall。

〃Simon！　　Simon！〃　cried　Nigel　loudly。

The　mantle　was　moved　from　the　hole。

〃Have　you　a　cord？　　Or　your　belts　linked　together　may　serve。〃

One　of　the　peasants　had　a　rope；　and　Nigel　soon　felt　it　dangling
against　his　hand。　　He　listened　and　there　was　no　sound　in　the
passage。　　For　an　instant　he　released　his　captive's　throat。　　A
torrent　of　prayers　and　entreaties　came　forth。　　The　man　was　shaking
like　a　leaf　in　the　wind。　　Nigel　pressed　the　point　of　his　dagger
against　his　face　and　dared　him　to　open　his　lips。　　Then　he　slipped
the　rope　beneath　his　arms　and　tied　it。

〃Pull　him　up！〃　he　whispered；　and　for　an　instant　the　gray　glimmer
above　him　was　obscured。

〃We　have　him；　fair　sir；〃　said　Simon。

〃Then　drop　me　the　rope　and　hold　it　fast。〃

A　moment　later　Nigel　stood　among　the　group　of　men　who　had　gathered
round　their　captive。　　It　was　too　dark　to　see　him；　and　they　dare
not　strike　flint　and　steel。

Simon　passed　his　hand　roughly　over　him　and　felt　a　fat　clean…shaven
face；　and　a　cloth　gabardine　which　hung　to　the　ankles。　　〃Who　are
you？〃　he　whispered。　　〃　peak　the　truth　and　speak　it　low；　if　you
would　ever　speak　again。〃

The　man's　teeth　chattered　in　his　head　with　cold　and　fright。　　〃I
speak　no　English；〃　he　murmured。

〃French；　then；〃　said　Nigel。

〃I　am　a　holy　priest　of　God。　　You　court　the　ban　of　holy　Church　when
you　lay　hands　upon　me。　　I　pray　you　let　me　go　upon　my　way；　for
there　are　those　whom　I　would　shrive　and　housel。　　If　they　should
die　in　sin；　their　damnation　is　upon　you。〃

〃How　are　you　called　then？〃

〃I　am　Dom　Peter　de　Cervolles。〃

〃De　Cervolles；　the　arch…priest；　he　who　heated　the　brazier　when
they　burned　out　my　eyes；〃　cried　old　Andreas。　　〃Of　all　the　devils
in　hell　there　is　none　fouler　than　this　one。　　Friends；　friends；　if
I　have　done　aught　for　you　this　night；　I　ask　but　one　reward；　that
ye　let　me　have　my　will　of　this　man。〃

But　Nigel　pushed　the　old　man　back。　　〃There　is　no　time　for　this；〃
he　said。　　〃Now　hark　you；　priest　…　if　priest　indeed　you　be　…　your
gown　and　tonsure　will　not　save　you　if　you　play　us　false；　for　we
are　here　of　a　set　purpose　and　we　will　go　forward　with　it；　come
what　may。　　Answer　me　and　answer　me　truly　or　it　will　be　an　ill
night　for　you。　　In　what　part　of　the　Castle　does　this　tunnel
enter？〃

〃In　the　lower　cellar。〃

〃What　is　at　the　end？〃

〃An　oaken　door。〃

〃Is　it　barred？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　barred。〃

〃How　would　you　have　entered？〃

〃I　would　have　given　the　password。〃

〃Who　then　would　have　opened？〃

〃There　is　a　guard　within。〃

〃And　beyond　him？〃

〃Beyond　him　are　the　prison　cells　and　the　jailers。〃

〃Who　else　would　be　afoot？〃

〃No　one　save　a　guard　at　the　gate　and　another　on　the　battlement。〃

〃What　then　is　the　password？〃

The　man　was　silent。

〃The　password；　fellow！〃

The　cold　points　of　two　daggers　pricked　his　throat；　but　still　he
would　not　speak。

〃Where　is　the　blind　man？〃　asked　Nigel。　　〃Here；　Andreas；　you　can
have　him　and　do　what　you　will　with　him。〃

〃Nay；　nay；〃　the　priest　whimpered。　　〃Keep　him　off　me。　　Save　me　from
blind　Andreas！　　I　will　tell　you　everything。〃

〃The　password　then；　this　instant？〃

〃It　is　‘Benedicite！'〃

〃We　have　the　password；　Simon；〃　cried　Nigel。　　〃Come　then；　let　us　on
to　the　farther　end。　　These　peasants　will　guard　the　priest；　and
they　will　remain　here　lest　we　wish　to　send　a　message。〃

〃Nay；　fair　sir；　it　is　in　my　mind　that　we　can　do　better；〃　said
Simon。　　〃Let　us　take　the　priest　with　us；　so　that　he　who　is　within
may　know　his　voice。〃

〃It　is　well　thought　of；〃　said　Nigel；　〃and　first　let　us　pray
together；　for　indeed　this　night　may　well　be　our　last。〃

He　and　the　three　men…at…arms　knelt　in　the　rain　and　sent　up　their
simple　orisons；　Simon　still　clutching　tight　to　his　prisoner's
wrist。

The　priest　fumbled　in　his　breast　and　drew　something　forth。　　〃It　is
the　heart　of　the　blessed　confessor　Saint　Enogat；〃　said　he。　　〃It
may　be　that　it　will　ease　and　assoil　your　souls　if　you　would　wish
to　handle　it。〃

The　four　Englishmen　passed　the　flat　silver　case　from　hand　to　hand；
each　pressing　his　lips　devoutly　upon　it。　　Then　they　rose　to　their
feet。　　Nigel　was　the　first　to　lower　himself　down　the　hole；　then
Simon；　then　the　priest；　who　was　instantly　seized　by　the　other　two。
The　men…at…arms　followed　them。　　They　had　scarcely　moved　away　from
the　hole　when　Nigel　stopped。

〃Surely　some　one　else　came　after　us；〃　said　he。

They　listened；　but　no　whisper　or　rustle　came　from　behind　them。
For　a　minute　they　paused　and　then　resumed　their　journey　through
the　dark。　　It　seemed　a　long；　long　way；　though　in　truth　it　was　but
a　few　hundred　yards　before　they　came　to　a　door　with　a　glimmer　of
yellow　light　around　it；　which　barred　their　passage。　　Nigel　struck
upon　it　with　his　hand。

There　was　the　rasping　of　a　bolt　and　then　a　loud　voice　〃Is　that
you；　priest？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　I；〃　said　the　prisoner　in　a　quavering　voice。　　〃Open；
Arnold！〃

The　voice　was　enough。　　There　was　no　question　of　passwords。　　The
door　swung　inward；　and　in　an　instant　the　janitor　was　cut　down　by
Nigel　and　Simon。　　So　sudden　and　so　fierce　was　the　attack　that　save
for　the　thud　of　his　body　no　sound　was　heard。　　A　flood　of　light
burst　outward　into　the　passage；　and　the　Englishmen　stood　with
blinking　eyes　in　its　glare。

In　front　of　them　lay　a　stone…flagged　corridor；　across　which　lay
the　dead　body　of　the　janitor。　　It　had　doors　on　either　side　of　it；
and　another　grated　door　at　the　farther　end。　　A　strange　hubbub；　a
kind　of　low　droning　and　whining　filled　the　air。　　The　four　men　were
standing　listening；　full　of　wonder　as　to　what　this　might　mean；
when　a　sharp　cry　came　from　behind　them。　　The　priest　lay　in　a
shapeless　heap　upon　the　ground；　and　the　blood　was　rushing　from　his
gaping　throat。　　Down　the　passage；　a　black　shadow　in　the　yellow
light；　there　fled　a　crouching　man；　who　clattered　with　a　stick　as
he　went。

〃It　is　Andreas；〃　cried　West…country　Will。　　〃He　has　slain　him。〃

〃Then　it　was　he　that　I　heard　behind　us；〃　said　Nigel。　　〃Doubtless
he　was　at　our　very　heels　in　the　darkness。　　I　fear　that　the
priest's　cry　has　been　heard。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Simon；　〃there　are　so　many　cries　that　one　more　may　well
pass。　　Let　us　take　this　lamp　from　the　wall　and　see　what　sort　of
devil's　den　we　have　around　us。〃

They　opened　the　door　upon　the　right；　and　so　horrible　a　smell
issued　from　it　that　they　were　driven　back　from　it。　　The　lamp　which
Simon　held　forward　showed　a　monkeylike　creature　mowing　and
grimacing　in　the　corner；　man　or　woman　none　could　tell；　but　driven
crazy　by　loneliness　and　horror。　　In　the　other　cell　was　a
graybearded　man　fettered　to　the　wall；　looking　blankly　before　him；
a　body　without　a　soul；　yet　with　life　still　in　him；　for　his　dull
eyes　turned　slowly　in　their　direction。　　But　it　was　from　behind　the
central　door　at　the　end　of　the　passage　that　the　chorus　of　sad
cries　came　which　filled　the　air。

〃Simon；〃　said　Nigel；　〃before　we　go　farther　we　will　take　this　outer
door　from　its　hinges。　　With　it　we　will　block　this　passage　so　that
at　the　worst　we　may　hold　our　ground　here　until　help　comes。　　Do　you
back　to　the　camp　as　fast　as　your　feet　can　bear　you。　　The　peasants
will　draw　you　upward　through　the　hole。　　Give　my　greetings　to　Sir
Robert　and　tell　him　that　the　castle　is　taken　without　fail　if　he
comes　this　way　with　fifty　men。　　Say　that　we　have　made　a　lodgment
within　the　walls。　　And　tell　him　also；　Simon；　that　I　would　counsel
him　to　make　a　stir　before　the　gateway　so　that　the　guard　may　be
held　there　whilst　we　make　good　our　footing　behind　them。　　Go；　good
Simon；　and　lose　not　a　moment！〃

But　the　man…at…arms　shook　his　head。　　〃It　is　I　who　have　brought　you
here；　fair　sir；　and　here　I　bide　through　fair　and　foul。　　But　you
speak　wisely　and　well；　for　Sir　Robert　should　indeed　be　told　what
is　going　forward　now　that　we　have　gone　so　far。　　Harding；　do　you　go
with　all　speed　and　bear　the　gentle　Nigel's　message。〃

Reluctantly　the　man…at…arms　sped　upon　his　errand。　　They　could　hear
the　racing　of　his　feet　and　the　low　jingle　of　his　harness　until
they　died　away　in　the　tunnel。　　Then　the　three　companions
approached　the　door　at　the　end。　　It　was　their　intention　to　wait
where　they　were　until　help　should　come；　but　suddenly　amid　the
babel　of　cries　within　there　broke　forth　an　English　voice；　shouting
in　torment。

〃My　God！〃　it　cried；　〃I　pray　you；　comrades；　for　a　cup　of　water；　as
you　hope　for　Christ's　mercy！〃

A　shout　of　laughter　and　the　thud　of　a　heavy　blow　followed　the
appeal。

All　the　hot　blood　rushed　to　Nigel's　head　at　the　sound；　buzzing　in
his　ears　and　throbbing　in　his　temples。　　There　are　times　when　the
fiery　heart　of　a　man　must　overbear　the　cold　brain　of　a　soldier。
With　one　bound　he　was　at　the　door；　with　another　he　was　through　it；
the　men…at…arms　at　his　heels。　　So　strange　was　the　scene　before
them　that　for　an　instant　all　three　stood　motionless　with　horror
and　surprise。

It　was　a　great　vaulted　chamber；　brightly　lit　by　many　torches。　　At
the　farther　end　roared　a　great　fire。　　In　front　of　it　three　naked
men　were　chained　to　posts　in　such　a　way　that　flinch　as　they　might
they　could　never　get　beyond　the　range　of　its　scorching　heat。　　Yet
they　were　so　far　from　it　that　no　actual　burn　would　be　inflicted　if
they　coul