sir nigel-第69节

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King's　service　to　Guienne；　and　since　he　could　not　write　the　Squire
knew　not　whether　he　was　alive　or　dead。　　Simon；　indeed；　had　thrice
heard　of　him　from　wandering　archers；　each　time　that　he　was　alive
and　well　and　newly　married；　but　as　the　wife　in　one　case　was　a　fair
maid；　and　in　another　a　dark；　while　in　the　third　she　was　a　French
widow；　it　was　hard　to　know　the　truth。

Already　the　army　had　been　gone　a　month；　but　news　of　it　came　daily
to　the　town；　and　such　news　as　all　men　could　read；　for　through　the
landward　gates　there　rolled　one　constant　stream　of　wagons；　pouring
down　the　Libourne　Road；　and　bearing　the　booty　of　Southern　France。
The　town　was　full　of　foot…soldiers；　for　none　but　mounted　men　had
been　taken　by　the　Prince。　　With　sad　faces　and　longing　eyes　they
watched　the　passing　of　the　train　of　plunder…laden　carts；　piled
high　with　rich　furniture；　silks；　velvets；　tapestries；　carvings；
and　precious　metals；　which　had　been　the　pride　of　many　a　lordly
home　in　fair　Auvergne　or　the　wealthy　Bourbonnais。

Let　no　man　think　that　in　these　wars　England　alone　was　face　to　face
with　France　alone。　　There　is　glory　and　to　spare　without　trifling
with　the　truth。　　Two　Provinces　in　France；　both　rich　and　warlike；
had　become　English　through　a　royal　marriage；　and　these；　Guienne
and　Gascony；　furnished　many　of　the　most　valiant　soldiers　under　the
island　flag。　　So　poor　a　country　as　England　could　not　afford　to
keep　a　great　force　overseas；　and　so　must　needs　have　lost　the　war
with　France　through　want　of　power　to　uphold　the　struggle。　　The
feudal　system　enabled　an　army　to　be　drawn　rapidly　together　with
small　expense；　but　at　the　end　of　a　few　weeks　it　dispersed　again　as
swiftly；　and　only　by　a　well…filled　money…chest　could　it　be　held
together。　　There　was　no　such　chest　in　England；　and　the　King　was
forever　at　his　wits'　end　how　to　keep　his　men　in　the　field。

But　Guienne　and　Gascony　were　full　of　knights　and　squires　who　were
always　ready　to　assemble　from　their　isolated　castles　for　a　raid
into　France；　and　these　with　the　addition　of　those　English
cavaliers　who　fought　for　honor；　and　a　few　thousand　of　the
formidable　archers；　hired　for　fourpence　a　day；　made　an　army　with
which　a　short　campaign　could　be　carried　on。　　Such　were　the
materials　of　the　Prince's　force；　some　eight　thousand　strong；　who
were　now　riding　in　a　great　circle　through　Southern　France；　leaving
a　broad　wale　of　blackened　and　ruined　country　behind　them。

But　France；　even　with　her　southwestern　corner　in　English　hands；
was　still　a　very　warlike　power；　far　richer　and　more　populous　than
her　rival。　　Single　Provinces　were　so　great　that　they　were　stronger
than　many　a　kingdom。　　Normandy　in　the　north；　Burgundy　in　the　east；
Brittany　in　the　west　and　Languedoc　in　the　south　were　each　capable
of　fitting　out　a　great　army　of　their　own。　　Therefore　the　brave　and
spirited　John；　watching　from　Paris　this　insolent　raid　into　his
dominions；　sent　messengers　in　hot　haste　to　all　these　great
feudatories　as　well　as　to　Lorraine；　Picardy；　Auvergne；　Hainault；
Vermandois；　Champagne；　and　to　the　German　mercenaries　over　his
eastern　border；　bidding　all　of　them　to　ride　hard；　with　bloody
spur；　day　and　night；　until　they　should　gather　to　a　head　at
Chartres。

There　a　great　army　had　assembled　early　in　September；　whilst　the
Prince；　all　unconscious　of　its　presence　sacked　towns　and　besieged
castles　from　Bourges　to　Issodun；　passing　Romorautin；　and　so　onward
to　Vierzon　and　to　Tours。　　From　week　to　week　there　were　merry
skirmishes　at　barriers；　brisk　assaults　of　fortresses　in　which　much
honor　was　won；　knightly　meetings　with　detached　parties　of
Frenchmen　and　occasional　spear…runnings　where　noble　champions
deigned　to　venture　their　persons。　　Houses；　too；　were　to　be
plundered；　while　wine　and　women　were　in　plenty。　　Never　had　either
knights　or　archers　had　so　pleasant　and　profitable　an　excursion；　so
that　it　was　with　high　heart　and　much　hope　of　pleasant　days　at
Bordeaux　with　their　pockets　full　of　money　that　the　army　turned
south　from　the　Loire　and　began　to　retrace　its　steps　to　the
seaboard　city。

But　now　its　pleasant　and　martial　promenade　changed　suddenly　to
very　serious　work　of　war。　　As　the　Prince　moved　south　he　found　that
all；　supplies　had　been　cleared　away　from　in　front　of　him　and　that
there　was　neither　fodder　for　the　horses　nor　food　for　the　men。　　Two
hundred　wagons　laden　with　spoil　rolled　at　the　head　of　the　army；
but　the　starving　soldiers　would　soon　have　gladly　changed　it　all
for　as　many　loads　of　bread　and　of　meat。　　The　light　troops　of　the
French　had　preceded　then　and　burned　or　destroyed　everything　that
could　be　of　use。　　Now　also　for　the　first　time　the　Prince　and　his
men　became　aware　that　a　great　army　was　moving　upon　the　eastern
side　of　them；　streaming　southward　in　the　hope　of　cutting　off　their
retreat　to　the　sea。　　The　sky　glowed　with　their　fires　at　night；　and
the　autumn　sun　twinkled　and　gleamed　from　one　end　of　the　horizon　to
the　other　upon　the　steel　caps　and　flashing　weapons　of　a　mighty
host。

Anxious　to　secure　his　plunder；　and　conscious　that　the　levies　of
France　were　far　superior　in　number　to　his　own　force；　the　Prince
redoubled　his　attempts　to　escape；　but　his　horses　were　exhausted
and　his　starving　men　were　hardly　to　be　kept　in　order。　　A　few　more
days　would　unfit　them　for　battle。　　Therefore；　when　he　found　near
the　village　of　Maupertuis　a　position　in　which　a　small　force　might
have　a　chance　to　hold　its　own；　he　gave　up　the　attempt　to　outmarch
his　pursuers；　and　he　turned　at　bay；　like　a　hunted　boar；　all　tusks
and　eyes　of　flame。

Whilst　these　high　events　had　been　in　progress；　Nigel　with　Black
Simon　and　four　other　men…at…arms　from　Bordeaux；　was　hastening
northward　to　join　the　army。　　As　far　as　Bergerac　they　were　in　a
friendly　land；　but　thence　onward　they　rode　over　a　blackened
landscape　with　many　a　roofless　house；　its　two　bare　gable…ends
sticking　upward　…　a　〃Knolles'　miter〃　as　it　was　afterward　called
when　Sir　Robert　worked　his　stern　will　upon　the　country。　　For　three
days　they　rode　northward；　seeing　many　small　parties　of　French　in
all　directions；　but　too　eager　to　reach　the　army　to　ease　their
march　in　the　search　of　adventures。

Then　at　last　after　passing　Lusignan　they　began　to　come　in　touch
with　English　foragers；　mounted　bowmen　for　the　most　part；　who　were
endeavoring　to　collect　supplies　either　for　the　army　or　for
themselves。　　From　them　Nigel　learned　that　the　Prince；　with　Chandos
ever　at　his　side；　was　hastening　south　and　might　be　met　within　a
short　day's　march。　　As　he　still　advanced　these　English　stragglers
became　more　and　more　numerous；　until　at　last　he　overtook　a
considerable　column　of　archers　moving　in　the　same　direction　as　his
own　party。　　These　were　men　whose　horses　had　failed　them　and　who
had　therefore　been　left　behind　on　the　advance；　but　were　now
hastening　to　be　in　time　for　the　impending　battle。　　A　crowd　of
peasant　girls　accompanied　them　upon　their　march；　and　a　whole　train
of　laden　mules　were　led　beside　them。

Nigel　and　his　little　troop　of　men…at…arms　were　riding　past　the
archers　when　Black　Simon　with　a　sudden　exclamation　touched　his
leader　upon　the　arm。

〃See　yonder；　fair　sir；〃　he　cried；　with　gleaming　eyes；　〃there　where
the　wastrel　walks　with　the　great　fardel　upon　his　back！　　Who　is　he
who　marches　behind　him？〃

Nigel　looked；　and　was　aware　of　a　stunted　peasant　who　bore　upon　his
rounded　back　an　enormous　bundle　very　much　larger　than　himself。
Behind　him　walked　a　burly　broad…shouldered　archer；　whose　stained
jerkin　and　battered　headpiece　gave　token　of　long　and　hard　service。
His　bow　was　slung　over　his　shoulder；　and　his　arms　were　round　the
waists　of　two　buxom　Frenchwomen；　who　tripped　along　beside　him　with
much　laughter　and　many　saucy　answers　flung　back　over　their
shoulders　to　a　score　of　admirers　behind　them。

〃Aylward！〃　cried　Nigel；　spurring　forward。

The　archer　turned　his　bronzed　face；　stared　for　an　instant　with
wild　eyes；　and　then；　dropping　his　two　ladies；　who　were　instantly
carried　off　by　his　comrades；　he　rushed　to　seize　the　hand　which　his
young　master　held　down　to　him。　　〃Now；　by　my　hilt；　Squire　Nigel；
this　is　the　fairest　sight　of　my　lifetime！〃　he　cried。　　〃And　you；
old　leather…face！　　Nay；　Simon；　I　would　put　my　arms　round　your
dried　herring　of　a　body；　if　I　could　but　reach　you。　　Here　is
Pommers　too；　and　I　read　in　his　eye　that　he　knows　me　well　and　is　as
ready　to　put　his　teeth　into　me　as　when　he　stood　in　my　father's
stall。〃

It　was　like　a　whiff　of　the　heather…perfumed　breezes　of　Hankley　to
see　his　homely　face　once　more。　　Nigel　laughed　with　sheer　joy　as　he
looked　at　him。

〃It　was　an　ill　day　when　the　King's　service　called　you　from　my
side；〃　said　he；　〃and　by　Saint　Paul！　　I　am　right　glad　to　set　eyes
upon　you　once　more！　　I　see　well　that　you　are　in　no　wise　altered；
but　the　same　Aylward　that　I　have　ever　known。　　But　who　is　this
varlet　with　the　great　bundle　who　waits　upon　your　movements？〃

〃It　is　no　less　than　a　feather…bed；　fair　sir；　which　he　bears　upon
his　back；　for　I　would　fain　bring　it　to　Tilford；　and　yet　it　is
overlarge　for　me　when　I　take　my　place　with　my　fellows　in　the
ranks。　　But　indeed　this　war　has　been　a　most　excellent　one；　and　I
have　already　sent　half　a　wagonload　of　my　gear　back　to　Bordeaux　to
await　my　homecoming。　　Yet　I　have　my　fears　wh