the virgin of the sun-第9节

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forgetting　all　their　private　woes；　as　those　of　their　sex　will　do　when
there　is　kissing　in　the　wind。

〃God's　blood！〃　said　the　rough　voice；　〃who　is　this　that　handles　my
daughter　as　though　they　had　been　but　an　hour　wed？　Take　those　lips　of
yours　from　her；　fellow；　or　I'll　cut　them　from　your　chops。〃

I　looked　round　astonished；　to　see　Sir　Robert　Aleys　mounted　on　a　grey
horse；　and　followed　by　a　company　of　men…at…arms　who　appeared　to　be
under　the　command　of　a　well…favoured；　dark…eyed　young　captain　with
long　hair；　and　dressed　more　wondrously　than　any　man　I　had　ever　seen
before。　Had　he　put　on　Joseph's　coat　over　his　mail；　he　could　not　have
worn　more　colours；　and　I　noted　that　the　toes　of　his　shoes　curled　up　so
high　that　I　wondered　however　he　worked　them　through　his　stirrups；　and
what　would　happen　to　him　if　by　chance　he　were　unhorsed。

Being　taken　aback　I　made　no　answer；　but　William　Bull；　who；　if　a　rough
fellow；　had　a　tongue　in　his　head　and　a　ready　wit；　spoke　up　for　me。

〃If　you　want　to　know；〃　he　said　in　his　Sussex　drawl；　〃I'll　tell　you　who
he　is；　Sir　Robert　Aleys。　He　is　my　worshipful　master；　Hubert　of
Hastings；　ship…owner；　householder；　and　trader　of　this　town。　Or　at
least　he　was　these　things；　but　now　it　seems　that　his　ships　and　house
are　burnt　and　his　mother　with　them；　also　that　there　will　be　no　trade
in　Hastings　for　many　a　day。〃

〃Mayhap；〃　answered　Sir　Robert；　adding　other　oaths；　〃but　why　does　he
buss　my　daughter？〃

〃Perchance　because　he　must　give　as　good　as　he　got；　which　is　a　law
among　honest　merchants；　noble　Sir　Robert。　Or　perchance　because　he　has
a　better　right　to　buss　her　than　any　man　alive；　seeing　that　but　for
him；　by　now　she　would　be　but　stinking　clay；　or　a　Frenchman's　leman。〃

Here　the　fine　young　captain　cut　in；　saying；

〃Whatever　else　this　worshipful　trader　may　need；　he　does　not　lack　a
trumpeter。〃

〃That　is　so；　my　Lord　Deleroy；〃　replied　William；　unmoved；　〃for　when　I
find　a　good　song　I　like　to　sing　it。　Go　now　and　look　at　those　three　men
who　lie　yonder　on　the　slope；　and　see　whether　the　arrows　in　them　bear
my　master's　mark。　Go　also　and　look　upon　the　Castle　hill　and　find　a
knight　with　his　head　well…nigh　hewn　from　his　shoulders；　and　see
whether　yonder　sword　fits　into　the　cut。　Aye；　and　at　others　that　I
could　tell　you　of；　slain；　every　one　of　them；　to　save　this　fair　lady。
Aye；　go　you　whose　garments　are　so　fine　and　unstained；　and　then　come
back　and　talk　of　trumpeters。〃

〃Pish！〃　said　my　Lord　Deleroy　with　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders；　〃a　lady
who　is　over…wrought　and　hangs　to　some　common　fellow；　like　one　who
kisses　the　feet　of　a　wooden　saint　that　she　thinks　has　saved　her　from
calamity！〃

At　these　words　I；　who　had　been　listening　like　a　man　in　a　dream；　awoke；
as　it　were；　for　they　stung　me。　Moreover；　I　had　heard　that　this　fine
Deleroy　was　one　of　those　who　owed　his　place　and　rank　to　the　King's
favour；　as　he　did　his　high　name；　being；　it　was　reported；　by　birth　but
a　prince's　bastard　sprung　from　some　relative　of　Sir　Robert　whom
therefore　he　called　cousin。

〃Sir；〃　I　said；　〃you　know　best　whether　I　am　more　common　than　you　are。
Let　that　be。　At　least　I　hold　in　my　hand　the　sword　of　one　who　begat　my
forefather　hundreds　of　years　ago；　a　certain　Thorgrimmer　who　was　great
in　his　time。　Now　I　have　had　my　fill　of　fighting　to…day；　and　you；
doubtless　through　no　fault　of　your　own；　have　had　none；　you　also　are
clad　in　mail　and　I；　a　common　fellow；　have　none。　Deign　then　to　descend
from　that　horse　and　take　a　turn　with　me　though　I　be　tired；　and　thus
prove　my　commonness　upon　my　body。　Of　your　nobility　do　this；　seeing
that　after　all　we　are　of　one　flesh。〃

Now；　stung　in　his　turn；　he　made　as　though　he　would　do　what　I　prayed；
when　for　the　first　time；　after　glancing　at　her　father　who　sat　still
puzzled；　it　would　seemthe　lady　Blanche　spoke。

〃Be　not　mad；　Cousin；〃　she　said。　〃I　tell　you　that　this　gentleman　has
saved　my　life　and　honour；　twice　at　least　to…day。　Is　it　wonderful；
then；　if　I　thanked　him　in　the　best　fashion　that　a　woman　can；　and　thus
brought　your　insults　on　him？〃

He　hesitated；　though　one　of　his　curled…up　shoes　was　out　of　the
stirrup；　when　suddenly　Sir　Robert　broke　in　in　his　big　voice；　saying：

〃God's　truth；　Cousin；　I　think　that　you　will　do　well　to　leave　this
young　cock　alone；　since　I　like　not　the　look　of　that　red　spur　of　his；〃
and　he　glanced　at　the　sword　Wave…Flame。　〃Though　he　be　weary；　he　may
have　a　kick　or　two　in　him　yet。〃

Then　he　turned　to　me　and　added：

〃Sir；　you　have　fought　well；　many　a　man　has　earned　knighthood　for　less；
and　if　a　fair　maid　thanked　you　in　her　own　fashion；　you　are　not　to
blame。　I；　her　father；　also　thank　you　and　wish　you　all　good　fortune
till　we　meet　again。　Farewell。　Daughter；　make　shift　to　share　this　horse
with　me；　and　let　us　away　out　of　this　stricken　town　to　Pevensey；　where
perchance　it　will　please　those　French　to　call　to…morrow。〃

A　minute　later　they　were　gone；　and　I　noted　with　a　pang　that　as　they
went　the　lady　Blanche；　having　waved　her　good…bye　to　me；　talked　fast　to
her　cousin　Deleroy　and　that　he　held　her　hand　to　steady　her　upon　her
father's　horse。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　III

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HUBERT　COMES　TO　LONDON

When　the　lady　Blanche　was　out　of　sight；　followed　by　the　women　who　had
sheltered　with　us　in　the　cave；　William　and　I　went　to　a　stream　we　knew
of　not　far　away　and　drank　our　fill。　Then　we　walked　to　the　three　whom　I
had　shot　with　my　big　bow；　hoping　to　regain　the　arrows；　for　I　had　none
left。　This；　however；　could　not　be　done　though　all　the　men　were　dead；
for　one　of　the　shafts；　the　last；　was　broken；　and　the　other　two　were　so
fixed　in　flesh　and　bone　that　only　a　surgeon's　saw　would　loose　them。

So　we　left　them　where　they　were；　and　before　the　men　were　buried　many
came　to　marvel　at　the　sight；　thinking　it　a　wonderful　thing　that　I
should　have　killed　these　three　with　three　arrows；　and　that　any　bow
which　arm　might　bend　could　have　driven　the　last　of　them　through　an
iron　shield　and　a　breastplate　behind　it。

This　armour；　I　should　tell；　William　took　for　himself；　since　it　was　of
his　size。　Also　on　the　morrow；　returning　to　the　Castle　Hill；　I　stripped
the　knight　whom　I　had　slain　with　the　sword；　Wave…Flame；　of　his
splendid　Milan　mail；　whereof　the　/plastron/；　or　breast…plate；　was
inlaid　with　gold；　having　over　it　a　/camail/　of　chain　to　cover　the
joints；　through　which　my　good　sword　had　shorn　into　his　neck。　The
cognizance　on　his　shield　strangely　enough　was　three　barbed　arrows；　but
what　was　the　name　of　the　knight　who　bore　it　I　never　learned。　This
mail；　which　must　have　cost　a　great　sum；　the　Bailiff　of　Hastings
granted　me　to　keep；　since　I　had　slain　its　wearer　and　borne　myself　well
in　the　fight。　Moreover；　I　took　the　three　arrows　for　my　own　cognizance；
though　in　truth　I　had　no　right　to　any；　being　in　those　days　but　a
trader。　（Little　did　I　know　then　how　well　this　mail　was　to　serve　me　in
the　after　years。）

By　now　night　was　coming　on；　and　as　we　could　see　from　the　cave　mouth
that　the　part　of　Hastings　which　lies　towards　the　village　of　St。
Leonards　seemed　to　have　escaped　the　fire；　thitherward　we　went　by　the
beach　to　avoid　the　heat　and　falling　timbers　in　the　burning　town。　On
our　way　we　met　others　and　from　them　heard　all　that　had　befallen。　It
would　seem　that　the　French　loss　in　life　was　heavier　than　our　own；
since　many　of　them　were　cut　off　when　they　tried　to　fly　to　their　ships；
and　some　of　these　could　not　be　floated　from　the　beach　or　were　rammed
and　sunk　with　all　aboard　by　the　English　vessels。　But　the　damage　done
to　Hastings　was　as　much　as　could　scarcely　be　made　good　in　a
generation；　for　the　most　of　it　was　burnt　or　burning。　Also　many；　like
my　own　mother；　had　perished　in　the　fire；　being　sick　or　aged　or　in
childbed；　or　for　this　reason　and　that　forgotten　and　unable　to　move。
Indeed　on　the　beach　were　hundreds　of　folk　in　despair；　nor　was　it　only
the　women　and　children　who　wept　that　evening。

For　my　part；　with　William　I　went　beyond　the　burning　to　the　house　of　a
certain　old　priest　who　was　my　confessor；　and　the　friend　of　my　father
before　me；　and　there　we　found　food　and　slept；　he　returning　thanks　to
God　for　my　escape　and　offering　me　consolation　for　the　loss　of　my
mother　and　goods。

I　rested　but　ill　that　night；　as　those　do　who　are　over…weary。　Moreover；
this　had　been　my　first　taste　of　battle；　and　again　and　again　I　saw
those　men　falling　before　my　sword　and　arrows。　Very　proud　was　I　to　have
slain　them；　wicked　ravishers　as　they　were；　and　very　glad　that　from　my
boyhood　I　had　practised　myself　with　sword　and　bow　till　I　could　fence
with　any；　and　was　perhaps　the　most　skilled　marksman　in　Hastings；
having　won　the　silver　arrow　at　the　butts　at　the　last　meeting；　and　from
archers　of　all　ages。　Yet　the　sight　of　their　deaths　haunted　me　who
remembered　how　well　their　fate　might　have　been　my　own；　had　they　got　in
the　first　shot　or　blow。

Where　had　they　gone　to；　I　wondered？　To　the　priest's　Heaven　or　Hell？
Were　they　now　telling　their　sins　to　some　hard…faced　angel　while　he
checked　the　count　from　his　book；　reminding　them　of　many　that　they　had
forgotten？　Or　were　they　fast　asleep　for　ever　and　ever　as　a　shrewd
thinker　whom　I　knew　had　told　me　secretly　he　was　sure　would　be　the　fate
of　all　of　us；　whatever　the　priests　might　teach　and　believe。