the virgin of the sun-第6章

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leave　orders　that　it　be　placed　beneath　my　feet　in　the　tomb；　but　who
will　ever　find　that　tomb　again？　Still　I　write　because　something　in　my
heart　urges　me　to　the　task。



I　return　to　the　far…off　days。　Our　boat　being　full　with　merry　hearts　we
set　sail　before　a　faint　wind　for　Hastings　beach。　As　yet　there　was
little　light　and　much　fog；　still　the　landward　breeze　was　enough　to
draw　us　forward。　Then　of　a　sudden　we　heard　sounds　as　of　men　talking
upon　ships　and　the　clank　of　spars　and　blocks。　Presently　came　a　puff　of
air　lifting　the　fog　for　a　little　and　we　saw　that　we　were　in　the　midst
of　a　great　fleet；　a　French　fleet；　for　the　Lilies　of　France　flew　at
their　mast…heads；　saw；　too；　that　their　prows　were　set　for　Hastings；
though　for　the　while　they　were　becalmed；　since　the　wind　that　was
enough　for　our　light；　large…sailed　fishing…boat　could　not　stir　their
bulk。　Moreover；　they　saw　us；　for　the　men…at…arms　on　the　nearest　ship
shouted　threats　and　curses　at　us　and　followed　the　shouts　with　arrows
that　almost　hit　us。

Then　the　fog　closed　down　again；　and　in　it　we　slipped　through　the
French　fleet。

It　may　have　been　the　best　part　of　an　hour　later　that　we　reached
Hastings。　Before　the　boat　was　made　fast　to　the　jetty；　I　sprang　to　it
shouting：

〃Stir！　stir！　the　French　are　upon　you！　To　arms！　We　have　slipped　through
a　whole　fleet　of　them　in　the　mist。〃

Instantly　the　sleepy　quay　seemed　to　awaken。　From　the　neighbouring　fish
market；　from　everywhere　sailormen　and　others　came　running；　followed　by
children　with　gaping　mouths；　while　from　the　doors　of　houses　far　away
shot　women　with　scared　faces；　like　ferreted　rabbits　from　their
burrows。　In　a　minute　the　crowd　had　surrounded　me；　all　asking　questions
at　once　in　such　a　fashion　that　I　could　only　answer　them　with　my　cry
of：

〃Stir！　the　French　are　upon　you。　To　arms；　I　say。　To　arms！〃

Presently　through　the　throng　advanced　an　old　white…bearded　man　who
wore　a　badge　of　office；　crying　as　he　came；　〃Make　way　for　the　bailiff！〃

The　crowd　obeyed；　opening　a　path；　and　soon　we　were　face　to　face。

〃What　is　it；　Hubert　of　Hastings？〃　he　asked。　〃Is　there　fire　that　you
shout　so　loudly？〃

〃Aye；　Worship；〃　I　answered。　〃Fire　and　murder　and　all　the　gifts　that
the　French　have　for　England。　The　Fleet　of　France　is　beating　up　for
Hastings；　fifty　sail　of　them　or　more。　We　crept　through　them　in　the
fog；　for　the　wind　which　would　scarce　move　them　served　our　turn　and
beyond　an　arrow　or　two；　they　took　no　note　of　a　fishing…boat。〃

〃Whence　come　they？〃　asked　the　bailiff；　bewildered。

〃I　know　not；　but　those　in　another　boat　we　passed　in　the　midst　shouted
that　these　French　were　ravaging　the　coast　and　heading　for　Hastings　to
put　it　to　fire　and　sword。　Then　that　boat　vanished　away；　I　know　not
where；　and　that　is　all　I　have　to　tell　save　that　the　French　will　be
here　within　an　hour。〃

Without　staying　to　ask　more　questions；　the　bailiff　turned　and　ran
towards　the　town；　and　presently　the　alarm　bells　rang　out　from　the
towers　of　All　Saints　and　St。　Clement's；　while　criers　summoned　all　men
to　the　market…place。　Meanwhile　I；　not　without　a　sad　look　at　my　boat
and　the　rich　catch　within；　made　my　way　into　the　town；　followed　by　my
two　men。

Presently　I　reached　an　ancient；　timbered　house；　long；　low；　and
rambling；　with　a　yard　by　its　side　full　of　barrels；　anchors；　and　other
marine　stores　such　as　rope；　that　had　to　do　with　the　trade　I　carried　on
at　this　place。

I；　Hubert；　with　a　mind　full　of　fears；　though　not　for　myself；　and　a
stirring　of　the　blood　such　as　was　natural　to　my　age　at　the　approach　of
my　first　taste　of　battle；　ran　fast　up　to　that　house　which　I　have
described；　and　paused　for　a　moment　by　the　big　elm　tree　that　grew　in
front　of　the　door；　of　which　the　lower　boughs　were　sawn　off　because
they　shut　out　the　light　from　the　windows。　I　remember　that　elm　tree
very　well；　first　because　when　I　was　a　child　starlings　nested　in　a　hole
in　the　trunk；　and　I　reared　one　in　a　wicker　cage　and　made　a　talking
bird　of　it　which　I　kept　for　several　years。　It　was　so　tame　that　it　used
to　go　about　sitting　on　my　shoulder；　till　at　last；　outside　the　town　a
cat　frightened　it　thence；　and　before　I　could　recapture　it；　it　was
taken　by　a　hawk；　which　hawk　I　shot　afterwards　with　an　arrow　out　of
revenge。

Also　this　elm　is　impressed　upon　me　by　the　fact　that　on　that　morning
when　I　halted　by　it；　I　noted　how　green　and　full　of　leaf　it　was。　Next
morning；　after　the　fire；　I　saw　it　again；　all　charred　and　blackened；
with　its　beautiful　foliage　withered　by　the　heat。　This　contrast
remained　upon　my　memory；　and　whenever　I　see　any　great　change　of
fortune　from　prosperity　to　ruin；　or　from　life　to　death；　always　I
bethink　me　of　that　elm。　For　it　is　by　little　things　which　we　ourselves
have　seen　and　not　by　those　written　of　or　told　by　others；　that　we
measure　and　compare　events。

The　reason　that　I　ran　so　hard　and　then　paused　by　the　elm；　was　because
my　widowed　mother　lived　in　that　house。　Knowing　that　the　French　meant
mischief　for　a　good　reason；　because　one　of　their　arrows；　or　perhaps　a
quarrel　from　a　cross…bow；　whistled　just　past　my　head　out　there　upon
the　sea；　my　first　thought　was　to　get　her　away　to　some　place　of　safety；
no　easy　task　seeing　that　she　was　infirm　with　age。　My　second；　that
which　caused　me　to　pause　by　the　tree；　was　how　I　should　break　the　news
to　her　in　such　a　fashion　that　she　would　not　be　over…frightened。　Having
thought　this　over　I　went　on　into　the　house。

The　door　opened　into　the　sitting…room　that　had　a　low　roof　of　plaster
and　big　oak　beams。　There　I　found　my　mother　kneeling　by　the　table　upon
which　food　was　set　for　breakfast：　fried　herrings；　cold　meat；　and　a　jug
of　ale。　She　was　saying　her　prayers　after　her　custom；　being　very
religious　though　in　a　new　fashion；　since　she　was　a　follower　of　a
preacher　called　Wycliffe；　who　troubled　the　Church　in　those　days。　She
seemed　to　have　gone　to　sleep　at　her　prayers；　and　I　watched　her　for　a
moment；　hesitating　to　waken　her。　My　mother；　as　even　then　I　noted；　was
a　very　handsome　woman；　though　old；　for　I　was　born　when　she　had　been
married　twenty　years　or　more；　with　white　hair　and　well…cut　features
that　showed　the　good　blood　of　which　she　came；　for　she　was　better　bred
than　my　father　and　quarrelled　with　her　kin　to　marry　him。

At　the　sound　of　my　footsteps　she　woke　up　and　saw　me。

〃Strange；〃　she　said；　〃I　slept　at　my　prayers　who　did　so　little　last
night；　as　has　become　a　habit　with　me　when　you　are　out　a…fishing；　for
which　God　forgive　me；　and　dreamed　that　there　was　some　trouble　forward。
Scold　me　not；　Hubert；　for　when　the　sea　has　taken　the　father　and　two
sons；　it　is　scarcely　wonderful　that　I　should　be　fearful　for　the　last
of　my　blood。　Help　me　to　rise；　Hubert；　for　this　water　seems　to　gather
in　my　limbs　and　makes　them　heavy。　One　day；　the　leech　says；　it　will　get
to　the　heart　and　then　all　will　be　over。〃

I　obeyed；　first　kissing　her　on　the　brow；　and　when　she　was　seated　in
her　armed　chair　by　the　table；　I　said；

〃You　dream　too　well；　Mother。　There　is　trouble。　Hark！　St。　Clement's
bells　are　talking　of　it。　The　French　come　to　visit　Hastings。　I　know　for
I　sailed　through　their　fleet　just　after　dawn。〃

〃Is　it　so？〃　she　asked　quietly。　〃I　feared　worse。　I　feared　lest　the
dream　meant　that　you　had　gone　to　join　your　brothers　in　the　deep。　Well；
the　French　are　not　here　yet；　as　thank　God　you　are。　So　eat　and　drink；
for　we　of　England　fight　best　on　full　bellies。〃

Again　I　obeyed　who　was　very　hungry　after　that　long　night　and　needed
food　and　ale；　and　as　I　swallowed　them　we　heard　the　sound　of　folk
shouting　and　running。

〃You　are　in　haste；　Hubert；　to　join　the　others　on　the　quay　and　send　a
Frenchman　or　two　to　hell　with　that　big　bow　of　yours？〃　she　said
inquiringly。

〃Nay；〃　I　answered；　〃I　am　in　haste　to　get　you　out　of　this　town；　which　I
fear　may　be　burnt。　There　is　a　certain　cave　up　yonder　by　the　Minnes
Rock　where　I　think　you　might　lie　safe；　Mother。〃

〃It　has　come　down　to　me　from　my　fathers；　Hubert；　that　it　was　never　the
fashion　of　the　women　of　the　north　to　keep　their　men　to　shield　them
when　duty　called　them　otherwhere。　I　am　helpless　in　my　limbs　and　heavy；
and　cannot　climb；　or　be　borne　up　yonder　hill　to　any　cave。　Here　I　stop
where　I　have　dwelt　these　five…and…forty　years；　to　live　or　die　as　God
pleases。