the virgin of the sun-第8章

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Hastings。

The　street　outside　our　doors　was　crowded　with　folk；　some　of　the　men
making　their　way　to　the　market…place；　about　whom　hung　women　and
children　weeping；　others；　old　people；　wives　and　girls　and　little　ones
fleeing　from　the　town。　I　found　the　two　sailormen　who　had　been　with　me
on　the　boat；　waiting　for　me。　They　were　brawny　fellows　named　Jack
Grieves　and　William　Bull；　who　had　been　in　our　service　since　my
childhood；　good　fishermen　and　fighters　both；　indeed　one　of　them；
William　Bull；　had　served　in　the　French　wars。

〃We　knew　that　you　were　coming；　Master；　so　we　bided　here　for　you；〃　said
William；　who　having　once　been　an　archer　was　armed　with　a　bow　and　a
short　sword；　whereas　Jack　had　only　an　axe；　also　a　knife　such　as　we
used　on　the　smacks　for　cleaning　fish。

I　nodded；　and　we　went　on　to　the　market…place　and　joined　the　throng　of
men；　a　vast　number　of　them；　who　were　gathered　there　to　defend　Hastings
and　their　homes。　Nor　were　we　too　soon；　for　the　French　ships　were
already　beaching　within　a　few　yards　of　the　shore　or　on　it；　their
draught　being　but　small；　while　the　sailors　and　men…at…arms　were
pushing　off　in　small　boats　or　wading　to　the　strand。

There　was　great　confusion　in　the　market…place；　for　as　is　common　in
England；　no　preparation　had　been　made　against　attack　though　such　was
always　to　be　feared。

The　bailiff　ran　about　shouting　orders；　as　did　others；　but　proper
officers　were　lacking；　so　that　in　the　end　men　acted　as　the　fancy　took
them。　Some　went　down　towards　the　beach　and　shot　with　arrows　at　the
Frenchmen。　Others　took　refuge　in　houses；　others　stood　irresolute；
waiting；　knowing　not　which　way　to　turn。　I　and　my　two　men　were　with
those　who　went　on　to　the　beach　where　I　loosed　some　arrows　from　my　big
black　bow；　and　saw　a　man　fall　before　one　of　them。

But　we　could　do　little　or　nothing；　for　these　Frenchmen　were　trained
soldiers　under　proper　command。　They　formed　themselves　into　companies
and　advanced；　and　we　were　driven　back。　I　stopped　as　long　as　I　dared；
and　drawing　the　sword；　Wave…Flame；　fought　with　a　Frenchman　who　was　in
advance　of　the　others。　What　is　more；　making　a　great　blow　at　his　head
which　I　missed；　I　struck　him　on　the　arm　and　cut　it　off；　for　I　saw　it
fall　to　the　ground。　Then　others　rushed　up　at　me　and　I　fled　to　save　my
life。

Somehow　I　found　myself　being　pressed　up　the　steep　Castle　Hill　with　a
number　of　Hastings　folk；　followed　by　the　French。　We　reached　the　Castle
and　got　into　it；　but　the　old　portcullis　would　not　close；　and　in　sundry
places　the　walls　were　broken　down。　Here　we　found　a　number　of　women　who
had　climbed　for　refuge；　thinking　that　the　place　would　be　safe。　Among
these　was　a　beautiful　and　high…born　maiden　whom　I　knew　by　sight。　Her
father　was　Sir　Robert　Aleys　who；　I　believe；　was　then　the　Warden　of　the
Castle　of　Pevensey；　and　she　was　named　the　lady　Blanche。　Once；　indeed；
I　had　spoken　with　her　on　an　occasion　too　long　to　tell。　Then　her　large
blue　eyes；　which　she　knew　well　how　to　use；　had　left　me　with　a　swimming
head；　for　she　was　very　fair　and　very　sweet　and　gracious；　with　a　most
soft　voice；　and　quite　unlike　any　other　woman　I　had　ever　seen；　nor　did
she　seem　at　all　proud。　Soon　her　father；　an　old　knight；　who　had　no　name
for　gentleness　in　the　countryside；　but　was　said　to　be　a　great　lover　of
gold；　had　come　up　and　swept　her　away；　asking　her　what　she　did；　talking
with　a　common　fishing　churl。　This　had　happened　some　months　before。

Well；　there　I　found　her　in　the　Castle；　alone　it　seemed；　and　knowing　me
again；　which　I　thought　strange；　she　ran　to　me；　praying　me　to　protect
her。　More；　she　began　to　tell　me　some　long　tale；　to　which　I　had　not
time　to　listen；　of　how　she　had　come　to　Hastings　with　her　father；　Sir
Robert；　and　a　young　lord　named　Deleroy；　who；　I　understood；　was　some
kinsman　of　hers；　and　slept　there。　How；　too；　she　had　been　separated
from　them　in　the　throng　when　they　were　attempting　to　return　to
Pevensey　which　her　father　must　go　to　guard；　because　her　horse　was
frightened　and　ran　away；　and　of　how　finally　men　took　her　by　the　arm
and　brought　her　to　this　castle；　saying　that　it　was　the　safest　place。

〃Then　here　you　must　bide；　Lady　Blanche；〃　I　answered；　cutting　her
short。　〃Cling　to　me　and　I　will　save　you　if　I　can；　even　if　it　costs　me
my　life。〃

Certainly　she　did　cling　to　me　for　all　the　rest　of　that　terrible　day；
as　will　be　seen。

From　this　height　we　saw　Hastings　beginning　to　burn；　for　the　Frenchmen
had　fired　the　town　in　sundry　places；　and　being　built　of　wood；　it　burnt
furiously。　Also　we　saw　and　heard　horrible　scenes　and　sounds　of　rapine；
such　as　chance　in　this　Christian　world　of　ours　where　a　savage　foe
finds　peaceful　folk　of　another　race　at　his　mercy。　In　the　houses　people
were　burnt；　in　the　streets　they　were　being　murdered；　or　worse。　Yes；
even　children　were　murdered；　for　afterwards　I　saw　the　bodies　of　some
of　them。

Awhile　later　through　the　wreaths　of　smoke　we　perceived　companies　of
the　French　advancing　to　attack　the　Castle。　There　may　have　been　three
hundred　of　them　in　all；　and　we　did　not　count　more　than　fifty　men；　some
of　us　ill…armed；　together　with　a　mob　of　aged　people　and　many　women　and
children。　What　had　become　of　the　other　men　I　do　not　know；　but　orders
had　been　shouted　from　all　quarters；　and　some　had　gone　this　way　and
some　that。　Some；　too；　I　think；　had　fled；　lacking　leaders。

The　French　having　climbed　the　hill；　began　to　attack　our　ill…fenced
gateways；　bringing　up　beams　of　timber　to　force　them　in。　Those　of　us
who　had　bows　shot　some　of　them；　though；　their　armour　being　good；　for
the　most　part　the　arrows　glanced。　But　few　had　bows。　Moreover；　whenever
we　showed　ourselves　they　poured　such　a　rain　of　quarrels　and　other
shafts　upon　us　that　we　could　not　face　it；　lacking　mail　as　we　did；　and
a　number　of　us　were　killed　or　wounded。　At　last　they　forced　the
easternmost　gate　which　was　the　weakest；　and　got　in　there　and　over　a
place　in　the　wall　were　it　was　broken。　We　fought　them　as　well　as　we
could；　myself　I　cut　down　two　with　the　sword；　Wave…Flame；　hewing　right
through　the　helm　of　one；　for　the　steel　of　that　sword　was　good。　Here；
too；　Jack　Grieves　was　killed　by　my　side　by　a　pike　thrust；　and　died
calling　to　me　to　fight　on　for　old　England　and　Hastings　town；　after
which　he　said　something　about　beer　and　breathed　his　last。

The　end　of　it　was　that　those　who　were　left　were　driven　out　of　the
Castle　together　with　the　women　and　children；　the　murdering　French
killing　every　man　who　fell　wounded　where　he　lay；　and　trying　to　make
prisoner　any　women　they　thought　young　and　fair　enough。　Especially　did
they　seek　to　capture　the　lady　Blanche　because　they　saw　that　she　was
beautiful　and　of　high　station。　But　by　good　fortune　more　than　aught
else；　I　saved　her　from　this　fate。

As　it　chanced　we　were　among　the　last　to　leave　the　Castle；　whence；　to
tell　the　truth；　I　was　loath　to　go；　for　by　now　my　blood　was　up；　and
with　a　few　others　fought　till　I　was　driven　out。　I　prayed　the　lady
Blanche　to　run　forward　with　the　other　women。　But　she　would　not；
answering　that　she　trusted　no　one　else；　but　would　stay　to　die　with　me；
as　though　that　would　help　either　of　us。

Thus　it　came　about　that　a　tall　French　knight　who　had　set　his　eyes　on
her；　outclimbed　his　fellows　upon　the　slope　of　the　hill；　for　they　were
weary　and　gathering　to　re…form；　and　catching　her　round　the　middle；
strove　to　drag　her　away。　I　fell　on　him　and　we　fought。　He　had　fine
armour　and　a　shield　while　I　had　none；　but　I　held　the　long　sword　while
he　only　wielded　a　battle…axe。　I　knew　that　if　he　could　get　in　a　blow
with　that　battle…axe；　I　was　sped；　since　the　bull's　hide　of　my　jerkin
would　never　stand　against　it。　Therefore　it　was　my　business　to　keep　out
of　his　reach。　This；　being　young　and　active；　for　the　most　part　I　made
shift　to　do；　especially　as　he　could　not　move　very　quickly　in　his　mail。
The　end　of　it　was　that　I　cut　him　on　the　arm　through　a　joint　in　his
harness；　whereon　he　rushed　at　me；　swearing　French　oaths。

I　leapt　on　one　side　and　as　he　passed；　smote　with　all　my　strength。　The
blow　fell　between　neck　and　shoulder；　from　behind　as　it　were；　and　such
was　the　temper　of　that　sword　named　Wave…Flame　that　it　shore　through
his　mail　deep　into　the　flesh　beneath；　to　the　backbone　as　I　believe。　At
least　he　went　down　in　a　heapI　reme