the virgin of the sun-第9章

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his　mail　deep　into　the　flesh　beneath；　to　the　backbone　as　I　believe。　At
least　he　went　down　in　a　heapI　remember　the　rattle　of　his　armour　as
he　fell；　and　there　lay　still。　Then　we　fled　on　down　the　steep　path；　I
holding　the　bloody　sword　with　one　hand　and　Lady　Blanche　with　the
other；　while　she　thanked　me　with　her　eyes。

At　length　we　were　in　the　town　again；　running　up　my　own　street。　On
either　side　of　us　the　houses　burned；　and　behind　us　came　another　body
of　the　French。　The　reek　got　into　our　eyes　and　we　stumbled　over　dead　or
fainting　people。

Looking　to　the　left　I　caught　sight　of　the　elm　tree　of　which　I　have
spoken；　that　grew　in　front　of　our　door；　and　saw　that　the　house　behind
it　was　burning。　Yes；　and　I　saw　more；　for　at　the　attic　window；　which
was　open；　the　flames　making　an　arch　round　her；　sat　my　mother。
Moreover；　she　was　singing　for　I　heard　her　voice　and　the　wild　words　she
sang；　though　this　was　a　strange　thing　for　a　woman　to　do　in　the　hour　of
such　a　death。　Further；　she　saw　and　knew　me；　for　she　waved　her　hands　to
me；　then　pointed　towards　the　sea；　why；　I　did　not　guess　at　the　time。　I
stopped；　purposing　to　try　to　rescue　her　though　the　front　of　the　house
was　flaming；　and　the　attempt　must　have　ended　in　my　death。　But　at　that
moment　the　roof　fell　in；　causing　the　fire　to　spout　upwards　and
outwards。　This　was　the　last　that　I　saw　of　my　mother；　though　afterwards
we　found　her　body　and　gave　it　burial　with　those　of　many　other　victims。

There　was　no　time　to　stay；　for　the　conquering　French　were　pouring　up
the　street　behind　us；　shooting　as　they　came　and　murdering　any　laggards
whom　they　could　catch。　On　we　went　up　the　steep　slope　of　the　Minnes
Rock。　I　would　have　fled　on　into　the　open　country；　but　the　lady　Blanche
had　no　strength　left。　Twice　she　sank　to　the　ground；　stricken　with
terror　and　weariness；　and　each　time　prayed　me　not　to　leave　her；　nor
indeed　did　I　wish　to　do　so。　The　end　of　it　was　that　William　Bull　and　I
between　us　half　carried　her　with　much　toil　to　the　cave　of　which　I　had
spoken　to　my　mother。　The　task　was　heavy　and　slow；　since　always　we　must
scramble　over　sheer　ground。　What　is　more；　a　party　of　the　French；
seeing　our　plight；　followed　us。　Perhaps　some　of　them　guessed　who　the
lady　was；　for　there　were　many　spies　in　Hastings　who　might　have　told
them；　and　desired　to　capture　and　hold　her　to　ransom。

At　the　least　they　came　on　after　us　and　a　few　others；　women　all　of
them；　who　had　joined　our　company；　being　unable　to　travel　further；　or
trusting　to　William　Bull　and　myself　to　protect　them。

We　reached　the　cave；　and　thrusting　the　women　along　it；　William　and　I
stood　in　the　mouth　and　waited。　He　had　no　bow　and　all　my　arrows　were
gone　save　three；　but　of　these　I；　who　was　noted　for　my　archery；
determined　to　make　the　best　use　I　could。　So　I　drew　them　out；　and
having　strung　the　bow；　sat　down　to　get　my　breath。　On　came　the　French；
shouting　and　jabbering　at　us　to　the　effect　that　they　would　cut　our
throats　and　carry　off　/la　belle　dame/　to　be　their　sport。

〃She　shall　be　mine！〃　yelled　a　big　fellow　with　a　flattened　nose　and　a
wide　mouth　who　was　ahead　of　the　others；　and　not　more　than　fifty　yards
away。

I　rose；　and　praying　my　patron；　good　St。　Hubert　after　whom　I　was　named
because　I　first　saw　light　upon　his　day；　the　23rd　of　November；　to　give
me　skill；　I　drew　the　great　bow　to　my　ear；　aimed；　and　loosed。　Nor　did
St。　Hubert；　a　lover　of　fine　shooting；　fail　me　in　my　need；　for　that
arrow　rushed　out　and　found　its　home　in　the　big　mouth　of　the　Frenchman；
through　which　it　passed；　pinning　his　foul　tongue　to　his　neck　bone。

Down　he　went；　and　cheered　by　the　sight　I　refitted　and　loosed　at　the
next。　Him；　too；　the　arrow　caught；　so　that　he　fell　almost　on　the　other。

I　set　the　third　and　last　arrow　on　the　string　and　waited　a　space。
Behind　these　two　was　a　squat；　broad　man；　a　knight　I　suppose；　for　he
wore　armour；　and　had　a　shield　with　a　cock　painted　on　it。　This　man；
frightened　by　the　fate　of　his　companions；　yet　not　minded　to　give　up
the　venture　for　those　in　rear　of　him　urged　him　on；　bent　himself　almost
double；　and　holding　the　shield　over　his　helm　which　was　closed；　so　as
to　protect　his　head　and　body；　came　on　at　a　good　pace。

I　waited　till　he　was　within　five…and…twenty　yards　or　so；　hoping　that
the　roughness　of　the　ground　would　cause　him　to　stumble　and　the　shield
to　shift　so　that　I　could　get　a　chance　at　him　behind　it。　But　I　did　not；
so　at　last；　again　praying　to　St。　Hubert；　I　drew　the　big　bow　till　the
string　touched　my　ear；　and　let　drive。　The　shaft；　pointed　with　tempered
steel；　struck　the　shield　full　in　the　centre；　and　by　Heaven；　pierced
it；　aye；　and　the　mail　behind；　aye；　and　the　flesh　it　covered；　so　that
he；　too；　got　his　death。

〃A　great　shot；　Master；〃　said　William；　〃that　no　other　bow　in　Hastings
could　have　sped。〃

〃Not　so　ill；〃　I　answered；　〃but　it　is　my　last。　Now　we　must　fight　as　we
can　with　sword　and　axe　until　we　be　sped。〃

William　nodded；　and　the　women　in　the　cave　began　to　wail　while　I
unstrung　my　bow　and　set　it　in　its　case；　from　habit　I　think；　seeing
that　I　never　hoped　to　look　upon　it　again。

Just　then　from　the　French　ships　in　the　harbour　there　came　a　great
blaring　of　trumpets　giving　some　alarm；　and　the　Frenchmen　of　a　sudden；
ceasing　from　their　attack；　turned　and　ran　towards　the　shore。　I　stepped
out　of　the　cave　with　William　and　looked。　There　on　the　sea；　drawing
near　from　the　east　before　a　good　wind；　I　saw　ships；　and　saw；　too；　that
from　their　masts　flew　the　pennons　of　England；　for　the　golden　leopards
gleamed　in　the　sun。

〃It　is　our　fleet；　William；〃　I　said；　〃come　to　talk　with　these　French。〃

〃Then　I　would　that　it　had　come　sooner；〃　answered　William。　〃Still；
better　now　than　not　at　all。〃



Thus　were　we　saved；　through　Hamo　de　Offyngton；　the　Abbot　of　Battle
Abbey；　or　so　I　was　told　afterwards；　who　collected　a　force　by　land　and
sea　and　drove　off　the　French　after　they　had　ravaged　the　Isle　of　Wight；
attacked　Winchelsea；　and　burned　the　greater　part　of　Hastings。　So　it
came　about　that　in　the　end　these　pirates　took　little　benefit　by　their
wickedness；　since　they　lost　sundry　ships　with　all　on　board；　and　others
left　in　such　haste　that　their　people　remained　on　shore　where　they　were
slain　by　the　mob　that　gathered　as　soon　as　it　was　seen　that　they　were
deserted；　helped　by　a　company　of　the　Abbot's　men　who　had　marched　from
Battle。　But　with　all　this　I　had　nothing　to　do　who　now　that　the　fight
was　over；　felt　weak　as　a　child　and　could　think　of　little　save　that　I
had　seen　my　mother　burning。

Presently；　however；　that　happened　which　woke　me　from　my　grief　and
caused　my　blood　which　had　grown　sluggish　to　run　again。　For　when　she
knew　that　she　was　safe　the　lady　Blanche　came　out　of　the　cave　and
addressed　me　as　I　stood　there　leaning　against　the　rock　with　the　red
sword　Wave…Flame　in　my　hand；　as　I　had　drawn　it　to　make　ready　for　the
last　fight　to　the　death。　All　sorts　of　sweet　names　she　called　mea
hero；　her　deliverer；　and　I　know　not　what　besides。

In　the　end；　as　I　made　no　answer；　being　dazed；　also　hurt　by　an　axe　blow
on　the　breast　which　I　had　not　felt　before；　dealt　by　that　Frenchman
whom　I　slew　near　the　Castle；　she　did　more。　Throwing　her　arms　about　me
she　kissed　me　thrice；　on　either　cheek　and　on　the　lips；　doubtless
because　she　was　overwrought；　and　in　her　thankfulness　forgot　her
maidenly　reserve；　though　as　William　Bull　said　afterwards；　this
forgetfulness　did　not　cause　her　to　kiss　him　who　had　also　helped　her　up
the　hill。

Those　kisses　were　like　wine　to　me；　for　it　is　strange　how；　if　we　love
her；　by　the　decree　of　Nature　the　touch　of　a　beautiful　woman's　lips；
felt　for　the　first　time；　affects　us　in　our　youth。　Whatever　else　we
forget；　that　we　always　remember；　however　false　those　lips　afterwards
be　proved。　For　then　the　wax　is　soft　and　the　die　sinks　deep；　so　deep
that　no　after…heats　can　melt　its　stamp　and　no　fretting　wear　it　out
while　we　live　beneath　the　sun。

Now　my　young　blood　being　awakened；　I　was　minded　to　return　those
kisses；　and　began　to　do　so　with　a　Jew's　interest；　when　I　heard　a　rough
voice　swearing　many　strange　oaths；　and　heard　also　the　other　women　who
had　sheltered　with　us　in　the　cave　begin　to　titter；　for　the　moment
forgetting　all　their　private　woes；　as　those　of　their　sex　will　do　when
there　is　kiss