prologue-第2章

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shoot！〃



〃Nay；　Nick；　there's　some　can　draw　a　good　bow　yet；〃　said　Bennet。



〃Draw　a　good　bow！〃　cried　Appleyard。　　〃Yes！　　But　who'll　shoot　me　a

good　shoot？　　It's　there　the　eye　comes　in；　and　the　head　between　your

shoulders。　　Now；　what　might　you　call　a　long　shoot；　Bennet　Hatch？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Bennet；　looking　about　him；　〃it　would　be　a　long　shoot

from　here　into　the　forest。〃



〃Ay；　it　would　be　a　longish　shoot；〃　said　the　old　fellow；　turning　to

look　over　his　shoulder；　and　then　he　put　up　his　hand　over　his　eyes；

and　stood　staring。



〃Why；　what　are　you　looking　at？〃　asked　Bennet；　with　a　chuckle。　　〃Do；

you　see　Harry　the　Fift？〃



The　veteran　continued　looking　up　the　hill　in　silence。　　The　sun

shone　broadly　over　the　shelving　meadows；　a　few　white　sheep　wandered

browsing；　all　was　still　but　the　distant　jangle　of　the　bell。



〃What　is　it；　Appleyard？〃　asked　Dick。



〃Why；　the　birds；〃　said　Appleyard。



And；　sure　enough；　over　the　top　of　the　forest；　where　it　ran　down　in

a　tongue　among　the　meadows；　and　ended　in　a　pair　of　goodly　green

elms；　about　a　bowshot　from　the　field　where　they　were　standing；　a

flight　of　birds　was　skimming　to　and　fro；　in　evident　disorder。



〃What　of　the　birds？〃　said　Bennet。



〃Ay！〃　returned　Appleyard；　〃y'　are　a　wise　man　to　go　to　war；　Master

Bennet。　　Birds　are　a　good　sentry；　in　forest　places　they　be　the

first　line　of　battle。　　Look　you；　now；　if　we　lay　here　in　camp；　there

might　be　archers　skulking　down　to　get　the　wind　of　us；　and　here

would　you　be；　none　the　wiser！〃



〃Why；　old　shrew；〃　said　Hatch；　〃there　be　no　men　nearer　us　than　Sir

Daniel's；　at　Kettley；　y'　are　as　safe　as　in　London　Tower；　and　ye

raise　scares　upon　a　man　for　a　few　chaffinches　and　sparrows！〃



〃Hear　him！〃　grinned　Appleyard。　　〃How　many　a　rogue　would　give　his

two　crop　ears　to　have　a　shoot　at　either　of　us？　　Saint　Michael；　man！

they　hate　us　like　two　polecats！〃



〃Well；　sooth　it　is；　they　hate　Sir　Daniel；〃　answered　Hatch；　a　little

sobered。



〃Ay；　they　hate　Sir　Daniel；　and　they　hate　every　man　that　serves　with

him；〃　said　Appleyard；　〃and　in　the　first　order　of　hating；　they　hate

Bennet　Hatch　and　old　Nicholas　the　bowman。　　See　ye　here：　　if　there

was　a　stout　fellow　yonder　in　the　wood…edge；　and　you　and　I　stood

fair　for　him　…　as；　by　Saint　George；　we　stand！　…　which；　think　ye；

would　he　choose？〃



〃You；　for　a　good　wager；〃　answered　Hatch。



〃My　surcoat　to　a　leather　belt；　it　would　be　you！〃　cried　the　old

archer。　　〃Ye　burned　Grimstone；　Bennet　…　they'll　ne'er　forgive　you

that；　my　master。　　And　as　for　me；　I'll　soon　be　in　a　good　place；　God

grant；　and　out　of　bow…shoot　…　ay；　and　cannon…shoot　…　of　all　their

malices。　　I　am　an　old　man；　and　draw　fast　to　homeward；　where　the　bed

is　ready。　　But　for　you；　Bennet；　y'　are　to　remain　behind　here　at

your　own　peril；　and　if　ye　come　to　my　years　unhanged；　the　old　true…

blue　English　spirit　will　be　dead。〃



〃Y'　are　the　shrewishest　old　dolt　in　Tunstall　Forest；〃　returned

Hatch；　visibly　ruffled　by　these　threats。　　〃Get　ye　to　your　arms

before　Sir　Oliver　come；　and　leave　prating　for　one　good　while。　　An

ye　had　talked　so　much　with　Harry　the　Fift；　his　ears　would　ha'　been

richer　than　his　pocket。〃



An　arrow　sang　in　the　air；　like　a　huge　hornet；　it　struck　old

Appleyard　between　the　shoulder…blades；　and　pierced　him　clean

through；　and　he　fell　forward　on　his　face　among　the　cabbages。

Hatch；　with　a　broken　cry；　leapt　into　the　air；　then；　stooping

double；　he　ran　for　the　cover　of　the　house。　　And　in　the　meanwhile

Dick　Shelton　had　dropped　behind　a　lilac；　and　had　his　crossbow　bent

and　shouldered；　covering　the　point　of　the　forest。



Not　a　leaf　stirred。　　The　sheep　were　patiently　browsing；　the　birds

had　settled。　　But　there　lay　the　old　man；　with　a　cloth…yard　arrow

standing　in　his　back；　and　there　were　Hatch　holding　to　the　gable；

and　Dick　crouching　and　ready　behind　the　lilac　bush。



〃D'ye　see　aught？〃　cried　Hatch。



〃Not　a　twig　stirs；〃　said　Dick。



〃I　think　shame　to　leave　him　lying；〃　said　Bennet；　coming　forward

once　more　with　hesitating　steps　and　a　very　pale　countenance。　　〃Keep

a　good　eye　on　the　wood；　Master　Shelton　…　keep　a　clear　eye　on　the

wood。　　The　saints　assoil　us！　here　was　a　good　shoot！〃



Bennet　raised　the　old　archer　on　his　knee。　　He　was　not　yet　dead；　his

face　worked；　and　his　eyes　shut　and　opened　like　machinery；　and　he

had　a　most　horrible；　ugly　look　of　one　in　pain。



〃Can　ye　hear；　old　Nick？〃　asked　Hatch。　　〃Have　ye　a　last　wish　before

ye　wend；　old　brother？〃



〃Pluck　out　the　shaft；　and　let　me　pass；　a'　Mary's　name！〃　gasped

Appleyard。　　〃I　be　done　with　Old　England。　　Pluck　it　out！〃



〃Master　Dick；〃　said　Bennet；　〃come　hither；　and　pull　me　a　good　pull

upon　the　arrow。　　He　would　fain　pass；　the　poor　sinner。〃



Dick　laid　down　his　cross…bow；　and　pulling　hard　upon　the　arrow；　drew

it　forth。　　A　gush　of　blood　followed；　the　old　archer　scrambled　half

upon　his　feet；　called　once　upon　the　name　of　God；　and　then　fell

dead。　　Hatch；　upon　his　knees　among　the　cabbages；　prayed　fervently

for　the　welfare　of　the　passing　spirit。　　But　even　as　he　prayed；　it

was　plain　that　his　mind　was　still　divided；　and　he　kept　ever　an　eye

upon　the　corner　of　the　wood　from　which　the　shot　had　come。　　When　he

had　done；　he　got　to　his　feet　again；　drew　off　one　of　his　mailed

gauntlets；　and　wiped　his　pale　face；　which　was　all　wet　with　terror。



〃Ay；〃　he　said；　〃it'll　be　my　turn　next。〃



〃Who　hath　done　this；　Bennet？〃　Richard　asked；　still　holding　the

arrow　in　his　hand。



〃Nay；　the　saints　know；〃　said　Hatch。　　〃Here　are　a　good　two　score

Christian　souls　that　we　have　hunted　out　of　house　and　holding；　he

and　I。　　He　has　paid　his　shot；　poor　shrew；　nor　will　it　be　long；

mayhap；　ere　I　pay　mine。　　Sir　Daniel　driveth　over…hard。〃



〃This　is　a　strange　shaft；〃　said　the　lad；　looking　at　the　arrow　in

his　hand。



〃Ay；　by　my　faith！〃　cried　Bennet。　　〃Black；　and　black…feathered。

Here　is　an　ill…favoured　shaft；　by　my　sooth！　for　black；　they　say；

bodes　burial。　　And　here　be　words　written。　　Wipe　the　blood　away。

What　read　ye？〃



〃'APPULYAIRD　FRO　JON　AMEND…ALL；'〃　read　Shelton。　　〃What　should　this

betoken？〃



〃Nay；　I　like　it　not；〃　returned　the　retainer；　shaking　his　head。

〃John　Amend…All！　　Here　is　a　rogue's　name　for　those　that　be　up　in

the　world！　　But　why　stand　we　here　to　make　a　mark？　　Take　him　by　the

knees；　good　Master　Shelton；　while　I　lift　him　by　the　shoulders；　and

let　us　lay　him　in　his　house。　　This　will　be　a　rare　shog　to　poor　Sir

Oliver；　he　will　turn　paper　colour；　he　will　pray　like　a　windmill。〃



They　took　up　the　old　archer；　and　carried　him　between　them　into　his

house；　where　he　had　dwelt　alone。　　And　there　they　laid　him　on　the

floor；　out　of　regard　for　the　mattress；　and　sought；　as　best　they

might；　to　straighten　and　compose　his　limbs。



Appleyard's　house　was　clean　and　bare。　　There　was　a　bed；　with　a　blue

cover；　a　cupboard；　a　great　chest；　a　pair　of　joint…stools；　a　hinged

table　in　the　chimney　corner；　and　hung　upon　the　wall　the　old

soldier's　armoury　of　bows　and　defensive　armour。　　Hatch　began　to

look　about　him　curiously。



〃Nick　had　money；〃　he　said。　　〃He　may　have　had　three　score　pounds　put

by。　　I　would　I　could　light　upon't！　　When　ye　lose　an　old　friend；

Master　Richard；　the　best　consolation　is　to　heir　him。　　See；　now；

this　chest。　　I　would　go　a　mighty　wager　there　is　a　bushel　of　gold

therein。　　He　had　a　strong　hand　to　get；　and　a　hard　hand　to　keep

withal；　had　Appleyard　the　archer。　　Now　may　God　rest　his　spirit！

Near　eighty　year　he　was　afoot　and　about；　and　ever　getting；　but　now

he's　on　the　broad　of　his　back；　poor　shrew；　and　no　more　lacketh；　and

if　his　chattels　came　to　a　good　friend；　he　would　be　merrier；

methinks；　in　heaven。〃



〃Come；　Hatch；〃　said　Dick；　〃respect　his　stone…blind　eyes。　　Would　ye

rob　the　man　before　his　body？　　Nay；　he　would　walk！〃



Hatch　made　several　signs　of　the　cross；　but　by　this　time　his　natural

complexion　had　returned；　and　he　was　not　easily　to　be　dashed　from

any　purpose。　　It　would　have　gone　hard　with　the　chest　had　not　the

gate