saint george for england-第17章

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alisades；　and　all　other　weapons。　　The　ten　who　will　serve　under　you　as　knights　have　already　been　nominated；　and　the　city　will　furnish　them　with　full　armour。　　For　the　others；　the　apprentices　of　each　ward　will　choose　sufficient　representatives　to　make　up　the　hundred；　who　will　fight　as　men…at…arms；　these　will　wear　steel　caps　and　breastpieces；　with　leather　jerkins；　and　vizors　to　protect　their　faces；　for　even　a　blunted　arrow　or　wooden　quarrel　might　well　kill　if　it　struck　true。〃

On　leaving　the　marshal　Walter　joined　Giles　Fletcher　and　Geoffrey　Ward；　who　warmly　congratulated　him　upon　his　success。　He　informed　them　of　the　spectacle　which　the　king　had　prepared　for　the　amusement　of　the　citizens　on　the　morrow。

〃In　faith；〃　Geoffrey　said；　〃the　idea　is　a　good　one；　and　promises　rare　sport；　but　it　will　be　rough；　and　we　may　expect　many　broken　limbs；　for　it　be　no　joke　to　be　thrown　down　with　a　ladder　from　a　wall　even　twelve　feet　high；　and　there　will　be　the　depth　of　the　moat　besides。〃

〃That　will　only　be　two　feet；〃　Walter　said；　〃for　so　it　is　marked　on　the　plan。〃

〃And　which　do　you　mean　to　take；　Walter；　the　attack　or　the　defence？　Methinks　the　king　has　erred　somewhat　in　making　the　forces　equal；　for　assuredly　the　besiegers　should　outnumber　the　besieged　by　fully　three　to　one　to　give　them　a　fair　chance　of　success。〃

〃I　shall　take　the　assault；〃　Walter　answered；　〃there　is　more　to　be　done　that　way　than　in　the　defence。　When　we　get　home；　Geoffrey；　we　will　look　at　the　plans；　and　see　what　may　be　the　best　manner　of　assault。〃

Upon　examining　the　plan　that　evening　they　found　that　the　wall　was　continued　at　an　angle　at　either　end　for　a　distance　of　some　twenty　feet　back　so　as　to　give　a　postern　gate　behind　each　of　the　corner　towers　through　which　a　sortie　might　be　made。　Geoffrey　and　Walter　talked　the　matter　over；　and　together　contrived　a　plan　of　operation　for　the　following　day。

〃You　will　have　one　great　advantage；〃　Geoffrey　said。　〃The　apprentices　are　all　accustomed　to　the　use　of　the　bow；　while　the　young　nobles　will　know　but　little　of　that　weapon；　therefore　your　shooting　will　be　far　straighter　and　truer；　and　even　a　blunt…headed　arrow　drawn　from　the　shoulder　will　hit　so　smart　a　blow　that　those　on　the　wall　will　have　difficulty　in　withstanding　them。〃

After　the　talk　was　ended　Walter　again　crossed　London　Bridge；　and　made　his　way　to　Ludgate；　where　he　found　his　late　antagonist；　whose　head　had　been　plastered　up；　and　was　little　the　worse　for　the　conflict。

〃There　is　no　ill…will　between　us；　I　hope；〃　Walter　said；　holding　out　his　hand。

〃None　in　the　world；〃　the　young　smith　said　frankly。　He　was　a　good…tempered…　looking　young　giant；　with　closely…cropped　hair；　light…blue　eyes；　and　a　pleasant　but　somewhat　heavy　face。

〃My　faith　but　what　a　blow　was　that　you　gave　me；　why；　one　would　think　that　your　muscles　were　made　of　steel。　I　thought　that　I　could　hit　a　good　downright　blow；　seeing　that　I　have　been　hammering　at　the　anvil　for　the　last　seven　years；　but　strike　as　I　would　I　could　not　beat　down　your　guard；　while　mine　went　down；　as　if　it　had　been　a　feather；　before　yours。　I　knew；　directly　that　I　had　struck　the　first　blow；　and　felt　how　firm　was　your　defence；　that　it　was　all　up　with　me；　knowing　that　in　point　of　skill　I　had　no　chance　whatever　with　you。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　that　you　bear　no　malice；　Ralph；〃　Walter　said；　〃and　hope　that　we　shall　be　great　friends　henceforth；　that　is；　if　you　will　take　me　as　such；　seeing　that　you　are　just　out　of　your　apprenticeship；　while　I　am　not　yet　half　through　mine。　But　I　have　come　to　talk　to　you　about　tomorrow。　Have　you　heard　that　there　is　to　be　a　mimic　siege？〃

〃I　have　heard　about　it；〃　Ralph　said。　〃The　city　is　talking　of　nothing　else。　The　news　was　published　at　the　end　of　the　sports。　It　will　be　rare　fun；　surely。〃

〃It　will　be　pretty　rough　fun；〃　Walter　replied；　〃and　I　should　not　be　much　surprised　if　some　lives　are　lost；　but　this　is　always　so　in　a　tournament；　and　if　knights　and　nobles　are　ready　to　be　killed；　we　apprentices　need　not　fear　to　hazard　our　lives。　But　now　as　to　tomorrow。　I；　as　the　winner　today；　am　to　be　the　leader　of　the　party；　and　you；　as　second；　will　of　course　be　captain　under　me。　Now　I　want　to　explain　to　you　exactly　what　I　propose　to　do；　and　to　arrange　with　you　as　to　your　share　in　the　business。〃

The　young　smith　listened　attentively　to　Walter's　explanation；　and；　when　he　had　done；　exclaimed　admiringly：　　〃Why；　Walter；　you　seem　to　be　made　for　a　general。　　How　did　it　all　come　to　you；　lad？　I　should　never　have　thought　of　such　a　scheme。〃

〃I　talked　it　over　with　my　master；〃　Walter　said；　〃and　the　idea　is　his　as　much　as　mine。　I　wonder　if　it　will　do。〃

〃It　is　sure　to　do；〃　the　smith　said　enthusiastically。　〃The　castle　is　as　good　as　taken。〃

The　next　day　all　London　poured　out　to　the　scene　of　the　sports；　and　the　greatest　admiration　and　wonder　were　expressed　at　the　castle；　which　had　risen；　as　if　by　magic；　in　the　night。　It　was　built　at　one　end　of　the　lists；　which　had　been　purposely　placed　in　a　hollow；　so　that　a　great　number　of　people　besides　those　in　the　pavilions　could　obtain　a　view　from　the　surrounding　slopes。　The　castle　was　substantially　built　of　heavy　timber　painted　gray；　and　looked　at　a　little　distance　as　if　constructed　of　stone。　A　flag　floated　from　the　central　tower；　and　the　building　looked　so　formidable　that　the　general　opinion　was　freely　expressed　that　the　task　of　the　assailants；　whoever　they　might　be　…　for　at　present　this　was　unknown　…　was　quite　impossible。　At　ten　o'clock　the　king　and　his　court　arrived。　　After　they　had　taken　their　places　the　two　bands；　headed　by　their　leaders；　advanced　from　the　lower　end　of　the　lists；　and　drew　up　in　front　of　the　royal　pavilion。　　The　leaders　took　their　places　in　front。　Behind　them　stood　ten　chosen　followers；　all　of　whom；　as　well　as　their　chiefs；　were　encased　in　full　armour。　　Behind；　on　one　side；　were　100　apprentices；　on　the　other　100　esquires；　all　attired　as　men…at…arms。　The　court　party　were　led　by　Clarence　Aylmer；　son　of　the　Earl　of　Pembroke。　His　companions　were　all　young　men　of　noble　family；　aspirants　for　the　order　of　knighthood。　They　were；　for　the　most　part；　somewhat　older　than　the　apprentices；　but　as　the　latter　consisted　chiefly　of　young　men　nearly　out　of　their　term　the　difference　was　not　great。　　Walter's　armour　was　a　suit　which　the　armourer　had　constructed　a　year　previously　for　a　young　knight　who　had　died　before　the　armour　could　be　delivered。　Walter　had　wondered　more　than　once　why　Geoffrey　did　not　endeavour　to　sell　it　elsewhere；　for；　although　not　so　decorated　and　inlaid　as　many　of　the　suits　of　Milan　armour；　it　was　constructed　of　the　finest　steel；　and　the　armourer　had　bestowed　special　care　upon　its　manufacture；　as　the　young　knight's　father　had　long　been　one　of　his　best　customers。　Early　that　morning　Geoffrey　had　brought　it　to　his　room　and　had　told　him　to　wear　it　instead　of　that　lent　by　the　city。

〃But　I　fear　it　will　get　injured；〃　Walter　had　urged。　〃I　shall　not　spare　myself；　you　know；　Geoffrey；　and　the　blows　will　be　hard　ones。

〃The　more　need　for　good　armour；　Walter。　These　city　suits　are　made　for　show　rather　than　use。　You　may　be　sure　that　young　Pembroke　and　his　band　will　fight　their　hardest　rather　than　suffer　defeat　at　the　hands　of　those　whom　they　consider　a　band　of　city　varlets。〃

Before　issuing　from　the　tent　where　he　and　his　companions　had　put　on　their　mail　Walter　carefully　fastened　in　the　front　of　his　helmet　a　tiny　gold　bracelet。　Upon　taking　their　places　before　the　pavilion　the　king　ordered　the　two　leaders　to　advance；　and　addressed　them　and　the　multitude　in　the　following　words：

〃Brave　leaders；　and　you；　my　people；　I　have　contrived　the　pastime　today　that　I　may　show　you　on　a　mimic　scale　the　deeds　which　my　brave　soldiers　are　called　upon　to　perform　in　France。　It　is　more　specially　suited　for　the　combatants　of　today；　since　one　party　have　had　but　small　opportunity　of　acquiring　skill　on　horseback。　　Moreover；　I　wish　to　teach　the　lesson　that　fighting　on　foot　is　as　honourable　as　fighting　on　horseback；　for　it　has　now　been　proved；　and　sometimes　to　our　cost；　in　Scotland；　that　footmen　can　repulse　even　the　bravest　chivalry。　Today　each　party　will　fight　his　best。　Remember　that；　even　in　the　heat　of　conflict；　matters　must　not　be　carried　to　an　extreme。　Those　cut　off　from　their　friends　will　be　accounted　prisoners