sir nigel-第17章

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three　champions　have　fallen　before　your　lance。　　Was　it　not　so？〃

〃That　it　was　indeed　so　these　scars　upon　my　body　will　prove；　but
these　were　the　follies　of　my　youth。〃

〃How　can　you　call　them　follies？　　Are　they　not　the　means　by　which
honorable　advancement　may　be　gained　and　one's　lady　exalted？〃

〃It　is　right　that　you　should　think　so；　Nigel。　　At　your　age　a　man
should　have　a　hot　head　and　a　high　heart。　　I　also　had　both　and
fought　for　my　lady's　glove　or　for　my　vow　or　for　the　love　of
fighting。　　But　as　one　grows　older　and　commands　men　one　has　other
things　to　think　of。　　One　thinks　less　of　one's　own　honor　and　more
of　the　safety　of　the　army。　　It　is　not　your　own　spear；　your　own
sword；　your　own　arm；　which　will　turn　the　tide　of　fight；　but　a　cool
head　may　save　a　stricken　field。　　He　who　knows　when　his　horsemen
should　charge　and　when　they　should　fight　on　foot；　he　who　can　mix
his　archers　with　his　men…at…arms　in　such　a　fashion　that　each　can
support　the　other；　he　who　can　hold　up　his　reserve　and　pour　it　into
the　battle　when　it　may　turn　the　tide；　he　who　has　a　quick　eye　for
boggy　land　and　broken　ground　…　that　is　the　man　who　is　of　more
worth　to　an　army　than　Roland；　Oliver　and　all　the　paladins。〃

〃Yet　if　his　knights　fail　him；　honored　sir；　all　his　head…work　will
not　prevail。〃

〃True　enough；　Nigel；　so　may　every　Squire　ride　to　the　wars　with　his
soul　on　fire；　as　yours　is　now。　　But　I　must　linger　no　longer；　for
the　King's　service　must　be　done。　　I　will　dress；　and　when　I　have
bid　farewell　to　the　noble　Dame　Ermyntrude　I　will　on　to　Farnham；
but　you　will　see　me　here　again　on　the　day　that　the　King　comes。〃

So　Chandos　went　his　way　that　evening；　walking　his　horse　through
the　peaceful　lanes　and　twanging　his　citole　as　he　went；　for　he
loved　music　and　was　famous　for　his　merry　songs。　　The　cottagers
came　from　their　huts　and　laughed　and　clapped　as　the　rich　full
voice　swelled　and　sank　to　the　cheery　tinkling　of　the　strings。
There　were　few　who　saw　him　pass　that　would　have　guessed　that　the
quaint　one…eyed　man　with　the　yellow　hair　was　the　toughest　fighter
and　craftiest　man　of　war　in　Europe。　　Once　only；　as　he　entered
Farnham；　an　old　broken　man…at…arms　ran　out　in　his　rags　and
clutched　at　his　horse　as　a　dog　gambols　round　his　master。　　Chandos
threw　him　a　kind　word　and　a　gold　coin　as　he　passed　on　to　the
castle。

In　the　meanwhile　young　Nigel　and　the　Lady　Ermyntrude；　left　alone
with　their　difficulties；　looked　blankly　in　each　other's　faces。

〃The　cellar　is　well　nigh　empty；〃　said　Nigel。　　〃There　are　two
firkins　of　small　beer　and　a　tun　of　canary。　　How　can　we　set　such
drink　before　the　King　and　his　court？〃

〃We　must　have　some　wine　of　Bordeaux。　　With　that　and　the　mottled
cow's　calf　and　the　fowls　and　a　goose；　we　can　set　forth　a
sufficient　repast　if　he　stays　only　for　the　one　night。　　How　many
will　be　with　him？〃

〃A　dozen；　at　the　least。〃

The　old　dame　wrung　her　hands　in　despair。　　〃Nay；　take　it　not　to
heart；　dear　lady！〃　said　Nigel。　　〃We　have　but　to　say　the　word　and
the　King　would　stop　at　Waverley；　where　he　and　his　court　would　find
all　that　they　could　wish。〃

〃Never！〃　cried　the　Lady　Ermyntrude。　　〃It　would　be　shame　and
disgrace　to　us　forever　if　the　King　were　to　pass　our　door　when　he
has　graciously　said　that　he　was　fain　to　enter　in。　　Nay；　I　will　do
it。　　Never　did　I　think　that　I　would　be　forced　to　this；　but　I　know
that　he　would　wish　it；　and　I　will　do　it。〃

She　went　to　the　old　iron　coffer；　and　taking　a　small　key　from　her
girdle　she　unlocked　it。　　The　rusty　hinges；　screaming　shrilly　as
she　threw　back　the　lid；　proclaimed　how　seldom　it　was　that　she　had
penetrated　into　the　sacred　recesses　of　her　treasure…chest。　　At　the
top　were　some　relics　of　old　finery：　a　silken　cloak　spangled　with
golden　stars；　a　coif　of　silver　filigree；　a　roll　of　Venetian　lace。
Beneath　were　little　packets　tied　in　silk　which　the　old　lady
handled　with　tender　care：　a　man's　hunting…glove；　a　child's　shoe；　a
love…knot　done　in　faded　green　ribbon；　some　letters　in　rude　rough
script；　and　a　vernicle　of　Saint　Thomas。　　Then　from　the　very　bottom
of　the　box　she　drew　three　objects；　swathed　in　silken　cloth；　which
she　uncovered　and　laid　upon　the　table。　　The　one　was　a　bracelet　of
rough　gold　studded　with　uncut　rubies；　the　second　was　a　gold
salver；　and　the　third　was　a　high　goblet　of　the　same　metal。

〃You　have　heard　me　speak　of　these；　Nigel；　but　never　before　have
you　seen　them；　for　indeed　I　have　not　opened　the　hutch　for　fear
that　we　might　be　tempted　in　our　great　need　to　turn　them　into
money。　　I　have　kept　them　out　of　my　sight　and　even　out　of　my
thoughts。　　But　now　it　is　the　honor　of　the　house　which　calls；　and
even　these　must　go。　　This　goblet　was　that　which　my　husband；　Sir
Nele　Loring；　won　after　the　intaking　of　Belgrade　when　he　and　his
comrades　held　the　lists　from　matins　to　vespers　against　the　flower
of　the　French　chivalry。　　The　salver　was　given　him　by　the　Earl　of
Pembroke　in　memory　of　his　valor　upon　the　field　of　Falkirk。〃

〃And　the　bracelet；　dear　lady？〃

〃You　will　not　laugh；　Nigel？〃

〃Nay；　why　should　I　laugh？〃

〃The　bracelet　was　the　prize　for　the　Queen　of　Beauty　which　was
given　to　me　before　all　the　high…born　ladies　of　England　by　Sir　Nele
Loring　a　month　before　our　marriage　…　the　Queen　of　Beauty；　Nigel　…
I；　old　and　twisted；　as　you　see　me。　　Five　strong　men　went　down
before　his　lance　ere　he　won　that　trinket　for　me。　　And　now　in　my
last　years　…　〃

〃　Nay；　dear　and　honored　lady；　we　will　not　part　with　it。〃

〃Yes；　Nigel；　he　would　have　it　so。　　I　can　hear　his　whisper　in　my
ear。　　Honor　to　him　was　everything　…　the　rest　nothing。　　Take　it
from　me；　Nigel；　ere　my　heart　weakens。　　Tomorrow　you　will　ride　with
it　to　Guildford；　you　will　see　Thorold　the　goldsmith；　and　you　will
raise　enough　money　to　pay　for　all　that　we　shall　need　for　the
King's　coming。〃　　She　turned　her　face　away　to　hide　the　quivering　of
her　wrinkled　features；　and　the　crash　of　the　iron　lid　covered　the
sob　which　burst　from　her　overwrought　soul。




VII。　　HOW　NIGEL　WENT　MARKETING　TO　GUILDFORD


It　was　on　a　bright　June　morning　that　young　Nigel；　with　youth　and
springtime　to　make　his　heart　light；　rode　upon　his　errand　from
Tilford　to　Guildford　town。　　Beneath　him　was　his　great　yellow
warhorse；　caracoling　and　curveting　as　be　went；　as　blithe　and　free
of　spirit　as　his　master。　　In　all　England　one　would　scarce　have
found　upon　that　morning　so　high…mettled　and　so　debonair　a　pair。
The　sandy　road　wound　through　groves　of　fir；　where　the　breeze　came
soft　and　fragrant　with　resinous　gums；　or　over　heathery　downs；
which　rolled　away　to　north　and　to　south；　vast　and　untenanted；　for
on　the　uplands　the　soil　was　poor　and　water　scarce。　　Over
Crooksbury　Common　he　passed；　and　then　across　the　great　Heath　of
Puttenham；　following　a　sandy　path　which　wound　amid　the　bracken　and
the　heather；　for　he　meant　to　strike　the　Pilgrims'　Way　where　it
turned　eastward　from　Farnham　and　from　Seale。　　As　he　rode　he
continually　felt　his　saddle…bag　with　his　hand；　for　in　it；　securely
strapped；　he　had　placed　the　precious　treasures　of　the　Lady
Ermyntrude。　　As　he　saw　the　grand　tawny　neck　tossing　before　him；
and　felt　the　easy　heave　of　the　great　horse　and　heard　the　muffled
drumming　of　his　hoofs；　he　could　have　sung　and　shouted　with　the　joy
of　living。

Behind　him；　upon　the　little　brown　pony　which　had　been　Nigel's
former　mount；　rode　Samkin　Aylward　the　bowman；　who　had　taken　upon
himself　the　duties　of　personal　attendant　and　body…guard。　　His
great　shoulders　and　breadth　of　frame　seemed　dangerously　top…heavy
upon　the　tiny　steed；　but　he　ambled　along；　whistling　a　merry　lilt
and　as　lighthearted　as　his　master。　　There　was　no　countryman　who
had　not　a　nod　and　no　woman　who　had　not　a　smile　for　the　jovial
bowman；　who　rode　for　the　most　part　with　his　face　over　his
shoulder；　staring　at　the　last　petticoat　which　had　passed　him。
Once　only　he　met　with　a　harsher　greeting。　　It　was　from　a　tall；
white…headed；　red…faced　man　whom　they　met　upon　the　moor。

〃Good…morrow；　dear　father！〃　cried　Aylward。　　〃How　is　it　with　you　at
Crooksbury？　　And　how　are　the　new　black　cow　and　the　ewes　from　Alton
and　Mary　the　dairymaid　and　all　your　gear？〃

〃It　ill　becomes　you　to　ask；　you　ne'er…do…weel；〃　said　the　old　man。
〃You　have　angered　the　monks　of　Waverley；　whose　tenant　I　am；　and