sir nigel-第21章

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a　young　knight　will　be　in　the　fashion　like　any　dame　of　the　court；
and　so　it　must　be　plate　now；　even　though　the　price　be　trebled。〃

〃Your　rede　is　that　the　mail　is　as　good？〃

〃I　am　well　sure　of　it。〃

〃Hearken　then；　armorer！　　I　cannot　at　this　moment　buy　a　suit　of
plate；　and　yet　I　sorely　need　steel　harness　on　account　of　a　small
deed　which　it　is　in　my　mind　to　do。　　Now　I　have　at　my　home　at
Tilford　that　very　suit　of　mail　of　which　you　speak；　with　which　my
father　first　rode　to　the　wars。　　Could　you　not　so　alter　it　that　it
should　guard　my　limbs　also？〃

The　armorer　looked　at　Nigel's　small　upright　figure　and　burst　out
laughing。　　〃You　jest；　Squire　Loring！　　The　suit　was　made　for　one
who　was　far　above　the　common　stature　of　man。〃

〃Nay；　I　jest　not。　　If　it　will　but　carry　me　through　one　spear…
running　it　will　have　served　its　purpose。〃

The　armorer　leaned　back　on　his　anvil　and　pondered　while　Nigel
stared　anxiously　at　his　sooty　face。

〃Right　gladly　would　I　lend　you　a　suit　of　plate　for　this　one
venture；　Squire　Loring；　but　I　know　well　that　if　you　should　be
overthrown　your　harness　becomes　prize　to　the　victor。　　I　am　a　poor
man　with　many　children；　and　I　dare　not　risk　the　loss　of　it。　　But
as　to　what　you　say　of　the　old　suit　of　mail；　is　it　indeed　in　good
condition？〃

〃Most　excellent；　save　only　at　the　neck；　which　is　much　frayed。〃

〃To　shorten　the　limbs　is　easy。　　It　is　but　to　cut　out　a　length　of
the　mail　and　then　loop　up　the　links。　　But　to　shorten　the　body…nay；
that　is　beyond　the　armorer's　art。〃

〃It　was　my　last　hope。　　Nay；　good　armorer；　if　you　have　indeed
served　and　loved　my　gallant　father；　then　I　beg　you　by　his　memory
that　you　will　help　me　now。〃

The　armorer　threw　down　his　heavy　hammer　with　a　crash　upon　the
floor。　　〃It　is　not　only　that　I　loved　your　father；　Squire　Loring；
but　it　is　that　I　have　seen　you；　half　armed　as　you　were；　ride
against　the　best　of　them　at　the　Castle　tiltyard。　　Last　Martinmas
my　heart　bled　for　you　when　I　saw　how　sorry　was　your　harness；　and
yet　you　held　your　own　against　the　stout　Sir　Oliver　with　his　Milan
suit：　When　go　you　to　Tilford？〃

〃Even　now。〃

〃Heh；　Jenkin；　fetch　out　the　cob！〃　cried　the　worthy　Wat。　　〃May　my
right　hand　lose　its　cunning　if　I　do　not　send　you　into　battle　in
your　father's　suit！　　To…morrow　I　must　be　back　in　my　booth；　but
today　I　give　to　you　without　fee　and　for　the　sake　of　the　good…will
which　I　bear　to　your　house。　　I　will　ride　with　you　to　Tilford；　and
before　night　you　shall　see　what　Wat　can　do。〃

So　it　came　about　that　there　was　a　busy　evening　at　the　old　Tilford
Manor…house；　where　the　Lady　Ermyntrude　planned　and　cut　and　hung
the　curtains　for　the　hall；　and　stocked　her　cupboards　with　the　good
things　which　Nigel　had　brought　from　Guildford。

Meanwhile　the　Squire　and　the　armorer　sat　with　their　heads　touching
and　the　old　suit　of　mail　with　its　gorget　of　overlapping　plates
laid　out　across　their　knees。　　Again　and　again　old　Wat　shrugged　his
shoulders；　as　one　who　has　been　asked　to　do　more　than　can　be
demanded　from　mortal　man。　　At　last；　at　a　suggestion　from　the
Squire；　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　laughed　long　and　loudly　in
his　bushy　beard；　while　the　Lady　Ermyntrude　glared　her　black
displeasure　at　such　plebeian　merriment。　　Then　taking　his　fine
chisel　and　his　hammer　from　his　pouch　of　tools；　the　armorer；　still
chuckling　at　his　own　thoughts；　began　to　drive　a　hole　through　the
center　of　the　steel　tunic。




VIII。　　HOW　THE　KING　HAWKED　ON　CROOKSBURY　HEATH


The　King　and　his　attendants　had　shaken　off　the　crowd　who　had
followed　them　from　Guildford　along　the　Pilgrims'　Way　and　now；　the
mounted　archers　having　beaten　off　the　more　persistent　of　the
spectators；　they　rode　at　their　ease　in　a　long；　straggling；
glittering　train　over　the　dark　undulating　plain　of　heather。

In　the　van　was　the　King　himself；　for　his　hawks　were　with　him　and
he　had　some　hope　of　sport。　　Edward　at　that　time　was　a　well…grown；
vigorous　man　in　the　very　prime　of　his　years；　a　keen　sportsman；　an
ardent　gallant　and　a　chivalrous　soldier。　　He　was　a　scholar　too；
speaking　Latin；　French；　German；　Spanish；　and　even　a　little
English。

So　much　had　long　been　patent　to　the　world；　but　only　of　recent
years　had　he　shown　other　and　more　formidable　characteristics：　a
restless　ambition　which　coveted　his　neighbor's　throne；　and　a　wise
foresight　in　matters　of　commerce；　which　engaged　him　now　in
transplanting　Flemish　weavers　and　sowing　the　seeds　of　what　for
many　years　was　the　staple　trade　of　England。　　Each　of　these　varied
qualities　might　have　been　read　upon　his　face。　　The　brow；　shaded　by
a　crimson　cap　of　maintenance；　was　broad　and　lofty。　　The　large
brown　eyes　were　ardent　and　bold。　　His　chin　was　clean…shaven；　and
the　close…cropped　dark　mustache　did　not　conceal　the　strong　mouth；
firm；　proud　and　kindly；　but　capable　of　setting　tight　in　merciless
ferocity。　　His　complexion　was　tanned　to　copper　by　a　life　spent　in
field　sports　or　in　war；　and　he　rode　his　magnificent　black　horse
carelessly　and　easily；　as　one　who　has　grown　up　in　the　saddle。　　His
own　color　was　black　also；　for　his　active；　sinewy　figure　was　set
off　by　close…fitting　velvet　of　that　hue；　broken　only　by　a　belt　of
gold；　and　by　a　golden　border　of　open　pods　of　the　broom…plant。

With　his　high　and　noble　bearing；　his　simple　yet　rich　attire　and
his　splendid　mount；　he　looked　every　inch　a　King。

The　picture　of　gallant　man　on　gallant　horse　was　completed　by　the
noble　Falcon　of　the　Isles　which　fluttered　along　some　twelve　feet
above　his　head；　〃waiting　on；〃　as　it　was　termed；　for　any　quarry
which　might　arise。　　The　second　bird　of　the　cast　was　borne　upon　the
gauntleted　wrist　of　Raoul　the　chief　falconer　in　the　rear。

At　the　right　side　of　the　monarch　and　a　little　behind　him　rode　a
youth　some　twenty　years　of　age；　tall；　slim　and　dark；　with　noble
aquiline　features　and　keen　penetrating　eyes　which　sparkled　with
vivacity　and　affection　as　he　answered　the　remarks　of　the　King。　　He
was　clad　in　deep　crimson　diapered　with　gold；　and　the　trappings　of
his　white　palfrey　were　of　a　magnificence　which　proclaimed　the　rank
of　its　rider。　　On　his　face；　still　free　from　mustache　or　beard；
there　sat　a　certain　gravity　and　majesty　of　expression　which　showed
that　young　as　he　was　great　affairs　had　been　in　his　keeping　and
that　his　thoughts　and　interests　were　those　of　the　statesman　and
the　warrior。　　That　great　day　when；　little　more　than　a　school…boy；
he　had　led　the　van　of　the　victorious　army　which　had　crushed　the
power　of　France　and　Crecy；　had　left　this　stamp　upon　his　features；
but　stern　as　they　were　they　had　not　assumed　that　tinge　of
fierceness　which　in　after　years　was　to　make　〃The　Black　Prince〃　a
name　of　terror　on　the　marches　of　France。　　Not　yet　had　the　first
shadow　of　fell　disease　come　to　poison　his　nature　ere　it　struck　at
his　life；　as　he　rode　that　spring　day；　light　and　debonair；　upon　the
heath　of　Crooksbury。

On　the　left　of　the　King；　and　so　near　to　him　that　great　intimacy
was　implied；　rode　a　man　about　his　own　age；　with　the　broad　face；
the　projecting　jaw　and　the　flattish　nose　which　are　often　the
outward　indications　of　a　pugnacious　nature。

His　complexion　was　crimson；　his　large　blue　eyes　somewhat
prominent；　and　his　whole　appearance　full…blooded　and　choleric。　　He
was　short；　but　massively　built；　and　evidently　possessed　of　immense
strength。　　His　voice；　however；　when　he　spoke　was　gentle　and
lisping；　while　his　manner　was　quiet　and　courteous。　　Unlike　the
King　or　the　Prince；　he　was　clad　in　light　armor　and　carried　a　sword
by　his　side　and　a　mace　at　his　saddle…bow；　for　he　was　acting　as
Captain　of　the　King's　Guard；　and　a　dozen　other　knights　in　steel
followed　in　the　escort。　　No　hardier　soldier　could　Edward　have　at
his　side；　if；　as　was　always　possible　in　those　lawless　times；
sudden　danger　was　to　threaten；　for　this　was　the　famous　knight　of
Hainault；　now　naturalized　as　an　Englishman；　Sir　Walter　Manny；　who
bore　as　high　a　reputation　for　chivalrous　valor　and　for　gallant
temerity　as　Chandos　himself。

Behind　the　knights；　who　were　forbidden　to　scatter　and　must　always
follow　the　King's　person；　there　was　a　body　of　twenty　or　thirty
hobblers　or　mounted　bowmen；　together　with　several　squires；　unarmed
themselves　but　leading　spare　horses　upon　which　the　heavier　part　of
their　knig