sir nigel-第22章

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themselves　but　leading　spare　horses　upon　which　the　heavier　part　of
their　knights'　equipment　was　carried。　　A　straggling　tail　of
falconers；　harbingers；　varlets；　body…servants　and　huntsmen　holding
hounds　in　leash　completed　the　long　and　many…colored　train　which
rose　and　dipped　on　the　low　undulations　of　the　moor。

Many　weighty　things　were　on　the　mind　of　Edward　the　King。　　There
was　truce　for　the　moment　with　France；　but　it　was　a　truce　broken　by
many　small　deeds　of　arms；　raids；　surprises　and　ambushes　upon
either　side；　and　it　was　certain　that　it　would　soon　dissolve　again
into　open　war。　　Money　must　be　raised；　and　it　was　no　light　matter
to　raise　it；　now　that　the　Commons　had　once　already　voted　the　tenth
lamb　and　the　tenth　sheaf。　　Besides；　the　Black　Death　had　ruined　the
country；　the　arable　land　was　all　turned　to　pasture；　the　laborer；
laughing　at　statutes；　would　not　work　under　fourpence　a　day；　and
all　society　was　chaos。　　In　addition；　the　Scotch　were　growling　over
the　border；　there　was　the　perennial　trouble　in　half…conquered
Ireland；　and　his　allies　abroad　in　Flanders　and　in　Brabant　were
clamoring　for　the　arrears　of　their　subsidies。

All　this　was　enough　to　make　even　a　victorious　monarch　full　of
care；　but　now　Edward　had　thrown　it　all　to　the　winds　and　was　as
light…hearted　as　a　boy　upon　a　holiday。　　No　thought　had　he　for　the
dunning　of　Florentine　bankers　or　the　vexatious　conditions　of　those
busybodies　at　Westminster。　　He　was　out　with　his　hawks；　and　his
thoughts　and　his　talk　should　be　of　nothing　else。　　The　varlets　beat
the　heather　and　bushes　as　they　passed；　and　whooped　loudly　as　the
birds　flew　out。

〃A　magpie！　　A　magpie！〃　cried　the　falconer。

〃Nay；　nay；　it　is　not　worthy　of　your　talons；　my　brown…eyed　queen；〃
said　the　King；　looking　up　at　the　great　bird　which　flapped　from
side　to　side　above　his　head；　waiting　for　the　whistle　which　should
give　her　the　signal。　　〃The　tercels；　falconer　…　a　cast　of　tercels！
Quick；　man；　quick！　　Ha！　　the　rascal　makes　for　wood！　　He　puts　in！
Well　flown；　brave　peregrine！　　He　makes　his　point。　　Drive　him　out
to　thy　comrade。　　Serve　him；　varlets！　　Beat　the　bushes！　　He　breaks！
He　breaks！　　Nay；　come　away　then！　　You　will　see　Master　Magpie　no
more。〃

The　bird　had　indeed；　with　the　cunning　of　its　race；　flapped　its　way
through　brushwood　and　bushes　to　the　thicker　woods　beyond；　so　that
neither　the　hawk　amid　the　cover　nor　its　partner　above　nor　the
clamorous　beaters　could　harm　it。　　The　King　laughed　at　the
mischance　and　rode　on。　　Continually　birds　of　various　sorts　were
flushed；　and　each　was　pursued　by　the　appropriate　hawk；　the　snipe
by　the　tercel；　the　partridge　by　the　goshawk；　even　the　lark　by　the
little　merlin。　　But　the　King　soon　tired　of　this　petty　sport　and
went　slowly　on　his　way；　still　with　the　magnificent　silent
attendant　flapping　above　his　head。

〃Is　she　not　a　noble　bird；　fair　son？〃　he　asked；　glancing　up　as　her
shadow　fell　upon　him。

〃She　is　indeed；　sire。　　Surely　no　finer　ever　came　from　the　isles　of
the　north。〃

〃Perhaps　not；　and　yet　I　have　had　a　hawk　from　Barbary　as　good　a
footer　and　a　swifter　flyer。　　An　Eastern　bird　in　yarak　has　no
peer。〃

〃I　had　one　once　from　the　Holy　Land；〃　said　de　Manny。　　〃It　was
fierce　and　keen　and　swift　as　the　Saracens　themselves。　　They　say　of
old　Saladin　that　in　his　day　his　breed　of　birds；　of　hounds　and　of
horses　had　no　equal　on　earth。〃

〃I　trust；　dear　father；　that　the　day　may　come　when　we　shall　lay　our
hands　on　all　three；〃　said　the　Prince；　looking　with　shining　eyes
upon　the　King。　　〃Is　the　Holy　Land　to　lie　forever　in　the　grasp　of
these　unbelieving　savages；　or　the　Holy　Temple　to　be　defiled　by
their　foul　presence？　　Ah！　　my　dear　and　most　sweet　lord；　give　to　me
a　thousand　lances　with　ten　thousand　bowmen　like　those　I　led　at
Crecy；　and　I　swear　to　you　by　God's　soul　that　within　a　year　I　will
have　done　homage　to　you　for　the　Kingdom　of　Jerusalem！〃

The　King　laughed　as　he　turned　to　Walter　Manny。　　〃Boys　will　still
be　boys；〃　said　he。

〃The　French　do　not　count　me　such！〃　cried　the　young　Prince；
flushing　with　anger。

〃Nay；　fair　son；　there　is　no　one　sets　you　at　a　higher　rate　than
your　father。　　But　you　have　the　nimble　mind　and　quick　fancy　of
youth；　turning　over　from　the　thing　that　is　half　done　to　a　further
task　beyond。　　How　would　we　fare　in　Brittany　and　Normandy　while　my
young　paladin　with　his　lances　and　his　bowmen　was　besieging　Ascalon
or　battering　at　Jerusalem？〃

〃Heaven　would　help　in　Heaven's　work。〃

〃From　what　I　have　heard　of　the　past；〃　said　the　King　dryly；　〃I
cannot　see　that　Heaven　has　counted　for　much　as　an　ally　in　these
wars　of　the　East。　　I　speak　with　reverence；　and　yet　it　is　but　sooth
to　say　that　Richard　of　the　Lion　Heart　or　Louis　of　France　might
have　found　the　smallest　earthly　principality　of　greater　service　to
him　than　all　the　celestial　hosts。　　How　say　you　to　that；　my　Lord
Bishop？〃

A　stout　churchman　who　had　ridden　behind　the　King　on　a　solid　bay
cob；　well…suited　to　his　weight　and　dignity；　jogged　up　to　the
monarch's　elbow。　　〃How　say　you；　sire？　　I　was　watching　the　goshawk
on　the　partridge　and　heard　you　not。〃

〃Had　I　said　that　I　would　add　two　manors　to　the　See　of　Chichester；
I　warrant　that　you　would　have　heard　me；　my　Lord　Bishop。〃

〃Nay；　fair　lord；　test　the　matter　by　saying　so；〃　cried　the　jovial
Bishop。

The　King　laughed　aloud。　　〃A　fair　counter；　your　reverence。　　By　the
rood！　　you　broke　your　lance　that　passage。　　But　the　question　I
debated　was　this：　How　is　it　that　since　the　Crusades　have
manifestly　been　fought　in　God's　quarrel；　we　Christians　have　had　so
little　comfort　or　support　in　fighting　them。　　After　all　our　efforts
and　the　loss　of　more　men　than　could　be　counted；　we　are　at　last
driven　from　the　country；　and　even　the　military　orders　which　were
formed　only　for　that　one　purpose　can　scarce　hold　a　footing　in　the
islands　of　the　Greek　sea。　　There　is　not　one　seaport　nor　one
fortress　in　Palestine　over　which　the　flag　of　the　Cross　still
waves。　　Where　then　was　our　ally？〃

〃Nay；　sire；　you　open　a　great　debate　which　extends　far　beyond　this
question　of　the　Holy　Land；　though　that　may　indeed　be　chosen　as　a
fair　example。　　It　is　the　question　of　all　sin；　of　all　suffering；　of
all　injustice　…　why　it　should　pass　without　the　rain　of　fire　and
the　lightnings　of　Sinai。　　The　wisdom　of　God　is　beyond　our
understanding。〃

The　King　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃This　is　an　easy　answer；　my　Lord
Bishop。　　You　are　a　prince　of　the　Church。　　It　would　fare　ill　with
an　earthly　prince　who　could　give　no　better　answer　to　the　affairs
which　concerned　his　realm。〃

〃There　are　other　considerations　which　might　be　urged；　most
gracious　sire。　　It　is　true　that　the　Crusades　were　a　holy
enterprise　which　might　well　expect　the　immediate　blessing　of　God；
but　the　Crusaders　…　is　it　certain　that　they　deserved　such　a
blessing？　　Have　I　not　heard　that　their　camp　was　the　most　dissolute
ever　seen？〃

〃Camps　are　camps　all　the　world　over；　and　you　cannot　in　a　moment
change　a　bowman　into　a　saint。　　But　the　holy　Louis　was　a　crusader
after　your　own　heart。　　Yet　his　men　perished　at　Mansurah　and　he
himself　at　Tunis。〃

〃Bethink　you　also　that　this　world　is　but　the　antechamber　of　the
next；〃　said　the　prelate。　　〃By　suffering　and　tribulation　the　soul
is　cleansed；　and　the　true　victor　may　be　he　who　by　the　patient
endurance　of　misfortune　merits　the　happiness　to　come。〃

〃If　that　be　the　true　meaning　of　the　Church's　blessing；　then　I　hope
that　it　will　be　long　before　it　rests　upon　our　banners　in　France；〃
said　the　King。　　〃But　methinks　that　when　one　is　out　with　a　brave
horse　and　a　good　hawk　one　might　find　some　other　subject　than
theology。　　Back　to　the　birds；　Bishop；　or　Raoul　the　falconer　will
come　to　interrupt　thee　in　thy　cathedral。〃

Straightway　the　conversation　came　back　to　the　mystery　of　the　woods
and　the　mystery　of　the　rivers；　to　the　dark…eyed　hawks　and　the
yellow…eyed；　to　hawks　of　the　lure　and　hawks　of　the　fist。　　The
Bishop　was　as　steeped　in　the　lore　of　falconry　as　the　King；　and　the
others　smiled　as　the　two　wrangled　hard　over　disputed　and　technical
questions：　if　an　eyas　trained　in　the　mews　can　ever　emulate　the
passage　hawk　taken　wild；　or　how　long　the　young　hawks　should　be
placed　at　hack；　and　how　long　weathered　before　they　are　fully
reclaimed。

Monarch　and　prel