sir nigel-第23章
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placed at hack； and how long weathered before they are fully
reclaimed。
Monarch and prelate were still deep in this learned discussion；
the Bishop speaking with a freedom and assurance which he would
never have dared to use in affairs of Church and State； for in all
ages there is no such leveler as sport。 Suddenly； however； the
Prince； whose keen eyes had swept from time to time over the great
blue heaven； uttered a peculiar call and reined up his palfrey；
pointing at the same time into the air。
〃A heron！〃 he cried。 〃A heron on passage！〃
To gain the full sport of hawking a heron must not be put up from
its feeding…ground； where it is heavy with its meal； and has no
time to get its pace on before it is pounced upon by the more
active hawk； but it must be aloft； traveling from point to point；
probably from the fish…stream to the heronry。 Thus to catch the
bird on passage was the prelude of all good sport。 The object to
which the Prince had pointed was but a black dot in the southern
sky； but his strained eyes had not deceived him； and both Bishop
and King agreed that it was indeed a heron； which grew larger
every instant as it flew in their direction。
〃Whistle him off； sire！ Whistle off the gerfalcon！〃 cried the
Bishop。
〃Nay； nay； he is overfar。 She would fly at check。〃
〃Now； sire； now！〃 cried the Prince； as the great bird with the
breeze behind him came sweeping down the sky。
The King gave the shrill whistle； and the well…trained hawk raked
out to the right and to the left to make sure which quarry she was
to follow。 Then； spying the heron； she shot up in a swift
ascending curve to meet him。
〃Well flown； Margot！ Good bird！〃 cried the King； clapping his
hands to encourage the hawk； while the falconers broke into the
shrill whoop peculiar to the sport。
Going on her curve； the hawk would soon have crossed the path of
the heron； but the latter； seeing the danger in his front and
confident in his own great strength of wing and lightness of body；
proceeded to mount higher in the air； flying in such small rings
that to the spectators it almost seemed as if the bird was going
perpendicularly upward。
〃He takes the air！〃 cried the King。 〃But strong as he flies； he
cannot out fly Margot。 Bishop； I lay you ten gold pieces to one
that the heron is mine。〃
〃I cover your wager； sire；〃 said the Bishop。 〃I may not take gold
so won； and yet I warrant that there is an altar…cloth somewhere
in need of repairs。〃
〃You have good store of altar…cloths； Bishop； if all the gold I
have seen you win at tables goes to the mending of them；〃 said the
King。 〃Ah！ by the rood； rascal； rascal！ See how she flies at
check！〃
The quick eyes of the Bishop had perceived a drift of rooks when
on their evening flight to the rookery were passing along the very
line which divided the hawk from the heron。 A rook is a hard
temptation for a hawk to resist。 In an instant the inconstant
bird had forgotten all about the great heron above her and was
circling over the rooks； flying westward with them as she singled
out the plumpest for her stoop。
〃There is yet time； sire！ Shall I cast off her mate？〃 cried the
falconer。
〃Or shall I show you； sire； how a peregrine may win where a
gerfalcon fails？〃 said the Bishop。 〃Ten golden pieces to one upon
my bird。〃
〃Done with you； Bishop！〃 cried the King； his brow dark with
vexation。 〃By the rood！ if you were as learned in the fathers as
you are in hawks you would win to the throne of Saint Peter！ Cast
off your peregrine and make your boasting good。〃
Smaller than the royal gerfalcon； the Bishop's bird was none the
less a swift and beautiful creature。 From her perch upon his
wrist she had watched with fierce； keen eyes the birds in the
heaven； mantling herself from time to time in her eagerness。 Now
when the button was undone and the leash uncast the peregrine
dashed off with a whir of her sharp…pointed wings； whizzing round
in a great ascending circle which mounted swiftly upward； growing
ever smaller as she approached that lofty point where； a mere
speck in the sky； the heron sought escape from its enemies。 Still
higher and higher the two birds mounted； while the horsemen； their
faces upturned； strained their eyes in their efforts to follow
them。
〃She rings！ She still rings！〃 cried the Bishop。 〃She is above
him！ She has gained her pitch。〃
〃Nay； nay； she is far below；〃 said the King。
〃By my soul； my Lord Bishop is right！〃 cried the Prince。 〃I
believe she is above。 See！ See！ She swoops！〃
〃She binds！ She binds！〃 cried a dozen voices as the two dots
blended suddenly into one。
There could be no doubt that they were falling rapidly； Already
they grew larger to the eye。 Presently the heron disengaged
himself and flapped heavily away； the worse for； that deadly
embrace； while the peregrine； shaking her； plumage； ringed once
more so as to get high above the quarry and deal it a second and
more fatal blow。 The Bishop smiled； for nothing； as it seemed；
could hinder his victory。
〃Thy gold pieces shall be well spent； sire；〃 said he。 〃What is
lost to the Church is gained by the loser。〃
But a most unlooked…for chance deprived the Bishop's altar cloth
of its costly mending。 The King's gerfalcon having struck down a
rook； and finding the sport but tame； bethought herself suddenly
of that noble heron； which she still perceived fluttering over
Crooksbury Heath。 How could she have been so weak as to allow
these silly； chattering rooks to entice her away from that lordly
bird？ Even now it was not too late to atone for her mistake。 In
a great spiral she shot upward until she was over the heron。 But
what was this？ Every fiber of her； from her crest to her deck
feathers； quivered with jealousy and rage at the sight of this
creature； a mere peregrine； who had dared to come between a royal
gerfalcon and her quarry。 With one sweep of her great wings she
shot up until she was above her rival。 The next instant …
〃They crab！ They crab！〃 cried the King； with a roar of laughter；
following them with his eyes as they bustled down through the air。
〃Mend thy own altar…cloths； Bishop。 Not a groat shall you have
from me this journey。 Pull them apart； falconer； lest they do
each other an injury。 And now； masters； let us on； for the sun
sinks toward the west。〃
The two hawks； which had come to the ground interlocked with
clutching talons and ruffled plumes； were torn apart and brought
back bleeding and panting to their perches； while the heron after
its perilous adventure flapped its way heavily onward to settle
safely in the heronry of Waverley。 The cortege； who had scattered
in the excitement of the chase； came together again； and the
journey was once more resumed。
A horseman who had been riding toward them across the moor now
quickened his pace and closed swiftly upon them。 As he came
nearer； the King and the Prince cried out joyously and waved their
hands in greeting。
〃It is good John Chandos！！〃 cried the King。 〃By the rood； John； I
have missed your merry songs this week or more！ Glad I am to see
that you have your citole slung to your back。 Whence come you
then？〃
〃I come from Tilford； sire； in the hope that I should meet your
majesty。〃
〃It was well thought of。 Come； ride here between the Prince and
me； and we will believe that we are back in France with our war
harness on our backs once more。 What is your news； Master John？〃
Chandos' quaint face quivered with suppressed amusement and his
one eye twinkled like a star。 〃Have you had sport； my liege？〃
〃Poor sport； John。 We flew two hawks on the same heron。 They
crabbed； and the bird got free。 But why do you smile so？〃
〃Because I hope to show you better sport ere you come to Tilford。〃
〃For the hawk？ For the hound？〃
〃A nobler sport than either。〃
〃Is this a riddle； John？ What mean you？〃
〃Nay； to tell all would be to spoil all。 I say again that there
is rare sport betwixt here and Tilford； and I beg you； dear lord；
to mend your pace that we make the most of the daylight。〃
Thus adjured； the King set spurs to his horse； and the whole
cavalcade cantered over the heath in
