sir nigel-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Thus　adjured；　the　King　set　spurs　to　his　horse；　and　the　whole
cavalcade　cantered　over　the　heath　in　the　direction　which　Chandos
showed。　　Presently　as　they　came　over　a　slope　they　saw　beneath　them
a　winding　river　with　an　old　high…backed　bridge　across　it。　　On　the
farther　side　was　a　village　green　with　a　fringe　of　cottages　and　one
dark　manor　house　upon　the　side　of　the　hill。

〃This　is　Tilford；　〃　said　Chandos。　　〃Yonder　is　the　house　of　the
Lorings。〃

The　King's　expectations　had　been　aroused　and　his　face　showed　his
disappointment。

〃Is　this　the　sport　that　you　have　promised　us；　Sir　John？　　How　can
you　make　good　your　words？〃

〃I　will　make　them　good；　my　liege。〃

〃Where　then　is　the　sport？〃

〃On　the　high　crown　of　the　bridge　a　rider　in　armor　was　seated；
lance　in　hand；　upon　a　great　yellow　steed。　　Chandos　touched　the
King's　arm　and　pointed。　　〃　That　is　the　sport；〃　said　he。




IX。　　HOW　NIGEL　HELD　THE　BRIDGE　AT　TILFORD


The　King　looked　at　the　motionless　figure；　at　the　little　crowd　of
hushed　expectant　rustics　beyond　the　bridge；　and　finally　at　the
face　of　Chandos；　which　shone　with　amusement。

〃What　is　this；　John？〃　he　asked。

〃You　remember　Sir　Eustace　Loring；　sire？〃

〃Indeed　I　could　never　forget　him　nor　the　manner　of　his　death。〃

〃He　was　a　knight　errant　in　his　day。〃

〃That　indeed　he　was　…　none　better　have　I　known。〃

〃So　is　his　son　Nigel；　as　fierce　a　young　war…hawk　as　ever　yearned
to　use　beak　and　claws；　but　held　fast　in　the　mews　up　to　now。　　This
is　his　trial　fight。　　There　he　stands　at　the　bridge…head；　as　was
the　wont　in　our　fathers'　time；　ready　to　measure　himself　against
all　comers。〃

Of　all　Englishmen　there　was　no　greater　knight　errant　than　the　King
himself；　and　none　so　steeped　in　every　quaint　usage　of　chivalry；　so
that　the　situation　was　after　his　own　heart。

〃He　is　not　yet　a　knight？〃

〃No；　sire；　only　a　Squire。〃

〃Then　he　must　bear　himself　bravely　this　day　if　he　is　to　make　good
what　he　has　done。　　Is　it　fitting　that　a　young　untried　Squire
should　venture　to　couch　his　lance　against　the　best　in　England？〃

〃He　bath　given　me　his　cartel　and　challenge；〃　said　Chandos；　drawing
a　paper　from　his　tunic。　　〃Have　I　your　permission；　sire；　to　issue
it？〃

〃Surely；　John；　we　have　no　cavalier　more　versed　in　the　laws　of
chivalry　than　yourself。　　You　know　this　young　man；　and　you　are
aware　how　far　he　is　worthy　of　the　high　honor　which　he　asks。　　Let
us　hear　his　defiance；〃

The　knights　and　squires　of　the　escort；　most　of　whom　were　veterans
of　the　French　war；　had　been　gazing　with　interest　and　some　surprise
at　the　steel…clad　figure　in　front　of　them。　　Now　at　a　call　from　Sir
Walter　Manny　they　assembled　round　the　spot　where　the　King　and
Chandos　had　halted。　　Chandos　cleared　his　throat　and　read　from　his
paper

〃‘A　tous　seigneurs；　chevaliers　et　escuyers；'　so　it　is　headed；
gentlemen。　　It　is　a　message　from　the　good　Squire　Nigel　Loring　of
Tilford；　son　of　Sir　Eustace　Loring；　of　honorable　memory。　　Squire
Loring　awaits　you　in　arms；　gentlemen；　yonder　upon　the　crown　of　the
old　bridge。　　Thus　says　he：　‘For　the　great　desire　that　I；　a　most
humble　and　unworthy　Squire；　entertain；　that　I　may　come　to　the
knowledge　of　the　noble　gentlemen　who　ride　with　my　royal　master；　I
now　wait　on　the　Bridge　of　the　Way　in　the　hope　that　some　of　them
may　condescend　to　do　some　small　deed　of　arms　upon　me；　or　that　I
may　deliver　them　from　any　vow　which　they　may　have　taken。　　This　I
say　out　of　no　esteem　for　myself；　but　solely　that　I　may　witness　the
noble　bearing　of　these　famous　cavaliers　and　admire　their　skill　in
the　handling　of　arms。　　Therefore；　with　the　help　of　Saint　George；　I
will　hold　the　bridge　with　sharpened　lances　against　any　or　all　who
may　deign　to　present　themselves　while　daylight　lasts。〃

〃What　say　you　to　this；　gentlemen？〃　asked　the　King；　looking　round
with　laughing　eyes。

〃Truly　it　is　issued　in　very　good　form；〃　said　the　Prince。　　〃Neither
Claricieux　nor　Red　Dragon　nor　any　herald　that　ever　wore　tabard
could　better　it。　　Did　he　draw　it　of　his　own　hand？〃

〃He　hath　a　grim　old　grandmother　who　is　one　of　the　ancient　breed；〃
said　Chandos。　　〃I　doubt　not　that　the　Dame　Ermyntrude　hath　drawn　a
challenge　or　two　before　now。　　But　hark　ye；　sire；　I　would　have　a
word　in　your　ear　…　and　yours　too；　most　noble　Prince。〃

Leading　them　aside；　Chandos　whispered　some　explanations；　which
ended　by　them　all　three　bursting　into　a　shout　of　laughter。

〃By　the　rood！　no　honorable　gentleman　should　be　reduced　to　such
straits；〃　said　the　King。　　〃It　behooves　me　to　look　to　it。　　But　how
now；　gentlemen？　　This　worthy　cavalier　still　waits　his　answer。〃

The　soldiers　had　all　been　buzzing　together；　but　now　Walter　Manny
turned　to　the　King　with　the　result　of　their　counsel。

〃If　it　please　your　majesty；〃　said　he；　〃we　are　of　opinion　that　this
Squire　hath　exceeded　all　bounds　in　desiring　to　break　a　spear　with
a　belted　knight　ere　he　has　given　his　proofs。　　We　do　him　sufficient
honor　if　a　Squire　ride　against　him；　and　with　your　consent　I　have
chosen　my　own　body…squire；　John　Widdicombe；　to　clear　the　path　for
us　across　the　bridge。〃

〃What　you　say；　Walter；　is　right　and　fair；〃　said　the　King。　　〃Master
Chandos；　you　will　tell　our　champion　yonder　what　hath　been
arranged。　　You　will　advise　him　also　that　it　is　our　royal　will　that
this　contest　be　not　fought　upon　the　bridge；　since　it　is　very　clear
that　it　must　end　in　one　or　both　going　over　into　the　river；　but
that　he　advance　to　the　end　of　the　bridge　and　fight　upon　the　plain。
You　will　tell　him　also　that　a　blunted　lance　is　sufficient　for　such
an　encounter；　but　that　a　hand…stroke　or　two　with　sword　or　mace　may
well　be　exchanged；　if　both　riders　should　keep　their　saddles。　　A
blast　upon　Raoul's　horn　shall　be　the　signal　to　close。〃

Such　ventures　as　these　where　an　aspirant　for　fame　would　wait　for
days　at　a　cross…road；　a　ford；　or　a　bridge；　until　some　worthy
antagonist　should　ride　that　way；　were　very　common　in　the　old　days
of　adventurous　knight　erranty；　and　were　still　familiar　to　the
minds　of　all　men　because　the　stories　of　the　romancers　and　the
songs　of　the　trouveres　were　full　of　such　incidents。　　Their　actual
occurrence　however　had　become　rare。　　There　was　the　more　curiosity；
not　unmixed　with　amusement；　in　the　thoughts　of　the　courtiers　as
they　watched　Chandos　ride　down　to　the　bridge　and　commented　upon
the　somewhat　singular　figure　of　the　challenger。　　His　build　was
strange；　and　so　also　was　his　figure；　for　the　limbs　were　short　for
so　tall　a　man。　　His　head　also　was　sunk　forward　as　if　he　were　lost
in　thought　or　overcome　with　deep　dejection。

〃This　is　surely　the　Cavalier　of　the　Heavy　Heart；〃　said　Manny。
〃What　trouble　has　he；　that　he　should　hang　his　head？〃

〃Perchance　he　hath　a　weak　neck；〃　said　the　King。

〃At　least　he　hath　no　weak　voice；〃　the　Prince　remarked；　as　Nigel's
answer　to　Chandos　came　to　their　ears。　　〃By　our　lady；　he　booms　like
a　bittern。〃

As　Chandos　rode　back　again　to　the　King；　Nigel　exchanged　the　old
ash　spear　which　had　been　his　father's　for　one　of　the　blunted
tournament　lances　which　he　took　from　the　hands　of　a　stout　archer
in　attendance。　　He　then　rode　down　to　the　end　of　the　bridge　where　a
hundred…yard　stretch　of　greensward　lay　in　front　of　him。　　At　the
same　moment　the　Squire　of　Sir　Walter　Manny；　who　had　been　hastily
armed　by　his　comrades；　spurred　forward　and　took　up　his　position。

The　King　raised　his　hand；　there　was　a　clang　from　the　falconer's
horn；　and　the　two　riders；　with　a　thrust　of　their　heels　and　a　shake
of　their　bridles；　dashed　furiously　at　each　other。　　In　the　center
the　green　strip　of　marshy　meadowland；　with　the　water　squirting
from　the　galloping　hoofs；　and　the　two　crouching　men；　gleaming
bright　in　the　evening　sun；　on　one　side　the　half　circle　of
motionless　horsemen；　some　in　steel；　some　in　velvet；　silent　and
attentive；　dogs；　hawks；　and　horses　all　turned　to　stone；　on　the
other　the　old　peaked　bridge；　the　blue　lazy　river；　the　group　of
openmouthed　rustics；　and　the　dark　old　manor…house　with　one　grim
face　which　peered　from　the　upper　window。

A　good　man　was　John　Widdicombe；　but　he　had　met　a　better　that　day。
Before　that　yellow　whirlwind　of　a　horse　and　that　rider　who　was
welded　and　riveted　to　his　saddle　his　knees　could　not　hold　their
grip。　　Nigel　and　Pommers　were　one　flying　missi