sir nigel-第28章
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flint； and the Italian shrank from their inexorable eyes。 He
looked swiftly round； but armed men choked every entrance。 The
shadow of death had fallen athwart his soul。
〃This letter；〃 said the King； 〃was given by de Chargny to one Dom
Beauvais； a priest of St。 Omer； to carry into Calais。 The said
priest； smelling a reward； brought it to one who is my faithful
servant； and so it came to me。 Straightway I sent for this man
that he should come to me。 Meanwhile the priest has returned so
that de Chargny may think that his message is indeed delivered。〃
〃I know nothing of it；〃 said the Italian doggedly； licking his dry
lips。
A dark flush mounted to the King's forehead； and his eyes were
gorged with his wrath。 〃No more of this； for God's dignity！〃 he
cried。 〃Had we this fellow at the Tower； a few turns of the rack
would tear a confession from his craven soul。 But why should we
need his word for his own guilt？ You have seen； my lords； you
have heard！ How say you； fair son？ Is the man guilty？〃
〃Sire； he is guilty。〃
〃And you； John？ And you； Walter？ And you； Hubert？ And you； my
Lord Bishop？ You are all of one mind； then。 He is guilty of the
betrayal of his trust。 And the punishment？〃
〃It can only be death；〃 said the Prince； and each in turn the
others nodded their agreement。
〃Aymery of Pavia； you have heard your doom；〃 said Edward； leaning
his chin upon his hand and glooming at the cowering Italian。
〃Step forward； you archer at the door； you with the black beard。
Draw your sword！ Nay； you white…faced rogue； I would not dishonor
this roof…tree by your blood。 It is your heels； not your head；
that we want。 Hack off these golden spurs of knighthood with your
sword； archer！ 'Twas I who gave them； and I who take them back。
Ha！ they fly across the hall； and with them every bond betwixt
you and the worshipful order whose sign and badge they are！ Now
lead him out on the heath afar from the house where his carrion
can best lie； and hew his scheming head from his body as a warning
to all such traitors！〃
The Italian； who had slipped from his chair to his knees； uttered
a cry of despair； as an archer seized him by either shoulder。
Writhing out of their grip； he threw himself upon the floor and
clutched at the King's feet。
〃Spare me； my most dread lord； spare me； I beseech you！ In the
name of Christ's passion； I implore your grace and pardon！
Bethink you； my good and dear lord； how many years I have served
under your banners and how many services I have rendered。 Was it
not I who found the ford upon the Seine two days before the great
battle？ Was it not I also who marshaled the attack at the
intaking of Calais？ I have a wife and four children in Italy；
great King； and it was the thought of them which led me to fall
from my duty； for this money would have allowed me to leave the
wars and to see them once again。 Mercy； my liege； mercy； I
implore！〃
The English are a rough race； but not a cruel one。 The King sat
with a face of doom； but the others looked askance and fidgeted in
their seats。
〃Indeed； my fair liege；〃 said Chandos； 〃I pray you that you will
abate somewhat of your anger。〃
Edward shook his head curtly。 〃Be silent； John。 It shall be as I
have said。〃
〃I pray you； my dear and honored liege； not to act with overmuch
haste in the matter；〃 said Manny。 〃Bind him and hold him until
the morning； for other counsels may prevail。〃
〃Nay； I have spoken。 Lead him out！〃
But the trembling man clung to the King's knees in such a fashion
that the archers could not disengage his convulsive grip。 〃Listen
to me a moment； I implore you！ Give me but one minute to plead
with you； and then do what you will。〃
The King leaned back in his chair。 〃Speak and have done；〃 said
he。
〃You must spare me； my noble liege。 For your own sake I say that
you must spare me； for I can set you in the way of such a knightly
adventure as will gladden your heart。 Bethink you； sire； that
this de Chargny and his comrades know nothing of their plans
having gone awry。 If I do but send them a message they will
surely come to the postern gate。 Then； if we have placed our
bushment with skill we shall have such a capture and such a ransom
as will fill your coffers。 He and his comrades should be worth a
good hundred thousand crowns。〃
Edward spurned the Italian away from him with his foot until he
sprawled among the rushes； but even as he lay there like a wounded
snake his dark eyes never left the King's face。
〃You double traitor！ You would sell Calais to de Chargny； and
then in turn you would sell de Chargny to me。 How dare you
suppose that I or any noble knight had such a huckster's soul as
to think only of ransoms where honor is to be won？ Could I or any
true man be so caitiff and so thrall？ You have sealed your own
doom。 Lead him out！〃
〃One instant； I pray you； my fair and most sweet lord；〃 cried the
Prince。 〃Assuage your wrath yet a little while； for this man's
rede deserves perhaps more thought than we have given it。 He has
turned your noble soul sick with his talk of ransoms； but look at
it； I pray you； from the side of honor； and where could we find
such hope of worshipfully winning worship？ I pray you to let me
put my body in this adventure； for it is one from which； if
rightly handled； much advancement is to be gained。〃
Edward looked with sparkling eyes at the noble youth at his side。
〃Never was hound more keen on the track of a stricken hart than
you on the hope of honor； fair son；〃 said he。 〃How do you
conceive the matter in your mind？〃
〃De Chargny and his men will be such as are worth going far to
meet； for he will have the pick of France under his banner that
night。 If we did as this man says and awaited him with the same
number of lances； then I cannot think that there is any spot in
Christendom where one would rather be than in Calais that night。〃
〃By the rood； fair son； you are right！〃 cried the King； his face
shining with the thought。 〃Now which of you； John Chandos or
Walter Manny； will take the thing in charge？〃 He looked
mischievously from one to the other like a master who dangles a
bone betwixt two fierce old hounds。 All they had to say was in
their burning； longing eyes。 〃Nay； John； you must not take it
amiss； but it is Walter's turn； and he shall have it。〃
〃Shall we not all go under your banner； sire； or that of the
Prince？〃
〃Nay； it is not fitting that the royal banners of England should
be advanced in so small an adventure。 And yet； if you have space
in your ranks for two more cavaliers； both the Prince and I would
ride with you that night。〃
The young man stooped and kissed his father's hand。
〃Take this man in your charge； Walter； and do with him as you
will。 Guard well lest he betray us once again。 Take him from my
sight； for his breath poisons the room。 And now； Nigel； if that
worthy graybeard of thine would fain twang his harp or sing to us
… but what in God's name would you have？〃
He had turned； to find his young host upon his knee and his flaxen
head bent in entreaty。
〃What is it； man？ What do you crave？〃
〃A boon； fair liege！〃
〃Well； well； am I to have no peace to…night； with a traitor
kneeling to me in front； and a true man on his knees behind？ Out
with it； Nigel。 What would you have？〃
〃To come with you to Calais。〃
〃By the rood！ your request is fair enough； seeing that our plot
is hatched beneath your very roof。 How say you； Walter？ Will you
take him； armor and all？〃 asked King Edward。
〃Say rather will you take me？〃 said Chandos。 〃We two are rivals
in honor； Walter； but I am very sure that you would not hold me
back。〃
〃Nay； John； I will be proud to have the best lance in Christendom
beneath my banner。〃
〃And I to follow so knightly a leader。 But Nigel Loring is my
Squire； and so he comes with us also。〃
〃Then that is settled；〃 said the King； 〃and now there is no need
for hurry； since there can be no move until the moon has changed。
So I pray you to pass the flagon once again； and to drink with me
to the good knights of France。 May they be of great heart and
high of enterprise when we all meet once m
