sir nigel-第3章

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of　Waverley　was　well　filled　both　with　precious　books　and　with
pious　students。

But　the　true　glory　of　the　Cistercian　lay　in　his　outdoor　work；　and
so　ever　and　anon　there　passed　through　the　cloister　some　sunburned
monk；　soiled　mattock　or　shovel　in　hand；　with　his　gown　looped　to
his　knee；　fresh　from　the　fields　or　the　garden。　　The　lush　green
water…meadows　speckled　with　the　heavy…fleeced　sheep；　the　acres　of
corn…land　reclaimed　from　heather　and　bracken；　the　vineyards　on　the
southern　slope　of　Crooksbury　Hill；　the　rows　of　Hankley　fish…ponds；
the　Frensham　marshes　drained　and　sown　with　vegetables；　the
spacious　pigeon…cotes；　all　circled　the　great　Abbey　round　with　the
visible　labors　of　the　Order。

The　Abbot's　full　and　florid　face　shone　with　a　quiet　content　as　he
looked　out　at　his　huge　but　well…ordered　household。　　Like　every
head　of　a　prosperous　Abbey；　Abbot　John；　the　fourth　of　the　name；
was　a　man　of　various　accomplishments。　　Through　his　own　chosen
instruments　he　had　to　minister　a　great　estate　and　to　keep　order
and　decorum　among　a　large　body　of　men　living　a　celibate　life。　　He
was　a　rigid　disciplinarian　toward　all　beneath　him；　a　supple
diplomatist　to　all　above。　　He　held　high　debate　with　neighboring
abbots　and　lords；　with　bishops；　with　papal　legates；　and　even　on
occasion　with　the　King's　majesty　himself。　　Many　were　the　subjects
with　which　he　must　be　conversant。　　Questions　of　doctrine；
questions　of　building；　points　of　forestry；　of　agriculture；　of
drainage；　of　feudal　law；　all　came　to　the　Abbot　for　settlement。　　He
held　the　scales　of　justice　in　all　the　Abbey　banlieue　which
stretched　over　many　a　mile　of　Hampshire　and　of　Surrey。　　To　the
monks　his　displeasure　might　mean　fasting；　exile　to　some　sterner
community；　or　even　imprisonment　in　chains。　　Over　the　layman　also
he　could　hold　any　punishment　save　only　corporeal　death；　instead　of
which　he　had　in　hand　the　far　more　dreadful　weapon　of　spiritual
excommunication。

Such　were　the　powers　of　the　Abbot；　and　it　is　no　wonder　that　there
were　masterful　lines　in　the　ruddy　features　of　Abbot　John；　or　that
the　brethren；　glancing　up；　should　put　on　an　even　meeker　carriage
and　more　demure　expression　as　they　saw　the　watchful　face　in　the
window　above　them。

A　knock　at　the　door　of　his　studio　recalled　the　Abbot　to　his
immediate　duties；　and　he　returned　to　his　desk。　　Already　he　had
spoken　with　his　cellarer　and　prior；　almoner；　chaplain　and　lector；
but　now　in　the　tall　and　gaunt　monk　who　obeyed　his　summons　to　enter
he　recognized　the　most　important　and　also　the　most　importunate　of
his　agents；　Brother　Samuel　the　sacrist；　whose　office；
corresponding　to　that　of　the　layman's　bailiff；　placed　the　material
interests　of　the　monastery　and　its　dealings　with　the　outer　world
entirely　under　his　control；　subject　only　to　the　check　of　the
Abbot。　　Brother　Samuel　was　a　gnarled　and　stringy　old　monk　whose
stern　and　sharp…featured　face　reflected　no　light　from　above　but
only　that　sordid　workaday　world　toward　which　it　was　forever
turned。　　A　huge　book　of　accounts　was　tucked　under　one　of　his　arms；
while　a　great　bunch　of　keys　hung　from　the　other　hand；　a　badge　of
his　office；　and　also　on　occasion　of　impatience　a　weapon　of
offense；　as　many　a　scarred　head　among　rustics　and　lay　brothers
could　testify。

The　Abbot　sighed　wearily；　for　he　suffered　much　at　the　hands　of　his
strenuous　agent。　　〃Well；　Brother　Samuel；　what　is　your　will？〃　he
asked。

〃Holy　father；　I　have　to　report　that　I　have　sold　the　wool　to　Master
Baldwin　of　Winchester　at　two　shillings　a　bale　more　than　it　fetched
last　year；　for　the　murrain　among　the　sheep　has　raised　the　price。〃

〃You　have　done　well；　brother。〃

〃I　have　also　to　tell　you　that　I　have　distrained　Wat　the　warrener
from　his　cottage；　for　his　Christmas　rent　is　still　unpaid；　nor　the
hen…rents　of　last　year。〃

〃He　has　a　wife　and　four　children；　brother。〃　　He　was　a　good；　easy
man；　the　Abbot；　though　liable　to　be　overborne　by　his　sterner
subordinate。

〃It　is　true；　holy　father；　but　if　I　should　pass　him；　then　how　am　I
to　ask　the　rent　of　the　foresters　of　Puttenham；　or　the　hinds　in　the
village？　　Such　a　thing　spreads　from　house　to　house；　and　where　then
is　the　wealth　of　Waverley？〃

〃What　else；　Brother　Samuel？〃

〃There　is　the　matter　of　the　fish…ponds。〃

The　Abbot's　face　brightened。　　It　was　a　subject　upon　which　he　was
an　authority。　　If　the　rule　of　his　Order　had　robbed　him　of　the
softer　joys　of　life；　he　had　the　keener；　zest　for　those　which
remained。

〃How　have　the　char　prospered；　brother？〃

〃They　have　done　well；　holy　father；　but　the　carp　have　died　in　the
Abbot's　pond。〃

〃Carp　prosper　only　upon　a　gravel　bottom。　　They　must　be　put　in　also
in　their　due　proportion；　three　milters　to　one　spawner；　brother
sacrist；　and　the　spot　must　be　free　from　wind；　stony　and　sandy；　an
ell　deep；　with　willows　and　grass　upon　the　banks。　　Mud　for　tench；
brother；　gravel　for　carp。〃

The　sacrist　leaned　forward　with　the　face　of　one　who　bears　tidings
of　woe。　　〃There　are　pike　in　the　Abbot's　pond；〃　said　he。

〃Pike！〃　cried　the　Abbot　in　horror。　　〃As　well　shut　up　a　wolf　in　our
sheepfold。　　How　came　a　pike　in　the　pond？　　There　were　no　pike　last
year；　and　a　pike　does　not　fall　with　the　rain　nor　rise　in　the
springs。　　The　pond　must　be　drained；　or　we　shall　spend　next　Lent
upon　stockfish；　and　have　the　brethren　down　with　the　great　sickness
ere　Easter　Sunday　has　come　to　absolve　us　from　our　abstinence。〃

〃The　pond　shall　be　drained；　holy　father；　I　have　already　ordered
it。　　Then　we　shall　plant　pot…herbs　on　the　mud　bottom；　and　after　we
have　gathered　them　in；　return　the　fish　and　water　once　more　from
the　lower　pond；　so　that　they　may　fatten　among　the　rich　stubble。〃

〃Good！〃　cried　the　Abbot。　　〃I　would　have　three　fish…stews　in　every
well…ordered　house　…　one　dry　for　herbs；　one　shallow　for　the　fry
and　the　yearlings；　and　one　deep　for　the　breeders　and　the
tablefish。　　But　still；　I　have　not　heard　you　say　how　the　pike　came
in　the　Abbot's　pond。〃

A　spasm　of　anger　passed　over　the　fierce　face　of　the　sacrist；　and
his　keys　rattled　as　his　bony　hand　clasped　them　more　tightly。
〃Young　Nigel　Loring！〃　said　he。　　〃He　swore　that　he　would　do　us
scathe；　and　in　this　way　he　has　done　it。〃

〃How　know　you　this？〃

〃Six　weeks　ago　he　was　seen　day　by　day　fishing　for　pike　at　the
great　Lake　of　Frensham。　　Twice　at　night　he　has　been　met　with　a
bundle　of　straw　under　his　arm　on　the　Hankley　Down。　　Well；　I　wot
that　the　straw　was　wet　and　that　a　live　pike　lay　within　it。〃

The　Abbot　shook　his　head。　　〃I　have　heard　much　of　this　youth's　wild
ways；　but　now　indeed　he　has　passed　all　bounds　if　what　you　say　be
truth。　　It　was　bad　enough　when　it　was　said　that　he　slew　the　King's
deer　in　Woolmer　Chase；　or　broke　the　head　of　Hobbs　the　chapman；　so
that　he　lay　for　seven　days　betwixt　life　and　death　in　our
infirmary；　saved　only　by　Brother　Peter's　skill　in　the　pharmacies
of　herbs；　but　to　put　pike　in　the　Abbot's　pond…why　should　he　play
such　a　devil's　prank？〃

〃Because　he　hates　the　House　of　Waverley；　holy　father；　because　he
swears　that　we　hold　his　father's　land。〃

〃In　which　there　is　surely　some　truth。〃

〃But；　holy　father；　we　hold　no　more　than　the　law　has　allowed。〃

〃True；　brother；　and　yet　between　ourselves；　we　may　admit　that　the
heavier　purse　may　weigh　down　the　scales　of　Justice。　　When　I　have
passed　the　old　house　and　have　seen　that　aged　woman　with　her
ruddled　cheeks　and　her　baleful　eyes　look　the　curses　she　dare　not
speak；　I　have　many　a　time　wished　that　we　had　other　neighbors。〃

〃That　we　can　soon　bring　about；　holy　father。　　Indeed；　it　is　of　it
that　I　wished　to　speak　to　you。　　Surely　it　is　not　hard　for　us　to
drive　them　from　the　country…side。　　There　are　thirty　years'　claims
of　escuage　unsettled；　and　there　is　Sergeant　Wilkins；　the　lawyer　of
Guildford；　whom　I　will　warrant　to　draw　up　such　arrears　of　dues　and
rents　and　issues　of　hidage　and　fodder…corn　that　these　folk；　who
are　as　beggarly　as　they　are　proud；　will　have　to　sell　the　roof…tree
over　them　ere　they　can　meet　them。　　Within　three　days　I　will　have
them　at　our　mercy。〃

〃They　are　an　ancient　family　and　of　good　repute。　　I　would　not　treat
them　too　harshly；　brother。〃

〃Bethink　you　of　the　pike　in　the　carp　pond！〃

The　Abbot　hardened　his　heart　at　the　thought。　　〃It　was　indeed　a
devil's