sir nigel-第31章

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on　either　side。　　Soon　a　path　branched　off　through　a　gateway　marked
with　the　boar…heads　of　the　Buttesthorns；　and　there　was　the　low
widespread　house　heavily　timbered；　loud　with　the　barking　of　dogs。
The　ruddy　Knight　limped　forth　with　outstretched　hand　and　roaring
voice

〃What　how；　Nigel！　　Good　welcome　and　all　hail！　　I　had　thought　that
you　had　given　over　poor　friends　like　us；　now　that　the　King　had
made　so　much　of　you。　　The　horses；　varlets；　or　my　crutch　will　be
across　you！　　Hush；　Lydiard！　　Down；　Pelamon！　　I　can　scarce　hear　my
voice　for　your　yelping。　　Mary；　a　cup　of　wine　for　young　Squire
Loring！〃

She　stood　framed　in　the　doorway；　tall；　mystic；　silent；　with
strange；　wistful　face　and　deep　soul　shining　in　her　dark；
questioning　eyes。　　Nigel　kissed　the　hand　that　she　held　out；　and
all　his　faith　in　woman　and　his　reverence　came　back　to　him　as　he
looked　at　her。　　Her　sister　had　slipped　behind　her　and　her　fair
elfish　face　smiled　her　forgiveness　of　Nigel　over　Mary's　shoulder。

The　Knight　of　Duplin　leaned　his　weight　upon　the　young　man's　arm
and　limped　his　way　across　the　great　high…roofed　hall　to　his
capacious　oaken　chair。　　〃Come；　come；　the　stool；　Edith！〃　he　cried。
〃As　God　is　my　help；　that　girl's　mind　swarms　with　gallants　as　a
granary　with　rats。　　Well；　Nigel；　I　hear　strange　tales　of　your
spear…running　at　Tilford　and　of　the　visit　of　the　King。　　How　seemed
he？　　And　my　old　friend　Chandos　…　many　happy　hours　in　the　woodlands
have　we　had　together　…　and　Manny　too；　he　was　ever　a　bold　and　a
hard　rider　…　what　news　of　them　all？〃

Nigel　told　to　the　old　Knight　all　that　had　occurred；　saying　little
of　his　own　success　and　much　of　his　own　failure；　yet　the　eyes　of
the　dark　woman　burned　the　brighter　as　she　sat　at　her　tapestry　and
listened。

Sir　John　followed　the　story　with　a　running　fire　of　oaths；　prayers；
thumps　with　his　great　fist　and　flourishes　of　his　crutch。　　〃Well；
well；　lad；　you　could　scarce　expect　to　hold　your　saddle　against
Manny；　and　you　have　carried　yourself　well。　　We　are　proud　of　you；
Nigel；　for　you　are　our　own　man；　reared　in　the　heather　country。
But　indeed　I　take　shame　that　you　are　not　more　skilled　in　the
mystery　of　the　woods；　seeing　that　I　have　had　the　teaching　of　you；
and　that　no　one　in　broad　England　is　my　master　at　the　craft。　　I
pray　you　to　fill　your　cup　again　whilst　I　make　use　of　the　little
time　that　is　left　to　us。〃

And　straightway　the　old　Knight　began　a　long　and　weary　lecture　upon
the　times　of　grace　and　when　each　beast　and　bird　was　seasonable；
with　many　anecdotes；　illustrations；　warnings　and　exceptions；　drawn
from　his　own　great　experience。　　He　spoke　also　of　the　several　ranks
and　grades　of　the　chase：　how　the　hare；　hart　and　boar　must　ever
take　precedence　over　the　buck；　the　doe；　the　fox；　the　marten　and
the　roe；　even　as　a　knight　banneret　does　over　a　knight；　while　these
in　turn　are　of　a　higher　class　to　the　badger；　the　wildcat　or　the
otter；　who　are　but　the　common　populace　of　the　world　of　beasts。　　Of
blood…stains　also　he　spoke　…　how　the　skilled　hunter　may　see　at　a
glance　if　blood　be　dark　and　frothy；　which　means　a　mortal　hurt；　or
thin　and　clear；　which　means　that　the　arrow　has　struck　a　bone。

〃By　such　signs；〃　said　he；　〃you　will　surely　know　whether　to　lay　on
the　hounds　and　cast　down　the　blinks　which　hinder　the　stricken　deer
in　its　flight。　　But　above　all　I　pray　you；　Nigel；　to　have　a　care　in
the　use　of　the　terms　of　the　craft；　lest　you　should　make　some
blunder　at　table；　so　that　those　who　are　wiser　may　have　the　laugh
of　you；　and　we　who　love　you　may　be　shamed。〃

〃Nay；　Sir　John；〃　said　Nigel。　　〃I　think　that　after　your　teaching　I
can　hold　my　place　with　the　others。〃

The　old　Knight　shook　his　white　head　doubtfully。　　〃There　is　so　much
to　be　learned　that　there　is　no　one　who　can　be　said　to　know　all；〃
said　he。　　〃For　example；　Nigel；　it　is　sooth　that　for　every
collection　of　beasts　of　the　forest；　and　for　every　gathering　of
birds　of　the　air；　there　is　their　own　private　name　so　that　none　may
be　confused　with　another。〃

〃I　know　it；　fair　sir。〃

〃You　know　it；　Nigel；　but　you　do　not　know　each　separate　name；　else
are　you　a　wiser　man　than　I　had　thought　you。　　In　truth　…　none　can
say　that　they　know　all；　though　I　have　myself　picked　off　eighty；
and　six　for　a　wager　at　court；　and　it　is　said　that　the　chief
huntsman　of　the　Duke　of　Burgundy　has　counted　over　a　hundred　…　but
it　is　in　my　mind　that　he　may　have　found　them　as　he　went；　for　there
was　none　to　say　him　nay。　　Answer　me　now；　lad；　how　would　you　say　if
you　saw　ten　badgers　together　in　the　forest？〃

〃A　cete　of　badgers；　fair　sir。〃

〃Good；　Nigel　…　good；　by　my　faith！　　And　if　you　walk　in　Woolmer
Forest　and　see　a　swarm　of　foxes；　how　would　you　call　it？〃

〃A　skulk　of　foxes。〃

〃And　if　they　be　lions？〃

〃Nay；　fair　sir；　I　am　not　like　to　meet　several　lions　in　Woolmer
Forest。〃

〃Aye；　lad；　but　there　are　other　forests　besides　Woolmer；　and　other
lands　besides　England；　and　who　can　tell　how　far　afield　such　a
knight　errant　as　Nigel　of　Tilford　may　go；　when　he　sees　worship　to
be　won？　　We　will　say　that　you　were　in　the　deserts　of　Nubia；　and
that　afterward　at　the　court　of　the　great　Sultan　you　wished　to　say
that　you　had　seen　several　lions；　which　is　the　first　beast　of　the
chase；　being　the　king　of　all　animals。　　How　then　would　you　say　it？〃

Nigel　scratched　his　head。　　〃Surely；　fair　sir；　I　would　be　content
to　say　that　I　had　seen　a　number　of　lions；　if　indeed　I　could　say
aught　after　so　wondrous　an　adventure。〃

〃Nay；　Nigel；　a　huntsman　would　have　said　that　he　had　seen　a　pride
of　lions；　and　so　proved　that　he　knew　the　language　of　the　chase。
Now　had　it　been　boars　instead　of　lions？〃

〃One　says　a　singular　of　boars。〃

〃And　if　they　be　swine？〃

〃Surely　it　is　a　herd　of　swine。〃

〃Nay；　nay；　lad；　it　is　indeed　sad　to　see　how　little　you　know。　　Your
hands；　Nigel；　were　always　better　than　your　head。　　No　man　of　gentle
birth　would　speak　of　a　herd　of　swine；　that　is　the　peasant　speech。
If　you　drive　them　it　is　a　herd。　　If　you　hunt　them　it　is　other。
What　call　you　them；　then；　Edith？〃

〃Nay；　I　know　not；〃　said　the　girl　listlessly。　　A　crumpled　note
brought　in　by　a　varlet　was　clinched　in　her　right　hand　and　her　blue
eyes　looked　afar　into　the　deep　shadows　of　the　roof。

〃But　you　can　tell　us；　Mary？〃

〃Surely；　sweet　sir；　one　talks　of　a　sounder　of　swine。〃

The　old　Knight　laughed　exultantly。　　〃Here　is　a　pupil　who　never
brings　me　shame！〃　he　cried。　　〃Be　it　lore　…　of　chivalry　or　heraldry
or　woodcraft　or　what　you　will；　I　can　always　turn　to　Mary。　　Many　a
man　can　she　put　to　the　blush。〃

〃Myself　among　them；〃　said　Nigel。

〃Ah；　lad；　you　are　a　Solomon　to　some　of　them。　　Hark　ye！　　only　last
week　that　jack…fool；　the　young　Lord　of　Brocas；　was　here　talking　of
having　seen　a　covey　of　pheasants　in　the　wood。　　One　such　speech
would　have　been　the　ruin　of　a　young　Squire　at　the　court。　　How
would　you　have　said　it；　Nigel？〃

〃Surely；　fair　sir；　it　should　be　a　nye　of　pheasants。〃

〃Good；　Nigel　…　a　nye　of　pheasants；　even　as　it　is　a　gaggle　of　geese
or　a　badling　of　ducks；　a　fall　of　woodcock　or　a　wisp　of　snipe。　　But
a　covey　of　pheasants！　　What　sort　of　talk　is　that？　　I　made　him　sit
even　where　you　are　sitting；　Nigel；　and　I　saw　the　bottom　of　two
pots　of　Rhenish　ere　I　let　him　up。　　Even　then　I　fear　that　he　had　no
great　profit　from　his　lesson；　for　he　was　casting　his　foolish　eyes
at　Edith　when　he　should　have　been　turning　his　ears　to　her　father。
But　where　is　the　wench？〃

〃She　hath　gone　forth；　father。〃

〃She　ever　doth　go　forth　when　there　is　a　chance　of　learning　aught
that　is　useful　indoors。　　But　supper　will　soon　be　ready；　and　there
is　a　boar's　ham　fresh　from　the　forest　with　which　I　would　ask　your
help；　Nigel；　and　a　side　of　venison　from　the　King's　own　chase。　　The
tinemen　and　verderers　have　not　forgotten　me　yet；　and　my　larder　is
ever　full。　　Blow　three　moots　on　the　horn；　Mary；　that　the　varlets
may　set　the　table；　for　the　growing　shadow　and　my　loosening　belt
warn　me　that　it　is　time。〃




XII。　　HOW　NIGEL　FOUGHT　THE　TWISTED　MAN　OF　SHALFORD


In　the　days　of　which　you　read　all　classes；　save　perhaps　the　very
poor；　fared　better　in　meat　and　in　drink　than　they　have　ever　done
since。　　The　country　was　covered　with　woodlands　…　there　were
seventy　separate　forests　in　England　alone；　some　of　them　covering