sir nigel-第32章

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since。　　The　country　was　covered　with　woodlands　…　there　were
seventy　separate　forests　in　England　alone；　some　of　them　covering
half　a　shire。　　Within　these　forests　the　great　beasts　of　the　chase
were　strictly　preserved；　but　the　smaller　game；　the　hares；　the
rabbits；　the　birds；　which　swarmed　round　the　coverts；　found　their
way　readily　into　the　poor　man's　pot。　　Ale　was　very　cheap；　and
cheaper　still　was　the　mead　which　every　peasant　could　make　for
himself　out　of　the　wild　honey　in　the　tree…trunks。　　There　were　many
tea…like　drinks　also；　which　were　brewed　by　the　poor　at　no　expense：
mallow　tea；　tansy　tea；　and　others　the　secret　of　which　has　passed。

Amid　the　richer　classes　there　was　rude　profusion；　great　joints
ever　on　the　sideboard；　huge　pies；　beasts　of　the　field　and　beasts
of　the　chase；　with　ale　and　rough　French　or　Rhenish　wines　to　wash
them　down。　　But　the　very　rich　had　attained　to　a　high　pitch　of
luxury　in　their　food；　and　cookery　was　a　science　in　which　the
ornamentation　of　the　dish　was　almost　as　important　as　the　dressing
of　the　food。　　It　was　gilded；　it　was　silvered；　it　was　painted；　it
was　surrounded　with　flame。　　From　the　boar　and　the　peacock　down　to
such　strange　food　as　the　porpoise　and　the　hedgehog；　every　dish　had
its　own　setting　and　its　own　sauce；　very　strange　and　very　complex；
with　flavorings　of　dates；　currants；　cloves；　vinegar；　sugar　and
honey；　of　cinnamon；　ground　ginger；　sandalwood；　saffron；　brawn　and
pines。　　It　was　the　Norman　tradition　to　eat　in　moderation；　but　to
have　a　great　profusion　of　the　best　and　of　the　most　delicate　from
which　to　choose。　　From　them　came　this　complex　cookery；　so　unlike
the　rude　and　often　gluttonous　simplicity　of　the　old　Teutonic
stock。

Sir　John　Buttesthorn　was　of　that　middle　class　who　fared　in　the　old
fashion；　and　his　great　oak　supper…table　groaned　beneath　the
generous　pasties；　the　mighty　joints　and　the；　great　flagons。　　Below
were　the　household；　above　on　a　raised　dais　the　family　table；　with
places　ever　ready　for　those　frequent　guests　who　dropped　in　from
the　high　road　outside。　　Such　a　one　had　just　come；　an　old　priest；
journeying　from　the　Abbey　of　Chertsey　to　the　Priory　of　Saint　John
at　Midhurst。　　He　passed　often　that　way；　and　never　without　breaking
his　journey　at　the　hospitable　board　of　Cosford。

〃Welcome　again；　good　Father　Athanasius！〃　cried　the　burly　Knight。
〃Come　sit　here　on　my　right　and　give　me　the　news　of　the
country…side；　for　there　is　never　a　scandal　but　the　priests　are　the
first　to　know　it。〃

The　priest；　a　kindly；　quiet　man；　glanced　at　an　empty　place　upon
the　farther　side　of　his　host。　　〃Mistress　Edith？〃　said　he。

〃Aye；　aye；　where　is　the　hussy？〃　cried　her　father　impatiently。
〃Mary；　I　beg　you　to　have　the　horn　blown　again；　that　she　may　know
that　the　supper　is　on　the　table。　　What　can　the　little　owlet　do
abroad　at　this　hour　of　the　night？〃

There　was　trouble　in　the　priest's　gentle　eyes　as　he　touched　the
Knight　upon　the　sleeve。　　〃I　have　seen　Mistress　Edith　within　this
hour；〃　said　he。　　〃I　fear　that　she　will　hear　no　horn　that　you　may
blow；　for　she　must　be　at　Milford　ere　now。〃

〃At　Milford？　　What　does　she　there？〃

〃I　pray　you；　good　Sir　John；　to　abate　your　voice　somewhat；　for
indeed　this　matter　is　for　our　private　discourse；　since　it　touches
the　honor　of　a　lady。〃

〃Her　honor？〃　Sir　John's　ruddy　face　had　turned　redder　still；　as　he
stared　at　the　troubled　features　of　the　priest。　　〃Her　honor；　say
you　…　the　honor　of　my　daughter？　　Make　good　those　words；　or　never
set　your　foot　over　the　threshold　of　Cosford　again！〃

〃I　trust　that　I　have　done　no　wrong；　Sir　John；　but　indeed　I　must
say　what　I　have　seen；　else　would　I　be　a　false　friend　and　an
unworthy　priest。〃

〃Haste　man；　haste！　　What　in　the　Devil's　name　have　you　seen？〃

〃Know　you　a　little　man；　partly　misshapen；　named　Paul　de　la　Fosse？〃

〃I　know　him　well。　　He　is　a　man　of　noble　family　and　coat…armour；
being　the　younger　brother　of　Sir　Eustace　de　la　Fosse　of　Shalford。
Time　was　when　I　had　thought　that　I　might　call　him　son；　for　there
was　never　a　day　that　he　did　not　pass　with　my　girls；　but　I　fear
that　his　crooked　back　sped　him　ill　in　his　wooing。〃

〃Alas；　Sir　John！　　It　is　his　mind　that　is　more　crooked　than　his
back。　　He　is　a　perilous　man　with　women；　for　the　Devil　hath　given
him　such　a　tongue　and　such　an　eye　that　he　charms　them　even　as　the
basilisk。　　Marriage　may　be　in　their　mind；　but　never　in　his；　so
that　I　could　count　a　dozen　and　more　whom　he　has　led　to　their
undoing。　　It　is　his　pride　and　his　boast　over　the　whole
countryside。〃

〃Well；　well；　and　what　is　this　to　me　or　mine？〃

〃Even　now；　Sir　John；　as　I　rode　my　mule　up　the　road　I　met　this　man
speeding　toward　his　home。　　A　woman　rode　by　his　side；　and　though
her　face　was　hooded　I　heard　her　laugh　as　she　passed　me。　　That
laugh　I　have　heard　before；　and　it　was　under　this　very　roof；　from
the　lips　of　Mistress　Edith。〃

The　Knight's　knife　dropped　from　his　hand。　　But　the　debate　had　been
such　that　neither　Mary　nor　Nigel　could　fail　to　have　heard　it。　　Mid
the　rough　laughter　and　clatter　of　voices　from　below　the　little
group　at　the　high　table　had　a　privacy　of　their　own。

〃Fear　not；　father；〃　said　the　girl　…　〃indeed；　the　good　Father
Athanasius　hath　fallen　into　error；　and　Edith　will　be　with　us　anon。
I　have　heard　her　speak　of　this　man　many　times　of　late；　and　always
with　bitter　words。〃

〃It　is　true；　sir；〃　cried　Nigel　eagerly。　　〃It　was　only　this　very
evening　as　we　rode　over　Thursley　Moor　that　Mistress　Edith　told　me
that　she　counted　him　not　a　fly；　and　that　she　would　be　glad　if　he
were　beaten　for　his　evil　deeds。〃

But　the　wise　priest　shook　his　silvery　locks。　　〃Nay；　there　is　ever
danger　when　a　woman　speaks　like　that。　　Hot　hate　is　twin　brother　to
hot　love。　　Why　should　she　speak　so　if　there　were　not　some　bond
between　them？〃

〃And　yet；〃　said　Nigel；　〃what　can　have　changed　her　thoughts　m　three
short　hours？　　She　was　here　in　the　hall　with　us　since　I　came。　　By
Saint　Paul；　I　will　not　believe　it！〃

Mary's　face　darkened。　　〃I　call　to　mind；〃　said　she；　〃that　a　note
was　brought　her　by　Hannekin　the　stable　varlet　when　you　were
talking　to　us；　fair　sir；　of　the　terms　of　the　chase。　　She　read　it
and　went　forth。〃

Sir　John　sprang　to　his　feet；　but　sank　into　his　chair　again　with　a
groan。　　〃Would　that　I　were　dead；〃　he　cried；　〃ere　I　saw　dishonor
come　upon　my　house；　and　am　so　tied　with　this　accursed　foot　that　I
can　neither　examine　if　it　be　true；　nor　yet　avenge　it！　　If　my　son
Oliver　were　here；　then　all　would　be　well。　　Send　me　this　stable
varlet　that　I　may　question　him。〃

〃I　pray　you；　fair　and　honored　sir；〃　said　Nigel；　〃that　you　will
take　me　for　your　son　this　night；　that　I　may　handle　this　matter　in
the　way　which　seems　best。　　On　jeopardy　of　my　honor　I　will　do　all
that　a　man　may。〃

〃Nigel；　I　thank　you。　　There　is　no　man　in　Christendom　to　whom　I
would　sooner　turn。〃

〃But　I　would　lean　your　mind　in　one　matter；　fair　sir。　　This　man；
Paul　de　la　Fosse；　owns　broad　acres；　as　I　understand；　and　comes　of
noble　blood。　　There　is　no　reason　if　things　be　as　we　fear　that　he
should　not　marry　your　daughter？〃

〃Nay；　she　could　not　wish　for　better。〃

〃It　is　well。　　And　first　I　would　question　this　Hannekin；　but　it
shall　be　done　in　such　a　fashion　that　none　shall　know；　for　indeed
it　is　not　a　matter　for　the　gossip　of　servants。　　But　if　you　will
show　me　the　man；　Mistress　Mary；　I　will　take　him　out　to　tend　my　own
horse；　and　so　I　shall　learn　all　that　he　has　to　tell。〃

Nigel　was　absent　for　some　time；　and　when　he　returned　the　shadow
upon　his　face　brought　little　hope　to　the　anxious　hearts　at　the
high　table。　　〃I　have　locked　him　in　the　stable　loft；　lest　he　talk
too　much；〃　said　he；　〃for　my　questions　must　have　shown　him　whence
the　wind　blew。　　It　was　indeed　from　this　man　that　the　note　came；
and　he　had　brought　with　him　a　spare　horse　for　the　lady。〃

The　old　Knight　groaned；　and　his　face　sank　upon　his　hands。

〃Nay；　father　they　watch　you！〃　whispered　Mary。　　〃For　the　honor　of
our　house　let　us　keep　a　bold　face　to　all。〃　　Then；　raising　her
young　clear　voice；　so　that　it　sounded　through　the　room：　〃If　you
ride　eastward；　Nigel；　I　would　fain　go　with　you；　that　my　sister　may
not　come　back　alone。〃

〃We　will　ride　together；　Mary；〃　said　Nigel；　rising；　then　in　a　lower
voice：　〃But　we　cannot　go　alon