sir nigel-第33章

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not　come　back　alone。〃

〃We　will　ride　together；　Mary；〃　said　Nigel；　rising；　then　in　a　lower
voice：　〃But　we　cannot　go　alone；　and　if　we　take　a　servant　all　is
known。　　I　pray　you　to　stay　at　home　and　leave　the　matter　with　me。〃

〃Nay；　Nigel；　she　may　sorely　need　a　woman's　aid；　and　what　woman
should　it　be　save　her　own　sister？　　I　can　take　my　tire…woman　with
us。〃

〃Nay；　I　shall　ride　with　you　myself　if　your　impatience　can　keep
within　the　powers　of　my　mule；〃　said　the　old　priest。

〃But　it　is　not　your　road；　father？〃

〃The　only　road　of　a　true　priest　is　that　which　leads　to　the　good　of
others。　　Come；　my　children；　and　we　will　go　together。〃

And　so　it　was　that　stout　Sir　John　Buttesthorn；　the　aged　Knight　of
Duplin；　was　left　alone　at　his　own　high　table；　pretending　to　eat；
pretending　to　drink；　fidgeting　in　his　seat；　trying　hard　to　seem
unconcerned　with　his　mind　and　body　in　a　fever；　while　below　him　his
varlets　and　handmaids　laughed　and　jested；　clattering　their　cups
and　clearing　their　trenchers；　all　unconscious　of　the　dark　shadow
which　threw　its　gloom　over　the　lonely　man　upon　the　dais　above。

Meantime　the　Lady　Mary　upon　the　white　jennet　which　her　sister　had
ridden　on　the　same　evening；　Nigel　on　his　war…horse；　and　the　priest
on　the　mule；　clattered　down　the　rude　winding　road　which　led　to
London。　　The　country　on　either　side　was　a　wilderness　of　heather
moors　and　of　morasses　from　which　came　the　strange　crying　of
night…fowl。　　A　half…moon　shone　in　the　sky　between　the　rifts　of
hurrying　clouds。　　The　lady　rode　in　silence；　absorbed　in　the
thought　of　the　task　before　them；　the　danger　and　the　shame。

Nigel　chatted　in　a　low　tone　with　the　priest。　　From　him　he　learned
more　of　the　evil　name　of　this　man　whom　they　followed。　　His　house
at　Shalford　was　a　den　of　profligacy　and　vice。　　No　woman　could
cross　that　threshold　and　depart　unstained。　　In　some　strange
fashion；　inexplicable　and　yet　common；　the　man；　with　all　his　evil
soul　and　his　twisted　body；　had　yet　some　strange　fascination　for
women；　some　mastery　over　them　which　compelled　them　to　his　will。
Again　and　again　he　had　brought　ruin　to　a　household；　again　and
again　his　adroit　tongue　and　his　cunning　wit　had　in　some　fashion
saved　him　from　the　punishment　of　his　deeds。　　His　family　was　great
in　the　county；　and　his　kinsmen　held　favor　with　the　King；　so　that
his　neighbors　feared　to　push　things　too　far　against　him。　　Such　was
the　man；　malignant　and　ravenous；　who　had　stooped　like　some　foul
night…hawk　and　borne　away　to　his　evil　nest　the　golden　beauty　of
Cosford。　　Nigel　said　little　as　he　listened；　but　he　raised　his
hunting…dagger　to　his　tightened　lips；　and　thrice　he　kissed　the
cross　of　its　handle。

They　had　passed　over　the　moors　and　through　the　village　of　Milford
and　the　little　township　of　Godalming；　until　their　path　turned
southward　over　the　Pease　marsh　and　crossed　the　meadows　of
Shalford。　　There　on　the　dark　hillside　glowed　the　red　points　of
light　which　marked　the　windows　of　the　house　which　they　sought。　　A
somber　arched　avenue　of　oak…trees　led　up　to　it；　and　then　they　were
in　the　moon…silvered　clearing　in　front。

》From　the　shadow　of　the　arched　door　there　sprang　two　rough
serving…men；　bearded　and　gruff；　great　cudgels　in　their　hands；　to
ask　them　who　they　were　and　what　their　errand。　　The　Lady　Mary　had
slipped　from　her　horse　and　was　advancing　to　the　door；　but　they
rudely　barred　her　way。

〃Nay；　nay；　our　master　needs　no　more！〃　cried　one；　with　a　hoarse
laugh。　　〃Stand　back；　mistress；　whoever　you　be！　　The　house　is　shut；
and　our　lord　sees　no　guests　to…night。〃

〃Fellow；〃　said　Nigel；　speaking　low　and　clear；　〃stand　back　from　us！
Our　errand　is　with　your　master。〃

〃Bethink　you；　my　children；〃　cried　the　old　priest；　〃would　it　not　be
best　perchance；　that　I　go　in　to　him　and　see　whether　the　voice　of
the　Church　may　not　soften　this　hard　heart？　　I　fear　bloodshed　if
you　enter。〃

〃Nay；　father；　I　pray　you　to　stay　here　for　the　nonce；〃　said　Nigel。
〃And　you；　Mary；　do　you　bide　with　the　good　priest；　for　we　know　not
what　may　be　within。〃

Again　he　turned　to　the　door；　and　again　the　two　men　barred　his
passage。

〃Stand　back；　I　say；　back　for　your　lives！〃　said　Nigel。　　〃By　Saint
Paul！　　I　should　think　it　shame　to　soil　my　sword　with　such　as　you；
but　my　soul　is　set；　and　no　man　shall　bar　my　path　this　night。〃

The　men　shrank　from　the　deadly　menace　of　that　gentle　voice。

〃Hold！〃　said　one　of　them；　peering　through　the　darkness；　〃is　it　not
Squire　Loring　of　Tilford？　　〃

〃That　is　indeed　my　name。〃

〃Had　you　spoken　it　I　for　one　would　not　have　stopped　your　way。　　Put
down　your　staff；　Wat；　for　this　is　no　stranger；　but　the　Squire　of
Tilford。〃

〃As　well　for　him；〃　grumbled　the　other；　lowering　his　cudgel　with　an
inward　prayer　of　thanksgiving。　　〃Had　it　been　otherwise　I　should
have　had　blood　upon　my　soul　tonight。　　But　our　master　said　nothing
of　neighbors　when　he　ordered　us　to　hold　the　door。　　I　will　enter
and　ask　him　what　is　his　will。〃

But　already　Nigel　was　past　them　and　had　pushed　open　the　outer
door。　　Swift　as　he　was；　the　Lady　Mary　was　at　his　very　heels；　and
the　two　passed　together　into　the　hall　beyond。

It　was　a　great　room；　draped　and　curtained　with　black　shadows；　with
one　vivid　circle　of　light　in　the　center；　where　two　oil　lamps　shone
upon　a　small　table。　　A　meal　was　laid　upon　the　table；　but　only　two
were　seated　at　it；　and　there　were　no　servants　in　the　room。　　At　the
near　end　was　Edith；　her　golden　hair　loose　and　streaming　down　over
the　scarlet　and　black　of　her　riding…dress。

At　the　farther　end　the　light　beat　strongly　upon　the　harsh　face　and
the　high…drawn　misshapen　shoulders　of　the　lord　of　the　house。　　A
tangle　of　black　hair　surmounted　a　high　rounded　forehead；　the
forehead　of　a　thinker；　with　two　deep…set　cold　gray　eyes　twinkling
sharply　from　under　tufted　brows。　　His　nose　was　curved　and　sharp；
like　the　beak　of　some　cruel　bird；　but　below　the　whole　of　his
clean…shaven　powerful　face　was　marred　by　the　loose　slabbing　mouth
and　the　round　folds　of　the　heavy　chin。　　His　knife　in　one　hand　and
a　half…gnawed　bone　in　the　other；　he　looked　fiercely　up；　like　some
beast　disturbed　in　his　den；　as　the　two　intruders　broke　in　upon　his
hall。

Nigel　stopped　midway　between　the　door　and　the　table。　　His　eyes　and
those　of　Paul　de　la　Fosse　were　riveted　upon　each　other。　　But　Mary；
with　her　woman's　soul　flooded　over　with　love　and　pity；　had　rushed
forward　and　cast　her　arms　round　her　younger　sister。　　Edith　had
sprung　up　from　her　chair；　and　with　averted　face　tried　to　push　the
other　away　from　her。

〃Edith；　Edith！　　By　the　Virgin；　I　implore　you　to　come　back　with　us；
and　to　leave　this　wicked　man！〃　cried　Mary。　　〃Dear　sister；　you
would　not　break　our　father's　heart；　nor　bring　his　gray　head　in
dishonor　to　the　grave！　　Come　back　Edith；　come　back　and　all　is
well。〃

But　Edith　pushed　her　away；　and　her　fair　cheeks　were　flushed　with
her　anger。　　〃What　right　have　you　over　me；　Mary；　you　who　are　but
two　years　older；　that　you　should　follow　me　over　the　country…side
as　though　I　were　a　runagate　villain　and　you　my　mistress？　　Do　you
yourself　go　back；　and　leave　me　to　do　that　which　seems　best　in　my
own　eyes。〃

But　Mary　still　held　her　in　her　arms；　and　still　strove　to　soften
the　hard　and　angry　heart。　　〃Our　mother　is　dead；　Edith。　　I　thank
God　that　she　died　ere　she　saw　you　under　this　roof！　　But　I　stand
for　her；　as　I　have　done　all　my　life；　since　I　am　indeed　your　elder。
It　is　with　her　voice　that　I　beg　and　pray　you　that　you　will　not
trust　this　man　further；　and　that　you　will　come　back　ere　it　be　too
late！〃

Edith　writhed　from　her　grasp；　and　stood　flushed　and　defiant；　with
gleaming；　angry　eyes　fixed　upon　her　sister。　　〃You　may　speak　evil
of　him　now；〃　said　she；　〃but　there　was　a　time　when　Paul　de　la　Fosse
came　to　Cosford；　and　who　so　gentle　and　soft…spoken　to　him　then　as
wise；　grave；　sister　Mary？　　But　he　has　learned　to　love　another；　so
now　he　is　the　wicked　man；　and　it　is　shame　to　be　seen　under　his
roof！　　From　what　I　see　of　my　good　pious　sister　and　her　cavalier　it
is　sin　for　another　to　ride　at　night　with　a　man　at　your　side；　but
it　comes　easy　enough　to　you。　　Look　at　your　own　eye；　good　sister；
ere　you　would　take　the　speck　from　that　of　another。〃

Mary　stood　irresolute　and　greatly　troubled；　holding　down　her　pride
and　her