sir nigel-第35章

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would　not　murder　me？〃　said　he；　leaning　back　with　haggard…face　and
burning　eyes　against　his　chair。　　The　bright　steel　shone　in　the
lamp…light。　　Edith　shrank　back；　her　hand　over　her　face。

〃Take　this　sword！〃　said　Nigel；　and　he　turned　the　hilt　to　the
cripple。　　〃Now！〃　he　added；　as　he　drew　his　hunting　knife。　　〃Kill　me
if　you　can；　Paul　de　la　Fosse；　for　as　God　is　my　help　I　will　do　as
much　for　you！〃

The　woman；　half　swooning　and　yet　spellbound　and　fascinated；　looked
on　at　that　strange　combat。　　For　a　moment　the　cripple　stood　with　an
air　of　doubt；　the　sword　grasped　in　his　nerveless　fingers。　　Then　as
he　saw　the　tiny　blade　in　Nigel's　hand　the　greatness　of　the
advantage　came　home　to　him；　and　a　cruel　smile　tightened　his　loose
lips。　　Slowly；　step　by　step　he　advanced；　his　chin　sunk　upon　his
chest；　his　eyes　glaring　from　under　the　thick　tangle　of　his　brows
like　fires　through　the　brushwood。　　Nigel　waited　for　him；　his　left
hand　forward；　his　knife　down　by　his　hip；　his　face　grave；　still　and
watchful。

Nearer　and　nearer　yet；　with　stealthy　step；　and　then　with　a　bound
and　a　cry　of　hatred　and　rage　Paul　de　la　Fosse　had　sped　his　blow。
It　was　well　judged　and　well　swung；　but　point　would　have　been　wiser
than　edge　against　that　supple　body　and　those　active　feet。　　Quick
as　a　flash；　Nigel　had　sprung　inside　the　sweep　of　the　blade；　taking
a　flesh　wound　on　his　left　forearm；　as　he　pressed　it　under　the
hilt。　　The　next　instant　the　cripple　was　on　the　ground　and　Nigel's
dagger　was　at　his　throat。

〃You　dog！〃　he　whispered。　　〃I　have　you　at　my　mercy！　　Quick　ere　I
strike；　and　for　the　last　time！　　Will　you　marry　or　no？〃

The　crash　of　the　fall　and　the　sharp　point　upon　his　throat　had
cowed　the　man's　spirit。　　He　looked　up　with　a　white　face　and　the
sweat　gleamed　upon　his　forehead。　　There　was　terror　in　his　eyes。

〃Nay；　take　your　knife　from　me！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　cannot　die　like　a
calf　in　the　shambles。〃

〃Will　you　marry？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　will　wed　her！　　After　all　she　is　a　good　wench　and　I
might　do　worse。　　Let　me　up！　　I　tell　you　I　will　marry　her！　　What
more　would　you　have？〃

Nigel　stood　above　him　with　his　foot　upon　his　misshapen　body。　　He
had　picked　up　his　sword；　and　the　point　rested　upon　the　cripple's
breast。

〃Nay；　you　will　bide　where　you　are！　　If　you　are　to　live　…　and　my
conscience　cries　loud　against　it　…　at　least　your　wedding　will　be
such　as　your　sins　have　deserved。　　Lie　there；　like　the　crushed　worm
that　you　are！〃　　Then　he　raised　his　voice。　　〃Father　Athanasius！〃　he
cried。　　〃What　ho！　　Father　Athanasius！〃

The　old　priest　ran　to　the　cry；　and　so　did　the　Lady　Mary。　　A
strange　sight　it　was　that　met　them　now　in　the　circle　of　light；　the
frightened　girl；　half…unconscious　against　the　table；　the　prostrate
cripple；　and　Nigel　with　foot　and　sword　upon　his　body。

〃Your　book；　father！〃　cried　Nigel。　　〃I　know　not　if　what　we　do　is
good　or　ill；　but　we　must　wed　them；　for　there　is　no　way　out。〃

But　the　girl　by　the　table　had　given　a　great　cry；　and　she　was
clinging　and　sobbing　with　her　arms　round　her　sister's　neck。

〃Oh；　Mary；　I　thank　the　Virgin　that　you　have　come！　　I　thank　the
Virgin　that　it　is　not　too　late！　　What　did　he　say？　　He　said　that　he
was　a　de　la　Fosse　and　that　he　would　not　be　married　at　the
sword…point。　　My　heart　went　out　to　him　when　he　said　it。　　But　I；　am
I　not　a　Buttesthorn；　and　shall　it　be　said　that　I　would　marry　a　man
who　could　be　led　to　the　altar　with　a　knife　at　his　throat？　　No；　no；
I　see　him　as　he　is！　　I　know　him　now；　the　mean　spirit；　the　lying
tongue！　　Can　I　not　read　in　his　eyes　that　he　has　indeed　deceived
me；　that　he　would　have　left　me　as　you　say　that　he　has　left　others？
Take　me　home；　Mary；　my　sister；　for　you　have　plucked　me　back　this
night　from　the　very　mouth　of　Hell！〃

And　so　it　was　that　the　master　of　Shalford；　livid　and　brooding；　was
left　with　his　wine　at　his　lonely　table；　while　the　golden　beauty　of
Cosford；　hot　with　shame　and　anger；　her　fair　face　wet　with　tears；
passed　out　safe　from　the　house　of　infamy　into　the　great　calm　and
peace　of　the　starry　night。




XIII。　　HOW　THE　COMRADES　JOURNEYED　DOWN　THE　OLD；　OLD　ROAD


And　now　the　season　of　the　moonless　nights　was　drawing　nigh　and　the
King's　design　was　ripe。　　Very　secretly　his　preparations　were　made。
Already　the　garrison　of　Calais；　which　consisted　of　five　hundred
archers　and　two　hundred　men…at…arms；　could；　if　forewarned；　resist
any　attack　made　upon　it。　　But　it　was　the　King's　design　not　merely
to　resist　the　attack；　but　to　capture　the　attackers。　　Above　all　it
was　his　wish　to　find　the　occasion　for　one　of　those　adventurous
passages　of　arms　which　had　made　his　name　famous　throughout
Christendom　as　the　very　pattern　and　leader　of　knight…errant
chivalry。

But　the　affair　wanted　careful　handling。　　The　arrival　of　any；
reinforcements；　or　even　the　crossing　of　any　famous　soldier；　would
have　alarmed　the　French　and　warned　them　that　their　plot　had　been
discovered。　　Therefore　it　was　in　twos　and　threes　in　the　creyers
and　provision　ships　which　were　continually　passing　from　shore　to
shore　that　the　chosen　warriors　and　their　squires　were　brought　to
Calais。　　There　they　were　passed　at　night　through　the　water…gate
into　the　castle　where　they　could　lie　hidden；　unknown　to　the
townsfolk；　until　the　hour　for　action　had　come。

Nigel　had　received　word　from　Chandos　to　join　him　at　〃The　Sign　of
the　Broom…Pod〃　in　Winchelsea。　　Three　days　beforehand　he　and
Aylward　rode　from　Tilford　all　armed　and　ready　for　the　wars。　　Nigel
was　in　hunting…costume；　blithe　and　gay；　with　his　precious　armor
and　his　small　baggage　trussed　upon　the　back　of　a　spare　horse　which
Aylward　led　by　the　bridle。　　The　archer　had　himself　a　good　black
mare；　heavy　and　slow；　but　strong　enough　to　be　fit　to　carry　his
powerful　frame。　　In　his　brigandine　of　chain　mail　and　his　steel
cap；　with　straight　strong　sword　by　his　side；　his　yel　low　long…bow
jutting　over　his　shoulder；　and　his　quiver　of　arrows　supported　by　a
scarlet　baldric；　he　was　such　a　warrior　as　any　knight　might　well　be
proud　to　have　in　his　train。　　All　Tilford　trailed　behind　them；　as
they　rode　slowly　over　the　long　slope　of　heath　land　which　skirts
the　flank　of　Crooksbury　Hill。

At　the　summit　of　the　rise　Nigel　reined　in　Pommers　and　looked　back
at　the　little　village　behind　him。　　There　was　the　old　dark　manor
house；　with　one　bent　figure　leaning　upon　a　stick　and　gazing　dimly
after　him　from　beside　the　door。　　He　looked　at　the　high…pitched
roof；　the　timbered　walls；　the　long　trail　of　swirling　blue　smoke
which　rose　from　the　single　chimney；　and　the　group　of　downcast　old
servants　who　lingered　at　the　gate；　John　the　cook；　Weathercote　the
minstrel；　and　Red　Swire　the　broken　soldier。　　Over　the　river　amid
the　trees　he　could　see　the　grim；　gray　tower　of　Waverley；　and　even
as　he　looked；　the　iron　bell；　which　had　so　often　seemed　to　be　the
hoarse　threatening　cry　of　an　enemy；　clanged　out　its　call　to
prayer。　　Nigel　doffed　his　velvet　cap　and　prayed　also　…　prayed　that
peace　might　remain　at　home；　and　good　warfare；　in　which　honor　and
fame　should　await　him；　might　still　be　found　abroad。　　Then；　waving
his　hand　to　the　people；　he　turned　his　horse's　head　and　rode　slowly
eastward。　　A　moment　later　Aylward　broke　from　the　group　of　archers
and　laughing　girls　who　clung　to　his　bridle　and　his　stirrup　straps；
and　rode　on；　blowing　kisses　over　his　shoulder。　　So　at　last　the　two
comrades；　gentle　and　simple；　were　fairly　started　on　their　venture。

There　are　two　seasons　of　color　in　those　parts：　the　yellow；　when
the　country…side　is　flaming　with　the　gorse…blossoms；　and　the
crimson；　when　all　the　long　slopes　are　smoldering　with　the　heather。
So　it　was　now。　　Nigel　looked　back　from　time　to　time；　as　he　rode
along　the　narrow　track　where　the　ferns　and　the　ling　brushed　his
feet　on　either　side；　and　as　he　looked　it　seemed　to　him　that　wander
where　he　might　he　would　never　see　a　fairer　scene　than　that　of　his
own　home。　　Far　to　the　westward；　glowing　in　the　morning　light；
rolled　billow　after　billow　of　ruddy　heather　land；　until　they
merged　into　the　dark　shadows　of　Woolmer　Forest　and　the　pale　clear
green　of　the　Butser　chalk　downs。　　Never　in　his　life　had　Nigel
wandered　far　beyond　these　limits；　and　the　woodlands；　the　down　and
the　heather　were　dear　to　his　soul。　　It　gave　him　a　pang　in　his
heart　now　a