sir nigel-第37章
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I love you dearly； still I will not let the thought of you stand
betwixt me and honorable achievement！〃
Her face shone with her love and her pride。 〃I also make my
oath；〃 said she； 〃and I do it in the name of the holy Catharine
whose shrine is hard by。 I swear that I will hold myself for you
until these three deeds be done and we meet once more； also that
if … which may dear Christ forfend！ you fall in doing them then I
shall take the veil in Shalford nunnery and look upon no man's
face again！ Give me your hand； Nigel。〃
She had taken a little bangle of gold filigree work from her arm
and fastened it upon his sunburnt wrist； reading aloud to him the
engraved motto in old French： 〃Fais ce que dois； adviegne que
pourra … c'est commande au chevalier。〃 Then for one moment they
fell into each other's arms and with kiss upon kiss； a loving man
and a tender woman； they swore their troth to each other。 But the
old knight was calling impatiently from below and together they
hurried down the winding path to where the horses waited under the
sandy bluff。
As far as the Shalford crossing Sir John rode by Nigel's arm； and
many were the last injunctions which he gave him concerning
woodcraft； and great his anxiety lest he confuse a spay with a
brocket； or either with a hind。 At last when they came to the
reedy edge of the Wey the old knight and his daughter reined up
their horses。 Nigel looked back at them ere he entered the dark
Chantry woods； and saw them still gazing after him and waving
their hands。 Then the path wound amongst the trees and they were
lost to sight； but long afterwards when a clearing exposed once
more the Shalford meadows Nigel saw that the old man upon the gray
cob was riding slowly toward Saint Catharine's Hill； but that the
girl was still where he had seen her last； leaning forward in her
saddle and straining her eyes to pierce the dark forest which
screened her lover from her view。 It was but a fleeting glance
through a break in the foliage； and yet in after days of stress
and toil in far distant lands it was that one little picture … the
green meadow； the reeds； the slow blue…winding river； and the
eager bending graceful figure upon the white horse … which was the
clearest and the dearest image of that England which he had left
behind him。
But if Nigel's friends had learned that this was the morning of
his leaving； his enemies too were on the alert。 The two comrades
had just emerged from the Chantry woods and were beginning the
ascent of that curving path which leads upward to the old Chapel
of the Martyr when with a hiss like an angry snake a long white
arrow streaked under Pommers and struck quivering in the grassy
turf。 A second whizzed past Nigel's ear； as he tried to turn； but
Aylward struck the great war…horse a sharp blow over the haunches；
and it had galloped some hundreds of yards before its rider could
pull it up。 Aylward followed as hard as he could ride； bending
low over his horse's neck； while arrows whizzed all around him。
〃By Saint Paul！〃 said Nigel； tugging at his bridle and white with
anger； 〃they shall not chase me across the country as though I was
a frighted doe。 Archer； how dare you to lash my horse when I
would have turned and ridden in upon them？〃
〃It is well that I did so；〃 said Aylward； 〃or by these ten finger…
bones！ our journey would have begun and ended on the same day。 As
I glanced round I saw a dozen of them at the least amongst the
brushwood。 See now how the light glimmers upon their steel caps
yonder in the bracken under the great beech…tree。 Nay； I pray
you； my fair lord； do not ride forward。 What chance has a man in
the open against all these who lie at their ease in the underwood？
If you will not think of yourself； then consider your horse； which
would have a cloth…yard shaft feathered in its hide ere it could
reach the wood。〃
Nigel chafed in impotent anger。 〃Am I to be shot at like a
popinjay at a fair； by any reaver or outlaw that seeks a mark for
his bow？〃 he cried。 〃By Saint Paul！ Aylward； I will put on my
harness and go further into the matter。 Help me to untruss； I
pray you！〃
〃Nay； my fair lord； I will not help you to your own downfall。 It
is a match with cogged dice betwixt a horseman on the moor and
archers amid the forest。 But these men are no outlaws； or they
would not dare to draw their bows within a league of the sheriff
of Guildford。〃
〃Indeed； Aylward； I think that you speak truth；〃 said Nigel。〃 It
may be that these are the men of Paul de la Fosse of Shalford；
whom I have giver； little cause to love me。 Ah！ there is indeed
the very man himself。〃
They sat their horses with their backs to the long slope which
leads up to the old chapel on the hill。 In front of them was the
dark ragged edge of the wood； with a sharp twinkle of steel here
and there in its shadows which spoke of these lurking foes。 But
now there was a long moot upon a horn； and at once a score of
russet…clad bowmen ran forward from amid the trees； spreading out
into a scattered line and closing swiftly in upon the travelers。
In the midst of them； upon a great gray horse； sat a small
misshapen man； waving and cheering as one sets hounds on a badger；
turning his head this way and that as he whooped and pointed；
urging his bowmen onward up the slope。
〃Draw them on； my fair lord！ Draw them on until we have them out
on the down！〃 cried Aylward； his eyes shining with joy。 〃Five
hundred paces more； and then we may be on terms with them。 Nay；
linger not； but keep them always just clear of arrowshot until our
turn has come。〃
Nigel shook and trembled with eagerness； as with his hand on his
sword…hilt he looked at the line of eager hurrying men。 But it
flashed through his mind what Chandos had said of the cool head
which is better for the warrior than the hot heart。 Aylward's
words were true and wise。 He turned Pommers' head therefore； and
amid a cry of derision from behind them the comrades trotted over
the down。 The bowmen broke into a run； while their leader
screamed and waved more madly than before。 Aylward cast many a
glance at them over his shoulder。
〃Yet a little farther！ Yet a little farther still！〃 he muttered。
〃The wind is towards them and the fools have forgot that I can
overshoot them by fifty paces。 Now； my good lord； I pray you for
one instant to hold the horses； for my weapon is of more avail
this day； than thine can be。 They may make sorry cheer ere they
gain the shelter of the wood once more。〃
He had sprung from his horse； and with a downward wrench of his
arm and a push with his knee he slipped the string into the upper
nock of his mighty war…bow。 Then in a flash he notched his shaft
and drew it to the pile； his keen blue eyes glowing fiercely
behind it from under his knotted brows。 With thick legs planted
sturdily apart； his body laid to the bow； his left arm motionless
as wood； his right bunched into a double curve of swelling muscles
as he stretched the white well…waxed string； he looked so keen and
fierce a fighter that the advancing line stopped for an instant at
the sight of him。 Two or three loosed off their arrows； but the
shafts flew heavily against the head wind； and snaked along the
hard turf some score of paces short of the mark。 One only； a
short bandy…legged man； whose squat figure spoke of enormous
muscular strength； ran swiftly in and then drew so strong a bow
that the arrow quivered in the ground at Aylward's very feet。
〃It is Black Will of Lynchmere；〃 said the bowman。 〃Many a match
have I shot with him； and I know well that no other man on the
Surrey marches could have sped such a shaft。 I trust that you are
houseled and shriven； Will； for I have known you so long that I
would not have your damnation upon my soul。〃
He raised his bow as he spoke； and the string twanged with a rich
deep musical note。 Aylward leaned upon his bow…stave as he keenly
watched the long swift flight of his shaft； skimming smoothly down
the wind。
〃On him； on him！ No； over him； by my hilt！〃 he cried。 〃There is
more wind than I had thought。 Nay； nay； friend； now that I have
the length of you； you can scarce h
