sir nigel-第38章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


more　wind　than　I　had　thought。　　Nay；　nay；　friend；　now　that　I　have
the　length　of　you；　you　can　scarce　hope　to　loose　again。〃

Black　Will　had　notched　an　arrow　and　was　raising　his　bow　when
Aylward's　second　shaft　passed　through　the　shoulder　of　his　drawing
arm。　　With　a　shout　of　anger　and　pain　he　dropped　his　weapon；　and
dancing　in　his　fury　he　shook　his　fist　and　roared　curses　at　his
rival。

〃I　could　slay　him；　but　I　will　not；　for　good　bowmen　are　not　so
common；〃　said　Aylward。　　〃And　now；　fair　sir；　we　must　on；　for　they
are　spreading　round　on　either　side；　and　if　once　they　get　behind
us；　then　indeed　our　journey　has　come　to　a　sudden　end。　　But　ere　we
go　I　would　send　a　shaft　through　yonder　horseman　who　leads　them
on。〃

〃Nay；　Aylward；　I　pray　you　to　leave　him；〃　said　Nigel。　　〃Villain　as
he　is；　he　is　none　the　less　a　gentleman　of　coat…armor；　and　should
die　by　some　other　weapon　than　thine。〃

〃As　you　will；〃　said　Aylward；　with　a　clouded　brow。　　〃I　have　been
told　that　in　the　late　wars　many　a　French　prince　and　baron　has　not
been　too　proud　to　take　his　death　wound　from　an　English　yeoman's
shaft；　and　that　nobles　of　England　have　been　glad　enough　to　stand
by　and　see　it　done。〃

Nigel　shook　his　head　sadly。　　〃It　is　sooth　you　say；　archer；　and
indeed　it　is　no　new　thing；　for　that　good　knight　Richard　of　the
Lion　Heart　met　his　end　in　such　a　lowly　fashion；　and　so　also　did
Harold　the　Saxon。　　But　this　is　a　private　matter；　and　I　would　not
have　you　draw　your　bow　against　him。　　Neither　can　I　ride　at　him
myself；　for　he　is　weak　in　body；　though　dangerous　in　spirit。
Therefore；　we　will　go　upon　our　way；　since　there　is　neither　profit
nor　honor　to　be　gained；　nor　any　hope　of　advancement。〃

Aylward；　having　unstrung　his　bow；　had　remounted　his　horse　during
this　conversation；　and　the　two　rode　swiftly　past　the　little　squat
Chapel　of　the　Martyr　and　over　the　brow　of　the　hill。　　From　the
summit　they　looked　back。　　The　injured　archer　lay　upon　the　ground；
with　several　of　his　comrades　gathered　in　a　knot　around　him。
Others　ran　aimlessly　up　the　hill；　but　were　already　far　behind。
The　leader　sat　motionless　upon　his　horse；　and　as　he　saw　them　look
back　he　raised　his　hand　and　shrieked　his　curses　at　them。　　An
instant　later　the　curve　of　the　ground　had　hid　them　from　view。　　So；
amid　love　and　hate；　Nigel　bade　adieu　to　the　home　of　his　youth。

And　now　the　comrades　were　journeying　upon　that　old；　old　road　which
runs　across　the　south　of　England　and　yet　never　turns　toward
London；　for　the　good　reason　that　the　place　was　a　poor　hamlet　when
first　the　road　was　laid。　　From　Winchester；　the　Saxon　capital；　to
Canterbury；　the　holy　city　of　Kent；　ran　that　ancient　highway；　and
on　from　Canterbury　to　the　narrow　straits　where；　on　a　clear　day；
the　farther　shore　can　be　seen。　　Along　this　track　as　far　back　as
history　can　trace　the　metals　of　the　west　have　been　carried　and
passed　the　pack…horses　which　bore　the　goods　which　Gaul　sent　in
exchange。　　Older　than　the　Christian　faith　and　older　than　the
Romans；　is　the　old　road。　　North　and　south　are　the　woods　and　the
marshes；　so　that　only　on　the　high　dry　turf　of　the　chalk　land　could
a　clear　track　be　found。　　The　Pilgrim's　Way；　it　still　is　called；
but　the　pilgrims　were　the　last　who　ever　trod　it；　for　it　was
already　of　immemorial　age　before　the　death　of　Thomas　a　Becket　gave
a　new　reason　why　folk　should　journey　to　the　scene　of　his　murder。

》From　the　hill　of　Weston　Wood　the　travelers　could　see　the　long
white　band　which　dipped　and　curved　and　rose　over　the　green
downland；　its　course　marked　even　in　the　hollows　by　the　line　of　the
old　yew…trees　which　flanked　it。　　Neither　Nigel　nor　Aylward　had
wandered　far　from　their　own　country；　and　now　they　rode　with　light
hearts　and　eager　eyes　taking　note　of　all　the　varied　pictures　of
nature　and　of　man　which　passed　before　them。　　To　their　left　was　a
hilly　country；　a　land　of　rolling　heaths　and　woods；　broken　here　and
there　into　open　spaces　round　the　occasional　farm…house　of　a
franklin。　　Hackhurst　Down；　Dunley　Hill；　and　Ranmore　Common　swelled
and　sank；　each　merging　into　the　other。　　But　on　the　right；　after
passing　the　village　of　Shere　and　the　old　church　of　Gomshall；　the
whole　south　country　lay　like　a　map　at　their　feet。　　There　was　the
huge　wood　of　the　Weald；　one　unbroken　forest　of　oak…trees
stretching　away　to　the　South　Downs；　which　rose　olive…green　against
the　deep　blue　sky。　　Under　this　great　canopy　of　trees　strange　folk
lived　and　evil　deeds　were　done。　　In　its　recesses　were　wild　tribes；
little　changed　from　their　heathen　ancestors；　who　danced　round　the
altar　of　Thor；　and　well　was　it　for　the　peaceful　traveler　that　he
could　tread　the　high　open　road　of　the　chalk　land　with　no　need　to
wander　into　so　dangerous　a　tract；　where　soft　clay；　tangled　forest
and　wild　men　all　barred　his　progress。

But　apart　from　the　rolling　country　upon　the　left　and　the　great
forest…hidden　plain　upon　the　right；　there　was　much　upon　the　road
itself　to　engage　the　attention　of　the　wayfarers。　　It　was　crowded
with　people。　　As　far　as　their　eyes　could　carry　they　could　see　the
black　dots　scattered　thickly　upon　the　thin　white　band；　sometimes
single；　sometimes　several　abreast；　sometimes　in　moving　crowds；
where　a　drove　of　pilgrims　held　together　for　mutual　protection；　or
a　nobleman　showed　his　greatness　by　the　number　of　retainers　who
trailed　at　his　heels。　　At　that　time　the　main　roads　were　very
crowded；　for　there；　were　many　wandering　people　in　the　land。　　Of
all　sorts　and　kinds；　they　passed　in　an　unbroken　stream　before　the
eyes　of　Nigel　and　of　Aylward；　alike　only　in　the　fact　that　one　and
all　were　powdered　from　their　hair　to　their　shoes　with　the　gray
dust　of　the　chalk。

There　were　monks　journeying　from　one　cell　to　another；　Benedictines
with　their　black　gowns　looped　up　to　show　their　white　skirts；
Carthusians　in　white；　and　pied　Cistercians。　　Friars　also　of　the
three　wandering　orders　…　Dominicans　in　black；　Carmelites　in　white
and　Franciscans　in　gray。　　There　was　no　love　lost　between　the
cloistered　monks　and　the　free　friars；　each　looking　on　the　other　as
a　rival　who　took　from　him　the　oblations　of　the　faithful；　so　they
passed　on　the　high　road　as　cat　passes　dog；　with　eyes　askance　and
angry　faces。

Then　besides　the　men　of　the　church　there　were　the　men　of　trade；
the　merchant　in　dusty　broadcloth　and　Flanders　hat　riding　at　the
head　of　his　line　of　pack…horses。　　He　carried　Cornish　tin；
Welt…country　wool；　or　Sussex　iron　if　he　traded　eastward；　or　if　his
head　should　be　turned　westward　then　he　bore　with　him　the　velvets
of　Genoa；　the　ware　of　Venice；　the　wine　of　France；　or　the　armor　of
Italy　and　Spain。　　Pilgrims　were　everywhere；　poor　people　for　the
most　part；　plodding　wearily　along　with　trailing　feet　and　bowed
heads；　thick　staves　in　their　hands　and　bundles　over　their
shoulders。　　Here　and　there　on　a　gaily　caparisoned　palfrey；　or　in
the　greater　luxury　of　a　horse…litter；　some　West…country　lady　might
be　seen　making　her　easy　way　to　the　shrine　of　Saint　Thomas。

Besides　all　these　a　constant　stream　of　strange　vagabonds　drifted
along　the　road：　minstrels　who　wandered　from　fair　to　fair；　a　foul
and　pestilent　crew；　jugglers　and　acrobats；　quack　doctors　and
tooth…drawers；　students　and　beggars；　free　workmen　in　search　of
better　wages；　and　escaped　bondsmen　who　would　welcome　any　wages　at
all。　　Such　was　the　throng　which　set　the　old　road　smoking　in　a　haze
of　white　dust　from　Winchester　to　the　narrow　sea。

But　of　all　the　wayfarers　those　which　interested　Nigel　most　were
the　soldiers。　　Several　times　they　passed　little　knots　of　archers
or　men…at…arms；　veterans　from　France；　who　had　received　their
discharge　and　were　now　making　their　way　to　their　southland　homes。
They　were　half　drunk　all　of　them；　for　the　wayfarers　treated　them
to　beer　at　the　frequent　inns　and　ale…stakes　which　lined　the　road；
so　that　they　cheered　and　sang　lustily　as　they　passed。　　They　roared
rude　pleasantries　at　Aylward；　who　turned　in　his　saddle　and　shouted
his　opinion　of　them　until　they　were　out　of　hearing。

Once；　late　in　the　afternoon；　they　overtook　a　body　of　a　hundred
archers　all　marching　together　with　two　knights　riding　at　their
head。　　They　were　passing　from　Guildford　Castle　to　Reigate　Castle；
where　they　were　in　garrison。　　Nigel　rode　with　the　knights　for　some
distance；