sir nigel-第4章

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The　Abbot　hardened　his　heart　at　the　thought。　　〃It　was　indeed　a
devil's　deed　…　when　we　had　but　newly　stocked　it　with　char　and　with
carp。　　Well；　well；　the　law　is　the　law；　and　if　you　can　use　it　to
hurt；　it　is　still　lawful　to　do　so　Have　these　claims　been
advanced？〃

〃Deacon　the　bailiff　with　his　two　varlets　went　down　to　the　Hall
yesternight　on　the　matter　of　the　escuage；　and　came　screaming　back
with　this　young　hothead　raging　at　their　heels。　　He　is　small　and
slight；　yet　he　has　the　strength　of　many　men　in　the　hour　of　his
wrath。　　The　bailiff　swears　that　he　will　go　no　more；　save　with　half
a　score　of　archers　to　uphold　him。〃

The　Abbot　was　red　with　anger　at　this　new　offense。　　〃I　will　teach
him　that　the　servants　of　Holy　Church；　even　though　we　of　the　rule
of　Saint　Bernard　be　the　lowliest　and　humblest　of　her　children；　can
still　defend　their　own　against　the　froward　and　the　violent！　　Go；
cite　this　man　before　the　Abbey　court。　　Let　him　appear　in　the
chapter…house　after　tierce　to…morrow。〃

But　the　wary　sacrist　shook　his　head：　〃Nay；　holy　father；　the　times
are　not　yet　ripe。　　Give　me　three　days；　I　pray　you；　that　my　case
against　him　may　be　complete。　　Bear　in　mind　that　the　father　and　the
grandfather　of　this　unruly　squire　were　both　famous　men　of　their
day　and　the　foremost　knights　in　the　King's　own　service；　living　in
high　honor　and　dying　in　their　knightly　duty。　　The　Lady　Ermyntrude
Loring　was　first　lady　to　the　King's　mother。　　Roger　FitzAlan　of
Farnham　and　Sir　Hugh　Walcott　of　Guildford　Castle　were　each　old
comrades…in…arms　of　Nigel's　father；　and　sib　to　him　on　the　distaff
side。　　Already　there　has　been　talk　that　we　have　dealt　harshly　with
them。　　Therefore；　my　rede　is　that　we　be　wise　and　wary　and　wait
until　his　cup　be　indeed　full。〃

The　Abbot　had　opened　his　mouth　to　reply；　when　the　consultation　was
interrupted　by　a　most　unwonted　buzz　of；　excitement　from　among　the
monks　in　the　cloister　below。　　Questions　and　answers　in　excited
voices　sounded　from　one　side　of　the　ambulatory　to　the　other。
Sacrist　and　Abbot　were　gazing　at　each　other　in　amazement　at　such　a
breach　of　the　discipline　and　decorum　of　their　well…trained　flock；
when　there　came　a　swift　step　upon　the　stair；　and　a　white…faced
brother　flung　open　the　door　and　rushed　into　the　room。

〃Father　Abbot！〃　he　cried。　　〃Alas；　alas！　　Brother　John　is　dead；　and
the　holy　subprior　is　dead；　and　the　Devil　is　loose　in　the　five…
virgate　field！〃




III。　THE　YELLOW　HORSE　OF　CROOKSBURY


In　those　simple　times　there　was　a　great　wonder　and　mystery　in
life。　　Man　walked　in　fear　and　solemnity；　with　Heaven　very　close
above　his　head；　and　Hell　below　his　very　feet。　　God's　visible　hand
was　everywhere；　in　the　rainbow　and　the　comet；　in　the　thunder　and
the　wind。　　The　Devil　too　raged　openly　upon　the　earth；　he　skulked
behind　the　hedge…rows　in　the　gloaming；　he　laughed　loudly　in　the
night…time；　he　clawed　the　dying　sinner；　pounced　on　the　unbaptized
babe；　and　twisted　the　limbs　of　the　epileptic。　　A　foul　fiend　slunk
ever　by　a　man's　side　and　whispered　villainies　in　his　ear；　while
above　him　there　hovered　an　angel　of　grace　who　pointed　to　the　steep
and　narrow　track。　　How　could　one　doubt　these　things；　when　Pope　and
priest　and　scholar　and　King　were　all　united　in　believing　them；
with　no　single　voice　of　question　in　the　whole　wide　world？

Every　book　read；　every　picture　seen；　every　tale　heard　from　nurse
or　mother；　all　taught　the　same　lesson。　　And　as　a　man　traveled
through　the　world　his　faith　would　grow　the　firmer；　for　go　where　he
would　there　were　the　endless　shrines　of　the　saints；　each　with　its
holy　relic　in　the　center；　and　around　it　the　tradition　of　incessant
miracles；　with　stacks　of　deserted　crutches　and　silver　votive
hearts　to　prove　them。　　At　every　turn　he　was　made　to　feel　how　thin
was　the　veil；　and　how　easily　rent；　which　screened　him　from　the
awful　denizens　of　the　unseen　world。

Hence　the　wild　announcement　of　the　frightened　monk　seemed　terrible
rather　than　incredible　to　those　whom　he　addressed。　　　The　Abbot's
ruddy　face　paled　for　a　moment；　it　is　true；　but　he　plucked　the
crucifix　from　his　desk　and　rose　valiantly　to　his　feet。

〃Lead　me　to　him！〃　said　he。　　〃Show　me　the　foul　fiend　who　dares　to
lay　his　grip　upon　brethren　of　the　holy　house　of　Saint　Bernard！
Run　down　to　my　chaplain；　brother！　　Bid　him　bring　the　exorcist　with
him；　and　also　the　blessed　box　of　relics；　and　the　bones　of　Saint
James　from　under　the　altar！　　With　these　and　a　contrite　and　humble
heart　we　may　show　front　to　all　the　powers　of　darkness。〃

But　the　sacrist　was　of　a　more　critical　turn　of　mind。　　He　clutched
the　monk's　arm　with　a　grip　which　left　its　five　purple　spots　for
many　a　day　to　come。

〃Is　this　the　way　to　enter　the　Abbot's　own　chamber；　without　knock
or　reverence；　or　so　much　as　a　‘Pax　vobiscum'？〃　said　he　sternly。
〃You　were　wont　to　be　our　gentlest　novice；　of　lowly　carriage　in
chapter；　devout　in　psalmody　and　strict　in　the　cloister。　　Pull　your
wits　together　and　answer　me　straightly。　　In　what　form　has　the　foul
fiend　appeared；　and　how　has　he　done　this　grievous　scathe　to　our
brethren？　　Have　you　seen　him　with　your　own　eyes；　or　do　you　repeat
from　hearsay？　　Speak；　man；　or　you　stand　on　the　penance…stool　in
the　chapter…house　this　very　hour！〃

Thus　adjured；　the　frightened　monk　grew　calmer　in　his　bearing；
though　his　white　lips　and　his　startled　eyes；　with　the　gasping　of
his　breath；　told　of　his　inward　tremors。

〃If　it　please　you；　holy　father；　and　you；　reverend　sacrist；　it　came
about　in　this　way。　　James　the　subprior；　and　Brother　John　and　I　had
spent　our　day　from　sext　onward　on　Hankley；　cutting　bracken　for　the
cow…houses。　　We　were　coming　back　over　the　five…virgate　field；　and
the　holy　subprior　was　telling　us　a　saintly　tale　from　the　life　of
Saint　Gregory；　when　there　came　a　sudden　sound　like　a　rushing
torrent；　and　the　foul　fiend　sprang　over　the　high　wall　which　skirts
the　water…meadow　and　rushed　upon　us　with　the　speed　of　the　wind。
The　lay　brother　he　struck　to　the　ground　and　trampled　into　the
mire。　　Then；　seizing　the　good　subprior　in　his　teeth；　he　rushed
round　the　field；　swinging　him　as　though　he　were　a　fardel　of　old
clothes。

〃Amazed　at　such　a　sight；　I　stood　without　movement　and　had　said　a
credo　and　three　aves；　when　the　Devil　dropped　the　subprior　and
sprang　upon　me。　　With　the　help　of　Saint　Bernard　I　clambered　over
the　wall；　but　not　before　his　teeth　had　found　my　leg；　and　he　had
torn　away　the　whole　back　skirt　of　my　gown。〃　　As　he　spoke　he　turned
and　gave　corroboration　to　his　story　by　the　hanging　ruins　of　his
long　trailing　garment。

〃In　what　shape　then　did　Satan　appear？〃　the　Abbot　demanded。

〃As　a　great　yellow　horse；　holy　father　…　a　monster　horse；　with　eyes
of　fire　and　the　teeth　of　a　griffin。〃

〃A　yellow　horse！〃　　The　sacrist　glared　at　the　scared　monk。　　〃You
foolish　brother！　　How　will　you　behave　when　you　have　indeed　to　face
the　King　of　Terrors　himself　if　you　can　be　so　frightened　by　the
sight　of　a　yellow　horse？　　It　is　the　horse　of　Franklin　Aylward；　my
father；　which　has　been　distrained　by　us　because　he　owes　the　Abbey
fifty　good　shillings　and　can　never　hope　to　pay　it。　　Such　a　horse；
they　say；　is　not　to　be　found　betwixt　this　and　the　King's　stables
at　Windsor；　for　his　sire　was　a　Spanish　destrier；　and　his　dam　an
Arab　mare　of　the　very　breed　which　Saladin；　whose　soul　now　reeks　in
Hell；　kept　for　his　own　use；　and　even　it　has　been　said　under　the
shelter　of　his　own　tent。　　I　took　him　in　discharge　of　the　debt；　and
I　ordered　the　varlets　who　had　haltered　him　to　leave　him　alone　in
the　water…meadow；　for　I　have　heard　that　the　beast　has　indeed　a
most　evil　spirit；　and　has　killed　more　men　than　one。〃

〃It　was　an　ill　day　for　Waverley　that　you　brought　such　a　monster
within　its　bounds；〃　said　the　Abbot。　　〃If　the　subprior　and　Brother
John　be　indeed　dead；　then　it　would　seem　that　if　the　horse　be　not
the　Devil　he　is　at　least　the　Devil's　instrument。〃

〃Horse　or　Devil；　holy　father；　I　heard　him　shout　with　joy　as　he
trampled　upon　Brother　John；　and　had　you　seen　him　tossing　the
subprior　as　a　dog　shakes　a　rat　you　would　perchance　have　felt　even
as　I　did。〃

〃Come　then；〃　cried　the　Abbot；　〃let　us　see　with　our　own　eyes　what
evil　has　been　done。〃

And　the　three　monks　hurried　down　the　stair　which　led　to　the
cloiste