sir nigel-第41章

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the　very　air　you　breathe　be　laden　with　it。　　Are　you　ready　for
that；　young　sir？〃

〃I　can　but　pray；　fair　lord；　that　my　spirit　will　rise　to　it。〃

Chandos　smiled　his　approval　and　laid　his　thin　brown　hand　on　the
youth's　shoulder。　　〃Good！〃　said　he。　　〃It　is　the　mute　hound　which
bites　the　hardest。　　The　babbler　is　ever　the　hang…back。　　Bide　with
me　here；　Nigel；　and　walk　upon　the　ramparts。　　Archer；　do　you　lead
the　horses　to　the　‘Sign　of　the　Broom　Pod'　in　the　high　street；　and
tell　my　varlets　to　see　them　aboard　the　cog　Thomas　before
nightfall。　　We　sail　at　the　second　hour　after　curfew。　　Come　hither；
Nigel；　to　the　crest　of　the　corner　turret；　for　from　it　I　will　show
you　what　you　have　never　seen。〃

It　was　but　a　dim　and　distant　white　cloud　upon　the　blue　water　seen
far　off　over　the　Dungeness　Point；　and　yet　the　sight　of　it　flushed
the　young　Squire's　cheeks　and　sent　the　blood　hot　through　his
veins。　　It　was　the　fringe　of　France；　that　land　of　chivalry　and
glory；　the　stage　where　name　and　fame　were　to　be　won。　　With　burning
eyes　he　gazed　across　at　it；　his　heart　rejoicing　to　think　that　the
hour　was　at　hand　when　he　might　tread　that　sacred　soil。　　Then　his
gaze　crossed　the　immense　stretch　of　the　blue　sea；　dotted　over　with
the　sails　of　fishing…boats；　until　it　rested　upon　the　double　harbor
beneath　packed　with　vessels　of　every　size　and　shape；　from　the
pessoners　and　creyers　which　plied　up　and　down　the　coast　to　the
great　cogs　and　galleys　which　were　used　either　as　war…ships　or
merchantmen　as　the　occasion　served。　　One　of　them　was　at　that
instant　passing　out　to　sea；　a　huge　galleass；　with　trumpets　blowing
and　nakers　banging；　the　flag　of　Saint　George　flaunting　over　the
broad　purple　sail；　and　the　decks　sparkling　from　end　to　end　with
steel。　　Nigel　gave　a　cry　of　pleasure　at　the　splendor　of　the　sight。

〃Aye；　lad；〃　said　Chandos；　〃it　is　the　Trinity　of　Rye；　the　very　ship
on　which　I　fought　at　Sluys。　　Her　deck　ran　blood　from　stem　to　stern
that　day。　　But　turn　your　eyes　this　way；　I　beg　you；　and　tell　me　if
you　see　aught　strange　about　this　town。〃

Nigel　looked　down　at　the　noble　straight　street；　at　the　Roundel
Tower；　at　the　fine　church　of　Saint　Thomas；　and　the　other　fair
buildings　of　Winchelsea。　　〃It　is　all　new；〃　said　he　…　〃church；
castle；　houses；　all　are　new。〃

〃You　are　right；　fair　son。　　My　grandfather　can　call　to　mind　the
time　when　only　the　conies　lived　upon　this　rock。　　The　town　was　down
yonder　by　the　sea；　until　one　night　the　waves　rose　upon　it　and　not
a　house　was　left。　　See；　yonder　is　Rye；　huddling　also　on　a　hill；
the　two　towns　like　poor　sheep　when　the　waters　are　out。　　But　down
there　under　the　blue　water　and　below　the　Camber　Sand　lies　the　true
Winchelsea　…　tower；　cathedral；　walls　and　all；　even　as　my
grandfather　knew　it；　when　the　first　Edward　was　young　upon　the
throne。〃

For　an　hour　or　more　Chandos　paced　upon　the　ramparts　with　his　young
Squire　at　his　elbow　and　talked　to　him　of　his　duties　and　of　the
secrets　and　craft　of　warfare；　Nigel　drinking　in　and　storing　in　his
memory　every　word　from　so　revered　a　teacher。　　Many　a　time　in　after
life；　in　stress　and　in　danger；　he　strengthened　himself　by　the
memory　of　that　slow　walk　with　the　blue　sea　on　one　side　and　the
fair　town　on　the　other；　when　the　wise　soldier　and　noble…hearted
knight　poured　forth　his　precept　and　advice　as　the　master　workman
to　the　apprentice。

〃Perhaps；　fair　son；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　like　so　many　other　lads　who
ride　to　the　wars；　and　know　so　much　already　that　it　is　waste　of
breath　to　advise　them？〃

〃Nay；　my　fair　lord；　I　know　nothing　save　that　I　would　fain　do　my
duty　and　either　win　honorable　advancement　or　die　worshipful　on　the
field。〃

〃You　are　wise　to　be　humble；〃　said　Chandos；　〃for　indeed　he　who
knows　most　of　war　knows　best　that　there　is　much　to　learn。　　As
there　is　a　mystery　of　the　rivers　and　a　mystery　of　woodcraft；　even
so　there　is　a　mystery　of　warfare　by　which　battles　may　be　lost　and
gained；　for　all　nations　are　brave；　and　where　the　brave　meets　the
brave　it　is　he　who　is　crafty　and　war…wise　who　will　win　the　day。
The　best　hound　will　run　at　fault　if　he　be　ill　laid　on；　and　the
best　hawk　will　fly　at　check　if　he　be　badly　loosed；　and　even　so　the
bravest　army　may　go　awry　if　it　be　ill　handled。　　There　are　not　in
Christendom　better　knights　and　squires　than　those　of　the　French；
and　yet　we　have　had　the　better　of　them；　for　in　our　Scottish　Wars
and　elsewhere　we　have　learned　more　of　this　same　mystery　of　which　I
speak。〃

〃And　wherein　lies　our　wisdom；　honored　sir？〃　asked　Nigel。　　〃I　also
would　fain　be　war…wise　and　learn　to　fight　with　my　wits　as　well　as
with　my　sword。〃

Chandos　shook　his　head　and　smiled。　　〃It　is　in　the　forest　and　on
the　down　that　you　learn　to　fly　the　hawk　and　loose　the　hound；〃　said
he。　　〃So　also　it　is　in　camp　and　on　the　field　that　the　mystery　of
war　can　be　learned。　　There　only　has　every　great　captain　come　to　be
its　master。　　To　start　he　must　have　a　cool　head；　quick　to　think；
soft　as　wax　before　his　purpose　is　formed；　hard　as　steel　when　once
he　sees　it　before　him。　　Ever　alert　he　must　be；　and　cautious　also；
but　with　judgment　to　turn　his　caution　into　rashness　where　a　large
gain　may　be　put　against　a　small　stake。　　An　eye　for　country　also；
for　the　trend　of　the　rivers；　the　slope　of　the　hills；　the　cover　of
the　woods；　and　the　light　green　of　the　bog…land。〃

Poor　Nigel；　who　had　trusted　to　his　lance　and　to　Pommers　to　break
his　path　to　glory；　stood　aghast　at　this　list　of　needs。　　〃Alas！〃　he
cried。　　〃How　am　I　to　gain　all　this？　　…　I；　who　could　scarce　learn
to　read　or　write　though　the　good　Father　Matthew　broke　a　hazel
stick　a　day　across　my　shoulders？　　〃

〃You　will　gain　it；　fair　son；　where　others　have　gained　it　before
you。　　You　have　that　which　is　the　first　thing　of　all；　a　heart　of
fire　from　which　other　colder　hearts　may　catch　a　spark。　　But　you
must　have　knowledge　also　of　that　which　warfare　has　taught　us　in
olden　times。　　We　know；　par　exemple；　that　horsemen　alone　cannot
hope　to　win　against　good　foot…soldiers。　　Has　it　not　been　tried　at
Courtrai；　at　Stirling；　and　again　under　my　own　eyes　at　Crecy；　where
the　chivalry　of　France　went　down　before　our　bowmen？〃

Nigel　stared　at　him；　with　a　perplexed　brow。　　〃Fair　sir；　my　heart
grows　heavy　as　I　hear　you。　　Do　you　then　say　that　our　chivalry　can
make　no　head　against　archers；　billmen　and　the　like？〃

〃Nay；　Nigel；　for　it　has　also　been　very　clearly　shown　that　the　best
foot…soldiers　unsupported　cannot　hold　their　own　against　the　mailed
horsemen。〃

〃To　whom　then　is　the　victory？〃　asked　Nigel。

〃To　him　who　can　mix　his　horse　and　foot；　using　each　to　strengthen
the　other。　　Apart　they　are　weak。　　Together　they　are　strong。　　The
archer　who　can　weaken　the　enemy's　line；　the　horseman　who　can　break
it　when　it　is　weakened；　as　was　done　at　Falkirk　and　Duplin；　there
is　the　secret　of　our　strength。　　Now　touching　this　same　battle　of
Falkirk；　I　pray　you　for　one　instant　to　give　it　your　attention。〃

With　his　whip　he　began　to　trace　a　plan　of　the　Scottish　battle　upon
the　dust；　and　Nigel　with　knitted　brows　was　trying　hard　to　muster
his　small　stock　of　brains　and　to　profit　by　the　lecture；　when　their
conversation　was　interrupted　by　a　strange　new　arrival。

It　was　a　very　stout　little　man；　wheezy　and　purple　with　haste；　who
scudded　down　the　rampart　as　if　he　were　blown　by　the　wind；　his
grizzled　hair　flying　and　his　long　black　gown　floating　behind　him。
He　was　clad　in　the　dress　of　a　respectable　citizen；　a　black　jerkin
trimmed　with　sable；　a　black…velvet　beaver　hat　and　a　white　feather。
At　the　sight　of　Chandos　he　gave　a　cry　of　joy　and　quickened　his
pace　so　that　when　he　did　at　last　reach　him　he　could　only　stand
gasping　and　waving　his　hands。

〃Give　yourself　time；　good　Master　Wintersole；　give　yourself　time！〃
said　Chandos　in　a　soothing　voice。

〃The　papers！〃　gasped　the　little　man。　　〃Oh；　my　Lord　Chandos；　the
papers　…　〃

〃What　of　the　papers；　my　worthy　sir？〃

〃I　swear　by　our　good　patron　Saint　Leonard；　it　is　no　fault　of　mine！
I　had　locked　them　in　my　coffer。　　But　the　lock　was　forced　and　the
coffer　rifled。〃

A　shadow　of　anger　passed　over　the　soldier's　keen　face。

〃How　now；　Master　Mayor？　　Pull　your　wits　together　and　do　not　stand
there　babbling　like　a　three…year　child。　　Do　you　say　that　some　one
hath　taken　the　papers？〃