sir nigel-第42章

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there　babbling　like　a　three…year　child。　　Do　you　say　that　some　one
hath　taken　the　papers？〃

〃It　is　sooth；　fair　sir！　　Thrice　I　have　been　Mayor　of　the　town；　and
fifteen　years　burgess　and　jurat；　but　never　once　has　any　public
matter　gone　awry　through　me。　　Only　last　month　there　came　an　order
from　Windsor　on　a　Tuesday　for　a　Friday　banquet；　a　thousand　soles；
four　thousand　plaice；　two　thousand　mackerel；　five　hundred　crabs；　a
thousand　lobsters；　five　thousand　whiting　…　〃

〃I　doubt　not；　Master　Mayor；　that　you　are　an　excellent　fishmonger；
but　the　matter　concerns　the　papers　I　gave　into　your　keeping。
Where　are　they？〃

〃Taken；　fair　sir…gone！〃

〃And　who　hath　dared　to　take　them？〃

〃Alas！　　I　know　not。　　It　was　but　for　as　long　as　you　would　say　an
angelus　that　I　left　the　chamber；　and　when　I　came　back　there　was
the　coffer；　broken　and　empty；　upon　my　table。〃

〃Do　you　suspect　no　one？〃

〃There　was　a　varlet　who　hath　come　with　the　last　few　days　into　my
employ。　　He　is　not　to　be　found；　and　I　have　sent　horsemen　along
both　the　Udimore　road　and　that　to　Rye；　that　they　may　seize　him。
By　the　help　of　Saint　Leonard　they　can　scarce　miss　him；　for　one　can
tell　him　a　bow…shot　off　by　his　hair。〃

〃Is　it　red？〃　asked　Chandos　eagerly。　　〃Is　it　fox…red；　and　the　man　a
small　man　pocked　with　sun…spots；　and　very　quick　in　his　movements？〃

〃It　is　the　man　himself。〃

Chandos　shook　his　clenched　hand　with　annoyance；　and　then　set　off
swiftly　down　the　street。

〃It　is　Peter　the　Red　Ferret　once　more！〃　said　he。　　〃I　knew　him　of
old　in　France；　where　he　has　done　us　more　harm　than　a　company　of
men…at…arms。　　He　speaks　English　as　he　speaks　French；　and　he　is　of
such　daring　and　cunning　that　nothing　is　secret　from　him。　　In　all
France　there　is　no　more　dangerous　man；　for　though　he　is　a
gentleman　of　blood　and　coat…armor　he　takes　the　part　of　a　spy；
because　it　hath　the　more　danger　and　therefore　the　more　honor。〃

〃But；　my　fair　lord；〃　cried　the　Mayor；　as　he　hurried　along；　keeping
pace　with　the　long　strides　of　the　soldier；　〃I　knew　that　you　warned
me　to　take　all　care　of　the　papers；　but　surely　there　was　no　matter
of　great　import　in　it？　　It　was　but　to　say　what　stores　were　to　be
sent　after　you　to　Calais？〃

〃Is　that　not　everything？〃　cried　Chandos　impatiently。　　〃Can　you　not
see；　oh　foolish　Master　Wintersole；　that　the　French　suspect　we　are
about　to　make　some　attempt　and　that　they　have　sent　Peter　the　Red
Ferret；　as　they　have　sent　him　many　times　before；　to　get　tidings　of
whither　we　are　bound？　　Now　that　he　knows　that　the　stores　are　for
Calais；　then　the　French　near　Calais　will　take　his　warning；　and　so
the　King's　whole　plan　come　to　nothing。〃

〃Then　he　will　fly　by　water。　　We　can　stop　him　yet。　　He　has　not　an
hour's　start。〃

〃It　may　be　that　a　boat　awaits　him　at　Rye　or　Hythe；　but　it　is　more
like　that　he　has　all　ready　to　depart　from　here。　　Ah；　see　yonder！
I'll　warrant　that　the　Red　Ferret　is　on　board！〃

Chandos　had　halted　in　front　of　his　inn；　and　now　he　pointed　down　to
the　outer　harbor；　which　lay　two　miles　off　across　the　green　plain。
It　was　connected　by　a　long　winding　canal　with　the　inner　dock　at
the　base　of　the　hill；　upon　which　the　town　was　built。　　Between　the
two　horns　formed　by　the　short　curving　piers　a　small　schooner　was
running　out　to　sea；　dipping　and　rising　before　a　sharp　southerly
breeze。

〃It　is　no　Winchelsea　boat；〃　said　the　Mayor。　　〃She　is　longer　and
broader　in　the　beam　than　ours。〃

〃Horses！　　bring　horses！〃　cried　Chandos。　　〃Come；　Nigel；　let　us　go
further　into　the　matter。〃

A　busy　crowd　of　varlets；　archers；　and　men…at…arms　swarmed　round
the　gateway　of　the　〃Sign　of　the　Broom　Pod；〃　singing；　shouting；　and
jostling　in　rough　good…fellowship。　　The　sight　of　the　tall　thin
figure　of　Chandos　brought　order　amongst　them；　and　a　few　minutes
later　the　horses　were　ready　and　saddled。　　A　breakneck　ride　down　a
steep　declivity；　and　then　a　gallop　of　two　miles　over　the　sedgy
plain　carried　them　to　the　outer　harbor。　　A　dozen　vessels　were
lying　there；　ready　to　start　for　Bordeaux　or　Rochelle；　and　the　quay
was　thick　with　sailors；　laborers　and　townsmen　and　heaped　with
wine…barrels　and　wool…packs。

〃Who　is　warden　here？〃　asked　Chandos；　springing　from　his　horse。

〃Badding！　　Where　is　Cock　Badding？　　Badding　is　warden！〃　shouted　the
crowd。

A　moment　later　a　short　swarthy　man；　bull…necked　and　deep…chested；
pushed　through　the　people。　　He　was　clad　in　rough　russet　wool　with
a　scarlet　cloth　tied　round　his　black　curly　head。　　His　sleeves　were
rolled　up　to　his　shoulders；　and　his　brown　arms；　all　stained　with
grease　and　tar；　were　like　two　thick　gnarled　branches　from　an　oaken
stump。　　His　savage　brown　face　was　fierce　and　frowning；　and　was
split　from　chin　to　temple　with　the　long　white　wale　of　an
ill…healed　wound。

〃How　now；　gentles；　will　you　never　wait　your　turn？〃　he　rumbled　in　a
deep　angry　voice。　　〃Can　you　not　see　that　we　are　warping　the　Rose
of　Guienne　into　midstream　for　the　ebb…tide？　　Is　this　a　time　to
break　in　upon　us？　　Your　goods　will　go　aboard　in　due　season；　I
promise　you；　so　ride　back　into　the　town　and　find　such　pleasure　as
you　may；　while　I　and　my　mates　do　our　work　without　let　or
hindrance。〃

〃It　is　the　gentle　Chandos！〃　cried　some　one　in　the　crowd。　　〃It　is
the　good　Sir　John。〃

The　rough　harbor…master　changed　his　gruffness　to　smiles　in　an
instant。　　〃Nay；　Sir　John；　what　would　you？　　I　pray　you　to　hold　me
excused　if　I　was　short　of　speech；　but　we　port…wardens　are　sore
plagued　with　foolish　young　lordlings；　who　get　betwixt　us　and　our
work　and　blame　us　because　we　do　not　turn　an　ebb…tide　into　a　flood；
or　a　south　wind　into　a　north。　　I　pray　you　to　tell　me　how　I　can
serve　you。〃

〃That　boat！〃　said　Chandos；　pointing　to　the　already　distant　sail
rising　and　falling　on　the　waves。　　〃What　is　it？〃

Cock　Badding　shaded　his　keen　eyes　with　his　strong　brows　hand。
〃She　has　but　just　gone　out；〃　said　he。　　〃She　is　La　Pucelle；　a　small
wine…sloop　from　Gascony；　home…bound　and　laden　with　barrel…staves。〃

〃I　pray　you　did　any　man　join　her　at　the　very　last？〃

〃Nay；　I　know　not。　　I　saw　no　one。〃

〃But　I　know；〃　cried　a　seaman　in　the　crowd。　　〃I　was　standing　at　the
wharf…side　and　was　nigh　knocked　into　the　water　by　a　little
redheaded　fellow；　who　breathed　as　though　he　had　run　from　the　town。
Ere　I　had　time　to　give　him　a　cuff　he　had　jumped　aboard；　the　ropes
were　cast　off；　and　her　nose　was　seaward。〃

In　a　few　words　Chandos　made　all　clear　to　Badding；　the　crowd
pressing　eagerly　round。

〃Aye；　aye！〃　cried　a　seaman；　〃the　good　Sir　John　is　right。　　See　how
she　points。　　It　is　Picardy　and　not　Gascony　that　she　will　fetch
this　journey　in　spite　of　her　wine…staves。〃

〃Then　we　must　lay　her　aboard！〃　cried　Cock　Badding。　　〃Come；　lads；
here　is　my　own　Marie　Rose　ready　to　cast　off。　　Who's　for　a　trip
with　a　fight　at　the　end　of　it？〃

There　was　a　rush　for　the　boat；　but　the　stout　little　seaman　picked
his　men。　　〃Go　back；　Jerry！　　Your　heart　is　good；　but　you　are
overfat　for　the　work。　　You；　Luke；　and　you；　Thomas；　and　the　two
Deedes；　and　William　of　Sandgate。　　You　will　work　the　boat。　　And　now
we　need　a　few　men　of　their　hands。　　Do　you　come；　little　sir？〃

〃I　pray　you；　my　dear　lord；　to　let　me　go！〃　cried　Nigel。

〃Yes；　Nigel；　you　can　go；　and　I　will　bring　your　gear　over　to　Calais
this　night。〃

〃I　will　join　you　there；　fair　sir；　and　with　the　help　of　Saint　Paul
I　will　bring　this　Red　Ferret　with　me。〃

〃Aboard；　aboard！　　Time　passes！〃　cried　Badding　impatiently；　while
already　his　seamen　were　hauling　on　the　line　and　raising　the
mainsail。　　〃Now　then；　sirrah！　　who　are　you？　　It　was　　Aylward；　who
had　followed　Nigel　and　was　pushing　his　way　aboard。

〃Where　my　master　goes　I　go　also；〃　cried　Aylward；　〃so　stand　clear；
master…shipman；　or　you　may　come　by　a　hurt。〃

〃By　Saint　Leonard！　　archer；〃　said　Cock　Badding；　〃had　I　more　time　I
would　give　you　a　lesson　ere　I　leave　land。　　Stand　back　and　give
place　to　others！〃

〃Nay；　stand　back　and　give　place　to　me！〃　cried　Aylward；　and　seizing
Badding　round　the　waist　he　slung　him　into　the　dock。

There　was　a　cry　of　anger　from　the　crowd；　for　Badding　was　the　hero
of　all　the　Cinque　Ports　and　had　never　yet　met　his　match　in
manhood。　　The　epitaph　still　lingers　in　which　it　was　said　that　he
〃could　never　rest　until　he　had　foughten　his　fill。〃　　When；
therefore；　swi