sir nigel-第43章
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manhood。 The epitaph still lingers in which it was said that he
〃could never rest until he had foughten his fill。〃 When;
therefore; swimming like a duck; he reached a rope and pulled
himself hand over hand up to the quay; all stood aghast to see
what fell fate would befall this bold stranger。 But Badding
laughed loudly; dashing the saltwater from his eyes and hair。
〃You have fairly won your place; archer;〃 said he。 〃You are the
very man for our work。 Where is Black Simon of Norwich?〃
A tall dark young man with a long; stern; lean face came forward。
〃I am with you; Cock;〃 said he; 〃and I thank you for my place。〃
〃You can come; Hugh Baddlesmere; and you; Hal Masters; and you;
Dicon of Rye。 That is enough。 Now off; in God's name; or it will
be night ere we can come up with them!〃
Already the head…sails and the main…sail had been raised; while a
hundred willing hands poled her off from the wharf。 Now the wind
caught her; heeling over; and quivering with eagerness like an
unleashed hound she flew through the opening and out into the
Channel。 She was a famous little schooner; the Marie Rose of
Winchelsea; and under her daring owner Cock Badding; half trader
and half pirate; had brought back into port many a rich cargo
taken in mid…Channel; and paid for in blood rather than money。
Small as she was; her great speed and the fierce character of her
master had made her a name of terror along the French coast; and
many a bulky Eastlander or Fleming as he passed the narrow seas
had scanned the distant Kentish shore; fearing lest that
ill…omened purple sail with a gold Christopher upon it should
shoot out suddenly from the dim gray cliffs。 Now she was clear of
the land; with the wind on her larboard quarter; every inch of
canvas set; and her high sharp bows smothered in foam; as she dug
through the waves。
Cock Badding trod the deck with head erect and jaunty bearing;
glancing up at the swelling sails and then ahead at the little
tilted white triangle; which stood out clear and hard against the
bright blue sky。 Behind was the lowland of the Camber marshes;
with the bluffs of Rye and Winchelsea; and the line of cliffs
behind them。 On the larboard bow rose the great white walls of
Folkestone and of Dover; and far on the distant sky…line the gray
shimmer of those French cliffs for which the fugitives were
making。
〃By Saint Paul!〃 cried Nigel; looking with eager eyes over the
tossing waters; 〃it seems to me; Master Badding; that already we
draw in upon them。〃
The master measured the distance with his keen steady gaze; and
then looked up at the sinking sun。 〃 We have still four hours of
daylight;〃 said he; 〃but if we do not lay her aboard ere darkness
falls she will save herself; for the nights are as black as a
wolf's mouth; and if she alter her course I know not how we may
follow her。〃
〃Unless; indeed; you might guess to which port she was bound and
reach it before her。〃
〃Well thought of; little master!〃 cried Badding。 〃If the news be
for the French outside Calais; then Ambleteuse would be nearest to
Saint Omer。 But my sweeting sails three paces to that lubber's
two; and if the wind holds we shall have time and to spare。 How
now; archer? You do not seem so eager as when you made your way
aboard this boat by slinging me into the sea。〃
Aylward sat on the upturned keel of a skiff which lay upon the
deck。 He groaned sadly and held his; green face between his two
hands。 〃I would gladly sling you into the sea once more;
mastershipman;〃 said he; 〃if by so doing I could get off this most
accursed vessel of thine。 Or if you would wish to have your turn;
then I would thank you if you would lend me a hand over the side;
for indeed I am but a useless weight upon your deck。 Little did I
think that Samkin Aylward could be turned into a weakling by an
hour of salt water。 Alas the day that ever my foot wandered from
the good red heather of Crooksbury!〃
Cock Badding laughed loud and long。 〃Nay; take it not to heart;
archer;〃 he cried; 〃for better men than you or I have groaned upon
this deck。 The Prince himself with ten of his chosen knights
crossed with me once; and eleven sadder faces I never saw。 Yet
within a month they had shown at Crecy that they were no
weaklings; as you will do also; I dare swear; when the time comes。
Keep that thick head of thine down upon the planks; and all will
be well anon。 But we raise her; we raise her with every blast of
the wind!〃
It was indeed evident; even to the inexperienced eyes of Nigel;
that the Marie Rose was closing in swiftly upon the stranger。 She
was a heavy; bluff…bowed; broad…sterned vessel which labored
clumsily through the seas。 The swift; fierce little Winchelsea
boat swooping and hissing through the waters behind her was like
some keen hawk whizzing down wind at the back of a flapping
heavy…bodied duck。 Half an hour before La Pucelle had been a
distant patch of canvas。 Now they could see the black hull; and
soon the cut of her sails and the lines of her bulwarks。 There
were at least a dozen men upon her deck; and the twinkle of
weapons from amongst them showed that they were preparing to
resist。 Cock Badding began to muster his own forces。
He had a crew of seven rough; hardy mariners; who had been at his
back in many a skirmish。 They were armed with short swords; but
Cock Badding carried a weapon peculiar to himself; a twenty…pound
blacksmith's hammer; the memory of which; as 〃Badding's cracker;〃
still lingers in the Cinque Ports。 Then there were the eager
Nigel; the melancholy Aylward; Black Simon who was a tried
swordsman; and three archers; Baddlesmere; Masters and Dicon of
Rye; all veterans of the French War。 The numbers in the two
vessels might be about equal; but Badding as he glanced at the
bold harsh faces which looked to him for orders had little fear
for the result。
Glancing round; however; he saw something which was more dangerous
to his plans than the resistance of the enemy。 The wind; which
had become more fitful and feebler; now fell suddenly away; until
the sails hung limp and straight above them。 A belt of calm lay
along the horizon; and the waves around had smoothed down into a
long oily swell on which the two little vessels rose and fell。
The great boom of the Marie Rose rattled and jarred with every
lurch; and the high thin prow pointed skyward one instant and
seaward the next in a way that drew fresh groans from the unhappy
Aylward。 In vain Cock Badding pulled on his sheets and tried hard
to husband every little wandering gust which ruffled for an
instant the sleek rollers。 The French master was as adroit a
sailor; and his boom swung round also as each breath of wind came
up from astern。
At last even these fitful puffs died finally away; and a cloudless
sky overhung a glassy sea。 The sun was almost upon the horizon
behind Dungeness Point; and the whole western heaven was bright
with the glory of the sunset; which blended sea and sky in one
blaze of ruddy light。 Like rollers of molten gold; the long swell
heaved up Channel from the great ocean beyond。 In the midst of
the immense beauty and peace of nature the two little dark specks
with the white sail and the purple rose and fell; so small upon
the vast shining bosom of the waters; and yet so charged with all
the unrest and the passion of life。。
The experienced eye of the seaman told him that it was hopeless to
expect a breeze before nightfall。 He looked across at the
Frenchman; which lay less than a quarter of a mile ahead; and
shook his gnarled list at the line of heads which could be seen
looking back over her stern。 One of them waved a white kerchief
in derision; and Cock Badding swore a bitter oath at the sight。
〃By Saint Leonard of Winchelsea;〃 he cried; 〃I will rub my side up
against her yet! Out with the skiff; lads; and two of you to the
oars。 Make fast the line to the mast; Will。 Do you go in the
boat; Hugh; and I'll make the second。 Now if we bend our backs to
it we may have them yet ere night cover them。〃
The little skiff was swiftly lowered over the side and the slack
end of the cable fastened to the after thwart。 Cock Bad