sir nigel-第45章

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There　was　a　cry　on　the　Frenchman；　and　the　heads　vanished　from　the
side。

〃Enough！〃　cried　Badding。　　〃One　is　down；　and　it　may　be　two。　　Close
in；　close　in；　in　God's　name；　before　they　rally！〃

He　and　the　other　bent　to　their　oars；　but　at　the　same　instant　there
was　a　sharp　zip　in　the　air　and　a　hard　clear　sound　like　a　stone
striking　a　wall。　　Baddlesmere　clapped　his　hand　to　his　head；
groaned　and　fell　forward　out　of　the　boat；　leaving　a　swirl　of　blood
upon　the　surface。　　A　moment　later　the　same　fierce　hiss　ended　in　a
loud　wooden　crash；　and　a　short；　thick　crossbow…bolt　was　buried
deep　in　the　side　of　their　boat。

〃Close　in；　close　in！〃　roared　Badding；　tugging　at　his　oar。　　〃Saint
George　for　England！　　Saint　Leonard　for　Winchelsea！　　Close　in！〃

But　again　that　fatal　crossbow　twanged。　　Dicon　of　Rye　fell　back
with　a　shaft　through　his　shoulder。　　〃God　help　me；　I　can　no　more！〃
said　he。

Badding　seized　the　oar　from　his　hand；　but　it　was　only　to　sweep　the
boat's　head　round　and　pull　her　back　to　the　Marie　Rose。　　The　attack
had　failed。

〃What　now；　master…shipman？〃　cried　Nigel。　　〃What　has　befallen　to
stop　us？　　Surely　the　matter　does　not　end　here？〃

〃Two　down　out　of　five；〃　said　Badding；　〃and　twelve　at　the　least
against　us。　　The　odds　are　too　long；　little　master。　　Let　us　at
least　go　back；　fill　up　once　more；　and　raise　a　mantelet　against　the
bolts；　for　they　have　an　arbalist　which　shoots　both　straight　and
hard。　　But　what　we　do　we　must　do　quickly；　for　the　darkness　falls
apace。〃

Their　repulse　had　been　hailed　by　wild　yells　of　delight　from　the
Frenchmen；　who　danced　with　joy　and　waved　their　weapons　madly　over
their　heads。　　But　before　their　rejoicings　had　finished　they　saw
the　little　boat　creeping　out　once　more　from　the　shadow　of　the
Marie　Rose；　a　great　wooden　screen　in　her　bows　to　protect　her　from
the　arrows。　　Without　a　pause　she　came　straight　and　fast　for　her
enemy。　　The　wounded　archer　had　been　put　on　board；　and　Aylward
would　have　had　his　place　had　Nigel　been　able　to　see　him　upon　the
deck。　　The　third　archer；　Hal　Masters；　had　sprung　in；　and　one　of
the　seamen；　Wat　Finnis　of　Hythe。　　With　their　hearts　hardened　to
conquer　or　to　die；　the　five　ran　alongside　the　Frenchman　and　sprang
upon　her　deck。　　At　the　same　instant　a　great　iron　weight　crashed
through　the　bottom　of　their　skiff；　and　their　feet　had　hardly　left
her　before　she　was　gone。　　There　was　no　hope　and　no　escape　save
victory。

The　crossbowman　stood　under　the　mast；　his　terrible　weapon　at　his
shoulder；　the　steel　string　stretched　taut；　the　heavy　bolt　shining
upon　the　nut。　　One　life　at　least　he　would　claim　out　of　this　little
band。　　Just　for　one　instant　too　long　did　he　dwell　upon　his　aim；
shifting　from　the　seaman　to　Cock　Badding；　whose　formidable
appearance　showed　him　to　be　the　better　prize。　　In　that　second　of
time　Hal　Masters'　string　twanged　and　his　long　arrow　sped　through
the　arbalister's　throat。　　He　dropped　on　the　deck；　with　blood　and
curses　pouring　from　his　mouth。

A　moment　later　Nigel's　sword　and　Badding's　hammer　had　each　claimed
a　victim　and　driven　back　the　rush　of　assailants。　　The　five　were
safe　upon　the　deck；　but　it　was　hard　for　them　to　keep　a　footing
there。　　The　French　seamen；　Bretons　and　Normans；　were　stout；
powerful　fellows；　armed　with　axes　and　swords；　fierce　fighters　and
brave　men。　　They　swarmed　round　the　little　band；　attacking　them
from　all　sides。　　Black　Simon　felled　the　black…bearded　French
Captain；　and　at　the　same　instant　was　cut　over　the　head　and　lay
with　his　scalp　open　upon　the　deck。　　The　seaman　Wat　of　Hythe　was
killed　by　a　crashing　blow　from　an　ax。　　Nigel　was　struck　down；　but
was　up　again　like　a　flash；　and　drove　his　sword　through　the　man　who
had　felled　him。

But　Badding；　Masters　the　archer　and　he　had　been　hustled　back　to
the　bulwark　and　were　barely　holding　their　own　from　minute　to
minute　against　the　fierce　crowd　who　assailed　them；　when　an　arrow
coming　apparently　from　the　sea　struck　the　foremost　Frenchman　to
the　heart。　　A　moment　later　a　boat　dashed　up　alongside　and　four
more　men　from　the　Marie　Rose　scrambled　on　to　the　blood…stained
deck。　　With　one　fierce　rush　the　remaining　Frenchmen　were　struck
down　or　were　seized　by　their　assailants。　　Nine　prostrate　men　upon
the　deck　showed　how　fierce　had　been　the　attack；　how　desperate　the
resistance。

Badding　leaned　panting　upon　his　blood…clotted　hammer。　　〃By　Saint
Leonard！〃　he　cried；　〃　I　thought　that　this　little　master　had　been
the　death　of　us　all。　　God　wot　you　were　but　just　in　time；　and　how
you　came　I　know　not。　　This　archer　has　had　a　hand　in　it；　by　the
look　of　him。〃

Aylward；　still　pale　from　his　seasickness　and　dripping　from　head　to
foot　with　water；　had　been　the　first　man　in　the　rescue　party。

Nigel　looked　at　him　in　amazement。　　〃I　sought　you　aboard　the　ship；
Aylward；　but　I　could　not　lay　eyes　on　you；〃　said　he。

〃It　was　because　I　was　in　the　water；　fair　sir；　and　by　my　hilt！　　it
suits　my　stomach　better　than　being　on　it；〃　he　answered。　　〃When　you
first　set　forth　I　swam　behind　you；　for　I　saw　that　the　Frenchman's
boat　hung　by　a　rope；　and　I　thought　that　while　you　kept　him　in　play
I　might　gain　it。　　I　had　reached　it　when　you　were　driven　back；　so　I
hid　behind　it　in　the　water　and　said　my　prayers　as　I　have　not　said
them　for　many　a　day。　　Then　you　came　again；　and　no　one　had　an　eye
for　me；　so　I　clambered　into　it；　cut　the　rope；　took　the　oars　which
I　found　there　and　brought　her　back　for　more　men。〃

〃By　Saint　Paul！　　you　have　acted　very　wisely　and　well；〃　said　Nigel；
〃and　I　think　that　of　all　of　us　it　is　you　who　have　won　most　honor
this　day。　　But　of　all　these　men　dead　and　alive　I　see　none　who
resembles　that　Red　Ferret　whom　my　Lord　Chandos　has　described　and
who　has　worked　such　despite　upon　us　in　the　past：　It　would　indeed
be　an　evil　chance　if　he　has　in　spite　of　all　our　pains　made　his　way
to　France　in　some　other　boat。〃

〃That　we　shall　soon　find　out；〃　said　Badding。　　〃Come　with　me　and　we
will　search　the　ship　from　truck　to　keel　ere　he　escapes　us。〃

There　was　a　scuttle　at　the　base　of　the　mast　which　led　down　into
the　body　of　the　vessel；　and　the　Englishmen　were　approaching　this
when　a　strange　sight　brought　them　to　a　stand。　　A　round　brazen　head
had　appeared　in　the　square　dark　opening。　　An　instant　afterward　a
pair　of　shining　shoulders　followed。　　Then　slowly　the　whole　figure
of　a　man　in　complete　plate…armor　emerged　on　the　deck。　　In　his
gauntleted　hand　he　carried　a　heavy　steel　mace。　　With　this　uplifted
he　moved　toward　his　enemies；　silent　save　for　the　ponderous　clank
of　his　footfall。　　It　was　an　inhuman；　machine…like　figure；　menacing
and　terrible；　devoid　of　all　expression；　slow…moving；　inexorable
and　awesome。

A　sudden　wave　of　terror　passed　over　the　English　seamen。　　One　of
them　tried　to　pass　and　get　behind　the　brazen　man；　but　he　was
pinned　against　the　side　by　a　quick　movement　and　his　brains　dashed
out　by　a　smashing　blow　from　the　heavy　mace。　　Wild　panic　seized　the
others；　and　they　rushed　back　to　the　boat。　　Aylward　strung　an
arrow；　but　his　bowstring　was　damp　and　the　shaft　rang　loudly　upon
the　shining　breast…plate　and　glanced　off　into　the　sea。　　Masters
struck　the　brazen　head　with　a　sword；　but　the　blade　snapped　without
injuring　the　helmet；　and　an　instant　later　the　bowman　was　stretched
senseless　on　the　deck。　　The　seamen　shrank　from　this　terrible
silent　creature　and　huddled　in　the　stern；　all　the　fight　gone　out
of　them。

Again　he　raised　his　mace　and　was　advancing　on　the　helpless　crowd
where　the　brave　were　encumbered　and　hampered　by　the　weaklings；
when　Nigel　shook　himself　clear　and　bounded　forward　into　the　open；
his　sword　in　his　hand　and　a　smile　of　welcome　upon　his　lips。

The　sun　had　set；　and　one　long　mauve　gash　across　the　western
Channel　was　closing　swiftly　into　the　dull　grays　of　early　night。
Above；　a　few　stars　began　to　faintly　twinkle；　yet　the　twilight　was
still　bright　enough　for　an　observer　to　see　every　detail　of　the
scene：　the　Marie　Rose；　dipping　and　rising　on　the　long　rollers
astern；　the　broad　French　boat　with　its　white　deck　blotched　with
blood　and　littered　with　bodies；　the　group　of　men　in　the　stern；
some　trying　to　advance　and　some　seeking　to　escape　…　all　a
confused；　disorderly；　struggling　rabble。

Then　betwixt　them　and　the　mast　the　two　figures：　the　armed　shinin