sir nigel-第48章
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〃Enough！〃 cried the King； more furious than ever。 〃Like master；
like man； and I might have known why it is that this saucy Squire
dares to bandy words with his sovereign lord。 He does but give
out what he hath taken in。 John； John； you grow overbold。 But
this I tell you； and you also； young man； that as God is my help；
ere the sun has set this night the Red Ferret will hang as a
warning to all spies and traitors from the highest tower of
Calais； that every ship upon the Narrow Seas； and every man for
ten miles round may see him as he swings and know how heavy is the
hand of the English King。 Do you bear it in mind； lest you also
may feel its weight！〃 With a glare like an angry lion he walked
from the room； and the iron…clamped door clanged loudly behind
him。
Chandos and Nigel looked ruefully at each other。 Then the knight
patted his Squire upon his bandaged head。
〃You have carried yourself right well； Nigel。 I could not wish
for better。 Fear not。 All will be well。〃
〃My fair and honored lord；〃 cried Nigel； 〃I am heavy at heart； for
indeed I could do no other； and yet I have brought trouble upon
you。〃
〃Nay； the clouds will soon pass。 If he does indeed slay this
Frenchman； you have done all that lay within your power； and your
mind may rest easy。〃
〃I pray that it will rest easy in Paradise；〃 said Nigel； 〃for at
the hour that I hear that I am dishonored and my prisoner slain I
tear this bandage from my head and so end all things。 I will not
live when once my word is broken。〃
〃Nay； fair son； you take this thing too heavily；〃 said Chandos；
with a grave face。 〃When a man has done all he may there remains
no dishonor； but the King hath a kind heart for all his hot head；
and it may be that if I see him I will prevail upon him。 Bethink
you how he swore to hang the six burghers of this very town； and
yet he pardoned them。 So keep a high heart； fair son； and I will
come with good news ere evening。〃
For three hours； as the sinking sun traced the shadow higher and
ever higher upon the chamber wall； Nigel tossed feverishly upon
his couch； his ears straining for the footfall of Aylward or of
Chandos； bringing news of the fate of the prisoner。 At last the
door flew open； and there before him stood the one man whom he
least expected； and yet would most gladly have seen。 It was the
Red Ferret himself； free and joyous。
With swift furtive steps he was across the room and on his knees
beside the couch； kissing the pendent hand。 〃You have saved me；
most noble sir！〃 he cried。 〃The gallows was fixed and the rope
slung； when the good Lord Chandos told the King that you would die
by your own hand if I were slain。 ‘Curse this mule…headed
Squire！' he cried。 ‘In God's name let him have his prisoner； and
let him do what he will with him so long as he troubles me no
more！' So here I have come； fair sir； to ask you what I shall
do。〃
〃I pray you to sit beside me and be at your ease；〃 said Nigel。
〃In a few words I will tell you what I would have you do。 Your
armor I will keep； that I may have some remembrance of my good
fortune in meeting so valiant a gentleman。 We are of a size； and
I make little doubt that I can wear it。 Of ransom I would ask a
thousand crowns。〃
〃Nay； nay！〃 cried the Ferret。 〃It would be a sad thing if a man
of my position was worth less than five thousand。〃
〃A thousand will suffice； fair sir； to pay my charges for the war。
You will not again play the spy； nor do us harm until the truce is
broken。〃
〃That I will swear。〃
〃And lastly there is a journey that you shall make。〃
The Frenchman's face lengthened。 〃Where you order I must go；〃
said he； 〃but I pray you that it is not to the Holy Land。〃
〃Nay；〃 said Nigel； 〃but it is to a land which is holy to me。 You
will make your way back to Southampton。〃
〃I know it well。 I helped to burn it down some years ago。〃
〃I rede you to say nothing of that matter when you get there。 You
will then journey as though to London until you come to a fair
town named Guildford。〃
〃I have heard of it。 The King hath a hunt there。〃
〃The same。 You will then ask for a house named Cosford； two
leagues from the town on the side of a long hill。〃
〃I will bear it in mind。〃
〃At Cosford you will see a good knight named Sir John Buttesthorn；
and you will ask to have speech with his daughter； the Lady Mary。〃
〃I will do so； and what shall I say to the Lady Mary； who lives at
Cosford on the slope of a long hill two leagues from the fair town
of Guildford？〃
〃Say only that I sent my greeting； and that Saint Catharine has
been my friend … only that and nothing more。 And now leave me； I
pray you； for my head is weary and I would fain have sleep。〃
Thus it came about that a month later on the eve of the Feast of
Saint Matthew； the Lady Mary； as she walked front Cosford gates；
met with a strange horseman； richly clad； a serving…man behind
him； looking shrewdly about him with quick blue eyes； which
twinkled from a red and freckled face。 At sight of her he doffed
his hat and reined his horse。
〃This house should be Cosford；〃 said he。 〃Are you by chance the
Lady Mary who dwells there？〃
The lady bowed her proud dark head。
〃Then；〃 said he； 〃Squire Nigel Loring sends you greeting and tells
you that Saint Catharine has been his friend。〃 Then turning to
his servant he cried： 〃Heh； Raoul； our task is done！ Your master
is a free man once more。 Come； lad； come； the nearest port to
France！ Hola！ Hola！ Hola！〃 And so without a word more the two；
master and man； set spurs to their horses and galloped like madmen
down the long slope of Hindhead； until as she looked after them
they were but two dark dots in the distance； waist…high in the
ling and the bracken。
She turned back to the house； a smile upon her face。 Nigel had
sent her greeting。 A Frenchman had brought it。 His bringing it
had made him a freeman。 And Saint Catherine had been Nigel's
friend。 It was at her shrine that he had sworn that three deeds
should be done ere he should set eyes upon her again。 In the
privacy of her room the Lady Mary sank upon her prie…dieu and
poured forth the thanks of her heart to the Virgin that one deed
was accomplished； but even as she did so her joy was overcast by
the thought of those two others which lay before him。
XVI。 HOW THE KING'S COURT FEASTED IN CALAIS CASTLE
It was a bright sunshiny morning when Nigel found himself at last
able to leave his turret chamber and to walk upon the rampart of
the castle。 There was a brisk northern wind； heavy and wet with
the salt of the sea； and he felt； as he turned his face to it；
fresh life and strength surging in his blood and bracing his
limbs。 He took his hand from Aylward's supporting arm and stood
with his cap off； leaning on the rampart and breathing in the cool
strong air。 Far off upon the distant sky…line； half hidden by the
heave of the waves； was the low white fringe of cliffs which
skirted England。 Between him and them lay the broad blue Channel；
seamed and flecked with flashing foam； for a sharp sea was running
and the few ships in sight were laboring heavily。 Nigel's eyes
traversed the wide…spread view； rejoicing in the change from the
gray wall of his cramped chamber。 Finally they settled upon a
strange object at his very feet。
It was a long trumpet…shaped engine of leather and iron bolted
into a rude wooden stand and fitted with wheels。 Beside it lay a
heap of metal slugs and lumps of stone。 The end of the machine
was raised and pointed over the battlement。 Behind it stood an
iron box which Nigel opened。 It was filled with a black coarse
powder； like gritty charcoal。
〃By Saint Paul！〃 said he； passing his hands over the engine； 〃I
have heard men talk of these things； but never before have I seen
one。 It is none other than one of those wondrous new…made
bombards。〃
〃In sooth； it is even as you say；〃 Aylward answered； looking at it
with contempt and dislike in his face。 〃I have seen them here
upon the ramparts； and have also exchanged a buffet or two with
him who had charge of them。 He was jack…fool enough to think that
with this leather pipe he could outs
