sir nigel-第49章

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him　who　had　charge　of　them。　　He　was　jack…fool　enough　to　think　that
with　this　leather　pipe　he　could　outshoot　the　best　archer　in
Christendom。　　I　lent　him　a　cuff　on　the　ear　that　laid　him　across
his　foolish　engine。〃

〃It　is　a　fearsome　thing；〃　said　Nigel；　who　had　stooped　to　examine
it。　　〃We　live　in　strange　times　when　such　things　can　be　made。　　It
is　loosed　by　fire；　is　it　not；　which　springs　from　the　black　dust？〃

〃By　my　hilt！　　fair　sir；　I　know　not。　　And　yet　I　call　to　mind　that
ere　we　fell　out　this　foolish　bombardman　did　say　something　of　the
matter。　　The　fire…dust　is　within　and　so　also　is　the　ball。　　Then
you　take　more　dust　from　this　iron　box　and　place　it　in　the　hole　at
the　farther　end…so。　　It　is　now　ready。　　I　have　never　seen　one
fired；　but　I　wot　that　this　one　could　be　fired　now。〃

〃It　makes　a　strange　sound；　archer；　does　it　not？〃　said　Nigel
wistfully。

〃So　I　have　heard；　fair　sir　…　even　as　the　bow　twangs；　so　it　also
has　a　sound　when　you　loose　it。〃

〃There　is　no　one　to　hear；　since　we　are　alone　upon　the　rampart；　nor
can　it　do　scathe；　since　it　points　to　sea。　　I　pray　you　to　loose　it
and　I　will　listen　to　the　sound。〃　　He　bent　over　the　bombard　with　an
attentive　ear；　while　Aylward；　stooping　his　earnest　brown　face　over
the　touch…hole；　scraped　away　diligently　with　a　flint　and　steel。　　A
moment　later　both　he　and　Nigel　were　seated　some　distance　off　upon
the　ground　while　amid　the　roar　of　the　discharge　and　the　thick
cloud　of　smoke　they　had　a　vision　of　the　long　black　snakelike
engine　shooting　back　upon　the　recoil。　　For　a　minute　or　more　they
were　struck　motionless　with　astonishment　while　the　reverberations
died　away　and　the　smoke　wreaths　curled　slowly　up　to　the　blue
heavens。

〃Good　lack！〃　cried　Nigel　at　last；　picking　himself　up　and　looking
round　him。　　〃Good　lack；　and　Heaven　be　my　aid！　　I　thank　the　Virgin
that　all　stands　as　it　did　before。　　I　thought　that　the　castle　had
fallen。〃

〃Such　a　bull's　bellow　I　have　never　heard；〃　cried　Aylward；　rubbing
his　injured　limbs。　　〃One　could　hear　it　from　Frensham　Pond　to
Guildford　Castle。　　I　would　not　touch　one　again　…　not　for　a　hide　of
the　best　land　in　Puttenham！〃

〃It　may　fare　ill　with　your　own　hide；　archer；　if　you　do；〃　said　an
angry　voice　behind　them。　　Chandos　had　stepped　from　the　open　door
of　the　corner　turret　and　stood　looking　at　them　with　a　harsh　gaze。
Presently；　as　the　matter　was　made　clear　to　him　his　face　relaxed
into　a　smile。

〃Hasten　to　the　warden；　archer；　and　tell　him　how　it　befell。　　You
will　have　the　castle　and　the　town　in　arms。　　I　know　not　what　the
King　may　think　of　so　sudden　an　alarm。　　And　you；　Nigel；　how　in　the
name　of　the　saints　came　you　to　play　the　child　like　this？〃

〃I　knew　not　its　power；　fair　lord。〃

〃By　my　soul；　Nigel；　I　think　that　none　of　us　know　its　power。　　I　can
see　the　day　when　all　that　we　delight　in；　the　splendor　and　glory　of
war；　may　all　go　down　before　that　which　beats　through　the　plate　of
steel　as　easily　as　the　leathern　jacket。　　I　have　bestrode　my
warhorse　in　my　armor　and　have　looked　down　at　the　sooty；　smoky
bombardman　beside　me；　and　I　have　thought　that　perhaps　I　was　the
last　of　the　old　and　he　the　first　of　the　new；　that　there　would　come
a　time　when　he　and　his　engines　would　sweep　you　and　me　and　the　rest
of　us　from　the　field。〃

〃But　not　yet；　I　trust；　honored　sir？〃

〃No；　not　yet；　Nigel。　　You　are　still　in　time　to　win　your　spurs　even
as　your　fathers　did。　　How　is　your　strength？〃

〃I　am　ready　for　any　task；　my　good　and　honored　lord。〃

〃It　is　well；　for　work　awaits　us　…　good　work；　pressing　work；　work
of　peril　and　of　honor。　　Your　eyes　shine　and　your　face　flushes；
Nigel。　　I　live　my　own　youth　over　again　as　I　look　at　you。　　Know
then　that　though　there　is　truce　with　the　French　here；　there　is　not
truce　in　Brittany　where　the　houses　of　Blois　and　of　Montfort　still
struggle　for　the　dukedom。　　Half　Brittany　fights　for　one；　and　half
for　the　other。　　The　French　have　taken　up　the　cause　of　Blois；　and
we　of　Montfort；　and　it　is　such　a　war　that　many　a　great　leader；
such　as　Sir　Walter　Manny；　has　first　earned　his　name　there。　　Of
late　the　war　has　gone　against　us；　and　the　bloody　hands　of　the
Rohans；　of　Gaptooth　Beaumanoir；　of　Oliver　the　Flesher　and　others
have　been　heavy　upon　our　people。　　The　last　tidings　have　been　of
disaster；　and　the　King's　soul　is　dark　with　wrath　for　that　his
friend　and　comrade　Gilles　de　St。　Pol　has　been　done　to　death　in　the
Castle　of　La　Brohiniere。　　He　will　send　succors　to　the　country；　and
we　go　at　their　head。　　How　like　you　that；　Nigel？〃

〃My　honored　lord；　what　could　I　ask　for　better？〃

〃Then　have　your　harness　ready；　for　we　start　within　the　week。　　Our
path　by　land　is　blocked　by　the　French；　and　we　go　by　sea。　　This
night　the　King　gives　a　banquet　ere　he　returns　to　England；　and　your
place　is　behind　my　chair。　　Be　in　my　chamber　that　you　may　help　me
to　dress；　and　so　we　will　to　the　hall　together。〃

With　satin　and　with　samite；　with　velvet　and　with　fur；　the　noble
Chandos　was　dressed　for　the　King's　feast；　and　Nigel　too　had　donned
his　best　silk　jupon；　faced　with　the　five　scarlet　roses；　that　he
might　wait　upon　him。　　In　the　great　hall　of　Calais　Castle　the
tables　were　set；　a　high　table　for　the　lords；　a　second　one　for　the
less　distinguished　knights；　and　a　third　at　which　the　squires　might
feast　when　their　masters　were　seated。

Never　had　Nigel　in　his　simple　life　at　Tilford　pictured　a　scene　of
such　pomp　and　wondrous　luxury。　　The　grim　gray　walls　were　covered
from　ceiling　to　floor　with　priceless　tapestry　of　Arras；　where
hart；　hounds　and　huntsmen　circled　the　great　hall　with　one　long
living　image　of　the　chase。　　Over　the　principal　table　drooped　a
line　of　banners；　and　beneath　them　rows　of　emblazoned　shields　upon
the　wall　carried　the　arms　of　the　high　noblemen　who　sat　beneath。
The　red　light　of　cressets　and　of　torches　burned　upon　the　badges　of
the　great　captains　of　England。　　The　lions　and　lilies　shone　over
the　high　dorseret　chair　in　the　center；　and　the　same　august　device
marked　with　the　cadency　label　indicated　the　seat　of　the　Prince；
while　glowing　to　right　and　to　left　were　the　long　lines　of　noble
insignia；　honored　in　peace　and　terrible　in　war。　　There　shone　the
gold　and　sable　of　Manny；　the　engrailed　cross　of　Suffolk；　the　red
chevron　of　Stafford；　the　scarlet　and　gold　of　Audley；　the　blue　lion
rampant　of　the　Percies；　the　silver　swallows　of　Arundel；　the　red
roebuck　of　the　Montacutes；　the　star　of　the　de　Veres；　the　silver
scallops　of　Russell；　the　purple　lion　of　de　Lacy；　and　the　black
crosses　of　Clinton。

A　friendly　Squire　at　Nigel's　elbow　whispered　the　names　of　the
famous　warriors　beneath。　　〃You　are　young　Loring　of　Tilford；　the
Squire　of　Chandos；　are　you　not？〃　said　he。　　〃My　name　is　Delves；　and
I　come　from　Doddington　in　Cheshire。　　I　am　the　Squire　of　Sir　James
Audley；　yonder　round…backed　man　with　the　dark　face　and　close…
cropped　beard；　who　hath　the　Saracen　head　as　a　crest　above　him。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　him　as　a　man　of　great　valor；〃　said　Nigel；　gazing
at　him　with　interest。

〃Indeed；　you　may　well　say　so；　Master　Loring。　　He　is　the　bravest
knight　in　England；　and　in　Christendom　also；　as　I　believe。　　No　man
hath　done　such　deeds　of　valor。〃

Nigel　looked　at　his　new　acquaintance　with　hope　in　his　eyes。　　〃You
speak　as　it　becomes　you　to　speak　when　you　uphold　your　own　master；〃
said　he。　　〃For　the　same　reason；　Master　Delves；　and　in　no　spirit　of
ill…will　to　you；　it　behooves　me　to　tell　you　that　he　is　not　to　be
compared　in　name　or　fame　with　the　noble　knight　on　whom　I　wait。
Should　you　hold　otherwise；　then　surely　we　can　debate　the　matter　in
whatever　way　or　time　may　please　you　best。〃

Delves　smiled　good…humoredly。　　〃Nay；　be　not　so　hot；〃　said　he。
〃Had　you　upheld　any　other　knight；　save　perhaps　Sir　Walter　Manny；　I
had　taken　you　at　your　word；　and　your　master　or　mine　would　have　had
place　for　a　new　Squire。　　But　indeed　it　is　only　truth　that　no
knight　is　second　to　Chandos；　nor　would　I　draw　my　sword　to　lower
his　pride　of　place。　　Ha；　Sir　James'　cup　is　low！　　I　must　see　to
it！〃　　He　darted　off；　a　flagon　of　Gascony　in　his　hand。　　〃The　King
hath　had　good　news　to…night；〃　he　continued　when　he　returned。　　〃I
have　not　seen　him　in　so　merry　a　mind　since　the　night　when　we　took
the　Frenchmen　and　he　laid　his　pearl　chaplet　upon　the　head　of　de
Ri