sir nigel-第52章

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and　rising　upon　a　sleek；　oily　sea；　but　again　it　would　sink　down；
settling　over　the　top；　shrouding　the　great　yard；　and　finally
frothing　over　the　deck　until　even　the　water　alongside　had　vanished
from　their　view　and　they　were　afloat　on　a　little　raft　in　an　ocean
of　vapor。　　A　thin　cold　rain　was　falling；　and　the　archers　were
crowded　under　the　shelter　of　the　overhanging　poop　and　forecastle；
where　some　spent　the　hours　at　dice；　some　in　sleep；　and　many　in
trimming　their　arrows　or　polishing　their　weapons。

At　the　farther　end；　seated　on　a　barrel　as　a　throne　of　honor；　with
trays　and　boxes　of　feathers　around　him；　was　Bartholomew　the　bowyer
and　Fletcher；　a　fat；　bald…headed　man；　whose　task　it　was　to　see
that　every　man's　tackle　was　as　it　should　be；　and　who　had　the
privilege　of　selling　such　extras　as　they　might　need。　　A　group　of
archers　with　their　staves　and　quivers　filed　before　him　with
complaints　or　requests；　while　half　a　dozen　of　the　seniors　gathered
at　his　back　and　listened　with　grinning　faces　to　his　comments　and
rebukes。

〃Canst　not　string　it？〃　he　was　saying　to　a　young　bowman。　　〃Then
surely　the　string　is　overshort　or　the　stave　overlong。　　It　could
not　by　chance　be　the　fault　of　thy　own　baby　arms　more　fit　to　draw
on　thy　hosen　than　to　dress　a　warbow。　　Thou　lazy　lurdan；　thus　is　it
strung！〃　　He　seized　the　stave　by　the　center　in　his　right　hand；
leaned　the　end　on　the　inside　of　his　right　foot；　and　then；　pulling
the　upper　nock　down　with　the　left　hand；　slid　the　eye　of　the　string
easily　into　place。　　〃Now　I　pray　thee　to　unstring　it　again；〃
handing　it　to　the　bowman。

The　youth　with　an　effort　did　so；　but　he　was　too　slow　in
disengaging　his　fingers；　and　the　string　sliding　down　with　a　snap
from　the　upper　nock　caught　and　pinched　them　sorely　against　the
stave。　　A　roar　of　laughter；　like　the　clap　of　a　wave；　swept　down
the　deck　as　the　luckless　bowman　danced　and　wrung　his　hand。

〃Serve　thee　well　right；　thou　redeless　fool！〃　growled　the　old
bowyer。　　〃So　fine　a　bow　is　wasted　in　such　hands。　　How　now；　Samkin？
I　can　teach　you　little　of　your　trade；　I　trow。　　Here　is　a　bow
dressed　as　it　should　be；　but　it　would；　as　you　say；　be　the　better
for　a　white　band　to　mark　the　true　nocking　point　in　the　center　of
this　red　wrapping　of　silk。　　Leave　it　and　I　will　tend　to　it　anon。
And　you；　Wat？　　A　fresh　head　on　yonder　stele？　　Lord；　that　a　man
should　carry　four　trades　under　one　hat；　and　be　bowyer；　fletcher；
stringer　and　headmaker！　　Four　men's　work　for　old　Bartholomew　and
one　man's　pay！〃

〃Nay；　say　no　more　about　that；〃　growled　an　old　wizened　bowman；　with
a　brown…parchment　skin　and　little　beady　eyes。　　〃It　is　better　in
these　days　to　mend　a　bow　than　to　bend　one。　　You　who　never　looked　a
Frenchman　in　the　face　are　pricked　off　for　ninepence　a　day；　and　I；
who　have　fought　five　stricken　fields；　can　earn　but　fourpence。〃

〃It　is　in　my　mind；　John　of　Tuxford；　that　you　have　looked　in　the
face　more　pots　of　mead　than　Frenchmen；〃　said　the　old　bowyer。　　〃I
am　swinking　from　dawn　to　night；　while　you　are　guzzling　in　an
alestake。　　How　now；　youngster？　　Overbowed？　　Put　your　bow　in　the
tiller。　　It　draws　at　sixty　pounds　…　not　a　pennyweight　too　much　for
a　man　of　your　inches。　　Lay　more　body　to　it；　lad；　and　it　will　come
to　you。　　If　your　bow　be　not　stiff；　how　can　you　hope　for　a　twenty…
score　flight。　　Feathers？　　Aye；　plenty　and　of　the　best。　　Here；
peacock　at　a　groat　each。　　Surely　a　dandy　archer　like　you；
Tom　Beverley；　with　gold　earrings　in　your　ears；　would　have　no
feathering　but　peacocks？〃

〃So　the　shaft　fly　straight；　I　care　not　of　the　feather；〃　said　the
bowman；　a　tall　young　Yorkshireman；　counting　out　pennies　on　the
palm　of　his　horny　hand。

〃Gray　goose…feathers　are　but　a　farthing。　　These　on　the　left　are　a
halfpenny；　for　they　are　of　the　wild　goose；　and　the　second　feather
of　a　fenny　goose　is　worth　more　than　the　pinion　of　a　tame　one。
These　in　the　brass　tray　are　dropped　feathers；　and　a　dropped
feather　is　better　than　a　plucked　one。　　Buy　a　score　of　these；　lad；
and　cut　them　saddle…backed　or　swine…backed；　the　one　for　a　dead
shaft　and　the　other　for　a　smooth　flyer；　and　no　man　in　the　company
will　swing　a　better…fletched　quiver　over　his　shoulder。〃

It　chanced　that　the　opinion　of　the　bowyer　on　this　and　other　points
differed　from　that　of　Long　Ned　of　Widdington；　a　surly
straw…bearded　Yorkshireman；　who　had　listened　with　a　sneering　face
to　his　counsel。　　Now　he　broke　in　suddenly　upon　the　bowyer's　talk。
〃You　would　do　better　to　sell　bows　than　to　try　to　teach　others　how
to　use　them；〃　said　he；　〃for　indeed；　Bartholomew；　that　head　of
thine　has　no　more　sense　within　it　than　it　has　hairs　without。　　If
you　had　drawn　string　for　as　many　months　as　I　have　years　you　would
know　that　a　straight…cut　feather　flies　smoother　than　a　swine…
backed；　and　pity　it　is　that　these　young　bowmen　have　none　to　teach
them　better！〃

This　attack　upon　his　professional　knowledge　touched　the　old　bowyer
on　the　raw。　　His　fat　face　became　suffused　with　blood　and　his　eyes
glared　with　fury　as　he　turned　upon　the　archer。　　〃You　seven…foot
barrel　of　lies！〃　he　cried。　　〃　All…hallows　be　my　aid；　and　I　will
teach　you　to　open　your　slabbing　mouth　against　me！　　Pluck　forth
your　sword　and　stand　out　on　yonder　deck；　that　we　may　see　who　is
the　man　of　us　twain。　　May　I　never　twirl　a　shaft　over　my　thumb　nail
if　I　do　not　put　Bartholomew's　mark　upon　your　thick　head！〃

A　score　of　rough　voices　joined　at　once　in　the　quarrel；　some
upholding　the　bowyer　and　others　taking　the　part　of　the　North
Countryman。　　A　red…headed　Dalesman　snatched　up　a　sword；　but　was
felled　by　a　blow　from　the　fist　of　his　neighbor。　　Instantly；　with　a
buzz　like　a　swarm　of　angry　hornets；　the　bowmen　were　out　on　the
deck；　but　ere　a　blow　was　struck　Knolles　was　amongst　them　with
granite　face　and　eyes　of　fire。

〃Stand　apart；　I　say！　　I　will　warrant　you　enough　fighting　to　cool
your　blood　ere　you　see　England　once　more。　　Loring；　Hawthorn；　cut
any　man　down　who　raises　his　hand。　　Have　you　aught　to　say；　you
fox…haired　rascal？〃　　He　thrust　his　face　within　two　inches　of　that
of　the　red　man　who　had　first　seized　his　sword。　　The　fellow　shrank
back；　cowed；　from　his　fierce　eyes。　　〃　Now　stint　your　noise；　all　of
you；　and　stretch　your　long　ears。　　Trumpeter；　blow　once　more！〃

A　bugle　call　had　been　sounded　every　quarter　of　an　hour　so　as　to
keep　in　touch　with　the　other　two　vessels　who　were　invisible　in　the
fog。　　Now　the　high　clear　note　rang　out　once　more；　the　call　of　a
fierce　sea…creature　to　its　mates；　but　no　answer　came　back　from　the
thick　wall　which　pent　them　in。　　Again　and　again　they　called；　and
again　and　again　with　bated　breath　they　waited　for　an　answer。

〃Where　is　the　Shipman？〃　asked　Knolles。　　〃　What　is　your　name；
fellow？　　Do　you　dare　call　yourself　master…mariner？〃

〃My　name　is　Nat　Dennis；　fair　sir；〃　said　the　gray…bearded　old
seaman。　　〃It　is　thirty　years　since　first　I　showed　my　cartel　and
blew　trumpet　for　a　crew　at　the　water…gate　of　Southampton。　　If　any
man　may　call　himself　master…mariner；　it　is　surely　I。〃

〃Where　are　our　two　ships？〃

〃Nay；　sir；　who　can　say　in　this　fog？〃

〃Fellow；　it　was　your　place　to　hold　them　together。〃

〃I　have　but　the　eyes　God　gave　me；　fair　sir；　and　they　cannot　see
through　a　cloud。〃

〃Had　it　been　fair；　I；　who　am　a　soldier；　could　have　kept　them　in
company。　　Since　it　was　foul；　we　looked　to　you；　who　are　called　a
mariner；　to　do　so。　　You　have　not　done　it。　　You　have　lost　two　of　my
ships　ere　the　venture　is　begun。〃

〃Nay；　fair　sir；　I　pray　you　to　consider　…　〃

〃Enough　words！〃　said　Knolles　sternly。　　〃Words　will　not　give　me
back　my　two　hundred　men。　　Unless　I　find　them　before　I　come　to
Saint…Malo；　I　swear　by　Saint　Wilfrid　of　Ripon　that　it　will　be　an
evil　day　for　you！　　Enough！　　Go　forth　and　do　what　you　may！〃

For　five　hours　with　a　light　breeze　behind　them　they　lurched
through　the　heavy　fog；　the　cold　rain　still　matting　their　beards
and　shining　on　their　faces。　　Sometimes　they　could　see　a　circle　of
tossing　water　for　a　bowshot　or　so　in　each　direction；　and　then　the
wreaths　would　crawl　in　upon　them　once　more　and　bank　them　thickly
round。　　They　had　long　ceased　to　blow　the　trumpet　for　their　missing
comrades；　but　had　hopes　when　clear　weather　came　to　find　them　still
in　sight。　　By　the　shipman's　reckoning　they　were　now　about