sir nigel-第59章

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joyful　night　when　my　lips　have　been　wet　with　it！　　Now　I　can　die　in
peace！〃

〃We　must　go；　Aylward；〃　said　Simon。　　〃In　another　hour　the　dawn　will
have　broken。　　In　daytime　a　rat　could　not　cross　this　island　and
pass　unseen。　　Come；　man；　and　at　once！〃

But　Aylward　was　at　the　woman's　side。　　〃Come　with　us；　fair　dame；〃
said　he。　　〃Surely　we　can；　at　least；　take　you　from　this　island；　and
no　such　change　can　be　for　the　worse。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　she；　　the　saints　in　Heaven　cannot　help　me　now　until
they　take　me　to　my　rest。　　There　is　no　place　for　me　in　the　world
beyond；　and　all　my　friends　were　slain　on　the　day　I　was　taken。
Leave　me；　brave　men；　and　let　me　care　for　myself。　　Already　it
lightens　in　the　east；　and　black　will　be　your　fate　if　you　are
taken。　　Go；　and　may　the　blessing　of　one　who　was　once　a　holy　nun　go
with　you　and　guard　you　from　danger！〃

Sir　Robert　Knolles　was　pacing　the　deck　in　the　early　morning；　when
he　heard　the　sound　of　oars；　and　there　were　his　two　night…birds
climbing　up　the　side。

〃So；　fellow；〃　said　he；　〃have　you　had　speech　with　the　King　of
Sark？〃

〃Fair　sir；　I　have　seen　him。〃

〃And　he　has　paid　his　forfeit？〃

〃He　has　paid　it；　sir！〃

Knolles　looked　with　curiosity　at　the　bag　which　Simon　bore。　　〃What
carry　you　there？〃　he　asked。

〃The　stake　that　he　has　lost。〃

〃What　was　it　then？　　A　goblet？　　A　silver　plate？〃

For　answer　Simon　opened　his　bag　and　shook　it　on　the　deck。

Sir　Robert　turned　away　with　a　whistle。　　〃'Fore　God！〃　said　he；　〃it
is　in　my　mind　that　I　carry　some　hard　men　with　me　to　Brittany。〃




XIX。　　HOW　A　SQUIRE　OF　ENGLAND　MET　A　SQUIRE　OF　FRANCE


Sir　Robert　Knolles　with　his　little　fleet　had　sighted　the　Breton
coast　near　Cancale；　they　had　rounded　the　Point　du　Grouin；　and
finally　had　sailed　past　the　port　of　St。　Malo　and　down　the　long
narrow　estuary　of　the　Rance　until　they　were　close　to　the　old
walled　city　of　Dinan；　which　was　held　by　that　Montfort　faction
whose　cause　the　English　had　espoused。　　Here　the　horses　had　been
disembarked；　the　stores　were　unloaded；　and　the　whole　force
encamped　outside　the　city；　whilst　the　leaders　waited　for　news　as
to　the　present　state　of　affairs；　and　where　there　was　most　hope　of
honor　and　profit。

The　whole　of　France　was　feeling　the　effects　of　that　war　with
England　which　had　already　lasted　some　ten　years；　but　no　Province
was　in　so　dreadful　a　condition　as　this　unhappy　land　of　Brittany。
In　Normandy　or　Picardy　the　inroads　of　the　English　were　periodical
with　intervals　of　rest　between；　but　Brittany　was　torn　asunder　by
constant　civil　war　apart　from　the　grapple　of　the　two　great
combatants；　so　that　there　was　no　surcease　of　her　sufferings。　　The
struggle　had　begun　in　1341　through　the　rival　claims　of　Montfort
and　of　Blois　to　the　vacant　dukedom。　　England　had　taken　the　part　of
Montfort；　France　that　of　Blois。　　Neither　faction　was　strong　enough
to　destroy　the　other；　and　so　after　ten　years　of　continual
fighting；　history　recorded　a　long　ineffectual　list　of　surprises
and　ambushes；　of　raids　and　skirmishes；　of　towns　taken　and　retaken；
of　alternate　victory　and　defeat；　in　which　neither　party　could
claim　a　supremacy。　　It　mattered　nothing　that　Montfort　and　Blois
had　both　disappeared　from　the　scene；　the　one　dead　and　the　other
taken　by　the　English。　　Their　wives　caught　up　the　swords　which　had
dropped　from　the　hands　of　their　lords；　and　the　long　struggle　went
on　even　more　savagely　than　before。

In　the　south　and　east　the　Blois　faction　held　the　country；　and
Nantes　the　capital　was　garrisoned　and　occupied　by　a　strong　French
army。　　In　the　north　and　west　the　Montfort　party　prevailed；　for　the
island　kingdom　was　at　their　back　and　always　fresh　sails　broke　the
northern　sky…line　bearing　adventurers　from　over　the　channel。

Between　these　two　there　lay　a　broad　zone　comprising　all　the　center
of　the　country　which　was　a　land　of　blood　and　violence；　where　no
law　prevailed　save　that　of　the　sword。　　From　end　to　end　it　was
dotted　with　castles；　some　held　for　one　side；　some　for　the　other；
and　many　mere　robber　strongholds；　the　scenes　of　gross　and
monstrous　deeds；　whose　brute　owners；　knowing　that　they　could　never
be　called　to　account；　made　war　upon　all　mankind；　and　wrung　with
rack　and　with　flame　the　last　shilling　from　all　who　fell　into　their
savage　hands。　　The　fields　had　long　been　untilled。　　Commerce　was
dead。　　From　Rennes　in　the　east　to　Hennebon　in　the　west；　and　from
Dinan　in　the　north　to　Nantes　in　the　south；　there　was　no　spot　where
a　man's　life　or　a　woman's　honor　was　safe。　　Such　was　the　land；　full
of　darkness　and　blood；　the　saddest；　blackest　spot　in　Christendom；
into　which　Knolles　and　his　men　were　now　advancing。

But　there　was　no　sadness　in　the　young　heart　of　Nigel；　as　he　rode
by　the　side　of　Knolles　at　the　head　of　a　clump　of　spears；　nor　did
it　seem　to　him　that　Fate　had　led　him　into　an　unduly　arduous　path。
On　the　contrary；　he　blessed　the　good　fortune　which　had　sent　him
into　so　delightful　a　country；　and　it　seemed　to　him　as　he　listened
to　dreadful　stories　of　robber　barons；　and　looked　round　at　the
black　scars　of　war　which　lay　branded　upon　the　fair　faces　of　the
hills；　that　no　hero　of　romances　or　trouveur　had　ever　journeyed
through　such　a　land　of　promise；　with　so　fair　a　chance　of　knightly
venture　and　honorable　advancement。

The　Red　Ferret　was　one　deed　toward　his　vow。　　Surely　a　second；　and
perhaps　a　better；　was　to　be　found　somewhere　upon　this　glorious
countryside。　　He　had　borne　himself　as　the　others　had　in　the
sea…fight；　and　could　not　count　it　to　his　credit　where　he　had　done
no　more　than　mere　duty。　　Something　beyond　this　was　needed　for　such
a　deed　as　could　be　laid　at　the　feet　of　the　Lady　Mary。　　But　surely
it　was　to　be　found　here　in　fermenting　war…distracted　Brittany。
Then　with　two　done　it　would　be　strange　if　he　could　not　find
occasion　for　that　third　one；　which　would　complete　his　service　and
set　him　free　to　look　her　in　the　face　once　more。　　With　the　great
yellow　horse　curveting　beneath　him；　his　Guildford　armor　gleaming
in　the　sun；　his　sword　clanking　against　his　stirrup…iron；　and　his
father's　tough　ash…spear　in　his　hand；　he　rode　with　a　light　heart
and　a　smiling　face；　looking　eagerly　to　right　and　to　left　for　any
chance　which　his　good　Fate　might　send。

The　road　from　Dinan　to　Caulnes；　along　which　the　small　army　was
moving；　rose　and　dipped　over　undulating　ground；　with　a　bare　marshy
plain　upon　the　left　where　the　river　Rance　ran　down　to　the　sea；
while　upon　the　right　lay　a　wooded　country　with　a　few　wretched
villages；　so　poor　and　sordid　that　they　had　nothing　with　which　to
tempt　the　spoiler。　　The　peasants　had　left　them　at　the　first
twinkle　of　a　steel　cap；　and　lurked　at　the　edges　of　the　woods；
ready　in　an　instant　to　dive　into　those　secret　recesses　known　only
to　themselves。　　These　creatures　suffered　sorely　at　the　hands　of
both　parties；　but　when　the　chance　came　they　revenged　their　wrongs
on　either　in　a　savage　way　which　brought　fresh　brutalities　upon
their　heads。

The　new…comers　soon　had　a　chance　of　seeing　to　what　lengths　they
would　go；　for　in　the　roadway　near　to　Caulnes　they　came　upon　an
English　man…at…arms　who　had　been　waylaid　and　slain　by　them。　　How
they　had　overcome　him　could　not　be　told；　but　how　they　had　slain
him　within　his　armor　was　horribly　apparent；　for　they　had　carried
such　a　rock　as　eight　men　could　lift；　and　had　dropped　it　upon　him
as　he　lay；　so　that　he　was　spread　out　in　his　shattered　case　like　a
crab　beneath　a　stone。　　Many　a　fist　was　shaken　at　the　distant　woods
and　many　a　curse　hurled　at　those　who　haunted　them；　as　the　column
of　scowling　soldiers　passed　the　murdered　man；　whose　badge　of　the
Molene　cross　showed　him　to　have　been　a　follower　of　that　House　of
Bentley；　whose　head；　Sir　Walter；　was　at　that　time　leader　of　the
British　forces　in　the　country。

Sir　Robert　Knolles　had　served　in　Brittany　before；　and　he　marshaled
his　men　on　the　march　with　the　skill　and　caution　of　the　veteran
soldier；　the　man　who　leaves　as　little　as　possible　to　chance；
having　too　steadfast　a　mind　to　heed　the　fool　who　may　think　him
overcautious。　　He　had　recruited　a　number　of　bowmen　and　men…at…arms
at　Dinan；　so　that　his　following　was　now　close　upon　five　hundred
men。　　In　front　under　his　own　leadership　were　fifty　mounted
lancers；　fully　armed　and　ready　for　any　sudde