sir nigel-第6章

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us。　　Say　and　do　what　you　will　with　me；　but　by　Saint　Paul！　if　I
find　that　Dame　Ermyntrude　is　baited　by　your　ravenous　pack　I　will
beat　them　off　with　this　whip　from　the　little　patch　which　still
remains　of　all　the　acres　of　my　fathers。〃

〃Have　a　care；　Nigel　Loring；　have　a　care！〃　cried　the　Abbot；　with
finger　upraised。　　〃Have　you　no　fears　of　the　law　of　England？　　〃

〃A　just　law　I　fear　and　obey。〃

〃Have　you　no　respect　for　Holy　Church？〃

〃I　respect　all　that　is　holy　in　her。　　I　do　not　respect　those　who
grind　the　poor　or　steal　their　neighbor's　land。〃

〃Rash　man；　many　a　one　has　been　blighted　by　her　ban　for　less　than
you　have　now　said！　　And　yet　it　is　not　for　us　to　judge　you　harshly
this　day。　　You　are　young　and　hot　words　come　easily　to　your　lips。
How　fares　the　forester？〃

〃His　hurt　is　grievous；　Father　Abbot；　but　he　will　live；〃　said　a
brother；　looking　up　from　the　prostrate　form。　　〃　With　a
blood…letting　and　an　electuary；　I　will　warrant　him　sound　within　a
month。〃

〃Then　bear　him　to　the　hospital。　　And　now；　brother；　about　this
terrible　beast　who　still　gazes　and　snorts　at　us　over　the　top　of
the　wall　as　though　his　thoughts　of　Holy　Church　were　as　uncouth　as
those　of　Squire　Nigel　himself；　what　are　we　to　do　with　him？〃

〃Here　is　Franklin　Aylward；〃　said　one　of　the　brethren。　　〃The　horse
was　his；　and　doubtless　he　will　take　it　back　to　his　farm。〃

But　the　stout　red…faced　farmer　shook　his　head　at　the　proposal。
〃Not　I；　in　faith！〃　said　he。　　〃The　beast　hath　chased　me　twice　round
the　paddock；　it　has　nigh　slain　my　boy　Samkin。　　He　would　never　be
happy　till　he　had　ridden　it；　nor　has　he　ever　been　happy　since。
There　is　not　a　hind　in　my　employ　who　will　enter　his　stall。　　Ill
fare　the　day　that　ever　I　took　the　beast　from　the　Castle　stud　at
Guildford；　where　they　could　do　nothing　with　it　and　no　rider　could
be　found　bold　enough　to　mount　it！　　When　the　sacrist　here　took　it
for　a　fifty…shilling　debt　he　made　his　own　bargain　and　must　abide
by　it。　　He　comes　no　more　to　the　Crooksbury　farm。〃

〃And　he　stays　no　more　here；〃　said　the　Abbot。　　〃Brother　sacrist；
you　have　raised　the　Devil；　and　it　is　for　you　to　lay　it　again。〃

〃That　I　will　most　readily；〃　cried　the　sacrist。　　〃The　pittance…
master　can　stop　the　fifty　shillings　from　my　very　own　weekly　dole；
and　so　the　Abbey　be　none　the　poorer。　　In　the　meantime　here　is　Wat
with　his　arbalist　and　a　bolt　in　his　girdle。　　Let　him　drive　it　to
the　head　through　this　cursed　creature；　for　his　hide　and　his　hoofs
are　of　more　value　than　his　wicked　self。〃

A　hard　brown　old　woodman　who　had　been　shooting　vermin　in　the　Abbey
groves　stepped　forward　with　a　grin　of　pleasure。　　After　a　lifetime
of　stoats　and　foxes；　this　was　indeed　a　noble　quarry　which　was　to
fall　before　him。　　Fitting　a　bolt　on　the　nut　of　his　taut　crossbow；
he　had　raised　it　to　his　shoulder　and　leveled　it　at　the　fierce；
proud；　disheveled　head　which　tossed　in　savage　freedom　at　the　other
side　of　the　wall。　　His　finger　was　crooked　on　the　spring；　when　a
blow　from　a　whip　struck　the　bow　upward　and　the　bolt　flew　harmless
over　the　Abbey　orchard；　while　the　woodman　shrank　abashed　from
Nigel　Loring's　angry　eyes。

〃Keep　your　bolts　for　your　weasels！〃　said　he。　　〃Would　you　take　life
from　a　creature　whose　only　fault　is　that　its　spirit　is　so　high
that　it　has　met　none　yet　who　dare　control　it？　　You　would　slay　such
a　horse　as　a　king　might　be　proud　to　mount；　and　all　because　a
country　franklin；　or　a　monk；　or　a　monk's　varlet；　has　not　the　wit
nor　the　hands　to　master　him？〃

The　sacrist　turned　swiftly　on　the　Squire。　　〃The　Abbey　owes　you　an
offering　for　this　day's　work；　however　rude　your　words　may　be；〃
said　he。　　〃If　you　think　so　much　of　the　horse；　you　may　desire　to
own　it。　　If　I　am　to　pay　for　it；　then　with　the　holy　Abbot's
permission　it　is　in　my　gift　and　I　bestow　it　freely　upon　you。〃

The　Abbot　plucked　at　his　subordinate's　sleeve。　　〃Bethink　you；
brother　sacrist；〃　he　whispered；　〃shall　we　not　have　this　man's
blood　upon　our　heads？〃

〃His　pride　is　as　stubborn　as　the　horse's；　holy　father；〃　the
sacrist　answered；　his　gaunt　fact　breaking　into　a　malicious　smile。
〃Man　or　beast；　one　will　break　the　other　and　the　world　will　be　the
better　for　it。　　If　you　forbid　me　…　〃

〃Nay；　brother；　you　have　bought　the　horse；　and　you　may　have　the
bestowal　of　it。〃

〃Then　I　give　it　…　hide　and　hoofs；　tail　and　temper　…　to　Nigel
Loring；　and　may　it　be　as　sweet　and　as　gentle　to　him　as　he　hath
been　to　the　Abbot　of　Waverley！〃

The　sacrist　spoke　aloud　amid　the　tittering　of　the　monks；　for　the
man　concerned　was　out　of　earshot。　　At　the　first　words　which　had
shown　him　the　turn　which　affairs　had　taken　he　had　run　swiftly　to
the　spot　where　he　had　left　his　pony。　　From　its　mouth　he　removed
the　bit　and　the　stout　bridle　which　held　it。　　Then　leaving　the
creature　to　nibble　the　grass　by　the　wayside　he　sped　back　whence　he
came。

〃I　take　your　gift；　monk；〃　said　he；　〃though　I　know　well　why　it　is
that　you　give　it。　　Yet　I　thank　you；　for　there　are　two　things　upon
earth　for　which　I　have　ever　yearned；　and　which　my　thin　purse　could
never　buy。　　The　one　is　a　noble　horse；　such　a　horse　as　my　father's
son　should　have　betwixt　his　thighs；　and　here　is　the　one　of　all
others　which　I　would　have　chosen；　since　some　small　deed　is　to　be
done　in　the　winning　of　him；　and　some　honorable　advancement　to　be
gained。　　How　is　the　horse　called？〃

〃Its　name；〃　said　the　franklin；　〃is　Pommers。　　I　warn　you；　young
sir；　that　none　may　ride　him；　for　many　have　tried；　and　the　luckiest
is　he　who　has　only　a　staved　rib　to　show　for　it。〃

〃I　thank　you　for　your　rede；〃　said　Nigel；　〃and　now　I　see　that　this
is　indeed　a　horse　which　I　would　journey　far　to　meet。　　I　am　your
man；　Pommers；　and　you　are　my　horse；　and　this　night　you　shall　own
it　or　I　will　never　need　horse　again。　　My　spirit　against　thine；　and
God　hold　thy　spirit　high；　Pommers；　so　that　the　greater　be　the
adventure；　and　the　more　hope　of　honor　gained！〃

While　he　spoke　the　young　Squire　had　climbed　on　to　the　top　of　the
wall　and　stood　there　balanced；　the　very　image　of　grace　and　spirit
and　gallantry；　his　bridle　hanging　from　one　hand　and　his　whip
grasped　in　the　other。　　With　a　fierce　snort；　the　horse　made　for　him
instantly；　and　his　white　teeth　flashed　as　he　snapped；　but　again　a
heavy　blow　from　the　loaded　whip　caused　him　to　swerve；　and　even　at
the　instant　of　the　swerve；　measuring　the　distance　with　steady
eyes；　and　bending　his　supple　body　for　the　spring；　Nigel　bounded
into　the　air　and　fell　with　his　legs　astride　the　broad　back　of　the
yellow　horse。　　For　a　minute；　with　neither　saddle　nor　stirrups　to
help　him；　and　the　beast　ramping　and　rearing　like　a　mad　thing
beneath　him；　he　was　hard　pressed　to　hold　his　own。　　His　legs　were
like　two　bands　of　steel　welded　on　to　the　swelling　arches　of　the
great　horse's　ribs；　and　his　left　hand　was　buried　deep　in　the　tawny
mane。

Never　had　the　dull　round　of　the　lives　of　the　gentle　brethren　of
Waverley　been　broken　by　so　fiery　a　scene。　　Springing　to　right　and
swooping　to　left；　now　with　its　tangled　wicked　head　betwixt　its
forefeet；　and　now　pawing　eight　feet　high　in　the　air；　with　scarlet；
furious　nostrils　and　maddened　eyes；　the　yellow　horse　was　a　thing
of　terror　and　of　beauty。　　But　the　lithe　figure　on　his　back；
bending　like　a　reed　in　the　wind　to　every　movement；　firm　below；
pliant　above；　with　calm　inexorable　face；　and　eyes　which　danced　and
gleamed　with　the　joy　of　contest；　still　held　its　masterful　place
for　all　that　the　fiery　heart　and　the　iron　muscles　of　the　great
beast　could　do。

Once　a　long　drone　of　dismay　rose　from　the　monks；　as　rearing　higher
and　higher　yet　a　last　mad　effort　sent　the　creature　toppling　over
backward　upon　its　rider。　　But；　swift　and　cool；　he　had　writhed　from
under　it　ere　it　fell；　spurned　it　with　his　foot　as　it　rolled　upon
the　earth；　and　then　seizing　its　mane　as　it　rose　swung　himself
lightly　on　to　its　back　once　more。　　Even　the　grim　sacrist　could　not
but　join　the　cheer；　as　Pommers；　amazed　to　find　the　rider　still
upon　his　back；　plunged　and　curveted　down　the　field。

But　the　wild　horse　only　swelled　into　a　greater　fury。　　In　the
sullen　gloom　of　its　untamed　heart　there　rose　the　furious　resolve
to　dash　the　life　from　this　clinging　rider；　even　if　it　meant
destruction　to　beast　and　man。　　With　red；　blazing　eyes　it　lo