sir nigel-第60章

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men。　　In　front　under　his　own　leadership　were　fifty　mounted
lancers；　fully　armed　and　ready　for　any　sudden　attack。　　Behind　them
on　foot　came　the　archers；　and　a　second　body　of　mounted　men　closed
up　the　rear。　　Out　upon　either　flank　moved　small　bodies　of　cavalry；
and　a　dozen　scouts；　spread　fanwise；　probed　every　gorge　and　dingle
in　front　of　the　column。　　So　for　three　days　he　moved　slowly　down
the　Southern　Road。

Sir　Thomas　Percy　and　Sir　James　Astley　had　ridden　to　the　head　of
the　column；　and　Knolles　conferred　with　them　as　they　marched
concerning　the　plan　of　their　campaign。　　Percy　and　Astley　were
young　and　hot…headed　with　wild　visions　of　dashing　deeds　and　knight
errantry；　but　Knolles　with　cold；　clear　brain　and　purpose　of　iron
held　ever　his　object　in　view。

〃By　the　holy　Dunstan　and　all　the　saints　of　Lindisfarne！〃　cried　the
fiery　Borderer；　〃it　goes　to　my　heart　to　ride　forward　when　there
are　such　honorable　chances　on　either　side　of　us。　　Have　I　not　heard
that　the　French　are　at　Evran　beyond　the　river；　and　is　it　not　sooth
that　yonder　castle；　the　towers　of　which　I　see　above　the　woods；　is
in　the　hands　of　a　traitor；　who　is　false　to　his　liege　lord　of
Montford？　　There　is　little　profit　to　be　gained　upon　this　road；　for
the　folk　seem　to　have　no　heart　for　war。　　Had　we　ventured　as　far
over　the　marches　of　Scotland　as　we　now　are　in　Brittany；　we　should
not　have　lacked　some　honorable　venture　or　chance　of　winning
worship。〃

〃You　say　truth；　Thomas；〃　cried　Astley；　a　red…faced　and　choleric
young　man。　　〃It　is　well　certain　that　the　French　will　not　come　to
us；　and　surely　it　is　the　more　needful　that　we　go　to　them。　　In
sooth；　any　soldier　who　sees　us　would　smile　that　we　should　creep
for　three　days　along　this　road　as　though　a　thousand　dangers　lay
before　us；　when　we　have　but　poor　broken　peasants　to　deal　with。〃

But　Robert　Knolles　shook　his　head。　　〃We　know　not　what　are　in　these
woods；　or　behind　these　hills；〃　said　he；　〃and　when　I　know　nothing
it　is　my　wont　to　prepare　for　the　worst　which　may　befall。　　It　is
but　prudence　so　to　do。〃

〃Your　enemies　might　find　some　harsher　name　for　it；〃　said　Astley
with　a　sneer。　　〃Nay；　you　need　not　think　to　scare　me　by　glaring　at
me；　Sir　Robert；　nor　will　your　ill…pleasure　change　my　thoughts。　　I
have　faced　fiercer　eyes　than　thine；　and　I　have　not　feared。〃

〃Your　speech；　Sir　James；　is　neither　courteous　nor　good；〃　said
Knolles；　〃and　if　I　were　a　free　man　I　would　cram　your　words　down
your　throat　with　the　point　of　my　dagger。　　But　I　am　here　to　lead
these　men　in　profit　and　honor；　not　to　quarrel　with　every　fool　who
has　not　the　wit　to　understand　how　soldiers　should　be　led。　　Can　you
not　see　that　if　I　make　attempts　here　and　there；　as　you　would　have
me　do；　I　shall　have　weakened　my　strength　before　I　come　to　that
part　where　it　can　best　be　spent？〃

〃And　where　is　that？〃　asked　Percy。　　〃'Fore　God；　Astley；　it　is　in　my
mind　that　we　ride　with　one　who　knows　more　of　war　than　you　or　I；
and　that　we　would　be　wise　to　be　guided　by　his　rede。　　Tell　us　then
what　is　in　your　mind。〃

〃Thirty　miles　from　here；〃　said　Knolles；　〃there　is；　as　I　am　told；　a
fortalice　named　Ploermel；　and　within　it　is　one　Bambro'；　an
Englishman；　with　a　good　garrison。　　No　great　distance　from　him　is
the　Castle　of　Josselin　where　dwells　Robert　of　Beaumanoir　with　a
great　following　of　Bretons。　　It　is　my　intention　that　we　should
join　Bambro'；　and　so　be　in　such　strength　that　we　may　throw
ourselves　upon　Josselin；　and　by　taking　it　become　the　masters　of
all　mid…Brittany；　and　able　to　make　head　against　the　Frenchmen　in
the　south。〃

〃Indeed　I　think　that　you　can　do　no　better；〃　said　Percy　heartily；
〃and　I　swear　to　you　on　jeopardy　of　my　soul　that　I　will　stand　by
you　in　the　matter！　　I　doubt　not　that　when　we　come　deep　into　their
land　they　will　draw　together　and　do　what　they　may　to　make　head
against　us；　but　up　to　now　I　swear　by　all　the　saints　of　Lindisfarne
that　I　should　have　seen　more　war　in　a　summer's　day　in　Liddesdale
or　at　the　Forest　of　Jedburgh　than　any　that　Brittany　has　shown　us。
Bat　see；　yonder　horsemen　are　riding　in。　　They　are　our　own
hobblers；　are　they　not？　　And　who　are　these　who　are　lashed　to　their
stirrups？〃

A　small　troop　of　mounted　bowmen　had　ridden　out　of　an　oak　grove
upon　the　left　of　the　road。　　They　trotted　up　to　where　the　three
knights　had　halted。　　Two　wretched　peasants　whose　wrists　had　been
tied　to　their　leathers　came　leaping　and　straining　beside　the
horses　in　their　effort　not　to　be　dragged　off　their　feet。　　One　was
a　tall；　gaunt；　yellow…haired　man；　the　other　short　and　swarthy；　but
both　so　crusted　with　dirt；　so　matted　and　tangled　and　ragged；　that
they　were　more　like　beasts　of　the　wood　than　human　beings。

〃What　is　this？〃　asked　Knolles。　　〃Have　I　not　ordered　you　to　leave
the　countryfolk　at　peace？〃

The　leader　of　the　archers；　old　Wat　of　Carlisle；　held　up　a　sword；　a
girdle　and　a　dagger。　　〃If　it　please　you；　fair　sir；〃　said　he；　〃I
saw　the　glint　of　these；　and　I　thought　them　no　fit　tools　for　hands
which　were　made　for　the　spade　and　the　plow。　　But　when　we　had
ridden　them　down　and　taken　them；　there　was　the　Bentley　cross　upon
each；　and　we　knew　that　they　had　belonged　to　yonder　dead　Englishman
upon　the　road。　　Surely　then；　these　are　two　of　the　villains　who
have　slain　him；　and　it　is　right　that　we　do　justice　upon　them。〃

Sure　enough；　upon　sword；　girdle　and　dagger　shone　the　silver　Molene
cross　which　had　gleamed　on　the　dead　man's　armor。　　Knolles　looked
at　them　and　then　at　the　prisoners　with　a　face　of　stone。　　At　the
sight　of　those　fell　eyes　they　had　dropped　with　inarticulate　howls
upon　their　knees；　screaming　out　their　protests　in　a　tongue　which
none　could　understand。

〃We　must　have　the　roads　safe　for　wandering　Englishmen；〃　said
Knolles。　　〃These　men　must　surely　die。　　Hang　them　to　yonder　tree。〃

He　pointed　to　a　live…oak　by　the　roadside；　and　rode　onward　upon　his
way　in　converse　with　his　fellow…knights。　　But　the　old　bowman　had
ridden　after　him。

〃If　it　please　you；　Sir　Robert；　the　bowmen　would　fain　put　these　men
to　death　in　their　own　fashion；〃　said　he。

〃So　that　they　die；　I　care　not　how；〃　Knolles　answered　carelessly；
and　looked　back　no　more。

Human　life　was　cheap　in　those　stern　days　when　the　footmen　of　a
stricken　army　or　the　crew　of　a　captured　ship　were　slain　without
any　question　or　thought　of　mercy　by　the　victors。　　War　was　a　rude
game　with　death　for　the　stake；　and　the　forfeit　was　always　claimed
on　the　one　side　and　paid　on　the　other　without　doubt　or　hesitation。
Only　the　knight　might　be　spared；　since　his　ransom　made　him　worth
more　alive　than　dead。　　To　men　trained　in　such　a　school；　with　death
forever　hanging　over　their　own　heads；　it　may　be　well　believed　that
the　slaying　of　two　peasant　murderers　was　a　small　matter。

And　yet　there　was　special　reason　why　upon　this　occasion　the　bowmen
wished　to　keep　the　deed　in　their　own　hands。　　Ever　since　their
dispute　aboard　the　Basilisk；　there　had　been　ill…feeling　betwixt
Bartholomew　the　old　bald…headed　bowyer；　and　long　Ned　Widdington
the　Dalesman；　which　had　ended　in　a　conflict　at　Dinan；　in　which　not
only　they；　but　a　dozen　of　their　friends　had　been　laid　upon　the
cobble…stones。　　The　dispute　raged　round　their　respective　knowledge
and　skill　with　the　bow；　and　now　some　quick　wit　amongst　the
soldiers　had　suggested　a　grim　fashion　in　which　it　should　be　put　to
the　proof；　once　for　all；　which　could　draw　the　surer　shaft。

A　thick　wood　lay　two　hundred　paces　from　the　road　upon　which　the
archers　stood。　　A　stretch　of　smooth　grassy　sward　lay　between。　　The
two　peasants　were　led　out　fifty　yards　from　the　road；　with　their
faces　toward　the　wood。　　There　they　stood；　held　on　a　leash；　and
casting　many　a　wondering　frightened　glance　over　their　shoulders　at
the　preparations　which　were　being　made　behind　them。

Old　Bartholomew　and　the　big　Yorkshireman　had　stepped　out　of　the
ranks　and　stood　side　by　side　each　with　his　strung　bow　in　his　left
hand　and　a　single　arrow　in　his　right。　　With　care　they　had　drawn　on
and　greased　their　shooting…gloves　and　fastened　their　bracers。
They　plucked　and　cast　up　a　few　blades　of　grass　to　measure　the
wind；　examined　every　small　point　of　their　tackle；　turned　their
sides　to　the　mark；　and　Widened　their　feet　in　a　firmer　stance。
》From　all　sides　came　chaff　and　counsel　f