sir nigel-第61章

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》From　all　sides　came　chaff　and　counsel　from　their　comrades。

〃A　three…quarter　wind；　bowyer！〃　cried　one。　　〃Aim　a　body's　breadth
to　the　right！〃

〃But　not　thy　body's　breadth；　bowyer；〃　laughed　another。　　〃Else　may
you　be　overwide。〃

〃Nay；　this　wind　will　scarce　turn　a　well…drawn　shaft；〃　said　a
third。　　〃Shoot　dead　upon　him　and　you　will　be　clap　in　the　clout。〃

〃　Steady；　Ned；　for　the　good　name　of　the　Dales；〃　cried　a
Yorkshireman。　　〃　Loose　easy　and　pluck　not；　or　I　am　five　crowns　the
poorer　man。〃

〃A　week's　pay　on　Bartholomew！〃　shouted　another。　　〃Now；　old
fat…pate；　fail　me　not！〃

〃Enough；　enough！　　Stint　your　talk！〃　cried　the　old　bowman；　Wat　of
Carlisle。　　〃Were　your　shafts　as　quick　as　your　tongues　there　would
be　no　facing　you。　　Do　you　shoot　upon　the　little　one；　Bartholomew；
and　you；　Ned；　upon　the　other。　　Give　them　law　until　I　cry　the　word；
then　loose　in　your　own　fashion　and　at　your　own　time。　　Are　you
ready！　　Hola；　there；　Hayward；　Beddington；　let　them　run！〃

The　leashes　were　torn　away；　and　the　two　men；　stooping　their　heads；
ran　madly　for　the　shelter　of　the　wood　amid　such　a　howl　from　the
archers　as　beaters　may　give　when　the　hare　starts　from　its　form。
The　two　bowmen；　each　with　his　arrow　drawn　to　the　pile；　stood　like
russet　statues；　menacing；　motionless；　their　eager　eyes　fixed　upon
the　fugitives；　their　bow…staves　rising　slowly　as　the　distance
between　them　lengthened。　　The　Bretons　were　half…way　to　the　wood；
and　still　Old　Wat　was　silent。　　It　may　have　been　mercy　or　it　may
have　been　mischief；　but　at　least　the　chase　should　have　a　fair
chance　of　life。　　At　six　score　paces　he　turned　his　grizzled　head　at
last。

〃Loose！〃　he　cried。

At　the　word　the　Yorkshireman's　bow…string　twanged。　　It　was　not　for
nothing　that　he　had　earned　the　name　of　being　one　of　the　deadliest
archers　of　the　North　and　had　twice　borne　away　the　silver　arrow　of
Selby。　　Swift　and　true　flew　the　fatal　shaft　and　buried　itself　to
the　feather　in　the　curved　back　of　the　long　yellow…haired　peasant。
Without　a　sound　he　fell　upon　his　face　and　lay　stone…dead　upon　the
grass；　the　one　short　white　plume　between　his　dark　shoulders　to
mark　where　Death　had　smote　him。

The　Yorkshireman　threw　his　bowstave　into　the　air　and　danced　in
triumph；　whilst　his　comrades　roared　their　fierce　delight　in　a
shout　of　applause；　which　changed　suddenly　into　a　tempest　of
hooting　and　of　laughter。

The　smaller　peasant；　more　cunning；　than　his　comrade；　had　run　more
slowly；　but　with　many　a　backward　glance。　　He　had　marked　his
companion's　fate　and　had　waited　with　keen　eyes　until　he　saw　the
bowyer　loose　his　string。　　At　the　moment　he　had　thrown　himself　flat
upon　the　grass　and　had　heard　the　arrow　scream　above　him；…　and　seen
it　quiver　in　the　turf　beyond。　　Instantly　he　had　sprung　to　his　feet
again　and　amid　wild　whoops　and　halloos　from　the　bowmen　had　made
for　the　shelter　of　the　wood。　　Now　he　had　reached　it；　and　ten　score
good　paces　separated　him　from　the　nearest　of　his　persecutors。
Surely　they　could　not　reach　him　here。　　With　the　tangled　brushwood
behind　him　he　was　as　safe　as　a　rabbit　at　the　mouth　of　his　burrow。
In　the　joy　of　his　heart　he　must　needs　dance　in　derision　and　snap
his　fingers　at　the　foolish　men　who　had　let　him　slip。　　He　threw
back　his　head；　howling　at　them　like　a　dog；　and　at　the　instant　an
arrow　struck　him　full　in　the　throat　and　laid　him　dead　among　the
bracken。　　There　was　a　hush　of　surprised　silence　and　then　a　loud
cheer　burst　from　the　archers。

〃By　the　rood　of　Beverley！〃　cried　old　Wat；　〃I　have　not　seen　a　finer
roving　shaft　this　many　a　year。　　In　my　own　best　day　I　could　not
have　bettered　it。　　Which　of　you　loosed　it？〃

〃It　was　Aylward　of　Tilford　…　Samkin　Aylward；〃　cried　a　score　of
voices；　and　the　bowman；　flushed　at　his　own　fame；　was　pushed　to　the
front。

〃Indeed　I　would　that　it　had　been　at　a　nobler　mark；〃　said　he。　　〃He
might　have　gone　free　for　me；　but　I　could　not　keep　my　fingers　from
the　string　when　he　turned　to　jeer　at　us。〃

〃I　see　well　that　you　are　indeed　a　master…bowman；〃　said　old　Wat；
〃and　it　is　comfort　to　my　soul　to　think　that　if　I　fall　I　leave　such
a　man　behind　me　to　hold　high　the　credit　of　our　craft。　　Now　gather
your　shafts　and　on；　for　Sir　Robert　awaits　us　on　the　brow　of　the
hill。〃

All　day　Knolles　and　his　men　marched　through　the　same　wild　and
deserted　country；　inhabited　only　by　these　furtive　creatures；　hares
to　the　strong　and　wolves　to　the　weak；　who　hovered　in　the　shadows
of　the　wood。　　Ever　and　anon　upon　the　tops　of　the　hills　they　caught
a　glimpse　of　horsemen　who　watched　them　from　a　distance　and
vanished　when　approached。　　Sometimes　bells　rang　an　alarm　from
villages　amongst　the　hills；　and　twice　they　passed　castles　which
drew　up　their　drawbridges　at　their　approach　and　lined　their　walls
with　hooting　soldiers　as　they　passed。　　The　Englishmen　gathered　a
few　oxen　and　sheep　from　the　pastures　of　each；　but　Knolles　had　no
mind　to　break　his　strength　upon　stone　walls；　and　so　he　went　upon
his　way。

Once　at　St。　Meen　they　passed　a　great　nunnery；　girt　with　a　high
gray　lichened　wall；　an　oasis　of　peace　in　this　desert　of　war；　the
black…robed　nuns　basking　in　the　sun　or　working　in　the　gardens；
with　the　strong　gentle　hand　of　Holy　Church　shielding　them　ever
from　evil。　　The　archers　doffed　caps　to　them　as　they　passed；　for
the　boldest　and　roughest　dared　not　cross　that　line　guarded　by　the
dire　ban　and　blight　which　was　the　one　only　force　in　the　whole
steel…ridden　earth　which　could　stand　betwixt　the　weakling　and　the
spoiler。

The　little　army　halted　at　St。　Meen　and　cooked　its　midday　meal。　　It
had　gathered　into　its　ranks　again　and　was　about　to　start；　when
Knolles　drew　Nigel　to　one　side。

〃Nigel；〃　said　he；　〃it　seems　to　me　that　I　have　seldom　set　eyes　upon
a　horse　which　hath　more　power　and　promise　of　speed　than　this　great
beast　of　thine。〃

〃It　is　indeed　a　noble　steed；　fair　sir；〃　said　Nigel。　　Betwixt　him
and　his　young　leader　there　had　sprung　up　great　affection　and
respect　since　the　day　that　they　set　foot　in　the　Basilisk。

〃It　will　be　the　better　if　you　stretch　his　limbs；　for　he　grows
overheavy；〃　said　the　knight。　　〃Now　mark　me；　Nigel！　　Yonder　betwixt
the　ash…tree　and　the　red　rock　what　do　you　see　on　the　side　of　the
far　hill？〃

〃There　is　a　white　dot　upon　it。　　Surely　it　is　a　horse。〃

〃I　have　marked　it　all　morning；　Nigel。　　This　horseman　has　kept　ever
upon　our　flank；　spying　upon　us　or　waiting　to　make　some　attempt
upon　us。　　Now　I　should　be　right　glad　to　have　a　prisoner；　for　it　is
my　wish　to　know　something　of　this　country…side；　and　these　peasants
can　speak　neither　French　nor　English。　　I　would　have　you　linger
here　in　hiding　when　we　go　forward。　　This　man　will　still　follow　us。
When　he　does　so；　yonder　wood　will　lie　betwixt　you　and　him。　　Do　you
ride　round　it　and　come　upon　him　from　behind。　　There　is　broad　plain
upon　his　left；　and　we　will　cut　him　off　upon　the　right。　　If　your
horse　be　indeed　the　swifter；　then　you　cannot　fail　to　take　him。〃

Nigel　had　already　sprung　down　and　was　tightening　Pommers'　girth。

〃Nay；　there　is　no　need　of　haste；　for　you　cannot　start　until　we　are
two　miles　upon　our　way。　　And　above　all　I　pray　you；　Nigel；　none　of
your　knight…errant　ways。　　It　is　this　roan　that　I　want；　him　and　the
news　that　he　can　bring　me。　　Think　little　of　your　own　advancement
and　much　of　the　needs　of　the　army。　　When　you　get　him；　ride
westwards　upon　the　sun；　and　you　cannot　fail　to　find　the　road。〃

Nigel　waited　with　Pommers　under　the　shadow　of　the　nunnery　wall；
horse　and　man　chafing　with　impatience；　whilst　above　them　six
round…eyed　innocent　nun…faces　looked　down　on　this　strange　and
disturbing　vision　from　the　outer　world。　　At　last　the　long　column
wound　itself　out　of　sight　round　a　curve　of　the　road；　and　the　white
dot　was　gone　from　the　bare　green　flank　of　the　hill。　　Nigel　bowed
his　steel　head　to　the　nuns；　gave　his　bridle　a　shake；　and　bounded
off　upon　his　welcome　mission。　　The　round…eyed　sisters　saw　yellow
horse　and　twinkling　man　sweep　round　the　skirt　of　the　wood；　caught
a　last　glimmer　of　him　through　the　tree…trunks；　and　paced　slowly
back　to　their　pruning　and　their　planting；　their　minds　filled　with
the　beauty　and　the　terror　of　that　outer　world　beyond　the　high　gray
lichen…mottled　wall。

Everything　fell　out　even　as　Knolles　had　planned。　　As　N