sir nigel-第67章

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kiss　me；　sweet　friend；　and　lay　me　back；　for　the　mists　close　round
me　and　I　am　gone！〃

With　tender　hands　the　Squire　lowered　his　comrade's　head；　but　even
as　he　did　so　there　came　a　choking　rush　of　blood；　and　the　soul　had
passed。　　So　died　a　gallant　cavalier　of　France；　and　Nigel　as　he
knelt　in　the　ditch　beside　him　prayed　that　his　own　end　might　be　as
noble　and　as　debonair。




XXI。　　HOW　THE　SECOND　MESSENGER　WENT　TO　COSFORD



Under　cover　of　night　the　wounded　men　were　lifted　from　the　ditch
and　carried　back；　whilst　pickets　of　archers　were　advanced　to　the
very　gate　so　that　none　should　rebuild　it。　　Nigel；　sick　at　heart
over　his　own　failure；　the　death　of　his　prisoner　and　his　fears　for
Aylward；　crept　back　into　the　camp；　but　his　cup　was　not　yet　full；
for　Knolles　was　waiting　for　him　with　a　tongue　which　cut　like　a
whip…lash。　　Who　was　he；　a　raw　squire；　that　he　should　lead　an
attack　without　orders？　　See　what　his　crazy　knight　errantry　had
brought　about。　　Twenty　men　had　been　destroyed　by　it　and　nothing
gained。　　Their　blood　was　on　his　head。　　Chandos　should　hear　of　his
conduct。　　He　should　be　sent　back　to　England　when　the　castle　had
fallen。

Such　were　the　bitter　words　of　Knolles；　the　more　bitter　because
Nigel　felt　in　his　heart　that　he　had　indeed　done　wrong；　and　that
Chandos　would　have　said　the　same　though；　perchance；　in　kinder
words。　　He　listened　in　silent　respect；　as　his　duty　was；　and　then
having　saluted　his　leader　he　withdrew　apart；　threw　himself　down
amongst　the　bushes；　and　wept　the　hottest　tears　of　his　life；
sobbing　bitterly　with　his　face　between　his　hands。　　He　had　striven
hard；　and　yet　everything　had　gone　wrong　with　him。　　He　was　bruised；
burned　and　aching　from　head　to　foot。　　Yet　so　high　is　the　spirit
above　the　body　that　all　was　nothing　compared　to　the　sorrow　and
shame　which　racked　his　soul。

But　a　little　thing　changed　the　current　of　his　thoughts　and　brought
some　peace　to　his　mind。　　He　had　slipped　off　his　mail　gauntlets；
and　as　he　did　so　his　fingers　lighted　upon　the　tiny　bangle　which
Mary　had　fastened　there　when　they　stood　together　upon　St。
Catharine's　Hill　on　the　Guildford　Road。　　He　remembered　the　motto
curiously　worked　in　filigree　of　gold。　　It　ran：　〃Fais　ce　que　dois；
adviegne　que　pourra　…　c'est　commande　au　chevalier。〃

The　words　rang　in　his　weary　brain。　　He　had　done　what　seemed　right；
come　what　might。　　It　had　gone　awry；　it　is　true；　but　all　things
human　may　do　that。　　If　he　had　carried　the　castle；　he　felt　that
Knolles　would　have　forgiven　and　forgotten　all　else。　　If　he　had　not
carried　it；　it　was　no　fault　of　his。　　No　man　could　have　done　more。
If　Mary　could　see　she　would　surely　have　approved。　　Dropping　into
sleep；　he　saw　her　dark　face；　shining　with　pride　and　with　pity；
stooping　over　him　as　he　lay。　　She　stretched　out　her　hand　in　his
dream　and　touched　him　on　the　shoulder。　　He　sprang　up　and　rubbed
his　eyes；　for　fact　had　woven　itself　into　dream　in　the　strange　way
that　it　does；　and　some　one　was　indeed　leaning　over　him　in　the
gloom；　and　shaking　him　from　his　slumbers。　　But　the　gentle　voice
and　soft　touch　of　the　Lady　Mary　had　changed　suddenly　to　the　harsh
accents　and　rough　grip　of　Black　Simon；　the　fierce　Norfolk
man…at…arms。

〃Surely　you　are　the　Squire　Loring；〃　he　said；　peering　close　to　his
face　in　the　darkness。

〃I　am　he。　　What　then？〃

〃I　have　searched　through　the　camp　for　you；　but　when　I　saw　the
great　horse　tethered　near　these　bushes；　I　thought　you　would　be
found　hard　by。　　I　would　have　a　word　with　you。〃

〃Speak　on。〃

〃This　man　Aylward　the　bowman　was　my　friend；　and　it　is　the　nature
that　God　has　given　me　to　love　my　friends　even　as　I　hate　my　foes。
He　is　also　thy　servant；　and　it　has　seemed　to　me　that　you　love　him
also。〃

〃I　have　good　cause　so　to　do。〃

〃Then　you　and　I；　Squire　Loring；　have　more　reason　to　strive　on　his
behalf　than　any　of　these　others；　who　think　more　of　taking　the
castle　than　of　saving　those　who　are　captives　within。　　Do　you　not
see　that　such　a　man　as　this　robber　lord　would；　when　all　else　had
failed　him；　most　surely　cut　the　throats　of　his　prisoners　at　the
last　instant　before　the　castle　fell；　knowing　well　that　come　what
might　he　would　have　short　shrift　himself　？　　Is　that　not　certain？〃

〃By　Saint　Paul！　　I　had　not　thought　of　it。〃

〃I　was　with　you；　hammering　at　the　inner　gate；〃　said　Simon；　〃and
yet　once　when　I　thought　that　it　was　giving　way　I　said　in　my　heart：
‘Good…by；　Samkin！　　I　shall　never　see　you　more。'　　This　Baron　has
gall　in　his　soul；　even　as　I　have　myself；　and　do　you　think　that　I
would　give　up　my　prisoners　alive；　if　I　were　constrained　so　to　do？
No；　no；　had　we　won　our　way　this　day　it　would　have　been　the
death…stroke　for　them　all。〃

〃It　may　be　that　you　are　right；　Simon；〃　said　Nigel；　〃and　the
thought　of　it　should　assuage　our　grief。　　But　if　we　cannot　save
them　by　taking　the　castle；　then　surely　they　are　lost　indeed。〃

〃It　may　be　so；　or　it　may　not；〃　Simon　answered　slowly。　　〃It　is　in
my　mind　that　if　the　castle　were　taken　very　suddenly；　and　in　such　a
fashion　that　they　could　not　foresee　it；　then　perchance　we　might
get　the　prisoners　before　they　could　do　them　scathe。〃

Nigel　bent　forward　eagerly；　his　hand　on　the　soldier's　arm。

〃You　have　some　plan　in　your　mind；　Simon。　　Tell　me　what　it　is。〃

〃I　had　wished　to　tell　Sir　Robert；　but　he　is　preparing　the　assault
for　to…morrow　and　will　not　be　turned　from　his　purpose。　　I　have
indeed　a　plan；　but　whether　it　be　good　or　not　I　cannot　say　until　I
have　tried　it。　　But　first　I　will　tell　you　what　put　it　into　my
thoughts。　　Know　then　that　this　morning　when　I　was　in　yonder　ditch
I　marked　one　of　their　men　upon　the　wall。　　He　was　a　big　man　with　a
white　face；　red　hair　and　a　touch　of　Saint　Anthony's　fire　upon　the
cheek。〃

〃But　what　has　this　to　do　with　Aylward？〃

〃I　will　show　you。　　This　evening　after　the　assault　I　chanced　to
walk　with　some　of　my　fellows；　round　yonder　small　fort　upon　the
knoll　to　see　if　we　could　spy　a　weak　spot　in　it。　　Some　of　them　came
to　the　wall　to　curse　us；　and　among　them　whom　should　I　see　but　a
big　man　with　a　white　face；　red　hair　and　a　touch　of　Anthony's　fire
upon　his　cheek？　　What　make　you　of　that；　Squire　Nigel？〃

〃That　this　man　had　crossed　from　the　castle　to　the　fort。〃

〃In　good　sooth；　it　must　indeed　be　so。　　There　are　not　two　such
ken…speckled　men　in　the　world。　　But　if　he　crossed　from　the　castle
to　the　fort；　it　was　not　above　the　ground；　for　our　own　people　were
between。〃

〃By　Saint　Paul！　　I　see　your　meaning！〃　cried　Nigel。　　〃It　is　in　your
mind　that　there　is　a　passage　under　the　earth　from　one　to　the
other。〃

〃I　am　well　sure　of　it。〃

〃Then　if　we　should　take　the　small　fort　we　may　pass　down　this
tunnel；　and　so　carry　the　great　castle　also。〃

〃Such　a　thing　might　happen；〃　said　Simon；　〃and　yet　it　is　dangerous
also；　for　surely　those　in　the　castle　would　hear　our　assault　upon
the　fort　and　so　be　warned　to　bar　the　passage　against　us；　and　to
slay　the　prisoners　before　we　could　come。〃

〃What　then　is　your　rede？〃

〃Could　we　find　where　the　tunnel　lay；　Squire　Nigel；　I　know　not　what
is　to　prevent　us　from　digging　down　upon　it　and　breaking　into　it　so
that　both　fort　and　castle　are　at　our　mercy　before　either　knows
that　we　are　there。〃

Nigel　clapped　his　hands　with　joy。　　〃'Fore　God！〃　he　cried。　　〃It　is
a　most　noble　plan！　　But　alas！　　Simon；　I　see　not　how　we　can　tell
the　course　of　this　passage　or　where　we　should　dig。〃

〃I　have　peasants　yonder　with　spades；〃　said　Simon。　　〃There　are　two
of　my　friends；　Harding　of　Barnstable　and　West…country　John　who　are
waiting　for　us　with　their　gear。　　If　you　will　come　to　lead　us；
Squire　Nigel；　we　are　ready　to　venture　our　bodies　in　the　attempt。〃

What　would　Knolles　say　in　case　they　failed？　　The　thought　flashed
through　Nigel's　mind；　but　another　came　swiftly　behind　it。　　He
would　not　venture　further　unless　he　found　hopes　of　success。　　And
if　he　did　venture　further　he　would　put　his　life　upon　it。　　Giving
that；　he　made　amends　for　all　errors。　　And　if　on　the　other　hand
success　crowned　their　efforts；　then　Knolles　would　forgive　his
failure　at　the　gateway。　　A　minute　later；　every　doubt　banished　from
his　mind；　he　was　making　his　way　through　the　darkness　under　the
guidance　of　Black　Simon。

Outside　the　camp　the　two　other　men…at…arms　were　waiting　for　them；
and