sir nigel-第68章

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guidance　of　Black　Simon。

Outside　the　camp　the　two　other　men…at…arms　were　waiting　for　them；
and　the　four　advanced　together。　　Presently　a　little　group　of
figures　loomed　up　in　the　darkness。　　It　was　a　cloudy　night；　and　a
thin　rain　was　falling　which　obscured　both　the　castle　and　the　fort；
but　a　stone　had　been　placed　by　Simon　in　the　daytime　which　assured
that　they　were　between　the　two。

〃Is　blind　Andreas　there？〃　asked　Simon。

〃Yes；　kind　sir；　I　am　here；〃　said　a　voice。

〃This　man；〃　said　Simon；　〃was　once　rich　and　of　good　repute；　but　he
was　beggared　by　this　robber　lord；　who　afterwards　put　out　his　eyes
so　that　he　has　lived　for　many　years　in　darkness　at　the　charity　of
others。〃

〃How　can　he　help　us　in　our　enterprise　if　he　be　indeed　blind？〃
asked　Nigel。

〃It　is　for　that　very　reason；　fair　lord；　that　he　can　be　of　greater
service　than　any　other　man；〃　Simon　answered；　〃for　it　often　happens
that　when　a　man　has　lost　a　sense　the　good　God　will　strengthen
those　that　remain。　　Hence　it　is　that　Andreas　has　such　ears　that　he
can　hear　the　sap　in　the　trees　or　the　cheep　of　the　mouse　in　its
burrow。　　He　has　come　to　help　us　to　find　the　tunnel。〃

〃And　I　have　found　it；〃　said　the　blind　man　proudly。　　〃Here　I　have
placed　my　staff　upon　the　line　of　it。　　Twice　as　I　lay　there　with　my
ear　to　the　ground　I　have　heard　footsteps　pass　beneath　me。〃

〃I　trust　you　make　no　mistake；　old　man；〃　said　Nigel。

For　answer　the　blind　man　raised　his　staff　and　smote　twice　upon　the
ground；　once　to　the　right　and　once　to　the　left。　　The　one　gave　a
dull　thud；　the　other　a　hollow　boom。

〃Can　you　not　hear　that？〃　he　asked。　　〃Will　you　ask　me　now　if　I　make
a　mistake？〃

〃Indeed；　we　are　much　beholden　to　you！〃　cried　Nigel。　　〃Let　the
peasants　dig　then；　and　as　silently　as　they　may。　　Do　you　keep　your
ear　upon　the　ground；　Andreas；　so　that　if　anyone　pass　beneath　us　we
shall　be　warned。〃

So；　amid　the　driving　rain；　the　little　group　toiled　in　the
darkness。　　The　blind　man　lay　silent；　flat　upon　his　face；　and　twice
they　heard　his　warning　hiss　and　stopped　their　work；　whilst　some
one　passed　beneath。　　In　an　hour　they　had　dug　down　to　a　stone　arch
which　was　clearly　the　outer　side　of　the　tunnel　roof。　　Here　was　a
sad　obstacle；　for　it　might　take　long　to　loosen　a　stone；　and　if
their　work　was　not　done　by　the　break　of　day　then　their　enterprise
was　indeed　hopeless。　　They　loosened　the　mortar　with　a　dagger；　and
at　last　dislodged　one　small　stone　which　enabled　them　to　get　at　the
others。　　Presently　a　dark　hole　blacker　than　the　night　around　them
yawned　at　their　feet；　and　their　swords　could　touch　no　bottom　to
it。　　They　had　opened　the　tunnel。

〃I　would　fain　enter　it　first；〃　said　Nigel。　　〃I　pray　you　to　lower
me　down。〃　　They　held　him　to　the　full　length　of　their　arms　and　then
letting　him　drop　they　heard　him　land　safely　beneath　them。　　An
instant　later　the　blind　man　started　up　with　a　low　cry　of　alarm。

〃I　hear　steps　coming；〃　said　he。　　〃They　are　far　off；　but　they　draw
nearer。〃

Simon　thrust　his　head　and　neck　down　the　hole。　　〃Squire　Nigel；〃　he
whispered；　〃can　you　hear　me？〃

〃I　can　hear　you；　Simon。〃

〃Andreas　says　that　some　one　comes。〃

〃Then　cover　over　the　hole；〃　came　the　answer。　　〃Quick；　I　pray　you；
cover　it　over！〃

A　mantle　was　stretched　across　it；　so　that　no　glimmer　of　light
should　warn　the　new…comer。　　The　fear　was　that　he　might　have　heard；
the　sound　of　Nigel's　descent。　　But　soon　it　was　clear　that　he　had
not　done　so；　for　Andreas　announced　that　he　was　still　advancing。
Presently　Nigel　could　hear　the　distant　thud　of　his　feet。　　If　he
bore　a　lantern　all　was　lost。　　But　no　gleam　of　light　appeared　in
the　black　tunnel；　and　still　the　footsteps　drew　nearer。

Nigel　breathed　a　prayer　of　thanks　to　all　his　guardian　saints　as　he
crouched　close　to　the　slimy　wall　and　waited　breathless；　his　dagger
in　his　hand。　　Nearer　yet　and　nearer　came　the　steps。　　He　could　hear
the　stranger's　coarse　breathing　in　the　darkness。　　Then　as　he
brushed　past　Nigel　bounded　upon　him　with　a　tiger　spring。　　There
was　one　gasp　of　astonishment；　and　not　a　sound　more；　for　the
Squire's　grip　was　on　the　man's　throat　and　his　body　was　pinned
motionless　against　the　wall。

〃Simon！　　Simon！〃　cried　Nigel　loudly。

The　mantle　was　moved　from　the　hole。

〃Have　you　a　cord？　　Or　your　belts　linked　together　may　serve。〃

One　of　the　peasants　had　a　rope；　and　Nigel　soon　felt　it　dangling
against　his　hand。　　He　listened　and　there　was　no　sound　in　the
passage。　　For　an　instant　he　released　his　captive's　throat。　　A
torrent　of　prayers　and　entreaties　came　forth。　　The　man　was　shaking
like　a　leaf　in　the　wind。　　Nigel　pressed　the　point　of　his　dagger
against　his　face　and　dared　him　to　open　his　lips。　　Then　he　slipped
the　rope　beneath　his　arms　and　tied　it。

〃Pull　him　up！〃　he　whispered；　and　for　an　instant　the　gray　glimmer
above　him　was　obscured。

〃We　have　him；　fair　sir；〃　said　Simon。

〃Then　drop　me　the　rope　and　hold　it　fast。〃

A　moment　later　Nigel　stood　among　the　group　of　men　who　had　gathered
round　their　captive。　　It　was　too　dark　to　see　him；　and　they　dare
not　strike　flint　and　steel。

Simon　passed　his　hand　roughly　over　him　and　felt　a　fat　clean…shaven
face；　and　a　cloth　gabardine　which　hung　to　the　ankles。　　〃Who　are
you？〃　he　whispered。　　〃　peak　the　truth　and　speak　it　low；　if　you
would　ever　speak　again。〃

The　man's　teeth　chattered　in　his　head　with　cold　and　fright。　　〃I
speak　no　English；〃　he　murmured。

〃French；　then；〃　said　Nigel。

〃I　am　a　holy　priest　of　God。　　You　court　the　ban　of　holy　Church　when
you　lay　hands　upon　me。　　I　pray　you　let　me　go　upon　my　way；　for
there　are　those　whom　I　would　shrive　and　housel。　　If　they　should
die　in　sin；　their　damnation　is　upon　you。〃

〃How　are　you　called　then？〃

〃I　am　Dom　Peter　de　Cervolles。〃

〃De　Cervolles；　the　arch…priest；　he　who　heated　the　brazier　when
they　burned　out　my　eyes；〃　cried　old　Andreas。　　〃Of　all　the　devils
in　hell　there　is　none　fouler　than　this　one。　　Friends；　friends；　if
I　have　done　aught　for　you　this　night；　I　ask　but　one　reward；　that
ye　let　me　have　my　will　of　this　man。〃

But　Nigel　pushed　the　old　man　back。　　〃There　is　no　time　for　this；〃
he　said。　　〃Now　hark　you；　priest　…　if　priest　indeed　you　be　…　your
gown　and　tonsure　will　not　save　you　if　you　play　us　false；　for　we
are　here　of　a　set　purpose　and　we　will　go　forward　with　it；　come
what　may。　　Answer　me　and　answer　me　truly　or　it　will　be　an　ill
night　for　you。　　In　what　part　of　the　Castle　does　this　tunnel
enter？〃

〃In　the　lower　cellar。〃

〃What　is　at　the　end？〃

〃An　oaken　door。〃

〃Is　it　barred？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　barred。〃

〃How　would　you　have　entered？〃

〃I　would　have　given　the　password。〃

〃Who　then　would　have　opened？〃

〃There　is　a　guard　within。〃

〃And　beyond　him？〃

〃Beyond　him　are　the　prison　cells　and　the　jailers。〃

〃Who　else　would　be　afoot？〃

〃No　one　save　a　guard　at　the　gate　and　another　on　the　battlement。〃

〃What　then　is　the　password？〃

The　man　was　silent。

〃The　password；　fellow！〃

The　cold　points　of　two　daggers　pricked　his　throat；　but　still　he
would　not　speak。

〃Where　is　the　blind　man？〃　asked　Nigel。　　〃Here；　Andreas；　you　can
have　him　and　do　what　you　will　with　him。〃

〃Nay；　nay；〃　the　priest　whimpered。　　〃Keep　him　off　me。　　Save　me　from
blind　Andreas！　　I　will　tell　you　everything。〃

〃The　password　then；　this　instant？〃

〃It　is　‘Benedicite！'〃

〃We　have　the　password；　Simon；〃　cried　Nigel。　　〃Come　then；　let　us　on
to　the　farther　end。　　These　peasants　will　guard　the　priest；　and
they　will　remain　here　lest　we　wish　to　send　a　message。〃

〃Nay；　fair　sir；　it　is　in　my　mind　that　we　can　do　better；〃　said
Simon。　　〃Let　us　take　the　priest　with　us；　so　that　he　who　is　within
may　know　his　voice。〃

〃It　is　well　thought　of；〃　said　Nigel；　〃and　first　let　us　pray
together；　for　indeed　this　night　may　well　be　our　last。〃

He　and　the　three　men…at…arms　knelt　in　the　rain　and　sent　up　their
simple　orisons；　Simon　still　clutching　tight　to　his　prisoner's
wrist。

The　priest　fumbled　in　his　breast　and　drew　something　forth。　　〃It　is
the　heart　of　the　blessed　confessor　Saint　Enogat；〃　said　he。　　〃It
may　be　that　it　will　ease　and　assoil　your　souls　if　you　would　wish
to　handle　it。〃

The　four　Englishmen　passed　the　flat　silver　case　from　hand　to　hand；
each　pressing　his　lips　devoutly　upon　it。　　Then　they　rose　to　their
feet。　　Nig