sir nigel-第71章

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Sir　Robert　Knolles　and　his　men　passed　onward　that　day；　looking
back　many　a　time　to　see　the　two　dark　columns　of　smoke；　one　thicker
and　one　more　slender；　which　arose　from　the　castle　and　from　the
fort　of　La　Brohiniere。　　There　was　not　an　archer　nor　a　man…at…arms
who　did　not　bear　a　great　bundle　of　spoil　upon　his　back；　and
Knolles　frowned　darkly　as　he　looked　upon　them。　　Gladly　would　he
hove　thrown　it　all　down　by　the　roadside；　but　he　had　tried　such
matters　before；　and　he　knew　that　it　was　as　safe　to　tear　a
half…gnawed　bone　from　a　bear　as　their　blood…won　plunder　from　such
men　as　these。　　In　any　case　it　was　but　two　days'　march　to　Ploermel；
where　he　hoped　to　bring　his　journey　to　an　end。

That　night　they　camped　at　Mauron；　where　a　small　English　and　Breton
garrison　held　the　castle。　　Right　glad　were　the　bowmen　to　see　some
of　their　own　countrymen　once　more；　and　they　spent　the　night　over
wine　and　dice；　a　crowd　of　Breton　girls　assisting；　so　that　next
morning　their　bundles　were　much　lighter；　and　most　of　the　plunder
of　La　Brohiniere　was　left　with　the　men　and　women　of　Mauron。　　Next
day　their　march　lay　with　a　fair　sluggish　river　upon　their　right；
and　a　great　rolling　forest　upon　their　left　which　covered　the　whole
country。　　At　last　toward　evening　the　towers　of　Ploermel　rose
before　them　and　they　saw　against　a　darkening　sky　the　Red　Cross　of
England　waving　in　the　wind。　　So　blue　was　the　river　Duc　which
skirted　the　road；　and　so　green　its　banks；　that　they　might　indeed
have　been　back　beside　their　own　homely　streams；　the　Oxford　Thames
or　the　Midland　Trent；　but　ever　as　the　darkness　deepened　there　came
in　wild　gusts　the　howling　of　wolves　from　the　forest　to　remind　them
that　they　were　in　a　land　of　war。　　So　busy　had　men　been　for　many
years　in　hunting　one　another　that　the　beasts　of　the　chase　had
grown　to　a　monstrous　degree；　until　the　streets　of　the　towns　were
no　longer　safe　from　the　wild　inroads　of　the　fierce　creatures；　the
wolves　and　the　bears；　who　swarmed　around　them。

It　was　nightfall　when　the　little　army　entered　the　outer　gate　of
the　Castle　of　Ploermel　and　encamped　in　the　broad　Bailey　yard。
Ploermel　was　at　that　time　the　center　of　British　power　in　Mid…
Brittany；　as　Hennebon　was　in　the　West；　and　it　was　held　by　a
garrison　of　five　hundred　men　under　an　old　soldier；　Richard　of
Bambro''；　a　rugged　Northumbrian；　trained　in　that　great　school　of
warriors；　the　border　wars。　　He　who　had　ridden　the　marches　of　the
most　troubled　frontier　in　Europe；　and　served　his　time　against　the
Liddlesdale　and　Nithsdale　raiders　was　hardened　for　a　life　in　the
field。

Of　late；　however；　Bambro'　had　been　unable　to　undertake　any
enterprise；　for　his　reinforcements　had　failed　him；　and　amid　his
following　he　had　but　three　English　knights　and　seventy　men。　　The
rest　were　a　mixed　crew　of　Bretons；　Hainaulters　and　a　few　German
mercenary　soldiers；　brave　men　individually；　as　those　of　that　stock
have　ever　been；　but　lacking　interest　in　the　cause；　and　bound
together　by　no　common　tie　of　blood　or　tradition。

On　the　other　hand；　the　surrounding　castles；　and　especially　that　of
Josselin；　were　held　by　strong　forces　of　enthusiastic　Bretons；
inflamed　by　a　common　patriotism；　and　full　of　warlike　ardor。
Robert　of　Beaumanoir；　the　fierce　seneschal　of　the　house　of　Rohan；
pushed　constant　forays　and　excursions　against　Ploermel　so　that
town　and　castle　were　both　in　daily　dread　of　being　surrounded　and
besieged。　　Several　small　parties　of　the　English　faction　had　been
cut　off　and　slain　to　a　man；　and　so　straitened　were　the　others　that
it　was　difficult　for　them　to　gather　provisions　from　the　country
round。

Such　was　the　state　of　Bambro's　garrison　when　on　that　March　evening
Knolles　and　his　men　streamed　into　the　bailey…yard　of　his　Castle。

In　the　glare　of　the　torches　at　the　inner　gate　Bambro'　was　waiting
to　receive　them；　a　dry；　hard；　wizened　man；　small　and　fierce；　with
beady　black　eyes　and　quick　furtive　ways。

Beside　him；　a　strange　contrast；　stood　his　Squire；　Croquart；　a
German；　whose　name　and　fame　as　a　man…at…arms　were　widespread；
though　like　Robert　Knolles　himself　he　had　begun　as　a　humble　page。
He　was　a　very　tall　man；　with　an　enormous　spread　of　shoulders；　and
a　pair　of　huge　hands　with　which　he　could　crack　a　horse…shoe。　　He
was　slow　and　lethargic；　save　in　moments　of　excitement；　and　his
calm　blond　face；　his　dreamy　blue　eyes　and　his　long　fair　hair　gave
him　so　gentle　an　appearance　that　none　save　those　who　had　seen　him
in　his　berserk　mood；　raging；　an　iron　giant；　in　the　forefront　of
the　battle；　could　ever　guess　how　terrible　a　warrior　he　might　be。
Little　knight　and　huge　squire　stood　together　under　the　arch　of　the
donjon　and　gave　welcome　to　the　newcomers；　whilst　a　swarm　of
soldiers　crowded　round　to　embrace　their　comrades　and　to　lead　them
off　where　they　might　feed　and　make　merry　together。

Supper　had　been　set　in　the　hall　of　Ploermel　wherein　the　knights
and　squires　assembled。　　Bambro'　and　Croquart　were　there　with　Sir
Hugh　Calverly；　an　old　friend　of　Knolles　and　a　fellow…townsman；　for
both　were　men　of　Chester。　　Sir　Hugh　was　a　middle…sized　flaxen　man；
with　hard　gray　eyes　and　fierce　large…nosed　face　sliced　across　with
the　scar　of　a　sword…cut。　　There　too　were　Geoffrey　D'Ardaine；　a
young　Breton　seigneur；　Sir　Thomas　Belford；　a　burly　thick…set
Midland　Englishman；　Sir　Thomas　Walton；　whose　surcoat　of　scarlet
martlets　showed　that　he　was　of　the　Surrey　Waltons；　James　Marshall
and　John　Russell；　young　English　squires；　and　the　two　brothers；
Richard　and　Hugh　Le　Galliard；　who　were　of　Gascon　blood。　　Besides
these　were　several　squires；　unknown　to　fame；　and　of　the
new…comers；　Sir　Robert　Knolles；　Sir　Thomas　Percy；　Nigel　Loring　and
two　other　squires；　Allington　and　Parsons。　　These　were　the　company
who　gathered　in　the　torch…light　round　the　table　of　the　Seneschal
of　Ploermel；　and　kept　high　revel　with　joyous　hearts　because　they
thought　that　much　honor　and　noble　deeds　lay　before　them。

But　one　sad　face　there　was　at　the　board；　and　that　belonged　to　him
at　the　head　of　it。　　Sir　Robert　Bambro'　sat　with　his　chin　leaning
upon　his　hand　and　his　eyes　downcast　upon　the　cloth；　whilst　all
round　him　rose　the　merry　clatter　of　voices；　everyone　planning　some
fresh　enterprise　which　might　now　be　attempted。　　Sir　Robert　Knolles
was　for　an　immediate　advance　upon　Josselin。　　Calverly　thought　that
a　raid　might　be　made　into　the　South　where　the　main　French　power
lay。　　Others　spoke　of　an　attack　upon　Vannes。

To　all　these　eager　opinions　Bambro''　listened　in　a　moody　silence；
which　he　broke　at　last　by　a　fierce　execration　which　drew　a　hushed
attention　from　the　company。　　〃Say　no　more；　fair　sirs；〃　he　cried；
〃for　indeed　your　words　are　like　so　many　stabs　in　my　heart。　　All
this　and　more　we　might　indeed　have　done。　　But　of　a　truth　you　are
too　late。〃

〃Too　late？'〃　cried　Knolles。　　〃What　mean　you；　Richard？〃

〃Alas；　that　I　should　have　to　say　it；　but　you　and　all　these　fair
soldiers　might　be　back　in　England　once　more　for　all　the　profit
that　I　am　like　to　have　from　your　coming。　　Saw　you　a　rider　on　a
white　horse　ere　you　reached　the　Castle？〃

〃Nay；　I　saw　him　not？〃

〃He　came　by　the　western　road　from　Hennebon。　　Would　that　he　had
broken　his　neck　ere　he　came　here。　　Not　an　hour　ago　he　left　his
message　and　now　hath　ridden　on　to　warn　the　garrison　of　Malestroit。
A　truce　has　been　proclaimed　for　a　year　betwixt　the　French　King　and
the　English；　and　he　who　breaks　it　forfeits　life　and　estate。〃

〃A　truce！〃　　Here　was　an　end　to　all　their　fine　dreams。　　They　looked
blankly　at　each　other　all　round　the　table；　whilst　Croquart　brought
his　great　fist　down　upon　the　board　until　the　glasses　rattled
again。　　Knolles　sat　with　clenched　hands　as　if　he　were　a　figure　of
stone；　while　Nigel's　heart　turned　cold　and　heavy　within　him。　　A
truce！　　Where　then　was　his　third　deed；　and　how　might　he　return
without　it？

Even　as　they　sat　in　moody　silence　there　was　the　call　of　a　bugle
from　somewhere　out　in　the　darkness。

Sir　Richard　looked　up　with　surprise。　　〃We　are　not　wont　to　be
summoned　after　once　the　portcullis　is　up；〃　said　he。　　〃Truce　or　no
truce；　we　must　let　no　man　within　our　walls　until　we　have　proved
him。　　Croquart；　see　to　it！〃

The　huge　German　left　the　room。　　The　company　were　still　seated　in
despondent　silence　when　h