sir nigel-第73章

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latest　songs　from　England；　these　gentlemen　have　doubtless　brought
them。　　To　some　of　us　perchance　it　is　the　last　night；　so　we　would
make　it　a　full　one。〃

But　the　gallant　Breton　shook　his　head。　　〃It　may　indeed　be　the　last
night　for　many；〃　said　he；　〃and　it　is　but　right　that　my　comrades
should　know　it。　　I　have　no　need　of　monk　or　friar；　for　I　cannot
think　that　harm　will　ever　come　beyond　the　grave　to　one　who　has
borne　himself　as　a　knight　should；　but　others　have　other　thoughts
upon　these　matters　and　would　fain　have　time　for　prayer　and
penitence。　　Adieu；　fair　sirs；　and　I　drink　a　last　glass　to　a　happy
meeting　at　the　midway　oak。〃




XXIII。　　HOW　THIRTY　OF　JOSSELIN　ENCOUNTERED　THIRTY　OF　PLOERMEL


All　night　the　Castle　of　Ploermel　rang　with　warlike　preparations；
for　the　smiths　were　hammering　and　filing　and　riveting；　preparing
the　armor　for　the　champions。　　In　the　stable　yard　hostlers　were
testing　and　grooming　the　great　war…horses；　whilst　in　the　chapel
knights　and　squires　were　easing　their　souls　at　the　knees　of　old
Father　Benedict。

Down　in　the　courtyard；　meanwhile；　the　men…at…arms　had　been
assembled；　and　the　volunteers　weeded　out　until　the　best　men　had
been　selected。　　Black　Simon　had　obtained　a　place；　and　great　was
the　joy　which　shone　upon　his　grim　visage。　　With　him　were　chosen
young　Nicholas　Dagsworth；　a　gentleman　adventurer　who　was　nephew　to
the　famous　Sir　Thomas；　Walter　the　German；　Hulbitee　…　a　huge
peasant　whose　massive　frame　gave　promise　which　his　sluggish　spirit
failed　to　fulfil　…　John　Alcock；　Robin　Adey　and　Raoul　Provost。
These　with　three　others　made　up　the　required　thirty。　　Great　was
the　grumbling　and　evil　the　talk　amongst　the　archers　when　it　was
learned　that　none　of　them　were　to　be　included；　but　the　bow　had
been　forbidden　on　either　side。　　It　is　true　that　many　of　them　were
expert　fighters　both　with　ax　and　with　sword；　but　they　were　unused
to　carry　heavy　armor；　and　a　half…armed　man　would　have　short　shrift
in　such　a　hand…to…hand　struggle　as　lay　before　them。

It　was　two　hours　after　tierce；　or　one　hour　before　noon；　on　the
fourth　Wednesday　of　Lent　in　the　year　of　Christ　1351　that　the　men
of　Ploermel　rode　forth　from　their　castle…gate　and　crossed　the
bridge　of　the　Due。　　In　front　was　Bambro'　with　his　Squire　Croquart；
the　latter　on　a　great　roan　horse　bearing　the　banner　of　Ploermel；
which　was　a　black　rampant　lion　holding　a　blue　flag　upon　a　field　of
ermine。　　Behind　him　came　Robert　Knolles　and　Nigel　Loring；　with　an
attendant　at　their　side；　who　carried　the　pennon　of　the　black
raven。　　Then　rode　Sir　Thomas　Percy　with　his　blue　lion　flaunting
above　him；　and　Sir　Hugh　Calverly；　whose　banner　bore　a　silver　owl；
followed　by　the　massive　Belford　who　carried　a　huge　iron　club；
weighing　sixty　pounds；　upon　his　saddlebow；　and　Sir　Thomas　Walton
the　knight　of　Surrey。　　Behind　them　were　four　brave　Anglo…Bretons；
Perrot　de　Commelain；　Le　Gaillart；　d'Aspremont　and　d'Ardaine；　who
fought　against　their　own　countrymen　because　they　were　partisans　of
the　Countess　of　Montfort。　　Her　engrailed　silver　cross　upon　a　blue
field　was　carried　at　their　head。　　In　the　rear　were　five　German　or
Hainault　mercenaries；　the　tall　Hulbitee；　and　the　men…at…arms。
Altogether　of　these　combatants　twenty　were　of　English　birth；　four
were　Breton　and　six　were　of　German　blood。

So；　with　glitter　of　armor　and　flaunting　of　pennons；　their
warhorses　tossing　and　pawing；　the　champions　rode　down　to　the
midway　oak。　　Behind　them　streamed　hundreds　of　archers　and　men…
at…arms　whose　weapons　had　been　wisely　taken　from　them　lest　a
general　battle　should　ensue。　　With　them　also　went　the　townsfolk；
men　and　women；　together　with　wine…sellers；　provisions　merchants；
armorers；　grooms　and　heralds；　with　surgeons　to　tend　the　wounded
and　priests　to　shrive　the　dying。　　The　path　was　blocked　by　this
throng；　but　all　over　the　face　of　the　country　horsemen　and　footmen；
gentle　and　simple；　men　and　women；　could　be　seen　speeding　their　way
to　the　scene　of　the　encounter。

The　journey　was　not　a　long　one；　for　presently；　as　they　threaded
their　way　through　the　fields；　there　appeared　before　them　a　great
gray　oak　which　spread　its　gnarled　leafless　branches　over　the
corner　of　a　green　and　level　meadow。　　The　tree　was　black　with　the
peasants　who　had　climbed　into　it；　and　all　round　it　was　a　huge
throng；　chattering　and　calling　like　a　rookery　at　sunset。　　A　storm
of　hooting　broke　out　from　them　at　the　approach　of　the　English；　for
Bambro'　was　hated　in　the　country　where　he　raised　money　for　the
Montfort　cause　by　putting　every　parish　to　ransom　and　maltreating
those　who　refused　to　pay。　　There　was　little　amenity　in　the　warlike
ways　which　had　been　learned　upon　the　Scottish　border。　　The
champions　rode　onward　without　deigning　to　take　notice　of　the
taunts　of　the　rabble；　but　the　archers　turned　that　way　and　soon
beat　the　mob　to　silence。　　Then　they　resolved　themselves　into　the
keepers　of　the　ground；　and　pressed　the　people　back　until　they
formed　a　dense　line　along　the　edge　of　the　field；'　leaving　the
whole　space　clear　for　the　warriors。

The　Breton　champions　had　not　yet　arrived；　so　the　English　tethered
their　horses　at　one　side　of　the　ground；　and　then　gathered　round
their　leader。　　Every　man　had　his　shield　slung　round　his　neck；　and
had　cut　his　spear　to　the　length　of　five　feet　so　that　it　might　be
more　manageable　for　fighting　on　foot。　　Besides　the　spear　a　sword
or　a　battle…ax　hung　at　the　side　of　each。　　They　were　clad　from　head
to　foot　in　armor；　with　devices　upon　the　crests　and　surcoats　to
distinguish　them　from　their　antagonists。　　At　present　their　visors
were　still　up　and　they　chatted　gayly　with　each　other。

〃By　Saint　Dunstan！〃　cried　Percy；　slapping　his　gauntleted　hands
together　and　stamping　his　steel　feet。　　〃I　shall　be　right　glad　to
get　to　work；　for　my　blood　is　chilled。〃

〃I　warrant　you　will　be　warm　enough　ere　you　get　through；〃　said
Calverly。

〃Or　cold　forever。　　Candle　shall　burn　and　bell　toll　at　Alnwick
Chapel　if　I　leave　this　ground　alive；　but　come　what　may；　fair　sirs；
it　should　be　a　famous　joust　and　one　which　will　help　us　forward。
Surely　each　of　us　will　have　worshipfully　won　worship；　if　we　chance
to　come　through。〃

〃You　say　truth；　Thomas；〃　said　Knolles；　bracing　his　girdle。　　〃For
my　own　part　I　have　no　joy　in　such　encounters　when　there　is　warfare
to　be　carried　out；　for　it　standeth　not　aright　that　a　man　should
think　of　his　own　pleasure　and　advancement　rather　than　of　the
King's　cause　and　the　weal　of　the　army。　　But　in　times　of　truce　I
can　think　of　no　better　way　in　which　a　day　may　be　profitably　spent。
Why　so　silent；　Nigel？〃

〃Indeed；　fair　sir；　I　was　looking　toward　Josselin；　which　lies　as　I
understand　beyond　those　woods。　　I　see　no　sign　of　this　debonair
gentleman　and　of　his　following。　　It　would　be　indeed　grievous　pity
if　any　cause　came　to　hold　them　back。〃

Hugh　Calverly　laughed　at　the　words。　　〃You　need　have　no　fear；　young
sir；〃　said　he。　　〃Such　a　spirit　lies　in　Robert　de　Beaumanoir　that
if　he　must　come　alone　he　would　ride　against　us　none　the　less。　　I
warrant　that　if　he　were　on　a　bed　of　death　he　would　be　borne　here
and　die　on　the　green　field。〃

〃You　say　truly；　Hugh；〃　said　Bambro'。　　〃I　know　him　and　those　who
ride　behind　him。　　Thirty　stouter　men　or　more　skilled　in　arms　are
not　to　be　found　in　Christendom。　　It　is　in　my　mind　that　come　what
may　there　will　be　much　honor　for　all　of　us　this　day。　　Ever　in　my
head　I　have　a　rhyme　which　the　wife　of　a　Welsh　archer　gave　me　when
I　crossed　her　hand　with　a　golden　bracelet　after　the　intaking　of
Bergerac。　　She　was　of　the　old　blood　of　Merlin　with　the　power　of
sight。　　Thus　she　said　…

　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'Twixt　the　oak…tree　and　the　river
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Knightly　fame　aid　brave　endeavor
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Make　an　honored　name　forever。'

Methinks　I　see　the　oak…tree；　and　yonder　is　the　river。　　Surely　this
should　betide　some　good　to　us。〃


The　huge　German　Squire　betrayed　some　impatience　during　this　speech
of　his　leader。　　Though　his　rank　was　subordinate；　no　man　present
had　more　experience　of　warfare　or　was　more　famous　as　a　fighter
than　he。　　He　new　broke　brusquely　into　the　talk。　　〃We　should　be
better　employed　in　ordering　our　line　and　making　our　plans　than　in
talking　of　the　rhymes　of　Merlin　or　such　old　wives'　tales；〃　said
he。　　〃It　is　to