sir nigel-第74章

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talking　of　the　rhymes　of　Merlin　or　such　old　wives'　tales；〃　said
he。　　〃It　is　to　our　own　strong　arms　and　good　weapons　that　we　must
trust　this　day。　　And　first　I　would　ask　you；　Sir　Richard；　what　is
your　will　if　perchance　you　should　fall　in　the　midst　of　the　fight？〃

Bambro'　turned　to　the　others。　　〃If　such　should　be　the　case；　fair
sirs；　I　desire　that　my　Squire　Croquart　should　command。〃

There　was　a　pause　while　the　knights　looked　with　some　chagrin　at
each　other。　　The　silence　was　broken　by　Knolles。

〃I　will　do　what　you　say；　Richard；〃　said　he；　〃though　indeed　it　is
bitter　that　we　who　are　knights　should　serve　beneath　a　squire。　　Yet
it　is　not　for　us　to　fall　out　among　ourselves　now　at　this　last
moment；　and　I　have　ever　heard　that　Croquart　is　a　very　worthy　and
valiant　man。　　Therefore；　I　will　pledge　you　on　jeopardy　of　my　soul
that　I　will　accept　him　as　leader　if　you　fall。〃

〃So　will　I　also；　Richard；〃　said　Calverly。

〃And　I　too！〃　cried　Belford。　　〃But　surely　I　hear　music；　and　yonder
are　their　pennons　amid　the　trees。〃

They　all　turned；　leaning　upon　their　short　spears；　and　watched　the
advance　of　the　men　of　Josselin；　as　their　troop　wound　its　way　out
from　the　woodlands。　　In　front　rode　three　heralds　with　tabards　of
the　ermine　of　Brittany；　blowing　loudly　upon　silver　trumpets。
Behind　them　a　great　man　upon　a　white　horse　bore　the　banner　of
Josselin　which　carries　nine　golden　torteaus　upon　a　scarlet　field。
Then　came　the　champions　riding　two　and　two；　fifteen　knights　and
fifteen　squires；　each　with　his　pennon　displayed。　　Behind　them　on　a
litter　was　borne　an　aged　priest；　the　Bishop　of　Rennes；　carrying　in
his　hands　the　viaticum　and　the　holy　oils　that　he　might　give　the
last　aid　and　comfort　of　the　Church　to　those　who　were　dying。　　The
procession　was　terminated　by　hundreds　of　men　and　women　from
Josselin；　Guegon；　and　Helleon；　and　by　the　entire　garrison　of　the
fortress；　who　came；　as　the　English　had　done；　without　their　arms。
The　head　of　this　long　column　had　reached　the　field　before　the　rear
were　clear　of　the　wood；　but　as　they　arrived　the　champions　picketed
their　horses　on　the　farther　side；　behind　which　their　banner　was
planted　and　the　people　lined　up　until　they　had　inclosed　the　whole
lists　with　a　dense　wall　of　spectators。

With　keen　eyes　the　English　party　had　watched　the　armorial　blazonry
of　their　antagonists；　for　those　fluttering　pennons　and　brilliant
surcoats　carried　a　language　which　all　men　could　read。　　In　front
was　the　banner　of　Beaumanoir；　blue　with　silver　frets。　　His　motto
〃J'ayme　qui　m'ayme〃　was　carried　on　a　second　flag　by　a　little　page。

〃　Whose　is　the　shield　behind　him　…　silver　with　scarlet　drops？〃
asked　Knolles。

〃It　is　his　Squire；　William　of　Montaubon；〃　Calverly　answered。　　〃And
there　are　the　golden　lion　of　Rochefort　and　the　silver　cross　of　Du
Bois　the　Strong。　　I　would　not　wish　to　meet　a　better　company　than
are　before　us　this　day。　　See；　there　are　the　blue　rings　of　young
Tintiniac；　who　slew　my　Squire　Hubert　last　Lammastide。　　With　the
aid　of　Saint　George　I　will　avenge　him　ere　nightfall。〃

〃By　the　three　kings　of　Almain；〃　growled　Croquart；　〃we　will　need　to
fight　hard　this　day；　for　never　have　I　seen　so　many　good　soldiers
gathered　together。　　Yonder　is　Yves　Cheruel；　whom　they　call　the　man
of　iron；　Caro　de　Bodegat　also　with　whom　I　have　had　more　than　one
bickering　…　that　is　he　with　the　three　ermine　circles　on　the
scarlet　shield。　　There　too　is　left…handed　Alain　de　Karanais；　bear
in　mind　that　his　stroke　comes　on　the　side　where　there　is　no
shield。〃

〃Who　is　the　small　stout　man〃　…　asked　Nigel　…　〃　he　with　the　black
and　silver　shield？　　By　Saint　Paul！　　he　seems　a　very　worthy　person
and　one　from　whom　much　might　be　gained；　for　he　is　nigh　as　broad　as
he　is　long。〃

〃It　is　Sir　Robert　Raguenel；〃　said　Calverly；　whose　long　spell　of
service　in　Brittany　had　made　him　familiar　with　the　people。　　It　is
said　that　he　can　lift　a　horse　upon　his　back。　　Beware　a　full　stroke
of　that　steel　mace；　for　the　armor　is　not　made　that　can　abide　it。
But　here　is　the　good　Beaumanoir；　and　surely　it　is　time　that　we
came　to　grips。〃

The　Breton　leader　had　marshaled　his　men　in　a　line　opposite　to　the
English；　and　now　he　strode　forward　and　shook　Bambro'　by　the　hand。
〃By　Saint　Cadoc！　　this　is　a　very　joyous　meeting；　Richard；〃　said
he；　〃and　we　have　certainly　hit　upon　a　very　excellent　way　of
keeping　a　truce。〃

〃Indeed；　Robert；〃　said　Bambro'；　〃we　owe　you　much　thanks；　for　I　can
see　that　you　have　been　at　great　pains　to　bring　a　worthy　company
against　us　this　day。　　Surely　if　all　should　chance　to　perish　there
will　be　few　noble　houses　in　Brittany　who　will　not　mourn。〃

〃Nay；　we　have　none　of　the　highest　of　Brittany；〃　Beaumanoir
answered。　　〃Neither　a　Blois；　nor　a　Leon；　nor　a　Rohan；　nor　a　Conan；
fights　in　our　ranks　this　day。　　And　yet　we　are　all　men　of　blood　and
coat…armor；　who　are　ready　to　venture　our　persons　for　the　desire　of
our　ladies　and　the　love　of　the　high　order　of　knighthood。　　And　now；
Richard；　what　is　your　sweet　will　concerning　this　fight？〃

〃That　we　continue　until　one　or　other　can　endure　no　longer；　for
since　it　is　seldom　that　so　many　brave　men　draw　together　it　is
fitting　that　we　see　as　much　as　is　possible　of　each　other。〃

〃Richard；　your　words　are　fair　and　good。　　It　shall　be　even　as　you
say。　　For　the　rest；　each　shall　fight　as　pleases　him　best　from　the
time　that　the　herald　calls　the　word。　　If　any　man　from　without
shall　break　in　upon　us　he　shall　be　hanged　on　yonder　oak。〃

With　a　salute　he　drew　down　his　visor　and　returned　to　his　own　men；
who　were　kneeling　in　a　twinkling；　many　colored　group　whilst　the
old　bishop　gave　them　his　blessing。

The　heralds　rode　round　with　a　warning　to　the　spectators。　　Then
they　halted　at　the　side　of　the　two　bands　of　men　who　now　stood　in　a
long　line　facing　each　other　with　fifty　yards　of　grass　between。
The　visors　had　been　closed；　and　every　man　was　now　cased　in　metal
from　head　to　foot；　some　few　glowing　in　brass；　the　greater　number
shining　in　steel。　　Only　their　fierce　eyes　could　be　seen　smoldering
in　the　dark　shadow　of　their　helmets。　　So　for　an　instant　they　stood
glaring　and　crouching。

Then　with　a　loud　cry　of　〃Allez！〃　the　herald　dropped　his　upraised
hand；　and　the　two　lines　of　men　shuffled　as　fast　as　their　heavy
armor　would　permit　until　they　met　with　a　sharp　clang　of　metal　in
the　middle　of　the　field。　　There　was　a　sound　as　of　sixty　smiths
working　upon　their　anvils。　　Then　the　babel　of　yells　and　shouts
from　the　spectators；　cheering　on　this　party　or　that；　rose　and
swelled　until　even　the　uproar　of　the　combat　was　drowned　in　that
mighty　surge。

So　eager　were　the　combatants　to　engage　that　in　a　few　moments　all
order　had　been　lost　and　the　two　bands　were　mixed　up　in　one　furious
scrambling；　clattering　throng；　each　man　tossed　hither　and　thither；
thrown　against　one　adversary　and　then　against　another；　beaten　and
hustled　and　buffeted；　with　only　the　one　thought　in　his　mind　to
thrust　with　his　spear　or　to　beat　with　his　ax　against　anyone　who
came　within　the　narrow　slit　of　vision　left　by　his　visor。

But　alas　for　Nigel　and　his　hopes　of　some　great　deed！　　His　was　at
least　the　fate　of　the　brave；　for　he　was　the　first　to　fall。　　With　a
high　heart　he　had　placed　himself　in　the　line　as　nearly　opposite　to
Beaumanoir　as　he　could；　and　had　made　straight　for　the　Breton
leader；　remembering　that　in　the　out　set　the　quarrel　had　been　so
ordered　that　it　lay　between　them。　　But　ere　he　could　reach　his　goal
he　was　caught　in　the　swirl　of　his　own　comrades；　and　being　the
lighter　man　was　swept　aside　and　dashed　into　the　arms　of　Alain　de
Karanais；　the　left…handed　swordsman；　with　such　a　crash　that　the
two　rolled　upon　the　ground　together。　　Light　footed　as　a　cat；　Nigel
had　sprung　up　first；　and　was　stooping　over　the　Breton　Squire　when
the　powerful　dwarf　Raguenel　brought　his　mace　thudding　down　upon

the　exposed　back　of　his　helmet。　　With　a　groan　Nigel　fell　upon　his
face；　blood　gushing　from　his　mouth；　nose；　and　ears。　　There　he　lay；
trampled　over　by　either　party；　while　that　great　fight　for　which
his　fiery　soul　had　panted　was　swaying　back　and　forward　above　his
unconscious　form。

But　Nigel　was　not　long　unavenged。　　The　huge　iron　club　of　Belford
struck　the　dwarf　Raguenel　to　the　ground；　while　Belford　in　turn　was
felled