sir nigel-第77章

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move　no　limb；　save　only　my　hand；　but　grieve　not；　sweet　lady；　for
Saint　Catharine　hath　been　our　friend　since　in　so　short　a　time　I
had　two　such　ventures　as　the　Red　Ferret　and　the　intaking　of　the
Reaver's　fortalice。　　It　needs　but　one　more　deed；　and　sickerly　when
I　am　hale　once　more　it　will　not　be　long　ere　I　seek　it　out。　　Till
then；　if　my　eyes　may　not　rest　upon　you；　my　heart　at　least　is　ever
at　thy　feet。〃

So　he　wrote　from　his　sick…room　in　the　Castle　of　Ploermel　late　in
the　summer；　but　yet　another　summer　had　come　before　his　crushed
head　had　mended　and　his　wasted　limbs　had　gained　their　strength
once　more。　　With　despair　he　heard　of　the　breaking　of　the　truce；
and　of　the　fight　at　Mauron　in　which　Sir　Robert　Knolles　and　Sir
Walter　Bentley　crushed　the　rising　power　of　Brittany　…　a　fight　in
which　many　of　the　thirty　champions　of　Josselin　met　their　end。
Then；　when　with　renewed　strength　and　high　hopes　in　his　heart　he
went　forth　to　search　for　the　famous　Croquart　who　proclaimed
himself　ever　ready　night　or　day　to　meet　any　man　with　any　weapon；
it　was　only　to　find　that　in　trying　the　paces　of　his　new　horse　the
German　had　been　cast　into　a　ditch　and　had　broken　his　neck。　　In　the
same　ditch　perished　Nigel's　last　chance　of　soon　accomplishing　that
deed　which　should　free　him　from　his　vow。

There　was　truce　once　more　over　all　Christendom；　and　mankind　was
sated　with　war；　so　that　only　in　far…off　Prussia；　where　the
Teutonic　knights　waged　ceaseless　battle　with　the　Lithuanian
heathen；　could　he　hope　to　find　his　heart's　desire。　　But　money　and
high　knightly　fame　were　needed　ere　a　man　could　go　upon　the
northern　crusade；　and　ten　years　were　yet　to　pass　ere　Nigel　should
look　from　the　battlements　of　Marienberg　on　the　waters　of　the
Frische　Haff；　or　should　endure　the　torture　of　the　hot　plate　when
bound　to　the　Holy　Woden　stone　of　Memel。　　Meanwhile；　he　chafed　his
burning　soul　out　through　the　long　seasons　of　garrison　life　in
Brittany；　broken　only　by　one　visit　to　the　chateau　of　the　father　of
Raoul；　when　he　carried　to　the　Lord　of　Grosbois　the　news　of　how　his
son　had　fallen　like　a　gallant　gentleman　under　the　gateway　of　La
Brohiniere。

And　then；　then　at　last；　when　all　hope　was　well…nigh　dead　in　his
heart；　there　carne　one　glorious　July　morning　which　brought　a
horseman　bearing　a　letter　to　the　Castle　of　Vannes；　of　which　Nigel
now　was　seneschal。　　It　contained　but　few　words；　short　and　clear　as
the　call　of　a　war…trumpet。　　It　was　Chandos　who　wrote。　　He　needed
his　Squire　at　his　side；　for　his　pennon　was　in　the　breeze　once
more。　　He　was　at　Bordeaux。　　The　Prince　was　starting　at　once　for
Bergerac；　whence　he　would　make　a　great　raid　into　France。　　It　would
not　end　without　a　battle。　　They　had　sent　word　of　their　coming；　and
the　good　French　King　had　promised　to　be　at　great　pains　to　receive
them。　　Let　Nigel　hasten　at　once。　　If　the　army　had　left；　then　let
him　follow　after　with　all　speed。　　Chandos　had　three　other　squires；
but　would　very　gladly　see　his　fourth　once　again；　for　he　had　heard
much　of　him　since　he　parted；　and　nothing　which　he　might　not　have
expected　to　hear　of　his　father's　son。　　Such　was　the　letter　which
made　the　summer　sun　shine　brighter　and　the　blue　sky　seem　of　a
still　fairer　blue　upon　that　happy　morning　in　Vannes。

It　is　a　weary　way　from　Vannes　to　Bordeaux。　　Coastwise　ships　are
hard　to　find；　and　winds　blow　north　when　all　brave　hearts　would
fain　be　speeding　south。　　A　full　month　has　passed　from　the　day　when
Nigel　received　his　letter　before　he　stood　upon　the　quay…side　of
the　Garonne　amid　the　stacked　barrels　of　Gascon　wine　and　helped　to
lead　Pommers　down　the　gang…planks。　　Not　Aylward　himself　had　a
worse　opinion　of　the　sea　than　the　great　yellow　horse；　and　he
whinnied　with　joy　as　he　thrust　his　muzzle　into　his　master's
outstretched　hand；　and　stamped　his　ringing　hoofs　upon　the　good
firm　cobblestones。　　Beside　him；　slapping　his　tawny　shoulder　in
encouragement；　was　the　lean　spare　form　of　Back　Simon　who　had
remained　ever　under　Nigel's　pennon。

But　Aylward；　where　was　he？　　Alas！　　two　years　before　he　and　the
whole　of　Knolles'　company　of　archers　had　been　drafted　away　on　the
King's　service　to　Guienne；　and　since　he　could　not　write　the　Squire
knew　not　whether　he　was　alive　or　dead。　　Simon；　indeed；　had　thrice
heard　of　him　from　wandering　archers；　each　time　that　he　was　alive
and　well　and　newly　married；　but　as　the　wife　in　one　case　was　a　fair
maid；　and　in　another　a　dark；　while　in　the　third　she　was　a　French
widow；　it　was　hard　to　know　the　truth。

Already　the　army　had　been　gone　a　month；　but　news　of　it　came　daily
to　the　town；　and　such　news　as　all　men　could　read；　for　through　the
landward　gates　there　rolled　one　constant　stream　of　wagons；　pouring
down　the　Libourne　Road；　and　bearing　the　booty　of　Southern　France。
The　town　was　full　of　foot…soldiers；　for　none　but　mounted　men　had
been　taken　by　the　Prince。　　With　sad　faces　and　longing　eyes　they
watched　the　passing　of　the　train　of　plunder…laden　carts；　piled
high　with　rich　furniture；　silks；　velvets；　tapestries；　carvings；
and　precious　metals；　which　had　been　the　pride　of　many　a　lordly
home　in　fair　Auvergne　or　the　wealthy　Bourbonnais。

Let　no　man　think　that　in　these　wars　England　alone　was　face　to　face
with　France　alone。　　There　is　glory　and　to　spare　without　trifling
with　the　truth。　　Two　Provinces　in　France；　both　rich　and　warlike；
had　become　English　through　a　royal　marriage；　and　these；　Guienne
and　Gascony；　furnished　many　of　the　most　valiant　soldiers　under　the
island　flag。　　So　poor　a　country　as　England　could　not　afford　to
keep　a　great　force　overseas；　and　so　must　needs　have　lost　the　war
with　France　through　want　of　power　to　uphold　the　struggle。　　The
feudal　system　enabled　an　army　to　be　drawn　rapidly　together　with
small　expense；　but　at　the　end　of　a　few　weeks　it　dispersed　again　as
swiftly；　and　only　by　a　well…filled　money…chest　could　it　be　held
together。　　There　was　no　such　chest　in　England；　and　the　King　was
forever　at　his　wits'　end　how　to　keep　his　men　in　the　field。

But　Guienne　and　Gascony　were　full　of　knights　and　squires　who　were
always　ready　to　assemble　from　their　isolated　castles　for　a　raid
into　France；　and　these　with　the　addition　of　those　English
cavaliers　who　fought　for　honor；　and　a　few　thousand　of　the
formidable　archers；　hired　for　fourpence　a　day；　made　an　army　with
which　a　short　campaign　could　be　carried　on。　　Such　were　the
materials　of　the　Prince's　force；　some　eight　thousand　strong；　who
were　now　riding　in　a　great　circle　through　Southern　France；　leaving
a　broad　wale　of　blackened　and　ruined　country　behind　them。

But　France；　even　with　her　southwestern　corner　in　English　hands；
was　still　a　very　warlike　power；　far　richer　and　more　populous　than
her　rival。　　Single　Provinces　were　so　great　that　they　were　stronger
than　many　a　kingdom。　　Normandy　in　the　north；　Burgundy　in　the　east；
Brittany　in　the　west　and　Languedoc　in　the　south　were　each　capable
of　fitting　out　a　great　army　of　their　own。　　Therefore　the　brave　and
spirited　John；　watching　from　Paris　this　insolent　raid　into　his
dominions；　sent　messengers　in　hot　haste　to　all　these　great
feudatories　as　well　as　to　Lorraine；　Picardy；　Auvergne；　Hainault；
Vermandois；　Champagne；　and　to　the　German　mercenaries　over　his
eastern　border；　bidding　all　of　them　to　ride　hard；　with　bloody
spur；　day　and　night；　until　they　should　gather　to　a　head　at
Chartres。

There　a　great　army　had　assembled　early　in　September；　whilst　the
Prince；　all　unconscious　of　its　presence　sacked　towns　and　besieged
castles　from　Bourges　to　Issodun；　passing　Romorautin；　and　so　onward
to　Vierzon　and　to　Tours。　　From　week　to　week　there　were　merry
skirmishes　at　barriers；　brisk　assaults　of　fortresses　in　which　much
honor　was　won；　knightly　meetings　with　detached　parties　of
Frenchmen　and　occasional　spear…runnings　where　noble　champions
deigned　to　venture　their　persons。　　Houses；　too；　were　to　be
plundered；　while　wine　and　women　were　in　plenty。　　Never　had　either
knights　or　archers　had　so　pleasant　and　profitable　an　excursion；　so
that　it　was　with　high　heart　and　much　hope　of　pleasant　days　at
Bordeaux　with　their　pockets　full　of　money　that　the　army　turned
south　from　the　Loire　and　began　to　retrace　its　steps　to　the
seaboard　city。

But　now　its　pleasant　and　martial　promenade　changed　suddenl