sir nigel-第78章

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seaboard　city。

But　now　its　pleasant　and　martial　promenade　changed　suddenly　to
very　serious　work　of　war。　　As　the　Prince　moved　south　he　found　that
all；　supplies　had　been　cleared　away　from　in　front　of　him　and　that
there　was　neither　fodder　for　the　horses　nor　food　for　the　men。　　Two
hundred　wagons　laden　with　spoil　rolled　at　the　head　of　the　army；
but　the　starving　soldiers　would　soon　have　gladly　changed　it　all
for　as　many　loads　of　bread　and　of　meat。　　The　light　troops　of　the
French　had　preceded　then　and　burned　or　destroyed　everything　that
could　be　of　use。　　Now　also　for　the　first　time　the　Prince　and　his
men　became　aware　that　a　great　army　was　moving　upon　the　eastern
side　of　them；　streaming　southward　in　the　hope　of　cutting　off　their
retreat　to　the　sea。　　The　sky　glowed　with　their　fires　at　night；　and
the　autumn　sun　twinkled　and　gleamed　from　one　end　of　the　horizon　to
the　other　upon　the　steel　caps　and　flashing　weapons　of　a　mighty
host。

Anxious　to　secure　his　plunder；　and　conscious　that　the　levies　of
France　were　far　superior　in　number　to　his　own　force；　the　Prince
redoubled　his　attempts　to　escape；　but　his　horses　were　exhausted
and　his　starving　men　were　hardly　to　be　kept　in　order。　　A　few　more
days　would　unfit　them　for　battle。　　Therefore；　when　he　found　near
the　village　of　Maupertuis　a　position　in　which　a　small　force　might
have　a　chance　to　hold　its　own；　he　gave　up　the　attempt　to　outmarch
his　pursuers；　and　he　turned　at　bay；　like　a　hunted　boar；　all　tusks
and　eyes　of　flame。

Whilst　these　high　events　had　been　in　progress；　Nigel　with　Black
Simon　and　four　other　men…at…arms　from　Bordeaux；　was　hastening
northward　to　join　the　army。　　As　far　as　Bergerac　they　were　in　a
friendly　land；　but　thence　onward　they　rode　over　a　blackened
landscape　with　many　a　roofless　house；　its　two　bare　gable…ends
sticking　upward　…　a　〃Knolles'　miter〃　as　it　was　afterward　called
when　Sir　Robert　worked　his　stern　will　upon　the　country。　　For　three
days　they　rode　northward；　seeing　many　small　parties　of　French　in
all　directions；　but　too　eager　to　reach　the　army　to　ease　their
march　in　the　search　of　adventures。

Then　at　last　after　passing　Lusignan　they　began　to　come　in　touch
with　English　foragers；　mounted　bowmen　for　the　most　part；　who　were
endeavoring　to　collect　supplies　either　for　the　army　or　for
themselves。　　From　them　Nigel　learned　that　the　Prince；　with　Chandos
ever　at　his　side；　was　hastening　south　and　might　be　met　within　a
short　day's　march。　　As　he　still　advanced　these　English　stragglers
became　more　and　more　numerous；　until　at　last　he　overtook　a
considerable　column　of　archers　moving　in　the　same　direction　as　his
own　party。　　These　were　men　whose　horses　had　failed　them　and　who
had　therefore　been　left　behind　on　the　advance；　but　were　now
hastening　to　be　in　time　for　the　impending　battle。　　A　crowd　of
peasant　girls　accompanied　them　upon　their　march；　and　a　whole　train
of　laden　mules　were　led　beside　them。

Nigel　and　his　little　troop　of　men…at…arms　were　riding　past　the
archers　when　Black　Simon　with　a　sudden　exclamation　touched　his
leader　upon　the　arm。

〃See　yonder；　fair　sir；〃　he　cried；　with　gleaming　eyes；　〃there　where
the　wastrel　walks　with　the　great　fardel　upon　his　back！　　Who　is　he
who　marches　behind　him？〃

Nigel　looked；　and　was　aware　of　a　stunted　peasant　who　bore　upon　his
rounded　back　an　enormous　bundle　very　much　larger　than　himself。
Behind　him　walked　a　burly　broad…shouldered　archer；　whose　stained
jerkin　and　battered　headpiece　gave　token　of　long　and　hard　service。
His　bow　was　slung　over　his　shoulder；　and　his　arms　were　round　the
waists　of　two　buxom　Frenchwomen；　who　tripped　along　beside　him　with
much　laughter　and　many　saucy　answers　flung　back　over　their
shoulders　to　a　score　of　admirers　behind　them。

〃Aylward！〃　cried　Nigel；　spurring　forward。

The　archer　turned　his　bronzed　face；　stared　for　an　instant　with
wild　eyes；　and　then；　dropping　his　two　ladies；　who　were　instantly
carried　off　by　his　comrades；　he　rushed　to　seize　the　hand　which　his
young　master　held　down　to　him。　　〃Now；　by　my　hilt；　Squire　Nigel；
this　is　the　fairest　sight　of　my　lifetime！〃　he　cried。　　〃And　you；
old　leather…face！　　Nay；　Simon；　I　would　put　my　arms　round　your
dried　herring　of　a　body；　if　I　could　but　reach　you。　　Here　is
Pommers　too；　and　I　read　in　his　eye　that　he　knows　me　well　and　is　as
ready　to　put　his　teeth　into　me　as　when　he　stood　in　my　father's
stall。〃

It　was　like　a　whiff　of　the　heather…perfumed　breezes　of　Hankley　to
see　his　homely　face　once　more。　　Nigel　laughed　with　sheer　joy　as　he
looked　at　him。

〃It　was　an　ill　day　when　the　King's　service　called　you　from　my
side；〃　said　he；　〃and　by　Saint　Paul！　　I　am　right　glad　to　set　eyes
upon　you　once　more！　　I　see　well　that　you　are　in　no　wise　altered；
but　the　same　Aylward　that　I　have　ever　known。　　But　who　is　this
varlet　with　the　great　bundle　who　waits　upon　your　movements？〃

〃It　is　no　less　than　a　feather…bed；　fair　sir；　which　he　bears　upon
his　back；　for　I　would　fain　bring　it　to　Tilford；　and　yet　it　is
overlarge　for　me　when　I　take　my　place　with　my　fellows　in　the
ranks。　　But　indeed　this　war　has　been　a　most　excellent　one；　and　I
have　already　sent　half　a　wagonload　of　my　gear　back　to　Bordeaux　to
await　my　homecoming。　　Yet　I　have　my　fears　when　I　think　of　all　the
rascal　foot…archers　who　are　waiting　there；　for　some　folk　have　no
grace　or　honesty　in　their　souls；　and　cannot　keep　their　hands　from
that　which　belongs　to　another。　　But　if　I　may　throw　my　leg　over
yonder　spare　horse　I　will　come　on　with　you；　fair　sir；　for　indeed
it　would　be　joy　to　my　heart　to　know　that　I　was　riding　under　your
banner　once　again。〃

So　Aylward；　having　given　instructions　to　the　bearer　of　his
feather…bed；　rode　away　in　spite　of　shrill　protests　from　his　French
companions；　who　speedily　consoled　themselves　with　those　of　his
comrades　who　seemed　to　have　most　to　give。　　Nigel's　party　was　soon
clear　of　the　column　of　archers　and　riding　hard　in　the　direction　of
the　Prince's　army。　　They　passed　by　a　narrow　and　winding　track；
through　the　great　wood　of　Nouaille；　and　found　before　them　a　marshy
valley　down　which　ran　a　sluggish　stream。　　Along　its　farther　bank
hundreds　of　horses　were　being　watered；　and　beyond　was　a　dense
block　of　wagons。　　Through　these　the　comrades　passed；　and　then
topped　a　small　mound　from　which　the　whole　strange　scene　lay　spread
before　them。

Down　the　valley　the　slow　stream　meandered　with　marshy　meadows　on
either　side。　　A　mile　or　two　lower　a　huge　drove　of　horses　were　to
be　seen　assembled　upon　the　bank。　　They　were　the　steeds　of　the
French　cavalry；　and　the　blue　haze　of　a　hundred　fires　showed　where
King　John's　men　were　camping。　　In　front　of　the　mound　upon　which
they　stood　the　English　line　was　drawn；　but　there　were　few　fires；
for　indeed；　save　their　horses；　there　was　little　for　them　to　cook。
Their　right　rested　upon　the　river；　and　their　array　stretched
across　a　mile　of　ground　until　the　left　was　in　touch　with　a　tangled
forest　which　guarded　it　from　flank　attack。　　In　front　was　a　long
thick　hedge　and　much　broken　ground；　with　a　single　deeply　rutted
country　road　cutting　through　it　in　the　middle。　　Under　the　hedge
and　along　the　Whole　front　of　the　position　lay　swarms　of　archers
upon　the　grass；　the　greater　number　slumbering　peacefully　with
sprawling　limbs　in　the　warm　rays　of　the　September　sun。　　Behind
were　the　quarters　of　the　various　knights；　and　from　end　to　end　flew
the　banners　and　pennons　marked　with　the　devices　of　the　chivalry　of
England　and　Guienne。

With　a　glow　in　his　heart　Nigel　saw　those　badges　of　famous　captains
and　leaders　and　knew　that　now　at　last　he　also　might　show　his
coat…armor　in　such　noble　company。　　There　was　the　flag　of　jean
Grailly；　the　Captal　de　Buch；　five　silver　shells　on　a　black　cross；
which　marked　the　presence　of　the　most　famous　soldier　of　Gascony；
while　beside　it　waved　the　red　lion　of　the　noble　Knight　of
Hainault；　Sir　Eustace　d'Ambreticourt。　　These　two　coats　Nigel　knew；
as　did　every　warrior　in　Europe；　but　a　dense　grove　of　pennoned
lances　surrounded　them；　bearing　charges　which　were　strange　to　him；
from　which　he　understood　that　these　belonged　to　the　Guienne
division　of　the　army。　　Farther　down　the　line　the　famous　English
ensigns　floated　on　the　wind；　the　scarlet　and　gold　of　Warwick；　the
silver　star　of　Oxford；