sir nigel-第81章

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to　brawl　at　the　King's　council　and　in　the　face　of　the　enemy；　but
we　will　go　further　into　this　matter　at　some　other　time。
Meanwhile；　the　King　has　asked　me　for　my　advice　and　I　have　given　it
as　best　I　might。〃

〃It　had　been　better　for　your　honor；　Sir　Eustace；　had　you　held　your
peace；〃　said　the　Duke　of　Orleans。　　〃Shall　we　let　them　slip　from
our　fingers　when　we　have　them　here　and　are　fourfold　their　number？
I　know　not　where　we　should　dwell　afterwards；　for　I　am　very　sure
that　we　should　be　ashamed　to　ride　back　to　Paris；　or　to　look　our
ladies　in　the　eyes　again。〃

〃Indeed；　Eustace；　you　have　done　well　to　say　what　is　in　your　mind；〃
said　the　King；　〃but　I　have　already　said　that　we　shall　join　battle
this　morning；　so　that　there　is　no　room　here　for　further　talk。　　But
I　would　fain　have　heard　from　you　how　it　would　be　wisest　and　best
that　we　attack　them？〃

〃I　will　advise　you；　sire；　to　the　best　of　my　power。　　Upon　their
right　is　a　river　with　marshes　around　it；　and　upon　their　left　a
great　wood；　so　that　we　can　advance　only　upon　the　center。　　Along
their　front　is　a　thick　hedge；　and　behind　it　I　saw　the　green
jerkins　of　their　archers；　as　thick　as　the　sedges　by　the　river。　　It
is　broken　by　one　road　where　only　four　horsemen　could　ride　abreast；
which　leads　through　the　position。　　It　is　clear　then　that　if　we　are
to　drive　them　back　we　must　cross　the　great　hedge；　and　I　am　very
sure　that　the　horses　will　not　face　it　with　such　a　storm　of　arrows
beating　from　behind　it。　　Therefore；　it　is　my　council　that　we　fight
upon　foot；　as　the　English　did　at　Crecy；　for　indeed　we　may　find
that　our　horses　will　be　more　hindrance　than　help　to　us　this　day。〃

〃The　same　thought　was　in　my　own　mind；　sire；〃　said　Arnold
d'Andreghen　the　veteran　Marshal。　　〃At　Crecy　the　bravest　had　to
turn　their　backs；　for　what　can　a　man　do　with　a　horse　which　is　mad
with　pain　and　fear？　　If　we　advance　upon　foot　we　are　our　own
masters；　and　if　we　stop　the　shame　is　ours。〃

〃The　counsel　is　good；〃　said　the　Duke　of　Athens；　turning　his　shrewd
wizened　face　to　the　King；　〃but　one　thing　only　I　would　add　to　it。
The　strength　of　these　people　lies　in　their　archers；　and　if　we
could　throw　them　into　disorder；　were　it　only　for　a　short　time；　we
should　win　the　hedge；　else　they　will　shoot　so　strongly　that　we
must　lose　many　men　before　we　reach　it；　for　indeed　we　have　learned
that　no　armor　will　keep　out　their　shafts　when　they　are　close。〃

〃Your　words；　fair　sir；　are　both　good　and　wise；〃　said　the　King；
〃but　I　pray　you　to　tell　us　how　you　would　throw　these　archers　into
disorder？〃

〃I　would　choose　three　hundred　horsemen；　sire；　the　best　and　most
forward　in　the　army。　　With　these　I　would　ride　up　the　narrow　road；
and　so　turn　to　right　and　left；　falling　upon　the　archers　behind　the
hedge。　　It　may　be　that　the　three　hundred　would　suffer　sorely；　but
what　are　they　among　so　great　a　host；　if　a　road　may　be　cleared　for
their　companions？〃

〃I　would　say　a　word　to　that；　sire；〃　cried　the　German　Count　of
Nassau；　〃I　have　come　here　with　my　comrades　to　venture　our　persons
in　your　quarrel；　but　we　claim　the　right　to　fight　in　our　own
fashion；　and　we　would　count　it　dishonor　to　dismount　from　our
steeds　out　of　fear　of　the　arrows　of　the　English。　　Therefore；　with
your　permission；　we　will　ride　to　the　front；　as　the　Duke　of　Athens
has　advised；　and　so　clear　a　path　for　the　rest　of　you。〃

〃This　may　not　be！〃　cried　the　Lord　Clermont　angrily。　　〃It　would　be
strange　indeed　if　Frenchmen　could　not　be　found　to　clear　a　path　for
the　army　of　the　King　of　France。　　One　would　think　to　hear　you　talk；
my　Lord　Count；　that　your　hardihood　was　greater　than　our　own；　but
by　our　Lady　of　Rocamadour　you　will　learn　before　nightfall　that　it
is　not　so。　　It　is　for　me；　who　am　a　Marshal　of　France；　to　lead
these　three　hundred；　since　it　is　an　honorable　venture。〃

〃And　I　claim　the　same　right　for　the　same　reason；〃　said　Arnold　of
Andreghen。

The　German　Count　struck　the　table　with　his　mailed　fist。　　〃Do　what
you　like！〃　said　he。　　〃But　this　only　I　can　promise　you；　that
neither　I　nor　any　of　my　German　riders　will　descend　from　our　horses
so　long　as　they　are　able　to　carry　us；　for　in　our　country　it　is
only　people　of　no　consequence　who　fight　upon　their　feet。〃

The　Lord　Clermont　was　leaning　angrily　forward　with　some　hot　reply
when　King　John　intervened。　　〃Enough；　enough！〃　he　said。　　〃It　is　for
you　to　give　your　opinions；　and　for　me　to　tell　you　what　you　will
do。　　Lord　Clermont；　and　you；　Arnold；　you　will　choose　three　hundred
of　the　bravest　cavaliers　in　the　army　and　you　will　endeavor　to
break　these　archers。　　As　to　you　and　your　Germans；　my　Lord　Nassau　；
you　will　remain　upon　horseback；　since　you　desire　it；　and　you　will
follow　the　Marshals　and　support　them　as　best　you　may。　　The　rest　of
the　army　will　advance　upon　foot；　in　three　other　divisions　as
arranged：　yours；　Charles；〃　and　he　patted　his　son；　the　Duke　of
Normandy；　affectionately　upon　the　hand；　〃yours；　Philip；〃　he
glanced　at　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　〃and　the　main　battle　which　is　my
own。　　To　you；　Geoffrey　de　Chargny；　I　intrust　the　oriflamme　this
day。　　But　who　is　this　knight　and　what　does　he　desire？〃

A　young　knight；　ruddy…bearded　and　tall；　a　red　griffin　upon　his
surcoat；　had　appeared　in　the　opening　of　the　tent。　　His　flushed
face　and　disheveled　dress　showed　that　he　had　come　in　haste。
〃Sire；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　Robert　de　Duras；　of　the　household　of　the
Cardinal　de　Perigord。　　I　have　told　you　yesterday　all　that　I　have
learned　of　the　English　camp。　　This　morning　I　was　again　admitted　to
it；　and　I　have　seen　their　wagons　moving　to　the　rear。　　Sire；　they
are　in　flight　for　Bordeaux。〃

〃'Fore　God；　I　knew　it！〃　cried　the　Duke　of　Orleans　in　a　voice　of
fury。　　〃Whilst　we　have　been　talking　they　have　slipped　through　our
fingers。　　Did　I　not　warn　you？〃

〃Be　silent；　Philip！〃　said　the　King　angrily。　　〃But　you；　sir；　have
you　seen　this　with　your　own　eyes？〃

〃With　my　own　eyes；　sire；　and　I　have　ridden　straight　from　their
camp。〃

King　John　looked　at　him　with　a　stern　gaze。　　〃I　know　not　how　it
accords　with　your　honor　to　carry　such　tidings　in　such　a　fashion；〃
said　he；　〃but　we　cannot　choose　but　take　advantage　of　it。　　Fear
not；　brother　Philip；　it　is　in　my　mind　that　you　will　see　all　that
you　would　wish　of　the　Englishmen　before　nightfall。　　Should　we　fall
upon　them　whilst　they　cross　the　ford　it　will　be　to　our　advantage。
Now；　fair　sirs；　I　pray　you　to　hasten　to　your　posts　and　to　carry
out　all　that　we　have　agreed。　　Advance　the　oriflamme；　Geoffrey；　and
do　you　marshal　the　divisions；　Arnold。　　So　may　God　and　Saint　Denis
have　us　in　their　holy　keeping　this　day！〃

The　Prince　of　Wales　stood　upon　that　little　knoll　where　Nigel　had
halted　the　day　before。　　Beside　him　were　Chandos；　and　a　tall
sun…burned　warrior　of　middle　age；　the　Gascon　Captal　de　Buch。　　The
three　men　were　all　attentively　watching　the　distant　French　lines；
while　behind　them　a　column　of　wagons　wound　down　to　the　ford　of　the
Muisson。

Close　in　the　rear　four　knights　in　full　armor　with　open　visors　sat
their　horses　and　conversed　in　undertones　with　each　other。　　A
glance　at　their　shields　would　have　given　their　names　to　any
soldier；　for　they　were　all　men　of　fame　who　had　seen　much　warfare。
At　present　they　were　awaiting　their　orders；　for　each　of　them
commanded　the　whole　or　part　of　a　division　of　the　army。　　The　youth
upon　the　left；　dark；　slim　and　earnest；　was　William　Montacute；　Earl
of　Salisbury；　only　twenty…eight　years　of　age　and　yet　a　veteran　of
Crecy。　　How　high　he　stood　in　reputation　is　shown　by　the　fact　that
the　command　of　the　rear；　the　post　of　honor　in　a　retreating　army；
had　been　given　to　him　by　the　Prince。　　He　was　talking　to　a　grizzled
harsh…faced　man；　somewhat　over　middle　age；　with　lion　features　and
fierce　light…blue　eyes　which　gleamed　as　they　watched　the　distant
enemy。　　It　was　the　famous　Robert　de　Ufford；　Earl　of　Suffolk；　who
had　fought　without　a　break　from　Cadsand　onward　through　the　whole
Continental　War。　　The　other　tall　silent　soldier；　with　the　silver
star　gleaming　upon　his　surcoat；　was　John　de　Vere；　Earl　of　Oxford；
and　he　listened　to　the　talk　of　Thomas　Beauchamp；　a　burly；　jovial；
ruddy　nobleman　and　a　tried　soldier；　who　leaned　forward　and　tapped
his　mailed　hand　upon　the　other's　steel…clad　thigh。　　They　were　old
battle…companions；　of　the　same