sir nigel-第83章

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the　vanguard？〃

〃By　God's　soul；　John！〃　cried　the　Prince；　〃it　is　very　sure　that　you
can　see　more　with　one　eye　than　any　man　in　this　army　with　two。　　But
it　is　even　as　you　say。　　And　this　larger　band　behind？〃

〃They　should　be　Germans；　fair　sir；　by　the　fashion　of　their
harness。〃

The　two　bodies　of　horsemen　had　moved　slowly　over　the　plain；　with　a
space　of　nearly　a　quarter　of　a　mile　between　them。　　Now；　having
come　two　bowshots　from　the　hostile　line；　they　halted。　　All　that
they　could　see　of　the　English　was　the　long　hedge；　with　an
occasional　twinkle　of　steel　through　its　leafy　branches；　and　behind
that　the　spear…heads　of　the　men…at…arms　rising　from　amidst　the
brushwood　and　the　vines。　　A　lovely　autumn　countryside　with
changing　many…tinted　foliage　lay　stretched　before　them；　all　bathed
in　peaceful　sunshine；　and　nothing　save　those　flickering　fitful
gleams　to　tell　of　the　silent　and　lurking　enemy　who　barred　their
way。　　But　the　bold　spirit　of　the　French　cavaliers　rose　the　higher
to　the　danger。　　The　clamor　of　their　war…cries　filled　the　air；　and
they　tossed　their　pennoned　spears　over　their　heads　in　menace　and
defiance。　　From　the　English　line　it　was　a　noble　sight；　the
gallant；　pawing；　curveting　horses；　the　many…colored　twinkling
riders；　the　swoop　and　wave　and　toss　of　plume　and　banner。

Then　a　bugle　rang　forth。　　With　a　sudden　yell　every　spur　struck
deep；　every　lance　was　laid　in　rest；　and　the　whole　gallant　squadron
flew　like　a　glittering　thunderbolt　for　the　center　of　the　English
line。

A　hundred　yards　they　had　crossed；　and　yet　another　hundred；　but
there　was　no　movement　in　front　of　them；　and　no　sound　save　their
own　hoarse　battle…cries　and　the　thunder　of　their　horses。　　Ever
swifter　and　swifter　they　flew。　　From　behind　the　hedge　it　was　a
vision　of　horses；　white；　bay　and　black；　their　necks　stretched；
their　nostrils　distended；　their　bellies　to　the　ground；　whilst　of
the　rider　one　could　but　see　a　shield　with　a　plume…tufted　visor
above　it；　and　a　spear…head　twinkling　in　front。

Then　of　a　sudden　the　Prince　raised　his　hand　and　gave　a　cry。
Chandos　echoed　it；　it　swelled　down　the　line；　and　with　one　mighty
chorus　of　twanging　strings　and　hissing　shafts　the　long…pent　storm
broke　at　last。

Alas　for　the　noble　steeds！　　Alas　for　the　gallant　men。　　When　the
lust　of　battle　is　over　who　would　not　grieve　to　see　that　noble
squadron　break　into　red　ruin　before　the　rain　of　arrows　beating
upon　the　faces　and　breasts　of　the　horses？　　The　front　rank　crashed
down；　and　the　others　piled　themselves　upon　the　top　of　them；　unable
to　check　their　speed；　or　to　swerve　aside　from　the　terrible　wall　of
their　shattered　comrades　which　had　so　suddenly　sprung　up　before
them。　　Fifteen　feet　high　was　that　blood…spurting　mound　of
screaming；　kicking　horses　and　writhing；　struggling　men。　　Here　and
there　on　the　flanks　a　horseman　cleared　himself　and　dashed　for　the
hedge；　only　to　have　his　steed　slain　under　him　and　to　be　hurled
from　his　saddle。　　Of　all　the　three　hundred　gallant　riders；　not　one
ever　reached　that　fatal　hedge。

But　now　in　a　long　rolling　wave　of　steel　the　German　battalion
roared　swiftly　onward。　　They　opened　in　the　center　to　pass　that
terrible　mound　of　death；　and　then　spurred　swiftly　in　upon　the
archers。　　They　were　brave　men；　well　led；　and　in　their　open　lines
they　could　avoid　the　clubbing　together　which　had　been　the　ruin　of
the　vanguard；　yet　they　perished　singly　even　as　the　others　had
perished　together。　　A　few　were　slain　by　the　arrows。　　The　greater
number　had　their　horses　killed　under　them；　and　were　so　shaken　and
shattered　by　the　fall　that　they　could　not　raise　their　limbs；
over…weighted　with　iron；　from　the　spot　where　they　lay。

Three　men　riding　together　broke　through　the　bushes　which　sheltered
the　leaders　of　the　archers；　cut　down　Widdington　the　Dalesman；
spurred　onward　through　the　hedge；　dashed　over　the　bowmen　behind
it；　and　made　for　the　Prince。　　One　fell　with　an　arrow　through　his
head；　a　second　was　beaten　from　his　saddle　by　Chandos；　and　the
third　was　slain　by　the　Prince's　own　hand。　　A　second　band　broke
through　near　the　river；　but　were　cut　off　by　Lord　Audley　and　his
squires；　so　that　all　were　slain。　　A　single　horseman　whose　steed
was　mad　with　pain；　an　arrow　in　its　eye　and　a　second　in　its
nostril；　sprang　over　the　hedge　and　clattered　through　the　whole
army；　disappearing　amid　whoops　and　laughter　into　the　woods　behind。
But　none　others　won　as　far　as　the　hedge。　　The　whole　front　of　the
position　was　fringed　with　a　litter　of　German　wounded　or　dead；
while　one　great　heap　in　the　center　marked　the　downfall　of　the
gallant　French　three　hundred。

Whilst　these　two　waves　of　the　attack　had　broken　in　front　of　the
English　position；　leaving　this　blood…stained　wreckage　behind　them；
the　main　divisions　had　halted　and　made　their　last　preparations　for
their　own　assault。　　They　had　not　yet　begun　their　advance；　and　the
nearest　was　still　half　a　mile　distant；　when　the　few　survivors　from
the　forlorn　hope；　their　maddened　horses　bristling　with　arrows；
flew　past　them　on　either　flank。

At　the　same　moment　the　English　archers　and　men…at…arms　dashed
through　the　hedge；　and　dragged　all　who　were　living　out　of　that
tangled　heap　of　shattered　horses　and　men。　　It　was　a　mad　wild　rush；
for　in　a　few　minutes　the　fight　must　be　renewed；　and　yet　there　was
a　rich　harvest　of　wealth　for　the　lucky　man　who　could　pick　a
wealthy　prisoner　from　amid　the　crowd。　　The　nobler　spirits
disdained　to　think　of　ransoms　whilst　the　fight　was　still
unsettled；　but　a　swarm　of　needy　soldiers；　Gascons　and　English；
dragged　the　wounded　out　by　the　leg　or　the　arm；　and　with　daggers　at
their　throats　demanded　their　names；　title　and　means。　　He　who　had
made　a　good　prize　hurried　him　to　the　rear　where　his　own　servants
could　guard　him；　while　he　who　was　disappointed　too　often　drove　the
dagger　home　and　then　rushed　once　more　into　the　tangle　in　the　hope
of　better　luck。　　Clermont；　with　an　arrow　through　the　sky…blue
Virgin　on　his　surcoat；　lay　dead　within　ten　paces　of　the　hedge；
d'Andreghen　was　dragged　by　a　penniless　squire　from　under　a　horse
and　became　his　prisoner。　　The　Earl　of　Salzburg　and　of　Nassau　were
both　found　helpless　on　the　ground　and　taken　to　the　rear。　　Aylward
cast　his　thick　arms　round　Count　Otto　von　Langenbeck；　and　laid　him；
helpless　from　a　broken　leg；　behind　his　bush。　　Black　Simon　had　made
prize　of　Bernard；　Count　of　Ventadour；　and　hurried　him　through　the
hedge。　　Everywhere　there　was　rushing　and　shouting；　brawling　and
buffeting；　while　amidst　it　all　a　swarm　of　archers　were　seeking
their　shafts；　plucking　them　from　the　dead；　and　sometimes　even　from
the　wounded。　　Then　there　was　a　sudden　cry　of　warning。　　In　a　moment
every　man　was　back　in　his　place　once　more；　and　the　line　of　the
hedge　was　clear。

It　was　high　time；　for　already　the　first　division　of　the　French　was
close　upon　them。　　If　the　charge　of　the　horsemen　had　been　terrible
from　its　rush　and　its　fire；　this　steady　advance　of　a　huge　phalanx
of　armored　footmen　was　even　more　fearsome　to　the　spectator。　　They
moved　very　slowly；　on　account　of　the　weight　of　their　armor；　but
their　progress　was　the　more　regular　and　inexorable。　　With　elbows
touching　…　their　shields　slung　in　front；　their　short　five…foot
spears　carried　in　their　right　hands；　and　their　maces　or　swords
ready　at　their　belts；　the　deep　column　of　men…at…arms　moved　onward。
Again　the　storm　of　arrows　beat　upon　them　clinking　and　thudding　on
the　armor。　　They　crouched　double　behind　their　shields　as　they　met
it。　　Many　fell；　but　still　the　slow　tide　lapped　onward。　　Yelling；
they　surged　up　to　the　hedge；　and　lined　it　for　half　a　mile；
struggling　hard　to　pierce　it。

For　five　minutes　the　long　straining　ranks　faced　each　other　with
fierce　stab　of　spear　on　one　side　and　heavy　beat　of　ax　or　mace　upon
the　other。　　In　many　parts　the　hedge　was　pierced　or　leveled　to　the
ground；　and　the　French　men…at…arms　were　raging　amongst　the
archers；　hacking　and　hewing　among　the　lightly　armed　men。　　For　a
moment　it　seemed　as　if　the　battle　was　on　the　turn。

But　John　de　Vere；　Earl　of　Oxford；　cool；　wise　and　crafty　in　war；
saw　and　seized；　his　chance。　　On　the　right　flank　a　marshy　meadow
skirted　the　river。　　So　soft　was　it　that　a　heavily…armed　man　would
sink　to　his　knees。　　At　his　order　a　spray　of　light