sir nigel-第84章

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skirted　the　river。　　So　soft　was　it　that　a　heavily…armed　man　would
sink　to　his　knees。　　At　his　order　a　spray　of　light　bowmen　was
thrown　out　from　the　battle　line　and　forming　upon　the　flank　of　the
French　poured　their　arrows　into　them。　　At　the　same　moment　Chandos；
with　Audley；　Nigel；　Bartholomew　Burghersh；　the　Captal　de　Buch；　and
a　score　of　other　knights　sprang　upon　their　horses；　and　charging
down　the　narrow　lane　rode　over　the　French　line　in　front　of　them。
Once　through　it　they　spurred　to　left　and　right；　trampling　down　the
dismounted　men…at…arms。

A　fearsome　sight　was　Pommers　that　day；　his　red　eyes　rolling；　his
nostrils　gaping；　his　tawny　mane　tossing；　and　his　savage　teeth
gnashing　in　fury；　as　he　tore　and　smashed　and　ground　beneath　his
ramping　hoofs　all　that　came　before　him。　　Fearsome　too　was　the
rider；　ice…cool；　alert；　concentrated　of　purpose；　with；　heart　of
fire　and　muscles　of　steel。　　A　very　angel　of　battle　he　seemed　as　he
drove　his　maddened　horse　through　the　thickest　of　the　press；　but
strive　as　he　would：　the　tall　figure　of　his　master　upon　his
coal…black　steed　was　ever　half　a　length　before　him。

Already　the　moment　of　danger　was　passed。　　The　French　line　had
given　back。　　Those　who　had　pierced　the　hedge　had　fallen　like　brave
men　amid　the　ranks　of　their　foemen。　　The　division　of　Warwick　had
hurried　up　from　the　vineyards　to　fill　the　gaps　of　Salisbury's
battle…line。　　Back　rolled　the　shining　tide；　slowly　at　first；　even
as　it　had　advanced；　but　quicker　now　as　the　bolder　fell　and　the
weaker　shredded　out　and　shuffled　with　ungainly　speed　for　a　place
of　safety。　　Again　there　was　a　rush　from　behind　the　hedge。　　Again
there　was　a　reaping　of　that　strange　crop　of　bearded　arrows　which
grew　so　thick　upon　the　ground；　and　again　the　wounded　prisoners
were　seized　and　dragged　in　brutal　haste　to　the　rear。　　Then　the
line　was　restored；　and　the　English；　weary；　panting　and　shaken；
awaited　the　next　attack。

But　a　great　good　fortune　had　come　to　them　…　so　great　that　as　they
looked　down　the　valley　they　could　scarce　credit　their　own　senses。
Behind　the　division　of　the　Dauphin；　which　had　pressed　them　so
hard；　stood　a　second　division　hardly　less　numerous；　led　by　the
Duke　of　Orleans。　　The　fugitives　from　in　front；　blood…smeared　and
bedraggled；　blinded　with　sweat　and　with　fear；　rushed　amidst　its
ranks　in　their　flight；　and　in　a　moment；　without　a　blow　being
struck；　had　carried　them　off　in　their　wild　rout。　　This　vast　array；
so　solid　and　so　martial；　thawed　suddenly　away　like　a　snow…wreath
in　the　sun。　　It　was　gone；　and　in　its　place　thousands　of　shining
dots　scattered　over　the　whole　plain　as　each　man　made　his　own　way
to　the　spot　where　he　could　find　his　horse　and　bear　himself　from
the　field。　　For　a　moment　it　seemed　that　the　battle　was　won；　and　a
thundershout　of　joy　pealed　up　from　the　English　line。

But　as　the　curtain　of　the　Duke's　division　was　drawn　away　it　was
only　to　disclose　stretching　far　behind　it；　and　spanning　the　valley
from　side　to　side；　the　magnificent　array　of　the　French　King；
solid；　unshaken；　and　preparing　its　ranks　for　the　attack。　　Its
numbers　were　as　great　as　those　of　the　English　army；　it　was
unscathed　by　all　that　was　past；　and　it　had　a　valiant　monarch　to
lead　it　to　the　charge。　　With　the　slow　deliberation　of　the　man　who
means　to　do　or　to　die；　its　leader　marshaled　its　ranks　for　the
supreme　effort　of　the　day。

Meanwhile　during　that　brief　moment　of　exultation　when　the　battle
appeared　to　be　won；　a　crowd　of　hot…headed　young　knights　and
squires　swarmed　and　clamored　round　the　Prince；　beseeching　that　he
would　allow　them　to　ride　forth。

〃See　this　insolent　fellow　who　bears　three　martlets　upon　a　field
gales！〃　cried　Sir　Maurice　Berkeley。　　〃He　stands　betwixt　the　two
armies　as　though　he　had　no　dread　of　us。〃

〃I　pray　you；　sir；　that　I　may　ride　out　to　him；　since　he　seems　ready
to　attempt　some　small　deed；〃　pleaded　Nigel。

〃Nay；　fair　sirs；　it　is　an　evil　thing　that　we　should　break　our
line；　seeing　that　we　still　have　much　to　do；〃　said　the　Prince。
〃See！　he　rides　away；　and　so　the　matter　is　settled。〃

〃Nay；　fair　prince；〃　said　the　young　knight　who　had　spoken　first。
〃My　gray　horse；　Lebryte；　could　run　him　down　ere　he　could　reach
shelter。　　Never　since　I　left　Severn　side　have　I　seen　steed　so
fleet　as　mine。　　Shall　I　not　show　you？〃　　In　an　instant　he　had
spurred　the　charger　and　was　speeding　across　the　plain。

The　Frenchman；　John　de　Helennes；　a　squire　of　Picardy；　had　waited
with　a　burning　heart；　his　soul　sick　at　the　flight　of　the　division
in　which　he　had　ridden。　　In　the　hope　of　doing　some　redeeming
exploit；　or　of　meeting　his　own　death；　he　had　loitered　betwixt　the
armies；　but　no　movement　had　come　from　the　English　lines。　　Now　he
had　turned　his　horse's　head　to　join　the　King's　array；　when　the　low
drumming　of　hoofs　sounded　behind　him；　and　he　turned　to　find　a
horseman　hard　upon　his　heels。　　Each　had　drawn　his　sword；　and　the
two　armies　paused　to　view　the　fight。　　In　the　first　bout　Sir
Maurice　Berkeley's　lance　was　struck　from　his　hand；　and　as　he
sprang　down　to　recover　it　the　Frenchman　ran　him　through　the　thigh；
dismounted　from　his　horse；　and　received　his　surrender。　　As　the
unfortunate　Englishman　hobbled　away　at　the　side　of　his　captor　a
roar　of　laughter　burst　from　both　armies　at　the　spectacle。

〃By　my　ten　finger…bones！〃　cried　Aylward；　chuckling　behind　the
remains　of　his　bush；　〃he　found　more　on　his　distaff　that　time　than
he　knew　how　to　spin。　　Who　was　the　knight？〃

〃By　his　arms；〃　said　old　Wat；　〃he　should　either　be　a　Berkeley　of
the　West　or　a　Popham　of　Kent。〃

〃I　call　to　mind　that　I　shot　a　match　of　six　ends　once　with　a
Kentish　woldsman　…　〃　began　the　fat　Bowyer。

〃Nay；　nay；　stint　thy　talk；　Bartholomew！〃　cried　old　Wat。　　〃Here　is
poor　Ned　with　his　head　cloven；　and　it　would　be　more　fitting　if　you
were　saying　aves　for　his　soul；　instead　of　all　this　bobance　and
boasting。　　Now；　now；　Tom　of　Beverley？〃

〃We　have　suffered　sorely　in　this　last　bout；　Wat。　　There　are　forty
of　our　men　upon　their　backs；　and　the　Dean　Foresters　on　the　right
are　in　worse　case　still。〃

〃Talking　will　not　mend　it；　Tom；　and　if　all　but　one　were　on　their
backs　he　must　still　hold　his　ground。〃

Whilst　the　archers　were　chatting；　the　leaders　of　the　army　were　in
solemn　conclave　just　behind　them。　　Two　divisions　of　the　French　had
been　repulsed；　and　yet　there　was　many　an　anxious　face　as　the　older
knights　looked　across　the　plain　at　the　unbroken　array　of　the
French　King　moving　slowly　toward　them。　　The　line　of　the　archers
was　much　thinned　and　shredded。　　Many　knights　and　squires　had　been
disabled　in　the　long　and　fierce　combat　at　the　hedge。　　Others；
exhausted　by　want　of　food；　had　no　strength　left　and　were　stretched
panting　upon　the　ground。　　Some　were　engaged　in　carrying　the
wounded　to　the　rear　and　laying　them　under　the　shelter　of　the
trees；　whilst　others　were　replacing　their　broken　swords　or　lances
from　the　weapons　of　the　slain。　　The　Captal　de　Buch；　brave　and
experienced　as　he　was；　frowned　darkly　and　whispered　his　misgivings
to　Chandos。

But　the　Prince's　courage　flamed　the　higher　as　the　shadow　fell；
while　his　dark　eyes　gleamed　with　a　soldier's　pride　as　he　glanced
round　him　at　his　weary　comrades；　and　then　at　the　dense　masses　of
the　King's　battle　which　now；　with　a　hundred　trumpets　blaring　and　a
thousand　pennons　waving；　rolled　slowly　over　the　plain。　　〃Come　what
may；　John；　this　has　been　a　most　noble　meeting；〃　said　he。　　〃They
will　not　be　ashamed　of　us　in　England。　　Take　heart；　my　friends；　for
if　we　conquer　we　shall　carry　the　glory　ever　with　us；　but　if　we　be
slain　then　we　die　most　worshipfully　and　in　high　honor；　as　we　have
ever　prayed　that　we　might　die；　and　we　leave　behind　us　our　brothers
and　kinsmen　who　will　assuredly　avenge　us。　　It　is　but　one　more
effort；　and　all　will　be　well。　　Warwick；　Oxford；　Salisbury；
Suffolk；　every　man　to　the　front！　　My　banner　to　the　front　also！
Your　horses；　fair　sirs！　　The　archers　are　spent；　and　our　own　good
lances　must　win　the　field　this　day。　　Advance；　Walter；　and　may　God
and　Saint　George　be　with　England！〃

Sir　Walter　Woodland；　riding　a　high　black　horse；　took　station　by
the　Prince；　with　the　royal　banner　resting　in　a　socket　by　his
saddle。　　From　all　sides　the　knights　and　squires　crowded　in　upon
it；　until　they