red eve-第17章

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against　him　by　the　Reverend　Father　Sir　Andrew　Arnold　therein
determined。　Nevertheless；　we　command　you　not　to　wound　or　kill　the　said
knight　unless　he　resists　the　authority　of　us　by　you　conveyed　and　you
cannot　otherwise　hold　him　safe　from　escaping　from　out　this　our　realm。
This　commission　you　will　presently　go　forth　to　execute；　keeping　its
tenor　and　your　aim　secret　until　the　moment　comes　to　strike；　and；　as
you　perform　your　duty；　of　which　you　will　return　and　make　report　to　us；
so　shall　we　judge　and　reward　you。　Do　you　understand？〃

〃Sire；〃　answered　Hugh；　bowing；　〃I　understand；　and　I　will　obey　to　my
last　breath。〃

〃Good！　When　the　parchments　are　engrossed　my　officer　here　will　read
them　to　you　and　explain　aught　that　may　need　it。　Meanwhile；　we　have　an
hour　or　two　during　which　your　horses　can　eat；　for　there　are　no　fresh
beasts　here　to　give　you；　and　it　is　best；　to　avoid　doubts；　that　you
should　return　as　you　came；　only　showing　your　powers　if　any　should
attempt　to　arrest　you。　So　let　us　have　done　with　these　heavy　matters；
and　disport　us　for　a　while。　This　servant　of　yours　has　made　a　common
boast　that　he　will　outshoot　any　of　our　picked　archers；　and　now　we　are
ready　to　go　forth　and　put　him　to　the　proof　of　the　butts。　Let　him　know；
however；　that；　notwithstanding　our　words　of　yesterday；　we　shall　not
hold　him　to　blame　if　he　fails；　since　many　a　man　of　higher　degree
promises　more　at　night　than　he　can　perform　in　the　morning。〃

〃Sire；　I'll　do　my　best。　I　can　no　more；〃　said　Grey　Dick。　〃Only　I　pray
that　none　may　be　suffered　to　hang　about　or　pester　me　at　the　butts；
since　I　am　a　lonely　man　who　love　not　company　when　I　use　my　art。〃

〃That　shall　be　so；〃　said　the　King。　〃And　now　to　the　sport。〃

〃The　sport！〃　grumbled　Grey　Dick；　when　he　and　Hugh　were　alone　together。
〃Why；　it　is　other　sport　we　should　be　seeking；　with　Acour　and　his
knaves　for　targets。　Go　to　the　King；　master；　and　show　him　that　while　we
linger　here　the　Frenchman　may　slip　away；　or　work　more　and　worse
treasons。〃

〃I　cannot；　Dick；　the　parchments　are　not　written　out；　and　his　Grace　is
bent　upon　this　pleasure　match。　Moreover；　man；　all　these　archers　here
yes；　and　their　betters　alsowould　say　that　you　had　fled　because　you
were　an　empty　boaster　who　dared　not　face　the　trial。〃

〃They'd　say　that；　would　they？〃　snarled　Grey　Dick。　〃Yes；　they'd　say
that；　which　would　be　bitter　hearing　for　you　and　me。　Well；　they　shall
not　say　it。　Yet　I　tell　you；　master；〃　he　added　in　a　burst　of　words；
〃although　I　know　not　why；　I'd　rather　bear　their　scorn　and　be　away　on
the　road　to　Dunwich。〃

〃It　may　not　be；　Dick；〃　replied　Hugh；　shaking　his　head　doubtfully。
〃See；　here　they　come　to　fetch　us。〃



In　a　glade　of　the　forest　of　Windsor　situated　near　to　the　castle　and
measuring　some　twenty…five　score　yards　of　open　level　ground；　stood
Grey　Dick；　a　strange；　uncouth　figure；　at　whom　the　archers　of　the　guard
laughed；　nudging　each　other。　In　his　bony　hand；　however；　he　held　that
at　which　they　did　not　laugh；　namely；　the　great　black　bow；　six　feet　six
inches　long；　which　he　said　had　come　to　him　〃from　the　sea；〃　and　was
fashioned；　not　of　yew；　but　of　some　heavy；　close…grained　wood；　grown
perhaps　in　Southern　or　even　in　far　Eastern　lands。　Still；　one　of　them；
who　had　tried　to　draw　this　bow　to　his　ear　and　could　not；　said　aloud
that　〃the　Suffolk　man　would　do　naught　with　that　clumsy　pole。〃　Whereat；
Grey　Dick；　who　heard　him；　grinning；　showing　his　white　teeth　like　an
angry　dog。

Near　by；　on　horseback　and　on　foot；　were　the　King；　the　young　Prince
Edward；　and　many　knights　and　ladies；　while　on　the　other　side　stood
scores　of　soldiers　and　other　folk　from　the　castle；　who　came　to　see
this　ugly　fellow　well　beaten　at　his　own　game。

〃Dick；〃　whispered　Hugh；　〃shoot　now　as　you　never　shot　before。　Teach
them　a　lesson　for　the　honour　of　Suffolk。〃

〃Let　me　be；　master；〃　he　grumbled。　〃I　told　you　I　would　do　my　best。〃

Then　he　sat　himself　down　on　the　grass　and　began　to　examine　his　arrows
one　by　one；　to　all　appearance　taking　no　heed　of　anything　else。

Presently　came　the　first　test。　At　a　distance　of　five　score　yards　was
set　a　little　〃clout；〃　or　target；　of　white　wood；　not　more　than　two　feet
square。　This　clout　had　a　red　mark；　or　eye；　three　inches　across；
painted　in　its　centre；　and　stood　not　very　high　above　the　sward。

〃Now；　Richard；〃　said　the　King；　〃three　of　the　best　archers　that　we　have
about　us　have　been　chosen　to　shoot　against　you　and　each　other　by　their
fellows。　Say；　will　you　draw　first　or　last？〃

〃Last；　Sire；〃　he　answered；　〃that　I　may　know　their　mettle。〃

Then　a　man　stepped　forward；　a　strong　and　gallant　looking　fellow；　and
loosed　his　three　arrows。　The　first　missed　the　clout；　the　second
pierced　the　white　wood；　and　the　third　hit　the　red　eye。

The　clout　having　been　changed；　and　the　old　one　brought　to　the　King
with　the　arrows　in　it；　the　second　man　took　his　turn。　This　time　all
three　of　the　arrows　hit　the　mark；　one　of　them　being　in　the　red。　Again
it　was　changed；　and　forth　came　the　great　archer　of　the　guard；　a　tall
and　clear…eyed　man　named　Jack　Green；　and　whom；　it　was　said；　none　had
ever　beaten。　He　drew；　and　the　arrow　went　home　in　the　red　on　its　left
edge。　He　drew　again；　and　the　arrow　went　home　in　the　red　on　its　right
edge。　He　drew　a　third　time；　and　the　arrow　went　home　straight　in　the
very　centre　of　the　red；　where　was　a　little　black　spot。

Now　a　great　laugh　went　up；　since　clearly　the　Suffolk　man　was　beaten
ere　ever　he　began。

〃Your　Dick　may　do　as　well；　he　can　do　no　better；〃　said　the　King；　when
the　target　was　brought　to　him。

Grey　Dick　looked　at　it。

〃A　boon；　your　Grace；〃　said　Dick。　〃Grant　that　this　clout　may　be　set　up
again　with　the　arrows　fast。　Any　may　know　them　from　mine　since　they　are
grey；　whereas　those　I　make　are　black；　for　I　am　a　fletcher　in　my　spare
hours；　and　love　my　own　handiwork。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　the　King；　wondering；　and　the　clout　was　replaced　upon
its　stand。

Now　Grey　Dick　stretched　himself；　looked　at　the　clout；　looked　at　his
bow；　and　set　a　black…winged　arrow　on　the　string。　Then　he　drew；　it
seemed　but　lightly　and　carelessly；　as　though　he　thought　the　distance
small。　Away　flew　the　shaft；　and　sank　into　the　red　a　good　inch　within
the　leftmost　arrow　of　Jack　Green。

〃Ah；〃　said　the　onlookers；　〃a　lucky　shot　indeed！〃

Again　he　drew；　and　again　the　arrow　sank　into　the　red；　a　good　inch
within　the　rightmost　shot　of　Jack　Green。

〃Oh！〃　said　the　onlookers；　〃this　man　is　an　archer；　but　Jack's　last　he
cannot　best；　let　the　devil　help　him　how　he　will。〃

〃In　the　devil's　name；　then；　be　silent！〃　wheezed　Grey　Dick；　with　a
flash　of　his　half…opened　eye。

〃Ay；　be　silentbe　silent！〃　said　the　King。　〃We　do　not　see　such
shooting　every　day。〃

Now　Dick　set　his　foot　apart　and；　arrow　on　string；　thrice　he　lifted　his
bow　and　thrice　let　it　sink　again；　perhaps　because　he　felt　some　breath
of　wind　stir　the　still　air。　A　fourth　time　he　lifted；　and　drew；　not　as
he　had　before；　but　straight　to　the　ear；　then　loosed　at　once。

Away　rushed　the　yard…long　shaft；　and　folk　noted　that　it　scarcely
seemed　to　rise　as　arrows　do；　or　at　least　not　half　so　high。　It　rushed；
it　smote；　and　there　was　silence；　for　none　could　see　exactly　what　had
happened。　Then　he　who　stood　near　the　target　to　mark　ran　forward；　and
screamed　out：

〃By　God's　name；　he　has　shattered　Jack　Green's　centre　arrow；　and　shot
/clean　through　the　clout！/〃

Then　from　all　sides　rose　the　old　archer　cry；　〃/He；　He！　He；　He！/〃　while
the　young　Prince　threw　his　cap　on　high；　and　the　King　said：

〃Would　that　there　were　more　such　men　as　this　in　England！　Jack　Green；
it　seems　that　you　are　beaten。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Grey　Dick；　seating　himself　again　upon　the　grass；　〃there　is
naught　to　choose　between　us　in　this　round。　What　next；　your　Grace？〃

Only　Hugh；　who　watched　him；　saw　the　big　veins　swell　beneath　the　pale
skin　of　his　forehead；　as　they　ever　did　when　he　was　moved。

〃The　war　game；〃　said　the　King；　〃that　is；　if　you　will；　for　here　rough
knocks　may　be　going。　Set　it　out；　one　of　you。〃

Then　a　captain　of　the　archers　explained　this　sport。　In　short　it　was
that　man　should　stand　against　man　clad　in　leather　jerkins；　and　wearing
a　vizor　to　protect　the　face；　and　shoot　at　each　other　with　blunt　arrows
rubbed　with　chalk；　he　who　first　took　what　would　have　been