red eve-第29章

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Away　it　sped　while　all　men　gazed。　High；　high　it　flew；　the　sunlight
glinting　on　its　polished　barb。　Down　it　came　at　length；　and　the　King
muttered　〃Short！〃　But　while　the　word　passed　his　lips　that　shaft　seemed
to　recover　itself；　as　though　by　magic；　and　again　rushed　on。　He　of　the
foul　words　and　gestures　saw　it　coming；　and　turned　to　fly。　As　he　leapt
forward　the　war　arrow　struck　him　full　in　the　small　of　the　back；　just
where　the　spine　ends；　severing　it；　so　that　he　fell　all　of　a　heap　like
an　ox　beneath　the　axe；　and　lay　a　still　and　huddled　shape。

From　all　the　English　right　who　saw　this　wondrous　deed　there　went　up
such　a　shout　that　their　comrades　to　the　left　and　rear　thought　for　a
moment　that　battle　had　been　joined。　The　King　and　the　Prince　stared
amazed。　Hugh　flung　his　arms　about　Dick's　neck；　and　kissed　him。　Jack
Green　cried：

〃No　archer；　but　a　wizard！　Mere　man　could　not　have　sent　a　true　shaft　so
far。〃

〃Then　would　to　heaven　I　had　more　such　wizards；〃　said　the　King。　〃God　be
with　you；　Grey　Dick；　for　you　have　put　new　heart　into　my　and　all　our
company。　Mark；　each　of　you；　that　he　smote　him　in　the　back；　smote　him
running！　What　reward　would　you　have；　man？〃

〃None；〃　answered　Dick　in　a　surly　voice。　〃My　reward　is　that；　whatever
happens；　yon　filthy　French　knave　will　never　mock　honest　English　folk
again。　Or　so　I　think；　though　the　arrow　barely　reached　him。　Yet；　Sire；〃
he　added　after　a　pause；　〃you　might　knight　my　master；　Hugh　de　Cressi；
if　you　will；　since　but　for　him　I　should　have　feared　to　risk　that
shot。〃

Then　turning　aside；　Dick　unstrung　his　bow；　and；　pulling　the　remains　of
the　apple　out　of　his　pouch；　began　to　munch　it　unconcernedly。

〃Hugh　de　Cressi！〃　said　the　King。　〃Ah！　yes；　I　mind　me　of　him　and　of　the
rogue；　Acour；　and　the　maid；　Red　Eve。　Well；　Hugh；　I　am　told　you　fought
gallantly　at　Blanche…Tague　two　days　gone　and　were　among　the　last　to
cross　the　Somme。　Also；　we　have　other　debts　to　pay　you。　Come　hither；
sir；　and　give　me　your　sword。〃

〃Your　pardon；　my　liege；〃　said　Hugh；　colouring；　〃but　I'll　not　be
knighted　for　my　henchman's　feats；　or　at　all　until　I　have　done　some　of
my　own。〃

〃Ah；　well；　Master　Hugh；〃　said　the　King；　〃that's　a　right　spirit。　After
the　battle；　perhaps；　if　it　should　please　God　that　we　live　to　meet
again　in　honour。　De　Cressi；〃　he　added　musingly；　〃why　this　place　is
called　Crecy；　and　here；　I　think；　is　another　good　omen。　At　Crecy　shall
de　Cressi　gain　great　honour　for　himself　and　for　St。　George　of　England。
You　are　luck　bringers；　you　two。　Let　them　not　be　separated　in　the
battle；　lest　the　luck　should　leave　them。　See　to　it；　if　it　please　you；
my　lord　of　Warwick。　Young　de　Cressi　can　draw　a　bow；　let　him　fight
amongst　the　archers　and　have　liberty　to　join　the　men…at…arms　when　the
time　comes。　Or　stay；　set　them　near　my　son　the　Prince；　for　there　surely
the　fight　will　be　hottest。

〃And　now；　you　men　of　England；　whatever　your　degree；　my　brothers　of
England；　gentle　and　simple；　Philip　rolls　down　upon　us　with　all　the
might　of　France；　our　heritage　which　he　has　stolen；　our　heritage　and
yours。　Well；　well；　show　him　to…day；　or　to…morrow；　or　whenever　it　may
be；　that　Englishmen　put　not　their　faith　in　numbers；　but　in　justice　and
their　own　great　hearts。　Oh；　my　brothers　and　my　friends；　let　not
Edward；　whom　you　are　pleased　to　serve　as　your　lawful　King；　be　whipped
off　the　field　of　Crecy　and　out　of　France！　Stand　to　your　banners；　stand
to　your　King；　stand　to　St。　George　and　God！　Die　where　you　are　if　need
be；　as　I　will。　Never　threaten　and　then　show　your　backs　like　that　knave
the　archer　shot　but　now。　Look；　I　give　my　son　into　your　keeping；〃　and
he　pointed　to　the　young　Prince；　who　all　this　while　sat　upon　his　horse
upright　and　silent。　〃The　Hope　of　England　shall　be　your　leader；　but　if
he　flies；　why　then；　cut　him　down；　and　fight　without　him。　But　he'll　not
fly　and　you'll　not　fly；　no；　you　and　he　together　will　this　day　earn　a
name　that　shall　be　told　of　when　the　world　is　grey　with　age。　Great　is
the　chance　that　life　has　given　you；　pluck　it；　pluck　it　from　the　land
of　opportunity　and；　dead　or　living；　become　a　song　forever　in　the
mouths　of　men　unborn。　Think　not　of　prisoners；　think　not　of　ransoms　and
of　wealth。　Think　not　of　me　or　of　yourselves；　but　think　of　England's
honour；　and　for　that　strike　home；　for　England　watches　you　to…day。〃

〃We　will；　we　will！　Fear　not；　King；　we　will；〃　shouted　the　host　in
answer。

With　a　glad　smile；　Edward　took　his　young　son's　hand　and　shook　it；　then
rode　away　followed　by　his　marshals。

〃De　Cressi；〃　he　said；　as　he　passed　Hugh；　〃the　knave　Acour；　your　foe
and　mine；　is　with　Philip　of　France。　He　has　done　me　much　damage；　de
Cressi；　more　than　I　can　stop　to　tell。　Avenge　it　if　you　can。　Your　luck
is　great；　you　may　find　the　chance。　God　be　with　you　and　all。　My　lords；
farewell。　You　have　your　orders。　Son　Edward；　fare　you　well；　also。　Meet
me　again　with　honour；　or　never　more。〃

It　was　not　yet　noon　when　King　Edward　spoke　these　words；　and　long　hours
were　to　go　by　before　the　battle　joined。　Indeed；　most　thought　that　no
blow　would　be　struck　that　day；　since　it　was　known　that　Philip　had
slept　at　Abbeville；　whence　for　a　great　army　the　march　was　somewhat
long。　Still；　when　all　was　made　ready；　the　English　sat　them　down　in
their　ranks；　bows　and　helmets　at　side；　ate　their　mid…day　meal　with
appetite；　and　waited　whatever　fate　might　send　them。

In　obedience　to　the　King's　command　Hugh　and　Grey　Dick　had　been
attached　to　the　immediate　person　of　the　Prince　of　Wales；　who　had　about
him；　besides　his　own　knights；　a　small　band　of　chosen　archers　and
another　band　of　men…at…arms　picked　for　their　strength　and　courage。
These　soldiers　were　all　dismounted；　since　the　order　had　gone　forth
that　knight　and　squire　must　fight　afoot；　every　horse　having　been　sent
to　the　rear；　for　that　day　the　English　expected　to　receive　charges；　not
to　make　them。　This；　indeed；　would　have　been　impossible；　seeing　that
all　along　their　front　the　wild　Welsh　had　laboured　for　hours　digging
pits　into　which　horses　might　plunge　and　fall。

There　then　the　Prince's　battle　sat；　a　small　force　after　all；　perhaps
twelve　hundred　knights　and　men…at…arms；　with　three　or　four　thousand
archers；　and　to　their　rear；　as　many　of　the　savage；　knife…armed　Welsh
who　fought　that　day　under　the　banner　of　their　country；　the　red　Dragon
of　Merlin。　Grey　Dick's　place　was　on　the　extreme　left　of　the　archer
bodyguard；　and　Hugh's　on　the　extreme　right　of　that　of　the　men…at…arms；
so　that　they　were　but　a　few　yards　apart　and　could　talk　together。　From
time　to　time　they　spoke　of　sundry　things；　but　mostly　of　home；　for　in
this　hour　of　danger　through　which　both　of　them　could　hardly　hope　to
live；　even　if　one　did；　their　thoughts　turned　thither；　as　was　but
natural。

〃I　wonder　how　it　fares　with　the　lady　Eve；〃　said　Hugh；　with　a　sigh；　for
of　her　no　news　had　come　to　him　since　they　had　parted　some　months
before；　after　he　recovered　from　the　wound　which　Clavering　gave　him。

〃Well　enough；　doubtless。　Why　not？〃　replied　Dick。　〃She　is　strong　and
healthy；　she　has　many　friends　and　servants　to　guard　her　and　no　enemy
there　to　harm　her；　for　her　great　foe　is　yonder；〃　and　he　nodded　towards
Abbeville。　〃Oh；　without　doubt　well　enough。　It　is　she　who　should　wonder
how　it　fares　with　us。　Let　us　hope　that；　having　naught　else　to　do；　she
remembers　us　in　her　prayers；　since　in　such　a　case　even　one　woman's
prayers　are　worth　something；　for　does　not　a　single　feather　sometimes
turn　the　scale？〃

〃I　think　that　Eve　would　rather　fight　than　pray；〃　answered　Hugh；　with　a
smile；　〃like　old　Sir　Andrew；　who　would　give　half　his　remaining　days　to
sit　here　with　us　this　afternoon。　Well；　he　is　better　where　he　is。　Dick；
that　knave　Acour　sent　only　insolent　words　in　answer　to　my　challenge；
which　I　despatched　to　him　by　the　knight　I　took　and　spared　at　Caen。〃

〃Why　should　he　do　more；　master？　He　can　find　plenty　of　ways　of　dying
without　risking　a　single　combat　with　one　whom　he　has　wronged　and　who
is　therefore　very　dangerous。　You　remember　his　crest；　mastera　silver
swan　painted　on　his　shield。　I　knew　it；　and　that　is　why　I　shot　that
poor　fowl　just　before　you　killed　young　Clavering　on　the　banks　of
Blythe；　to　teach　him　that　swans　are　not　proof　against　arrows。　Watch
for　the　swan　crest；　master；　when　the　battle　jo