按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
glance if blood be dark and frothy； which means a mortal hurt； or
thin and clear； which means that the arrow has struck a bone。
〃By such signs；〃 said he； 〃you will surely know whether to lay on
the hounds and cast down the blinks which hinder the stricken deer
in its flight。 But above all I pray you； Nigel； to have a care in
the use of the terms of the craft； lest you should make some
blunder at table； so that those who are wiser may have the laugh
of you； and we who love you may be shamed。〃
〃Nay； Sir John；〃 said Nigel。 〃I think that after your teaching I
can hold my place with the others。〃
The old Knight shook his white head doubtfully。 〃There is so much
to be learned that there is no one who can be said to know all；〃
said he。 〃For example； Nigel； it is sooth that for every
collection of beasts of the forest； and for every gathering of
birds of the air； there is their own private name so that none may
be confused with another。〃
〃I know it； fair sir。〃
〃You know it； Nigel； but you do not know each separate name； else
are you a wiser man than I had thought you。 In truth … none can
say that they know all； though I have myself picked off eighty；
and six for a wager at court； and it is said that the chief
huntsman of the Duke of Burgundy has counted over a hundred … but
it is in my mind that he may have found them as he went； for there
was none to say him nay。 Answer me now； lad； how would you say if
you saw ten badgers together in the forest？〃
〃A cete of badgers； fair sir。〃
〃Good； Nigel … good； by my faith！ And if you walk in Woolmer
Forest and see a swarm of foxes； how would you call it？〃
〃A skulk of foxes。〃
〃And if they be lions？〃
〃Nay； fair sir； I am not like to meet several lions in Woolmer
Forest。〃
〃Aye； lad； but there are other forests besides Woolmer； and other
lands besides England； and who can tell how far afield such a
knight errant as Nigel of Tilford may go； when he sees worship to
be won？ We will say that you were in the deserts of Nubia； and
that afterward at the court of the great Sultan you wished to say
that you had seen several lions； which is the first beast of the
chase； being the king of all animals。 How then would you say it？〃
Nigel scratched his head。 〃Surely； fair sir； I would be content
to say that I had seen a number of lions； if indeed I could say
aught after so wondrous an adventure。〃
〃Nay； Nigel； a huntsman would have said that he had seen a pride
of lions； and so proved that he knew the language of the chase。
Now had it been boars instead of lions？〃
〃One says a singular of boars。〃
〃And if they be swine？〃
〃Surely it is a herd of swine。〃
〃Nay； nay； lad； it is indeed sad to see how little you know。 Your
hands； Nigel； were always better than your head。 No man of gentle
birth would speak of a herd of swine； that is the peasant speech。
If you drive them it is a herd。 If you hunt them it is other。
What call you them； then； Edith？〃
〃Nay； I know not；〃 said the girl listlessly。 A crumpled note
brought in by a varlet was clinched in her right hand and her blue
eyes looked afar into the deep shadows of the roof。
〃But you can tell us； Mary？〃
〃Surely； sweet sir； one talks of a sounder of swine。〃
The old Knight laughed exultantly。 〃Here is a pupil who never
brings me shame！〃 he cried。 〃Be it lore … of chivalry or heraldry
or woodcraft or what you will； I can always turn to Mary。 Many a
man can she put to the blush。〃
〃Myself among them；〃 said Nigel。
〃Ah； lad； you are a Solomon to some of them。 Hark ye！ only last
week that jack…fool； the young Lord of Brocas； was here talking of
having seen a covey of pheasants in the wood。 One such speech
would have been the ruin of a young Squire at the court。 How
would you have said it； Nigel？〃
〃Surely； fair sir； it should be a nye of pheasants。〃
〃Good； Nigel … a nye of pheasants； even as it is a gaggle of geese
or a badling of ducks； a fall of woodcock or a wisp of snipe。 But
a covey of pheasants！ What sort of talk is that？ I made him sit
even where you are sitting； Nigel； and I saw the bottom of two
pots of Rhenish ere I let him up。 Even then I fear that he had no
great profit from his lesson； for he was casting his foolish eyes
at Edith when he should have been turning his ears to her father。
But where is the wench？〃
〃She hath gone forth； father。〃
〃She ever doth go forth when there is a chance of learning aught
that is useful indoors。 But supper will soon be ready； and there
is a boar's ham fresh from the forest with which I would ask your
help； Nigel； and a side of venison from the King's own chase。 The
tinemen and verderers have not forgotten me yet； and my larder is
ever full。 Blow three moots on the horn； Mary； that the varlets
may set the table； for the growing shadow and my loosening belt
warn me that it is time。〃
XII。 HOW NIGEL FOUGHT THE TWISTED MAN OF SHALFORD
In the days of which you read all classes； save perhaps the very
poor； fared better in meat and in drink than they have ever done
since。 The country was covered with woodlands … there were
seventy separate forests in England alone； some of them covering
half a shire。 Within these forests the great beasts of the chase
were strictly preserved； but the smaller game； the hares； the
rabbits； the birds； which swarmed round the coverts； found their
way readily into the poor man's pot。 Ale was very cheap； and
cheaper still was the mead which every peasant could make for
himself out of the wild honey in the tree…trunks。 There were many
tea…like drinks also； which were brewed by the poor at no expense：
mallow tea； tansy tea； and others the secret of which has passed。
Amid the richer classes there was rude profusion； great joints
ever on the sideboard； huge pies； beasts of the field and beasts
of the chase； with ale and rough French or Rhenish wines to wash
them down。 But the very rich had attained to a high pitch of
luxury in their food； and cookery was a science in which the
ornamentation of the dish was almost as important as the dressing
of the food。 It was gilded； it was silvered； it was painted； it
was surrounded with flame。 From the boar and the peacock down to
such strange food as the porpoise and the hedgehog； every dish had
its own setting and its own sauce； very strange and very complex；
with flavorings of dates； currants； cloves； vinegar； sugar and
honey； of cinnamon； ground ginger； sandalwood； saffron； brawn and
pines。 It was the Norman tradition to eat in moderation； but to
have a great profusion of the best and of the most delicate from
which to choose。 From them came this complex cookery； so unlike
the rude and often gluttonous simplicity of the old Teutonic
stock。
Sir John Buttesthorn was of that middle class who fared in the old
fashion； and his great oak supper…table groaned beneath the
generous pasties； the mighty joints and the； great flagons。 Below
were the household； above on a raised dais the family table； with
places ever ready for those frequent guests who dropped in from
the high road outside。 Such a one had just come； an old priest；
journeying from the Abbey of Chertsey to the Priory of Saint John
at Midhurst。 He passed often that way； and never without breaking
his journey at the hospitable board of Cosford。
〃Welcome again； good Father Athanasius！〃 cried the burly Knight。
〃Come sit here on my right and give me the news of the
country…side； for there is never a scandal but the priests are the
first to know it。〃
The priest； a kindly； quiet man； glanced at an empty place upon
the farther side of his host。 〃Mistress Edith？〃 said he。
〃Aye； aye； where is the hussy？〃 cried her father impatiently。
〃Mary； I beg you to have the horn blown again； that she may know
that the supper is on the table。 What can the little owlet do
abroad at this hour of the night？〃
There was trouble in the priest's gentle eyes as he touched the
Knight upon the sleeve。 〃I have seen Mistress Edith within this
hour；〃 said he。 〃I fear that she will hear no horn that you may
blow； for she must be at Milford ere now。〃
〃At Milford？ What does she there？〃
〃I pray you； good Sir John； to abate your voice somewhat； for
indeed this matter is for our private discourse； since it touches
the honor of a lady。〃
〃Her honor？〃 Sir John's ruddy face had turned redder still； as he
stared at the troubled features of the priest。 〃Her honor； say
you … the honor of my daughter？ Make good those words； or never
set your foot over the threshold of Cosford again！〃
〃I trust that I have done no wrong； Sir John； but indeed I must
say what I have seen； else would I be a false friend and an
unworthy priest。〃
〃Haste man； haste！ What in the Devil's name have you seen？〃
〃Know you a little man； partly misshapen； named Paul de la Fosse？〃
〃I know him well。 He is a man of noble family and coat…armour；
being the younger brother of Sir Eustace de la Fosse of Shalford。
Time was when I had thought that I might call him son； for there
was never a day that he did not pass with my girls； but I fear
that his crooked back sped him ill in his wooing。〃
〃Alas； Sir John！ It is his mind that is more c