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the heather…hills together。 I will save you from this man's
cunning and from your own foolish weakness。〃
〃What would you do？〃
〃There is a priest without。 He will marry you now。 I will see
you married ere I leave this hall。〃
〃Or else？〃 sneered the man。
〃Or else you never leave this hall alive。 Nay； call not for your
servants or your dogs！ By Saint Paul！ I swear to you that this
matter lies between us three； and that if any fourth comes at your
call you； at least； shall never live to see what comes of it！
Speak then； Paul of Shalford！ Will you wed this woman now； or
will you not？〃
Edith was on her feet with outstretched arms between them。 〃Stand
back； Nigel！ He is small and weak。 You would not do him a hurt！
Did you not say so this very day？ For God's sake； Nigel； do not
look at him so！ There is death in your eyes。〃
〃A snake may be small and weak； Edith； yet every honest man would
place his heel upon it。 Do you stand back yourself； for my
purpose is set。〃
〃Paul！〃 she turned her eyes to the pale sneering face。 〃Bethink
you； Paul！ Why should you not do what he asks？ What matter to
you whether it be now or on Monday？ I pray you； dear Paul； for my
sake let him have his way！ Your brother can read the service
again if it so please him。 Let us wed now； Paul； and then all is
well。〃
He had risen from his chair； and he dashed aside her appealing
hands。 〃You foolish woman；〃 he snarled； 〃and you； my savior of
fair damsels； who are so bold against a cripple； you have both to
learn that if my body be weak there is the soul of my breed within
it！ To marry because a boasting； ranting； country Squire would
have me do so … no； by the soul of God； I will die first！ On
Monday I will marry； and no day sooner； so let that be your
answer。〃
〃It is the answer that I wished；〃 said Nigel； 〃for indeed I see no
happiness in this marriage； and the other may well be the better
way。 Stand aside； Edith！〃 He gently forced her to one side and
drew his sword。
De la Fosse cried aloud at the sight。 〃I have no sword。 You
would not murder me？〃 said he； leaning back with haggard…face and
burning eyes against his chair。 The bright steel shone in the
lamp…light。 Edith shrank back； her hand over her face。
〃Take this sword！〃 said Nigel； and he turned the hilt to the
cripple。 〃Now！〃 he added； as he drew his hunting knife。 〃Kill me
if you can； Paul de la Fosse； for as God is my help I will do as
much for you！〃
The woman； half swooning and yet spellbound and fascinated； looked
on at that strange combat。 For a moment the cripple stood with an
air of doubt； the sword grasped in his nerveless fingers。 Then as
he saw the tiny blade in Nigel's hand the greatness of the
advantage came home to him； and a cruel smile tightened his loose
lips。 Slowly； step by step he advanced； his chin sunk upon his
chest； his eyes glaring from under the thick tangle of his brows
like fires through the brushwood。 Nigel waited for him； his left
hand forward； his knife down by his hip； his face grave； still and
watchful。
Nearer and nearer yet； with stealthy step； and then with a bound
and a cry of hatred and rage Paul de la Fosse had sped his blow。
It was well judged and well swung； but point would have been wiser
than edge against that supple body and those active feet。 Quick
as a flash； Nigel had sprung inside the sweep of the blade； taking
a flesh wound on his left forearm； as he pressed it under the
hilt。 The next instant the cripple was on the ground and Nigel's
dagger was at his throat。
〃You dog！〃 he whispered。 〃I have you at my mercy！ Quick ere I
strike； and for the last time！ Will you marry or no？〃
The crash of the fall and the sharp point upon his throat had
cowed the man's spirit。 He looked up with a white face and the
sweat gleamed upon his forehead。 There was terror in his eyes。
〃Nay； take your knife from me！〃 he cried。 〃I cannot die like a
calf in the shambles。〃
〃Will you marry？〃
〃Yes； yes； I will wed her！ After all she is a good wench and I
might do worse。 Let me up！ I tell you I will marry her！ What
more would you have？〃
Nigel stood above him with his foot upon his misshapen body。 He
had picked up his sword； and the point rested upon the cripple's
breast。
〃Nay； you will bide where you are！ If you are to live … and my
conscience cries loud against it … at least your wedding will be
such as your sins have deserved。 Lie there； like the crushed worm
that you are！〃 Then he raised his voice。 〃Father Athanasius！〃 he
cried。 〃What ho！ Father Athanasius！〃
The old priest ran to the cry； and so did the Lady Mary。 A
strange sight it was that met them now in the circle of light； the
frightened girl； half…unconscious against the table； the prostrate
cripple； and Nigel with foot and sword upon his body。
〃Your book； father！〃 cried Nigel。 〃I know not if what we do is
good or ill； but we must wed them； for there is no way out。〃
But the girl by the table had given a great cry； and she was
clinging and sobbing with her arms round her sister's neck。
〃Oh； Mary； I thank the Virgin that you have come！ I thank the
Virgin that it is not too late！ What did he say？ He said that he
was a de la Fosse and that he would not be married at the
sword…point。 My heart went out to him when he said it。 But I； am
I not a Buttesthorn； and shall it be said that I would marry a man
who could be led to the altar with a knife at his throat？ No； no；
I see him as he is！ I know him now； the mean spirit； the lying
tongue！ Can I not read in his eyes that he has indeed deceived
me； that he would have left me as you say that he has left others？
Take me home； Mary； my sister； for you have plucked me back this
night from the very mouth of Hell！〃
And so it was that the master of Shalford； livid and brooding； was
left with his wine at his lonely table； while the golden beauty of
Cosford； hot with shame and anger； her fair face wet with tears；
passed out safe from the house of infamy into the great calm and
peace of the starry night。
XIII。 HOW THE COMRADES JOURNEYED DOWN THE OLD； OLD ROAD
And now the season of the moonless nights was drawing nigh and the
King's design was ripe。 Very secretly his preparations were made。
Already the garrison of Calais； which consisted of five hundred
archers and two hundred men…at…arms； could； if forewarned； resist
any attack made upon it。 But it was the King's design not merely
to resist the attack； but to capture the attackers。 Above all it
was his wish to find the occasion for one of those adventurous
passages of arms which had made his name famous throughout
Christendom as the very pattern and leader of knight…errant
chivalry。
But the affair wanted careful handling。 The arrival of any；
reinforcements； or even the crossing of any famous soldier； would
have alarmed the French and warned them that their plot had been
discovered。 Therefore it was in twos and threes in the creyers
and provision ships which were continually passing from shore to
shore that the chosen warriors and their squires were brought to
Calais。 There they were passed at night through the water…gate
into the castle where they could lie hidden； unknown to the
townsfolk； until the hour for action had come。
Nigel had received word from Chandos to join him at 〃The Sign of
the Broom…Pod〃 in Winchelsea。 Three days beforehand he and
Aylward rode from Tilford all armed and ready for the wars。 Nigel
was in hunting…costume； blithe and gay； with his precious armor
and his small baggage trussed upon the back of a spare horse which
Aylward led by the bridle。 The archer had himself a good black
mare； heavy and slow； but strong enough to be fit to carry his
powerful frame。 In his brigandine of chain mail and his steel
cap； with straight strong sword by his side； his yel low long…bow
jutting over his shoulder； and his quiver of arrows supported by a
scarlet baldric； he was such a warrior as any knight might well be
proud to have in his train。 All Tilford trailed behind them； as
they rode slowly over the long slope of heath land which skirts
the flank of Crooksbury Hill。
At the summit of the rise Nigel reined in Pommers and looked back
at the little village behind him。 There was the old dark manor
house； with one bent figure leaning upon a stick and gazing dimly
after him from beside the door。 He looked at the high…pitched
roof； the timbered walls； the long trail of swirling blue smoke
which rose from the single chimney； and the group of downcast old
servants who lingered at the gate； John the cook； Weathercote the
minstrel； and Red Swire the broken soldier。 Over the river amid
the trees he could see the grim； gray tower of Waverley； and even
as he looked； the iron bell； which had so often seemed to be the
hoarse threatening cry of an enemy； clanged out its call to
prayer。 Nigel doffed his velvet cap and prayed also … prayed that
peace might remain at home； and good warfare； in which honor and
fame should await him； might still be found abroad。 Then； waving
his hand to the people； he turned his horse's head and rode slowly
eastward。 A moment later Aylward broke from the grou