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！
ever higher upon the chamber wall； Nigel tossed feverishly upon
his couch； his ears straining for the footfall of Aylward or of
Chandos； bringing news of the fate of the prisoner。 At last the
door flew open； and there before him stood the one man whom he
least expected； and yet would most gladly have seen。 It was the
Red Ferret himself； free and joyous。
With swift furtive steps he was across the room and on his knees
beside the couch； kissing the pendent hand。 〃You have saved me；
most noble sir！〃 he cried。 〃The gallows was fixed and the rope
slung； when the good Lord Chandos told the King that you would die
by your own hand if I were slain。 ‘Curse this mule…headed
Squire！' he cried。 ‘In God's name let him have his prisoner； and
let him do what he will with him so long as he troubles me no
more！' So here I have come； fair sir； to ask you what I shall
do。〃
〃I pray you to sit beside me and be at your ease；〃 said Nigel。
〃In a few words I will tell you what I would have you do。 Your
armor I will keep； that I may have some remembrance of my good
fortune in meeting so valiant a gentleman。 We are of a size； and
I make little doubt that I can wear it。 Of ransom I would ask a
thousand crowns。〃
〃Nay； nay！〃 cried the Ferret。 〃It would be a sad thing if a man
of my position was worth less than five thousand。〃
〃A thousand will suffice； fair sir； to pay my charges for the war。
You will not again play the spy； nor do us harm until the truce is
broken。〃
〃That I will swear。〃
〃And lastly there is a journey that you shall make。〃
The Frenchman's face lengthened。 〃Where you order I must go；〃
said he； 〃but I pray you that it is not to the Holy Land。〃
〃Nay；〃 said Nigel； 〃but it is to a land which is holy to me。 You
will make your way back to Southampton。〃
〃I know it well。 I helped to burn it down some years ago。〃
〃I rede you to say nothing of that matter when you get there。 You
will then journey as though to London until you come to a fair
town named Guildford。〃
〃I have heard of it。 The King hath a hunt there。〃
〃The same。 You will then ask for a house named Cosford； two
leagues from the town on the side of a long hill。〃
〃I will bear it in mind。〃
〃At Cosford you will see a good knight named Sir John Buttesthorn；
and you will ask to have speech with his daughter； the Lady Mary。〃
〃I will do so； and what shall I say to the Lady Mary； who lives at
Cosford on the slope of a long hill two leagues from the fair town
of Guildford？〃
〃Say only that I sent my greeting； and that Saint Catharine has
been my friend … only that and nothing more。 And now leave me； I
pray you； for my head is weary and I would fain have sleep。〃
Thus it came about that a month later on the eve of the Feast of
Saint Matthew； the Lady Mary； as she walked front Cosford gates；
met with a strange horseman； richly clad； a serving…man behind
him； looking shrewdly about him with quick blue eyes； which
twinkled from a red and freckled face。 At sight of her he doffed
his hat and reined his horse。
〃This house should be Cosford；〃 said he。 〃Are you by chance the
Lady Mary who dwells there？〃
The lady bowed her proud dark head。
〃Then；〃 said he； 〃Squire Nigel Loring sends you greeting and tells
you that Saint Catharine has been his friend。〃 Then turning to
his servant he cried： 〃Heh； Raoul； our task is done！ Your master
is a free man once more。 Come； lad； come； the nearest port to
France！ Hola！ Hola！ Hola！〃 And so without a word more the two；
master and man； set spurs to their horses and galloped like madmen
down the long slope of Hindhead； until as she looked after them
they were but two dark dots in the distance； waist…high in the
ling and the bracken。
She turned back to the house； a smile upon her face。 Nigel had
sent her greeting。 A Frenchman had brought it。 His bringing it
had made him a freeman。 And Saint Catherine had been Nigel's
friend。 It was at her shrine that he had sworn that three deeds
should be done ere he should set eyes upon her again。 In the
privacy of her room the Lady Mary sank upon her prie…dieu and
poured forth the thanks of her heart to the Virgin that one deed
was accomplished； but even as she did so her joy was overcast by
the thought of those two others which lay before him。
XVI。 HOW THE KING'S COURT FEASTED IN CALAIS CASTLE
It was a bright sunshiny morning when Nigel found himself at last
able to leave his turret chamber and to walk upon the rampart of
the castle。 There was a brisk northern wind； heavy and wet with
the salt of the sea； and he felt； as he turned his face to it；
fresh life and strength surging in his blood and bracing his
limbs。 He took his hand from Aylward's supporting arm and stood
with his cap off； leaning on the rampart and breathing in the cool
strong air。 Far off upon the distant sky…line； half hidden by the
heave of the waves； was the low white fringe of cliffs which
skirted England。 Between him and them lay the broad blue Channel；
seamed and flecked with flashing foam； for a sharp sea was running
and the few ships in sight were laboring heavily。 Nigel's eyes
traversed the wide…spread view； rejoicing in the change from the
gray wall of his cramped chamber。 Finally they settled upon a
strange object at his very feet。
It was a long trumpet…shaped engine of leather and iron bolted
into a rude wooden stand and fitted with wheels。 Beside it lay a
heap of metal slugs and lumps of stone。 The end of the machine
was raised and pointed over the battlement。 Behind it stood an
iron box which Nigel opened。 It was filled with a black coarse
powder； like gritty charcoal。
〃By Saint Paul！〃 said he； passing his hands over the engine； 〃I
have heard men talk of these things； but never before have I seen
one。 It is none other than one of those wondrous new…made
bombards。〃
〃In sooth； it is even as you say；〃 Aylward answered； looking at it
with contempt and dislike in his face。 〃I have seen them here
upon the ramparts； and have also exchanged a buffet or two with
him who had charge of them。 He was jack…fool enough to think that
with this leather pipe he could outshoot the best archer in
Christendom。 I lent him a cuff on the ear that laid him across
his foolish engine。〃
〃It is a fearsome thing；〃 said Nigel； who had stooped to examine
it。 〃We live in strange times when such things can be made。 It
is loosed by fire； is it not； which springs from the black dust？〃
〃By my hilt！ fair sir； I know not。 And yet I call to mind that
ere we fell out this foolish bombardman did say something of the
matter。 The fire…dust is within and so also is the ball。 Then
you take more dust from this iron box and place it in the hole at
the farther end…so。 It is now ready。 I have never seen one
fired； but I wot that this one could be fired now。〃
〃It makes a strange sound； archer； does it not？〃 said Nigel
wistfully。
〃So I have heard； fair sir … even as the bow twangs； so it also
has a sound when you loose it。〃
〃There is no one to hear； since we are alone upon the rampart； nor
can it do scathe； since it points to sea。 I pray you to loose it
and I will listen to the sound。〃 He bent over the bombard with an
attentive ear； while Aylward； stooping his earnest brown face over
the touch…hole； scraped away diligently with a flint and steel。 A
moment later both he and Nigel were seated some distance off upon
the ground while amid the roar of the discharge and the thick
cloud of smoke they had a vision of the long black snakelike
engine shooting back upon the recoil。 For a minute or more they
were struck motionless with astonishment while the reverberations
died away and the smoke wreaths curled slowly up to the blue
heavens。
〃Good lack！〃 cried Nigel at last； picking himself up and looking
round him。 〃Good lack； and Heaven be my aid！ I thank the Virgin
that all stands as it did before。 I thought that the castle had
fallen。〃
〃Such a bull's bellow I have never heard；〃 cried Aylward； rubbing
his injured limbs。 〃One could hear it from Frensham Pond to
Guildford Castle。 I would not touch one again … not for a hide of
the best land in Puttenham！〃
〃It may fare ill with your own hide； archer； if you do；〃 said an
angry voice behind them。 Chandos had stepped from the open door
of the corner turret and stood looking at them with a harsh gaze。
Presently； as the matter was made clear to him his face relaxed
into a smile。
〃Hasten to the warden； archer； and tell him how it befell。 You
will have the castle and the town in arms。 I know not what the
King may think of so sudden an alarm。 And you； Nigel； how in the
name of the saints came you to play the child like this？〃
〃I knew not its power； fair lord。〃
〃By my soul； Nigel； I think that none of us know its power。 I can
see the day when all that we delight in； the splendor and glory of
war； may all go down before that which beats through the plate of
steel as easily as the leathern jacket。 I have bestrode my
warhorse in my armor and have looked down at the sooty； smoky
bombardman beside me； and I have thought that perhaps I was the
last of the old and he the first of the new； that there w