第 9 节
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赖赖 更新:2021-02-27 02:48 字数:9322
to beyond the church; making a quarter of a circle about the village; and at
the western end of it were the butts whence the folk were coming from
shooting when I first came into the village street。
Altogether; to me who knew nothing of war the place seemed
defensible enough。 I have said that the road down which Long Gregory
came with his tidings went north; and that was its general direction; but its
first reach was nearly east; so that the low sun was not in the eyes of any
of us; and where Will Green took his stand; and I with him; it was nearly
at our backs。
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A DREAM OF JOHN BALL
CHAPTER VI
THE BATTLE AT THE TOWNSHIP'S END
Our men had got into their places leisurely and coolly enough; and
with no lack of jesting and laughter。 As we went along the hedge by the
road; the leaders tore off leafy twigs from the low oak bushes therein; and
set them for a rallying sign in their hats and headpieces; and two or three
of them had horns for blowing。
Will Green; when he got into his place; which was thirty yards from
where Jack Straw and the billmen stood in the corner of the two hedges;
the road hedge and the hedge between the close and field; looked to right
and left of him a moment; then turned to the man on the left and said:
〃Look you; mate; when you hear our horns blow ask no more
questions; but shoot straight and strong at whatso cometh towards us; till
ye hear more tidings from Jack Straw or from me。 Pass that word
onward。〃
Then he looked at me and said:
〃Now; lad from Essex; thou hadst best sit down out of the way at once:
forsooth I wot not why I brought thee hither。 Wilt thou not back to the
cross; for thou art little of a fighting…man?〃
〃Nay;〃 said I; 〃I would see the play。 What shall come of it?〃
〃Little;〃 said he; 〃we shall slay a horse or twain maybe。 I will tell
thee; since thou hast not seen a fight belike; as I have seen some; that these
men…at…arms cannot run fast either to the play or from it; if they be a…foot;
and if they come on a… horseback; what shall hinder me to put a shaft into
the poor beast? But down with thee on the daisies; for some shot there
will be first。〃
As he spoke he was pulling off his belts and other gear; and his coat;
which done; he laid his quiver on the ground; girt him again; did his axe
and buckler on to his girdle; and hung up his other attire on the nearest tree
behind us。 Then he opened his quiver and took out of it some two dozen
of arrows; which he stuck in the ground beside him ready to his hand。
Most of the bowmen within sight were doing the like。
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As I glanced toward the houses I saw three or four bright figures
moving through the orchards; and presently noted that they were women;
all clad more or less like the girl in the Rose; except that two of them wore
white coifs on their heads。 Their errand there was clear; for each carried
a bundle of arrows under her arm。
One of them came straight up to Will Green; and I could see at once
that she was his daughter。 She was tall and strongly made; with black
hair like her father; somewhat comely; though no great beauty; but as they
met; her eyes smiled even more than her mouth; and made her face look
very sweet and kind; and the smile was answered back in a way so
quaintly like to her father's face; that I too smiled for goodwill and
pleasure。
〃Well; well; lass;〃 said he; 〃dost thou think that here is Crecy field
toward; that ye bring all this artillery? Turn back; my girl; and set the pot
on the fire; for that shall we need when we come home; I and this ballad…
maker here。〃
〃Nay;〃 she said; nodding kindly at me; 〃if this is to be no Crecy; then
may I stop to see; as well as the ballad…maker; since he hath neither sword
nor staff?〃
〃Sweetling;〃 he said; 〃get thee home in haste。 This play is but little;
yet mightest thou be hurt in it; and trust me the time may come; sweetheart;
when even thou and such as thou shalt hold a sword or a staff。 Ere the
moon throws a shadow we shall be back。〃
She turned away lingering; not without tears on her face; laid the sheaf
of arrows at the foot of the tree; and hastened off through the orchard。 I
was going to say something; when Will Green held up his hand as who
would bid us hearken。 The noise of the horse…hoofs; after growing nearer
and nearer; had ceased suddenly; and a confused murmur of voices had
taken the place of it。
〃Get thee down; and take cover; old lad;〃 said Will Green; 〃the dance
will soon begin; and ye shall hear the music presently。〃
Sure enough as I slipped down by the hedge close to which I had been
standing; I heard the harsh twang of the bow…strings; one; two; three;
almost together; from the road; and even the whew of the shafts; though
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A DREAM OF JOHN BALL
that was drowned in a moment by a confused but loud and threatening
shout from the other side; and again the bowstrings clanged; and this time
a far…off clash of arms followed; and therewithal that cry of a strong man
that comes without his will; and is so different from his wonted voice that
one has a guess thereby of the change that death is。 Then for a while was
almost silence; nor did our horns blow up; though some half…dozen of the
billmen had leapt into the road when the bows first shot。 But presently
came a great blare of trumpets and horns from the other side; and
therewith as it were a river of steel and bright coats poured into the field
before us; and still their horns blew as they spread out toward the left of
our line; the cattle in the pasture…field; heretofore feeding quietly; seemed
frightened silly by the sudden noise; and ran about tail in air and lowing
loudly; the old bull with his head a little lowered; and his stubborn legs
planted firmly; growling threateningly; while the geese about the brook
waddled away gobbling and squeaking; all which seemed so strange to us
along with the threat of sudden death that rang out from the bright array
over against us; that we laughed outright; the most of us; and Will Green
put down his head in mockery of the bull and grunted like him; whereat
we laughed yet more。 He turned round to me as he nocked his arrow; and
said:
〃I would they were just fifty paces nigher; and they move not。 Ho!
Jack Straw; shall we shoot?〃
For the latter…named was nigh us now; he shook his head and said
nothing as he stood looking at the enemy's line。
〃Fear not but they are the right folk; Jack;〃 quoth Will Green。
〃Yea; yea;〃 said he; 〃but abide awhile; they could make nought of the
highway; and two of their sergeants had a message from the grey…goose
feather。 Abide; for they have not crossed the road to our right hand; and
belike have not seen our fellows on the other side; who are now for a
bushment to them。〃
I looked hard at the man。 He was a tall; wiry; and broad… shouldered
fellow; clad in a handsome armour of bright steel that certainly had not
been made for a yeoman; but over it he had a common linen smock…frock
or gabardine; like our field workmen wear now or used to wear; and in his
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helmet he carried instead of a feather a wisp of wheaten straw。 He bore a
heavy axe in his hand besides the sword he was girt with; and round his
neck hung a great horn for blowing。 I should say that I knew that there
were at least three 〃Jack Straws〃 among the fellowship of the discontented;
one of whom was over in Essex。
As we waited there; every bowman with his shaft nocked on the string;
there was a movement in the line opposite; and presently came from it a
little knot of three men; the middle one on horseback; the other two armed
w