第 14 节
作者:你妹找1      更新:2021-08-21 21:26      字数:9322
  if you have by chance a place for such a man。  I have seen your
  following; and I doubt not that they were stout fellows in your
  grandfather's time; but which of them now would draw a bow…string
  to his ear?  Through you I have left the service of the Abbey of
  Waverley; and where can I look now for a post?  If I stay here I
  am all undone like a fretted bow…string。〃
  〃Nay; there can be no difficulty there;〃 said Chandos。  〃Padieu!
  a roistering; swaggering dare…devil archer is worth his price on
  the French border。  There are two hundred such who march behind my
  own person; and I would ask nothing better than to see you among
  them。〃
  〃I thank you; noble sir; for your offer;〃 said Aylward; 〃 and I
  had rather follow your banner than many another one; for it is
  well known that it goes ever forward; and I have heard enough of
  the wars to know that there are small pickings for the man who
  lags behind。  Yet; if the Squire will have me; I would choose to
  fight under the five roses of Loring; for though I was born in the
  hundred of Easebourne and the rape of Chichester; yet I have grown
  up and learned to use the longbow in these parts; and as the free
  son of a free franklin I had rather serve my own neighbor than a
  stranger。〃
  〃My good fellow;〃 said Nigel; 〃I have told you that I could in no
  wise reward you for such service。〃
  〃If you will but take me to the wars I will see to my own reward;〃
  said Aylward。  〃Till then I ask for none; save a corner of your
  table and six feet of your floor; for it is certain that the only
  reward I would get from the Abbey for this day's work would be the
  scourge for my back and the stocks for my ankles。  Samkin Aylward
  is your man; Squire Nigel; from this hour on; and by these ten
  finger…bones he trusts the Devil will fly away with him if ever he
  gives you cause to regret it!〃  So saying he raised his hand to
  his steel cap in salute; slung his great yellow bow over his back;
  and followed on some paces in the rear of his new master。
  〃Pardieu!  I have arrived a la bonne heure;〃 said Chandos。  〃I
  rode from Windsor and came to your manor house; to find it empty
  save for a fine old dame; who old me of your troubles。  From her I
  walked across to the Abbey; and none too soon; for what with
  cloth…yard shafts for your body; and bell; book and candle for
  your soul; it was no very cheerful outlook。  But here is the very
  dame herself; if I mistake not。〃
  It was indeed the formidable figure of the Lady Ermyntrude; gaunt;
  bowed and leaning on her staff; which had emerged from the door of
  the manor…house and advanced to greet them。  She croaked with
  laughter; and shook her stick at the great building as she heard
  of the discomfiture of the Abbey court。  Then she led the way into
  the hall where the best which she could provide had been laid out
  for their illustrious guest。  There was Chandos blood in her own
  veins; traceable back through the de Greys; de Multons; de
  Valences; de Montagues and other high and noble strains; so that
  the meal had been eaten and cleared before she had done tracing
  the network of intermarriages and connections; with quarterings;
  impalements; lozenges and augmentations by which the blazonry of
  the two families might be made to show a common origin。  Back to
  the Conquest and before it there was not a noble family…tree every
  twig and bud of which was not familiar to the Dame Ermyntrude。
  And now when the trestles were cleared and the three were left
  alone in the hall; Chandos broke his message to the lady。  〃King
  Edward hath ever borne in mind that noble knight your son Sir
  Eustace;〃 said he。  〃He will journey to Southampton next week; and
  I am his harbinger。  He bade me say; noble and honored lady; that
  he would come from Guildford in any easy stage so that he might
  spend one night under your roof。〃
  The old dame flushed with pleasure; and then turned white with
  vexation at the words。  〃It is in truth great honor to the house
  of Loring;〃 said she; 〃yet our roof is now humble and; as you have
  seen; our fare is plain。  The King knows not that we are so poor。
  I fear lest we seem churlish and niggard in his eyes。〃
  But Chandos reasoned away her fears。  The King's retinue would
  journey on to Farnham Castle。  There were no ladies in his party。
  Though he was King; still he was a hardy soldier; and cared little
  for his ease。  In any case; since he had declared his coming; they
  must make the best of it。  Finally; with all delicacy; Chandos
  offered his own purse if it would help in the matter。  But already
  the Lady Ermyntrude had recovered her composure。
  〃Nay; fair kinsman; that may not be;〃 said she。  〃I will make such
  preparation as I may for the King。  He will bear in mind that if
  the house of Loring can give nothing else; they have always held
  their blood and their lives at his disposal。〃
  Chandos was to ride on to Farnham Castle and beyond; but he
  expressed his desire to have a warm bath ere he left Tilford; for
  like most of his fellow…knights; he was much addicted to simmering
  in the hottest water that he could possibly endure。  The bath
  therefore; a high hooped arrangement like a broader but shorter
  churn; was carried into the privacy of the guest…chamber; and
  thither it was that Nigel was summoned to hold him company while
  he stewed and sweltered in his tub。
  Nigel perched himself upon the side of the high bed; swinging his
  legs over the edge and gazing with wonder and amusement at the
  quaint face; the ruffled yellow hair; and the sinewy shoulders of
  the famous warrior; dimly seen amid a pillar of steam。  He was in
  a mood for talk; so Nigel with eager lips plied him with a
  thousand questions about the wars; hanging upon every word which
  came back to him; like those of the ancient oracles; out of the
  mist and the cloud。  To Chandos himself; the old soldier for whom
  war had lost its freshness; it was a renewal of his own ardent
  youth to listen to Nigel's rapid questions and to mark the rapt
  attention with which he listened。
  〃Tell me of the Welsh; honored sir;〃 asked the Squire。  〃What
  manner of soldiers are the Welsh?〃
  〃They are very valiant men of war;〃 said Chandos; splashing about
  in his tub。  〃There is good skirmishing to be had in their valleys
  if you ride with a small following。  They flare up like a
  furzebush in the flames; but if for a short space you may abide
  the heat of it; then there is a chance that it may be cooler。〃
  〃And the Scotch?〃 asked Nigel。  〃You have made war upon them also;
  as I understand。〃
  〃The Scotch knights have no masters in the world; and he who can
  hold his own with the best of them; be it a Douglas; a Murray or a
  Seaton; has nothing more to learn。  Though you be a hard man; you
  will always meet as hard a one if you ride northward。  If the
  Welsh be like the furze fire; then; padieu! the Scotch are the
  peat; for they will smolder and you will never come to the end of
  them。  I have had many happy hours on the marches of Scotland; for
  even if there be no war the Percies of Alnwick or the Governor of
  Carlisle can still raise a little bickering with the border
  clans。〃
  〃I bear in mind that my father was wont to say that they were very
  stout spearmen。〃
  〃No better in the world; for the spears are twelve foot long and
  they hold them in very thick array; but their archers are weak;
  save only the men of Ettrick and Selkirk who come from the forest。
  I pray you to open the lattice; Nigel; for the steam is overthick。
  Now in Wales it is the spearmen who are weak; and there are no
  archers in these islands like the men of Gwent with their bows of
  elm; which shoot with such power that I have known a cavalier to
  have his horse killed when the shaft had passed through his mail
  breeches; his thigh and his saddle。  And yet; what is the most
  strongly shot arrow to these new balls of iron driven by the fire…
  powder which will crush a man's armor as an egg is crushed by a
  stone?  Our fathers knew them not。〃
  〃Then the better for us;〃 cried Nigel; 〃since there is at least
  one honorable venture which is all our own。〃
  Chandos chuckled and turned upon the flushed youth a twinkling and
  sympathetic eye。  〃You have a fashion of speech which carries me
  back to the old men whom I met in my boyhood;〃 said he。  〃There
  were some of the real old knight…errants left in those days; and
  they spoke as you do。  Young as you are; you belong to another
  age。  Where got you that trick of thought and word?〃
  〃I have had only one to teach me; the Lady Ermyntrude。〃
  〃Pardieu!  she has trained a proper young hawk ready to stoop at a
  lordly quarry;〃 said Chandos。  〃I would that I had the first
  unhooding of you。  Will you not ride with me to the wars?〃
  The tears brimmed over from Nigel's eyes; and he wrung the gaunt
  hand extended from the bath。  〃By Saint Paul! what could I ask
  better in the world?  I fear to leave her; for she has none other
  to care for her。  But if it can in any way be arranged … 〃
  〃The King's hand may smooth it out。  Say no more until he is here。
  But if you wish to ride with me … 〃
  〃What could man wish for more?  Is there a Squire in England who
  would not serve under the banner of Chandos!  Whither do you go;
  fair sir?  And when do y