第 54 节
作者:你妹找1      更新:2021-08-21 21:26      字数:9322
  each; and we knew that they had belonged to yonder dead Englishman
  upon the road。  Surely then; these are two of the villains who
  have slain him; and it is right that we do justice upon them。〃
  Sure enough; upon sword; girdle and dagger shone the silver Molene
  cross which had gleamed on the dead man's armor。  Knolles looked
  at them and then at the prisoners with a face of stone。  At the
  sight of those fell eyes they had dropped with inarticulate howls
  upon their knees; screaming out their protests in a tongue which
  none could understand。
  〃We must have the roads safe for wandering Englishmen;〃 said
  Knolles。  〃These men must surely die。  Hang them to yonder tree。〃
  He pointed to a live…oak by the roadside; and rode onward upon his
  way in converse with his fellow…knights。  But the old bowman had
  ridden after him。
  〃If it please you; Sir Robert; the bowmen would fain put these men
  to death in their own fashion;〃 said he。
  〃So that they die; I care not how;〃 Knolles answered carelessly;
  and looked back no more。
  Human life was cheap in those stern days when the footmen of a
  stricken army or the crew of a captured ship were slain without
  any question or thought of mercy by the victors。  War was a rude
  game with death for the stake; and the forfeit was always claimed
  on the one side and paid on the other without doubt or hesitation。
  Only the knight might be spared; since his ransom made him worth
  more alive than dead。  To men trained in such a school; with death
  forever hanging over their own heads; it may be well believed that
  the slaying of two peasant murderers was a small matter。
  And yet there was special reason why upon this occasion the bowmen
  wished to keep the deed in their own hands。  Ever since their
  dispute aboard the Basilisk; there had been ill…feeling betwixt
  Bartholomew the old bald…headed bowyer; and long Ned Widdington
  the Dalesman; which had ended in a conflict at Dinan; in which not
  only they; but a dozen of their friends had been laid upon the
  cobble…stones。  The dispute raged round their respective knowledge
  and skill with the bow; and now some quick wit amongst the
  soldiers had suggested a grim fashion in which it should be put to
  the proof; once for all; which could draw the surer shaft。
  A thick wood lay two hundred paces from the road upon which the
  archers stood。  A stretch of smooth grassy sward lay between。  The
  two peasants were led out fifty yards from the road; with their
  faces toward the wood。  There they stood; held on a leash; and
  casting many a wondering frightened glance over their shoulders at
  the preparations which were being made behind them。
  Old Bartholomew and the big Yorkshireman had stepped out of the
  ranks and stood side by side each with his strung bow in his left
  hand and a single arrow in his right。  With care they had drawn on
  and greased their shooting…gloves and fastened their bracers。
  They plucked and cast up a few blades of grass to measure the
  wind; examined every small point of their tackle; turned their
  sides to the mark; and Widened their feet in a firmer stance。
  》From all sides came chaff and counsel from their comrades。
  〃A three…quarter wind; bowyer!〃 cried one。  〃Aim a body's breadth
  to the right!〃
  〃But not thy body's breadth; bowyer;〃 laughed another。  〃Else may
  you be overwide。〃
  〃Nay; this wind will scarce turn a well…drawn shaft;〃 said a
  third。  〃Shoot dead upon him and you will be clap in the clout。〃
  〃 Steady; Ned; for the good name of the Dales;〃 cried a
  Yorkshireman。  〃 Loose easy and pluck not; or I am five crowns the
  poorer man。〃
  〃A week's pay on Bartholomew!〃 shouted another。  〃Now; old
  fat…pate; fail me not!〃
  〃Enough; enough!  Stint your talk!〃 cried the old bowman; Wat of
  Carlisle。  〃Were your shafts as quick as your tongues there would
  be no facing you。  Do you shoot upon the little one; Bartholomew;
  and you; Ned; upon the other。  Give them law until I cry the word;
  then loose in your own fashion and at your own time。  Are you
  ready!  Hola; there; Hayward; Beddington; let them run!〃
  The leashes were torn away; and the two men; stooping their heads;
  ran madly for the shelter of the wood amid such a howl from the
  archers as beaters may give when the hare starts from its form。
  The two bowmen; each with his arrow drawn to the pile; stood like
  russet statues; menacing; motionless; their eager eyes fixed upon
  the fugitives; their bow…staves rising slowly as the distance
  between them lengthened。  The Bretons were half…way to the wood;
  and still Old Wat was silent。  It may have been mercy or it may
  have been mischief; but at least the chase should have a fair
  chance of life。  At six score paces he turned his grizzled head at
  last。
  〃Loose!〃 he cried。
  At the word the Yorkshireman's bow…string twanged。  It was not for
  nothing that he had earned the name of being one of the deadliest
  archers of the North and had twice borne away the silver arrow of
  Selby。  Swift and true flew the fatal shaft and buried itself to
  the feather in the curved back of the long yellow…haired peasant。
  Without a sound he fell upon his face and lay stone…dead upon the
  grass; the one short white plume between his dark shoulders to
  mark where Death had smote him。
  The Yorkshireman threw his bowstave into the air and danced in
  triumph; whilst his comrades roared their fierce delight in a
  shout of applause; which changed suddenly into a tempest of
  hooting and of laughter。
  The smaller peasant; more cunning; than his comrade; had run more
  slowly; but with many a backward glance。  He had marked his
  companion's fate and had waited with keen eyes until he saw the
  bowyer loose his string。  At the moment he had thrown himself flat
  upon the grass and had heard the arrow scream above him;… and seen
  it quiver in the turf beyond。  Instantly he had sprung to his feet
  again and amid wild whoops and halloos from the bowmen had made
  for the shelter of the wood。  Now he had reached it; and ten score
  good paces separated him from the nearest of his persecutors。
  Surely they could not reach him here。  With the tangled brushwood
  behind him he was as safe as a rabbit at the mouth of his burrow。
  In the joy of his heart he must needs dance in derision and snap
  his fingers at the foolish men who had let him slip。  He threw
  back his head; howling at them like a dog; and at the instant an
  arrow struck him full in the throat and laid him dead among the
  bracken。  There was a hush of surprised silence and then a loud
  cheer burst from the archers。
  〃By the rood of Beverley!〃 cried old Wat; 〃I have not seen a finer
  roving shaft this many a year。  In my own best day I could not
  have bettered it。  Which of you loosed it?〃
  〃It was Aylward of Tilford … Samkin Aylward;〃 cried a score of
  voices; and the bowman; flushed at his own fame; was pushed to the
  front。
  〃Indeed I would that it had been at a nobler mark;〃 said he。  〃He
  might have gone free for me; but I could not keep my fingers from
  the string when he turned to jeer at us。〃
  〃I see well that you are indeed a master…bowman;〃 said old Wat;
  〃and it is comfort to my soul to think that if I fall I leave such
  a man behind me to hold high the credit of our craft。  Now gather
  your shafts and on; for Sir Robert awaits us on the brow of the
  hill。〃
  All day Knolles and his men marched through the same wild and
  deserted country; inhabited only by these furtive creatures; hares
  to the strong and wolves to the weak; who hovered in the shadows
  of the wood。  Ever and anon upon the tops of the hills they caught
  a glimpse of horsemen who watched them from a distance and
  vanished when approached。  Sometimes bells rang an alarm from
  villages amongst the hills; and twice they passed castles which
  drew up their drawbridges at their approach and lined their walls
  with hooting soldiers as they passed。  The Englishmen gathered a
  few oxen and sheep from the pastures of each; but Knolles had no
  mind to break his strength upon stone walls; and so he went upon
  his way。
  Once at St。 Meen they passed a great nunnery; girt with a high
  gray lichened wall; an oasis of peace in this desert of war; the
  black…robed nuns basking in the sun or working in the gardens;
  with the strong gentle hand of Holy Church shielding them ever
  from evil。  The archers doffed caps to them as they passed; for
  the boldest and roughest dared not cross that line guarded by the
  dire ban and blight which was the one only force in the whole
  steel…ridden earth which could stand betwixt the weakling and the
  spoiler。
  The little army halted at St。 Meen and cooked its midday meal。  It
  had gathered into its ranks again and was about to start; when
  Knolles drew Nigel to one side。
  〃Nigel;〃 said he; 〃it seems to me that I have seldom set eyes upon
  a horse which hath more power and promise of speed than this great
  beast of thine。〃
  〃It is indeed a noble steed; fair sir;〃 said Nigel。  Betwixt him
  and his young leader there had sprung up great affection and
  respect since the day that they set foot in the Basilisk。
  〃It will be the better if you stretch his limbs; for he grows
  overheavy;〃 said the knight。  〃Now mark me; Nigel!  Yonder betwixt
  the ash…tree and the red rock w