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！
given to me before all the high…born ladies of England by Sir Nele
Loring a month before our marriage … the Queen of Beauty； Nigel …
I； old and twisted； as you see me。 Five strong men went down
before his lance ere he won that trinket for me。 And now in my
last years … 〃
〃 Nay； dear and honored lady； we will not part with it。〃
〃Yes； Nigel； he would have it so。 I can hear his whisper in my
ear。 Honor to him was everything … the rest nothing。 Take it
from me； Nigel； ere my heart weakens。 Tomorrow you will ride with
it to Guildford； you will see Thorold the goldsmith； and you will
raise enough money to pay for all that we shall need for the
King's coming。〃 She turned her face away to hide the quivering of
her wrinkled features； and the crash of the iron lid covered the
sob which burst from her overwrought soul。
VII。 HOW NIGEL WENT MARKETING TO GUILDFORD
It was on a bright June morning that young Nigel； with youth and
springtime to make his heart light； rode upon his errand from
Tilford to Guildford town。 Beneath him was his great yellow
warhorse； caracoling and curveting as be went； as blithe and free
of spirit as his master。 In all England one would scarce have
found upon that morning so high…mettled and so debonair a pair。
The sandy road wound through groves of fir； where the breeze came
soft and fragrant with resinous gums； or over heathery downs；
which rolled away to north and to south； vast and untenanted； for
on the uplands the soil was poor and water scarce。 Over
Crooksbury Common he passed； and then across the great Heath of
Puttenham； following a sandy path which wound amid the bracken and
the heather； for he meant to strike the Pilgrims' Way where it
turned eastward from Farnham and from Seale。 As he rode he
continually felt his saddle…bag with his hand； for in it； securely
strapped； he had placed the precious treasures of the Lady
Ermyntrude。 As he saw the grand tawny neck tossing before him；
and felt the easy heave of the great horse and heard the muffled
drumming of his hoofs； he could have sung and shouted with the joy
of living。
Behind him； upon the little brown pony which had been Nigel's
former mount； rode Samkin Aylward the bowman； who had taken upon
himself the duties of personal attendant and body…guard。 His
great shoulders and breadth of frame seemed dangerously top…heavy
upon the tiny steed； but he ambled along； whistling a merry lilt
and as lighthearted as his master。 There was no countryman who
had not a nod and no woman who had not a smile for the jovial
bowman； who rode for the most part with his face over his
shoulder； staring at the last petticoat which had passed him。
Once only he met with a harsher greeting。 It was from a tall；
white…headed； red…faced man whom they met upon the moor。
〃Good…morrow； dear father！〃 cried Aylward。 〃How is it with you at
Crooksbury？ And how are the new black cow and the ewes from Alton
and Mary the dairymaid and all your gear？〃
〃It ill becomes you to ask； you ne'er…do…weel；〃 said the old man。
〃You have angered the monks of Waverley； whose tenant I am； and
they would drive me out of my farm。 Yet there are three more
years to run； and do what they may I will bide till then。 But
little did I think that I should lose my homestead through you；
Samkin； and big as you are I would knock the dust out of that
green jerkin。 with a good hazel switch if I had you at
Crooksbury。〃
〃Then you shall do it to…morrow morning； good father； for I will
come and see you then。 But indeed I did not do more at Waverley
than you would have done yourself。 Look me in the eye； old
hothead； and tell me if you would have stood by while the last
Loring … look at him as he rides with his head in the air and his
soul in the clouds … was shot down before your very eyes at the
bidding of that fat monk！ If you would； then I disown you as my
father。〃
〃Nay； Samkin； if it was like that； then perhaps what you did was
not so far amiss。 But it is hard to lose the old farm when my
heart is buried deep in the good brown soil。〃
〃Tut； man！ there are three years to run； and what may not happen
in three years？ Before that time I shall have gone to the wars；
and when I have opened a French strong box or two you can buy the
good brown soil and snap your fingers at Abbot John and his
bailiffs。 Am I not as proper a man as Tom Withstaff of Churt？
And yet he came back after six months with his pockets full of
rose nobles and a French wench on either arm。〃
〃God preserve us from the wenches； Samkin！ But indeed I think
that if there is money to be gathered you are as likely to get
your fist full as any man who goes to the war。 But hasten； lad；
hasten！ Already your young master is over the brow。〃
Thus admonished； the archer waved his gauntleted hand to his
father； and digging his heels into the sides of his little pony
soon drew up with the Squire。 Nigel glanced over his shoulder and
slackened speed until the pony's head was up to his saddle。
〃Have I not heard； archer；〃 said he； 〃that an outlaw has been
loose in these parts？〃
〃It is true； fair sir。 He was villain to Sir Peter Mandeville；
but he broke his bonds and fled into the forests。 Men call him
the ‘Wild Man of Puttenham。'〃
〃How comes it that he has not been hunted down？ If the man be a
draw…latch and a robber it would be an honorable deed to clear the
country of such an evil。〃
〃Twice the sergeants…at…arms from Guildford have come out against
him； but the fox has many earths； and it would puzzle you to get
him out of them。〃
〃By Saint Paul！ were my errand not a pressing one I would be
tempted to turn aside and seek him。 Where lives he； then？〃
〃There is a great morass beyond Puttenham； and across it there are
caves in which he and his people lurk。〃
〃His people？ He hath a band？〃
〃There are several with him。〃
〃It sounds a most honorable enterprise；〃 said Nigel。 〃When the
King hath come and gone we will spare a day for the outlaws of
Puttenham。 I fear there is little chance for us to see them on
this journey。〃
〃They prey upon the pilgrims who pass along the Winchester Road；
and they are well loved by the folk in these parts； for they rob
none of them and have an open hand for all who will help them。〃
〃It is right easy to have an open hand with the money that you
have stolen；〃 said Nigel； 〃but I fear that they will not try to
rob two men with swords at their girdles like you and me； so we
shall have no profit from them。〃
They had passed over the wild moors and had come down now into the
main road by which the pilgrims from the west of England made
their way to the national shrine at Canterbury。 It passed from
Winchester； and up the beautiful valley of the Itchen until it
reached Farnham； where it forked into two branches； one of which
ran along the Hog's Back； while the second wound to the south and
came out at Saint Catherine's Hill where stands the Pilgrim
shrine； a gray old ruin now； but once so august； so crowded and so
affluent。 It was this second branch upon which Nigel and Aylward
found themselves as they rode to Guildford。
No one； as it chanced； was going the sam