sir nigel-第2部分

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！



And　then　came　their　lawsuit　with　Waverley　Abbey；　and　the
Cistercians　laid　claim　to　their　richest　land；　with　peccary；
turbary　and　feudal　rights　over　the　remainder。　　It　lingered　on　for
years；　this　great　lawsuit；　and　when　it　was　finished　the　men　of　the
Church　and　the　men　of　the　Law　had　divided　all　that　was　richest　of
the　estate　between　them。　　There　was　still　left　the　old　manor…house
from　which　with　each　generation　there　came　a　soldier　to　uphold　the
credit　of　the　name　and　to　show　the　five　scarlet　roses　on　the
silver　shield　where　it　had　always　been　shown　…　in　the　van。　　There
were　twelve　bronzes　in　the　little　chapel　where　Matthew　the　priest
said　mass　every　morning；　all　of　men　of　the　house　of　Loring。　　Two
lay　with　their　legs　crossed；　as　being　from　the　Crusades。　　Six
others　rested　their　feet　upon　lions；　as　having　died　in　war。　　Four
only　lay　with　the　effigy　of　their　hounds　to　show　that　they　had
passed　in　peace。

Of　this　famous　but　impoverished　family；　doubly　impoverished　by　law
and　by　pestilence；　two　members　were　living　in　the　year　of　grace
1349　…　Lady　Ermyntrude　Loring　and　her　grandson　Nigel。　　Lady
Ermyntrude's　husband　had　fallen　before　the　Scottish　spearsmen　at
Stirling；　and　her　son　Eustace；　Nigel's　father；　had　found　a
glorious　death　nine　years　before　this　chronicle　opens　upon　the
poop　of　a　Norman　galley　at　the　sea…fight　of　Sluys。　　The　lonely　old
woman；　fierce　and　brooding　like　the　falcon　mewed　in　her　chamber；
was　soft　only　toward　the　lad　whom　she　had　brought　up。　　All　the
tenderness　and　love　of　her　nature；　so　hidden　from　others　that　they
could　not　imagine　their　existence；　were　lavished　upon　him。　　She
could　not　bear　him　away　from　her；　and　he；　with　that　respect　for
authority　which　the　age　demanded；　would　not　go　without　her
blessing　and　consent。

So　it　came　about　that　Nigel；　with　his　lion　heart　and　with　the
blood　of　a　hundred　soldiers　thrilling　in　his　veins；　still　at　the
age　of　two　and　twenty；　wasted　the　weary　days　reclaiming　his　hawks
with　leash　and　lure　or　training　the　alans　and　spaniels　who　shared
with　the　family　the　big　earthen…floored　hall　of　the　manor…house。

Day　by　day　the　aged　Lady　Ermyntrude　had　seen　him　wax　in　strength
and　in　manhood；　small　of　stature；　it　is　true；　but　with　muscles　of
steel　…　and　a　soul　of　fire。　　From　all　parts；　from　the　warden　of
Guildford　Castle；　from　the　tilt…yard　of　Farnham；　tales　of　his
prowess　were　brought　back　to　her；　of　his　daring　as　a　rider；　of　his
debonair　courage；　of　his　skill　with　all　weapons；　but　still　she；
who　had　both　husband　and　son　torn　from　her　by　a　bloody　death；
could　not　bear　that　this；　the　last　of　the　Lorings；　the　final　bud
of　so　famous　an　old　tree；　should　share　the　same　fate。　　With　a
weary　heart；　but　with　a　smiling　face；　he　bore　with　his　uneventful
days；　while　she　would　ever　put　off　the　evil　time　until　the　harvest
was　better；　until　the　monks　of　Waverley　should　give　up　what　they
had　taken；　until　his　uncle　should　die　and　leave　money　for　his
outfit；　or　any　other　excuse　with　which　she　could　hold　him　to　her
side。

And　indeed；　there　was　need　for　a　man　at　Tilford；　for　the　strife
betwixt　the　Abbey　and　the　manor…house　had　never　been　appeased；　and
still　on　one　pretext　or　another　the　monks　would　clip　off　yet　one
more　slice　of　their　neighbor's　land。　　Over　the　winding　river；
across　the　green　meadows；　rose　the　short　square　tower　and　the　high
gray　walls　of　the　grim　Abbey；　with　its　bell　tolling　by　day　and
night；　a　voice　of　menace　and　of　dread　to　the　little　household。

It　is　in　the　heart　of　the　great　Cistercian　monastery　that　this
chronicle　of　old　days　must　take　its　start；　as　we　trace　the　feud
betwixt　the　monks　and　the　house　of　Loring；　with　those　events　to
which　it　gave　birth；　ending　with　the　coming　of　Chandos；　the
strange　spear…running　of　Tilford　Bridge　and　the　deeds　with　which
Nigel　won　fame　in　the　wars。　　Elsewhere；　in　the　chronicle　of　the
White　Company；　it　has　been　set　forth　what　manner　of　man　was　Nigel
Loring。　　Those　who　love　him　may　read　herein　those　things　which
went　to　his　making。　　Let　us　go　back　together　and　gaze　upon　this
green　stage　of　England；　the　scenery；　hill；　plain　and　river　even　as
now；　the　actors　in　much　our　very　selves；　in　much　also　so　changed
in　thought　and　act　that　they　might　be　dwellers　in　another　world　to
ours。




II。　　HOW　THE　DEVIL　CAME　TO　WAVERLEY


The　day　was　the　first　of　May；　which　was　the　Festival　of　the
Blessed　Apostles　Philip　and　James。　　The　year　was　the　1；349th　from
man's　salvation。

》From　tierce　to　sext；　and　then　again　from　sext　to　nones；　Abbot　John
of　the　House　of　Waverley　had　been　seated　in　his　study　while　he
conducted　the　many　high　duties　of　his　office。　　All　around　for　many
a　mile　on　every　side　stretched　the　fertile　and　flourishing　estate
of　which　he　was　the　master。　　In　the　center　lay　the　broad　Abbey
buildings；　with　church　and　cloisters；　hospitium；　chapter…house　and
frater…house；　all　buzzing　with　a　busy　life。　　Through　the　open
window　came　the　low　hum　of　the　voices　of　the　brethren　as　they
walked　in　pious　converse　in　the　ambulatory　below。　　From　across　the
cloister　there　rolled　the　distant　rise　and　fall　of　a　Gregorian
chant；　where　the　precentor　was　hard　at　work　upon　the　choir；　while
down　in　the　chapter…house　sounded　the　strident　voice　of　Brother
Peter；　expounding　the　rule　of　Saint　Bernard　to　the　novices。

Abbot　John　rose　to　stretch　his　cramped　limbs。　　He　looked　out　at
the　greensward　of　the　cloister；　and　at　the　graceful　line　of　open
Gothic　arches　which　skirted　a　covered　walk　for　the　brethren
within。　　Two　and　two　in　their　black…and…white　garb　with　slow　step
and　heads　inclined；　they　paced　round　and　round。　　Several　of　the
more　studious　had　brought　their　illuminating　work　from　the
scriptorium；　and　sat　in　the　warm　sunshine　with　their　little
platters　of　pigments　and　packets　of　gold…leaf　before　them；　their
shoulders　rounded　and　their　faces　sunk　low　over　the　white　sheets
of　vellum。　　There　too　was　the　copper…worker　with　his　burin　and
graver。　　Learning　and　art　were　not　traditions　with　the　Cistercians
as　with　the　parent　Order　of　the　Benedictines；　and　yet　the　library
of　Waverley　was　well　filled　both　with　precious　books　and　with
pious　students。

But　the　true　glory　of　the　Cistercian　lay　in　his　outdoor　work；　and
so　ever　and　anon　there　passed　through　the　cloister　some　sunburned
monk；　soiled　mattock　or　shovel　in　hand；　with　his　gown　looped　to
his　knee；　fresh　from　the　fields　or　the　garden。　　The　lush　green
water…meadows　speckled　with　the　heavy…fleeced　sheep；　the　acres　of
corn…land　reclaimed　from　heather　and　bracken；　the　vineyards　on　the
southern　slope　of　Crooksbury　Hill；　the　rows　of　Hankley　fish…ponds；
the　Frensham　marshes　drained　and　sown　with　vegetables；　the
spacious　pigeon…cotes；　all　circled　the　great　Abbey　round　with　the
visible　labors　of　the　Order。

The　Abbot's　full　and　florid　face　shone　with　a　quiet　content　as　he
looked　out　at　his　huge　but　well…ordered　household。　　Like　every
head　of　a　prosperous　Abbey；　Abbot　John；　the　fourth　of　the　name；
was　a　man　of　various　accomplishments。　　Through　his　own　chosen
instruments　he　had　to　minister　a　great　estate　and　to　keep　order
and　decorum　among　a　large　body　of　men　living　a　celibate　life。　　He
was　a　rigid　disciplinarian　toward　all　beneath　him；　a　supple
diplomatist　to　all　above。　　He　held　high　debate　with　neighboring
abbots　and　lords；　with　bishops；　with　papal　legates；　and　even　on
occasion　with　the　King's　majesty　himself。　　Many　were　the　subjects
with　which　he　must　be　conversant。　　Questions　of　doctrine；
questions　of　building；　points　of　forestry；　of　agriculture；　of
drainage；　of　feudal　law；　all　came　to　the　Abbot　for　settlement。　　He
held　the　scales　of　justice　in　all　the　Abbey　banlieue　which
stretched　over　many　a　mile　of　Hampshire　and　of　Surrey。　　To　the
monks　his　displeasure　might　mean　fasting；　exile　to　some　sterner
community；　or　even　imprisonment　in　chains。　　Over　the　layman　also
he　could　hold　any　punishment　save　only　corporeal　death；　instead　of
which　he　had　in　hand　the　far　more　dreadful　weapon　of　spiritual
excommunication。

Such　were　the　powers　of　the　Abbot；　and　it　is　no　wonder　that　there
were　masterful　lines　in　the　ruddy　features　of　Abbot　John；　or　that
the　brethren；　glancing　up；　should　put　on　an　even　meeker　carriage
and　more　demure　expression　as　they　saw　the　watchful　face　in　the
window　above　them。

A　knock　at　the　door　of　his　studio　recalled　the　Abbot　to　his
immediate　duties；　and　he　returned　to　his　desk。　　Already　he　had
spoken　with　his　cellarer　and　prior；　almoner；　chaplain　and　lector；
but　now　in　the　tall　and　gaunt　monk　who　obeyed　his　summons　to　enter
he　recognized　the　most　important　and　also　the　most　importunate　of
his　agents；　Brother　Samuel　the　sacrist；　whose　office；
corresponding　to　that　of　the　layman's　bailiff；　placed　the　material
interests　of　the　monastery　and　its　dealings　with　the　outer　world
entirely　under　his　control；　subject　only　to　the　check　of　the
Abbot。　　Brother　Samuel　was　a　gnarled　and　stringy　old　monk　whose
stern　and　sharp…featured　face　reflected　no　light　from　above　but
only　that　sordid　workaday　world　toward　which　it　was　forever
turned。　　A　huge　book　of　accounts　was　tucked　under　one　of　his　arms；
while　a　great　bunch　of　keys　hung　from　the　other　hand；　a　badge　of
his　office；　and　also　on　occasion　of　impatience　a　weapon　of
offense；　as　many　a　scarred　head　among　rustics　and　lay　brothers
could　testify。

The　Abbot　sighed　wearily；　for　he　suffered　much　at　the　hands　of　his
strenuous　agent。　　〃Well；　Brother　Samuel；　what　is　your　will？〃　he
asked。

〃Holy　father；　I　have　to　report　that　I　have　sold　the　wool　to　Master
Baldwin　of　Winchester　at　two　shillings　a　bale　more　than　it　fetched
last　year；　for　the　murrain　among　the　sheep　has　raised　the　price。〃

〃You　have　done　well；　brother。〃

〃I　have　also　to　tell　you　that　I　have　distrained　Wat　the　warrener
from　his　cottage；　for　his　Christmas　rent　is　still　unpaid；　nor　the
hen…rents　of　last　year。〃

〃He　has　a　wife　and　four　children；　brother。〃　　He　was　a　good；　easy
man；　the　Abbot；　though　liable　to　be　overborne　by　his　sterner
subordinate。

〃It　is　true；　holy　father；　but　if　I　should　pass　him；　then　how　am　I
to　ask　the　rent　of　the　foresters　of　Puttenham；　or　the　hinds　in　the
village？　　Such　a　thing　spreads　from　house　to　house；　and　where　then
is　the　wealth　of　Waverley？〃

〃