sir nigel-第42部分

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I　can　teach　you　little　of　your　trade；　I　trow。　　Here　is　a　bow
dressed　as　it　should　be；　but　it　would；　as　you　say；　be　the　better
for　a　white　band　to　mark　the　true　nocking　point　in　the　center　of
this　red　wrapping　of　silk。　　Leave　it　and　I　will　tend　to　it　anon。
And　you；　Wat？　　A　fresh　head　on　yonder　stele？　　Lord；　that　a　man
should　carry　four　trades　under　one　hat；　and　be　bowyer；　fletcher；
stringer　and　headmaker！　　Four　men's　work　for　old　Bartholomew　and
one　man's　pay！〃

〃Nay；　say　no　more　about　that；〃　growled　an　old　wizened　bowman；　with
a　brown…parchment　skin　and　little　beady　eyes。　　〃It　is　better　in
these　days　to　mend　a　bow　than　to　bend　one。　　You　who　never　looked　a
Frenchman　in　the　face　are　pricked　off　for　ninepence　a　day；　and　I；
who　have　fought　five　stricken　fields；　can　earn　but　fourpence。〃

〃It　is　in　my　mind；　John　of　Tuxford；　that　you　have　looked　in　the
face　more　pots　of　mead　than　Frenchmen；〃　said　the　old　bowyer。　　〃I
am　swinking　from　dawn　to　night；　while　you　are　guzzling　in　an
alestake。　　How　now；　youngster？　　Overbowed？　　Put　your　bow　in　the
tiller。　　It　draws　at　sixty　pounds　…　not　a　pennyweight　too　much　for
a　man　of　your　inches。　　Lay　more　body　to　it；　lad；　and　it　will　come
to　you。　　If　your　bow　be　not　stiff；　how　can　you　hope　for　a　twenty…
score　flight。　　Feathers？　　Aye；　plenty　and　of　the　best。　　Here；
peacock　at　a　groat　each。　　Surely　a　dandy　archer　like　you；
Tom　Beverley；　with　gold　earrings　in　your　ears；　would　have　no
feathering　but　peacocks？〃

〃So　the　shaft　fly　straight；　I　care　not　of　the　feather；〃　said　the
bowman；　a　tall　young　Yorkshireman；　counting　out　pennies　on　the
palm　of　his　horny　hand。

〃Gray　goose…feathers　are　but　a　farthing。　　These　on　the　left　are　a
halfpenny；　for　they　are　of　the　wild　goose；　and　the　second　feather
of　a　fenny　goose　is　worth　more　than　the　pinion　of　a　tame　one。
These　in　the　brass　tray　are　dropped　feathers；　and　a　dropped
feather　is　better　than　a　plucked　one。　　Buy　a　score　of　these；　lad；
and　cut　them　saddle…backed　or　swine…backed；　the　one　for　a　dead
shaft　and　the　other　for　a　smooth　flyer；　and　no　man　in　the　company
will　swing　a　better…fletched　quiver　over　his　shoulder。〃

It　chanced　that　the　opinion　of　the　bowyer　on　this　and　other　points
differed　from　that　of　Long　Ned　of　Widdington；　a　surly
straw…bearded　Yorkshireman；　who　had　listened　with　a　sneering　face
to　his　counsel。　　Now　he　broke　in　suddenly　upon　the　bowyer's　talk。
〃You　would　do　better　to　sell　bows　than　to　try　to　teach　others　how
to　use　them；〃　said　he；　〃for　indeed；　Bartholomew；　that　head　of
thine　has　no　more　sense　within　it　than　it　has　hairs　without。　　If
you　had　drawn　string　for　as　many　months　as　I　have　years　you　would
know　that　a　straight…cut　feather　flies　smoother　than　a　swine…
backed；　and　pity　it　is　that　these　young　bowmen　have　none　to　teach
them　better！〃

This　attack　upon　his　professional　knowledge　touched　the　old　bowyer
on　the　raw。　　His　fat　face　became　suffused　with　blood　and　his　eyes
glared　with　fury　as　he　turned　upon　the　archer。　　〃You　seven…foot
barrel　of　lies！〃　he　cried。　　〃　All…hallows　be　my　aid；　and　I　will
teach　you　to　open　your　slabbing　mouth　against　me！　　Pluck　forth
your　sword　and　stand　out　on　yonder　deck；　that　we　may　see　who　is
the　man　of　us　twain。　　May　I　never　twirl　a　shaft　over　my　thumb　nail
if　I　do　not　put　Bartholomew's　mark　upon　your　thick　head！〃

A　score　of　rough　voices　joined　at　once　in　the　quarrel；　some
upholding　the　bowyer　and　others　taking　the　part　of　the　North
Countryman。　　A　red…headed　Dalesman　snatched　up　a　sword；　but　was
felled　by　a　blow　from　the　fist　of　his　neighbor。　　Instantly；　with　a
buzz　like　a　swarm　of　angry　hornets；　the　bowmen　were　out　on　the
deck；　but　ere　a　blow　was　struck　Knolles　was　amongst　them　with
granite　face　and　eyes　of　fire。

〃Stand　apart；　I　say！　　I　will　warrant　you　enough　fighting　to　cool
your　blood　ere　you　see　England　once　more。　　Loring；　Hawthorn；　cut
any　man　down　who　raises　his　hand。　　Have　you　aught　to　say；　you
fox…haired　rascal？〃　　He　thrust　his　face　within　two　inches　of　that
of　the　red　man　who　had　first　seized　his　sword。　　The　fellow　shrank
back；　cowed；　from　his　fierce　eyes。　　〃　Now　stint　your　noise；　all　of
you；　and　stretch　your　long　ears。　　Trumpeter；　blow　once　more！〃

A　bugle　call　had　been　sounded　every　quarter　of　an　hour　so　as　to
keep　in　touch　with　the　other　two　vessels　who　were　invisible　in　the
fog。　　Now　the　high　clear　note　rang　out　once　more；　the　call　of　a
fierce　sea…creature　to　its　mates；　but　no　answer　came　back　from　the
thick　wall　which　pent　them　in。　　Again　and　again　they　called；　and
again　and　again　with　bated　breath　they　waited　for　an　answer。

〃Where　is　the　Shipman？〃　asked　Knolles。　　〃　What　is　your　name；
fellow？　　Do　you　dare　call　yourself　master…mariner？〃

〃My　name　is　Nat　Dennis；　fair　sir；〃　said　the　gray…bearded　old
seaman。　　〃It　is　thirty　years　since　first　I　showed　my　cartel　and
blew　trumpet　for　a　crew　at　the　water…gate　of　Southampton。　　If　any
man　may　call　himself　master…mariner；　it　is　surely　I。〃

〃Where　are　our　two　ships？〃

〃Nay；　sir；　who　can　say　in　this　fog？〃

〃Fellow；　it　was　your　place　to　hold　them　together。〃

〃I　have　but　the　eyes　God　gave　me；　fair　sir；　and　they　cannot　see
through　a　cloud。〃

〃Had　it　been　fair；　I；　who　am　a　soldier；　could　have　kept　them　in
company。　　Since　it　was　foul；　we　looked　to　you；　who　are　called　a
mariner；　to　do　so。　　You　have　not　done　it。　　You　have　lost　two　of　my
ships　ere　the　venture　is　begun。〃

〃Nay；　fair　sir；　I　pray　you　to　consider　…　〃

〃Enough　words！〃　said　Knolles　sternly。　　〃Words　will　not　give　me
back　my　two　hundred　men。　　Unless　I　find　them　before　I　come　to
Saint…Malo；　I　swear　by　Saint　Wilfrid　of　Ripon　that　it　will　be　an
evil　day　for　you！　　Enough！　　Go　forth　and　do　what　you　may！〃

For　five　hours　with　a　light　breeze　behind　them　they　lurched
through　the　heavy　fog；　the　cold　rain　still　matting　their　beards
and　shining　on　their　faces。　　Sometimes　they　could　see　a　circle　of
tossing　water　for　a　bowshot　or　so　in　each　direction；　and　then　the
wreaths　would　crawl　in　upon　them　once　more　and　bank　them　thickly
round。　　They　had　long　ceased　to　blow　the　trumpet　for　their　missing
comrades；　but　had　hopes　when　clear　weather　came　to　find　them　still
in　sight。　　By　the　shipman's　reckoning　they　were　now　about　midway
between　the　two　shores。

Nigel　was　leaning　against　the　bulwarks；　his　thoughts　away　in　the
dingle　at　Cosford　and　out　on　the　heather…clad　slopes　of　Hindhead；
when　something　struck　his　ear。　　It　was　a　thin　clear　clang　of
metal；　pealing　out　high　above　the　dull　murmur　of　the　sea；　the
creak　of　the　boom　and　the　flap　of　the　sail。　　He　listened；　and
again　it　was　borne　to　his　ear。

〃Hark；　my　lord！〃　said　he　to　Sir　Robert。　　〃Is　there　not　a　sound　in
the　fog？　　〃

They　both　listened　together　with　sidelong　heads。　　Then　it　rang
clearly　forth　once　more；　but　this　time　in　another　direction。　　It
had　been　on　the　bow；　now　it　was　on　the　quarter。　　Again　it　sounded；
and　again。　　Now　it　had　moved　to　the　other　bow；　now　back　to　the
quarter　again；　now　it　was　near；　and　now　so　far　that　it　was　but　a
faint　tinkle　on　the　ear。　　By　this　time　every　man　on　board；　seamen；
archers　and　men…at…arms；　were　crowding　the　sides　of　the　vessel。
All　round　them　there　were　noises　in　the　darkness；　and　yet　the　wall
of　fog　lay　wet　against　their　very　faces。　　And　the　noises　were　such
as　were　strange　to　their　ears；　always　the　same　high　musical
clashing。

The　old　shipman　shook　his　head　and　crossed　himself。

〃In　thirty　years　upon　the　waters　I　have　never　heard　the　like；〃
said　he。　　〃The　Devil　is　ever　loose　in　a　fog。　　Well　is　he　named　the
Prince　of　Darkness。〃

A　wave　of　panic　passed　over　the　vessel；　and　these　rough　and　hardy
men　who　feared　no　mortal　foe　shook　with　terror　at　the　shadows　of
their　own　minds。　　They　stared　into　the　cloud　with　blanched　faces
and　fixed　eyes；　as　though　each　instant　some　fearsome　shape　might
break　in　upon　them。　　And　as　they　stared　there　came　a　gust　of　wind。
For　a　moment　the　fog…bank　rose　and　a　circle　of　ocean　lay　before
them。

It　was　covered　with　vessels。　　On　all　sides　they　lay　thick　upon　its
surface。　　They　were　huge　caracks；　high…ended　and　portly；　with　red
sides　and　bulwarks　carved　and　crusted　with　gold。　　Each　had　one
great　sail　set　and　was　driving　down　channel　on　the　same　course　at
the　Basilisk。　　Their　decks　were　thick　with　men；　and　from　their
high　poops　came　the　weird　clashing　which　filled　the　air。　　For　one
moment　they　lay　there；　this　wondrous　fleet；　surging　slowly
forward；　framed　in　gray　vapor。　　The　next　the　clouds　closed　in　and
they　had　vanished　from　view。　　There　was　a　long　hush；　and　then　a
buzz　of　excited　voices。

〃The　Spaniards！〃　cried　a　dozen　bowmen　and　sailors。

〃I　should　have　known　it；〃　said　the　shipman。　　〃I　call　to　mind　on
the　Biscay　Coast　how　they　would　clash　their　cymbals　after　the
fashion　of　the　heathen　Moor　with　whom　they　fight；　but　what　would
you　have　me　do；　fair　sir？　　If　the　fog　rises　we　are　all　dead　men。〃

〃There　were　thirty　ships　at　the　least；〃　said　Knolles；　with　a　moody
brow。　　〃If　we　have　seen　them　I　trow　that　they　have　also　seen　us。
They　will　lay　us　aboard。〃

〃Nay；　fair　sir；　it　is　in　my　mind　that　our；　ship　is　lighter　and
faster　than　theirs。　　If　the　fog　hold　another　hour　we　should　be
through　them。〃

〃Stand　to　your　arms！〃　yelled　Knolles。　　〃Stand　to　your　arms　…　！
They　are　on　us！〃

The　Basilisk　had　indeed　been　spied　from　the　Spanish　Admiral's　ship
before　the　fog　closed　down。　　With　so　light　a　breeze；　and　such　a
fog；　he　could　not　hope　to　find　her　under　sail。　　But　by　an　evil
chance　not　a　bowshot　from　the　great　Spanish　carack　was　a　low
galley；　thin　and　swift；　with　oars　which　could　speed　her　against
wind　or　tide。　　She　also　had　seen　the　Basilisk　and　it　was　to　her
that　the　Spanish　leader　shouted　his　orders。　　For　a　few　minutes　she
hunted　through　the　fog；　and　then　sprang　out　of　it　like　a　lean　and
stealthy　beast　upon　its　prey。　　It　was　the　sight　of　the　long　dark
shadow　gliding　after　them　which　had　brought　that　wild　shout　of
alarm　from　the　lips　of　the　English　knight。　　In　another　instant　the
starboard　oars　of　the　galley　had　been　shipped；　the　sides　of　the
two　vessels　grated　together；　and　a　stream　of　swarthy；　red…capped
Spaniards　were　swarming　up　the　sides　of　the　Basilisk　and　dropped
with　yells　of　triumph　upon　her　deck。

For　a　moment　it　seemed　as　if　the　vessel　wa