sir nigel-第68部分

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backs　he　must　still　hold　his　ground。〃

Whilst　the　archers　were　chatting；　the　leaders　of　the　army　were　in
solemn　conclave　just　behind　them。　　Two　divisions　of　the　French　had
been　repulsed；　and　yet　there　was　many　an　anxious　face　as　the　older
knights　looked　across　the　plain　at　the　unbroken　array　of　the
French　King　moving　slowly　toward　them。　　The　line　of　the　archers
was　much　thinned　and　shredded。　　Many　knights　and　squires　had　been
disabled　in　the　long　and　fierce　combat　at　the　hedge。　　Others；
exhausted　by　want　of　food；　had　no　strength　left　and　were　stretched
panting　upon　the　ground。　　Some　were　engaged　in　carrying　the
wounded　to　the　rear　and　laying　them　under　the　shelter　of　the
trees；　whilst　others　were　replacing　their　broken　swords　or　lances
from　the　weapons　of　the　slain。　　The　Captal　de　Buch；　brave　and
experienced　as　he　was；　frowned　darkly　and　whispered　his　misgivings
to　Chandos。

But　the　Prince's　courage　flamed　the　higher　as　the　shadow　fell；
while　his　dark　eyes　gleamed　with　a　soldier's　pride　as　he　glanced
round　him　at　his　weary　comrades；　and　then　at　the　dense　masses　of
the　King's　battle　which　now；　with　a　hundred　trumpets　blaring　and　a
thousand　pennons　waving；　rolled　slowly　over　the　plain。　　〃Come　what
may；　John；　this　has　been　a　most　noble　meeting；〃　said　he。　　〃They
will　not　be　ashamed　of　us　in　England。　　Take　heart；　my　friends；　for
if　we　conquer　we　shall　carry　the　glory　ever　with　us；　but　if　we　be
slain　then　we　die　most　worshipfully　and　in　high　honor；　as　we　have
ever　prayed　that　we　might　die；　and　we　leave　behind　us　our　brothers
and　kinsmen　who　will　assuredly　avenge　us。　　It　is　but　one　more
effort；　and　all　will　be　well。　　Warwick；　Oxford；　Salisbury；
Suffolk；　every　man　to　the　front！　　My　banner　to　the　front　also！
Your　horses；　fair　sirs！　　The　archers　are　spent；　and　our　own　good
lances　must　win　the　field　this　day。　　Advance；　Walter；　and　may　God
and　Saint　George　be　with　England！〃

Sir　Walter　Woodland；　riding　a　high　black　horse；　took　station　by
the　Prince；　with　the　royal　banner　resting　in　a　socket　by　his
saddle。　　From　all　sides　the　knights　and　squires　crowded　in　upon
it；　until　they　formed　a　great　squadron　containing　the　survivors　of
the　battalions　of　Warwick　and　Salisbury　as　well　as　those　of　the
Prince。　　Four　hundred　men…at…arms　who　had　been　held　in　reserve
were　brought　up　and　thickened　the　array；　but　even　so　Chandos'　face
was　grave　as　he　scanned　it　and　then　turned　his　eyes　upon　the
masses　of　the　Frenchmen。

〃I　like　it　not；　fair　sir。　　The　weight　is　overgreat；〃　he　whispered
to　the　Prince。

〃How　would　you　order　it；　John？　　Speak　what　is　in　you　mind。〃

〃We　should　attempt　something　upon　their　flank　whilst　we　hold　them
in　front。　　How　say　you；　jean？〃　　He　turner　to　the　Captal　de　Buch；
whose　dark；　resolute　face　reflected　the　same　misgivings。

〃Indeed；　John；　I　think　as　you　do；〃　said　he。　　〃The　French　King　is　a
very　valiant　man；　and　so　are　those　who　are　about　him；　and　I　know
not　how　we　may　drive　them　back　unless　we　can　do　as　you　advise。　　If
you　will　give　me　only　a　hundred　men　I　will　attempt　it。〃

〃Surely　the　task　is　mine；　fair　sir；　since　the　thought　has　come
from　me；〃　said　Chandos。

〃Nay；　John；　I　would　keep　you　at　my　side。　　But　you　speak　well；
Jean；　and　you　shall　do　even　as　you　have　said。　　Go　ask　the　Earl　of
Oxford　for　a　hundred　men…at…arms　and　as　many　hobblers；　that　you
may　ride　round　the　mound　yonder；　and　so　fall　upon　them　unseen。
Let　all　that　are　left　of　the　archers　gather　on　each　side；　shoot
away　their　arrows；　and　then　fight　as　best　they　may。　　Wait　till
they　are　past　yonder　thorn…bush　and　then；　Walter；　bear　my　banner
straight　against　that　of　the　King　of　France。　　Fair　sirs；　may　God
and　the　thought　of　your　ladies　hold　high　your　hearts！〃

The　French　monarch；　seeing　that　his　footmen　had　made　no　impression
upon　the　English；　and　also　that　the　hedge　had　been　well…nigh
leveled　to　the　ground　in　the　course　of　the　combat；　so　that　it　no
longer　presented　an　obstacle；　had　ordered　his　followers　to　remount
their　horses；　and　it　was　as　a　solid　mass　of　cavalry　that　the
chivalry　of　France　advanced　to　their　last　supreme　effort。　　The
King　was　in　the　center　of　the　front　line；　Geoffrey　de　Chargny　with
the　golden　oriflamme　upon　his　right；　and　Eustace　de　Ribeaumont
with　the　royal　lilies　upon　the　left。　　At　his　elbow　was　the　Duke　of
Athens；　High　Constable　of　France；　and　round　him　were　the　nobles　of
the　court；　fiery　and　furious；　yelling　their　warcries　as　they　waved
their　weapons　over　their　heads。　　Six　thousand　gallant　men　of　the
bravest　race　in　Europe；　men　whose　very　names　are　like　blasts　of　a
battle…trumpet　…　Beaujeus　and　Chatillons；　Tancarvilles　and
Ventadours　…　pressed　hard　behind　the　silver　lilies。

Slowly　they　moved　at　first；　walking　their　horses　that　they　might
be　the　fresher　for　the　shock。　　Then　they　broke　into　a　trot　which
was　quickening　into　a　gallop　when　the　remains　of　the　hedge　in
front　of　them　was　beaten　in　an　instant　to　the　ground　and　the　broad
line　of　the　steel…clad　chivalry　of　England　swept　grandly　forth　to
the　final　shock。　　With　loose　rein　and　busy　spur　the　two　lines　of
horsemen　galloped　at　the　top　of　their　speed　straight　and　hard　for
each　other。　　An　instant　later　they　met　with　a　thunder…crash　which
was　heard　by　the　burghers　on　the　wall　of　Poitiers；　seven　good
miles　away。

Under　that　frightful　impact　horses　fell　dead　with　broken　necks；
and　many　a　rider；　held　in　his　saddle　by　the　high　pommel；　fractured
his　thighs　with　the　shock。　　Here　and　there　a　pair　met　breast　to
breast；　the　horses　rearing　straight　upward　and　falling　back　upon
their　masters。　　But　for　the　most　part　the　line　had　opened　in　the
gallop；　and　the　cavaliers；　flying　through　the　gaps；　buried
themselves　in　the　enemy's　ranks。　　Then　the　flanks　shredded　out；
and　the　thick　press　in　the　center　loosened　until　there　was　space
to　swing　a　sword　and　to　guide　a　steed。　　For　ten　acres　there　was
one　wild　tumultuous　swirl　of　tossing　heads；　of　gleaming　weapons
which　rose　and　fell；　of　upthrown　hands；　of　tossing　plumes　and　of
lifted　shields；　whilst　the　din　of　a　thousand　war…cries　and　the
clash…clash　of　metal　upon　metal　rose　and　swelled　like　the　roar　and
beat　of　an　ocean　surge　upon　a　rock…bound　coast。　　Backward　and
forward　swayed　the　mighty　throng；　now　down　the　valley　and　now　up；
as　each　side　in　turn　put　forth　its　strength　for　a　fresh　rally。
Locked　in　one　long　deadly　grapple；　great　England　and　gallant
France　with　iron　hearts　and　souls　of　fire　strove　and　strove　for
mastery。

Sir　Walter　Woodland；　riding　hard　upon　his　high　black　horse；　had
plunged　into　the　swelter　and　headed　for　the　blue　and　silver　banner
of　King　John。　　Close　at　his　heels　in　a　solid　wedge　rode　the
Prince；　Chandos；　Nigel；　Lord　Reginald　Cobham；　Audley　with　his　four
famous　squires；　and　a　score　of　the　flower　of　the　English　and
Gascon　knighthood。　　Holding　together　and　bearing　down　opposition
by　a　shower　of　blows　and　by　the　weight　of　their　powerful　horses；
their　progress　was　still　very　slow；　for　ever　fresh　waves　of　French
cavaliers　surged　up　against　them　and　broke　in　front　only　to　close
in　again　upon　their　rear。　　Sometimes　they　were　swept　backward　by
the　rush；　sometimes　they　gained　a　few　paces；　sometimes　they　could
but　keep　their　foothold；　and　yet　from　minute　to　minute　that　blue
and　silver　flag　which　waved　above　the　press　grew　ever　a　little
closer。　　A　dozen　furious　hard…breathing　French　knights　had　broken
into　their　ranks；　and　clutched　at　Sir　Walter　Woodland's　banner；
but　Chandos　and　Nigel　guarded　it　on　one　side；　Audley　with　his
squires　on　the　other；　so　that　no　man　laid　his　hand　upon　it　and
lived。

But　now　there　was　a　distant　crash　and　a　roar　of　〃Saint　George　for
Guienne！〃　from　behind。　　The　Captal　de　Buch　had　charged　home。
〃Saint　George　for　England！〃　yelled　the　main　attack；　and　ever　the
counter…cry　came　back　to　them　from　afar。　　The　ranks　opened　in
front　of　them。　　The　French　were　giving　way。　　A　small　knight　with
golden　scroll…work　upon　his　armor　threw　himself　upon　the　Prince
and　was　struck　dead　by　his　mace。　　It　was　the　Duke　of　Athens；
Constable　of　France；　but　none　had　time　to　note　it；　and　the　fight
rolled　on　over　his　body。　　Looser　still　were　the　French　ranks。
Many　were　turning　their　horses；　for　that　ominous　roar　from　the
rear　had　shaken　their　resolution。　　The　little　English　wedge　poured
onward；　the　Prince；　Chandos；　Audley　and　Nigel　ever　in　the　van。

A　huge　warrior　in　black；　bearing　a　golden　banner；　appeared
suddenly　in　a　gap　of　the　shredding　ranks。　　He　tossed　his　precious
burden　to　a　squire；　who　bore　it　away。　　Like　a　pack　of　hounds　on
the　very　haunch　of　a　deer　the　English　rushed　yelling　for　the
oriflamme。　　But　the　black　warrior　flung　himself　across　their　path。
〃Chargny！　　Chargny　a　la　recousse！〃　he　roared　with　a　voice　of
thunder。　　Sir　Reginald　Cobham　dropped　before　his　battle…ax；　so　did
the　Gascon　de　Clisson。　　Nigel　was　beaten　down　on　to　the　crupper　of
his　horse　by　a　sweeping　blow；　but　at　the　same　instant　Chandos'
quick　blade　passed　through　the　Frenchman's　camail　and　pierced　his
throat。　　So　died　Geoffrey　de　Chargny；　but　the　oriflamme　was　saved。

Dazed　with　the　shock；　Nigel　still　kept　his　saddle；　and　Pommers；
his　yellow　hide　mottled　with　blood；　bore　him　onward　with　the
others。　　The　French　horsemen　were　now　in　full　flight；　but　one
stern　group　of　knights　stood　firm；　like　a　rock　in　a　rushing
torrent；　beating　off　all；　whether　friend　or　foe；　who　tried　to
break　their　ranks。　　The　oriflamme　had　gone；　and　so　had　the　blue
and　silver　banner；　but　here　were　desperate　men　ready　to　fight　to
the　death。　　In　their　ranks　honor　was　to　be　reaped。　　The　Prince　and
his　following　hurled　themselves　upon　them；　while　the　rest　of　the
English　horsemen　swept　onward　to　secure　the　fugitives　and　to　win
their　ransoms。　　But　the　nobler　spirits　…　Audley；　Chandos　and　the
others　…　would　have　thought　it　shame　to　gain　money　whilst　there
was　work　to　be　done　or　honor　to　be　won。　　Furious　was　the　wild
attack；　desperate　the　prolonged　defense。　　Men　fell　from　their
saddles　for　very　exhaustion。

Nigel；　still　at　his　place　near　Chandos'　elbow；　was　hotly　attacked
by　a　short　broad…shouldered　warrior　upon　a　stout　white　cob；　but
Pommers　reared　with　pawing　fore　feet　and　dashed　the　smaller　horse
to　the　ground。　　The　falling　rider　clutched　Nigel's　arm　and　tore
him　from