sir nigel-第67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！


through　near　the　river；　but　were　cut　off　by　Lord　Audley　and　his
squires；　so　that　all　were　slain。　　A　single　horseman　whose　steed
was　mad　with　pain；　an　arrow　in　its　eye　and　a　second　in　its
nostril；　sprang　over　the　hedge　and　clattered　through　the　whole
army；　disappearing　amid　whoops　and　laughter　into　the　woods　behind。
But　none　others　won　as　far　as　the　hedge。　　The　whole　front　of　the
position　was　fringed　with　a　litter　of　German　wounded　or　dead；
while　one　great　heap　in　the　center　marked　the　downfall　of　the
gallant　French　three　hundred。

Whilst　these　two　waves　of　the　attack　had　broken　in　front　of　the
English　position；　leaving　this　blood…stained　wreckage　behind　them；
the　main　divisions　had　halted　and　made　their　last　preparations　for
their　own　assault。　　They　had　not　yet　begun　their　advance；　and　the
nearest　was　still　half　a　mile　distant；　when　the　few　survivors　from
the　forlorn　hope；　their　maddened　horses　bristling　with　arrows；
flew　past　them　on　either　flank。

At　the　same　moment　the　English　archers　and　men…at…arms　dashed
through　the　hedge；　and　dragged　all　who　were　living　out　of　that
tangled　heap　of　shattered　horses　and　men。　　It　was　a　mad　wild　rush；
for　in　a　few　minutes　the　fight　must　be　renewed；　and　yet　there　was
a　rich　harvest　of　wealth　for　the　lucky　man　who　could　pick　a
wealthy　prisoner　from　amid　the　crowd。　　The　nobler　spirits
disdained　to　think　of　ransoms　whilst　the　fight　was　still
unsettled；　but　a　swarm　of　needy　soldiers；　Gascons　and　English；
dragged　the　wounded　out　by　the　leg　or　the　arm；　and　with　daggers　at
their　throats　demanded　their　names；　title　and　means。　　He　who　had
made　a　good　prize　hurried　him　to　the　rear　where　his　own　servants
could　guard　him；　while　he　who　was　disappointed　too　often　drove　the
dagger　home　and　then　rushed　once　more　into　the　tangle　in　the　hope
of　better　luck。　　Clermont；　with　an　arrow　through　the　sky…blue
Virgin　on　his　surcoat；　lay　dead　within　ten　paces　of　the　hedge；
d'Andreghen　was　dragged　by　a　penniless　squire　from　under　a　horse
and　became　his　prisoner。　　The　Earl　of　Salzburg　and　of　Nassau　were
both　found　helpless　on　the　ground　and　taken　to　the　rear。　　Aylward
cast　his　thick　arms　round　Count　Otto　von　Langenbeck；　and　laid　him；
helpless　from　a　broken　leg；　behind　his　bush。　　Black　Simon　had　made
prize　of　Bernard；　Count　of　Ventadour；　and　hurried　him　through　the
hedge。　　Everywhere　there　was　rushing　and　shouting；　brawling　and
buffeting；　while　amidst　it　all　a　swarm　of　archers　were　seeking
their　shafts；　plucking　them　from　the　dead；　and　sometimes　even　from
the　wounded。　　Then　there　was　a　sudden　cry　of　warning。　　In　a　moment
every　man　was　back　in　his　place　once　more；　and　the　line　of　the
hedge　was　clear。

It　was　high　time；　for　already　the　first　division　of　the　French　was
close　upon　them。　　If　the　charge　of　the　horsemen　had　been　terrible
from　its　rush　and　its　fire；　this　steady　advance　of　a　huge　phalanx
of　armored　footmen　was　even　more　fearsome　to　the　spectator。　　They
moved　very　slowly；　on　account　of　the　weight　of　their　armor；　but
their　progress　was　the　more　regular　and　inexorable。　　With　elbows
touching　…　their　shields　slung　in　front；　their　short　five…foot
spears　carried　in　their　right　hands；　and　their　maces　or　swords
ready　at　their　belts；　the　deep　column　of　men…at…arms　moved　onward。
Again　the　storm　of　arrows　beat　upon　them　clinking　and　thudding　on
the　armor。　　They　crouched　double　behind　their　shields　as　they　met
it。　　Many　fell；　but　still　the　slow　tide　lapped　onward。　　Yelling；
they　surged　up　to　the　hedge；　and　lined　it　for　half　a　mile；
struggling　hard　to　pierce　it。

For　five　minutes　the　long　straining　ranks　faced　each　other　with
fierce　stab　of　spear　on　one　side　and　heavy　beat　of　ax　or　mace　upon
the　other。　　In　many　parts　the　hedge　was　pierced　or　leveled　to　the
ground；　and　the　French　men…at…arms　were　raging　amongst　the
archers；　hacking　and　hewing　among　the　lightly　armed　men。　　For　a
moment　it　seemed　as　if　the　battle　was　on　the　turn。

But　John　de　Vere；　Earl　of　Oxford；　cool；　wise　and　crafty　in　war；
saw　and　seized；　his　chance。　　On　the　right　flank　a　marshy　meadow
skirted　the　river。　　So　soft　was　it　that　a　heavily…armed　man　would
sink　to　his　knees。　　At　his　order　a　spray　of　light　bowmen　was
thrown　out　from　the　battle　line　and　forming　upon　the　flank　of　the
French　poured　their　arrows　into　them。　　At　the　same　moment　Chandos；
with　Audley；　Nigel；　Bartholomew　Burghersh；　the　Captal　de　Buch；　and
a　score　of　other　knights　sprang　upon　their　horses；　and　charging
down　the　narrow　lane　rode　over　the　French　line　in　front　of　them。
Once　through　it　they　spurred　to　left　and　right；　trampling　down　the
dismounted　men…at…arms。

A　fearsome　sight　was　Pommers　that　day；　his　red　eyes　rolling；　his
nostrils　gaping；　his　tawny　mane　tossing；　and　his　savage　teeth
gnashing　in　fury；　as　he　tore　and　smashed　and　ground　beneath　his
ramping　hoofs　all　that　came　before　him。　　Fearsome　too　was　the
rider；　ice…cool；　alert；　concentrated　of　purpose；　with；　heart　of
fire　and　muscles　of　steel。　　A　very　angel　of　battle　he　seemed　as　he
drove　his　maddened　horse　through　the　thickest　of　the　press；　but
strive　as　he　would：　the　tall　figure　of　his　master　upon　his
coal…black　steed　was　ever　half　a　length　before　him。

Already　the　moment　of　danger　was　passed。　　The　French　line　had
given　back。　　Those　who　had　pierced　the　hedge　had　fallen　like　brave
men　amid　the　ranks　of　their　foemen。　　The　division　of　Warwick　had
hurried　up　from　the　vineyards　to　fill　the　gaps　of　Salisbury's
battle…line。　　Back　rolled　the　shining　tide；　slowly　at　first；　even
as　it　had　advanced；　but　quicker　now　as　the　bolder　fell　and　the
weaker　shredded　out　and　shuffled　with　ungainly　speed　for　a　place
of　safety。　　Again　there　was　a　rush　from　behind　the　hedge。　　Again
there　was　a　reaping　of　that　strange　crop　of　bearded　arrows　which
grew　so　thick　upon　the　ground；　and　again　the　wounded　prisoners
were　seized　and　dragged　in　brutal　haste　to　the　rear。　　Then　the
line　was　restored；　and　the　English；　weary；　panting　and　shaken；
awaited　the　next　attack。

But　a　great　good　fortune　had　come　to　them　…　so　great　that　as　they
looked　down　the　valley　they　could　scarce　credit　their　own　senses。
Behind　the　division　of　the　Dauphin；　which　had　pressed　them　so
hard；　stood　a　second　division　hardly　less　numerous；　led　by　the
Duke　of　Orleans。　　The　fugitives　from　in　front；　blood…smeared　and
bedraggled；　blinded　with　sweat　and　with　fear；　rushed　amidst　its
ranks　in　their　flight；　and　in　a　moment；　without　a　blow　being
struck；　had　carried　them　off　in　their　wild　rout。　　This　vast　array；
so　solid　and　so　martial；　thawed　suddenly　away　like　a　snow…wreath
in　the　sun。　　It　was　gone；　and　in　its　place　thousands　of　shining
dots　scattered　over　the　whole　plain　as　each　man　made　his　own　way
to　the　spot　where　he　could　find　his　horse　and　bear　himself　from
the　field。　　For　a　moment　it　seemed　that　the　battle　was　won；　and　a
thundershout　of　joy　pealed　up　from　the　English　line。

But　as　the　curtain　of　the　Duke's　division　was　drawn　away　it　was
only　to　disclose　stretching　far　behind　it；　and　spanning　the　valley
from　side　to　side；　the　magnificent　array　of　the　French　King；
solid；　unshaken；　and　preparing　its　ranks　for　the　attack。　　Its
numbers　were　as　great　as　those　of　the　English　army；　it　was
unscathed　by　all　that　was　past；　and　it　had　a　valiant　monarch　to
lead　it　to　the　charge。　　With　the　slow　deliberation　of　the　man　who
means　to　do　or　to　die；　its　leader　marshaled　its　ranks　for　the
supreme　effort　of　the　day。

Meanwhile　during　that　brief　moment　of　exultation　when　the　battle
appeared　to　be　won；　a　crowd　of　hot…headed　young　knights　and
squires　swarmed　and　clamored　round　the　Prince；　beseeching　that　he
would　allow　them　to　ride　forth。

〃See　this　insolent　fellow　who　bears　three　martlets　upon　a　field
gales！〃　cried　Sir　Maurice　Berkeley。　　〃He　stands　betwixt　the　two
armies　as　though　he　had　no　dread　of　us。〃

〃I　pray　you；　sir；　that　I　may　ride　out　to　him；　since　he　seems　ready
to　attempt　some　small　deed；〃　pleaded　Nigel。

〃Nay；　fair　sirs；　it　is　an　evil　thing　that　we　should　break　our
line；　seeing　that　we　still　have　much　to　do；〃　said　the　Prince。
〃See！　he　rides　away；　and　so　the　matter　is　settled。〃

〃Nay；　fair　prince；〃　said　the　young　knight　who　had　spoken　first。
〃My　gray　horse；　Lebryte；　could　run　him　down　ere　he　could　reach
shelter。　　Never　since　I　left　Severn　side　have　I　seen　steed　so
fleet　as　mine。　　Shall　I　not　show　you？〃　　In　an　instant　he　had
spurred　the　charger　and　was　speeding　across　the　plain。

The　Frenchman；　John　de　Helennes；　a　squire　of　Picardy；　had　waited
with　a　burning　heart；　his　soul　sick　at　the　flight　of　the　division
in　which　he　had　ridden。　　In　the　hope　of　doing　some　redeeming
exploit；　or　of　meeting　his　own　death；　he　had　loitered　betwixt　the
armies；　but　no　movement　had　come　from　the　English　lines。　　Now　he
had　turned　his　horse's　head　to　join　the　King's　array；　when　the　low
drumming　of　hoofs　sounded　behind　him；　and　he　turned　to　find　a
horseman　hard　upon　his　heels。　　Each　had　drawn　his　sword；　and　the
two　armies　paused　to　view　the　fight。　　In　the　first　bout　Sir
Maurice　Berkeley's　lance　was　struck　from　his　hand；　and　as　he
sprang　down　to　recover　it　the　Frenchman　ran　him　through　the　thigh；
dismounted　from　his　horse；　and　received　his　surrender。　　As　the
unfortunate　Englishman　hobbled　away　at　the　side　of　his　captor　a
roar　of　laughter　burst　from　both　armies　at　the　spectacle。

〃By　my　ten　finger…bones！〃　cried　Aylward；　chuckling　behind　the
remains　of　his　bush；　〃he　found　more　on　his　distaff　that　time　than
he　knew　how　to　spin。　　Who　was　the　knight？〃

〃By　his　arms；〃　said　old　Wat；　〃he　should　either　be　a　Berkeley　of
the　West　or　a　Popham　of　Kent。〃

〃I　call　to　mind　that　I　shot　a　match　of　six　ends　once　with　a
Kentish　woldsman　…　〃　began　the　fat　Bowyer。

〃Nay；　nay；　stint　thy　talk；　Bartholomew！〃　cried　old　Wat。　　〃Here　is
poor　Ned　with　his　head　cloven；　and　it　would　be　more　fitting　if　you
were　saying　aves　for　his　soul；　instead　of　all　this　bobance　and
boasting。　　Now；　now；　Tom　of　Beverley？〃

〃We　have　suffered　sorely　in　this　last　bout；　Wat。　　There　are　forty
of　our　men　upon　their　backs；　and　the　Dean　Foresters　on　the　right
are　in　worse　case　still。〃

〃Talking　will　not　mend　it；　Tom；　and　if　all　but　one　were　on　their
backs　he　must　still　hold　his　ground。〃

Whilst　the　archers　were　chatting；　the　leaders