saint george for england-第12章

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or　his　skill　with　weapons。〃

After　a　few　words　to　each；　exhorting　them　to　do　their　best　in　the　sight　of　the　queen　and　her　ladies；　the　king　dismissed　them。

〃I　know　the　young　one　now！〃　the　Prince　of　Wales　said；　clapping　his　hands　as　the　apprentices　turned　away　to　take　their　places。　〃My　Lord　Talbot；　I　will　wager　a　gold　chain　with　you　upon　the　smaller　of　the　two。〃

〃I　will　take　your　wager；〃　the　noble　answered；　〃but　I　am　by　no　means　sure　that　I　shall　win　it；　for　I　have　watched　your　champion　closely；　and　the　downright　blows　which　he　struck　would　seem　to　show　that　he　has　the　muscle　and　strength　of　a　man　though　still　but　a　boy。〃

The　event　justified　the　Prince　of　Wales's　confidence；　at　the　commencement　of　the　struggle　Ralph　Smith　tried　to　beat　down　his　opponent　by　sheer　strength　as　he　had　done　his　prior　opponents；　but　to　his　surprise　he　found　that　all　his　efforts　could　not　break　down　his　opponent's　guard。　Walter　indeed　did　not　appear　to　take　advantage　of　his　superior　lightness　and　activity；　but　to　prefer　to　prove　that　in　strength　as　well　as　skill　he　was　equal　to　his　antagonist。　In　the　latter　respect　there　was　no　comparison；　for　as　soon　as　the　smith　began　to　relax　his　rain　of　blows　Walter　took　the　offensive　and　with　a　sweeping　blow　given　with　all　his　strength　broke　down　his　opponent's　guard　and　smote　him　with　such　force　upon　his　steel　cap　that；　blunted　as　the　sword　was；　it　clove　through　the　iron；　and　stretched　the　smith　senseless　on　the　ground。　　A　loud　shout　broke　from　the　assemblage。　The　marshal　came　up　to　Walter；　and　removing　his　helmet；　led　him　to　the　royal　pavilion；　while　Ralph　was　carried　to　a　tent　near；　where　a　leech　attended　his　wound。



CHAPTER　VI：　THE　MELEE



You　have　won　your　prize　stoutly　and　well；　sir　'prentice；〃　the　king　said。　〃I　should　not　have　deemed　it　possible　that　one　of　your　age　could　have　smitten　such　a　blow；　and　right　glad　should　I　be　of　a　few　hundred　lads　of　your　mettle　to　follow　me　against　the　French。　What　is　your　calling？〃

〃I　am　an　armourer；　my　liege；〃　Walter　answered。

〃And　you　are　as　good　at　mending　armour　as　you　are　at　marring　it；〃　the　king　said；　〃you　will　be　a　rare　craftsman　one　of　these　days。　'Tis　a　rare　pity　so　promising　a　swordsman　should　be　lost　to　our　army。　Wouldst　like　to　change　your　calling；　boy；　and　take　to　that　of　arms？〃

〃It　is　my　hope　to　do　so；　sir；〃　Walter　answered　modestly；　〃and　his　grace　the　Prince　of　Wales　has　already　promised　me　that　I　shall　some　day　ride　behind　him　to　the　wars。〃

〃Ah！　Edward；〃　the　king　ejaculated；　〃how　is　this？　Have　you　been　already　enlisting　a　troop　for　the　wars？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　the　young　prince　replied；　〃but　one　day；　now　some　four　years　since；　when　I　was　riding　with　my　Lord　Talbot　and　others　in　the　fields　near　the　Tower　I　did　see　this　lad　lead　his　play…fellows　to　the　assault　of　an　earthen　castle　held　by　others；　and　he　fought　so　well　and　gallantly　that　assuredly　no　knight　could　have　done　better；　until　he　was　at　last　stricken　senseless；　and　when　he　recovered　I　told　him　that　should　he　choose　to　be　a　man…at…arms　I　would　enlist　him　in　my　following　to　the　wars。〃

The　king　laughed。

〃I　deemed　not　that　the　lads　of　the　city　indulged　in　such　rough　sports；　but　I　wonder　not；　seeing　that　the　contingent　which　my　good　city　of　London　furnishes　me　is　ever　one　of　the　best　in　my　army。　We　shall　see　the　lad　at　work　again　tomorrow　and　will　then　talk　more　of　it。　Now　let　us　bestow　upon　him　the　prize　that　he　has　so　well　earned。〃

Walter　bent　on　one　knee；　and　the　queen　handed　to　him　a　sword　of　the　best　Spanish　steel；　which　was　the　prize　given　by　the　city　to　the　victor。　The　king　handed　him　a　heavy　purse　of　gold　pieces；　saying：

〃This　may　aid　in　purchasing　your　freedom。〃

Walter　bowed　deeply　and　murmured　some　words　of　thanks；　and　was　then　led　off　by　the　marshal。　After　this　many　of　the　young　nobles　of　the　court　jousted　on　horseback；　ran　at　the　ring；　and　performed　other　feats　of　knightly　exercise　to　the　great　pleasure　of　the　multitude。　The　marshal　on　leading　Walter　away　said　to　him；　〃You　will　be　captain　of　the　city　band　tomorrow；　and　I　must　therefore　tell　you　what　the　king　purports。　He　has　prepared　a　surprise　for　the　citizens；　and　the　present　show　will　be　different　to　anything　ever　before　seen　in　London。　Both　to　show　them　somewhat　of　the　sieges　which　are　taking　place　on　the　borders　of　France　and　the　Low　Countries；　in　which　Sir　Walter　Manny　and　many　other　gallant　knights　have　so　greatly　distinguished　themselves；　and　as　an　exercise　for　the　young　nobles；　he　has　determined　that　there　shall　be　a　castle　erected。　It　will　be　built　of　wood；　with　battlements　and　towers；　with　a　moat　outside。　As　soon　as　the　lists　are　over　a　large　number　of　workmen　will　commence　its　erection；　the　pieces　are　all　sawn　and　prepared。　There　will　be　machines；　ladders；　and　other　appliances。　　The　ten　champions　on　either　side　will　fight　as　knights；　you　will　have　a　hundred　apprentices　as　men…at…arms；　and　the　court　party　will　have　an　equal　number　of　young　esquires。　You；　as　winner　of　today's　tourney；　will　have　the　choice　of　defence　or　attack。　I　should　advise　you　to　take　the　defence；　since　it　is　easier　and　requires　less　knowledge　of　war；　and　many　of　the　other　party　have　accompanied　their　fathers　and　masters　in　the　field　and　have　seen　real　sieges　carried　out。〃

〃Can　you　show　me　a　plan　of　the　castle；〃　Walter　said；　〃if　it　be　not　contrary　to　the　rules；　in　order　that　I　may　think　over　tonight　the　plan　of　fighting　tomorrow？〃

〃Here　it　is；〃　the　marshal　said。　〃You　see　that　the　walls　are　200　feet　long；　they　are　12　feet　in　height；　with　a　tower　at　the　end　and　one　over　the　gateway　in　the　centre　six　feet　high。　　There　is　a　drawbridge　defended　by　an　outwork　of　palisades　six　feet　high。　The　moat　will　be　a　dry　one；　seeing　that　we　have　no　means　of　filling　it　with　water；　but　it　will　be　supposed　to　be　full；　and　must　be　crossed　on　planks　or　bridges。　Two　small　towers　on　wheels　will　be　provided；　which　may　be　run　up　to　the　edge　of　the　moat；　and　will　be　as　high　as　the　top　of　the　towers。

〃Surely　they　cannot　make　all　this　before　morning？〃　Walter　said。

〃They　will　do　so；〃　the　marshal　replied。　〃The　castle　has　been　put　together　in　the　king's　courtyard；　and　the　pieces　are　all　numbered。　Two　hundred　carpenters　will　labour　all　night　at　it；　besides　a　party　of　labourers　for　the　digging　of　the　moat。　　It　will　be　a　rare　show；　and　will　delight　both　the　citizens　and　the　ladies　of　the　court；　for　such　a　thing　has　never　before　been　attempted。　But　the　king　grudges　not　the　expense　which　it　will　cost　him；　seeing　that　spectacles　of　this　kind　do　much　to　arouse　the　warlike　spirit　of　the　people。　Here　is　a　list　of　the　various　implements　which　will　be　provided；　only　it　is　understood　that　the　mangonels　and　arblasts　will　not　be　provided　with　missiles；　seeing　that　many　would　assuredly　be　killed　by　them。　They　will　be　employed；　however；　to　show　the　nature　of　the　work；　and　parties　of　men…at…arms　will　be　told　off　to　serve　them。　　Crossbows　and　arrows　will　be　used；　but　the　weapons　will　be　blunted。　You　will　see　that　there　are　ladders；　planks　for　making　bridges；　long　hooks　for　hauling　men　down　from　the　wall；　beams　for　battering　down　the　gate；　axes　for　cutting　down　the　palisades；　and　all　other　weapons。　　The　ten　who　will　serve　under　you　as　knights　have　already　been　nominated；　and　the　city　will　furnish　them　with　full　armour。　　For　the　others；　the　apprentices　of　each　ward　will　choose　sufficient　representatives　to　make　up　the　hundred；　who　will　fight　as　men…at…arms；　these　will　wear　steel　caps　and　breastpieces；　with　leather　jerkins；　and　vizors　to　protect　their　faces；　for　even　a　blunted　arrow　or　wooden　quarrel　might　well　kill　if　it　struck　true。〃

On　leaving　the　marshal　Walter　joined　Giles　Fletcher　and　Geoffrey　Ward；　who　warmly　congratulated　him　upon　his　success。　He　informed　them　of　the　spectacle　which　the　king　had　prepared　for　the　amusement　of　the　citizens　on　the　morrow。

〃In　faith；〃　Geoffrey　said；　〃the　idea　is　a　good　one；　and　promises　rare　sport；　but　it　will　be　rough；　and　we　may　expect　many　broken　limbs；　for　it　be　no　joke　to　be　thrown　down　with　a　ladder　from　a　wall　even　twelve　feet　high；　and　there　will　be　the　depth　of　the　moat　besides。〃

〃That　will　only　be　two　feet；〃　Walter　said；　〃for　so　it　is　marked　on　the　plan。〃

〃And　which　do　you　mean　to　take；　Walter；　the　attack　or　the　defence？　Methinks　the　king　has　erred　somewhat　in　making　the　forces　equal；　for　assuredly　the　besiegers　should　outnumber　the　besieged　by　fully　three　to　one　to　give　them　a　fair　chance　of　success。〃

〃I　shall　take　the　assault；〃　Walter　answered；　〃there　is　more　to　be　done　that　way　than　in　the　defence。　When　we　get　home；　Geoffrey；　we　will　look　at　the　plans；　and　see　what　may　be　the　best　manner　of　assault。〃

Upon　examining　the　plan　that　evening　they　found　that　the　wall　was　continued　at　an　angle　at　either　end　for　a　distance　of　some　twenty　feet　back　so　as　to　give　a　postern　gate　behind　each　of　the　corner　towers　through　which　a　sortie　might　be　made。　Geoffrey　and　Walter　talked　the　matter　over；　and　together　contrived　a　plan　of　operation　for　the　following　day。

〃You　will　have　one　great　advantage；〃　Geoffrey　said。　〃The　apprentices　are　all　accustomed　to　the　use　of　the　bow；　while　the　young　nobles　will　know　but　little　of　that　weapon；　therefore　your　shooting　will　be　far　straighter　and　truer；　and　even　a　blunt…headed　arrow　drawn　from　the　shoulder　will　hit　so　smart　a　blow　that　those　on　the　wall　will　have　difficulty　in　withstanding　them。〃

After　the　talk　was　ended　Walter　again　crossed　London　Bridge；　and　made　his　way　to　Ludgate；　where　he　found　his　late　antagonist；　whose　head　had　been　plastered　up；　and　was　little　the　worse　for　the　conflict。

〃There　is　no　ill…will　between　us；　I　hope；〃　Walter　said；　holding　out　his　hand。

〃None　in　the　world；〃　the　young　smith　said　frankly。　He　was　a　good…tempered…　looking　young　giant；　with　closely…cropped　hair；　light…blue　eyes；　and　a　pleasant　but　somewhat　heavy　face。

〃My　faith　but　what　a　blow　was　that　you　gave　me；　why；　one　would　think　that　your　muscles　were　made　of　steel。　I　thought　that　I　could　hit　a　good　downright　blow；　seeing　that　I　have　been　hammering　at　the　anvil　for　the　last　seven　years；　but　strike　as　I　would　I　could　not　beat　down　your　guard；　while　mine　went　down；　as　if　it　had　been　a　feather；　before　yours。　I　knew；　directly　that　I　had　struck　the　first　blow；　and　felt　how　firm　was　your　defence；　that　it　was　all　up　with　me；　knowing　that　in　point　of　skill　I　had　no　chance　whatever　with　you。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　that　you　bear　no　malice；　Ralph；〃　Walter　said；　〃and　hope　that　we　shall　be　great　friends　henceforth；　that　is；　if　you　will　take　me　as　such；　seeing　that　you　are　just　out　of　your　apprenticeship；　while　I　am　not　yet　half　through　mine。　But　I　have　come　to　talk　to　you　about　tomorrow。　Have　you　heard　that　there　is　to　be　a　mimic　siege？〃

〃I　have　heard　about　it；〃　Ralph　said。　〃The　city　is　talking　of　nothing　else。　The　news　was　published　at　the　end　of　the　sports。　It　will　be　rare　fun；　surely。〃

〃It　will　be　pretty　rough　fun；〃　Walter　replied；　〃and　I　should　not　be　much　surprised　if　some　lives　are　lost；　but　this　is　always　so　in　a　tournament；　and　if　knights　and　nobles　are　ready　to　be　killed；　we　apprentices　need　not　fear　to　hazard　our　lives。　But　now　as　to　tomorrow。　I；　as　the　winner　today；　am　to　be　the　leader　of　the　party；　and　you；　as　second；　will　of　course　be　captain　under　me。　Now　I　want　to　explain　to　you　exactly　wha