saint george for england-第15章

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and　Hythe；　who　was　killed　in　the　troubles　at　the　commencement　of　your　majesty's　reign。　His　wife；　Dame　Alice；　brought　the　child　to　Giles　Fletcher；　whose　wife　had　been　her　nurse；　and　dying　left　him　in　her　care。　Giles　and　his　wife；　if　called　for；　can　vouch　for　the　truth　of　this；　and　can　give　you　proofs　of　his　birth。〃

Walter　listened　with　astonishment　to　Geoffrey's　speech。　　A　thrill　of　pleasure　rushed　through　his　veins　as　he　learned　that　he　was　of　gentle　blood　and　might　hope　to　aspire　to　a　place　among　the　knights　of　King　Edward's　court。　He　understood　now　the　pains　which　Geoffrey　had　bestowed　in　seeing　that　he　was　perfected　in　warlike　exercises；　and　why　both　he　and　Giles　had　encouraged　rather　than　repressed　his　love　for　martial　exercises　and　his　determination　to　abandon　his　craft　and　become　a　man…at…arms　when　he　reached　man's　estate。

〃Ah　is　it　so？〃　the　king　exclaimed。　〃I　remember　Sir　Roland　Somers；　and　also　that　he　was　slain　by　Sir　Hugh　Spencer；　who；　as　I　heard　on　many　hands；　acted　rather　on　a　private　quarrel　than；　as　he　alleged；　in　my　interest；　and　there　were　many　who　avowed　that　the　charges　brought　against　Sir　Roland　were　unfounded。　However；　this　matter　must　be　inquired　into；　and　my　High　Justiciar　shall　see　Master　Giles　and　his　wife；　hear　their　evidence；　and　examine　the　proofs　which　they　may　bring　forward。　As　to　the　estates；　they　were　granted　to　Sir　Jasper　Vernon　and　cannot　be　restored。　　Nevertheless　I　doubt　not　that　the　youth　will　carve　out　for　himself　a　fortune　with　his　sword。　You　are　his　master；　I　suppose？　I　would　fain　pay　you　to　cancel　his　apprenticeship。　　Sir　Walter　Manny　has　promised　to　enroll　him　among　his　esquires。〃

〃I　will　cancel　his　indentures　willingly；　my　liege；〃　the　armourer　answered；　〃and　that　without　payment。　The　lad　has　been　to　me　as　a　son；　and　seeing　his　high　spirit；　and　knowing　the　gentle　blood　running　in　his　veins；　I　have　done　my　best　so　to　teach　him　and　so　to　put　him　in　the　way　of　winning　back　his　father's　rank　by　his　sword。〃

〃He　hath　gone　far　towards　it　already；〃　the　king　said；　〃and　methinks　may　yet　gain　some　share　in　his　father's　inheritance；〃　and　he　glanced　at　little　Mistress　Edith　Vernon　and　then　smiled　at　the　queen。　〃Well；　we　shall　see；〃　he　went　on。　〃Under　Sir　Walter　Manny　he　will　have　brave　chances　of　distinguishing　himself；　and　when　my　son　takes　the　field　he　shall　ride　with　him。　But　I　am　keeping　the　hosts　waiting。　　Bring　hither；〃　he　said　to　Earl　Talbot；　〃Clarence　Aylmer。〃

The　young　noble　was　led　up　to　the　king。　〃You　have　done　well；　Clarence；　though　you　have　been　worsted　you　fought　bravely；　but　you　were　deceived　by　a　ruse　which　might　have　taken　in　a　more　experienced　captain。　I　trust　that　you　will　be　friends　with　your　adversary；　who　will　be　known　to　you　henceforth　as　Walter　Somers；　son　of　Sir　Roland　of　that　name；　and　who　will　ride　to　the　wars；　whither　you　also　are　shortly　bound；　under　the　standard　of　Sir　Walter　Manny。〃

The　cloud　which　had　hung　over　the　face　of　the　young　noble　cleared。　It　had　indeed　been　a　bitter　mortification　to　him　that　he；　the　son　of　one　of　the　proudest　of　English　nobles；　should　have　been　worsted　by　a　London　apprentice；　and　it　was　a　relief　to　him　to　find　that　his　opponent　was　one　of　knightly　blood。　He　turned　frankly　to　Walter　and　held　out　his　hand。　〃I　greet　you　as　a　comrade；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃and　hope　some　day　that　in　our　rivalry　in　the　field　I　may　do　better　than　I　have　done　today。〃

〃That　is　well　spoken；〃　the　king　said。　Then　he　rose　and　in　a　loud　voice　addressed　the　combatants；　saying；　that　all　had　borne　themselves　well　and　bravely；　and　that　he　thanked　them；　not　only　for　the　rare　pastime　which　they　had　made；　but　for　the　courage　and　boldness　which　had　been　displayed　on　both　sides。　So　saying；　he　waved　his　hand　as　a　token　that　the　proceedings　were　ended；　and　returned　with　the　court　to　Westminster；　while　the　crowd　of　spectators　overflowed　the　lists；　those　who　had　friends　in　the　apprentice　array　being　anxious　to　know　how　they　had　fared。　　That　evening　there　was　a　banquet　given　by　the　lord…mayor。　Walter　was　invited　to　be　present；　with　Giles　and　Geoffrey；　and　many　complimentary　things　were　said　to　him；　and　he　was　congratulated　on　the　prospects　which　awaited　him。　After　dinner　all　the　'prentices　who　had　taken　part　in　the　sports　filed　through　the　hall　and　were　each　presented　with　a　gold　piece　by　the　lord…mayor；　in　the　name　of　the　corporation；　for　having　so　nobly　sustained　the　renown　of　the　city。

After　the　entertainment　was　over　Walter　returned　with　Geoffrey　to　the　bowyer's　house；　and　there　heard　from　his　two　friends　and　Bertha　the　details　of　his　mother's　life　from　the　time　that　she　had　been　a　child；　and　the　story　of　her　arrival　with　him；　and　her　death。　He　had　still　difficulty　in　believing　that　it　was　all　true；　that　Giles　and　Bertha；　whom　he　had　so　long　regarded　as　father　and　mother；　were　only　his　kind　guardians；　and　that　he　was　the　scion　of　two　noble　families。　　Very　warmly　and　gratefully　he　thanked　his　three　friends　for　the　kindness　which　they　had　shown　to　him；　and　vowed　that　no　change　of　condition　should　ever　alter　his　feelings　of　affection　towards　them。　It　was　not　until　the　late　hour　of　nine　o'clock　that　he　said　goodbye　to　his　foster　parents；　for　he　was　next　day　to　repair　to　the　lodging　of　Sir　Walter　Manny；　who　was　to　sail　again　before　the　week　was　out　for　the　Low　Countries；　from　which　he　had　only　returned　for　a　few　days　to　have　private　converse　with　the　king　on　the　state　of　matters　there。　His　friends　would　have　delivered　to　him　his　mother's　ring　and　other　tokens　which　she　had　left；　but　thought　it　better　to　keep　these；　with　the　other　proofs　of　his　birth；　until　his　claim　was　established　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　lord　justiciaries。

The　next　morning　early；　when　Walter　descended　the　stairs；　he　found　Ralph　Smith　waiting　for　him。　His　face　was　strapped　up　with　plaster　and　he　wore　his　arm　in　a　sling；　for　his　armour　had　been　twice　cut　through　as　he　led　his　party　in　through　the　sally…port。

〃How　goes　it　with　you；　Ralph？〃　Walter　said。　〃Not　much　the　worse；　I　hope；　for　your　hard　knocks？〃

〃Not　a　whit；〃　Ralph　replied　cheerfully；　〃and　I　shall　be　all　right　again　before　the　week　is　out；　but　the　leech　made　as　much　fuss　over　me　as　if　I　had　been　a　girl；　just　as　though　one　was　not　accustomed　to　hard　knocks　in　a　smithy。　Those　I　got　yesterday　were　not　half　so　hard　as　that　which　you　gave　me　the　day　before。　My　head　rings　yet　with　the　thought　of　it。　　But　I　have　not　come　to　talk　about　myself。　Is　the　story　true　which　they　tell　of　you；　Master　Walter；　that　you　are　not　the　son　of　Giles　the　bowyer；　but　of　a　great　noble？〃

〃Not　of　a　great　noble；　Ralph；　but　of　a　gallant　knight；　which　is　just　as　good。　My　father　was　killed　when　I　was　three　years　old；　and　my　mother　brought　me　to　Bertha；　the　wife　of　Giles　the　bowyer；　who　had　been　her　nurse　in　childhood。　I　had　forgotten　all　that　had　passed；　and　deemed　myself　the　son　of　the　good　citizen；　but　since　I　have　heard　the　truth　my　memory　has　awakened　somewhat；　and　I　have　a　dim　recollection　of　a　lordly　castle　and　of　my　father　and　mother。〃

〃And　they　say；　Walter；　that　you　are　going　with　Sir　Walter　Manny；　with　the　force　which　is　just　sailing　to　the　assistance　of　Lady　De　Montford。〃

〃That　is　so；　Ralph；　and　the　good　knight　has　taken　me　among　his　esquires；　young　as　I　am；　although　I　might　well　have　looked　for　nothing　better　than　to　commence；　for　two　years　at　least；　as　a　page；　seeing　that　I　am　but　eighteen　now。　　Now　I　shall　ride　with　him　into　the　battles　and　shall　have　as　good　a　chance　as　the　others　of　gaining　honour　and　winning　my　spurs。〃

〃I　have　made　up　my　mind　that　I　will　go　with　you；　Master　Walter；　if　you　will　take　me；　each　squire　has　a　man…at…arms　who　serves　him；　and　I　will　give　you　good　and　faithful　service　if　you　will　take　me　with　you。　I　spoke　to　the　smith；　my　master；　last　night　when　I　heard　the　news；　and　as　my　apprenticeship　is　out　next　week　he　was　willing　enough　to　give　me　the　few　days　which　remain。　Once　out　of　my　apprenticeship　I　may　count　to　be　a　man；　and　seeing　that　I　am　nineteen；　and　as　I　may　say　well　grown　of　my　years；　methinks　I　am　fit　for　service　as　a　man…at…arms；　and　I　would　rather　fight　behind　you　than　labour　all　my　life　in　the　smithy。〃

〃I　shall　be　glad　indeed；　Ralph；　to　have　you　with　me　if　such　be　really　your　wish；　and　I　do　not　think　that　Sir　Walter　Manny　will　say　nay；　for　they　have　been　beating　up　for　recruits　through　the　kingdom；　and　we　proved　yesterday　that　you　have　courage　as　well　as　strength。　If　he　will　consent　I　should　be　glad　indeed　to　have　so　brave　a　comrade　with　me；　so　we　may　consider　that　settled；　and　if　you　will　come　down　to　Westminster；　to　Sir　Walter　Manny's　lodging；　this　afternoon；　I　will　tell　you　what　he　says　touching　the　matter。　You　will；　of　course；　need　arms　and　armour。〃

〃I　can　provide　that；〃　Ralph　replied；　〃seeing　that　his　worshipful　the　lord…mayor　bestowed　upon　me　yesterday　five　gold　pieces　as　the　second　in　command　in　the　sports。　I　have　already　a　steel　cap　and　breast　and　back　pieces；　which　I　have　made　for　myself　in　hours　of　leisure；　and　warrant　will　stand　as　hard　a　knock　as　the　Frenchmen　can　give　them。〃

Going　across　into　the　city　with　Geoffrey；　Walter　purchased；　with　the　contents　of　the　purse　which　the　king　had　given　him；　the　garments　suited　for　his　new　position。　　He　was　fortunate　in　obtaining　some　which　fitted　him　exactly。　　These　had　been　made　for　a　young　esquire　of　the　Earl　of　Salisbury；　but　the　tailor；　when　he　heard　from　Geoffrey　for　whom　they　were　required；　and　the　need　for　instant　despatch；　parted　with　them　to　Walter；　saying　that　he　for　whom　they　were　made　could　well　wait　a　few　days；　and　that　he　would　set　his　journeymen　to　work　at　once　to　make　some　more　of　similar　fit　and　fashion。

Walter　felt　strange　in　his　new　attire；　and　by　no　means　relished　the　tightness　of　the　garments；　which　was　strictly　demanded　by　the　fashion　of　the　day。　His　long　hose；　one　of　which　was　of　a　deep　maroon；　the　other　a　bright　yellow；　came　far　up　above　the　knee；　then　came　a　short　pair　of　trunks　of　similar　colours　divided　in　the　middle。　The　tight…fitting　doublet　was　short　and　circled　at　the　waist　by　a　buff　belt　mounted　in　silver；　and　was　of　the　same　colours　as　the　hose　and　trunks。　　On　his　head　was　a　cap；　peaked　in　front；　this　was　of　maroon；　with　a　short　erect　feather　of　yellow。　The　long…pointed　shoes　matched　the　rest　of　the　costume。　There　were　three　other　suits　similar　in　fashion；　but　different　in　colour；　two　like　the　first　were　of　cloth；　the　third　was　of　white　and　blue　silk；　to　be　worn　on　grand　occasions。


〃You　look　a　very　pretty　figure；　Walter；〃　Geoffrey　said；　〃and　will　be　able　to　hold　your　own　among　the　young　gallants　of　the　court。　If　you　lack　somewhat　of　courtly　manners　it　will　matter　not　at　all；　since　you　are　leaving　so　soon　for　the　wars。

The　dress　sets　off　your　figure；　which　is　fully　two　years　in　advance　of　your　age；　seeing　that　hard　work　has　widened　you　out　and　thickened　your　muscles。　I　need　not　tell　you；　lad；　not　to　be　quarrelsome；　for　that　was　never　your　way；　but　just　at　first　your　companions　may　try　some　jests　with　you；　as　is　always　the　manner　of　young　men　with　newcomers；　but　take　them　in　a　good　spirit　and　be　sure　that；　seeing　the　strength　of　arm　and　skill　which　you　showed　yesterday　and　the　day　before；　none　will　care　to　push　matters　with　you　unduly。〃

One　of　the　journeymen　accompanied　Walter　to　Westminster　to　carry　up　from　the　boat　the　valise