saint george for england-第18章

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The　lads　were　not　sorry　at　the　chance　which　had　taken　them　to　their　destination　before　their　companions　and　had　given　them　a　chance　of　distinguishing　themselves。　Late　in　the　afternoon　the　ship　dropped　anchor　off　the　castle　of　Hennebon；　and　Sir　John　Powis　and　his　following　were　conveyed　in　the　ship's　boats　to　shore。　The　countess　received　them　most　graciously；　and　was　delighted　at　the　news　that　so　strong　a　force　was　on　its　way　to　her　aid。

〃In　the　absence　of　Sir　Walter　Manny；　madam；　I　place　myself　and　my　men　at　your　orders。　Our　horses　will　be　landed　the　first　thing　in　the　morning；　and　we　will　then　ride　whithersoever　you　may　bid　us。〃

〃Thanks；　Sir　John；〃　the　countess　replied。　〃In　that　case　I　would　that　you　ride　by　Rennes；　towards　which　the　army　of　the　Duke　of　Normandy　is　already　advancing。　The　garrison　there　is　commanded　by　Sir　William　of　Caddoudal；　a　good　and　valiant　knight。〃

The　horses　were　landed　on　the　following　morning；　and　accompanied　by　the　four　young　squires　and　the　men…at…arms；　and　followed　by　the　twenty　archers　on　foot；　Sir　John　Powis　set　out　for　Rennes。　They　arrived　there；　but　just　in　time；　for　the　assailants　were　closing　round　the　city。　They　were　received　with　the　greatest　cordiality　by　the　governor；　who　assigned　apartments　to　Sir　John　and　the　squires；　and　lodged　the　men…at…arms　and　archers　near　them。


In　a　day　or　two　the　whole　of　the　French　army　came　up；　and　the　siege　commenced。　　Sir　John　Powis；　at　his　own　request；　was　posted　with　his　men　for　the　defence　of　a　portion　of　the　wall　which　was　especially　open　to　the　assaults　of　the　enemy。　　These　soon　commenced　in　earnest；　and　the　Genoese　and　Spanish　mercenaries　endeavoured　to　carry　the　place　by　assault。　Sometimes　one　point　would　be　attacked；　at　others　points　far　distant。　Covered　by　the　fire　of　the　French　crossbowmen；　the　Spaniards　and　Germans　came　on　to　the　assault；　carrying　ladders；　with　which　they　strove　to　climb　the　walls；　but　the　defenders　plied　them　so　vigorously　with　quarrels　from　their　cross…bows　and　flights　of　arrows　that　they　frequently　desisted　before　reaching　the　walls。　When　they　pushed　on；　and　strove　to　ascend；　their　luck　was　no　better。　Great　stones　were　hurled　down；　and　boiling　oil　poured　upon　them。　The　ladders　were　flung　back；　and　many　crushed　by　the　fall；　and　in　none　of　the　assaults　did　they　gain　any　footing　in　the　town。　　Machines　were　used；　but　these　were　not　sufficiently　powerful　to　batter　down　the　walls；　and　at　the　end　of　April　the　city　was　as　far　from　being　captured　as　it　was　on　the　day　of　the　commencement　of　the　siege。

Walter　bore　his　full　share　in　the　fighting；　but　he　had　no　opportunity　of　especially　distinguishing　himself；　although　Sir　John　several　times　commended　him　for　his　coolness　when　the　bolts　of　the　crossbow…men　and　the　stones　from　the　machines　were　flying　most　thickly。　But　although　as　yet　uninjured　by　the　enemy's　attacks；　the　prospect　of　the　city　holding　out　was　not　bright。　The　burghers；　who　had　at　first　fought　valiantly；　were　soon　wearied　of　the　strife；　and　of　the　hardships　it　entailed　upon　them。　The　siege　had　continued　but　a　short　time　when　they　began　to　murmur　loudly。　The　force　under　the　command　of　the　governor　was　but　a　small　one；　and　it　would　have　been　impossible　for　him　to　resist　the　will　of　the　whole　population。　For　a　time　his　exhortations　and　entreaties　were　attended　with　success；　and　the　burghers　returned　to　their　positions　on　the　walls；　but　each　time　the　difficulty　became　greater；　and　it　was　clear　to　Caddoudal　and　Sir　John　Powis　that　ere　long　the　citizens　would　surrender　the　place　in　spite　of　them。　The　English　knight　was　furious　at　the　cowardliness　of　the　citizens；　and　proposed　to　the　governor　to　summon　twenty　of　the　leading　burghers；　and　to　hang　them　as　a　lesson　to　the　others；　but　the　governor　shook　his　head。

〃I　have　but　two　hundred　men　on　whom　I　can　rely；　including　your　following；　Sir　John。　We　could　not　keep　down　the　inhabitants　for　an　hour；　and　were　we　to　try　to　do　so；　they　would　open　the　gates　and　let　in　the　French。　No；　I　fear　that　we　must　await　the　end。〃

The　following　morning　Sir　John　was　awoke　with　the　news　that　in　the　night　Caddoudal　had　been　seized　and　thrown　into　prison　by　the　burghers；　and　that　a　deputation　of　citizens　had　already　gone　out　through　the　gate　to　treat　with　the　Duke　of　Normandy　for　the　surrender　of　the　city。

The　English　knight　was　furious；　but　with　his　little　band　he　could　do　nothing；　especially　as　he　found　that　a　strong　guard　of　burghers　had　been　placed　at　the　door　of　the　apartments　occupied　by　him　and　the　esquires；　and　he　was　informed　that　he　must　consider　himself　a　prisoner　until　the　conclusion　of　the　negotiations。

Cowardly　and　faithless　as　the　burghers　of　Rennes　showed　themselves　to　be；　they　nevertheless　stipulated　with　the　Duke　of　Normandy；　as　one　of　the　conditions　of　the　surrender；　that　Caddoudal；　Sir　John　Powis；　and　the　troops　under　them　should　be　permitted　to　pass　through　the　French　lines　and　go　whithersoever　they　would。　　These　terms　were　accepted。　At　mid…day　the　governor　was　released；　and　he　with　his　men…at…arms　and　the　band　of　Englishmen　filed　out　from　the　city　gate；　and　took　their　way　unmolested　through　the　lines　of　the　French　army　to　Hennebon。

They　had　been　for　a　month　in　ignorance　of　all　that　had　passed　outside　the　walls；　and　had　from　day　to　day　been　eagerly　looking　for　the　arrival　of　Sir　Walter　Manny　with　his　army　to　their　relief。　Once　past　the　French　lines　they　inquired　of　the　peasantry；　and　heard　to　their　surprise　that　the　English　fleet　had　not　yet　arrived。

〃We　were　in　luck　indeed；〃　Walter　said　to　his　companions；　〃that　Captain　Timothy　Martin　was　in　a　hurry　to　get　back　to　his　tradings　with　the　Flemings。　Had　he　not　been　so；　we　should　all　this　time　have　been　kicking　our　heels　and　fretting　on　board　a　ship。〃

On　nearing　Hennebon；　Sir　William　Caddoudal；　with　Sir　John　Powis　and　the　squires；　rode　forward　and　met　the　countess。　They　were　the　first　bearers　of　the　news　of　the　surrender　of　Rennes；　and　the　countess　was　filled　with　consternation　at　the　intelligence。　However；　after　her　first　burst　of　indignation　and　regret　had　passed；　she　put　a　brave　face　on　it。

〃They　shall　meet　with　another　reception　at　Hennebon；〃　she　said。　〃This　is　but　a　small　place；　and　my　garrison　here；　and　the　soldiers　you　have　brought；　will　well…　nigh　outnumber　the　burghers；　and　we　need　have　no　fear　of　such　faintheartedness　as　that　which　has　given　Nantes　and　Rennes　into　the　hands　of　my　enemy。　The　English　aid　cannot　tarry　long。　Until　it　come　we　can　assuredly　hold　the　place。〃

All　was　now　bustle　in　Hennebon。　Sir　John　Powis　took　charge　of　a　part　of　the　walls；　and　busied　himself　with　his　men　in　placing　the　machines　in　position；　and　in　preparing　for　defence。　The　countess；　attired　in　armour；　rode　through　the　streets　haranguing　the　townspeople。　She　urged　the　men　to　fight　till　the　last；　and　bade　the　women　and　girls　cut　short　their　dresses　so　that　they　could　the　better　climb　the　steps　to　the　top　of　the　walls；　and　that　one　and　all　should　carry　up　stones；　chalk；　and　baskets　of　lime　to　be　cast　down　upon　the　assailants。　　Animated　by　her　words　and　gestures；　the　townspeople　set　to　work；　and　all　vied　with　each　other；　from　the　oldest　to　the　youngest；　in　carrying　up　stores　of　missiles　to　the　walls。　Never　did　Hennebon　present　such　a　scene　of　life　and　bustle。　It　seemed　like　an　ant…hill　which　a　passer…by　has　disturbed。

Absorbed　in　their　work；　none　had　time　to　think　of　the　dangers　which　threatened　them；　and　a　stranger　would　rather　have　thought　from　their　cheerful　and　animated　countenances　that　they　were　preparing　for　a　great　fete　than　for　a　siege　by　an　army　to　which　the　two　chief　towns　in　Brittany　had　succumbed。

Ere　long　the　French　army　was　seen　approaching。　The　soldiers；　who　had　been　labouring　with　the　rest；　buckled　on　their　armour。　The　citizens　gathered　on　the　walls　to　hurl　down　the　piles　of　stones　which　had　been　collected；　and　all　prepared　for　the　assault。

〃Sir　John　Powis；〃　the　countess　said；　〃I　pray　you　to　grant　me　one　of　your　esquires；　who　may　attend　me　while　I　ride　about；　and　may　bear　my　messages　for　me。　　He　will　not　be　idle；　nor　will　he　escape　his　share　of　the　dangers；　for；　believe　me；　I　do　not　intend　to　hide　myself　while　you　and　your　brave　soldiers　are　fighting　for　me。

〃Willingly；　lady；〃　Sir　John　answered。　〃Here　is　Walter　Somers；　the　son　of　a　good　knight；　and　himself　brave　and　prudent　beyond　his　years；　he　will；　I　am　sure；　gladly　devote　himself　to　your　service。〃

The　French；　encouraged　by　their　successes；　thought　that　it　would　be　a　comparatively　easy　task　to　capture　so　small　a　place　as　Hennebon；　and　as　soon　as　their　camp　was　pitched　they　moved　forward　to　the　attack。

〃Come　with　me；　Master　Somers；〃　the　countess　said。　〃I　will　mount　to　one　of　the　watch…towers；　where　we　may　see　all　that　passes。

Walter　followed　her；　and　marvelled　to　see　the　lightness　and　agility　with　which　the　heroic　countess；　although　clad　in　armour；　mounted　the　rickety　ladders　to　the　summit　of　the　watch…tower。　The　French　bowmen　opened　a　heavy　fire　upon　the　walls；　which　was　answered　by　the　shafts　of　the　little　party　of　English　bowmen。　These　did　much　execution；　for　the　English　archers　shot　far　harder　and　straighter　than　those　of　France；　and　it　was　only　the　best　armour　which　could　keep　out　their　cloth…yard　shafts。　So　small　a　body；　however；　could　not　check　the　advance　of　so　large　a　force；　and　the　French　swarmed　up　to　the　very　foot　of　the　walls。

〃Well　done；　my　men！〃　the　countess　exclaimed；　clapping　her　hands；　as　a　shower　of　heavy　rocks　fell　among　the　mass　of　the　assailants；　who　were　striving　to　plant　their　ladders；　crushing　many　in　their　fall；　〃but　you　are　not　looking；　Master　Somers。　What　is　it　that　you　see　in　yonder　camp　to　withdraw　your　attention　from　such　a　fight？〃

〃I　am　thinking；　Countess；　that　the　French　have　left　their　camp　altogether　unguarded；　and　that　if　a　body　of　horse　could　make　a　circuit　and　fall　upon　it；　the　camp；　with　all　its　stores；　might　be　destroyed　before　they　could　get　back　to　save　it。〃

〃You　are　right；　young　sir；〃　the　countess　exclaimed；　〃and　it　shall　be　done　forthwith。〃

So　saying；　she　descended　the　stairs　rapidly　and　mounted　her　horse；　which　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　tower；　then　riding　through　the　town；　she　collected　a　party　of　about　three　hundred　men；　bidding　all　she　met　mount　their　horses　and　join　her　at　the　gate　on　the　opposite　side　to　that　on　which　the　assault　was　taking　place。　　Such　as　had　no　horses　she　ordered　to　take　them　from　those　in　her　own　stables。　　Walter　was　mounted　on　one　of　the　best　of　the　count's　chargers。　　Immediately　the　force　was　collected；　the　gate　was　opened　and　the　countess　rode　forth　at　their　head。　Making　a　considerable　detour；　the　party　rode　without　being　observed　into　the　rear　of　the　French　camp。　Here　only　a　few　servants　and　horse…boys　were　found；　these　were　at　once　killed　or　driven　out；　then　all　dismounting；　set　fire　to　the　tents　and　stores；　and　ere　the　French　were　aware　of　what　was　going　on；　the　whole　of　their　camp　was　in　flames。　As　soon　as　the　conflagration　was　perceived；　the　French　commanders　drew　off　their　men　from　the　attack；　and　all　ran　at　full　speed　towards　the　camp。

〃We　cannot　regain　the　town；〃　the　countess　said；　〃we　will　ride　to　Auray　at　full　speed；　and　re…enter　the　castle　when　best　we　may。

Don　Louis　of　Spain；　who　with　a　considerable　following　was　fighting　in　the　French　ranks；　hearin