saint george for england-第32章

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believe　that　he　had　private　enemies。

〃There　is　a　knight　who　is　evilly　disposed　toward　me；　your　highness；〃　Walter　said；　〃but　seeing　that　I　have　no　proof　whatever　that　he　had　a　hand　in　this　affair；　however　strongly　I　may　suspect　it；　I　would　fain；　with　your　leave；　avoid　mentioning　his　name。〃

〃But　think　you　that　there　is　any　knight　in　this　camp　capable　of　so　foul　an　action？〃

〃I　have　had　proofs；　your　highness；　that　he　is　capable　of　such　an　act；　but　in　this　matter　my　tongue　is　tied；　as　the　wrong　he　attempted　was　not　against　myself；　but　against　others　who　have　so　far　forgiven　him　that　they　would　fain　the　matter　should　drop。　He　owes　me　ill…will；　seeing　that　I　am　aware　of　his　conduct；　and　that　it　was　my　intervention　which　caused　his　schemes　to　fail。　Should　this　attempt　against　me　be　repeated　it　can　scarce　be　the　effect　of　chance；　but　would　show　premeditated　design；　and　I　would　then；　both　in　defence　of　my　own　life；　and　because　I　think　that　such　deeds　should　not　go　unpunished；　not　hesitate　to　name　him　to　you；　and　if　proof　be　wanting　to　defy　him　to　open　combat。〃

〃I　regret；　Sir　Walter；　that　your　scruples　should　hinder　you　from　at　once　denouncing　him；　but　seeing　how　grave　a　matter　it　is　to　charge　a　knight　with　so　foul　a　crime；　I　will　not　lay　stress　upon　you；　but　be　assured　that　should　any　repetition　of　the　attempt　be　made　I　shall　take　the　matter　in　hand；　and　will　see　that　this　caitiff　knight　receives　his　desserts。

A　short　time　afterwards　Walter　accompanied　the　prince　in　an　excursion　which　he　made　with　a　portion　of　the　army；　sweeping　the　French　provinces　as　far　as　the　river　Somme。　　Upon　their　way　back　they　passed　through　the　village　of　Pres；　hard　by　which　stood　a　small　castle。　It　was　situated　some　forty　miles　from　Calais；　and　standing　upon　rising　ground；　it　commanded　a　very　extensive　view　over　the　country。

〃What　say　you；　Sir　Walter？〃　the　prince　said　to　the　young　knight　who　was　riding　near　him。　〃That　castle　would　make　a　good　advanced　post；　and　a　messenger　riding　in　could　bring　news　of　any　large　movements　of　the　enemy。〃　Walter　assented。　　〃Then；　Sir　Walter；　I　name　you　chatelain。　I　shall　be　sorry　to　lose　your　good　company；　but　the　post　is　one　of　peril；　and　I　know　that　you　are　ever　longing　to　distinguish　yourself。　Take　forty　men…at…arms　and　sixty　archers。　With　that　force　you　may　make　shift　to　resist　any　attack　until　help　reaches　you　from　camp。　You　may　be　sure　that　I　shall　not　be　slack　in　spurring　to　your　rescue　should　you　be　assailed。〃

Walter　received　the　proposal　with　delight。　He　was　weary　of　the　monotony　of　life　in　New　Town；　and　this　post　in　which　vigilance　and　activity　would　be　required　was　just　to　his　taste；　so；　taking　the　force　named　by　the　prince；　with　a　store　of　provision；　he　drew　off　from　the　column　and　entered　the　castle。



CHAPTER　XV：　THE　SIEGE　OF　A　FORTALICE


Walter's　first　step　on　assuming　the　command　was　to　examine　thoroughly　into　the　capabilities　of　defence　of　the　place；　to　see　that　the　well　was　in　good　order；　and　the　supply　of　water　ample；　and　to　send　out　a　foraging　party；　which；　driving　in　a　number　of　beasts　and　some　cart…loads　of　forage；　would　supply　his　garrison　for　some　time。　The　castle　he　found　was　less　strong　than　it　looked。　　The　walls　were　lightly　built；　and　were　incapable　of　withstanding　any　heavy　battering。　The　moat　was　dry；　and　the　flanking　towers　badly　placed；　and　affording　little　protection　to　the　faces　of　the　walls；　however；　the　extent　of　the　defences　was　small；　and　Walter　felt　confident　that　with　the　force　at　his　command　he　could　resist　any　sudden　attack；　unless　made　in　overwhelming　force；　so　that　all　the　faces　of　the　wall　could　be　assaulted　at　the　same　time。　He　had　a　large　number　of　great　stones　brought　in　to　pile　against　the　gate；　while　others　were　brought　into　the　central　keep；　similarly　to　defend　the　door　should　the　outer　wall　be　carried。　　He　appointed　Ralph　as　his　lieutenant；　and　every　day；　leaving　him　in　charge　of　the　castle；　rode　through　the　country　for　many　miles　round；　with　twenty　men…at…　arms；　to　convince　himself　that　no　considerable　force　of　the　enemy　were　approaching。　These　reconnaissances　were　not　without　some　danger　and　excitement；　for　several　times　bodies　of　the　country　people；　armed　with　scythes；　axes；　and　staves；　tried　to　intercept　them　on　their　return　to　the　castle；　and　once　or　twice　Walter　and　his　men　had　to　fight　their　way　through　their　opponents。　Contrary　to　the　custom　of　the　times；　Walter　gave　orders　to　his　men　not　to　slay　any　when　resistance　had　ceased。



〃They　are　but　doing　what　we　ourselves　should　do　did　French　garrisons　hold　our　castles　at　home；　and　I　deem　them　in　no　way　to　be　blamed　for　the　efforts　which　they　make　to　slay　us。　In　self…defence；　of　course；　we　must　do　our　best；　and　must　kill　in　order　that　we　may　not　ourselves　be　slain；　but　when　they　are　once　routed；　let　them　go　to　their　homes。　Poor　people；　the　miseries　which　this　war　has　brought　upon　them　are　great；　and　there　is　no　wonder　that　they　hate　us。〃

This　leniency　on　Walter's　part　was　not　without　good　effect。　When　the　country　people　found　that　the　garrison　of　the　castle　of　Pres　did　not　carry　fire　and　sword　through　the　villages　around；　that　they　took　only　sufficient　for　their　needs；　and　behaved　with　courtesy　to　all；　their　animosity　to　a　great　extent　subsided。　No　longer　did　the　women　and　children　of　the　little　villages　fly　to　the　woods　when　they　saw　the　gleam　of　Walter's　approaching　spears；　but　remained　at　their　avocations；　and　answered　willingly　enough　the　questions　which　he　asked　them　as　to　whether　they　had　heard　aught　of　the　movements　of　French　troops。　So　far　as　possible；　Walter　refrained　from　seizing　the　cattle　or　stores　of　grain　of　the　poorer　classes；　taking　such　as　he　needed　from　the　lands　of　the　wealthy　proprietors；　all　of　whom　had　left　the　country；　and　were　either　with　the　French　army　or　sheltering　in　Paris。　Five　of　his　best　mounted　men　Walter　chose　as　messengers；　and　one　rode　each　day　to　New　Town　with　the　news　which　had　been　gathered；　returning　on　the　following　day；　and　then　resting　his　horse　for　three　days　before　again　setting　out。

Night　and　day　sentries　were　placed　on　the　walls；　for　although　Walter　heard　nothing　of　any　body　gathering　in　his　immediate　vicinity；　a　force　might　at　any　moment　issue　from　Amiens　and　appear　suddenly　before　the　place。　Such　was　indeed　what　really　took　place；　and　at　daybreak　one　morning　Walter　was　aroused　by　the　news　that　the　sentinels　saw　a　large　body　of　men　rapidly　approaching。　The　horse　of　the　messenger　next　on　duty　stood；　as　usual；　saddled　and　bridled　in　readiness；　and　without　a　moment's　delay　Walter　ordered　the　man　to　mount　and　ride　to　the　prince；　and　to　give　news　that　the　castle　was　assailed；　but　by　how　large　a　force　he　could　not　as　yet　say。

The　instant　the　messenger　had　started　through　the　gates　Walter　ascended　to　the　walls；　he　saw　at　once　that　the　party　was　a　strong　one；　for　although　still　at　some　distance；　and　but　dimly　seen　in　the　gray　morning　light；　he　judged　that　it　must　contain　at　least　a　thousand　men…at…arms。　At　this　moment　a　call　from　the　sentry　on　the　other　side　of　the　castle　was　heard；　and　hastening　thither；　Walter　saw　that　another　body　nearly　as　numerous　as　the　first　were　approaching　from　the　side　of　Calais；　having　made　a　detour　so　as　to　place　themselves　between　the　castle　and　the　army；　to　which　news　would　naturally　be　sent　of　their　coming。　　Walter　watched　his　messenger；　who　had　now　ridden　half　a　mile　towards　the　approaching　body。　Suddenly　he　saw　him　turn　his　horse　and　ride　off　at　right　angles　to　the　road。

〃He　sees　them；〃　he　said；　〃and　is　going　to　try　to　ride　round　them。　I　fear　that　there　is　but　little　hope　of　his　escaping；　seeing　that　they　are　between　him　and　Calais；　and　that　assuredly　some　among　them　must　be　as　well　or　better　mounted　than　himself。〃　As　he　spoke　a　party　of　horsemen　were　seen　to　detach　themselves　from　the　flank　of　the　French　column　and　to　gallop　off　at　full　speed　to　intercept　the　messenger；　the　latter　diverged　more　and　more　from　his　course；　but　he　was　constantly　headed　off　by　his　pursuers；　and　at　last；　seeing　the　impossibility　of　getting　through　them；　he　again　turned　his　horse's　head　and　galloped　off　towards　the　castle；　which　he　reached　a　few　hundred　yards　only　in　advance　of　his　foes。

〃I　could　not　help　it；　Sir　Walter；〃　he　said；　as　he　galloped　in　at　the　gate。　〃I　found　that　although　Robin　is　fast；　some　of　those　horsemen　had　the　turn　of　speed　of　me；　and　that　it　was　impossible　that　I　could　get　through；　so　deeming　that　I　should　do　more　service　by　coming　to　strike　a　blow　here　than　by　having　my　throat　cut　out　in　the　fields；　I　made　the　best　of　my　way　back。〃

〃Quite　right；　Martin！〃　Walter　said。　〃I　should　have　been　grieved　had　you　thrown　your　life　away　needlessly。　I　saw　from　the　first　that　your　escape　was　cut　off。　　And　now；　men；　each　to　his　place；　but　first　pile　up　the　stones　against　the　gate；　and　then　let　each　man　take　a　good　meal；　for　it　is　like　enough　to　be　long　before　we　get　a　chance　of　doing　so　again。〃

Again　ascending　to　the　walls　Walter　saw　that　the　first　body　of　men…at…arms　he　had　perceived　was　followed　at　a　distance　by　a　strong　force　of　footmen　having　with　them　some　large　wagons。

〃I　fear；〃　he　said　to　Ralph；　〃that　they　have　brought　machines　with　them　from　Amiens；　and　in　that　case　they　will　not　be　long　in　effecting　a　breach；　for　doubtless　they　know　that　the　walls　are　but　weak。　We　shall　have　to　fight　stoutly；　for　it　may　be　days　before　the　news　of　our　leaguer　reaches　the　camp。　However；　I　trust　that　the　prince　will；　by　tomorrow　night；　when　he　finds　that　two　days　have　elapsed　without　the　coming　of　my　usual　messenger；　suspect　that　we　are　besieged　and　will　sally　forth　to　our　assistance。　And　now　let　us　to　breakfast；　for　we　shall　need　all　our　strength　today；　and　you　may　be　sure　that　French　will　lose　no　time　in　attacking；　seeing　that　assistance　may　shortly　arrive　from　Calais。〃

There　were　but　few　preparations　to　be　made。　Each　man　had　had　his　post　assigned　to　him　on　the　walls　in　case　of　an　attack；　and　piles　of　stones　had　been　collected　in　readiness　to　cast　down　upon　the　heads　of　those　attempting　an　assault。　　Cauldrons　were　carried　up　to　the　walls　and　filled　with　water；　and　great　fires　were　lighted　under　them。　In　half　an　hour　the　French　infantry　had　reached　the　spot；　but　another　two　hours　elapsed　before　any　hostile　movement　was　made；　the　leaders　of　the　assailants　giving　their　men　that　time　to　rest　after　their　long　march。　Then　a　stir　was　visible　among　them；　and　they　were　seen　to　form　in　four　columns；　each　about　a　thousand　strong；　which　advanced　simultaneously　against　opposite　sides　of　the　castle。　　As　soon　as　their　intentions　were　manifest　Walter　divided　his　little　force；　and　these；　gathering　in　four　groups　upon　the　walls；　prepared　to　resist　the　assault。　To　four　of　his　most　trusty　men…at…arms　he　assigned　the　command　of　these　parties；　he　himself　and　Ralph　being　thus　left　free　to　give　their　aid　where　it　was　most　needed。

The　assailants　were　well　provided　with　scaling…ladders；　and　advanced　with　a　number　of　crossbow…men　in　front；　who　speedily　opened　a　hot　fire　on　the　walls。　　Walter　ordered　his　archers　to　bide　their　time；　and　not　to　fire　a　shot　till　certain　that　every　shaft　would　tell。　They　accordingly　waited　until　the　French　arrived　within　fifty　yards　of　the　wall；　when　the　arrows　began　to　rain　among　them　with　deadly　effect；　scarce　one　but　struck　its　ma