saint george for england-第35章

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s　thrown　us　into　his　hands；　still；　although　grasping　and　avaricious；　he　can　hardly　demand　for　a　simple　knight　any　inordinate　ransom。　The　French　themselves　would　cry　out　did　he　do　so；　seeing　that　so　large　a　number　of　their　own　knights　are　in　our　hands；　and　that　the　king　has　ample　powers　of　retaliation；　however；　we　need　not　look　on　the　dark　side。　It　is　not　likely　that　our　captivity　will　be　a　long　one；　for　the　prince；　who　is　the　soul　of　generosity；　will　not　haggle　over　terms；　but　will　pay　my　ransom　as　soon　as　he　hears　into　whose　hands　I　have　fallen；　while　there　are　scores　of　men…at…arms　prisoners；　whom　he　can　exchange　for　you。　Doubtless　Sir　Phillip　will　send　you　over；　as　soon　as　he　arrives　at　his　castle；　with　one　of　his　own　followers　to　treat　for　my　ransom。

After　riding　for　some　hours　the　troop　halted　their　weary　horses　in　a　wood；　and　lighting　fires；　cooked　their　food；　and　then　lay　down　until　morning。　Sir　Phillip　exchanged　but　few　words　with　his　captive；　as；　having　removed　his　helm；　he　sat　by　the　fire；　Walter　had　an　opportunity　of　seeing　his　countenance。　It　did　not　belie　his　reputation。　His　face　had　a　heavy　and　brutal　expression　which　was　not　decreased　by　the　fashion　of　his　hair；　which　was　cut　quite　short；　and　stood　up　without　parting　all　over　his　bullet…shaped　head；　he　had　a　heavy　and　bristling　moustache　which　was　cut　short　in　a　line　with　his　lips。

〃It　is　well；〃　Walter　thought　to　himself；　〃that　it　is　my　ransom　rather　than　my　life　which　is　dear　to　that　evil…looking　knight；　for；　assuredly；　he　is　not　one　to　hesitate　did　fortune　throw　a　foe　into　his　hands。〃

At　daybreak　the　march　was　resumed；　and　was　continued　until　they　reached　the　castle　of　Sir　Phillip　Holbeaut；　which　stood　on　a　narrow　tongue　of　land　formed　by　a　sharp　bend　of　the　Somme。

On　entering　the　castle　the　knight　gave　an　order　to　his　followers；　and　the　prisoners　were　at　once　led　to　a　narrow　cell　beneath　one　of　the　towers。　Walter　looked　round　indignantly　when　he　arrived　there。

〃This　is　a　dungeon　for　a　felon；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃not　the　apartment　for　a　knight　who　has　been　taken　captive　in　fair　fight。　Tell　your　master　that　he　is　bound　to　award　me　honourable　treatment；　and　that　unless　he　removes　me　instantly　from　this　dungeon　to　a　proper　apartment；　and　treats　me　with　all　due　respect　and　courtesy；　I　will；　when　I　regain　liberty；　proclaim　him　a　dishonoured　knight。〃

The　men…at…arms　made　no　reply；　but；　locking　the　door　behind　them；　left　the　prisoners　alone。

〃What　can　this　mean；　Ralph？〃　Walter　exclaimed。　〃We　are　in　the　lowest　dungeon；　and　below　the　level　of　the　river。　　See　how　damp　are　the　walls；　and　the　floor　is　thick　with　slimy　mud。　The　river　must　run　but　just　below　that　loophole；　and　in　times　of　flood　probably　enters　here。〃

Phillip　of　Holbeaut；　on　dismounting；　ascended　to　an　upper　chamber；　where　a　man　in　the　dress　of　a　well…to…do　citizen　was　sitting。

〃Well；　Sir　Phillip；〃　he　exclaimed；　rising　to　his　feet　as　the　other　entered；　〃what　news？〃

〃The　news　is　bad；〃　the　knight　growled。　〃This　famous　scheme　of　yours　has　cost　me　fifty　of　my　best　men。　I　would　I　had　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃

〃But　this　Walter　Somers；〃　the　other　exclaimed；　〃what　of　him？　He　has　not　escaped　surely！　The　force　which　marched　from　Amiens　was　large　enough　to　have　eaten　him　and　his　garrison。

〃He　has　not　escaped；〃　the　knight　replied。

〃Then　he　is　killed！〃　the　other　said　eagerly。

〃No；　nor　is　he　killed。　He　is　at　present　a　prisoner　in　a　dungeon　below；　together　with　a　stout　knave　whom　he　begged　might　accompany　him　until　ransomed。〃

〃All　is　well　then；〃　the　other　exclaimed。　〃Never　mind　the　loss　of　your　men。　The　money　which　I　have　promised　you　for　this　business　will　hire　you　two　hundred　such　knaves；　but　why　didst　not　knock　him　on　head　at　once？〃

〃It　was　not　so　easy　to　knock　him　on　the　head；〃　Sir　Phillip　growled。　〃It　cost　us　five　hundred　men　to　capture　the　outer　walls；　and　to　have　fought　our　way　into　the　keep；　held；　as　it　was；　by　men　who　would　have　contested　every　foot　of　the　ground；　was　not　a　job　for　which　any　of　us　had　much　stomach；　seeing　what　the　first　assaults　had　cost　us；　so　the　count　took　them　all　to　quarter。　The　rest　he　carried　with　him　to　Amiens；　but　their　leader；　according　to　the　promise　which　he　made　me；　he　handed　over　to　me　as　my　share　of　the　day's　booty；　giving　me　every　charge　that　he　should　receive　good　and　knightly　treatment。

〃Which；　no　doubt；　you　will　observe；〃　the　other　said；　with　an　ugly　laugh。

〃It　is　a　bad　business；〃　the　knight　exclaimed　angrily；　〃and　were　it　not　for　our　friendship；　in　Spain；　and　the　memory　of　sundry　deeds　which　we　did　together；　not　without　profit　to　our　purses；　I　would　rather　that　you　were　thrown　over　the　battlements　into　the　river　than　I　had　taken　a　step　in　this　business。　However；　none　can　say　that　Phillip　of　Holbeaut　ever　deserted　a　friend　who　had　proved　true　to　him；　not　to　mention　that　the　sum　which　you　promised　me　for　my　aid　in　this　matter　will；　at　present　time；　prove　wondrously　convenient。　　Yet　I　foresee　that　it　will　bring　me　into　trouble　with　the　Count　of　Evreux。　Ere　many　days　a　demand　will　come　for　the　fellow　to　be　delivered　on　ransom。〃

〃And　what　will　you　say？〃　the　other　asked。

〃I　shall　say　what　is　the　truth；〃　the　knight　replied；　〃though　I　may　add　something　that　is　not　wholly　so。　I　shall　say　that　he　was　drowned　in　the　Somme。　I　shall　add　that　it　happened　as　he　was　trying　to　make　his　escape；　contrary　to　the　parole　he　had　given；　but　in　truth　he　will　be　drowned　in　the　dungeon　in　which　I　have　placed　him；　which　has　rid　me　of　many　a　troublesome　prisoner　before　now。　The　river　is　at　ordinary　times　but　two　feet　below　the　loophole；　and　when　its　tide　is　swelled　by　rain　it　often　rises　above　the　sill；　and　then　there　is　an　end　of　any　one　within。　　They　can　doubt　my　word；　but　there　are　not　many　who　would　care　to　do　so　openly；　none　who　would　do　so　for　the　sake　of　an　unknown　English　knight。　And　as　for　any　complaints　on　the　part　of　the　Black　Prince；　King　Phillip　has　shown　over　and　over　again　how　little　the　complaints　of　Edward　himself　move　him。〃

〃It　were　almost　better　to　knock　him　on　head　at　once；〃　the　other　said　thoughtfully；　〃the　fellow　has　as　many　lives　as　a　cat。

〃If　he　had　as　many　as　nine　cats；〃　the　knight　replied；　〃it　would　not　avail　him。　　But　I　will　have　no　violence。　The　water　will　do　your　work　as　well　as　a　poinard；　and　I　will　not　have　it　said；　even　among　such　ruffians　as　mine；　that　I　slew　a　captured　knight。　The　other　will　pass　as　an　accident；　and　I　care　not　what　my　men　may　think　as　long　as　they　can　say　nothing　for　a　surety。　The　count　may　storm　as　much　as　he　will；　and　may　even　lay　a　complaint　against　me　before　the　king；　but　in　times　like　the　present；　even　a　simple　knight　who　can　lead　two　hundred　good　fighting　men　into　the　field　is　not　to　be　despised；　and　the　king　is　likely　to　be　easily　satisfied　with　my　replies　to　any　question　that　may　be　raised。　Indeed；　it　would　seem　contrary　to　reason　that　I　should　slay　a　captive　against　whom　I　have　no　cause　of　quarrel；　and　so　forfeit　the　ransom　which　I　should　get　for　him。〃

〃But　suppose　that　a　messenger　should　come　offering　ransom　before　the　river　happens　to　rise？〃

〃Then　I　shall　anticipate　matters；　and　shall　say　that　what　I　know　will　happen　has　already　taken　place。　Do　not　be　uneasy；　Sir　James。　You　have　my　word　in　the　matter；　and　now　I　have　gone　so　far　I　shall　carry　it　through。　From　the　moment　when　I　ordered　him　into　that　dungeon　his　fate　was　sealed；　and　in　truth；　when　I　gave　the　order　I　did　so　to　put　an　end　to　the　indecision　in　which　my　mind　had　been　all　night。　Once　in　there　he　could　not　be　allowed　to　come　out　alive；　for　his　report　of　such　treatment　would　do　me　more　harm　among　those　of　my　own　station　in　France　than　any　rumours　touching　his　end　could　do。　It　is　no　uncommon　affair　for　one　to　remove　an　enemy　from　one's　path；　but　cruelty　to　a　knightly　prisoner　would　be　regarded　with　horror。　Would　you　like　to　have　a　look　at　him？〃

The　other　hesitated。　〃No；〃　he　replied。　〃Against　him　personally　I　have　no　great　grudge。　He　has　thwarted　my　plans；　and　stands　now　grievously　in　the　way　of　my　making　fresh　ones；　but　as　he　did　so　from　no　ill…will　towards　myself；　but　as　it　were　by　hazard；　I　have　no　personal　hatred　towards　him；　though　I　would　fain　remove　him　from　my　path。　Besides；　I　tell　you　fairly；　that　even　in　that　dungeon　where　you　have　thrown　him　I　shall　not　feel　that　he　is　safe　until　you　send　me　word　that　he　is　dead。　He　has　twice　already　got　out　of　scrapes　when　other　men　would　have　been　killed。　Both　at　Vannes　and　at　Ghent　he　escaped　in　a　marvellous　way；　and　but　a　few　weeks　since；　by　the　accident　of　his　having　a　coat　of　mail　under　his　doublet　he　saved　his　life　from　as　fair　a　blow　as　ever　was　struck。　　Therefore　I　would　not　that　he　knew　aught　of　my　having　a　hand　in　this　matter；　for　if　after　having　seen　me　he　made　his　escape　I　could　never　show　my　face　in　England　again。　I　should　advise　you　to　bid　three　or　four　men　always　enter　his　cell　together；　for　he　and　that　man…of…arms　who　follows　him　like　a　shadow　are　capable　of　playing　any　desperate　trick　to　escape。

〃That　matter　is　easily　enough　managed；〃　Sir　Phillip　said　grimly；　〃by　no　one　entering　the　dungeon　at　all。　The　river　may　be　slow　of　rising；　though　in　sooth　the　sky　looks　overcast　now；　and　it　is　already　at　its　usual　winter　level；　and　whether　he　dies　from　lack　of　water　or　from　a　too　abundant　supply　matters　but　little　to　me；　only；　as　I　told　you　I　will　give　no　orders　for　him　to　be　killed。　　Dost　remember　that　Jew　we　carried　off　from　Seville　and　kept　without　water　until　he　agreed　to　pay　us　a　ransom　which　made　us　both　rich　for　six　months？　　That　was　a　rare　haul；　and　I　would　that　rich　Jews　were　plentiful　in　this　country。

〃Yes；　those　were　good　times；〃　the　other　said；　〃although　I　own　that　I　have　not　done　badly　since　the　war　began；　having　taken　a　count　and　three　knights　prisoners；　and　put　them　to　ransom；　and　having　reaped　a　goodly　share　of　plunder　from　your　French　burghers；　else　indeed　I　could　not　have　offered　you　so　round　a　sum　to　settle　this　little　matter　for　me。　There　are　not　many　French　knights　who　have　earned　a　count's　ransom　in　the　present　war。　And　now　I　will　take　horse；　here　is　one…half　of　the　sum　I　promised　you；　in　gold　nobles。　I　will　send　you　the　remainder　on　the　day　when　I　get　news　from　you　that　the　matter　is　finished。〃

〃Have　your　money　ready　in　a　week's　time；〃　the　knight　replied；　taking　the　bag　of　gold　which　the　other　placed　on　the　table；　〃for　by　that　time　you　will　hear　from　me。　I　hope　this　will　not　be　the　last　business　which　we　may　do　together；　there　ought　to　be　plenty　of　good　chances　in　a　war　like　this。　　Any　time　that　you　can　send　me　word　of　an　intended　foray　by　a　small　party　under　a　commander　whose　ransom　would　be　a　high　one　I　will　share　what　I　get　with　you；　and　similarly　I　will　let　you　know　of　any　rich　prize　who　may　be　pounced　upon　on　the　same　terms。

〃Agreed！〃　the　other　said。　〃We　may　do　a　good　business　together　in　that　way。　But　you　lie　too　far　away。　If　you　move　up　as　near　as　you　can　to　Calais　and　let　me　know　your　whereabouts；　so　that　I　could　send　or　ride　to　you　in　a　few　hours；　we　might　work　together　with　no　small　profit。〃

〃I　will　take　the　field　as　soon　as　this　affair　of　yours　is　settled；〃　the　knight　replied；　〃and　the　messenger　who　brings　you　the　news　shall　tell　you　where　I　may　be　found。　And　now；　while　your　horse　is　being　got　ready；　let　us　drink　a　stoup　of　wine　together　i