saint george for england-第37章

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They　were　not　long　before　they　found　the　track；　and　then　started　at　a　brisk　pace　along　it。　All　night　they　struggled　on　through　wind　and　rain　until　the　first　dawn　enabled　them　to　see　the　objects　in　the　surrounding　country；　and　making　for　the　forest　which　extended　to　within　a　mile　of　the　road；　they　entered　deep　into　its　shelter；　and　there　utterly　exhausted；　threw　themselves　down　on　the　wet　ground。　　After　a　few　hours　of　uneasy　sleep　they　woke；　and　taking　their　place　near　the　edge　of　the　forest　watched　for　the　passage　of　any　party　which　might　be　in　pursuit；　but　until　nightfall　none　came　along。

〃They　have　not　discovered　our　flight；〃　Ralph　said　at　last；　〃or　they　would　have　passed　long　before　this。　Sir　Phillip　doubtless　imagines　that　we　are　drowned。　The　water　was　within　a　few　inches　of　the　sill　when　we　started；　and　must　soon　have　flooded　the　dungeon；　and　did　he　trouble　to　look　in　the　morning；　which　is　unlikely　enough　seeing　that　he　would　be　sure　of　our　fate；　he　would　be　unable　to　descend　the　stairs；　and　could　not　reach　to　the　door；　and　so　discover　that　the　bar　had　been　removed。　No；　whatever　his　motive　may　have　been　in　compassing　my　death；　he　is　doubtless　satisfied　that　he　has　attained　it；　and　we　need　have　no　further　fear　of　pursuit　from　him。　The　rain　has　ceased；　and　I　think　that　it　will　be　a　fine　night；　we　will　walk　on；　and　if　we　come　across　a　barn　will　make　free　to　enter　it；　and　stripping　off　our　clothing　to　dry；　will　sleep　in　the　hay；　and　pursue　our　journey　in　the　morning。　From　our　travel…stained　appearance　any　who　may　meet　us　will　take　us　for　two　wayfarers　going　to　take　service　in　the　army　at　Amiens。〃

It　was　not　until　nearly　midnight　that　they　came　upon　such　a　place　as　they　sought；　then　after　passing　a　little　village　they　found　a　shed　standing　apart。　　Entering　it　they　found　that　it　was　tenanted　by　two　cows。　Groping　about　they　presently　came　upon　a　heap　of　forage；　and　taking　off　their　outer　garments　lay　down　on　this；　covering　themselves　thickly　with　it。　The　shed　was　warm　and　comfortable　and　they　were　soon　asleep；　and　awaking　at　daybreak　they　found　that　their　clothes　had　dried　somewhat。　The　sun　was　not　yet　up　when　they　started；　but　it　soon　rose；　and　ere　noon　their　garments　had　dried；　and　they　felt　for　the　first　time　comfortable。　They　met　but　few　people　on　the　road；　and　these　passed　them　with　ordinary　salutations。

They　had　by　this　time　left　Amiens　on　the　right；　and　by　nightfall　were　well　on　their　way　towards　Calais。　Early　in　the　morning　they　had　purchased　some　bread　at　a　village　through　which　they　passed；　Walter's　Norman…French　being　easily　understood；　and　exciting　no　surprise　or　suspicion。　At　nightfall　they　slept　in　a　shed　within　a　mile　of　the　ruins　of　the　castle　of　Pres；　and　late　next　evening　entered　the　English　encampment　at　New　Town。　After　going　to　his　tent；　where　he　and　Ralph　changed　their　garments　and　partook　of　a　hearty　meal；　Walter　proceeded　to　the　pavilion　of　the　prince；　who　hailed　his　entrance　with　the　greatest　surprise。

〃Why　Sir　Walter；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃what　good　saint　has　brought　you　here？　I　have　but　an　hour　since　received　a　message　from　the　Count　of　Evreux　to　the　effect　that　you　were　a　prisoner　in　the　bands　of　Sir　Phillip　de　Holbeaut；　with　whom　I　must　treat　for　your　ransom。　I　was　purporting　to　send　off　a　herald　tomorrow　to　ask　at　what　sum　he　held　you；　and　now　you　appear　in　flesh　and　blood　before　us！　But　first；　before　you　tell　us　your　story；　I　must　congratulate　you　on　your　gallant　defence　of　the　Castle　of　Pres；　which　is　accounted　by　all　as　one　of　the　most　valiant　deeds　of　the　war。　When　two　days　passed　without　a　messenger　from　you　coming　hither；　I　feared　that　you　were　beleaguered；　and　started　that　evening　with　six　hundred　men…at…arms。　We　arrived　at　daybreak　to　finding　only　a　smoking　ruin。　　Luckily　among　the　crowd　of　dead　upon　the　breach　we　found　one　of　your　men…at…arms　who　still　breathed；　and　after　some　cordial　had　been　given　him；　and　his　wounds　stanched；　he　was　able　to　tell　us　the　story　of　the　siege。　But　it　needed　not　his　tale　to　tell　us　how　staunchly　you　had　defended　the　castle；　for　the　hundreds　of　dead　who　lay　outside　of　the　walls；　and　still　more　the　mass　who　piled　the　breach；　and　the　many　who　lay　in　the　castle…yard　spoke　for　themselves　of　the　valour　with　which　the　castle　had　been　defended。　As　the　keep　was　gutted　by　fire；　and　the　man　could　tell　us　nought　of　what　had　happened　after　he　bad　been　stricken　down　at　the　breach；　we　knew　not　whether　you　and　your　brave　garrison　had　perished　in　the　flames。　We　saw　the　penthouse　beneath　which　they　had　laboured　to　cut　through　the　wall；　but　the　work　had　ceased　before　the　holes　were　large　enough　for　entry；　and　we　hoped　that　you　might　have　seen　that　further　resistance　was　in　vain；　and　have　made　terms　for　your　lives；　indeed　we　heard　from　the　country　people　that　certain　prisoners　had　been　taken　to　Amiens。　I　rested　one　day　at　Pres；　and　the　next　rode　back　here；　and　forthwith　despatched　a　herald　to　the　Count　of　Evreux　at　Amiens　asking　for　news　of　the　garrison；　but　now　he　has　returned　with　word　that　twenty…　four　men…at…arms　and　fifty…eight　archers　are　prisoners　in　the　count's　hands；　and　that　he　is　ready　to　exchange　them　against　an　equal　number　of　French　prisoners；　but　that　you；　with　a　man…at…arms；　were　in　the　keeping　of　Sir　Phillip　of　Holbeaut；　with　whom　I　must　treat　for　your　ransom。　　And　now　tell　me　how　it　is　that　I　see　you　here。　Has　your　captor；　confiding　in　your　knightly　word　to　send　him　the　sum　agreed　upon；　allowed　you　to　return？　Tell　me　the　sum　and　my　treasurer　shall　tomorrow　pay　it　over　to　a　herald；　who　shall　carry　it　to　Holbeaut。〃

〃Thanks；　your　Royal　Highness；　for　your　generosity；〃　Walter　replied；　〃but　there　is　no　ransom　to　be　paid。〃

And　he　then　proceeded　to　narrate　the　incidents　of　his　captivity　at　Holbeaut　and　his　escape　from　the　castle。　His　narration　was　frequently　interrupted　by　exclamations　of　surprise　and　indignation　from　the　prince　and　knights　present。

〃Well；　this　well…nigh　passes　all　belief；〃　the　prince　exclaimed　when　he　had　concluded。　〃It　is　an　outrage　upon　all　laws　of　chivalry　and　honour。　What　could　have　induced　this　caitiff　knight；　instead　of　treating　you　with　courtesy　and　honour　until　your　ransom　arrived；　to　lodge　you　in　a　foul　dungeon；　where；　had　you　not　made　your　escape；　your　death　would　have　been　brought　about　that　very　night　by　the　rising　water？　Could　it　be；　think　you；　that　his　brain　is　distraught　by　some　loss　or　injury　which　may　have　befallen　him　at　our　hands　during　the　war　and　worked　him　up　to　a　blind　passion　of　hatred　against　all　Englishmen？〃

〃I　think　not　that；　your　Royal　Highness；〃　Walter　replied。　　〃His　manner　was　cool　and　deliberate；　and　altogether　free　from　any　signs　of　madness。　Moreover；　it　would　seem　that　he　had　specially　marked　me　down　beforehand；　since；　as　I　have　told　you；　he　had　bargained　with　the　Count　of　Evreux　for　the　possession　of　my　person　should　I　escape　with　life　at　the　capture　of　the　castle。　It　seems　rather　as　if　he　must　have　had　some　private　enmity　against　me；　although　what　the　cause　may　be　I　cannot　imagine；　seeing　that　I　have　never；　to　my　knowledge；　before　met　him；　and　have　only　heard　his　name　by　common　report。

〃Whatever　be　the　cause；〃　the　prince　said；　〃we　will　have　satisfaction　for　it；　and　I　will　beg　the　king；　my　father；　to　write　at　once　to　Phillip　of　Valois　protesting　against　the　treatment　that　you　have　received；　and　denouncing　Sir　Phillip　of　Holbeaut　as　a　base　and　dishonoured　knight；　whom；　should　he　fall　into　our　hands；　we　will　commit　at　once　to　the　hangman。

Upon　the　following　day　Walter　was　called　before　the　king；　and　related　to　him　in　full　the　incidents　of　the　siege　and　of　his　captivity　and　escape；　and　the　same　day　King　Edward　sent　off　a　letter　to　Phillip　of　Valois　denouncing　Sir　Phillip　Holbeaut　as　a　dishonoured　knight；　and　threatening　retaliation　upon　the　French　prisoners　in　his　hands。

A　fortnight　later　an　answer　was　received　from　the　King　of　France　saying　that　he　had　inquired　into　the　matter；　and　had　sent　a　seneschal；　who　had　questioned　Sir　Phillip　Holbeaut　and　some　of　the　men…at…arms　in　the　castle；　and　that　he　found　that　King　Edward　had　been　grossly　imposed　upon　by　a　fictitious　tale。　Sir　Walter　Somers　had；　he　found；　been　treated　with　all　knightly　courtesy；　and　believing　him　to　be　an　honourable　knight　and　true　to　his　word；　but　slight　watch　had　been　kept　over　him。　He　had　basely　taken　advantage　of　this　trust；　and　with　the　man…at…arms　with　him　had　escaped　from　the　castle　in　order　to　avoid　payment　of　his　ransom；　and　had　now　invented　these　gross　and　wicked　charges　against　Sir　Phillip　Holbeaut　as　a　cloak　to　his　own　dishonour。

Walter　was　furious　when　he　heard　the　contents　of　this　letter；　and　the　king　and　Black　Prince　were　no　less　indignant。　　Although　they　doubted　him　not　for　a　moment；　Walter　begged　that　Ralph　might　be　brought　before　them　and　examined　strictly　as　to　what　had　taken　place；　in　order　that　they　might　see　that　his　statements　tallied　exactly　with　those　he　had　made。

When　this　had　been　done　Walter　obtained　permission　from　the　king　to　despatch　a　cartel　to　Sir　Phillip　de　Holbeaut　denouncing　him　as　a　perjured　and　dishonoured　knight　and　challenging　him　to　meet　him　in　mortal　conflict　at　any　time　and　place　that　he　might　name。　At　the　same　time　the　king　despatched　a　letter　to　Phillip　of　Valois　saying　that　the　statements　of　the　French　knight　and　followers　were　wholly　untrue；　and　begging　that　a　time　might　be　appointed　for　the　meeting　of　the　two　knights　in　the　lists。

To　this　King　Phillip　replied　that　he　had　ordered　all　private　quarrels　in　France　to　be　laid　aside　during　the　progress　of　the　war；　and　that　so　long　as　an　English　foot　remained　upon　French　soil　he　would　give　no　countenance　to　his　knights　throwing　away　the　lives　which　they　owed　to　France；　in　private　broils。

〃You　must　wait；　Sir　Walter；　you　see；〃　the　king　said；　〃until　you　may　perchance　meet　him　in　the　field　of　battle。　In　the　mean　time；　to　show　how　lightly　I　esteem　the　foul　charge　brought　against　you；　and　how　much　I　hold　and　honour　the　bravery　which　you　showed　in　defending　the　castle　which　my　son　the　prince　entrusted　to　you；　as　well　as　upon　other　occasions；　I　hereby　promote　you　to　the　rank　of　knight…banneret。〃

Events　now　passed　slowly　before　Calais。　Queen　Philippa　and　many　of　her　ladies　crossed　the　Channel　and　joined　her　husband；　and　these　added　much　to　the　gaiety　of　the　life　in　camp。　The　garrison　at　Calais　was；　it　was　known；　in　the　sorest　straits　for　the　want　of　food；　and　at　last　the　news　came　that　the　King　of　France；　with　a　huge　army　of　200；000　men；　was　moving　to　its　relief。　They　had　gathered　at　Hesdin；　at　which　rendezvous　the　king　had　arrived　in　the　early　part　of　April；　but　it　was　not　until　the　27th　of　July　that　the　whole　army　was　collected；　and　marching　by　slow　steps　advanced　towards　the　English　position。

King　Edward　had　taken　every　precaution　to　guard　all　the　approaches　to　the　city。　　The　ground　was　in　most　places　too　soft　and　sandy　to　admit　of　the　construction　of　defensive　works；　but　the　fleet　was　drawn　up　close　inshore　to　cover　the　line　of　sand…hills　by　the　sea　with　arrows　and　war　machines；　while　the　passages　of　the　marshes；　which　extended　for　a　considerable　distance　round　the　town；　were　guarded　by　the　Earl　of　Lancaster　and　a　body　of　chosen　troops；　while　the　other　approaches　to　the　city　were　covered　by　the　English　camp。

The　French　reconnoitering　parties　fo