by Walter Scott 12 страница

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the disorderly state of the town, crowded with military nobles and

their dissolute attendants, gave Gurth some uneasiness. " The Jewess was

right, " he said to himself. " By heaven and St Dunstan, I would I were

safe at my journey's end with all this treasure! Here are such numbers,

I will not say of arrant thieves, but of errant knights and errant

squires, errant monks and errant minstrels, errant jugglers and errant

jesters, that a man with a single merk would be in danger, much more a

poor swineherd with a whole bagful of zecchins. Would I were out of

the shade of these infernal bushes, that I might at least see any of St

Nicholas's clerks before they spring on my shoulders. "

Gurth accordingly hastened his pace, in order to gain the open common

to which the lane led, but was not so fortunate as to accomplish his

object. Just as he had attained the upper end of the lane, where the

underwood was thickest, four men sprung upon him, even as his fears

anticipated, two from each side of the road, and seized him so fast,

that resistance, if at first practicable, would have been now too

late. --" Surrender your charge, " said one of them; " we are the deliverers

of the commonwealth, who ease every man of his burden. "

" You should not ease me of mine so lightly, " muttered Gurth, whose

surly honesty could not be tamed even by the pressure of immediate

violence, --" had I it but in my power to give three strokes in its

defence. "

" We shall see that presently, " said the robber; and, speaking to his

companions, he added, " bring along the knave. I see he would have his

head broken, as well as his purse cut, and so be let blood in two veins

at once. "

Gurth was hurried along agreeably to this mandate, and having been

dragged somewhat roughly over the bank, on the left-hand side of the

lane, found himself in a straggling thicket, which lay betwixt it and

the open common. He was compelled to follow his rough conductors into

the very depth of this cover, where they stopt unexpectedly in an

irregular open space, free in a great measure from trees, and on which,

therefore, the beams of the moon fell without much interruption from

boughs and leaves. Here his captors were joined by two other persons,

apparently belonging to the gang. They had short swords by their sides,

and quarter-staves in their hands, and Gurth could now observe that

all six wore visors, which rendered their occupation a matter of no

question, even had their former proceedings left it in doubt.

" What money hast thou, churl? " said one of the thieves.

" Thirty zecchins of my own property, " answered Gurth, doggedly.

" A forfeit--a forfeit, " shouted the robbers; " a Saxon hath thirty

zecchins, and returns sober from a village! An undeniable and

unredeemable forfeit of all he hath about him. "

" I hoarded it to purchase my freedom, " said Gurth.

" Thou art an ass, " replied one of the thieves " three quarts of double

ale had rendered thee as free as thy master, ay, and freer too, if he be

a Saxon like thyself. "

" A sad truth, " replied Gurth; " but if these same thirty zecchins will

buy my freedom from you, unloose my hands, and I will pay them to you. "

" Hold, " said one who seemed to exercise some authority over the others;

" this bag which thou bearest, as I can feel through thy cloak, contains

more coin than thou hast told us of. "

" It is the good knight my master's, " answered Gurth, " of which,

assuredly, I would not have spoken a word, had you been satisfied with

working your will upon mine own property. "

" Thou art an honest fellow, " replied the robber, " I warrant thee; and we

worship not St Nicholas so devoutly but what thy thirty zecchins may yet

escape, if thou deal uprightly with us. Meantime render up thy trust

for a time. " So saying, he took from Gurth's breast the large leathern

pouch, in which the purse given him by Rebecca was enclosed, as well as

the rest of the zecchins, and then continued his interrogation. --" Who is

thy master? "

" The Disinherited Knight, " said Gurth.

" Whose good lance, " replied the robber, " won the prize in to-day's

tourney? What is his name and lineage? "

" It is his pleasure, " answered Gurth, " that they be concealed; and from

me, assuredly, you will learn nought of them. "

" What is thine own name and lineage? "

" To tell that, " said Gurth, " might reveal my master's. "

" Thou art a saucy groom, " said the robber, " but of that anon. How comes

thy master by this gold? is it of his inheritance, or by what means hath

it accrued to him? "

" By his good lance, " answered Gurth. --" These bags contain the ransom of

four good horses, and four good suits of armour. "

" How much is there? " demanded the robber.

" Two hundred zecchins. "

" Only two hundred zecchins! " said the bandit; " your master hath dealt

liberally by the vanquished, and put them to a cheap ransom. Name those

who paid the gold. "

Gurth did so.

" The armour and horse of the Templar Brian de Bois-Guilbert, at what

ransom were they held? --Thou seest thou canst not deceive me. "

" My master, " replied Gurth, " will take nought from the Templar save

his life's-blood. They are on terms of mortal defiance, and cannot hold

courteous intercourse together. "

" Indeed! " --repeated the robber, and paused after he had said the

word. " And what wert thou now doing at Ashby with such a charge in thy

custody? "

" I went thither to render to Isaac the Jew of York, " replied Gurth,

" the price of a suit of armour with which he fitted my master for this

tournament. "

" And how much didst thou pay to Isaac? --Methinks, to judge by weight,

there is still two hundred zecchins in this pouch. "

" I paid to Isaac, " said the Saxon, " eighty zecchins, and he restored me

a hundred in lieu thereof. "

" How! what! " exclaimed all the robbers at once; " darest thou trifle with

us, that thou tellest such improbable lies? "

" What I tell you, " said Gurth, " is as true as the moon is in heaven. You

will find the just sum in a silken purse within the leathern pouch, and

separate from the rest of the gold. "

" Bethink thee, man, " said the Captain, " thou speakest of a Jew--of an

Israelite, --as unapt to restore gold, as the dry sand of his deserts to

return the cup of water which the pilgrim spills upon them. "

" There is no more mercy in them, " said another of the banditti, " than in

an unbribed sheriffs officer. "

" It is, however, as I say, " said Gurth.

" Strike a light instantly, " said the Captain; " I will examine this said

purse; and if it be as this fellow says, the Jew's bounty is little

less miraculous than the stream which relieved his fathers in the

wilderness. "

A light was procured accordingly, and the robber proceeded to examine

the purse. The others crowded around him, and even two who had hold of

Gurth relaxed their grasp while they stretched their necks to see the

issue of the search. Availing himself of their negligence, by a sudden

exertion of strength and activity, Gurth shook himself free of their

hold, and might have escaped, could he have resolved to leave his

master's property behind him. But such was no part of his intention.

He wrenched a quarter-staff from one of the fellows, struck down the

Captain, who was altogether unaware of his purpose, and had well-nigh

repossessed himself of the pouch and treasure. The thieves, however,

were too nimble for him, and again secured both the bag and the trusty

Gurth.

" Knave! " said the Captain, getting up, " thou hast broken my head;

and with other men of our sort thou wouldst fare the worse for thy

insolence. But thou shalt know thy fate instantly. First let us speak of

thy master; the knight's matters must go before the squire's, according

to the due order of chivalry. Stand thou fast in the meantime--if

thou stir again, thou shalt have that will make thee quiet for thy

life--Comrades! " he then said, addressing his gang, " this purse is

embroidered with Hebrew characters, and I well believe the yeoman's tale

is true. The errant knight, his master, must needs pass us toll-free. He

is too like ourselves for us to make booty of him, since dogs should not

worry dogs where wolves and foxes are to be found in abundance. "

" Like us? " answered one of the gang; " I should like to hear how that is

made good. "

" Why, thou fool, " answered the Captain, " is he not poor and disinherited

as we are? --Doth he not win his substance at the sword's point as we

do? --Hath he not beaten Front-de-Boeuf and Malvoisin, even as we would

beat them if we could? Is he not the enemy to life and death of Brian

de Bois-Guilbert, whom we have so much reason to fear? And were all

this otherwise, wouldst thou have us show a worse conscience than an

unbeliever, a Hebrew Jew? "

" Nay, that were a shame, " muttered the other fellow; " and yet, when I

served in the band of stout old Gandelyn, we had no such scruples of

conscience. And this insolent peasant, --he too, I warrant me, is to be

dismissed scatheless? "

" Not if THOU canst scathe him, " replied the Captain. --" Here, fellow, "

continued he, addressing Gurth, " canst thou use the staff, that thou

starts to it so readily? "

" I think, " said Gurth, " thou shouldst be best able to reply to that

question. "

" Nay, by my troth, thou gavest me a round knock, " replied the Captain;

" do as much for this fellow, and thou shalt pass scot-free; and if thou

dost not--why, by my faith, as thou art such a sturdy knave, I think

I must pay thy ransom myself. --Take thy staff, Miller, " he added, " and

keep thy head; and do you others let the fellow go, and give him a

staff--there is light enough to lay on load by. "

The two champions being alike armed with quarter-staves, stepped forward

into the centre of the open space, in order to have the full benefit of

the moonlight; the thieves in the meantime laughing, and crying to their

comrade, " Miller! beware thy toll-dish. " The Miller, on the other hand,

holding his quarter-staff by the middle, and making it flourish round

his head after the fashion which the French call " faire le moulinet",

exclaimed boastfully, " Come on, churl, an thou darest: thou shalt feel

the strength of a miller's thumb! "

" If thou be'st a miller, " answered Gurth, undauntedly, making his weapon

play around his head with equal dexterity, " thou art doubly a thief, and

I, as a true man, bid thee defiance. "

So saying, the two champions closed together, and for a few minutes they

displayed great equality in strength, courage, and skill, intercepting

and returning the blows of their adversary with the most rapid

dexterity, while, from the continued clatter of their weapons, a person

at a distance might have supposed that there were at least six persons

engaged on each side. Less obstinate, and even less dangerous combats,

have been described in good heroic verse; but that of Gurth and the

Miller must remain unsung, for want of a sacred poet to do justice to

its eventful progress. Yet, though quarter-staff play be out of date,

what we can in prose we will do for these bold champions.

Long they fought equally, until the Miller began to lose temper at

finding himself so stoutly opposed, and at hearing the laughter of his

companions, who, as usual in such cases, enjoyed his vexation. This was

not a state of mind favourable to the noble game of quarter-staff, in

which, as in ordinary cudgel-playing, the utmost coolness is requisite;

and it gave Gurth, whose temper was steady, though surly, the

opportunity of acquiring a decided advantage, in availing himself of

which he displayed great mastery.

The Miller pressed furiously forward, dealing blows with either end of

his weapon alternately, and striving to come to half-staff distance,

while Gurth defended himself against the attack, keeping his hands about

a yard asunder, and covering himself by shifting his weapon with great

celerity, so as to protect his head and body. Thus did he maintain

the defensive, making his eye, foot, and hand keep true time, until,

observing his antagonist to lose wind, he darted the staff at his face

with his left hand; and, as the Miller endeavoured to parry the thrust,

he slid his right hand down to his left, and with the full swing of the

weapon struck his opponent on the left side of the head, who instantly

measured his length upon the green sward.

" Well and yeomanly done! " shouted the robbers; " fair play and Old

England for ever! The Saxon hath saved both his purse and his hide, and

the Miller has met his match. "

" Thou mayst go thy ways, my friend, " said the Captain, addressing Gurth,

in special confirmation of the general voice, " and I will cause two of

my comrades to guide thee by the best way to thy master's pavilion, and

to guard thee from night-walkers that might have less tender consciences

than ours; for there is many one of them upon the amble in such a night

as this. Take heed, however, " he added sternly; " remember thou hast

refused to tell thy name--ask not after ours, nor endeavour to discover

who or what we are; for, if thou makest such an attempt, thou wilt come

by worse fortune than has yet befallen thee. "

Gurth thanked the Captain for his courtesy, and promised to attend to

his recommendation. Two of the outlaws, taking up their quarter-staves,

and desiring Gurth to follow close in the rear, walked roundly forward

along a by-path, which traversed the thicket and the broken ground

adjacent to it. On the very verge of the thicket two men spoke to his

conductors, and receiving an answer in a whisper, withdrew into the

wood, and suffered them to pass unmolested. This circumstance induced

Gurth to believe both that the gang was strong in numbers, and that they

kept regular guards around their place of rendezvous.

When they arrived on the open heath, where Gurth might have had some

trouble in finding his road, the thieves guided him straight forward to

the top of a little eminence, whence he could see, spread beneath him

in the moonlight, the palisades of the lists, the glimmering pavilions

pitched at either end, with the pennons which adorned them fluttering

in the moonbeams, and from which could be heard the hum of the song with

which the sentinels were beguiling their night-watch.

Here the thieves stopt.

" We go with you no farther, " said they; " it were not safe that we should

do so. --Remember the warning you have received--keep secret what has

this night befallen you, and you will have no room to repent it--neglect

what is now told you, and the Tower of London shall not protect you

against our revenge. "

" Good night to you, kind sirs, " said Gurth; " I shall remember your

orders, and trust that there is no offence in wishing you a safer and an

honester trade. "

Thus they parted, the outlaws returning in the direction from whence

they had come, and Gurth proceeding to the tent of his master, to whom,

notwithstanding the injunction he had received, he communicated the

whole adventures of the evening.

The Disinherited Knight was filled with astonishment, no less at the

generosity of Rebecca, by which, however, he resolved he would not

profit, than that of the robbers, to whose profession such a quality

seemed totally foreign. His course of reflections upon these singular

circumstances was, however, interrupted by the necessity for taking

repose, which the fatigue of the preceding day, and the propriety

of refreshing himself for the morrow's encounter, rendered alike

indispensable.

The knight, therefore, stretched himself for repose upon a rich couch

with which the tent was provided; and the faithful Gurth, extending

his hardy limbs upon a bear-skin which formed a sort of carpet to the

pavilion, laid himself across the opening of the tent, so that no one

could enter without awakening him.

CHAPTER XII

The heralds left their pricking up and down,

Now ringen trumpets loud and clarion.

There is no more to say, but east and west,

In go the speares sadly in the rest,

In goth the sharp spur into the side,

There see men who can just and who can ride;

There shiver shaftes upon shieldes thick,

He feeleth through the heart-spone the prick;

Up springen speares, twenty feet in height,

Out go the swordes to the silver bright;

The helms they to-hewn and to-shred;

Out burst the blood with stern streames red.

Chaucer.

Morning arose in unclouded splendour, and ere the sun was much above the

horizon, the idlest or the most eager of the spectators appeared on the

common, moving to the lists as to a general centre, in order to secure a

favourable situation for viewing the continuation of the expected games.

The marshals and their attendants appeared next on the field, together

with the heralds, for the purpose of receiving the names of the knights

who intended to joust, with the side which each chose to espouse. This

was a necessary precaution, in order to secure equality betwixt the two

bodies who should be opposed to each other.

According to due formality, the Disinherited Knight was to be considered

as leader of the one body, while Brian de Bois-Guilbert, who had been

rated as having done second-best in the preceding day, was named first

champion of the other band. Those who had concurred in the challenge

adhered to his party of course, excepting only Ralph de Vipont, whom his

fall had rendered unfit so soon to put on his armour. There was no want

of distinguished and noble candidates to fill up the ranks on either

side.

In fact, although the general tournament, in which all knights fought

at once, was more dangerous than single encounters, they were,

nevertheless, more frequented and practised by the chivalry of the age.

Many knights, who had not sufficient confidence in their own skill to

defy a single adversary of high reputation, were, nevertheless, desirous

of displaying their valour in the general combat, where they might

meet others with whom they were more upon an equality. On the present

occasion, about fifty knights were inscribed as desirous of combating

upon each side, when the marshals declared that no more could be

admitted, to the disappointment of several who were too late in

preferring their claim to be included.

About the hour of ten o'clock, the whole plain was crowded with

horsemen, horsewomen, and foot-passengers, hastening to the tournament;

and shortly after, a grand flourish of trumpets announced Prince John

and his retinue, attended by many of those knights who meant to take

share in the game, as well as others who had no such intention.

About the same time arrived Cedric the Saxon, with the Lady Rowena,

unattended, however, by Athelstane. This Saxon lord had arrayed his

tall and strong person in armour, in order to take his place among the

combatants; and, considerably to the surprise of Cedric, had chosen to

enlist himself on the part of the Knight Templar. The Saxon, indeed, had

remonstrated strongly with his friend upon the injudicious choice he had

made of his party; but he had only received that sort of answer usually

given by those who are more obstinate in following their own course,

than strong in justifying it.

His best, if not his only reason, for adhering to the party of Brian de

Bois-Guilbert, Athelstane had the prudence to keep to himself. Though

his apathy of disposition prevented his taking any means to recommend

himself to the Lady Rowena, he was, nevertheless, by no means insensible

to her charms, and considered his union with her as a matter already

fixed beyond doubt, by the assent of Cedric and her other friends. It

had therefore been with smothered displeasure that the proud though

indolent Lord of Coningsburgh beheld the victor of the preceding day

select Rowena as the object of that honour which it became his privilege

to confer. In order to punish him for a preference which seemed to

interfere with his own suit, Athelstane, confident of his strength,

and to whom his flatterers, at least, ascribed great skill in arms, had

determined not only to deprive the Disinherited Knight of his powerful

succour, but, if an opportunity should occur, to make him feel the

weight of his battle-axe.

De Bracy, and other knights attached to Prince John, in obedience to

a hint from him, had joined the party of the challengers, John being

desirous to secure, if possible, the victory to that side. On the

other hand, many other knights, both English and Norman, natives and

strangers, took part against the challengers, the more readily that

the opposite band was to be led by so distinguished a champion as the

Disinherited Knight had approved himself.

As soon as Prince John observed that the destined Queen of the day had

arrived upon the field, assuming that air of courtesy which sat well

upon him when he was pleased to exhibit it, he rode forward to meet

her, doffed his bonnet, and, alighting from his horse, assisted the Lady

Rowena from her saddle, while his followers uncovered at the same time,

and one of the most distinguished dismounted to hold her palfrey.

" It is thus, " said Prince John, " that we set the dutiful example of

loyalty to the Queen of Love and Beauty, and are ourselves her guide to

the throne which she must this day occupy. --Ladies, " he said, " attend

your Queen, as you wish in your turn to be distinguished by like

honours. "

So saying, the Prince marshalled Rowena to the seat of honour opposite

his own, while the fairest and most distinguished ladies present crowded

after her to obtain places as near as possible to their temporary

sovereign.

No sooner was Rowena seated, than a burst of music, half-drowned by

the shouts of the multitude, greeted her new dignity. Meantime, the sun

shone fierce and bright upon the polished arms of the knights of either

side, who crowded the opposite extremities of the lists, and held eager

conference together concerning the best mode of arranging their line of

battle, and supporting the conflict.

The heralds then proclaimed silence until the laws of the tourney should

be rehearsed. These were calculated in some degree to abate the dangers

of the day; a precaution the more necessary, as the conflict was to be

maintained with sharp swords and pointed lances.

The champions were therefore prohibited to thrust with the sword, and

were confined to striking. A knight, it was announced, might use a mace

or battle-axe at pleasure, but the dagger was a prohibited weapon. A

knight unhorsed might renew the fight on foot with any other on the

opposite side in the same predicament; but mounted horsemen were in that

case forbidden to assail him. When any knight could force his antagonist

to the extremity of the lists, so as to touch the palisade with his

person or arms, such opponent was obliged to yield himself vanquished,

and his armour and horse were placed at the disposal of the conqueror.

A knight thus overcome was not permitted to take farther share in the

combat. If any combatant was struck down, and unable to recover his

feet, his squire or page might enter the lists, and drag his master out

of the press; but in that case the knight was adjudged vanquished, and

his arms and horse declared forfeited. The combat was to cease as

soon as Prince John should throw down his leading staff, or truncheon;

another precaution usually taken to prevent the unnecessary effusion

of blood by the too long endurance of a sport so desperate. Any knight

breaking the rules of the tournament, or otherwise transgressing the

rules of honourable chivalry, was liable to be stript of his arms, and,

having his shield reversed to be placed in that posture astride upon the

bars of the palisade, and exposed to public derision, in punishment of

his unknightly conduct. Having announced these precautions, the heralds

concluded with an exhortation to each good knight to do his duty, and to

merit favour from the Queen of Beauty and of Love.

This proclamation having been made, the heralds withdrew to their

stations. The knights, entering at either end of the lists in long

procession, arranged themselves in a double file, precisely opposite to

each other, the leader of each party being in the centre of the foremost

rank, a post which he did not occupy until each had carefully marshalled

the ranks of his party, and stationed every one in his place.

It was a goodly, and at the same time an anxious, sight, to behold so

many gallant champions, mounted bravely, and armed richly, stand ready

prepared for an encounter so formidable, seated on their war-saddles

like so many pillars of iron, and awaiting the signal of encounter with

the same ardour as their generous steeds, which, by neighing and pawing

the ground, gave signal of their impatience.

As yet the knights held their long lances upright, their bright points

glancing to the sun, and the streamers with which they were decorated

fluttering over the plumage of the helmets. Thus they remained while the

marshals of the field surveyed their ranks with the utmost exactness,

lest either party had more or fewer than the appointed number. The tale

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