saint george for england- 第38部分

A　consultation　took　place　between　the　leaders　below。　　There　was　truth　in　Walter's　words　that　very　many　lives　would　be　sacrificed　before　the　resistance　of　so　gallant　a　garrison　could　be　overcome。　Every　minute　was　of　importance；　for　it　was　possible　that　at　any　moment　aid　might　arrive　from　Calais；　and　that　the　table　would　be　turned　upon　the　besiegers。

Therefore；　after　a　short　parley　among　themselves；　the　count　replied：

〃You　have　fought　as　a　gallant　knight　and　gentleman；　Sir　Walter　Somers；　and　have　wrought　grievous　harm　upon　my　leading。　I　should　grieve　that　so　brave　a　knight　should　lose　his　life　in　a　useless　resistance。　Therefore　I　agree　to　your　terms；　and　swear　upon　my　knightly　honour　that　upon　your　surrendering　yourselves　prisoners　of　war；　the　lives　of　all　within　these　walls　shall　be　spared。〃

Walter　at　once　gave　the　order。　The　stones　were　removed　and　the　door　thrown　open；　and　leading　his　men　Walter　descended　the　steps　into　the　courtyard；　which　was　now　illuminated　with　torches；　and　handed　his　sword　to　the　Count　of　Evreux。

〃You　promised　me；　count；〃　a　tall　knight　standing　by　his　side　said；　〃that　if　he　were　taken　alive；　the　commander　of　this　castle　should　be　my　prisoner。〃

〃I　did　so；　Sir　Phillip　Holbeaut。　When　you　proposed　this　adventure　to　me；　and　offered　to　place　your　following　at　my　command；　I　agreed　to　the　request　you　made　me；　but　mind；〃　he　said　sternly；　〃my　knightly　word　has　been　given　for　his　safety。　　See　that　he　receives　fair　and　gentle　treatment　at　your　hand。　I　would　not　that　aught　should　befall　so　brave　a　knight。〃

〃I　seek　him　no　harm；〃　the　knight　said　angrily；　〃but　I　know　that　he　is　one　of　the　knights　of　the　Black　Prince's　own　suite；　and　that　his　ransom　will　be　freely　paid；　and　as　my　coffers　are　low　from　the　expenses　of　the　war；　I　would　fain　replenish　them　at　the　expense　of　the　English　prince。〃

〃I　said　not　that　I　doubted　you；　Sir　Phillip；〃　the　count　said　calmly；　〃but　as　the　knight　surrendered　on　my　word；　it　was　needful　that　I　should　warn　you　to　treat　him　as　I　myself　should　do　did　he　remain　in　my　hands；　and　to　give　him　fair　treatment　until　duly　ransomed。〃

〃I　should　be　glad；　count；〃　Walter　said；　〃if　you　will　suffer　me　to　take　with　me　as　companion　in　my　captivity　this　man…at…arms。　He　is　strongly　attached　to　me；　and　we　have　gone　through　many　perils　together；　it　will　lighten　my　captivity　to　have　him　by　my　side。〃

〃Surely　I　will　do　so；　Sir　Walter；　and　wish　that　your　boon　had　been　a　larger　one。　　The　rest　I　will　take　back　with　me　to　Amiens；　there　to　hold　until　exchanged　for　some　of　those　who　at　various　times　have　fallen　into　your　king's　hands。　And　now　to　work；　men；　lose　not　a　moment　in　stripping　the　castle　of　all　that　you　choose　to　carry　away；　then　apply　fire　to　the　storehouses；　granaries；　and　the　hold　itself。　I　would　not　that　it　remained　standing　to　serve　as　an　outpost　for　the　English。〃

The　horses　were　brought　from　the　stables。　Walter　and　Ralph　took　their　horses　by　the　bridle；　and　followed　Sir　Phillip　Holbeaut　through　the　now　open　gates　of　the　castle　to　the　spot　where　the　horses　of　the　besiegers　were　picketed。　The　knight；　and　his　own　men…at…arms；　who　had　at　the　beginning　of　the　day　numbered　a　hundred　and　fifty；　but　who　were　now　scarcely　two…thirds　of　that　strength；　at　once　mounted　with　their　prisoners；　and　rode　off　from　the　castle。　A　few　minutes　later　a　glare　of　light　burst　out　from　behind　them。　The　count's　orders　had　been　obeyed；　fire　had　been　applied　to　the　stores　of　forage；　and　soon　the　castle　of　Pres　was　wrapped　in　flames。

〃I　like　not　our　captor's　manner；〃　Ralph　said　to　Walter　as　they　rode　along　side　by　side。

〃I　agree　with　you；　Ralph。　I　believe　that　the　reason　which　he　gave　the　count　for　his　request　was　not　a　true　one；　though；　indeed；　I　can　see　no　other　motive　which　he　could　have　for　seeking　to　gain　possession　of　me。　Sir　Phillip；　although　a　valiant　knight；　bears　but　an　indifferent　reputation。　I　have　heard　that　he　is　a　cruel　master　to　his　serfs；　and　that　when　away　fighting　in　Germany　he　behaved　so　cruelly　to　the　peasantry　that　even　the　Germans；　who　are　not　nice　in　their　modes　of　warfare；　cried　out　against　him。　　It　is　an　evil　fortune　that　has　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　c