CHAPTER IX. HOW STRANGE THINGS BEFELL IN MINSTEAD WOOD.

Thepathwhichtheyoungclerkhadnowtofollowlaythroughamagnificentforestoftheveryheaviesttimber,wherethegiantbowlsofoakandofbeechformedlongaislesineverydirection,shootinguptheirhugebranchestobuildthemajesticarchesofNature'sowncathedral.Beneathlayabroadcarpetofthesoftestandgreenestmoss,fleckedoverwithfallenleaves,butyieldingpleasantlytothefootofthetraveller.Thetrackwhichguidedhimwasonesoseldomusedthatinplacesitlostitselfentirelyamongthegrass,toreappearasareddishrutbetweenthedistanttreetrunks.Itwasverystillhereintheheartofthewoodlands.Thegentlerustleofthebranchesandthedistantcooingofpigeonsweretheonlysoundswhichbrokeinuponthesilence,savethatonceAlleyneheardafaroffamerrycalluponahuntingbugleandtheshrillyappingofthehounds. Itwasnotwithoutsomeemotionthathelookeduponthescenearoundhim,for,inspiteofhissecludedlife,heknewenoughoftheancientgreatnessofhisownfamilytobeawarethatthetimehadbeenwhentheyhadheldundisputedandparamountswayoverallthattractofcountry.HisfathercouldtracehispureSaxonlineagebacktothatGodfreyMalfwhohadheldthemanorsofBisterneandofMinsteadatthetimewhentheNormanfirstsetmailedfootuponEnglishsoil.Theafforestationofthedistrict,however,anditsconversionintoaroyaldemesnehadclippedoffalargesectionofhisestate,whileotherpartshadbeenconfiscatedasapunishmentforhissupposedcomplicityinanabortiveSaxonrising.Thefateoftheancestorhadbeentypicalofthatofhisdescendants.Duringthreehundredyearstheirdomainshadgraduallycontracted,sometimesthroughroyalorfeudalencroachment,andsometimesthroughsuchgiftstotheChurchasthatwithwhichAlleyne'sfatherhadopenedthedoorsofBeaulieuAbbeytohisyoungerson.Theimportanceofthefamilyhadthusdwindled,buttheystillretainedtheoldSaxonmanor-house,withacoupleoffarmsandagrovelargeenoughtoaffordpannagetoahundredpigs—“sylvadecentumporcis,”astheoldfamilyparchmentsdescribeit.Aboveall,theownerofthesoilcouldstillholdhisheadhighastheveritableSocmanofMinstead—thatis,asholdingthelandinfreesocage,withnofeudalsuperior,andanswerabletonomanlowerthantheking.Knowingthis,Alleynefeltsomelittleglowofworldlyprideashelookedforthefirsttimeuponthelandwithwhichsomanygenerationsofhisancestorshadbeenassociated.Hepushedonthequicker,twirlinghisstaffmerrily,andlookingoutateveryturnofthepathforsomesignoftheoldSaxonresidence.Hewassuddenlyarrested,however,bytheappearanceofawild-lookingfellowarmedwithaclub,whosprangoutfrombehindatreeandbarredhispassage.Hewasarough,powerfulpeasant,withcapandtunicofuntannedsheepskin,leatherbreeches,andgalligaskinsroundlegsandfeet. “Stand!”heshouted,raisinghisheavycudgeltoenforcetheorder.“Whoareyouwhowalksofreelythroughthewood?Whitherwouldyougo,andwhatisyourerrand?” “WhyshouldIansweryourquestions,myfriend?”saidAlleyne,standingonhisguard. “Becauseyourtonguemaysaveyourpate.ButwherehaveIlookeduponyourfacebefore?” “Nolongeragothanlastnightatthe'PiedMerlin,'”theclerkanswered,recognizingtheescapedserfwhohadbeensooutspokenastohiswrongs. “BytheVirgin!yes.Youwerethelittleclerkwhosatsomuminthecorner,andthencriedfyonthegleeman.Whathastinthescrip?” “Naughtofanyprice.” “HowcanItellthat,clerk?Letmesee.” “NotI.” “Fool!Icouldpullyoulimbfromlimblikeapullet.Whatwouldyouhave?Hastforgotthatwearealonefarfromallmen?Howcanyourclerkshiphelpyou?Wouldstlosescripandlifetoo?” “Iwillpartwithneitherwithoutfight.” “Afight,quotha?Afightbetwixtspurredcockandnewhatchedchicken!Thyfightingdaysmaysoonbeover.” “HadstaskedmeinthenameofcharityIwouldhavegivenfreely,”criedAlleyne.“Asitstands,notonefarthingshallyouhavewithmyfreewill,andwhenIseemybrother,theSocmanofMinstead,hewillraisehueandcryfromvilltovill,fromhundredtohundred,untilyouaretakenasacommonrobberandascourgetothecountry.” Theoutlawsankhisclub.“TheSocman'sbrother!”hegasped.“Now,bythekeysofPeter!IhadratherthathandwitheredandtonguewaspalsiedereIhadstruckormiscalledyou.IfyouaretheSocman'sbrotheryouareoneoftherightside,Iwarrant,forallyourclerklydress.” “HisbrotherIam,”saidAlleyne.“ButifIwerenot,isthatreasonwhyyoushouldmolestmeontheking'sground?” “Igivenotthepipofanappleforkingorfornoble,”criedtheserfpassionately.“IllhaveIhadfromthem,andillIshallrepaythem.Iamagoodfriendtomyfriends,and,bytheVirgin!anevilfoemantomyfoes.” “Andthereforetheworstoffoementothyself,”saidAlleyne.“ButIprayyou,sinceyouseemtoknowhim,topointouttometheshortestpathtomybrother'shouse.” Theserfwasabouttoreply,whentheclearringingcallofabugleburstfromthewoodclosebehindthem,andAlleynecaughtsightforaninstantofthedunsideandwhitebreastofalordlystagglancingswiftlybetwixtthedistanttreetrunks.Aminutelatercametheshaggydeer-hounds,adozenorfourteenofthem,runningonahotscent,withnosetoearthandtailinair.Astheystreamedpastthesilentforestaroundbrokesuddenlyintoloudlife,withgallopingofhoofs,cracklingofbrushwood,andtheshort,sharpcriesofthehunters.Closebehindthepackrodeafourrierandayeoman-pricker,whoopingonthelaggardsandencouragingtheleaders,intheshrillhalf-Frenchjargonwhichwasthelanguageofveneryandwoodcraft.Alleynewasstillgazingafterthem,listeningtotheloud“Hyke-a-Bayard!Hyke-a-Pomers!Hyke-a-Lebryt!”withwhichtheycalledupontheirfavoritehounds,whenagroupofhorsemencrashedoutthroughtheunderwoodattheveryspotwheretheserfandhewerestanding. Theonewholedwasamanbetweenfiftyandsixtyyearsofage,war-wornandweather-beaten,withabroad,thoughtfulforeheadandeyeswhichshonebrightlyfromunderhisfierceandoverhungbrows.Hisbeard,streakedthicklywithgray,bristledforwardfromhischin,andspokeofapassionatenature,whilethelong,finelycutfaceandfirmmouthmarkedtheleaderofmen.Hisfigurewaserectandsoldierly,andherodehishorsewiththecarelessgraceofamanwhoselifehadbeenspentinthesaddle.Incommongarb,hismasterfulfaceandflashingeyewouldhavemarkedhimasonewhowasborntorulebutnow,withhissilkentunicpowderedwithgoldenfleurs-de-lis,hisvelvetmantlelinedwiththeroyalminever,andthelionsofEnglandstampedinsilveruponhisharness,nonecouldfailtorecognizethenobleEdward,mostwarlikeandpowerfulofallthelonglineoffightingmonarchswhohadruledtheAnglo-Normanrace.Alleynedoffedhatandbowedheadatthesightofhim,buttheserffoldedhishandsandleanedthemuponhiscudgel,lookingwithlittleloveattheknotofnoblesandknights-in-waitingwhorodebehindtheking. “Ha!”criedEdward,reiningupforaninstanthispowerfulblacksteed.“Lec