CHAPTER XI. HOW A YOUNG SHEPHERD HAD A PERILOUS FLOCK.

BlackwasthemouthofTwynhamCastle,thoughapairoftorchesburningatthefurtherendofthegatewaycastaredglareovertheouterbailey,andsentadim,ruddyflickerthroughtherough-hewnarch,risingandfallingwithfitfulbrightness.OverthedoorthetravellerscoulddiscerntheescutcheonoftheMontacutes,aroebuckgulesonafieldargent,flankedoneithersidebysmallershieldswhichboretheredrosesoftheveteranconstable.Astheypassedoverthedrawbridge,Alleynemarkedthegleamofarmsintheembrasurestorightandleft,andtheyhadscarcesetfootuponthecausewayereahoarseblareburstfromabugle,and,withscreechofhingeandclankofchain,theponderousbridgeswungupintotheair,drawnbyunseenhands.Atthesameinstantthehugeportculliscamerattlingdownfromabove,andshutoffthelastfadinglightofday.SirNigelandhisladywalkedonindeeptalk,whileafatunder-stewardtookchargeofthethreecomrades,andledthemtothebuttery,wherebeef,bread,andbeerwerekepteverinreadinessforthewayfarer.Afteraheartymealandadipinthetroughtowashthedustfromthem,theystrolledforthintothebailey,wherethebowmanpeeredaboutthroughthedarknessatwallandatkeep,withthecarpingeyesofonewhohasseensomethingofsieges,andisnotlikelytobesatisfied.ToAlleyneandtoJohn,however,itappearedtobeasgreatandasstoutafortressascouldbebuiltbythehandsofman. ErectedbySirBalwindeRedversintheoldfightingdaysofthetwelfthcentury,whenmenthoughtmuchofwarandlittleofcomfort,CastleTwynhamhadbeendesignedasastrongholdpureandsimple,unlikethoselaterandmoremagnificentstructureswherewarlikestrengthhadbeencombinedwiththemagnificenceofapalace.FromthetimeoftheEdwardssuchbuildingsasConwayorCaernarvoncastles,tosaynothingofRoyalWindsor,hadshownthatitwaspossibletosecureluxuryinpeaceaswellassecurityintimesoftrouble.SirNigel'strust,however,stillfrownedabovethesmooth-flowingwatersoftheAvon,verymuchasthesternraceofearlyAnglo-Normanshaddesignedit.Therewerethebroadouterandinnerbailies,notpaved,butsownwithgrasstonourishthesheepandcattlewhichmightbedriveninonsignofdanger.Allroundwerehighandturretedwalls,withatthecornerabaresquare-facedkeep,gauntandwindowless,rearingupfromaloftymound,whichmadeitalmostinaccessibletoanassailant.Againstthebailey-wallswererowsoffrailwoodenhousesandleaningsheds,whichgavesheltertothearchersandmen-at-armswhoformedthegarrison.Thedoorsofthesehumbledwellingsweremostlyopen,andagainsttheyellowglarefromwithinAlleynecouldseethebeardedfellowscleaningtheirharness,whiletheirwiveswouldcomeoutforagossip,withtheirneedleworkintheirhands,andtheirlongblackshadowsstreamingacrosstheyard.Theairwasfulloftheclackoftheirvoicesandthemerryprattlingofchildren,instrangecontrasttotheflashofarmsandconstantwarlikechallengefromthewallsabove. “Methinksacompanyofschoolladscouldholdthisplaceagainstanarmy,”quothJohn. “AndsosayI,”saidAlleyne. “Nay,thereyouarewideoftheclout,”thebowmansaidgravely.“Bymyhilt!Ihaveseenastrongerfortalicecarriedinasummerevening.IremembersuchaoneinPicardy,withanameaslongasaGascon'spedigree.ItwaswhenIservedunderSirRobertKnolles,beforethedaysoftheCompanyandwecamebygoodplunderatthesackingofit.Ihadmyselfagreatsilverbowl,withtwogoblets,andaplastronofSpanishsteel.PasquesDieu!therearesomefinewomenoveryonder!Mortdemavie!seetothatoneinthedoorway!Iwillgospeaktoher.Butwhomhavewehere?” “IsthereanarcherherehightSamAylward?”askedagauntman-at-arms,clankinguptothemacrossthecourtyard. “Myname,friend,”quoththebowman. “ThensureIhavenoneedtotelltheemine,”saidtheother. “Bytherood!ifitisnotBlackSimonofNorwich!”criedAylward.“Amoncoeur,camarade,amoncoeur!Ah,butIamblithetoseethee!”Thetwofelluponeachotherandhuggedlikebears. “Andwherefrom,oldbloodandbones?”askedthebowman. “Iaminservicehere.Tellme,comrade,isitsooththatweshallhaveanotherflingattheseFrenchmen?Itissorumoredintheguard-room,andthatSirNigelwilltakethefieldoncemore.” “Itislikeenough,mongar.,asthingsgo.” “NowmaytheLordbepraised!”criedtheother.“ThisverynightwillIsetapartagoldenouchetobeofferedontheshrineofmyname-saint.Ihavepinedforthis,Aylward,asayoungmaidpinesforherlover.” “Artsosetonplunderthen?Isthepursesolightthatthereisnotenoughforarouse?Ihaveabagatmybelt,camarade,andyouhavebuttoputyourfistintoitforwhatyouwant.Itwasevershareandsharebetweenus.” “Nay,friend,itisnottheFrenchman'sgold,buttheFrenchman'sbloodthatIwouldhave.Ishouldnotrestquietinthegrave,coz,ifIhadnotanotherturnatthem.ForwithusinFranceithaseverbeenfairandhonestwar—ashutfistfortheman,butabendedkneeforthewoman.ButhowwasitatWinchelseawhentheirgalleyscamedownuponitsomefewyearsback?Ihadanoldmotherthere,lad,whohadcomedownthitherfromtheMidlandstobethenearerherson.Theyfoundherafterwardsbyherownhearthstone,thrustthroughbyaFrenchman'sbill.Mysecondsister,mybrother'swife,andhertwochildren,theyw