CHAPTER XIV. HOW SIR NIGEL SOUGHT FOR A WAYSIDE VENTURE.

orIamofficertotheverderer'scourtatLyndhurst.ThisthievishlegistohangatMilton,andtheotherisalreadyatBrockenhurst,asasigntoallmenofwhatcomesofbeingover-fondofvenisonpasty.” “Faugh!”criedSirNigel.“Passontheothersideoftheroad,fellow,andletushavethewindofyou.Weshalltrotourhorses,myfriends,acrossthispleasantvalley,for,byOurLady!abreathofGod'sfreshairisrightwelcomeaftersuchasight.” “Wehopedtosnareafalcon,”saidhepresently,“butwenettedacarrion-crow.Mafoi!buttherearemenwhoseheartsaretougherthanaboar'shide.Forme,IhaveplayedtheoldgameofwarsinceeverIhadhaironmychin,andIhaveseententhousandbravemeninonedaywiththeirfacestothesky,butIswearbyHimwhomademethatIcannotabidetheworkofthebutcher.” “Andyet,myfairlord,”saidEdricson,“therehas,fromwhatIhear,beenmuchofsuchdevil'sworkinFrance.” “Toomuch,toomuch,”heanswered.“ButIhaveeverobservedthattheforemostinthefieldaretheywhowouldscorntomishandleaprisoner.BySt.Paul!itisnottheywhocarrythebreachwhoarewonttosackthetown,butthelaggardknaveswhocomecrowdinginwhenawayhasbeenclearedforthem.Butwhatisthisamongthetrees?” “ItisashrineofOurLady,”saidTerlake,“andablindbeggarwholivesbythealmsofthosewhoworshipthere.” “Ashrine!”criedtheknight.“Thenletusputupanorison.”Pullingoffhiscap,andclaspinghishands,hechantedinashrillvoice:“BenedictusdominusDeusmeus,quidocetmanusmeasadproelium,etdigitosmeosadbellum.”Astrangefigureheseemedtohisthreesquires,perchedonhishugehorse,withhiseyesupturnedandthewintrysunshimmeringuponhisbaldhead.“Itisanobleprayer,”heremarked,puttingonhishatagain,“anditwastaughttomebythenobleChandoshimself.Buthowfaresitwithyou,father?MethinksthatIshouldhaveruthuponyou,seeingthatIammyselflikeonewholooksthroughahornwindowwhilehisneighborshavetheclearcrystal.Yet,bySt.Paul!thereisalongstridebetweenthemanwhohathahorncasementandhimwhoiswalledinoneveryhand.” “Alas!fairsir,”criedtheblindoldman,“Ihavenotseentheblessedblueofheaventhistwo-scoreyears,sincealevinflashburnedthesightoutofmyhead.” “Youhavebeenblindtomuchthatisgoodlyandfair,”quothSirNigel,“butyouhavealsobeensparedmuchthatissorryandfoul.Thisveryhouroureyeshavebeenshockedwiththatwhichwouldhaveleftyouunmoved.But,bySt.Paul!wemuston,orourCompanywillthinkthattheyhavelosttheircaptainsomewhatearlyintheventure.Throwthemanmypurse,Edricson,andletusgo.” Alleyne,lingeringbehind,bethoughthimoftheLadyLoring'scounsel,andreducedthenoblegiftwhichtheknighthadsofreelybestowedtoasinglepenny,whichthebeggarwithmanymumbledblessingsthrustawayintohiswallet.Then,spurringhissteed,theyoungsquirerodeatthetopofhisspeedafterhiscompanions,andovertookthemjustatthespotwherethetreesfringeoffintothemoorandthestragglinghamletofHordleliesscatteredoneithersideofthewindinganddeeply-ruttedtrack.TheCompanywasalreadywell-nighthroughthevillagebut,astheknightandhissquiresclosedupuponthem,theyheardtheclamorofastridentvoice,followedbyaroarofdeep-chestedlaughterfromtheranksofthearchers.Anotherminutebroughtthemupwiththerear-guard,whereeverymanmarchedwithhisbeardonhisshoulderandafacewhichwasagrinwithmerriment.Bythesideofthecolumnwalkedahugered-headedbowman,withhishandsthrownoutinargumentandexpostulation,whilecloseathisheelsfollowedalittlewrinkledwomanwhopouredforthashrillvolleyofabuse,variedbyanoccasionalthwackfromherstick,givenwithalltheforceofherbody,thoughshemighthavebeenbeatingoneoftheforesttreesforalltheeffectthatsheseemedlikelytoproduce. “Itrust,Aylward,”saidSirNigelgravely,asherodeup,“thatthisdothnotmeanthatanyviolencehathbeenofferedtowomen.Ifsuchathinghappened,Itellyouthatthemanshallhang,thoughhewerethebestarcherthateverworebrassart.” “Nay,myfairlord,”Aylwar