CHAPTER XXXI. HOW FIVE MEN HELD THE KEEP OF VILLEFRANCHE
關燈
小
中
大
rethegraygooseflew.
“Ha,bymyhilt!”shoutedAylward,“itisthedearoldbowsongoftheCompany.Herecometwohundredastightladsasevertwirledashaftovertheirthumbnails.Harktothedogs,howlustilytheysing!”
Nearerandclearer,swellingupoutofthenight,camethegaymarchinglilt:
Whatofthebow?
ThebowwasmadeinEngland.
Oftruewood,ofyewwood,
ThewoodofEnglishbows
Formenwhoarefree
Lovetheoldyew-tree
Andthelandwheretheyewtreegrows.
Whatofthemen?
ThemenwerebredinEngland,
Thebowmen,theyeomen,
Theladsofthedaleandfell,
Here'stoyouandtoyou,
Totheheartsthataretrue,
Andthelandwherethetrueheartsdwell.
“Theysingveryjoyfully,”saidDuGuesclin,“asthoughtheyweregoingtoafestival.”
“Itistheirwontwhenthereisworktobedone.”
“BySaintPaul!”quothSirNigel,“itisinmymindthattheycometoolate,forIcannotseehowwearetocomedownfromthistower.”
“Theretheycome,theheartsofgold!”criedAylward.“See,theymoveoutfromtheshadow.Nowtheycrossthemeadow.Theyareonthefurthersideofthemoat.Holacamarades,hola!Johnston,Eccles,Cooke,Harward,Bligh!Wouldyeseeafairladyandtwogallantknightsdonefoullytodeath?”
“Whoisthere?”shoutedadeepvoicefrombelow.“WhoisthiswhospeakswithanEnglishtongue?”
“ItisI,oldlad.ItisSamAylwardoftheCompanyandhereisyourcaptain,SirNigelLoring,andfourothers,alllaidouttobegrilledlikeanEasterling'sherrings.”
“CursemeifIdidnotthinkthatitwasthestyleofspeechofoldSamkinAylward,”saidthevoice,amidabuzzfromtheranks.“WhereverthereareknocksgoingthereisSammyintheheartofit.Butwhoaretheseill-facedrogueswhoblockthepath?Toyourkennels,canaille!What!youdarelookusintheeyes?Outswords,lads,andgivethemtheflatofthem!Wastenotyourshaftsuponsuchrunagateknaves.”
Therewaslittlefightleftinthepeasants,however,stilldazedbytheexplosion,amazedattheirownlossesanddisheartenedbythearrivalofthedisciplinedarchers.Inaveryfewminutestheywereinfullflightfortheirbrushwoodhomes,leavingthemorningsuntoriseuponablackenedandblood-stainedruin,whereithadleftthenightbeforethemagnificentcastleoftheSeneschalofAuvergne.Alreadythewhitelinesintheeastweredeepeningintopinkasthearchersgatheredroundthekeepandtookcounselhowtorescuethesurvivors.
“Hadwearope,”saidAlleyne,“thereisonesidewhichisnotyetonfire,downwhichwemightslip.”
“Buthowtogetarope?”
“Itisanoldtrick,”quothAylward.“Hola!Johnston,castmeuparope,evenasyoudidatMaupertuisinthewartime.”
Thegrizzledarcherthusaddressedtookseverallengthsofropefromhiscomrades,andknottingthemfirmlytogether,hestretchedthemoutinthelongshadowwhichtherisingsunthrewfromthefrowningkeep.Thenhefixedtheyew-staveofhisbowuponendandmeasuredthelong,thin,blacklinewhichitthrewupontheturf.
“Asix-footstavethrowsatwelve-footshadow,”hemuttered.“Thekeepthrowsashadowofsixtypaces.Thirtypacesofropewillbeenowandtospare.Anotherstrand,Watkin!Nowpullattheendthatallmaybesafe.So!Itisreadyforthem.”
“Buthowaretheytoreachit?”askedtheyoungarcherbesidehim.
“Watchandsee,youngfool's-head,”growledtheoldbowman.Hetookalongstringfromhispouchandfastenedoneendtoanarrow.
“Allready,Samkin?”
“Ready,camarade.”
“Closetoyourhandthen.”Withaneasypullhesenttheshaftflickeringgentlyup,fallinguponthestoneworkwithinafootofwhereAylwardwasstanding.Theotherendwassecuredtotherope,sothatinaminuteagoodstrongcordwasdanglingfromtheonlysoundsideoftheblazingandshatteredtower.TheLadyTiphainewasloweredwithanoosedrawnfastunderthearms,andtheotherfiveslidswiftlydown,amidthecheersandjoyousoutcryoftheirrescuers.