CHAPTER XXXVII. HOW THE WHITE COMPANY CAME TO BE DISBANDED.

muntilhehadstaggeredtohisfeetoncemore.Burleylaysenseless,stunnedbyablowfromamace,andhalfofthemen-at-armslaylittereduponthegroundaroundhim.SirNigel'sshieldwasbroken,hiscrestshorn,hisarmorcutandsmashed,andthevizortornfromhishelmetyethespranghitherandthitherwithlightfootandreadyhand,engagingtwoBretonsandaSpaniardatthesameinstant—thrusting,stooping,dashingin,springingout—whileAlleynestillfoughtbyhisside,stemmingwithahandfulofmenthefiercetidewhichsurgedupagainstthem.Yetitwouldhavefaredillwiththemhadnotthearchersfromeithersideclosedinupontheflanksoftheattackers,andpressedthemveryslowlyandfootbyfootdownthelongslope,untiltheywereontheplainoncemore,wheretheirfellowswerealreadyrallyingforafreshassault. Butterribleindeedwasthecostatwhichthelasthadbeenrepelled.Ofthethreehundredandseventymenwhohadheldthecrest,onehundredandseventy-twowereleftstanding,manyofwhomweresorelywoundedandweakfromlossofblood.SirOliverButtesthorn,SirRichardCauston,SirSimonBurley,BlackSimon,Johnston,ahundredandfiftyarchers,andforty-sevenmen-at-armshadfallen,whilethepitilesshailofstoneswasalreadywhizzingandpipingoncemoreabouttheirears,threateningeveryinstanttofurtherreducetheirnumbers. SirNigellookedabouthimathisshatteredranks,andhisfaceflushedwithasoldier'spride. “BySt.Paul!”hecried,“Ihavefoughtinmanyalittlebickering,butneveronethatIwouldbemorelothtohavemissedthanthis.Butyouarewounded,Alleyne?” “Itisnought,”answeredhissquire,stanchingthebloodwhichdrippedfromasword-cutacrosshisforehead. “ThesegentlemenofSpainseemtobemostcourteousandworthypeople.Iseethattheyarealreadyformingtocontinuethisdebatewithus.Formupthebowmentwodeepinsteadoffour.Bymyfaith!someverybravemenhavegonefromamongus.Aylward,youareatrustysoldier,forallthatyourshoulderhasneverfeltaccolade,noryourheelswornthegoldspurs.DoyoutakechargeoftherightIwillholdthecentre,andyou,myLordofAngus,theleft.” “Ho!forSirSamkinAylward!”criedaroughvoiceamongthearchers,andaroaroflaughtergreetedtheirnewleader. “Bymyhilt!”saidtheoldbowman,“Ineverthoughttoleadawinginastrickenfield.Standclose,camarades,for,bythesefinger-bones!wemustplaythemanthisday.” “Comehither,Alleyne,”saidSirNigel,walkingbacktotheedgeofthecliffwhichformedtherearoftheirposition.“Andyou,Norbury,”hecontinued,beckoningtothesquireofSirOliver,“doyoualsocomehere.” Thetwosquireshurriedacrosstohim,andthethreestoodlookingdownintotherockyravinewhichlayahundredandfiftyfeetbeneaththem. “Theprincemusthearofhowthingsarewithus,”saidtheknight.“Anotheronfallwemaywithstand,buttheyaremanyandwearefew,sothatthetimemustcomewhenwecannolongerformlineacrossthehill.Yetifhelpwerebroughtuswemightholdthecrestuntilitcomes.Seeyonderhorseswhichstrayamongtherocksbeneathus?” “Iseethem,myfairlord.” “Andseeyonderpathwhichwindsalongthehilluponthefurtherendofthevalley?” “Iseeit.” “Wereyouonthosehorses,andridingupyondertrack,steepandroughasitis,Ithinkthatyemightgainthevalleybeyond.Thenontotheprince,andtellhimhowwefare.” “But,myfairlord,howcanwehopetoreachthehorses?”askedNorbury. “Yecannotgoroundtothem,fortheywouldbeuponyeereyecouldcometothem.Thinkyethatyehaveheartenoughtoclamberdownthiscl