saint george for england-第30部分

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own；　beside　the　fact　that　his　evidence　does　not　rest　upon　mere　assertion；　but　that　the　man　in　the　hut　promised　to　do　what　you　actually　performed；　namely；　to　delay　me　at　Richmond；　and　to　wrap　me　in　a　white　cloak　in　order　that　I　might　be　recognized　by　the　river　pirates。〃

Sir　James　was　silent。　In　truth；　as　he　saw；　the　evidence　was　overwhelmingly　strong　against　him。　After　a　while　he　stammered　out；　〃I　cannot　deny　that　I　was　the　man　in　question；　but　I　swear　to　you　that　this　boy　was　mistaken；　and　that　the　scoundrel　acted　altogether　beyond　my　instructions；　which　were　simply　that　he　should　board　the　boat　and　carry　you　and　your　daughter　away　to　a　safe　place。〃

〃And　with　what　object；　sir；〃　Dame　Vernon　said　contemptuously；　〃was　I　to　be　thus　taken　away？〃

〃I　do　not　seek　to　excuse　myself；〃　the　knight　replied　calmly；　having　now　recovered　his　self…possession；　〃for　I　own　I　acted　wrongly　and　basely；　but　in　truth　I　loved　you；　and　would　fain　have　made　you　my　wife。　I　knew　that　you　regarded　me　with　only　the　calm　affection　of　a　kinswoman；　but　I　thought　that　were　you　in　my　power　you　would　consent　to　purchase　your　freedom　with　your　hand。　I　know　now　that　I　erred　greatly。　I　acknowledge　my　fault；　and　that　my　conduct　was　base　and　unknightly；　and　my　only　excuse　is　the　great　love　I　bore　you。

〃And　which；〃　the　lady　said　sarcastically；　〃you　have　now　transferred　to　my　daughter。　I　congratulate　you；　Sir　James；　upon　the　possession　of　a　ready　wit　and　an　invention　which　does　not　fail　you　at　a　pinch；　and　of　a　tongue　which　repeats　unfalteringly　any　fable　which　your　mind　may　dictate。　You　do　not；　I　suppose；　expect　me　to　believe　the　tale。　Still；　I　own　that　it　is　a　well…devised　one；　and　might；　at　a　pinch；　pass　muster；　but　fear　not；　Sir　James。　As　hitherto　I　have　kept　silence　as　to　the　author　of　the　outrage　committed　upon　me；　so　I　have　no　intention　of　proclaiming　the　truth　now　unless　you　force　me　to　do　so。　Suffice　that　both　for　myself　and　for　my　daughter　I　disclaim　the　honour　of　your　hand。　So　long　as　you　offer　no　molestation　to　us；　and　abstain　from　troubling　us　in　any　way；　so　long　will　my　mouth　be　sealed；　and　I　would　fain　bury　in　my　breast　the　memory　of　your　offence。　I　will　not　give　the　world's　tongue　occasion　to　wag　by　any　open　breach　between　kinsfolk；　and　shall　therefore　in　public　salute　you　as　an　acquaintance；　but　under　no　pretence　whatever　will　I　admit　you　to　any　future　private　interview。　Now　leave　me；　sir；　and　I　trust　that　your　future　life　will　show　that　you　deeply　regret　the　outrage　which　in　your　greed　for　my　husband's　lands　you　were　tempted　to　commit。〃

Without　a　word　Sir　James　turned　and　left　the　room；　white　with　shame　and　anger；　but　with　an　inward　sense　of　congratulation　at　the　romance　which　he　had；　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　invented；　and　which　would；　he　felt　sure；　be　accepted　by　the　world　as　probable；　in　the　event　of　the　share　he　had　in　the　matter　being　made　public；　either　upon　the　denunciation　of　Dame　Vernon　or　in　any　other　manner。

One　determination；　however；　he　made；　and　swore；　to　himself；　that　he　would　bitterly　avenge　himself　upon　the　youth　whose　interference　had　thwarted　his　plans；　and　whose　report　to　his　kinswoman　had　turned　her　mind　against　him。　He；　at　any　rate；　should　be　put　out　of　the　way　at　the　first　opportunity；　and　thus　the　only　witness　against　himself　be　removed；　for　Lady　Vernon's　own　unsupported　story　would　be　merely　her　word　against　his；　and　could　be　treated　as　the　malicious　fiction　of　an　angry　woman。

The　following　day　Dame　Vernon　sent　for　Walter；　and　informed　him　exactly　what　had　taken　place。

〃Between　Sir　James　and　me；〃　she　said；　〃there　is；　you　see；　a　truce。　We　are　enemies；　but；　we　agree　to　lay　aside　our　arms　for　the　time。　But；　Walter；　you　must　be　on　your　guard。

You　know　as　well　as　I　do　how　dangerous　this　man　is；　and　how　good　a　cause　he　has　to　hate　you。　I　would　not　have　divulged　your　name　had　I　not　known　that　the　frequency　of　your　visits　here　and　the　encouragement　which　I　openly　give　you　as　the　future　suitor　of　my　daughter；　would　be　sure　to　come　to　his　ears；　and　he　would　speedily　discover　that　it　was　you　who　saved　our　lives　on　the　Thames　and　gave　your　testimony　before　the　justices　as　to　the　conversation　in　the　hut　on　the　marshes。　　Thus　I　forestalled　what　he　would　in　a　few　days　have　learnt。〃

〃I　fear　him　not；　lady；〃　Walter　said　calmly。　〃I　can　hold　mine　own；　I　hope；　against　him　in　arms；　and　having　the　patronage　and　friendship　of　Sir　Walter　Manny　I　am　above　any　petty　malice。　Nevertheless　I　will　hold　myself　on　my　guard。　　I　will；　so　far　as　possible；　avoid　any　snare　which　he　may；　as　'tis　not　unlikely；　set　for　my　life；　and　will；　so　far　as　I　honourably　can；　avoid　any　quarrel　with　which　he　may　seek　to　saddle　me。

A　few　days　later　Walter　again　met　Sir　James　Carnegie　in　the　king's　anteroom；　and　saw　at　once；　by　the　fixed　look　of　hate　with　which　he　had　regarded　him；　that　he　had　already　satisfied　himself　of　his　identity。　He　returned　the　knight's　stare　with　a　cold　look　of　contempt。　The　knight　moved　towards　him；　and　in　a　low　tone　said；　〃Beware；　young　sir；　I　have　a　heavy　reckoning　against　you；　and　James　Carnegie　never　forgets　debts　of　that　kind！〃

〃I　am　warned；　Sir　James；〃　Walter　said　calmly；　but　in　the　same　low　tone；　〃and；　believe　me；　I　hold　but　very　lightly　the　threats　of　one　who　does　not　succeed　even　when　he　conspires　against　the　lives　of　women　and　children。〃

Sir　James　started　as　if　he　had　been　struck。　Then；　with　a　great　effort　he　recovered　his　composure；　and；　repeating　the　word　〃Beware！〃　walked　across　to　the　other　side　of　the　chamber。　The　next　day　Walter　went　down　the　river　and　had　a　talk　with　his　friend　Geoffrey。

〃You　must　beware；　lad；〃　the　armourer　said　when　he　told　him　of　the　return　of　Sir　James　Carnegie　and　the　conversation　which　had　taken　place　between　them。　　〃This　man　is　capable　of　anything；　and　careth　not　where　he　chooseth　his　instruments。　　The　man　of　the　hut　at　Lambeth　has　never　been　caught　since　his　escape　from　Richmond　Jail　…　thanks；　doubtless；　to　the　gold　of　his　employer　…　and；　for　aught　we　know；　may　still　be　lurking　in　the　marshes　there；　or　in　the　purlieus　of　the　city。　He　will　have　a　grudge　against　you　as　well　as　his　employer；　and　in　him　Sir　James　would　find　a　ready　instrument。　He　is　no　doubt　connected；　as　before；　with　a　gang　of　water　pirates　and　robbers；　and　it　is　not　one　sword　alone　that　you　would　have　to　encounter。　I　think　not　that　you　are　in　danger　just　at　present；　for　he　would　know　that；　in　case　of　your　murder；　the　suspicions　of　Dame　Vernon　and　of　any　others　who　may　know　the　motive　which　he　has　in　getting　rid　of　you　would　be　excited；　and　he　might　be　accused　of　having　had　a　share　in　your　death。　Still；　it　would　be　so　hard　to　prove　aught　against　him；　that　he　may　be　ready　to　run　the　risk　in　order　to　rid　himself　of　you。　Look　here；　Walter。　What　think　you　of　this？〃　and　the　smith　drew　out　from　a　coffer　a　shirt　of　mail　of　finer　work　than　Walter　had　ever　before　seen。

〃Aye；　lad；　I　knew　you　would　be　pleased；〃　he　said　in　answer　to　Walter's　exclamation　at　the　fineness　of　the　workmanship。　　〃I　bought　this　a　month　ago　from　a　Jew　merchant　who　had　recently　come　from　Italy。　How　he　got　it　I　know　not；　but　I　doubt　if　it　were　honestly；　or　he　would　have　demanded　a　higher　price　than　I　paid　him。　He　told　me　that　it　was　made　by　the　first　armourer　in　Milan；　and　was　constructed　especially　for　a　cardinal　of　the　church；　who　had　made　many　enemies　by　his　evil　deeds　and　could　not　sleep　for　fear　of　assassination。　At　his　death　it　came　as　the　Jew　said；　into　his　possession。　I　suppose　some　rascally　attendant　took　it　as　a　perquisite；　and；　knowing　not　of　its　value；　sold　it　for　a　few　ducats　to　the　Jew。　　However；　it　is　of　the　finest　workmanship。　It　is；　as　you　see；　double；　and　each　link　is　made　of　steel　so　tough　that　no　dagger　or　sword…point　will　pierce　it。　I　put　it　on　a　block　and　tried　the　metal　myself；　and　broke　one　of　my　best　daggers　on　it　without　a　single　link　giving。　Take　it；　lad。　You　are　welcome　to　it。　I　bought　it　with　a　special　eye　to　you；　thinking　that　you　might　wear　it　under　your　armour　in　battle　without　greatly　adding　to　the　weight；　but　for　such　dangers　as　threaten　you　now　it　is　invaluable。　It　is　so　light　and　soft　that　none　will　dream　that　you　have　it　under　your　doublet；　and　I　warrant　me　it　will　hold　you　safe　against　the　daggers　of　Sir　James's　ruffians。

Walter　did　not　like　taking　a　gift　so　valuable；　for　his　apprenticeship　as　an　armourer　had　taught　him　the　extreme　rarity　and　costliness　of　so　fine　a　piece　of　work。　Geoffrey；　however；　would　not　hear　of　his　refusal；　and　insisted　on　his　then　and　there　taking　off　his　doublet　and　putting　it　on。　It　fitted　closely　to　the　body；　descending　just　below　the　hips；　and　coming　well　up　on　the　neck；　while　the　arms　extended　to　the　wrists。

〃There！〃　the　smith　said　with　delight。　〃Now　you　are　safe　against　sword　or　dagger；　save　for　a　sweeping　blow　at　the　head；　and　that　your　sword　can　be　trusted　to　guard。　Never　take　it　off；　Walter；　save　when　you　sleep；　and　except　when　in　your　own　bed；　at　Sir　Walter　Manny's；　I　should　advise　you　to　wear　it　even　at　night。　　The　weight　is　nothing；　and　it　will　not　incommode　you。　So　long　as　this　caitiff　knight　lives；　your　life　will　not　be　safe。　When　he　is　dead　you　may　hang　up　the　shirt　of　mail　with　a　light　heart。〃



CHAPTER　XII：　JACOB　VAN　ARTEVELDE


King　Edward　found　no　difficulty　in　awak