saint george for england-第50部分

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wo　have　fled；　but　I　have　better　news　still　for　you。　　Lady　Edith；　who　you　told　me　lay　unconscious　and　dying；　has　revived。　The　din　of　the　conflict　seems　to　have　reached　her　ears　and　recalled　her　to　life；　and　the　dear　lady　came　to　my　room　with　the　news　that　you　were　carried　off；　and　then；　while　I　was　throwing　on　my　clothes；　roused　the　village　to　your　assistance　by　ringing　the　alarm…bell。　Rarely　frightened　I　was　when　she　came　in；　for　methought　at　first　it　was　her　spirit。〃

The　good　news；　as　Ralph　had　predicted；　effectually　roused　Walter；　and　rising　to　his　feet　he　declared　himself　able　to　mount　and　ride　back　at　once。　　Ralph　tried　to　persuade　him　to　wait　until　they　had　formed　a　litter　of　boughs；　but　Walter　would　not　allow　it。

〃I　would　not　tarry　an　instant；〃　he　said；　〃for　Edith　will　be　full　of　anxiety　until　I　return。　Why；　Ralph；　do　you　think　that　I　am　a　baby？　Why；　you　yourself　were　but　this　morning　unable　to　walk　across　the　room；　and　here　you　have　been　galloping　and　fighting　on　my　behalf。〃

〃In　faith；〃　Ralph　said；　smiling；　〃until　now　I　had　forgotten　that　I　had　been　ill。〃

〃You　have　saved　my　life；　Ralph；　you　and　my　friends　here；　whom　I　thank　with　all　my　heart　for　what　they　have　done。　I　will　speak　more　to　them　another　time；　now　I　must　ride　home　with　all　speed。〃

Walter　now　mounted；　Ralph　took　his　place　on　one　side　of　him；　and　one　of　his　tenants　on　the　other；　lest　he　should　be　seized　with　faintness；　then　at　a　hand…　gallop　they　started　back　for　the　castle。　Several　women　of　the　village　had；　when　they　left；　hurried　up　to　the　castle。　They　found　Edith　lying　insensible　by　the　rope　of　the　alarm…bell；　having　fainted　when　she　had　accomplished　her　object。　　They　presently　brought　her　round；　as　she　was　now　suffering　only　from　extreme　weakness；　she　was　laid　on　a　couch；　and　cordials　and　some　soup　were　given　to　her。　　One　of　the　women　took　her　place　at　the　highest　window　to　watch　for　the　return　of　any　belonging　to　the　expedition。



Edith　felt　hopeful　as　to　the　result；　for　she　thought　that　their　assailants　would　not　have　troubled　to　carry　away　the　body　of　Walter　had　not　life　remained　in　it；　and　she　was　sure　that　Ralph　would　press　them　so　hotly　that　sooner　or　later　the　abductors　would　be　overtaken。

An　hour　and　a　half　passed；　and　then　the　woman　from　above　ran　down　with　the　news　that　she　could　see　three　horsemen　galloping　together　towards　the　castle；　with　a　number　of　others　following　in　confused　order　behind。

〃Then　they　have　found　my　lord；〃　Edith　exclaimed　joyfully；　〃for　Ralph　would　assuredly　not　return　so　quickly　had　they　not　done　so。　It's　a　good　sign　that　they　are　galloping；　for　had　they　been　bearers　of　ill　news　they　would　have　returned　more　slowly；　look　out　again　and　see　if　they　are　bearing　one　among　them。〃

The　woman；　with　some　of　her　companions；　hastened　away；　and　in　two　or　three　minutes　ran　down　with　the　news　that　Sir　Walter　himself　was　one　of　the　three　leading　horsemen。　　In　a　few　minutes　Edith　was　clasped　in　her　husband's　arms；　and　their　joy；　restored　as　they　were　from　the　dead　to　each　other；　was　indeed　almost　beyond　words。

The　plague　now　abated　fast　in　Westerham；　only　two　or　three　more　persons　being　attacked　by　it。　As　soon　as　Edith　was　sufficiently　recovered　to　travel　Walter　proceeded　with　her　to　London　and　there　laid　before　the　king　and　prince　a　complaint　against　Sir　James　Carnegie　for　his　attempt　upon　their　lives。　Even　in　the　trance　in　which　she　lay；　Edith　had　recognized　the　voice　which　had　once　been　so　familiar　to　her。　　Walter；　too；　was　able　to　testify　against　him；　for　the　rough　jolting　on　horseback　had　for　a　while　restored　his　consciousness；　and　he　had　heard　words　spoken；　before　relapsing　into　insensibility　from　the　continued　bleeding　of　his　wound；　which　enabled　him　to　swear　to　Sir　James　Carnegie　as　one　of　his　abductors。

The　king　instantly　ordered　the　arrest　of　the　knight；　but　he　could　not　be　found；　unavailing　search　was　made　in　every　direction；　and　as　nothing　could　be　heard　of　him　it　was　concluded　that　he　had　left　the　kingdom。　He　was　proclaimed　publicly　a　false　and　villainous　knight；　his　estates　were　confiscated　to　the　crown；　and　he　himself　was　outlawed。　Then　Walter　and　his　wife　returned　home　and　did　their　best　to　assist　their　tenants　in　struggling　through　the　difficulties　entailed　through　the　plague。

So　terrible　had　been　the　mortality　that　throughout　England　there　was　a　lack　of　hands　for　field　work；　crops　rotted　in　the　ground　because　there　were　none　to　harvest　them；　and　men　able　to　work　demanded　twenty　times　the　wages　which　had　before　been　paid。　So　great　was　the　trouble　from　this　source　that　an　ordinance　was　passed　by　parliament　enacting　that　severe　punishment　should　be　dealt　upon　all　who　demanded　wages　above　the　standard　price；　and　even　more　severe　penalties　inflicted　upon　those　who　should　consent　to　pay　higher　wages。　It　was；　however；　many　years　before　England　recovered　from　the　terrible　blow　which　had　been　dealt　her　from　the　pestilence。

While　Europe　had　been　ravaged　by　pestilence　the　adherents　of　France　and　England　had　continued　their　struggle　in　Brittany　in　spite　of　the　terms　of　the　truce；　and　this　time　King　Edward　was　the　first　open　aggressor；　granting　money　and　assistance　to　the　free　companies；　who　pillaged　and　plundered　in　the　name　of　England。　The　truce　expired　at　the　end　of　1348；　but　was　continued　for　short　periods。　It　was；　however；　evident　that　both　parties　were　determined　ere　long　to　recommence　hostilities。　The　French　collected　large　forces　in　Artois　and　Picardy；　and　Edward　himself　proceeded　to　Sandwich　to　organize　there　another　army　for　the　invasion　of　France。

Phillip　determined　to　strike　the　first　blow；　and；　before　the　conclusion　of　the　truce；　to　regain　possession　of　Calais。　　This　town　was　commanded　by　a　Lombard　officer　named　Almeric　of　Pavia。　Free　communication　existed；　in　consequence　of　the　truce；　between　Calais　and　the　surrounding　country；　and　Jeffrey　de　Charny；　the　governor　of　St。　Omer；　and　one　of　the　commissioners　especially　appointed　to　maintain　the　truce；　opened　communications　with　the　Lombard　captain。　Deeming　that　like　most　mercenaries　he　would　be　willing　to　change　sides　should　his　interest　to　do　so　be　made　clear；　he　offered　him　a　large　sum　of　money　to　deliver　the　castle　to　the　French。

The　Lombard　at　once　agreed　to　the　project。　Jeffrey　de　Charny　arranged　to　be　within　a　certain　distance　of　the　town　on　the　night　of　the　1st　of　January；　bringing　with　him　sufficient　forces　to　master　all　opposition　if　the　way　was　once　opened　to　the　interior　of　the　town。　It　was　further　agreed　that　the　money　was　to　be　paid　over　by　a　small　party　of　French　who　were　to　be　sent　forward　for　the　purpose　of　examining　the　castle；　in　order　to　ensure　the　main　body　against　treachery。　As　a　hostage　for　the　security　of　the　detachment；　the　son　of　the　governor　was　to　remain　in　the　hands　of　the　French　without；　until　the　safe　return　of　the　scouting　party。

Several　weeks　elapsed　between　the　conclusion　of　the　agreement　and　the　date　fixed　for　its　execution；　and　in　the　meantime　the　Lombard；　either　from　remorse　or　from　a　fear　of　the　consequences　which　might　arise　from　a　detection　of　the　plot　before　its　execution；　or　from　the　subsequent　vengeance　of　the　English　king；　disclosed　the　whole　transaction　to　Edward。


The　king　bade　him　continue　to　carry　out　his　arrangements　with　De　Charny；　leaving　it　to　him　to　counteract　the　plot。　Had　he　issued　orders　for　the　rapid　assembly　of　the　army　the　French　would　have　taken　alarm。　He　therefore　sent　private　messengers　to　a　number　of　knights　and　gentlemen　of　Kent　and　Sussex　to　meet　him　with　their　retainers　at　Dover　on　the　31st　of　December。


Walter　was　one　of　those　summoned；　and　although　much　surprised　at　the　secrecy　with　which　he　was　charged；　and　of　such　a　call　being　made　while　the　truce　with　France　still　existed；　he　repaired　to　Dover　on　the　day　named；　accompanied　by　Ralph　and　by　twenty　men；　who　were　all　who　remained　capable　of　bearing　arms　on　the　estate。

He　found　the　king　himself　with　the　Black　Prince　at　Dover；　where　they　had　arrived　that　day。　Sir　Walter　Manny　was　in　command　of　the　force；　which　consisted　in　all　of　300　men…at…arms　and　600　archers。　A　number　of　small　boats　had　been　collected；　and　at　midday　on　the　1st　of　January　the　little　expedition　started；　and　arrived　at　Calais　after　nightfall。

In　the　chivalrous　spirit　of　the　times　the　king　determined　that　Sir　Walter　Manny　should　continue　in　command　of　the　enterprise；　he　and　the　Black　Prince；　disguised　as　simple　knights；　fighting　under　his　banner。

In　the　meantime　a　considerable　force　had　been　collected　at　St。　Omer；　where　a　large　number　of　knights　and　gentlemen　obeyed　the　summons　of　Jeffrey　de　Charny。　　On　the　night　appointed　they　marched　for　Calais；　in　number　five　hundred　lances　and　a　corresponding　number　of　footmen。　They　reached　the　river　and　bridge　of　Nieullay　a　little　after　midnight；　and　messengers　were　sent　on　to　the　governor；　who　was　prepared　to　receive　them。　On　their　report　De　Charny　advanced　still　nearer　to　the　town；　leaving　the　bridge　and　passages　to　the　river　guarded　by　a　large　body　of　crossbow…men　under　the　command　of　the　Lord　De　Fiennes　and　a　number　of　other　knights。　At　a　little　distance　from　the　castle　he　was　met　by　Almeric　de　Pavia；　who　yielded　his　son　as　a　hostage　according　to　his　promise；　calculating；　as　was　the　case；　that　he　woul