Henry had hated the Londoners with exceeding bitterness since they had pelted9 his Queen from London Bridge when she had sought to escape to Windsor in the summer. They had thrown stones and offal at her barge10, and the King, and Edward his son, talked of the blood of the city as though it were the blood of swine. It was even said that they had sworn upon relics11 to make a slaughter12 there that should be remembered for many years. Yet a number of the wealthier merchants were for the King, partly because they hated the lesser13 men and the mob, and partly because they had taken bribes14. There was treachery afoot of which Earl Simon knew nothing, nor had he any foreshadowings of the peril15 that was near.
Early in December Henry had attempted to win his way into Dover. The attempt had failed miserably16; and the news was that he and his men were still lingering on the coast. No one thought of him as within ten leagues of London; the traitors17 in the city were alone wise as to his plans. Earl Simon remained in Southwark, debating the future with the barons who were with him, and with the Londoners who would hear of nothing but that the King should swallow the Great Charter, and that the Provisions of Oxford18 should hold. They had not forgotten Richard of Cornwall’s corn ships, and the way Henry had attempted to play the Jew at the expense of the starving poor.
It so happened that Aymery was in the saddle one December evening as the darkness came down over the land like a rolling fog. Rain had begun to fall, a fine drizzle19 that made the fading horizon in the west a dim grey streak20. Infinite mournfulness breathed in the gust21 of a wet winter wind. Tired horses plodded22 past Aymery as he sat motionless by the roadside, the hood23 of his cloak turned over his helmet. A party had been out to bring in forage24, and Aymery had had the handling of the escort, a few archers25 and men-at-arms.
The last tired horse had gone splashing by, and the creaking of the saddles and the breathing of the beasts were dropping into the darkness before Aymery turned to follow his men. He was about to push his horse to a trot26 when he heard the sound of a man running along the wet, wind-swept road. Aymery drew up across the road, and saw a figure come out of the darkness, head down, hands paddling the air.
The man seemed to see neither horse nor rider till he was almost into them. He stumbled, recovered himself, and drew back out of the possible reach of a possible sword.
“Montfort—Montfort?”
Aymery reassured27 him, and he staggered forward and leant against Aymery’s horse, panting out his news, for he had run two miles or more.
“Lording, there is an army on the march down yonder. I was carrying faggots from a wood, when I saw them riding out of the dusk. Their vanguard halted under the wood, and I hid myself, and listened, and then crept away and ran like a rabbit.”
He panted, pressing his ribs28 with his two hands, as though his heart was gorged29 with blood. Aymery bent30 down, and looked into the hind31’s mud-stained face.
“Quick, good lad——”
“It was the van of the King’s host, lording, they are riding on Southwark out of the night.”
“How near are they?”
“The wood is a mile beyond the cross where the roads branch. They were resting their horses, the beasts had been hard ridden, and their bellies32 were all mud.”
Aymery straightened in the saddle, and sat motionless. The night gave no sound for the moment save the soughing of the wind through some poplars that grew near. Half a furlong away the darkness thickened into a black curtain, hiding the world, tantalising those who watched with the wraiths33 of a thousand chances.
Yet, as they waited there on the wet road, a confused sense of movement came to them from somewhere out of the darkness, like the sound of the sea galloping35 in the distance over a mile of midnight sand. Aymery swept round, pulled off his glove with his teeth, and threw it at the man’s feet.
“Look to yourself, my friend,” he said. “They are coming through the night yonder. Bring that glove to the Earl, and you shall have your due.”
Aymery clapped in the spurs, and went away at a gallop34. He did not doubt that it was the King’s arms behind him, pouring upon Southwark to surprise De Montfort’s weak force there, and take him or slay36 him before the Londoners could gather to his aid.
As Aymery galloped37 through the night, the lights of Southwark and of the city beyond the river came to him in a blur38 through the mist of rain. He did not slacken even when he came to the outskirts39 of the place, but rode straight for the Earl’s lodging40, shouting to those whom he passed in the street.
“Arm, arm,” was his cry as he galloped through. “The King’s men are on us.”
And so he brought the news to Simon the Earl.
De Montfort and his knights42 and gentlemen were at supper, but they left the wine cups unemptied, and made haste to arm. The Earl sent his son Simon to ride across the bridge and rouse the train-bands in the city. The narrow streets and alleys43 of Southwark were soon in a great uproar44 with the running to and fro of men, the tossing of torches, and all the tumult45 of a hurried call to arms. A bell began to clash somewhere up in the darkness. The narrow ways were full of movement, of an infinite confusion that struggled and chafed46 like waters meeting and beating against one another. Trumpets47 blared. Leaders sought their men, men their leaders. From beyond the river also bells began to peal48, the city was bestirring itself, and humming like a hive of bees.
Aymery, rushing out from the Earl’s presence, ran against a man with a fiery49 tangle50 of bright-red hair. It was Waleran de Monceaux, that rebel of rebels, driven by Gaillard out of Sussex. He caught Aymery by the shoulder, and blessed God fiercely because the Sussex men were the first to show their shields.
“Brother,” he shouted, “I have thirty spears for a charge home. I heard you were here. Come. We shall have the van.”
They went out together into the street where some of the Earl’s men were already under arms. None the less there was a dire51 tangle everywhere, the place choked with disorder52 that promised well for the King’s men if they lost no time. Aymery and Waleran found their bunch of Sussex spears standing53 steady and stiff for the night’s need. They were soon joined by other knights and their men who gathered out of the wet gloom. De Montfort himself came out, and ordered his archers forward into the outskirts of the suburb, to scout54 and discover what was happening in the darkness yonder.
A shout rose suddenly, and went from mouth to mouth. Young Simon came out of the darkness with torches, riding his white horse, and a mob of half-armed men with him.
“Sire, treachery, the gates at the bridge are locked.”
Such in truth was the case, for the King had planned the trick, and those of the wealthier citizens who were in his pay had locked the gates and thrown the keys into the river.
“Break down the gates.”
And then, standing in his stirrups:
“Sirs,” said he, “let the King’s men come to us. They will find it hot here, despite the rain.”
A number of archers came running back out of the night, shouting that masses of men were pouring along the dark streets at their heels. A blare of trumpets tore the darkness. The narrow main street began to roar with the rush of mounted men. The Earl’s trumpets gave tongue in answer. In an instant a black torrent56 poured forward as though a dam had broken, and fell with fury upon the flood that lapped from wall to wall.
A man has no time to remember what happens in such a fight when he is caught by a whirlwind of human fury, and driven this way and that. Horses reared, fell, and crushed their riders. The narrow street rang like a hundred smithies. Blows were given and taken in the darkness, men grappled together in the saddle, for there was no room often for the swing of a sword. Aymery found himself and his horse driven against the wall, and pinned there by the mass that filled the street. He struck out, with cries of “Montfort, Montfort,” and was struck at in turn by those who bawled57 for the King.
Aymery found himself being forced along the wall his horse, scared and maddened, backing along the street. The tide had turned in the King’s favour. The Earl’s men were being driven by sheer weight of numbers. The night had a black look for Earl Simon and his party.
Of what followed Aymery could have given no clear account, all that he knew was that he went on striking at those who struck at him, and that he remembered wondering that he had not been wounded or beaten out of the saddle. His brain seemed to become dulled by the din8 and clangour, and by the tumult in the darkness and the rain. A roar of voices rose suddenly, flowing from somewhere out of the night. “Montfort, Montfort!” A great rallying cry came up like the sound of the sea, for the Londoners had broken the gates, and were pouring over the bridge into Southwark to rescue the Earl.
For a while the fight stood still, and then slowly, and with a sense of infinite effort it began to roll towards the fields. New men seemed to come from nowhere, streaming up alleys and side streets to break in on the flanks of the King’s party. Aymery found himself with space to breathe; his sword arm ached as though he had been swinging a hatchet58 for an hour. Comrades came up on either side of him, they gathered and pushed on, shouting for Earl Simon, and fighting shoulder to shoulder, Aymery found the street opening suddenly upon a small square before a church. In one corner a torch had been thrust into an iron bracket on the wall of a house, and still burning brightly, despite the rain, it seemed to serve as a rallying point for those whose stomachs were not sick of the fight.
It was becoming a hole and corner business now, a question of group fighting against group, man against man. Each party had been tossed into so many angry embers, like a fire scattered59 by a kick of the foot. The Londoners were still streaming over the bridge. Their shouts of “Montfort, Montfort,” held the night. The surprise had failed, thanks to the hind who had run two miles in the mud.
Aymery was pushing his horse across the square, battered60 shield forward, right hand balancing his sword, when his eyes were drawn61 towards a skirmish that was going on where the torch burnt in the bracket on the wall. A big man in green surcoat, and mounted on a black horse was keeping some of the Londoners at bay. And behind the green knight41, just under the torch, Aymery saw a knight in a blue surcoat on a grey horse, a contrast in colours that struck him as familiar. The blue knight was taking no part in the tussle62. His comrade seemed to be defending him, backed up by a few men-at-arms whose harness gleamed in the light of the torch.
Aymery spurred forward, and came to blows with the man in green. Nor had he had much to boast of when a mob of Londoners came up at a run and broke into the thick of the scrimmage. Aymery found himself driven close to the knight in blue. He struck at him, but the other seemed to have lost his sword, for he did nothing but cover his head with his shield. Aymery caught the blue knight’s bridle63, and urged both the horses out of the press. He had a glimpse of the man on the black horse trying to plunge64 through the Londoners towards him. But he was beaten back, and disappeared, still fighting, into the night.
Aymery got a grip of the blue knight’s belt. The man appeared to have little heart left in him, for he dropped his shield, and surrendered at discretion65.
“Quarter, messire, quarter.”
Aymery kept a firm hold of the gentleman, and rode back with him into the main street. The grey horse went quietly as though thoroughly67 tired of the night’s adventure. Aymery had no trouble with either beast or man.
A great crowd had gathered at the bridge head. Earl Simon was there, guarded by an exultant68 and shouting mob of Londoners who were carrying him across the bridge into the city. The crowd was so great that Aymery had to halt with his prisoner, and bide69 his time. Torches had been lit and their glare and smoke filled the street where a thousand grotesque70 faces were shouting “Montfort, Montfort.”
Aymery felt a hand touch his arm, for he still had hold of the blue knight’s sword belt.
“Ah, messire, see what manner of prisoner you have taken.”
The blue knight had lifted the great helmet and let it fall with a clash upon the stones. Aymery saw masses of dark hair flowing, and a white face looking into his.
“Mother of God,” said he, “what have we here?”
“A woman, lording,” and she laughed a little, and then said again, more softly: “A woman.”
Aymery scanned her by the light of the torches, and it seemed to him that he had seen her face before. Her hair was dark as night, her skin the colour of a white rose, and she looked at him with eyes that seemed full of an amused yet watchful71 glitter.
For the moment Aymery thought of letting her go free, but the lady herself appeared to have no such ambition.
“I am in your hands, messire,” she said. “Keep me from the mud and the mob, and I will thank you.”
Aymery asked her name, being puzzled to know what to do with such a prisoner.
“My name?” and she laughed, and gave him a look that was meant to challenge a possible homage72. “I dropped my name with my shield. Nor would you know it if I told it you.”
Aymery was asking himself what had best be done with this lady in man’s guise73. To many men the answer would have been gallant74 and none too difficult. But Aymery coveted75 neither the responsibility nor the possible romance. Nor was he sorry when a happy chance intervened between him and the dilemma76.
A number of knights came riding out of Southwark with Simon the Younger on his white horse at their head. And Simon who was an adventurous77 and hot headed gentleman with the eyes of a hawk78 when a woman was concerned, caught sight of Aymery and his prisoner, and swooped79 down instantly towards the lure80.
“Hallo, my friend, who are you, and what have you here?”
Aymery showed his shield, but the Earl’s son recognised his face.
“Sir Aymery, out of Sussex! And what is this treasure, messire, that we have taken?”
At the sound of Aymery’s name the woman’s eyes had darted81 a look at him, like the momentary82 gleam of a knife hidden under a cloak. Then she moved nearer to young De Montfort, and was soon speaking on her own behalf.
“Since you offer us no name, madam,” he said. “Let us call you Isoult of the Black Hair. I am Simon, the earl’s son. Also, I am your servant, unless our friend here stands between us.”
“It is no concern of mine, sire,” he said, with a bluntness that was hardly courteous85 to the lady.
A laugh hailed this frankness. De Montfort’s son was looking at Etoile.
“Will it please you to command my courtesy?” he asked.
Etoile smiled at him. He took her bridle, and they went riding together over London Bridge into London City. Nor did Simon guess that this was the first ride along a tortuous86 road that would lead him to bring death upon the great earl, his father.
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收听单词发音
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1
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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2
coveting
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| v.贪求，觊觎( covet的现在分词 ) | |
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3
barons
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| 男爵( baron的名词复数 )； 巨头； 大王； 大亨 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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6
mooted
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| adj.未决定的，有争议的，有疑问的v.提出…供讨论( moot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
fickleness
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| n.易变；无常；浮躁；变化无常 | |
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8
din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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9
pelted
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| （连续地）投掷( pelt的过去式和过去分词 )； 连续抨击； 攻击； 剥去…的皮 | |
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10
barge
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| n.平底载货船，驳船 | |
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11
relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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12
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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13
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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14
bribes
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| n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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15
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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16
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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17
traitors
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| 卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 )； 叛徒； 背叛者； 背信弃义的人 | |
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18
Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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19
drizzle
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| v.下毛毛雨；n.毛毛雨，蒙蒙细雨 | |
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20
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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21
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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22
plodded
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| v.沉重缓慢地走（路）( plod的过去式和过去分词 )；努力从事；沉闷地苦干；缓慢进行（尤指艰难枯燥的工作） | |
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23
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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24
forage
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| n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻 | |
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25
archers
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| n.弓箭手，射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 ) | |
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26
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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27
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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28
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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29
gorged
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| v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的过去式和过去分词 )；作呕 | |
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30
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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bellies
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| n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的 | |
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wraiths
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| n.幽灵( wraith的名词复数 )；（传说中人在将死或死后不久的）显形阴魂 | |
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34
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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35
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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36
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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37
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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38
blur
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| n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚 | |
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39
outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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40
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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41
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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42
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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43
alleys
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| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
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44
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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45
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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46
chafed
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| v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的过去式 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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47
trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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48
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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49
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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50
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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51
dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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52
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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53
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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54
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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55
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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56
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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57
bawled
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的过去式和过去分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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58
hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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59
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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60
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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61
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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62
tussle
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| n.&v.扭打，搏斗，争辩 | |
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63
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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64
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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65
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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66
grid
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| n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅 | |
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67
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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68
exultant
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| adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的 | |
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69
bide
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| v.忍耐；等候；住 | |
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70
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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71
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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72
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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73
guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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74
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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75
coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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76
dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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77
adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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hawk
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| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
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79
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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80
lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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81
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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82
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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83
gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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84
renounced
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| v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃 | |
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85
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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86
tortuous
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| adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的 | |
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