The Gilderoy forces therefore turned northwards, with their great baggage and siege train, and in due course came upon the Gerainters bivouacking on the ridge6 where the battle had taken place. The green slopes were specked with dark motionless figures, dead horses, and the wreckage7 of war. Men were burying the dead upon the battlefield. Yeoland's guard had been slaughtered8 almost to a man; and the whole affair had damped very considerably10 the ardour of certain of the less trustworthy levies11.
But Fulviac was not the man to sit and snivel over a defeat; he knew well enough that he had good men behind him, tough fighting stuff, fired by fanaticism12 and a long sense of wrong. He harangued13 his whole force, black-guarded with his lion's roar those concerned in the march from Geraint, treating them to such a scourging14 with words that they snarled15 and clamoured to be led on at once to prove their mettle16. Their leaders had been at fault, nor did Fulviac keep their spirits cooling in the wind. The power of his own personality was great, and he had twenty thousand men at his back, who knew that to fail meant death and torture. They had received a check from the Lord of Gambrevault; it was absolutely essential to the cause that they should wipe out the defeat, recapture their Saint and sacred banner, crush Gambrevault once and for ever. To this strenuous17 tune18 they marched on towards the sea, and that night lit their fires on the hills that ringed Gambrevault on the north.
As the sun climbed up and spread a curtain of gold over down and upland, those on the walls of Gambrevault saw steel glinting on the hills, the pikes and casques of Fulviac's horde19. Yeoland saw them from her casement20, as she stood and combed her hair. Flavian, watching with certain knights21 on the keep, confronted the event with a merry smile. The shimmering22 line of silver on the hills had broadened to a darker band, splashed lavishly23 with steel. The rebel host was coming on in a half moon, with each horn to the sea. Its centre held towards the ford24 and the dismantled25 Gambrevault mills, positions strongly held on the southern bank by a redoubt and stockaded trenches26.
The criticisms delivered by those watching from the keep were various and forcible.
"By Jeremy--a rare mob!"
"Let them grip at Gambrevault," said Modred, "and they shall clutch at a cactus27. Look at that long baggage train in the rear. Damn them, I guess they have the siege train from Gilderoy."
"We shall sweat a trifle."
Quoth Tristram, "They have little time to spare for a leaguer, rotting in trenches, if they are to make the country rise. They'll not leaguer us."
Flavian watched the advance under his hand.
"Fortunately or unfortunately, gentlemen," he said, "we have taken their Saint, their oracle28, and their sacred banner. I imagine they will do their best to dispossess us. It is time we made for the meadows; I reckon we shall have hot work to-day."
When leaving the keep, Flavian crossed the castle garden, and caught under the tunnel of yews29 the flutter of a woman's gown. Sunlight glimmered30 through and wove a shimmering network in the air. Green and violet swept the stones; a white face shone in the shadows.
He went to her and kissed her hands. His eyes were brave and joyous31 as she looked into them, and there was no shadow of fear upon his face. Trumpets32 were blowing in the meadows, piercing the confused hum of men running to arms.
"War, ever war!"
"You are sad?"
"Fulviac has the whole kingdom at his back."
"If he led the world, I should not waver."
"With me it is different; I am a woman and you know my heart."
"So well that I seek to know nothing else in the world, I desire no greater wisdom than my love. You are with me, and my heart sings. No harm can come to you whatever doom33 may fall on Gambrevault."
"Think you my thoughts are all of my own safety?"
"Ah, golden one, never fear for me. What is life? a little joy, a little pain, and then eternity34. I would rather have an hour's glory in the sun than fifty years of grey monotony. It is something to fight, and even to die, for the love of a woman. There is no shadow over my soul."
There was a great heroism35 in his voice, and her eyes caught the light from his. She touched his cuirass with her slim white fingers.
"God keep you!"
"No, you will come back to me."
"Give me your scarf."
She took the green silk and knotted it about his arm; a rich colour shone in her cheeks, her eyes were warm and wonderfully luminous37.
"God keep you!"
So he kissed her lips and left her.
The rebel horde had rolled down in their thousands from the hills. Flavian saw their black masses moving from the woods, as he rode down from the great gate. It was evident to him that Fulviac would try and force the ford and win his way to the open meadows beyond. The river ran fast with a deep but narrow channel, and there was only one other ford some nine miles upstream. His own men were under arms in the meadows. With his knights round him, Flavian rode down to the redoubt and trenches by the river-bank, packed as they already were with archers38 and men-at-arms. He was loudly cheered as he reined39 in and scanned the rebel columns moving over the downs.
Fulviac had ridden forward with a company of spears to reconnoitre. He saw the captured banner of The Maid hoisted40 derisively41 on Gambrevault keep; he saw the redoubt and the stockades42 covering the ford; the foot massed in the meadows; Flavian's mounted men-at-arms drawn43 up under the castle walls. Sforza and several captains of note were with Fulviac. The man was in a grim mood, a slashing44 Titanic45 humour. The passage of the river was to be forced, Flavian's men engaged in the meadows. He would drive them into Gambrevault before nightfall. Then they would cast their leaguer, bring up the siege train taken from Gilderoy, and batter46 at Gambrevault till they could storm the place.
Early in the day Fulviac detached a body of two thousand men under Colgran, a noted47 free-lance, to march upstream, cross by the upper ford, and threaten Flavian on the flank. The fighting began at ten of the clock, when Fulviac's bowmen scattered48 along the river and opened fire upon the stockades. Flavian's archers and arbalisters responded. A body of five thousand rebels advanced with great mantlets upon wheels to the northern bank and entrenched49 themselves there. A second body, with waggons50 laden51 with timber and several flat-bottomed boats, poured down to the river a mile higher up, and began to throw a rough, raft-like bridge across the stream. At half-past ten masses of men-at-arms splashed through the water at the ford, under cover of a hot fire from the archers lining52 the bank, and began an assault upon the redoubt and the stockades.
By twelve o'clock the bridge higher up the stream had been completed, and a glittering line of pikes poured across, to be met on the southern bank by Geoffrey Longsword and a body of men-at-arms. It was hand to hand, and hot and strenuous as could be. Men grappled, stabbed, hacked53, bellowed54 like a herd55 of bulls. Flavian had reinforced the defenders56 of the ford, who still held Fulviac at bay, despite a heavy archery fire and the almost continuous assaults poured against the stockades. Yet by one o'clock Fulviac's levies had forced the passage of the bridge and gained footing on the southern bank. Longsword's men, outnumbered and repulsed57, were falling back before the black masses of foot that now poured into the meadows.
The situation was critical enough, as Flavian had long seen, as he galloped58 hotly from point to point. Fulviac's rebels had shown more valour than he had ever prophesied59. Flavian packed all his remaining foot into the trenches, and putting himself at the head of his knights and mounted men-at-arms, rode down to charge the troops who had crossed by the pontoons. Here chivalry60 availed him to the full. By a succession of tremendous rushes, he drove the rebels back into the river, did much merciless slaughter9, cut the ropes that held the bridge to the southern bank, so that the whole structure veered61 downstream. The peril62 seemed past, when he was startled by the cry that the redoubt had been carried, and that Fulviac held the ford.
Looking south, he saw the truth with his own eyes. His troops were falling back in disorder63 upon Gambrevault, followed by an ever-growing mass, that swarmed64 exultantly65 into the meadows. The last and successful assault had been led by Fulviac in person. Flavian had to grip the truth. The rebels outnumbered him by more than five to one; and he had underrated their discipline and fighting spirit. He was wiser before the sun went down.
"Come, gentlemen, we shall beat them yet."
"Shall we charge them, sire?"
That afternoon there was grim work in the Gambrevault meadows. Five times Flavian charged Fulviac's columns, hurling67 them back towards the river, only to be repulsed in turn by the fresh masses that poured over by the ford. He made much slaughter, lost many good men in the mad, whirling mêlées. Desperate heroism inspired on either hand. Once he stood in great peril of his own life, having been unhorsed and surrounded by a mob of rebel pikes. He was saved by the devotion and heroism of Modred and his household knights. With the chivalry of a Galahad, he did all that a man could to keep the field. Colgran's flanking column appeared over the downs, and Fulviac had his whole host on the southern bank of the river. The masses advanced like one man, pennons flying, trumpets clanging. Flavian would have charged again, but for the vehement68 dissuasion69 of certain of his elder knights. He contented70 himself with covering the retreat of his foot, while the great gate of Gambrevault opened its black maw to take them in. Many of his mercenaries had deserted71 to the rebels. So stubborn and bloody72 had been the day, that he had lost close upon half his force by death and desertion; no quarter had been given on either side. He heard the surging shouts of exultation73 from the meadows, as he rode sullen74 and wearied into Gambrevault. The great gates thundered to, the portcullises rattled75 down. Fulviac had his man shut up in Gambrevault.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
gamut
|
|
| n.全音阶，(一领域的)全部知识 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
blasphemy
|
|
| n.亵渎，渎神 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
suavity
|
|
| n.温和；殷勤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
negligence
|
|
| n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
ridge
|
|
| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
wreckage
|
|
| n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
slaughtered
|
|
| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
slaughter
|
|
| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
considerably
|
|
| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
levies
|
|
| （部队）征兵( levy的名词复数 )； 募捐； 被征募的军队 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
fanaticism
|
|
| n.狂热，盲信 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
harangued
|
|
| v.高谈阔论( harangue的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
scourging
|
|
| 鞭打( scourge的现在分词 )； 惩罚，压迫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
snarled
|
|
| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
mettle
|
|
| n.勇气，精神 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
strenuous
|
|
| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
tune
|
|
| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
horde
|
|
| n.群众，一大群 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
casement
|
|
| n.竖铰链窗；窗扉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
knights
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
shimmering
|
|
| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
lavishly
|
|
| adv.慷慨地，大方地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
Ford
|
|
| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
dismantled
|
|
| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
trenches
|
|
| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
cactus
|
|
| n.仙人掌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
oracle
|
|
| n.神谕，神谕处，预言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
yews
|
|
| n.紫杉( yew的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
glimmered
|
|
| v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
joyous
|
|
| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
trumpets
|
|
| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
doom
|
|
| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
eternity
|
|
| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
heroism
|
|
| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
requiems
|
|
| （天主教）安魂弥撒仪式，安魂曲( requiem的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
37
luminous
|
|
| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
archers
|
|
| n.弓箭手，射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
reined
|
|
| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
hoisted
|
|
| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
derisively
|
|
| adv. 嘲笑地，嘲弄地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
stockades
|
|
| n.（防御用的）栅栏，围桩( stockade的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
43
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
slashing
|
|
| adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
titanic
|
|
| adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
batter
|
|
| v.接连重击；磨损；n.牛奶面糊；击球员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
scattered
|
|
| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
entrenched
|
|
| adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
waggons
|
|
| 四轮的运货马车( waggon的名词复数 )； 铁路货车； 小手推车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
laden
|
|
| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
lining
|
|
| n.衬里，衬料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
hacked
|
|
| 生气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
bellowed
|
|
| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
herd
|
|
| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
defenders
|
|
| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
repulsed
|
|
| v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 )；驳斥；拒绝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
galloped
|
|
| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
prophesied
|
|
| v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
chivalry
|
|
| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
veered
|
|
| v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的过去式和过去分词 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
peril
|
|
| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
disorder
|
|
| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
swarmed
|
|
| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
exultantly
|
|
| adv.狂欢地，欢欣鼓舞地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
bugles
|
|
| 妙脆角，一种类似薯片但做成尖角或喇叭状的零食； 号角( bugle的名词复数 )； 喇叭； 匍匐筋骨草； （装饰女服用的）柱状玻璃（或塑料）小珠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
hurling
|
|
| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
vehement
|
|
| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
dissuasion
|
|
| n.劝止；谏言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
70
contented
|
|
| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
deserted
|
|
| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
bloody
|
|
| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
exultation
|
|
| n.狂喜，得意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
sullen
|
|
| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
rattled
|
|
| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |