"
"What is your devoir to me? Where are my thirty bowmen?" cried
Knolles in bitter wrath. "Ten lie dead upon the ground and twenty
are worse than dead in yonder castle. And all because you must
needs show all men how bold you are, and ride into a bushment such
as a child could see. Alas for my own folly that ever I should
have trusted such a one as you with the handling of men!"
"By God, Sir Robert, you shall answer to me for those words!"
cried Astley with a choking voice. "Never has a man dared to
speak to me as you have done this day."
"As long as I hold the King's order I shall be master, and by the
Lord I will hang you, James, on a near tree if I have further
cause of offense! How now, Nigel? I see by yonder white horse
that you at least have not failed me. I will speak with you anon.
Percy, bring up your men, and let us gather round this castle,
for, as I hope for my soul's salvation, I win not leave it until I
have my archers, or the head of him who holds them."
That night the English lay thick round the fortress of La
Brohiniere so that none might come forth from it. But if none
could come forth it was hard to see how any could win their way
in, for it was full of men, the walls were high and strong, and a
deep dry ditch girt it round. But the hatred and fear which its
master had raised over the whole country-side could now be plainly
seen, for during the night the brushwood men and the villagers
came in from all parts with offers of such help as they could give
for the intaking of the castle.
Pages:
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372