Part 14 (1/2)
”To death if needs be, for a man must die soon or late, yet die but once whether it be by the steel, or flame, or rope. So what matter the way of it, if I may stand with this my axe face to face with Gilles of Brandonmere, or Red Pertolepe of Garthlaxton Keep: 'twas for this I followed his foresters.”
”Who and whence are you?”
”Walkyn o' the Dene they call me hereabouts--though I had another name once--but 'twas long ago, when I marched, a lad, 'neath the banner of Beltane the Strong!”
”What talk be this?” grunted Black Roger, threatening of mien, ”my lord and I be under a vow and must begone, and want no runaway serf crawling at our heels!”
”Ha!” quoth Walkyn, ”spake I to thee, hangman? Forsooth, well do I know thee, Roger the Black: come ye into the glade yonder, so will I split thy black poll for thee--thou surly dog!”
Forth leapt Black Roger's sword, back swung Walkyn's glittering axe, but Beltane was between, and, as they stood thus came Giles o' the Bow:
”Oho!” he laughed, ”must ye be at it yet? Have we not together slain of Sir Pertolepe's foresters a round score?--”
”'Twas but nineteen!” growled Roger, frowning at Walkyn.
”So will I make of this hangman the twentieth!” said Walkyn, frowning at Roger.
”'Tis a sweet thought,” laughed the archer, ”to it, lads, and slay each other as soon as ye may, and my blessings on ye. As for us, Sir Paladin, let us away--'tis true we together might give check to an army, yet, minding Sir Pertolepe's nineteen foresters, 'twere wiser to hie us from Sir Pertolepe's country for the nonce: so march, tall brother--march!”
”Ha!” snarled Walkyn, ”fear ye Red Pertolepe yet, bowman? Well, we want ye not, my lord and I, he hath a sword and I an axe--they shall suffice us, mayhap, an Pertolepe come. So hie thee hence with the hangman and save thy rogue's skin.”
”And may ye dangle in a noose yet for a prating do-nothing!” growled Roger.
”Oho!” laughed Giles, with a flash of white teeth, ”a hangman and a serf--must I slay both?” But, ere he could draw sword, came a voice from the shadows near by--a deep voice, clear and very sweet:
”Oh, children,” said the voice, ”oh, children of G.o.d, put up your steel and pray for one whose white soul doth mount e'en now to heaven!”
and forth into the light came one clad as a white friar--a tall man and slender, and upon his shoulder he bare a mattock that gleamed beneath the moon. His coa.r.s.e, white robe, frayed and worn, was stained with earth and the green of gra.s.s, and was splashed, here and there, with a darker stain; pale was he, and hollow-cheeked, but with eyes that gleamed 'neath black brows and with chin long and purposeful. Now at sight of him, fierce-eyed Walkyn cried aloud and flung aside his axe and, falling on his knees, caught the friar's threadbare robe and kissed it.
”Good brother!” he groaned, ”O, gentle brother Martin, pity me!”
”What, Walkyn?” quoth the friar. ”What do ye thus equipped and so far from home?”
”Home have I none, henceforth, O my father.”
”Ah! What then of thy wife, Truda--of thy little son?”
”Dead, my father. Red Pertolepe's men slew them this day within the green. So, when I had buried them, I took my axe and left them with G.o.d: yet shall my soul go lonely, methinks, until my time be come.”
Then Friar Martin reached out his hand and laid it upon Walkyn's bowed head: and, though the hand was hard and toil-worn, the touch of it was ineffably gentle, and he spake with eyes upraised to heaven:
”O Christ of Pity, look down upon this stricken soul, be Thou his stay and comfort. Teach him, in his grief and sorrow, to pity the woes of others, that, in comforting his fellows, he may himself find comfort.”
Now when the prayer was ended he turned and looked upon the others, and, beholding Beltane in his might and glittering mail, he spake, saluting him as one of rank.
”Sir Knight,” said he, ”do these men follow thee?”
”Aye, verily,” cried the archer, ”that do I in sooth--_Verb.u.m sat sapienti_--good friar.”
”Not so,” growled Roger, ”'tis but a pestilent archer that seeketh but base hire. I only am my lord's man, sworn to aid him in his vow.” ”I also,” quoth Walkyn, ”an so my lord wills?”