Part 67 (1/2)
”Nay,” answered Beltane, ”I take only from my lord Duke's Steward and Bailiff of the Marches. And now,” said he, turning upon the small, round man, ”thou hast marked me well, how say you, Pardoner?”
”First, most truly potent, wise, yet very youthful, n.o.ble sir, that for all the world and all the glory thereof I would not anger thee.”
”Hast good eyes, Pardoner, and art quick to heed.”
”Nay, dull am I, sweet lord, aye, dull forsooth and slow beyond belief.”
”Would'st know me again? could'st bear my likeness in thy memory?”
”Never, lord. Never, O never! I swear it by the toe of the blessed Didymus, by the arm of Saint Amphibalus thrice blessed, by--”
”Why then, Pardoner, behold here my belt of silver, my good, long-bladed sword. And here--behold my yellow hair!” and off came bascinet, and back fell mail-coif, whereat the Bailiff started and caught his breath and stared on Beltane in sudden awe.
”Dost mark me well, Pardoner?”
”Aye, n.o.ble sir, verily and in truth do I. So, next time I think on thee thou wilt be a squat man, middle-aged and black-haired. For, my lord, a poor Pardoner I, but nought beside.”
Then Beltane did on coif and bascinet and rose to his feet, whereat the Bailiff cried out in sudden fear and knelt with hands upraised:
”Slay me not, my lord! O messire Beltane, spare my life nor think I will betray thee, outlaw though thou art!”
”Fear not, sir Bailiff,” answered Beltane, ”thy life is safe from me.
But, when thou dost name me to thy lord, Duke Ivo, tell him that I spake thee this: That, whiles I do lie within the green he shall not sleep o' nights but I will be at work with fire and steel, nor rest nor stay until he and the evil of him be purged from this my father's duchy of Pentavalon--say I bid him remember this upon his pillow. Tell him that whiles I do hold the woods my powers grow daily, and so will I storm and burn his castles, one by one, as I did burn Garthlaxton. Say I bid him to think upon these things what time he wooeth slumber in the night. As to thee, thou wily Pardoner, when thou shalt come to betray this our meeting, say that I told thee, that as Belsaye rose, and Winisfarne, so shall town and village rise until Ivo and his like are driven hence, or Beltane slain and made an end of. And so--fare ye well! Come, Roger!” Then Beltane strode away with grim Roger at his heels what time the Bailiff and the Pardoner stared in dumb amaze.
”Here,” quoth the Pardoner at last, stroking his round chin, ”here was a man, methinks, wherefore are we yet alive!”
”Here,” quoth the Bailiff, scratching his long nose, ”here was a fool, methinks, for that we are alive. A traitor, see ye, Pardoner, whose yellow head is worth its weight in gold! Truly, truly, here was a very fool!” So saying, he arose, albeit furtively, and slipping forthwith into the shadow, crept furtively away until the fire-glow was lost and hidden far behind him. Then, very suddenly, he betook him to his heels, and coming to the forest-road, fled southwards towards Duke Ivo's great camp that lay on Barham Broom.
CHAPTER LIII
OF JOLETTE, THAT WAS A WITCH
”Lord,” said Roger, shaking his head, as they halted upon the edge of the Hollow, ”lord, 'twere better thou hadst let me strangle them; those dogs will bay of thee to Black Ivo ere this time to-morrow!”
”'Tis so I hope, Roger.”
”Hope?”
”Could I but lure Black Ivo into the wild, Roger, where swamp and thicket should fight for us! Could I but draw him hither after me, of what avail the might of his heavy chivalry upon this narrow forest-road, his close-ranked foot-men a sure mark for the arrows of our war-wise foresters? Thus, our pikes in front, a charge in flank, his line once pierced needs must follow confusion and disorder. Then press we where his banner flieth, and, hemmed in by our pikes and gisarms and Giles's bowmen, he once our prisoner or slain, his great army would crumble and melt away, since they do serve but for base hire, whiles we, though few, do smite amain for home and children. O Roger man, could I but lure him into the green!”
”Yet methinks there is a surer way, master.”
”How--as how, Roger?”
”Wed thou thy d.u.c.h.ess, and so bring down on him all the powers of Mortain!”
”Roger, dost well know my mind on this matter; prate ye no more!”