第58章

saidDeBracy；``thiscomesofrevilingsaintsandangels，andorderingimagesofholythingsandholymentobeflungdownontheheadsoftheserascailleyeomen。’’

``Goto——thouartafool，’’saidtheTemplar；

``thysuperstitionisuponalevelwithFront-de-Buf’swantoffaith；neitherofyoucanrenderareasonforyourbelieforunbelief。’’

``Benedicite，SirTemplar，’’repliedDeBracy，``prayyoutokeepbetterrulewithyourtonguewhenIamthethemeofit。BytheMotherofHeaven，IamabetterChristianmanthanthouandthyfellowship；forthe_bruit_goethshrewdlyout，thatthemostholyOrderoftheTempleofZionnursethnotafewhereticswithinitsbosom，andthatSirBriandeBois-Guilbertisofthenumber。’’

``Carenotthouforsuchreports，’’saidtheTemplar；

``butletusthinkofmakinggoodthecastle——

Howfoughtthesevillainyeomenonthyside?’’

``Likefiendsincarnate，’’saidDeBracy。``Theyswannedcloseuptothewalls，headed，asIthink，bytheknavewhowontheprizeatthearchery，forIknewhishornandbaldric。AndthisisoldFitzurse’sboastedpolicy，encouragingthesemalapertknavestorebelagainstus！HadInotbeenarmedinproof，thevillainhadmarkedmedownseventimeswithaslittleremorseasifIhadbeenabuckinseason。Hetoldeveryrivetonmyarmourwithacloth-yardshaft，thatrappedagainstmyribswithaslittlecompunctionasifmyboneshadbeenofiron——ButthatIworeashirtofSpanishmailundermyplate-coat，Ihadbeenfairlysped。’’

``Butyoumaintainedyourpost?’’saidtheTemplar。

``Welosttheoutworkonourpart。’’

``Thatisashrewdloss，’’saidDeBracy；``theknaveswillfindcovertheretoassaultthecastlemoreclosely，andmay，ifnotwellwatched，gainsomeunguardedcornerofatower，orsomeforgottenwindow，andsobreakinuponus。Ournumbersaretoofewforthedefenceofeverypoint，andthemencomplainthattheycannowhereshowthemselves，buttheyarethemarkforasmanyarrowsasaparish-buttonaholydayeven。Front-de-Bufisdyingtoo，soweshallreceivenomoreaidfromhisbull’sheadandbrutalstrength。Howthinkyou，SirBrian，werewenotbettermakeavirtueofnecessity，andcompoundwiththeroguesbydeliveringupourprisoners?’’

``How?’’exclaimedtheTemplar；``deliverupourprisoners，andstandanobjectalikeofridiculeandexecration，asthedoughtywarriorswhodaredbyanight-attacktopossessthemselvesofthepersonsofapartyofdefencelesstravellers，yetcouldnotmakegoodastrongcastleagainstavagabondtroopofoutlaws，ledbyswineherds，jesters，andtheveryrefuseofmankind?——Shameonthycounsel，MauricedeBracy！——Theruinsofthiscastleshallburybothmybodyandmyshame，ereIconsenttosuchbaseanddishonourablecomposition。’’

``Letustothewalls，then，’’saidDeBracy，carelessly；

``thatmanneverbreathed，beheTurkorTemplar，whoheldlifeatlighterratethanIdo。

ButItrustthereisnodishonourinwishingIhadheresometwoscoresofmygallanttroopofFreeCompanions?——Oh，mybravelances！ifyeknewbuthowhardyourcaptainwerethisdaybested，howsoonshouldIseemybannerattheheadofyourclumpofspears！Andhowshortwhilewouldtheserabblevillainsstandtoendureyourencounter！’’

``Wishforwhomthouwilt，’’saidtheTemplar，``butletusmakewhatdefencewecanwiththesoldierswhoremain——TheyarechieflyFront-de-Buf’sfollowers，hatedbytheEnglishforathousandactsofinsolenceandoppression。’’

``Thebetter，’’saidDeBracy；``theruggedslaveswilldefendthemselvestothelastdropoftheirblood，eretheyencountertherevengeofthepeasantswithout。Letusupandbedoing，then，BriandeBois-Guilbert；and，liveordie，thoushaltseeMauricedeBracybearhimselfthisdayasagentlemanofbloodandlineage。’’

``Tothewalls！’’answeredtheTemplar；andtheyb