le, with a
black velvet cap with curling white feather cocked upon the side
of his head. a flask of red wine stood at his elbow, and he
seemed to be very much at his ease, for his feet were stuck up on
a stool, and between his thighs he held a dish full of nuts.
these he cracked between his strong white teeth and chewed in a
leisurely way, casting the shells into the blaze. as alleyne
gazed in at him he turned his face half round and cocked an eye
at him over his shoulder. it seemed to the young englishman that
he had never seen so hideous a face, for the eyes were of the
lightest green, the nose was broken and driven inwards, while the
whole countenance was seared and puckered with wounds. the
voice, too, when he spoke, was as deep and as fierce as the growl
of a beast of prey.
"young man," said he, "i know not who you may be, and i am not
much inclined to bestir myself, but if it were not that i am bent
upon taking my ease, i swear, by the sword of joshua! that i
would lay my dog-whip across your shoulders for daring to fill
the air with these discordant bellowings."
taken aback at this ungentle speech, and scarce knowing how to
answer it fitly in the presence of the lady, alleyne stood with
his hand upon the handle of the door, while sir nigel and his
companions dismounted. at the sound of these fresh voices, and
of the tongue in which they spoke, the stranger crashed his dish
of nuts down upon the floor, and began himself to call for the
landlord until the whole house re-echoed with his roarings. with
an ashen face the white-aproned host came running at his call,
his hands shaking and his very hair bristling with apprehension.
"for the sake of god, sirs," he whispered as he passed, "speak
him fair and do not rouse him! for the love of the virgin, be
mild with him!"
"who is this, then?" asked sir nigel.
alleyne was about to explain, when a fresh roar from the stranger
interrupted him.
"thou villain inn-keeper," he shouted, "did i not ask you when i
brought my lady here whether your inn was clean?"
"you did, sire."
"did i not very particularly ask you whether there were any
vermin in it?"
"you did, sire."
"and you answered me?"
"that there were not, sire."
"and yet ere i have been here an hour i find englishmen crawling
about within it. where are we to be free from this pestilent
race? can a frenchman upon french land not sit down in a french
auberge without having his ears pained by the clack of their
hideous talk? send them packing, inn-keeper, or it may be the
worse for them and for you."
"i will, sire, i will!" cried the frightened host, and bustled
from the room, while the soft, soothing voice of the woman was
heard remonstrating with her furious companion.
"indeed, gentlemen, you had best go," said mine host. "it is but
six miles to villefranche, where there are very good quarters at
the sign of the 'lion rouge.' "
"nay," answered sir nigel, "i cannot go until i have seen more of
this person, for he appears to be a man from whom much is to be
hoped. what is his name and title?"
"it is not for my lips to name it unless by his desire. but i
beg and pray you, gentlemen, that you will go from my house, for
i know not what may come of it if his rage should gain the
mastery of him."
"by saint paul!" lisped sir nigel, "this is certainly a man whom
it is worth journeying far to know. go tell him that a humble
knight of england would make his further honorable acquaintance,
not from any presumption, pride, or ill-will, but for the
advancement of chivalry and the glory of our ladies. give him
greeting from sir nigel loring, and say that the glove which i
bear in my cap belongs to the most peerless and lovely of her
sex, whom i am now ready to uphold against any lady whose claim
he might be desirous of advancing."
the landlord was hesitating whether to carry this message or no,
when the door of the inner room was flung open, and the stranger
bounded out like a panther from its den, his hair bristling and
his deformed face convulsed with anger.
"still here!" he snarled. "dogs of england, must ye be lashed
hence? tiphaine, my sword!" he turned to seize his weapon, but
as he did so his gaze fell upon the blazonry of sir nigel's
shield, and he stood staring, while the fire in his strange green
eyes softened into a sly and humorous twinkle.
"mort dieu!" cried he, "it is my little swordsman of bordeaux. i
should remember that coat-armor, seeing that it is but three days
since i looked upon it in the lists by garonne. ah! sir nigel,
sir nigel! you owe me a return for this," and he touched his
right arm, which was girt round just under the shoulder with a
silken kerchief.
but the surprise of the stranger at the sight of sir nigel was as
nothing compared with the astonishme
本文链接:
http://m.picdg.com/38_38017/5748676.html