richard causton, all accounted
among the bravest knights in the army, together with sixty
veteran men-at-arms, and three hundred and twenty archers. spies
had been sent out in the morning, and returned after nightfall to
say that the king of spain was encamped some fourteen miles off
in the direction of burgos, having with him twenty thousand horse
and forty-five thousand foot. a dry-wood fire had been lit, and
round this the leaders crouched, the glare beating upon their
rugged faces, while the hardy archers lounged and chatted amid
the tethered horses, while they munched their scanty provisions.
"for my part," said sir simon burley, "i am of opinion that we
have already done that which we have come for. for do we not now
know where the king is, and how great a following he hath, which
was the end of our journey."
"true," answered sir william felton, "but i have come on this
venture because it is a long time since i have broken a spear in
war, and, certes, i shall not go back until i have run a course
with some cavalier of spain. let those go back who will, but i
must see more of these spaniards ere i turn."
"i will not leave you, sir william," returned sir simon burley;
"and yet, as an old soldier and one who hath seen much of war, i
cannot but think that it is an ill thing for four hundred men to
find themselves between an army of sixty thousand on the one side
and a broad river on the other."
"yet," said sir richard causton, "we cannot for the honor of
england go back without a blow struck."
"nor for the honor of scotland either," cried the earl of angus.
"by saint andrew! i wish that i may never set eyes upon the water
of leith again, if i pluck my horse's bridle ere i have seen this
camp of theirs."
"by saint paul! you have spoken very well," said sir nigel, "and
i have always heard that there were very worthy gentlemen among
the scots, and fine skirmishing to be had upon their border.
bethink you, sir simon, that we have this news from the lips of
common spies, who can scarce tell us as much of the enemy and of
his forces as the prince would wish to hear."
"you are the leader in this venture, sir nigel," the other
answered, "and i do but ride under your banner."
"yet i would fain have your rede and counsel, sir simon. but,
touching what you say of the river, we can take heed that we
shall not have it at the back of us, for the prince hath now
advanced to salvatierra, and thence to vittoria, so that if we
come upon their camp from the further side we can make good our
retreat."
"what then would you propose?" asked sir simon, shaking his
grizzled head as one who is but half convinced.
"that we ride forward ere the news reach them that we have
crossed the river. in this way we may have sight of their army,
and perchance even find occasion for some small deed against
them."
"so be it, then," said sir simon burley; and the rest of the
council having approved, a scanty meal was hurriedly snatched,
and the advance resumed under the cover of the darkness. all
night they led their horses, stumbling and groping through wild
defiles and rugged valleys, following the guidance of a
frightened peasant who was strapped by the wrist to black simon's
stirrup-leather. with the early dawn they found themselves in a
black ravine, with others sloping away from it on either side,
and the bare brown crags rising in long bleak terraces all round
them.
"if it please you, fair lord," said black simon, "this man hath
misled us, and since there is no tree upon which we may hang him,
it might be well to hurl him over yonder cliff."
the peasant, reading the soldier's meaning in his fierce eyes and
harsh accents dropped upon his knees, screaming loudly for mercy.
"how comes it, dog?" asked sir william felton in spanish. "where
is this camp to which you swore that you would lead us?"
"by the sweet virgin! by the blessed mother of god! cried the
trembling peasant, "i swear to you that in the darkness i have
myself lost the path."
"over the cliff with him!" shouted half a dozen voices; but ere
the archers could drag him from the rocks to which he clung sir
nigel had ridden up and called upon them to stop.
"how is this, sirs?" said he. "as long as the prince doth me the
honor to entrust this venture to me, it is for me only to give
orders; and, by saint paul! i shall be right blithe to go very
deeply into the matter with any one to whom my words may give
offence. how say you, sir william? or you, my lord of angus?
or you, sir richard?"
"nay, nay, nigel!" cried sir william. "this base peasant is too
small a matter for old comrades to quarrel over. but he hath
betrayed us, and certes he hath merited a dog's death."
"hark ye, fellow," said sir nigel. "we give you one more chance
to find the path. we are
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