Chit-Chat; Nirvana; The Searchlight Part 31

"The friar made a sword of heavy wood and at night when the others slept I would climb up the ladder to the grating and instruct him in its use.

"Could one of the order have seen him, in the bra.s.s lamp's flickering light, making pa.s.ses and warding off imaginary thrusts with his wooden sword, prancing and jumping back and forth in his narrow cell, clothed only in his under garments, and heard a hollow voice as from a tomb, calling out orders and directing his movements, he would have been convinced that the ancient cloisters were tenanted by ghosts or evil spirits.

"I cannot understand how the swordsman, who for years had worn cowl and habit, could have developed the muscular strength he possessed; which, with his quickness of movement, eye and thought, at the very start of his training made him a dangerous antagonist. He seemed to have the combined strength of several men. It must have been the reward of a clean and regular life, or else a legacy handed down with his fiery spirit from some former churchman or crusader who had greater regard for the helmet than the miter or from a gladiator or soldier ancestry.

"He was always absent during the day and I, having nothing to do to occupy my time, and knowing the importance not only because of my calling but for my health of retaining my muscular flexibility and strength, spent several hours each day climbing around upon and swinging from the bars of the iron cage until finally the rust was worn away and they grew polished from contact with my hands and feet.

"After several months of this I grew so expert and tireless that in giving lessons to my soldier pupil I no longer found it necessary to use the ladder, but swung from the grating, easing first one arm and then the other through the long lesson. One night after he had gone through his sword manual without hesitancy, much less mistake, I said:

"'It is time to throw away that toy and practice with a real weapon, to accustom your arm and hand to the weight and feel of a real sword. When my wife pa.s.ses you on Tuesday tell her to procure a heavy short sword for you from her brother and to send mine with body armor and helmets for both of us, piece by piece as you can bring it. After we are armed, if I can only get through this grating, we need have no fear of the gate guards.'

"If I am taken or caught you will starve in your dungeon.

"I have thought of that. We must procure the key from the prelate by some subterfuge. Let us first possess our swords and armor, then we will get the key and both escape.

"Within the week the friar made two visits to my house and each time when he left, beneath his outer robe, he wore a corselet and carried a heavy short sword and helmet. We discovered my wife had converted each helmet into a store room which I robbed for a substantial meal.

"The fear that my kind jailer might be removed or not appear from some casualty had caused me to store away a small supply of food and water in a corner of my cell.

"My sword and helmet the friar pa.s.sed through the grating and when I placed the one upon my head and grasped the familiar handle of the other, new hope kindled in my heart. The corselets were concealed under the couch of my jailer, as mine could not be pa.s.sed through the grating.

"When he returned that night I called to my companion of the upper story saying; 'Why not go to the custodian of the dungeon and ask for the key to my cell, stating it smells badly and you desire to clean it? He supposes it empty and will readily loan you the key.'

"Your suggestion is a good one and the odor of your cell will certainly confirm the declaration. I will do it; but will wear the corselet and buckle on my sword. If he refuses he is liable to lose both the key and his head.

"A few minutes later I heard him go out and in less than half an hour he returned with the key, which he had no trouble in procuring.

"He fitted it into the lock, I heard the bolts turn and a minute later I stood in the upper cell embracing this morbid, strong-armed friar, who had proven himself my most loyal friend.

"An hour later he returned the key the locksmith had made for us. I had the key to the grating in my pocket and felt in the humor to say; 'Friend, come to my home and dine tomorrow night,' though no one knew better than I that thick, high and well-guarded walls opposed our freedom. I felt satisfied, however, if not discovered, that within a few days opportunity would present itself for escape.

"Each night the friar and I, closing fast the outer door, donned our corselets and helmets, and descending into the noise-deadening dungeon, practiced at cutting, thrusting and slashing at each other with our heavy short swords.

"I was surprised at the natural apt.i.tude of the man and his marvelous quickness and strength of wrist. He was a worthy opponent for me though for more than fifteen years I had been ranked the best swordsman of Sir John's army.

"One night we lost ourselves in the interest of our close contest and made such a noise that it reached the ear of a spy pa.s.sing the outer door. He tried to effect an entrance but could not; then knocking, and so loudly that finally the sound reached us, and doubtless our neighbors.

"My friend, climbing out, closed the grating, put on his robe and opening the door admitted the spy. Looking around he discovered the key in the grating lock and stooping opened the door and peeped down. He saw nothing in the darkness but the top of a ladder; this he started down, calling for a light.

"I caught him by the ankles, jerked him to the floor and called to my friend to close and bolt the grating, which he did. Whereupon I turned to the spying friar and said; 'Hand me your robe and cowl.' With these and my sword and helmet I mounted the ladder to the upper cell.

"My friend said, 'What shall we do now?'

"'We will have to keep the spy a prisoner until we escape.'

"'But they will search for him in the morning and in doing so will visit this cell in my absence.'

"'I will don his cowl and habit over my armor and we will escape tonight.'

"'That is impossible, all portals are closed and guarded by watchmen stationed in the barbicans over each gateway. Nor can we scale the walls because the watchmen do not sleep, being put to the torture if found asleep. No one is permitted to leave after night.'

"'Then in the morning as you leave I will go wearing the garment of our prisoner.'

"'It is not possible; each face is scrutinized and no one leaves without a permit. I will leave at the regular time, procure from Sir John Hawkwood two horses, which his servant will hold for us outside the gate. When the horses are ready I will return; then we will leave together.'

"Our plans settled, I returned to my dungeon and, locked in with our prisoner, in a few minutes was asleep. The prisoner sat in one corner on the floor and, from his appearance the next morning, evidently pa.s.sed an uncomfortable night.

"Before my friend left he pa.s.sed down my sword, helmet, and the key to the grating. He also cautioned the prisoner not to call out if any one entered the upper cell.

"I set out a supply of food on which the prisoner and I breakfasted.

Then, expecting that the upper cell would be visited by a searching party, I made the prisoner lie face down on my pallet, placing the edge of my sword across the back of his neck and telling him if he made the slightest sound I would cut off his head, I stood quietly waiting.

"These preparations were scarcely finished before two men entered the upper cell and looking around a bit and trying the grating, which of course was locked, they went on.

"About an hour later the friar returned and I climbed up the ladder, locking the door after me.

"We put on our metal corselets and swords and over them slipping cowl and habit, went out into the corridor and to the main portal. At the gate were three guards wearing metal helmets, leather jackets and each armed with sword and lance.

"My friend told the guard I was a visiting friar of the order and was to leave in his company. This statement satisfied two of the guards, but the third, more careful,--said; 'You must procure a permit from the prelate before I will open the gate.'

"While arguing with him we edged towards the gate and turning quickly started to open it, whereupon he thrust at me with his lance, but my corselet turned it aside.

"Quickly drawing my sword and throwing off the cowl and robe, I made a vicious thrust at him, piercing his leather jacket. He sank at my feet helplessly wounded.

"My companion and I then rushed the other two who turning fled, uttering loud cries of alarm. We ran and opened the small gate, when one of my men rode forward leading two horses, and mounting, the three of us rode rapidly away through a near gate of the city into the open country and by nightfall reached the camp of my hors.e.m.e.n.

"I immediately dispatched a special messenger with a note to my wife telling of my escape and promising within the week to come to her.

"These men were anxious to hear an account of our adventures, believing we had been to England or some distant country on important service; but I had to remain silent to hide the ident.i.ty of my faithful friend. To their inquiries I answered; 'You must be satisfied with the little we have told; I will say further my experiences have not increased my love for the church, or the Pope.'

"At the monastery they were unable to learn who had escaped with the friar or what became of either of us. Their records showing me dead, made their investigation the more difficult. Of course, in time they learned that was a mistake and doubtless concluded that I accompanied the friar.

"On the following morning I resumed formal command and in a day or two things were moving along as though I had never been absent. The only persons to whom I ever disclosed the place of my imprisonment, were my wife, her brother and Sir John.

"On the third day after I resumed command we were ordered to take an old castle which the owner, though a Tuscan, more churchman than patriot, had voluntarily turned over to the Bologna legate.

"It was situated on the mountain side and made admirable headquarters for several companies of soldiers who acted as a guard for the mountain pa.s.s less than a mile distant, through which the legate's army procured supplies and beyond which we had, as yet, been unable to penetrate.

"To our force of hors.e.m.e.n were added one hundred English bowmen and more than that number of hardy native mountaineers, whom it was thought might render valiant service in scaling or undermining the walls of the castle if we were forced to take it by a.s.sault. These additional men made our forces about equal numerically to those occupying the castle. The ex-friar and several mountaineers were the only ones of our force who had ever been within its walls or had knowledge of its interior arrangements. These I sent for, seeking information which might he of value in perfecting our plans for its a.s.sault.

"Their description of the stronghold was such as to convince one that its taking was no easy matter.

"The structure was built on a spur which jutted out from the mountain side and which on three sides was too precipitate to be scaled. The overtopping main peaks were too distant to be used by our bowmen. The only approach was across a narrow neck of land which was intersected by a deep moat, crossed only by a narrow drawbridge and against which ab.u.t.ted the perpendicular walls of great height and thickness.

"The ex-friar said; 'A guard of six is always kept at the gate and several watchmen are stationed on the walls. I know of no way by which we can gain admission except, by deception or strategy, we first gain possession of the drawbridge and the gate.'

"'And how might that be done?'

"'This evening three of us dressed in the habit of the monastery of Agnoli, but wearing armor under our vesture, might approach the gate and ask leave to spend the night, stating we are traveling as messengers to Bologna and have gotten separated from two companions for whom we must wait. During the night you will bring your men to the chestnut wood that lies along the road as you approach the castle and place a dozen of your best archers in the trees nearest the walls. On the morrow just at six we will come to the gate as though leaving the castle and stop there talking with the watchmen. When you are ready our two companions will approach the drawbridge and join us. Then we will a.s.sault the six guards and your archers at the same time must kill the watchmen on the wall.