The Fall of the Grand Sarrasin Part 10

Their horses' hoofs clattered on the wooden way as they sped forth. But lo! great was our wonder and terror to see a sore disaster befall them there in the midst of the pa.s.sage over the stream. We saw suddenly the road give way beneath them, as though it were clean sawn asunder, and both hors.e.m.e.n in a moment cast down suddenly into the stream below.

Then, too, we heard a loud thunder of the beams falling, and there was a great ma.s.s of woodwork in the river, that dammed up for a while the flood.

The gentleman, the vicomte's envoy, was alas! killed, thrown headlong by his horse against a pier ere he struck the water. The groom that rode with him marvellously escaped death, but was sore wounded by his fall.

"What villain hath done this?" cried the vicomte, in hot anger. "With my men will I scour the land till I track him."

"Ah, my lord vicomte," I said, "this is the work of Maugher, that I saw lurking in Coutances. And I grieve that thy good Sieur de Norrey should thus die by a stroke that was aimed at me."

"If it be as thou sayest," said my uncle, "this venomous man, kinsman though he be of the duke himself, shall no longer trouble men."

Then, with all sadness, the body of De Norrey was recovered and borne back to St Sauveur, and we, riding down the stream a mile or more to where there was a safe ford, crossed safely, and riding sorrowfully and warily, though we were so near to the duke's presence, came presently in sight of Valognes.

CHAPTER XVI.

How at length I was brought before _William, Conquestor Invictissimus_, of all soldiers the greatest, and most invincible of dukes. Of the manner he received my mission, and of the expedition of _Samson d'Anville_.

And now, children of my house here in England, I bid you con eagerly what I write in these next leaves, for, if G.o.d will, I will record how I first met, in that land of the Cotentin, him who was my star of glory while he lived, being indeed the greatest prince of our day, and, as I think, as great a soldier as any that ever lived of our race or of any other. And, following his conquering arms, we came to this haven in our own fair country, as ye know.

My uncle had with great ease overcome, as a high n.o.ble may, all obstacles in our path; and a.s.suring all who questioned, that indeed we came on business that could not wait, he won his way in an hour where I alone might have wasted days, such walls of state there are around the great ones of the earth.

But with a smile and a good word to one, a meaning whisper of secret import to another, a high hand and a proud look to a third, he pa.s.sed through all barriers with me at his heels; and at length we were led by a high n.o.ble through sundry gates into a broad level mead, all green and close-shaven by the scythe, where many targets stood, and amid a bevy of n.o.ble gentlemen Duke William himself saw to the training of his archers.

Now it was easy, even in that n.o.ble throng, to see who was the duke and master of the company, not by rich apparel or device of royalty, but by simple glory of manhood. He stood well above the tallest there, gentle or simple. His great bulk had not yet hid his fair proportions, though in girth and weight he outstripped the rest. On a strong neck like a broad column his full round head rested, and frank and straight his wide-open eyes gazed forth on men, masterful and proud.

Here was a man that hid not his pa.s.sion or his feeling--one that could hide naught. Afterwards the very force of mastery and pa.s.sion left their impress on William's face, but when I first saw him there, in the full glory of a man's honour and strength, I gave him my boyhood's worship, for that I knew he was a king of men.

He was busy with his archers, and minded not our approach.

"Blind dolt!" he cried. "Such a flight would harm none! See here!" He drew the great wooden bow he carried right back to the breast, and the arrow sped sharp and clean from the tw.a.n.ging cord, and hit the mark plain in the middle with a mighty force. "Now--hard and straight!" he said, as the archer essayed his shot again. Then seeing us approach, "Vicomte, good morrow."

"My lord duke," said mine uncle, "with pain I disturb thee; but thou wilt agree that our matter would not wait."

"Then tell it quickly," said William.

"My lord of Bee sends forth my nephew with this letter," said the Vicomte.

"Then let him ope and read it."

With a great awe I read Lanfranc's sage words to the duke. Careless and moody he stood when I began with his high t.i.tles, but he let me read.

But he awoke as he heard of the Sarrasin, and hot anger filled his face.

I read on steady and slow till I came to the name of Maugher, and at that there was a very storm in his eyes.

"Give me the letter!" said he; and he s.n.a.t.c.hed it, gazed an instant on it, and ground it the next moment into the sod with his iron heel.

He raged up and down in a pa.s.sion, heedless of us and of his archers.

Then he recovered himself.

"And the monks are shut in by the Moors?" he said to me.

"My lord duke," I said, "they and all thy loyal people of Guernsey are near starving, and this vile Moor calls himself lord and master of the Norman seas."

"Does he?" said William. "Tell me more of Maugher."

"He speeds on the treachery. His devils are seen in the Sarrasin's castle. He hath twice sought my life on my way to thee. I have seen by our abbot's grace treacherous letters of his to King Henry, that your highness wots of. And yesterday I saw him at Coutances in disguise."

"At Coutances?" said the duke, near as I feared another blast of anger.

And then, turning to a burly lord hard by, that I guessed soon, not from his bearing, but from Duke William's words, was his brother and councillor, Odo of Bayeux, he said, "Here, my lord, what thinkest thou of these letters?"

He gave him to read the parchment that I picked up from the turf. Odo read it slowly.

"It would seem," said he, "that this Sarrasin is grander than we thought."

"At this juncture he is dangerous," said William.

"Maugher is the danger," said Odo.

"Shall we strike at once?" said William.

"'Tis but a week's work," said Odo, "and it would seem by one stroke you will clear the seas for years."

He turned to me and inquired very exactly all that I knew of the strength of the pirates by sea and land, of the building and position of the Chateau du Grand Sarrasin, of the Vale Castle, and the defence of it by the monks and islanders.

He learned (for how could I keep back even my own doings, so peremptory he was?) of my being taken captive, and bursting into a huge laughter at the tale of my escape, swore I was a wondrous fellow for my years. Then, as he had a map in his mind of all that I knew, he turned and said to the Vicomte--

"'Tis a brave boy, this thy nephew. Tell me, whose son is he?"

At this the Vicomte hesitated a moment, and I coloured and looked down.

"He is the son," he said at length, "of my younger brother, who this fourteen years has been reckoned unworthy of his place among knights."

The duke looked on me again, and I met his gaze.

"See, then, lad," said he, "that thou redeem thy father's good name! And now for thy mission hither. It is my will to do all that thou askest up to thy desires--yea, and beyond thy desires. This pirate-swarm have ma.s.sed themselves together, and lo! I will sever their many heads at one blow, and they shall know rightly who is lord and master of the Norman seas and isles. I will bring all my ships----"

He was proceeding, when Odo plucked him by the arm, and, whispering in his ear, as I thought, dissuaded him from coming in person. He frowned and chafed, but at last gave way, and after further words, called to him a little man of wondrous heavy build, yet muscular withal, that stood among the greatest of his lords.

"Hither, Samson d'Anville," said he; "here is brave work for thee, that I was near taking for mine own. Thou shalt be admiral and captain of an expedition that I send with all speed to sweep out with all force the pirates that infest our Norman seas. In great pride they are gathered in Guernsey to defy my power. Take men, take ships, all that thou wilt need, and delay not thy journey, for certain monks and islanders are hard set with famine. See me again to-morrow. Vicomte, good youth, farewell."

So Duke William returned to his archers.

We had but just left the duke's presence, and were even considering whether I should return with mine uncle to St. Sauveur or tarry there at Valognes, if I could find a lodging, when none other than Samson d'Anville, that had been placed in command of the expedition, came after us, and would have me to be his guest until, all preparations having been made in a week's time, we should sail from Barfleur.

"Come now, little soldier," said he, "and we on this expedition will be true brothers-in-arms."