登陆注册
5391700000077

第77章 HOW NORMAN LESLIE FARED IN PARIS TOWN(3)

"Carry him,or her,or whatever the spy is,into the outer gate tower,"said a Captain;"put him in fetters and manacles;lock the door and leave him;and then to quarters.And you,friar,hold your gibing tongue;lad or lass,he has borne him bravely."Six men-at-arms he chose out to do his bidding;and while the gates were cleared of the throng,and trumpets were sounding,and church bells were rung backwards,for an alarm,I was dragged,with many a kick and blow,over the drawbridge,up the stairs of the tower,and so was thrown into a strong room beneath the battlements.There they put me in bonds,gave me of their courtesy a jug of water and a loaf of black bread by me,and then,taking my dagger,my sword,and all that was in my pouch,they left me with curses.

"You shall hear how the onfall goes,belike,"they said,"and to-morrow shall be your judgment."With that the door grated and rang,the key was turned in the lock,and their iron tread sounded on the stone stairs,going upwards.

The room was high,narrow,and lit by a barred and stanchioned window,far above my reach,even if I had been unbound.I shame to say it,but I rolled over on my face and wept.This was the end of my hopes and proud heart.That they would burn me,despite their threats I scarce believed,for I had in nowise offended Holy Church,or in matters of the Faith,and only for such heretics,or wicked dealers in art-magic,is lawfully ordained the death by fire.But here was I prisoner,all that I had won at Orleans would do little more than pay my own ransom;from the end of my risk and travail Iwas now further away than ever.

So I mused,weeping for very rage,but then came a heavy rolling sound overhead,as of moving wheeled pieces of ordnance.Thereon (so near is Hope to us in our despair)I plucked up some heart.Ere nightfall,Paris might be in the hands of the King,and all might be well.The roar and rebound of cannon overhead told me that the fighting had begun,and now I prayed with all my heart,that the Maid,as ever,might again be victorious.So I lay there,listening,and heard the great artillery bellow,and the roar of guns in answer,the shouting of men,and clang of church bells.Now and again the walls of the tower rang with the shock of a cannon-ball,once an arrow flew through the casement and shattered itself on the wall above my head.I scarce know why,but I dragged me to the place where it fell,and,put the arrow-point in my bosom.

Smoke of wood and pitch darkened the light;they had come,then,to close quarters.But once more rang the rattle of guns;the whizzing rush of stones,the smiting with axe or sword on wooden barrier and steel harness,the cries of war,"Mont joye St.Denis!""St.George for England!"and slogans too,I heard,as "Bellenden,""A Home!a Home!"and then I knew the Scots were there,fighting in the front.

But alas,how different was the day when first I heard our own battle-cries under Orleans walls!Then I had my life and my sword in my hands,to spend and to strike;but now I lay a lonely prisoner,helpless and all but hopeless;yet even so I clashed my chains and shouted,when I heard the slogan.

Thus with noise and smoke,and trumpets blowing the charge or the recall,and our pipes shrieking the pibroch high above the din,with dust floating and plaster dropping from the walls of my cell till Iwas wellnigh stifled,the day wore on,nor could I tell,in anywise,how the battle went.The main onslaught,I knew,was not on the gate behind the tower in which I lay,though that tower also was smitten of cannon-balls.

At length,well past mid-day,as I deemed by the light,came a hush,and then a thicker smoke,and taste of burning pitch-wood,and a roar as if all Paris had been blown into mid-air,so that my tower shook,while heavy beams fell crashing to earth.

Again came a hush,and then one voice,clear as a clarion call,even the voice of the Maid,"Tirez en avant,en avant!"How my blood thrilled at the sound of it!

It must be now,I thought,or never,but the guns only roared the louder,the din grew fierce and fiercer,till I heard a mighty roar,the English shouting aloud as one man for joy,for so their manner is.Thrice they shouted,and my heart sank within me.Had they slain the Maid?I knew not,but for torment of soul there is scarce any greater than so to lie,bound and alone,seeing nought,but guessing at what is befalling.

After these shouts it was easy to know that the fighting waned,and was less fierce.The day,moreover,turned to thunder,and waxed lowering and of a stifling heat.Yet my worst fears were ended,for I heard,now and again,the clear voice of the Maid,bidding her men "fight on,for all was theirs."But the voice was weaker now,and other than it had been.So the day darkened,only once and again a shot was fired,and in the dusk the shouts of the English told me over clearly that for to-day our chance and hope were lost.Then the darkness grew deeper,and a star shone through my casement,and feet went up and down upon the stairs,but no man came near me.

Below there was some faint cackle of mirth and laughter,and at last the silence fell.

Once more came a swift step on the stairs,as of one stumbling up in haste.The key rattled in the wards,a yellow light shone in,a man-at-arms entered;he held a torch to my face,looked to my bonds,and then gave me a kick,while one cried from below,"Come on,Dickon,your meat is cooling!"So he turned and went out,the door clanging behind him,and the key rattling in the wards.

In pain and fierce wrath I gnawed my black bread,drank some of the water,and at last I bethought me of that which should have been first in the thoughts of a Christian man,and I prayed.

同类推荐
  • The Village Watch-Tower

    The Village Watch-Tower

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说长者音悦经

    佛说长者音悦经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 黄庭内景五藏六府图

    黄庭内景五藏六府图

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 孟子杂记

    孟子杂记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 笔势论十二章

    笔势论十二章

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 瑞贝卡

    瑞贝卡

    “我们都像笼子里的狗,都不在自己的疆域里溜达,李思,李想,还有我,也许还有你,做些和专业毫无关联的工作,烦死了,闷死了,憋屈死了!不知道为什么,总有一层阴影罩在我头上,散也散不掉,像阴魂不散的瑞贝卡,每天都缠住你!”向丽有些失控,她屈身向前,走出床沿。那条狗也紧紧地尾随她。“我是受够了,真是受够了……”她突然扯下她的头发,建平猛一惊,那如假包换的头套,才是让向丽使他觉得奇怪的原因吧。她朝阳台走去,那开阔的阳台,无遮无拦的阳台,在向丽的坚持下,让她能呼吸开阔空气的旷达的地方。她把假发就那样扔了下去。瑞贝卡飞身纵跃。
  • 兰谱

    兰谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 淑女不熟(正文+番外)

    淑女不熟(正文+番外)

    古语有云:“黄杨乃木之君子。”他倒是姓黄名杨,可他那种种作为哪跟君子沾上边?再说了,她是找老公,不是找老板,在他面前她还有翻身农奴把歌唱的一天吗?可是,心中的悸动、手心的温暖、唇齿间的余香都隐藏不住那份情愫,她拒绝不了他的靠近;既然这样,咱就看看到底是东风压倒西风,还是西风压倒东风!【某场景】“大黄,给我倒杯水,我渴了……”“大黄,给我削个苹果,我缺维生素了……”“大黄,给我批作业,我困了……”“大黄,给我你的银行卡、房产证、存折、股票、基金……”“大黄,大黄,大黄啊……………………”★★★凉凉的冬日给您送上暖暖的小文,打劫各位的【收藏】,让钻石、神笔、鲜花、咖啡来的更猛烈些吧…………★★★完本V文《苏向晚的太子爷》http://m.wkkk.net/a/238950/幻情现代文《家有巫妻》http://m.wkkk.net/a/297681/新鲜出炉《锦绣太子爷》都市文番外进行中……http://m.wkkk.net/a/256987/董二的围脖:http://m.wkkk.net/1501394493ps:看完了,留个痕儿O(∩_∩)O哈!
  • The Guns of Bull Run

    The Guns of Bull Run

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 葛底斯堡的雄狮:美国南北战争传奇将军张伯伦回忆录

    葛底斯堡的雄狮:美国南北战争传奇将军张伯伦回忆录

    《葛底斯堡的雄狮(美国南北战争传奇将军张伯伦回忆录)》是第一次在中国大陆介绍张伯伦将军。张伯伦将军的勇敢精神,尤其是他的宽容精神,无论是对美国内战,还是当今中国都具有积极的教育意义。
  • 近忧远虑

    近忧远虑

    全书涉及历史人文、地理风俗、城市建设、时事热点、教育文化等诸多方面,上至人大、政协,下至机关、学校、民间团体,有感而发,有的放矢,拨云见日,提振人心!充分体现了他忧国忧民的人文情怀,以及作为政协常委、知名学者强烈的社会责任感。
  • 王者荣耀:教练,有话好好说

    王者荣耀:教练,有话好好说

    简单来说,就是一个大二女生误打误撞的进了KPL职业战队,从此开启了征服王者荣耀和自家高冷教练的双征程。 王者荣耀曾经的第一女中单白皛,时隔两年再次回到了大家的视野中。一天,她在接受某个平台采访时是这么说的:“白皛你好,请问你回来之后有什么打算呢?还是打算签约到喵爪吗?”“这个目前暂时还没有决定。”“那么请问你还会重回WTK战队继续比赛吗?”“这个肯定是不会了。”“那你之前的教练莫于声,你们还有联系嘛?”“没怎么联系,因为不是很熟。”WTK战队基地。“老大!小白回来了!但是她说跟你不熟!”本文轻松无虐,喜欢的小可爱可以收藏一下啦~
  • 长阿含十报法经

    长阿含十报法经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 吹云

    吹云

    本是江湖名门“天星阁”少主的乔羽,因父亲遇害后家道中落,孤身一人闯荡江湖,被权贵玩弄于股掌之间,挚爱在家族争斗中陨落,自己在夹缝中求生,一个人,一把剑,江湖之路上负重前行……
  • 逆凡道

    逆凡道

    世界并不是唯一的世界,因为有平行空间;宇宙也有生灭,人亦如此。但死亡真的是结束么?未必!有人说成功是逼出来的,不是被人逼,就是自己逼自己。而主角的人生如果不遇奇遇,也许永远不会脱颖而出,异于凡人!只会是一个淹没在时光隧道里的凡人!