CHAPTER VII.
REVENGE.
After his interview with the king Cuthbert was led to his tent amid thehearty plaudits of the English troops.
His own comrades flocked round him; the men of the greenwood, headed byCnut, were especially jubilant over his victory.
"Who would have thought," said the tall forester, "that the lad who buta short time ago was a child should now have sustained the honor of thecountry? We feel proud of you, Cuthbert; and trust us some day or otherto follow wherever you may lead, and to do some deed which will attainfor you honor and glory, and show that the men of Evesham are as doughtyas any under King Richard's rule."
"You must be wary, Cuthbert," the earl said to him that evening."Believe me that you and I have made a foe, who, although he may nothave the power, has certainly the will to injure us to the death. Imarked the eye of Count Jacquelin during the fight, and again when youwere led up to the king. There was hatred and fury in his eye. The pagetoo, I hear, is his own nephew, and he will be the laughing-stock of theFrench camp at having been conquered by one so much younger thanhimself. It will be well to keep upon your guard, and not to go out atnight unattended. Keep Cnut near you; he is faithful as a watch-dog, andwould give his life, I am sure, for you. I will myself be also upon myguard, for it was after all my quarrel, and the fury of this fierceknight will vent itself upon both of us if the opportunity should come.I hear but a poor account of him among his confreres. They say he is oneof those disgraces to the name of knight who are but a mixture of robberand soldier; that he harries all the lands in his neighborhood; and thathe has now only joined the Crusade to avoid the vengeance which thecries of the oppressed people had invoked from his liege lord. I am toldindeed that the choice was given him to be outlawed, or to join theCrusades with all the strength he could raise. Naturally he adopted thelatter alternative; but he has the instincts of the robber still, andwill do us an evil turn, if he have the chance."
Two days later the great army broke up its camp and marched south. Aftera week's journeying they encamped near a town, and halted there two orthree days in order to collect provisions for the next advance; for thesupplies which they could obtain in the country districts were whollyinsufficient for so great a host of men. Here the armies were toseparate, the French marching to Genoa, the English to Marseilles, thetown at which they were to take ship.
One evening the earl sent Cuthbert with a message to another Englishlord, staying in the town at the palace of the bishop, who was a friendof his.
Cnut accompanied Cuthbert, for he now made a point of seldom letting himout of his sight. It was light when they reached the bishop's palace,but here they were delayed for some time, and night had fallen when theysallied out.
The town was already quiet, for the inhabitants cared not to showthemselves in the streets now that such a large army of fierce men werein the neighborhood.
The orders indeed of the monarchs were stringent, but discipline therewas but little of, and the soldiery in those days regarded peacefulcitizens as fair game; hence, when they came from the palace the streetsof the city were already hushed and quiet, for the orders of the kinghad been peremptory that no men-at-arms, or others except those on duty,were to be away from their camp after nightfall. This order had beenabsolutely necessary, so many were the complaints brought in by countrypeasants and farmers of the doings of bands of soldiers.
Cnut and Cuthbert proceeded along the streets unmolested for somedistance. Occasionally a solitary passer-by, with hooded cape, hurriedpast. The moon was half full, and her light was welcome indeed, for inthose days the streets were unlighted, and the pavement so bad thatpassage through the streets after dark was a matter of difficulty, andeven of danger.
Here and there before some roadside shrine a lamp dimly burned; beforethese they paused, and, as good Catholics, Cnut and Cuthbert crossedthemselves. Just as they had passed one of these wayside shrines, asudden shout was heard, and a party of eight or ten men sprang out froma side street and fell upon them.
Cnut and Cuthbert drew their swords and laid about them heartily, buttheir assailants were too strong. Cnut was stricken to the ground, andCuthbert, seeing that defense was hopeless, took to his heels and ranfor his life. He was already wounded, but happily not so severely as inany way to disable him.
Seeing that it was speed, and speed alone, which now could save him, heflung aside his belt and scabbard as he ran, and with rapid steps flewalong the streets, not knowing whither he went, and striving only tokeep ahead of his pursuers. They, more incumbered by arms and armor,were unable to keep up with the flying footsteps of a lad clothed in thelight attire of a page; but Cuthbert felt that the blood running fromhis wound was weakening him fast, and that unless he could gain somerefuge his course must speedily come to an end. Happily he saw at somelittle distance ahead of him a man standing by a door. Just as hearrived the door opened, and a glow of light from within fell on theroad, showing that the person entering was a monk.
Without a moment's hesitation Cuthbert rushed through the door, shouting"Sanctuary!" and sank almost fainting on the ground.
The monks, accustomed to wild pursuits and scenes of outrage in thosewarlike days, hastily closed the door, barring it securely. In a momentthere was a rush of men against it from without.
One of the monks opened a lattice above the door.
"What mean you," he said, "by this outrage? Know ye not that this is theMonastery of St. John, and that it is sacrilege to lay a hand ofviolence even against its postern? Begone," he said, "or we'll lodge acomplaint before the king."
The assailants, nothing daunted, continued to batter at the door; but atthis moment the monks, aroused from their beds, hastened to the spot,and seizing bill and sword--for in those days even monks were obliged attimes to depend upon carnal weapons--they opened the door, and flungthemselves upon the assailants with such force that the latter,surprised and discomfited, were forced to make a hasty retreat.
The doors were then again barred, and Cuthbert was carried up to a cellin the building, where the leech of the monastery speedily examined hiswound, and pronounced that although his life was not in danger by it, hewas greatly weakened by the loss of blood, that the wound was a seriousone and that it would be some time before the patient would recover.
THE DOORS WERE AGAIN BARRED, AND CUTHBERT WAS CARRIED TOA CELL.]
It was two days before Cuthbert was sufficiently restored to be able tospeak. His first question to the monk was as to his whereabouts, and howlong he had been there. Upon being answered, he entreated that amessenger might be dispatched to the camp of the Earl of Evesham, to begthat a litter might be sent for him, and to inquire what had become ofCnut, whom he had last seen stricken down.
The monk replied, "My son, I grieve to tell you that your request cannotbe complied with. The army moved away yesternoon, and is now sometwenty-five miles distant. There is nothing for you but patience, andwhen restored you can follow the army, and rejoin your master before heembarks at Marseilles. But how is it that a lad so young as you can haveincurred the enmity of those who sought your life? For it is clear fromthe pertinacity with which they urged their attack that their object wasnot plunder, of which indeed they would get but little from you, but totake your life."
Cuthbert recounted the circumstances which had led to the feud of theCount of Brabant against him, for he doubted not that this truculentknight was at the bottom of the attack.
"After what has happened," the monk said, "you will need have cautionwhen you leave here. The place where you have taken refuge is known tothem, and should this wild noble persist in his desire for vengeanceagainst you, he will doubtless leave some of his ruffians to watch themonastery. We will keep a lookout, and note if any strangers are to beseen near the gates; if we find that it is so, we shall consider what isbest to be done. We could of course appeal to the mayor for protectionagainst them, and could even have the strangers ejected from the town orcast into prison; but it is not likely that we sh
ould succeed incapturing more than the fellow who may be placed on the lookout, and thedanger would be in no wise lessened to yourself. But there is time totalk over this matter before you leave. It will be another fortnight atleast before you will be able to pursue your journey."
Cuthbert gained strength more rapidly than the monk had expected. He wasgenerously fed, and this and his good constitution soon enabled him torecover from the loss of blood; and at the end of five days he expressedhis hope that he could on the following day pursue his journey. The monkwho attended him shook his head.
"Thou mightst, under ordinary circumstances, quit us to-morrow, for thouart well enough to take part in the ordinary pursuits of a page; but tojourney is a different thing. You may have all sorts of hardships toendure; you may have even to trust for your life to your speed andendurance; and it would be madness for you to go until your strength isfully established. I regret to tell you that we have ascertained beyonda doubt that the monastery is closely watched. We have sent some of theacolytes out, dressed in the garbs of monks, and attended by one of ourelder brethren; and in, each case, a monk who followed at a distance offifty yards was able to perceive that they were watched. The town isfull of rough men, the hangers-on of the army; some, indeed, arefollowers of laggard knights, but the greater portion are men who merelypursue the army with a view to gain by its necessities, to buy plunderfrom the soldiers, and to rob, and, if necessary, to murder should therebe a hope of obtaining gold. Among these men your enemies would havelittle difficulty in recruiting any number, and no appeal that we couldmake to the mayor would protect you from them when you have left thewalls. We must trust to our ingenuity in smuggling you out. After that,it is upon your own strength and shrewdness that you must rely for anescape from any snares that may be laid for you. You will see, then,that at least another three or four days are needed before you can setforth. Your countrymen are so far away that a matter of a few days willmake but little difference. They will in any case be delayed for a longtime at Marseilles before they embark; and whether you leave now or amonth hence, you would be equally in time to join them before theirembarkation--that is, supposing that you make your way through thesnares which beset you."
Cuthbert saw the justice of the reasoning, and it was another weekbefore he announced himself as feeling absolutely restored to strengthagain, and capable of bearing as much exertion as he could have donebefore his attack.
A long consultation was held with the prior and a monk who had acted ashis leech, as to the best plan of getting Cuthbert beyond the walls ofthe city. Many schemes were proposed and rejected. Every monk whoventured beyond the walls had been closely scrutinized, and one or twoof short stature had even been jostled in the streets, so as to throwback their hoods and expose a sight of their faces. It was clear, then,that it would be dangerous to trust to a disguise. Cuthbert proposedthat he should leave at night, trusting solely to their directions as tothe turnings he should take to bring him to the city walls, and that,taking a rope, he should there let himself down, and make the best ofhis way forward. This, however, the monks would not consent to, assuringhim that the watch was so strictly kept round the monastery that hewould inevitably be seen.
"No," the prior said, "the method, whatever it is, must be as open aspossible; and though I cannot at this moment hit upon a plan, I willthink it over to-night, and putting my ideas with those of Father Jeromehere, and the sacristan, who has a shrewd head, it will be hard if wecannot between us contrive some plan to evade the watch of those robbervillains who beset the convent."
The next morning, when the prior came in to see Cuthbert, the lattersaid: "Good father, I have determined not to endeavor to make off indisguise. I doubt not that your wit could contrive some means by which Ishould get clear of the walls without observation from the scouts ofthis villain noble. But once in the country, I should have neither horsenor armor, and should have hard work indeed to make my way down throughFrance, even though none of my enemies were on my track. I willtherefore, if it please you, go down boldly to the mayor and claim aprotection and escort. If he will but grant me a few men-at-arms for oneday's ride from the town, I can choose my own route, and riding out inmail, can then take my chance of finding my way down to Marseilles."
"I will go down with you, my son," the prior said, "to the mayor. Two ofmy monks shall accompany us; and assuredly no insult will be offered toyou in the street thus accompanied." Shortly afterward Cuthbert startedas arranged, and soon arrived at the house of the mayor, Sir John deCahors.
Upon the prior making known to this knight whom he had brought with himthe mayor exclaimed:
"_Peste!_ young gentleman; you have caused us no small trouble andconcern. We have had ridings to and fro concerning you, and furiousmessages from your fiery king. When in the morning a tall, stalwartknave dressed in green was found, slashed about in various places, lyingon the pavement, the townsmen, not knowing who he was, but finding thathe still breathed, carried him to the English camp, and he was claimedas a follower of the Earl of Evesham. There was great wrath and angerover this; and an hour later the earl himself came down and stated thathis page was missing, and that there was reason to believe that he hadbeen foully murdered, as he had accompanied the man found wounded.Fortunately the bulk of the armies had marched away at early dawn, andthe earl had only remained behind in consequence of the absence of hisfollowers. I assured the angry Englishman that I would have a thoroughsearch made in the town; and although in no way satisfied, he rode offafter his king with all his force, carrying with him the long-limbed manwhom we had picked up. Two days after a message came back from KingRichard himself, saying that unless this missing page were discovered,or if, he being killed, his murderers were not brought to justice andpunished, he would assuredly on his return from the Holy Land burn thetown over our ears. Your king is not a man who minces matters. However,threatened men live long, especially when the person who threatens isstarting for a journey, from which, as like as not, he may never return.However, I have had diligent search made for you. All the houses of badrepute have been examined and their inhabitants questioned. But thereare so many camp-followers and other rabble at present in the town thata hundred men might disappear without our being able to obtain a clew. Idoubted not indeed that your body had been thrown in the river, andthat we should never hear more of you. I am right glad that you havebeen restored; not indeed from any fear of the threats of the king yourmaster, but because, from what the Earl of Evesham said, you were a ladlikely to come to great fame and honor. The earl left in my charge yourhorse, and the armor which he said you wore at a tournament lately, incase we should hear aught of you."
Cuthbert gave an exclamation of pleasure. His purse contained but a fewpieces of silver, and being without arms except for his short dagger, ormeans of locomotion, the difficulties of the journey down to Marseilleshad sorely puzzled him. But with his good horse between his knees, andhis suit of Milan armor on his back, he thought that he might make hisway through any dangers which threatened him.
The prior now told the knight that circumstances had occurred whichshowed that it was known to the assailants of Cuthbert that he had takenrefuge in the convent, over which a strict watch had been kept byCuthbert's enemies.
"If I could find the varlets I would hang them over the gates of thetown," the knight said wrathfully. "But as at the present moment thereare nearly as many rogues as honest men in the place it would be awholesale hanging indeed to insure getting hold of the right people.Moreover, it is not probable that another attempt upon his life will bemade inside our walls; and doubtless the main body of this gang aresomewhere without, intending to assault him when he continues hisjourney, and they have left but a spy or two here to inform them as tohis movements. I will give you any aid in my power, young sir. The armyis by this time nigh Marseilles, and, sooth to say, I have no body ofmen-at-arms whom I could send as your escort for so long a distance. Ihave but a small body here, and they are needed, and sorely, too, tokeep order within th
e walls."
"I thought, sir," Cuthbert said, "that if you could lend me a party ofsay four men-at-arms to ride with me for the first day I could thentrust to myself, especially if you could procure me one honest man toact as guide and companion. Doubtless they suppose that I should travelby the main road south; but by going the first day's journey either eastor west, and then striking some southward road, I should get a fairstart of them, throw all their plans out, and perchance reach Marseilleswithout interruption."
The knight willingly agreed to furnish four men-at-arms, and atrustworthy guide who would at least take him as far south as Avignon.
"I will," he said, "tell the men-at-arms off to-night. They shall be atthe western gate at daybreak, with the pass permitting them to ridethrough. The guide shall be at the convent door half an hour earlier. Iwill send up to-night your armor and horse. Here is a purse which theEarl of Evesham also left for your use. Is there aught else I can do foryou?"
"Nothing, sir," Cuthbert said; "and if I regain the army in safety Ishall have pleasure in reporting to King Richard how kindly andcourteously you have treated me."
The arrangements were carried out.
An hour before daybreak Cuthbert was aroused, donned his armor and steelcasque, drank a flask of wine, and ate a manchet of bread which theprior himself brought him, and then, with a cordial adieu to the kindmonks, issued forth.
The guide had just reached the gate, and together they trotted down thenarrow streets to the west gate of the city, where four men-at-arms wereawaiting them.
The gates were at once opened, and Cuthbert and his little troop salliedforth.