the pigeon pie-第3部分

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to　do；　and　he　must　have　some　fun。　　It　did　not　signify　if　he　was　not

particular　about　little　things；　they　were　women's　affairs；　and　all

very　well　for　Rose；　but　when　some　really　important　matter　came；　that

would　be　his　time　for　distinguishing　himself。



In　the　meantime　Charles　II。　had　been　invited　to　Scotland；　and　had

brought　with　him；　as　an　attendant；　Edmund　Woodley；　the　eldest　son。

As　soon　as　he　was　known　to　have　entered　England；　some　of　the　loyal

gentlemen　of　the　neighbourhood　of　Forest　Lea　went　to　join　the　King；

and　among　their　followers　went　Farmer　Ewins；　who　had　fought　bravely

in　the　former　war　under　Edmund　Mowbray；　several　other　of　the　men　of

the　village；　and　lastly；　Diggory　Stokes；　Lady　Woodley's　serving　man；

who　had　lately　shown　symptoms　of　discontent　with　his　place；　and

fancied　that　as　a　soldier　he　might　fare　better；　make　his　fortune；　and

come　home　prosperously　to　marry　his　sweetheart；　Deborah。







CHAPTER　II。







Walter　ran　down　to　the　village　at　full　speed。　　He　first　bent　his

steps　towards　the　〃Half…Moon；〃　the　little　public…house；　where　news

was　sure　to　be　met　with。　　As　he　came　towards　it；　however；　he　heard

the　loud　sound　of　a　man's　voice　going　steadily　on　as　if　with　some

discourse。　　〃Some　preachment；〃　said　he　to　himself：　　〃they've　got　a

thorough…going　Roundhead；　I　can　hear　his　twang　through　his　nose！

Shall　I　go　in　or　not？〃



While　he　was　asking　himself　this　question；　an　old　peasant　in　a　round

frock　came　towards　him。



〃Hollo；　Will！〃　shouted　Walter；　〃what　prick…eared　rogue　have　you　got

there？〃



〃Hush；　hush；　Master　Walter！〃　said　the　old　man；　taking　off　his　hat

very　respectfully。　　〃Best　take　care　what　you　say；　there　be　plenty　of

red…coats　about。　　There's　one　of　them　now　preaching　away　in

marvellous　pied　words。　　It　is　downright　shocking　to　hear　the　Bible

hollaed　out　after　that　sort；　so　I　came　away。　　Don't　you　go　nigh　him；

sir；　'specially　with　your　hat　set　on　in　that〃



〃Never　mind　my　hat；〃　said　Walter；　impatiently；　〃it　is　no　business　of

yours；　and　I'll　wear　it　as　I　please　in　spite　of　old　Noll　and　all　his

crew。〃



For　his　forefathers'　sake；　and　for　the　love　of　his　mother　and　sister；

the　good　village　people　bore　with　Walter's　haughtiness　and

discourtesy　far　more　than　was　good　for　him；　and　the　old　man　did　not

show　how　much　he　was　hurt　by　his　rough　reception　of　his　good　advice。

Walter　was　not　reminded　that　he　ought　to　rise　up　before　the　hoary

head；　and　reverence　the　old　man；　and　went　on　hastily；　〃But　tell　me；

Will；　what　do　you　hear　of　the　battle？〃



〃The　battle；　sir！　why；　they　say　it　is　lost。　　That's　what　the　fellow

there　is　preaching　about。〃



〃And　where　was　it？　　Did　you　hear？　　Don't　you　know？〃



〃Don't　be　so　hasty；　don't　ye；　sir！〃　said　the　old　slow…spoken　man；

growing　confused。　　〃Where　was　it？　　At　some　townsome　town；　they

said；　but　I　don't　know　rightly　the　name　of　it。〃



〃And　the　King？　　Who　was　it？　　Not　Cromwell？　　Had　Lord　Derby　joined？〃

cried　Walter；　hurrying　on　his　questions　so　as　to　puzzle　and　confuse

the　old　man　more　and　more；　till　at　last　he　grew　angry　at　getting　no

explanation；　and　vowed　it　was　no　use　to　talk　to　such　an　old　fool。　　At

that　moment　a　sound　as　of　feet　and　horses　came　along　the　road。　　〃'Tis

the　soldiers！〃　said　Walter。



〃Ay；　sir；　best　get　out　of　sight。〃



Walter　thought　so　too；　and；　springing　over　a　hedge；　ran　off　into　a

neighbouring　wood；　resolving　to　take　a　turn；　and　come　back　by　the

longer　way　to　the　house；　so　as　to　avoid　the　road。　　He　walked　across

the　wood；　looking　up　at　the　ripening　nuts；　and　now　and　then　springing

up　to　reach　one；　telling　himself　all　the　time　that　it　was　untrue；　and

that　the　King　could　not；　and　should　not　be　defeated。　　The　wood　grew

less　thick　after　a　time；　and　ended　in　low　brushwood；　upon　an　open

common。　　Just　as　Walter　was　coming　to　this　place；　he　saw　an　unusual

sight：　　a　man　and　a　horse　crossing　the　down。　　Slowly　and　wearily　they

came；　the　horse　drooping　its　head　and　stumbling　in　its　pace；　as

though　worn　out　with　fatigue；　but　he　saw　that　it　was　a　war…horse；　and

the　saddle　and　other　equipments　were　such　as　he　well　remembered　in

the　royal　army　long　ago。　　The　rider　wore　buff　coat；　cuirass；

gauntlets　guarded　with　steel；　sword；　and　pistols；　and　Walter's　first

impulse　was　to　avoid　him；　but　on　giving　a　second　glance；　he　changed

his　mind；　for　though　there　was　neither　scarf；　plume；　nor　any　badge　of

party；　the　long　locks；　the　set　of　the　hat；　and　the　general　air　of　the

soldier　were　not　those　of　a　rebel。　　He　must　be　a　cavalier；　but；　alas！

far　unlike　the　triumphant　cavaliers　whom　Walter　had　hoped　to　receive；

for　he　was　covered　with　dust　and　blood；　as　if　he　had　fought　and

ridden　hard。　　Walter　sprung　forward　to　meet　him；　and　saw　that　he　was

a　young　man；　with　dark　eyes　and　hair；　looking　very　pale　and

exhausted；　and　both　he　and　his　horse　seemed　hardly　able　to　stir　a

step　further。



〃Young　sir；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃what　place　is　this？　　Am　I　near

Forest　Lea？〃



A　flash　of　joy　crossed　Walter。　　〃Edmund！　are　you　Edmund？〃　he

exclaimed；　colouring　deeply；　and　looking　up　in　his　face　with　one

quick　glance；　then　casting　down　his　eyes。



〃And　you　are　little　Walter；〃　returned　the　cavalier；　instantly

dismounting；　and　flinging　his　arm　around　his　brother；　〃why；　what　a

fine　fellow　you　are　grown！　　How　are　my　mother　and　all？〃



〃Well；　quite　well！〃　cried　Walter；　in　a　transport　of　joy。　　〃Oh！　how

happy　she　will　be！　　Come；　make　haste　home！〃



〃Alas！　　I　dare　not　as　yet。　　I　must　not　enter　the　house　till

nightfall；　or　I　should　bring　danger　on　you　all。　　Are　there　any

troopers　near？〃



〃Yes；　the　village　is　full　of　the　rascals。　　But　what　has　happened？　　It

is　not　true　that〃　　He　could　not　bear　to　say　the　rest。



〃Too　true！〃　said　Edmund；　leading　his　tired　horse　within　the　shelter

of　the　bushes。　　〃It　is　all　over　with　us！〃



〃The　battle　lost！〃　said　Walter；　in　a　stifled　tone；　and　in　all　the

bitterness　of　the　first　disappointment　of　his　youth；　he　turned　away；

overcome　by　a　gush　of　tears　and　sobs；　stamping　as　he　walked　up　and

down；　partly　with　the　intensity　of　his　grief；　partly　with　shame　at

being　seen　by　his　brother；　in　tears。



〃Had　you　set　your　heart　on　it　so　much？〃　said　Edmund；　kindly；　pleased

to　see　his　young　brother　so　ardent　a　loyalist。　　〃Poor　fellow！　　But　at

least　the　King　was　safe　when　I　parted　from　him。　　Come；　cheer　up；

Walter；　the　right　will　be　uppermost　some　day　or　other。〃



〃But；　oh；　that　battle！　　I　had　so　longed　to　see　old　Noll　get　his

deserts；〃　said　Walter；　〃I　made　so　sure。　　But　how　did　it　happen；

Edmund？〃



〃I　cannot　tell　you　all　now；　Walter。　　You　must　find　me　some　covert

where　I　can　be　till　night　fall。　　The　rebels　are　hot　in　pursuit　of　all

the　fugitives。　　I　have　ridden　from　Worcester　by　byroads　day　and

night；　and　I　am　fairly　spent。　　I　must　be　off　to　France　or　Holland　as

soon　as　may　be；　for　my　life　is　not　safe　a　moment　here。　　Cromwell　is

bitterer　than　ever　against　all　honest　men；　but　I　could　not　help

coming　this　way；　I　so　much　longed　to　see　my　mother　and　all　of　you。〃



〃You　are　not　wounded？〃　said　Walter；　anxiously。



〃Nothing　to　speak　of；　only　a　sword…cut　on　my　shoulder；　by　which　I

have　lost　more　blood　than　convenient　for　such　a　journey。〃



〃Here；　I'll　lead　your　horse；　lean　on　me；〃　said　Walter；　alarmed　at　the

faint；　weary　voice　in　which　his　brother　spoke　after　the　first

excitement　of　the　recognition。　　〃I'll　show　you　what　Lucy　and　I　call

our　bower；　where　no　one　ever　comes　but　ourselves。　　There　you　can　rest

till　night。〃



〃And　poor　Bayard？〃　said　Edmund。



〃I　think　I　could　put　him　into　the　out…house　in　the　field　next　to　the

copse；　hide　his　trappings　here；　and　get　him　provender　from　Ewins's

farm。　　Will　that　do？〃



〃Excellently。　　Poor　Ewins！that　is　a　sad　story。　　He　fell；　fighting

bravely　by　my　side；　cut　down　in　Sidbury　Street　in　the　last　charge。

Alas！　these　are　evil　days！〃



〃And　Diggory　Stokes；　our　own　knave？〃



〃I　know　nothing　of　him　after　the　first　onset。　　Rogues　and　cowards

enough　were　there。　　Think；　Walter；　of　seeing　his　Majesty　strive　in

vain　to　rally　them；　when　the　day　might　yet　have　been　saved；　and　the

traitors　hung　down　their　heads；　and　stood　like　blocks　while　he　called

on　them　rather　to　shoot　him　dead　than　let　him　live　to　see　such　a

day！〃



〃Oh；　had　I　but　been　there；　to　turn　them　all　to　shame！〃



〃There　were　a　few；　Walter；　Lord　Cleveland；　Hamilton；　Careless；

Giffard；　and　a　few　more　of　us；　charged　down　Sidbury　Street；　and　broke

into　the　ranks　of　the　rebels；　while　the　King　had　time　to　make　off　by

S。　Martin's　Gate。　　Oh；　how　I　longed　for　a　few　more！　　But　the　King　was

saved　so　far；　Careless；　Giffard；　and　I　came　up　with　him　again；　and　we

parted　at　nightfall。　　Lord　Derby's　counsel　was　that　he　should　seek

shelter　at　Boscobel；　and　he　was　to　disguise　himself；　and　go　thither

under　Giffard's　guidance。　　Heaven　guard　him；　whatever　becomes　of　us！〃



〃Amen！〃　said　Walter；　earnestly。　　〃And　here　we　are。　　Here　is　Lucy's

bank　of　turf；　and　my　throne；　and　here　we　will　wait　till　the　sun　is

down。〃



It　was　a　beautiful　green　slope；　covered　with　soft　grass；　short　thyme；

and　cushion…like　moss；　and　overshadowed　by　a　thick；　dark　yew…tree；

shut　in　by　brushwood　on　all　sides；　and　forming　just　such　a　retreat　as

children　love　to　call　their　own。　　Edmund　threw　himself　down　at　full

length　on　it；　laid　aside　his　hat；　and　passed　his　hand　across　his

weary　forehead。　　〃How　quiet！〃　said　he；　〃but；　hark！　is　that　the

bubbling　of　water？〃　he　added；　raising　himself　eagerly。



〃Yes；　here；〃　said　Walter；　showing　him　where；　a　little　further　off　on

the　same　slope；　a　little　clear　spring　rose　in　a　natural　basin　of　red

earth；　fringed　along　the　top　with　fresh　green　mosses。



〃Delicious！〃　said　the　tired　soldier；　kneeling　over　the　spring；

scooping　it　up　in　his　hand　to　drink；　opening　his　collar；　and　bathing

hands　and　face　in　the　clear　cool　fountain；　till　his　long　black　hair

hung　straight；　saturated　with　wet。



〃Now