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said. His eyes shifted to Giles, "and you and as many of your lads as might
wish to come."
Giles's face darkened.
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"No," he said briefly, "I and any of my men would be fools to leave a life
which is sure, only to go out and scrabble with half ofEngland for whatever
loot is left in the fought-over regions ofFrance ."
"And as for me," said Dafydd mildly, "I and my people have little enough
cause to love the king and princes ofEngland that I should go to rescue of one
of them. As for the making of war for its own use, you know my feelings on
that. So there is all this against my going, even if I would consider leaving
my wife for any cause whatsoever other than our own good."
He looked fondly, if a trifle ruefully, at Danielle.
"Even if she would allow me, I think," he added.
"You're right!" said Danielle, "I'd not have you going off on any such
business."
"It certainly wouldn't be wise," murmured Angie, but with a note in her voice
that caused Jim to look at her curiously. Angie was gazing down at her plate
and toying with a few morsels that were left of the very rich dessert they had
been served, and which it was quite beyond the capability of either Jim or
Angie to finish.
At the end of the table Aragh yawned hugely, showing his wicked, yellow,
canine teeth.
"You know better man to ask me," he said.
"I didn't intend to, Sir Wolf!" said Brian, a little sharply. "In any case
it's archers we need, not wolves."
"If this was a world of wolves, there would be no wars," said Aragh.
"Because you d kill each other off first," said Brian.
"No," said Aragh, almost lazily, "becausethere'd be nothing to be gained by
such fighting. If your Prince cannot win a battle, of what use is he? Let the
French have him."
"We do not do things so." Brian's voice was sharp.
He controlled the slight edge that had crept into his voice.
"Well, well," he said, after a second, his voice calm again. "I blame no one
for not going who has no duty to go. For James andmyself , it is a duty, of
course."
"Also a pleasure," put in Aragh. His golden eyes and the furry mask of his
face gave a hint of wicked humor. Brian ignored him.
"As for our need of archers," said Brian, "we should be able to supply that
once our forces are gathered together on French soil. The gathering will
attract many worthy people. The best of knights will not want to miss such an
opportunity; and there will be free lances, as well as men of
foot crossbowmen, men-at-arms and archers who have been given leave by their
feudal Lords to fight where and as they will. The best of them will be drawn
to such a gathering; simply because they are the best, and will let pass no
opportunity to be among others of their own skill and rank."
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"There are always those who choose to live by war and pillage, I know,"
remarked Dafydd, "but I know of none except knights who choose to engage in
such bloody work for the sheer pleasure of it."
"It is not so much a pleasure as a pride, in knight and man alike," said
Brian. "Would the greatest crossbowman ofGenoa sit at home there at ease;
while men who are not perhaps as skilled as heare doing deeds of great worth,
and being acclaimed where he is not? As I say, many will be there. We will
have some of the worst, no doubt. But certainly, also, we will have the best."
"Do you say so, now?" said Dafydd, toying with the meat knife beside his
plate.
"I have seen it myself," answered Brian, "on other such occasions; though
it's true I've never seen any as great as this. But as you yourself will have
seen, every fair of any size draws out the best archers from the country
around to compete."
"I ve been in some small contests in archery, myself," said Dafydd, still
playing with the knife. "You say both crossbow-men and men of the bow who are
also men of great worth and skill will be there?"
"You are letting him cozen you!" said Danielle to Dafydd angrily. "He is
merely tempting you with this idea of great bowmen. You are so easily tempted [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]