第36章 The Banner of Saladin(4)

"Follow me to Saladin.In that hope I live on.""Surely we will follow you, Rosamund," he cried aloud."Follow you through life to death or victory."Then he threw down the paper, and calling for the chaplain to come to watch the body, they ran into the hall.By this time about half of the folk were awake from their drugged sleep, whilst others who had been doctored by the man Ali in the barn staggered into the hall-- wild-eyed, white-faced, and holding their hands to their heads and hearts.They were so sick and bewildered, indeed, that it was difficult to make them understand what had chanced, and when they learned the truth, the most of them could only groan.Still, a few were found strong enough in wit and body to grope their way through the darkness and the falling snow to Stangate Abbey, to Southminster, and to the houses of their neighbours, although of these there were none near, praying that every true man would arm and ride to help them in the hunt.Also Wulf, cursing the priest Matthew and himself that he had not thought of it before, called him from his prayers by their dead uncle, and charged him to climb the church tower as swiftly as he could, and set light to the beacon that was laid ready there.

Away he went, taking flint, steel, and tinder with him, and ten minutes later the blaze was flaring furiously above the roof of Steeple Church, warning all men of the need for help.Then they armed, saddled such horses as they had, amongst them the three that had been left there by the merchant Georgios, and gathered all of them who were not too sick to ride or run, in the courtyard of the Hall.But as yet their haste availed them little, for the moon was down.Snow fell also, and the night was still black as death--so black that a man could scarcely see the hand he held before his face.So they must wait, and wait they did, eating their hearts out with grief and rage, and bathing their aching brows in icy water.

At length the dawn began to break, and by its first grey light they saw men mounted and afoot feeling their way through the snow, shouting to each other as they came to know what dreadful thing had happened at Steeple.Quickly the tidings spread among them that Sir Andrew was slain, and the lady Rosamund snatched away by Paynims, while all who feasted in the place had been drugged with poisoned wine by a man whom they believed to be a merchant.So soon as a band was got together--perhaps thirty men in all-- and there was light to stir by, they set out and began to search, though where to look they knew not, for the snow had covered up all traces of their foes.

"One thing is certain," said Godwin,"they must have come by water.""Ay," answered Wulf,"and landed near by, since, had they far to go, they would have taken the horses, and must run the risk also of losing their path in the darkness.To the Staithe! Let us try Steeple Staithe."So on they went across the meadow to the creek.It lay but three bow-shots distant.At first they could see nothing, for the snow covered the stones of the little pier, but presently a man cried out that the lock of the water house, in which the brethren kept their fishing-boat, was broken, and next minute, that the boat was gone.

"She was small; she would hold but six men," cried a voice."So great a company could never have crowded into her.""Fool!" one answered,"there may have been other boats."So they looked again, and beneath the thin coating of rime, found a mark in the mud by the Staithe, made by the prow of a large boat, and not far from it a hole in the earth into which a peg had been driven to make her fast.