The Winning of the Golden Spurs Part 18

"But the dress?" asked Redward.

"That is easily to be had. I have a stock of them in this house. And the price----"

"They have not been used?" interrupted the master-bowman anxiously.

"Certainly not, monsieur," replied the barber, with a hideous leer.

"'Twould be impossible. But the price I ask--and they be of good quality--is but one livre, five sols--quite a small sum for a wealthy gentleman like monsieur!"

At that moment a loud rapping was heard. The squire and his father sprang up, and, suspecting danger, their hands flew to their sword-hilts.

With a motion of his hand, their host indicated that they should hide behind a heavy curtain; then, taking a torch from its socket, he made towards the door.

After considerable parleying the nocturnal visitor was admitted, and, through a small hole in the mouldy curtain, Redward could see him without risk. That he was a man of quality was apparent by the long furred gown he wore; and further, by the length of the garment and its rich violet colour, and the mortier or silk cap, ornamented with Valenciennes lace, worn instead of the hat affected by the bourgeois, his rank was of importance.

"Art thou Raoul de Rohein, the chirurgeon?" he asked, in a lisping voice, flouris.h.i.+ng a musk-perfumed handkerchief as if to ward off the hideous shape before him.

"At thy service, my lord--barber, chirurgeon, apothecary, having been duly examined and licensed by the great John Pitart, surgeon of the Chatelet of Paris."

"'Tis well! I am the Sieur d'Erqui, and I am bound for the army of Charles of Blois, that lieth before Hennebon. In camps one has always the fear of plague. Therefore, believing that forewarned is forearmed, I come to thee for a remedy or, rather, a preventative--'gainst the fell disorder."

"I have the very thing, monsieur! But five sols nine deniers the box--the nine deniers being devoted to the funds of the hospital of St. Brieuc, _bien entendu!_ By the holy St. Mark, the very thing! A mixture of sulphur, viper's cake, powder of pearls, confection of hyacinth, and an extract of the juice of _scorsonera_, all prepared according to the recipe of the learned John Pitart, and made into tablets covered with gold foil. One drachm three times a week, in the morning, is the dose, monsieur, and if exposed to the infection two drachms before going to bed!"

"And is that all?" inquired the Sieur anxiously, as if the presence of the barber was a presage of the plague.

"Nay, of thine own ordering there is much to be done. I perceive that monsieur carries the perfume of musk about with him. That is wrong.

Instead, let him take a citron p.r.i.c.ked with cloves. Never walk out fasting, neither drink wine immoderately; and, in the case of immediate danger, take a little theriaque; and I'll warrant Erqui will welcome its Sieur home in due course. And the fee, monsieur, is, as I said, seven sols nine deniers."

"But now thou didst ask five sols and nine deniers!"

"Two sols in addition for the advice--excellent advice, monsieur.

_Merci, monsieur, et bon voyage!_"

The Sieur had gone, and Raymond and his father came from their hiding-place. Redward explained to his son, in a few words, the nature of their disguise. Once again the talon-like hand of the miserly Raoul closed over the money, and away he went to look for the required garments.

In a few moments he returned. The Englishmen donned the repulsive insignia of the leper, and took the barillets in their hands. The barber again unfastened the door and listened intently for any sound.

There was none.

"Take the road through the village; it leads to Pontivy. There, perchance, ye may find horses. Fare ye well!"

And, pa.s.sing out into the darkness of the night, the Englishmen began their long journey afoot, stealing silently through the almost deserted streets towards the frowning hills of Brittany.

[1] It was not until thirty years later that the hospitals of St.

Lazare and St. Germain were founded in Paris for the relief of these unfortunate sufferers. On systematic steps being taken to deal with the malady, the number of its victims quickly diminished; till the scourge was practically wiped out.

CHAPTER XII

THE JOURNEY PERILOUS

LONG before the grey morn began to dawn Redward and his son had covered a couple of leagues, and were at the foot of a long range of hills. Slowly they began the ascent, and, ere the summit was reached, the light was sufficient for them to see their grotesque and horrible garb.

"A safe disguise," exclaimed Raymond, "yet right glad will I be when we can doff these garments."

"A safe disguise enough, should the barber not play us false,"

replied his father. "I liked not his looks, though I trow he is in no ways to blame for the cut of his face."

"But dost think that he will play us false?"

"'Tis not unlikely; so the more leagues we place between us and St.

Brieuc the better. Canst get at thy sword-hilt?"

"Not easily. Wherefore dost thou ask?"

"Danger might come apace and at any time. See, I have cut a slit in my gown so that I can grasp my sword without delay. I pray thee do likewise."

On the brow of the first hill was a long farmstead, sheltered more or less by a clump of stunted pinetrees. Behind the house was an orchard, its branches laden with fruit, while amongst the trees were several cows, their heads tethered to their forefeet, after the manner of those parts, so that the animals could not tear down the branches of the fruit-trees.

"A sight to gladden the eyes of an old campaigner!" exclaimed the master-bowman, and, taking his steel cap from beneath his cowl, he stole cautiously towards the cattle, Raymond waiting behind a sheltering tree.

With the deftness born of old experience Redward did his work, and soon returned with his casque filled to the brim with warm milk.

Having drunk their fill, the travellers helped themselves to a bounteous supply of fruit, and proceeded on their way, the fruit, together with some dry bread they had brought with them, making a pa.s.sable breakfast.

At the bottom of the hill they entered a small village. Although still early, most of the inhabitants were astir, and the Englishmen had their first experience of the efficacy of their disguise. For directly they rattled their barillets the villagers ran hither and thither to avoid the supposed sufferers, save a horseman and an old woman. The former pa.s.sed them at a distance of a few paces, throwing them a couple of deniers. With his usual presence of mind Redward stooped, picked up the coins, and louted to the donor. The woman threw them a rusk loaf, and this was caught and quickly concealed beneath the sheltering cloaks.

Once clear of the village they mended their pace, and, with the exception of a pair of shepherds, and a peasant clattering along in his heavy sabots, not a soul did they meet till close on midday, when the travellers arrived at a cross-road, where the monotony of the outlook was broken by four avenues of trees.

"I would fain have rested here awhile," exclaimed Redward. "But with that for company methinks we shall do better if we get about a bow-shot further on!"

"A corpse?"

"Ay, lad; a malefactor hanged close to the scene of his crime. See, already the crows have begun their work."

With averted heads the twain pa.s.sed the gallows; but on giving a glance down the cross-road they saw a sight that filled them with misgiving, for plodding wearily along were two figures dressed like themselves!

"Lepers, indeed!" exclaimed Redward. "My faith, they would bear us company."

Waving their arms to attract and arrest their supposed fellow-sufferers, the two grey-robed men quickened their pace, but, directly the Englishmen had gained the cover of the tree-lined road, they, too, hastened to avoid being overtaken, so that by the time the lepers had turned the corner, Raymond and his father were some distance ahead.

"We more than hold our own," quoth Redward, glancing over his shoulder. "Directly we shake them off we'll have a well-earned rest."

It was as he said. The well-knit frames of the Englishmen were vastly superior to the diseased bodies of the lepers, and long before the bottom of the hill was reached their two pursuers were but dimly visible on the dusty road.

Once again the road led upwards. Not a village was to be seen, only a vast undulating plain, unbroken except for an occasional clump of trees, while in the distance the blue outlines of a lofty range of hills showed that some stiff climbing would be necessary ere Hennebon was in sight.

An hour later and they had all but gained the ridge of the next hill.