第 24 页

contend in the arena. The honest fellows were full of indignation and

horror at the thought of men killing themselves to give sport to others.

They were used to hard knocks, and thought but little of their life, and

would have betaken themselves to their bows and bills without hesitation

in case of a quarrel. But to fight in cold blood for amusement seemed to

them very terrible.

Cuthbert would then have travelled on to Milan at that time next to Rome

the richest city in Europe, but he longed to be back in England, and was

the more anxious as he knew that King Richard would be passing through

great dangers, and he hoped to meet him at the Court of Saxony. His

money, too, was fast running out, and he found that it would be beyond

his slender means to extend his journey so far. At Verona, then, they

turned their back on the broad plains of Lombardy, and entered the valley

of the Trent.

So far no observation whatever had been excited by the passage of the

English knight. So many crusaders were upon their way home, many in

grievous plight, that the somewhat shabby retinue passed unnoticed. But

they were now leaving Italy, and entering a country where German was

spoken. Trent, in those days an important city, was then, and is still,

the meeting place of Italy and Germany. Both tongues are here spoken; but

while the Italian perhaps preponderates, the customs, manners, and mode

of thought of the people belong to those of the mountaineers of the

Tyrol, rather than of the dwellers on the plains.

"You are choosing a stormy time," the landlord of the hostelry where they

put up said to Cuthbert. "The winter is now at hand, and storms sweep

across the passes with terrible violence. You had better, at the last

village you come to in the valley, obtain the services of a guide, for

should a snowstorm come on when you are crossing, the path will be lost,

and nothing will remain but a miserable death. By daylight the road is

good. It has been cut with much trouble, and loaded mules can pass over

without difficulty. Poles have been erected at short distances to mark

the way when the snow covers it. But when the snowstorms sweep across the

mountains, it is impossible to see ten paces before you, and if the

traveller leaves the path he is lost."

"But I suppose," Cuthbert said, "that even in winter travellers

pass over?"

"They do," the host said. "The road is as open in winter as in summer,

although, of course, the dangers are greater. Still, there is nothing to

prevent vigorous men from crossing over when the storms come on. Now,

too, with the snow already lying in the upper forests, the wolves are

abroad, and should you be attacked by one of those herds, you will find

it hard work to defend your lives. Much has been done to render the road

safe. At the distance of every league stone houses have been erected,

where travellers can find shelter either from the storm or from the

attacks of wolves or bears, for these, too, abound in the forests, and in

summer there is fine hunting among them. You are, as I see, returning

from the Holy Land, and are therefore used to heat rather than cold, so I

should advise you before you leave this city to buy some rough cloaks to

shield you from the cold. You can obtain them for your followers very

cheaply, made of the mountain goat or of sheepskins, and even those of

bearskin well dressed are by no means dear."

Obtaining the address of a merchant who kept these things, Cuthbert

proceeded thither; and purchased five cloaks of goat-skin with hoods to

pull over their heads for his followers, while for himself he obtained

one of rather finer material.

Another two days' journey brought them to the foot of the steep ascent,

and here they hired the services of a guide. The ascent was long and

difficult, and in spite of the praises which the host had bestowed upon

the road, it was so steep that Cuthbert was, for the most part, obliged

to walk, leading his steed, whose feet slipped on the smooth rock, and as

in many places a false step would have thrown them down many hundreds of

feet into the valley below, Cuthbert judged it safer to trust himself to

his own feet. He disencumbered himself of his helmet and gorget, and

placed these upon the horse's back. At nightfall they had attained a very

considerable height, and stopped at one of the small refuges of which the

landlord had spoken.

"I like not the look of the weather," the guide said in the morning--at

least that was what Cuthbert judged him to say, for he could speak no

word of the man's language. His actions, however, as he looked towards

the sky, and shook his head, spoke for themselves, and Cuthbert, feeling

his own powerlessness in a situation so novel to him, felt serious

misgivings at the prospect.

The scenery was now very wild. On all sides crags and mountain tops

covered with snow glistened in the sun. The woods near the path were free

of snow; but higher up they rose black above the white ground. The wind

blew keenly, and all rejoiced in the warm cloaks which they had obtained;

for even with the protection of these they had found the cold bitter

during the night.

"I like not this country," Cnut said. "We grumbled at the heat of

Palestine, but I had rather march across the sand there than in this

inhospitable frozen region. The woods look as if they might contain

spectres. There is a silence which seems to be unnatural, and my courage,

like the warmth of my body, is methinks oozing out from my fingers."

Cuthbert laughed.

"I have no doubt that your courage would come again much quicker than the

warmth, Cnut, if there were any occasion for it. A brisk walk will set

you all right again, and banish these uneasy fancies. To-night we shall

be at the highest point, and to-morrow begin to descend towards Germany."

All day the men kept steadily on. The guide from time to time looked

apprehensively at the sky; and although in the earlier part of the day

Cuthbert's inexperienced eye saw nothing to cause the slightest

uneasiness, towards the afternoon the scene changed. Light clouds began

to gather on the top of all the hills and to shut the mountain peaks

entirely from view. The wind moaned between the gorges and occasionally

swept along in such sudden gusts that they could with difficulty retain

their feet. The sky became gradually overcast, and frequently light

specks of snow, so small as to be scarcely perceptible, were driven along

on the blast, making their faces smart by the force with which they

struck them.

"It scarcely needs our guide's face," Cuthbert said, "to tell us that a

storm is at hand, and that our position is a dangerous one. As for me, I

own that I feel better pleased now that the wind is blowing, and the

silence is broken, than at the dead stillness which prevailed this

morning. After all, methinks that a snowstorm cannot be more dreaded than

a sandstorm, and we have faced those before now."

Faster and faster the snow came down, until at last the whole air seemed

full of it, and it was with difficulty that they could stagger forward.

Where the path led across open places the wind swept away the snow as

fast as it fell, but in the hollows the track was already covered; and

feeling the difficulty of facing the blinding gale, Cuthbert now

understood the urgency with which his host had insisted upon the danger

of losing the track. Not a word was spoken among the party as they

plodded along. The guide kept ahead, using the greatest caution wherever

the path was obliterated by the snow, sometimes even sounding with his

iron-shod staff to be sure that they were upon the level rock. In spite

of his warm cloak Cuthbert felt that he was becoming chilled to the bone.

His horse could with difficulty keep his feet; and Cnut and the archers

lagged behind.

"You must keep together, lads," he shouted. "I have heard that in these

mountains when sleepiness overpowers the traveller, death is at hand.

Therefore, come what may, we must struggle on."

Many times the gale was so violent that they were obliged to pause, and

take shelter under the side of a rock or precipice, until the fury of the

blast had passed; and Cuthbert eagerly looked out for the next refuge. At

last they reached it, and the guide at once entered. It was not that in

which he had intended to pass the night, for this lay still higher; but

it would have been madness to attempt to go further in the face of such a

gale. He signed to Cuthbert that it was necessary at once to collect

firewood, and he himself proceeded to light some brands which had been

left by previous travellers. Cuthbert gave directions to Cnut and the

archers; and these, feeling that life depended upon a good fire being

kept up, set to with a will, cutting down shrubs and branches growing in

the vicinity of the hut. In half an hour a huge fire blazed in the

refuge; and as the warmth thawed their limbs, their tongues were

unloosened, and a feeling of comfort again prevailed.

"If this be mountaineering, my lord," Cnut said, "I trust that never

again may it be my fortune to venture among the hills. How long, I

wonder, do the storms last here? I was grumbling all the way up the hill

at the load of provisions which the guide insisted that each of us should

bring with him. As it was to be but a three days' journey before we

reached a village on the other side, I wondered why he insisted upon our

taking food enough to last us at least for a week. But I understand now,

and thank him for his foresight; for if this storm goes on, we are

assuredly prisoners here for so long as it may continue."

The horse had to be brought into the hut, for it would have been death

for it to have remained outside.

"What is that?" Cnut said presently, as a distant howl was heard between

the lulls of the storm. The guide muttered some word, which Cuthbert did

not understand. But he said to Cnut, "I doubt not that it is wolves.

Thank God that we are safe within this refuge, for here not even the most

ravenous beasts could make their way."

"Pooh!" Cnut said contemptuously. "Wolves are no bigger than dogs. I have

heard my grandfather say that he shot one in the forest, and that it was

no bigger than a hound. We should make short work of them."

"I know not," Cuthbert said. "I have heard tales of these animals which

show that they must be formidable opponents. They hunt in great packs,

and are so furious that they will attack parties of travellers; many of

these have perished miserably, horses and men, and nothing but their

swords and portions of their saddles have remained to tell where the

battle was fought."

CHAPTER XVIII.

SENTENCED TO DEATH.

Just before arriving at the refuge, they had passed along a very steep

and dangerous path. On one side the rock rose precipitously, ten feet

above their heads. On the other, was a fall into the valley below. The

road at this point was far wider than usual.

Presently, the howl of a wolf was heard near, and soon the solitary call

was succeeded by the howling of great numbers of animals. These speedily

surrounded the hut, and so fierce were their cries, that Cnut changed his

opinion as to the ease with which they could be defeated, and allowed

that he would rather face an army of Saracens than a troop of these

ill-conditioned animals. The horse trembled in every limb at the sound of

the howling of the wolves; and cold as was the night, in spite of the

great fire that blazed on the hearth, his coat became covered with the

lather of fear. Even upon the roof above the trampling of the animals

could be heard; and through the open slits of the windows which some

travellers before them had stuffed with straw, they could hear the fierce

breathing and snorting of the savage beasts, who scratched and tore to

make an entrance.

"Methinks," Cuthbert said, "that we might launch a few arrows through

these loopholes. The roof appears not to be over strong; and should some

of them force an entrance, the whole pack might follow."

Dark as was the night, the black bodies were visible against the white

snow, and the archers shot several arrows forth, each stretching a wolf

dead on the ground. Those killed were at once pounced upon by their

comrades, and torn to pieces; and this mark of savageness added to the

horror which those within felt of the ferocious animals. Suddenly there

was a pause in the howling around the hut, and then Cnut, looking forth

from the loophole, declared that the whole body had gone off at full

speed along the path by which they had reached the refuge. Almost

immediately afterwards a loud shout for help was heard, followed by the

renewed howling and yelping of the wolves.

"Good heavens!" Cuthbert exclaimed. "Some traveller coming after us is

attacked by these horrible beasts. Let us sally out, Cnut. We cannot hear

a Christian torn to pieces by these beasts, without lending him a hand."

In spite of the angry shouts and entreaties of the guide, the door thrust

open, and the party, armed with their axes and bows, at once rushed out

into the night. The storm had for the moment abated and they had no

difficulty in making their way along the track. In fifty yards they came

to a bend of the path, and saw, a little distance before them, a black

mass of animals, covering the road, and congregated round a figure who

stood with his back to the rock. With a shout of encouragement they

sprang forward, and in a few moments were in the midst of the savage

animals, who turned their rage against them at once. They had fired two

or three arrows apiece, as they approached, into them; and now, throwing

down their bows, the archers betook themselves to their swords, while

Cuthbert with his heavy battle-axe hewed and cut at the wolves as they

sprang towards him. In a minute they had cleared their way to the figure,

which was that of a knight in complete armour. He leant against the rock