The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-07-26
THB WHITE COMPANY.
BY CONAN DOYLE.
CHAPTER XXXIIL

CHAPTER x1xIIL
sov THE ARMY PASSED THROUGH hoNoEs-
WALES.
Thu whole vast plain Of Gascony and OF
r.npuedoc is an arid and profltiess expanse
n winter, save whore the swiit-flowinR Adour
s.d her snow.fed tributaries, the Lots. tho
noron and tho Pau. run down to tho sea Of
Risoay. South OF the Adour the Jagged line OF
mountains which fringe the sky limo send out
ione granite claws, running down into the
iovlands and dividing them into caves" or
s,ratohes OF valley. Hillocks grow into hills.
Ana hills into mountains. each range ovsrlyine
ma nelghbor, until they soar up In tho giant
an ain which raises its spotless ana untrodden
oeaks. white and dazzling. against the pale
blue wintry sky
A ouiet land 10 this-s land whore the slow
~ovinp Basaue, with his nat biretta-eap. his
rad sash and his hempen sandals. tills his
scsnty farm or drives his lean flock to their
hill,ide pastures. 1t Is the country OF tho
wolf and tho lizard. OF the brown bear and the
mou utain goat, land Of bare rock and OF
rushing water. Yet here It was that the will OF
q great prince had now assembled gallant
army: 30 that from the Adour to tho passes OF
Navarro the barron valleys and wind
swept wastes were populous With SOL
diers and loud wish the shouting
Of orders and the neigh!ng OF horses.
For the banuers OF war had been hung 70 the
wind once more. and over those Rlistening
peaks was the highway along which Honor
pointed in an age when men had chosen her
- their guide.
And now all was ready for the enterprise.
From Dax to st. jean Pied-du-Port the coun.
try was notified with the white tents Of Gas
cons, Aquitanians. and English. all eager for
the advance. From all sides the free COM
panions had trooped In. until not less than
$4,000 OF these veteran troops were cautioned
along the frontiers Of Navarro. From England
had arrived the Princes brother. the Duke OF
Lancaster. with 400 knights In his train and Q
strong company Of Archers. Above all. an
heir to the throne had been born In Bor-
deaux. and tho Prince might leavs his spouse
with an easy mind. for all. was well with
mother and with child.
The keys OF the mountain passes still lay In
the hands Of the shifty and iRnoble Charles OF
Navarro. who had chartered and bargained
both With the English and with the Spanish.
taking money from the Que side to hold them
open and from the other to keep them scaled.
Tho mallst hand OF Edward. however. had
shattered all the schemes and wiles Of the plot
tor. Neither sntreaty nor courtly remoA-
STRANGE came from tho Eneliah prince: but
Sir Hugh Cslverley passed silently over the
border with bis company. and the blazing
walls Of the two cities OF Miranda and Puenta
della Reyna warned the unfaithfui monarch
that he was dealing with man to whom 1t was
unsafe ito lie. His price was paid. his objeo-
tons silsnced. and the mountain gorsss lay
open 70 the invaders. From the feast OF the
there WAS mastering AMI massing,
until. in the nrst week Of Bsbruary-thres days
After tho White Company Joined the army-the
word Was given for general advance
through the denls OF Roncesvalles. At
IN the cold winters morning the
buglss were blowing In the hamlet Of st.
Jean Plsd.du.Port. and BY Sir NiRel's Com.
pany 800 strong. were on their way for tho
dels. pushing swiftly In tho dim light up tho
steep cu.vlnG road: for It was tho Princes
order that they should be the frst to pass
through. and that they should remain on guard
at the further end until the whole army had
from the mountains. Day was al
ready bresking in tho east, and tho submits
Of tho ereat peaks had turned rosy red. while
The valleys still lay in tho shadow. whom they
found themselves with tho cliffs on either hand
and the long rugged pass stretching away be-
fore them.
sir Nigel rode his great black war horse at
tho head OF his archers. dressed In full armor
with Black Simon bearing his banner behind
him. while Alloyne at his bride arm carried
bis blazoned shield and his well-steelsd ashen
spear. A proud and happy man was the
knight and many time he turned In his sad
die to look at the long column OF bowmen who
swung swiftly along behind him.
Rv faint panl llIawnan aoyA ~ ~ A. l..
psss Is very perilous place. and would that
the King OF Navarro had held It against MS.
for It would have been Q very honorable
venture bad It fallen to rs to win passage. I
have heard tho mlnstrels sing OF one Sir Ro-
land who was slain By the inadels In those
very parts"
IL 1t please you. my fair lord" said Black
Simon. Il know something Of those parts. for
] have twice served a term with the King of
Navarro. There Is hospice Of monks yonder.
where you may sec the roof among the trees,
and there 1t was that Sir Roland was slain.
The village upon the left 10 Orbaicsta. and
know house therein whore the right vino OF
) urane'n ID to be bought, II 1t would please
you to GUAM morning cup."
Ihere ID smoke yonder upon the right"
That Is village named Les AIdudes. and I
Know hostel there also where the wine 10 Of
tho pest. IL 10 said that the innkoeper hath q
buried treasure. and doubt not my fair lord.
tnst II you grant me leave could prevail upon
MIN TO toll US where he hath hid It,"
Nay. nav. Simon" said Sir Nigel ourtly. Il
pray you to forget these FREQ companion
tricks tia! Edricson. see that You stare
about you. and In good sooth those noun
tains must seem wondrous indeed to ono who
aash but seen Butser or the Portsdown hill"
1ns broken and rugged road had wound
Aiong the crssts OF low hills, with wooded
naGss on either side OF It. over which pseped
sns loitler mountains. the distant Peak OF the
Soutn and the vast Altabisca. which lowered
nlen above them aud cast Its black shadow
from 'eit to right across the valley. From
wnss they now stood they could look forward
oown long visra OF beech woods and Jagged
!ooK.-trewn wilderness. all white with snow,
70 where the pass opened out upon tho up
IAnds beyond. Behind them they could still
eaten glimpse OF the gray plains OF Gascony
snd could see her rivers cleaning like coils OF
snNsr 10 the sunshine. As far as eve could see
Hem among the rocky Rorges and the brstlss
oltae pine woods there came the quick twinkle
saa Glitter Of steel, while the wi d brought
sNa It sudden distant bursts Of martial music
rom the great host which rolled by every road
Haa oy-psth toward the narrow pass OF Rom
SosVaeS. On the cliffs on oither aida might