CHAPTER XXII
THE effect was so sudden and magical, that the shooter himself wasstupefied for an instant. Then he hailed his companions to join him ineffecting the capture, and himself set off up the hill: but, ere he hadgot half way, up rose the figure of Martin Wittenhaagen with a bent bowin his hand. Eric Wouverman no sooner saw him in this attitude, than hedarted behind a tree, and made himself as small as possible. Martin'sskill with that weapon was well known, and the slain dog was a keenreminder of it.
Wouverman peered round the bark cautiously: there was the arrow's pointstill aimed at him. He saw it shine. He dared not move from hisshelter.
When he had been at peep-bo some minutes, his companions came up ingreat force.
Then with a scornful laugh, Martin vanished, and presently was heard toride off on the mule.
All the men ran up together. The high ground commanded a view of anarrow but almost interminable glade.
They saw Gerard and Margaret running along at a prodigious distance;they looked like gnats; and Martin galloping after them _ventre aterre_.
The hunters were outwitted as well as outrun. A few words will explainMartin's conduct. We arrive at causes by noting coincidences: yet, nowand then, coincidences are deceitful. As we have all seen a hare tumbleover a briar just as the gun went off, and so raise expectations, thendash them to earth by scudding away untouched, so the burgomaster's muleput her foot in a rabbit-hole at or about the time the cross-bow boltwhizzed innocuous over her head: she fell and threw both her riders.Gerard caught Margaret, but was carried down by her weight and impetus;and behold, the soil was strewn with dramatis personae.
The docile mule was up again directly, and stood trembling. Martin wasnext, and looking round saw there was but one in pursuit; on this hemade the young lovers fly on foot, while he checked the enemy as I haverecorded.
He now galloped after his companions, and, when after a long race hecaught them, he instantly put Gerard and Margaret on the mule, and ranby their side till his breath failed, then took his turn to ride, and soin rotation. Thus the runner was always fresh, and, long ere theyrelaxed their speed, all sound and trace of them was hopelessly lost toDierich and his men. These latter went crest-fallen back to look aftertheir chief, and their winged bloodhound.
The Cloister and the Hearth: A Tale of the Middle Ages Page 23
