...After a Few Words... Read online

shouting. "Forward for St.George and for England!"

  "St. George and England!" the Gascon echoed.

  * * * * *

  Two great war horses began to move ponderously forward toward the battlelines, gaining momentum as they went. Moving in unison, the two knights,their horses now at a fast trot, lowered their lances, picking theirSaracen targets with care. Larger and larger loomed the Egyptiancavalrymen as the horses changed pace to a thundering gallop.

  The Egyptians tried to dodge, as they saw, too late, the approach of theChristian knights.

  Sir Robert felt the shock against himself and his horse as the steel tipof the long ash lance struck the Saracen horseman in the chest. Out ofthe corner of his eye, he saw that Sir Gaeton, too, had scored.

  The Saracen, impaled on Sir Robert's lance, shot from the saddle as hedied. His lighter armor had hardly impeded the incoming spear-point, andnow his body dragged it down as he dropped toward the desert sand.Another Moslem cavalryman was charging in now, swinging his curvedsaber, taking advantage of Sir Robert's sagging lance.

  There was nothing else to do but drop the lance and draw his heavybroadsword. His hand grasped it, and it came singing from its scabbard.

  The Egyptian's curved sword clanged against Sir Robert's helm, settinghis head ringing. In return, the knight's broadsword came about in asweeping arc, and the Egyptian's horse rode on with the rider's headlessbody.

  Behind him, Sir Robert heard further cries of "St. George and England!"

  The Hospitallers, taking heart at the charge, were going in! Behind themcame the Count of Champagne, the Earl of Leister, and the Bishop ofBeauvais, who carried a great warhammer in order that he might not breakChurch Law by shedding blood.

  Sir Robert's own sword rose and fell, cutting and hacking at the enemy.He himself felt a dreamlike detachment, as though he were watching thebattle rather than participating in it.

  But he could see that the Moslems were falling back before the Christianonslaught.

  And then, quite suddenly, there seemed to be no foeman to swing at.Breathing heavily, Sir Robert sheathed his broadsword.

  Beside him, Sir Gaeton did the same, saying: "It will be a few minutesbefore they can regroup, sir knight. We may have routed themcompletely."

  "Aye. But King Richard will not approve of my breaking ranks anddisobeying orders. I may win the battle and lose my head in the end."

  "This is no time to worry about the future," said the Gascon. "Rest fora moment and relax, that you may be the stronger later. Here--have an_Old Kings_."

  He had a pack of cigarettes in his gauntleted hand, which he profferredto Sir Robert. There were three cigarettes protruding from it, oneslightly farther than the others. Sir Robert's hand reached out and tookthat one.

  "Thanks. When the going gets rough, I really enjoy an _Old Kings_."

  He put one end of the cigarette in his mouth and lit the other from thelighter in Sir Gaeton's hand.

  "Yes, sir," said Sir Gaeton, after lighting his own cigarette, "_OldKings_ are the greatest. They give a man real, deep-down smokingpleasure."

  "There's no doubt about it, _Old Kings_ are a _man's_ cigarette." SirRobert could feel the soothing smoke in his lungs as he inhaled deeply."That's great. When I want a cigarette, I don't want just _any_cigarette."

  "Nor I," agreed the Gascon. "_Old Kings_ is the only real cigarette whenyou're doing a real _man's_ work."

  "That's for sure." Sir Robert watched a smoke ring expand in the air.

  There was a sudden clash of arms off to their left. Sir Robert droppedhis cigarette to the ground. "The trouble is that doing a real he-man'swork doesn't always allow you to enjoy the fine, rich tobaccos of _OldKings_ right down to the very end."

  "No, but you can always light another later," said the Gascon knight.

  * * * * *

  King Richard, on seeing his army moving suddenly toward the harassedrear, had realized the danger and had charged through the Hospitallersto get into the thick of the fray. Now the Turks were charging down fromthe hills, hitting--not the flank as he had expected, but the rear!Saladin had expected him to hold fast!

  Sir Robert and Sir Gaeton spurred their chargers toward the flappingbanner of England.

  The fierce warrior-king of England, his mighty sword in hand, wascutting down Turks as though they were grain-stalks, but still theSaracen horde pressed on. More and more of the terrible Turks cameboiling down out of the hills, their glittering scimitars swinging.

  Sir Robert lost all track of time. There was nothing to do but keep hisown great broadsword moving, swinging like some gigantic metronome as hehacked down the Moslem foes.

  And then, suddenly, he found himself surrounded by the Saracens! He wasisolated and alone, cut off from the rest of the Christian forces! Heglanced quickly around as he slashed another Saracen from pate tobreastbone. Where was Sir Gaeton? Where were the others? Where was thered-and-gold banner of Richard?

  He caught a glimpse of the fluttering banner far to the rear and startedto fall back.

  And then he saw another knight nearby, a huge man who swung hissparkling blade with power and force. On his steel helm gleamed a goldencoronet! Richard!

  And the great king, in spite of his prowess was outnumbered heavily andwould, within seconds, be cut down by the Saracen horde!

  Without hesitation, Sir Robert plunged his horse toward the surroundedmonarch, his great blade cutting a path before him.

  He saw Richard go down, falling from the saddle of his charger, but bythat time his own sword was cutting into the screaming Saracens andthey had no time to attempt any further mischief to the King. They hadtheir hands full with Sir Robert de Bouain.

  He did not know how long he fought there, holding his charger motionlessover the inert body of the fallen king, hewing down the screaming enemy,but presently he heard the familiar cry of "For St. George and forEngland" behind him. The Norman and English troops were charging in,bringing with them the banner of England!

  And then Richard was on his feet, cleaving the air about him with hisown broadsword. Its bright edge, besmeared with Saracen blood, wasbiting viciously into the foe.

  The Turks began to fall back. Within seconds, the Christian knights wereboiling around the embattled pair, forcing the Turks into retreat. Andfor the second time, Sir Robert found himself with no one to fight.

  And then a voice was saying: "You have done well this day, sir knight.Richard Plantagenet will not forget."

  Sir Robert turned in his saddle to face the smiling king.

  "My lord king, be assured that I would never forget my loyalty to mysovereign and liege lord. My sword and my life are yours whenever youcall."

  King Richard's gauntleted hand grasped his own. "If it please God, Ishall never ask your life. An earldom awaits you when we return toEngland, sir knight."

  And then the king mounted his horse and was running full gallop afterthe retreating Saracens.

  * * * * *

  Robert took off his helmet.

  He blinked for a second to adjust his eyes to the relative dimness ofthe studio. After the brightness of the desert that the televicarionhelmet had projected into his eyes, the studio seemed strangelycavelike.

  "How'd you like it, Bob?" asked one of the two producers of the show.

  Robert Bowen nodded briskly and patted the televike helmet. "It wasO.K.," he said. "Good show. A little talky at the beginning, and itneeds a better fade-out, but the action scenes were fine. The sponsorought to like it--for a while, at least."

  "What do you mean, 'for a while'?"

  Robert Bowen sighed. "If this thing goes on the air the way it is, he'lllose sales."

  "Why? Commercial not good enough?"

  "_Too_ good! Man, I've smoked _Old Kings_, and, believe me, the realthing never tasted as good as that cigarette did in the commercial!"

 
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