Chapter 34
Gisborne woke up. He had been dreaming for the third day in a row. He lay down for a short time in the evening, having had no sleep the night before. They brought in new prisoners from nearby villages after collecting taxes. The people were varied, but mostly quiet, but the matter was complicated by the state of his guards. As a matter of fact, for the second day his soldiers were attacked by an unexplainable disease. The soldiers were frankly sick to their stomachs. Sir Guy was suspicious of the pilgrims who had recently appeared in Nottingham. Perhaps they had brought some contagious disease with them. Gisborne saved himself by drinking only ale from his own supply and avoiding raw water.
Gisborne, chasing away the remnants of slumber, looked out of the window. The dark courtyard of Nottingham was illuminated by moonlight. Two guards lazily stroll back and forth. A covered wagon is parked near the door to the castle kitchen, and servants are unloading it, pulling out heavy sacks of provisions and barrels of honey. All seems calm.
There was a knock at the door. The sheriff's servant stood on the doorstep.
- The sheriff wants to see you right away,' he said, panting.
Quietly annoyed at being called at such a late hour, Gisborne adjusted his gambeson and hurried after the servant. The sheriff was very angry after De Bellem's visit and constantly took out his anger and irritation on the servants. He'd nag and give everyone a hard time about anything and everything. Sir Guy had a feeling that the conversation was not going to be a pleasant one, and he was not going to get any sleep again tonight.
As he approached the sheriff's chambers, the servant bowed courteously and entered first. From behind the closed door, Gisborne heard the sheriff bellowing at him. The door opened quickly, and the frightened servant, bowing low, graciously invited Gisborne into the 'cage' with the 'disgruntled lion.' With a heavy sigh, Gisborne went in and shut the door behind him.
-Are we all ready for the trial of the outlaws to-morrow? - The sheriff asked impatiently.
Gisborne, making a cheerful and slightly dulcet expression on his face, declared:
-I am doing my best, my lord!
-And what is in your power? - De Renault asked coldly. - I have been watching all day today, watching no one, doing nothing. My orders have still not been carried out! Where's the platform, where's the goddamn gallows?! - he shouted.
After surviving the first onslaught, Gisborne said:
-Milord, more than half of my men, owing to some incomprehensible affliction, cannot do what they are commanded.
-What is it this time? Not diarrhoea, but scrofula,' the sheriff continued impatiently.
-'The former, my lord,' said Gisborne, determined not to hold anything back, 'Perhaps the pilgrims brought some disease with them.
The sheriff gave Gisborne a concerned look and moved a good distance away from him, as if afraid of catching some unknown disease.
-So send for a physician, can't you think for yourself? -De Renauld continued in a calmer tone.
-It's done, my lord. The healer gives potions, but so far they are of little use. We must wait,' Gisborne reported.
-There's no time to wait! -sheriff slapped his hand on the table. -"Get the men to work tonight, and have it ready by morning!
-'Aye, my lord!' said Gisborne, unblinking.
The sheriff waved his hand as if to say, 'Dismissed,' and turned away, taking a goblet of wine from the table.
As Gisborne noisily slammed the heavy door behind him, De Renault was deep in thought. The sheriff's thoughts were on tomorrow's trial. This was not the way he had imagined it. How now to frighten the peasantry and Nottingham people, if of all the forest brigands in his captivity remained only a former soldier and a defector monk. The deal with the sorcerer certainly added to his coffers, but by taking the body of the leader of the forest brigands and his two servants, the baron left the sheriff with literally nothing. And the showdown with the forest bandits tomorrow risks being a farce. A stolen victory. How do you prove you're a triumphant man?
It was already dark when the sheriff went to the window and looked out into the courtyard of the castle. There, by the light of torches, four soldiers were in the process of constructing a platform for the gallows.