the virgin of the sun-第12章

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had　suffered　these　fits　of　gloom；　but　as　yet　this　was　the　blackest　of
them　that　I　had　known。

At　length；　the　sun　that　had　been　hidden　shone　out　and　with　its　coming
my　temper　changed。　I　remembered　that　I　who　might　so　easily　have　been
dead；　was　sound；　young；　and　healthy；　that　I　had　sword；　bow；　and　armour
of　the　best；　also　twenty　or　more　of　gold　pieces；　for　I　had　not　counted
them；　in　the　bag　which　my　mother　gave　me　with　Wave…Flame。　Further；　I
hoped　that　my　uncle　would　befriend　me；　and　if　he　did　not；　there　were
plenty　of　captains　engaged　in　the　wars　who　might　be　glad　of　a　squire；
one　who　could　shoot　against　any　man　and　handle　a　sword　as　well　as
most。

So　putting　up　a　prayer　to　St。　Hubert　after　my　simple　fashion；　I　pushed
on　blithely　to　the　crest　of　a　long　rise　and　there　came　face　to　face
with　a　gay　company　who；　hawk　on　wrist　and　hound　at　heel；　were；　I
guessed；　on　their　way　to　hunt　in　the　Pevensey　marshes。　While　they　were
still　a　little　way　off　I　knew　these　to　be　no　other　than　Sir　Robert
Aleys；　his　daughter　Blanche；　and　the　King's　favourite；　young　Lord
Deleroy；　with　their　servants；　and　was　minded　to　turn　aside　to　avoid
them。　Then　I　remembered　that　I　had　as　much　right　to　the　King's　Highway
as　they；　and　my　pride　aiding　me；　determined　to　ride　on　taking　no　note
of　them；　unless　first　they　took　note　of　me。　Also　they　knew　me；　for　my
ears　being　very　sharp；　I　heard　Sir　Robert　say　in　his　big　voice：

〃Here　comes　that　young　fisherman　again。　Pass　him　in　silence；
Daughter〃；　heard；　too；　Lord　Deleroy　drawl　it；　〃It　seems　that　he　has
been　gathering　gear　from　the　slain；　and　like　a　good　chapman　bears　it
away　for　secret　sale。〃

Only　the　lady　Blanche　answered　neither　the　one　nor　the　other；　but　rode
forward　with　her　eyes　fixed　before　her；　pretending　to　talk　to　the　hawk
upon　her　wrist；　and　now　that　she　was　rested　and　at　ease；　looking　even
more　beautiful　than　she　had　done　on　the　day　of　the　burning。

So　we　met　and　passed；　I　glancing　at　them　idly　and　guiding　my　horses　to
the　side　of　the　road。　When　there　were　perhaps　ten　yards　between　us　I
heard　Lady　Blanche　cry：

〃Oh；　my　hawk！〃　I　looked　round　to　see　that　the　falcon　on　her　wrist　had
in　some　way　loosed　itself；　or　been　loosed；　and　being　hooded；　had
fallen　to　the　ground　where　one　of　the　dogs　was　trying　to　catch　and
kill　it。　Now　there　was　great　confusion；　the　eyes　of　all　being　fixed
upon　the　hawk　and　the　dog；　in　the　midst　of　which　the　lady　Blanche　very
quietly　turned　her　head；　and　lifting　her　hand　as　though　to　see　how　the
hawk　had　fallen　from　it；　with　a　swift　movement　laid　her　fingers
against　her　lips　and　threw　a　kiss　to　me。

As　swiftly　I　bowed　back　and　went　on　my　way　with　a　beating　heart。　For　a
few　moments　I　was　filled　with　joy；　since　I　could　not　mistake　the
meaning　of　this　signalled　kiss。　Then　came　sorrow　like　an　April　cloud；
since　my　wound　which　was　in　the　way　of　healing　was　all　re…opened。　I
had　begun　to　forget　the　lady　Blanche；　or　rather　by　an　effort　of　the
will；　to　thrust　her　from　my　thought；　as　my　confessor　had　bidden　me。
But　now　on　the　wings　of　that　blown　kiss　thither　she　had　flown　back
again；　not　to　be　frighted　out　for　many　a　day。

That　night　I　slept　at　an　inn　at　Tonbridge；　a　comfortable　place　where
the　host　stared　at　the　gold　piece　from　the　bag　which　I　tendered　in
payment；　and　at　first　would　not　take　what　was　due　to　him　out　of　it；
because　it　bore　the　head　of　some　ancient　king。　However；　in　the　end　a
merchant　of　Tonbridge　who　came　in　for　his　morning　ale　showed　him　that
it　was　good；　so　that　trouble　passed。

About　two　in　the　afternoon　I　came　to　Southwark；　a　town　that　to　me
seemed　as　big　as　Hastings　before　it　was　burned；　where　was　a　fine　inn
called　the　Tabard　at　which　I　stopped　to　bait　my　horses　and　to　take　a
bite　and　drink　of　ale。　Then　I　rode　on　over　the　great　Thames　where
floated　a　multitude　of　ships　and　boats；　crossing　it　by　London　Bridge；
a　work　so　wonderful　that　I　marvelled　that　it　could　be　made　by　the　hand
of　man；　and　so　broad　that　it　had　shops　on　either　side　of　the　roadway；
in　which　were　sold　all　sorts　of　merchandise。　Thence　I　inquired　my　way
to　Cheapside；　and　came　there　at　last　thrusting　a　path　through　a
roaring　multitude　of　people；　or　so　it　seemed　to　me　who　never　before
had　seen　so　many　men　and　women　gathered　together；　all　going　on　their
way　and；　it　would　appear；　ignorant　of　each　other。

Here　I　found　a　long　and　crowded　thoroughfare　with　gabled　houses　on
either　side　in　which　all　kinds　of　trades　were　carried　on。　Down　this　I
wandered；　being　cursed　at　more　than　once　because　my　pack　mare；　growing
frightened；　dragged　away　from　me　and　crossed　the　path　of　carts　which
had　to　stop　till　I　could　pull　her　free。　After　the　third　of　these
tangles　I　halted　by　the　side　of　the　footway　behind　a　wain　with　barrels
on　it；　and　looked　about　me　bewildered。

To　my　left　was　a　house　somewhat　set　back　from　the　general　line　that
had　a　little　patch　of　garden　ground　in　front　of　it　in　which　grew　some
untended　and　thriftless…looking　shrubs。　This　house　seemed　to　be　a
place　of　business　because　from　an　iron　fastened　to　the　front　of　it
hung　a　board　on　which　was　painted　an　open　boat；　high　at　the　prow　and
stern；　with　a　tall　beak　fashioned　to　the　likeness　of　a　dragon's　head
and　round　shields　all　down　the　rail。

While　I　was　staring　at　this　sign　and　wondering　emptily　what　kind　of　a
boat　it　was　and　of　what　nation　were　the　folk　who　had　sailed　in　her；　a
man　came　down　the　garden　path　and　leaned　upon　the　gate；　staring　in
turn　at　me。　He　was　old　and　strange…looking；　being　clad　in　a　rusty　gown
with　a　hood　to　it　that　was　pulled　over　his　head；　so　that　I　could　only
see　a　white；　peaked　beard　and　a　pair　of　brilliant　black　eyes　which
seemed　to　pierce　me　as　a　shoemaker's　awl　pierces　leather。

〃What　do　you；　young　man；〃　he　asked　in　a　high　thin　voice；　〃cumbering　my
gate　with　those　nags　of　yours？　Would　you　sell　that　mail　you　have　on
the　pack…horse？　If　so　I　do　not　deal　in　such　stuff；　though　it　seems
good　of　its　kind。　So　get　on　with　it　elsewhere。〃

〃Nay；　sir；〃　I　answered；　〃I　have　naught　to　sell　who　in　this　hive　of
traders　seek　one　bee　and　cannot　find　him。〃

〃Hive　of　traders！　Truly　the　great　merchants　of　the　Cheap　would　be
honoured。　Have　they　stung　you；　then；　already；　young　bumpkin　from　the
countryside；　for　such　I　write　you　down？　But　what　bee　do　you　seek？
Stay；　now；　let　me　guess。　Is　it　a　certain　old　knave　named　John　Grimmer；
who　trades　in　gold　and　jewels　and　other　precious　things　and　who；　if　he
had　his　deserts；　should　be　jail？〃

〃Aye；　aye；　that's　the　man；〃　I　said。

〃Surely　he　also　will　be　honoured；〃　exclaimed　the　old　fellow　with　a
cackle。　〃He's　a　friend　of　mine　and　I　will　tell　him　the　jest。〃

〃If　you　would　tell　me　where　to　find　him　it　would　be　more　seasonable。〃

〃All　in　good　time。　But　first；　young　sir；　where　did　you　get　that　fine
armour？　If　you　stole　it；　it　should　be　better　hid。〃

〃Stole　it！〃　I　began　in　wrath。　〃Am　I　a　London　chapman？〃

〃I　think　not；　though　you　may　be　before　all　is　done；　for　who　knows　what
vile　tricks　Fortune　will　play　us？　Well；　if　you　did　not　steal　it；
mayhap　you　slew　the　wearer　and　are　a　murderer；　for　I　see　black　blood
on　the　steel。〃

〃Murderer！〃　I　gasped。

〃Aye；　just　as　you　say　John　Grimmer　is　a　knave。　But　if　not；　then
perchance　you　slew　the　French　knight　who　wore　it　on　Hastings　Hill；　ere
you　loosed　the　three　arrows　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave　near　Minnes
Rock。〃

Now　I　gaped　at　him。

〃Shut　your　mouth；　young　man；　lest　those　teeth　of　yours　should　fall
out。　You　wonder　how　I　know？　Well；　my　friend　John　Grimmer；　the
goldsmith　knave；　has　a　magic　crystal　which　he　purchased　from　one　who
brought　it　from　the　East；　and　I　saw　it　in　that　crystal。〃

As　he　spoke；　as　though　by　chance　he　pushed　back　the　hood　that　covered
his　head；　revealing　a　wrinkled　old　face　with　a　mocking　mouth　which
drooped　at　one　corner；　a　mouth　that　I　knew　again；　although　many　years
had　passed　since　I　looked　upon　it　as　a　boy。

〃You　are　John　Grimmer！〃　I　muttered。

〃Yes；　Hubert　of　Hastings；　I　am　that　knave　himself。　And　now　tell　me；
what　did　you　do　with　the　gold　piece　I　gave　you　some　twelve　summers
gone？〃

Then　I　was　minded　to　lie；　for　I　feared　this　old　man。　But　thinking
better　of　it；　I　answered　that　I　had　spent　it　on　a　dog。　He　laughed
outright　and