the virgin of the sun-第20章

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asked　of　me。　Well；　what　of　it？　This　matter　was　not　one　of　trade　and
large　as　the　sum　might　be；　I　would　risk　it　for　the　chance　of　winning
Blanche。

The　end　of　it　was　that　waiting　for　no　valuings　I　wrote　that　on　proof
of　title　clean　and　unencumbered　and　completion　of　all　deeds；　I　would
pay　over　the　gold　to　whoever　might　be　appointed　to　receive　it。

This　letter　of　mine　proved　to　be　but　the　beginning　of　a　long　business
whereof　the　details　may　be　left　untold。　On　the　very　next　day　indeed　I
was　summoned　to　the　house　of　Sir　Robert　Aleys　which　was　near　to　the
palace　and　abbey　of　Westminster。　Here　I　found　the　gruff　old　knight
grown　greyer　and　having；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　a　hunted　air；　and　with
him　the　lord　Deleroy　and　two　foxy　lawyers　of　whom　I　did　not　like　the
look。　Indeed；　for　the　first；　I　suspected　that　I　was　being　tricked　and
had　it　not　been　for　the　lady　Blanche；　would　have　broken　off　the　loan。
Because　of　her；　however；　this　I　did　not　do；　but　having　stated　my　terms
anew；　and　the　rate　and　dates　of　interest；　sat　for　a　long　while　saying
as　little　as　possible；　while　the　others　unfolded　parchments　and　talked
and　talked；　telling　tales　that　often　contradicted　each　other；　till　at
length　the　lord　Deleroy；　who　seemed　ill　at　ease；　grew　weary　and　left
the　chamber。　At　last　all　was　done　that　could　be　done　at　that　sitting
and　it　being　past　the　hour　of　dinner；　I　was　taken　in　to　eat；
consenting；　because　I　hoped　that　I　should　see　the　lady　Blanche。

A　butler；　or　chamber…groom；　led　me　to　the　dining…hall　and　sat　me　with
the　lawyers　at　a　table　beneath　the　dais。　Presently　on　this　dais
appeared　Sir　Robert　Aleys；　his　daughter　Blanche；　the　lord　Deleroy；
and　perhaps　eight　or　ten　other　fine　folk　whom　I　had　never　seen。　She；
looking　about　her；　saw　me　seated　at　the　lower　table；　and　spoke　to　her
father　and　Deleroy；　reasoning　with　the　latter；　as　it　would　appear。
Indeed；　in　a　sudden　hush　I　caught　some　of　her　words。　They　were；　〃If
you　are　not　ashamed　to　take　his　money；　you　should　not　be　ashamed　to
sit　at　meat　with　him。〃

Deleroy　stamped　his　foot；　but　the　end　of　it　was　that　I　was　summoned　to
the　high　table　where　the　lady　Blanche　made　place　for　me　beside　her；
while　Deleroy　sat　himself　down　between　two　splendid　dames　at　the　other
end　of　the　board。

Here；　then；　I　stayed　by　Blanche　who；　I　noted；　wore　the　ruby　heart
encircled　by　serpents。　Indeed；　this　was　the　first　thing　of　which　she
spoke　to　me；　saying；

〃It　looks　well　upon　my　robe；　does　it　not；　and　I　thank　you　for　it；
Master　Hubert；　who　know　surely　that　it　is　not　my　cousin　Deleroy's
gift；　but　yours；　since　for　it　you　will　never　see　your　money。〃

By　way　of　answer　I　looked　at　the　sumptuous　plate　and　furnishings；　the
profusion　of　the　viands；　and　the　number　of　the　serving…men。　Reading　my
thought；　she　replied；

〃Aye；　but　pledged；　all　of　it。　I　tell　you；　Master　Hubert；　that　we　are
starved　hounds；　though　we　live　in　a　kennel　with　golden　bars。　And　now
they　would　pawn　you　that　kennel　also。〃

Then；　while　I　wondered　what　to　say；　she　began　to　talk　of　our　great
adventure　in　bygone　years；　recalling　every　tiny　thing　that　had
happened　and　every　word　that　had　been　spoken　between　us；　some　of　which
I　had　forgotten。　Of　one　thing　only　she　said　nothingthe　kisses　with
which　we　parted。　Amongst　much　else；　she　spoke　of　how　the　ancient　sword
had　shorn　through　the　armour　of　the　French　knight；　and　I　told　her　that
the　sword　was　named　Wave…Flame　and　that　it　had　come　down　to　me　from　my
ancestor；　Thorgrimmer　the　Viking；　and　of　what　was　written　on　its
blade；　to　all　of　which　she　listened　greedily。

〃And　they　thought　you　not　fit　to　sit　at　meat　with　them；　you　whose　race
is　so　old　and　who　are　so　great　a　warrior；　as　you　showed　that　day。　And
it　is　to　you　that　I　owe　my　life　and　more　than　life；　to　you　and　not　to
them。〃

So　saying　she　shot　a　glance　at　me　that　pierced　me　through　and　through；
as　my　arrows　had　pierced　the　Frenchmen；　and　what　is　more　beneath　the
cover　of　the　board　for　a　moment　let　her　slim　hand　rest　upon　my　own。

After　this　for　a　while　we　were　silent；　for　indeed　I　could　not　speak。
Then　we　talked　on　as　we　could　do　well　enough；　since　there　was　no　one
on　my　left　where　the　board　ended；　and　on　Blanche's　right　was　a　fat　old
lord　who　seemed　to　be　deaf　and　occupied　himself　in　drinking　more　than
he　should　have　done。　I　told　her　much　about　myself；　also　what　my　mother
had　said　to　me　on　the　day　of　the　Burning；　and　of　how　she　had
prophesied　that　I　should　be　a　wanderer；　words　at　which　Blanche　sighed
and　answered：

〃Yet　you　seem　to　be　well　planted　in　London　and　in　rich　soil；　Master
Hubert。〃

〃Aye；　Lady；　but　it　is　not　my　native　soil　and　for　the　rest　we　go　where
Fate　leads　us。〃

〃Fate！　What　does　that　word　bring　to　my　mind？　I　have　it；　yonder　Moor　of
yours　who　makes　those　jewels。　He　has　the　very　eyes　of　Fate　and　I　fear
him。〃

〃That　is　strange；　Lady；　and　yet　not　so　strange；　for　about　this　man
there　is　something　fateful。　Ever　he　swears　to　me　that　I　shall
accompany　him　to　some　dim　land　where　he　was　born；　of　which　land　he　is
a　prince。〃

Then　I　told　her　all　the　story　of　Kari；　to　which　she　listened　open…eyed
and　wondering；　saying　when　I　had　finished；

〃So　you　saved　this　poor　wanderer　also；　and　doubtless　he　loves　you
well。〃

〃Yes；　Lady；　almost　too　well；　seeing　that　at　times　he　is　jealous　of　me；
though　God　knows　I　did　little　for　him　save　pick　him　from　a　crowd　upon
the　quay。〃

〃Ah！　I　guess　it；　who　saw　him　watching　you　the　other　day。　Yet　it　is
strange；　for　I　thought　that　only　women　could　be　jealous　of　men；　and
men　of　women。　Hush！　they　are　mocking　us　because　we　talk　so　friendly。〃

I　looked　up；　following　her　glance；　and　saw　that　Deleroy　and　the　two
fine　ladies　between　whom　he　sat；　all　of　whom　appeared　to　have　had
enough　of　wine；　were　pointing　at　us。　Indeed；　in　a　silence；　such　as　now
and　again　happens　at　feasts；　I　heard　one　of　them　say；

〃You　had　best　beware　lest　that　fair　white　dove　of　yours　does　not　slip
your　hand　and　begin　to　coo　in　another's　ear；　my　Lord　Deleroy；〃　and
heard　his　answer；

〃Nay；　I　have　her　too　fast；　and　who　cares　for　a　pining　dove　whereof　the
feathers　adorn　another's　cap？〃

Whilst　I　was　wondering　what　this　dark　talk　might　mean　the　company
broke　up；　the　lady　Blanche　gliding　away　through　a　door　at　the　back　of
the　dais；　followed；　as　I　noted；　by　Deleroy　who　seemed　flushed　and
angry。

Many　times　I　visited　that　prodigal　house　which　seemed　to　me　to　be　the
haunt　of　folk　who；　however　highly　placed　and　greatly　favoured　at
Court；　were　as　loose　in　their　lives　as　they　were　in　their　talk。
Indeed；　although　I　was　no　saint；　I　liked　them　not　at　all；　especially
the　men　with　their　scented　hair；　turned…up　shoes；　and　party…coloured
clothes。　Nor　as　I　thought；　did　Sir　Robert　Aleys　like　them；　who；
whatever　his　faults；　was　a　bluff　knight　of　the　older　sort；　who　had
fought　with　credit　in　the　French　wars。　Yet　I　noted　that　he　seemed　to
be　helpless　in　their　hands；　or　rather　in　those　of　Deleroy；　the　King's
favourite；　who　was　the　chief　of　all　the　gang。　It　was　as　though　that
gay　and　handsome　young　man　had　some　hold　over　the　old　soldier；　yes；
and　over　his　daughter　also；　though　what　this　might　be　I　could　not
guess。

Now　I　will　move　on　with　the　tale。　In　due　course　the　parchments　were
signed　and　delivered；　and　the　money　in　good　gold　was　paid　over　on　my
behalf；　after　which　the　great　household　at　Westminster　became　more
prodigal　than　before。　But　when　the　time　came　for　the　discharge　of　the
interest　due　not　a　groat　was　forthcoming。　Then　afterwards　there　was
talk　of　my　taking　over　certain　of　the　pledged　lands　in　lieu　of　this
interest。　Sir　Robert　suggested　this　and　I　assented；　because　Blanche
had　told　me　that　it　would　help　her　father。　Only　when　the　matter　was
set　on　foot　by　my　lawyers　was　it　found　that　these　lands　were　not　his
to　transfer；　inasmuch　as　they　had　been　already　mortgaged　to　their
value。

Then　there　was　a　fierce　quarrel　between　Sir　Robert　Aleys　and　the　lord
Deleroy；　at　which　I　was　present。　Sir　Robert　with　many　oaths　accused
his　cousin　of　having　forged　his　name　when　he　was　absent　in　France；
while　Deleroy　declared　that　what　he　did　was　done　with　due　authority。
Almost　they　drew　swords　on　each　other；　till　at　length　Deleroy　took
Aleys　aside　and　with　a　fierce