the virgin of the sun-第22章

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unstained　as　you　believe？　If　you　would　gather　such　a　lily；　surely　you
should　seek　it　in　a　country　garden；　not　in　the　reek　of　London。〃

〃I　neither　know　nor　care；〃　I　answered；　whose　blood　was　all　afire。　〃I
know　only　that　wherever　you　grow　and　from　whatever　soil；　you　are　the
flower　I　would　pluck。〃

〃Bethink　you　again；　an　ugly　slug　might　have　smeared　my　whiteness。〃

〃If　so　the　honest　sun　and　rain　will　recover　and　wash　it　and　I　am　a
gardener　who　scatters　lime　to　shrivel　slugs。〃

〃If　to　this　one　you　will　not　listen；　then　hear　another　argument。
Perchance　I　do　not　love　you。　Would　you　win　a　loveless　bride？〃

〃Perchance　you　can　learn　of　love；　or　if　not；　I　have　enough　to　serve
for　two。〃

〃By　my　faith！　it　should　not　be　difficult　with　a　man　so　honest　and　so
well　favoured。　And　yeta　further　plea。　My　cousin　Deleroy　has　cheated
you〃　（here　her　face　hardened）；　〃and　I　think　I　am　offered　to　you　by　my
father　in　satisfaction　of　his　honour；　as　men　who　have　no　gold　offer　a
house　or　a　horse　to　close　a　debt。〃

〃It　is　not　so。　I　prayed　you　of　your　father。　The　loss；　if　loss　there
be；　is　but　a　chance　of　trade；　such　as　I　face　every　day。　Still；　I　will
be　plain　and　tell　you　that　I　risked　it　with　open　eyes；　expecting
nothing　less；　that　I　might　come　near　to　you。〃

Now　she　sat　herself　down　in　a　chair；　covering　her　face　with　her　hands；
and　I　saw　from　the　trembling　of　her　body　that　she　was　sobbing。　While　I
wondered　what　to　do；　for　the　sight　wrung　me；　she　let　fall　her　hands
and　there　were　tears　upon　her　face。

〃Shall　I　tell　you　all　my　story；　you　good；　simple　gentleman？〃　she
asked。

〃Nay；　only　two　things。　Are　you　the　wife　of　some　other　man？〃

〃Not　so；　though　perhapsonce　I　went　near　to　it。　What　is　the　other
question？〃

〃Do　you　love　some　other　man　so　that　your　heart　tells　you　it　is　not
possible　that　you　should　ever　love　me？〃

〃No；　I　do　not；〃　she　answered　almost　fiercely；　〃but　by　the　Rood！　I　hate
one。〃

〃Which　is　no　affair　of　mine；〃　I　said；　laughing。　〃For　the　rest；　let　it
sleep。　Few　are　they　that　know　life's　wars　who　have　no　scar　to　hide；
and　I　am　not　one　of　them；　though　in　truth　your　lips　made　the　deepest
yonder　by　the　cave　at　Hastings。〃

When　she　heard　this　she　coloured　to　her　brow　and　forgetting　her　tears；
laughed　outright；　while　I　went　on：

〃Therefore　let　the　past　be　and　if　it　is　your　will；　let　us　set　our　eyes
upon　the　future。　Only　one　promise　would　I　ask　of　you；　that　never　again
will　you　be　alone　with　the　lord　Deleroy；　since　one　so　light…fingered
with　a　pen　would；　I　think；　steal　other　things。〃

〃By　my　soul！　the　last　thing　I　desire　is　to　be　alone　with　my　cousin
Deleroy。〃

Now　she　rose　from　the　chair　and　for　a　little　while　we　stood　facing
each　other。　Then　she　very　slightly　opened　her　arms　and　lifted　her　face
towards　me。

Thus　did　Blanche　Aleys　and　I　become　affianced；　though　afterwards；　when
I　thought　the　business　over；　I　remembered　that　never　once　did　she　say
that　she　would　marry　me。　This；　however；　troubled　me　little；　since　in
such　matters　it　is　what　women　do　that　weighs；　not　what　they　say。　For
the　rest　I　was　mad　with　love　of　her；　also　both　then　and　as　the　days
went　by；　more　and　more　did　she　seem　to　be　travelling　on　this　same　road
of　Love。　If　not；　indeed　she　acted　well。

Within　a　month　we　were　wed　on　a　certain　October　day　in　the　church　of
St。　Margaret's　at　Westminster。　Once　it　was　agreed　all　desired　to　push
on　this　marriage；　and　not　least　Blanche　herself。　Sir　Robert　Aleys　said
that　he　wished　to　be　gone　from　London　to　his　estates　in　Sussex；　having
had　enough　of　the　Court　and　its　ways；　desiring　there　to　live　quietly
till　the　end；　I；　being　so　much　in　love；　was　on　fire　for　my　bride；　and
Blanche　herself　vowed　that　she　was　eager　to　become　my　wife；　saying
that　our　courtship；　which　began　on　Hastings　Hill；　had　lasted　long
enough。　For　the　rest；　there　was　nothing　to　cause　delay。　I　cancelled
Sir　Robert's　debt　to　me　and　signed　a　deed　in　favour　of　his　daughter
and　her　offspring；　whereof　I　gave　a　copy　to　his　lawyer　and　there　was
nought　else　to　be　done　except　to　prepare　my　house　for　her　which；　with
money　at　command；　was　easy。

No　great　business　was　made　of　this　marriage；　since　neither　his　kin　nor
Sir　Robert　himself　wished　to　noise　it　about　that　his　only　child；　the
last　of　his　House；　was　taking　a　merchant　for　her　husband　to　save　her
and　him　from　wreck。　Nor　did　I；　the　merchant；　wish　to　provoke　talk
amongst　those　of　my　own　station；　especially　as　it　was　known　that　I　had
advanced　moneys　to　these　fine　folks　of　the　Court。　So　it　came　about
that　few　were　asked　to　the　ceremony　that　was　fixed　for　an　early　hour；
and　of　these　not　many　came；　because　on　that　day；　although　it　was　but
October；　a　great　gale　with　storms　of　rain　began　to　blow；　the　greatest
indeed　that　I　had　known　in　my　life。

Thus　it　chanced　that　we　were　wed　in　an　almost　empty　church　while　the
fierce　wind；　thundering　against　the　windows；　overcame　the　feeble　voice
of　the　old　priest；　so　that　he　looked　like　one　acting　in　a　show　without
words。　The　darkness　caused　by　the　thick　rain　was　so　deep；　also；　that
scarce　could　I　see　my　bride's　lovely　face　or　find　the　finger　upon
which　I　must　set　the　ring。

At　length　it　was　done　and　we　went　down　the　aisle　to　find　our　horses
whereon　we　must　ride　to　my　house　in　Cheapside；　where　there　was　to　be　a
feast　for　my　dependents　and　such　of　my　few　friends　as　cared　to　come；
among　whom　were　not　numbered　any　grand　folk　from　Westminster。　As　we
drew　near　the　church　door　I　noted　among　those　who　were　present　those
two　gaudy　ladies　between　whom　Deleroy　had　sat　at　that　meal　after　the
business　of　the　loan　was　settled。　Moreover；　I　heard　one　of　them　say：

〃What　will　Deleroy　do　when　he　comes　back　to　find　his　darling　gone？〃
and　the　other　answer　with　a　high　laugh：

〃Seek　another；　doubtless；　or　borrow　more　money　from　the　merchant；
and〃　Here　I　lost　their　talk　in　the　rush　of　the　wind　through　the
opened　door。

In　the　porch　was　old　Sir　Robert　Aleys。

〃Mother　of　God！〃　he　shouted；　〃may　the　rest　of　the　lives　of　you　two　be
smoother　than　your　nuptials。　No　Cheapside　feast　for　me；　I'm　for　home
in　such　fiend's　weather。　Farewell；　son　Hubert；　and　all　joy　to　you。
Farewell；　Blanche。　Learn　to　be　obedient　as　a　wife　and　keep　your　eyes
for　your　husband's　face；　that　is　my　counsel　to　you。　Till　we　meet　again
at　Christmastide　in　Sussex；　whither　I　ride　to…morrow；　farewell　to　both
of　you。〃

Farewell；　it　was　indeed；　for　never　did　either　of　us　look　on　him　again。

Wrapped　close　in　our　cloaks　we　battled　through　the　storm　and　at
length；　somewhat　breathless；　reached　my　house　in　the　Cheap　where　the
garlands　of　autumn　flowers　and　greenery　that　I　had　caused　to　be
wreathed　from　posts　before　the　door　were　all　torn　away　by　the　gale。
Here　I　welcomed　my　wife　as　best　I　could；　kissing　her　as　she　crossed
the　threshold　and　saying　certain　sweet　words　that　I　had　prepared；　to
which　she　smiled　an　answer。　Then　the　women　took　her　to　her　chamber　to
make　herself　ready　and　afterwards　came　the　feast；　which　was　sumptuous
of　its　sort；　though　the　evil　weather　kept　some　of　the　guests　away。

Scarcely　had　it　begun　when　Kari；　who　of　late　had　been　sad…faced　and
brooding；　and　who　did　not　eat　with　us；　entered　and　whispered　to　me
that　my　Master　of　Lading　from　the　docks　prayed　to　see　me　at　once　on　a
matter　which　would　brook　no　delay。　Making　excuse　to　Blanche　and　the
company；　I　went　out　to　see　him　in　the　shop　and　found　the　man　much
disturbed。　It　seemed　that　a　certain　vessel　of　mine　that　I　had
rechristened　/Blanche/　in　honour　of　my　wife；　which　lay　in　the　stream
ready　to　sail；　was　in　great　danger　because　of　the　tempest。　Indeed；　she
was　dragging　at　her　anchor；　and　it　was　feared　that　unless　more　anchors
could　be　let　down　she　would　come　ashore　and　be　wrecked　against　the
jetty…heads　or　otherwise。　The　reason　why　this　had　not　been　done；　was
that　only　the　master　and　one　sailor　were　on　board　the　vessel；　the　rest
were　feasting　ashore　in　honour　of　my　marriage；　and　refused　to　row　out
to　her；　saying　that　the　boat　would　be　swamped　in　the　gale。

Now　this　ship；　although　not　very　large；　was　the　best　and　staunchest
that　I　owned；　being　almost　new；　moreover；　the　cargo　on　board　of　her；
laden　for　the　Mediterranean；　was　of　great　value；　so　great　indeed　that
its　loss