sir nigel-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Mary　stood　irresolute　and　greatly　troubled；　holding　down　her　pride
and　her　anger；　but　uncertain　how　best　to　deal　with　this　strong
wayward　spirit。

〃It　is　not　a　time　for　bitter　words；　dear　sister；〃　said　she；　and
again　she　laid　her　hand　upon　her　sister's　sleeve。　　〃All　that　you
say　may　be　true。　　There　was　indeed　a　time　when　this　man　was　friend
to　us　both；　and　I　know　even　as　you　do　the　power　which　he　may　have
to　win　a　woman's　heart。　　But　I　know　him　now；　and　you　do　not。　　I
know　the　evil　that　he　has　wrought；　the　dishonor　that　he　has
brought；　the　perjury　that　lies　upon　his　soul；　the　confidence
betrayed；　the　promise　unfulfilled　…　all　this　I　know。　　Am　I　to　see
my　own　sister　caught　in　the　same　well…used　trap？　　Has　it　shut　upon
you；　child？　　Am　I　indeed　already　too　late？　　For　God's　sake；　tell
me；　Edith；　that　it　is　not　so？〃

Edith　plucked　her　sleeve　from　her　sister　and　made　two　swift　steps
to　the　head　of　the　table。　　Paul　de　la　Fosse　still　sat　silent　with
his　eyes　upon　Nigel。　　Edith　laid　her　hand　upon　his　shoulder：　〃This
is　the　man　I　love；　and　the　only　man　that　I　have　ever　loved。　　This
is　my　husband；〃　said　she。

At　the　word　Mary　gave　a　cry　of　joy。

〃And　is　it　so？〃　she　cried。　　〃Nay；　then　all　is　in　honor；　and　God
will　see　to　the　rest。　　If　you　are　man　and　wife　before　the　altar；
then　indeed　why　should　I；　or　any　other；　stand　between　you？　　Tell
me　that　it　is　indeed　so；　and　I　return　this　moment　to　make　your
father　a　happy　man。〃

Edith　pouted　like　a　naughty　child。　　〃We　are　man　and　wife　in　the
eyes　of　God。　　Soon　also　we　shall　be　wedded　before　all　the　world。
We　do　but　wait　until　next　Monday　when　Paul's　brother；　who　is　a
priest　at　St。　Albans；　will　come　to　wed　us。　　Already　a　messenger
has　sped　for　him；　and　he　will　come；　will　he　not；　dear　love？〃

〃He　will　come；〃　said　the　master　of　Shalford；　still　with　his　eyes
fixed　upon　the　silent　Nigel。

〃It　is　a　lie；　he　will　not　come；〃　said　a　voice　from　the　door。

It　was　the　old　priest；　who　had　followed　the　others　as　far　as　the
threshold。

〃He　will　not　come；〃　he　repeated　as　he　advanced　into　the　room。
〃Daughter；　my　daughter；　hearken　to　the　words　of　one　who　is　indeed
old　enough　to　be　your　earthly　father。　　This　lie　has　served　before。
He　has　ruined　others　before　you　with　it。　　The　man　has　no　brother
at　Saint　Albans。　　I　know　his　brothers　well；　and　there　is　no　priest
among　them。　　Before　Monday；　when　it　is　all　too　late；　you　will　have
found　the　truth　as　others　have　done　before　you。　　Trust　him　not；
but　come　with　us！〃

Paul　de　la　Fosse　looked　up　at　her　with　a　quick　smile　and　patted
the　hand　upon　his　shoulder。

〃Do　you　speak　to　them；　Edith；〃　said　he。

Her　eyes　flashed　with　scorn　as　she　surveyed　them　each　in　turn；　the
woman；　the　youth　and　the　priest。

〃I　have　but　one　word　to　say　to　them；〃　said　she。　　〃It　is　that　they
go　hence　and　trouble　us　no　more。　　Am　I　not　a　free　woman？　　Have　I
not　said　that　this　is　the　only　man　I　ever　loved？　　I　have　loved　him
long。　　He　did　not　know　it；　and　in　despair　he　turned　to　another。
Now　he　knows　all　and　never　again　can　doubt　come　between　us。
Therefore　I　will　stay　here　at　Shalford　and　come　to　Cosford　no　more
save　upon　the　arm　of　my　husband。　　Am　I　so　weak　that　I　would
believe　the　tales　you　tell　against　him？　　Is　it　hard　for　a　jealous
woman　and　a　wandering　priest　to　agree　upon　a　lie？　　No；　no；　Mary；
you　can　go　hence　and　take　your　cavalier　and　your　priest　with　you；
for　here　I　stay；　true　to　my　love　and　safe　in　my　trust　upon　his
honor！〃

〃Well　spoken；　on　my　faith；　my　golden　bird！〃　said　the　little　master
of　Shalford。　　〃Let　me　add　my　own　word　to　that　which　has　been　said。
You　would　not　grant　me　any　virtue　in　your　unkindly　speech；　good
Lady　Mary；　and　yet　you　must　needs　confess　that　at　least　I　have
good　store　of　patience；　since　I　have　not　set　my　dogs　upon　your
friends　who　have　come　between　me　and　my　ease。　　But　even　to　the
most　virtuous　there　comes　at　last　a　time　when　poor　human　frailty
may　prevail；　and　so　I　pray　you　to　remove　both　yourself；　your
priest　and　your　valiant　knight　errant；　lest　perhaps　there　be　more
haste　and　less　dignity　when　at　last　you　do　take　your　leave。　　Sit
down；　my　fair　love；　and　let　us　turn　once　more　to　our　supper。〃　He
motioned　her　to　her　chair；　and　he　filled　her　wine…cup　as　well　as
his　own。

Nigel　had　said　no　word　since　he　had　entered　the　room；　but　his　look
had　never　lost　its　set　purpose；　nor　had　his　brooding　eyes　ever
wandered　from　the　sneering　face　of　the　deformed　master　of
Shalford。　　Now　he　turned　with　swift　decision　to　Mary　and　to　the
priest。

〃That　is　over；〃　said　he　in　a　low　voice。　　〃You　have　done　all　that
you　could；　and　now　it　is　for　me　to　play　my　part　as　well　as　I　am
able。　　I　pray　you；　Mary；　and　you；　good　father；　that　you　will　await
me　outside。〃

〃Nay；　Nigel；　if　there　is　danger　…　〃

〃It　is　easier　for　me；　Mary；　if　you　are　not　there。　　I　pray　you　to
go。　　I　can　speak　to　this　man　more　at　my　ease。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　questioning　eyes　and　then　obeyed。

Nigel　plucked　at　the　priest's　gown。

〃I　pray　you；　father；　have　you　your　book　of　offices　with　you？〃

〃Surely；　Nigel；　it　is　ever　in　my　breast。〃

〃Have　it　ready；　father！〃

〃For　what；　my　son？〃

〃There　are　two　places　you　may　mark；　there　is　the　service　of
marriage　and　there　is　the　prayer　for　the　dying。　　Go　with　her；
father；　and　be　ready　at　my　call。〃

He　closed　the　door　behind　them　and　was　alone　with　this　ill…matched
couple。　　They　both　turned　in　their　chairs　to　look　at　him；　Edith
with　a　defiant　face；　the　man　with　a　bitter　smile　upon　his　lips　and
malignant　hatred　in　his　eyes。

〃What；〃　said　he；　〃the　knight　errant　still　lingers？　　Have　we　not
heard　of　his　thirst　for　glory？　　What　new　venture　does　he　see　that
he　should　tarry　here？〃

Nigel　walked　to　the　table。

〃There　is　no　glory　and　little　venture；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　have　come
for　a　purpose　and　I　must　do　it。　　I　learn　from　your　own　lips；
Edith；　that　you　will　not　leave　this　man。〃

〃If　you　have　ears　you　have　heard　it。〃

〃You　are；　as　you　have　said；　a　free　woman；　and　who　can　gainsay　you？
But　I　have　known　you；　Edith；　since　we　played　as　boy　and　girl　on
the　heather…hills　together。　　I　will　save　you　from　this　man's
cunning　and　from　your　own　foolish　weakness。〃

〃What　would　you　do？〃

〃There　is　a　priest　without。　　He　will　marry　you　now。　　I　will　see
you　married　ere　I　leave　this　hall。〃

〃Or　else？〃　sneered　the　man。

〃Or　else　you　never　leave　this　hall　alive。　　Nay；　call　not　for　your
servants　or　your　dogs！　　By　Saint　Paul！　　I　swear　to　you　that　this
matter　lies　between　us　three；　and　that　if　any　fourth　comes　at　your
call　you；　at　least；　shall　never　live　to　see　what　comes　of　it！
Speak　then；　Paul　of　Shalford！　　Will　you　wed　this　woman　now；　or
will　you　not？〃

Edith　was　on　her　feet　with　outstretched　arms　between　them。　　〃Stand
back；　Nigel！　　He　is　small　and　weak。　　You　would　not　do　him　a　hurt！
Did　you　not　say　so　this　very　day？　　For　God's　sake；　Nigel；　do　not
look　at　him　so！　　There　is　death　in　your　eyes。〃

〃A　snake　may　be　small　and　weak；　Edith；　yet　every　honest　man　would
place　his　heel　upon　it。　　Do　you　stand　back　yourself；　for　my
purpose　is　set。〃

〃Paul！〃　she　turned　her　eyes　to　the　pale　sneering　face。　　〃Bethink
you；　Paul！　　Why　should　you　not　do　what　he　asks？　　What　matter　to
you　whether　it　be　now　or　on　Monday？　　I　pray　you；　dear　Paul；　for　my
sake　let　him　have　his　way！　　Your　brother　can　read　the　service
again　if　it　so　please　him。　　Let　us　wed　now；　Paul；　and　then　all　is
well。〃

He　had　risen　from　his　chair；　and　he　dashed　aside　her　appealing
hands。　　〃You　foolish　woman；〃　he　snarled；　〃and　you；　my　savior　of
fair　damsels；　who　are　so　bold　against　a　cripple；　you　have　both　to
learn　that　if　my　body　be　weak　there　is　the　soul　of　my　breed　within
it！　　To　marry　because　a　boasting；　ranting；　country　Squire　would
have　me　do　so　…　no；　by　the　soul　of　God；　I　will　die　first！　　On
Monday　I　will　marry；　and　no　day　sooner；　so　let　that　be　your
answer。〃

〃It　is　the　answer　that　I　wished；〃　said　Nigel；　〃for　indeed　I　see　no
happiness　in　this　marriage；　and　the　other　may　well　be　the　better
way。　　Stand　aside；　Edith！〃　　He　gently　forced　her　to　one　side　and
drew　his　sword。

De　la　Fosse　cried　aloud　at　the　sight。　　〃I　have　no　sword。　　You
would　not　murder　me？〃　said　he；　leaning　back　with　haggard…face　and
burning