historic girls-第16章

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who　was　as　rough　and　repelling　as　a　chestnut　burr；　had　seen；

noticed；　and　expressed　a　particular　interest　in　the

eleven…year…old　Scottish　girlthis　very　Princess　Edith　who　now

sought　his　protection。



So；　when　this　wandering　uncle　boldly　threw　himself　upon　Norman

courtesy；　and　came　with　his　homeless　nephews　and　nieces　straight

to　the　Norman　court　for　safety；　King　William　Rufus　not　only

received　these　children　of　his　hereditary　foeman　with　favor　and

royal　welcome；　but　gave　them　comfortable　lodgment　in　quaint　old

Gloucester　town；　where　be　held　his　court。



But　even　when　the　royal　fugitives　deemed　themselves　safest　were

they　in　the　greatest　danger。



Among　the　attendant　knights　and　nobles　of　King　William's　court

was　a　Saxon　knight　known　as　Sir　Ordgar；　a　〃thegn；〃＇1＇　or　baronet；

of　Oxfordshire；　and　because　those　who　change　their

opinionspolitical　or　otherwiseoften　prove　the　most

unrelenting　enemies　of　their　former　associates；　it　came　to　pass

that　Sir　Ordgar；　the　Saxon；　conceived　a　strong　dislike　for　these

orphaned　descendants　of　the　Saxon　kings；　and　convinced　himself

that　the　best　way　to　secure　himself　in　the　good　graces　of　the

Norman　King　William　was　to　slander　and　accuse　the　children　of　the

Saxon　Queen　Margaret。



＇1＇　Pronounced　thane。





And　so　that　very　day；　in　the　great　hall；　when　wine　was　flowing

and　passions　were　strong；　this　false　knight；　raising　his　glass；

bade　them　all　drink：　〃Confusion　to　the　enemies　of　our　liege　the

king；　from　the　base　Philip　of　France　to　the　baser　Edgar　the

Atheling　and　his　Scottish　brats！〃



This　was　an　insult　that　even　the　heavy　and　peace…loving　nature　of

Edgar　the　Atheling　could　not　brook。　He　sprang　to　his　feet　and

denounced　the　charge：



〃None　here　is　truer　or　more　leal　to　you；　lord　king；〃　he　said；

〃than　am　I；　Edgar　the　Atheling；　and　my　charges；　your　guests。〃



But　King　William　Rufus　was　of　that　changing；　temper　that　goes

with　jealousy　and　suspicion。　His　flushed　face　grew　still　more

red；　and；　turning　away　from　the　Saxon　prince；　he　demanded：



〃Why　make　you　this　charge；　Sir　Ordgar？



〃Because　of　its　truth；　beausire；〃　said　the　faithless　knight。　〃For

what　other　cause　hath　this　false　Atheling　sought　sanctuary　here；

save　to　use　his　own　descent　from　the　ancient　kings　of　this　realm

to　make　head　and　force　among　your　lieges？　And；　his　eldest

kinsgirl　here；　the　Princess　Edith；　hath　she　not　been　spreading　a

trumpery　story　among　the　younger　folk；　of　how　some　old

wyrd…wif＇1＇　hath　said　that　she　who　is　the　daughter　of　kings　shall

be　the　wife　and　mother　of　kings？　And　is　it　not　further　true　that

when　her　aunt；　the　Abbess　of　Romsey；　bade　her　wear　the　holy　veil；

she　hath　again　and　yet　again　torn　it　off；　and　affirmed　that　she；

who　was　to　be　a　queen；　could　never　be　made　a　nun？　Children　and

fools；　't　is　said；　do　speak　the　truth；　beausire；　and　in　all　this

do　I　see　the　malice　and　device　of　this　false　Atheling；　the　friend

of　your　rebellious　brother；　Duke　Robert；　as　you　do　know　him　to

be；　and　I　do　brand　him　here；　in　this　presence；　as　traitor　and

recreant　to　you；　his　lord。〃



＇1＇　Witch…wife　or　seeress。





The　anger　of　the　jealous　king　grew　more　unreasoning　as　Sir　Ordgar

went　on。



〃Enough！〃　he　cried。　〃Seize　the　traitor；or；　stay；　children　and

fools；　as　you　have　said；　Sir　Ordgar；　do　indeed　speak　the　truth。

Have　in　the　girl　and　let　us　hear　the　truth。　'Not　seemly'？　Sir

Atheling；〃　he　broke　out　in　reply　to　some　protest　of　Edith's

uncle。　〃Aught　is　seemly　that　the　king　doth　wish。　Holo！　Raoul！

Damian！　sirrah　pages！　Run；　one　of　you；　and　seek　the　Princess

Edith；　and　bring　her　here　forthwith！〃



And　while　Edgar　the　Atheling；　realizing　that　this　was　the　gravest

of　all　his　dangers；　strove；　though　without　effect；　to　reason　with

the　angry　king；　Damian；　the　page；　as　we　have　seen；　hurried　after

the　Princess　Edith。



〃How　now；　mistress！〃　broke　out　the　Red　King；　as　the　young　girl

was　ushered　into　the　banquet…hall；　where　the　disordered　tables；

strewn　with　fragments　of　the　feast；　showed　the　ungentle　manners

of　those　brutal　days。　〃How　now；　mistress！　do　you　prate　of　kings

and　queens　and　of　your　own　designsyou；　who　are　but　a　beggar

guest？　Is　it　seemly　or　wise　to　talk；nay；　keep　you　quiet；　Sir

Atheling；　we　will　have　naught　from　you；to　talk　of　thrones　and

crowns　as　if　you　did　even　now　hope　to　win　the　realm　from　mefrom

me；　your　only　protector？〃



The　Princess　Edith　was　a　very　high…spirited　maiden；　as　all　the

stories　of　her　girlhood　show。　And　this　unexpected　accusation；

instead　of　frightening　her；　only　served　to　embolden　her。　She

looked　the　angry　monarch　full　in　the　face。



〃　'T　is　a　false　and　lying　charge；　lord　king；〃　she　said；　〃from

whomsoever　it　may　come。　Naught　have　I　said　but　praise　of　you　and

your　courtesy　to　us　motherless　folk。　'T　is　a　false　and　lying

charge；　and　I　am　ready　to　stand　test　of　its　proving；　come　what

may。〃



〃Even　to　the　judgment　of　God；　girl？〃　demanded　the　king。



And　the　brave　girl　made　instant　reply：　〃Even　to　the　judgment　of

God；　lord　king。〃　Then；　skilled　in　all　the　curious　customs　of

those　warlike　times；　she　drew　off　her　glove。　〃Whosoever　my

accuser　be；　lord　king；〃　she　said；　〃I　do　denounce　him　as　foresworn

and　false；　and　thus　do　I　throw　myself　upon　God's　good　mercy；　if

it　shall　please　him　to　raise　me　up　a　champion。〃　And　she　flung　her

glove　upon　the　floor　of　the　hall；　in　face　of　the　king　and　all　his

barons。



It　was　a　bold　thing　for　a　girl　to　do；　and　a　murmur　of　applause

ran　through　even　that　unfriendly　throng。　For；　to　stand　the　test

of　a　〃wager　of　battle；〃　or　the　〃judgment　of　God；〃　as　the　savage

contest　was　called；　was　the　last　resort　of　any　one　accused　of

treason　or　of　crime。　It　meant　no　less　than　a　〃duel　to　the　death〃

between　the　accuser　and　the　accused　or　their　accepted　champions；

and；　upon　the　result　of　the　duel　hung　the　lives　of　those　in

dispute。　And　the　Princess　Edith's　glove　lying　on　the　floor　of　the

Abbey　hall　was　her　assertion　that　she　had　spoken　the　truth　and

was　willing　to　risk　her　life　in　proof　of　her　innocence。



Edgar　the　Atheling；　peace…lover；　though　he　was；　would　gladly　have

accepted　the　post　of　champion　for　his　niece；　but；　as　one　also

involved　in　the　charge　of　treason；　such　action　was　denied　him。



For　the　moment；　the　Red　King's　former　admiration　for　this　brave

young　princess　caused　him　to　waver；　but　those　were　days　when

suspicion　and　jealousy　rose　above　all　nobler　traits。　His　face

grew　stern　again。



〃Ordgar　of　Oxford；〃　he　said；　〃take　up　the　glove！〃　and　Edith　knew

who　was　her　accuser。　Then　the　King　asked：　〃Who　standeth　as

champion　for　Edgar　the　Atheling　and　this　maid；　his　niece？〃



Almost　before　the　words　were　spoken　young　Robert　Fitz　Godwine　had

sprung　to　Edith's　side。



〃That　would　I；　lord　king；　if　a　young　squire　might　appear　against

a　belted　knight！〃



〃Ordgar　of　Oxford　fights　not　with　boys！〃　said　the　accuser

contemptuously。



The　king's　savage　humor　broke　out　again。



〃Face　him　with　your　own　page；　Sir　Ordgar；〃　he　said；　with　a　grim

laugh。　〃Boy　against　boy　would　be　a　fitting　wager　for　a　young

maid's　life。〃　But　the　Saxon　knight　was　in　no　mood　for　sport。



〃Nay；　beausire；　this　is　no　child's　play；〃　he　said。　〃I　care　naught

for　this　girl。　I　stand　as　champion　for　the　king　against　yon

traitor　Atheling；　and　if　the　maiden's　cause　is　his；　why　then

against　her　too。　This　is　a　man's　quarrel。〃



Young　Robert　would　have　spoken　yet　again　as　his　face　flushed　hot

with　anger　at　the　knight's　contemptuous　words。　But　a　firm　hand

was　laid　upon　his　shoulder；　and　a　strong　voice　said：



〃Then　is　it　mine；　Sir　Ordgar。　If　between　man　and　man；　then　will

I；　with　the　gracious　permission　of　our　lord　the　king；　stand　as

champion　for　this　maiden　here　and　for　my　good　lord；　the　noble

Atheling；　whose　liegeman　and　whose　man　am　I；　next　to　you；　lord

king。〃　And；　taking　the　mate　to　the　glove　which　the　Princess　Edith

had　flung　down　in　defiance；　he　thrust　it　into　the　guard　of　his

cappe。　line；　o