the gathering of brother hilarius-第6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！


e　will　of　the　whispering　wind？

〃As　well　seek　Heaven's　gate　in　yon　fair　reflection　as　learn　to　love　in　this　light…minded；　deceitful　city；〃　Hilarius　said　to　himself　a　little　bitterly。　　He　deemed　that　he　had　plumbed　its　hollowness　and　learnt　the　full　measure　of　its　vanity。　　Already　he　shunned　the　company　and　diversions　of　his　fellow　pages；　though　he　was　ever　ready　to　serve　them。　　A　prentice　lad's　homely　brawl　set　him　shivering；　a　woman's　jest　painted　his　cheeks　'til　they　rivalled　a　young　maid's　at　her　first　wooing。　　He　plucked　aside　his　skirts　and　walked　in　judgment；　only　wherever　mountebank　or　juggler　held　the　crowd　enthralled；　there　Hilarius；　half…ashamed；　would　push　his　way；　in　the　unacknowledged　hope　of　seeing　again　the　maid　whose　mother；　like　his　own；　was　light　o'　love：　　a　strange　link　truly　to　bind　Hilarius　in　his　blindness　to　the　rest　of　poor　sinful　humanity。

Suddenly　there　broke　on　his　musing　the　clatter　of　horse…hoofs；　and　a　gay　young　page　came　spurring　with　bent　head　under　the　low　archway。　　He　reined　up　by　Hilarius：

〃Dear　lad；　kind　lad；　wilt　thou　do　me　a　service？〃

〃That　will　I；　Hal；　an　it　be　in　my　power。〃

〃Take　this　purse；　then；　to　the　Cock　Tavern　and　give　it　mine　host。　'Tis　Luke　Langland's　reckoning；　he　left　it　with　me　yesternight；　but　my　head　was　full　of　feast　and　tourney；　and　'tis　yet　undelivered。　Mine　host　will　not　let　the　serving　men　and　the　two　horses　go　'til　he　hath　seen　Luke's　money；　and　I　cannot　stay；　for　my　lord　will　need　me。〃

Hilarius　took　the　purse；　and　his　fellow　page；　blessing　him　for　a　good　comrade；　clattered　back　through　the　gateway。

The　streets　were　full　of　life　and　colour；　serving　men　in　the　livery　of　Abbat　and　Knight；　King　and　Cardinal；　lounged　at　the　tavern　doors　dicing；　gaming；　and　drinking。　　Hilarius　walked　delicately　and　strove　to　shut　eyes　and　ears　to　the　sights　and　sounds　of　sin。　　He　delivered　the　purse；　only　to　hear　mine　host　curse　roundly　because　it　was　lighter　than　the　reckoning；　and　after　being　hustled　and　jeered　at　for　a　milk…faced　varlet　by　the　men　who　stood　drinking；　he　sought　with　scarlet　cheeks　for　a　less　frequented　way。

The　quiet　of　a　narrow　street　invited　him；　he　turned　aside；　and　suddenly　traffic　and　turmoil　died　away。　　He　was　in　a　city　within　a　city；　a　place　of　mean　tenements；　wretched　hovels；　ruined　houses；　and；　keeping　guard　over　them　all；　a　grim　square　tower；　blind　save　for　two　windowed　eyes。　　Men；　ill…favoured；　hang…dog；　or　care…worn；　stood　about　the　house　doors　silent　and　moody；　a　white…faced　woman　crossing　the　street　with　a　bucket　gave　no　greeting；　the　very　children　rolling　in　the　foul　gutters　neither　laughed　nor　chattered　nor　played。　　The　city　without　seemed　very　far　from　this　dismal　sordid　place。

Hilarius　felt　a　touch　on　his　shoulder；　and　a　kindly　voice　said：…

〃How　now；　young　sir；　for　what　crime　dost　thou　take　sanctuary？〃

He　looked　up　and　saw　an　old　man　in　the　black　dress　of　an　ecclesiastic；　the　keys　of　St　Peter　broidered　on　his　arm。

〃Sanctuary；〃　stammered　Hilarius；　〃nay；　good　sir；　I　…　〃

The　other　laughed。

〃Wert　thou　star…gazing；　then；　that　thou　could'st　stray　into　these　precincts　and　know　it　not？　　This　is　the　City　of　Refuge　to　which　a　man　may　flee　when　he　has　robbed　or　murdered　his　fellow；　or　been　guilty　of　treason；　seditious　talk；　or　slander　…　a　strange　place　in　which　to　see　such　a　face　as　thine。〃

〃I　did　but　seek　a　quiet　way　home　and　lost　the　turning；〃　said　Hilarius；　〃in　sooth；　'tis　a　fearful　place。〃

〃Ay；　boy；　'tis　a　place　of　darkness　and　despair；　despite　its　safety　…　even　the　King's　arm　falls　short　when　a　man　is　in　these　precincts：　but　from　himself　and　the　knowledge　of　his　crime；　a　man　cannot　flee；　hence　I　say　'tis　a　place　of　darkness　and　despair。〃

The　unspoken　question　shone　in　Hilarius'　eyes；　and　the　other　answered　it。

〃Nay；　there　is　no　blood　on　my　soul；　young　sir。　　'Twas　good　advice　I　gave；　well　meant　but　ill　received；　so　here　I　dwell　to　learn　the　wisdom　of　fools　and　the　foolishness　of　wisdom。〃

〃Does　the　Abbat　know　what　evil　men　these　are　that　seek　the　shelter　of　Holy　Church？〃　asked　Hilarius；　perplexed。

〃Most　surely　he　knows；　but　what　would'st　thou　have？　　It　hath　ever　been　the　part　of　the　Church　to　embrace　sinners　with　open　arms　lest　they　repent。　　A　man　leaves　wrath　behind　him　when　he　flees　hither；　but　should　he　set　foot　in　the　city　without；　he　is　the　law's；　and　no　man　may　gainsay　it。〃

〃Nay；　sir；　but　these　look　far　from　repentance；〃　said　Hilarius。

〃Ay；　ay；　true　eno'；〃　rejoined　the　other　cheerfully；　〃but　then　'tis　not　for　nothing　Mother　Church　holds　the　keys。　　Man's　law　may　fail　to　reach；　but　there　is　ever　hell…fire　for　the　unrepented　sinner。〃

Hilarius　nodded；　and　his　eyes　wandered　over　the　squalid　place　with　the　North　Porch　of　the　Abbey　for　its　sole　beauty。

〃It　must　be　as　hell　here；　to　live　with　robbers　and　men　with　bloody　hands。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　the　old　man　hastily；　〃many　of　them　are　kindly　folk；　and　many　have　slain　in　anger　without　thought。　　'Tis　a　sad　place；　though；　and　thy　young　face　is　like　a　sunbeam　on　a　winter's　day。　Come；　I　will　show　thee　thy　road。〃

He　led　Hilarius　through　the　winding　alleys　and　set　him　once　more　on　the　edge　of　the　city's　stir　and　hum。

〃I　can　no　further；〃　he　said。　　〃Farewell；　young　sir；　and　God　keep　thee！　　An　old　man's　blessing　ne'er　harmed　any　one。〃

Hilarius　gave　him　godden；　and　sped　swiftly　back　through　the　streets　crowded　with　folks　returning　from　the　tourney。　　The　Abbey　bell　rang　out　above　the　shouts　and　din。

〃'Tis　an　evil；　evil　world；〃　quoth　young　Hilarius。



CHAPTER　III　…　A　SENDING　FROM　THE　LORD



OCTOBER　and　November　came　and　sped；　and　Hilarius'　longing　to　be　a　limner　waxed　with　the　waning　year。　　One　day　by　the　waterside　he　met　Martin；　of　whom　he　saw　now　much；　now　little；　for　the　Minstrel　followed　the　Court。

〃The　cage　grows　too　small　for　me；　lad；〃　he　said；　as　he　stood　with　Hilarius　watching　the　sun　sink　below　the　Surrey　uplands；　〃ay；　and　I　love　one　woman；　which　is　ill　for　a　man　of　my　trade。　　I　must　be　away　to　my　mistress；　winter　or　no　winter；　else　my　song　will　die　and　my　heart　break。〃

〃'Tis　even　so　with　me；　good　Martin；〃　said　Hilarius　sadly；　〃I　too　would　fain　go　forth　and　serve　my　mistress；　but　the　cage　door　is　barred；　and　I　may　not　open　it　from　within。〃

Martin　whistled　and　smote　the　lad　friendly　on　the　shoulder。

〃Patience；　lad；　patience；　thou　art　young　yet。　　Eighteen　this　Martinmas；　say　you？　　In　truth　'tis　a　great　age；　but　still　leaves　time　and　to　spare。　　'All　things　come　to　a　waiting　man；'　saith　the　proverb。〃

A　week　later　he　chanced　on　Hilarius　sitting　on　a　bench　under　the　south　wall　of　the　farmery　cloister。　　It　was　a　mild；　melancholy　day；　and　suited　the　Minstrel's　mood。

He　sat　down　by　him　and　told　of　King　and　Court；　then　when　Hilarius　had　once　more　cried　his　longing；　he　said　gravely：…

〃One　comes　who　will　open　more　cage　doors　than　thine　and　mine；　lad　…　and　yet　earn　no　welcome。〃

Hilarius　looked　at　him　questioningly。

〃Lad；　hast　thou　ever　seen　Death？〃

〃Nay；　good　Martin。〃

〃It　comes；　lad；　it　comes；　or　I　am　greatly　at　fault。　　I　saw　the　Plague　once　in　Flanders；　and　fled　against　the　wind；　and　so　came　out　with　a　clean　skin；　now　I　am　like　to　see　it　again；　for　it　has　landed　in　the　south；　and　creeps　this　way。　　Mark　my　words；　lad；　thou　wilt　know　Death　ere　the　winter　is　out；　and　such　as　God　keep　thee　from。〃

Hilarius　understood　little　of　these　words　but　the　sound　of　them；　and　turned　to　speak　of　other　things。

Martin　looked　at　him　gloomily。

〃Best　get　back　to　the　cloister　and　Prior　Stephen；　lad。〃

〃Nay；　good　Martin；　that　may　not　be；　but　I　have　still　a　letter　for　the　Abbat　of　St　Alban's；　and　would　hasten　thither　if　Sir　John　would　set　me　free。　　Methinks　I　am　a　slow　scholar；〃　went　on　poor　Hilarius　ruefully；　〃for　I　have　not　yet　gone　hungry　…　and　as　for　love；　methinks　there　are　few　folk　to　love　in　this　wicked　city。〃

Martin　laughed　and　then　grew　grave　again。

〃Maybe　he　comes　who　will　teach　thee　both；　and　yet　I　would　fain　find　thee　a　kinder　master。　　Well；　well；　lad；　get　thee　to　St　Alban's　an　it　be　possible；　thou　art　best　in　a　cloister；　methinks；　for　all　thy　wise　Prior　Stephen　may　say。〃

And　he　went　off　singing　…


〃Three　felons　hung　from　a　roadside　tree；　One　black　and　one　white　and　one　grey；　And　the　ravens　plucked　their　eye