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第16章

child christopher-第16章

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e to come down to earth anigh thy dwelling; yet trow I thy tale; that thou hast dealt with my Lady in honour。  Therefore; lad; what sayest thou; wilt thou be a man of mine; and bear arms for me; and do my will?〃

Spake Christopher:  〃Lord; this is better than hanging。〃

〃Why; so it is; lad;〃 said the Earl; laughing again; 〃and some would say better by a good deal。  But hearken! if thou take it; thou must abide here in Greenharboura long while; maybe; yea; even so long as my Lady dwelleth here。〃

Christopher flushed and said:  〃Lord; thou art kind and gracious; and I will take thy bidding。〃

The Earl said:  〃Well; so it shall be then; and presently thou shalt go out of this guard…room a free man。  But abide a while。〃

Therewith he drew a stool to him and sat down; and spake not for a long while; and Christopher abode his pleasure; at last spake the Earl:  〃One day; mayhappen; we may make a wedding for thee; and that no ill one。〃

Christopher laughed:  〃Lord;〃 said he; 〃what lady will wed me; a no man's son?〃

Said the Earl:  〃Not if the Lord of Meadham be thy friend? Well then; how if the Lady and Queen of Meadham make thee the wedding?〃

Said Christopher:  〃I were liefer to make mine own wedding; whenso I need a woman in my bed:  I will compel no woman; nor ask others to compel her。〃

The Earl rose up; and fell to pacing the prison to and fro; and at last he stood over against Christopher; and said: 〃Hearken; forester:  I will foretell thy fortune; it is that thou shalt become great by wedding。〃

Christopher held his peace; and the Earl spake again:  〃Now is the shortest word best。 We deem thee both goodly and doughty; and would wed thee to a great lady; even that one to whom thou hast shown kindness in the wilderness。〃

Said Christopher:  〃It is the wont of great lords to mock poor folk; therefore I must not show anger against thee。〃

〃I mock thee not;〃 said the Earl; 〃I mean nought; but as my words say。〃

〃Nay then;〃 said Christopher; 〃thou biddest me an evil deed; great Lord。  What I said was that I would compel no woman; and shall I compel her who is the wonder of the world and my very own Lady?〃

〃Hold thy peace; sir fool;〃 said the Earl; 〃let me tell thee that she is as like to compel thee as thou her。  And as to her being thy Lady; she shall be thy Lady and wife indeed; but not here; for above all things will she get her away from Greenharbour; and thou shalt be her champion; to lead her about the world like a knight errant。〃

Now was Christopher so troubled that he knew not what countenance to make; and scarce might he get a word out of his mouth a long while。  At last he said:  〃Lord; I see that I must needs do thy will if this be no trap which thou hast set for me。  But overwonderful it is; that a great lady should be wedded to a gangrel churl。〃

The Earl laughed:  〃Many a ferly fares to the fair…eyed;〃 quoth he; 〃and also I will tell thee in thine ear that this Lady may not be so great as her name is great。  Did she praise her life…days to thee?〃

〃Nay;〃 said Christopher; 〃I mind me well; she called herself the poor captive。〃

〃She said but sooth;〃 quoth the Earl; 〃and her going away from Greenharbour is instead of her captivity; and I tell thee it is by that only I may make her joyous。  And now one word:  thou that criest out For the Tofts in battle art not altogether unfriended; meseemeth。〃

Christopher looked up proudly and fiercely:  he said: 〃Forsooth; Lord; my friends are good; though thou callest them wolf…heads and gallows…meat。〃

〃Champion;〃 said the Earl; laughing; 〃that may well be sooth; and there are a many ups and downs in the world。 Bethink thee that the time may come when thou and thy friends may wend to my help; and may win the names of knight and baron and earl: such hap hath been aforetime。  And now I crave of thee; when thou comest back to the Tofts; to bid Jack fall upon other lands than Meadham when he rideth; because of the gift and wedding that I give thee now。  So; lad; I deem that thou hast chosen thy part; but let not the tale thereof go out of thy mouth; or thou wilt gab away thy wedding。  Lo; thou; I leave this door open behind me; and presently shall the smith come here to do away thine irons; and I shall send a squire to thee to lead thee to a fair chamber; and to bring thee goodly raiment; and do thou play amongst thy fellows as one of the best of them; and show them; if thou wilt; some such feats in peace as yesterday thou showedst them in battle。  And to…morrow there will be new tidings。〃  And therewith he departed。

No worse than his word he was; and anon came the smith and the squire; and he was brought to a chamber; and raiment of fine linen and silk and embroidery was brought to him:  and when he was new clad he looked like a king's son; whereas aforetime he looked like a God of the Gentiles of old。  All men praised his beauty and his courtesy; and after dinner was; and they had rested; they bade him play with them and show them his prowess; and he was nought loth thereto; and did what he might in running and leaping; and casting of the bar; and shooting in the bow。  And in all these things he was so far before everyone; that they marvelled at him; and said it was well indeed that he had not been slain yesterday。  As to wrestling; therein he might do but little; for all forbore him after the first man had stood before him; a squire; well learned in war; and long and tough; and deemed a very stark man; him Christopher threw over his shoulder as though he had been a child of twelve years。  So wore the day at Greenharbour in merrier wise for all good folk than for many a day had been the wont there。



CHAPTER XX。

OF THE WEDDING OF CHRISTOPHER AND GOLDILIND。


Early on the morrow came the Earl unto Goldilind; and she received him gladly; as one who had fashioned life anew for her。  And when he had sat down by her; he spake and said: 〃Lady; thou cravedst of me yesterday two things; the first was freedom from the captivity of Greenharbour; and the second; life and liberty for the varlet that cherished thee in the wild…wood the other day。  Now thy first asking grieved me; for that thou hast been tyrannously done by; and thy second I wondered at; but since I have seen the young man; I wonder the less; for he is both so goodly; and so mighty of body; and of speech bold and free; yet gentle and of all courtesy; that he is meet to be knight or earl; yea; or very king。  Now; therefore; in both these matters I will well to do thy pleasure; and in one way it may be; and thou mayst then go forth from Greenharbour as free as a bird; and thy varlet's life may be given unto him; and mickle honour therewith。  Art thou; then; willing to do after my rede and my commandment; so that both these good things may betide thee?〃

〃Right willing am I;〃 she said; 〃to be free and happy and to save the life of a fair youth and kind。〃

〃Then;〃 said he; 〃there is one thing for thee to do:  that this day thou wed this fair and kind youth; and let him lead thee forth from Greenharbour; and; belike; he will bring thee to no ill stead; for his friends are mightier than mayhappen thou deemest。〃

She turned as red as blood at his word; she knit her brows; and her eyes flashed as she answered:  〃Is it seemly for a King's daughter to wed a nameless churl? And now I know thee; Lord Earl; what thou wouldst do; thou wouldst be King of Meadham and put thy master's daughter to the road。〃  And she was exceeding wroth。

But he said; smiling somewhat:  〃Was it then seemly for the King's daughter to kneel for this man's life; and go near to swooning for joy when it was granted to her?〃

〃Yea;〃 she said; 〃for I love him with all my body and soul; and I would have had him love me par amours; and then should I have been his mistress and he my servant; but now shall he be my master and I his servant。〃  And still was she very wroth。

Quoth the Earl:  〃As to the matter of my being King of Meadham; that will I be; whatever befall; or die in the place else。  So if thou wilt not do my rede; then must the varlet whom thou lovest die; and at Greenharbour must thou abide with Dame Elinor。 There is no help for it。〃

She shrieked out at that word of his; and well nigh swooned; lying b

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