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