child christopher-第18章

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Presently　then　came　forth　through　the　gate　those　two；　hand　in　hand；　and　Earl　Geoffrey　with　them。　　And　he　set　Goldilind　on　her　horse　himself；　and　knelt　before　her　to　say　farewell；　and　therewith　was　Christopher　on　his　horse；　and　him　the　Earl　saluted　debonairly。

But　just　as　they　were　about　shaking　their　reins　to　depart；　Aloyse　fell　down　on　her　knees　before　the　Earl；　who　said：　〃What　is　toward；　woman？〃

〃A　grace；　my　Lord；　a　grace；〃　said　she。

〃Stand　up　on　thy　feet；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃and　ye；　my　masters；　draw　out　of　earshot。〃

Even　so　did　they；　and　the　Earl　bade　her　speak；　and　she　said：　〃Lord；　my　Lady　is　going　away　from　Greenharbour；　and　anon　thou　wilt　be　going；　and　I　shall　be　left　with　the　sleek　she…devil　yonder　that　thou　hast　set　over　us；　and　here　there　will　be　hell　for　me　without　escape；　now　that　my　Lady　is　gone。　　Wherefore　I　pray　thee　take　me　with　thee　to　Meadhamstead；　even　if　it　be　to　prison；　for　here　I　shall　die　the　worst　of　deaths。〃

Earl　Geoffrey　smiled　on　her　sourly；　and　said：　　〃If　it　be　as　I　understand；　that　thou　hast　lifted　thine　hand　against　my　Lady；　wert　thou　wending　with　me；　thou　shouldst　go　just　so　far　as　the　first　tree。　　Thou　mayst　deem　thyself　lucky　if　I　leave　thee　behind　here。　　Nor　needest　thou　trouble　thee　concerning　Dame　Elinor；　little　more　shalt　thou　hear　of　her　henceforward。〃

But　Goldilind　spake　and　said：　　〃My　Lord　Earl；　I　would　ask　grace　for　this　one；　for　what　she　did　to　me　she　did　compelled；　and　not　of　her　free　will；　and　I　forgive　it　her。　And　moreover；　this　last　time　she　suffered　in　her　body　for　the　helping　of　me；　so　if　thou　mightest　do　her　asking　I　were　the　better　pleased。〃

〃It　shall　be　as　thou　wilt；　my　Lady；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃and　I　will　have　her　with　me　and　keep　her　quiet　in　Meadhamstead；　but；　by　Allhallows！　had　it　not　been　for　thy　word　we　would　have　had　her　whipped　into　the　wild…wood；　and　hanged　up　on　to　a　tree　thereafter。〃

Then　Aloyse　knelt　before　Goldilind　and　kissed　her　feet；　and　wept；　and　drew　back　pale　and　trembling。　　But　Goldilind　shook　her　rein　once　for　all　now；　and　her　apple…grey　horse　went　forth　with　her；　Christopher　came　after；　leading　the　sumpter　beast；　and　forth　they　went；　and　passed　over　the　open　green　about　the　Castle；　and　came　on　to　the　woodland　way　whereby　Goldilind　had　fled　that　other　time。



CHAPTER　XXII。

OF　THE　WOODLAND　BRIDE…CHAMBER。


They　rode　in　silence　a　good　way；　and　it　was　some　three　hours　after　noon；　and　the　day　as　fair　and　bright　as　might　be。　Christopher　held　his　peace　for　sweet　shame　that　he　was　alone　with　a　most　fair　maid；　and　she　his　own；　and　without　defence　against　him。　　But　she　amidst　of　her　silence　turned；　now　red；　and　now　somewhat　pale；　and　now　and　again　she　looked　somewhat　askance　on　him；　and　he　deemed　her　looks　were　no　kinder　than　they　should　be。

At　last　she　spake；　yet　not　looking　on　him；　and　said：　　〃So；　Forester；　now　is　done　what　I　must　needs　do：　　thy　life　is　saved；　and　I　am　quit　of　Greenharbour；　and　its　prison；　and　its　torments：　　whither　away　then？〃

Quoth　he；　all　dismayed；　for　her　voice　was　the　voice　of　anger：　　〃I　wot　not　whither；　save　to　the　house　thou　hast　blessed　already　with　thy　dear　body。〃

At　that　word　she　turned　quite　pale；　and　trembled；　and　spake　not　for　a　while；　and　smote　her　horse　and　hastened　on　the　way；　and　he　after　her；　but　when　he　was　come　up　with　her　again；　then　she　said；　still　not　looking　at　him：　　〃A　house　of　woodmen　and　wolf…heads。　　Is　that　a　meet　dwelling…place　for　me？　Didst　thou　hear　men　at　Greenharbour　say　that　I　am　a　Queen？〃

〃Hear　them　I　did；〃　quoth　he；　〃but　meseemeth　nought　like　a　Queen　had　they　done　with　thee。〃

She　said：　　〃And　dost　thou　mock　me　with　that？　thou？〃　And　she　burst　out　weeping。　　He　answered　not；　for　sore　grief　smote　him；　remembering　her　hand　in　his　but　a　little　while　ago。　And　again　she　hurried　on；　and　he　followed　her。

When　he　came　up　with　her　she　said：　　〃And　thou；　didst　thou　woo　me　as　a　Queen？〃

〃Lady；〃　he　said；　〃I　wooed　thee　not　at　all；　I　was　given　to　thee；　would　I；　would　I　not：　　great　joy　was　that　to　me。〃

Then　said　she：　　〃Thou　sayest　sooth；　thou　hast　not　wooed　me；　but　taken　me。〃　　She　laughed　therewith；　as　one　in　bitterness。　But　presently　she　turned　to　him；　and　he　wondered；　for　in　her　face　was　longing　and　kindness　nought　like　to　her　words。　　But　he　durst　not　speak　to　her　lest　he　should　anger　her；　and　she　turned　her　face　from　him　again：　and　she　said：　　〃Wert　thou　given　to　me？　meseems　I　was　given　to　thee；　would　I；　would　I　not；　the　Queen　to　the　Churl；　the　Wood…man；　the　Wolf…head。〃　And　again　she　rode　on；　and　he　followed；　sick　at　heart　and　wondering　sorely。

When　they　were　riding　together　again；　they　spake　not　to　each　other；　though　she　stole　glances　at　him　to　see　how　he　fared；　but　he　rode　on　with　knit　brows　and　a　stern　countenance。　　So　in　a　while　she　began　to　speak　to　him　again；　but　as　if　there　were　nought　but　courtesy　between　them；　and　neither　love　nor　hatred。　　She　fell　to　asking　him　of　woodland　matters；　concerning　bird　and　beast　and　things　creeping；　and　at　first　he　would　scarce　answer　her　at　all；　and　then　were　his　answers　short；　but　at　last；　despite　of　all；　he　began　to　forget　both　grief　and　anger；　so　much　the　sweetness　of　her　speech　wound　about　his　heart；　and；　withal；　she　fell　to　asking　him　of　his　fellows　and　their　life　in　the　woods；　and　of　Jack　of　the　Tofts　and　the　like；　and　now　he　answered　her　questions　fully；　and　whiles　she　laughed　at　his　words；　and　he　laughed　also；　and　all　pleasure　had　there　been　of　this　converse；　if　he　had　not　beheld　her　from　time　to　time　and　longed　for　the　fairness　of　her　body；　and　feared　her　wrath　at　his　longing。

So　wore　the　day；　and　the　sun　was　getting　low；　and　they　were　come　to　another　woodland　pool　which　was　fed　by　a　clear…running　little　brook；　and　up　from　it　went　a　low　bank　of　greensward　exceeding　sweet；　and　beyond　that　oak　trees　wide…branched　and　great；　and　still　fair　greensward　beneath　them　and　hazel…thicket　beyond　them。　　There；　then；　Goldilind　reined　up；　and　looked　about　her；　but　Christopher　looked　on　her　and　nought　else。　　But　she　said：　　〃Let　to…morrow　bring　counsel；　but　now　am　I　weary　to…night；　and　if　we　are　not　to　ride　night…long；　we　shall　belike　find　no　better　place　to　rest　in。　　Wilt　thou　keep　watch　while　I　sleep？〃

〃Yea；〃　he　said；　bowing　his　head　to　her　soberly；　and　therewith　he　got　off　his　horse；　and　would　have　helped　her　down　from　hers；　but　she　slipped　lightly　down　and　stood　before　him　face　to　face；　and　they　were　very　nigh　to　each　other；　she　standing　close　to　her　horse。　Her　face　was　pale　to　his　deeming　and　there　was　a　piteous　look　in　her　eyes；　so　that　he　yearned　towards　her　in　his　bowels；　and　reached　his　hand　toward　her；　but　she　shrank　aback；　leaning　against　her　horse；　and　said　in　a　trembling　voice；　looking　full　at　him；　and　growing　yet　paler：　　〃Forester；　dost　thou　think　it　seemly　that　thou　shouldst　ride　with　us；　thou　such　as　thou　hast　told　thyself　to　be；　in　this　lordly　raiment；　which　they　gave　thee　yonder　as　part　of　the　price　for　thy　leading　us　away　into　the　wild…wood？〃

〃Lady；〃　said　he；　〃whether　it　be　seemly　or　not；　I　see　that　it　is　thy　will　that　I　should　go　clad　as　a　woodland　churl；　abide　a　little；　and　thy　will　shall　be　done。〃

Therewith　he　did　off　the　burden　from　the　sumpter　horse；　and　set　the　chests　on　the　earth；　then　he　took　her　horse　gently；　and　led　him　with　the　other　two　in　under　the　oak　trees；　and　there　he　tethered　them　so　that　they　could　bite　the　grass；　and　came　back　thereafter；　and　took　his　old　raiment　out　of　the　chest；　and　said：　　〃What　thou　wilt　have　me　do；　I　will　do　now；　and　this　all　the　more　as　to…morrow　I　should　have　done　it　unbidden；　and　should　have　prayed　thee　to　do　on　garments　less　glorious　than　now　thou　bearest；　so　that　we　may　look　the　less　strange　in　the　woodland　if　we　chance　to　fall　in　with　any　man。

Nought　she　answered　as　he　turned　toward　the　hazel　copse；　she　had　been　following　him　with　her　eyes　while　he　was　about　that　business；　and　when　his　back　was　turned；　she　stood　a　moment　till　her　bosom　fell　a…heaving；　and　she　wept；　then　she　turned　her　about　to　the　chest　wherein　was　her　raiment；　and　went　hastily　and　did　off　her　glorious　array；　and　did　on　the　green　gown　wherewith　she　had　fled；　and　left　her　feet　bare　withal。　Then　she　looked　up　and　saw　Christopher；　how　he　was　coming　from　out　the　hazel…thicket　new　clad　in　his　old　raiment；　an