child christopher-第19章

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　out　the　hazel…thicket　new　clad　in　his　old　raiment；　and　she　cried　out　aloud；　and　ran　toward　him。　　But　he　doubted　that　some　evil　had　betid；　and　that　she　was　chased；　so　he　drew　out　his　sword；　but　she　ran　up　to　him　and　cried　out：　〃Put　up　thy　sword；　here　is　none　save　me。〃

But　he　stood　still；　gazing　on　her　in　wonderment；　and　now　she　was　drawn　near　to　him　she　stood　still　before　him；　panting。　Then　he　said：　　〃Nay；　Lady；　for　this　night　there　was　no　need　of　thy　disguising　thee；　to…morrow　it　had　been　soon　enough。〃

She　said：　　〃I　were　fain　if　thou　wouldst　take　my　hand；　and　lead　me　back　to　our　resting…place。〃

Even　so　he　did；　and　as　their　palms　met　he　felt　how　her　hand　loved　him；　and　a　flood　of　sweetness　swept　over　his　heart；　and　made　an　end　of　all　its　soreness。　　But　he　led　her　quietly　back　again　to　their　place。　　Then　she　turned　to　him　and　said：　〃Now　art　thou　the　woodland　god　again；　and　the　courtier　no　more；　so　now　will　I　worship　thee。〃　　And　she　knelt　down　before　him；　and　embraced　his　knees　and　kissed　them；　but　he　drew　her　up　to　him；　and　cast　his　arms　about　her；　and　kissed　her　face　many　times；　and　said：　　〃Now　art　thou　the　poor　captive　again。〃

She　said：　　〃Now　hast　thou　forgiven　me；　but　I　will　tell　thee　that　my　wilfulness　and　folly　was　not　all　utterly　feigned；　though　when　I　was　about　it　I　longed　for　thee　to　break　it　down　with　the　fierceness　of　a　man；　and　bid　me　look　to　it　how　helpless　I　was；　and　thou　how　strong　and　my　only　defence。　Not　utterly　feigned　it　was：　　for　I　will　say　it；　that　I　was　grieved　to　the　heart　when　I　bethought　me　of　Meadhamstead　and　the　seat　of　my　fathers。　What　sayest　thou　then？　Shalt　thou　be　ever　a　woodman　in　these　thickets；　and　a　follower　of　Jack　of　the　Tofts？　If　so　thou　wilt；　it　is　well。〃

He　took　her　by　the　shoulders　and　bent　her　backwards　to　kiss　her；　and　held　her　up　above　the　earth　in　his　arms；　waving　her　this　way　and　that；　till　she　felt　how　little　and　light　she　was　in　his　grasp；　though　she　was　no　puny　woman；　then　he　set　her　on　her　feet　again；　and　laughed　in　her　face；　and　said：　〃Sweetling；　let　to…morrow　bring　counsel。　　But　now　let　it　all　be：　　thou　hast　said　it；　thou　art　weary；　so　now　will　I　dight　thee　a　bed　of　our　mantles；　and　thou　shalt　lie　thee　down；　and　I　shall　watch　thee　as　thou　badest　me。〃

Therewith　he　went　about；　and　plucked　armfuls　of　the　young　bracken；　and　made　a　bed　wide　and　soft；　and　spread　the　mantles　thereover。

But　she　stood　awhile　looking　on　him；　then　she　said：　　〃Dost　thou　think　to　punish　me　for　my　wilful　folly；　and　to　shame　me　by　making　me　speak　to　thee？〃

〃Nay；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　not　so。〃

She　said：　　〃I　am　not　shamed　in　that　I　say　to　thee：　　if　thou　watch　this　night；　I　will　watch　by　thee；　and　if　I　lie　down　to　rest　this　night；　thou　shalt　lie　by　me。　　For　my　foemen　have　given　me　to　thee；　and　now　shalt　thou　give　thyself　to　me。〃

So　he　drew　near　to　her　shyly；　like　unto　one　who　hath　been　forgiven。　　And　there　was　their　bridal　bed；　and　nought　but　the　oak　boughs　betwixt　them　and　the　bare　heavens。



CHAPTER　XXIII。

THEY　FALL　IN　WITH　FRIENDS。


Now　awoke　Goldilind　when　the　morning　was　young　and　fresh；　and　she　drew　the　mantle　up　over　her　shoulders；　and　as　she　did　so；　but　half　awake；　she　deemed　she　heard　other　sounds　than　the　singing　of　the　black…birds　and　throstles　about　the　edge　of　the　thicket；　and　she　turned　her　eyes　toward　the　oak　trees　and　the　hazel…thicket；　and　saw　at　once　three　of　mankind　coming　on　foot　over　the　greensward　toward　her。　　She　was　afraid；　so　that　she　durst　not　put　out　a　hand　to　awaken　Christopher；　but　sat　gazing　on　those　three　as　they　came　toward　her；　she　saw　that　two　were　tall　men；　clad　much　as　Christopher；　but　presently　she　saw　that　there　was　a　woman　with　them；　and　she　took　heart　somewhat　thereat；　and　she　noted　that　one　of　the　men　was　short…haired　and　dark…haired；　and　the　other　had　long　red　hair　falling　about　his　shoulders；　and　as　she　put　out　her　hand　and　laid　it　on　Christopher's　shoulder；　the　red…haired　one　looked　toward　her　a　moment　under　the　sharp　of　his　hand　（for　the　sun　was　on　their　side）；　and　then　set　off　running；　giving　out　a　great　whoop　therewithal。　　Even　therewith　leapt　up　Christopher；　still　half　awake；　and　the　red…haired　man　ran　right　up　to　him；　and　caught　him　by　the　shoulders；　and　kissed　him　on　both　cheeks；　so　that　Goldilind　saw　that　these　were　the　fellows　whereof　Christopher　had　told；　and　she　stood　there　shame…fast　and　smiling。

Presently　came　up　the　others；　to　wit；　Gilbert　and　Joanna；　and　they　also　kissed　and　embraced　Christopher；　and　all　they　were　as　full　of　joy　as　might　be。　　Then　came　Joanna　to　Goldilind；　and　said：　　〃I　wot　not　who　this　may　be；　brother；　yet　meseems　she　will　be　someone　who　is　dear　to　thee；　wherefore　is　she　my　sister。〃　　And　therewith　she　kissed　Goldilind；　and　she　was　kind；　and　sweet　of　flesh；　and　goodly　of　body；　and　Goldilind　rejoiced　in　her。

Joanna　made　much　of　her；　and　said　to　her：　　〃Here　is　to　do；　whereas　two　men　have　broken　into　a　lady's　chamber；　come；　sister；　let　us　to　the　thicket；　and　I　will　be　thy　tiring…　maid；　and　while　these　others　tell　their　tales　we　shall　tell　ours。〃　　And　she　took　her　hand　and　they　went　into　the　hazels；　but　the　two　new…come　men　seemed　to　find　it　hard　to　keep　their　eyes　off　Goldilind；　till　the　hazels　had　hidden　her。

Then　turned　David　to　Christopher；　and　said：　　〃Thy　pardon；　little　King；　that　we　have　waked　thee　so　early；　but　we　wotted　not　that　thou　hadst　been　amongst　the　wood…women；　and；　sooth　to　say；　my　lad；　we　had　little　ease　till　we　found　thee；　after　we　came　home　and　saw　all　those　hoof…marks　yonder。〃

〃Yea；〃　said　Gilbert；　〃if　we　had　lost　thee　we　had　been　finely　holpen　up；　for　we　could　neither　have　gone　back　to　the　Tofts　nor　into　the　kingdom：　　for　I　think　my　father　would　have　hanged　us　if　we　had　come　back　with　a　'By　the　way；　Christopher　is　slain。'　But　tell　us；　lad；　what　hath　befallen　thee　with　yonder　sweetling？〃

〃Yea；　tell　us；〃　said　David；　〃and　sit　down　here　betwixt　us；　with　thy　back　to　the　hazel…thicket；　or　we　shall　get　no　tale　out　of　theetush；　man；　Joanna　will　bring　her　back；　and　that　right　soon；　I　hope。〃

Christopher　laughed；　and　sat　down　between　them；　and　told　all　how　it　had　gone　with　him；　and　of　Goldilind；　who　she　was。　The　others　hearkened　heedfully；　and　Gilbert　said：　〃With　all　thou　hast　told　us；　brother；　it　is　clear　we　shall　find　it　hard　to　dwell　in　Littledale；　so　soon　as　thy　loveling　hath　rested　her　at　our　house；　we　must　go　our　ways　to　the　Tofts；　and　take　counsel　of　our　father。〃

Christopher　yea…said　this；　and　therewithal　was　come　Joanna　leading　Goldilind　duly　arrayed　（yet　still　in　her　green　gown；　for　she　would　none　other）；　fresh；　blushing；　and　all　lovely；　and　David　and　Christopher　did　obeisance　before　her　as　to　a　great　lady；　but　she　hailed　them　as　brothers；　merrily　and　kindly；　and　bade　them　kiss　her；　and　they　kissed　her　cheek；　but　shyly；　and　especially　David。

Thereafter　they　broke　their　fast　under　the　oak　trees；　and　spent　a　merry　hour；　and　then　departed；　the　two　women　riding　the　horses；　the　others　afoot；　so　came　they　to　the　house　of　Littledale；　some　while　before　sunset；　and　were　merry　and　glad　there。　　Young　they　were；　troubles　were　behind　them；　and　many　a　joy　before　them。



CHAPTER　XXIV。

THEY　TAKE　COUNSEL　AT　LITTLEDALE。


Ten　days　they　abode　in　the　house　of　Littledale　in　all　good　cheer；　and　Joanna　led　Goldilind　here　and　there　about　the　woods；　and　made　much　of　her；　so　that　the　heart　within　her　was　full　of　joy；　for　the　freedom　of　the　wild…woods　and　all　the　life　thereof　was　well…nigh　new　to　her；　whereas　on　the　day　of　her　flight　from　Greenharbour；　and　on　two　other　such　times；　deadly　fear；　as　is　aforesaid；　was　mingled　with　her　joyance；　and　would　have　drowned　it　utterly；　but　for　the　wilfulness　which　hardened　her　heart　against　the　punishment　to　come。　　But　now　she　was　indeed　free；　and　it　seemed　to　her；　as　to　Christopher　when　he　was　but　new　healed　of　his　hurt；　as　if　all　this　bright　beauty　of　tree　and　flower；　and　beast　and　bird；　was　but　made　for　her　alone；　and　she　wondered　that　her　fellow　could　be　so　calm　and　sedate　amidst　of　all　this　pleasure。　　And　now；　forsooth；　was　her　queenhood　forgotten；　and　better　and　better　to　her　seemed　Christopher's　valiant　love；　and　the　meeting　in　the　hall　of　the　eventide　was　so　sweet　to　her；　that　she　might　do　little　but　stand　trembling　whiles　Christopher　came　up