child christopher-第3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！



She　was　small　of　body　and　sleek；　but　her　cheeks　somewhat　flagging；　brown　eyes　she　had；　long；　half　opened；　thin　lips；　and　chin　somewhat　falling　away　from　her　mouth；　hard　on　fifty　winters　had　she　seen；　yet　there　have　been　those　who　were　older　and　goodlier　both。



CHAPTER　V。

GOLDILIND　COMES　TO　GREENHARBOUR。


But　a　little　while　tarried　the　Earl　Geoffrey　at　Leashowe；　but　departed　next　morning　and　came　to　Meadhamstead。　　A　month　thereafter　came　folk　from　him　to　Leashowe；　to　wit；　the　new　meney　for　the　new　abode　of　Goldilind；　amongst　whom　was　a　goodly　band　of　men…at…arms；　led　by　an　old　lord　pinched　and　peevish　of　face；　who　kneeled　to　Goldilind　as　the　new　burgreve　of　Greenharbour；　and　a　chaplain；　a　black　canon；　young；　broad…cheeked　and　fresh…looking；　but　hard…faced　and　unlovely；　three　new　damsels　withal　were　come　for　the　young　Queen；　not　young　maids；　but　stalworth　women；　well…grown；　and　two　of　them　hard…featured；　the　third；　tall；　black…haired；　and　a　goodly…fashioned　body。

Now　when　these　were　come；　who　were　all　under　the　rule　of　Dame　Elinor；　there　was　no　gainsaying　the　departure　to　the　new　home；　and　in　two　days'　time　they　went　their　ways　from　Leashowe。　　But　though　Goldilind　was　young；　she　was　wise；　and　her　heart　misgave　her；　when　she　was　amidst　this　new　meney；　that　she　was　not　riding　toward　glory　and　honour；　and　a　world　of　worship　and　friends　beloved。　　Howbeit；　whatso　might　lie　before　her；　she　put　a　good　face　upon　it；　and　did　to　those　about　her　queenly　and　with　all　courtesy。

Five　days　they　rode　from　Leashowe　north　away；　by　thorpe　and　town　and　mead　and　river；　till　the　land　became　little　peopled；　and　the　sixth　day　they　rode　the　wild…wood　ways；　where　was　no　folk；　save　now　and　again　the　little　cot　of　some　forester　or　collier；　but　the　seventh　day；　about　noon；　they　came　into　a　clearing　of　the　wood；　a　rugged　little　plain　of　lea…land；　mingled　with　marish；　with　a　little　deal　of　acre…land　in　barley　and　rye；　round　about　a　score　of　poor　frame…houses　set　down　scattermeal　about　the　lea。　　But　on　a　long　ridge；　at　the　northern　end　of　the　said　plain；　was　a　grey　castle；　strong；　and　with　big　and　high　towers；　yet　not　so　much　greater　than　was　Leashowe；　deemed　Goldilind；　as　for　a　dwelling…house。

Howbeit；　they　entered　the　said　castle；　and　within；　as　without；　it　was　somewhat　grim；　though　nought　was　lacking　of　plenishing　due　for　folk　knightly。　　Long　it　were　to　tell　of　its　walls　and　baileys　and　chambers；　but　let　this　suffice；　that　on　the　north　side；　toward　the　thick　forest；　was　a　garden　of　green…sward　and　flowers　and　potherbs；　and　a　garth…wall　of　grey　stone；　not　very　high；　was　the　only　defence　thereof　toward　the　wood；　but　it　was　overlooked　by　a　tall　tower　of　the　great　wall；　which　hight　the　Foresters'　Tower。　　In　the　said　outer　garth…wall　also　was　a　postern；　whereby　there　was　not　seldom　coming　in　and　going　out。

Now　when　Goldilind　had　been　in　her　chamber　for　a　few　days；　she　found　out　for　certain；　what　she　had　before　misdoubted；　that　she　had　been　brought　from　Leashowe　and　the　peopled　parts　near　to　Meadhamstead　unto　the　uttermost　parts　of　the　realm　to　be　kept　in　prison　there。

Howbeit；　it　was　in　a　way　prison　courteous；　she　was　still　served　with　observance；　and　bowed　before；　and　called　my　lady　and　queen；　and　so　forth：　　also　she　might　go　from　chamber　to　hall　and　chapel；　to　and　fro；　yet　scarce　alone；　and　into　the　garden　she　might　go；　yet　not　for　the　more　part　unaccompanied；　and　even　at　whiles　she　went　out　a…gates；　but　then　ever　with　folk　on　the　right　hand　and　the　left。　Forsooth；　whiles　and　again；　within　the　next　two　years　of　her　abode　at　Greenharbour；　out　of　gates　she　went　and　alone；　but　that　was　as　the　prisoner　who　strives　to　be　free　（although　she　had；　forsooth；　no　thought　or　hope　of　escape）；　and　as　the　prisoner　brought　back　was　she　chastised　when　she　came　within　gates　again。

Everywhere；　to　be　short；　within　and　about　the　Castle　of　Greenharbour；　did　Goldilind　meet　the　will　and　the　tyranny　of　the　little　sleek　widow；　Dame　Elinor；　to　whom　both　carle　and　quean　in　that　corner　of　the　world　were　but　as　servants　and　slaves　to　do　her　will；　and　the　said　Elinor；　who　at　first　was　but　spiteful　in　word　and　look　toward　her　lady；　waxed　worse　as　time　wore　and　as　the　blossom　of　the　King's　daughter's　womanhood　began　to　unfold；　till　at　last　the　she…jailer　had　scarce　feasted　any　day　when　she　had　not　in　some　wise　grieved　and　tormented　her　prisoner；　and　whatever　she　did；　none　had　might　to　say　her　nay。

But　Goldilind　took　all　with　a　high　heart；　and　her　courage　grew　with　her　years；　nor　would　she　bow　the　head　before　any　grief；　but　took　to　her　whatsoever　solace　might　come　to　her；　as　the　pleasure　of　the　sun　and　the　wind；　and　the　beholding　of　the　greenery　of　the　wood；　and　the　fowl　and　the　beasts　playing；　which　oft　she　saw　afar；　and　whiles　anear；　though　whiles；　forsooth；　she　saw　nought　of　it　all；　whereas　she　was　shut　up　betwixt　four　walls；　and　that　not　of　her　chamber；　but　of　some　bare　and　foul　prison　of　the　Castle；　which；　with　other　griefs；　must　she　needs　thole　under　the　name　and　guise　of　penance。

However；　she　waxed　so　exceeding　fair　and　sweet　and　lovely；　that　the　loveliness　of　her　pierced　to　the　hearts　of　many　of　her　jailers；　so　that　some　of　them；　and　specially　of　the　squires　and　men…at…arms；　would　do　her　some　easement　which　they　might　do　unrebuked；　or　not　sorely　rebuked；　as　bringing　her　flowers　in　the　spring；　or　whiles　a　singing…bird　or　a　squirrel；　and　an　old　man　there　was　of　the　men…at…arms；　who　would　ask　leave；　and　get　it　at　whiles；　to　come　to　her　in　her　chamber；　or　the　garden？　and　tell　her　minstrel　tales　and　the　like　for　her　joyance。　　Sooth　to　say；　even　the　pinched　heart　of　the　old　Burgreve　was　somewhat　touched　by　her；　and　he　alone　had　any　might　to　stand　between　her　and　Dame　Elinor；　so　that　but　for　him　it　had　gone　much　harder　with　her　than　it　did。

For　the　rest；　none　entered　the　Castle　from　the　world　without；　nay　not　so　much　as　a　travelling　monk；　or　a　friar　on　his　wanderings；　save　and　except　some　messenger　of　Earl　Geoffrey　who　had　errand　with　Dame　Elinor　or　the　Burgreve。

So　wore　the　days　and　the　seasons；　till　it　was　now　more　than　four　years　since　she　had　left　Leashowe；　and　her　eighteenth　summer　was　beginning。

But　now　the　tale　leaves　telling　of　Goldilind；　and　goes　back　to　the　matters　of　Oakenrealm；　and　therein　to　what　has　to　do　with　King　Christopher　and　Rolf　the　Marshal。



CHAPTER　VI。

HOW　ROLF　THE　MARSHAL　DREAMS　A　DREAM　AND　COMES　TO　THE　CASTLE　OF　THE　UTTERMOST　MARCH。


Now　this　same　summer；　when　King　Christopher　was　of　twenty　years　and　two；　Rolf　the　Marshal；　sleeping　one　noontide　in　the　King's　garden　at　Oakenham；　dreamed　a　dream。　For　himseemed　that　there　came　through　the　garth…gate　a　woman　fair　and　tall；　and　clad　in　nought　but　oaken…leaves；　who　led　by　the　hand　an　exceeding　goodly　young　man　of　twenty　summers；　and　his　visage　like　to　the　last　battle…dead　King　of　Oakenrealm　when　he　was　a　young　man。　　And　the　said　woman　led　the　swain　up　to　the　Marshal；　who　asked　in　his　mind　what　these　two　were：　　and　the　woman　answered　his　thought　and　said：　　〃I　am　the　Woman　of　the　Woods；　and　the　Landwight　of　Oakenrealm；　and　this　lovely　lad　whose　hand　I　hold　is　my　King　and　thy　King　and　the　King　of　Oakenrealm。　　Wake；　foolwake！　and　look　to　it　what　thou　wilt　do！〃

And　therewith　he　woke　up　crying　out；　and　drew　forth　his　sword。　　But　when　he　was　fully　awakened；　he　was　ashamed；　and　went　into　the　hall；　and　sat　in　his　high…seat；　and　strove　to　think　out　of　his　troubled　mind；　but　for　all　he　might　do；　he　fell　asleep　again；　and　again　in　the　hall　he　dreamed　as　he　had　dreamed　in　the　garden：　　and　when　he　awoke　from　his　dream　he　had　no　thought　in　his　head　but　how　he　might　the　speediest　come　to　the　house　of　Lord　Richard　the　Lean；　and　look　to　the　matter　of　his　lord's　son　and　see　him　with　his　eyes；　and；　if　it　might　be；　take　some　measure　with　the　threat　which　lay　in　the　lad's　life。　Nought　he　tarried；　but　set　off　in　an　hour's　time　with　no　more　company　than　four　men…at…arms　and　an　old　squire　of　his；　who　was　wont　to　do　his　bidding　without　question；　whether　it　were　good　or　evil。

So　they　went　by　frith　and　fell；　by　wood　and　fair　ways；　till　in　two　days'　time　they　were　come　by　undern　within　sight　of　the　Castle　of　the　Outer　March；　and　entered　into　the　street　of　the　thorpe　aforesaid；　and　they　saw　that