child christopher-第11节

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。。。and　loth　I　were　if　thou　wert　not　really　of　mankind；　if　it　were　but　for　the　glory　of　the　world。〃

She　hung　her　head　and　answered　nought　a　while；　and　he　also　seemed　ashamed：　　but　presently　she　spake：　　〃Thou　hast　been　kind　to　us；　wouldst　thou　tell　us　thy　name？　and　then；　if　it　like　thee；　what　thou　art？〃

〃Lady；〃　he　said；　〃my　name　is　easy　to　tell；　I　hight　Christopher；　and　whiles　folk　in　merry　mockery　call　me　Christopher　King；　meseems　because　I　am　of　the　least　account　of　all　carles。　　As　for　what　else　I　am；　a　woodman　I　am；　an　outlaw；　and　the　friend　of　them：　　yet　I　tell　thee　I　have　never　by　my　will　done　any　harm　to　any　child　of　man；　and　those　friends　of　mine；　who　are　outlaws　also；　are　kind　and　loving　with　me；　both　man　and　woman；　though　needs　must　they　dwell　aloof　from　kings'　courts　and　barons'　halls。〃

She　looked　at　him　wondering；　and　as　if　she　did　not　altogether　understand　him；　and　she　said：　　〃Where　dost　thou　dwell？〃

He　said：　　〃To…day　I　dwell　hard　by；　though　where　I　shall　dwell　to…morrow；　who　knows？　And　with　me　are　dwelling　three　of　my　kind　fellows；　and　the　dearest　is　a　young　man　of　mine　own　age；　who　is　my　fellow　in　all　matters；　for　us　to　live　and　die　each　for　the　other。　Couldst　thou　have　seen　him；　thou　wouldst　love　him　I　deem。〃

〃What　name　hath　he？〃　said　Goldilind。

〃He　hight　David；〃　said　Christopher。

But　therewith　he　fell　silent　and　knit　his　brow；　as　though　he　were　thinking　of　some　knotty　point：　　but　in　a　while　his　face　cleared；　and　he　said：　　〃If　I　durst；　I　would　ask　thee　thy　name；　and　what　thou　art？〃

〃As　to　my　name；〃　said　she；　〃I　will　not　tell　it　thee　as　now。　As　to　what　I　am；　I　am　a　poor　prisoner；　and　much　have　I　been　grieved　and　tormented；　so　that　my　body　hath　been　but　a　thing　whereby　I　might　suffer　anguish。　　Something　else　am　I；　but　I　may　not　tell　thee　what　as　yet。〃

He　looked　on　her　long；　and　then　arose　and　went　his　way　along　the　very　track　of　their　footsteps；　and　he　took　the　horse　and　brought　him　back　to　the　thorn；　and　stood　by　the　lady　and　reddened；　and　said：　　〃I　must　tell　thee　what　I　have　been　doing　these　last　minutes。〃

〃Yea；〃　said　she；　looking　at　him　wonderingly；　〃hast　thou　not　been　fetching　my　horse　to　me？〃

〃So　it　is；〃　said　he；　〃but　something　else　also。　　Ask　me；　or　I　cannot　tell　thee。〃

She　laughed；　and　said：　　〃What　else；　fair　sir？〃

Said　he：　　〃Ask　me　what；　or　I　cannot　tell　thee。〃

〃Well；　what；　then？〃　said　she。

He　answered；　stammering　and　blushing：　　〃I　have　been　looking　at　thy　foot　prints；　whereby　thou　camest　up　from　the　water；　to　see　what　new　and　fairer　blossoms　have　come　up　in　the　meadow　where　thy　feet　were　set　e'en　now。〃

She　answered　him　nothing；　and　he　held　his　peace。　　But　in　a　while　she　said：　　〃If　thou　wouldst　have　us　come　to　thine　house；　thou　shalt　lead　us　thither　now。〃　　And　therewith　she　took　her　foot…gear　from　out　of　her　girdle；　as　if　she　would　do　it　on；　and　he　turned　his　face　away；　but　sighed　therewith。　Then　she　reddened　and　put　them　back　again；　and　rose　up　lightly；　and　said：　　〃I　will　go　afoot；　and　wilt　thou　lead　the　horse　for　me？〃

So　did　he；　and　led　her　by　all　the　softest　and　most　flowery　ways；　turning　about　the　end　of　a　spur　of　the　little　hill　that　came　close　to　the　water；　and　going　close　to　the　lip　of　the　river。　　And　when　they　had　thus　turned　about　the　hill　there　was　a　somewhat　wider　vale　before　them；　grassy　and　fair；　and　on　a　knoll；　not　far　from　the　water；　a　long　frame…house　thatched　with　reed。

Then　said　Christopher：　　〃Lady；　this　is　now　Littledale；　and　yonder　the　house　thereof。〃

She　said　quietly：　　〃Lovely　is　the　dale；　and　fair　the　house　by　seeming；　and　I　would　that　they　may　be　happy　that　dwell　therein！〃

Said　Christopher：　　〃Wilt　thou　not　speak　that　blessing　within　the　house　as　without？〃

〃Fain　were　I　thereof；〃　she　said。　　And　therewith　they　came　into　the　garth；　wherein　the　apple　trees　were　blossoming；　and　Goldilind　spread　abroad　her　hands　and　lifted　up　her　head　for　joy　of　the　sight　and　the　scent；　and　they　stayed　awhile　before　they　went　on　to　the　door；　which　was　half　open；　for　they　feared　none　in　that　place；　and　looked　for　none　whom　they　might　not　deal　with　if　he　came　as　a　foe。

Christopher　would　have　taken　a　hand　of　her　to　lead　her　in；　but　both　hands　were　in　her　gown　to　lift　up　the　hem　as　she　passed　over　the　threshold；　so　he　durst　not。

Fair　and　bright　now　was　the　hall　within；　with　its　long　and　low　windows　goodly　glazed；　a　green　halling　on　the　walls　of　Adam　and　Eve　and　the　garden；　and　the　good　God　walking　therein；　the　sun　shone　bright　through　the　southern　windows；　and　about　the　porch　it　was　hot；　but　further　toward　the　dais　cool　and　pleasant。

So　Goldilind　sat　down　in　the　coolest　of　the　place　at　the　standing　table；　but　Christopher　bestirred　himself；　and　brought　wine　and　white　bread；　and　venison　and　honey；　and　said：　〃I　pray　thee　to　dine；　maiden；　for　it　is　now　hard　on　noon；　and　as　for　my　fair　fellows；　I　look　not　for　them　before　sunset　for　they　were　going　far　into　the　wood。〃

She　smiled　on　him；　and　ate　and　drank　a　little　deal；　and　he　with　her。　　Sooth　to　say；　her　heart　was　full；　and　though　she　had　forgotten　her　fear；　she　was　troubled；　because；　for　as　glad　as　she　was；　she　could　not　be　as　glad　as　her　gladness　would　have　her；　for　the　sake　of　some　lack；　she　knew　not　what。

Now　spake　Christopher：　　〃I　would　tell　thee　something　strange；　to　wit；　though　it　is　little　more　than　three　hours　since　I　first　saw　thee　beside　the　river；　yet　I　seem　to　know　thee　as　if　thou　wert　a　part　of　my　life。〃

She　looked　on　him　shyly；　and　he　went　on：　　〃This　also　is　strange；　and；　withal；　it　likes　me　not；　that　when　I　speak　of　my　fair　fellows　here；　David；　and　Gilbert；　and　Joanna；　they　are　half　forgotten　to　my　heart；　though　their　names　are　on　my　tongue；　and　this　house；　doth　it　like　thee；　fair　guest？〃

〃Yea；　much；〃　she　said；　〃it　seems　joyous　to　me：　　and　I　shall　tell　thee　that　I　have　mostly　dwelt　in　unmerry　houses；　though　they　were　of　greater　cost　than　this。〃

Said　Christopher：　　〃To　me　it　hath　been　merry　and　happy　enough；　but　now　it　seems　to　me　as　if　it　had　all　been　made　for　thee　and　this　meeting。〃

〃Is　it　therefore　no　longer　merry　to　thee　because　of　that？〃　she　said；　smiling；　yet　flushing　much　red　therewith。　　Now　it　was　his　turn　not　to　answer　her；　and　she　cast　down　her　eyes　before　him；　and　there　was　silence　between　them。

Then　she　looked　at　him　steadily；　and　said：　　〃It　is　indeed　grievous　that　thou　shouldest　forget　thine　old　friends　for　me；　and　that　it　should　have　come　into　thy　mind　that　this　fair　and　merry　house　was　not　made　for　thy　fair　fellows　and　thy　delight　with　them；　but　for　me；　the　chance…comer。　　For；　hearken；　whereas　thou　saidst　e'en　now；　that　I　was　become　a　part　of　thy　life；　how　can　that　be？　For　if　I　become　the　poor　captive　again；　how　canst　thou　get　to　me；　thou　who　art　thyself　a　castaway；　as　thou　hast　told　me？　Yea；　but　even　so；　I　shall　be　too　low　for　thee　to　come　down　to　me。　　And　if　I　become　what　I　should　be；　then　I　must　tell　thee　that　I　shall　be　too　high　for　thee　to　climb　up　to　me；　so　that　in　one　way　or　other　we　shall　be　sundered；　who　have　but　met　for　an　hour　or　two。〃

He　hung　his　head　a　while　as　they　stood　there　face　to　face；　for　both　of　them　had　arisen　from　the　board；　but　presently　he　looked　up　to　her　with　glittering　eyes；　and　said：　　〃Yea；　for　an　hour　or　two；　why　then　do　we　tarry　and　linger；　and　say　what　we　have　no　will　to　say；　and　refrain　from　what　our　hearts　bid　us？〃

Therewith　he　caught　hold　of　her　right　wrist；　and　laid　his　hand　on　her　left　shoulder；　and　this　first　time　that　he　had　touched　her；　it　was　as　if　a　fire　ran　through　all　his　body　and　changed　it　into　the　essence　of　her：　　neither　was　there　any　naysay　in　her　eyes；　nor　any　defence　against　him　in　the　yielding　body　of　her。　　But　even　in　that　nick　of　time　he　drew　back　a　little；　and　turned　his　head；　as　a　man　listening；　toward　the　door；　and　said：　　〃Hist！　hist！　Dost　thou　hear；　maiden？〃　She　turned　deadly　pale：　　〃O　what　is　it？　What　is　it？　Yea；　I　hear；　it　is　horses　drawing　nigh；　and　the　sound　of　hounds　baying。　　But　may　it　not　be　thy　fellows　coming　back？〃

〃Nay；　nay；〃　he　said；　〃they　rode　not　in　armour。　　Hark　to　it！　and　these　hounds　are　deep…voiced　sleuth…dogs！　But　come　now；　there　may　yet　be　time。〃

He　turned；　and　caught　up　axe　and　shield　from　off　the　wall；　and　drew　her　toward　a　window　that　looked　to　the　north；　and　peered　out　of　it　warily；　but　turned　back　straightway；　and　said：　　〃Nay；　it　is　too　late　that　way；　they　are　all　round　about　the　house。　Maiden；　get　thou　up　into　the　solar　by　this　stair；　and　thou　wilt　find　hiding…place　behind　the　traverse　of　the　bed；　and　if　they　go　away；　and　my　fellows　come　in　due　time；　then　art　thou　safe。　　But　if　not；　surely　they　shall　do　thee　no　hurt；　for　I　think；　indeed；　that　thou　art　some　great　one。〃

And　he　fell　to　striding　down　the　hall　toward　the　door；　but　she　ran　after　him；　and　caught　his　arm；　and　said：　　〃Nay；　nay；　I　will　not　hide；　to　be　dragged　out　of　my　refuge　like　a　thief：　thou　sayest　well　that　I　am　of　the　great；　I　will　stand　by　thee　and　command　and　forbid　as　a　Queen。　　O　go　not　to　the　door！　Stay　by　me；　stay！〃

〃Nay；　nay；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　nought　for　it　but　the　deed　of　arms。　　Look！　seest　thou　not　steel　by　the　porch？〃

And　therewith　he　broke　from　her　and　ran　to　the　door；　and　was　met　upon　the　very　threshold　by　all…armed　men；　upon　whom　he　fell　without　more　ado；　crying　out：　　〃For　the　Tofts！