child christopher-第19节

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！


　him　fierce　and　eager　and　true；　he　knew　well　it　was　no　jest；　and　as　the　shouts　of　men　went　up　from　the　hall　and　beat　against　the　roof；　himseemed　that　he　remembered；　as　in　a　dream；　folk　talking　a…nigh　him　when　he　was　too　little　to　understand；　of　a　king　and　his　son；　and　a　mighty　man　turned　thief　and　betrayer。　Then　his　brow　cleared；　and　his　eyes　shone　bright；　and　he　leaned　forward　to　Jack　and　girt　him　with　the　sword；　and　kissed　his　mouth；　and　said：　　〃Thou　art　indeed　my　man　and　my　thane　and　my　earl；　and　I　gird　thee　with　thy　sword　as　my　father　girded　thy　father。〃

Then　stood　up　Jack　o'　the　Tofts　and　said：　　〃Men　in　this　hall；　happy　is　the　hour；　and　happy　are　ye！　This　man　is　the　King　of　Oakenrealm；　and　he　yonder　is　but　a　thief　of　kings；　a　dastard！〃

And　again　great　was　the　shouting；　for　carle　and　quean；　young　and　old；　they　loved　Christopher　well：　　and　Jack　of　the　Tofts　was　not　only　their　war…duke　and　alderman；　but　their　wise　man　also；　and　none　had　any　thought　of　gainsaying　him。　　But　he　spake　again　and　said：　　〃Is　there　here　any　old　man；　or　not　so　old；　who　hath　of　past　days　seen　our　King　that　was；　King　Christopher　to　wit；　who　fell　in　battle　on　our　behalf？　If　so　there　be；　let　him　come　up　hither。〃

Then　arose　a　greybeard　from　a　bench　nigh　the　high…table；　and　came　up　on　to　the　dais；　a　very　tall　man　had　he　been；　but　was　now　somewhat　bowed　by　age。　　He　now　knelt　before　Christopher；　and　took　his　hand；　and　said：　　〃I；　William　of　Whittenham；　a　free　man；　a　knight；　sackless　of　the　guilt　which　is　laid　on　me；　would　be　thy　man；　O　my　lord　King；　to　serve　thee　in　all　wise；　if　so　be　that　I　may　live　to　strike　one　stroke　for　my　master's　son；　whom　now　I　see；　the　very　living　image　of　the　King　whom　I　served　in　my　youth。〃

Then　Christopher　bent　down　to　him　and　kissed　him；　and　said：　〃Thou　art　indeed　my　man　and　my　thane　&　my　baron；　and　who　knows　but　that　thou　mayst　have　many　a　stroke　to　strike　for　me　in　the　days　that　are　nigh　at　hand。〃

And　again　the　people　shouted：　　and　then　there　came　another　and　another；　and　ten　more　squires　and　knights　and　men　of　estate；　who　were　now　indeed　woodmen　and　wolf…heads；　but　who；　the　worst　of　them；　were　sackless　of　aught　save　slaying　an　unfriend；　or　a　friend's　unfriend；　in　fair　fight；　and　all　these　kneeled　before　him；　and　put　their　hands　in　his；　and　gave　themselves　unto　him。

When　this　was　done；　there　came　thrusting　through　the　throng　of　the　hall　a　tall　woman；　old；　yet　comely　as　for　her　age；　she　went　right　up　on　to　the　dais；　and　came　to　where　sat　Christopher；　and　without　more　ado　cast　her　arms　about　him　and　kissed　him；　and　then　she　held　him　by　the　shoulders　and　cried　out：　　〃O；　have　I　found　thee　at　last；　my　loveling；　and　my　dear；　and　my　nurse…chick？　and　thou　grown　so　lovely　and　yet　so　big　that　I　may　never　more　hold　thee　aloft　in　mine　arms；　as　once　I　was　wont；　though　high　enough　belike　thou　shalt　be　lifted；　and　I　say　praise　be　to　God　and　to　his　Hallows　that　thou　art　grown　so　beauteous　and　mighty　a　man！〃

Therewith　she　turned　about　toward　the　hall…throng　and　said：　〃Thou；　duke　of　these　woodmen；　and　all　ye　in　this　hall；　I　have　been　brought　hither　by　one　of　you；　and　though　I　have　well…nigh　died　of　joy　because　of　the　suddenness　of　this　meeting；　yet　I　thank　him　therefor。　　For　who　is　this　goodly　and　gracious　young　man　save　the　King's　son　of　Oakenrealm；　Christopher　that　was；　and　that　to　my　certain　knowledge；　for　he　is　my　fosterling　and　my　milk…child；　and　I　took　him　from　the　hands　of　the　midwife　in　the　High　House　of　Oakenham　a　twenty…one　years　ago；　and　they　took　him　from　Oakenham；　and　me　with　him　to　the　house　of　Lord　Richard　the　Lean；　at　Longholms；　and　there　we　dwelt；　but　in　a　little　while　they　took　him　away　from　Longholms　to　I　wot　not　whither；　but　would　not　suffer　me　to　go　along　with　him；　and　ever　sithence　have　I　been　wandering　about　and　hoping　to　see　this　lovely　child　again；　and　now　I　see　him；　what　he　is；　and　again　I　thank　God　and　Allhallows　therefor。〃

Once　more　then　was　there　stir　and　glad　tumult　in　the　hall。　But　Goldilind　stood　wondering；　and　fear　entered　into　her　soul；　for　she　saw　before　her　a　time　of　turmoil　and　unpeace；　and　there　seemed　too　much　between　her　and　the　sweetness　of　her　love。　　Withal　it　must　be　said；　that　for　as　little　as　she　knew　of　courts　and　war…hosts；　she　yet　seemed　to　see　lands　without　that　hall；　and　hosts　marching；　and　mighty　walls　glittering　with　spears；　and　the　banners　of　a　great　King　displayed；　and　Jack　of　the　Tofts　and　his　champions　and　good　fellows　seemed　but　a　frail　defence　against　all　that；　when　once　the　hidden　should　be　shown；　and　the　scantiness　of　the　woodland　should　cry　on　the　abundance　of　the　kingdom　to　bow　down。

Now　she　came　round　the　board　and　stood　beside　Christopher；　and　he　turned　to　her；　and　stood　up　and　took　her　hand；　in　such　wise　that　she　felt　the　caress　of　it；　and　joy　filled　her　soul；　as　if　she　had　been　alone　with　him　in　the　wild…wood。

But　he　spake　and　said：　　〃All　ye　my　friends：　　I　see　and　wot　well　that　ye　would　have　me　sit　in　my　father's　seat　and　be　the　King　of　Oakenrealm；　and　that　ye　will　give　me　help　and　furtherance　therein　to　the　utmost；　nor　will　I　cast　back　the　gift　upon　you；　and　I　will　say　this；　that　when　I　am　King　indeed；　it　is　my　meaning　and　my　will　now；　that　then　I　shall　be　no　less　one　of　you　good　fellows　and　kind　friends　than　ye　have　known　me　hitherto；　and　even　so　I　deem　that　ye　think　of　me。　　But；　good　friends；　it　is　not　to　be　hidden　that　the　road　ye　would　have　me　wend　with　you　is　like　to　be　rough；　and　it　may　well　be　that　we　shall　not　come　to　be　kings　or　kings'　friends　but　men　hunted；　and　often；　maybe；　men　taken　and　slain。　　Therefore；　till　one　thing　or　the　other　come；　the　kingship；　or　the　taking；　I　will　try　to　be　no　less　joyous　than　now　I　am；　and　so　meseemeth　shall　ye；　and　if　ye　be　of　this　mind；　then　shall　the　coming　days　be　no　worse　than　the　days　which　have　been；　and　God　wot　they　have　been　happy　enough。　　Now　again；　ye　see　this　most　fair　lady；　whose　hand　I　hold；　she　is　my　beloved　and　my　wife；　and　therewithal　she　is　the　true　Queen　of　Meadham；　and　a　traitor　sits　in　her　place　even　as　a　traitor　sits　in　mine。　　But　I　must　tell　you　that　when　she　took　me　for　her　beloved；　she　knew　not；　nor　did　I；　that　I　was　a　King's　son；　but　she　took　me　as　a　woodman　and　an　outcast；　and　as　a　wood…man　and　outcast　I　wooed　her；　trusting　in　the　might　that　was　in　my　body；　and　the　love　that　was　in　my　heart；　and　now　before　all　you；　my　friends；　I　thank　her　and　worship　her　that　my　body　and　my　love　was　enough　for　her；　as；　God　wot；　the　kingship　of　the　whole　earth　should　not　be　overmuch　for　her；　if　it　lay　open　to　her　to　take。　　But；　sweet　friends；　here　am　I　talking　of　myself　as　a　King　wedded　unto　a　Queen；　whereas　meseemeth　the　chiefest　gift　our　twin　kingship　hath　brought　you　to…night　is　the　gift　of　two　most　mighty　unfriends　for　you；　to　wit；　her　foeman　and　mine。　　See　ye　to　it；　then；　if　the　wild…wood　yonder　is　not　a　meeter　dwelling　for　us　than　this　your　goodly　hall；　and　fear　not　to　put　us　to　the　door　as　a　pair　of　make…bates　and　a　peril　to　this　goodly　company。　　Lo　you；　the　sky　without　has　not　yet　lost　all　memory　of　the　sun；　and　in　a　little　while　it　will　be　yellowing　again　to　the　dawn。　　Nought　evil　shall　be　the　wild…wood　for　our　summer　dwelling；　and　what！　ere　the　winter　come；　we　may　have　won　us　another　house　where　erst　my　fathers　feasted。　　And　thereto；　my　friends；　do　I　bid　you　all。〃

But　when　they　heard　his　friendly　words；　and　saw　the　beauty　of　the　fair　woman　whose　hand　he　held；　his　face　grew　so　well…beloved　to　them；　that　they　cried　out　with　so　great　a　voice　of　cheer；　wordless　for　their　very　joy；　that　the　timbers　of　the　hall　quavered　because　of　it；　and　it　went　out　into　the　wild…wood　as　though　it　had　been　the　feastful　roaring　of　the　ancient　gods　of　the　forest。

But　when　the　tumult　sank　a　little；　then　cried　out　Jack　of　the　Tofts：　　〃Bring　now　the　mickle　shield；　and　let　us　look　upon　our　King。〃

So　men　went　and　fetched　in　a　huge　ancient　shield；　plated　with　berry…brown　iron；　inlaid　with　gold；　and　the　four　biggest　men　in　the　hall　took　it　on　their　shoulders　and　knelt　down　anigh　the　dais；　before　Christopher；　and　Jack　said　aloud：　　〃King！　King！　Stand　up　here！　for　this　war…board　of　old　days　is　the　castle　and　the　burg　alone　due　to　thee；　and　these　four　fellows　here　are　the　due　mountains　to　upbear　it。〃

Then　lightly　strode　Child　Christopher　on　to　the　shield；　and　when　he　stood　firm　thereon；　they　rose　heedfully　underneath　him　till　they　were　standing　upright　on　their　feet；　and　the　King　stood　on　the　shield　as　if　he　were　grown　there；　and　waved　his　naked　sword　to　the　four　orts。

Then　cried　out　an　old　woman　in　a　shrill　voice：　　〃Lo；　how　the　hills　rise　up　into　tall　mountains；　even　so　shall　arise　Child　Christopher　to　the　kingship。〃

Thereat　all　the　folk　laughed　for　joy　and　cried　out：　　〃Child　Christopher！　Child　Christopher；　our　King！〃　And　for　that　word；　when　he　came　to　the　crown　indeed；　and　ruled　wide　lands；　was　he　called　Child　Christopher；　and　that　name　clave　to　him　after　he　was　dead；　and　but　a　name　in　the　tale　of　his　kindred。

Now　the　King　spake　and　said：　　〃Friends；　now　is　it　time　to　get　to　the　board；　and　the　feast　which　hath　been　stayed　this　while；　and　I　pray　you　let　it　be　as　merry　as　if　there　were　no　striving　and　unpeace　betwixt　us　and　the　winning　of　peace。　But　to…morrow　we　will　hallow…in　the　Mote；　and　my　earl　and　my　barons　and　g