child christopher-第2节

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ar；　he　sent　for　the　wisest　of　his　wise　men；　and　they　came　unto　him　sorrowing　in　the　High　House　of　his　chiefest　city；　which　hight　Meadhamstead。　　So　he　bade　them　sit　down　nigh　unto　his　bed；　and　took　up　the　word　and　spake：

〃Masters；　and　my　good　lords；　ye　may　see　clearly　that　a　sundering　is　at　hand；　and　that　I　must　needs　make　a　long　journey；　whence　I　shall　come　back　never；　now　I　would；　and　am　verily　of　duty　bound　thereto；　that　I　leave　behind　me　some　good　order　in　the　land。　Furthermore；　I　would　that　my　daughter；　when　she　is　of　age　thereto；　should　be　Queen　in　Meadham；　and　rule　the　land；　neither　will　it　be　many　years　before　she　shall　be　of　ripe　age　for　ruling；　if　ever　she　may　be；　and　I　deem　not　that　there　shall　be　any　lack　in　her；　whereas　her　mother　could　all　courtesy；　and　was　as　wise　as　a　woman　may　be。　　But　how　say　ye；　my　masters？〃

So　they　all　with　one　consent　said　Yea；　and　they　would　ask　for　no　better　king　than　their　lady　his　daughter。　　Then　said　the　King：

〃Hearken　carefully；　for　my　time　is　short：　　Yet　is　she　young　and　a　maiden；　though　she　be　wise。　　Now　therefore　do　I　need　some　man　well　looked　to　of　the　folk；　who　shall　rule　the　land　in　her　name　till　she　be　of　eighteen　winters；　and　who　shall　be　her　good　friend　and　counsellor　into　all　wisdom　thereafter。　　Which　of　you；　my　masters；　is　meet　for　this　matter？〃

Then　they　all　looked　one　on　the　other；　and　spake　not。　　And　the　King　said：　　〃Speak；　some　one　of　you；　without　fear；　this　is　no　time　for　tarrying。〃

Thereon　spake　an　elder；　the　oldest　of　them；　and　said：　〃Lord；　this　is　the　very　truth；　that　none　of　us　here　present　are　meet　for　this　office：　　whereas；　among　other　matters；　we　be　all　unmeet　for　battle；　some　of　us　have　never　been　warriors；　and　other　some　are　past　the　age　for　leading　an　host。　　To　say　the　sooth；　King；　there　is　but　one　man　in　Meadham　who　may　do　what　thou　wilt；　and　not　fail；　both　for　his　wisdom；　and　his　might　afield；　and　the　account　which　is　had　of　him　amongst　the　people；　and　that　man　is　Earl　Geoffrey；　of　the　Southern　Marches。〃

〃Ye　say　sooth；〃　quoth　the　King；　〃but　is　he　down　in　the　South；　or　nigher　to　hand？〃

Said　the　elder：　　〃He　is　as　now　in　Meadhamstead；　and　may　be　in　this　chamber　in　scant　half　an　hour。〃　　So　the　King　bade　send　for　him；　and　there　was　silence　in　the　chamber　till　he　came　in；　clad　in　a　scarlet　kirtle　and　a　white　cloak；　and　with　his　sword　by　his　side。　　He　was　a　tall　man；　bigly　made；　somewhat　pale　of　face；　black　and　curly　of　hair；　blue…eyed；　thin…lipped；　and　hook…nosed　as　an　eagle；　a　man　warrior…like；　and　somewhat　fierce　of　aspect。　　He　knelt　down　by　the　King's　bedside；　and　asked　him　in　a　sorrowful　voice　what　he　would；　and　the　King　said：　　〃I　ask　a　great　matter　of　thee；　and　all　these　my　wise　men；　and　I　myself；　withal；　deem　that　thou　canst　do　it；　and　thou　alonenay；　hearken：　　I　am　departing；　and　I　would　have　thee　hold　my　place；　and　do　unto　my　people　even　what　I　would　do　if　I　myself　were　living；　and　to　my　daughter　as　nigh　to　that　as　may　be。　　I　say　all　this　thou　mayst　do；　if　thou　wilt　be　as　trusty　and　leal　to　me　after　I　am　dead；　as　thou　hast　seemed　to　all　men's　eyes　to　have　been　while　I　was　living。　　What　sayest　thou？〃

The　Earl　had　hidden　his　face　in　the　coverlet　of　the　bed　while　the　King　was　speaking；　but　now　he　lifted　up　his　face；　weeping；　and　said：　　〃Kinsman　and　friend　and　King；　this　is　nought　hard　to　do；　but　if　it　were；　yet　would　I　do　it。〃

〃It　is　well；〃　said　the　King：　　〃my　heart　fails　me　and　my　voice；　so　give　heed；　and　set　thine　ear　close　to　my　mouth：　hearken；　belike　my　daughter　Goldilind　shall　be　one　of　the　fairest　of　women；　I　bid　thee　wed　her　to　the　fairest　of　men　and　the　strongest；　and　to　none　other。〃

Thereat　his　voice　failed　him　indeed；　and　he　lay　still；　but　he　died　not；　till　presently　the　priest　came　to　him；　and；　as　he　might；　houselled　him：　　then　he　departed。

As　for　Earl　Geoffrey；　when　the　King　was　buried；　and　the　homages　done　to　the　maiden　Goldilind；　he　did　no　worse　than　those　wise　men　deemed　of　him；　but　bestirred　him；　and　looked　full　sagely　into　all　the　matters　of　the　kingdom；　and　did　so　well　therein　that　all　men　praised　his　rule　perforce；　whether　they　loved　him　or　not；　and　sooth　to　say　he　was　not　much　beloved。



CHAPTER　IV。

OF　THE　MAIDEN　GOLDILIND。


AMIDST　of　all　his　other　business　Earl　Geoffrey　bethought　him　in　a　while　of　the　dead　King's　daughter；　and　he　gave　her　in　charge　to　a　gentlewoman；　somewhat　stricken　in　years；　a　widow　of　high　lineage；　but　not　over　wealthy。　　She　dwelt　in　her　own　house　in　a　fair　valley　some　twenty　miles　from　Meadhamstead：　thereabode　Goldilind　till　a　year　and　a　half　was　worn；　and　had　due　observance；　but　little　love；　and　not　much　kindness　from　the　said　gentlewoman；　who　hight　Dame　Elinor　Leashowe。　Howbeit；　time　and　again　came　knights　and　ladies　and　lords　to　see　the　little　lady；　and　kissed　her　hand　and　did　obeisance　to　her；　yet　more　came　to　her　in　the　first　three　months　of　her　sojourn　at　Leashowe　than　the　second；　and　more　in　the　second　than　the　third。

At　last；　on　a　day　when　the　said　year　and　a　half　was　fully　worn；　thither　came　Earl　Geoffrey　with　a　company　of　knights　and　men…at…arms；　and　he　did　obeisance；　as　due　was；　to　his　master's　daughter；　and　then　spake　awhile　privily　with　Dame　Elinor；　and　thereafter　they　went　into　the　hall；　he；　and　she；　and　Goldilind；　and　there　before　all　men　he　spake　aloud　and　said：

〃My　Lady　Goldilind；　meseemeth　ye　dwell　here　all　too　straitly；　for　neither　is　this　house　of　Leashowe　great　enough　for　thy　state；　and　the　entertainment　of　the　knights　and　lords　who　shall　have　will　to　seek　to　thee　hither；　nor　is　the　wealth　of　thy　liege　dame　and　governante　as　great　as　it　should　be；　and　as　thou；　meseemeth；　wouldst　have　it。　Wherefore　I　have　been　considering　thy　desires　herein；　and　if　thou　deem　it　meet　to　give　a　gift　to　Dame　Elinor；　and　live　queenlier　thyself　than　now　thou　dost；　then　mayst　thou　give　unto　her　the　Castle　of　Greenharbour；　and　the　six　manors　appertaining　thereto；　and　withal　the　rights　of　wild…wood　and　fen　and　fell　that　lie　thereabout。　　Also；　if　thou　wilt；　thou　mayst　honour　the　said　castle　with　abiding　there　awhile　at　thy　pleasure；　and　I　shall　see　to　it　that　thou　have　due　meney　to　go　with　thee　thither。　　How　sayest　thou；　my　lady？〃

Amongst　that　company　there　were　two　or　three　who　looked　at　each　other　and　half　smiled；　and　two　or　three　looked　on　the　maiden；　who　was　goodly　as　of　her　years；　as　if　with　compassion；　but　the　more　part　kept　countenance　in　full　courtly　wise。

Then　spake　Goldilind　in　a　quavering　voice　（for　she　was　afraid　and　wise）；　and　she　said：　〃Cousin　and　Earl；　we　will　that　all　this　be　done；　and　it　likes　me　well　to　eke　the　wealth　of　this　lady　and　my　good　friend　Dame　Elinor。〃

Quoth　Earl　Geoffrey：　　〃Kneel　before　thy　lady；　Dame；　and　put　thine　hands　between　hers　and　thank　her　for　the　gift。〃　　So　Dame　Elinor　knelt　down；　and　did　homage　and　obeisance　for　her　new　land；　and　Goldilind　raised　her　up　and　kissed　her；　and　bade　her　sit　down　beside　her；　and　spake　to　her　kindly；　and　all　men　praised　the　maiden　for　her　gentle　and　courteous　ways；　and　Dame　Elinor　smiled　upon　her　and　them；　what　she　could。

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。

Howbei