child christopher-第20节

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　and　the　winning　of　peace。　But　to…morrow　we　will　hallow…in　the　Mote；　and　my　earl　and　my　barons　and　good　men　shall　give　counsel；　and　then　shall　it　be　that　the　hand　shall　do　what　the　heart　biddeth。〃

Therewith　he　leapt　down　from　the　shield；　and　went　about　the　hall　talking　to　this　one　and　that；　till　the　board　was　full　dight；　then　he　took　his　place　in　the　high…seat；　beside　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　and　David　and　Gilbert　and　his　other　foster…brethren　sat　on　either　side　of　him；　and　their　wives　with　them；　and　men　fell　to　feasting　in　great　glee。

But　one　thing　there　is　yet　to　tell　of　this　feast。　　When　men　had　drunk　a　cup　or　two；　and　drunk　memories　to　good　men　dead；　and　healths　to　good　men　living；　amidst　this　arose　a　grey…head　carle　from　the　lower　end　of　the　hall；　and　said：　〃Child　Christopher；　thy　grace；　that　I　may　crave　a　boon　of　thee　on　this　day　of　leal　service。'

〃Ask　then；〃　said　Christopher；　with　a　pleasant　face。

〃King；〃　quoth　the　carle；　〃here　are　we　all　gathered　together；　and　we　have　before　us　the　most　beautifullest　woman　of　the　world；　who　sitteth　by　thy　side；　now　to…night　we　be　all　dear　friends；　and　there　is　no　lack　between　us；　yet　who　can　say　how　often　we　may　meet　and　things　be　so？　I　do　not　say　that　there　shall　enmity　and　dissension　arise　between　us；　though　that　may　betide；　but　it　is　not　unlike　that　another　time　thou；　King；　and　thy　mate；　may　be　prouder　than　now　ye　be；　since　now　ye　are　new　to　it。　　And　if　that　distance　grow　between　us；　it　will　avail　nought　to　ask　my　boon　then。〃

〃Well；　well；　ask　it　now；　friend；〃　said　the　King；　laughing；　〃I　were　fain　of　ending　the　day　with　a　gift。〃

〃This　it　is　then；　King；〃　said　the　carle：　　〃since　we　are　here　set　down　before　the　loveliest　woman　in　the　world；　grant　us　this；　that　all　we　men…folk　may　for　this　once　kiss　the　face　of　her；　if　she　will　have　it　so。〃

Huge　laughter　and　cheers　arose　at　his　word；　but　King　Christopher　arose　and　said：　〃Friend；　thy　boon　is　granted　with　a　good　will；　or　how　sayest　thou；　Goldilind　my　beloved？

For　all　answer　she　stood　up　blushing　like　a　rose；　and　held　out　her　two　hands　to　the　men　in　the　hall。　　And　straightway　the　old　carle　rose　up　and　went　in　haste　to　the　high…table；　before　another　man　might　stir；　and　took　Goldilind　by　the　chin；　and　kissed　her　well…favouredly；　and　again　men　laughed　joyously。　　Then　came　before　her　Jack　of　the　Tofts　and　all　his　sons；　one　after　other；　and　kissed　her　face；　save　only　David；　who　knelt　humbly　before　her；　and　took　her　right　hand　and　kissed　it；　while　the　tears　were　in　his　eyes。　　Then　came　many　of　the　men　in　the　hall；　and　some　were　bold；　but　many　were　shy；　and　when　they　came　before　her　durst　kiss　neither　hand　nor　face　of　her；　but　their　hearts　were　full　of　her　when　they　went　to　their　places　again；　and　all　the　assembly　was　praising　her。

So　wore　the　time　of　that　first　night　of　the　kingship　of　Child　Christopher。



CHAPTER　XXVII。

OF　THE　HUSTING　OF　THE　TOFTS。


When　morning　was；　there　were　horns　sounding　from　the　tower　on　the　toft；　and　all　men　hastening　in　their　war…gear　to　the　topmost　of　the　other　toft；　the　bare　one；　whereon　was　no　building；　for　thereon　was　ever　the　mote…stead　of　these　woodmen。　　But　men　came　not　only　from　the　stead　and　houses　of　the　Tofts；　but　also　from　the　woodland　cots　and　dwellings　anigh；　of　which　were　no　few。　　And　they　that　came　there　first　found　King　Christopher　sitting　on　the　mound　amid　the　mote…stead；　and　Jack　of　the　Tofts　and　his　seven　sons　sitting　by　him；　and　all　they　well…weaponed　and　with　green　coats　over　their　hauberks；　and　they　that　came　last　found　three　hundreds　of　good　men　and　true　gathered　there；　albeit　this　was　but　the　Husting　of　the　Tofts。

So　when　there　were　no　more　to　come；　then　was　the　Mote　hallowed；　and　the　talk　began；　but　short　and　sharp　was　their　rede；　for　well　did　all　men　wot　who　had　been　in　the　hall　the　night　before　that　there　was　now　no　time　to　lose。　　For　though　nigh　all　the　men　that　had　been　in　the　hall　were　well　known　to　each　other；　yet　might　there　perchance　have　been　some　spy　unknown；　who　had　edged　him　in　as　a　guest　to　one　of　the　good　men。　　Withal；　as　the　saw　saith：　　The　word　flieth；　the　wight　dieth。　　And　it　were　well　if　they　might　gather　a　little　host　ere　their　foeman　might　gather　a　mickle。

First　therefore　arose　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　and　began　shortly　to　put　forth　the　sooth；　that　there　was　come　the　son　of　King　Christopher　the　Old；　and　that　now　he　was　seeking　to　his　kingdom；　not　for　lust　of　power　and　gain；　but　that　he　might　be　the　friend　of　good　men　and　true；　and　uphold　them　and　be　by　them　upholden。　　And　saith　he：　　〃Look　ye　on　the　face　of　this　man；　and　tell　me　where　ye　shall　find　a　friend　friendlier　than　he；　and　more　single…hearted？〃　And　therewith　he　laid　his　hand　on　Christopher's　head；　and　the　young　man　rose　up；　blushing　like　a　maid；　and　thereafter　a　long　time　could　no　lord　be　heard　for　the　tumult　of　gladness　and　the　clashing　of　weapons。

But　when　it　was　a　little　hushed；　then　spake　Jack　again：　〃Now　need　no　man　say　more　to　man　on　this　matter；　for　ye　call　this　curly…headed　lad　the　King　of　Oakenrealm；　even　as　some　of　ye　did　last　night。〃

Mighty　was　the　shout　of　yea…say　that　arose　at　that　word；　and　when　it　was　stilled；　a　grey…head　stood　up　and　said：　　〃King　Christopher；　and　thou；　our　leader；　whom　we　shall　henceforth　call　Earl；　it　is　now　meet　that　we　shear　up　the　war…arrow；　and　send　it　forth　to　whithersoever　we　deem　our　friends　dwell；　and　that　this　be　done　at　once　here　in　this　Mote；　and　that　the　hosting　be　after　three　nights'　frist　in　the　plain　of　Hazeldale；　which　all　ye　know　is　twelve　miles　nigher　to　Oakenrealm　than　this。〃

All　men　yea…said　this；　no　one　gainsaid　it；　and　straightway　was　fire　kindled　and　the　bull　slain；　for　the　said　elder　had　brought　him　thither；　and　the　arrow　was　sheared　and　scorched　and　reddened；　and　the　runners　were　fetched；　and　the　word　given　them；　and　they　were　sped　on　their　errand。

Up　rose　then　another；　a　young　man；　and　spake：　　〃Many　stout　fellows　be　here；　and　some　wise　and　well…ruled；　and　many　also　hot…head　and　wilful：　　Child　Christopher　is　King　now；　and　we　all　know　him　that　when　he　cometh　into　the　fray　he　is　like　to　strike　three　strokes　for　two　that　any　other　winneth；　but　as　to　his　lore　of　captainship；　if　he　hath　any；　he　was　born　with　it；　as　is　like　enough；　seeing　who　was　his　father；　therefore　we　need　a　captain　well…proven；　to　bid　us　how　to　turn　hither　and　thither；　and　where　to　gather　thickest；　and　where　to　spread　thinnest；　and　when　to　fall　on　fiercely　and　when　to　give　way；　and　let　the　thicket　cover　us；　for　wise　in　war　shall　our　foemen　be。　　Now　therefore　if　anyone　needeth　a　better　captain　than　our　kin…father　and　war…father　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　he　must　needs　go　fetch　him　from　otherwhere！　How　sayest　thou；　Christopher　lad？〃

Great　cheer　there　was　at　the　word；　and　laughter　no　little　therewith。　　But　Christopher　stood　up；　and　took　Jack　by　the　hand；　and　said：　　〃Now　say　I；　that　if　none　else　follow　this　man　into　battle；　yet　will　I；　and　if　none　else　obey　him　to　go　backward　or　forward　to　the　right　hand　or　to　the　left　as　he　biddeth；　yet　will　I。　　Thou；　Wilfrid　Wellhead；　look　to　it　that　thou　dost　no　less。　　But　ye　folk；　what　will　ye　herein？〃

So　they　all　yea…said　Jack　of　the　Tofts　for　captain；　and　forsooth　they　might　do　no　less；　for　he　was　wary　and　wise；　and　had　done　many　deeds；　and　seen　no　little　of　warfare。

Then　again　arose　a　man　of　some　forty　winters；　strong　built　and　not　ungoodly；　but　not　merry　of　countenance；　and　he　spake：　　〃King　and　war…leader；　I　have　a　word　to　say：　　We　be　wending　to　battle；　we　carles；　with　spear　in　fist　and　sword　by　side；　and　if　we　die　in　the　fray；　of　the　day's　work　is　it；　but　what　do　we　with　our　kinswomen；　as　mothers　and　daughters　and　wives　and　she…friends；　and　the　little　ones　they　have　borne　us？　For；　see　ye！　this　warfare　we　are　faring；　maybe　it　shall　not　last　long；　and　yet　maybe　it　shall；　and　then　may　the　foeman　go　about　us　and　fall　on　this　stead　if　we　leave　them　behind　here　with　none　to　guard　them；　and　if；　on　the　other　hand；　we　leave　them　men　enough　for　their　warding；　then　we　minish　our　host　overmuch。　　What　do　we　then？〃

Then　spake　Jack　of　the　Tofts：　　〃This　is　well　thought　of　by　Haward　of　Whiteacre；　and　we　must　look　to　it。　　And；　by　my　rede；　we　shall　have　our　women　and　little　ones　with　us；　and　why　not？　For　we　shall　then　but　be　moving　Toftstead　as　we　move；　and　ever　to　some　of　us　hath　it　been　as　a　camp　rather　than　an　house。　　Moreover；　ye　know　it；　that　our　women　be　no　useless　and　soft　queans；　who　durst　not　lie　under　the　oak　boughs　for　a　night　or　two；　or　wade　a　water　over　their　ankles；　but　valiant　they　be；　and　kind；　and　helpful；　and　many　of　them　are　there　who　can　draw　a　bow　with　the　best；　and；　it　may　be；　push　a　spear　if　need　were。　　How　say　ye；　lads？〃

Now　this　also　they　yea…said　gladly；　forsooth　they　had　scarce　been　fain　of　leaving　the　women　behind；　at　least　the　younger　ones；　even　had　they　been　safe　at　the　Tofts；　for　there　is　no　time　when　a　man　would　gladlier　have　a　fair　woman　in　his　arms　than　when　battle　and　life…peril　are　toward。

Thereafter　the　Mote　sundered；　when　the　Captain　had　bidden　his　men　this　and　that　matter　that　each　should　look　to；　and　said　that　he；　for　his　part；　with　King　Christopher　and　a　chosen　band；　would　set　off　for　Hazeldale　on　the　morrow　morn；　whereas　some　deal　of　the　gathering　would　of　a　certainty　be　come　thither　by　then；