child christopher-第5节

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with　his　blade　over　his　knees；　until　the　first　beginning　of　the　summer　dawn　was　in　the　sky；　then　he　began　to　nod；　and　presently　lay　aback　and　slept　soundly。　　Simon　slept　not；　but　durst　not　move。　　So　they　lay　till　it　was　broad　day；　and　the　sunbeams　came　thrusting　through　the　boughs　of　the　thicket。



CHAPTER　VIII。

CHRISTOPHER　COMES　TO　THE　TOFTS。


When　they　arose　in　the　sunshine；　Simon　went　straightway　to　see　to　the　horses；　while　Christopher　stayed　by　the　fire　to　dight　their　victuals；　he　was　merry　enough；　and　sang　to　himself　the　while；　but　when　Simon　came　back　again；　Christopher　looked　on　him　sharply；　but　for　a　while　Simon　would　not　meet　his　eye；　though　he　asked　divers　questions　of　him　concerning　little　matters；　as　though　he　were　fain　to　hear　Christopher's　voice；　at　last　he　raised　his　eyes；　and　looked　on　him　steadily；　and　then　Christopher　said：　　〃Well；　wayfarer　mine；　and　whither　away　this　morning？〃

Said　Simon：　　〃As　thou　wottest；　to　the　Long　Pools。〃

Said　the　lad：　　〃Well；　thou　keepest　thy　tidings　so　close；　that　I　will　ask　thee　no　more　till　we　come　to　the　Long　Pools；　since　there；　forsooth；　thou　must　needs　tell　me；　unless　we　sunder　company　there；　whereof　I　were　nought　grieving。〃

〃Mayhappen　thou　shalt　fare　a　long　way　to…day；〃　muttered　Simon。

But　the　lad　cried　out　aloud；　while　his　eye　glittered　and　his　cheek　flushed：　　〃Belike　thou　hadst　well…nigh　opened　the　door　thereto　last　night！〃　And　therewith　he　leapt　to　his　feet　and　drew　his　short…sword；　and　with　three　deft　strokes　sheared　asunder　an　overhanging　beech…bough　as　thick　as　a　man's　wrist；　that　it　fell　crashing　down；　and　caught　Simon　amongst　the　fall　of　its　leafy　twigs；　while　Christopher　stood　laughing　on　him；　but　with　a　dangerous　lofty　look　in　his　eyes：　　then　he　turned　away　quietly　toward　the　horses　and　mounted　his　nag；　and　Simon　followed　and　did　the　like；　silently；　crestfallen　he　looked；　with　brooding　fierceness　in　his　face。

So　they　rode　their　ways；　and　spake　but　little　each　to　each　till　they　came　to　where　the　trees　of　the　wood　thinned　speedily；　and　gave　out　at　last　at　the　foot　of　a　low　stony　slope　but　little　grassed；　and　when　they　had　ridden　up　to　the　brow　and　could　see　below；　Christopher　stretched　out　his　hand；　and　said：　　〃Lo　thou　the　Long　Pools；　fellow　wayfarer！　and　lo　some　of　the　tramping；　horses　that　woke　thee　and　not　me　last　night。〃

Forsooth　there　lay　below　them　a　great　stretch　of　grass；　which　whiles　ran　into　mere　quagmire；　and　whiles　was　sound　and　better　grassed；　and　the　said　plain　was　seamed　by　three　long　shallow　pools；　with；　as　it　were；　grassy　causeways　between　them；　grown　over　here　and　there　with　ancient　alder　trees；　but　the　stony　slope　whereon　they　had　reined　up　bent　round　the　plain　mostly　to　the　east；　as　though　it　were　the　shore　of　a　great　water；　and　far　away　to　the　south　the　hills　of　the　forest　rose　up　blue；　and　not　so　low　at　the　most；　but　that　they　were　somewhat　higher　than　the　crest　of　the　White　Horse　as　ye　may　see　it　from　the　little　Berkshire　hills　above　the　Thames。　　Down　on　the　firm　greensward　there　was　indeed　a　herd　of　wild　horses　feeding；　mallard　and　coot　swam　about　the　waters；　the　whimbrel　laughed　from　the　bent…sides；　and　three　herons　stood　on　the　side　of　the　causeway　seeking　a　good　fishing…stead。

Simon　sat　a…horseback　looking　askance　from　the　marish　to　Christopher；　and　said　nothing　a　while；　then　he　spake　in　a　low　croaking　voice；　and　said：　　〃So；　little　King；　we　have　come　to　the　Long　Pools；　now　I　will　ask　thee；　hast　thou　been　further　southward　than　this　marish　land？〃

〃That　have　I；〃　said　the　lad；　〃a　day's　journey　further；　but　according　to　the　tales　of　men　it　was　at　the　peril　of　my　life。〃

Simon　seemed　as　if　he　had　not　noted　his　last　word；　he　said：　〃Well　then；　since　thou　knowest　the　wild　and　the　wood；　knowest　thou　amidst　of　the　thickets　there；　two　lumps　of　bare　hills；　like　bowls　turned　bottom　up；　that　rise　above　the　trees；　and　on　each　a　tower；　and　betwixt　them　a　long　house。〃

〃Save　us；　Allhallows！〃　quoth　Christopher；　〃but　thou　wilt　mean　the　Tofts！　Is　it　so；　sir　squire？〃

〃Even　so；〃　said　Simon。

〃And　thou　knowest　what　dwellest　there；　and　wouldst　have　me　lead　thee　thither？〃　said　the　lad。

〃I　am　so　bidden；〃　said　Simon；　〃if　thou　wilt　not　do　my　bidding；　seek　thou　some　place　to　hide　thee　in　from　the　hand　of　the　Earl　Marshal。〃

Said　the　youngling：　　〃Knowest　thou　not　Jack　of　the　Tofts　and　his　seven　sons；　and　what　he　is；　and　that　he　dwelleth　there？〃

Said　Simon：　　〃I　know　of　him；　yea；　and　himself　I　know；　and　that　he　dwelleth　there；　and　I　wot　that　men　call　him　an　outlaw；　and　that　many　rich　men　shall　lack　ere　he　lacks。　What　then？〃

〃This；〃　said　Christopher；　〃that；　as　all　tales　tell；　he　will　take　my　life　if　I　ride　thither。　And；〃　said　he；　turning　to　Simon；　〃this　is　belike　what　thou　wouldest　with　me？〃　And　therewith　he　drew　out　his　sword；　for　his　bow　was　unstrung。

But　Simon　sat　still　and　let　his　sword　abide；　and　said；　sourly　enough：　　〃Thou　art　a　fool　to　think　I　am　training　thee　to　thy　death　by　him；　for　I　have　no　will　to　die；　and　why　shall　he　not　slay　me　also？　Now　again　I　say　unto　thee；　thou　hast　the　choice；　either　to　lead　me　to　the　Tofts；　where　shall　be　the　deed　for　thee　to　do；　or　to　hide　thee　in　some　hole；　as　I　said　afore；　from　the　vengeance　of　the　Lord　of　Oakenrealm。　But　as　for　thy　sword；　thou　mayst　put　it　up；　for　I　will　not　fight　with　thee；　but　rather　let　thee　go　with　a　string　to　thy　leg；　if　thou　wilt　not　be　wise　and　do　as　thy　lords　ordain　for　thee。〃

Christopher　sheathed　his　sword；　and　a　smile　came　into　his　face；　as　if　some　new　thought　were　stirring　in　him；　and　he　said：　　〃Well；　since　thou　wilt　not　fight　with　me；　and　I　but　a　lad；　I　will　e'en　do　thy　will　and　thine　errand　to　Jack　of　the　Tofts。　　Maybe　he　is　not　so　black　as　he　is　painted；　and　not　all　tales　told　of　him　are　true。　　But　some　of　them　I　will　tell　thee　as　we　ride　along。〃

〃And　some　thereof　I　know　already；　O　woodland　knight；〃　said　Simon；　as　they　rode　down　the　bent；　and　Christopher　led　on　toward　the　green　causeway　betwixt　the　waters。　　〃Tell　me；〃　quoth　he；　when　they　had　ridden　awhile；　〃is　this　one　of　thy　tales；　how　Jack　of　the　Tofts　went　to　the　Yule　feast　of　a　great　baron　in　the　guise　of　a　minstrel；　and；　even　as　they　bore　in　the　boar's　head；　smote　the　said　baron　on　the　neck；　so　that　his　head　lay　by　the　head　of　the　swine　on　the　Christmas　board？〃

〃Yea；〃　said　Christopher；　〃and　how　Jack　cried　out：　　'Two　heads　of　swine；　one　good　to　eat；　one　good　to　burn。'　But；　my　master；　thou　shalt　know　that　this　manslaying　was　not　for　nought：　　whereas　the　Baron　of　Greenlake　had　erewhile　slain　Jack's　father　in　felon　wise；　where　he　could　strike　no　stroke　for　life；　and　two　of　his　brethren　also　had　he　slain；　and　made　the　said　Jack　an　outlaw；　and　he　all　sackless。　　In　the　Uttermost　March　we　deem　that　he　had　a　case　against　the　baron。〃

〃Hah！〃　said　Simon。　　〃Is　this　next　tale　true；　that　this　Jack　o'　the　Tofts　slew　a　good　knight　before　the　altar；　so　that　the　priest's　mass…hackle　was　all　wet　with　his　blood；　whereas　the　said　priest　was　in　the　act　of　putting　the　holy　body　into　the　open　mouth　of　the　said　knight？〃

Christopher　said　eagerly：　　〃True　was　it；　by　the　Rood！　and　well　was　it　done；　for　that　same　Sir　Raoul　was　an　ugly　traitor；　who　had　knelt　down　where　he　died　to　wed　the　Body　of　the　Lord　to　a　foul　lie　in　his　mouth；　whereas　the　man　who　knelt　beside　him　he　had　trained　to　his　destruction；　and　was　even　then　doing　the　first　deal　of　his　treason　by　forswearing　him　there。〃

〃And　that　man　who　knelt　with　him　there；〃　said　Simon；　〃what　betid　to　him？〃

Said　Christopher：　　〃He　went　out　of　the　church　with　Jack　of　the　Tofts　that　minute　of　the　stroke；　and　to　the　Tofts　he　went　with　him；　and　abode　with　him　freely：　　and　a　valiant　man　he　was。。。and　is。〃

〃Hah！〃　said　Simon　again。　　〃And　then　there　is　this：　　that　the　seven　sons　of　Jack　of　the　Tofts　bore　off　perforce　four　fair　maidens　of　gentle　blood　from　the　castle　wherein　they　dwelt；　serving　a　high　dame　in　all　honour；　and　that　moreover；　they　hanged　the　said　dame　over　the　battlements　of　her　own　castle。　Is　this　true；　fair　sir？〃

〃True　is　it　as　the　gospel；〃　said　Christopher：　　〃yet　many　say　that　the　hanged　dame　had　somewhat　less　than　her　deserts；　for　a　foul　&　cruel　whore　had　she　been；　and　had　done　many　to　be　done　to　death；　and　stood　by　while　they　were　pined。　　And　the　like　had　she　done　with　those　four　damsels；　had　there　not　been　the　stout　sons　of　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　so　that　the　dear　maidens　were　somewhat　more　than　willing　to　be　borne　away。〃

Simon　grinned：　　〃Well；　lad；〃　said　he；　〃I　see　that　thou　knowest　Jack　of　the　Tofts　even　better　than　I　do；　so　why　in　the　devil's　name　thou　art　loth　to　lead　me　to　him；　I　wot　not。〃

Christopher　reddened；　and　held　his　peace　awhile；　then　he　said：　　〃Well　fellow…farer；　at　least　I　shall　know　something　of　him　ere　next　midnight。〃

〃Yea；〃　said　Simon；　〃and　shall　we　not　come　to　the　Tofts　before　nightfall？〃

〃Let　us　essay　it；〃　said　Christopher；　〃and　do　our　best；　it　yet　lacketh　three　hours　of　noon。〃　Therewith　he　spurred　on；　for　the　greensward　was　hard　under　the　hooves；　and　they　had　yet　some　way　to　go　before　they　should　come　amongst　the　trees　and　thickets。

Into　the　said　wood　they　came；　and　rode　all　day　diligently；　but　night　fell　on　them　before　they　saw　either　house　or　man　or　devil；　then　said　Simon：　　〃Why　should　we　go　any　further　before　dawn？　Will