child christopher-第6节

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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　it　not　be　best　to　come　to　this　perilous　house　by　daylight？〃

Said　Christopher：　　〃There　be　perils　in　the　wood　as　well　as　in　the　house。　　If　we　lie　down　here；　maybe　Jack's　folk　may　come　upon　us　sleeping；　and　some　mischance　may　befall　us。　Withal；　hereabout　be　no　wild　horses　to　wake　thee　and　warn　thee　of　thy　foeman　anigh。　Let　us　press　on；　there　is　a　moon；　though　she　be　somewhat　hidden　by　clouds；　and　meseemeth　the　way　lieth　clear　before　me；　neither　are　we　a　great　way　from　the　Tofts。〃

Then　Simon　rode　close　up　to　Christopher；　and　took　his　rein　and　stayed　him；　and　said　to　him；　as　one　who　prayeth：　　〃Young　man；　willest　thou　my　death？〃

〃That　is　as　it　may　be；〃　said　Christopher；　〃willest　thou　mine？〃

Simon　held　his　peace　awhile；　and　Christopher　might　not　see　what　was　in　his　face　amidst　the　gathering　dusk；　but　he　twitched　his　rein　out　of　the　squire's　hand；　as　if　he　would　hasten　onward；　then　the　squire　said：　　〃Nay；　I　pray　thee　abide　and　hear　a　word　of　me。〃

〃Speak　then；〃　said　Christopher；　〃but　hasten；　for　I　hunger；　and　I　would　we　were　in　the　hall。〃　　And　therewith　he　laughed。

Said　Simon：　　〃Thus　it　is：　　if　I　go　back　to　my　lord　and　bear　no　token　of　having　done　his　errand　to　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　then　am　I　in　evil　case；　and　if　I　come　to　the　Tofts；　I　wot　well　that　Jack　is　a　man　fierce　of　heart；　and　ready　of　hand：　now；　therefore；　I　pray　thee　give　me　thy　word　to　be　my　warrant；　so　far　as　thou　mayst　be；　with　this　woodman　and　his　sons。〃

At　that　word　Christopher　brake　out　a…laughing　loudly；　till　all　the　dusk　wood　rang　with　the　merry　sound　of　his　fresh　voice；　at　last　he　said：　　〃Well；　well；　thou　art　but　a　craven　to　be　a　secret　murderer：　　the　Lord　God　would　have　had　an　easy　bargain　of　Cain；　had　he　been　such　as　thou。　　Come　on；　and　do　thine　errand　to　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　and　I　will　hold　thee　harmless；　so　far　as　I　may。　　Though；　sooth　to　say；　I　guessed　what　thine　errand　was；　after　the　horses　waked　thee　and　put　a　naked　sword　in　thine　hand　last　night。　　Marry！　I　had　no　inkling　of　it　when　we　left　the　Castle　yesterday　morning；　but　deemed　thy　lord　needed　me　to　do　him　some　service。　　Come　on　then！　or　rather　go　thou　on　before　me　a　pace；　there；　where　thou　seest　the　glimmer　betwixt　the　beech…trees　yonder；　if　thou　goest　astray；　I　am　anigh　thee　for　a　guide。　　And　I　say　that　we　shall　not　go　far　without　tidings。〃

Simon　went　on　perforce；　as　he　was　bidden；　and　they　rode　thus　a　while　slowly；　Christopher　now　and　then　crying；　as　they　went：　　〃To　the　right；　squire！　To　the　left！　Straight　on　now！〃　and　so　on。　　But　suddenly　they　heard　voices；　and　it　was　as　if　the　wood　had　all　burst　out　into　fire；　so　bright　a　light　shone　out。　　Christopher　shouted；　and　hastened　on　to　pass　Simon；　going　quite　close　to　his　right　side　thereby；　and　as　he　did　so；　he　saw　steel　flashing　in　his　hand；　and　turned　sidling　to　guard　him；　but　ere　he　could　do　aught　Simon　drave　a　broad　dagger　into　his　side；　and　then　turned　about　and　fled　the　way　they　had　come；　so　far　as　he　knew　how。

Christopher　fell　from　his　horse　at　once　as　the　stroke　came　home；　but　straightway　therewith　were　there　men　with　torches　round　about　him；　a　dozen　of　them；　men　tall　and　wild…looking　in　the　firelight；　and　one　of　them；　a　slim　young　man　with　long　red　hair　falling　all　about　his　shoulders；　knelt　down　by　him；　while　the　others　held　his　horse　and　gat　his　feet　out　of　the　stirrups。

The　red…head　laid　his　hand　on　his　breast；　and　raised　his　head　up　till　the　light　of　a　torch　fell　on　it；　and　then　he　cried　out：　　〃Masters；　here　hath　been　a　felon；　the　man　hath　been　sticked；　and　the　deed　hath　to　do　with　us；　for　lo　you；　this　is　none　other　than　little　Christopher　of　the　Uttermost　March；　who　stumbled　on　the　Tofts　last　Yule；　and　with　whom　we　were　so　merry　together。　　Here；　thou　Robert　of　Maisey；　do　thy　leechdom　on　him　if　he　be　yet　living；　but　if　he　be　dead；　or　dieth　of　his　hurt；　then　do　I　take　the　feud　on　me；　to　follow　it　to　the　utmost　against　the　slayer；　even　I；　David　the　Red；　though　I　be　the　youngest　of　the　sons　of　Jack　of　the　Tofts。　For　this　man　I　meant　should　be　my　fellow　in　field　and　fell；　ganging　and　galloping；　in　hall　and　high…place；　in　cot　and　in　choir；　before　woman　and　warrior；　and　priest　and　proud…prince。　　Now　thou　Robert；　how　does　he？〃

Said　the　man　who　had　looked　to　Christopher's　wound；　and　had　put　aside　his　coat　and　shirt：　　〃He　is　sore　hurt；　but　meseemeth　not　deadly。　　Nay；　belike　he　may　live　as　long　as　thou；　or　longer；　whereas　thou　wilt　ever　be　shoving　thy　red　head　and　lank　body　wheresoever　knocks　are　going。〃

David　rose　with　a　sigh　of　one　who　is　lightened　of　a　load；　and　said：　　〃Well　Robert；　when　thou　hast　bound　his　wound　let　us　have　him　into　the　house：　　Ho　lads！　there　is　light　enough　to　cut　some　boughs　and　make　a　litter　for　him。　　But；　ho　again！　has　no　one　gone　after　the　felon　to　take　him？〃

Robert　grinned　up　from　his　job　with　the　hurt　man：　　〃Nay；　King　David；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　mostly　thy　business；　mayhappen　thou　wilt　lay　thy　heels　on　thy　neck　and　after　him。〃

The　red…head　stamped　on　the　ground；　and　half　drew　his　sax；　and　shoved　it　back　again　unto　the　sheath；　and　then　said　angrily：　　〃I　marvel　at　thee；　Robert；　that　thou　didst　not　send　a　man　or　two　at　once　after　the　felon：　　how　may　I　leave　my　comrade　and　sweet　board…fellow　lying　hurt　in　the　wild…wood？　Art　thou　growing　over　old　for　our　woodland　ways；　wherein　loitering　bringeth　louting？〃

Robert　chuckled　and　said：　　〃I　thought　thou　wouldst　take　the　fly　in　thy　mouth；　foster…son：　if　the　felon　escape　Ralph　Longshanks　and　Anthony　Green；　then　hath　he　the　devil's　luck；　and　they　be　after　him。〃

〃That　is　well；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃though　I　would　I　were　with　them。〃　　And　therewith　he　walked　up　and　down　impatiently；　while　the　others　were　getting　ready　the　litter　of　boughs。

At　last　it　was　done；　and　Christopher　laid　thereon；　and　they　all　went　on　together　through　the　woodland　path；　the　torches　still　flaring　about　them。　　Presently　they　came　out　into　a　clearing　of　the　wood；　and　lo；　looming　great　and　black　before　them　against　the　sky；　where　the　moon　had　now　broken　out　of　the　clouds　somewhat；　the　masses　of　the　tofts；　and　at　the　top　of　the　northernmost　of　them　a　light　in　the　upper　window　of　a　tall　square　tower。　　Withal　the　yellow…litten　windows　of　a　long　house　showed　on　the　plain　below　the　tofts；　but　little　else　of　the　house　might　be　seen；　save　that；　as　they　drew　near；　the　walls　brake　out　in　doubtful　light　here　and　there　as　the　torches　smote　them。

So　came　they　to　a　deep　porch；　where　they　quenched　all　the　torches　save　one；　and　entered　a　great　hall　through　it；　David　and　two　other　tall　young　men　going　first；　and　Robert　Maisey　going　beside　the　bier。　　The　said　hall　was　lighted　with　candles；　but　not　very　brightly；　save　at　the　upper　end；　but　amidmost　a　flickering　heap　of　logs　sent　a　thin　line　of　blue　smoke　up　to　the　luffer。　　There　were　some　sixty　folk　in　the　hall；　scattered　about　the　end…long　tables；　a　good　few　of　whom　were　women；　well　grown　and　comely　enough；　so　far　as　could　be　seen　under　the　scanty　candle…light。　　At　the　high…table；　withal；　were　sitting　both　men　and　women；　and　as　they　drew　near　to　the　greater　light　of　it；　there　could　be　seen　in　the　chief　seat　a　man；　past　middle　age；　tall；　wide…shouldered　and　thin…flanked；　with　a　short　peaked　beard　and　close…cut　grizzled　hair；　he　was　high　of　cheekbones；　thin…faced；　with　grey　eyes；　both　big　and　gentle…looking；　he　was　clad　in　a　green　coat　welted　with　gold。　　Beside　him　sat　a　woman；　tall　and　big…made；　but　very　fair　of　face；　though　she　were　little　younger；　belike；　than　the　man。　　Out　from　these　two　sat　four　men　and　four　women；　man　by　man　and　woman　by　woman；　on　either　side　of　the　high…seat。　　Of　the　said　men；　one　was　of　long　red　hair　as　David；　and　like　to　him　in　all　wise；　but　older；　the　others　were　of　like　fashion　to　him　in　the　high…seat。　　Shortly　to　say　it；　his　sons　they　were；　as　David　and　the　two　young　men　with　him。　　The　four　women　who　sat　with　these　men　were　all　fair　and　young；　and　one　of　them；　she　who　drank　out　of　the　red…head's　cup；　so　fair；　and　with　such　a　pleasant　slim　grace；　that　her　like　were　not　easy　to　be　found。

Again；　to　shorten　the　tale；　there　in　the　hall　before　Christopher；　who　lay　unwotting；　were　Jack　of　the　Tofts　and　his　seven　sons；　and　the　four　wives　of　four　of　the　same；　whom　they　had　won　from　the　Wailful　Castle；　when　they；　with　their　father；　put　an　end　to　the　evil　woman；　and　the　great　she…tyrant　of　the　Land　betwixt　the　Wood　and　the　River。

Now　when　David　and　his　were　come　up　to　the　dais；　they　stayed　them；　and　their　father　spake　from　his　high…seat　and　said：　〃What　is　to　do；　ye　three？　and　what　catch　have　ye？〃

Said　David：　　〃I　would　fain　hope　'tis　the　catch　of　a　life　that　or　I　love；　for　here　is　come　thy　guest　of　last　Yule；　even　little　Christopher；　who　wrestled　with　thee　and　threw　thee　after　thou　hadst　thrown　all　of　us；　and　he　lying　along　and　hurt；　smitten　down　by　a　felon　hard　on　our　very　doors。　What　will　ye　do　with　him？〃

〃What；〃　said　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　〃but　tend　him　and　heal　him　and　cherish　him。　　And　when　he　is　well；　then　we　shall　see。　But　where　is　the　felon　who　smote　him？〃

Said　David：　　〃He　fled　away　a…horseback　ere　we　came　to　the　field　of　deed；　and