child christopher-第7节

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Said　David：　　〃He　fled　away　a…horseback　ere　we　came　to　the　field　of　deed；　and　Anthony　Green　and　Ralph　Longshanks　are　gone　after　him；　and　belike；　will　take　him。〃

〃Mayhappen　not；〃　said　the　master。　　〃Now；　forsooth；　I　have　an　inkling　of　what　this　may　mean；　whereas　there　can　be　but　one　man　whose　business　may　be　the　taking　of　our　little　guest's　life。　　But　let　all　be　till　he　be　healed　and　may　tell　us　his　tale；　and；　if　he　telleth　it　as　I　deem　he　will；　then　shall　we　seek　further　tidings。　　Meanwhile；　if　ye　take　the　felon；　keep　him　heedfully　till　I　may　see　him；　for　then　may　I　have　a　true　tale　out　of　him；　even　before　Christopher　is　hale　again。〃

So　therewith　David　and　Robert；　with　two　or　three　others；　brought　Christopher　to　a　chamber；　and　did　what　leechdoms　to　him　they　might；　but　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　and　his　sons　and　their　fair　wives；　and　his　other　folk；　made　merry　in　the　hall　of　the　Tofts。



CHAPTER　IX。

SQUIRE　SIMON　COMES　BACK　TO　OAKENHAM。　　THE　EARL　MARSHAL　TAKEN　TO　KING　IN　OAKENREALM。


Now　as　to　Squire　Simon；　whether　the　devil　helped　him；　or　his　luck；　or　were　it　his　own　cunning　and　his；　horse's　stoutness；　we　wot　not；　but　in　any　case　he　fell　not　in　with　Ralph　Longshanks　and　Anthony　Green；　but　rode　as　far　and　as　fast　as

his　horse　would　go；　and　then　lay　down　in　the　wild…wood；　and　on　the　morrow　arose　and　went　his　ways；　and　came　in　the　even　to　the　Castle　of　the　Uttermost　March；　and　went　on　thence　the　morrow　after　on　a　fresh　horse　to　Oakenham。　　There　he　made　no　delay　but　went　straight　to　the　High　House；　and　had　privy　speech　of　the　Earl　Marshal；　and　him　he　told　how　he　had　smitten　Christopher；　and；　as　he　deemed；　slain　him。　　The　Earl　Marshal　looked　on　him　grimly　and　said：　　〃Where　is　the　ring　then？〃

〃I　have　it　not；〃　said　Simon。　　〃How　might　I　light　down　to　take　it；　when　the　seven　sons　were　hard　on　us？〃　And　therewith　he　told　him　all　the　tale；　and　how　he　had　risen　to　slay　Christopher　the　even　before；　and　how　he　had　found　out　after　that　the　youngling　had　become　guest　and　fosterling　of　the　folk　of　the　Tofts；　and　how　warily　Christopher　had　ridden；　so　that　he；　Simon；　had　had　to　do　his　best　at　the　last　moment。　〃And　now；　Lord；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　see　that　it　will　be　my　luck　to　have　grudging　of　thee；　or　even　worse　it　may　be；　yea；　or　thou　wilt　be　presently　telling　me　that　I　am　a　liar　and　never　struck　the　stroke：　but　I　warrant　me　that　by　this　time　Jack　of　the　Tofts　knoweth　better；　for　I　left　my　knife　in　the　youngling's　breast；　and　belike　he　wotteth　of　my　weapons。　Well；　then；　if　thou　wilt　be　quit　of　me；　thou　hast　but　to　forbear　upholding　me　against　the　Toft　folk；　and　then　am　I　gone　without　any　to…do　of　thee。〃

Earl　Rolf　spake　quietly　in　answer；　though　his　face　was　somewhat　troubled：　　〃Nay；　Simon；　I　doubt　thee　not；　not　one　word；　for　why　shouldest　thou　lie　to　me？　nor　do　I　deem　thou　wouldest；　for　thou　art　trusty　and　worthy。　　Yet　sore　I　doubt　if　the　child　be　dead。　Well；　even　so　let　it　be；　for　I　am　alive；　and　full　surely　I　am　mightier　than　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　both　to　uphold　thee　against　him　（wherein　I　shall　not　fail）；　and　otherwise。　　But　may　God　make　me　even　as　that　young　man　if　I　be　not　mightier　yet　in　a　few　days。　　But　now　do　thou　go　and　eat　and　drink　and　take　thy　disport；　for　thou　hast　served　me　well；　and　in　a　little　while　I　shall　make　thee　knight　and　lord；　and　do　all　I　can　to　pleasure　thee。〃

So　then　Simon　knelt　to　the　Earl　and　made　obeisance　to　him；　and　arose　and　went　his　ways；　light…hearted　and　merry。

But　within　the　month　it　so　befel　that　some　of　the　lords　and　dukes　came　to　the　Earl　Marshal；　and　prayed　him　to　call　together　a　great　Folk…mote　of　all　Oakenrealm；　and　he　answered　them　graciously；　and　behight　them　to　do　as　they　would；　and　even　so　did　he。

And　that　Mote　was　very　great；　and　whenas　it　was　hallowed；　there　arose　a　great　lord；　grey　and　ancient；　and　bewailed　him　before　the　folk；　that　they　had　no　king　over　Oakenrealm　to　uphold　the　laws　&　ward　the　land；　and　〃Will　ye　live　bare　and　kingless　for　ever？〃　said　he　at　last。　　〃Will　ye　not　choose　you　a　king；　and　crown　him；　before　I　die；　and　we　others　of　the　realm　who　are　old　and　worn？〃　Then　he　sat　down；　and　another　arose；　and　in　plain　terms　he　bade　them　take　the　Earl　Marshal　to　king。　　And　then　arose　one　after　other；　and　each　sang　the　same　song；　till　the　hearts　of　the　people　grew　warm　with　the　big　words；　and　at　first　many；　and　then　more　cried　out：　　〃A　King；　a　King！　The　Earl　Marshal　for　King！　Earl　Rolf　for　King！〃　So　that　at　last　the　voices　rose　into　a　great　roar；　and　sword　clashed　on　shield；　and　they　who　were　about　the　Earl　turned　to　him　and　upraised　him　on　a　great　war…shield；　and　he　stood　thereon　above　the　folk　with　a　naked　sword　in　his　hand；　and　all　the　folk　shouted　about　him。

Thereafter　the　chiefs　and　all　the　mightiest　came　and　did　homage　to　him　for　King　of　Oakenrealm　as　he　sat　on　the　Hill　of　the　Folk…mote：　　and　that　night　there　was　once　more　a　King　of　Oakenrealm；　and　Earl　Rolf　was　no　more；　but　King　Rolf　ruled　the　people。

But　now　the　tale　leaves　telling　of　him；　and　turns　again　to　Christopher　the　woodman；　who　lay　sick　of　his　hurt　in　the　House　of　the　Tofts。



CHAPTER　X。

OF　CHRISTOPHER　AT　THE　TOFTS。


Christopher　was　six　weeks　ere　he　could　come　and　go　as　he　was　wont；　but　it　was　but　a　few　days　ere　he　was　well　enough　to　tell　his　tale　to　Jack　of　the　Tofts　and　his　seven　bold　sons；　and　they　cherished　him　and　made　much　of　him；　and　so　especially　did　David；　the　youngest　son；　to　his　board…fellow　and　troth…brother。

On　a　day　when　he　was　well…nigh　whole；　as　he　sat　under　an　oak…tree　nigh　the　house；　in　the　cool　of　the　evening；　Jack　of　the　Tofts　came　to　him　and　sat　beside　him；　and　made　him　tell　his　tale　to　him　once　more；　and　when　he　was　done　he　said　to　him：　　〃Foster…son；　for　so　I　would　have　thee　deem　of　thyself；　what　is　the　thing　that　thou　rememberest　earliest　in　thy　days？〃

Said　Christopher：　　〃A　cot　without　the　Castle　walls　at　the　Uttermost　Marches；　and　a　kind　woman　therein；　big；　sandy…haired；　and　freckled；　and　a　lad　that　was　white…haired　and　sturdy；　somewhat　bigger　than　I。　　And　I　mind　me　standing　up　against　the　door…post　of　the　cot　and　seeing　men…at…arms　riding　by　in　white　armour；　and　one　of　them　throwing　an　apple　to　me；　and　I　raised　my　arm　to　throw　it　back　at　him；　but　my　nurse　（for　somehow　I　knew　she　was　not　my　mother）　caught　my　hand　and　drew　me　back　indoors；　and　I　heard　the　men　laughing　behind　me。　　And　then　a　little　after　my　nurse　took　me　into　the　Castle　court；　and　there　was　again　the　man　who　had　thrown　me　the　apple；　sitting　on　a　bench　therein；　clad　in　a　scarlet　gown　furred　with　brown　fur；　and　she　led　me　up　to　him；　and　he　stooped　down　and　chucked　me　under　the　chin　and　put　his　hand　on　my　head；　and　looked　at　my　nurse　and　said：　　'Yea；　he　is　a　big　lad；　and　groweth　apace；　whereas　he　is　but　of　six　winters。'　　'Nay；　Lord；'　said　my　nurse；　'he　is　but　scantly　five。'　　He　knit　his　brows　and　said：　'Nay；　I　tell　thee　he　is　six。'　　She　shook　her　head；　but　said　nought；　and　the　great　man　scowled　on　her　and　said：　　'Mistress；　wilt　thou　set　thy　word　against　mine？　Know　now　that　this　child　is　of　six　years。　Now　then；　how　old　is　he？'　She　said　faintly：　　'Six　years。'　Said　he：　　'Look　to　it　that　thy　head　and　thy　mouth　forget　it　not；　else　shall　we　make　thy　back　remember　it。'　　Then　he　put　his　hand　on　my　head　again；　and　said：　　'Well；　I　say　thou　art　a　big　lad　for　six　years；'　and　therewith　he　gave　me　a　silver　penny；　and　even　as　he　spake；　came　up　a　grey…clad　squire　to　him　and　looked　on　me　curiously。　　Then　I　went　away　with　my　nurse；　and　wondered　why　she　was　grown　so　pale；　whereas　she　was　mostly　red…cheeked　and　jolly。　　But　when　she　had　brought　me　into　the　cot　again；　she　kissed　me　and　clipped　me；　weeping　sorely　the　while；　wherefore　I　wept；　though　I　knew　not　why。　Sithence；　I　soon　came　to　know　that　the　man　was　the　lord　and　governor　of　the　Castle；　as　ye　may　well　wot；　but　to　this　hour　I　know　not　what　he　meant　by　threatening　my　nurse。〃

Said　Jack：　　〃And　how　old　art　thou　now；　Christopher　mine？〃

Said　the　youngling；　laughing：　　〃By　my　lord　the　Castellan's　reckoning　I　am　twenty　and　two　years；　but　if　thou　wilt　trow　my　good　and　kind　nurse；　that　yet　liveth　a　kind　dame；　thou　must　take　twelve　months　off　the　tale。〃

Jack　sat　silent　a　little；　then　he　laughed　and　said：　　〃Well；　thou　art　a　mickle　babe；　Christopher；　and　it　may　be　that　one　day　many　a　man　shall　know　it。　　But　now　tell　me　again；　thou　hadst　said　to　me　before　that　thou　hast　known　neither　father　nor　mother；　brother　nor　sisters：　　is　it　so；　verily？〃

Said　Christopher：　　〃Never　a　kinsman　of　blood　have　I；　though　many　well…wishers。〃

Said　Jack：　　〃Well；　now　hast　thou　father　and　mother；　brethren　and　sisters；　though　they　be　of　the　sort　of　man…slayers　and　strong…thieves　and　outlaws；　yet　they　love　thee；　lad；　and　thou　mayst　one　day　find　out　how　far　thou　mayst　trust　them。〃

Christopher　nodded　and　smiled　at　him　merrily；　then　he　fell　silent　awhile；　and　the　outlaw　sat　looking　on　him；　at　last　he　said　suddenly：　　〃Foster…father；　tell　me　what　I　am；　and　of　what　kindred；　I　pray　thee；　for；　methinks；　thou　knowest　thereof；　and　what　wonder；　wise　man　as　thou　art。〃

〃Forsooth；　son　Christopher；　I　have　a　deeming　thereof；　or　somewhat　more；　and　when　it　is　waxen　greater　yet；　I　will　tell　it　thee　one　day；　but　not　now。　　But　hearken！　for　I　have　other　tidings　for　thee。　　Thou　art　now　whole　and　strong；　and　in　a　few　days