child christopher-第8节

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strong；　and　in　a　few　days　thou　mayst　wend　the　wild…wood　as　stoutly　as　e'er　a　one　of　us。　　Now；　therefore；　how　sayest　thou；　if　I　bid　thee　fare　a　two　days'　journey　with　David　and　Gilbert　thy　brethren；　and　thy　sister　Joanna；　till　they　bring　thee　to　a　fair　little　stead　which　I　call　mine　own；　to　dwell　there　awhile？　For；　meseemeth；　lad；　that　the　air　of　the　Tofts　here　may　not　be　overwholesome　unto　thee。〃

Christopher　reddened；　and　he　half　rose　up；　and　said：　　〃What　is　this；　foster…father？　Is　it　that　there　shall　be　battle　at　the　Tofts；　and　that　thou　wouldst　have　me　away　thence？　Am　I　then　such　a　weakling？〃

Said　Jack；　laughing：　　〃Be　still　now；　thou　sticked　one。　　The　Tofts　go　down　to　battle　at　some　whiles；　but　seldom　comet　battle　to　the　Tofts；　and　no　battle　do　I　look　for　now。　　But　do　my　bidding；　sweet　fosterling；　and　it　will　be　better　for　me　and　better　for　thee；　and　may；　perchance；　put　off　battle　for　awhile；　which　to　me　as　now　were　not　unhandy。　　If　thou　wilt　but　abide　at　Littledale　for　somewhile；　there　shall　be　going　and　coming　betwixt　us；　and　thou　shalt　drink　thy　Yule　at　the　Tofts；　and　go　back　afterwards；　and　ever　shalt　thou　have　thy　sweet　fellows　with　thee；　so　be　wise；　since　thou　goest　not　perforce。〃

〃Yea；　yea；〃　said　Christopher；　laughing；　〃thou　puttest　force　on　no　man；　is　it　not　so；　foster…father？　Wherefore　I　will　go；　and　uncompelled。〃

Therewith　came　up　to　them；　from　out　of　the　wild…wood；　David；　and　with　him　Joanna；　who　was　the　wife　of　Gilbert；　and　one　of　those　fair　maidens　from　the　Wailful　Castle；　though　not　the　fairest　of　them；　they　had　been　a…hunting；　for　ever　those　three　would　willingly　go　together；　Gilbert；　David；　and　Joanna；　and　now　Gilbert　had　abided　behind；　to　dight　the　quarry　for　fetching　home。　　Christopher　looked　on　the　two　joyfully；　as　a　man　getting　whole　after　sickness　smiles　on　goodly　things；　and　Joanna　was　fair　to　see　in　her　hunter's　attire；　with　brogues　tied　to　her　naked　feet；　and　the　shapeliness　of　her　legs　bare　to　the　knee　beneath　the　trussing　up　of　her　green　skirts。

They　greeted　Christopher　kindly；　and　Joanna　sat　down　by　him　to　talk；　but　Jack　of　the　Tofts　took　his　son　by　the　arm；　and　went　toward　the　house　with　him　in　earnest　speech。



CHAPTER　XI。

HOW　CHRISTOPHER　CAME　TO　LITTLEDALE　TO　ABIDE　THERE　A　WHILE。


In　about　a　week's　time　from　this；　those　four　fellows　went　their　ways　southward　from　the　Tofts；　having　with　them　four　good　nags　and　four　sumpter　beasts　laden　with　such　things　as　they　needed；　whereof　were　weapons　enough；　though　they　all；　save　Christopher；　bare　bows；　and　he　and　the　others　were　girt　with　swords；　and　a　leash　of　good　dogs　followed　them。　　Two　milch　kine　also　they　drave　with　them。

Merry　they　were　all　as　they　went　their　ways　through　the　woods；　but　the　gladness　of　Christopher　was　even　past　words；　wherefore；　after　a　little；　he　spake　scarce　at　all；　but　sat　in　his　saddle　hearkening　the　tales　and　songs　and　jests　of　his　fellows；　who　went　close　beside　him；　for　more　often　they　went　a…foot　than　rode。　　And；　forsooth；　as　the　sweet　morning　wore；　it　seemed　to　him；　so　great　was　his　joy；　as　if　all　the　fair　show　of　the　greenery；　and　the　boles　of　the　ancient　oaks；　and　the　squirrels　running　from　bough　to　bough；　and　the　rabbits　scuttling　from　under　the　bracken；　and　the　hind　leaping　in　the　wood…lawn；　and　the　sun　falling　through　the　rustling　leaves；　and　the　wind　on　his　face；　and　the　scent　of　the　forest；　yea；　and　his　fair　companions　and　their　loveliness　&　valiancy　and　kindness；　and　the　words　and　songs　that　came　from　their　dear　mouths；　all　these　seemed　to　him；　as　it　were；　one　great　show　done　for　the　behoof　and　pleasure　of　him；　the　man　come　from　the　peril　of　death　and　the　sick…bed。

They　lay　that　night　in　all　glee　under　the　green　boughs；　and　arose　on　the　morrow；　and　went　all　day；　and　again　slept　in　the　greenwood；　and　the　next　morning　came　down　into　a　fair　valley；　which　was　indeed　Littledale；　through　which　ran　a　pleasant　little　river；　and　on　a　grassy　knoll；　but　a　short　way　from　its　bank；　was　a　long　framed　hall；　somewhat　narrow；　and　nought　high；　whitherward　they　turned　them　straightway；　and　were　presently　before　the　door；　then　Gilbert　drew　a　key　from　out　of　his　scrip　and　unlocked　the　door；　and　they　entered；　and　found　within　a　fair　little　hall；　with　shut…beds　out　from　it　on　the　further　side；　and　kitchen；　and　store…bowers　at　the　end；　all　things　duly　appointed　with　plenishing；　and　meal　and　wine；　for　it　was　but　some　three　months　since　one　of　Jack　of　the　Tofts'　allies；　Sir　Launcelot　a'Green　and　his　wife　and　two　bairns；　had　left　it　till　their　affair　was　made　straight；　whereas　he　had　dwelt　there　a　whole　year；　for　he　had　been　made　an　outlaw　of　Meadham；　and　was　a　dear　friend　of　the　said　Jack。

〃Now；〃　said　David　smiling；　〃here　is　now　thy　high　house　and　thy　castle；　little　King　Christopher；　how　doth　it　like　thee？〃

〃Right　well；〃　said　Christopher；　〃and；　to　say　sooth；　I　would　almost　that　it　were　night；　or　my　bones　do　else；　that　I　might　lie　naked　in　a　bed。〃

〃Nay；　lad；〃　said　Gilbert；　〃make　it　night　now；　and　we　will　do　all　that　needs　must　be　done；　while　thou　liest　lazy；　as　all　kings　use　to　do。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Christopher；　〃I　will　be　more　a　king　than　so；　for　I　will　do　neither　this　nor　that；　I　will　not　work　and　I　will　not　go　to　bed；　but　will　look　on；　till　it　is　time　for　me　to　take　to　the　crooked　stick　and　the　grey…goose　wing　and　seek　venison。〃

〃That　is　better　than　well；〃　said　David；　〃for　I　can　see　by　thine　eyes；　that　are　dancing　with　pleasure；　that　in　three　or　four　days　thou　wilt　be　about　the　thickets　with　us。〃

〃Meantime；〃　said　Joanna；　〃thou　shalt　pay　for　thy　meat　and　drink　by　telling　us　tales　when　we　come　home　weary。〃

〃Yea；〃　said　Christopher　laughing；　〃that　ye　may　go　to　sleep　before　your　time。〃

So　they　talked；　and　were　joyous　and　blithe　together；　and　between　them　they　made　the　house　trim；　and　decked　it　with　boughs　and　blossoms；　and　though　Christopher　told　them　no　tale　that　night；　Joanna　and　David　sang　both；　and　in　a　night　or　two　it　was　Christopher　that　was　the　minstrel。　　So　when　the　morrow　came　there　began　their　life　of　the　woodland；　but；　save　for　the　changing　of　the　year　and　the　chances　of　the　hunt；　the　time　passed　on　from　day　to　day　with　little　change；　and　it　was　but　seldom　that　any　man　came　their　way。　When　Yule　was；　they　locked　the　house　door　behind　them　and　went　their　ways　home　to　the　Tofts；　and　now　of　all　of　these　wayfarers　was　Christopher　by　far　the　hardest　and　strongest；　for　his　side　had　utterly　forgotten　Simon's　knife。　　At　the　Tofts　they　were　welcomed　with　all　triumph；　and　they　were　about　there　in　the　best　of　cheer；　till　it　was　wearing　toward　Candlemas；　and　then　they　took　occasion　of　a　bright　and　sunny　day　to　go　back　to　Littledale　once　more；　and　there　they　abode　till　spring　was　come　and　was　wearing　into　summer；　and　messages　had　come　and　gone　betwixt　them　and　the　Tofts；　and　it　was　agreed　that　with　the　first　of　autumn　they　should　go　back　to　the　Tofts　and　see　what　should　betide。

But　now　leave　we　Christopher　and　these　good　fellows　of　the　Tofts　and　turn　to　Goldilind；　who　is　yet　dwelling　amid　no　very　happy　days　in　the　Castle　of　Greenharbour；　on　the　northernmost　marches　of　Meadham。



CHAPTER　XII。

OF　GOLDILIND　IN　THE　MAY　MORNING　AT　GREENHARBOUR。


May　was　on　the　land　now；　and　was　come　into　its　second　week；　and　Goldilind　awoke　on　a　morn　in　the　Castle　of　Greenharbour；　but　little　did　her　eyes　behold　of　the　May；　even　when　they　were　fully　open；　for　she　was　lying；　not　in　her　own　chamber；　which　was　proper；　and　even　somewhat　stately；　and　from　whence　she　could　look　on　the　sky　and　greenwood；　but　in　a　chamber　low　down　amidst　the　footings　of　the　wall；　little　lighted；　unadorned；　with　nought　in　it　for　sport　or　pleasure；　nought；　forsooth；　save　the　pallet　bed　on　which　she　lay；　a　joint　stool　and　water　ewer。　　To　be　short；　though　it　were　called　the　Least　Guard…chamber；　it　was　a　prison；　and　she　was　there　dreeing　her　penance；　as　Dame　Elinor　would　call　the　cruelty　of　her　malice；　which　the　chaplain；　Dame　Elinor's　led　captain；　had　ordained　her　for　some　sin　which　the　twain　had　forged　between　them。

She　lay　there　naked　in　her　smock；　with　no　raiment　anigh　her；　and　this　was　the　third　morning　whereon　she　had　awakened　to　the　dusky　bare　walls；　and　a　long　while　had　their　emptiness　made　of　the　hours：　　but　she　lay　quiet　and　musing；　not　altogether　without　cheer　now；　for　indeed　she　was　not　wont　to　any　longer　penance　than　this　she　had　but　now　tholed；　so　she　looked　for　release　presently：　　and；　moreover；　there　had　grown　in　her　mind　during　those　three　days　a　certain　purpose；　to　wit；　that　she　would　get　hold　of　the　governor　of　the　castle　privily；　and　two　or　three　others　of　the　squires　who　most　regarded　her；　and　bewail　her　case　to　them；　so　that　she　might　perchance　get　some　relief。　　Forsooth；　as　she　called　to　mind　this　resolve；　her　heart　beat　and　her　cheek　flushed；　for　well　she　knew　that　there　was　peril　in　it；　and　she　forecast　what　might　be　the　worst　that　would　come　thereof；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　the　best　that　might　be　seemed　to　her　like　a　glimpse　of　Paradise。

As　she　lay　there　and　turned　the　matter　over　in　her　mind　for　this　many　an　hundred　time；　there　came　a　key　into　the　lock；　and　the　door　opened；　and　thereby　entered　a　tall　woman；　dark…haired；　white…skinned；　somewhat　young；　and　not　ill…favoured：　　Goldilind　still　lay　there；　till　the　new…