the path of the king-第13节

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e　Christ　　ascended　into　heaven；　the　hut　at　Bethlehem　which　had　been　the　Most　High's　　cradle；　the　sanctuary　of　Jerusalem　whose　every　stone　was　precious。　　Presently　his　King　would　win　it　all　back　for　God。　But　for　him　was　the　　sterner　taskno　clean　blows　in　the　mellay　among　brethren；　but　a　lone　　pilgrimage　beyond　the　east　wind　to　the　cradle　of　all　marvels。　The　King　had　　told　him　that　he　carried　the　hopes　of　Christendom　in　his　wallet；　he　knew　　that　he　bore　within　himself　the　delirious　expectation　of　a　boy。　Youth　　swelled　his　breast　and　steeled　his　sinews　and　made　a　golden　mist　for　his　　eyes。　The　new；　the　outlandish；　the　undreamed…of！Surely　no　one　of　the　　Seven　Champions　had　had　such　fortune！　Scribes　long　after　would　write　of　　the　deeds　of　Aimery　of　Beaumanoir；　and　minstrels　would　sing　of　him　as　they　　sang　of　Roland　and　Tristan。　

The　Count　of　Jaffa；　whose　tower　stood　on　the　borders　and　who　was　therefore　　rarely　quit　of　strife；　convoyed　him　a　stage　or　two　on　his　way。　It　was　a　　slender　company：　two　Franciscans　bearing　the　present　of　Louis　to　the　　Khakana　chapel…tent　of　scarlet　cloth　embroidered　inside　with　pictures　of　　the　Annunciation　and　the　Passion；　two　sumpter　mules　with　baggage；　Aimery's　　squire；　a　lad　from　the　Boulonnais；　and　Aimery　himself　mounted　on　a　Barbary　　horse　warranted　to　go　far　on　little　fodder。　The　lord　of　Jaffa　turned　back　　when　the　snows　of　Lebanon　were　falling　behind　on　their　right。　He　had　　nodded　towards　the　mountains。　

〃There　lives　the　Old　Man　and　his　Ishmaelites。　Fear　nothing；　for　his　fangs　　are　drawn。〃　And　when　Aimery　asked　the　cause　of　the　impotence　of　the　　renowned　Assassins；　he　was　told〃That　Khakan　whom　ye　seek。〃　

After　that　they　made　good　speed　to　the　city　of　Antioch；　where　not　so　long　　before　angels　from　heaven　had　appeared　as　knights　in　white　armour　to　do　　battle　for　the　forlorn　Crusaders。　There　they　were　welcomed　by　the　Prince　　and　sent　forward　into　Armenia；　guided　by　the　posts　of　the　Constable　of　　that　harassed　kingdom。　Everywhere　the　fame　of　the　Tartars　had　gone　abroad；　　and　with　each　mile　they　journeyed　the　tales　became　stranger。　Conquerers　　and　warriors　beyond　doubt；　but　grotesque　paladins　for　the　Cross。　Men　　whispered　their　name　with　averted　faces；　and　in　the　eyes　of　the　travelled　　ones　there　was　the　terror　of　sights　remembered　outside　the　mortal　pale。　　Aimery's　heart　was　stout；　but　he　brooded　much　as　the　road　climbed　into　the　　mountains。　Far　off　in　Cyprus　the　Khakan　had　seemed　a　humble　devotee　at　　Christ's　footstool；　asking　only　to　serve　and　learn；　but　now　he　had　grown　　to　some　monstrous　Cyclops　beyond　the　stature　of　man；　a　portent　like　a　　thundercloud　brooding　over　unnumbered　miles。　Besides；　the　young　lord　was　　homesick；　and　had　long　thoughts　of　Alix　his　wife　and　the　son　she　had　borne　　him。　As　he　looked　at　the　stony　hills　he　remembered　that　it　would　now　be　　springtide　in　Picardy；　when　the　young　green　of　the　willows　fringed　every　　watercourse　and　the　plovers　were　calling　on　the　windy　downs。　

The　Constable　of　Armenia　dwelt　in　a　castle　of　hewn　stone　about　which　a　　little　city　clustered；　with　mountains　on　every　side　to　darken　the　sky；　He　　was　as　swarthy　as　a　Saracen　and　had　a　long　nose　like　a　Jew；　but　he　was　a　　good　Christian　and　a　wise　ruler；　though　commonly　at　odds　with　his　cousin　　of　Antioch。　From　him　Aimery　had　more　precise　news　of　the　Khakan。　

There　were　two；　said　the　Constable。　〃One　who　rules　all　Western　Asia　east　　of　the　Sultan's　principates。　Him　they　call　the　Ilkhan　for　title；　and　　Houlagou　for　name。　His　armies　have　eaten　up　the　Chorasmians　and　the　　Muscovites　and　will　presently　bite　their　way　into　Christendom；　unless　God　　change　their　heart。　By　the　Gospels；　they　are　less　and　more　than　men。　　Swinish　drinkers　and　gluttons；　they　rise　from　their　orgies　to　sweep　the　　earth　like　a　flame。　Here　inside　our　palisade　of　rock　we　wait　fearfully。〃　

〃And　the　other？〃　Aimery　asked。　

〃Ah；　he　is　as　much　the　greater　as　the　sun　is　greater　than　a　star。　Kublai　　they　name　him；　and　he　is　in　some　sort　the　lord　of　Houlagou。　I　have　never　　met　the　man　who　has　seen　him；　for　he　dwells　as　far　beyond　the　Ilkhan　as　　the　Ilkhan　is　far　from　the　Pillars　of　Hercules。　But　rumour　has　it　that　he　　is　a　clement　and　beneficent　prince；　terrible　in　battle；　but　a　lover　of　　peace　and　all　good　men。　They　tell　wonders　about　his　land　of　Cathay；　where　　strips　of　parchment　stamped　with　the　King's　name　take　the　place　of　gold　　among　the　merchants；　so　strong　is　that　King's　honour。　But　the　journey　to　　Cambaluc；　the　city　of　Kublai；　would　fill　a　man's　lifetime。〃　

One　April　morning　they　heard　mass　after　the　odd　Syrian　fashion；　and　turned　　their　faces　eastward。　The　Constable's　guides　led　them　through　the　　mountains；　up　long　sword…cuts　of　valleys　and　under　frowning　snowdrifts；　or　　across　stony　barrens　where　wretched　beehive　huts　huddled　by　the　shores　of　　unquiet　lakes。　Presently　they　came　into　summer；　and　found　meadows　of　young　　grass　and　green　forests　on　the　hills'　skirts；　and　saw　wide　plains　die　into　　the　blueness　of　morning。　There　the　guides　left　them；　and　the　little　　cavalcade　moved　east　into　unknown　anarchies。　

The　sky　grew　like　brass　over　their　heads；　and　the　land　baked　and　rutted　　with　the　sun's　heat。　It　seemed　a　country　empty　of　man；　though　sometimes　　they　came　on　derelict　ploughlands　and　towns　of　crumbling　brick　charred　and　　glazed　by　fire。　In　sweltering　days　they　struggled　through　flats　where　the　　grass　was　often　higher　than　a　horse's　withers；　and　forded　the　tawny　　streams　which　brought　down　the　snows　of　the　hills。　Now　and　then　they　would　　pass　wandering　herdsmen；　who　fled　to　some　earth…burrow　at　their　　appearance。　The　Constable　had　bidden　them　make　for　the　rising　sun；　saying　　that　sooner　or　later　they　would　foregather　with　the　Khakan's　scouts。　But　　days　passed　into　weeks　and　weeks　into　months；　and　still　they　moved　through　　a　tenantless　waste。　They　husbanded　jealously　the　food　they　had　brought；　　but　the　store　ran　low；　and　there　were　days　of　empty　stomachs　and　light　　heads。　Unless；　like　the　King　of　Babylon；　they　were　to　eat　grass　in　the　　fashion　of　beasts；　it　seemed　they　must　soon　famish。　

But　late　in　summertime　they　saw　before　them　a　wall　of　mountain；　and　in　　three　days　climbed　by　its　defiles　to　a　pleasant　land；　where　once　more　they　　found　the　dwellings　of　man。　It　appeared　that　they　were　in　a　country　where　　the　Tartars　had　been　for　some　time　settled　and　which　had　for　years　been　　free　of　the　ravages　of　war。　The　folks　were　hunters　and　shepherds　who　took　　the　strangers　for　immortal　beings　and　offered　food　on　bent　knees　like　　oblations　to　a　god。　They　knew　where　the　Ilkhan　dwelt；　and　furnished　guides　　for　each　day's　journey。　Aimery；　who　had　been　sick　of　a　low　fever　in　the　　plains；　and　had　stumbled　on　in　a　stupor　torn　by　flashes　of　homesickness；　　found　his　spirits　reviving。　He　had　cursed　many　times　the　futility　of　his　　errand。　While　the　Franciscans　were　busied　with　their　punctual　offices　and　　asked　nothing　of　each　fresh　day　but　that　it　should　be　as　prayerful　as　the　　last；　he　found　a　rebellious　unbelief　rising　in　his　heart。　He　was　　travelling　roads　no　Christian　had　ever　trod；　on　a　wild…goose　errand；　while　　his　comrades　were　winning　fame　in　the　battle…front。　Alas！　that　a　bright　　sword　should　rust　in　these　barrens！

But　with　the　uplands　peace　crept　into　his　soul　and　some　of　the　mystery　of　　his　journey。　It　was　a　brave　venture；　whether　it　failed　or　no；　for　he　had　　already　gone　beyond　the　pale　even　of　men's　dreams。　The　face　of　Louis　　hovered　before　him。　It　needed　a　great　king　even　to　conceive　such　a　　mission。　。　。　。　He　had　been　sent　on　a　king's　errand　too。　He　stood　alone　for　　France　and　the　Cross　in　a　dark　world。　Alone；　as　kings　should　stand；　for　to　　take　all　the　burden　was　the　mark　of　kingship。　His　heart　bounded　at　the　　thought；　for　he　was　young。　His　father　had　told　him　of　that　old　Flanders　　grandam；　who　had　sworn　that　his　blood　came　from　proud　kings。　

But　chiefly　he　thought　of　Louis　with　a　fresh　warmth　of　love。　Surely　the　　King　loved　him；　or　he　would　not　have　chosen　him　out　of　many　for　this　　fateful　work。　He　had　asked　of　him　the　ultimate　service；　as　a　friend　　should。　Aimery　reconstructed　in　his　inner　vision　all　his　memories　of　the　　King：　the　close　fair　hair　now　thinning　about　the　temples；　the　small　face　　still　contoured　like　a　boy's；　the　figure　strung　like　a　bow；　the　quick；　　eager　gestures；　the　blue　dove's　eyes；　kindly　and　humble；　as　became　one　　whose　proudest　title　was　to　be　a　〃sergeant　of　the　Crucified。〃　But　those　　same　eyes　could　also　steel　and　blaze；　for　his　father　had　been　called　the　　Lion；　his　mother　Semiramis；　and　his　grandsire　Augustus。　In　these　wilds　　Aimery　was　his　vicegerent　and　bore　himself　proudly　as　the　proxy　of　such　a　　monarch。　

The　hour　came　when　they　met　the　Tartar　outposts。　A　cloud　of　horse　swept　　down　on　them；　each　man　riding　loose　with　his　hand　on　a　taut　bowstring。　In　　silence　they　surrounded　the　little　party；　and　their　leader　made　signs　to　　Aimery　to　dismount。　The　Constable　had　procured　for　him　a　letter　in　Tartar　　script；　setting　out　the　purpose　of　his　mission。　This　the　outpost　could　not　　read；　but　they　recognised　some　word　among　the　characters；　and　pointed　it　　out　to　each　other　with　uncouth　murmurings。　They　were　strange　folk；　with　　eyes　like　pebbles　and　squat　frames　and　short；　broad　faces；　but　each　horse　　an