the virgin of the sun-第19节

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it　were　his　own；　bringing　into　it　vile　women　of　the　Court；　and　men
that　are　viler　still；　however　high　their　names　and　gaudy　their
attire；〃　and　he　choked　with　his　wrath　and　stopped。

〃Why　do　you　suffer　these　things；　sir？〃　I　asked。

〃Forsooth　because　I　must；〃　he　answered　sullenly；　〃for　he　has　me　and
mine　by　the　throat。　This　Deleroy　is　very　powerful；　Master　Hastings。　At
a　word　from　him　whispered　in　the　King's　ear；　I；　or　you；　or　any　man
might　find　ourselves　in　the　Tower　accused　of　treason；　whence　we　should
appear　no　more。〃

Then；　as　though　he　wished　to　get　away　from　the　subject　of　Deleroy　and
his　hold　upon　him；　he　went　on：

〃I　fear　me　that　your　money；　or　much　of　it；　is　in　danger　for　Deleroy's
bond　is　worthless；　and　since　the　land　is　already　pledged　without　my
knowledge；　I　have　nowhere　to　turn　for　gold。　I　tell　you　that　I　am　an
honest　man　if　one　who　has　fallen　into　ill　company；　and　this　wickedness
cuts　me　deep；　for　I　know　not　how　you　will　be　repaid。〃

Now　a　thought　came　to　me；　and　as　was　my　bold　fashion　in　all　business；
I　acted　on　it　instantly。

〃Sir　Robert　Aleys；〃　I　said；　〃should　it　be　pleasing　to　you　and　another；
I　can　see　a　way　in　which　this　debt　may　be　cancelled　without　shame　to
you　and　yet　to　my　profit。〃

〃Then　in　God's　name　speak　it！　For　I　see　none。〃

〃Sir；　in　bygone　time；　as　it　chanced　I　was　able　yonder　at　Hastings　to
do　some　service　to　your　daughter　and　in　that　hour　she　took　my　heart。〃

He　started　but　motioned　to　me　to　continue。

〃Sir；　I　love　her　truly　and　desire　more　than　anything　to　make　her　my
wife。　I　know　she　is　far　above　me　in　station；　still　although　but　a
merchant；　I　am　of　good　descent　as　I　can　prove　to　you。　Moreover；　I　am
rich；　for　this　money　that　I　have　advanced　to　you；　or　to　the　lord
Deleroy；　is　but　a　small　part　of　my　wealth　which　grows　day　by　day
through　honest　trade。　Sir；　if　my　suit　were　accepted　I　should　be　ready；
not　only　to　help　you　further　on　certain　terms；　but　by　deed　and　will　to
settle　most　of　it　upon　the　lady　Blanche　and　upon　our　children。　Sir；
what　say　you？〃

Sir　Robert　tugged　at　his　red　beard　and　stared　down　at　the　floor。
Presently　he　lifted　his　head　and　I　saw　that　his　face　was　troubled；　the
face　of　a　man；　indeed；　who　is　struggling　with　himself；　or；　as　I
thought；　with　his　pride。

〃A　fair　offer　fairly　put；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　question　is；　not　what　I
say；　but　what　says　Blanche。〃

〃Sir；　I　do　not　know　who　have　never　asked　her。　Yet　at　times　I　have
thought　that　her　mind　towards　me　is　not　unkind。〃

〃Is　it　so？　Well；　perhaps　now　that　hewell；　let　that　lie。　Master
Hastings；　you　have　my　leave　to　try　your　fortune　and　I　tell　you
straight　that　I　hope　it　will　be　good。　With　your　wealth　your　rank　may
be　soon　mended　and　you　are　an　honest　man　whom　I　should　be　glad　to
welcome　as　a　son；　for　I　have　had　enough　of　these　Court　knaves　and
painted　Jezebels。　But　if　such　is　your　fancy　towards　Blanche；　my
counsel　to　you　is　that　you　put　it　quickly　to　the　proofaye；　man；　at
once。　Mark　my　words；　for　such　a　swan　as　she　is　many　snares　are　set
beneath　the　dirty　waters　of　this　Court。〃

〃The　sooner　the　better；　sir。〃

〃Good。　I'll　send　her　to　you　and；　one　word　morebe　not　over　shy；　or
ready　to　take　the　first　'no'　for　an　answer；　or　to　listen　to　the　tale
of　bygone　fancies；　such　as　all　women　have。〃

Then　suddenly　he　went；　leaving　me　there　wondering　at　his　words　and
manner；　which　I　did　not　understand。　This　I　understood；　however；　that
he　desired　that　I　should　marry　Blanche；　which　considering　all　things　I
held　somewhat　strange；　although　I　had　the　wealth　she　lacked。
Doubtless；　I　thought；　it　must　be　because　his　honour　had　been　touched
on　the　matter　of　the　trick　that　had　been　played　upon　him　without　his
knowledge。　Then　I　ceased　from　these　wonderings　and　gave　my　thought　to
what　I　should　say　to　Blanche。

I　waited　a　long　while　and　still　she　did　not　come；　till　at　last　I
believed　that　she　was　away　from　the　house；　or　guessing　my　business；
had　refused　to　see　me。　At　length；　however；　she　entered　the　room；　so
silently　that　I　who　was　staring　at　the　great　abbey　through　a　window…
place　never　heard　the　door　open　or　close。　I　think　that　some　sense　of
her　presence　must　have　drawn　me；　since　suddenly　I　turned　to　see　her
standing　before　me。　She　was　clad　all　in　white；　having　a　round　cap　or
coronet　upon　her　head　beneath　which　her　shining　fair　hair　was　looped
in　braids。　Her　little　coat；　trimmed　with　ermine；　was　fastened　with　a
single　jewel；　that　ruby　heart　embraced　by　serpents　which　I　had　given
her。　She　wore　no　other　ornament。　Thus　seen　she　looked　most　lovely　and
most　sweet　and　all　my　heart　went　out　in　yearning　for　her。

〃My　father　tells　me　that　you　wish　to　speak　with　me；　so　I　have　come；〃
she　said　in　her　low　clear　voice；　searching　my　face　curiously　with　her
large　eyes。

I　bowed　my　head　and　paused；　not　knowing　how　to　begin。

〃How　can　I　serve　you；　who；　I　fear；　have　been　ill　served？〃　she　went　on
with　a　little　smile　as　though　she　found　amusement　in　my　confusion。

〃In　one　way　only；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃by　giving　yourself　in　marriage　to　me。
For　that　I　seek；　no　less。〃

Now　her　fair　face　that　had　been　pale　became　stained　with　red　and　she
let　her　eyes　fall　as　though　she　were　searching　for　something　among　the
rushes　that　strewed　the　floor。

〃Hearken　before　you　answer；〃　I　continued。　〃When　first　I　spoke　with　you
on　that　bloody　day　at　Hastings　and　you　had　but　just　come　to　womanhood；
I　loved　you　and　swore　to　myself　that　I　would　die　to　save　you。　I　saved
you　and　we　kissed　and　were　parted。　Afterwards　I　tried　to　put　you　out
of　my　heart；　knowing　that　you　were　set　far　above　me　and　no　meat　for
such　as　I；　though　still　for　your　sake　I　wooed　no　other　woman　in
marriage。　The　years　went　by　and　fortune　brought　us　together　again；　and
lo！　the　old　love　was　stronger　than　before。　I　know　that　I　am　not　worthy
of　you　who　are　so　high　and　good　and　pure。　Still〃　and　I　stopped；
lacking　words。

She　moved　uneasily　and　the　red　colour　left　her　cheeks　as　though　she
had　been　suddenly　pained。

〃Bethink　you；〃　she　said　with　a　touch　of　hardness　in　her　voice；　〃can
one　who　lives　the　life　I　live　and　keeps　my　company；　remain　as　holy　and
unstained　as　you　believe？　If　you　would　gather　such　a　lily；　surely　you
should　seek　it　in　a　country　garden；　not　in　the　reek　of　London。〃

〃I　neither　know　nor　care；〃　I　answered；　whose　blood　was　all　afire。　〃I
know　only　that　wherever　you　grow　and　from　whatever　soil；　you　are　the
flower　I　would　pluck。〃

〃Bethink　you　again；　an　ugly　slug　might　have　smeared　my　whiteness。〃

〃If　so　the　honest　sun　and　rain　will　recover　and　wash　it　and　I　am　a
gardener　who　scatters　lime　to　shrivel　slugs。〃

〃If　to　this　one　you　will　not　listen；　then　hear　another　argument。
Perchance　I　do　not　love　you。　Would　you　win　a　loveless　bride？〃

〃Perchance　you　can　learn　of　love；　or　if　not；　I　have　enough　to　serve
for　two。〃

〃By　my　faith！　it　should　not　be　difficult　with　a　man　so　honest　and　so
well　favoured。　And　yeta　further　plea。　My　cousin　Deleroy　has　cheated
you〃　（here　her　face　hardened）；　〃and　I　think　I　am　offered　to　you　by　my
father　in　satisfaction　of　his　honour；　as　men　who　have　no　gold　offer　a
house　or　a　horse　to　close　a　debt。〃

〃It　is　not　so。　I　prayed　you　of　your　father。　The　loss；　if　loss　there
be；　is　but　a　chance　of　trade；　such　as　I　face　every　day。　Still；　I　will
be　plain　and　tell　you　that　I　risked　it　with　open　eyes；　expecting
nothing　less；　that　I　might　come　near　to　you。〃

Now　she　sat　herself　down　in　a　chair；　covering　her　face　with　her　hands；
and　I　saw　from　the　trembling　of　her　body　that　she　was　sobbing。　While　I
wondered　what　to　do；　for　the　sight　wrung　me；　she　let　fall　her　hands
and　there　were　tears　upon　her　face。

〃Shall　I　tell　you　all　my　story；　you　good；　simple　gentleman？〃　she
asked。

〃Nay；　only　two　things。　Are　you　the　wife　of　some　other　man？〃

〃Not　so；　though　perhapsonce　I　went　near　to　it。　What　is　the　other
question？〃

〃Do　you　love　some　other　man　so　that　your　heart　tells　you　it　is　not
possible　that　you　should　ever　love　me？〃

〃No；　I　do　not；〃　she　answered　almost　fiercely；　〃but　by　the　Rood！　I　hate
one。〃

〃Which　is　no　affair　of　mine；〃　I　said；　laughing。　〃For　the　rest；　let　it
sleep。　Few　are　they　that　know　life's　wars　who　have　no　scar　to　hide；
and　I　am　not　one　of　them；　though　in　truth　your　lips　made　the　deepest
yonder　by　the　cave　at　Hastings。〃

When　she　heard　this　she　coloured　to　her　brow　and　forgetting　her　tears；
laughed　outright；　while　I　went　on：

〃Therefore　let　the　past　be　and　if　it　is　your　will；　let　us　set　our　eyes
upon　the　future。　Only　one　promise　would　I　ask　of　you；　that　never　again
will　you　be　alone　with　the　lord　Deleroy；　since　one　so　light…fingered
with　a　pen　would；　I　think；　steal　other　things。〃

〃By　my　soul！　the　last　thing　I　desire　is　to　be　alone　with　my　cousin
Deleroy。〃

Now　she　rose　from　the　chair　and　for　a　little　while　we　stood　facing
each　other。　Then　she　very　slightly　opened　her　arms　and　lifted　her　face
towards　me。

Thus　did　Blanche　Aleys　and　I　become　affianced；　though　afterwards；　when
I　thought　the　business　over；　I　remembered　that　never　once　did　she　say
that　she　would　marry　me。　This；　however；　troubled　me　little；　since　in
such　matters　it　is　what　women　do　that　weighs；　not　what　they　say。　For
the　rest　I　was　mad　with　love　of　her；　also　both　then　and　as　the　days
we