the virgin of the sun-第6节

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quarrel　from　a　cross…bow；　whistled　just　past　my　head　out　there　upon
the　sea；　my　first　thought　was　to　get　her　away　to　some　place　of　safety；
no　easy　task　seeing　that　she　was　infirm　with　age。　My　second；　that
which　caused　me　to　pause　by　the　tree；　was　how　I　should　break　the　news
to　her　in　such　a　fashion　that　she　would　not　be　over…frightened。　Having
thought　this　over　I　went　on　into　the　house。

The　door　opened　into　the　sitting…room　that　had　a　low　roof　of　plaster
and　big　oak　beams。　There　I　found　my　mother　kneeling　by　the　table　upon
which　food　was　set　for　breakfast：　fried　herrings；　cold　meat；　and　a　jug
of　ale。　She　was　saying　her　prayers　after　her　custom；　being　very
religious　though　in　a　new　fashion；　since　she　was　a　follower　of　a
preacher　called　Wycliffe；　who　troubled　the　Church　in　those　days。　She
seemed　to　have　gone　to　sleep　at　her　prayers；　and　I　watched　her　for　a
moment；　hesitating　to　waken　her。　My　mother；　as　even　then　I　noted；　was
a　very　handsome　woman；　though　old；　for　I　was　born　when　she　had　been
married　twenty　years　or　more；　with　white　hair　and　well…cut　features
that　showed　the　good　blood　of　which　she　came；　for　she　was　better　bred
than　my　father　and　quarrelled　with　her　kin　to　marry　him。

At　the　sound　of　my　footsteps　she　woke　up　and　saw　me。

〃Strange；〃　she　said；　〃I　slept　at　my　prayers　who　did　so　little　last
night；　as　has　become　a　habit　with　me　when　you　are　out　a…fishing；　for
which　God　forgive　me；　and　dreamed　that　there　was　some　trouble　forward。
Scold　me　not；　Hubert；　for　when　the　sea　has　taken　the　father　and　two
sons；　it　is　scarcely　wonderful　that　I　should　be　fearful　for　the　last
of　my　blood。　Help　me　to　rise；　Hubert；　for　this　water　seems　to　gather
in　my　limbs　and　makes　them　heavy。　One　day；　the　leech　says；　it　will　get
to　the　heart　and　then　all　will　be　over。〃

I　obeyed；　first　kissing　her　on　the　brow；　and　when　she　was　seated　in
her　armed　chair　by　the　table；　I　said；

〃You　dream　too　well；　Mother。　There　is　trouble。　Hark！　St。　Clement's
bells　are　talking　of　it。　The　French　come　to　visit　Hastings。　I　know　for
I　sailed　through　their　fleet　just　after　dawn。〃

〃Is　it　so？〃　she　asked　quietly。　〃I　feared　worse。　I　feared　lest　the
dream　meant　that　you　had　gone　to　join　your　brothers　in　the　deep。　Well；
the　French　are　not　here　yet；　as　thank　God　you　are。　So　eat　and　drink；
for　we　of　England　fight　best　on　full　bellies。〃

Again　I　obeyed　who　was　very　hungry　after　that　long　night　and　needed
food　and　ale；　and　as　I　swallowed　them　we　heard　the　sound　of　folk
shouting　and　running。

〃You　are　in　haste；　Hubert；　to　join　the　others　on　the　quay　and　send　a
Frenchman　or　two　to　hell　with　that　big　bow　of　yours？〃　she　said
inquiringly。

〃Nay；〃　I　answered；　〃I　am　in　haste　to　get　you　out　of　this　town；　which　I
fear　may　be　burnt。　There　is　a　certain　cave　up　yonder　by　the　Minnes
Rock　where　I　think　you　might　lie　safe；　Mother。〃

〃It　has　come　down　to　me　from　my　fathers；　Hubert；　that　it　was　never　the
fashion　of　the　women　of　the　north　to　keep　their　men　to　shield　them
when　duty　called　them　otherwhere。　I　am　helpless　in　my　limbs　and　heavy；
and　cannot　climb；　or　be　borne　up　yonder　hill　to　any　cave。　Here　I　stop
where　I　have　dwelt　these　five…and…forty　years；　to　live　or　die　as　God
pleases。　Get　you　to　your　duty；　man。　Stay。　Call　those　wenches　and　bid
them　fly　inland　to　their　folk；　out　Burwash　way。　They　are　young　and
fleet　of　foot；　and　no　Frenchman　will　catch　them。〃

I　summoned　the　girls　who　were　staring；　white…faced；　from　the　attic
window…place。　In　three　minutes　they　were　gone；　though　it　is　true　that
one　of　them；　the　braver；　wished　to　bide　with　her　mistress。

I　watched　them　start　up　the　street　with　other　fugitives　who　were
pouring　out　of　Hastings；　and　came　back　to　my　mother。　As　I　did　so　a
great　shout　told　me　that　the　French　fleet　had　been　sighted。

〃Hubert；〃　she　said；　〃take　this　key　and　go　to　the　oak　chest　in　my
sleeping　room；　lift　out　the　linen　at　the　top　and　bring　me　that　which
lies　wrapped　in　cloth　beneath。〃

I　did　so；　returning　with　a　bundle　that　was　long　and　thin。　With　a　knife
she　cut　the　string　that　tied　it。　Within　were　a　bag　of　money　and　a
sword　in　an　ancient　scabbard　covered　with　a　rough　skin　which　I　took　to
be　that　of　a　shark；　which　scabbard　in　parts　was　inlaid　with　gold。

〃Draw　it；〃　said　my　mother。

I　did　so；　and　there　came　to　light　a　two…edged　blade　of　blue　steel；
such　as　I　had　never　seen　before；　for　on　the　blade　were　engraved
strange　characters　whereof　I　could　make　nothing；　although　as　it
chanced　I　could　read　and　write；　having　been　taught　by　the　monks　in　my
childhood。　The　hilt；　also；　that　was　in　the　form　of　a　cross；　had　gold
inlaid　upon　it；　at　the　top　of　it；　a　large　knob　or　apple　of　amber；　much
worn　by　handling。　For　the　rest　it　was　a　beauteous　weapon　and　well
balanced。

〃What　of　this　sword？〃　I　asked。

〃This；　Son。　With　the　black　bow　that　you　have；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the
case　that　leaned　against　the　table；　〃it　has　come　down　in　my　family　for
many　generations。　My　father　told　me　that　it　was　the　sword　of　one
Thorgrimmer；　his　ancestor；　a　Norseman；　a　Viking　he　called　him；　who
came　with　those　who　took　England　before　the　Norman　time；　which　I　can
well　believe　since　my　father's　name；　like　mine；　till　I　married；　was
Grimmer。　This　sword；　also；　has　a　name　and　it　is　Wave…Flame。　With　it；
the　tale　tells；　Thorgrimmer　did　great　deeds；　slaying　many　after　their
heathen　fashion　in　his　battles　by　land　and　sea。　For　he　was　a　wanderer；
and　it　is　said　of　him　that　once　he　sailed　to　a　new　land　far　across　the
ocean；　and　won　home　again　after　many　strange　adventures；　to　die　at
last　here　in　England　in　some　fray。　That　is　all　I　know；　save　that　a
learned　man　from　the　north　once　told　my　father's　father　that　the
writing　on　the　sword　means：

　〃He　who　lifts　Wave…Flame　on　high
　　In　love　shall　live　and　in　battle　die；
　　Storm…tossed　o'er　wide　seas　shall　roam
　　And　in　strange　lands　shall　make　his　home。
　　Conquering；　conquered　shall　he　be；
　　And　far　away　shall　sleep　with　me。

〃Those　were　the　words　which　I　remember　because　of　the　jingle　of　them；
also　because　such　seems　to　have　been　the　fate　of　Thorgrimmer　and　the
sword　that　his　grandson　took　from　his　tomb。〃

Here　I　would　have　asked　about　this　grandson　and　the　tomb；　but　having
no　time；　held　my　peace。

〃All　my　life　have　I　kept　that　sword；〃　went　on　my　mother；　〃not　giving
it　to　your　father　or　brothers；　lest　the　fate　written　on　it　should
befall　them；　for　those　old　wizards　of　the　north；　who　fashioned　such
weapons　with　toil　and　skill；　could　foresee　the　futureas　at　times　I
can；　for　it　is　in　my　blood。　Yet　now　I　am　moved　to　bid　you　take　it；
Hubert；　and　go　where　its　flame　leads　you　and　dree　your　gloom；　whatever
it　may　be；　for　I　know　you　will　use　it　like　Thorgrimmer's　self。〃

She　paused　for　a　moment；　then　went　on：

〃Hubert；　perhaps　we　part　for　the　last　time；　for　I　think　that　my　hour
is　at　hand。　But　let　not　that　trouble　you；　since　I　am　glad　to　go　to
join　those　who　went　before；　and　others　with　them；　perchance
Thorgrimmer's　self。　Hearken；　Hubert。　If　aught　befalls　me；　or　this
place；　stay　not　here。　Go　to　London　town　and　seek　out　John　Grimmer；　my
brother；　the　rich　merchant　and　goldsmith　who　dwells　in　the　place
called　Cheap。　He　knew　you　as　a　child　and　loved　you；　and　lacking
offspring　of　his　own　will　welcome　you　for　both　our　sakes。　My　father
would　not　give　John　the　sword　lest　its　fate　should　be　on　him；　but　I
say　that　John　will　be　glad　to　welcome　one　of　our　race　who　holds　it　in
his　hand。　Take　it　then；　and　with　it　that　bag　of　gold；　which　may　prove
of　service　ere　all　be　done。

〃Aye；　and　there　is　one　more　thingthis　ring　which；　so　says　the　tale；
came　down　with　the　sword　and　the　bow；　and　once　had　writing　on　it　like
the　sword；　though　that　is　long　since　rubbed　away。　Take　it　and　wear　it
till　perchance；　in　some　day　to　come；　you　give　it　to　another　as　I　did。〃

Wondering　at　all　this　tale　which；　after　her　secret　fashion；　my　mother
had　kept　from　me　till　that　hour；　I　set　the　ring　upon　my　finger。

〃I　gave　yonder　ring　to　your　father　on　the　day　that　we　were　betrothed；〃
went　on　my　mother；　〃and　I　took　it　back　again　from　his　corpse　after　he
had　been　found　floating　in　the　sea。　Now　I　pass　it　on　to　you　who　soon
will　be　all　that　is　left　of　both　of　us。〃

〃Hark！〃　she　continued；　〃the　crier　summons　all　men　with　their　arms　to
the　market…place　to　fight　England's　foes。　Therefore　one　word　more
while　I　buckle　the　sword　Wave…Flame　on　to　you；　as　doubtless　his　women
folk　did　on　to　Thorgrimmer；　your　ancestor。　My　blessing　on　you；　Hubert。
Be　you　such　a　one　as　Thorgrimmer　was；　for　we　of　the　Norse　blood　desire
that　our　loves　and　sons　should　prove　not　backward　when　swords　are
aloft　and　arrows　fly。　But　be　you　more　than　he；　be　you　a　Christian
also；　remembering　that　however　long　you　live；　and　the　Battle…maidens
have　not　marked　you　yet；　at　last　you　must　die　and　give　account。

〃Hubert；　you　are　such　a　one　as　women　will　love；　one；　too；　who；　I　fear
me；　will　be　a　lover　of　women；　for　that　weakness　goes　with　strength　and
manhood　by　Nature's　laws。　Be　careful　of　women；　Hubert；　and　if　you　may；
choose　those　who　are　not　false　and　cling　to　her　who　is　most　true。　Oh；
you　will　wander　far；　I　read　it　in　your　eyes　that　you　will　wander　far；
yet　shall　your　heart　stay　English。　Kiss　me　and　begone！　Lad；　are　you
forg