the wood beyond the world-第2节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　they　were　ever　before　his　eyes；　as　if　they　had　been　painted　on　a
table　by　the　best　of　limners。　　And　of　the　two　women　he　thought
exceeding　much；　and　cast　no　wyte　upon　himself　for　running　after　the
desire　of　strange　women。　　For　he　said　to　himself　that　he　desired　not
either　of　the　twain；　nay；　he　might　not　tell　which　of　the　twain；　the
maiden　or　the　stately　queen；　were　clearest　to　his　eyes；　but　sore　he
desired　to　see　both　of　them　again；　and　to　know　what　they　were。

So　wore　the　hours　till　the　Wednesday　morning；　and　it　was　time　that
he　should　bid　farewell　to　his　father　and　get　aboard　ship；　but　his
father　led　him　down　to　the　quays　and　on　to　the　Katherine；　and　there
Walter　embraced　him；　not　without　tears　and　forebodings；　for　his
heart　was　full。　　Then　presently　the　old　man　went　aland；　the　gangway
was　unshipped；　the　hawsers　cast　off；　the　oars　of　the　towing…boats
splashed　in　the　dark　water；　the　sail　fell　down　from　the　yard；　and
was　sheeted　home；　and　out　plunged　the　Katherine　into　the　misty　sea
and　rolled　up　the　grey　slopes；　casting　abroad　her　ancient　withal；
whereon　was　beaten　the　token　of　Bartholomew　Golden；　to　wit　a　B　and　a
G　to　the　right　and　the　left；　and　thereabove　a　cross　and　a　triangle
rising　from　the　midst。

Walter　stood　on　the　stern　and　beheld；　yet　more　with　the　mind　of　him
than　with　his　eyes；　for　it　all　seemed　but　the　double　of　what　the
other　ship　had　done；　and　the　thought　of　it　as　if　the　twain　were　as
beads　strung　on　one　string　and　led　away　by　it　into　the　same　place；
and　thence　to　go　in　the　like　order；　and　so　on　again　and　again；　and
never　to　draw　nigher　to　each　other。



CHAPTER　III：　　WALTER　HEARETH　TIDINGS　OF　THE　DEATH　OF　HIS　FATHER



Fast　sailed　the　Katherine　over　the　seas；　and　nought　befell　to　tell
of；　either　to　herself　or　her　crew。　　She　came　to　one　cheaping…town
and　then　to　another；　and　so　on　to　a　third　and　a　fourth；　and　at　each
was　buying　and　selling　after　the　manner　of　chapmen；　and　Walter　not
only　looked　on　the　doings　of　his　father's　folk；　but　lent　a　hand；
what　he　might；　to　help　them　in　all　matters；　whether　it　were　in
seaman's　craft；　or　in　chaffer。　　And　the　further　he　went　and　the
longer　the　time　wore；　the　more　he　was　eased　of　his　old　trouble
wherein　his　wife　and　her　treason　had　to　do。

But　as　for　the　other　trouble；　to　wit　his　desire　and　longing　to　come
up　with　those　three；　it　yet　flickered　before　him；　and　though　he　had
not　seen　them　again　as　one　sees　people　in　the　streets；　and　as　if　he
might　touch　them　if　he　would；　yet　were　their　images　often　before　his
mind's　eye；　and　yet；　as　time　wore；　not　so　often；　nor　so　troublously；
and　forsooth　both　to　those　about　him　and　to　himself；　he　seemed　as　a
man　well　healed　of　his　melancholy　mood。

Now　they　left　that　fourth　stead；　and　sailed　over　the　seas　and　came
to　a　fifth；　a　very　great　and　fair　city；　which　they　had　made　more
than　seven　months　from　Langton　on　Holm；　and　by　this　time　was　Walter
taking　heed　and　joyance　in　such　things　as　were　toward　in　that　fair
city；　so　far　from　his　kindred；　and　especially　he　looked　on　the　fair
women　there；　and　desired　them；　and　loved　them；　but　lightly；　as
befalleth　young　men。

Now　this　was　the　last　country　whereto　the　Katherine　was　boun；　so
there　they　abode　some　ten　months　in　daily　chaffer；　and　in　pleasuring
them　in　beholding　all　that　there　was　of　rare　and　goodly；　and　making
merry　with　the　merchants　and　the　towns…folk；　and　the　country…folk
beyond　the　gates；　and　Walter　was　grown　as　busy　and　gay　as　a　strong
young　man　is　like　to　be；　and　was　as　one　who　would　fain　be　of　some
account　amongst　his　own　folk。

But　at　the　end　of　this　while；　it　befell　on　a　day；　as　he　was　leaving
his　hostel　for　his　booth　in　the　market；　and　had　the　door　in　his
hand；　there　stood　before　him　three　mariners　in　the　guise　of　his　own
country；　and　with　them　was　one　of　clerkly　aspect；　whom　he　knew　at
once　for　his　father's　scrivener；　Arnold　Penstrong　by　name；　and　when
Walter　saw　him　his　heart　failed　him　and　he　cried　out：　　〃Arnold；　what
tidings？　　Is　all　well　with　the　folk　at　Langton？〃

Said　Arnold：　　〃Evil　tidings　are　come　with　me；　matters　are　ill　with
thy　folk；　for　I　may　not　hide　that　thy　father；　Bartholomew　Golden；　is
dead；　God　rest　his　soul。〃

At　that　word　it　was　to　Walter　as　if　all　that　trouble　which　but　now
had　sat　so　light　upon　him；　was　once　again　fresh　and　heavy；　and　that
his　past　life　of　the　last　few　months　had　never　been；　and　it　was　to
him　as　if　he　saw　his　father　lying　dead　on　his　bed；　and　heard　the
folk　lamenting　about　the　house。　　He　held　his　peace　awhile；　and　then
he　said　in　a　voice　as　of　an　angry　man：

〃What；　Arnold！　and　did　he　die　in　his　bed；　or　how？　for　he　was　neither
old　nor　ailing　when　we　parted。〃

Said　Arnold：　　〃Yea；　in　his　bed　he　died：　　but　first　he　was　somewhat
sword…bitten。〃

〃Yea；　and　how？〃　quoth　Walter。

Said　Arnold：　　〃When　thou　wert　gone；　in　a　few　days'　wearing；　thy
father　sent　thy　wife　out　of　his　house　back　to　her　kindred　of　the
Reddings　with　no　honour；　and　yet　with　no　such　shame　as　might　have
been；　without　blame　to　us　of　those　who　knew　the　tale　of　thee　and
her；　which；　God…a…mercy；　will　be　pretty　much　the　whole　of　the　city。〃

〃Nevertheless；　the　Reddings　took　it　amiss；　and　would　have　a　mote
with　us　Goldings　to　talk　of　booting。　　By　ill…luck　we　yea…said　that
for　the　saving　of　the　city's　peace。　　But　what　betid？　　We　met　in　our
Gild…hall；　and　there　befell　the　talk　between　us；　and　in　that　talk
certain　words　could　not　be　hidden；　though　they　were　none　too　seemly
nor　too　meek。　　And　the　said　words　once　spoken　drew　forth　the　whetted
steel；　and　there　then　was　the　hewing　and　thrusting！　　Two　of　ours
were　slain　outright　on　the　floor；　and　four　of　theirs；　and　many　were
hurt　on　either　side。　　Of　these　was　thy　father；　for　as　thou　mayst
well　deem；　he　was　nought　backward　in　the　fray；　but　despite　his
hurts；　two　in　the　side　and　one　on　the　arm；　he　went　home　on　his　own
feet；　and　we　deemed　that　we　had　come　to　our　above。　　But　well…a…way！
it　was　an　evil　victory；　whereas　in　ten　days　he　died　of　his　hurts。
God　have　his　soul！　　But　now；　my　master；　thou　mayst　well　wot　that　I
am　not　come　to　tell　thee　this　only；　but　moreover　to　bear　the　word　of
the　kindred；　to　wit　that　thou　come　back　with　me　straightway　in　the
swift　cutter　which　hath　borne　me　and　the　tidings；　and　thou　mayst
look　to　it；　that　though　she　be　swift　and　light；　she　is　a　keel　full
weatherly。〃

Then　said　Walter：　　〃This　is　a　bidding　of　war。　　Come　back　will　I；　and
the　Reddings　shall　wot　of　my　coming。　　Are　ye　all…boun？〃

〃Yea；〃　said　Arnold；　〃we　may　up　anchor　this　very　day；　or　to…morrow
morn　at　latest。　　But　what　aileth　thee；　master；　that　thou　starest　so
wild　over　my　shoulder？　　I　pray　thee　take　it　not　so　much　to　heart！
Ever　it　is　the　wont　of　fathers　to　depart　this　world　before　their
sons。〃

But　Walter's　visage　from　wrathful　red　had　become　pale；　and　he
pointed　up　street；　and　cried　out：　　〃Look！　dost　thou　see？〃

〃See　what；　master？〃　quoth　Arnold：　　〃what！　here　cometh　an　ape　in　gay
raiment；　belike　the　beast　of　some　jongleur。　　Nay；　by　God's　wounds！
'tis　a　man；　though　he　be　exceeding　mis…shapen　like　a　very　devil。
Yea　and　now　there　cometh　a　pretty　maid　going　as　if　she　were　of　his
meney；　and　lo！　here；　a　most　goodly　and　noble　lady！　　Yea；　I　see；　and
doubtless　she　owneth　both　the　two；　and　is　of　the　greatest　of　the
folk　of　this　fair　city；　for　on　the　maiden's　ankle　I　saw　an　iron
ring；　which　betokeneth　thralldom　amongst　these　aliens。　　But　this　is
strange！　for　notest　thou　not　how　the　folk　in　the　street　heed　not
this　quaint　show；　nay　not　even　the　stately　lady；　though　she　be　as
lovely　as　a　goddess　of　the　gentiles；　and　beareth　on　her　gems　that
would　buy　Langton　twice　over；　surely　they　must　be　over…wont　to
strange　and　gallant　sights。　　But　now；　master；　but　now！〃

〃Yea；　what　is　it？〃　said　Walter。

〃Why；　master；　they　should　not　yet　be　gone　out　of　eye…shot；　yet　gone
they　are。　　What　is　become　of　them；　are　they　sunk　into　the　earth？〃

〃Tush；　man！〃　said　Walter；　looking　not　on　Arnold；　but　still　staring
down　the　street；　〃they　have　gone　into　some　house　while　thine　eyes
were　turned　from　them　a　moment。〃

〃Nay；　master；　nay；〃　said　Arnold；　〃mine　eyes　were　not　off　them　one
instant　of　time。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Walter；　somewhat　snappishly；　〃they　are　gone　now；　and
what　have　we　to　do　to　heed　such　toys；　we　with　all　this　grief　and
strife　on　our　hands？　　Now　would　I　be　alone　to　turn　the　matter　of
thine　errand　over　in　my　mind。　　Meantime　do　thou　tell　the　shipmaster
Geoffrey　and　our　other　folk　of　these　tidings；　and　thereafter　get
thee　all　ready；　and　come　hither　to　me　before　sunrise　to…morrow；　and
I　shall　be　ready　for　my　part；　and　so　sail　we　back　to　Langton。〃

Therewith　he　turned　him　back　into　the　house；　and　the　others　went
their　ways；　but　Walter　sat　alone　in　his　chamber　a　long　while；　and
pondered　these　things　in　his　mind。　　And　whiles　he　made　up　his　mind
that　he　would　think　no　more　of　the　vision　of　those　three；　but　would
fare　back　to　Langton；　and　enter　into　the　strife　with　the　Reddings
and　quell　them；　or　die　else。　　But　lo；　when　he　was　quite　steady　in
this　doom；　and　his　heart　was　lightened　thereby；　he　found　that　he
thought　no　more　of　the　Reddings　and　their　strife；　but　as　matters
that　were　passed　and　done　with；　and　that　now　he　was　thinking　and
devising