child christopher-第21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！


n　the　morrow　morn；　whereas　some　deal　of　the　gathering　would　of　a　certainty　be　come　thither　by　then；　and　that　there　was　enough　left　of　that　day　to　see　to　matters　at　the　Tofts。

So　all　men　went　about　their　business；　which　was；　for　the　most　part；　seeing　to　the　victualling　of　the　host。



CHAPTER　XXVIII。

OF　THE　HOSTING　IN　HAZELDALE。


On　the　morrow　early　was　Jack　of　the　Tofts　dight　for　departure；　with　Christopher　and　David　and　Gilbert　and　five　score　of　his　best　men。　　But　when　they　went　out　of　the　porch　into　the　sweet　morning；　lo！　there　was　Goldilind　before　them；　clad　in　her　green　gown；　and　as　fresh　and　dear　as　the　early　day　itself。　　And　Jack　looked　on　her　and　said：　　〃And　thou；　my　Lady　and　Queen；　thou　art　dight　as　thou　wouldst　wend　with　us？〃

〃Yea；〃　she　said；　〃and　why　not？〃

〃What　sayest　thou；　King　Christopher？〃　said　the　Captain。

〃Nay；〃　said　King　Christopher；　reddening；　〃it　is　for　thee　to　yea…say　or　nay…say；　though　true　it　is　that　I　have　bidden　her　farewell　for　two　days'　space。〃　　And　the　two　stood　looking　on　one　another。

But　Jack　laughed　and　said：　　〃Well；　then；　so　be　it；　but　let　us　get　to　the　way；　or　else　when　the　sweethearts　of　these　lads　know　that　we　have　a　woman　with　us　we　shall　have　them　all　at　our　backs。〃　　Thereat　all　laughed　who　were　within　earshot；　and　were　merry。

So　they　wended　the　woodland　ways；　some　afoot；　some　a…horseback；　of　whom　was　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　but　Christopher　and　David　went　afoot。　　And　Goldilind　rode　a　fair　white　horse　which　the　Captain　had　gotten　her。

As　they　went；　and　King　Christopher　ever　by　Goldilind's　right　hand；　and　were　merry　and　joyous；　they　two　were　alone　in　the　woodland　way；　so　Christopher　took　her　hand　and　kissed　it；　and　said：　　〃Sweetling；　why　didst　thou　tell　me　nought　of　thy　will　to　come　along　with　us？　Never　had　I　balked　thee。〃

She　looked　at　him；　blushing　as　a　rose；　and　said：　　〃Dear　friend；　I　will　tell　thee；　I　knew　that　thou　wouldst　make　our　parting　piteous…sweet　this　morning；　and　of　that　I　would　not　be　balked。　　See；　then；　how　rich　I　am；　since　I　have　both　parted　from　thee　and　have　thee。〃　And　therewith　she　louted　down　from　her　saddle；　and　they　kissed　together　sweetly；　and　so　thereafter　wore　the　way。

So　came　they　to　the　plain　of　Hazeldale；　which　was　a　wide　valley　with　a　middling　river　winding　about　it；　the　wild…wood　at　its　back　toward　the　Tofts；　and　in　front　down…land　nought　wooded；　save　here　and　there　a　tree　nigh　a　homestead　or　cot；　for　that　way　the　land　was　builded　for　a　space。　　Forsooth　it　was　not　easy　for　the　folk　thereabout　to　live　quietly；　but　if　they　were　friends　in　some　wise　to　Jack　of　the　Tofts。

So　when　the　company　of　the　Tofts　came　out　into　the　dale　about　three　hours　after　noon；　it　was　no　wonder　to　them　to　see　men　riding　and　going　to　and　fro；　and　folk　pitching　tents　and　raising　booths　nigh　to　the　cover　of　the　wood；　and　when　the　coming　of　the　Toft…folk　was　seen；　and　the　winding　of　their　horns　heard；　there　was　many　a　glad　cry　raised　in　answer；　and　many　an　horn　blown；　and　all　men　there　came　running　together　toward　where　now　was　stayed　Jack　of　the　Tofts　and　Christopher　and　their　men。

Then　Goldilind　bade　Christopher　help　her　light　down；　so　he　took　her　in　his　arms；　and　was　not　over　hasty　in　setting　her　down　again。　　But　when　she　stood　by　him；　she　looked　over　the　sunny　field　darkened　by　the　folk　hastening　over　the　greensward；　and　her　eyes　glittered　and　her　cheek　flushed；　and　she　said：　　〃Lord　King；　be　these　some　others　of　thy　men？〃

〃Yea；　sweetling；〃　said　he；　〃to　live　and　die　with　me。〃

She　looked　on　him；　and　said　softly：　　〃Maybe　it　were　an　ill　wish　to　wish　that　I　were　thou；　yet　if　it　might　be　for　one　hour！〃

Said　he：　　〃Shall　it　not　be　for　more　than　one　hour？　Shall　it　not　be　for　evermore；　since　we　twain　are　become　one？〃

〃Nay；〃　she　said；　〃this　is　but　a　word；　I　am　but　thine　handmaid：　　and　now　I　can　scarce　refrain　my　body　from　falling　before　thy　feet。〃

He　laughed　in　her　face　for　joy；　and　said：　　〃Abide　a　while；　until　these　men　have　looked　on　thee；　and　then　shalt　thou　see　how　thou　wilt　be　a　flame　of　war　in　their　hearts　that　none　shall　withstand。〃

Now　were　the　dale…dwellers　all　come　together　in　their　weapons；　and　they　were　glad　of　their　King　and　his　loveling；　and　stout　men　were　they　all；　albeit　some　were　old；　and　some　scarce　of　man's　age。　　So　they　were　ranked　and　told　over；　and　the　tale　of　them　was　over　six　score　who　had　obeyed　the　war…arrow；　and　more　and　more；　they　said；　would　come　in　every　hour。　　But　now　the　Captains　of　them　bade　the　Toft…folk　eat　with　them；　and　they　yea…said　the　bidding　merrily；　and　word　was　given；　and　sacks　and　baskets　brought　forth；　and　barrels　to　boot；　and　all　men　sat　down　on　the　greensward；　and　high　was　the　feast　and　much　the　merriment　on　the　edge　of　Hazeldale。



CHAPTER　XXIX。

TIDINGS　COME　TO　HAZELDALE。


But　they　had　not　done　their　meat；　and　had　scarce　begun　upon　their　drink；　ere　they　saw　three　men　come　riding　on　the　spur　over　the　crown　of　the　bent　before　them；　these　made　no　stay　for　aught；　but　rode　straight　through　the　ford　of　the　river；　as　men　who　knew　well　where　it　was；　and　came　on　hastily　toward　the　feasters　by　the　wood…edge。　　Then　would　some　have　run　to　meet　them；　but　Jack　of　the　Tofts　bade　them　abide　till　he　had　heard　the　tidings；　whereas　they　needed　not　to　run　to　their　weapons；　for；　all　of　them；　they　were　fully　dight　for　war；　save；　it　might　be；　the　doing　on　of　their　sallets　or　basnets。　　But　Jack　and　Christopher　alone　went　forward　to　meet　those　men；　and　the　foremost　of　them　cried　out　at　once：　〃I　know　thee；　Jack　of　the　Tofts！　I　know　thee！　Up　and　arm！　up　and　arm！　for　the　foemen　are　upon　thee；　and　so　choose　thee　whether　thou　wilt　fight　or　flee。〃

Quoth　Jack；　laughing：　　〃I　know　thee　also；　Wat　of　Whiteend；　and　when　thou　hast　told　me　how　many　and　who　be　the　foemen；　we　will　look　either　to　fighting　or　fleeing。〃

Said　Wat：　　〃Thou　knowest　the　blazon　of　the　banner　which　we　saw；　three　red　wolves　running　on　a　silver　field？〃

〃Yea；　forsooth；〃　said　Jack；　〃'tis　the　Baron　of　Brimside　that　beareth　that　shield　ever；　and　the　now　Baron；　hight　the　Lord　Gandolf；　how　many　was　he？〃

Said　Wat：　　〃Ten　hundreds　or　more。　　But　what　say　fellows？〃

Quoth　the　other　twain：　　〃More；　more　they　were。〃

Said　Jack　of　the　Tofts：　　〃And　when　shall　he　be　here；　deem　ye？〃

〃In　less　than　an　hour；〃　said　Wat；　〃he　will　be　on　thee　with　great　and　small；　but　his　riders；　some　of　them；　in　lesser　space。〃

Then　turned　Jack　about　and　cried　out　for　David；　and　when　he　came；　he　said：　　〃Put　thy　long　legs　over　a　good　horse；　and　ride　straight　back　to　the　Tofts　and　gather　whatever　may　bear　spear　and　draw　bow；　and　hither　with　them；　lad；　by　the　nighest　road；　tarry　not；　speak　no　word；　be　gone！〃

So　David　turned；　and　was　presently　riding　swiftly　back　through　the　woodland　paths。　But　Jack　spake　to　the　bearers　of　tidings：　　〃Good　fellows；　go　ye　yonder　and　bid　them　give　you　a　morsel　and　a　cup；　and　tell　all　the　tidings；　and　this；　withal；　that　we　have　nought　to　flee　from　a　good　fightstead　for　Gandolf　of　Brimside。〃　　Therewith　he　turned　to　Christopher　and　said：　　〃Thy　pardon；　King；　but　these　matters　must　be　seen　to　straightway。　　Now　do　thou　help　me　array　our　folk；　for　there　is　heart　enough　in　them　as　in　thee　and　me；　and　mayhappen　we　may　make　an　end　to　this　matter　now　and　here。　Moreover；　the　Baron　of　Brimside　is　a　stout　carle；　so　fight　we　must；　meseemeth。〃

Then　he　called　to　them　one　of　the　captains　of　the　Tofts　and　they　three　spake　together　heedfully　a　little；　and　thereafter　they　fell　to　work　arraying　the　folk；　and　King　Christopher　did　his　part　therein　deftly　and　swiftly；　for　quick　of　wit　he　was；　and　that　the　more　whenso　anything　was　to　be　done。

As　to　the　array；　the　main　of　the　folk　that　were　spearmen　and　billmen　but　moved　forward　somewhat　from　where　they　had　dined　to　the　hanging　of　the　bent；　so　that　their　foemen　would　have　the　hill　against　them　or　ever　they　came　on　point　and　edge。　But　the　bowmen；　of　whom　were　now　some　two　hundreds；　for　many　men　had　come　in　after　the　first　tally；　were　spread　abroad　on　the　left　hand　of　the　spearmen　toward　the　river；　where　the　ground　was　somewhat　broken；　and　bushed　with　thorn…bushes。　And　a　bight　of　the　water　drew　nearer　to　the　Tofters；　amidst　of　which　was　a　flat　eyot；　edged　with　willows　and　covered　with　firm　and　sound　greensward；　and　was　some　thirty　yards　endlong　and　twenty　overthwart。　　So　there　they　abode　the　coming　of　the　foe；　and　it　was　now　hard　on　five　o'clock。

But　Christopher　went　up　to　Goldilind　where　she　stood　amidst　of　the　spearmen；　hand　turning　over　hand；　and　her　feet　wandering　to　and　fro　almost　without　her　will；　and　when　he　came　to　her；　she　had　much　ado　to　refrain　her　from　falling　on　his　bosom　and　weeping　there。　　But　he　cried　to　her　gaily：　〃Now；　my　Lady　and　Queen；　thou　shalt　see　a　fair　play　toward　even　sooner　than　we　looked　for；　and　thine　eyes　shall　follow　me；　if　the　battle　be　thronged；　by　this　token；　that　amongst　all　these　good　men　and　true　I　only　wear　a　forgilded　basnet　with　a　crown　about　it。〃

〃O！〃　she　said；　〃if　it　were　but　over；　and　thou　alive　and　free！　I　would　pay　for　that；　I　deem；　if　I　might；　by　a　sojourn　in　Greenharbour　again。〃

〃What！〃　he　said；　〃that　I　might　have　to　thrust　myself　into　the　peril　of　snatching　thee　forth　again？〃　And　he　laughed　merrily。　　〃Nay；〃　said　he；　〃this　play　must　needs　begin　before　it　endeth；　and　by　Sain