登陆注册
4700500000030

第30章

Early on the morrow came the Earl unto Goldilind, and she received him gladly, as one who had fashioned life anew for her. And when he had sat down by her, he spake and said:

"Lady, thou cravedst of me yesterday two things; the first was freedom from the captivity of Greenharbour; and the second, life and liberty for the varlet that cherished thee in the wild-wood the other day. Now thy first asking grieved me, for that thou hast been tyrannously done by; and thy second I wondered at; but since I have seen the young man, I wonder the less; for he is both so goodly, and so mighty of body, and of speech bold and free, yet gentle and of all courtesy, that he is meet to be knight or earl, yea, or very king. Now, therefore, in both these matters I will well to do thy pleasure, and in one way it may be; and thou mayst then go forth from Greenharbour as free as a bird, and thy varlet's life may be given unto him, and mickle honour therewith. Art thou, then, willing to do after my rede and my commandment, so that both these good things may betide thee?"

"Right willing am I," she said, "to be free and happy and to save the life of a fair youth and kind."

"Then," said he, "there is one thing for thee to do: that this day thou wed this fair and kind youth, and let him lead thee forth from Greenharbour; and, belike, he will bring thee to no ill stead; for his friends are mightier than mayhappen thou deemest."

She turned as red as blood at his word; she knit her brows, and her eyes flashed as she answered: "Is it seemly for a King's daughter to wed a nameless churl? And now I know thee, Lord Earl, what thou wouldst do; thou wouldst be King of Meadham and put thy master's daughter to the road." And she was exceeding wroth.

But he said, smiling somewhat: "Was it then seemly for the King's daughter to kneel for this man's life, and go near to swooning for joy when it was granted to her?"

"Yea," she said, "for I love him with all my body and soul; and I would have had him love me par amours, and then should I have been his mistress and he my servant; but now shall he be my master and I his servant." And still was she very wroth.

Quoth the Earl: "As to the matter of my being King of Meadham, that will I be, whatever befall, or die in the place else. So if thou wilt not do my rede, then must the varlet whom thou lovest die, and at Greenharbour must thou abide with Dame Elinor. There is no help for it."

She shrieked out at that word of his, and well nigh swooned, lying back in her chair: but presently fell a-weeping sorely. But the Earl said: "Hearken, my Lady, I am not without warrant to do this. Tell me, hast thou ever seen any fairer or doughtier than this youngling?"

"Never," said she.

"So say we all," he said. "Now I shall tell thee (and I can bring witness to it) that in his last hour the King, thy father, when he gave thee into my keeping, spake also this: that I should wed thee to none save the fairest and doughtiest man that might be found: even so would I do now.

What then sayest thou?"

She answered not, but still wept somewhat; then said the Earl: "Lady, give me leave, and I shall send thy women to thee, and sit in the great hall for an hour, and if within that while thou send a woman of thine to say one word, Yes, unto me, then is all well. But if not, then do I depart from Greenharbour straightway, and take the youngling with me to hang him up on the first tree. Be wise, I pray thee."

And therewith he went his ways. But Goldilind, being left alone a little, rose up and paced the chamber to and fro, and her tears and sobbing ceased; and a great and strange joy grew up in her heart, mingled with the pain of longing, so that she might rest in nowise. Even therewith the door opened, and her women entered, Aloyse first, and she called to her at once, and bade her to find Earl Geoffrey in the great hall, and say to him: Yes. So Aloyse went her ways, and Goldilind bade her other women to array her in the best and goodliest wise that they might. And the day was yet somewhat young. Now it must besaid of Earl Geoffrey that, in spite of his hard word, he had it not in his heart either to slay Christopher or to leave Goldilind at Greenharbour to the mercy of Dame Elinor.

同类推荐
  • 绛守居园池

    绛守居园池

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 案中冤案

    案中冤案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 神仙传

    神仙传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 仁王般若经陀罗尼念诵仪轨

    仁王般若经陀罗尼念诵仪轨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 伤科方书

    伤科方书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 羽宙之主

    羽宙之主

    偶获阴阳珠,内蕴空间,竟然能将储物袋带进去,是洞天还是世界?不管怎么样,以后再也不用担心空间问题了。颠倒阴阳大法,又称葵花真经,欲炼此功,必先自宫,古仙慈航道人修炼的功法。世间竟然还有如此邪门功法,血魔经在其面前,都只能算是正道功法了。
  • 不败魔尊

    不败魔尊

    诸天万界,神魔为尊。姬冥,为魔界第一大将军,号称诸天万界第一大魔。功高震主,臣子大忌,姬冥被魔主伙同奸人迫害,死于非命,后转世重生于废人之身。这一世,姬冥欲杀上魔界!这一世,姬冥再也不做人下之人!吾既然重生,势必做主宰!
  • 若爱只是一夜繁花

    若爱只是一夜繁花

    他已经寻找了她二十年,如今的他已经不再是那个成熟帅气的男子了,他的头发已经花白,脸上也出现了皱纹。
  • 杰克,只是开膛手?(1)

    杰克,只是开膛手?(1)

    他有些迷惘。生命的气息让他感到别扭,几乎就要窒息。这股气息是血红色的,带着心脏的跳动,震动着脉搏,让他很不适应。四周的窗帘全拉上了。他端坐在沙发上,壁炉里燃烧着熊熊烈火,电视里正在播放国际新闻。在他看来,今天8月7日的新闻,似乎和以前的无数个8月7日没有多少不同。国际新闻之后,主持人报道了一条本地新闻:一名女子在公寓被杀,凶手在作案时模仿了“开膛手杰克”。
  • 薄暮

    薄暮

    穿越时光的藩篱,静默地踏上记忆之旅。岁月赋予我们的征兆以及感怀,被十指翻阅。薄暮过后,漫漫长夜终会被破晓的晨光所终结。时间迁徙,冷暖交替,一支蘸满深情的笔在细细勾勒。这是一个关于生命泅渡长河的故事。侧耳聆听的少年,化成一艘纸船,溯游岁月长河,直抵遥远彼岸。这不是钟点,不是仇恨的死穴,祭奠无法补偿和释怀的一切,化成一朵凝重暖煦的希望,撑起整个生命的光亮。
  • 青尘剑

    青尘剑

    桃李春风一杯酒,江湖夜雨十年灯。他浪荡一生,磨难重重。十年之仇,一夜顿悟。在那个风雪漫天的夜晚,他携剑归来。
  • 包法利夫人

    包法利夫人

    直到《包法利夫人》的出现,小说里才有了女人真正的欲望!“她要享受爱情,既不懊悔,又不担忧,也不心慌意乱。”著名翻译大家许渊冲译本,收录日本人气画家绝美插画。直到《包法利夫人》的出现,小说里才有了女人真正的欲望!法国文学至高之作!在雨果把浪漫主义文学推向至高点之后,福楼拜用《包法利夫人》确立了文学创作新的典范。首度将女性欲望纳入文学主题,塑造了文学史上一个人类典型。首度确立了现实主义小说的典范,开创文学史上新的纪元。首度将艺术的完善、情节的真实和人物的典型结合到相当高的境界,影响了普鲁斯特、乔伊斯、契诃夫、莫泊桑等众多文学大师的创作。
  • 六十种曲杀狗记

    六十种曲杀狗记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 姑姑中篇小说

    姑姑中篇小说

    姑姑进门的时候,爷爷正坐在堂屋里喝茶。茶是上等的碧螺春,在白底蓝花的盖碗里泡出浅浅的一汪碧水。这茶因为是国民党苏鲁战区陆军暂编十二师少将师长赵保原的心腹马进给派人送来的,爷爷便格外珍惜,一小口一小口细细地品着,硬要品出些茶叶之外的味道。等到茶水喝乏,爷爷便充分感受到赵保原对他的恩惠,不觉浑身通透,心情无比舒畅,放下茶碗,闭目背起苏轼的《赤壁怀古》,“遥想公瑾当年,小乔初嫁了。雄姿英发,羽扇纶巾,谈笑间,樯橹灰飞烟灭”。姑姑就是这个时候进门的,穿着月白色的旗袍,提着浅黄色的柳条箱子,身后跟着一脸惊慌的奶奶。
  • 人脉心理学

    人脉心理学

    人人都希望自己能够拥有一个良好的人际关系,以便自己在日常的工作和生活中获得更多的成功机会。