登陆注册
5253600000103

第103章

So then the companions went forward stoutly on foot, and entered into the battle of the thieves, and there was the thrusting and the hewing great: for the foemen bore axes, and malls, and spears, and were little afraid, having the vantage-ground; and they were lithe and strong men, though not tall.

Ralph played manfully, and was hurt by a spear above the knee, but not grievously; so he heeded it not, but cleared a space all about him with great strokes of the Upmeads' blade; then as the wild men gave back there was one of them who stood his ground and let drive a stroke of a long-handled hammer at him, but Ralph ran in under the stroke and caught him by the throat and drew him out of the press.

And even therewith the wild men broke up before the onset of the all-armed carles, and fled up the hill, and the men-at-arms followed them but a little, for their armour made them unspeedy; so that they took no more of those men, though they slew some, but turned about and gathered round Ralph and made merry over his catch, for they were joyous with the happy end of battle; and Clement, who had left his bowmen when the Companions were mingled with the wild-men, was there amidst the nighest.

Said Ralph to him: "Well, have I got me a servant and thrall good cheap?"

"Yea," said Clement, "if thou deem a polecat a likely hound."

Said the Captain: "Put thy sword through him, knight." Quoth another:

"Let him run up hill, and our bowmen shall shoot a match at him."

"Nay," said Ralph, "they have done well with their shooting, let them rest.

As to my thrusting my sword through the man, Captain, I had done that before, had I been so minded. At any rate, I will ask him if he will serve me truly.

Otherwise he seemeth a strong carle and a handy. How sayest thou, lad, did I take thee fairly?" "Yea," said the man, "thou art a strong lad."

He seemed to fear the swords about him but little, and forsooth he was a warrior-like man, and not ill-looking. He was of middle height, strong and well-knit, with black hair like a beast's mane for shagginess, and bright blue eyes. He was clad in a short coat of grey homespun, with an ox-skin habergeon laced up over it; he had neither helm nor hat, nor shoes, but hosen made of a woollen clout tied about his legs; his shield of wood and ox-hide lay on the ground a few paces off, and his hammer beside it, which he had dropped when Ralph first handled him, but a great ugly knife was still girt to him.

Now Ralph saith to him: "Which wilt thou--be slain, or serve me?"

Said the carle, grinning, yet not foully: "Guess if I would not rather serve thee!" "Wilt thou serve me truly?" said Ralph.

"Why not?" quoth the carle: "yet I warn thee that if thou beat me, save in hot blood, I shall put a knife into thee when I may."

"O," said one, "thrust him through now at once, lord Ralph."

"Nay, I will not," said Ralph; "he hath warned me fairly.

Maybe he will serve me truly. Master Clement, wilt thou lend me a horse for my man to ride?" "Yea," said Clement;"yet I misdoubt me of thy new squire." Then he turned to the men-at-arms and said: "No tarrying, my masters!

To horse and away before they gather gain!"

So they mounted and rode away from that valley of the pass, and Ralph made his man ride beside him. But the man said to him, as soon as they were riding: "Take note that I will not fight against my kindred."

"None biddeth thee so," said Ralph; "but do thou take heed that if thou fight against us I will slay thee outright." Said the man:

"A fair bargain!" "Well," said Ralph, "I will have thy knife of thee, lest it tempt thee, as is the wont of cold iron, and a maiden's body."

"Nay, master," quoth the man, "leave me my knife, as thou art a good fellow.

In two hours time we shall be past all peril of my people, and when we come down below I will slay thee as many as thou wilt, so it be out of the kindred. Forsooth down there evil they be, and unkinsome."

"So be it, lad," said Ralph, laughing, "keep thy knife; but hang this word of mine thereon, that if thou slay any man of this fellowship save me, I will rather flay thee alive than slay thee."

Quoth the carle: "That is the bargain, then, and I yeasay it."

"Good," said Ralph; "now tell me thy name." "Bull Shockhead," said the carle.

But now the fellowship took to riding so fast down the slopes of the mountains on a far better road, that talking together was not easy.

They kept good watch, both behind and ahead, nor were they set upon again, though whiles they saw clumps of men on the hill-sides.

So after a while, when it was a little past noon, they came adown to the lower slopes of the mountains and the foot-hills, which were green and unstony; and thereon were to be seen cattle and neatherds and shepherds, and here and there the garth of a homestead, and fenced acres about it.

So now that they were come down into the peopled parts, they displayed the banners of their fellowships, to wit, the Agnes, the White Fleece, the Christopher, and the Ship and Nicholas, which last was the banner of the Faring-knights of Whitwall; but Ralph was glad to ride under the banner of St. Nicholas, his friend, and deemed that luck might the rather come to him thereby.

But they displayed their banners now, because they knew that no man of the peopled parts would be so hardy as to fall upon the Chapmen, of whom they looked to have many matters for their use and pleasure.

So now that they felt themselves safe, they stayed them, and sat down by a fair little stream, and ate their dinner of such meat and drink as they had; and Ralph departed his share with his thrall, and the man was hungry and ate well; so that Clement said mockingly:

"Thou feedest thy thrall over well, lord, even for a king's son: is it so that thou art minded to fatten him and eat him?"

Then some of the others took up the jest, and bade the carle refrain him of the meat, so that he might not fatten, and might live the longer.

He hearkened to them, and knit his brows and looked fiercely from one to the other. But Ralph laughed aloud, and shook his finger at him and refrained him, and his wrath ran off him and he laughed, and shoved the victual into him doughtily, and sighed for pleasure when he had made an end and drunk a draught of wine.

同类推荐
  • 汉末英雄记

    汉末英雄记

    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。
  • 竺峰敏禅师语录

    竺峰敏禅师语录

    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。
  • 普能嵩禅师净土诗

    普能嵩禅师净土诗

    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。
  • 传奇汇考标目

    传奇汇考标目

    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。
  • 木人剩稿

    木人剩稿

    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
  • 网游之无耻圣父

    网游之无耻圣父

    这还真是位名副其实的圣父,她明明是帮他出口气,却被他一刀无情斩杀……她脑子也是进水了,就是放不下这个圣父,忍不住一次又一次地出手……韩笑没想到会在新手村遇到【一叶剑魄】和【花如雪】这对情侣,还是在她身为一个叫【霄白】的1级小号的情况下。这个区已经是三年的老区,新手村桃花岛早就已经荒凉一片,除了偶尔打情骂俏的小情侣会到这儿来郎情妾意一番,平常几乎没有人会路过这儿。
  • 丑颜王妃:彪悍娘亲要抱抱

    丑颜王妃:彪悍娘亲要抱抱

    她是异世来的一缕幽魂,成为了被家人遗弃的丑女,幸好老天给了她一个可爱孝顺的好儿子,不过这个粘人的王爷是怎么回事?他的眼睛真的有问题?就算他是自己儿子的爹,也不用非要娶自己啊,而且自己这一张任谁看了都要吐的脸,他居然还能够吃的下去。。。。。。
  • 夙愿难勉

    夙愿难勉

    逝去的岁月尚且一去不再复返,失去的人又哪里寻的回来?是非成败转头空,不如转世重新再来!
  • 流淌的丰碑

    流淌的丰碑

    地处太行之巅的晋城市,自古人杰地灵,是华夏文明的发祥地之一,素有“煤铁之乡”的美称。千年流转,沧海桑田。从昔日一个不起眼的小城,到如今发展成为一座欣欣向荣的现代化都市,特别是1985年改为地级市后的近20年来,晋城市发生了翻天覆地的变化:由建市之初的8平方公里,一举扩大到26平方公里,市区人口也从10万增加到31万,如一颗明珠镶嵌在晋东南大地。
  • 羽翼落地

    羽翼落地

    作品简介:这是一个关于天使的故事…………
  • 大观楼捉鬼

    大观楼捉鬼

    第一回大观楼僵尸惊魂三江口王告殒命地处湘粤两省交界之地的平兰县县城北面,有一条麻卵石铺就的挑盐大道,是解放前湘南通往广东的必经之路。据史料记载,这条路始建于明朝隆庆年间,由于年代久远,路面上一个紧挨一个的麻卵石已经被行人踩得溜光。麻卵石间的缝隙里,不知渗进了多少挑夫行人的汗水,但见那饱吮了盐汗的马鞭草,从石缝间顽强地生长出来,又被路人踩倒下去。于是年复一年,在那石缝间,大路旁,竟牵连结成了一层坚韧的草网,坚韧到你要想从其间拔出一蔸草根来,都不晓得要费多大的力气。
  • 半世繁华半世凉薄

    半世繁华半世凉薄

    曙光之后,依旧黑暗可我依然在找你当往事消散,所有的都以过去,你在哪?不要回答我不会再找你
  • 遥遥相望矣

    遥遥相望矣

    初出茅庐的摄影师谢芷默孤身进入藏区拍照,危急关头被聂子臣解救并互生情愫,相爱的两个人却因生活轨迹的不同最终被迫分手。多年后两人重逢,舆论和阴谋也再次登场,当跨过时间和年轮,这对昔日的恋人又会谱写出怎样的结局?
  • 请叫我大工程师

    请叫我大工程师

    一个强大的外星文明毁灭后,逃出来的传承薪火被工程师张凯获得。他将一步步如何走向顶峰,成为现代的传奇。
  • 呼兰河传:萧红作品精选

    呼兰河传:萧红作品精选

    呼兰河小城的生活或许有一点沉闷,但无论是扎彩铺、放河灯、跳大神、娘娘庙会、野台子戏,还是北方大自然的风霜雨雪、火烧云,萧红用绘画式的语言,“在灰暗的日常生活背景前,呈现了粗线条的、大红大绿的带有原始性的色彩”,勾勒出一幕幕充满童趣的影像。