登陆注册
5253600000161

第161章

Winter Amidst of the Mountains In all this they had enough to be busy with, so that time hung not heavy on their hands, and the shadow of the Quest was nowise burdensome to them, since they wotted that they had to abide the wearing of the days till spring was come with fresh tidings.

Their labour was nowise irksome to them, since Ralph was deft in all manner of sports and crafts, such as up-country folk follow, and though he were a king's son, he had made a doughty yeoman: and as for Ursula, she also was country-bred, of a lineage of field-folk, and knew all the manners of the fields.

Withal in whatsoever way it were, they loved each other dearly, and all kind of speech flowed freely betwixt them.

Sooth to say, Ralph, taking heed of Ursula, deemed that she were fain to love him bodily, and he wotted well by now, that, whatever had befallen, he loved her, body and soul.

Yet still was that fear of her naysay lurking in his heart, if he should kiss her, or caress her, as a man with a maid.

Therefore he forbore, though desire of her tormented him grievously at whiles.

They wore their armour but little now, save when they were about some journey wherein was peril of wild beasts. Ursula had dight her some due woman's raiment betwixt her knight's surcoat and doe-skins which they had gotten, so that it was not unseemly of fashion. As for their horses, they but seldom backed them, but used them to draw stuff to their rock-house on sledges, which they made of tree-boughs; so that the beasts grew fat, feeding on the grass of the valley and the wild-oats withal, which grew at the upper end of the bight of the valley, toward the northern mountains, where the ground was sandy.

No man they saw, nor any signs of man, nor had they seen any save the Sage, since those riders of Utterbol had vanished before them into the night.

So wore autumn into winter, and the frost came, and the snow, with prodigious winds from out of the mountains: yet was not the weather so hard but that they might go forth most days, and come to no hurt if they were wary of the drifts; and forsooth needs must they go abroad to take venison for their livelihood.

So the winter wore also amidst sweet speech and friendliness betwixt the two, and they lived still as dear friends, and not as lovers.

Seldom they spoke of the Quest, for it seemed to them now a matter over great for speech. But now they were grown so familiar each to each that Ursula took heart to tell Ralph more of the tidings of Utterbol, for now the shame and grief of her bondage there was but as a story told of another, so far away seemed that time from this.

But so grievous was her tale that Ralph grew grim thereover, and he said:

"By St. Nicholas! it were a good deed, once we are past the mountains again, to ride to Utterbol and drag that swine and wittol from his hall and slay him, and give his folk a good day. But then there is thou, my friend, and how shall I draw thee into deadly strife?"

"Nay," she said, "whereso thou ridest thither will I, and one fate shall lie on us both. We will think thereof and ask the Sage of it when we return.

Who knows what shall have befallen then? Remember the lighting of the candle of Utterbol that we saw from the Rock-sea, and the boding thereof."

So Ralph was appeased for that time.

Oft also they spake of the little lands whence they came, and on a time amidst of such talk Ursula said: "But alas, friend, why do I speak of all this, when now save for my brother, who loveth me but after a fashion, to wit that I must in all wise do his bidding, lad as he is, I have no longer kith nor kin there, save again as all the folk of one stead are somewhat akin.

I think, my dear, that I have no country, nor any house to welcome me."

Said Ralph: "All lands, any land that thou mayst come to, shall welcome thee, and I shall look to it that so it shall be."

And in his heart he thought of the welcome of Upmeads, and of Ursula sitting on the dais of the hall of the High-House.

So wore the days till Candlemass, when the frost broke and the snows began to melt, and the waters came down from the mountains, so that the river rose over its banks and its waters covered the plain parts of the valley, and those two could go dryshod but a little way out of their cavern; no further than the green mound or toft which lay at the mouth thereof: but the waters were thronged with fowl, as mallard and teal and coots, and of these they took what they would. Whiles also they waded the shallows of the flood, and whiles poled a raft about it, and so had pleasure of the waters as before they had had of the snow.

But when at last the very spring was come, and the grass began to grow after the showers had washed the plain of the waterborne mud, and the snowdrop had thrust up and blossomed, and the celandine had come, and then when the blackthorn bloomed and the Lent-lilies hid the grass betwixt the great chestnut-boles, when the sun shone betwixt the showers and the west wind blew, and the throstles and blackbirds ceased not their song betwixt dawn and dusk, then began Ralph to say to himself, that even if the Well at the World's End were not, and all that the Sage had told them was but a tale of Swevenham, yet were all better than well if Ursula were but to him a woman beloved rather than a friend.

And whiles he was pensive and silent, even when she was by him, and she noted it and forbore somewhat the sweetness of her glances, and the caressing of her soft speech: though oft when he looked on her fondly, the blood would rise to her cheeks, and her bosom would heave with the thought of his desire, which quickened hers so sorely, that it became a pain and grief to her.

同类推荐
  • 疑雨集

    疑雨集

    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。
  • 朝鲜赋

    朝鲜赋

    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。
  • 续修台湾县志

    续修台湾县志

    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。
  • 佛说长者子懊恼三处经

    佛说长者子懊恼三处经

    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。
  • 孔丛子

    孔丛子

    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
  • 快穿之吾儿莫方

    快穿之吾儿莫方

    新文《我们全家都是极品》正在更新中,欢迎入坑。 在那些一个个被穿越被重生的故事里,总有那么一两个倒霉孩子……本书女主表示:吾儿莫方,娘来也!请拿出笔记本记好重点!1、女主不是你的!女配也不是你的!只有老娘才是你的!2、男主不是你的!男配不是你的!只有老娘才是你的!3、不能争不能抢,洗白白睡饱饱,只有老娘对你才最好!本文有撩无CP欢迎加入悠闲小神普通书友群,群聊号码:346234454
  • 余生时光守护你

    余生时光守护你

    两个见面就互掐的人,如此水火不容,居然成了同桌?是命运的安排还是老天的戏弄?余晚:“很好,你成功引起了我的注意。”林北逸:“很好,你也成功引起了我的注意。”不行,身为毒舌配置的她怎么能轻易认输!搞笑呢!然而某天——林北逸:“给我买瓶水去。”余晚:“……是。”(囧)[前期略崩请注意][1v1][半甜宠]
  • 娇夫别耍横(完结)

    娇夫别耍横(完结)

    原本以为只是来当个家庭老师的,可是没想,她的多管闲事却看到了男主人半夜喝醉哀嚎,情深意切又怨恨深深,让人好奇又矛盾!一个五岁大的孩子,一个为爱逃避了五年的男人,她的心为什么会沦陷呢?就当她以为所有的事情都尘埃落定了,他的前妻以势不可挡的气势回来了!幸福的婚礼上,她抱着婚纱哭泣,脱下了洁白的婚纱取消了婚礼,人也随之消失……!可是她甩掉了男主人,却甩不掉后面的拖油瓶——她不是他的妈咪啦,为什么他就是不懂呢?五年前,他忙于工作而忽略了妻子的感受,所以发生了让他不堪的事情。在逃避了五年后,他终于放下心里的结去爱一个为他心疼的女人,可是结局依旧是他被别人甩!想他堂堂一个公司总裁,被人甩了一次就够了,第二次被甩——无论如何他都咽不下这口气。什么?人跑了?连我儿子也被拐带了?叶雪晴,天涯海角,我都会追你回来,让你把欠我的统统还给我!
  • 不寒而栗:七月冰八月雪

    不寒而栗:七月冰八月雪

    艾思(ICE)是公司的一名新人,然而,她孤傲而冷漠,身边除了想对她“潜规则”一把的上司,几乎没有男人对她感兴趣。不过一个叫彭七月的警察对她产生了浓厚的兴趣。市里接连发生几起离奇的命案,现场都遗留下她的痕迹。警察隐隐感到,这绝不是一个普通的女孩。在其外表下,隐藏着某种叫人不寒而栗的东西……
  • 外科全生集

    外科全生集

    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。
  • 浮白之歌

    浮白之歌

    一个身负遗世之宝:点睛笔的少年,被迫从一个宁静的小城离开,与由一群不同种族的怪人构成的集合体一起,踏上了未知旅程
  • 喜耕肥田之二傻媳妇神秘汉

    喜耕肥田之二傻媳妇神秘汉

    新文《悍妇当家:娶个相公好种田》已开,求收藏!俗话说,傻小子睡凉炕,年轻火力壮!自从成了杨家老二媳妇;只见过她相公进房,从未见他上过床。“靠,不会出去打野食,偷吃了吧!”小傻子翻身而起,扛刀出门。
  • 随身空间之豪门弃妇

    随身空间之豪门弃妇

    【简洁版简介】这是一个带着空间穿越成为弃妇的女人一边奋斗一边养包子的故事。穿越了这本来是一件好事,对于一位在现世没有任何牵挂的人来说。可是,穿越成为离婚女人这就是一件非常悲剧的事情,而且还是一位爹不疼娘不爱的离婚女人,这就更加的悲剧了,而如果这样一个悲剧的女人还带着两个一个三岁一个一岁的宝宝,那就更加的悲剧了,而悲剧中的悲剧是,她穿越到了一个灰常可怕的时空。一个,非古代,非现代,处于灰常灰常超前的时代的时空。好吧,也就是俗话说的未来。不过好在老天还是对她不错的,让她带着一个随身空间,至少吃菜吃饭的不愁了。☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆其实就是女主带着空间穿越到未来很黑皮的养包子找伴侣的故事。◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇推荐蓝蓝自己的旧文:随身空间系列的:炼器师重生:重生之嫡庶不分:在移动手机阅读平台上使用的名称为《弃妇逍遥:只要宝宝不要爹》
  • 影帝大人您的官配已上线

    影帝大人您的官配已上线

    机缘巧合,再次重生,踏入娱乐圈一世寻找,毫无进展,却柳暗花明再遇故人,梦回曾经,解几世姻缘误认异乡,却是故乡,寻注定之人即来则安,创造辉煌,携所爱共度
  • 部落种田美男多

    部落种田美男多

    穿越到了蛮荒原始的部落时代,乔薇薇表示智脑在手天下我有。形形色色的美男们,等着我乔薇薇的征服吧!