登陆注册
5253600000182

第182章

And this damsel is free also, and--yea, is she not thy well-beloved, King's Son?"

Ralph was somewhat abashed, and said: "I crave thy pardon, Lord, for misdoubting thee: but think how feeble are we two lovers amongst the hosts of the aliens."

"It is well, it is well," said Bull, "and in very sooth I deem thee my friend; and this damsel was my brother's friend.

Sit down, dear maiden, I bid thee; and thou also, O man overwise; and let us drink a cup, and then we will talk about what we may do for each other."

So they sat down all on the grass, and the Lord of Utterbol called for wine, and they drank together in the merry season of May; and the new Lord said: "Here be we friends come together, and it were pity of our lives if we must needs sunder speedily: howbeit, it is thou must rule herein, King's Son; for in my eyes thou art still greater than I, O my master.

For I can see in thine eyes and thy gait, and in thine also, maiden, that ye have drunk of the Well at the World's End.

Therefore I pray you gently and heartily that ye come home with me to Utterbol."

Ralph shook his head, and answered: "Lord of Utterbol, I bid thee all thanks for thy friendliness, but it may not be."

"But take note," said Bull, "that all is changed there, and it hath become a merry dwelling of men. We have cast down the Red Pillar, and the White and the Black also; and it is no longer a place of torment and fear, and cozening and murder; but the very thralls are happy and free-spoken. Now come ye, if it were but for a moon's wearing:

I shall be there in eight days' time. Yea, Lord Ralph, thou would'st see old acquaintance there withal: for when I slew the tyrant, who forsooth owed me no less than his life for the murder of my brother, I made atonement to his widow, and wedded her: a fair woman as thou wottest, lord, and of good kindred, and of no ill conditions, as is well seen now that she lives happy days.

Though I have heard say that while she was under the tyrant she was somewhat rough with her women when she was sad. Eh, fair sir! but is it not so that she cast sheep's eyes on thee, time was, in this same dale?"

Ralph reddened and answered naught; and Bull spake again, laughing:

"Yea, so it is: she told me that much herself, and afterwards I heard more from her damsel Agatha, who told me the merry tale of that device they made to catch thee, and how thou brakest through the net. Forsooth, though this she told me not, I deem that she would have had the same gift of thee as her mistress would. Well, lad, lucky are they with whom all women are in love.

So now I prithee trust so much in thy luck as to come with me to Utterbol."

Quoth Ralph: "Once again, Lord of Utterbol, we thank thee; but whereas thou hast said that thou hast much to do in this land; even so I have a land where deeds await me.

For I stole myself away from my father and mother, and who knows what help they need of me against foemen, and evil days; and now I might give help to them were I once at home, and to the people of the land also, who are a stout-hearted and valiant and kindly folk."

The new Lord's face clouded somewhat, as he said: "If thine heart draweth thee to thy kindred, there is no more to say.

As for me, what I did was for kindred's sake, and then what followed after was the work of need. Well, let it be!

But since we must needs part hastily, this at least I bid you, that ye abide with me for to-night, and the banquet in the great pavilion. Howsoever ye may be busied, gainsay me not this; and to-morrow I shall further you on your way, and give you a score of spears to follow thee to Goldburg.

Then as for Goldburg and Cheaping Knowe, see ye to it yourselves: but beyond Cheaping Knowe and the plain country, thy name is known, and the likeness of thee told in words; and no man in those mountains shall hurt or hinder thee, but all thou meetest shall aid and further thee. Moreover, at the feast to-night thou shalt see thy friend Otter, and he and I betwixt us shall tell thee how I came to Utterbol, and of the change of days, and how it betid.

For he is now my right-hand man, as he was of the dead man.

Forsooth, after the slaying I would have had him take the lordship of Utterbol, but he would not, so I must take it perforce or be slain, and let a new master reign there little better than the old.

Well then, how sayest thou? Or wilt thou run from me without leave-taking, as thou didst ere-while at Goldburg?"

Ralph laughed at his word, and said that he would not be so churlish this time, but would take his bidding with a good heart; and thereafter they fell to talking of many things.

But Ralph took note of Bull, that now his hair and beard were trim and his raiment goodly, for all his rough speech and his laughter and heart-whole gibes and mocking, his aspect and bearing was noble and knightly.

同类推荐
  • 宗伯集

    宗伯集

    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。
  • The Alkahest

    The Alkahest

    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。
  • 鉴湖说

    鉴湖说

    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。
  • 德行

    德行

    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。
  • 洞玄灵宝河图仰谢三十六天斋仪

    洞玄灵宝河图仰谢三十六天斋仪

    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
  • 儒剑纵横

    儒剑纵横

    本书暂时进入停更状态。决定再开一本,去拼一把武侠征文。新书将会延用本书的设定。
  • 掌心的灵动

    掌心的灵动

    在神界中,他是一颗耀眼的新星,可是他却背负着家族神秘的诅咒。她倍受嘲笑,却有着乐天派的性格,她的灵力是最差的,但是在她的身体中蕴含着一股不知来源的强大灵力。他们一起来到了人界,生活却没有轻松起来,在他们的身后有虎视眈眈的邪恶之势,真的是神界预测到了什么,才会让他们来么……
  • 中美银行的较量:中美银行经营管理比较

    中美银行的较量:中美银行经营管理比较

    本书讲述了中国银行业最近几年发展势头喜人,规模已能与华尔街巨人比肩,创造的利润甚至还要远超过它们。尽管美国银行业的发展模式并非完全适合于中国,但不可否认,中国的银行在体制、管理、产品、人才等方面仍然需要向华尔街学习,而最终目的则是在国际金融舞台上搭建属于中国的“华尔街”。
  • 朱自清讲文学

    朱自清讲文学

    《朱自清讲文学》收录了著名作家、文学评论家朱自清有关文学的随笔、讲座等数十篇。长期在清华大学中文系任教的朱自清,在研究现代和古代文学方面均有较高成就。作为新文学运动的先驱者之一,朱自清亲自参与了新文学的创造与建设,其关于中国文学的梳理与辨析,独树一帜,并逐步建立起“雅俗共赏”的文学标准与尺度。《朱自清讲文学》全面整理朱自清有关文学的论述,涵盖古今,涉及多种体裁,展现朱自清在文学创作之外的学者风貌,其独到的文学解读也将对广大读者了解与欣赏中国文学有所助益。
  • 落芙静妍

    落芙静妍

    仿佛睡了有一个世纪,她睁开了美丽的双眸,伸出了葱白纤手想要触摸阳光的温暖,好像好久没这么惬意了。“喂,女人,你傻笑什么?”木梓眼里忽然闯进了一席古装,帅到没天理的男人。木梓惊地站了起来,“你谁啊,别以为穿一件道士袍就是和尚了。啊,不对不对,好凌乱。额,你是谁啊?”男子好笑地看着她,“想不到慕容家的女人还有跳水的癖好……”“跳水?慕容?”木梓望了一眼旁边的池塘,瞬间地转天旋,双眸一闭,倒在了他的怀里……
  • 足坛风云之召唤传奇

    足坛风云之召唤传奇

    一个中国足球崛起的故事,一个穿越者来到这个时代利用系统召唤足球天才,用不懈的努力改变中国足球的故事。没有什么不可能,看看中国足球如何扬眉吐气。
  • 一生的护照:终身学习与未来社会的个人生存

    一生的护照:终身学习与未来社会的个人生存

    21世纪的生存概念就是不断地充电和永远的学习,所有的人都必须面对急剧变化的社会现实,为再造适应社会的能力而规划一生的学习生涯。学习是快乐的,如何在快乐学习法则的基础上成功建构理想的学习平台?本书列举了大量终身学习的典范,足以给你一个成功的启示。
  • 中国古代宦官传

    中国古代宦官传

    宦官是中国古代专供皇帝、君主及其家族役使的官员。先秦和西汉时期并非全是阉人。自东汉开始,则全为被阉割后失去性能力而成为不男不女的中性人。又称寺人、阉(奄)人、阉官、宦者、中官、内官、内臣、内侍、内监等。中国封建社会里皇宫中专用宦官侍奉皇帝及其家族的制度。它是中国封建专制制度的特有产物。历史上多次发生宦官专权、干预朝政,对中国封建社会政治有重要影响。《中国古代宦官传》本书讲述了“秦朝宦官赵高、东汉宦官张让、唐代宦官李辅国”等等一些宦官的故事。
  • 等你,是我最虔诚的信仰

    等你,是我最虔诚的信仰

    想要成功谈一场恋爱,天时地利人和缺一不可。只要其中一项错位,那么世人便会称这场恋爱为情深缘浅,有缘无份。最终只能带着遗憾和后悔,无疾而终。但袁浅却不这样认为,准确说她不想这样认为。年龄差,家庭差,时间差,一场跨越了整个青春期的暗恋,袁浅在看不见未来的基础上坚持了十年之久,只因为年少时的一纸约定。她不知道她还能坚持多久,也不知道这场恋爱是否会被时光腐烂,但当那位穿着光鲜亮丽,满面笑容的男人迎面走来时,袁浅清楚地听到,她长期紧锁的心房,再一次被打开了……秦深,这次,我一定再也不会放你离开了!
  • 来璩

    来璩

    来璩是我的儿子。来璩不是我的亲生儿子。这有点儿复杂,三言两语说不明白。四年多了,渐渐地已让我忘了他不是我儿子的时候,他的父亲来学斌——我的堂弟出现了,这让我再一次清醒,来璩终归不是我的亲生儿子。这让我懊恼,我想不明白,那个小时候尾巴一样跟在我后面的小屁孩,长大后怎么变成这样一个不守信用的东西,我恨不能立刻见到他,左右开弓,如同鲁提辖拳打镇关西,在他脸上开个油酱铺,以解心头之恨。这么说你肯定一头雾水,可我没法慢条斯理给你娓娓道来。此刻我正在拥堵不堪的硬座车厢,犹如关在笼中的困兽,焦躁不安,心里像有团火烧似的。