登陆注册
5253600000187

第187章

They Ride From Vale Turris. Redhead Tells of Agatha On the morrow when they arose, Ralph heard the sound of horses and the clashing of arms: he went to the window, and looked out, and saw how the spears stood up thick together at the Tower's foot, and knew that these were the men who were to be his fellows by the way.

Their captain he saw, a big man all-armed in steel, but himseemed that he knew his face under his sallet, and presently saw that it was Redhead.

He was glad thereof, and clad himself hastily, and went out a-doors, and went up to him and hailed him, and Redhead leapt off his horse, and cast his arms about Ralph, and made much of him, and said:

"It is good for sore eyes to see thee, lord; and I am glad at heart that all went well with thee that time. Although, forsooth, there was guile behind it. Yet whereas I wotted nothing thereof, which I will pray thee to believe, and whereas thou hast the gain of all, I deem thou mayst pardon me."

Said Ralph: "Thou hast what pardon of me thou needest; so be content.

For the rest, little need is there to ask if thou thrivest, for I behold thee glad and well honoured."

As they spoke came the Lord forth from the Tower, and said:

"Come thou, Lord Ralph, and eat with us ere thou takest to the road;I mean with Otter and me. As for thee, Redhead, if aught of ill befall this King's Son under thy way-leading, look to it that thou shalt lose my good word with Agatha; yea, or gain my naysay herein; whereby thou shalt miss both fee and fair dame."

Redhead looked sheepishly on Ralph at that word, yet winked at him also, as if it pleased him to be jeered concerning his wooing; so that Ralph saw how the land lay, and that the guileful handmaid was not ill content with that big man. So he smiled kindly on him and nodded, and went back with Bull into the Tower.

There they sat down all to meat together; and when they were done with their victual, Bull spake, and said to Ralph:

"Fair King's Son, is this then the last sight of thee? wilt thou never come over the mountains again?" Said Ralph: "Who knoweth?

I am young yet, and have drunk of the Water of the Well."

Bull grew somewhat pensive and said: "Yea, thou meanest that thou mayest come back and find me no longer here.

Yet if thou findest but my grave-mound, yet mayhappen thou shalt come on something said or sung of me, which shall please thee.

For I will tell thee, that thou hast changed my conditions; how, I wot not."

"Thy word is good," said Ralph, "yet I meant not that; never should I come to Utterbol if I looked not to find thee living there."

Bull smiled on him as though he loved him, and said:

"This is well spoken; I shall look to see thee before I die."

Then said Ursula: "Lord of Utterbol, this also thou mayst think on, that it is no further from Utterbol to Upmeads than from Upmeads to Utterbol."

The Lord laughed and said: "Sooth is that; and were but my Bull here, as I behold you I should be of mind to swear by him to come and see you at Upmeads ere ten years have worn."

Then she put forth her hand and said: "Swear by this!"

So he took it and swore the oath; but the Sage of Swevenham said:

"This oath thou shalt keep to the gain and not the loss both of thee and of thy friends of Upmeads."

Thus were they fain of each other, and Ralph saw how Bull's heart was grown big, and he rejoiced thereat. But anon he arose and said:

"Now, Lord, we ask leave to depart for the way is long, and mayhappen my kindred now lack a man's helping. Then Bull stood up and called for his horse, and Otter also, and they all went forth and gat a-horseback and rode away from Vale Turris, and Redhead rode behind them humbly, till it was noon and they made stay for meat.

Then after they had broken bread together and drunk a cup Bull and Otter kissed the wayfarers, and bade them farewell and so rode back to Vale Turris, and Ralph and Ursula and the Sage tarried not but rode on their ways.

But anon Ralph called to Redhead, and bade him ride beside them that they might talk together, and he came up with them, and Ursula greeted him kindly, and they were merry one with another.

And Ralph said to Redhead: "Friend captain, thou art exceeding in humility not to ride with the Lord or Captain Otter; save for chance-hap, I see not that thou art worser than they."

同类推荐
  • 大宋僧史略

    大宋僧史略

    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。
  • 华严游意

    华严游意

    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。
  • 白沙语录

    白沙语录

    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。
  • 翠虚篇

    翠虚篇

    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。
  • 太上老君经律

    太上老君经律

    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
  • 视你如命我如尘

    视你如命我如尘

    安晨诺躺在病床上“我犯的错,我就要担。”连寂凌苦笑“原来我们的缘分那么浅,浅到我们来不及告诉彼此。”宋深铭推开她“还好,你没事就好。”黎战“还好,我不曾欠你,还好,我们缘分匪浅,还好,有你陪我。”
  • Louisa of Prussia and Her Times

    Louisa of Prussia and Her Times

    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。
  • 十八岁的婚嫁

    十八岁的婚嫁

    腊月一到,办酒事的人家就慢慢多起来了,远远近近整天不绝于耳的爆仗声,总会让人想起一些用红纸裹着的事来。人们也乐得每天换了干净的衣服,今天下坝底吃贺房子酒,明天过东山吃讨媳妇酒。酒事一场一场吃下来,日子也就一天一天挨过去了。好在这时节,田里各种庄稼正值开花期,除了偶尔扛着锄头到田里给油菜豌豆放放水,或是逢着哪家地里砍甘蔗赶去帮一下,倒无什么要紧事做。听到爆仗声,也有些人心情一下子就暗下来了。
  • 复制沃尔玛:山姆·沃尔顿帝国的八条金规

    复制沃尔玛:山姆·沃尔顿帝国的八条金规

    《复制沃尔玛:山姆·沃尔顿帝国的八条金规》从销售理念、服务措施、物流模式、管理风格、市场竞争力、产品战略、人力资源管理、企业文化等这几个方面复制沃尔玛的成功经营理念。沃尔玛公司由美国零售业的传奇人物山姆·沃尔顿先生于1962年在阿肯色州成立。经过四十多年的发展,沃尔玛公司已经成为美国最大的私人雇主和世界上最大的连锁零售企业。
  • 逆天女修

    逆天女修

    一朝穿越,魂穿身换,以为重来一世可改变自己的命运,却原来是踏入更加绝望的深渊......
  • 小娘子有点田

    小娘子有点田

    穿越成一贫如洗的农家女,曲灵芸忍了。被极品亲戚赶出家门,曲灵芸也忍了,谁让她巴不得离开极品呢?可被一个‘憨子’缠上,还是曾用十五两银子买她的‘憨子’缠上,简直是狗血的缘分,曲灵芸表示忍无可忍,无需再忍。夫君虽‘憨’,但贵在好用!指哪儿打哪儿,让怼谁就怼谁,战斗力杠杠滴,从不让曲灵芸动手,听话的不得了,简直就是新世纪的三好男人,曲灵芸表示很满意。
  • The Research Magnificent

    The Research Magnificent

    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。
  • 慕容家的掌上明珠

    慕容家的掌上明珠

    慕容思懿觉得她一定是走了什么狗屎运。不但魂魄一分为二,还遇到了这样一个“坑爹神器”。把她从现代穿越到异世界就罢了,可若是在这异世界被人算计的死翘翘了,现代的她也就死翘翘了。慕容思懿咽下一口气,好,我忍,你掌握着我年轻的生命,你任性。可……这是什么鬼操作?!!?夺取太子殿下的初拥,不然爆体而亡夺取太子殿下的初吻,不然爆体而亡……为嘛人家都是神器在手,天下我有。她……她她就这么……倒霉?某太子是这样解释的:成了我的人,不就拥有了天下?慕容思懿一脸懵逼,所以说……系统是默认的走……捷径?——本以为穿越都是死而复生,结果就因为一个小玩意,她不但和前世的自己互换灵魂,还每天“视频通话”?慕容思懿:啊,我太难了
  • 农门丑妻逆袭攻略

    农门丑妻逆袭攻略

    【推荐新书《农家娇女福满多》】一场历练,李木槿再次醒来,成了石霞子沟有名的丑女。爹死娘改嫁,爷奶不爱,叔婶嫌弃,还要被卖。见此,李木槿撸撸袖子,开起了虐渣之路。当然,在虐渣的路上,李木槿还不忘种种田,致致富,朝着美好的康庄大道飞奔。
  • 更多的人死于心碎

    更多的人死于心碎

    长篇商战、言情小说,讲述了一段在残酷的商业竞争中的温情故事,他们是对立的身份,却是最好的搭档,尘埃落定恩怨终究会释然,只是感情的去向却再也没有后悔的机会。