登陆注册
5253600000192

第192章

They Come to Cheaping Knowe Once More. Of the King Thereof Toward evening comes Redhead, and tells Ralph how he hired him a dozen men-at-arms to follow him well-weaponed to Cheaping Knowe: withal he counselled him to take a good gift with him to that same town to buy the good will of the King there; who was a close-fist and a cruel lord.

Afterwards they sat together in the court of that fair house before good wine, Ralph and Ursula, and Redhead and the Sage of Swevenham, and spake of many things, and were merry and kind together.

But on the morrow Redhead departed from Goldburg with his men, and he loth to depart, and they gave him farewell lovingly.

Thereafter Ralph's new men came to him in the hostelry, and he feasted them and did well to them, so that they praised him much.

Then he gat him victuals and sumpter-horses for the journey, and bought good store of bows and arrows withal. Furthermore he took heed to Redhead's word and bought a goodly gift of silver vessel and fine cloth for the King of Cheaping Knowe.

The day after he and his company departed from Goldburg toward the mountains, which they passed unfought and unwaylaid: partly because they were a band of stout men, and partly because a little before there had been a great overthrow of the wild men of those mountains at the hands of the men of Goldburg and the Chapmen; so that now the mountain-men lay close, and troubled none that rode with any force.

On the way they failed not to pass by the place where they had erst found Bull Nosy slain: there they saw his howe, heaped up exceeding high, covered in with earth, whereon the grass was now beginning to grow, and with a great standing stone on the top thereof, whereon was graven the image of a bull, with a sword thereunder; whereby the wayfarers wotted that this had been done in his memory by his brother, the new Lord of Utterbol.

So they came down out of the mountains to Whiteness, where they had good entertainment, but tarried not save for one night, riding their ways betimes to Cheaping Knowe: and they came before the gate thereof safe and sound on the third day; and slept in the hostelry of the chapmen.

On the morrow Ralph went up to the King's Castle with but three men unweaponed bearing the gift which he had got for the King.

Albeit he sent not away his men-at-arms till he should know how the King was minded towards him.

As he went he saw in the streets sad tokens of the lord's cruel justice, as handless men, fettered, dragging themselves about, and folk hung up before chapmen's booths, and whipping-cheer, and the pillar, and such like.

But whereas he might not help he would not heed, but came right to the Castle-gate, and entered easily when he had told his errand, for gift-bearing men are not oftenest withstood.

He was brought straightway into the great hall, where sat the King on his throne amidst the chiefs of the Porte, and his captains and sergeants, who were, so to say, his barons, though they were not barons of lineage, but masterful men who were wise to do his bidding.

As he went up the hall he saw a sort of poor caytiffs, women as well as men, led away from the high-place in chains by bailiffs and tipstaves; and he doubted not that these were for torments or maiming and death; and thought it were well might he do them some good.

Being come to the King, he made his obeisance to him, and craved his good will and leave to wage men-at-arms to bring him through the mountains.

The King was a tall man, a proper man of war; long-legged, black bearded, and fierce-eyed. Some word he had heard of Ralph's gift, therefore he was gracious to him; he spake and said: "Thou hast come across the mountains a long way, fair Sir; prithee on what errand?"

Answered Ralph: "For no errand, lord, save to fare home to mine own land."

"Where is thine own land?" said the King, stretching out his legs and lying back in his chair. "West-away, lord, many a mile," said Ralph.

"Yea," quoth the King, "and how far didst thou go beyond the mountains?

As far as Utterbol?" Said Ralph: "Yet further, but not to Utterbol."

"Hah!" said the King, "who goeth beyond Utterbol must have a great errand; what was thine?"

Ralph thought for a moment, and deemed it best to say as little as he might concerning Ursula; so he answered, and his voice grew loud and bold:

"I was minded to drink a draught of the WELL at the WORLD'S END, and even so I did." As he spake, he drew himself up, and his brows were knit a little, but his eyes sparkled from under them, and his cheleks were bright and rosy.

He half drew the sword from the scabbard, and sent it back rattling, so that the sound of it went about the hall; he upreared his head and looked around him on this and that one of the warriors of the aliens, and he sniffed the air into his nostrils as he stood alone amongst them, and set his foot down hard on the floor of the King's hall, and his armour rattled upon him.

But the King sat bolt upright in his chair and stared Ralph's face; and the warriors and lords and merchants fell back from Ralph and stood in an ordered rank on either side of him and bent their heads before him.

None spoke till the King said in a hoarse voice, but lowly and wheedling:

同类推荐
  • 证道歌颂

    证道歌颂

    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。
  • 佛说龙王兄弟经

    佛说龙王兄弟经

    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。
  • 魏忠贤小说斥奸书

    魏忠贤小说斥奸书

    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。
  • TARTARIN OF TARASCON

    TARTARIN OF TARASCON

    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。
  • 滴天髓

    滴天髓

    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
  • 神医毒妃:无良皇家商女

    神医毒妃:无良皇家商女

    选秀被皇帝当众羞辱,成为家族耻辱。当夜兄长欲行不轨,她只能以死抵抗!再次醒来不过区区几日对她却是第二次重生!冲喜丫鬟所生又怎样?暗杀挑衅陷害,都难敌她步步为营洞察先机!内斗主母兄妹,外斗王爷宠妃!再让曾羞辱过她的皇帝成为裙下之臣!然而谁料曾深爱的男人,却视她为仇人欲除之而后快……
  • 传奇天王系统

    传奇天王系统

    卡梅隆:林是我最大的对手,也只有他,才能挑战我!伯格斯:世界娱乐圈没有华娱?不,那是在林出现之前,林出现了,华娱就崛起了。唐尼:最想合作的导演?那必须是林啊,天啊,你知道吗,当我接到林的电话时,我整夜未眠!和林合作,真的是一件美妙的事情!当林子涵第十次捧起奥斯卡最佳导演的小金人时,他已然成为了华娱,不,整个世界娱乐圈的传说。他,就是传奇天王,活着的传奇!这是一个小明星穿越平行世界成为传奇天王的故事。
  • 神医娘子痴相公

    神医娘子痴相公

    新婚前日被准新郎亲手掐死并悬于梁上,再次醒来看着坐在花轿上的庶妹,天才医生段云苏嘴角微勾。侯门深宅破事多,恶毒姨娘是必备的,阴险庶妹是常有的,连寄居的表妹也是来寒碜人的。爹不亲娘已死,精明如她自然要为自己好好谋划。本以为凭着一手惊华医术可以混吃混喝,可没想到天上降了门傻子亲!哎哟,这是谁家男子,长得如此想教人蹂躏?傻子?傻子也不错啊。看,相貌绝佳易调教,品性纯良赤子心,疼她爱她心里满满都是她。可是…哎哟喂,是谁把她纯纯的相公教坏了?!…何为食髓知味?这傻子每次见到她都满眼冒绿光!当初她怎么就认为他纯真无害了?“娘子,你连当初痴傻的我都压不住,如今还想着能反下为上?”某男压住蹦跶的某女,攻池掠地。此文:男主呆萌,扑得倒娘子赶得走桃花,傻子也很霸道;女主腹黑,罩得住相公镇得了家宅,嫡女也要逆袭!且看笑面虎女主与呆萌男主风生水起激情荡漾的另类故事。
  • 逆世煞凰:绝色冥帝妃

    逆世煞凰:绝色冥帝妃

    她,是万年前的斗气大天才,大陆的骄傲,却因为师兄师妹师傅的背叛,师门多年的算计,肉身被毁,最终还被人污蔑冠上了莫须有的罪名。她的名字从那时便遗臭万年。好在老天有眼,让她重生,只可惜那已是万年之后的世界,而那也不再是她原本的身体。青龙城墨家废物七小姐?天生无法修炼魔力或是斗气?她淡然一笑,毫不在意,强大的灵魂力一动,强制冲破了身体与精神力的封印,重创下封印之人,从此废物变天才,魔武双修,却绝不锋芒毕露,让自己置身于危险之中。她发誓,这一世要低调做人,不再受任何势力的束缚,轻轻松松逍遥一世。只是,一只强大到变态的妖孽半路尾随,从此开始了一段你追我赶的日子。
  • 爱你到时光尽头

    爱你到时光尽头

    都说爱情如蜜饯,岑安安自始至终能体会到的都是刻骨的疼痛。直到为了那人一无所有,满身伤痕。她才知道,那一直向往的爱,是毒药,是枷锁,蚀骨灼心,却无一丝暖意。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 辛丑年

    辛丑年

    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。
  • 御制周颠仙人传

    御制周颠仙人传

    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。
  • 青少年心理健康教育故事全集

    青少年心理健康教育故事全集

    青少年心理成长札记。掌握青少年25个“敏感区”,远离成长路上的“危险区”,健康度过青春期。
  • 倾世红颜一臂独秀

    倾世红颜一臂独秀

    “我们就到这……?”“啊。不然呢?”她肝肠寸断,然而面前的男子却是一脸不耐烦。女子的心一寸寸的冷了……失恋,她心如死灰;意外,她失去左臂。绝望之余,她服下毒药准备静静安眠。然而,再次醒来,满眼陌生的风景。身旁衣着华贵的男子笑的嗜血:“女人,你醒了。”随后淡漠的扔下一句话:“三日后,我娶你为妻……”她在现代是无依无靠的孤儿,一朝穿越,使得一颗纤细敏感的心在几段恋情中沉浮。雨过天晴后谁主天下谁住她。世上可有愿意牵手只有一只手可以动的人。PS:其实本文不悲来的。。小虐,大宠,放心入坑。。
  • 眼中有诡

    眼中有诡

    家境优越的高中许悦,与男友爱情甜蜜,与闺蜜无话不谈,生活美满。直到有一天进了一家眼镜店……诡异的美瞳究竟是会给她带来绝世无双的美貌?还是惨绝人寰的地狱?一桩桩死亡事件在校园里离奇发生……