登陆注册
5253600000221

第221章

Ralph bids him so do, but to heed well that he hurt no man, or let fire get into any house or roof; so he takes his knot of men and rides off on the spur, and Ralph and the main of them come on quietly; and when they came into the street of the thorp, lo there by the cross a big fire lighted, and the elders standing thereby cap in hand, and a score of stout carles with weapons in their hands.

Then the chief man came up to Ralph and greeted him and said:

"Lord, when we heard that an armed company was at hand we deemed no less than that the riders of the Burg were upon us, and deemed that there was nought for it but to flee each as far and as fast as he might. But now we have heard that thou art a good lord seeking his own with the help of worthy champions, and a foeman to those devils of the Burg, we bid thee look upon us and all we have as thine, lord, and take kindly such guesting as we may give thee."

The old man's voice quavered a little as he looked on the stark shapes of the Dry Tree; but Ralph looked kindly on him, and said:

"Yea, my master, we will but ask for a covering for our heads, and what victual thou mayst easily spare us in return for good silver, and thou shalt have our thanks withal.

But who be these stout lads with staves and bucklers, or whither will they to-night?"

Thereat a tall young man with a spear in his hand and girt with a short sword came forth and said boldly: "Lord, we be a few who thought when we heard that the Burg-devils were at hand that we might as well die in the field giving stroke for stroke, as be hauled off and drop to pieces under the hands of their tormentors; and now thou hast come, we have little will to abide behind, but were fain to follow thee, and do thee what good we can: and after thou hast come to thine above, when we go back to our kin thou mayst give us a gift if it please thee: but we deem that no great matter if thou but give us leave to have the comfort of thee and thy Champions for a while in these hard days."

When he had done speaking there rose up from the Champions a hum as of praise, and Ralph was well-pleased withal, deeming it a good omen; so he said: "Fear not, good fellows, that I shall forget you when we have overcome the foemen, and meanwhile we will live and die together.

But thou, ancient man, show our sergeants where our riders shall lie to-night, and what they shall do with their horses."

So the elders marshalled the little host to their abodes for that night, lodging the more part of them in a big barn on the western outskirt of the thorp. The elder who led them thither, brought them victual and good drink, and said to them:

"Lords, ye were best to keep a good watch to-night because it is on this side that we may look for an onfall from the foemen if they be abroad to-night; and sooth to say that is one cause we have bestowed you here, deeming that ye would not grudge us the solace of knowing that your valiant bodies were betwixt us and them, for we be a poor unwalled people."

Stephen to whom he spake laughed at his word, and said:

"Heart-up, carle! within these few days we shall build up a better wall than ye may have of stone and lime; and that is the overthrow of our foemen in the open field."

So there was kindness and good fellowship betwixt the thorp-dwellers and the riders, and the country folk told those others many tales of the evil deeds of the Burg-devils, as they called them; but they could not tell them for certain whether they had gone down into Upmeads.

As to Ralph and Ursula they, with Richard and Roger, were lodged in the headman's house, and had good feast there, and he also talked over the where-abouts of the Burgers with the thorp-dwellers, but might have no certain tidings.

So he and Ursula and his fellows went to bed and slept peacefully for the first hours of the night.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 重生之誓不为妃

    重生之誓不为妃

    大婚前夜被夫君扔进蛇窟,重生成为九岁将军府小姐,羽翼渐丰,大仇待报……男子轻倚软榻:美人,山河为聘,娶你可好?“对不起,不嫁!”“哦~这可由不得你喽!”“唔………--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 吴医汇讲

    吴医汇讲

    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。
  • 济颠道济禅师语录

    济颠道济禅师语录

    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。
  • 重生之绝世剑神

    重生之绝世剑神

    我从前世来,到此觅长生!重生而来的叶罗,携天劫之威,一步步镇压当世,掌控万界,成为绝世剑神!
  • 爱你是场人间地狱

    爱你是场人间地狱

    十几年前,林如织说“一定要嫁给沈斯禾”;十几年后,她如愿以偿;最后却发现原来这场婚姻里阴谋与仇恨并存。爱会让人痴狂······--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 重生之帝女江山

    重生之帝女江山

    她出身高贵,生母乃是他国公主,而她却在王朝的后宫之中苟延残喘。皇帝每月一次的召见,让她不至于湮灭在冰冷的宫墙之中。她是二十一世纪世界排名第二的杀手,一场古墓之行断送了她的人生,也彻底改变了她的命运。本是将死之人,却意外的重生归来。曾经处处做小伏低的她,摇身一变,却成了这天下的掌权之人!不安帝王之术又如何,不识阴谋诡诈又如何,且看她芊芊素手、翻云覆雨,如何将这天下江山尽握于手,打造出别样的锦绣江山!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 二货萌后的霸道皇帝

    二货萌后的霸道皇帝

    上官汐一个平凡而又伟大的人,说她二货,并不是的,她总是积极乐观,渴望武功天下第一。且智商有点掉线。某日她二货病犯了,在湖边捡到了一个男人,想要扒光他身上所有值钱的东西。结果把自己的一辈子给赔进去了。说她萌,是因为在某位皇帝的眼中,她是一只小野猫,而且是一只炸毛的小野猫。自从碰到小野猫后,那位皇帝的唯一兴趣便是驯服她,“说”服她。最终爱上她。替她实现她所有的愿望。
  • 上清高圣太上大道君洞真金元八景玉录

    上清高圣太上大道君洞真金元八景玉录

    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。
  • 千古情愁一线缘

    千古情愁一线缘

    记忆中他的样子,他的声音都没有改变,她带着前世的记忆重生,可是爱,真的一直不曾离开过吗?他对她的是真爱还是一场彻头彻尾的阴谋?不到最后,谁能为她解疑答惑…
  • 半妖少女的除魔日记

    半妖少女的除魔日记

    世界可能不会有我想象的那样好,但也不会有你想象得那样坏。尽管冬季的黑夜漫长而寒冷,但是总有一天,冰雪会消融,黎明会到来。这是关于一个傲娇的半妖,和一个温柔的人类的治愈向的故事。