登陆注册
5253600000222

第222章

An Old Acquaintance Comes From the Down Country to See Ralph But an hour after midnight Ralph arose, as his purpose was, and called Richard, and they took their swords and went forth and about the thorp and around its outskirts, and found naught worse than their own watch any where; so they came back again to their quarters and found Roger standing at the door, who said to Ralph: "Lord, here is a man who would see thee."

"What like is he?" said Ralph. Said Roger "He is an old man, but a tough one; however, I have got his weapons from him."

"Bring him in," said Ralph, "and he shall have his say."

So they all went into the chamber together and there was light therein; but the man said to Ralph: "Art thou the Captain of the men-at-arms, lord?"

"Yea," said Ralph. Said the man, "I were as lief have these others away."

"So be it," said Ralph; "depart for a little while, friends."

So they went but Ursula lay in the bed, which was in a nook in the wall; the man looked about the chamber and said: "Is there any one in the bed?"

"Yea," said Ralph, "my wife, good fellow; shall she go also?"

"Nay," said the carle, "we shall do as we are now. So I will begin my tale."

Ralph looked on him and deemed he had seen him before, but could not altogether call his visage to mind; so he held his peace and the man went on.

"I am of the folk of the shepherds of the Downs: we be not a many by count of noses, but each one of us who is come to man's yean, and many who be past them, as I myself, can handle weapons at a pinch.

Now some deal we have been harried and have suffered by these wretches who have eaten into the bowels of this land; that is to say, they have lifted our sheep, and slain some of us who withstood them: but whereas our houses be uncostly and that we move about easily from one hill-side to another, it is like that we should have deemed it wisest to have borne this trouble, like others of wind and weather, without seeking new remedy, but that there have been tokens on earth and in the heavens, whereof it is too long to tell thee, lord, at present, which have stirred up our scattered folk to meet together in arms.

Moreover, the blood of our young men is up, because the Burg-devils have taken some of our women, and have mishandled them grievously and shamefully, so that naught will keep point and edge from seeking the war-clash. Furthermore, there is an old tale which hath now come up again, That some time when our folk shall be in great need, there shall come to our helping one from afar, whose home is anigh; a stripling and a great man; a runaway, and the conqueror of many: then, say they, shall the point and the edge bring the red water down on the dear dales; whereby we understand that the blood of men shall be shed there, and naught to our shame or dishonour.

Again I mind me of a rhyme concerning this which sayeth:

The Dry Tree shall be seen On the green earth, and green The Well-spring shall arise For the hope of the wise.

They are one which were twain, The Tree bloometh again, And the Well-spring hath come From the waste to the home.

Well, lord, thou shalt tell me presently if this hath aught to do with thee: for indeed I saw the Dry Tree, which hath scared us so many a time, beaten on thy sergeants' coats; but now I will go on and make an end of my story."

Ralph nodded to him kindly, for now he remembered the carle, though he had seen him but that once when he rode the Greenway across the downs to Higham.

The old man looked up at him as if he too had an inkling of old acquaintance with Ralph, but went on presently:

"There is a woman who dwells alone with none to help her, anigh to Saint Ann's Chapel; a woman not very old; for she is of mine own age, and time was we have had many a fair play in the ingles of the downs in the July weather--not very old, I say, but wondrous wise, as I know better than most men; for oft, even when she was young, would she foretell things to come to me, and ever it fell out according to her spaedom.

To the said woman I sought to-day in the morning, not to win any wisdom of her, but to talk over remembrances of old days; but when I came into her house, lo, there was my carline walking up and down the floor, and she turned round upon me like the young woman of past days, and stamped her foot and cried out:

'What does the sluggard dallying about women's chambers when the time is come for the deliverance?'

"I let her talk, and spake no word lest I should spoil her story, and she went on:

"'Take thy staff, lad, for thou art stout as well as merry, and go adown to the thorps at the feet of the downs toward Higham; keep thee well from the Burg-devils, and go from stead to stead till thou comest on a captain of men-at-arms who is lord over a company of green-coats, green-coats of the Dry Tree--a young lord, fair-faced, and kind-faced, and mighty, and not to be conquered, and the blessing of the folk and the leader of the Shepherds, and the foe of their foeman and the well-beloved of Bear-father.

Go night and day, sit not down to eat, stand not to drink; heed none that crieth after thee for deliverance, but go, go, go till thou hast found him. Meseems I see him riding toward Higham, but those dastards will not open gate to him, of that be sure.

同类推荐
  • 巾箱说

    巾箱说

    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。
  • 佛说弥勒下生成佛经续

    佛说弥勒下生成佛经续

    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。
  • 瓶粟斋诗话五编

    瓶粟斋诗话五编

    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。
  • 佛说八阳神咒经

    佛说八阳神咒经

    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。
  • The Outlaw of Torn

    The Outlaw of Torn

    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
  • 月光航线

    月光航线

    他之于她是生命必不可少的一道光,而她对于他呢,也许不过是繁华路上一场可有可无的梦。后来有人问她,夕溪,你这样卑微地去爱一个人,值得吗?她只笑,不说话。值得,哪里能够不值得呢?人人都说她傻,可她一点也不介意,她爱他真就是用尽最后的力气,只要他肯要,只要她给得起,其他的都是小事。这是一场从一开始就踮起脚尖去仰望的爱情,她从最初就知道自己会很累,却未有一秒想过后悔。惟愿最后,时光燃尽,岁月回头,你能牵起我的手。
  • 恶女临门

    恶女临门

    被一只灰不溜秋的狗,呃不是,狼跟踪那是多惊悚的事情?某狼:这女人抢了自己的珠子,还这样理直气壮的说自己是妖怪。孰不可忍,他要给她教训,可是,可是说好要给她教训的,自己怎么就陷进去了?这是一个错误得纠正……欢迎加入月亮家族?群,群聊号码:361507683【敲门砖:月亮书内主角名字】
  • 健康成熟的青春(青少年励志成长丛书)

    健康成熟的青春(青少年励志成长丛书)

    本书内容包括:莅临青春、心理变化、成长之忧、青春之恙、永葆青春、身心保健、生殖系统、避孕措施、情窦初开、举止文雅、拒绝毒品、珍惜生命等。
  • 喂,你不要再装无辜
  • 血族夜姬

    血族夜姬

    一个生而不凡的血族夜姬,拥有着独一无二的血统和高贵的地位,她的命运既如同血族之神宠幸般的幸运,但也如同被撒旦抛弃般的不幸……
  • 让管理更有效:德鲁克管理思想实践指南

    让管理更有效:德鲁克管理思想实践指南

    在担任企业管理顾问的过程中,时常会有一些管理者问我这样一个问题:“德鲁克的著作那么多,我们应该读哪一本呢?有没有一本著作能够将德鲁克的管理思想与我们面对的现实结合起来?”还有一些管理者则直截了当地表达了自己的意见:德鲁克的管理思想很好,但需要掌握系统的管理学知识,能否介绍一本类似于德鲁克管理思想实践指南的书给我们?
  • 凤舞依天

    凤舞依天

    天生丽质,就会得人宠爱吗?出生高贵,就能诸事顺利吗?嫁入皇宫,就会享尽荣华吗?哪儿有那么容易!本文的女主经历了人生不易、命途多舛,但是她选择了接受挑战,并活出了精彩。女神是怎样炼成的?凤凰涅槃便是最好的诠释。
  • 海贼之武侠系统

    海贼之武侠系统

    鹰眼:我是世界第一大剑豪卡文默默使出独孤九剑凯多:我是世界最强生物卡文默默捡起金刚不坏神功大妈、黑胡子、明哥、战国、赤犬……都要对路飞下手,卡文说慢来慢来,船长我来帮你。主角穿越东海商业家族,开启武侠系统,和路飞一行去往onepiece
  • 古晞

    古晞

    我爱你是我的事,。爱并没有错,只是,我爱错了人
  • 校园故事会

    校园故事会

    包含几十个妙趣横生的小故事。故事大多发生在读者们熟悉的校园中,娓娓道来,很有情趣。