登陆注册
5253600000034

第34章

How Ralph Departed From the Burg of the Four Friths Himseemed he had scarce been asleep a minute ere awoke with a sound of someone saying softly, "Master, master, awake!" So he sat up and answered softly in his turn: "Who is it? what is amiss, since the night is yet young?"

"I am thy fellow-farer, Roger," said the speaker, "and this thou hast to do, get on thy raiment speedily, and take thy weapons without noise, if thou wouldst not be in the prison of the Burg before sunrise."

Ralph did as he was bidden without more words; for already when he lay down his heart misgave him that he was in no safe place; he looked to his weapons and armour that they should not clash, and down they came into the hall and found the door on the latch; so out they went and Ralph saw that it was somewhat cloudy; the moon was set and it was dark, but Ralph knew by the scent that came in on the light wind, and a little stir of blended sounds, that it was hard on dawning; and even therewith he heard the challenge of the warders on the walls and their crying of the hour; and the chimes of the belfry rang clear and loud, and seeming close above him, two hours and a half after midnight.

Roger spake not, and Ralph was man-at-arms enough to know that he must hold his peace; and though he longed sore to have his horse Falcon with him, yet he wotted that it availed not to ask of his horse, since he durst not ask of his life.

So they went on silently till they were out of the Great Place and came into a narrow street, and so into another which led them straight into the houseless space under the wall.

Roger led right on as if he knew the way well, and in a twinkling were they come to a postern in the wall betwixt the East Gate and the South. By the said postern Ralph saw certain men standing; and on the earth near by, whereas he was keen-eyed, he saw more than one man lying moveless.

Spake Roger softly to the men who stood on their feet:

"Is the rope twined?" "Nay, rope-twiner," said one of them.

Then Roger turned and whispered to Ralph: "Friends. Get out thy sword!"

Wherewithal the gate was opened, and they all passed out through the wall, and stood above the ditch in the angle-nook of a square tower.

Then Ralph saw some of the men stoop and shoot out a broad plank over the ditch, which was deep but not wide thereabout, and straightway he followed the others over it, going last save Roger.

By then they were on the other side he saw a glimmer of the dawn in the eastern heaven, but it was still more than dusk, and no man spoke again.

They went on softly across the plain fields outside the wall, creeping from bush to bush, and from tree to tree, for here, if nowhere about the circuit of the Burg, were a few trees growing.

Thus they came into a little wood and passed through it, and then Ralph could see that the men were six besides Roger; by the glimmer of the growing dawn he saw before them a space of meadows with high hedges about them, and a dim line that he took for the roof of a barn or grange, and beyond that a dark mass of trees.

Still they pressed on without speaking; a dog barked not far off and the cocks were crowing, and close by them in the meadow a cow lowed and went hustling over the bents and the long, unbitten buttercups.

Day grew apace, and by then they were under the barn-gable which he had seen aloof he saw the other roofs of the grange and heard the bleating of sheep.

And now he saw those six men clearly, and noted that one of them was very big and tall, and one small and slender, and it came into his mind that these two were none other than the twain whom he had come upon the last night sitting in the hall of the Flower de Luce.

Even therewith came a man to the gate of the sheep-cote by the grange, and caught sight of them, and had the wits to run back at once shouting out:

"Hugh, Wat, Richard, and all ye, out with you, out a doors! Here be men!

Ware the Dry Tree! Bows and bills! Bows and bills!"

With that those fellows of Ralph made no more ado, but set off running at their best toward the wood aforesaid, which crowned the slope leading up from the grange, and now took no care to go softly, nor heeded the clashing of their armour. Ralph ran with the best and entered the wood alongside the slim youth aforesaid, who stayed not at the wood's edge but went on running still: but Ralph stayed and turned to see what was toward, and beheld how that tall man was the last of their company, and ere he entered the wood turned about with a bent bow in his hand, and even as he nocked the shaft, the men from the Grange, who were seven in all, came running out from behind the barn-gable, crying out:

"Ho thieves! ho ye of the Dry Tree, abide till we come! flee not from handy strokes." The tall man had the shaft to his ear in a twinkling, and loosed straightway, and nocked and loosed another shaft without staying to note how the first had sped.

But Ralph saw that a man was before each of the shafts, and had fallen to earth, though he had no time to see aught else, for even therewith the tall man caught him by the hand, and crying out, "The third time!" ran on with him after the rest of their company; and whereas he was long-legged and Ralph lightfooted, they speedily came up with them, who were running still, but laughing as they ran, and jeering at the men of the Burgh; and the tall man shouted out to them: "Yea, lads, the counterfeit Dry Tree that they have raised in the Burg shall be dry enough this time."

"Truly," said another, "till we come to water it with the blood of these wretches."

"Well, well, get on," said a third, "waste not your wind in talk; those carles will make but a short run of it to the walls long as it was for us, creeping and creeping as we behoved to."

The long man laughed; "Thou sayest sooth," said he, "but thou art the longest winded of all in talking: get on, lads."

同类推荐
  • 惜香乐府

    惜香乐府

    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。
  • 龙溪王先生全集

    龙溪王先生全集

    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。
  • 作义要诀

    作义要诀

    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。
  • 宋朝事实类苑

    宋朝事实类苑

    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 PASSIONATE PILGRIM

    THE PASSIONATE PILGRIM

    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
  • 佛说食施获五福报经

    佛说食施获五福报经

    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。
  • 跟小王子去旅行

    跟小王子去旅行

    每个人心中都有一个小王子;每个人心中都向往一场旅行。小王子驾着飞船重新回到了地球,带着他的灵魂、理想和爱,与作者开始一场奇妙的旋风环球之旅。这不只是一本妙趣横生、引人入胜的游记,更是一次心灵行走的记录。地理与幸福,本来是风马牛不相及的元素,却因为小王子的出现,像一道金色的阳光,穿过层层迷雾,直达真理的彼岸。本书选取了所到过的世间最美的地方,有新奇的旅行体验,有无限的冥想遐思。假使合上这本书,你有打起背包去行走的冲动,就带上生命中的小王子,展开一次奇妙独特,又只属于你的旅行吧!
  • The Land That Time Forgot

    The Land That Time Forgot

    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。
  • 糖溪帮探险记第2季:神秘的黑手

    糖溪帮探险记第2季:神秘的黑手

    这是一群在一条名叫“糖溪”的河边长大的孩子,他们常常在一起玩耍,他们有一些很有趣的经历,一起开心,慢慢变成一群小男子汉。本季的主要内容延续上一季,围绕“到底绑匪是谁”、“酬金藏在哪儿”的悬念展开,情节惊险有趣,行文活泼幽默。六位小主人公依然凭着少年的朝气、勇敢,他们的友情以及信仰打动我们,使我们仿佛身临其境。读着他们的故事,我们也好像成了“糖溪帮”的一员,跟他们一起放心冒险,敢于面向许多的未知,去体验、去成长,在团队的扶持和温暖中,也勇于改变自己。
  • 你是我的宝贝

    你是我的宝贝

    书中贝贝是个唐氏综合征患儿,有轻度智力障碍而且终生无法治愈。贝贝两岁时,父亲在野外考察中不幸遇难,母亲难以承受这种生活的打击离家出走,贝贝与奶奶生活在一起。慈爱宽容的奶奶以顽强的毅力训练贝贝,力图使贝贝成为一个自爱自立有尊严的人。奶奶的努力没有白费,贝贝长成了一个心地淳朴,乖顺善良,热爱大自然的孩子。
  • 梦中还你太平盛世

    梦中还你太平盛世

    穿越:爱拼女自白:相公,我只想相夫教子.在现世中她只是一个边远小渔村的平平淡淡的女子,怎奈为了贴补家用狠命挣钱,活了三十年,遇上的男人没几个却只落得个爱拼女的称号.一朝穿越,居然成了天赐女太子,肩负着一统天下的重担.这可叫她一个没有啥本事的讨厌战争杀戮流血现代人怎么办?~~~~~哎呀呀,前世今生唯一的心愿,就是嫁个好人,生个乖娃,做一把贤妻良母的愿望能实现吗?我只是个小小女子,心不大的,管个家是可以的,但是天下,吼吼,真的有困难....
  • 卧底爱人

    卧底爱人

    心与心的距离有多远?红尘相遇是缘,寂寞疯狂是份,当两颗寂寞的心碰撞,她是他的救赎,还是他的毒药?——本文大修中——
  • 重生之绝世邪凤

    重生之绝世邪凤

    引火自焚,她涅槃重回异世。她要夺回自己的一切,找回自己的骄傲——重登世界之巅。她是异世高贵的武神,为了爱情,她背叛家族,舍下父母来到他身边。而当她散尽功力为他续命洗筋伐髓,以至于瞬间年华衰老时。他,却因为全新的体质,天才般的成长,名满天下,舍她而去,任她烧死在大火中。异世重生,他们再次相逢。而她,掩藏在骨子里的本性瞬间显露!狠!狂!邪!这次是真正的她!傲天之凤,涅槃重生,古武大陆,谁与争锋。看她武神邪凤怎样涅槃重生,光耀大陆,将名利踩在脚下,重回世界巅峰!++++++++++++人物++++++++++++【乔英】:因为自以为是被你狠揍,因为你的年少风华,我为你着了魔。我们出生入死,千帆过尽,即便是地老天荒,就凭这我叫你一声‘妹妹’,追随你至死无悔。【凤冕】:八年前,你背离家族,我追你八年。八年后,你背离天下,我陪你颠覆世界。我的妹妹,你路上的绊脚石,哥哥会为你全部肃清,即便是逆天成魔。【蓝云风】:我的骄傲永远在你面前展不开,你的光辉能掩盖我生命中所有的光芒。朋友?知己?我无所求。【羽非】:——就凭你叫我一声妹妹,为你负尽天下人!——我们的路,我们一起走,你成魔,我灭神,你成神,我杀魔。——我,只允许你蓝云风在我面前傲娇,你永远是我的‘傲娇男’,也只能我这样叫你!……增加中……++++++++++片段欣赏+++++++++++①“羽非,你个贱人。竟然再次打伤我孟家的人,我杀了你,将你碎尸万段,啊——!”孟华呀呲欲裂,仰天大吼。羽非掏了掏耳朵,冷笑道:“伤你不是目的,灭你才是道理!”②他重重的跪倒地上,忏悔道:“对不起,我知道那都是我的错,我不求你原谅,只求一死谢罪来弥补对你的亏欠。”羽非笑眯眯挥手道:“好吧,那你就去死吧!”某男戏谑道:“你真不打算原谅他?”羽非笑道:“原谅他那是他爹娘该做的事,跟我没关系,我要做的是打得他他爹娘都认不出来。”++++++++++传说中的推荐区+++++++++++墨堇琳的文【驭兽邪皇》沐梓凌的文【再生-绝世血凤】
  • 大嘴巴 小气鬼(绿绿的小蚂蚱)

    大嘴巴 小气鬼(绿绿的小蚂蚱)

    绿绿老师出了个谜语给小蚂蚱猜——“小蚂蚱加苗老师,打一部电影的名字。”小蚂蚱说是《绝代双骄》,可绿绿老师却大笑道,是《花样年华》。现在你知道绿绿老师和小蚂蚱的关系有多铁了吧?他们一起表演情景剧:《螳螂的爱情故事》,小蚂蚱演雄螳螂,绿绿老师演雌螳螂,小蚂蚱冲着绿绿老师亲爱的亲爱的乱叫,绿绿老师忸忸怩怩地做可爱状,全班同学都笑疯了。小蚂蚱鼓励绿绿老师去相亲,说你去相亲了,就会有老婆,就会有一个像我这么聪明又伟大的儿子-好臭美的小蚂蚱哦!
  • 这才是中国最好的语文书·现代散文分册

    这才是中国最好的语文书·现代散文分册

    《这才是中国最好的语文书》是一套系列丛书,本书是第六册。本册分为 “梦回故乡”“读书之美”“人在旅途”“思萦亲友”“公民生活”五个部分,选入胡适、梁启超、郁达夫、戴望舒、朱自清、徐志摩、弘一法师、陶行知、萧红、林徽因等众多名家的优秀作品。本册打破教材里多选用游记散文和抒情散文的局限,继续扩大散文的外缘,将知识类散文、历史类散文、社会政治类散文都囊括其中,大大地拓宽了我们的视野,增进了我们的阅读经验。