登陆注册
5390600000003

第3章 CHAPTER III: (1)

WALTER HEARETH TIDINGS OF THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER

Fast sailed the Katherine over the seas, and nought befell to tell of, either to herself or her crew. She came to one cheaping-town and then to another, and so on to a third and a fourth; and at each was buying and selling after the manner of chapmen; and Walter not only looked on the doings of his father's folk, but lent a hand, what he might, to help them in all matters, whether it were in seaman's craft, or in chaffer. And the further he went and the longer the time wore, the more he was eased of his old trouble wherein his wife and her treason had to do.

But as for the other trouble, to wit his desire and longing to come up with those three, it yet flickered before him; and though he had not seen them again as one sees people in the streets, and as if he might touch them if he would, yet were their images often before his mind's eye; and yet, as time wore, not so often, nor so troublously; and forsooth both to those about him and to himself, he seemed as a man well healed of his melancholy mood.

Now they left that fourth stead, and sailed over the seas and came to a fifth, a very great and fair city, which they had made more than seven months from Langton on Holm; and by this time was Walter taking heed and joyance in such things as were toward in that fair city, so far from his kindred, and especially he looked on the fair women there, and desired them, and loved them; but lightly, as befalleth young men.

Now this was the last country whereto the Katherine was boun; so there they abode some ten months in daily chaffer, and in pleasuring them in beholding all that there was of rare and goodly, and making merry with the merchants and the towns-folk, and the country-folk beyond the gates, and Walter was grown as busy and gay as a strong young man is like to be, and was as one who would fain be of some account amongst his own folk.

But at the end of this while, it befell on a day, as he was leaving his hostel for his booth in the market, and had the door in his hand, there stood before him three mariners in the guise of his own country, and with them was one of clerkly aspect, whom he knew at once for his father's scrivener, Arnold Penstrong by name; and when Walter saw him his heart failed him and he cried out: "Arnold, what tidings? Is all well with the folk at Langton?"

Said Arnold: "Evil tidings are come with me; matters are ill with thy folk; for I may not hide that thy father, Bartholomew Golden, is dead, God rest his soul."

At that word it was to Walter as if all that trouble which but now had sat so light upon him, was once again fresh and heavy, and that his past life of the last few months had never been; and it was to him as if he saw his father lying dead on his bed, and heard the folk lamenting about the house. He held his peace awhile, and then he said in a voice as of an angry man:

"What, Arnold! and did he die in his bed, or how? for he was neither old nor ailing when we parted."

Said Arnold: "Yea, in his bed he died: but first he was somewhat sword-bitten."

"Yea, and how?" quoth Walter.

Said Arnold: "When thou wert gone, in a few days' wearing, thy father sent thy wife out of his house back to her kindred of the Reddings with no honour, and yet with no such shame as might have been, without blame to us of those who knew the tale of thee and her; which, God-a-mercy, will be pretty much the whole of the city."

"Nevertheless, the Reddings took it amiss, and would have a mote with us Goldings to talk of booting. By ill-luck we yea-said that for the saving of the city's peace. But what betid? We met in our Gild-hall, and there befell the talk between us; and in that talk certain words could not be hidden, though they were none too seemly nor too meek. And the said words once spoken drew forth the whetted steel; and there then was the hewing and thrusting! Two of ours were slain outright on the floor, and four of theirs, and many were hurt on either side. Of these was thy father, for as thou mayst well deem, he was nought backward in the fray; but despite his hurts, two in the side and one on the arm, he went home on his own feet, and we deemed that we had come to our above. But well-a-way! it was an evil victory, whereas in ten days he died of his hurts.

同类推荐
  • 种芝草法

    种芝草法

    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。
  • 佛说轮王七宝经

    佛说轮王七宝经

    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 Gaming Table

    The Gaming Table

    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。
  • 善思童子经

    善思童子经

    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。
  • 增订叶评伤暑全书

    增订叶评伤暑全书

    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。
热门推荐
  • 医妃冲天

    医妃冲天

    异世重生,她成为首富千金,倾城之姿,惊才绝艳,却只愿做个隐世医仙,潇洒一生。他,是帝国的战神王爷。高官厚禄?不要!金银美女?也不要!他只愿与她牵手一生,做对快活神仙。那一眼情深缘浅,是谁迷了谁的眼。那一场惊魂之梦,又是谁沦了谁的心。当一切结束归于尽头,他们能否再次执起彼此之手,潇洒自若的笑看人生。冰冷的剑抵在胸膛,刺破皮肤,谁的心在滴血?凤眸紧眯,银牙紧咬:“你到底爱不爱我?!”
  • 奈何时光太动听

    奈何时光太动听

    “陆司辰,一群妖艳贱货说我勾搭你,打破了你以往的保质期!”“陆司辰,一群花痴丑比说我惑了你的人,得了你的心!”苏小野最擅长的就是一本正经的胡说八道!“陆……”嘎,还没说完的,呼吸不过来……“乖,要叫亲爱的,陆司辰不是你能叫的。”从天而降恶魔校草,苏小野日日报告,夜夜闹腾,欢乐不间断!【读者群:687811672】
  • 俄狄浦斯之泪

    俄狄浦斯之泪

    日影西斜。一台红色的奇瑞QQ开到了L大学的大门外。开车的是一个三十出头的男子,双目如电,神采昂然。他叫霍奇侠,是L市刑警支队的一名刑警。此时他刚把车停下,便有一个女生向他走来。那女生不到二十岁,大眼睛,尖鼻子,美貌绝伦,只是神色有些冰冷。只见女生走到车前,笑问:“霍警官,让我开吧?”“你有驾驶证?”霍奇侠问。女生嫣然一笑:“没有哦。”“那怎么可以?”
  • 重生小小地主婆

    重生小小地主婆

    "前世穷死,挽救不了任何亲人,重生小奶娃醒来发现被拐卖了,成了一无所有的悲催童养媳。公公纨绔烂赌,婆婆虚荣包子,附赠毛头小叔小姑一大堆,唯一的异能很鸡肋,不多的亲戚太极品……元宝仰天长啸,老天爷,再多的困难也休想挡住我奔向银子的脚步!看元宝如何成为最强技工,步步生金,奔向致富路,顺带养成忠犬相公若干枚。啥?相公养成太多了?貌似这真不是故意的啊!"
  • 太上玉清谢罪登真宝忏

    太上玉清谢罪登真宝忏

    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。
  • 明末修真

    明末修真

    修行千年的燕九,重回地球,却没有回到自己的时代,他的故事开始在明末……
  • 穿越战国之楚人东渡

    穿越战国之楚人东渡

    楚文化、巴蜀文化、越文化也是中国古代文化的重要组成部分,并且有不同于那时中原文化的风采,其直接影响了后来中国江南、西南的民风民俗。这些文化在秦统一天下之后并入秦及中原文化,显得不那么重要,那么,如果这些文化唱主角,会有哪些有趣的事?且看主角穿来这个时代,如何建设不一样的文明。
  • 花篱(中国好小说)

    花篱(中国好小说)

    徐老虎是村里谁都不敢惹的一霸。做事蛮横,天不怕地不怕,生产队长马二蛋数次被徐老虎羞辱,丢尽颜面,使出种种手段对付徐老虎,导致事态越来越恶化。但徐老虎却被马二蛋女儿马立春的真情和柔情打动,慢慢放下了与世界对抗争斗的心。
  • 缘来还是你

    缘来还是你

    真爱永恒,一个发生在希腊罗德岛的爱情故事。雅典娜凝视着眼前的男子,摇滚巨星亚历克斯·丹,又回来了。六年前,雅典娜和他度过了缠绵缱绻的三天,他走了,留给她一份珍贵的礼物。那么上天安排的此次重逢又会有怎样的结局。
  • 诗品校定本

    诗品校定本

    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。