child christopher-第21部分

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to　Christopher：　　〃If　I　may　not　fight　for　thee；　my　son　and　King；　yet　at　least　it　is　the　right　of　thine　Earl　to　play　the　squire　to　thee：　　but　a　word　before　thy　basnet　is　over　thine　ears；　the　man　yonder　is　well…nigh　a　giant　for　stature　and　strength；　yet　I　think　thou　mayest　deal　with　him；　and　be　none　the　sorer　when　thou　liest　down　to…night。　　To　be　short；　this　is　it：　when　thou　hast　got　a　stroke　in　upon　him；　and　he　falters；　then　give　him　no　time；　but　fly　at　him　in　thy　wild…cat　manner　and　show　what…like　thews　thou　hast　under　thy　smooth　skin；　now　thine　helm；　lad。　　So　art　thou　dight；　and　something　tells　me　thou　shalt　do　it　off　in　victory。〃



CHAPTER　　XXXI。

THE　BATTLE　ON　THE　HOLM。


So　when　Christopher　was　armed；　Jack　turned　about　speedily；　and　so　gat　him　back　through　the　ford　and　stood　there　on　the　bank　with　the　nine　other　folk　of　the　Tofts。　　And　by　this　time　was　Gandolf　of　Brimside　armed　also；　and　Oliver　Marson；　who　had　done　his　helm　on　him；　was　gone　to　his　side　of　the　river。

Drew　the　huge　man…at…arms　then　toward　Christopher；　but　his　sword　was　yet　in　the　sheath：　　Christopher　set　his　point　to　the　earth　and　abode　him；　and　the　Baron　spake：　〃Lad；　thou　art　fair　and　bold　both；　as　I　can　see　it；　and　Jack　of　the　Tofts　is　so　much　an　old　foe　of　mine　that　he　is　well…nigh　a　friend：　so　what　sayest　thou？　If　thou　wilt　yield　thee　straightway；　I　will　have　both　thine　head　and　the　outlaw's　with　me　to　King　Rolf；　but　yet　on　your　shoulders　and　ye　two　alive。　　Haps　will　go　as　haps　will；　and　it　maybe　that　ye　shall　both　live　for　another　battle；　and　grow　wiser；　and　mayhappen　abide　in　the　wood　with　the　reiver's　men。　　Hah？　What　sayest　thou？〃

Christopher　laughed　and　said：　　〃Wouldst　thou　pardon　one　who　is　not　yet　doomed；　Baron？　And　yet　thy　word　is　pleasant　to

us；　for　we　see　that　if　we　win　thee；　thou　shalt　be　good　liegeman　of　us。　　Now；　Baron；　sword　in　fist！〃

Gandolf　drew　his　sword；　muttering：　　〃Ah；　hah！　he　is　lordly　and　kingly　enough；　yet　may　this　learn　him　a　lesson。　　〃Indeed　the　blade　was　huge　and　brown　and　ancient；　and　sword　and　man　had　looked　a　very　terror　save　to　one　great…hearted。

But　Christopher　said：　　〃What　sayest　thou　now；　Baron；　shall　we　cast　down　our　shields　to　earth？　For　why　should　we　chop　into　wood　and　leather？〃

The　Baron　cast　down　his　shield；　and　said：　　〃Bold　are　thy　words；　lad；　if　thy　deeds　go　with　them；　it　may　be　better　for　thee　than　for　me。　　Now　keep　thee。〃

And　therewith　he　leapt　forward　and　swept　his　huge　sword　around；　but　Christopher　swerved　speedily　and　enough；　so　that　the　blade　touched　him　not；　and　the　huge　man　had　over…reached　himself；　and　ere　he　had　his　sword　well　under　sway　again；　Christopher　had　smitten　him　so　sharply　on　the　shoulder　that　the　mails　were　sundered　&　the　blood　ran；　and　withal　the　Baron　staggered　with　the　mere　weight　of　the　stroke。　　Then　Christopher　saw　his　time；　and　leapt　aloft　and　dealt　such　a　stroke　on　the　side　of　his　head；　that　the　Baron　tottered　yet　more；　but　now　was　he　taught　by　those　two　terrible　strokes；　and　he　gathered　all　his　heart　to　him；　and　all　the　might　of　his　thews；　and　leapt　aback　and　mastered　his　sword；　and　came　on　fierce　but　wary；　shouting　out　for　Brimside　and　the　King。

Christopher　cried　never　a　cry；　but　swung　his　sword　well　within　his　sway；　and　the　stroke　came　on　Gandolf's　fore…arm　and　brake　the　mails　and　wounded　him；　and　then　as　the　Baron　rushed　forward；　the　wary　lad　gat　his　blade　under　his　foeman's　nigh　the　hilts；　and　he　gave　it　a　wise　twist　and　forth　flew　the　ancient　iron　away　from　its　master。

Gandolf　seemed　to　heed　not　that　he　was　swordless；　but　gave　out　a　great　roar　and　rushed　at　Christopher　to　close　with　him；　and　the　well…knit　lad　gave　back　before　him　and　turned　from　side　to　side；　and　kept　the　sword…point　before　Gandolf's　eyes　ever；　till　suddenly；　as　the　Baron　was　running　his　fiercest；　he　made　a　mighty　sweep　at　his　right　leg；　since　he　had　no　more　to　fear　his　sword；　and　the　edge　fell　so　strong　and　true；　that　but　for　the　byrny…hose　he　had　smitten　the　limb　asunder；　and　even　as　it　was　it　made　him　agrievous　wound；　so　that　the　Lord　of　Brimside　fell　clattering　to　the　earth；　and　Christopher　bestrode　him　and　cried：　　〃How　sayest　thou；　champion；　is　it　enough？〃

〃Yea；　enough；　and　maybe　more；〃　said　the　Baron。　　〃Wilt　thou　smite　off　mine　head？　Or　what　wilt　thou？〃

Said　Christopher：　　〃Here　hath　been　enough　smiting；　meseemeth；　save　thy　lads　and　ours　have　a　mind　to　buckle　to；　and　lo　thou！　men　are　running　down　from　the　bents　towards　us　from　both　sides；　yet　not　in　any　warlike　manner　as　yet。　　Now；　Baron；　here　cometh　thy　grim　squire　that　I　heard　called　Oliver；　and　if　thou　wilt　keep　the　troth；　thou　shalt　bid　him　order　thy　men　so　that　they　fall　not　upon　us　till　the　battle　be　duly　pitched。　　Then　shalt　thou　be　borne　home；　since　thou　canst　not　go；　with　no　hindrance　from　us。〃

Now　was　Oliver　come　indeed；　and　the　other　nine　with　him；　and　on　the　other　side　was　come　Jack　of　the　Tofts　and　four　others。

Then　spake　the　Baron　of　Brimside：　　〃I　may　do　better　than　thou　biddest　me；　for　now　I　verily　trow　herein；　that　thou　art　the　son　of　Christopher　the　Old；　so　valiant　as　thou　art；　and　so　sad　a　smiter；　and　withal　that　thou　fearest　not　to　let　thy　foeman　live。　　So　hearken　all　ye；　and　thou　specially；　Oliver　Marson；　my　captain：　　I　am　now　become　the　man　of　my　lord　King　Christopher；　and　will　follow　him　whereso　he　will；　and　I　deem　that　will　presently　be　to　Oakenham；　and　the　King's　seat　there。　　Now　look　to　it　that　thou；　Oliver；　order　my　men　under　King　Christopher's　banner；　till　I　be　healed；　and　then　if　all　be　not　over；　I　shall　come　forth　myself；　shield　on　neck　and　spear　in　fist；　to　do　battle　for　my　liege　lord；　so　help　me　God　and　St。　James　of　the　Water！〃

Therewith　speech　failed　him　and　his　wit　therewith；　so　betwixt　them　they　unarmed　him　and　did　him　what　leechdom　they　might　do　there　and　then；　and　he　was　nowise　hurt　deadly：　　as　for　Child　Christopher；　he　had　no　scratch　of　steel　on　him。　And　Oliver　knelt　before　him　when　he　had　dight　his　own　lord；　and　swore　fealty　to　him　then　and　there；　and　so　departed；　to　order　the　folk　of　Brimside　and　tell　them　the　tidings；　and　swear　them　liege　men　of　King　Christopher。



CHAPTER　XXXII。

OF　GOLDILIND　AND　CHRISTOPHER。


Now　Jack　of　the　Tofts　said　a　word　to　one　of　his　men；　and　he　rode　straightway　up　into　the　field　under　the　wood；　and　spake　to　three　of　the　captains　of　the　folk；　and　they　ranked　a　hundred　of　the　men；　of　those　who　were　best　dight；　and　upraised　amongst　them　the　banner　of　Oakenrealm；　and　led　all　them　down　to　the　river　bank；　and　with　these　must　needs　go　Goldilind；　and　when　they　came　down　thither；　Christopher　and　Jack　were　there　on　the　bank　to　hail　them；　and　they　raised　a　great　shout　when　they　saw　their　King　and　their　Earl　standing　there；　and　the　shout　was　given　back　from　the　wood…side；　and　then　the　men　of　Brimside　took　it　up；　for　they　had　heard　the　bidding　of　their　Lord；　and　he　was　now　in　a　pavilion　which　they　had　raised　for　him　on　the　mead；　and　the　leeches　were　looking　to　his　hurts；　and　they　feared　him；　but　rather　loved　than　hated　him；　and　he　was　more　to　them　than　the　King　in　Oakenrealm　and　they　were　all　ready　to　do　his　will。

But　as　to　Goldilind；　her　mind　it　had　been；　as　she　was　going　down　the　meadow；　that　she　would　throw　herself　upon　Christopher's　bosom　and　love　him　with　glad　tears　of　love；　but　as　she　came　and　stood　over　against　him；　she　was　abashed；　and　stood　still　looking　on　him；　and　spake　no　word；　and　he　also　was　ashamed　before　all　that　folk　to　say　the　words　whereof　his　heart　was　full；　and　longed　for　the　night；　that　they　might　be　alone　together。

But　at　last　he　said：　　〃Lady　and　Queen；　thou　seest　that　we　be　well…beloved　that　they　rejoice　so　much　in　a　little　deed　of　mine。〃　　And　still　she　spake　nought；　and　held　hand　in　hand。

But　Jack　of　the　Tofts　spake　and　said：　　〃By　St。　Hubert！　the　deed　may　be　little；　though　there　be　men　who　would　think　no　little　of　overcoming　the　biggest　man　and　the　fellest　fighter　of　Oakenrealm；　but　at　least　great　things　shall　come　thereof。　King；　thy　strokes　of　this　day　have　won　thee　Oakenrealm；　or　no　man　I　know　in　field；　and　many　a　mother's　son　have　they　saved　from　death。　　For　look　thou　yonder　over　the　river；　Goldilind；　my　Lady；　and　tell　me　what　thou　seest。〃　　She　turned　to　him　and　said：　　〃Lord　Earl；　I　see　warriors　a　many。〃

〃Yea；〃　said　Jack；　〃and　stout　fellows　be　they　for　the　more　part；　and　hard　had　been　the　hand…play　had　we　met；　ere　they　had　turned　their　backs；　but　now；　see　thou；　we　shall　wend　side　by　side　toward　Oakenrealm；　for　our　Lord　there　hath　won　them　to　his　friends；　and　doubt　thou　not　that　when　they　see　him　and　thee　anigh；　they　shall　be　friends　indeed。　What！　dost　thou　weep　for　this？　Or　is　it　because　he　hath　done　the　deed　and　not　thou？　or　rather；　because　thine　heart　is　full　for　the　love　of　him？〃

She　smiled　kindly　on　Jack；　but　even　therewith　she　felt　two　hands　laid　on　her　shoulders；　and　Christopher　kissed　her　without　any　word。



CHAPTER　XXXIII。

A　COUNCIL　OF　CAPTAINS：　　THE　HOST　COMES　TO　BROADLEES；　AND　MAKES　FOR　WOODWALL。


That　night；　though　there　was　some　little　coming　and　going　between　the　Tofters　and　the　Brimsiders；　yet　either　flock　slept　on　their　own　side　of　the　river。　　Moreover；　before　the　midst　of　the　night；　cometh　David　to　the　wood…side；　and　had　with　him　all　men　defensible　of　the　Tofts　and　the　houses　thereabout；　and　most　of　the　women　also　many　of　whom　bore　spear　or　bow；　so　that　now　by　the　wood…side；　what　with　them　of　the　Tofts　and　the　folk　who　joined　them　thereto　from　the　country…side　about　Hazeldale；　there　were　well…nigh　ten　hundreds　of　folk　under　weapons；　and　yet　more　came　in　the　night　through；　for　the　tidings　of　the　allegiance　of　Brimside　was　spreading　full　fast。

Betimes　on　the　morrow　was　King　Christopher　afoot；　and　he　and　Jack　and　David　and　Gilbert；　and　they　twelve　in　company；　went　down　to　the　banner　by　the　water…side；　and　to　them　presently　came　Oliver　Marson　and　ten　other　of　the　captains　of　Brimside；　and　did　them　to　wit　that　the　Baron　were　fain　if　they　would　come　to　his　pavilion　and　hold　counsel　therein；　for　that　he　was　not　so　sick　but　he　might　well　speak　his　mind　from　where　he　lay。　So　thither　they　went　all；　with　good　will；　and　the　Baron　greeted　them　friendly；　and　made　what　reverence　he　might　to　Christopher；　and　bade　him　say　what　was　his　mind　and　his　will。　　But　Christopher　bade　them　who　were　his　elders　in　battl