child christopher-第5部分

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〃Even　so；〃　said　Simon。

〃And　thou　knowest　what　dwellest　there；　and　wouldst　have　me　lead　thee　thither？〃　said　the　lad。

〃I　am　so　bidden；〃　said　Simon；　〃if　thou　wilt　not　do　my　bidding；　seek　thou　some　place　to　hide　thee　in　from　the　hand　of　the　Earl　Marshal。〃

Said　the　youngling：　　〃Knowest　thou　not　Jack　of　the　Tofts　and　his　seven　sons；　and　what　he　is；　and　that　he　dwelleth　there？〃

Said　Simon：　　〃I　know　of　him；　yea；　and　himself　I　know；　and　that　he　dwelleth　there；　and　I　wot　that　men　call　him　an　outlaw；　and　that　many　rich　men　shall　lack　ere　he　lacks。　What　then？〃

〃This；〃　said　Christopher；　〃that；　as　all　tales　tell；　he　will　take　my　life　if　I　ride　thither。　And；〃　said　he；　turning　to　Simon；　〃this　is　belike　what　thou　wouldest　with　me？〃　And　therewith　he　drew　out　his　sword；　for　his　bow　was　unstrung。

But　Simon　sat　still　and　let　his　sword　abide；　and　said；　sourly　enough：　　〃Thou　art　a　fool　to　think　I　am　training　thee　to　thy　death　by　him；　for　I　have　no　will　to　die；　and　why　shall　he　not　slay　me　also？　Now　again　I　say　unto　thee；　thou　hast　the　choice；　either　to　lead　me　to　the　Tofts；　where　shall　be　the　deed　for　thee　to　do；　or　to　hide　thee　in　some　hole；　as　I　said　afore；　from　the　vengeance　of　the　Lord　of　Oakenrealm。　But　as　for　thy　sword；　thou　mayst　put　it　up；　for　I　will　not　fight　with　thee；　but　rather　let　thee　go　with　a　string　to　thy　leg；　if　thou　wilt　not　be　wise　and　do　as　thy　lords　ordain　for　thee。〃

Christopher　sheathed　his　sword；　and　a　smile　came　into　his　face；　as　if　some　new　thought　were　stirring　in　him；　and　he　said：　　〃Well；　since　thou　wilt　not　fight　with　me；　and　I　but　a　lad；　I　will　e'en　do　thy　will　and　thine　errand　to　Jack　of　the　Tofts。　　Maybe　he　is　not　so　black　as　he　is　painted；　and　not　all　tales　told　of　him　are　true。　　But　some　of　them　I　will　tell　thee　as　we　ride　along。〃

〃And　some　thereof　I　know　already；　O　woodland　knight；〃　said　Simon；　as　they　rode　down　the　bent；　and　Christopher　led　on　toward　the　green　causeway　betwixt　the　waters。　　〃Tell　me；〃　quoth　he；　when　they　had　ridden　awhile；　〃is　this　one　of　thy　tales；　how　Jack　of　the　Tofts　went　to　the　Yule　feast　of　a　great　baron　in　the　guise　of　a　minstrel；　and；　even　as　they　bore　in　the　boar's　head；　smote　the　said　baron　on　the　neck；　so　that　his　head　lay　by　the　head　of　the　swine　on　the　Christmas　board？〃

〃Yea；〃　said　Christopher；　〃and　how　Jack　cried　out：　　'Two　heads　of　swine；　one　good　to　eat；　one　good　to　burn。'　But；　my　master；　thou　shalt　know　that　this　manslaying　was　not　for　nought：　　whereas　the　Baron　of　Greenlake　had　erewhile　slain　Jack's　father　in　felon　wise；　where　he　could　strike　no　stroke　for　life；　and　two　of　his　brethren　also　had　he　slain；　and　made　the　said　Jack　an　outlaw；　and　he　all　sackless。　　In　the　Uttermost　March　we　deem　that　he　had　a　case　against　the　baron。〃

〃Hah！〃　said　Simon。　　〃Is　this　next　tale　true；　that　this　Jack　o'　the　Tofts　slew　a　good　knight　before　the　altar；　so　that　the　priest's　mass…hackle　was　all　wet　with　his　blood；　whereas　the　said　priest　was　in　the　act　of　putting　the　holy　body　into　the　open　mouth　of　the　said　knight？〃

Christopher　said　eagerly：　　〃True　was　it；　by　the　Rood！　and　well　was　it　done；　for　that　same　Sir　Raoul　was　an　ugly　traitor；　who　had　knelt　down　where　he　died　to　wed　the　Body　of　the　Lord　to　a　foul　lie　in　his　mouth；　whereas　the　man　who　knelt　beside　him　he　had　trained　to　his　destruction；　and　was　even　then　doing　the　first　deal　of　his　treason　by　forswearing　him　there。〃

〃And　that　man　who　knelt　with　him　there；〃　said　Simon；　〃what　betid　to　him？〃

Said　Christopher：　　〃He　went　out　of　the　church　with　Jack　of　the　Tofts　that　minute　of　the　stroke；　and　to　the　Tofts　he　went　with　him；　and　abode　with　him　freely：　　and　a　valiant　man　he　was。。。and　is。〃

〃Hah！〃　said　Simon　again。　　〃And　then　there　is　this：　　that　the　seven　sons　of　Jack　of　the　Tofts　bore　off　perforce　four　fair　maidens　of　gentle　blood　from　the　castle　wherein　they　dwelt；　serving　a　high　dame　in　all　honour；　and　that　moreover；　they　hanged　the　said　dame　over　the　battlements　of　her　own　castle。　Is　this　true；　fair　sir？〃

〃True　is　it　as　the　gospel；〃　said　Christopher：　　〃yet　many　say　that　the　hanged　dame　had　somewhat　less　than　her　deserts；　for　a　foul　&　cruel　whore　had　she　been；　and　had　done　many　to　be　done　to　death；　and　stood　by　while　they　were　pined。　　And　the　like　had　she　done　with　those　four　damsels；　had　there　not　been　the　stout　sons　of　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　so　that　the　dear　maidens　were　somewhat　more　than　willing　to　be　borne　away。〃

Simon　grinned：　　〃Well；　lad；〃　said　he；　〃I　see　that　thou　knowest　Jack　of　the　Tofts　even　better　than　I　do；　so　why　in　the　devil's　name　thou　art　loth　to　lead　me　to　him；　I　wot　not。〃

Christopher　reddened；　and　held　his　peace　awhile；　then　he　said：　　〃Well　fellow…farer；　at　least　I　shall　know　something　of　him　ere　next　midnight。〃

〃Yea；〃　said　Simon；　〃and　shall　we　not　come　to　the　Tofts　before　nightfall？〃

〃Let　us　essay　it；〃　said　Christopher；　〃and　do　our　best；　it　yet　lacketh　three　hours　of　noon。〃　Therewith　he　spurred　on；　for　the　greensward　was　hard　under　the　hooves；　and　they　had　yet　some　way　to　go　before　they　should　come　amongst　the　trees　and　thickets。

Into　the　said　wood　they　came；　and　rode　all　day　diligently；　but　night　fell　on　them　before　they　saw　either　house　or　man　or　devil；　then　said　Simon：　　〃Why　should　we　go　any　further　before　dawn？　Will　it　not　be　best　to　come　to　this　perilous　house　by　daylight？〃

Said　Christopher：　　〃There　be　perils　in　the　wood　as　well　as　in　the　house。　　If　we　lie　down　here；　maybe　Jack's　folk　may　come　upon　us　sleeping；　and　some　mischance　may　befall　us。　Withal；　hereabout　be　no　wild　horses　to　wake　thee　and　warn　thee　of　thy　foeman　anigh。　Let　us　press　on；　there　is　a　moon；　though　she　be　somewhat　hidden　by　clouds；　and　meseemeth　the　way　lieth　clear　before　me；　neither　are　we　a　great　way　from　the　Tofts。〃

Then　Simon　rode　close　up　to　Christopher；　and　took　his　rein　and　stayed　him；　and　said　to　him；　as　one　who　prayeth：　　〃Young　man；　willest　thou　my　death？〃

〃That　is　as　it　may　be；〃　said　Christopher；　〃willest　thou　mine？〃

Simon　held　his　peace　awhile；　and　Christopher　might　not　see　what　was　in　his　face　amidst　the　gathering　dusk；　but　he　twitched　his　rein　out　of　the　squire's　hand；　as　if　he　would　hasten　onward；　then　the　squire　said：　　〃Nay；　I　pray　thee　abide　and　hear　a　word　of　me。〃

〃Speak　then；〃　said　Christopher；　〃but　hasten；　for　I　hunger；　and　I　would　we　were　in　the　hall。〃　　And　therewith　he　laughed。

Said　Simon：　　〃Thus　it　is：　　if　I　go　back　to　my　lord　and　bear　no　token　of　having　done　his　errand　to　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　then　am　I　in　evil　case；　and　if　I　come　to　the　Tofts；　I　wot　well　that　Jack　is　a　man　fierce　of　heart；　and　ready　of　hand：　now；　therefore；　I　pray　thee　give　me　thy　word　to　be　my　warrant；　so　far　as　thou　mayst　be；　with　this　woodman　and　his　sons。〃

At　that　word　Christopher　brake　out　a…laughing　loudly；　till　all　the　dusk　wood　rang　with　the　merry　sound　of　his　fresh　voice；　at　last　he　said：　　〃Well；　well；　thou　art　but　a　craven　to　be　a　secret　murderer：　　the　Lord　God　would　have　had　an　easy　bargain　of　Cain；　had　he　been　such　as　thou。　　Come　on；　and　do　thine　errand　to　Jack　of　the　Tofts；　and　I　will　hold　thee　harmless；　so　far　as　I　may。　　Though；　sooth　to　say；　I　guessed　what　thine　errand　was；　after　the　horses　waked　thee　and　put　a　naked　sword　in　thine　hand　last　night。　　Marry！　I　had　no　inkling　of　it　when　we　left　the　Castle　yesterday　morning；　but　deemed　thy　lord　needed　me　to　do　him　some　service。　　Come　on　then！　or　rather　go　thou　on　before　me　a　pace；　there；　where　thou　seest　the　glimmer　betwixt　the　beech…trees　yonder；　if　thou　goest　astray；　I　am　anigh　thee　for　a　guide。　　And　I　say　that　we　shall　not　go　far　without　tidings。〃

Simon　went　on　perforce；　as　he　was　bidden；　and　they　rode　thus　a　while　slowly；　Christopher　now　and　then　crying；　as　they　went：　　〃To　the　right；　squire！　To　the　left！　Straight　on　now！〃　and　so　on。　　But　suddenly　they　heard　voices；　and　it　was　as　if　the　wood　had　all　burst　out　into　fire；　so　bright　a　light　shone　out。　　Christopher　shouted；　and　hastened　on　to　pass　Simon；　going　quite　close　to　his　right　side　thereby；　and　as　he　did　so；　he　saw　steel　flashing　in　his　hand；　and　turned　sidling　to　guard　him；　but　ere　he　could　do　aught　Simon　drave　a　broad　dagger　into　his　side；　and　then　turned　about　and　fled　the　way　they　had　come；　so　far　as　he　knew　how。

Christopher　fell　from　his　horse　at　once　as　the　stroke　came　home；　but　straightway　therewith　were　there　men　with　torches　round　about　him；　a　dozen　of　them；　men　tall　and　wild…looking　in　the　firelight；　and　one　of　them；　a　slim　young　man　with　long　red　hair　falling　all　about　his　shoulders；　knelt　down　by　him；　while　the　others　held　his　horse　and　gat　his　feet　out　of　the　stirrups。

The　red…head　laid　his　hand　on　his　breast；　and　raised　his　head　up　till　the　light　of　a　torch　fell　on　it；　and　then　he　cried　out：　　〃Masters；　here　hath　been　a　felon；　the　man　hath　been　sticked；　and　the　deed　hath　to　do　with　us；　for　lo　you；　this　is　none　other　than　little　Christopher　of　the　Uttermost　March；　who　stumbled　on　the　Tofts　last　Yule；　and　with　whom　we　were　so　merry　together。　　Here；　thou　Robert　of　Maisey；　do　thy　leechdom　on　him　if　he　be　yet　living；　but　if　he　be　dead；　or　dieth　of　his　hurt；　then　do　I　take　the　feud　on　me；　to　follow　it　to　the　utmost　against　the　slayer；　even　I；　David　the　Red；　though　I　be　the　youngest　of　the　sons　of　Jack　of　the　Tofts。　For　this　man　I　meant　should　be　my　fellow　in　field　and　fell；　ganging　and　galloping；　in　hall　and　high…place；　in　cot　and　in　choir；　before　woman　and　warrior；　and　priest　and　proud…prince。　　Now　thou　Robert；　how　does　he？〃

Said　the　man　who　had　looked　to　Christopher's　wound；　and　had　put　aside　his　coat　and　shirt：　　〃He　is　sore　hurt；　but　meseemeth　not　deadly。　　Nay；　belike　he　may　live　as　long　as　thou；　or　longer；　whereas　thou　wilt　ever　be　shoving　thy　red　head　and　lank　body　wheresoever　knocks　are　going。〃

David　rose　with　a　sigh　of　one　who　is　lightened　of　a　load；　and　said：　　〃Well　Robert；　when　thou　hast　bound　his　wound　let　us　have　him　into　the　house：　　Ho　lads！　there　is　light　enough　to　cut　some　boughs　and　make　a　litter　for　him。　　But；　ho　again！　has　no　one　gone　after　the　felon　to　take　him？〃

Robert　grinned　up　from　his　job　with　the　hurt　man：　　〃Nay；　King　David；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　mostly　thy　business；　mayhappen　thou　wilt　lay　thy　heels　on　thy　neck　and　after　him。〃

The　red…head　stamped　on　the　ground；　and　half　drew　his　sax；　and　shoved　it　back　again　unto　the　sheath；　and　then　said　an