For some while he made rounds among the soldiery, who were getting to arms in the wintry twilight3 of the dawn and by the red glow of torches; but gradually he strolled further afield, and at length passed clean beyond the outposts, and walked alone in the frozen forest, waiting for the sun.
His thoughts were both quiet and happy. His brief favour with the Duke he could not find it in his heart to mourn; with Joan to wife, and my Lord Foxham for a faithful patron, he looked most happily upon the future; and in the past he found but little to regret.
As he thus strolled and pondered, the solemn light of the morning grew more clear, the east was already coloured by the sun, and a little scathing4 wind blew up the frozen snow. He turned to go home; but even as he turned, his eye lit upon a figure behind, a tree.
“Stand!” he cried. “Who goes?”
The figure stepped forth and waved its hand like a dumb person. It was arrayed like a pilgrim, the hood5 lowered over the face, but Dick, in an instant, recognised Sir Daniel.
He strode up to him, drawing his sword; and the knight6, putting his hand in his bosom7, as if to seize a hidden weapon, steadfastly8 awaited his approach.
“Well, Dickon,” said Sir Daniel, “how is it to be? Do ye make war upon the fallen?”
“I made no war upon your life,” replied the lad; “I was your true friend until ye sought for mine; but ye have sought for it greedily.”
“Nay—self-defence,” replied the knight. “And now, boy, the news of this battle, and the presence of yon crooked9 devil here in mine own wood, have broken me beyond all help. I go to Holywood for sanctuary10; thence overseas, with what I can carry, and to begin life again in Burgundy or France.”
“Ye may not go to Holywood,” said Dick.
“How! May not?” asked the knight.
“Look ye, Sir Daniel, this is my marriage morn,” said Dick; “and yon sun that is to rise will make the brightest day that ever shone for me. Your life is forfeit11—doubly forfeit, for my father’s death and your own practices to meward. But I myself have done amiss; I have brought about men’s deaths; and upon this glad day I will be neither judge nor hangman. An ye were the devil, I would not lay a hand on you. An ye were the devil, ye might go where ye will for me. Seek God’s forgiveness; mine ye have freely. But to go on to Holywood is different. I carry arms for York, and I will suffer no spy within their lines. Hold it, then, for certain, if ye set one foot before another, I will uplift my voice and call the nearest post to seize you.”
“Ye mock me,” said Sir Daniel. “I have no safety out of Holywood.”
“I care no more,” returned Richard. “I let you go east, west, or south; north I will not. Holywood is shut against you. Go, and seek not to return. For, once ye are gone, I will warn every post about this army, and there will be so shrewd a watch upon all pilgrims that, once again, were ye the very devil, ye would find it ruin to make the essay.”
“I doom you not,” returned Richard. “If it so please you to set your valour against mine, come on; and though I fear it be disloyal to my party, I will take the challenge openly and fully13, fight you with mine own single strength, and call for none to help me. So shall I avenge14 my father, with a perfect conscience.”
“I rely upon Heaven only,” answered Dick, casting his sword some way behind him on the snow. “Now, if your ill-fate bids you, come; and, under the pleasure of the Almighty16, I make myself bold to feed your bones to foxes.”
“I did but try you, Dickon,” returned the knight, with an uneasy semblance17 of a laugh. “I would not spill your blood.”
“Go, then, ere it be too late,” replied Shelton. “In five minutes I will call the post. I do perceive that I am too long-suffering. Had but our places been reversed, I should have been bound hand and foot some minutes past.”
“Well, Dickon, I will go,” replied Sir Daniel. “When we next meet, it shall repent18 you that ye were so harsh.”
And with these words, the knight turned and began to move off under the trees. Dick watched him with strangely-mingled feelings, as he went, swiftly and warily19, and ever and again turning a wicked eye upon the lad who had spared him, and whom he still suspected.
There was upon one side of where he went a thicket20, strongly matted with green ivy21, and, even in its winter state, impervious22 to the eye. Herein, all of a sudden, a bow sounded like a note of music. An arrow flew, and with a great, choked cry of agony and anger, the Knight of Tunstall threw up his hands and fell forward in the snow.
Dick bounded to his side and raised him. His face desperately23 worked; his whole body was shaken by contorting spasms24.
“It is black,” replied Dick, gravely.
And then, before he could add one word, a desperate seizure26 of pain shook the wounded man from head to foot, so that his body leaped in Dick’s supporting arms, and with the extremity27 of that pang28 his spirit fled in silence.
The young man laid him back gently on the snow and prayed for that unprepared and guilty spirit, and as he prayed the sun came up at a bound, and the robins29 began chirping30 in the ivy.
When he rose to his feet, he found another man upon his knees but a few steps behind him, and, still with uncovered head, he waited until that prayer also should be over. It took long; the man, with his head bowed and his face covered with his hands, prayed like one in a great disorder31 or distress32 of mind; and by the bow that lay beside him, Dick judged that he was no other than the archer33 who had laid Sir Daniel low.
At length he, also, rose, and showed the countenance34 of Ellis Duckworth.
“Richard,” he said, very gravely, “I heard you. Ye took the better part and pardoned; I took the worse, and there lies the clay of mine enemy. Pray for me.”
“Sir,” said Richard, “I will pray for you, indeed; though how I may prevail I wot not. But if ye have so long pursued revenge, and find it now of such a sorry flavour, bethink ye, were it not well to pardon others? Hatch—he is dead, poor shrew! I would have spared a better; and for Sir Daniel, here lies his body. But for the priest, if I might anywise prevail, I would have you let him go.”
A flash came into the eyes of Ellis Duckworth.
“Nay,” he said, “the devil is still strong within me. But be at rest; the Black Arrow flieth nevermore—the fellowship is broken. They that still live shall come to their quiet and ripe end, in Heaven’s good time, for me; and for yourself, go where your better fortune calls you, and think no more of Ellis.”
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1
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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2
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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3
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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4
scathing
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| adj.（言词、文章）严厉的，尖刻的；不留情的adv.严厉地，尖刻地v.伤害，损害（尤指使之枯萎）( scathe的现在分词) | |
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5
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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7
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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8
steadfastly
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| adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝 | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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10
sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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11
forfeit
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| vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物 | |
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12
doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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13
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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14
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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15
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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16
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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19
warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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20
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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21
ivy
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| n.常青藤，常春藤 | |
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impervious
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| adj.不能渗透的，不能穿过的，不易伤害的 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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24
spasms
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| n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 )；抽搐；（能量、行为等的）突发；发作 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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26
seizure
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| n.没收；占有；抵押 | |
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27
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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28
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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29
robins
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| n.知更鸟，鸫( robin的名词复数 )；（签名者不分先后，以避免受责的）圆形签名抗议书（或请愿书） | |
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30
chirping
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| 鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的现在分词 ) | |
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31
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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32
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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33
archer
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| n.射手，弓箭手 | |
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34
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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35
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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