Chapter 33

THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON, Emilie knocked on the door of the large bedchamber in the royal couple's section of the castle. The duchess Anne was at a table, overseeing a group of ladies-in-waiting at work threading a tapestry¹. You called for me, my lady, said Emilie.

Yes, Anne replied. The quintet of women stopped work and looked up for a sign to leave. Please, stay, she said. I will speak with Emilie in the dressing² room.

The duchess motioned her into the next room, adjacent to the bedroom, where there was a large dressing table, bowls of perfumed water, and a mirror.

Anne sat on a stool. I wish to speak of the health of your new red squire³, she said.

He recovers well, Emilie replied. And please, he is not my squire. In fact, he is already married and seeks to find his wife.

His wife! And that was where he was heading when we found him so neatly⁴ trussed in the woods? A curious courtship. Anne smiled. But, now that he is well...

Not quite well, Emilie cut in.

But now that herecovers , it is fitting he should be on his way. Anyway, the doctor tells me he has a will to leave.

He has suffered great injury, madame, which he seeks to right. The owner of his offense⁵ is Baldwin of Treille.

Baldwin. Anne grimaced⁶ as if she had swallowed spoiled wine. Surely Baldwin is no friend to this court. But this man's affairs, lowly as they are, are no concern of ours. Your heart is admirable, Emilie. You have surpassed what anyone might expect of you. Now I want you to let himleave.

I will not shoo him away, madame. Emilie stood tall. I want to help him right this wrong.

Help him? Anne looked shocked. Help himwhat? Regain⁷ his title? His honor? A set of clothes?

Please, madame, every man deserves his honor, regardless of his rank in life. This man has been horribly wronged.

Anne came up to her. As she was in her living quarters and not presiding at court, her dark brown hair was combed long and over her shoulders. She was just thirty, but in many ways she was like a mother to Emilie. My sweet Emilie, where did you get such notions?

You know well, my lady. You know why I came to be here, why I left Paris and my own troubles there.

Anne placed her hand tenderly on Emilie's shoulder. Shedid love the girl. You are as caring, child, as you are rash. Nonetheless, as soon as he is ready to travel he must be off. If my husband were to hear of this, he'd come back from the Crusade and thrash me blue. ThisRed , does he have a profession? Some skill other than boar fighting?

I am teaching him a profession-starting today, Emilie replied.

But not for here, I hope. We are overemployed with hangers-on as it is.

No, not for here, my lady. Once he learns what I have to teach, he will be on his way. He has a wife to find. He loves her dearly.

1 tapestry   

n.挂毯，丰富多采的画面

参考例句：

• How about this artistic tapestry and this cloisonne vase?这件艺术挂毯和这个景泰蓝花瓶怎么样？
• The wall of my living room was hung with a tapestry.我的起居室的墙上挂着一块壁毯。

2 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

3 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

4 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

5 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

6 grimaced   

v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He grimaced at the bitter taste. 他一尝那苦味，做了个怪相。
• She grimaced at the sight of all the work. 她一看到这么多的工作就皱起了眉头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。