Chapter 47

IT WAS CHILLY¹ for a summer night in Bor俥. A breeze blew over the gardens. The lady Emilie huddled² in her cloak. At her side was the jester, Norbert.

Emilie had tried to read her book of chansons de geste that night, but the pages turned emptily, her thoughts drifting into space like wisps of smoke. The rhymes of poets and the tales of imaginary heroes no longer captivated her. Her heart ached with a confusion she had never known before. It always came back to one thing. One face.

What is happening to me? she wondered.I feel I am going mad, Norbert had noticed it. The jester had knocked on her door earlier that night. I know laughter, my lady, and to know that, I must know melancholy³ too.

So you are a jester and now a physician too? She pretended to scold him.

It takes no physician to see what ails⁴ you, lady. You miss the lad, don't you?

With anyone else, she would have bitten her tongue. I do miss him, jester. I cannot lie.

The jester sat across from her. You're not alone. I miss him too.

This was something new for Emilie. She was used to feeling that men were like flies, nuisances, always buzzing around her, too concerned with their boasting and their deeds to be taken seriously. But this was different.How had it happened? She had only known Hugh for weeks. His life was a world apart from hers, yet she knew everything about him. Most likely, she would never see him again.

I feel I have sent him on this quest, she told Norbert. And now I wish I could bring him back.

You did not send him, lady. And with all respect, he is not yours to bring back.

No, Norbert was right. Hugh was not hers. She had only stumbled upon him.

So she huddled in the garden that night. She needed to feel the air on her face. Somehow, out here, under the same moon, she felt closer to him.I don't know if I will ever see you again ,Hugh De Luc. But I pray I do. Somehow , some way.

You risk a lot to have such feelings, Norbert said.

They are not planned. They just...are.

He took her hand. There was a moment between them, not as lady and servant but as friends. Emilie blushed, then smiled. It seems my heart is owned by jesters from all around.

Do not worry, my lady. Our Red is canny⁵ and resourceful. I taught him, you know. A chip off the old block. I'm sure he's fine. He'll find his wife.

A jester and a physician and now a seer too? She hugged the jester. Thank you, Norbert. Then she watched him go back inside.

It was late. The garden was still. She had promised the priest she would wake early for morning prayers.Be safe ,Hugh De Luc , she whispered, then turned back toward the castle.

She headed along the loggia above the gardens to the living quarters. Then, out of the night, voices came to her from below.

Who could be out here at this hour? Emilie hid behind a column and peered into the deep shadows below.

A man and a woman. Voices raised.

She strained to hear. This is not it, knight⁶, the woman said. This is not the treasure.

It was Anne. Out there in the dark with a man. He didn't look like a knight. More like a monk⁷. In robes. But with a sword.

Emilie thought she had stumbled across something she should not have seen. Anne was angry. She'd never heard her mistress's tone this hard.

You know what my husband wants, she said. Find it!

1 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

2 huddled   

挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。
• We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。

3 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

4 ails   

v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 )；感到不舒服；处境困难；境况不佳

参考例句：

• He will not concede what anything ails his business. 他不允许任何事情来干扰他的工作。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Measles ails the little girl. 麻疹折磨着这个小女孩。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 canny   

adj.谨慎的，节俭的

参考例句：

• He was far too canny to risk giving himself away.他非常谨慎，不会冒险暴露自己。
• But I'm trying to be a little canny about it.但是我想对此谨慎一些。

6 knight   

n.骑士，武士；爵士

参考例句：

• He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
• A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。

7 monk   

n.和尚，僧侣，修道士

参考例句：

• The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
• Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。