Chapter 60

I WATCHED EMILIE FROM OUTSIDE the sitting room before she had the chance to spy me. She was amid the other ladies-in-waiting attending to their embroidery¹. Her blond braids spilled out from under a white hood². Her little nose seemed as soft as a bud. I saw what I had known that first day but looked beyond due to the nature of our friendship:

Emilie was beautiful. She was beyond compare.

I winked³ at her from the doorway⁴, flashed her a smile. Her eyes stretched as wide as wildflowers blooming in July.

Emilie rose, placing her embroidery neatly⁵ down on the table, and with perfect politeness excused herself and came toward me. Her pace quickened as she did.

Only in the hall, when she rushed up to me and grasped my hands, did she show her true delight.Hugh De Luc...It's true.Someone said they saw you. You have come back to us.

I hope I don't wear out my welcome, my lady. And that you are not displeased⁶.

She grinned. I am most pleased. And look at you... Still in your jester's garb⁷. You look good, Hugh.

The same you made for me, just a bit frayed⁸. Norbert has taken ill. I promised I would stand in for him.

Her eyes, vibrant⁹ and green, seemed to illuminate¹⁰ the dark hall. I have no doubt we will all be the merrier for it. But tell me, Hugh, your quest... ? How did it go?

I bowed my head, not for a moment hiding my disappointment or true feelings.

Emilie led me down the hall, where no guards were posted and we were able to sit on a bench. Please... I can see you are sorely troubled, but I have to hear.

Your plan was excellent. On the subject of mypretext , everything went well. I replaced the fool in Treille, gained access as we had spoken, and was able to snoop around.

I did not mean our pretext¹¹, Hugh. I meant your quest. Your dear Sophie. What did you find? Tell me.

As to my wife. I swallowed dryly. I am now sure that she is dead.

The light in Emilie's hopeful eyes began to dim. She reached out for my hand. I am most sorry, Hugh. I can see how it saddens you. We sat there silently for a while. Then she noticed my arm. You are injured again.

Just a bit. It's nothing. It's healing. I found the person who was responsible for Sophie and my son. I ended up having to face him off.

Face him off... A look of concern flashed in her eyes. And the outcome?

The outcome? I bowed my head again, then raised it with a slight smile. I amhere. He... is not.

Her face lit up. And I am glad. And most glad to hear that you will stay a while too. She folded up my sleeve and studied the sword marks on my arm. This needs treatment, Hugh.

You are always nursing me back to health, I said. I was surprised at how easily I fell into her care again. Almost without trying. It felt good to be here. A calm spread over my face.

But there is more I have to tell you, I'm afraid. This man I fought... he was a knight¹². More than a knight, in fact. He was Baldwin's chatelain. It ended up, in our squaring off... I killed him.

Emilie gazed intently at me. I have no doubt that what you did was right.

Itwas , Lady Emilie... I swear it. He murdered my wife and son. Yet the man was a noble. AndI...

Is it not regarded as justice when one takes recompense for the loss of his property? Emilie cut in. Or defends the reputation of his wife?

For nobles, yes. I bowed my head again. But I fear there is no justice in this world that shines on a lowborn man who kills a knight. Even if it is deserved.

That may be. Emilie nodded. But it will notalways be.

Her eyes met mine. You are always welcome here, Hugh. I will talk to Lady Anne.

Instantly I felt as if the heaviest weight had been lifted from my shoulders. How did I deserve such a friend? How in this one pure soul had all the boundaries and laws by which I had lived been set aside? I felt so grateful to have come here.

There's no way for me to thank you. I clasped her hand. Then I realized my mistake, my forwardness, my stupidity.

Her eyes drifted to my hand, but she made no move to take hers back. The duke's chatelain, you say... She smiled, finally. You may be lowborn, as you say, Hugh De Luc, yet somehow your aim is remarkably¹³ high.

1 embroidery   

n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品

参考例句：

• This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品，使人惊叹不已。
• This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery.这是简第一次试着绣花。

2 hood   

n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖

参考例句：

• She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
• The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

3 winked   

v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮

参考例句：

• He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 他冲她眨了眨眼，她便知道他的想法和她一样。
• He winked his eyes at her and left the classroom. 他向她眨巴一下眼睛走出了教室。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

5 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。

6 displeased   

a.不快的

参考例句：

• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
• He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。

7 garb   

n.服装，装束

参考例句：

• He wore the garb of a general.他身着将军的制服。
• Certain political,social,and legal forms reappear in seemingly different garb.一些政治、社会和法律的形式在表面不同的外衣下重复出现。

8 frayed   

adj.磨损的v.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His shirt was frayed. 他的衬衫穿破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The argument frayed their nerves. 争辩使他们不快。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

10 illuminate   

vt.照亮，照明；用灯光装饰；说明，阐释

参考例句：

• Dreams kindle a flame to illuminate our dark roads.梦想点燃火炬照亮我们黑暗的道路。
• They use games and drawings to illuminate their subject.他们用游戏和图画来阐明他们的主题。

11 pretext   

n.借口，托词

参考例句：

• He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。
• He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。

12 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。

13 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。