Chapter 118

WHO IS THERE? a cranky voice barked from behind the door. Speak to me!

Emilie hunched¹ inside her dark hood². The familiar testiness³ was like an old friend, and it made her smile. Have your wits become as dull as your jokes, Norbert? she called back.

Slowly the door to the jester's chamber⁴ cracked open. Norbert peeked⁵ out, his tunic⁶ open to his chest and his hair tousled and awry⁷.

At first, he regarded the huddled⁸ shape suspiciously. Then, as she removed the hood, his eyes opened wide. Lady Emilie!

Norbert glanced down the corridor to make sure she was alone, then spread his arms and embraced her. It's a beautiful sight to see you.

Emilie squeezed him back. It's good to see you too, jester.

Norbert hurried her inside his room. He shut the door, then frowned. It's a beautiful sight, my lady, but not necessarily to see youhere. You've taken a great risk to come back. But tell me quick-you've been with Hugh?

Emilie brought him up to date. First, on the raid on Veille du P?re and the existence of the lance.The very staff you sent to Hugh. Then, of the incredible events that followed. The townspeople who had risen up with him. Treille. With each piece of news, the jester's eyes grew more incredulous, his cackles of delight more unrestrained.

When she told him of Baldwin's capture, he danced around and fell back on his mat, kicking his legs with glee. I knew that boy was a gift from God, but this...

He lifted himself back up, his laughter subsiding⁹. He studied her face, the rosy¹⁰ cast of her cheeks. But tell me, my lady... why are you here now?

Emilie lowered her eyes. For my mistress. It is my duty.

Your mistress! Then you have traveled a long way and at much risk for no end. Things are much changed here. The duke dreams of killing¹¹ Hugh with the zeal¹² of a dog slobbering over a cooking roast. Does anyone know you have arrived?

I mingled¹³ with a party of monks¹⁴ returning from pilgrimage. I came to you first.

That is wise. Your last running off is exposed. It is assumed you were with Hugh. If not for Lady Anne's protest, Stephen's guards would be looking for you too.

Emilie's face lit up. Iknew she would be true. I was right about Anne.

1 hunched   

（常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的

参考例句：

• He sat with his shoulders hunched up. 他耸起双肩坐着。
• Stephen hunched down to light a cigarette. 斯蒂芬弓着身子点燃一支烟。

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 testiness   

n.易怒，暴躁

参考例句：

• Testiness crept into my voice. 我的话音渐渐带上了怒气。 来自辞典例句

4 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

5 peeked   

v.很快地看( peek的过去式和过去分词 )；偷看；窥视；微露出

参考例句：

• She peeked over the top of her menu. 她从菜单上往外偷看。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• On two occasions she had peeked at him through a crack in the wall. 她曾两次透过墙缝窥视他。 来自辞典例句

6 tunic   

n.束腰外衣

参考例句：

• The light loose mantle was thrown over his tunic.一件轻质宽大的斗蓬披在上衣外面。
• Your tunic and hose match ill with that jewel,young man.你的外套和裤子跟你那首饰可不相称呢，年轻人。

7 awry   

adj.扭曲的，错的

参考例句：

• She was in a fury over a plan that had gone awry. 计划出了问题，她很愤怒。
• Something has gone awry in our plans.我们的计划出差错了。

8 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。

9 subsiding   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的现在分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• The flooded river was subsiding rapidly. 泛滥的河水正在迅速退落。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gradually the tension was subsiding, gradually the governor was relenting. 风潮渐渐地平息了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

10 rosy   

adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的

参考例句：

• She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。
• She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

11 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

12 zeal   

n.热心，热情，热忱

参考例句：

• Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们，于是他们从军了。
• They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作，以期完成这个项目。

13 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

14 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》