Now it came to this at last, that to these young men the kingdom of their father seemed strait; and they longed to see the ways of other men, and to strive for life. For though they were king's sons, they had but little world's wealth; save and except good meat and drink, and enough or too much thereof; house-room of the best; friends to be merry with, and maidens1 to kiss, and these also as good as might be; freedom withal to come and go as they would; the heavens above them, the earth to bear them up, and the meadows and acres, the woods and fair streams, and the little hills of Upmeads, for that was the name of their country and the kingdom of King Peter.
So having nought2 but this little they longed for much; and that the more because, king's sons as they were, they had but scant3 dominion4 save over their horses and dogs: for the men of that country were stubborn and sturdy vavassors, and might not away with masterful doings, but were like to pay back a blow with a blow, and a foul5 word with a buffet6. So that, all things considered, it was little wonder if King Peter's sons found themselves straitened in their little land: wherein was no great merchant city; no mighty7 castle, or noble abbey of monks8: nought but fair little halls of yeomen, with here and there a franklin's court or a shield-knight's manor-house; with many a goodly church, and whiles a house of good canons, who knew not the road to Rome, nor how to find the door of the Chancellor's house.
So these young men wearied their father and mother a long while with telling them of their weariness, and their longing9 to be gone: till at last on a fair and hot afternoon of June King Peter rose up from the carpet which the Prior of St. John's by the Bridge had given him (for he had been sleeping thereon amidst the grass of his orchard11 after his dinner) and he went into the hall of his house, which was called the High House of Upmeads, and sent for his four sons to come to him. And they came and stood before his high-seat and he said:
"Sons, ye have long wearied me with words concerning your longing for travel on the roads; now if ye verily wish to be gone, tell me when would ye take your departure if ye had your choice?"
They looked at one another, and the three younger ones nodded at Blaise the eldest12: so he began, and said: "Saving the love and honour that we have for thee, and also for our mother, we would be gone at once, even with the noon's meat still in our bellies13. But thou art the lord in this land, and thou must rule. Have I said well, brethren?" And they all said "Yea, yea." Then said the king; "Good! now is the sun high and hot; yet if ye ride softly ye may come to some good harbour before nightfall without foundering14 your horses. So come ye in an hour's space to the Four-want-way, and there and then will I order your departure."
The young men were full of joy when they heard his word; and they departed and went this way and that, gathering15 such small matters as each deemed that he needed, and which he might lightly carry with him; then they armed themselves, and would bid the squires17 bring them their horses; but men told them that the said squires had gone their ways already to the Want-way by the king's commandment: so thither18 they went at once a-foot all four in company, laughing and talking together merrily.
It must be told that this Want-way aforesaid was but four furlongs from the House, which lay in an ingle of the river called Upmeads Water amongst very fair meadows at the end of the upland tillage; and the land sloped gently up toward the hill-country and the unseen mountains on the north; but to the south was a low ridge10 which ran along the water, as it wound along from west to east. Beyond the said ridge, at a place whence you could see the higher hills to the south, that stretched mainly east and west also, there was presently an end of the Kingdom of Upmeads, though the neighbours on that side were peaceable and friendly, and were wont19 to send gifts to King Peter. But toward the north beyond the Want-way King Peter was lord over a good stretch of land, and that of the best; yet was he never a rich man, for he had no freedom to tax and tail his folk, nor forsooth would he have used it if he had; for he was no ill man, but kindly20 and of measure. On these northern marches there was war at whiles, whereas they ended in a great forest well furnished of trees; and this wood was debateable, and King Peter and his sons rode therein at their peril21: but great plenty was therein of all wild deer, as hart, and buck22, and roe23, and swine, and bears and wolves withal. The lord on the other side thereof was a mightier24 man than King Peter, albeit25 he was a bishop26, and a baron27 of Holy Church. To say sooth he was a close-fist and a manslayer; though he did his manslaying through his vicars, the knights28 and men-at-arms who held their manors29 of him, or whom he waged.
In that forest had King Peter's father died in battle, and his eldest son also; therefore, being a man of peace, he rode therein but seldom, though his sons, the three eldest of them, had both ridden therein and ran therefrom valiantly30. As for Ralph the youngest, his father would not have him ride the Wood Debateable as yet.
So came those young men to the Want-ways, and found their father sitting there on a heap of stones, and over against him eight horses, four destriers, and four hackneys, and four squires withal. So they came and stood before their father, waiting for his word, and wondering what it would be.
Now spake King Peter: "Fair sons, ye would go on all adventure to seek a wider land, and a more stirring life than ye may get of me at home: so be it! But I have bethought me, that, since I am growing old and past the age of getting children, one of you, my sons, must abide32 at home to cherish me and your mother, and to lead our carles in war if trouble falleth upon us. Now I know not how to choose by mine own wit which of you shall ride and which abide. For so it is that ye are diverse of your conditions; but the evil conditions which one of you lacks the other hath, and the valiancy which one hath, the other lacks. Blaise is wise and prudent33, but no great man of his hands. Hugh is a stout34 rider and lifter, but headstrong and foolhardy, and over bounteous35 a skinker; and Gregory is courteous36 and many worded, but sluggish37 in deed; though I will not call him a dastard38. As for Ralph, he is fair to look on, and peradventure he may be as wise as Blaise, as valiant31 as Hugh, and as smooth-tongued as Gregory; but of all this we know little or nothing, whereas he is but young and untried. Yet may he do better than you others, and I deem that he will do so. All things considered, then, I say, I know not how to choose between you, my sons; so let luck choose for me, and ye shall draw cuts for your roads; and he that draweth longest shall go north, and the next longest shall go east, and the third straw shall send the drawer west; but as to him who draweth the shortest cut, he shall go no whither but back again to my house, there to abide with me the chances and changes of life; and it is most like that this one shall sit in my chair when I am gone, and be called King of Upmeads.
"Now, my sons, doth this ordinance39 please you? For if so be it doth not, then may ye all abide at home, and eat of my meat, and drink of my cup, but little chided either for sloth40 or misdoing, even as it hath been aforetime."
The young men looked at one another, and Blaise answered and said: "Sir, as for me I say we will do after your commandment, to take what road luck may show us, or to turn back home again." They all yeasaid this one after the other; and then King Peter said: "Now before I draw the cuts, I shall tell you that I have appointed the squires to go with each one of you. Richard the Red shall go with Blaise; for though he be somewhat stricken in years, and wise, yet is he a fierce carle and a doughty41, and knoweth well all feats42 of arms.
"Lancelot Longtongue shall be squire16 to Hugh; for he is good of seeming and can compass all courtesy, and knoweth logic43 (though it be of the law and not of the schools), yet is he a proper man of his hands; as needs must he be who followeth Hugh; for where is Hugh, there is trouble and debate.
"Clement44 the Black shall serve Gregory: for he is a careful carle, and speaketh one word to every ten deeds that he doeth; whether they be done with point and edge, or with the hammer in the smithy.
"Lastly, I have none left to follow thee, Ralph, save Nicholas Longshanks; but though he hath more words than I have, yet hath he more wisdom, and is a man lettered and far-travelled, and loveth our house right well.
They all said "yea." Then quoth the king; "Nicholas, bring hither the straws ready dight, and I will give them my sons to draw."
So each young man came up in turn and drew; and King Peter laid the straws together and looked at them, and said:
"Thus it is, Hugh goeth north with Lancelot, Gregory westward46 with Clement." He stayed a moment and then said: "Blaise fareth eastward47 and Richard with him. As for thee, Ralph my dear son, thou shalt back with me and abide in my house and I shall see thee day by day; and thou shalt help me to live my last years happily in all honour; and thy love shall be my hope, and thy valiancy my stay."
Therewith he arose and threw his arm about the young man's neck; but he shrank away a little from his father, and his face grew troubled; and King Peter noted48 that, and his countenance49 fell, and he said:
"Nay50 nay, my son; grudge51 not thy brethren the chances of the road, and the ill-hap of the battle. Here at least for thee is the bounteous board and the full cup, and the love of kindred and well-willers, and the fellowship of the folk. O well is thee, my son, and happy shalt thou be!"
But the young man knit his brows and said no word in answer.
Then came forward those three brethren who were to fare at all adventure, and they stood before the old man saying nought. Then he laughed and said: "O ho, my sons! Here in Upmeads have ye all ye need without money, but when ye fare in the outlands ye need money; is it not a lack of yours that your pouches53 be bare? Abide, for I have seen to it."
Therewith he drew out of his pouch52 three little bags, and said; "Take ye each one of these; for therein is all that my treasury54 may shed as now. In each of these is there coined money, both white and red, and some deal of gold uncoined, and of rings and brooches a few, and by estimation there is in each bag the same value reckoned in lawful55 silver of Upmeads and the Wolds and the Overhill-Countries. Take up each what there is, and do the best ye may therewith."
Then each took his bag, and kissed and embraced his father; and they kissed Ralph and each other, and so got to horse and departed with their squires, going softly because of the hot sun. But Nicholas slowly mounted his hackney and led Ralph's war-horse with him home again to King Peter's House.
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1
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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2
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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3
scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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4
dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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5
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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6
buffet
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| n.自助餐；饮食柜台；餐台 | |
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7
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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8
monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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9
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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10
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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11
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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12
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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13
bellies
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| n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的 | |
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14
foundering
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| v.创始人( founder的现在分词 ) | |
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15
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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16
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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17
squires
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| n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
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18
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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19
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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20
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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21
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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22
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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23
roe
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| n.鱼卵；獐鹿 | |
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24
mightier
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| adj. 强有力的，强大的，巨大的 adv. 很，极其 | |
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25
albeit
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| conj.即使；纵使；虽然 | |
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bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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28
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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29
manors
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| n.庄园（manor的复数形式） | |
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30
valiantly
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| adv.勇敢地，英勇地；雄赳赳 | |
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31
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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32
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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33
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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35
bounteous
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| adj.丰富的 | |
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36
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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37
sluggish
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| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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38
dastard
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| n.卑怯之人，懦夫；adj.怯懦的，畏缩的 | |
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39
ordinance
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| n.法令；条令；条例 | |
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40
sloth
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| n.[动]树懒；懒惰，懒散 | |
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41
doughty
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| adj.勇猛的，坚强的 | |
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42
feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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43
logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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44
clement
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| adj.仁慈的；温和的 | |
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45
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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46
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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47
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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48
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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49
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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50
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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51
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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52
pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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53
pouches
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| n.（放在衣袋里或连在腰带上的）小袋( pouch的名词复数 )；（袋鼠等的）育儿袋；邮袋；（某些动物贮存食物的）颊袋 | |
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54
treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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55
lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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