"But, brother," said Ralph, "howsoever churlish they may be, and howso timorous32, I cannot see why they should shut their gates in our faces, a little band, when there is no foe33 anear them."
"Ralph," said Hugh, "thou must think of this once more, that the Dry Tree is no good let-pass to flourish in honest men's faces; specialiter if they be monks. Amongst the brothers of Higham the tale goes that those Champions have made covenant34 with the devil to come to their above whensoever they be not more than one to five. Nay35, moreover, it is said that there be very devils amongst them; some in the likeness36 of carles, and some (God help us) dressed up in women's flesh; and fair flesh also, meseemeth. Also to-day they say in Higham that no otherwise might they ever have overcome the stark37 and cruel carles of the Burg of the Four Friths and chased them out of their town, as we know they have done. Hah! what sayest thou?"
"I say, Hugh," quoth Ralph angrily, "that thou art a fool to go about with a budget of slanderous38 old wives' tales." Hugh laughed. "Be not so wroth, little lord, or I shall be asking thee tales of marvels40 also. But hearken. I shall smooth out thy frowns with a smile when thou hast heard this: this folk are not only afeard of their old enemies, the devil-led men, but also they fear those whom the devil-led men have driven out of house and home, to wit, the Burgers. Yet again they fear the Burgers yet more, because they have beaten some of the very foes42 of Higham, to wit, the Westland Barons; for they have taken from them some of their strong-holds, and are deemed to be gathering force."
Ralph pondered a while, and then he said: "Brother, hast thou any tidings of Upmeads, or that these Burgers have gone down thither43?" "God forbid!" said Hugh. "Nay, I have had no tidings of Upmeads since I was fool enough to leave it."
"What! brother," said Ralph, "thou hast not thriven then?"
"I have had ups and downs," said Hugh, "but the ups have been one rung of the ladder, and the downs three—or more. Three months I sat in prison for getting me a broken head in a quarrel that concerned me not. Six months was I besieged44 in a town whither naught led me but ill-luck. Two days I wore in running thence, having scaled the wall and swam the ditch in the night. Three months I served squire to a knight9 who gave me the business of watching his wife of whom he was jealous; and to help me out of the weariness of his house I must needs make love myself to the said wife, who sooth to say was perchance worth it. Thence again I went by night and cloud. Ten months I wore away at the edge of the wildwood, and sometimes in it, with a sort of fellows who taught me many things, but not how to keep my hands from other men's goods when I was hungry. There was I taken with some five others by certain sergeants45 of Higham, whom the warriors of the town had sent out cautiously to see if they might catch a few men for their ranks. Well, they gave me the choice of the gallows-tree or service for the Church, and so, my choice made, there have I been ever since, till I saw thy face this evening, fair sir."
"Well, brother," said Ralph, "all that shall be amended46, and thou shalt back to Upmeads with me. Yet wert thou to amend47 thyself somewhat, it might not be ill."
Quoth Hugh: "It shall be tried, brother. But may I ask thee somewhat?" Said Ralph: "Ask on." "Fair Sir," said Hugh, "thou seemedst grown into a pretty man when I saw thee e'en-now before this twilight48 made us all alike; but the men at thy back are not wont49 to be led by men who have not earned a warrior's name, yet they follow thee: how cometh that about? Again, before the twilight gathered I saw the woman that rideth anigh us (who is now but a shadow) how fair and gentle she is: indeed there is no marvel41 in her following thee (though if she be an earl's daughter she is a fair getting for an imp50 of Upmeads), for thou art a well shapen lad, little lord, and carriest a sweet tongue in thy mouth. But tell me, what is she?"
"I kiss her hands," said Hugh; "but of what lineage is she?"
"She is my wife," said Ralph. Said Hugh: "That is, forsooth, a high dignity." Said Ralph: "Thou sayest sooth, though in mockery thou speakest, which is scarce kind to thine own mother's son: but learn, brother, that I am become a Friend of the Well, and were meet to wed52 with the daughters of the best of the Kings: yet is this one meeter to wed with me than the highest of the Queens; for she also is a Friend of the Well. Moreover, thou sayest it that the champions of the Dry Tree, who would think but little of an earl for a leader, are eager to follow me: and if thou still doubt what this may mean, abide53, till in two days or three thou see me before the foeman. Then shalt thou tell me how much changed I am from the stripling whom thou knewest in Upmeads a little while ago."
Then was Hugh somewhat abashed54, and he said: "I crave55 thy pardon, brother, but never had I a well filed tongue, and belike it hath grown no smoother amid the hard haps56 which have befallen me of late. Besides it was dull in there, and I must needs try to win a little mirth out of kith and kin39."
"So be it, lad," quoth Ralph kindly, "thou didst ask and I told, and all is said."
"Yet forsooth," said Hugh, "thou hast given me marvel for marvel, brother." "Even so," said Ralph, "and hereafter I will tell thee more when we sit safe by the wine at Upmeads."
Now cometh back one of the fore-riders and draweth rein57 by Ralph and saith that they are hard on a little thorp under the hanging of the hill that was the beginning of the Down country on that road. So Ralph bade make stay there and rest the night over, and seek new tidings on the morrow; and the man told Ralph that the folk of the thorp were fleeing fast at the tidings of their company, and that it were best that he and some half score should ride sharply into the thorp, so that it might not be quite bare of victuals58 when they came to their night's lodging59. Ralph bids him so do, but to heed60 well that he hurt no man, or let fire get into any house or roof; so he takes his knot of men and rides off on the spur, and Ralph and the main of them come on quietly; and when they came into the street of the thorp, lo there by the cross a big fire lighted, and the elders standing61 thereby cap in hand, and a score of stout carles with weapons in their hands. Then the chief man came up to Ralph and greeted him and said: "Lord, when we heard that an armed company was at hand we deemed no less than that the riders of the Burg were upon us, and deemed that there was nought62 for it but to flee each as far and as fast as he might. But now we have heard that thou art a good lord seeking his own with the help of worthy63 champions, and a foeman to those devils of the Burg, we bid thee look upon us and all we have as thine, lord, and take kindly such guesting as we may give thee."
The old man's voice quavered a little as he looked on the stark shapes of the Dry Tree; but Ralph looked kindly on him, and said: "Yea, my master, we will but ask for a covering for our heads, and what victual thou mayst easily spare us in return for good silver, and thou shalt have our thanks withal. But who be these stout lads with staves and bucklers, or whither will they to-night?"
Thereat a tall young man with a spear in his hand and girt with a short sword came forth64 and said boldly: "Lord, we be a few who thought when we heard that the Burg-devils were at hand that we might as well die in the field giving stroke for stroke, as be hauled off and drop to pieces under the hands of their tormentors; and now thou hast come, we have little will to abide behind, but were fain to follow thee, and do thee what good we can: and after thou hast come to thine above, when we go back to our kin thou mayst give us a gift if it please thee: but we deem that no great matter if thou but give us leave to have the comfort of thee and thy Champions for a while in these hard days."
When he had done speaking there rose up from the Champions a hum as of praise, and Ralph was well-pleased withal, deeming it a good omen12; so he said: "Fear not, good fellows, that I shall forget you when we have overcome the foemen, and meanwhile we will live and die together. But thou, ancient man, show our sergeants where our riders shall lie to-night, and what they shall do with their horses."
So the elders marshalled the little host to their abodes65 for that night, lodging the more part of them in a big barn on the western outskirt of the thorp. The elder who led them thither, brought them victual and good drink, and said to them: "Lords, ye were best to keep a good watch to-night because it is on this side that we may look for an onfall from the foemen if they be abroad to-night; and sooth to say that is one cause we have bestowed66 you here, deeming that ye would not grudge67 us the solace68 of knowing that your valiant bodies were betwixt us and them, for we be a poor unwalled people."
Stephen to whom he spake laughed at his word, and said: "Heart-up, carle! within these few days we shall build up a better wall than ye may have of stone and lime; and that is the overthrow21 of our foemen in the open field."
So there was kindness and good fellowship betwixt the thorp-dwellers and the riders, and the country folk told those others many tales of the evil deeds of the Burg-devils, as they called them; but they could not tell them for certain whether they had gone down into Upmeads.
As to Ralph and Ursula they, with Richard and Roger, were lodged69 in the headman's house, and had good feast there, and he also talked over the where-abouts of the Burgers with the thorp-dwellers, but might have no certain tidings. So he and Ursula and his fellows went to bed and slept peacefully for the first hours of the night.
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1
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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novice
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| adj.新手的，生手的 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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chary
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| adj.谨慎的，细心的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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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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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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garnished
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| v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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manors
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| n.庄园（manor的复数形式） | |
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omen
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| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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warded
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| 有锁孔的，有钥匙榫槽的 | |
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barons
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| 男爵( baron的名词复数 )； 巨头； 大王； 大亨 | |
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doughty
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| adj.勇猛的，坚强的 | |
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armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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overthrown
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| adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词 | |
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overthrow
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| v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆 | |
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valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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garrisons
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| 守备部队，卫戍部队( garrison的名词复数 ) | |
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chattels
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| n.动产，奴隶( chattel的名词复数 ) | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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timorous
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| adj.胆怯的，胆小的 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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covenant
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| n.盟约，契约；v.订盟约 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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slanderous
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| adj.诽谤的，中伤的 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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marvels
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| n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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42
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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43
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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44
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
sergeants
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| 警官( sergeant的名词复数 )； （美国警察）警佐； （英国警察）巡佐； 陆军（或空军）中士 | |
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46
Amended
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| adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词 | |
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amend
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| vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿 | |
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48
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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49
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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50
imp
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| n.顽童 | |
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51
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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52
wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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53
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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54
abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
crave
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| vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求 | |
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56
haps
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| n.粗厚毛披巾；偶然，机会，运气( hap的名词复数 ) | |
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rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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58
victuals
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| n.食物；食品 | |
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59
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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60
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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61
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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62
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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abodes
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| 住所( abode的名词复数 )； 公寓； （在某地的）暂住； 逗留 | |
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66
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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68
solace
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| n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和 | |
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lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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