But when the aforesaid Michaelmas market was, great recourse was there of far-travelled and wise men, and the Carline set herself diligently1 to learn all she might of such-like folk. And she had wherewithal to buy wares2 of likely chapmen, and to treat men-at-arms and others to wine and banquet. For she had brought away with her a marvellous collar of gems3, which the Maiden4 owned, and which, as she said, was the gift of the Dwarfs5; and the Maiden consenting thereto, the Carline had sold three gems from the said collar, so that they lacked not money.
Now as to the tidings the Carline heard of, they had for the most part to do with the deeds and uprising of Sir Godrick of Longshaw, and how that the Barons6 of the lands that lay about would not endure his ways and his pride, and were levying7 war against him; and they said they knew for certain that, when spring came next year, they would be on him, and that they had made a League into which they looked to draw the King of the City of the Sundering8 Flood, and that meanwhile the League was already most mightily9 manned, and so far-reaching that it was a sure thing that the Lord of Brookside had come into it, yea and even others further west and north than he. Now all were in one tale about this; but one man there was with whom the Carline spoke10, and he neither the youngest nor least wise, who said: "And yet, dame11, I look for it that the Knight12 of Longshaw will yet give this league a troublous hank to unwind, so wise a man as he is, and so well accompanies by wise and lucky men; and now hath he gotten a new captain, a young man from far away up-country; and though there has since his coming been no great war afoot, yet hath this newcomer been one of certain adventures, wherein he hath proved himself. And by all I could see and hear, for I was dwelling13 seven days at Longshaw, he will be the right hand of Sir Godrick, and that means that the Knight deems of him as no mere14 man-at-arms, but a wise man also. Moreover, I myself have seen the young man, and this I seem to see in him, that he has the lucky look in his eyes; and I am deemed cunning in the judging of men." All this and more did the Carline hear tell of, and she weighed it heedfully, and thought that a change of days was coming.
A month after this, and ere the winter had set in, came riding to Brookside a knight and two squires15, and had a special message to the Blue Knight, who received them with all honour and kindness and heard what they had to say, and prayed them to abide16 with him a while, since they had ridden far from the south and the east; but they would not tarry but one night, for they had further to go. When they were departed Sir Mark made no secret of their message, which was that the hosting of the Barons' League would be in such place, east of the water and far to the south, a month before Marymass of next year; and they prayed him to be leal and true to the League, and gather to him what force he might, as well armed and formed in all ways as could be done. But he answered that he was all ready thereto, and should do his devoir to the uttermost of his power.
When the Maiden heard this she was troubled, and asked him what he deemed of the chances of the war, and he said: "Lady, this is what we were talking of with the Lord of Warding17 Knowe that other day; and I must tell thee, though I shall go to the hosting merrily and expend18 me there to the utmost, yet I deem that they be the luckiest who may keep them out of this strife19, as I may not." "Yet," said she, "be they not mighty20 men, these Barons? and all men say that their League is well knit together; so that at the worst, they overwhelm not the Knight of Longshaw, they may hold them well against him."
"Lady," said he, "by my deeming, if we crush not this valiant21 man utterly22 he will scatter23 us; he is not such a man as, if he have any force left, may be held aloof24, as a man will hold a fierce sheep-dog with a staff till the shepherd come. To end it, since I am saying this to none but thee, I see myself so bestead that I shall deem me a lucky man if I bring back a whole skin from this war."
"It will be evil days for all of us," said she, "if thou come not back hale and sound."
"It gladdens my heart that thou shouldst say so," quoth he; "and yet I would have thee look to it, that if we overthrow25 this wise man and good knight, and I say again that must be utterly or not at all, there will be more moan made over him than over a dozen such as I; and that is no otherwise than it should be." Said she: "I would thou wert with him and not against him." The Knight said kindly26: "Dear maiden, thou must not say such words to me, for thou knowest that my part is chosen by my own will."
She said nought27, but nodded and looked at him as one who understood and thought well of him; and he began again: "So it is that yonder knight-messenger told me, amidst of his talk, that he had been but the other day to Longshaw under safe-conduct, and that there it was told him by one of the loose-tongued and grudging28 kind, as I deem, that Sir Godrick of Longshaw had gotten to him these latter days a new captain, a man very young, and as it were a David to look on in the days before he slew29 the Philistine30. Furthermore, said this grudger31, that though the said youth was a tall lad of his inches, and strong and well-knit, he was all untried, and yet was he shoving aside older and well-proven men in the favour of the Knight of Longshaw. In short, the said grudger went on with his tale as though there were some big grievance32 against his master brewing33 in Longshaw, and our knight deemed that so it was, and that they would hold together the looser, and that thereby34 we should have the cheaper bargain of them. All of which I trow nowise, but deem, on the contrary, that I see in this glorious young man even the one sent from heaven for the helping35 of our enemy, of whom I dreaded36 that he would come ere long time was worn. But now let all things be as they will that be not under my hand."
The Maiden still kept silence, but she flushed very red and her eyes glittered; for her heart was smitten37 by this tale of the young champion, and the thought sprang up suddenly, Who then can this be save mine own beloved? But the talk between them fell.
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1
diligently
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| ad.industriously;carefully | |
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wares
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| n. 货物, 商品 | |
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gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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4
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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dwarfs
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| n.侏儒，矮子（dwarf的复数形式）vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的第三人称单数形式） | |
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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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7
levying
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| 征（兵）( levy的现在分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税 | |
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8
sundering
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| v.隔开，分开( sunder的现在分词 ) | |
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9
mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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10
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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11
dame
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| n.女士 | |
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12
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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13
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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14
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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15
squires
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| n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
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16
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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17
warding
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| 监护，守护（ward的现在分词形式） | |
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18
expend
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| vt.花费，消费，消耗 | |
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19
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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20
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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21
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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22
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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scatter
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| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
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24
aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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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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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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27
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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grudging
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| adj.勉强的，吝啬的 | |
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29
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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30
philistine
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| n.庸俗的人；adj.市侩的，庸俗的 | |
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31
grudger
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| 不满； 怨恨； 恶意； 妒忌 | |
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32
grievance
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| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
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33
brewing
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| n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式 | |
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34
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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35
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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36
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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37
smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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