Slowly descending1 towards the city, Felix looked in vain for any means of crossing the channel or creek2, which extended upon the side of it, and in which he counted twenty-two merchant vessels4 at anchor, or moored5 to the bank, besides a number of smaller craft and boats. The ship of war, which had arrived before him, was beached close up by a gate of the city, which opened on the creek or port, and her crew were busily engaged discharging her stores. As he walked beside the creek trying to call the attention of some boatman to take him across, he was impressed by the silence, for though the city wall was not much more than a stone’s throw distant, there was none of the usual hum which arises from the movements of people. On looking closer he noticed, too, that there were few persons on the merchant vessels, and not one gang at work loading or unloading. Except the warder stalking to and fro on the wall, and the crew of the war-ship, there was no one visible. As the warder paced to and fro the blade of his partisan6 gleamed in the sunshine. He must have seen Felix, but with military indifference7 did not pay the slightest heed8 to the latter’s efforts to attract his attention.
He now passed the war-ship, and shouted to the men at work, who were, he could see, carrying sheaves of arrows and bundles of javelins9 from the vessel3 and placing them on carts; but they did not trouble to reply. His common dress and ordinary appearance did not inspire them with any hope of payment from him if they obliged him with a boat. The utter indifference with which his approach was seen showed him the contempt in which he was held.
Looking round to see if there were no bridge or ferry, he caught sight of the grey church tower which he had observed from afar while sailing. It was quite a mile from the city, and isolated10 outside the walls. It stood on the slope of the hill, over whose summit the tower was visible. He wandered up towards it, as there were usually people in or about the churches, which were always open day and night. If no one else, the porter in the lodge11 at the church door would be there, for he or his representative never left it, being always on the watch lest some thief should attempt to enter the treasury12, or steal the sacred vessels.
But as he ascended13 the hill he met a shepherd, whose dogs prepared to fly at him, recognising a stranger. For a moment the man seemed inclined to let them wreak14 their will, if they could, for he also felt inclined to challenge a stranger, but, seeing Felix lower his spear, it probably occurred to him that some of his dogs would be killed. He therefore ordered them down, and stayed to listen. Felix learnt that there was no bridge across the creek, and only one over the river; but there was a ferry for anybody who was known. No strangers were allowed to cross the ferry; they must enter by the main road over the bridge.
“But how am I to get into the place then?” said Felix. The shepherd shook his head, and said he could not tell him, and walked away about his business.
Discouraged at these trifling15 vexations, which seemed to cross his path at every step, Felix found his way to the ferry, but, as the shepherd had said, the boatman refused to carry him, being a stranger. No persuasion16 could move him; nor the offer of a small silver coin, worth about ten times his fare.
“I must then swim across,” said Felix, preparing to take off his clothes.
“Swim, if you like,” said the boatman, with a grim smile; “but you will never land.”
“Why not?”
“Because the warder will let drive at you with an arrow.”
Felix looked, and saw that he was opposite the extreme angle of the city wall, a point usually guarded with care. There was a warder stalking to and fro; he carried a partisan, but, of course, might have his bow within reach, or could probably call to the soldiers of the guard.
“This is annoying,” said Felix, ready to give up his enterprise. “How ever can I get into the city?”
The old boatman grinned, but said nothing, and returned to a net which he was mending. He made no answer to the further questions Felix put to him. Felix then shouted to the warder; the soldier looked once, but paid no more heed. Felix walked a little way and sat down on the grass. He was deeply discouraged. These repulses17, trifles in themselves, assumed an importance, because his mind had long been strung up to a high pitch of tension. A stolid18 man would have thought nothing of them. After a while he arose, again asking himself how should he become a leader, who had not the perseverance19 to enter a city in peaceful guise20?
Not knowing what else to do, he followed the creek round the foot of the hill, and so onwards for a mile or more. This bank was steep, on account of the down; the other cultivated, the corn being already high. The cuckoo sang (she loves the near neighbourhood of man) and flew over the channel towards a little copse. Almost suddenly the creek wound round under a low chalk cliff, and in a moment Felix found himself confronted by another city. This had no wall; it was merely defended by a ditch and earthwork, without tower or bastion.
The houses were placed thickly together; there were, he thought, six or seven times as many as he had previously21 seen, and they were thatched or shingled22, like those in his own country. It stood in the midst of the fields, and the corn came up to the fosse; there were many people at work, but, as he noticed, most of them were old men, bowed and feeble. A little way farther he saw a second boathouse; he hastened thither23, and the ferrywoman, for the boat was poled across by a stout24 dame25, made not the least difficulty about ferrying him over. So delighted was Felix at this unexpected fortune, that he gave her the small silver coin, at sight of which he instantly rose high in her estimation.
She explained to him, in answer to his inquiries26, that this was also called Aisi; this was the city of the common folk. Those who were rich or powerful had houses in the walled city, the precinct of the Court. Many of the houses there, too, were the inns of great families who dwelt in the country in their castles, but when they came to the Court required a house. Their shields, or coats of arms, were painted over the doors. The walled city was guarded with such care, because so many attempts had been made to surprise it, and to assassinate27 the king, whose fiery28 disposition29 and constant wars had raised him up so many enemies. As much care was taken to prevent a single stranger entering as if he were the vanguard of a hostile army, and if he now went back (as he could do) to the bridge over the river, he would be stopped and questioned, and possibly confined in prison till the king returned.
“Where is the king?” asked Felix; “I came to try and take service with him.”
“Then you will be welcome,” said the woman. “He is in the field, and has just sat down before Iwis.”
“That was why the walled city seemed so empty, then.” said Felix.
“Yes; all the people are with him; there will be a great battle this time.”
“How far is it to Iwis?” said Felix.
“Twenty-seven miles,” replied the dame; “and if you take my advice, you had better walk twenty-seven miles there, than two miles back to the bridge over the river.”
Someone now called from the opposite bank, and she started with the boat to fetch another passenger.
“Thank you, very much,” said Felix, as he wished her good day; “but why did not the man at the other ferry tell me I could cross here?”
The woman laughed outright30. “Do you suppose he was going to put a penny in my way when he could not get it himself?”
So mean and petty is the world! Felix entered the second city and walked some distance through it, when he recollected31 that he had not eaten for some time. He looked in vain for an inn, but upon speaking to a man who was leaning on his crutch32 at a doorway33, he was at once asked to enter, and all that the house afforded was put before him. The man with the crutch sat down opposite, and remarked that most of the folk were gone to the camp, but he could not because his foot had been injured. He then went on to tell how it had happened, with the usual garrulity34 of the wounded. He was assisting to place the beam of a battering-ram35 upon a truck (it took ten horses to draw it) when a lever snapped, and the beam fell. Had the beam itself touched him he would have been killed on the spot; as it was, only a part of the broken lever or pole hit him. Thrown with such force, the weight of the ram driving it, the fragment of the pole grazed his leg, and either broke one of the small bones that form the arch of the instep, or so bruised36 it that it was worse than broken. All the bone-setters and surgeons had gone to the camp, and he was left without attendance other than the women, who fomented37 the foot daily, but he had little hope of present recovery, knowing that such things were often months about.
He thought it lucky that it was no worse, for very few, he had noticed, ever recovered from serious wounds of spear or arrow. The wounded generally died; only the fortunate escaped. Thus he ran on, talking as much for his own amusement as that of his guest. He fretted38 because he could not join the camp and help work the artillery39; he supposed the ram would be in position by now and shaking the wall with its blow. He wondered if Baron40 Ingulph would miss his face.
“Who’s he?” asked Felix.
“He is captain of the artillery,” replied his host.
“Are you his retainer?”
“No; I am a servant.”
Felix started slightly, and did but just check himself from rising from the table. A “servant” was a slave; it was the euphemism41 used instead of the hateful word, which not even the most degraded can endure to bear. The class of the nobles to which he belonged deemed it a disgrace to sit down with a slave, to eat with him, even to accidently touch him. With the retainers, or free men, they were on familiar terms, though despotic to the last degree; the slave was less than the dog. Then, stealing a glance at the man’s face, Felix saw that he had no moustache; he had not noticed this before. No slaves were allowed to wear the moustache.
This man having been at home ill some days had neglected to shave, and there was some mark upon his upper lip. As he caught his guest’s glance, the slave hung his head, and asked his guest in a low and humble42 voice not to mention this fault. With his face slightly flushed, Felix finished his meal; he was confused to the last degree. His long training and the tone of the society in which he had moved (though so despised a member of it) prejudiced him strongly against the man whose hospitality was so welcome. On the other hand, the ideas which had for so long worked in his mind in his solitary43 intercommunings in the forest were entirely44 opposed to servitude. In abstract principle he had long since condemned45 it, and desired to abolish it. But here was the fact.
He had eaten at a slave’s table, and sat with him face to face. Theory and practice are often strangely at variance46. He felt it an important moment; he felt that he was himself, as it were, on the balance; should he adhere to the ancient prejudice, the ancient exclusiveness of his class, or should he boldly follow the dictate47 of his mind? He chose the latter, and extended his hand to the servant as he rose to say good-bye. The act was significant; it recognised man as distinct from caste. The servant did not know the conflict that had taken place; but to be shaken hands with at all, even by a retainer as he supposed Felix to be, was indeed a surprise. He could not understand it; it was the first time his hand had been taken by any one of superior position since he had been born. He was dumb with amazement48, and could scarcely point out the road when asked; nor did he take the small coin Felix offered, one of the few he possessed49. Felix therefore left it on the table and again started.
Passing through the town, Felix followed the track which led in the direction indicated. In about half a mile it led him to a wider track, which he immediately recognised as the main way and road to the camp by the ruts and dust, for the sward had been trampled50 down for fifty yards wide, and even the corn was cut up by wheels and horses’ hoofs51. The army had passed, and he had but to follow its unmistakable trail.
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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partisan
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| adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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javelins
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| n.标枪( javelin的名词复数 ) | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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wreak
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| v.发泄；报复 | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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repulses
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| v.击退( repulse的第三人称单数 )；驳斥；拒绝 | |
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stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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shingled
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| adj.盖木瓦的；贴有墙面板的v.用木瓦盖(shingle的过去式和过去分词形式) | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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dame
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| n.女士 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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assassinate
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| vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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crutch
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| n.T字形拐杖；支持，依靠，精神支柱 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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garrulity
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| n.饶舌，多嘴 | |
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ram
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| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
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bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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fomented
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| v.激起，煽动（麻烦等）( foment的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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euphemism
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| n.婉言，委婉的说法 | |
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42
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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variance
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| n.矛盾，不同 | |
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dictate
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| v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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50
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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51
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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