登陆注册
15704200000003

第3章 CHAPTER III: (1)

WALTER HEARETH TIDINGS OF THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER

Fast sailed the Katherine over the seas, and nought befell to tell of, either to herself or her crew. She came to one cheaping-town and then to another, and so on to a third and a fourth; and at each was buying and selling after the manner of chapmen; and Walter not only looked on the doings of his father's folk, but lent a hand, what he might, to help them in all matters, whether it were in seaman's craft, or in chaffer. And the further he went and the longer the time wore, the more he was eased of his old trouble wherein his wife and her treason had to do.

But as for the other trouble, to wit his desire and longing to come up with those three, it yet flickered before him; and though he had not seen them again as one sees people in the streets, and as if he might touch them if he would, yet were their images often before his mind's eye; and yet, as time wore, not so often, nor so troublously; and forsooth both to those about him and to himself, he seemed as a man well healed of his melancholy mood.

Now they left that fourth stead, and sailed over the seas and came to a fifth, a very great and fair city, which they had made more than seven months from Langton on Holm; and by this time was Walter taking heed and joyance in such things as were toward in that fair city, so far from his kindred, and especially he looked on the fair women there, and desired them, and loved them; but lightly, as befalleth young men.

Now this was the last country whereto the Katherine was boun; so there they abode some ten months in daily chaffer, and in pleasuring them in beholding all that there was of rare and goodly, and making merry with the merchants and the towns-folk, and the country-folk beyond the gates, and Walter was grown as busy and gay as a strong young man is like to be, and was as one who would fain be of some account amongst his own folk.

But at the end of this while, it befell on a day, as he was leaving his hostel for his booth in the market, and had the door in his hand, there stood before him three mariners in the guise of his own country, and with them was one of clerkly aspect, whom he knew at once for his father's scrivener, Arnold Penstrong by name; and when Walter saw him his heart failed him and he cried out: "Arnold, what tidings? Is all well with the folk at Langton?"

Said Arnold: "Evil tidings are come with me; matters are ill with thy folk; for I may not hide that thy father, Bartholomew Golden, is dead, God rest his soul."

At that word it was to Walter as if all that trouble which but now had sat so light upon him, was once again fresh and heavy, and that his past life of the last few months had never been; and it was to him as if he saw his father lying dead on his bed, and heard the folk lamenting about the house. He held his peace awhile, and then he said in a voice as of an angry man:

"What, Arnold! and did he die in his bed, or how? for he was neither old nor ailing when we parted."

Said Arnold: "Yea, in his bed he died: but first he was somewhat sword-bitten."

"Yea, and how?" quoth Walter.

Said Arnold: "When thou wert gone, in a few days' wearing, thy father sent thy wife out of his house back to her kindred of the Reddings with no honour, and yet with no such shame as might have been, without blame to us of those who knew the tale of thee and her; which, God-a-mercy, will be pretty much the whole of the city."

"Nevertheless, the Reddings took it amiss, and would have a mote with us Goldings to talk of booting. By ill-luck we yea-said that for the saving of the city's peace. But what betid? We met in our Gild-hall, and there befell the talk between us; and in that talk certain words could not be hidden, though they were none too seemly nor too meek. And the said words once spoken drew forth the whetted steel; and there then was the hewing and thrusting! Two of ours were slain outright on the floor, and four of theirs, and many were hurt on either side. Of these was thy father, for as thou mayst well deem, he was nought backward in the fray; but despite his hurts, two in the side and one on the arm, he went home on his own feet, and we deemed that we had come to our above. But well-a-way! it was an evil victory, whereas in ten days he died of his hurts.

同类推荐
  • Laches

    Laches

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 栖云真人王志谨盘山语录

    栖云真人王志谨盘山语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 撼龙经

    撼龙经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 三国演义

    三国演义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 黄庭内外景玉经解

    黄庭内外景玉经解

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 灰黑白

    灰黑白

    中国式犯罪,侦探题材小说,涉及到三代人百年的对抗历程,神秘莫测的组织,匪夷所思的案件,莫名其妙的联系。人人都是棋子,人人又都是持棋者,庄周梦蝶,还是蝶梦庄周。
  • 狐祸之玩美游戏

    狐祸之玩美游戏

    狐狸精怎么了,长的漂亮不是我的错,是DNA遗传好。牡丹花下死做鬼也风流,穿越到了古代我依旧喜欢掀起腥风血雨。童年的阴影,初恋的伤痛,造就了今天的我。游戏人生,看尽世间百态,我的一生只能如此了吗?读者群:94295033
  • 玫瑰:命运

    玫瑰:命运

    女主:琉姝心,与她的姐妹复仇故事。尽请期待!
  • 星辰不及你耀眼

    星辰不及你耀眼

    爱情与回忆像氧气一样,沁透你的心肺。在时光的流动中,镌刻着你我的名字!:她的童年如同阳光晒不到的角落,没有拥有更不曾期望获得;他的世界如同用明亮温暖铺就,永远随心所欲,不曾体会失去的难过。13岁的她成为了他家的养子,从此受尽欺辱。因为身份境遇的不同,待遇差别略有不同。一次意外的事件,让久久沉睡的‘女王’苏醒意外的机会,儿时的记忆重现,引出迷离的身世,二十年前的命案杀手,二十年后的恩怨情仇,将该何去何从。沉睡已久的意识重现,二十年前的封印即将破解,不安的意识已在蠢蠢欲动,隐藏在陆地的生物已开始不安的躁动。
  • 飞鼠记

    飞鼠记

    也许不能完全符合你的口味,但一定有你喜欢的!
  • 裁神笔记——谋事在人

    裁神笔记——谋事在人

    应届生靳辙在试用期转正当天接到了天成人力资源公司的辞退函,负责离职面谈的是素有“裁神”之称的咨询部总监夏治。而在办理离职手续当天,靳辙却又受到夏治的邀请,希望他加入其团队成为一名离职面谈官。从此靳辙走上了一个没有硝烟的战场,在这张谈判桌上,坐在两端的人都没有选择,为了自己的生存,没有退身的空间。游戏规则是何等的残酷——要么留下,要么离开。“裁神”夏治、心理学专家柳春芬、法务专家韩麓、医药公司总经理段武、冷面美女律师凌霜绛、富二代大小姐萧雪,纷纷粉墨登场,演绎出一场场职场上的“生死离别”。随着一次次的裁员案件,无形中伤害到身边的好友,靳辙逐步开始怀疑,他开始反思离职谈判的真正意义究竟何在。
  • 直冲云霄九万仞

    直冲云霄九万仞

    三十年河东,三十年河西!曾近的落魄少年,如今冲冠一怒,何人敢挡!
  • 杀手的寂寞都市

    杀手的寂寞都市

    曾经的富商公子,锦衣玉食,家人被杀手残忍杀害,年幼的叶梦龙从此改名夜漠,走上杀手这条路,经历了太多的鲜血和生死,回归都市,这真的是适合自己的世界吗?杀手在都市,都市不平静。
  • 似水漂流的岁月

    似水漂流的岁月

    家人眼中的她,是个淘气包、爱哭鬼、任性执拗的女孩。同学眼中的她,是个文静、懂事、多才善交的女孩。朋友眼中的她,是个人来疯,爱笑,嗜钱如命的损友。而她眼中的自己,是个虚伪、假装、躲在阴暗深处胆小的女孩。她的占有欲很大,叛逆心很强……她就是这样一个分不清自己是什么样的女孩。她的生活总是模凌两可,抓不住中心。黑暗是她喜欢又害怕的。她总在内心深处寻找最真实的自己。她喜欢的人,和喜欢她的人,交错纠结。她交往的不是她喜欢的,可是却因为某些原因,不得不和他在一起。有些事情总是身不由己,错过的终究是错过了,连挽回的余地也没有了。这些感情纠葛里到底谁伤了谁?
  • 静待尘埃

    静待尘埃

    她是一个暗人,一颗被精心培养的棋子。那一年,她亲自结束了生生父亲的性命;那一年,她看着自己爱的人死在自己的剑下;那一年,她被送入宇国,做了宇王的女人。她,被利用,被迫害,却无可奈何;她,越挣扎,越困惑,却无法逃避。她,被卷入三国之中,一个女人的命运牵动了三个国家的历史。