登陆注册
15705300000060

第60章 HOW ELLIOT LOST HER JACKANAPES(1)

The Maid's confessor,Pasquerel,stood in the chamber where we had met,with his eyes bent on the ground,so that Elliot and I had no more free speech at that time.Therefore I said farewell,not daring to ask of her when her mind was to visit my hosts,and,indeed,my trust was that she might leave this undone,lest new cause of sorrow should arise.Thus we parted,with very courtly leave-taking,the priest regarding us in his manner,and I was carried in the litter through the streets,that had been so quiet when I came forth in the morning,but now they were full of men and of noise.Herds of cattle were being driven for the food of the army marching against Jargeau;there were trains of carts full of victual,and the citizens having lent the Maid their great pieces of ordnance,the bombard called "The Shepherdess,"and the gun "Montargis,"these were being dragged along by clamorous companies of apprentices,and there were waggons charged with powder,and stone balls,and boxes of arrows,spades and picks for trenching,and all manner of munition of war.By reason of the troops of horses and of marching men,they that bore me were often compelled to stop.Therefore,lest any who knew me should speak with me,Idrew the curtains of the litter,for I had much matter to think on,and was fain to be private.But this was to be of no avail,for Iheard loud voices in my own tongue.

"What fair lady is this who travels so secretly?"and,with this,one drew the curtains,and there was the face of Randal Rutherford,with others behind him.Then he uttered a great cry -"Faith,it is our lady of the linen-basket,and no other";and leaning within,he gave me a rough embrace and a kiss of his bearded lips."Why so early astir,our sick man?"he cried."Get yourself healed anon,and be with us when we take Paris town,Norman,for there is booty enough to furnish all Scotland.Shalt thou be with us yet?""If my strength backs my will,Randal;and truly your face is a sight for sair eyne,and does me more good than all the powers of the apothecary.""Then here is to our next merry meeting,"he cried,"under Paris walls!"With that the Scots gave a shout,and,some of them crowding round to press my hand,they bade me be of good cheer,and all went onward,singing in the tune of "Hey,tuttie tattie,"which the pipers played when we broke the English at Bannockburn.

So I was borne back to the house of Jacques Boucher,and,in the sunny courtyard,there stood Charlotte,looking gay and fair,yet warlike,as I deemed.She was clad in a long garment of red over a white robe,and had sleeves of green,so that she wore the spring's own colours,and she was singing a French ditty concerning a lady who has a lover,and vows that she will never be a nun.

Seray-je nonnette,oui ou non,Serray-je nonnette,je croy que non!

Seeing me,she stinted in her singing,and in feeding a falcon that was perched on her wrist.

"You are early astir for a sick man,"she said."Have you been on pilgrimage,or whither have you been faring?""The Maid sent for me right early,for to-day she rides to Jargeau,and to you she sends a message of her love,"--as indeed she had done,"but,for the great press of affairs she might not visit you.""And Mistress Elliot Hume,has she forgiven her lover yet?nay,Isee by your face that you are forgiven!And you go south,this very day,is it not so?""Indeed,"I said,"if it is your will that we part,part we must,though I sorrow for it;but none has given me the word to march,save you,my fair nurse and hostess.""Nay,it is not I who shall speed you;nevertheless the Maid is not the only prophetess in this realm of France,and something tells me that we part this day.But you are weary;will you get you to your chamber,or sit in the garden under the mulberry-tree,and I shall bring you out a cup of white wine."Weary I was indeed,and the seat in the garden among the flowers seemed a haven most desirable.So thither I went,leaning on her shoulder,and she returned to bring the wine,but was some while absent,and I sat deep in thought.I was marvelling,not only as to what my mistress would next do,and when I should see her again (though that was uppermost in my mind),but also concerning the strange words of the Maid,that I alone should be with her when all forsook her and fled.How might this be,and was she not to be ever victorious,and drive the English forth of France?To my thinking the Maid dwelt ever in two worlds,with her brethren of Paradise,and again with sinful men.And I have often considered that she did not always remember,in this common life,what had befallen her,and what she knew when,as the Apostle says,she "was out of the body."For I have heard her say,more than once,that she "would last but one year,or little more,"and,again,she would make plans for three years to come,or four,which is a mystery.

So I was pondering,when I looked up,and saw Charlotte standing in the entrance between the court and garden,looking at me and smiling,as she shaded her eyes with her hand from the sun,and then she ran to me lightly as a lapwing.

"They are coming down the street,looking every way for our house,your lady and her father,"she said,putting the wine-cup into my hand."Now is it war or peace?"and she fled back again within the house.

同类推荐
  • An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving

    An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving

    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。
  • 海琼问道集

    海琼问道集

    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。
  • 菩萨戒本持犯要记

    菩萨戒本持犯要记

    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。
  • 六韬

    六韬

    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。
  • 七国考

    七国考

    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
  • 我是大纨绔

    我是大纨绔

    剧情版:他和女王和咖啡,他和总统吹牛逼,他带着王子混电子竞技,他带着公主开演唱会,他在首尔调戏女团,他在纽约挑逗维密。他的粉丝见面会堪比奥运会盛事。他是集演员,歌手,舞蹈家,漫画家,编剧,导演为一体的天才创作人。他是全球独领风骚横跨中西方文化的小说家、大文豪和思想家,他是全球公认的灵魂歌手和舞者,他是童话与动漫王国的国王,他是华尔街与外滩仰望的金融投资家,他是全球最伟大的明星,他是一个时代的领导者。人们说他是上帝赋予人类的礼物,但他说:我真的只是一个大纨绔而已。这一切开始于一个通宵LOL的夜晚。简单版:这是一个逗逼重生为超级纨绔,扮猪吃老虎,开着外挂在文娱界装逼打脸的故事。
  • 邪君霸宠:废柴庶女要翻天

    邪君霸宠:废柴庶女要翻天

    21世纪的金牌缉毒警察,在庆功宴的路上不小心被毒枭报复,命丧黄泉,本以为就这样含冤而去,谁知竟然穿越到废材庶女的身上。废材?马上就会变成天才!"姑娘,本尊好似瞧上你了,不如跟本尊回家做个暖床丫头。"“公子,本小姐好似瞧上你了,不如公子净了身子来做本小姐的贴身小太监吧。”“姑娘好狠的心啊。”看废材怎样逆袭逆天,邪君怎样追妻宠妻,请锁定《邪君霸宠:废柴庶女要翻天》
  • 天命之域

    天命之域

    弹指之间,万道颤动。。。呼吸之间,周天崩裂。。。纵然是创界之主又能如何?在那被混沌之力笼罩住的天命世界,所有的人都为这所谓的混沌之力而走火入魔。。。来自青木镇的少年,为了改变这被混沌之力所扭曲的世界,走出青木镇,继承父望,为了那虚无缥缈之路而奋斗终生!!所有人无时无刻都身处危险之中,只不过,他们都未曾意识到罢了。。。
  • 穿透命运的微笑

    穿透命运的微笑

    或许只有不完美的才是青春,又或许只有不尽人意的才是人生。生化人陆鹰将如何演绎他的爱恨情仇,面对着强大的敌人,面对着死亡的选择,面对着曾经爱过的她,他又将如何去面对,如何去抉择。华夏气功,东北巫术,西南蛊术,南美萨满,欧洲十字骑士以及“撒巴特”和“卡玛利拉”,北美“枯髅会”等等,还有最神秘的七大原晶,他们又将会交织出怎样的火花?在众多势力的夹层中又将如何生存?敬请收看《穿透命运的微笑》
  • 你的城市很美

    你的城市很美

    可惜故事太长,只有风听我讲。蓦然回首,希望留下的人还有你。
  • 水誓颜花

    水誓颜花

    穿入奇怪世界,恶梦开始,他们会有怎么样的经历?????
  • 蛊缠心志

    蛊缠心志

    诡谲的车祸,古老的诅咒,阴谋与阳谋的交织成已知的过往,而未来又何去何从?
  • 雪球专刊第089期:时间的玫瑰

    雪球专刊第089期:时间的玫瑰

    时间是价值投资者的良师益友。作为初入股市的你,如何才能像投资老手那样,学会长线持股,静待时间玫瑰的绽放?长线投资如何选股,如何才能“不畏浮云遮望眼”,拿住传说中的牛票?参见本期雪球专刊——《时间的玫瑰》。
  • 契约婚姻——霸道总裁独宠娇妻

    契约婚姻——霸道总裁独宠娇妻

    本文里描写的是女主角因为父亲得了癌症,被迫嫁给了厉氏总裁。然而林依依的闺蜜却背叛了她,她的闺蜜也爱上了厉少阳,这样的爱情能擦出怎样的烟火?
  • 不朽神守恋

    不朽神守恋

    一名来自耀夜学院的阳光少年,借着自己罕见的异能去保护弱小,偶尔挑逗一下女同学。携带着超能力和那张俊逸的脸,没人敢跟他抢校花!……在这所学院,充满了超能力元素,情感之事伴随着学生,配上风趣幽默的日常生活,携带着独一无二的超能力,创造出属于学生们的“不朽神守恋”