the pigeon pie-第1部分

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The　Pigeon　Pie



by　Charlotte　M。　Yonge









CHAPTER　I。







Early　in　the　September　of　the　year　1651　the　afternoon　sun　was　shining

pleasantly　into　the　dining…hall　of　Forest　Lea　House。　　The　sunshine

came　through　a　large　bay…window；　glazed　in　diamonds；　and　with　long

branches　of　a　vine　trailing　across　it；　but　in　parts　the　glass　had

been　broken　and　had　never　been　mended。　　The　walls　were　wainscoted

with　dark　oak；　as　well　as　the　floor；　which　shone　bright　with　rubbing；

and　stag's　antlers　projected　from　them；　on　which　hung　a　sword　in　its

sheath；　one　or　two　odd　gauntlets；　an　old…fashioned　helmet；　a　gun；

some　bows　and　arrows；　and　two　of　the　broad　shady　hats　then　in　use；

one　with　a　drooping　black　feather；　the　other　plainer　and　a　good　deal

the　worse　for　wear；　both　of　a　small　size；　as　if　belonging　to　a　young

boy。



An　oaken　screen　crossed　the　hall；　close　to　the　front　door；　and　there

was　a　large　open　fireplace；　a　settle　on　each　side　under　the　great

yawning　chimney；　where　however　at　present　no　fire　was　burning。

Before　it　was　a　long　dining…table　covered　towards　the　upper　end　with

a　delicately　white　cloth；　on　which　stood；　however；　a　few　trenchers；

plain　drinking…horns；　and　a　large　old…fashioned　black…jack；　that　is

to　say；　a　pitcher　formed　of　leather。　　An　armchair　was　at　the　head　of

the　table；　and　heavy　oaken　benches　along　the　side。



A　little　boy　of　six　years　old　sat　astride　on　the　end　of　one　of　the

benches；　round　which　he　had　thrown　a　bridle　of　plaited　rushes；　and；

with　a　switch　in　his　other　hand；　was　springing　himself　up　and　down；

calling　out；　〃Come；　Eleanor；　come；　Lucy；　come　and　ride　on　a　pillion

behind　me　to　Worcester；　to　see　King　Charles　and　brother　Edmund。〃



〃I'll　come；　I　am　coming！〃　cried　Eleanor；　a　little　girl　about　a　year

older；　her　hair　put　tightly　away　under　a　plain　round　cap；　and　she　was

soon　perched　sideways　behind　her　brother。



〃Oh；　fie；　Mistress　Eleanor；　why；　you　would　not　ride　to　the　wars？〃

This　was　said　by　a　woman　of　about　four　or　five…and…twenty；　tall；　thin

and　spare；　with　a　high　colour；　sharp　black　eyes；　and　a　waist　which

the　long　stiff　stays；　laced　in　front；　had　pinched　in　till　it　was　not

much　bigger　than　a　wasp's；　while　her　quilted　green　petticoat；

standing　out　full　below　it；　showed　a　very　trim　pair　of　ankles　encased

in　scarlet　stockings；　and　a　pair　of　bony　red　arms　came　forth　from　the

full　short　sleeves　of　a　sort　of　white　jacket；　gathered　in　at　the

waist。　　She　was　clattering　backwards　and　forwards；　removing　the

dinner　things；　and　talking　to　the　children　as　she　did　so　in　a　sharp

shrill　tone：　　〃Such　a　racket　as　you　make；　to　be　sure；　and　how　you　can

have　the　heart　to　do　so　I　can't　guess；　not　I；　considering　what　may　be

doing　this　very　moment。〃



〃Oh；　but　Walter　says　they　will　all　come　back　again；　brother　Edmund；

and　Diggory；　and　all；〃　said　little　Eleanor；　〃and　then　we　shall　be

merry。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Lucy；　who；　though　two　years　older；　wore　the　same　prim

round　cap　and　long　frock　as　her　little　sister；　〃then　we　shall　have

Edmund　here　again。　　You　can't　remember　him　at　all；　Eleanor　and

Charlie；　for　we　have　not　seen　him　these　six　years！〃



〃No；〃　said　Deborah；　the　maid。　　〃Ah！　these　be　weary　wars；　what　won't

let　a　gentleman　live　at　home　in　peace；　nor　his　poor　servants；　who

have　no　call　to　them。〃



　〃For　shame；　Deb！〃　cried　Lucy；　〃are　not　you　the　King's　own　subject？〃




But　Deborah　maundered　on；　〃It　is　all　very　well　for　gentlefolks；　but

now　it　had　all　got　quiet　again；　'tis　mortal　hard　it　should　be　stirred

up　afresh；　and　a　poor　soul　marched　off；　he　don't　know　where；　to　fight

with　he　don't　know　who；　for　he　don't　know　what。〃



〃He　ought　to　know　what！〃　exclaimed　Lucy；　growing　very　angry。　　〃I　tell

you；　Deb；　I　only　wish　I　was　a　man！　　I　would　take　the　great　two…

handled　sword；　and　fight　in　the　very　front　rank　for　our　Church　and

our　King！　　You　would　soon　see　what　a　brave　cavalier's　daughterson　I

mean；〃　said　Lucy；　getting　into　a　puzzle；　〃could　do。〃



The　more　eager　Lucy　grew；　the　more　unhappy　Deborah　was；　and　putting

her　apron　to　her　eyes；　she　said　in　a　dismal　voice；　〃Ah！　'tis　little

poor　Diggory　wots　of　kings　and　cavaliers！〃



What　Lucy's　indignation　would　have　led　her　to　say　next　can　never　be

known；　for　at　this　moment　in　bounced　a　tall　slim　boy　of　thirteen；　his

long　curling　locks　streaming　tangled　behind　him。　　〃Hollo！〃　he

shouted；　〃what　is　the　matter　now？　　Dainty　Deborah　in　the　dumps？

Cheer　up；　my　lass！　　I'll　warrant　that　doughty　Diggory　is　discreet

enough　to　encounter　no　more　bullets　than　he　can　reasonably　avoid！〃



This　made　Deborah　throw　down　her　apron　and　reply；　with　a　toss　of　the

head；　〃None　of　your　nonsense；　Master　Walter；　unless　you　would　have　me

speak　to　my　lady。　　Cry　for　Diggory；　indeed！〃



〃She　was　really　crying　for　him；　Walter；〃　interposed　Lucy。



〃Mistress　Lucy！〃　exclaimed　Deborah；　angrily；　〃the　life　I　lead　among

you　is　enough〃



〃Not　enough　to　teach　you　good　temper；〃　said　Walter。　　〃Do　you　want　a

little　more？〃



〃I　wish　someone　was　here　to　teach　you　good　manners；〃　answered　the

tormented　Deborah。　　〃As　if　it　was　not　enough　for　one　poor　girl　to

have　the　work　of　ten　servants　on　her　hands；　here　must　you　be　mock；

mock；　jeer；　jeer；　worrit；　worrit；　all　day　long！　　I　had　rather　be　a

mark　for　all　the　musketeers　in　the　Parliamentary　army。〃



This　Deborah　always　said　when　she　was　out　of　temper；　and　it　therefore

made　Walter　and　Lucy　laugh　the　more；　but　in　the　midst　of　their

merriment　in　came　a　girl　of　sixteen　or　seventeen；　tall　and　graceful。

Her　head　was　bare；　her　hair　fastened　in　a　knot　behind；　and　in　little

curls　round　her　face；　she　had　an　open　bodice　of　green　silk；　and　a

white　dress　under　it；　very　plain　and　neat；　her　step　was　quick　and

active；　but　her　large　dark　eyes　had　a　grave　thoughtful　look；　as　if

she　was　one　who　would　naturally　have　loved　to　sit　still　and　think；

better　than　to　bustle　about　and　be　busy。　　Eleanor　ran　up　to　her　at

once；　complaining　that　Walter　was　teasing　Deborah　shamefully。　　She

was　going　to　speak；　but　Deborah　cut　her　short。



〃No　Mistress　Rose；　I　will　not　have　even　you　excuse　him；　I'll　go　and

tell　my　lady　how　a　poor　faithful　wench　is　served；〃　and　away　she

flounced；　followed　by　Rose。



〃Will　she　tell　mamma？〃　asked　little　Charlie。



〃Oh　no；　Rose　will　pacify　her；〃　said　Lucy。



〃I　am　sure　I　wish　she　would　tell；〃　said　Eleanor；　a　much　graver　little

person　than　Lucy；　〃Walter　is　too　bad。〃



〃It　is　only　to　save　Diggory　the　trouble　of　taking　a　crabstick　to　her

when　he　returns　from　the　wars；〃　said　Walter。　　〃Heigh　ho！〃　and　he

threw　himself　on　the　bench；　and　drummed　on　the　table。　　〃I　wish　I　was

there！　　I　wonder　what　is　doing　at　Worcester　this　minute！〃



〃When　will　brother　Edmund　come？〃　asked　Charlie　for　about　the

hundredth　time。



〃When　the　battle　is　fought；　and　the　battle　is　won；　and　King　Charles

enjoys　his　own　again！　　Hurrah！〃　shouted　Walter；　jumping　up；　and

beginning　to　sing　…





〃For　forty　years　our　royal　throne

Has　been　his　father's　and　his　own。〃





Lucy　joined　in　with　…





〃Nor　is　there　anyone　but　he

With　right　can　there　a　sharer　be。〃





〃How　can　you　make　such　a　noise？〃　said　Eleanor；　stopping　her　ears；　by

which　she　provoked　Walter　to　go　on　roaring　into　them；　while　he　pulled

down　her　hand　…





〃For　who　better　may

The　right　sceptre　sway

Than　he　whose　right　it　is　to　reign；

Then　look　for　no　peace；

For　the　war　will　never　cease

Till　the　King　enjoys　his　own　again。〃





As　he　came　to　the　last　line；　Rose　returning　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　hush；

Lucy。　　Pray　don't；　Walter！〃



〃Ha！　　Rose　turned　Roundhead？〃　cried　Walter。　　〃You　don't　deserve　to

hear　the　good　news　from　Worcester。〃



〃O；　what？〃　cried　the　girls；　eagerly。



〃When　it　comes；〃　said　Walter；　delighted　to　have　taken　in　Rose

herself；　but　Rose；　going　up　to　him　gently；　implored　him　to　be　quiet；

and　listen　to　her。



〃All　this　noisy　rejoicing　grieves　our　mother；〃　said　she。　　〃If　you

could　but　have　seen　her　yesterday　evening；　when　she　heard　your　loyal

songs。　　She　sighed；　and　said；　'Poor　fellow；　how　high　his　hopes　are！'

and　then　she　talked　of　our　father　and　that　evening　before　the　fight

at　Naseby。〃



Walter　looked　grave　and　said；　〃I　remember！　　My　father　lifted　me　on

the　table　to　drink　King　Charles's　health；　and　Prince　RupertI

remember　his　scarlet　mantle　and　white　plumepatted　my　head；　and

called　me　his　little　cavalier。〃



〃We　sat　apart　with　mother；〃　said　Rose；　〃and　heard　the　loud　cheers　and

songs　till　we　were　half　frightened　at　the　noise。〃



〃I　can't　recollect　all　that；〃　said　Lucy。



〃At　least　you　ought　not　to　forget　how　our　dear　father　came　in　with

Edmund；　and　kissed　us；　and　bade　mother　keep　up　a　good　heart。　　Don't

you　remember　that；　Lucy？〃



〃I　do；〃　said　Walter；　〃it　was　the　last　time　we　ever　saw　him。〃



And　Walter　sat　on　the　table；　resting　one　foot　on　the　bench；　while　the

other　dangled　down；　and　leaning　his　elbow　on　his　knee　and　his　head　on

his　hand；　Rose　sat　on　the　bench　close　by　him；　with　Charlie　on　her

lap；　and　the　two　little　girls　pressing　close　against　her；　all　earnest

to　hear　from　her　the　story　of　the　great　fight　of　Naseby；　where　they

had　all　been　in　a　farmhouse　about　a　mile　from　the　field　of　battle。



〃I　don't　forget　how　the　cannon　roared　all　day；〃　said　Lucy。



〃Ah！　that　dismal　day！〃　said　Rose。　　〃Then　by　came　our　troopers；　blood…

stained　and　disorderly；　riding　so　fast　that　scarcely　one　waited　to

tell　my　mother　that　the　day　was　lost　and　she　had　better　fly。　　But　not

a　step　did　she　stir　from　the　gate；　where　she　stood　with　you；　Charlie；

in　her　arms；　she　only　asked　of　each　as　he　passed　if　he　had　seen　my

father　or　Edmund；　and　ever　her　cheek　grew　whiter　and　whiter。　　At　last

came　a　Parliament　officer　on　horsebackit　was　Mr。　Enderby；　who　had

been　a　college　mate　of　my　father's；　and　he　told　us　that　my　dear

father　was　wounded；　and　had　sent　him　to　fetch　her。〃



〃But　I　never　knew　where　Edmund　was　then；