the virgin of the sun-第11部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



I　made　no　answer；　being　confounded　by　the　knowledge　that　my　uncle
showed　of　me　and　my　affairs；　which　afterwards　I　discovered　he　had；　in
part　at　any　rate；　from　the　old　priest；　my　confessor；　who　had　written
to　commend　me　to　him；　telling　my　story　and　sending　the　letter　by　a
King's　messenger；　who　left　for　London　on　the　morrow　of　the　Burning。
Nor　did　he　wait　for　any；　for　he　bade　me　sit　down　and　eat；　plying　me
with　more　meats　than　I　could　swallow；　all　most　delicately　dressed；
also　with　rare　wines　such　as　I　had　never　tasted；　which　he　took　from　a
cupboard　where　they　were　kept　in　curious　flasks　of　glass。　Yet　as　I
noted；　himself　he　ate　but　little；　only　picking　at　the　breast　of　a　fowl
and　drinking　but　the　half　of　a　small　silver　goblet　filled　with　wine。

〃Appetite；　like　all　other　good　things；　for　the　young；〃　he　said　with　a
sigh　as　he　watched　my　hearty　feasting。　〃Yet　remember；　Nephew；　that　if
you　live　to　reach　it；　a　day　will　come　when　yours　will　be　as　mine　is。
Vanity　of　vanities；　saith　the　preacher；　all　is　vanity！〃

At　length；　when　I　could　eat　no　more；　again　he　rang　the　silver　bell　and
those　fair　waiting　girls　dressed　alike　in　green　appeared　and　cleared
away　the　broken　meats。　After　they　were　gone　he　crouched　over　the　fire
rubbing　his　thin　hands　to　warm　them；　and　said　suddenly：

〃Now　tell　me　of　my　sister's　death　and　all　the　rest　of　your　tale。〃

So　as　well　as　I　was　able　I　told　him　everything　from　the　hour　when　I
had　first　sighted　the　French　fleet　on　board　my　fishing…boat　to　the
end。

〃You　are　no　fool；〃　he　said　when　I　had　finished；　〃who　can　talk　like　any
clerk　and　bring　things　that　have　happened　clearly　to　the　listener's
eye；　which　I　have　noted　few　are　able　to　do。　So　that's　the　story。　Well；
your　mother　had　a　great　heart；　and　she　made　a　great　end；　such　an　one
as　was　loved　of　our　northern　race；　and　that　even　I；　the　old　merchant
knave；　desire　and　shall　not　win；　who　doubtless　am　doomed　to　die　a
cow's　death　in　the　straw。　Pray　the　All…Father　Odinnay；　that　is
heresy　for　which　I　might　burn　if　you　or　the　wenches　told　it　to　the
priestspray　God；　I　mean；　that　He　may　grant　you　a　better；　as　He　did
to　old　Thorgrimmer；　if　the　tale　be　true；　Thorgrimmer　whose　sword　you
wear　and　have　wielded　shrewdly；　as　that　French　knight　knows　in　hell
to…day。〃

〃Who　was　Odin？〃　I　asked。

〃The　great　god　of　the　North。　Did　not　your　mother　tell　you　of　him？　Nay；
doubtless　she　was　too　good　a　Christian。　Yet　he　lives　on；　Nephew。　I　say
that　Odin　lives　in　the　blood　of　every　fighting　man；　as　Freya　lives　in
the　heart　of　every　lad　and　girl　who　loves。　The　gods　change　their
names；　but　hush！　hush！　talk　not　of　Odin　and　of　Freya；　for　I　say　that
it　is　heresy；　or　pagan；　which　is　worse。　What　would　you　do　now？　Why
came　you　to　London？〃

〃Because　my　mother　bade　me　and　to　seek　my　fortune。〃

〃Fortunewhat　is　fortune？　Youth　and　health　are　the　best　fortune；
though；　if　they　know　how　to　use　it；　those　who　have　wealth　as　well　may
go　further　than　the　rest。　Also　beauteous　things　are　pleasant　to　the
sight　and　there　is　joy　in　gathering　them。　Yet　at　the　last　they　mean
nothing；　for　naked　we　came　out　of　the　blackness　and　naked　we　return
there。　Vanity　of　vanities；　all　is　vanity！〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IV

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　KARI

Thus　began　my　life　in　London　in　the　house　of　my　uncle；　John　Grimmer；
who　was　called　the　Goldsmith。　In　truth；　however；　he　was　more　than
this；　since　not　only　did　he　fashion　and　trade　in　costly　things；　he
lent　out　moneys　to　interest　upon　security　to　great　people　who　needed
it；　and　even　to　the　king　Richard　and　his　Court。　Also　he　owned　ships
and　did　much　commerce　with　Holland；　France；　yes；　and　with　Spain　and
Italy。　Indeed；　although　he　appeared　so　humble；　his　wealth　was　very
large　and　always　increased；　like　a　snowball　rolling　down　a　hill；
moreover；　he　owned　much　land；　especially　in　the　neighbourhood　of
London　where　it　was　likely　to　grow　in　value。

〃Money　melts；〃　he　would　say；　〃furs　corrupt　with　moth　and　time；　and
thieves　break　in　and　steal。　But　landif　the　title　be　goodremains。
Therefore　buy　land；　which　none　can　carry　away；　near　to　a　market　or　a
growing　town　if　may　be；　and　hire　it　out　to　fools　to　farm；　or　sell　it
to　other　fools　who　wish　to　build　great　houses　and　spend　their　goods　in
feeding　a　multitude　of　idle　servants。　Houses　eat；　Hubert；　and　the
larger　they　are；　the　more　they　eat。〃

No　word　did　he　say　to　me　as　to　my　dwelling　on　with　him；　yet　there　I
remained；　by　common　consent；　as　it　were。　Indeed　on　the　morrow　of　my
coming　a　tailor　appeared　to　measure　me　for　such　garments　as　he　thought
I　should　wear；　by　his　command；　I　suppose；　as　I　was　never　asked　for
payment；　and　he　bade　me　furnish　my　chamber　to　my　own　liking；　also
another　room　at　the　back　of　the　house　that　was　much　larger　than　it
seemed；　which　he　told　me　was　to　be　mine　to　work　in；　though　at　what　I
was　to　work　he　did　not　say。

For　a　day　or　two　I　remained　idle；　staring　at　the　sights　of　London　and
only　meeting　my　uncle　at　meals　which　sometimes　we　ate　alone　and
sometimes　in　the　company　of　sea…captains　and　learned　clerks　or　of
other　merchants；　all　of　whom　treated　him　with　great　deference　and　as　I
soon　guessed；　were　in　truth　his　servants。　At　night；　however；　we　were
always　alone　and　then　he　would　pour　out　his　wisdom　on　me　while　I
listened；　saying　little。　On　the　sixth　day；　growing　weary　of　this
idleness；　I　made　bold　to　ask　him　if　there　was　aught　that　I　could　do。

〃Aye；　plenty　if　you　have　a　mind　to　work；〃　he　answered。　〃Sit　down　now；
and　take　pen　and　paper　and　write　what　I　shall　tell　you。〃

Then　he　dictated　a　short　letter　to　me　as　to　shipping　wine　from　Spain；
and　when　it　was　sanded；　read　it　carefully。

〃You　have　it　right；〃　he　said；　seeming　pleased；　〃and　your　script　is
clear　if　boyish。　They　taught　you　none　so　ill　yonder　at　Hastings　where
I　thought　you　had　only　learned　to　handle　ropes　and　arrows。　Work？　Yes；
there　is　plenty　of　it　of　the　more　private　sort　which　I　do　not　give　to
this　scribe　or　to　that　who　might　betray　my　secrets。　For　know；〃　he　went
on　in　a　stern　voice；　〃there　is　one　thing　which　I　never　pardon；　and　it
is　betrayal。　Remember　that；　nephew　Hubert；　even　in　the　arms　of　your
loves；　if　you　should　be　fool　enough　to　seek　them；　or　in　your　cups。〃

So　he　talked　on；　and　while　he　did　so　went　to　an　iron　chest　that　he
unlocked；　and　thence　drew　out　a　parchment　roll　which　he　bade　me　take
to　my　workroom　and　copy　there。　I　did　so；　and　found　that　it　was　an
inventory　of　his　goods　and　estates；　and　oh！　before　I　had　done　I　wished
that　there　were　fewer　of　them。　All　the　long　day　I　laboured；　only
stopping　for　a　bite　at　noon；　till　my　head　swam　and　my　fingers　ached。
Yet　as　I　did　so　I　felt　proud；　for　I　guessed　that　my　uncle　had　set　me
this　task　for　two　reasons：　first；　to　show　his　trust　in　me；　and；
secondly；　to　acquaint　me　with　the　state　of　his　possessions；　but　as　it
were　in　the　way　of　business。　By　nightfall　I　had　finished　and　checked
the　copy　which　with　the　original　I　hid　in　my　robe　when　the　green…robed
waiting　maid　summoned　me　to　eat。

At　our　meal　my　uncle　asked　me　what　I　had　seen　that　day　and　I　replied
naught　but　figures　and　crabbed　writingand　handed　him　the　parchments
which　he　compared　item　by　item。

〃I　am　pleased　with　you；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃for　heresofar　I　find　but　a
single　error　and　that　is　my　fault；　not　yours；　also　you　have　done　two
days'　work　in　one。　Still；　it　is　not　fit　that　you　who　are　accustomed　to
the　open　air　should　bend　continually　over　deeds　and　inventories。
Therefore；　to…morrow　I　shall　have　another　task　for　you；　for　like
yourself　your　horse　needs　exercise。〃

And　so　he　had；　for　with　two　stout　servants　riding　with　me　and　guiding
me；　he　sent　me　out　of　London　to　view　a　fair　estate　of　his　upon　the
borders　of　the　Thames　and　to　visit　his　tenants　there　and　make　report
of　their　husbandry；　also　of　certain　woods　where　he　proposed　to　fell
oak　for　shipbuilding。　This　I　did；　for　the　servants　made　me　known　to
the　tenants；　and　got　back　at　night…fall；　able　to　tell　him　all　which　he
was　glad　to　learn；　since　it　seemed　that　he　had　not　seen　this　estate
for　five　long　years。

On　another　day　he　sent　me　to　visit　ships　in　which　goods　of　his　were
being　laden　at　the　wharf；　and　on　another　took　me　with　him　to　a　sale　of
furs　that　came　from　the　far　north　where　I　was　told　the　snow　never
melts　and　there　is　always　ice　in　the　sea。

Also　he　made　me　known　to　merchants　with　whom　he　traded；　and　to　his
agents　who　were　many；　though　for　the　most　part　secret；　together　with
other　goldsmiths　who　held　moneys　of　his；　and　in　a　sense　were　partners；
forming　a　kind　of　company　so　that　they　could　find　great　sums　in　sudden
need。　Lastly；　his　clerks　and　dependents　were　made　to　understand　that
if　I　gave　an　order　it　must　be　obeyed；　though　this　did　not　happen　until
I　had　been　with　him　for　some　time。

Thus　it　came　about　that　within　a　year　I　knew　all　the　threads　of　John
Grimmer's　great　business；　and　within　two　it　drifted　more　and　more　into
my　hands。　The　last　part　of　it　with　which　he　made　me　acquainted　was
that　of　lending　money　to　those　in　high　places；　and　even　to　the　State
itself；　but　at　length　I　was　taught　this　also　and　came　to　know　sundry
of　these　men；　who　in　private　were　humble　borrowers；　but　if　they　met　us
in　the　street　passed　us　with　the　nod　that　the　great　give　to　their
inferiors。　Then　my　uncle　would　bow　low；　keeping　his　eyes　fixed　upon
the　ground　and　bid　me　do　the　same。　But　when　they　were　out　of　hearing
he　would　chuckle　and　say；

〃Fish　in　my　net；　goldfish　in　my　net！　See　how　they　shine　who　presently
must　wriggle　on　the　shore。　Vanity　of　vanities！　All　is　vanity；　and
doubtless　Solomon　knew　such　in　his　day。〃

Hard　I　worked；　and　ever　harder；　toiling　at　the　mill　of　all　these　large
affairs　and　keeping　myself　in　health　during　such　time　as　I　could　spare
by　shooting　at　the　butts　with　my　big　bow　where　I　found　that　none　could
beat　me；　or　practising　sword　play　in　a　school　of　arms　that　was　kept　by
a　master　of　the　craft　from　Italy。　Also　on　holidays　and　on　Sundays
after　mass　I　rode　out　of　London　to　visit　my　uncle's　estates　where
sometimes　I　slept　a　night；　and　once　or　twice　sailed　to　Holland　or　to
Calais　with　his　cargoes。

One　day；　it　was　when　I　had　been　with　him　about　eighteen　months；　he
said　to　me　suddenly。

〃You　plough　the　fi