the virgin of the sun-第15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！


Perchance；　like　the　rest　of　us；　he　may　take　that　journey　sooner　than
he　thinks。〃

Now　at　the　sound　of　my　voice　I　saw　the　lady　Blanche　stare　at　me；
trying　to　catch　sight　of　my　face　beneath　the　hood　which　I　wore　on　this
cold　day；　while　Deleroy　started　and　said　briefly：

〃Your　meaning？〃

〃It　is　plain；　my　lord。　John　Grimmer　is　dead　and　I　know　not　where　he
dwells　at　present　since　he　took　that　secret　with　him。　But　I；　who
unworthily　carry　on　his　trade；　am　at　your　lordship's　service。〃

Then　I　turned　and　bade　the　shopman　command　Kari　to　come　hither　and
bring　with　him　the　choicest　of　our　cups　and　jewels。

He　went　and　I　busied　myself　in　setting　stools　for　these　noble
customers　to　rest　on　before　the　fire。　As　I　did　so　by　chance　my　hand
touched　that　of　the　lady　Blanche；　whereat　once　more　she　strove　to　peer
beneath　my　hood。　It　was　as　though　the　nature　in　her　knew　that　touch
again；　as　by　some　instinct　every　woman　does；　if　once　the　toucher's
lips　have　been　near　her　own；　though　it　be　long　ago。　But　I　only　turned
my　head　away　and　drew　that　hood　the　closer。

Now　Kari　came　and　with　him　the　shopman；　bearing　the　precious　wares。
Kari　wore　a　wool…lined　robe；　very　plain；　which　yet　became　him　so　well
that　with　his　fine…cut　face　and　flashing　eyes　he　looked　like　an
Eastern　prince　disguised。　At　him　this　fine　pair　stared；　for　never　had
they　seen　such　a　man；　but　taking　no　note；　with　many　bows　he　showed　the
jewels　one　by　one。　Among　these　was　a　gem　of　great　value；　a　large；
heart…shaped　ruby　that　Kari　had　set　in　a　surround　of　twisted　golden
serpents　with　heads　raised　to　strike　and　little　eyes　of　diamonds。　Upon
this　brooch　the　lady　Blanche　fixed　her　gaze　and　discarding　all　others；
began　to　play　with　it；　till　at　length　the　lord　Deleroy　asked　the
price。　I　consulted　with　Kari；　explaining　that　myself　I　did　not　handle
this　branch　of　my　business；　then　named　it　carelessly；　it　was　a　great
sum。

〃God's　truth！　Blanche；〃　said　Deleroy；　〃this　merchant　thinks　I　am　made
of　gold。　You　must　choose　a　cheaper　ornament　for　your　new　year's　gift；
or　he　will　have　to　wait　for　payment。〃

〃Which　mayhap　I　should　be　willing　to　do　from　one　of　your　quality；　my
lord；〃　I　interrupted；　bowing。

He　looked　at　me　and　said：

〃Can　I　have　a　word　apart　with　you；　merchant？〃

Again　I　bowed　and　led　him　to　the　eating…room　where　he　gazed　about　him；
amazed　at　the　richness　of　the　furnishings。　He　sat　him　down　upon　a
carven　chair　while　I　stood　before　him　humbly　and　waited。

〃I　am　told；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃that　John　Grimmer　did　other　business
besides　that　of　selling　jewels。〃

〃Yes；　my　lord；　some　foreign　trade。〃

〃And　some　home　trade　also。　I　mean　that　he　lent　money。〃

〃At　times；　my　lord；　and　on　good　security；　if　he　chanced　to　have　any　at
command；　and　at　a　certain　interest。　Perhaps　my　lord　will　come　to　his
point。〃

〃It　is　short　and　clear。　Those　of　us　who　are　at　Court　always　want　money
where　it　is　needful　if　we　would　have　advancement　and　earn　the　royal
favour　of　one　who　does　not　pay；　at　least　in　gold。〃

〃Be　pleased　to　state　the　amount　and　the　security　offered；　my　lord。〃

He　did　so。　The　sum　was　high　and　the　security　was　bad。

〃Are　there　any　who　would　stand　surety　for　my　lord？〃

〃Yes；　one　of　great　estate；　Sir　Robert　Aleys；　who　has　wide　lands　in
Sussex。〃

〃I　have　heard　the　name；　and　if　my　lord　will　bid　his　lawyers　put　the
matter　in　writing；　I　will　cause　the　lands　to　be　valued　and　give　an
answer　as　quickly　as　may　be。〃

〃For　a　young　man　you　are　careful；　merchant。〃

〃Alas！　such　as　I　need　to　be　who　must　guard　our　small　earnings　in　these
troublous　times　of　war　and　tumult。　Such　a　sum　as　you　speak　of　would
take　all　that　John　Grimmer　and　I　have　laid　by　after　years　of　toil。〃

Again　he　looked　at　the　furnishings　of　the　room　and　shrugged　his
shoulders；　then　said：

〃Good；　it　shall　be　done　for　the　need　is　urgent。　To　whom　is　the　letter
to　be　sent？〃

〃To　John　Grimmer；　at　the　Boat　House；　Cheapside。〃

〃But　you　told　me　that　John　Grimmer　was　dead。〃

〃And　so　he　is；　my　lord；　but　his　name　remains。〃

Then　we　returned　to　the　sop　and　as　we　went　I　said；

〃If　your　lordship's　lady　should　set　her　heart　upon　the　ruby　the　cost
of　it　can　stand　over　a　while；　since　I　know　that　it　is　hard　for　a
husband　to　disappoint　a　wife　of　what　she　desires。〃

〃Man；　she　is　my　distant　cousin；　not　my　wife。　I　would　she　were；　but　how
can　two　high…placed　paupers　wed？〃

〃Perhaps　it　is　for　this　reason　that　my　lord　wishes　to　borrow　money。〃

Again　he　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　as　we　entered　the　shop　I　threw
back　the　hood　from　off　my　head　upon　which　I　wore　a　merchant's　cap　of
velvet。　The　lady　Blanche　caught　sight　of　me　and　started。

〃Surely；　surely；〃　she　began；　〃you　are　he　who　shot　the　three　arrows　at
the　cave's　mouth　at　Hastings。〃

〃Yes；　my　lady；　and　did　your　hawk　escape　the　dogs　upon　the　London
road？〃

〃Nay；　it　was　crippled　and　died；　which　was　the　first　of　many　troubles；
for　I　think　my　luck　rode　away　with　you　that　day；　Master　Hubert　of
Hastings；〃　she　added　with　a　sigh。

〃There　are　other　hawks　and　luck　returns；〃　I　replied；　bowing。　〃Perhaps
this　trinket　will　bring　it　back　to　you；　my　lady；〃　and　taking　the
snake…surrounded　ruby　heart；　I　proffered　it　to　her　with　another　bow。

〃Oh！〃　she　said；　her　blue　eyes　shining　with　pleasure；　〃oh！　it　is
beautiful；　but　whence　is　the　price　to　come　for　so　costly　a　thing？〃

〃I　think　the　matter　is　one　that　can　wait。〃

At　that　moment　the　lord　Deleroy　broke　in；　saying；

〃So　you　are　the　man　who　slew　the　French　knight　with　an　ancient　sword；
and　afterwards　shot　three　other　Frenchmen　with　three　shafts；　sending
one　of　them　through　shield　and　mail　and　body；　a　tale　that　was　spoken
of　afterwards；　even　in　London。　God's　truth！　you　should　be　serving　the
King　in　the　wars；　not　yourself　behind　the　counter。〃

〃There　are　many　ways　of　serving；　my　lord；〃　I　answered；　〃by　pen　and
merchandise　as　well　as　by　steel　and　shafts。　Now　with　me　it　is　the　turn
of　the　former；　though　perhaps　the　ancient　sword　and　the　great　black
bow　wait　till　their　time　comes　again。〃

He　stared　at　me　and　muttered；　half　to　himself：

〃A　strange　merchant　and　a　grim；　as　those　dead　Frenchmen　may　have
thought。　I　tell　you；　Sir　Trader；　that　your　talk　and　the　eyes　of　that
tall　Moor　of　yours　turn　my　back　cold；　it　is　as　though　someone　walked
over　my　grave。　Come；　Blanche；　let　us　begone　ere　our　horses　be　chilled
as　I　am。　Master　Grimmer；　or　Hastings；　you　shall　hear　from　me；　unless　I
can　do　my　business　otherwise；　and　for　the　trinket　send　me　a　note　at
your　leisure。〃

Then　they　went；　but　as　the　lady　Blanche　left　the　shop　she　caught　her
robe　and　turned　to　free　it；　while　she　did　so　flashing　at　me　one　of　her
sweet　looks　such　as　I　remembered　well。

Kari　followed　to　the　door　and　watched　them　mount　their　horses　at　the
gate；　then　he　searched　the　ground　with　his　eyes。

〃What　was　it　hooked　her　cloak？〃　I　asked。

〃A　dream；　or　the　air；　Master；　for　there　is　nothing　else　to　which　it
could　have　hung。　Those　who　would　throw　spears　behind　them　must　first
turn　round。〃

〃What　think　you　of　those　two；　Kari？〃

〃I　think　that　they　will　not　pay　for　your　jewel；　but　perhaps　this　was
but　a　bait　upon　the　hook。〃

〃And　what　more；　Kari？〃

〃I　think　that　the　lady　is　very　fair　and　false；　and　that　the　great
lord's　heart　is　as　black　as　are　his　eyes。　Also　I　think　that　they　are
dear　to　each　other　and　well　matched。　But　it　seems　that　you　have　met
them　both　before；　Master；　so　you　will　know　better　about　them　than　your
slave。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　met　them；〃　I　answered　sharply；　for　his　words　about
Blanche　angered　me；　adding；　〃I　have　noted；　Kari；　that　you　have　never　a
good　word　for　any　one　whom　I　favour。　You　are　jealous…natured；　Kari；
especially　of　women。〃

〃You　ask；　I　answer；〃　he　replied；　falling　into　broken　English；　as　was
his　fashion　when　moved；　〃and　it　is　true　that　those　who　have　much　love；
are　much　jealous。　That　is　a　fault　in　my　people。　Also　I　love　not　women。
Now　I　go　make　another　piece　for　that　which　Master　give　the　lady。　Only
this　time　it　all　snake　and　no　heart。〃

He　went；　taking　the　tray　of　jewels　with　him；　and　I；　too；　went　to　the
eating…room　to　think。

How　strange　was　this　meeting。　I　had　never　forgotten　the　lady　Blanche；
but　in　a　sense　I　had　lived　her　memory　down　and　mindful　of　my　uncle's
counsel；　had　not　sought　to　look　upon　her　again；　for　which　reason　I
kept　away　from　Hastings　where　I　thought　that　I　should　find　her。　And
now　here　she　was　in　London　and　in　my　house；　brought　thither　by　fate。
Nor　was　that　all；　since　those　blue　eyes　of　hers　had　re…lighted　the
dead　fires　in　my　heart　and；　seated　there　alone；　I　knew　that　I　loved
her；　indeed　had　never　ceased　to　love　her。　She　was　more　to　me　than　all
my　wealth；　more　than　anything；　and　alas！　between　us　there　was　still　a
great　gulf　fixed。

She　was　not　wed；　it　was　true；　but　she　was　a　highly　placed　lady；　and　I
but　a　merchant　who　could　not　even　call　myself　a　squire；　or　by　law　wear
garments　made　of　certain　stuffs　which　I　handled　daily　in　my　trade。　How
might　that　gulf　be　crossed？

Then　as　I　mused　there　rose　in　my　mind　a　memory　of　certain　sayings　of
my　wise　old　uncle；　and　with　it　an　answer　to　the　question。　Gold　would
bridge　the　widest　streams　of　human　difference。　These　fine　folk　for　all
their　flauntings　were　poor。　They　came　to　me　to　borrow　money　wherewith
to　gild　their　coronets　and　satisfy　the　importunate　creditors　at　their
door；　lest　they　should　be　pulled　from　their　high　place　and　forced　back
into　the　number　of　the　common　herd　as　those　who　could　no　longer　either
give　or　pay。

And　after　all；　was　this　difference　between　them　and　me　so　wide？　The
grandsire　of　Sir　Robert　Aleys；　I　had　been　told；　gathered　his　wealth　by
trade　and　usury　in　the　old　wars；　indeed；　it　was　said　that　he　was　one
who　dealt　in　cattle；　while　Lord　Deleroy　was　reported　to　be　a　bastard；
if　of　the　bluest　blood；　so　blue　that　it　ran　nigh　to　the　royal　purple。
Well；　what　was　mine？　On　the　father's　side；　Saxon　descended　from　that
of　Thanes　who　went　down　before　the　Normans　and　thereafter　became
humble　landed　folk　of　the　lesser　sort。　On　the　mother's；　of　the　race　of
the　old　sea…kings　who　slew　and　conquered　through　all　the　world　they
knew。　Was　I　then　so　far　beneath　these　others？　Nay；　but　like　my　father
and　my　uncle　I　was　one　who　bought　and　sold　and　the　hand　of　the　dy