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CHAPTER¡¡VI¡£

HOW¡¡ROLF¡¡THE¡¡MARSHAL¡¡DREAMS¡¡A¡¡DREAM¡¡AND¡¡COMES¡¡TO¡¡THE¡¡CASTLE¡¡OF¡¡THE¡¡UTTERMOST¡¡MARCH¡£


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So¡¡the¡¡squire¡¡went¡¡his¡¡ways£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡gone¡¡a¡¡little¡¡while£»¡¡and¡¡meantime¡¡drew¡¡nigh¡¡to¡¡the¡¡hall¡¡a¡¡sound¡¡of¡¡triumphing¡¡songs¡¡and¡¡shouts£»¡¡and¡¡right¡¡up¡¡to¡¡the¡¡hall¡¡doors£»¡¡then¡¡entered¡¡the¡¡squire£»¡¡and¡¡by¡¡his¡¡side¡¡came¡¡a¡¡tall¡¡young¡¡man£»¡¡clad¡¡but¡¡in¡¡a¡¡white¡¡linen¡¡shirt¡¡and¡¡deerskin¡¡brogues£»¡¡his¡¡head¡¡crowned¡¡with¡¡a¡¡garland¡¡of¡¡flowers£º¡¡¡¡him¡¡the¡¡squire¡¡brought¡¡up¡¡to¡¡the¡¡lords¡¡on¡¡the¡¡dais£»¡¡and¡¡louted¡¡to¡¡them£»¡¡and¡¡said£º¡¡¡¡¡¨My¡¡lords£»¡¡I¡¡bring¡¡you¡¡Christopher£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡not¡¡overwilling£»¡¡for¡¡now¡¡hath¡¡he¡¡been¡¡but¡¡just¡¡crowned¡¡king¡¡of¡¡the¡¡games¡¡down¡¡yonder£»¡¡but¡¡when¡¡the¡¡carles¡¡and¡¡queans¡¡there¡¡said¡¡that¡¡they¡¡would¡¡come¡¡with¡¡him¡¡and¡¡bear¡¡him¡¡company¡¡to¡¡the¡¡hall¡¡doors£»¡¡then£»¡¡forsooth£»¡¡he¡¡yea¡­said¡¡the¡¡coming¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡were¡¡not¡¡unmeet¡¡that¡¡some¡¡shame¡¡were¡¡done¡¡him¡£¡¨

¡¨Peace£»¡¡man£¡¡¨¡¡said¡¡Lord¡¡Richard£»¡¡¡¨what¡¡hath¡¡this¡¡to¡¡do¡¡with¡¡thee£¿¡¡Seest¡¡thou¡¡not¡¡the¡¡Lord¡¡Marshal¡¡here£¿¡¨¡¡The¡¡Lord¡¡Rolf¡¡sat¡¡and¡¡gazed¡¡on¡¡the¡¡lad£»¡¡and¡¡scowled¡¡on¡¡him£»¡¡but¡¡Christopher¡¡saw¡¡therein¡¡nought¡¡but¡¡the¡¡face¡¡of¡¡a¡¡great¡¡lord¡¡burdened¡¡with¡¡many¡¡cares£»¡¡so¡¡when¡¡he¡¡had¡¡made¡¡his¡¡obeisance¡¡he¡¡stood¡¡up¡¡fearlessly¡¡and¡¡merrily¡¡before¡¡them¡£

Sooth¡¡to¡¡say£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡full¡¡fair¡¡to¡¡look¡¡on£º¡¡¡¡for¡¡all¡¡his¡¡strength£»¡¡which£»¡¡as¡¡ye¡¡shall¡¡hear£»¡¡was¡¡mighty£»¡¡all¡¡the¡¡fashion¡¡of¡¡his¡¡limbs¡¡and¡¡his¡¡body¡¡was¡¡light¡¡and¡¡clean¡¡done£»¡¡and¡¡beauteous£»¡¡and¡¡though¡¡his¡¡skin£»¡¡where¡¡it¡¡showed¡¡naked£»¡¡was¡¡all¡¡tanned¡¡with¡¡the¡¡summer£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡fine¡¡and¡¡sleek¡¡and¡¡kindly£»¡¡every¡¡deal¡¡thereof£º¡¡¡¡bright¡­eyed¡¡and¡¡round¡­cheeked¡¡he¡¡was£»¡¡with¡¡full¡¡lips¡¡and¡¡carven¡¡chin£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡hair¡¡golden¡¡brown¡¡of¡¡hue£»¡¡and¡¡curling¡¡crisp¡¡about¡¡the¡¡blossoms¡¡of¡¡his¡¡garland¡£

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¡¨Yea£»¡¡Lord¡¡King£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Christopher£»¡¡¡¨I¡¡will¡¡at¡¡least¡¡do¡¡my¡¡best£»¡¡if¡¡thou¡¡but¡¡tell¡¡me¡¡where¡¡to¡¡seek¡¡the¡¡quarry¡¡and¡¡when¡£¡¨

¡¨It¡¡is¡¡well£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡the¡¡Marshal£»¡¡¡¨and¡¡to¡­morrow¡¡my¡¡squire£»¡¡whom¡¡thou¡¡seest¡¡yonder£»¡¡and¡¡who¡¡hight¡¡Simon£»¡¡shall¡¡tell¡¡thee¡¡where¡¡the¡¡hunt¡¡is¡¡up£»¡¡and¡¡thou¡¡shalt¡¡go¡¡with¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡hearken£¡¡¡thou¡¡shalt¡¡not¡¡call¡¡me¡¡king£»¡¡for¡¡to¡­day¡¡there¡¡is¡¡no¡¡king¡¡in¡¡Oakenrealm£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡am¡¡but¡¡Marshal£»¡¡and¡¡Earl¡¡of¡¡the¡¡king¡¡that¡¡shall¡¡be¡£¡¨

The¡¡lad¡¡fell¡¡a¡­musing¡¡for¡¡a¡¡minute£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡he¡¡said£º¡¡¡¡¡¨Yea£»¡¡Lord¡¡Marshal£»¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡do¡¡thy¡¡will£º¡¡¡¡but¡¡meseemeth¡¡I¡¡have¡¡heard¡¡some¡¡tale¡¡of¡¡one¡¡who¡¡was¡¡but¡¡of¡¡late¡¡king¡¡in¡¡Oakenrealm£º¡¡¡¡is¡¡it¡¡not¡¡so£»¡¡Lord£¿¡¨

¡¨Stint¡¡thy¡¡talk£»¡¡young¡¡man£»¡¨¡¡cried¡¡the¡¡Marshal¡¡in¡¡a¡¡harsh¡¡voice£»¡¡¡¨and¡¡abide¡¡to¡­morrow£»¡¡who¡¡knoweth¡¡who¡¡shall¡¡be¡¡king£»¡¡and¡¡whether¡¡thou¡¡or¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡live¡¡to¡¡see¡¡him¡£¡¨

But¡¡as¡¡he¡¡spake¡¡the¡¡words¡¡they¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡his¡¡heart¡¡like¡¡a¡¡foretelling¡¡of¡¡evil£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡turned¡¡pale¡¡and¡¡trembled£»¡¡and¡¡said¡¡to¡¡Christopher£º¡¡¡¡¡¨Come¡¡hither£»¡¡lad£»¡¡I¡¡will¡¡give¡¡thee¡¡a¡¡gift£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡shalt¡¡thou¡¡depart¡¡till¡¡to¡­morrow¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡So¡¡Christopher¡¡drew¡¡near¡¡to¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Marshal¡¡pulled¡¡off¡¡a¡¡ring¡¡from¡¡his¡¡finger¡¡and¡¡set¡¡it¡¡on¡¡the¡¡lad's£»¡¡and¡¡said¡¡to¡¡him£º¡¡¡¨Now¡¡depart¡¡in¡¡peace£»¡¨¡¡and¡¡Christopher¡¡bent¡¡the¡¡knee¡¡to¡¡him¡¡and¡¡thanked¡¡him¡¡for¡¡the¡¡gracious¡¡gift¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ruler¡¡of¡¡Oakenrealm£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡went¡¡his¡¡ways¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hall£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡folk¡¡without¡¡gave¡¡a¡¡glad¡¡cry¡¡as¡¡he¡¡came¡¡amongst¡¡them¡£

But¡¡by¡¡then¡¡he¡¡was¡¡come¡¡to¡¡the¡¡door£»¡¡Lord¡¡Rolf¡¡looked¡¡on¡¡his¡¡hand£»¡¡and¡¡saw¡¡that£»¡¡instead¡¡of¡¡giving¡¡the¡¡youngling¡¡a¡¡finger¡­ring¡¡which¡¡he¡¡had¡¡bought¡¡of¡¡a¡¡merchant¡¡for¡¡a¡¡price¡¡of¡¡five¡¡bezants£»¡¡as¡¡he¡¡had¡¡meant¡¡to¡¡do£»¡¡he¡¡had¡¡given¡¡him¡¡a¡¡ring¡¡which¡¡the¡¡old¡¡King¡¡had¡¡had£»¡¡whereon¡¡was¡¡the¡¡first¡¡letter¡¡of¡¡his¡¡name¡¡£¨Christopher¡¡to¡¡wit£©£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡device¡¡of¡¡a¡¡crowned¡¡rose£»¡¡for¡¡this¡¡ring¡¡was¡¡a¡¡signet¡¡of¡¡his¡£¡¡¡¡Wherefore¡¡was¡¡the¡¡Marshal¡¡once¡¡more¡¡sore¡¡troubled£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡arose£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡half¡¡minded¡¡to¡¡run¡¡down¡¡the¡¡hall¡¡after¡¡Christopher£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡refrained¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡presently¡¡smiled¡¡to¡¡himself£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡fell¡¡a¡­talking¡¡to¡¡Lord¡¡Richard£»¡¡sweetly¡¡and¡¡pleasantly¡£

SO¡¡wore¡¡the¡¡day¡¡to¡¡evening£»¡¡but£»¡¡ere¡¡he¡¡went¡¡to¡¡bed£»¡¡the¡¡Lord¡¡Rolf¡¡had¡¡a¡¡privy¡¡talk£»¡¡first¡¡with¡¡Lord¡¡Richard£»¡¡and¡¡after¡¡with¡¡his¡¡squire¡¡Simon¡£¡¡¡¡What¡¡followed¡¡of¡¡that¡¡talk¡¡ye¡¡may¡¡hear¡¡after¡£



CHAPTER¡¡VII¡£

HOW¡¡CHRISTOPHER¡¡WENT¡¡A¡¡JOURNEY¡¡INTO¡¡THE¡¡WILD¡­WOOD¡£


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¡¨Yea£»¡¡as¡¡thou¡¡seest£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡the¡¡youngling¡¡smiling¡£¡¡¡¡For£»¡¡indeed£»¡¡he¡¡had¡¡breeches¡¡now¡¡beneath¡¡his¡¡shirt£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡surcoat¡¡of¡¡green¡¡woollen¡¡over¡¡it£»¡¡boots¡¡of¡¡deerskin¡¡had¡¡he¡¡withal£»¡¡and¡¡spurs¡¡thereon£º¡¡¡¡he¡¡was¡¡girt¡¡with¡¡a¡¡short¡¡sword£»¡¡and¡¡had¡¡a¡¡quiver¡¡of¡¡arrows¡¡at¡¡his¡¡back£»¡¡and¡¡bare¡¡a¡¡great¡¡bow¡¡in¡¡his¡¡hand¡£

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Simon¡¡looked¡¡confused£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡reddened¡¡and¡¡stammered¡¡somewhat¡¡as¡¡he¡¡answered£º¡¡¡¨Ah£»¡¡yea£º¡¡¡¡so¡¡it¡¡was£»¡¡I¡¡mind¡¡me£»¡¡I¡¡will¡¡tell¡¡thee¡¡anon¡£¡¨

Said¡¡Christopher£º¡¡¡¡¡¨Withal£»¡¡squire£»¡¡if¡¡we¡¡are¡¡wending¡¡into¡¡the¡¡wood£»¡¡as¡¡needs¡¡we¡¡must£»¡¡unless¡¡we¡¡ride¡¡round¡¡about¡¡this¡¡dale¡¡in¡¡a¡¡ring¡¡all¡¡day£»¡¡dost¡¡thou¡¡deem¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡go¡¡at¡¡a¡¡gallop¡¡many¡¡a¡¡mile£¿¡¡Nay£»¡¡fair¡¡sir£»¡¡the¡¡horses¡¡shall¡¡wend¡¡a¡¡foot's¡¡pace¡¡oftenest£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡go¡¡a¡­foot¡¡not¡¡unseldom¡¡through¡¡the¡¡thickets¡£¡¨

Now¡¡was¡¡Simon¡¡come¡¡to¡¡himself¡¡again£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡self¡¡was¡¡surly£»¡¡so¡¡he¡¡said£º¡¡¡¡¡¨Ay£»¡¡ay£»¡¡little¡¡King£»¡¡thou¡¡deemest¡¡thee¡¡exceeding¡¡wise¡¡in¡¡these¡¡woods£»¡¡dost¡¡thou¡¡not£¿¡¡and¡¡forsooth£»¡¡thou¡¡mayst¡¡be¡£¡¡¡¡Yet¡¡have¡¡I¡¡tidings¡¡for¡¡thee¡£¡¨

¡¨Yea£»¡¡and¡¡what¡¡be¡¡they£¿¡¨¡¡said¡¡Christopher¡£

Simon¡¡grinned£º¡¡¡¡¡¨Even¡¡these£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡he£»¡¡¡¨that¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Knowall¡¡was¡¡no¡¡man's¡¡cousin¡¡while¡¡he¡¡lived£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡he¡¡died¡¡last¡¡week¡£¡¨

Therewith¡¡he¡¡swung¡¡himself¡¡into¡¡his¡¡saddle£»¡¡and¡¡Christopher¡¡laughed¡¡merrily¡¡at¡¡his¡¡poor¡¡gibe¡¡and¡¡mounted¡¡in¡¡like¡¡wise¡£

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