Chapter 2 Chapter two

And a monk with a handsome appearance, like an elder, He loves to hunt, and rides majesticly on horseback, And sanctimonious, qualified to be an abbot, There are many beautiful tall horses in his stable. Whenever he mounts and gallops, the bell on the bridle And jingle with the whistling of the wind, Like a church bell ringing loud and clear, He owns a cellar there as its elder. Chaucer Despite his companion's urging and accusations from time to time, and the sound of hooves getting closer, Wang Ba still dawdled along the way, looking for various excuses to hang out, grabbing a handful of half-ripe nuts on the hazel tree, and turning his head to look at it A rural girl passing by.In this way, those on horseback quickly overtook them.

There were about a dozen of these people, the two riding in front seemed to be big men with some background, and the rest were just their followers.It is not difficult to ascertain the identity and status of a great man, apparently a prelate dressed in Cistercian [Note: A sect of Catholic monasteries known for their strict rules. 】The clothing of monks, only its texture is much better than that order generally allows.His cloak and hood were of the finest Flemish wool, with wide pleats, yet not bulky about his fat, but still graceful body.His countenance showed little sign of poverty, just as his dress showed no sign of contempt for worldly pomp.His appearance can be regarded as correct, but there is always a faint glint of pleasure lurking in the corner of his eyes, which shows that he has a carefully concealed desire for sex.In other respects, his position and position had taught him to control his expression at all times, and he could suddenly become stern and sanctimonious, despite the natural lightheartedness of his face and the pleasure-loving nature of his disposition.The rules of the monastery, the pope, and the catechism of the papal court could not restrain this nobleman, whose turned-up sleeves showed precious furs, and the collar of his cloak was made of gold loops. His order is the same, but the clothes are exquisite and the ornaments are luxurious, just like the contemporary Friends. 】Female believers, although they maintain their sect's dress and attire, the exquisite materials and workmanship can still add a coquettish charm to the simple clothing, which makes people smell too much worldly vanity.

The venerable priest rode a well-bred, leisurely mule, regal in all his accoutrements, and with many silver bells adorning the bridle, as was the fashion of the day.Riding on horseback, he does not have the clumsy posture of a monk, and his attitude is quite leisurely and unrestrained, exactly like a well-trained knight.Indeed, a lowly mount such as a mule, no matter how richly adorned it may be, and however leisurely and leisurely its gait, is for this imposing friar only for travelling.He was followed by several entourages, one of whom was a secular servant leading a very beautiful Spanish stallion, which came from an Andalusian stud farm and was used by him on other occasions. It took a lot of risks to introduce this kind of horse exclusively for dignitaries.The horse was luxuriously dressed, and the saddle and coat were covered by a mantle that reached to the hooves and almost touched the ground. The mantle was intricately embroidered with bishops' crowns, crosses and other symbols of the church.Another secular servant led a pack mule, which probably contained the superior's luggage; and two monks of lower rank, also belonging to his order, rode last, saying to each other Talk and laugh, but ignore the rest of the team.

The senior priest's companion was about forty years old, tall and thin, strong and muscular, like an athlete; long-term fatigue and continuous training did not seem to let go of any softer parts of his body, so that he His whole body is composed almost entirely of muscles, bones, and tendons, which have seen a thousand toils, and are ready for a thousand more.On his head he wore a bright red cap with a leather border, shaped like an upside-down mortar, which is why the French call it a white cap.This left his face completely exposed, and its expression aroused, if not fear, at least a measure of dread.The parts of the face were almost negro-tanned from constant exposure to the scorching sun; they were well-defined and naturally expressive, but generally they were only in the slumber phase after the emotional storm had passed; However, the protruding blue veins on his forehead, and the quivering of his upper lip and thick black mustache when he is a little emotional, let people clearly see that the emotional storm may be revived at any time.Every gleam in his quick, penetrating black eyes said that he had overcome so many difficulties and surmounted so many dangers in his life that any challenge against his will was not at his word, and he could rely on his strength. Determined and fearless, he swept them from his path.There was a deep cut across his brow, which added to his stern and forbidding features, and gave a menacing look to one of his eyes, which was also slightly wounded, though not affecting its sight. , but the eyes are somewhat squinted and damaged.

The outer clothes of this man were similar in shape to those worn by his companions. It was a monk's long cloak, but the color was dark red, which indicated that he did not belong to any of the four major orders. The Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustines, and Galomerans are called the four major religious orders. 】.A specially shaped cross is embroidered in white on the right shoulder of the cloak.Inside this coat is a suit of undergarment that does not match it, namely chain mail, sleeves and gloves, all interlaced with delicate workmanship, so that they are flexible and close to the body, just like modern Things woven from fine and soft materials on a hosiery machine.As can be seen from the overlap of the cloak, the fronts of his thighs are also covered with chain mail; his knees and feet are protected with thin steel sheets, or sheets of metal artfully joined together; Ankles, effectively protecting the lower legs; all this constitutes the whole self-defense outfit of the rider on horseback.A long double-bladed dagger hangs from his belt, and it is the only offensive weapon on his body.

Unlike his companions, he rode not a mule, but a strong horse designed for long journeys. His mighty war horse was at rest, led by a squire, but it was still in full battle gear. Equipped at the time, there is a horse head armor made of steel sheets on the head, and a short steel thorn stands in front of the head armor.On one side of the saddle hangs a short battle-axe carved with damascus steel wavy patterns; on the other side hangs its owner's plumed helmet and chain mail hood, and a long two-handed epee of the day for knights .Another squire held aloft his master's lance, and from the tip of the lance a small flag or sash flowed, also bearing a cross in the same shape as that embroidered on his coat.He also carried his little triangular shield, which was broad enough at the top to protect the chest and narrowed to a point at the bottom.A red cloth was draped over the shield, obscuring its pattern.

These two retinues were followed by two servants. Their faces were black, they wore white headscarves, and their clothes were also in the Eastern style, which indicated that they came from a distant Eastern country. and Muslim titles. 】.There was something primitive and exotic in the whole appearance of the warrior and his entourage; the squires were richly clothed, the oriental servants had silver collars around their heads and necks, and the same metal laces on their dark legs and arms. Bracelets, arms from elbows, legs from knees to ankles, are exposed.Silk and embroidery featured in their attire, both an indication of the opulence and nobility of their owner and a stark contrast to his own plain military attire.Their weapons were long, curved sabers, with hilts and straps inlaid with gold, as beautifully crafted as the Turkish daggers.From their saddles hung a bundle of arrows or darts, about four feet long, with sharp steel points, and were Saracens. 】The commonly used weapon, the so-called blunt dart gun used in military exercises in Eastern countries, still retains its shape.

The horses of these servants are as foreign in appearance as their riders.They are of the Saracen breed, and therefore of Arabian blood, with small legs, not much hair, a sparse mane, and a leisurely and light gait, distinct from those powerful, big-boned horses of Flemish and Nordic origin. The breed bred by Mandi was specially designed for soldiers wearing full armor at that time, and the Eastern war horses stood side by side with them, almost like their shadows. The unique appearance of this group of people not only aroused Wang Ba's interest, but also aroused the curiosity of his less active companion.The monk, he recognized at a glance, was the abbot of the Abbey of Jurvaux, known to the inhabitants for dozens of miles around, a man who loved hunting and eating and drinking, and if the legend is true, he had some entertainments, even It is even more contrary to the precepts of his order.

However, in that era, no matter the behavior of the priests outside the monastery or the priests inside the monastery, the requirements were not high, so Elder Aimer still maintained a good reputation in the monastery area.His easy-going disposition, his never harsh words, and his readiness to pardon all common misdeeds endeared him to the nobles and leading gentlemen of the country, moreover, he was also of Norman descent, some of whom he had relations with. relation.Especially the ladies, when they see a man openly expressing their appreciation to them, they naturally cannot bear to criticize his morality too much; Give them many ways to relax and relieve boredom.The elder was always so keen on wild game that he kept a large flock of well-trained falcons and the fastest hounds in the North End of the county, and these circumstances endowed him with great appreciation among the noble boys.For the older generation, he played a different role, and he would pop in with civility whenever necessary.However little his book-knowledge may have been, it was enough to awe the ignorant as a wealth of learning; his speech was dignified and his manners were dignified, his voice was high and sonorous in citing scriptures to expound the authority of the church and priests, All this, too, made a divine impression upon them.Even the ordinary people who like to find fault with the big men can understand Elder Aimer and ignore his dissolute behavior.He was a man of generosity; good deeds are known to cover countless sins. ], but this is not the same as what the Bible says.The income of the monastery was largely at his disposal, which gave him the facility to spend freely, but it also gave him the power to benevolently among the peasants, and enabled him to relieve the plight of the oppressed from time to time.If Elder Aimer was keen on hunting, or lingering in a life of feasting and feasting, if someone saw Elder Aimer sneaking home from a date shrouded in darkness at dawn and sneaking into the back door of the monastery, people would only shrug. Shoulder, laughing off his informality, thinking that many of his colleagues were doing it, even though they weren't as equipped as he was to take credit for it.For this reason Elder Emer and his character were well known to our two Saxon servants, who paid him a hasty respect, and he greeted them accordingly: God bless you, my children.

But the distinctive appearance of his companion and his retinue attracted their attention and aroused their curiosity, so that the abbot at Jurvaux asked them if there was any lodging for the night in the neighbourhood. At that time, they hardly heard it, but they were just wondering who the dark-faced stranger was, who looked like a monk and a soldier, and what his oriental servants were dressed in strange clothes and armed with weapons, and what they were going to do.It is also possible, however, that the elder's blessing and inquiry were in a language which the two Saxon peasants, though not completely ignorant, found so offensive that they refused to answer them.

I ask you, my children, the elder raised his voice, and asked, in the mixed language that the Normans and the Saxons speak, whether there is any good-hearted person in the neighborhood here, out of the love of God, Devotion to the Holy Church, willing to provide accommodation for two of its humblest servants and their entourage, for a night's board and lodging? Although he felt obliged to use polite words, his tone of voice was high and in sharp contrast to the former. Two of the most humble servants of the Church!Wang Ba murmured in his heart, although he was stupid, but he didn't let these ideas into words, so what role should those deacons, those housekeepers, and those invincible high-ranking servants be? After making this mental comment on the elder's words, he raised his eyes and answered the question put to him. If the two venerable deans, he said, wished to have good food and drink, and a comfortable bedchamber, it would be but a few miles to bring them to the Abbey at Brynworth, where they would be entertained as they should be; but If they would rather spend a night of solitude, they could pass through a glade not far from here to the hermitage of Copmanhurst, where a pious friar kept them in his humble hut. to spend the night there and pray with him. The abbot shook his head frequently at both of his proposals. My honest friend, said he, if the bell on your hat hadn't confused your mind, you might understand that priests don't charge priests with tithes, that is, we priests don't demand hospitality from each other , we would rather trouble the laity, that they might have an opportunity of doing God's service, entertaining and feeding His appointed servants. Indeed, replied Wang Ba, I am only an ass, and now I am as honored as my lord's mule, and hang the bell; but in my opinion, the charity to the Church and its servants is like other charity, You should start with yourself first. Poor boy, don't let you be presumptuous again, the knight intervened in an arrogant and majestic voice, and didn't let him go on talking, if you know, tell us how to go that way Elder Emer, what is the name of the manor owner you are talking about name? Cedric, replied the elder, Cedric the Saxon.Tell me, friend, is his home nearby, and do you know which way to go? This road is not easy to find, Ge Si broke the silence for the first time and replied, and the Cedric family has already fallen asleep. Shut up, you fellow, don't you talk to me like that, the soldiers on horseback say, even if they are asleep, they have to get up to meet our needs, travelers like us don't have to ask them, we have the right to order them. After hearing this, Ge Si muttered sullenly: These people think they have the right to board and lodging, and they don't ask for care like ordinary people. For such people, I don't know if I should tell them where the master lives. Don't talk back to me, slave!Said the soldier, he kicked the horse so that it made a half circle on the road, and at the same time raised the whip in his hand, as if to punish the peasant for his offense. Ge Si frowned, and glared at him with hatred. Although he still hesitated, he already gritted his teeth and put a hand on the handle of the knife; but Elder Aimer rode the mule until Pig Companion and him between friends.Stop this imminent brawl. No, Holy Mary, know, brother Brienne, that you are not in Palestine now, and you are not ruled by Turk heathens and wicked Saracens; our islanders don't like to be beaten, unless that is the Holy Church punishment for those it loves.Tell me, boy, he said to Wang Ba, handing over a little silver piece, how to get to Cedric the Saxon's house; you can't know, and besides, even a man not in the priesthood like us If you get lost, you are also responsible for pointing him out. Seriously, my dear priest, replied the clown, the Saracen style of your noble friend scares me so much that I forget my way home, and I don't know if I will get home tonight . Stop talking, said the abbot, you can tell us if you like.This noble brother spent his whole life restoring the Holy Tomb [Note: Refers to the tomb of Jesus, the Crusades were carried out in the name of recapturing the tomb of the Lord. 】Fighting against the Saracens, he is a member of the Knights Templar [Note: One of the main organizations of the Crusades, a religious military institution headquartered in the Temple of Jerusalem, hence the name. ]’s knight, you may have heard this name, he is half monk, half warrior. Since he was only half a priest, replied the Clown, he should not be so rude to people he met on the road, even if they didn't want to answer questions that didn't concern them right away, he wouldn't have to be so angry. I pardon your pleading, replied the Abbot, if you will show me the way to Cedric's estate. Well then, replied Wang Ba, you just follow this road and you will see a cross that is sunken in the ground, it is just over a foot above the ground, and then you turn left, because there is Four roads meet at the fallen cross; I trust you will find shelter before the storm begins. The abbot thanked the wise guide; and the party kicked their horses, and hurried away like a company of men who hope to reach the inn before the night's storm. After the sound of hooves faded away, Ge Si said to his companions: If they follow your wise guidance, these lords will never reach Rotherwood tonight. Yes, the clown grinned smugly, but with luck, they'd still make it to Sheffield, which was a suitable place for them too.I am not such a bad ranger that I will not show the dogs where a deer hides, as long as I do not want to harm the deer. You're right, said Gerth, not to let Emer see Miss Rowena, and it could be worse, because Cedric might quarrel with this friar and warrior.We should be our servants honestly, listen and read a lot, but say nothing. Now to the men on horseback, who soon left the two servants far away, and continued the following conversation in Norman French, which is generally used by the upper classes, except for a few who are still proud of their Saxon blood. languages. Those guys are not big or small, they have no scruples, what are they going to do!The Templars said to the Cistercians, why do you stop me from teaching them? Well, Brother Brienne, replied the Abbess, as for one of them, he is a fool and likes to talk nonsense, so what can I tell him.As for the other, it was a thug, a man so savage and vile as to be incomprehensible, as I have often told you, among the conquered Saxons there were plenty of them, and their favorite thing to do was to use By all means they have, they resent us, the conquerors. I hit him a few times and he learned to be polite, Brienne said, I'm used to this kind of rebellious spirit.Our Turkish captives are also vicious and unreasonable, just like Odin. ] I am equally difficult to control; but when it comes to me, my captain who disciplines the captives will make them submissive, do whatever you want them to do, and everything is up to you.I said, sir, you must be on your guard against poison and daggers; such people will take either of these against you if you give them the chance. Yes, replied Elder Emer, but beating this fellow won't tell us where Cedric lives; you know, every place has its own customs, and if we don't understand that, even if we find his home, You'll have to quarrel with him, too.Remember what I said: this wealthy manor owner is arrogant and vicious. He hates us and always wants to take revenge. He wants to fight us Norman nobles to the end;Malvorsin was not a kid to mess with, but even these people were not in his eyes.He wanted to maintain his national privileges, with a very firm attitude and a pretentious attitude, thinking that he was the Seven Kingdoms period. ]'s famous supporter Hereward [Note: the national hero of the Anglo-Saxons in the eleventh century, who resolutely resisted William the Conqueror. Cedric the Saxon, he was generally called Cedric the Saxon; he was openly proud to belong to this race, although others were doing their best to conceal it, lest they suffer the unfortunate fate of the defeated, and the disgrace of the conquered.Elder Emer, said the Templar, you are a man of beauty, you have a deep study of beauties, and you know everything about love like a troubadour; but I hope this famous Rowena is really beautiful, that is enough Offsetting the sacrifices and restraints I had to make to get her, because, as you describe, her father was a rebellious mob and I had to compromise to win his favor. Cedric was not her father, answered the Abbot, but a distant relation of hers; her parentage was even higher than he boasted, and she was only distantly related to him.Yet he was her guardian, as I suppose he made it himself; but he did regard the adopted daughter as dear to his heart as his own.You will soon be able to judge for yourself about her beauty; and if her fair complexion, and the solemn and affectionate look of her soft blue eyes, do not banish from your memory those Palestine girls with black braids, yes , and the Caliph [Note: The title of the highest ruler of the Arab Empire. ] those coquettish women in the palace, then I am a heretic and not a true son of the Church. If that beauty you're bragging about isn't enough on my scales, then you remember our bet?said the Templar. My gold collar to your ten barrels of Chios wine [Note: A famous wine produced on the island of Chios in Greece. ] Ah, replied the abbot, they must be my property, and I feel as though they have been carried into the cellar of the monastery, and locked up in the house by old Dennis, who is in charge of the cellar. That's for me to judge, said the Templar, only by my own admission, since Pentecost last year. ] Up to now, I have never seen such a beautiful girl, so I am considered a loser.Is that what you said?Dean, your collar is in jeopardy, and it will have to be worn over my throatplate at the tourney at Ashby. As long as you win honorably, it is all right to wear you, said the abbot, and I am sure you will give an honest answer, as a knight and a priest agree with each other.Yet, my boy, take my advice, and keep your tongue and speak softly, for the habits you have acquired in dominion over heathen captives and Oriental slaves will not prevail here.Cedric the Saxon is not to be trifled with, you offend him, he will never let it go, your knighthood, my high office, their sanctity, are not at his word, he will throw us out of the house at once , even if it was the middle of the night, he would let us go to the skylark for company.Also, be careful what you think of Rowena.He guards her like a baby, never letting anyone look at her; once you've got him on the alert, we can't do anything about it.I heard that his only son was kicked out of the house because of flirting with that beautiful woman.It seems that one can only watch her from a distance, not get close to her, and can't reveal any unreasonable thoughts, just like we look at the holy face in front of the shrine of the Virgin Mary. Well, enough of your talk, replied the Templar, I am determined to maintain the necessary restraint for the night, and to act with the delicacy of a little girl.However, there is no need to fear that he will drive us out of the house. I and my squires, as well as Hamet and Abdallah, can guarantee that you will not be insulted.Don't worry, we have enough strength to protect ourselves. I hope things don't get so bad, replied the abbot, oh, this is the fallen cross that the clown said, but it's so dark that we can't see which way we should go.I think he wants us to turn left. Turn right, Brienne said, I remember that well. Turn left, it must be left; I remember, he pointed in the direction with his wooden sword. Yes, but although he held the sword in his left hand, he pointed it across his body to the right when he pointed it.said the Templar. The two insisted on their own opinions and refused to give in to each other, which is often the case in this situation; so they had to ask the followers, but they were far away from Wang Ba and couldn't hear what he said clearly.At last Brien made a new discovery, which he hadn't been aware of at first in the night: look, there was a man sleeping at the foot of the cross, but he might as well be dead.Hugo, poke him with the butt of your spear. The squire immediately complied, and the man stood up and shouted in pure French: Whoever you are, it is impolite to disturb my sweet dreams. We just want to ask you, said the Abbot, how to get to Rotherwood, we're looking for the lodgings of Cedric the Saxon. I would go there myself, replied the stranger, and if I had a horse I could be your guide, for the road is not easy to find, but I know it well. My friend, said the Dean, I will thank you and pay you if you will bring us safely there. He bade one of his attendants mount the horse he had led, and yielded to the stranger his own horse, that he might serve as their guide. This man led them on another road, which was exactly the opposite of the one Wang Ba tricked them into taking.The road soon penetrated deep into the woods, and passed several streams, lined with weedy swamps that made crossing them dangerous, but the stranger seemed to know instinctively where the ground was firmest and where The safest ferry.Thus, thanks to his prudence and caution, the party at last made it smoothly into a wider avenue which they had not yet seen.He pointed to a large area of ​​jagged low houses high up at the end of the avenue, and said to the abbot, "That's Rotherwood, the residence of Cedric the Saxon." This was really great news to Elder Aimer, who was timid, and had been trembling and trembling all the way through the dangerous swamp, so that he didn't have the heart to ask any questions to the guide.Now that he felt relieved, and not far from his lodging, his curiosity awoke, he asked the guide who he was and what he did. He replied that he was a pilgrim and had just returned from the Holy Land. You should stay there and fight to reclaim the Holy Sepulchre.said the Templar. True, my lord knight, replied the Pilgrim, who seemed to be quite familiar with the Templar garb, but since those who had sworn to fight for the recovery of the Holy City could travel so far from their duties Where is it that a peaceful farmer like myself does not want to do what they have left us? The Templars were annoyed at this, and were about to curse him, but were stopped by the abbot, who again expressed his admiration for their guide's knowledge of the forest's roads after a long absence. I was born in this area.replied the guide.By the time he answered, they were in front of Cedric's compound, a low, irregular group of buildings spread over a fairly wide area, containing several courtyards or uses; It was a large family home, but it was very different from the tall castle-like buildings surrounded by towers inhabited by Norman nobles, although the latter has become a popular architectural style everywhere in England. Yet Rotherwood was not defenseless; in those troubled times no house would risk being looted overnight.A deep pit or ditch, surrounding all houses, filled with water from a nearby channel.The ditches were surrounded on both sides by hedges or palisades, all of which were made of pointed posts, of wood from the adjacent forest.On the west side there is an entrance through the outer wooden palisade, which communicates with a similar opening in the inner fence by a drawbridge.As a precaution, these entrances were protected by protruding turrets, from which archers or slingshots could snipe from the flanks if necessary. In front of this entrance, the Templars blew their trumpets loud and clear, because the torrential rain that had long threatened this area had now begun to pour down.