Chapter 4 Chapter Four

slaughtered sheep and pigs, and rough and hairy goats, The sprawling young bull sprawled on the marble; Large pieces of meat are roasted and passed around the banquet, Transparent red wine glistened in the full glass. Odysseus was set aside for the banquet; The prince also gave him a small table with a tripod, a more indecent seat Book 20 of The Odyssey Elder Aimer had taken advantage of the opportunity of rest to take off his riding cloak, and changed into a robe of more expensive material, covered with an exquisitely embroidered cloak.On his fingers he wore rings of precious stones, in disregard of canon law, besides the gold signet ring which marked his dignified position in the Church; his shoes were of the finest leather imported from Spain; The degree allowed by the order is trimmed exquisitely; the top of his shaved head is hidden under a red cap full of delicate patterns.

The Templar's attire had also been changed, and although he wore less jewels, he was no less luxuriously dressed, and much more imposing in appearance than his companions.His chainmail tunic had been replaced by a fur-trimmed dark purple silk jacket over which he wore a sheer white tunic of great pleats.The eight-pointed cross of his knightly order was still trimmed in black velvet on the shoulders of the robe.But the tall hat was no longer pressing on his eyebrows, and a ring of short, thick curly hair was exposed under the brim. These jet black hairs matched his well-tanned skin very well.His demeanor might have been elegant and handsome, but his irresistible power had bred him to be so arrogant that it became his overriding characteristic.

The two noblemen were followed by their respective entourage, and a little further off, at a respectful distance, their guide; a man who was not conspicuous except in the general attire of a pilgrim.He was surrounded by a duffel black coat or cloak, somewhat like the so-called Slavic cloak of modern light motorcyclists, with two wings covering the shoulders as well.He had bare legs, his rough shoes were strapped to his feet; Wrapped in iron, with a palm leaf tied to the top, this is the pilgrim. 】All decorations.Cautiously following the procession, he entered the hall, found the table below already crowded with Cedric's servants and the entourage of his guests, and retreated to sit on a bench next to it. Next to the great fireplace, almost under it; he seemed to be drying his clothes, while he waited for others to leave, for the table to become vacant, or for the butler, out of kindness, to bring some additional food to the side seat he had chosen.

Cedric rose to his feet with the dignity of hospitality, descended from his elevated earthen altar, advanced three steps, and stood there waiting for his guests to come. I am very sorry, he said, my lord master, I am bound by my oath, and I cannot go forward in this place of my ancestors, although I am going to meet you and this brave Templar. guest.But my steward has explained to you the reason for my apparently irreverent behaviour.Also, I hope you will forgive me for speaking to you in my native language, and if you understand it, please answer me in that language; if not, I know Norman enough to understand your mean.

Oaths cannot be broken, replied the abbot, venerable manor lord, or rather venerable squire, though that name is too ancient.The oath is the bond that binds us to the Kingdom of Heaven, a cord that binds the sacrifice to the altar, and therefore, as I have said before, it cannot be untied and cannot be broken unless our Holy Church decides otherwise .As for languages, I would love to hear from my esteemed grandmother Hilda.The language spoken by Middelheim, she died with a holy soul, perhaps I may venture to say, that she was as close to her glorious namesake as St Hilda of Whitby The priestess, who founded Whitby Abbey, etc., was revered as a saint after her death. ] It's just a little bit worse. May God bless her soul in heaven!

After the elder finished his high-level discourse, which was intended to moderate the atmosphere, his companion also said briefly: I have always spoken French, which is the language of King Richard and his nobles; but I know English and can communicate with this country. natives talking to each other. Cedric gave the speaker the hasty, weary glance which he tends to give whenever he hears a comparison of two hostile peoples; He waved his hands and asked his guests to sit down on the two chairs that were slightly lower than him but next to him, and then made a gesture to indicate that dinner was ready to be served on the table.

The servants hurried away to carry out his orders, when his eyes caught Ge Si, the pig-herder, who was entering the hall with his companion Wang Ba, and told these wandering bastards to come to me at once.said the Saxon impatiently.The two criminals came to the front of the earth platform, and he said again: You bastards, you are wandering outside and only come home at this time, what's going on?Ge Si, where's your animal? Did you drive home, or did you give it to robbers and bandits? You can always rest assured that the animals are safe and sound.Ge Si replied. Well said you boy, reassure me, how can I be at ease, said Cedric, I've been worrying for two hours, trying to figure out what to do with my neighbors, who haven't done anything.Well, let me tell you, the next time something like this happens, you'll have to be shackled and thrown into a dungeon.

Ge Si understood his master's impatience and didn't want to argue; but Wang Ba believed that he enjoyed the privilege of a clown, and Cedric never cared about his words, so he replied for both of them: "However, Mr. Cedric, can you tonight?" Not smart enough, my mind is a little confused. what, sir!The master said, if you think that you can be unscrupulous with a few jokes, I will lock you in the concierge and let you have a taste of confinement. Then let me ask you an old question first, Wang Ba said, is it fair to punish another person for doing something wrong? Of course not, fool.Cedric replied.

So, old man, why do you want poor Ge Si to put leg irons on account of his dog Fance's mistake?For I can swear we didn't play a minute on the road, just to get the pigs together, and Fance dawdled until the bells for vespers to get it done. Since Fance is wrong, hang Fance, said Cedric, and turning away, said to the pig-herder, you can find another dog. I'm sorry, sir, said the clown, but your punishment still misses the point; for it's not Fance's fault, he's crippled and can't keep the pigs together, it's the fellows who cut off both of his front paws Damn it, if I had consulted with poor Fance before performing this operation, I don't think he would have agreed.

My servant's dog, who dares to cut off its front paws?said the Saxon in a rage. Let me tell you, that's Philip.Good work old Hubert, the gamekeeper of Malvorsing, said Wang Ba, when Fance walked through his woods, he assumed the attitude of a forest ranger, saying that Fance wanted to capture deer, and violated his master's interests. Damn Malvorsin, replied the Saxon, and the forester, all damned!I have to make them understand that this area of ​​the woods is no longer prohibited under the forest charter.But there is no need to talk about it.Go, boy, go do your business; and you, Ge Si, you pick another dog, if the forester dares to touch it again, he won't be able to draw his bow again; I won't break his right hand index finger, I'm such a coward!I want him to never be able to draw a bow or shoot an arrow.Forgive me, my lords, some of my neighbors here are simply unreasonable, Mr. Chevalier, like the heretics you meet in the Holy Land.But now, the simple food has been put on the table, please use it. Although the food and drink are poor, our hearts are sincere.

That being said, there was more than enough food on the table, and the owner's apologies were unnecessary.At the lower end of the table lay pork, cooked in various ways, and poultry, venison, goat, and rabbit, fish of all kinds, and great loaves of bread and cakes, and desserts of every kind, made of fruit and honey.Smaller game is also very plentiful. They are not placed on plates, but inserted on small wooden sticks or iron forks, and the servants and servants continuously deliver them to the guests for them to cut by themselves.A silver goblet stood in front of every respectable person, and horn goblets were used on the table below. Just as the meal was about to begin, the butler or the chief catering officer suddenly raised his staff and said loudly: "Wait a minute!"Miss Rowena is here.At the top of the hall, a side door behind the banquet was opened, and Rowena entered the room, followed by four maids.Although Cedric was a little surprised, and perhaps disapproved of his adoptive daughter's appearance on this occasion, he stood up quickly to greet her, and led her politely to the taller chair on his right. The hostess' seat.Everyone stood up to greet her, and she bowed her head silently in response, then walked gracefully to the table and sat down.Even before she sat down, the Templar had whispered in the Elder's ear: I will not wear your gold collar at the tourney.Those Chios wines are yours. Did I not say that?But don't be fascinated, replied the elder, our master is watching you. But Brian.Bois-Ghibert has always been free-spirited, ignorant of scruples, ignored the warning of the abbot, and still fixed his eyes on the Saxon beauty; perhaps it was because she was so different from the Sultan's concubine that he was particularly fascinated . Rowena had a beautiful figure, and everything was just right; she was tall and slim, but not so tall that she was conspicuous.Her skin is delicate and white, but the noble face shape and appearance prevent the dull look that ordinary beauties sometimes show.Curved dark brown eyebrows set off her forehead particularly movingly, and a pair of clear blue eyes hidden under the eyebrows seemed to be warm and gentle, dignified and kind.If gentleness and placidity were the natural expression of such a countenance, it was clear that the habits of her superior position, her constant respect, gave the Saxon maiden an air of higher dignity which, by the present appearance, was not unlike that of the Saxon girl. The features that nature has given her combine to dilute the latter's performance.Her thick hair, between brown and blond, was divided into innumerable locks in all sorts of graceful ways, in which man, perhaps, had done nature a favor.The curly hair is dotted with jewels and hangs down long, showing that this is a girl who was born in a famous family and born free.A gold necklace hung around her neck, and a small reliquary, also of gold, hung from it.She wore bracelets on her exposed arms, and she was wearing a light green silk jacket and skirt, covered with a long loose gown that almost reached the ground, and the sleeves were also very big, but only reached the crook of the arm.The gown is deep red in color and is made of very fine wool.A silk veil inlaid with gold thread hung over the upper body of the burqa, which the wearer could adjust as he wished, either to cover his face and chest like the Spaniards, or to throw it over his shoulders as a scarf. Rowena felt the eyes of the Templars staring at her, their blazing lust, as if peering out from a dark cave, which made them as bright as burning coals, and she solemnly The face was covered with a veil, as if to warn him that his insolent gaze was unwelcome. Cedric saw the movement and its cause, and said: Your Excellency, we Saxon girls have not weathered their skins to bear the gaze of a crusader. If I have offended you, Sir Brienne replied, I beg your pardon, I mean, Miss Rowena, for my apology can only go so far. Miss Rowena reprimanded my friend for his audacity, and punished us both, said the elder, if only she would be less cruel to those splendid warriors at the tourney. We're not sure whether we'll go there, said Cedric. I don't like the spectacle. Our ancestors didn't appreciate such things when England was a free country. But we hope, said the elder, that our company will make you decide to go there; it's a rough road now, Brienne.Sir Bois-guibert's escort was still indispensable. Your Excellency, replied the Saxon, in this land, wherever I go, with my sword and my faithful retinue, I always feel safe and need no protection.For the present, if we were to go to Ashby at all, we would go with my noble neighbor and countryman, Athelstan of Fort Konings, and our entourage would suffice to assure us that we would not be disturbed by strongmen and enemies. .Dean, I thank you for your concern. I respect you for this glass of wine. I believe it will suit your taste.However, if you only drink yogurt products in order to strictly abide by the precepts of the monastery, then you don't have to force yourself too much for etiquette. No, laughed the elder, we only use sweet milk or yoghurt instead of wine in the monastery.In dealing with the world, we behave in the world's way, so I can congratulate you with real wine, and leave the light drinks for the brothers of the church. I must also pay my respects with a toast to the beautiful Rowena, said the Templar, filling his own glass, because since her namesake Henry Gist's daughter Rowena. ] Since the name was introduced into England, no lady has ever been more entitled to the compliment of being beautiful.I promise I can forgive the unfortunate Waltigern. ], as long as the beauty he loves is half as beautiful as the one we have seen, it is worthwhile for him to sacrifice his honor and country for her. I dare not take your flattery, my lord, replied Rowena solemnly, without lifting her veil, but I would rather hear the latest news you brought from Palestine, which is more to us English than your French. Praise, which traditional parenting is good at, is more beautiful. I don't have any important news to share, Miss, Brian.Sir Bois-Ghibert replied, it can only be said that our cooperation with Saladin Signed a peace treaty with Saladin and temporarily ceased fighting. ] agreed to a temporary truce. His words were interrupted by Wang Ba, who was sitting on his special chair with two donkey ears on the back, which was behind the master, about two steps away, and the master from time to time came from his own. Give him some food from the plate, so that the funny man can enjoy the same preferential treatment as the favored dogs. We have already said that there are several dogs staying there and enjoying this treatment.In front of Wang Ba was a small table. He had to lift his heels up against the rung of the chair while sitting on the chair.He tightened his cheeks so that his mouth resembled a small walnut-crunching pincer; his eyes were half-closed, yet he watched every opportunity for a gag to exercise his privilege. Speaking of this truce with the cultists, he suddenly shouted, while the pompous Templars were talking, and I felt like an old man all of a sudden! What nonsense, little bastard, how could this happen?said Cedric, but he looked as if he was about to hear a joke. Because I remember, Wang Ba replied, I have heard this kind of truce three times in my life, assuming that each time can last for fifty years, then according to the formal calculation method, I should be at least one hundred and fifty years old. But I promise you won't live to be that old, said the Templar, who now recognizes the friend of the forest, and you have nothing to worry about other than being beaten to death, because if you're as old as you are tonight Just like showing the way to the elders and me, pointing the direction to those who are on the way indiscriminately, this is what will happen to you. What, man!Cedric said, giving random directions to pedestrians?I'll have to beat you up; you're not only a fool, you're at least a liar. Listen to me, sir, replied the clown, my deceit was only the result of my ignorance, I took the left for the right, and the right for the left; but he took the fool for a wise man, and asked him the way, which is a bigger mistake. The conversation was interrupted at this moment, and the boy in the door room came to report that a stranger had come outside and asked to stay overnight at the village and have something to eat. Let him in, said Cedric, whoever he is or what he does; on such stormy nights even wild beasts must seek hiding places, and men though their sworn enemies, in order not to die in the wilderness They also beg for protection from humans.We can meet all his needs, Oswald, you take care of this. The butler left the banquet hall to make arrangements to carry out the master's orders.