Chapter 32 Chapter Thirty-Two

Believe me, every country must have its policies: Kingdoms have edicts, cities have rules, Even if rebellious bandits are in their forests, A certain amount of public discipline must also be maintained; For since Adam put on the apron of grass, People have to live together, Only the law can maintain the stability of society. ancient drama Dawn was shining on a clearing among the oak trees.The green branches and trees are still covered with shining dewdrops.The doe took its young out of the dense bushes and came to a relatively open grassland. The buck led its horned family to wander freely in the forest without worrying about the prying eyes and attacks of hunters for the time being.

The robbers were all there, and assembled round the Date Tree in the Woods of Hutt; tired from the battle against the castle, they rested and spent the night there, some drinking, some sleeping, and quite a few reviewing and recounting the day's events. , Estimated the value of the piles of victory fruits, waiting for the distribution of the leader. The spoils were indeed considerable, for though many things had been reduced to ashes, great quantities of gold and silver vessels, costly armour, and sumptuous raiment were rescued by intrepid robbers who were no danger to such a harvest. Can't be intimidated.However, the discipline of the group is strict, and no one dares to take the risk of devouring any thing privately. Now they are all gathered here, waiting for the leader to dispose of.

The meeting place was around an old oak tree, but it was not the place that Locksley took Ge Si and Wang Ba to the previous story, but in the middle of a forested basin, not far from the place they destroyed. Torquaystone Castle is less than half a mile away.Locksley sat on a turf-covered mound in the shade of the great oak, and his men gathered around him.He seated the black knight on his right, and Cedric on his left. Pardon my insolence, gentlemen, he said, but on these lawns I am king, they are my kingdom; if I am in my country, give my place to others, my rough Subjects will despise my authority.Now, gentlemen, has anyone seen our chaplain?Where is our slovenly monk?Among Christians it is best to say a prayer before the busy day begins.Nobody sees the priest at Copmanhurst, let's hope nothing happens!The leader said, I believe that the happy priest must have found the wine and was reluctant to go away.Who saw him after the castle was taken?

I've seen him, said the millkeeper, busily opening the cellar door, and swearing by every saint's name in the almanac, that he must taste the wine that the General Buffalo has kept. Well, may so many saints protect him, said the chief, and don't let him get drunk and crushed by the falling castle, miller, take some men to where you last saw him Douse the still-burning ruins with water from the trenches; even if the stones are removed one by one, our rogue monk must be found. Although the distribution of the spoils was everyone's concern, and it was about to begin, many volunteered to undertake the task, and they hurried away, showing how much the priest's safety was on everyone's minds.

Now let's continue the meeting, Locksley said, because word of this daring move has spread outside, and De Blasey's troops, Malvosin's troops, and the rest of General Buffalo's gang will be out at once to attack us, for defense In case, we have to withdraw from this area as soon as possible.My lord Cedric, he turned to the Saxon and said, Many of your men have participated in this campaign with us, and now we divide the spoils into two parts, and you can choose as you think fit, and use it to reward you those people. My good farmer, said Cedric, my heart is very disturbed and heavy now.The venerable Athelstan of Coningsberg is dead, and the holy penitent has no offspring!Our hope is gone with him forever!The fire had been doused by his blood, and no one could rekindle it.My people, except these few around now, are waiting for me to transport his body back to his family's cemetery.Miss Rowena is also eager to return to Rotherwood, and there must be enough strength to escort her.Therefore I should have left here long ago, and I am here not to share the spoils, for by God and St. Vysolthe neither I nor my men need these riches. I stay here to offer you and You brave warriors, express my thanks for saving my life and my honor.

No, the leader said, at most we only have half the credit for this matter, take the spoils, you can use them to reward your folks and subordinates. I have enough money to reward them with my possessions.Cedric replied. Some of us are quite clever, interjected Wang Ba, they have already rewarded themselves, and they will not go back empty-handed.We're not all fools in colorful coats. That's fine, Locksley said, our rules only apply to us. Ah, my poor servant, Cedric turned and embraced the jester, what shall I repay you, that you put your life in chains and would die for me; I lost all hope, but you , poor child, you are still so faithful to me!

Tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke, and the rough farmer showed such sentimentality that not even Athelstan's death had aroused; Attachment, which moved him deeply, evokes more than sadness. Come on, said the clown, breaking free from his master's arms. If you repay me with tears, I will have to cry with you. How does this befit my clown?But, old man, if you really want to make me happy, then I beg you to forgive my partner Ge Si, who slipped away from you for a week just to serve your son. Forgive him!cried Cedric, I will not only forgive him, but reward him.Kneel down, Ge Si, the pig-herd immediately kneels at the master's feet, from now on you are no longer a slave and a domestic servant, said Cedric, pressing a rod as a scepter on him, no matter in In town and beyond, in woods and fields, you are a freeman, a man alone.I grant you a piece of land in my Walblum estate, and it will be yours forever.Whoever opposes, let God punish him!

No longer a slave, but a free man and owner of the land, Ge Si jumped for joy, almost higher than himself. Blacksmith and file, he cried, take this collar off the free man's neck!Noble master, your gift has doubled my strength, and I will fight for you double!With a free soul in my body, I am transformed, to myself and to everything around me.Ha, Fance!He continued, because the loyal dog saw his master so happy and jumped on him to show his sympathy, do you know your master? Yes, said Wang Ba, Fang Si and I still know you, Ge Si, although we still have to wear collars; unless you will forget us and yourself.

Indeed, unless I forget myself, I will forget you, my good friend, Ge Si said, but as long as you want to be free, Wang Ba, the master will not let you have it. No, Wang Ba said, don't think I'm envious of you, Brother Ge Si; while slaves sit in the hall warming up, free men have to go to the battlefield to fight.Oldham of Malmesbury. ] also said that, he said: It is better to be a fool to drink than to be a smart man to fight. There was a clatter of hooves, and Miss Rowena appeared, followed by several riders and a great company on foot, all rejoicing, waving lances and forks for her freedom.She herself was richly dressed, mounted on a dark sorrel horse, and regained her original dignity, though her face was paler than usual, showing the hardships she had experienced in the past few days.Her lovely features were somewhat melancholy, but it spoke of renewed hope for the future, and heartfelt gratitude for her recent deliverance.She knew Ivanhoe was safe, and she knew Athelstan was dead.The first news made her happy from the bottom of her heart, the second might not bring her complete joy, but she realized that the problem that had divided her and her guardian, Cedric, was at last gone, and she didn't have to. No matter how much you worry about it, then this feeling of relief is understandable.

Rowena rode her horse up to Locksley's seat, and the brave farmer and all his men arose to greet her as if such politeness were part of their instinct.She waved to them, and stooped so low that for a moment her beautiful, loose curls almost touched the flowing mane; and as she spoke, a blush welled up her cheeks, her words were brief and expressive. Thanks to Locksley and all those who rescued her, she finally said: God bless you, warriors; your heroic deeds for the persecuted will be rewarded by God and Our Lady!When any of you are hungry, don't forget that Rowena has food, and when you're thirsty, don't forget that she has casks and vats of wine, and when the Normans drive you out of these woods, don't forget that Rowena has Her own forest, where the warriors who rescued her could come and go freely, and no one would accuse them of killing the deer with their arrows.

I thank you, kind lady, said Locksley, and on behalf of my friends.In fact, saving you is just a kind of compensation for us.Those of us who live in the forest have done many escapades, and saving Miss Rowena can be regarded as atonement. Rowena bowed her head on the horse and turned away, but paused a moment to join her after Cedric had taken his leave; when she suddenly saw that her captive De Blasey was near her.He was standing under a tree, folded his hands, and bowed his head in thought; Rowena walked over, not wanting to let him see him.But he looked up and found her in front of him, and a shy blush flooded his pretty face.He hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, took her horse by the bridle, and dropped one knee. Would Miss Rowena care to take a look at the captured knight, a disgraced warrior? Your lord, replied Rowena, in what you do, failure is not shameful, success is. "Miss, victory can soften the heart," replied De Blasey, "I don't know if Miss Rowena will forgive me for my emotional mistakes, but she will soon understand that De Blasey knows how to use more Noble way to treat her. I forgive you, my lord, said Rowena, forgive you as a Christian. That said, she hadn't forgiven him at all.Wang Ba interjected beside him. But I can never condone the misery and mischief your atrocities have wrought.Rowena continued. Let go of your hand and don't take the rein, said Cedric, stepping forward, I swear by the bright sun in the sky, if it wasn't worth your troubles, I'd nail you to the ground with spears; but remember Hold on, Morris.De Blasey, you will get your comeuppance sooner or later for your involvement in this dirty business. To intimidate a captive is to threaten his safety, said De Blasey. When will the Saxons be polite? So he took two steps back and let Rowena pass. Before leaving, Cedric expressed his thanks to the black armored knight and sincerely asked him to go to Rotherwood with him. I know, he said, that you wandering knights look to carve out your destinies at the point of your spears, and look not to land nor riches; but war is an uncertain lover, and even a wandering warrior has Sometimes you need a home.You have earned a home on Rotherwood, noble knight.Cedric has enough wealth to heal the wounds that fate has given you, and everything he has is his savior's.Come, therefore, to Rotherwood, not as a guest, but as a son or a brother to my house. Cedric has made me rich, said the knight, and taught me the value of Saxon nobility.I shall come to Rotherwood, brave Saxon, and soon; but at present, many urgent things prevent me from calling at once.Perhaps then the favor I ask of you will be a test even of your generosity. I promise you, whatever it is, said Cedric, pressing his hand instantly into the gauntleted palm of the black knight, I will do it, even if it means sacrificing half my fortune. Don't promise lightly, said the knight with the shackles as a sign, of course, I hope the favor I ask will be granted.Now, goodbye. One more word from me, added Cedric, that during noble Athelstan's funeral, I am going to Coningsberg, and staying temporarily as a guest at his estate.It is open to all, and whoever wishes to attend the funeral may go; I now invite you in the name of the late Prince's mother, the noble Edith, I believe, to save from the Norman chains and the Norman The man who fought valiantly to save Althelstan from the sword, even if he did not succeed, must be welcome. Yes, yes, Wang Ba said, he came to the master again, and there must be many delicacies from mountains and seas, but it's a pity that Lord Athelstan can't taste it himself.However, the clown continued, looking solemnly at the sky, where he must be drinking and eating with great relish now. Don't talk nonsense, go, Cedric said, he was very annoyed by this inappropriate joke, but he restrained his anger when he thought of Wang Ba's recent contributions.Rowena waved goodbye to the black knight, and the Saxon wished him God's blessing, and they walked out of the meadow in the forest. Not long after they left, a group of people suddenly appeared from the woods, walked around the circular basin, and walked in the direction of Rowena and the others.It turned out that Cedric had promised a large alms, or requiem mass, to a nearby abbey, and its priests were all out, following Athelstan's hearse, singing hymns in mournful, slow tones. ; the hearse, escorted by Athelstan's attendants, was on its way to his castle, Coningsberg, to be buried in the graveyard of his ancestors, the Hengist family.On hearing of his death, many of his vassals came, and they followed the coffin, all maintaining at least an appearance of grief and mourning.The robbers all stood up again, and paid the dead man the simple and natural respect they had just shown the beautiful woman.The priest's deep song and mournful gait called back from their hearts the memory of their comrades who had fallen in yesterday's battle.But for these people living in danger and fighting, such memories cannot last long. Before the sound of the elegy drifted away with the breeze, they were busy distributing the spoils again. Brave knight, Locksley said to the black armored knight, without your kindness and great help, our operation would not have been possible. Now please choose from this large amount of spoils, and take whatever you like. This is also for us. Keep a memory of the cooperation under this dating tree. Your kindness is frank, and I frankly accept it, said the knight. I hope you will dispose of Maurice.De Blasey's rights to me. He's yours already, said Locksley, and it's his luck!Otherwise the bully would have been hung from the highest branch of this oak tree, and any of his free band who fell into our hands would have been hung like acorns from the branches around him, but he was Your captive, he is safe, though he killed my father. De Blasey, said the knight, you are free, go.Your captors don't want to deal with the past with cheap vengeance.But please be careful in the future, don't let worse things happen to you.Morris.De Blasey, hear me: watch out! De Blasey bowed low to him and said nothing; he was about to leave when a sudden burst of curses and sneers broke out among the fellows.The arrogant knight stopped immediately, turned around, clasped his hands, puffed out his chest and shouted: Shut up, you barking dogs!When you were besieging the deer, you didn't dare to step forward, so what are you shouting now?De Blasey doesn't care about your reproaches, nor does he despise your praises.Go back to your dog holes and woods, you desperadoes!Whatever knights and nobles talk about, you better hide in your caves and keep quiet. This untimely provocation might have made de Blassy the target of a hail of arrows had it not been for the timely and severe intervention of the Chief.At that time there were several horses tied around the lawn, taken from the stalls of General Buffalo, and they formed a valuable part of the spoils. Now De Blasey grabbed the reins of one of the horses, jumped up, He galloped towards the woods. When the tension caused by this trifle had subsided, the Chief removed from his neck the precious horn and shoulder strap which he had won in Ashby's archery competition. My lord knight, said he to the black armored knight, I would be honored if you would do me the honor of accepting this horn, won by an English farmer; I wish you to keep it as a memorial of this valiant deed.You as a warrior may at any moment be in trouble, and then, if you are in any forest between the Trent and the Tees, you only have to blow three times on this horn: Washa!Immediately someone will come to your aid and rescue you. Then he blew several times the tune he described into the horn, until the knight mastered the notes. Thank you for your gift, brave fellow, said the knight, it is great to have you and your companions helping me when I need it most.So he blew this tune too, and the sound of the trumpet echoed throughout the forest. Blowing well and clearly, the farmer said, I believe, you are not only familiar with the war, but also with the activities in the forest!It seems you must have been a good hunter of deer back then.Don't forget, my fellows, these three signs, which signify the call of the black knight; and whoever hears this and does not hasten to help him, I shall lash him with my own bowstring, and drive him out of our ranks. Long live our leader!Long live the black knight in chains, cried the peasants!Hopefully he will need our help before long, and he will know how reliable we are. Now Locksley began to distribute the spoils, which he did with admirable justice.He gave first a tenth of all goods to the church and the expenses of prayers; secondly he gave two shares to the public reserve, and a share to the orphans and widows left by the dead in battle, also for A requiem mass is held for the deceased without family members, etc.The rest will be distributed by everyone according to their rank and credit; whenever they encounter difficult problems, the leader can always put forward his views with sufficient reasons to convince everyone.The knight in the black armor was amazed that, despite the lawlessness of these men, everything was orderly and fair among them; and what he saw strengthened his conviction that the chief was indeed a man of justice and justice. After everyone got their own share, the share that belonged to the public was sent to a place for storage or safekeeping by four strong young men, and the share that was allocated to the church remained in place. I would like to know what is the matter with our merry chaplain, said the chief, who is never absent from the meat or the distribution of the spoils; he should keep the tenth of the fruits of victory. , which is his duty.Maybe he took this opportunity to do something against the canon.In addition, we have also captured a priest, who is now being detained not far from here. I have to ask the monks for help to deal with him in a suitable way.I am very much concerned whether our reckless fellow is in danger. I am very anxious, too, said the Knight in Chains, for I owe him a favor for entertaining me in his hut, and giving me a pleasant evening.We might as well look for him in the ruins of the castle, maybe we can find some clues. While everyone was discussing this, there was a sudden cheer among the villagers, which meant that the person they were worried about had returned, because the monk's loud voice was familiar to everyone, and it always arrived before his fat body appeared. Get out of the way, merry lads!Make way, he cried, for your priest and his captives.Shout out welcome again.Here I come, noble chief, like an eagle, with a captive in my talons.Amidst the roar of laughter, he squeezed through a circle of people, and appeared in front of them like a general returning in triumph, holding a big halberd in one hand, and pulling a rope with the other hand, and the other end of the rope was tied. On the neck of Isaac of the ill-fated York, Isaac bowed his head, sad and afraid, but the priest was triumphant, holding him and shouting loudly, where is Alan Adair?He must put me in a ballad, or at least a short poem.By St. Hermangild, whenever there is a suitable subject for the praise of warriors, this tinkling luthier is never found! Monk, don't mess around, the leader said, you don't go to church today, but you go to drink early in the morning.I ask you in the name of Saint Nicholas, what kind of people did you bring? Prisoner of my sword, prisoner of my spear, noble chief, the priest of Copmanhurst replied, that is to say, a boy who surrendered to my bow and halberd; Continue to be the captive of the devil.Jew, tell me, did I redeem you from Satan?Did I teach you to say the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary?Did I spend the night giving you doctrine while drinking? God bless!cried the poor Jew, can no one save me from this mad priest? What's the matter, Jew?said the Friar, with a threatening air. You repent, Jew?You have to think carefully, if you are half-hearted and believe in cults again, even though your meat is not as tender as piglets, it may not be too old to be boiled, I will swallow you in one bite!Convert to Christ, Isaac, and read after me, Hail Mary! No, we won't allow blasphemy, mad monk, said Locksley, tell me anyway, where did you get this captive? By St. Dunstan, replied the Friar, I came across him by chance, in my search for a more suitable implement!I went into the cellar to see if there was anything I could salvage, for for me a glass of hot wine with spices was enough, even if the emperor drank it; It would be too wasteful to boil all the mugs hot, so I grabbed a small barrel of wine and asked for help to open it, but those slobs, who had a good job to do, couldn't find them.At this moment, I found a big iron door, and I thought: Well, the best wine is hidden in this secret place. Fortunately, the bastard in charge of the cellar wanted to run for his life and forgot the key on the door.So I went in, and there was nothing there but a bunch of rusty chains and this Jewish dog, who immediately surrendered himself unconditionally and was my prisoner.I spent a long time with this unbeliever, and I was really tired. I just drank a glass of wine and was about to bring my captives back when suddenly there was a loud rumbling sound in the room, shaking the sky and shaking the sky, and the lights were burning like candles. It turns out that the tower outside has collapsed, damn those bastards, don't make the house stronger!It blocks the aisle.One by one the towers fell like thunder.I had given up hope of survival, but remembering the disgrace to my profession that it would be a disgrace to my profession to go out of this world with a Jew, I raised my tomahawk, intending to send him to hell first, but seeing his fullness Gray-haired, and relented, I thought it best to lay down the tomahawk and convert him to us with my religious weapon.It is true, with the blessing of St. Dunstan, I have reaped some of what I have sown; but to enlighten him I have worked all night, with nothing to eat, but a few sips of wine to refresh me, which is nothing at all, but My head was feeling groggy somehow, I must be so tired.Gilbert and Wilburt knew what I was like when they found me.I am literally exhausted. I can attest, said Gilbert, that we cleared the bricks, and with the help of St. Dunstan, saw the cellar stairs, and found the cask of wine half-empty, the Jew half dead with fright, the friar bewildered, Even more than half dead. In his words, it was exhausted. You bastards, nonsense!The monk retorted in exasperation that it was you and your greedy companions who drank up the wine, and said it was your first drink of the morning.I'm going to leave it to the chief to taste, and I'm a heretic if it's not true.But what is that?The Jews converted us and understood everything I said, if not quite as well as I did, at least almost. Jew, said the chief, is it true?Have you converted and are no longer unbelieving in Christ? I hope you will forgive me, said the Jew, I do not understand a word that the priest said to me during that dreadful night.well!At that time, I was sad, sad, and afraid. I didn’t have the heart to listen to him. At that time, even if our ancestor Abraham came to preach to me, he would only play the piano to the cow, and I would not understand a word. You lie, Jew, you know you lie, said the friar, and I just want to remind you of one thing, it was a vow you made with your own mouth when we were talking, and you said you decided to give your entire fortune to our church. My God, where did this begin, my lords, said Isaac, looking more frightened than before, for my mouth never said such a thing!Ouch!I'm old and poor, I've lost everything and I'm afraid I have no children; have pity on me, let me go. No, the monk said, that was your vow to the holy church, and now if you want to renege on your debt, you must be punished. As he spoke, he raised the halberd, and was about to strike the jew's shoulder with its handle, but the knight in black armor blocked him, so that the friar vented his anger on him. By St. Thomas of Kent, cried he, if I were in armor, lazy friend, I'd give you a lesson, and tell you to mind your own business, notwithstanding that iron basket on your head! Hey, don't lose your temper, the knight said, you know, we are good friends who like each other. I don't know your kind of friend, replied the monk. You are a meddling dandy, and I must teach you a lesson. Forget it, said the knight, as if trying to tease the host who entertained him before, and make fun of him, have you forgotten that you once did not even eat for me, and of course for that jar of wine and that big pie? Shou, the thing about not reading scriptures? 'I tell you, brother,' said the Friar, clenching his great fist, that I must have you taste my hand. But I don't want to take it for nothing, replied the knight, then I owe you a debt, but you must make me pay you double, and give you a slap, like your captive usury. Then try it on the spot and see who is the best.said the monk. Don't mess around!The leader shouted, what are you going to do, are the crazy monks going to fight under the dating tree? It wasn't a fight, the Cavaliers said, it was just a friendly exchange of courtesy.Cultivator, hit first, if I get punched by you, you will also get slapped by me. You took advantage of that iron basket on your head, said the priest, but I am not afraid of you.Even if you were Goliath of Gath with a steel helmet on, I'd beat you to the ground. The monk lifted up his sleeves, exposed most of his thick arms, and hit the knight with all his strength. It was a punch that could knock a bull to the ground.But the other party was like a rock, motionless.All the villagers around applauded loudly, because the priest's fist is well-known among them, no matter whether it is real or fake, many people have tasted it. Monk, said the knight, pulling down the gauntlets, my head has taken advantage, and I don't want my arms to take advantage of me; now stand still and be a man. Come on, hit me hard on the cheek and I'll give you my whole face, said the priest, and if you can make me shake a step, I'll give you all the Jewish ransom. Saying this, the stout man posed in a nonchalant manner.But who can resist fate?Although the knight's slap was harmless, it was so powerful that the monk immediately fell headlong and fell to the ground, stunned all the people watching.But he stood up, neither angry nor discouraged. My brother, he said to the knight, you are so strong, you have to be merciful.If you break my gums, what do you tell me to do? If you lose your chin, you won't be able to recite scriptures.Well, this is my hand, we made peace, and I will never compete with you again, this time I admit defeat.Let's make peace.Now a price had to be put on the ransom of the Jews, for a leopard would never be without spots, and a Jew would always be a Jew. Our priests took that slap and realized that the Jews would not convert us.Clement said. Fuck you, bastard, what do you know about taking refuge or not taking refuge?Why, you don't even want to be polite, and you don't care about the upper and lower ranks?Let me tell you, young man, when Brother Knight hit me just now, I happened to be a little dizzy, otherwise I wouldn't have fallen.If you talk too much, I have to let you know that my fists are not easy to mess with. Everyone be quiet!The leader said, Jew, think about your ransom; I don't need to tell you, you must understand that in Christian society, your people are always despised, and frankly, we cannot allow you to stay among us.So, you have to figure out how much you're willing to pay, and now I'm going to interrogate another type of captive. Have you caught many of General Niu Nian's men?asked the black knight. There is no high-ranking person who is not qualified to pay the ransom, the leader replied, those low-spirited fellows have been sent away by us, let them go to their new masters; we have avenged and gained benefits, and that is enough Well, these guys are worth nothing.The captive of whom I speak was a well-known character, a merry-go-round priest, who, judging from the splendor of his dress and horse, rode to meet his mistress.Look, our elder has come, how pompous he is, like a magpie.Two peasants escorted a priest to the head's seat. It turned out that this was none other than our old friend, the Abbe Aimer of the Abbey of Jurvaux.