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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
in a ferret's hutch。 But that I know you to be a brave and
dauntless maid； I should say to you〃
But； ere Edith could know what he would say； their conference was
rudely broken in upon。 For a royal page； dashing up to the three；
with scant courtesy seized the arm of the elder girl； and said
hurriedly：
〃Haste ye； haste ye； my lady！ Our lord king is even now calling
for you to come before him in the banquet…hall。〃
Edith knew too well the rough manners of those dangerous days。
She freed herself from the grasp of the page； and said：
〃Nay； that may I not； master page。 'T is neither safe nor seemly
for a maid to show herself in baron's hall or in king's
banquet…room。〃
〃Safe and seemly it may not be； but come you must；〃 said the
page； rudely。 〃The king demands it； and your nay is naught。〃
And so； hurried along whether she would or no； while her friend；
Robert Fitz Godwine； accompanied her as far as he dared； the
young Princess Edith was speedily brought into the presence of
the king of England； William H。； called； from the color of his
hair and from his fiery temper； Rufus； or 〃the Red。〃
For Edith and Mary were both princesses of Scotland； with a
history； even before they had reached their teens； as romantic as
it was exciting。 Their mother； an exiled Saxon princess； had；
after the conquest of Saxon England by the stern Duke William the
Norman； found refuge in Scotland； and had there married King
Malcolm Canmore； the son of that King Duncan whom Macbeth had
slain。 But when King Malcolm had fallen beneath the walls of
Alnwick Castle； a victim to English treachery； and when his
fierce brother Donald Bane； or Donald the Red； had usurped the
throne of Scotland； then the good Queen Margaret died in the gray
castle on the rock of Edinburgh； and the five orphaned children
were only saved from the vengeance of their bad uncle Donald by
the shrewd and daring device of the young Princess Edith； who
bade their good uncle Edgar； the Atheling； guide them； under
cover of the mist； straight through the Red Donald's knights and
spearmen to England and safety。
You would naturally suppose that the worst possible place for the
fugitives to seek safety was in Norman England； for Edgar the
Atheling； a Saxon prince； had twice been declared king of England
by the Saxon enemies of the Norman conquerors； and the children
of King Malcolm and Queen Margarethalf Scotch； half
Saxonwere； by blood and birth； of the two races most hateful to
the conquerors。 But the Red King in his rough sort of wayhot
to…day and cold to…morrowhad shown something almost like
friendship； for this Saxon Atheling； or royal prince； who might
have been king of England had he not wisely submitted to the
greater power of Duke William the Conqueror and to the Red
William； his son。 More than this； it had been rumored that some
two years before； when there was truce between the kings of
England and of Scotland； this harsh and headstrong English king；
who was as rough and repelling as a chestnut burr； had seen；
noticed； and expressed a particular interest in the
eleven…year…old Scottish girlthis very Princess Edith who now
sought his protection。
So； when this wandering uncle boldly threw himself upon Norman
courtesy； and came with his homeless nephews and nieces straight
to the Norman court for safety； King William Rufus not only
received these children of his hereditary foeman with favor and
royal welcome； but gave them comfortable lodgment in quaint old
Gloucester town； where be held his court。
But even when the royal fugitives deemed themselves safest were
they in the greatest danger。
Among the attendant knights and nobles of King William's court
was a Saxon knight known as Sir Ordgar； a 〃thegn；〃＇1＇ or baronet；
of Oxfordshire； and because those who change their
opinionspolitical or otherwiseoften prove the most
unrelenting enemies of their former associates； it came to pass
that Sir Ordgar； the Saxon； conceived a strong dislike for these
orphaned descendants of the Saxon kings； and convinced himself
that the best way to secure himself in the good graces of the
Norman King William was to slander and accuse the children of the
Saxon Queen Margaret。
＇1＇ Pronounced thane。
And so that very day； in the great hall； when wine was flowing
and passions were strong； this false knight； raising his glass；
bade them all drink： 〃Confusion to the enemies of our liege the
king； from the base Philip of France to the baser Edgar the
Atheling and his Scottish brats！〃
This was an insult that even the heavy and peace…loving nature of
Edgar the Atheling could not brook。 He sprang to his feet and
denounced the charge：
〃None here is truer or more leal to you； lord king；〃 he said；
〃than am I； Edgar the Atheling； and my charges； your guests。〃
But King William Rufus was of that changing； temper that goes
with jealousy and suspicion。 His flushed face grew still more
red； and； turning away from the Saxon prince； he demanded：
〃Why make you this charge； Sir Ordgar？
〃Because of its truth； beausire；〃 said the faithless knight。 〃For
what other cause hath this false Atheling sought sanctuary here；
save to use his own descent from the ancient kings of this realm
to make head and force among your lieges？ And； his eldest
kinsgirl here； the Princess Edith； hath she not been spreading a
trumpery story among the younger folk； of how some old
wyrd…wif＇1＇ hath said that she who is the daughter of kings shall
be the wife and mother of kings？ And is it not further true that
when her aunt； the Abbess of Romsey； bade her wear the holy veil；
she hath again and yet again torn it off； and affirmed that she；
who was to be a queen； could never be made a nun？ Children and
fools； 't is said； do speak the truth； beausire； and in all this
do I see the malice and device of this false Atheling； the friend
of your rebellious brother； Duke Robert； as you do know him to
be； and I do brand him here； in this presence； as traitor and
recreant to you； his lord。〃
＇1＇ Witch…wife or seeress。
The anger of the jealous king grew more unreasoning as Sir Ordgar
went on。
〃Enough！〃 he cried。 〃Seize the traitor；or； stay； children and
fools； as you have said； Sir Ordgar； do indeed speak the truth。
Have in the girl and let us hear the truth。 'Not seemly'？ Sir
Atheling；〃 he broke out in reply to some protest of Edith's
uncle。 〃Aught is seemly that the king doth wish。 Holo！ Raoul！
Damian！ sirrah pages！ Run； one of you； and seek the Princess
Edith； and bring her here forthwith！〃
And while Edgar the Atheling； realizing that this was the gravest
of all his dangers； strove； though without effect； to reason with
the angry king； Damian； the page； as we have seen； hurried after
the Princess Edith。
〃How now； mistress！〃 broke out the Red King； as the young girl
was ushered into the banquet…hall； where the disordered tables；
strewn with fragments of the feast； showed the ungentle manners
of those brutal days。 〃How now； mistress！ do you prate of kings
and queens and of your own designsyou； who are but a beggar
guest？ Is it seemly or wise to talk；nay； keep you quiet； Sir
Atheling； we will have naught from you；to talk of thrones and
crowns as if you did even now hope to win the realm from mefrom
me； your only protector？〃
The Princess Edith was a very high…spirited maiden； as all the
stories of her girlhood show。 And this unexpected accusation；
instead of frightening her； only served to embolden her。 She
looked the angry monarch full in the face。
〃 'T is a false and lying charge； lord king；〃 she said； 〃from
whomsoever it may come。 Naught have I said but praise of you and
your courtesy to us motherless folk。 'T is a false and lying
charge； and I am ready to stand test of its proving； come what
may。〃
〃Even to the judgment of God； girl？〃 demanded the king。
And the brave girl made instant reply： 〃Even to the judgment of
God； lord king。〃 Then； skilled in all the curious customs of
those warlike times； she drew off her glove。 〃Whosoever my
accuser be； lord king；〃 she said； 〃I do denounce him as foresworn
and false； and thus do I throw myself upon God's good mercy； if
it shall please him to raise me up a champion。〃 And she flung her
glove upon the floor of the hall； in face of the king and all his
barons。
It was a bold thing for a girl to do； and a murmur of applause
ran through even that unfriendly throng。 For； to stand the test
of a 〃wager of battle；〃 or the 〃judgment of God；〃 as the savage
contest was called； was the last resort of any one accused of
treason or of crime。 It meant no less than a 〃duel to the death〃
between the accuser and the accused or their accepted champions；
and； upon the result of the duel hung the lives of those in
dispute。 And the Princess Edith's glove lying on the floor of the
Abbey hall was her assertion tha