Then Wulf, feeling that Rosamund was watching his face beneath the shadow of her long eyelashes, answered:
"Before Heaven, I am content also, for whatever may be said against it, now at least there will be two years of war in which one or both of us well may fall, and for that while at least no woman can come between our brotherhood. Uncle, I crave your leave to go serve my liege in Normandy."
"And I also," said G.o.dwin.
"In the spring; in the spring," replied Sir Andrew hastily; "when King Henry moves his power. Meanwhile, bide you here in all good fellowship, for, who knows--much may happen between now and then, and perhaps your strong arms will be needed as they were not long ago. Moreover, I look to all three of you to hear no more of this talk of love and marriage, which, in truth, disturbs my mind and house. For good or ill, the matter is now settled for two years to come, by which time it is likely I shall be in my grave and beyond all troubling.
"I do not say that things have gone altogether as I could have wished, but they are as Rosamund wishes, and that is enough for me. On which of you she looks with the more favour I do not know, and be you content to remain in ignorance of what a father does not think it wise to seek to learn. A maid"s heart is her own, and her future lies in the hand of G.o.d and His saints, where let it bide, say I. Now we have done with all this business.
Rosamund, dismiss your knights, and be you all three brothers and sister once more till this time two years, when those who live will find an answer to the riddle."
So Rosamund came forward, and without a word gave her right hand to G.o.dwin and her left to Wulf, and suffered that they should press their lips upon them. So for a while this was the end of their asking of her in marriage.
The brethren left the solar side by side as they had come into it, but changed men in a sense, for now their lives were afire with a great purpose, which bade them dare and do and win. Yet they were lighter-hearted than when they entered there, since at least neither had been scorned, while both had hope, and all the future, which the young so seldom fear, lay before them.
As they descended the steps their eyes fell upon the figure of a tall man clad in a pilgrim"s cape, hood and low-crowned hat, of which the front was bent upwards and laced, who carried in his hand a palmer"s staff, and about his waist the scrip and water-bottle.
"What do you seek, holy palmer?" asked G.o.dwin, coming towards him. "A night"s lodging in my uncle"s house?"
The man bowed; then, fixing on him a pair of beadlike brown eyes, which reminded G.o.dwin of some he had seen, he knew not when or where, answered in the humble voice affected by his cla.s.s:
"Even so, most n.o.ble knight. Shelter for man and beast, for my mule is held without. Also--a word with the lord, Sir Andrew D"Arcy, for whom I have a message."
"A mule?" said Wulf. "I thought that palmers always went afoot?"
"True, Sir Knight; but, as it chances, I have baggage. Nay, not my own, whose earthly gear is all upon my back--but a chest, that contains I know not what, which I am charged to deliver to Sir Andrew D"Arcy, the owner of this hall, or should he be dead, then to the lady Rosamund, his daughter."
"Charged? By whom?" asked Wulf.
"That, sir," said the palmer, bowing, "I will tell to Sir Andrew, who, I understand, still lives. Have I your leave to bring in the chest, and if so, will one of your servants help me, for it is heavy?"
"We will help you," said G.o.dwin. And they went with him into the courtyard, where by the scant light of the stars they saw a fine mule in charge of one of the serving men, and bound upon its back a long-shaped package sewn over with sacking. This the palmer unloosed, and taking one end, while Wulf, after bidding the man stable the mule, took the other, they bore it into the hall, G.o.dwin going before them to summon his uncle. Presently he came and the palmer bowed to him.
"What is your name, palmer, and whence is this box?" asked the old knight, looking at him keenly.
"My name, Sir Andrew, is Nicholas of Salisbury, and as to who sent me, with your leave I will whisper in your ear." And, leaning forward, he did so.
Sir Andrew heard and staggered back as though a dart had pierced him.
"What?" he said. "Are you, a holy palmer, the messenger of--" and he stopped suddenly.
"I was his prisoner," answered the man, "and he--who at least ever keeps his word--gave me my life--for I had been condemned to die--at the price that I brought this to you, and took back your answer, or hers, which I have sworn to do."
"Answer? To what?"
"Nay, I know nothing save that there is a writing in the chest.
Its purport I am not told, who am but a messenger bound by oath to do certain things. Open the chest, lord, and meanwhile, if you have food, I have travelled far and fast."
Sir Andrew went to a door, and called to his men-servants, whom he bade give meat to the palmer and stay with him while he ate.
Then he told G.o.dwin and Wulf to lift the box and bring it to the solar, and with it hammer and chisel, in case they should be needed, which they did, setting it upon the oaken table.
"Open," said Sir Andrew. So they ripped off the canvas, two folds of it, revealing within a box of dark, foreign looking wood bound with iron bands, at which they laboured long before they could break them. At length it was done, and there within was another box beautifully made of polished ebony, and sealed at the front and ends with a strange device. This box had a lock of silver, to which was tied a silver key.
"At least it has not been tampered with," said Wulf, examining the unbroken seals, but Sir Andrew only repeated:
"Open, and be swift. Here, G.o.dwin, take the key, for my hand shakes with cold."
The lock turned easily, and the seals being broken, the lid rose upon its hinges, while, as it did so, a scent of precious odours filled the place. Beneath, covering the contents of the chest, was an oblong piece of worked silk, and lying on it a parchment.
Sir Andrew broke the thread and seal, and unrolled the parchment.
Within it was written over in strange characters. Also, there was a second unsealed roll, written in a clerkly hand in Norman French, and headed, "Translation of this letter, in case the knight, Sir Andrew D"Arcy, has forgotten the Arabic tongue, or that his daughter, the lady Rosamund, has not yet learned the same."
Sir Andrew glanced at both headings, then said:
"Nay, I have not forgotten Arabic, who, while my lady lived, spoke little else with her, and who taught it to our daughter.
But the light is bad, and, G.o.dwin, you are scholarly; read me the French. We can compare them afterwards."
At this moment Rosamund entered the solar from her chamber, and seeing the three of them so strangely employed, said:
"Is it your will that I go, father?"
"No, daughter. Since you are here, stay here. I think that this matter concerns you as well as me. Read on, G.o.dwin."
So G.o.dwin read:
"In the Name of G.o.d, the Merciful and Compa.s.sionate! I, Salah-ed-din, Yusuf ibn Ayoub, Commander of the Faithful, cause these words to be written, and seal them with my own hand, to the Frankish lord, Sir Andrew D"Arcy, husband of my sister by another mother, Sitt Zobeide, the beautiful and faithless, on whom Allah has taken vengeance for her sin. Or if he be dead also, then to his daughter and hers, my niece, and by blood a princess of Syria and Egypt, who among the English is named the lady Rose of the World.
"You, Sir Andrew, will remember how, many years ago, what we were friends, you, by an evil chance, became acquainted with my sister Zobeide, while you were a prisoner and sick in my father"s house.
How, too, Satan put it into her heart to listen to your words of love, so that she became a Cross-worshipper, and was married to you after the Frankish custom, and fled with you to England. You will remember also, although at the time we could not recapture her from your vessel, how I sent a messenger to you, saying that soon or late I would yet tear her from your arms and deal with her as we deal with faithless women. But within six years of that time sure news reached me that Allah had taken her, therefore I mourned for my sister and her fate awhile, and forgot her and you.
"Know that a certain knight named Lozelle, who dwelt in the part of England where you have your castle, has told me that Zobeide left a daughter, who is very beautiful. Now my heart, which loved her mother, goes out towards this niece whom I have never seen, for although she is your child and a Cross-worshipper at least--save in the matter of her mother"s theft--you were a brave and n.o.ble knight, of good blood, as, indeed, I remember your brother was also, he who fell in the fight at Harenc.
"Learn now that, having by the will of Allah come to great estate here at Damascus and throughout the East, I desire to lift your daughter up to be a princess of my house. Therefore I invite her to journey to Damascus, and you with her, if you live. Moreover, lest you should fear some trap, on behalf of myself, my successors and councillors, I promise in the Name of G.o.d, and by the word of Salah-ed-din, which never yet was broken, that although I trust the merciful G.o.d may change her heart so that she enters it of her own will, I will not force her to accept the Faith or to bind herself in any marriage which she does not desire. Nor will I take vengeance upon you, Sir Andrew, for what you have done in the past, or suffer others to do so, but will rather raise you to great honour and live with you in friendship as of yore.
"But if my messenger returns and tells me that my niece refuses this, my loving offer, then I warn her that my arm is long, and I will surely take her as I can.
"Therefore, within a year of the day that I receive the answer of the lady, my niece, who is named Rose of the World, my emissaries will appear wherever she may be, married or single, to lead her to me, with honour if she be willing, but still to lead her to me if she be unwilling. Meanwhile, in token of my love, I send certain gifts of precious things, and with them my patent of her t.i.tle as Princess, and Lady of the City of Baalbec, which t.i.tle, with its revenue and prerogatives, are registered in the archives of my empire in favour of her and her lawful heirs, and declared to be binding upon me and my successors forever.
"The bearer of this letter and of my gifts is a certain Cross-worshipper named Nicholas, to whom let your answer be handed for delivery to me. This devoir he is under oath to perform and will perform it, for he knows that if he fails therein, then that he must die.
"Signed by Salah-ed-din, Commander of the Faithful, at Damascus, and sealed with his seal, in the spring season of the year of the Hegira 581.
"Take note also that this writing having been read to me by my secretary before I set my name and seal thereunto, I perceive that you, Sir Andrew, or you, Lady Rose of the World, may think it strange that I should be at such pains and cost over a maid who is not of my religion and whom I never saw, and may therefore doubt my honesty in the matter. Know then the true reason. Since I heard that you, Lady Rose of the World, lived, I have thrice been visited by a dream sent from G.o.d concerning you, and in it I saw your face.
"Now this was the dream--that the oath I made as regards your mother is binding as regards you also; further, that in some way which is not revealed to me, your presence here will withhold me from the shedding of a sea of blood, and save the whole world much misery. Therefore it is decreed that you must come and bide in my house. That these things are so, Allah and His Prophet be my witnesses."
Chapter Five: The Wine Merchant