The Wood Beyond the World | Page 4

seas and came to a
fifth, a very great and fair city, which they had made more than seven
months from Langton on Holm; and by this time was Walter taking

heed and joyance in such things as were toward in that fair city, so far
from his kindred, and especially he looked on the fair women there, and
desired them, and loved them; but lightly, as befalleth young men.
Now this was the last country whereto the Katherine was boun; so there
they abode some ten months in daily chaffer, and in pleasuring them in
beholding all that there was of rare and goodly, and making merry with
the merchants and the towns-folk, and the country-folk beyond the
gates, and Walter was grown as busy and gay as a strong young man is
like to be, and was as one who would fain be of some account amongst
his own folk.
But at the end of this while, it befell on a day, as he was leaving his
hostel for his booth in the market, and had the door in his hand, there
stood before him three mariners in the guise of his own country, and
with them was one of clerkly aspect, whom he knew at once for his
father's scrivener, Arnold Penstrong by name; and when Walter saw
him his heart failed him and he cried out: "Arnold, what tidings? Is all
well with the folk at Langton?"
Said Arnold: "Evil tidings are come with me; matters are ill with thy
folk; for I may not hide that thy father, Bartholomew Golden, is dead,
God rest his soul."
At that word it was to Walter as if all that trouble which but now had
sat so light upon him, was once again fresh and heavy, and that his past
life of the last few months had never been; and it was to him as if he
saw his father lying dead on his bed, and heard the folk lamenting
about the house. He held his peace awhile, and then he said in a voice
as of an angry man:
"What, Arnold! and did he die in his bed, or how? for he was neither
old nor ailing when we parted."
Said Arnold: "Yea, in his bed he died: but first he was somewhat
sword- bitten."
"Yea, and how?" quoth Walter.

Said Arnold: "When thou wert gone, in a few days' wearing, thy father
sent thy wife out of his house back to her kindred of the Reddings with
no honour, and yet with no such shame as might have been, without
blame to us of those who knew the tale of thee and her; which,
God-a-mercy, will be pretty much the whole of the city."
"Nevertheless, the Reddings took it amiss, and would have a mote with
us Goldings to talk of booting. By ill-luck we yea-said that for the
saving of the city's peace. But what betid? We met in our Gild-hall, and
there befell the talk between us; and in that talk certain words could not
be hidden, though they were none too seemly nor too meek. And the
said words once spoken drew forth the whetted steel; and there then
was the hewing and thrusting! Two of ours were slain outright on the
floor, and four of theirs, and many were hurt on either side. Of these
was thy father, for as thou mayst well deem, he was nought backward
in the fray; but despite his hurts, two in the side and one on the arm, he
went home on his own feet, and we deemed that we had come to our
above. But well-a- way! it was an evil victory, whereas in ten days he
died of his hurts. God have his soul! But now, my master, thou mayst
well wot that I am not come to tell thee this only, but moreover to bear
the word of the kindred, to wit that thou come back with me
straightway in the swift cutter which hath borne me and the tidings; and
thou mayst look to it, that though she be swift and light, she is a keel
full weatherly."
Then said Walter: "This is a bidding of war. Come back will I, and the
Reddings shall wot of my coming. Are ye all-boun?"
"Yea," said Arnold, "we may up anchor this very day, or to-morrow
morn at latest. But what aileth thee, master, that thou starest so wild
over my shoulder? I pray thee take it not so much to heart! Ever it is the
wont of fathers to depart this world before their sons."
But Walter's visage from wrathful red had become pale, and he pointed
up street, and cried out: "Look! dost thou see?"
"See what, master?" quoth Arnold: "what! here cometh an