幸运的罗伯特由于表现英勇，得到了国王赏赐的莫利伯爵的土地、财产和爵位，从一名小小的骑士晋升为伯爵，顺利地与詹妮成了婚……
Chapter5
Itwasclearfromthebeginningthattheycouldhavenofuturetogether.Theywerefromtwodifferentworlds.AlthoughRoberthadgrownintoastrong,intelligentandhandsomeyoungman,hisbloodwasnotthatoftheroyalty.Thismeanthecouldnotwoo(追求)Janineopenly.
Janine’sfatherwasashrewdman.HerecognizedandcomprehendedthatRobertwouldbeafinemateforhisdaughter,butthelackofgoodancestrydidn’twarrantthealliancebetweenthem.LordStaffordwasnotvacantoffeelingsforthelad,andshowedthiswhenheentitledRoberttoenterintotherealmofknights.Lackingnoblebloodanchoredhischancesofbecomingaknight,butifheverifiedthepotentialLordStaffordrecognizedinhim,hewoulddischargehimselfwell,andpossiblyriseabovehisstation.
Robertshowedperpetualzealinhisstudiesandloyaltytohisalliances.Heneverevadedresponsibility,wasneverlate,wasquickandskillfulintheuseofweaponsincludingsword.dagger(匕首)andspear,etc.Healsoshowedkeennessinhisshrewdness,wasbraveinbattle,andfamousforhishonesty(诚实).Afavoriteamongleadersandpeers(贵族),herosethroughtherankstobecometheapprentice(学徒)ofthemostfamousandsuccessfulknightinthenorthernprovinces.
Unable,still,towed(娶)Janine,heentreatedhertorunawaywithhim.Janineadmittedthatshewishedtobewithhim,buttheviolationtothetabooofasecretmarriagewouldbringdisgraceuponherfatherandcontaminatetheirgoodname.Robertwasdesolateandreturnedtohisdetachment,hopingshewouldchangehermindandnotabandonhim.
Nowhewasdeeply(深深地)sorry.Janinehadbeenkidnappedfromherfather’sestatebytheEarlofMorleyandwasbeingheldasahostageforransominoneofhismanyjails.LordStaffordhadcalleduponRoberttocometohisaidandtobringwithhimasmanyknightsaspossibletofulfillJanine’srelease.Robert’smainobjectivewastorescueJanineandreclaimingherhonor.Heprayedhecoulddothisbeforetheconspiring(阴险的)kidnapperfurtherhurther.
Chapter6
Janine’scouragehadthusfarkeptherfrombeingbeddedbytheEarlofMorley;shereproachedeachtimeheapproached.Herrragingtemperandthreatstohideously(可怕地)wrenchandtramphimshouldheattempttotouchherweremetwithpretentious(狂妄的)laughter.Besides,theEarlwasinvolvedinanenfeoffment(封地)confrontationofhisownfamily.Hedidn’thavetimetotrytowinheroverbybeingscheming.
ItwasJanine’splantomaintainaclimateofviciouscontemptinherrefusaloftheEarl.EverytimeshethoughtofRobert,shebecameincreasinglysilent.“WhydidIhavetobesuchanidiot?”sheaskedherself.“IfIhadrunoffwithhim,noneofthiswouldhavehappened.Myfather’sestateswouldnothavebeenbutchered.1wouldnotbeinperil(危险).AndifRobertfindsme,1willhaveendangered(危及)hislifebyexposinghimtothisdevil.”
Innerannoyancetroubledhereverywakingmoment,evenwhenshewassleepingitwasrestless.Shebegantolosehope.Ifsomeonedidn’tcomesoon,shewouldhavetobecomethewifeofthenotoriousnobleman.Therewasnopointinaskinghimtoreleaseher.Sheknewinwardlythathewouldrefuseherrequest.
Duringthenightshesensedachange.Shethoughtshehadbecomeaccustomedtohermisfortune,acceptingthatherlibertywouldnotbeachievedbeforetheEarlforcedhertosubmittohim.Suddenlyalert,sheapproachedthewindowofherbedchamber.Throughthewindow,inthedistanceshecouldseeanorangeglowreflectedfromthecloudsandtheodorofsmokedriftedinthechillnightair.“Thevillageisonfire!WhywouldtheEarlwanttoharmthepeasants?Hemustbecrazy!Ihavetogetoutofherebeforehereturns!”
Atthatmomentshestartedtopromptherownescape.Shebegantogroan,softlyatfirst,thenmountinginfrequencyandvolume.Shequiveredonthebed,alternatelyclutchingherstomachandwringing(绞,扭)herhandsinasimulationofextremediscomfort(不适).Herguard,thinkinghischargewasindistress,enteredtheroomhastily;neglectfulofthedangerhewasnowin.Assoonashewascloseenough,Janinehoistedherclub,improvised(临时准备)fromapieceoffirewood(木柴),strikinghimsohardthathefellunconsciouslyonthefloor.
Treading(行走)cautiously,shemadeherwaydownthestaircaseandoutoftheEarl’sdomain,surprisedtofindthatshesawnooneassheleft.
Chapter7
Bouncedfromhisillusionsbyasuddengrumble(咕哝)fromthecolonel,Robertreturnedtotherealityoftheirdilemma.
Heheavedhimselfupfromthefloorofthecaveandpattedthecolonelintofullwakefulness.“Ithinkwemusttakestockofthewreckageyourstupidityhascausedtous.”heshoutedathimcrankily(暴躁地).“Ifwefollowthecreek(小溪),andenterthevillagedeviously(绕道地),itispossiblethatwemightbeabletotakesomeofitbackthroughtheelementofsurprise.’’
Thecolonel,reproachedbyhisunderling(下属),refusedattheideaoftakingordersfromRobert.
“IfyoudoasIsay,1willnotridicule(嘲笑)youinpublicandyoumay,justpossibly,beabletorejoicevictoryandfleefromreproach!”Roberttoldhimforcefully.
IttookthecolonelamomenttodecidetoabidebyRobert’sconditions.“Tellmewhatyouwantmetodo,”hesaidinagitation.Hewasn’tintelligent,buthewasshrewdenoughtoknowhiscareerasaknightwouldendifhedisputes.HewouldwillinglybecomeRobert’scollaboratorbecausehecouldnotaffordtobefoundreproachableforyesterday’sdisaster,leadinghissoldiersintotheEarl’ssurpriseattack.
“WemustdiscoverJanine’sexactwhereaboutsandextricate(救出)herwithoutcreatingfurthertrouble.Putonyourhelmet,pickupyourcanteen,andwe’11beonourway.1warnyou,though,abstain(放弃)frommeddling(管闲事)inmyplan.Youaretofollowmyorderswithoutquestions.Youneedn’tbeelaboratelyworriedthat1willrumoryou,ifyouobeyme,”Roberttoldhim.
AndsotheysetoutontheirquesttorescueJanineandsuppressthefiresofwar.
Chapter8
Theedgeofthecreekwaterwascoatedwithnewlyformedice,glossy(有光泽的)andgoldenintheearlymorningsun.Asbeautifulasitwas,itwasriskywhenitslitbeneaththeirfeet,makingsomuchnoisetoalerttheenemyoftheirapproach.Theylefttheconcealment(隐蔽处)oftheovergrown(簇叶丛生的)bankofthestreamastheydrewnearertothevillage.Goingintotheopenwasfilledwithdangeraswell,butwithanyluck,theywouldbeabletoseeitbeforetheywereseen.
ItwasmanifestthatthevillagehadsufferedsignificantlyfromtheEarl’8strike.Robertwasstabbedwithangerwhenhesawtheacutedamagetothesmallfarmsonthefrontiers.“IswearIwillimpairthatbeastonmyswordshouldIbefortunateenoughtoferret(搜出)himoutofhislair(巢穴)!Itismyconjecture(推测)thathewillpaygravelyforthis!”
Theperishableroofsofthesmallstonecottageshadbeeneasilycaughtfireandsmokefumesfilledtheair.Hereandthere,tinywaveringofflameswasstilllickingthewallsburntbytheearlierfire.Woodendoorshungcrippledfromtheirheat-warped(因受热变形的)hinges.Windowswereblackwithgreaseandsmoke.
Theyneedednoprecautionastheyenteredthetown.Ithadbeendeserted.“Iseenosignsofbutchery(屠杀).Ourmenmusthavemadeittosafetywiththewounded.Ipraythevillagersalsofoundsaferefuge.”Robertwasthinkingaloud.
“Areyouallright,dear?”
Robertwheeledatthesoundofhislove’svoice.“Janine,howdidyougethere?Howdidyougetthatcontemptiblemantoreleaseyou?Didheharmyou?”
Hethrewhisarmsaroundher,drawinghertohimandembracingher.Shemeltedintothesafetyofhispresence,rejoicingintheknowledgethatshewouldneverleavehissideagain.“I’mfine,Robert.Iaminconfusion,though.Whereisthatgreedyman?Ithoughthewouldbenearthevillage。butIsawnosignofhimasIcamehere.”
“Wehavenotseenhimeither,butyoucanrestassuredhewillbepunishedwhenthekinglearnswhathehaddone.Come!I’11takeyoutoyourfather.Colonel,seeifyoucanfindwherethevillagersarehiding。andsendthemtoLordStafford.Iamsurehewillbemorethangenerousinrewardingthemfortheirattemptedresistance.”
Chapter9
LordStaffordwasoverjoyedtoseehisdaughterandRobertapproachingthemansion.Hegreetedthemtriumphantly.“Ihavenewsforyou.WhenMorleydiscoveredyouweregone,hefearedforhislife,vacatedhispositionandattemptedtocrossthebordertosavehimself.TheKingwasintheradiusandhadheardofhisconspiracyandbetrayal.Hehadhismenpositioned,ratheraccidentally,attheexactsiteMorleyhadchosenforhisescape,andintercepted(中途阻止)him.Youacquitted(做出表现)yourselfwell,Robert.TheKinghasheardofyourexploits.Hewilltellyouhimselfhowyouaretoberewarded.Itisnosecret,though;youwillbegrantedMorley’slandsandholdings,aswellashistitle.Underhissponsorship,andwithmyblessings,youtwowillbefreetowed.”
Andsoitcametobe,thatRobertandJaninepaidrespectstotheKing,hadalavish(盛大的)wedding,andsettledintoalifeofcalmweddedhappiness,surroundedbyLordStafford’sgrandchildren.
注释:
royaltyrule
shrewd
comprehend
ancestry
allianceally
vacant
lad
entitle
realm
anchor
verify
perpetual
zeal
loyalty
skil(l)ful
sword
brave
honesty
rank
famousfamous
entreat
violation
taboo
disgrace
contaminate
detachment
abandon
deeplydeep
jail
fulfill(l)
release
rescue
reclaimclaim
reproach
temper
wrenchwrap
tramp
confrontation
scheme
climate
contempt
increasinglyincrease
idiotidiom
endanger
devil
annoyance
restlessrest
notorious
inwardly
liberty
submit
alertalert
chamber
chill
volumerevolution
clutchclimb
extreme
hastilyhurry/haste
neglectful
hoist
staircase
domain
patpat
takestockofstick
wreckage
flee
abide
abideby
careercar
dispute
collaboratorlabour
afford
disaster
whereabouts
helmet
canteen
elaboratelylabour
rumor
suppress
manifest
significantly
acute
frontier
impair
beast
gravely
perishable
waverwave
flame
lick
crippledcreep
grease
precautioncaution
embracebracket
confusion
greedy
generous
border
radius
betrayaltrain
accidentally
exploit
grant
sponsorship
grandchildrengrand