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028 - Book 3 Chapter 6 Part 2 · Bridal Wreath

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Speaker 1: Book three, Chapter six of the bridle Wreath by Cigarette unset.
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Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter six,
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Speaker 1: Part two, ay said Ronfrite, feeling with her hand the
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Speaker 1: lukewarm brew in the vats, methinks tis cool enough now
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Speaker 1: to mix in the barm. Kristin had been sitting in
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Speaker 1: the brew house doorway spinning while she waited for the
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Speaker 1: brew to cool. She laid down the spindle on the threshold,
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Speaker 1: unwrapped the rug from the pail of risen yeast, and
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Speaker 1: began measuring out. Shut the door. First, bade her mother,
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Speaker 1: so the draft may not come in. You seem walking
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Speaker 1: in your sleep, Christin, she said testily. Kristin poured the
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Speaker 1: yeast into the vats, while Renfrit stirred. Dear heart drives.
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Speaker 1: Daughter called on hat, but he was odin, so he
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Speaker 1: came and helped her with the brewing. And he craved
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Speaker 1: for his wage, that which was between the vat and her.
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Speaker 1: Twas a saga that Laverns had once told when she
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Speaker 1: was little, that which was between the vat and her.
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Speaker 1: Kristin felt dizzy and sick with the heat and the sweet,
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Speaker 1: spicy smelling steam that filled the dark close shut brew
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Speaker 1: house out in the farm place. Romborg and a band
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Speaker 1: of children were dancing in a ring, singing. The eagle
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Speaker 1: sits on the topmost hill crag, crooking his golden claws.
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Speaker 1: Kristin followed her mother through the little outer room, where
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Speaker 1: lay empty ale kegs and all kinds of brewing gear.
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Speaker 1: A door led from it out to a strip of
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Speaker 1: ground between the back wall of the brew house and
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Speaker 1: the fence round the barley field. A herd of pigs
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Speaker 1: jostled each other and bit and squealed as they fought
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Speaker 1: over the lukewarm grains thrown out to them. Kristin shaded
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Speaker 1: her eyes against the blinding midas day sunlight. The mother
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Speaker 1: looked at the pigs and said, with less than eighteen reindeer,
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Speaker 1: we shall never win through thank you, we shall need
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Speaker 1: so many, said her daughter absently. Aye, for we must
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Speaker 1: have game to serve up with the pork each day,
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Speaker 1: answered Ronfried, and of wild fowl and hair we shall
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Speaker 1: scarce have more than will serve for the table in
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Speaker 1: the upper hall. Remember, twill be well on toward two
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Speaker 1: hundred people we shall have on the place, counting serving
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Speaker 1: folk and children, and the poor that have to be fed,
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Speaker 1: and even should you and Heirlon set forth on the
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Speaker 1: fifth day. Some of the guests I trow will stay
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Speaker 1: out the week. At the least, you must stay here
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Speaker 1: and look to the ale. Kristen she went, on, tis
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Speaker 1: time for me to get dinner for your father and
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Speaker 1: the reapers. Kristen fetched her spinning gear and sat herself
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Speaker 1: down there in the back doorway. She put the distaff
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Speaker 1: with the bunch of wool up under her armpit, but
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Speaker 1: her hair, with the spindle in them, sank into her lap.
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Speaker 1: Beyond the fence, the ears of barley gleamed silvery and
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Speaker 1: silken in the sunshine above. The song of the river
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Speaker 1: she heard now and again from the meadows on the
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Speaker 1: river island, the ring of a scythe Sometimes the iron
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Speaker 1: would strike upon a stone. Her father and the housefolk
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Speaker 1: were hard at work on the haymaking to get it
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Speaker 1: off their hands, for there was much to get through
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Speaker 1: and to make ready against her wedding. The scent of
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Speaker 1: the lukewarm grains and the rank smell of the swine,
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Speaker 1: she grew qualmish again, and the midday heat made her
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Speaker 1: so dizzy and faint, white and stiffly. Upright, she sat
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Speaker 1: and waited for it to pass over. She would not
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Speaker 1: be sick again. Never before had she felt what now
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Speaker 1: she felt. Twas of no avail to try to tell
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Speaker 1: herself for comfort. It was not certain yet she might
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Speaker 1: be wrong that which was between the vat and her
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Speaker 1: eighteen reindeer. Well on toward two hundred wedding guests, folk
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Speaker 1: would have a rare jest to laugh at when twas
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Speaker 1: known that all this hubbub had been but about a
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Speaker 1: breeding woman. They had to see and get married before.
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Speaker 1: Oh no, She threw her spinning from her and started
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Speaker 1: up as the sickness overcame her again. Oh no, it
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Speaker 1: was sure enough. They were to be wedded the second
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Speaker 1: Sunday after Michaelmas, and the bridle was to last for
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Speaker 1: five days. There were more than two months still to wait.
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Speaker 1: They would be sure to see it on her. Her
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Speaker 1: mother and the other housewives of the parish. They were,
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Speaker 1: ever wise in such things, knew them months before Kristen
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Speaker 1: could understand how they saw them. Poor thing, she grows
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Speaker 1: so pale. Impatiently kissed and rubbed her hands against her cheeks.
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Speaker 1: She felt that they were white and bloodless. Before she
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Speaker 1: had so often thought this must happen soon or late,
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Speaker 1: and she had not feared it so terribly. But twould
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Speaker 1: not have been the same. Then, when they could not
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Speaker 1: were forbidden to come together in lawful wise, it was
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Speaker 1: counted ay a shame in a manner, and a sin too.
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Speaker 1: But if twere two young things who would not let
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Speaker 1: themselves be forced a part folk remembered that twas so,
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Speaker 1: and spoke of them with forbearance, she would not have
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Speaker 1: been ashamed. But when such things happened between a betrothed pair,
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Speaker 1: there was not for them but laughter and gross jesting.
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Speaker 1: She saw it herself. One could not but laugh. Here
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Speaker 1: was brewing and mixing of wine, slaughtering and baking and
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Speaker 1: cooking for a wedding that should be noised far abroad
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Speaker 1: in the land. And she the bride, grew qualmish if
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Speaker 1: she but smelt food, and crept in a cold sweat
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Speaker 1: behind the outhouses to be sick heralon. She set her
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Speaker 1: teeth hard in anger. He should have spared her this,
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Speaker 1: for she had not been willing. He should have remembered
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Speaker 1: that before, when all had been so unsure for her,
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Speaker 1: when she had had not to trust to but his love.
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Speaker 1: She had ever ever gladly been his. He should have
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Speaker 1: let her be now when she tried to deny him,
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Speaker 1: because she thought twas not well of them to take
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Speaker 1: aught by stealth. After her father had joined their hands
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Speaker 1: together in the sight of Erelon's kinsmen and hers, but
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Speaker 1: he had taken her to him half by force, with
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Speaker 1: laughter and caresses, so that she had not had strength
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Speaker 1: enough to show him she was in earnest in her denial.
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Speaker 1: She went in and saw to the beer in the vats,
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Speaker 1: then came back again and stood leaning on the fence.
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Speaker 1: The standing grain moved gently in shining ripples before a
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Speaker 1: breath of wind. She could not remember any year when
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Speaker 1: she had seen the cornfields bear such thick and abundant growth.
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Speaker 1: The river glittered far off, and she heard her father's
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Speaker 1: voice shouting. She could not catch the words, but she
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Speaker 1: could hear the reapers on the island laughing. Should she
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Speaker 1: go to her father and tell him twould be best
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Speaker 1: to let be all this weary bustle, and let Earlon
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Speaker 1: in her come together quietly, without church wedding or splendid feasts.
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Speaker 1: Now that the one thing needful was that she should
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Speaker 1: bear the name of wife before twas plain to all
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Speaker 1: men that she bore Earlon's child under her heart. Already
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Speaker 1: he would be a laughing stalk. Airlon too as much
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Speaker 1: as she, or even more, for he was no green
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Speaker 1: boy any longer. But it was he who would have
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Speaker 1: this wedding. He had set his heart on seeing her
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Speaker 1: stand as his bride in silk and velvets and tall
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Speaker 1: golden crown. That was his will, And it had been
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Speaker 1: his will too to possess her in those sweet secret
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Speaker 1: hours of last spring. She had hielded to him in that,
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Speaker 1: and she must do his will too in this other thing.
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Speaker 1: But in the end, twas like he would be forced
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Speaker 1: to see, no one could have it both ways in
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Speaker 1: such things. He had talked so much of the great
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Speaker 1: Yule Tide feast he would hold at Hussbee the first
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Speaker 1: year she sat there as mistress of his house, how
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Speaker 1: he would show forth to all his kinsmen and friends,
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Speaker 1: and all the folks from far around, the fair wife
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Speaker 1: he had won. Kristen smiled scornfully. A seemly thing twould
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Speaker 1: be this Yule Tide, such a homecoming feet her time
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Speaker 1: would be at Saint Gregory's mass or thereabout. Thoughts seemed
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Speaker 1: to swarm and jostle in her mind when she said
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Speaker 1: to herself that at Gregory's Mass she was to bear
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Speaker 1: a child. There was some fear among the thoughts. She
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Speaker 1: remembered how her mother's cries had rung all round the
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Speaker 1: farm place for two old days the time that Ulfhild
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Speaker 1: was born. At Oulfsfold, two young wives had died in childbirth,
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Speaker 1: one after the other, and Segurt of Lopsgard's first wives too,
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Speaker 1: and her own father's mother, whose name she bore. But
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Speaker 1: fear was not uppermost in her mind. She had often
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Speaker 1: thought when after that first time she saw no sign
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Speaker 1: that she was with child. Maybe this was to be
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Speaker 1: their punishment, hers and arlons. She would always be barren.
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Speaker 1: They would wait and wait in vain for what they
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Speaker 1: had feared before, would hope as vainly as of old
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Speaker 1: they had feared needlessly, till at last they would know
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Speaker 1: that one day they should be borne forth from the
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Speaker 1: home of his father's and be as though they had
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Speaker 1: never been, For his brother was a priest, and the
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Speaker 1: children he had could inherit not from him. Dumpy Moonin
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Speaker 1: and his sons would come in and sit in their seats,
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Speaker 1: and Erelon would be blotted out from the line of
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Speaker 1: his kindred. She pressed her hand hard to her body.
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Speaker 1: It was there between the fence and her, between the
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Speaker 1: vat and her twas between her and all the world,
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Speaker 1: Herilan's own son. She had made the trial already that
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Speaker 1: she had once heard Lady Oshalt speak of with blood
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Speaker 1: from her right arm and her left twas a son
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Speaker 1: that was coming to her, whatever fate he was to bring.
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Speaker 1: She remembered her dead little brothers, her parents sorrowful faces
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Speaker 1: when they spoke of them. She remembered all the time
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Speaker 1: she had seen them both in despair for ulf Hild's sake,
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Speaker 1: and the night when Ulfhild died, and she thought of
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Speaker 1: all the sorrow she herself had brought them, of her
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Speaker 1: father's grief worn face, and the end was not yet,
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Speaker 1: of the sorrows she was to bring on her father
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Speaker 1: and mother. And yet, and yet, Kristen laid her head
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Speaker 1: on the arm that rested on the fence. The other
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Speaker 1: hand she still held to her body, even if it
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Speaker 1: brought her new sorrows, even if it led her feet
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Speaker 1: down to death. She would rather die in bearing Erilana's
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Speaker 1: son than that they should both die one day and
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Speaker 1: leave their houses standing empty, and the corn on their
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Speaker 1: lands should wave for stranger's. She heard a footstep in
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Speaker 1: the room behind her. The ale thought, Kristen, I should
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Speaker 1: have seen to it long ago. She stood up and turned,
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Speaker 1: and Arelon came, stooping through the doorway and stepped out
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Speaker 1: into the sunlight, his face shining with gladness. Is this
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Speaker 1: where you are? He asked? And not a step? Will
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Speaker 1: you come to meet me? Even? He said, and came
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Speaker 1: and threw his arms about her. Dearest, are you come hither?
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Speaker 1: She said, in wonder. It was plain. He was just
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Speaker 1: alighted from his horse, his cloak still hung from his shoulder,
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Speaker 1: and his sword at his side. He was unshaven, travel soiled,
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Speaker 1: and covered with dust. He was clad in a red
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Speaker 1: surcoat that hung in folds from its collar and was
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Speaker 1: open up the sides almost to the armpits. As they
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Speaker 1: passed through the brew house and across the courtyard, the
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Speaker 1: coat swung and flapped about him, so that his thighs
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Speaker 1: showed right up to the waist. His legs bent a
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Speaker 1: little outwards when he walked. It was strange. She had
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Speaker 1: never marked it before. She had only seen that he
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Speaker 1: had long, slender legs with fine ankles and small, well
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Speaker 1: shaped feet. Erelon had come well attended with five men
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Speaker 1: and four lead horses. He told Rumfrey that he was
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Speaker 1: come to fetch Christen's goods. Twould be more homely for her.
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Speaker 1: He thought to find the things awaiting her at Hussbie
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Speaker 1: when she came thither. And so late in the autumn
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Speaker 1: as the wedding was to be, it might be harder
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Speaker 1: than to have the goods brought across the hills. Besides,
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Speaker 1: they might easily be spoiled by the sea water on shipboard. Now,
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Speaker 1: the abbot of Niraholm had preffered to give him leave
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Speaker 1: to send them by the Laurentius Galias. Twas meant she
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Speaker 1: should sail from Veioi about Assumption day. So he was
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Speaker 1: come to have the goods carted over to Ramsdaal and
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Speaker 1: down to niss. He sat in the doorway of the
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Speaker 1: kitchen house, drinking ale and talking, while Renfried and Kristin
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Speaker 1: plucked the wild duck laverns had brought home the day before.
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Speaker 1: Mother and daughter were alone on the place. All the
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Speaker 1: women were busy raking in the meadows. He looked so
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Speaker 1: glad and happy. He was pleased with himself for coming
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Speaker 1: on such a wise and prudent errand Aranfret went out,
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Speaker 1: and Christen stayed minding the spit with the roasting birds.
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Speaker 1: Through the open door, she could catch a glimpse of
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Speaker 1: Ereleon's men lying in the shadow on the other side
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Speaker 1: of the courtyard, with the ale bulls circling among them.
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Speaker 1: Erelon himself sat on the threshold, chatting and laughing. The
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Speaker 1: sun shone right down on his uncovered coal black hair.
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Speaker 1: She spied some white threads in it. Ay, he must
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Speaker 1: be near thirty two years old, but he bore himself
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Speaker 1: like a mischievous boy. She knew she would not be
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Speaker 1: able to tell him of her trouble time enough when
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Speaker 1: he saw it for himself, laughing, tenderness streamed through her
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Speaker 1: heart over the hard little spot of anger at its core,
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Speaker 1: like a glittering river flowing over stones. She loved him
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Speaker 1: above all on earth. Her soul was filled with her love.
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Speaker 1: Though all the time she saw and remembered all those
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Speaker 1: other things. How ill this gallant in the fine red
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Speaker 1: surcoat with silver spurs on heel and belt adorned with gold,
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Speaker 1: suited with the busy harvest time of urreingard, She marked
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Speaker 1: well too, that her father came not up to the farm,
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Speaker 1: though her mother had sent Roanborg down to the river
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Speaker 1: to bear him word of the guest that was come.
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Speaker 1: Erelon stood beside her and passed his arm round her shoulders.
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Speaker 1: Can you believe it? He said, joyfully, seems it not
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Speaker 1: marvelous to you? That tis for our wedding, all this
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Speaker 1: toil and bustle. Christin gave him a kiss and thrust
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Speaker 1: him aside, then turned to basting the birds, and bade
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Speaker 1: him stand out of the way. No, she would not.
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Speaker 1: It was not till supper time that Laverns came back
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Speaker 1: to the farm along with the other harvesters. He was
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Speaker 1: clad much like his workmen, in an undyed wadmle coat,
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Speaker 1: cut off at the knees and loose breeches reaching to
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Speaker 1: the ankles. He walked barefoot, with his scythe over his shoulder.
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Speaker 1: There was not in his dress to mark him off
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Speaker 1: from the serving men, save the leathern shoulder piece that
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Speaker 1: made a perch for the hawk he bore on his
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Speaker 1: left shoulder. He led Romborg by the hand. He greeted
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Speaker 1: his son in law heartily enough, begging him to forgive
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Speaker 1: that he had not come before. Twas that they must
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Speaker 1: push on with the farm work as hard as they could,
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Speaker 1: for he himself had a journey to make to the
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Speaker 1: market town between the hay and the corn harvests. But
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Speaker 1: when Erelan told the errand he had come on, as
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Speaker 1: they sat at the supper board, Laverrens grew something out
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Speaker 1: of humor, twas impossible he should spare carts and horses
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Speaker 1: for such work at this time. Ere Lon answered he
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Speaker 1: had brought four pack horses with him, But Laverin said
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Speaker 1: there would be three cartloads at the least. Besides, the
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Speaker 1: maid must have her wearing apparel with her here, and
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Speaker 1: the bed furniture that Christin was to have with her.
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Speaker 1: They would need here too for the wedding. So many
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Speaker 1: guests as they would have in the house. Well well,
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Speaker 1: said Erlen. Doubtless some way could be found to have
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Speaker 1: the goods sent through in the autumn. But he had
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Speaker 1: been glad and had thought it seemed a wise counsel
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Speaker 1: When the abbot had proffered to have the goods brought
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Speaker 1: in the church Galias, the abbot had reminded him of
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Speaker 1: their kinship. They are all ready now to remember that,
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Speaker 1: said her Lon smiling. His father in law's displeasure seemed
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Speaker 1: not to trouble him in the least. But in the
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Speaker 1: end it was agreed that Erlon should be given the
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Speaker 1: loan of a cart and should take away a cartload
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Speaker 1: of the things Christin would need most when first she
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Speaker 1: came to her new home. The day after, they were
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Speaker 1: busy with the packing the big and the little loom,
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Speaker 1: the mother thought might go at once. Christin would scarce
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Speaker 1: have time for weaving much more before the wedding. Ronfrit
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Speaker 1: and her daughter cut off the web that was on
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Speaker 1: the loom. It was undyed watermele, but of the finest,
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Speaker 1: softest wool, with unwoven tufts of black sheep's wool that
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Speaker 1: made a pattern of spots. Kristin and her mother rolled
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Speaker 1: up the stuff and laid it in the leather sack.
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Speaker 1: Kristin thought twould make good warm swaddling cloths, and right
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Speaker 1: fair ones too, with blue or red bands wrapped round them.
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Speaker 1: The sewing chair, too, that Arny had once made her,
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Speaker 1: was to be sent. Kristin took out of the box
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Speaker 1: seat all the things Erlin had given her from time
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Speaker 1: to time. She showed her mother the blue velvet cloak
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Speaker 1: patterned in red, that she was to wear at the bridle.
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Speaker 1: On the ride to church, the mother turned it about
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Speaker 1: and about and felt the stuff and the fur lining.
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Speaker 1: Costly cloak, indeed, said Ronfrit, When was it? Erlin gave
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Speaker 1: you this? He gave it me when I was at
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Speaker 1: nonaseettr said her daughter. Kristin's bride chest, that held all
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Speaker 1: the goods her mother had gathered together and saved up
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Speaker 1: for her since she was a little child, was emptied
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Speaker 1: and packed anew. Its sides and cover were all carved
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Speaker 1: in squares, with a leaping beast or a bird amidst
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Speaker 1: leaves in each square. The wedding dress Ronfret laid away
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Speaker 1: in one of her own chests. It was not quite
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Speaker 1: ready yet, though they had sewed on it all winter.
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Speaker 1: It was of scarlet silk, cut to sit very close
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Speaker 1: to the body. Christen thought twould be all too tight
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Speaker 1: across the breast. Now toward evening, the whole load stood ready,
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Speaker 1: firmly bound under the wagon tilt. Erlin was to set
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Speaker 1: forth early the next morning. He stood with Kristin, leaning
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Speaker 1: over the courtyard gate, looking northward to where a blue
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Speaker 1: black storm cloud filled the dale. Thunder was rolling far
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Speaker 1: off in the mountain, but southward the green fields and
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Speaker 1: the river lay in yellow burning sunshine. Mind you the
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Speaker 1: storm that day in the woods at Caerderoud, he asked, softly,
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Speaker 1: playing with her fingers. Christa nodded and tried to smile.
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Speaker 1: The air was so heavy and close her head ached,
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Speaker 1: and at every breath she took, her skin grew damp
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Speaker 1: with sweat. Larvins came across to the two as they
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Speaker 1: stood by the gate, and spoke of the storm twas,
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Speaker 1: but rarely it did much harm down here in the parish.
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Speaker 1: But God knew if they should not hear of cattle
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Speaker 1: and horses killed up in the mountains. It was black
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Speaker 1: as night above the church. Up on the hillside, a
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Speaker 1: lightning flash showed them a troop of horses standing uneasily
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Speaker 1: huddled together on the greensward outside the church gate. Larvins
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Speaker 1: thought they could scarce belong here in the parish. Rather,
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Speaker 1: must they be horses from Dover that had been running
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Speaker 1: loose up on the hills below Yetta. But yet he
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Speaker 1: had a mind to go up and look at them.
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Speaker 1: He shouted through a peal of thunder, there might be
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Speaker 1: some of his among them. A fearful lightning flash tore
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Speaker 1: the darkness above the church. The thunder crashed and bellowed,
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Speaker 1: so as to deafen them to all other sounds. The
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Speaker 1: cluster of horses burst asunder, scattering over the hill slopes
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Speaker 1: beneath the mountain ridge. All three of them crossed themselves.
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Speaker 1: Then came another flash. It was as though the heavens
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Speaker 1: split asunder. Right above them, a mighty snow white flame
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Speaker 1: swooped down upon them. The three were thrown against each
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Speaker 1: other and stood with shut, blinded eyes and a smell
21:44
Speaker 1: in their nostrils as of burning stone, while the crashing
21:48
Speaker 1: thunder rent their ears. Saint olaf help Us, said Lawrens
21:53
Speaker 1: in a low voice. Look the birch. The birch, shouted Erlon.
21:58
Speaker 1: The great birch tree in the field nearby seemed to totter,
22:02
Speaker 1: and a huge bough parted from the tree and sank
22:05
Speaker 1: to the ground, leaving a great gash in the trunk.
22:09
Speaker 1: Think you twill catch fire, Jesus Christus. The church roof
22:12
Speaker 1: is a light, shouted Lavrins. They stood and gazed no Yes,
22:20
Speaker 1: Red flames were darting out among the shingles, beneath the
22:23
Speaker 1: ridge turret. Both men rushed back across the courtyard. Laverns
22:28
Speaker 1: tore open the doors of all the houses he came
22:30
Speaker 1: to and shouted to those inside. The housefolk came swarming out.
22:35
Speaker 1: Bring axes, bring axes, timber axes, he cried, and bill hooks.
22:41
Speaker 1: He ran on to the stables. In a moment he
22:44
Speaker 1: came out, leading Goldsweinen by the man. He sprang on
22:47
Speaker 1: the horse's bare back and dashed off up the hill
22:50
Speaker 1: with the great broad axe in his hand. Erelon rode
22:54
Speaker 1: close behind him. All the men followed somewhere a horseback,
22:58
Speaker 1: but some could not master the terroried beasts, and giving up,
23:02
Speaker 1: ran on afoot. Last came ronfreed, and all the women
23:05
Speaker 1: on the place with pails and buckets. None seemed to
23:09
Speaker 1: heed the storm any longer. By the light of the flashes,
23:12
Speaker 1: they could see folk streaming out of the houses. Further
23:15
Speaker 1: down the valley. Syra Iyrick was far up the hill,
23:18
Speaker 1: already running with his housefolk behind him. There was a
23:22
Speaker 1: thunder of horses hoofs on the ridge below. Some men
23:25
Speaker 1: galloped past, turning white appalled faces towards their burning church.
23:31
Speaker 1: It was blowing a little from the southeast. The fire
23:34
Speaker 1: had a strong hold on the north wall. On the west,
23:37
Speaker 1: the entrance door was blocked already, but it had not
23:41
Speaker 1: caught yet on the south side, nor on the apse.
23:44
Speaker 1: Kristen and the women from Urngard came into the graveyard
23:48
Speaker 1: south of the church at a place where the fence
23:50
Speaker 1: was broken. The huge red glare lighted up the grove
23:53
Speaker 1: of trees north of the church, and the green by it,
23:56
Speaker 1: where there were bars to tie the horses too. None
23:59
Speaker 1: could come thither for the glowing heat. The great Cross
24:03
Speaker 1: stood alone out there, bathed in the light of the flames.
24:07
Speaker 1: It looked as though it lived and moved through The
24:10
Speaker 1: hissing and roar of the flames sounded the thudding of
24:13
Speaker 1: axes against the staves of the south wall. There were
24:16
Speaker 1: men in the cloister way hewing and hammering at the wall,
24:19
Speaker 1: while others tried to tear down the cloister itself. Someone
24:23
Speaker 1: called out to the Urine Guard women that Laverns and
24:25
Speaker 1: a few other men had followed syra Iirick into the church,
24:29
Speaker 1: and now twas high time to cut a passage through
24:31
Speaker 1: the south wall. Small tongues of flame were peeping out
24:34
Speaker 1: among the shingles here too, and should the wind go
24:37
Speaker 1: around or die down, the fire would take hold on
24:41
Speaker 1: the whole church. To think of putting out the fire
24:44
Speaker 1: was vain. There was no time to make a chain
24:47
Speaker 1: down to the river, But at Renfrit's bidding, the women
24:50
Speaker 1: made a line and passed water along from the little
24:53
Speaker 1: beck that ran by the roadside. It was but little
24:56
Speaker 1: to throw on the south wall and over the men
24:59
Speaker 1: working there. Many of the women sobbed and wept the
25:02
Speaker 1: while in terror for the men who had made their
25:05
Speaker 1: way into the burning building, and in sorrow for their church.
25:10
Speaker 1: Kristin stood foremost in the line of women handing along
25:14
Speaker 1: the pails. She gazed breathless at the burning church. They
25:18
Speaker 1: were both there inside, her father and Shirley Airlon too.
25:23
Speaker 1: The torn down pillars of the cloister way lay in
25:26
Speaker 1: a tangled mass of timber and shingles from its roof.
25:29
Speaker 1: The men were attacking the inner wall of staves now
25:32
Speaker 1: with all their might. A group of them had lifted
25:35
Speaker 1: up a great log and were battering the wall with it.
25:38
Speaker 1: Erelon and one of his men came out of the
25:40
Speaker 1: little door in the south wall of the choir, carrying
25:42
Speaker 1: between them the great chest from the sacristy, the chest
25:46
Speaker 1: Irick was used to sit on when he heard confession.
25:49
Speaker 1: Erelon and the men flung the chest out into the courtyard.
25:53
Speaker 1: He shouted out something, but Christin could not hear. He
25:56
Speaker 1: dashed on at once into the cloister way, nimble as
26:00
Speaker 1: a cat, he seemed as he ran. He had thrown
26:03
Speaker 1: off his outer garments and had not on him but shirt,
26:06
Speaker 1: breeches and hose. The others took up his shout. The
26:09
Speaker 1: choir and the sacristy were burning. None could pass from
26:13
Speaker 1: the nave to the south door any longer. The fire
26:16
Speaker 1: had blocked both ways of escape. Some of the staves
26:20
Speaker 1: in the wall had been splintered by the ram. Arlon
26:23
Speaker 1: had seized a fire hook, and with it he tugged
26:25
Speaker 1: and wrenched at the wreckage of the staves. He and
26:28
Speaker 1: those with him tore a hole in the side of
26:30
Speaker 1: the church, while other folks cried to take care for
26:33
Speaker 1: the roof might fall and shut in the men inside.
26:37
Speaker 1: The shingle roof on this side, too, was burning hard now,
26:40
Speaker 1: and the heat had grown till twas scarce to be borne.
26:44
Speaker 1: Earlon burst through the hole and helped out Syra Irich.
26:47
Speaker 1: The priest came bearing the holy vessels from the altars
26:51
Speaker 1: in the skirt of his gown. A young boy followed,
26:54
Speaker 1: with one hand over his face and the other holding
26:57
Speaker 1: the tall processional cross lance wise in front of him.
27:01
Speaker 1: Laverns came next. He kept his eyes shut against the smoke.
27:05
Speaker 1: He staggered under the weight of the great crucifix, which
27:08
Speaker 1: he bore in his arms. It was much taller than
27:12
Speaker 1: the man himself. Folk ran forward and helped them out
27:15
Speaker 1: and into the churchyard. Syra Irich stumbled and fell on
27:20
Speaker 1: his knees, and the altar vessels rolled out down the slope.
27:23
Speaker 1: The silver dove flew open and the host fell out.
27:27
Speaker 1: The priest took it up, brushed the soil off it,
27:29
Speaker 1: and kissed it, sobbing aloud. He kissed the gilded head too,
27:34
Speaker 1: that had stood on the altar, with shreds of the
27:37
Speaker 1: nails and hair of Saint Olaf in it. Lavns Bjorglfsen
27:41
Speaker 1: still stood holding up the Holy rood. His arm lay
27:45
Speaker 1: along the arms of the cross. His head was bowed
27:48
Speaker 1: against the shoulder of the Christ figure. It seemed as
27:52
Speaker 1: though the Redeemer bent his fair, sorrowful face over the
27:56
Speaker 1: man to pity and to comfort. The room roof on
28:00
Speaker 1: the north side of the church had begun to fall
28:02
Speaker 1: in by bits. A burning piece from a falling beam
28:06
Speaker 1: was hurled outwards and struck the great bell in the
28:08
Speaker 1: belfry by the churchyard gate. The bell gave out a deep,
28:12
Speaker 1: sobbing note, which died in a long wail that was
28:15
Speaker 1: drowned in the roaring of the flames. None had paid
28:19
Speaker 1: heed to the weather all this time. The hole had lasted,
28:22
Speaker 1: indeed no long time, But whether short or long, scarce
28:26
Speaker 1: any could have told. The thunder and lightning had passed
28:29
Speaker 1: now far down the dale. The rain that had begun
28:33
Speaker 1: some time back fell ever the more heavily, and the
28:36
Speaker 1: wind had died down. But of a sudden it was
28:39
Speaker 1: as though a sheet of flame shot up from the
28:42
Speaker 1: ground sill of the building. A moment, and with a
28:45
Speaker 1: mounting roar, the fire had swallowed up the church from
28:49
Speaker 1: end to end. The people scattered, rushing away to escape
28:53
Speaker 1: the devouring heat. Erelon was at Christen's side on the instant,
28:58
Speaker 1: dragging her away down the hill. The whole man smelt
29:01
Speaker 1: of burning. When she stroked his head and face. Her
29:04
Speaker 1: hand came away full of burnt hair. They could not
29:08
Speaker 1: hear each other's voices for the roaring of the fire,
29:11
Speaker 1: but she saw that his eyebrows were burnt off to
29:14
Speaker 1: the roots, he had burns on his face, and great
29:17
Speaker 1: holes were burnt in his shirt. He laughed as he
29:20
Speaker 1: dragged her along with him after the others. All the
29:23
Speaker 1: folk followed the old priest as he went weeping with
29:27
Speaker 1: lavns Bjorgovsen bearing the crucifix. At the foot of the churchyard.
29:31
Speaker 1: Lavern's set the rood from him up against a tree
29:35
Speaker 1: and sank down to a seat on the wreckage of
29:37
Speaker 1: the fence. Syria Erik was sitting there already. He stretched
29:41
Speaker 1: out his arms towards the burning church. Farewell, farewell, thou
29:46
Speaker 1: Olaf's Church, God, bless thee. Thou my Olaf's Church, God,
29:52
Speaker 1: bless thee. For every hour I have chanted in thee
29:56
Speaker 1: and said mass in thee thou Olaf's Church. Psh, good night,
30:01
Speaker 1: good night. The church folk wept aloud with their priest.
30:06
Speaker 1: The rain streamed down on the group of people, but
30:09
Speaker 1: none thought of seeking shelter, nor did it seem to check.
30:12
Speaker 1: The fierce burning of the tarred woodwork brands and the
30:16
Speaker 1: glowing shingles were tossed out on every side. Then suddenly
30:20
Speaker 1: the ridge turret crashed down into the fiery furnace, sending
30:24
Speaker 1: a great shower of sparks high up into the air.
30:28
Speaker 1: Lavern sat with one hand over his face, the other
30:31
Speaker 1: arm lay in his lap, and Churtisten saw that the
30:34
Speaker 1: sleeve was all bloody from the shoulder down, and blood
30:37
Speaker 1: ran down over his fingers. She went to him and
30:40
Speaker 1: touched his arm. Not much as amiss, methinks, there fell
30:45
Speaker 1: somewhat on my shoulder, he said, Looking up, he was
30:49
Speaker 1: white to the lips ull filled. He murmured in anguish,
30:54
Speaker 1: gazing into the burning pile. Syra Irick heard the word
30:58
Speaker 1: and laid a hand on his shoulder. Twill not wake
31:01
Speaker 1: your child, lovereign's She will sleep none the less sound
31:05
Speaker 1: for the burning above her bed. She hath not lost
31:08
Speaker 1: her soul's home as we others have lost ours this night.
31:14
Speaker 1: Citteston hid her face on Erelan's breast and stood there,
31:17
Speaker 1: feeling the grasp of his arm around her shoulders. Then
31:21
Speaker 1: she heard her father asking for his wife. Some one
31:24
Speaker 1: answered that a woman had fallen in labor from the
31:27
Speaker 1: fright they had borne her down to the parsonage, and
31:30
Speaker 1: Renfret had gone with her there. Then Curriston called to
31:34
Speaker 1: mind again what she had clean forgotten ever since they
31:37
Speaker 1: saw that the church was a fire. She should not
31:40
Speaker 1: have looked on this. There lived a man in the
31:43
Speaker 1: south of the parish who had a red stain over
31:45
Speaker 1: half his face. Twas said, he was thus because his
31:49
Speaker 1: mother had looked at a burning house while she was
31:51
Speaker 1: big with him. Dear Holy Virgin Mother, she prayed in
31:56
Speaker 1: her heart, let not my child have been marred by this.
32:01
Speaker 1: The day after, the whole parish was called to meet
32:04
Speaker 1: on the church green to take counsel how best to
32:07
Speaker 1: build up the church anew. Christen sought out syra Irick
32:12
Speaker 1: at Romaningarde before the time set for the meeting. She
32:15
Speaker 1: asked the priest if he deemed she should take this
32:18
Speaker 1: as a sign. Maybe twas God's will that she should
32:21
Speaker 1: say to her father she was unworthy to wear the
32:25
Speaker 1: bridal crown, that it were more seemly she should be
32:28
Speaker 1: given in marriage to Herela Nicholson, without feasting or bridal honors.
32:33
Speaker 1: But syra Irick flew up at her with eyes glistening
32:36
Speaker 1: with wrath. Think you that God cares so much how
32:40
Speaker 1: youth LUTs may fly about and cast yourselves away, that
32:43
Speaker 1: he would burn up a fair venerable church for your sake,
32:48
Speaker 1: Leave you your sinful pride, and bring nought on your
32:51
Speaker 1: mother and Laverrins such a sorrow as they would scarce
32:55
Speaker 1: win through for many a day. If you wear not
32:58
Speaker 1: the crown with honor on you your honorable day, the
33:01
Speaker 1: worse for you, But the more need have you and
33:05
Speaker 1: Erelon of all the rights of the church. When you
33:07
Speaker 1: are brought together, each and all of us have sins
33:10
Speaker 1: to answer for tis. Therefore I trow that this visitation
33:15
Speaker 1: has come upon us all see you to it, that
33:17
Speaker 1: you mend your life, and that you helped to build
33:20
Speaker 1: up our church again, both you and Rlon. It was
33:24
Speaker 1: in Christin's mind that he knew not all for that
33:28
Speaker 1: yet she had not told him of this last thing
33:30
Speaker 1: that was come upon her. But she rested content and
33:34
Speaker 1: said no more. She went with the men to the meeting.
33:37
Speaker 1: Laverrens had come with his arm in a sling, and
33:40
Speaker 1: Arlon had many burns on his face. He was ill
33:44
Speaker 1: to look upon, but he laughed it off. None of
33:47
Speaker 1: the wounds were large, and he said he hoped they
33:49
Speaker 1: would not spoil his face too much when he came
33:51
Speaker 1: to be a bridegroom. He stood up after Lavereyren's and
33:55
Speaker 1: promised four marks of silver as an offering to the church,
33:58
Speaker 1: and for his betrothed with Lavern's assent Land, worth sixty
34:03
Speaker 1: cows from her holdings in the parish. It was found
34:07
Speaker 1: needful for Arlon to stay a week at Urengard by
34:09
Speaker 1: reason of his burns. Christen saw that twas as though
34:13
Speaker 1: Lawrens had come to like his son in law better
34:16
Speaker 1: since the night of the fire. The men seemed now
34:19
Speaker 1: to be good friends enough. She thought maybe her father
34:23
Speaker 1: might grow to like Erelen Nicholson so well that he
34:26
Speaker 1: would not judge them too strictly, and would not take
34:29
Speaker 1: the matter so hardly as she had feared when the
34:33
Speaker 1: time came when he must know that they had transgressed
34:37
Speaker 1: against him. End of Chapter six, Part two,