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019 - Book 2 Chapter 7 · Bridal Wreath

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  Speaker 1: Book two, Chapter seven of The Bridal Wreath by cigaretd Unsett.
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  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter seven.
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  Speaker 1: A week later, brunheld Fluga came with the word that
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  Speaker 1: the cloak was ready, and Kristin went with her and
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  Speaker 1: met Erelen in the loft room as before. When they parted,
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  Speaker 1: he gave her a cloak, so that you may have
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  Speaker 1: something to show in the convent, said he. It was
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  Speaker 1: a blue velvet with red silk inwoven, and Erelen bade
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  Speaker 1: her mark that twas of the same hues as the
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  Speaker 1: dress she had worn that day in the woods. Kristin
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  Speaker 1: wondered it should make her so glad that he said this.
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  Speaker 1: She thought he had never given her greater happiness than
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  Speaker 1: when he had said these words. But now they could
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  Speaker 1: no longer make use of this way of meeting, and
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  Speaker 1: it was not easy to find a new one. But
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  Speaker 1: Ereleon came often to the vespers at the convent church,
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  Speaker 1: and sometimes Christin would make herself an errand after the
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  Speaker 1: service up to the commoner's houses, and then they would
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  Speaker 1: snatch a few words together by stealth up by the
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  Speaker 1: fences in the murk of the winter evening. Then Kristen
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  Speaker 1: thought of asking leave of Sister Potensia to visit some
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  Speaker 1: old crippled women almsfolk of the convent, who dwelt in
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  Speaker 1: a cottage. Standing in one of the fields. Behind the
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  Speaker 1: cottage was an outhouse where the women kept a cow.
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  Speaker 1: Christin offered to tend it for them, and while she
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  Speaker 1: was there, Erelon would join her, and she would let
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  Speaker 1: him in. She wandered a little to mark that glad
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  Speaker 1: as Erelon was to be with her. It seemed to
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  Speaker 1: rankle in his mind that she could devise such a plan.
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  Speaker 1: Twas no good day for you when you came to
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  Speaker 1: know me, said he one evening. Now you have learnt
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  Speaker 1: to follow the ways of deceit. You ought not to
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  Speaker 1: blame me, answered Kristin. Sadly tis not you I blame,
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  Speaker 1: said Erlon quickly, with a shamed look. I had not
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  Speaker 1: thought myself, went on Christen, that twould come so easy
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  Speaker 1: to me to lie. But one can do what one
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  Speaker 1: must do. Nay, tis not so at all times, said Erelen.
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  Speaker 1: As before. Mind you not last winter when you could
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  Speaker 1: not bring yourself to tell your betrothed that you would
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  Speaker 1: not have him. To this, Kristen answered not, but only
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  Speaker 1: stroked his face. She never felt so strongly how dear
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  Speaker 1: Erelen was to her as when he said things like
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  Speaker 1: this that made her grieve or wonder. She was glad
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  Speaker 1: when she could take upon herself the blame for all
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  Speaker 1: that was shameful and wrong in their love. Had she
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  Speaker 1: found courage to speak to Simon as she should have done,
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  Speaker 1: they might have been a long way now on the
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  Speaker 1: road to have all put in order. Ere Loon had
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  Speaker 1: done all he could when he had spoken of their
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  Speaker 1: wedding to his kinsman. She said this to herself when
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  Speaker 1: the days in the convent grew long and evil. Herelon
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  Speaker 1: had wished to make all things right, him good again
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  Speaker 1: with little tender smiles, she thought of him, as he
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  Speaker 1: drew a picture of their wedding for her. She should
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  Speaker 1: ride to church in silks and velvet. She should be
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  Speaker 1: led to the bridle bed, with the high golden crown
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  Speaker 1: on her flowing hair, Your lovely, lovely hair, he said,
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  Speaker 1: drawing her plaits through his hand. Yet can it never
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  Speaker 1: be the same to you as though I had never
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  Speaker 1: been yours? Said Christen musingly once when he talked thus.
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  Speaker 1: Then he clasped her to him wildly. Can I call
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  Speaker 1: to mind the first time I drank in Yule tide?
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  Speaker 1: Think you? Or the first time I saw the hills
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  Speaker 1: at home turn green when winter was gone? Ay? Well,
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  Speaker 1: do I mind the first time you were mine and
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  Speaker 1: each time since. But to have you for my own
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  Speaker 1: is like keeping Yule and hunting birds on green hillsides forever. Happily,
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  Speaker 1: she nestled to him, not that she ever thought for
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  Speaker 1: a moment it would turn out as ere Loon was
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  Speaker 1: so sure it would. Kristen felt that before or long
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  Speaker 1: a day of judgment must come upon them. It could
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  Speaker 1: not be that things should go well for them in
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  Speaker 1: the end. But she was not so much afraid. She
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  Speaker 1: was much more afraid Erelon might have to go northward
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  Speaker 1: before it all came to light, and she be left behind,
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  Speaker 1: parted from him. He was over at the castle at
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  Speaker 1: a Caerseness now moon, and Bardson was posted there, while
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  Speaker 1: the bodyguard was at Tunsberg, where the king lay grievously sick.
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  Speaker 1: But some time Erelon must go home and see to
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  Speaker 1: his possessions. That she was afraid of his going home
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  Speaker 1: to Hussbie, because Elena sat there a waiting for him.
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  Speaker 1: She would not own even to herself, and neither would
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  Speaker 1: she own that she was less afraid to be taken
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  Speaker 1: in sin along with Erelon than of standing forth alone
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  Speaker 1: and telling Simon and her father what was in her heart.
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  Speaker 1: Almost she would have wished for punishment to come upon her,
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  Speaker 1: and that soon. For now she had no no other
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  Speaker 1: thought than of Erlon. She longed for him in the day,
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  Speaker 1: and dreamed of him at night. She could not feel remorse,
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  Speaker 1: but she took comfort in thinking the day would come
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  Speaker 1: when she would have to pay dear for all they
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  Speaker 1: had snatched by stealth, and in the short evening hours
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  Speaker 1: she could be with Erlon in the almswomen's cow shed.
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  Speaker 1: She threw herself into his arms with as much passion
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  Speaker 1: as if she knew she had paid with her soul
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  Speaker 1: already that she might be his. But time went on,
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  Speaker 1: and it seemed as though Erlon might have the good
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  Speaker 1: fortune he had counted on. Kristin never marked that any
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  Speaker 1: in the convent mistrusted her. Ingebjorg indeed had found out
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  Speaker 1: that she met Erlon, But Kristin saw the other never dreamed.
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  Speaker 1: Twas aught else than a little passing sport that a
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  Speaker 1: maid of good kindred promised in marriage, should dare wish
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  Speaker 1: to break the bargain her kinsfolk had made, such a
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  Speaker 1: thought would never come to Ingeborg. Riston saw, and once
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  Speaker 1: more a pang of terror shot through her. It might
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  Speaker 1: be twas a quite unheard of thing, this she had
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  Speaker 1: taken in hand. And at this thought she wished again
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  Speaker 1: that discovery might come and all be at an end.
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  Speaker 1: Easter came. Kristin knew not how the winter had gone.
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  Speaker 1: Every day she had not seen. Erellon had been long
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  Speaker 1: as an evil year, and the long evil days had
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  Speaker 1: linked themselves together into weeks without end. But now it
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  Speaker 1: was spring, and Easter was come. She felt twas no
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  Speaker 1: time since the Yule Tide feast. She begged Herelen not
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  Speaker 1: to seek her till the holy week was gone by,
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  Speaker 1: and he yielded to her in this, as he did
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  Speaker 1: to all her wishes. Thought Kristin. It was as much
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  Speaker 1: her own blame as his that they had sinned together
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  Speaker 1: in not keeping the Lenten fast. But Easter she resolved
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  Speaker 1: they should keep. Yet it was misery not to see him.
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  Speaker 1: Maybe he would have to go soon. He had said
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  Speaker 1: nought of it, But she knew that now the king
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  Speaker 1: lay dying, and mayhap this might bring some turn in
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  Speaker 1: ere Lon's fortunes. She thought. Thus things stood with her.
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  Speaker 1: When one of the first days after Easter, word was
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  Speaker 1: brought her to go down to the parlor to her betrothed.
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  Speaker 1: As soon as he came toward her and held out
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  Speaker 1: his hand, she felt there was somewhat a miss. His
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  Speaker 1: face was not as it was wont to be. His
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  Speaker 1: small gray eyes did not laugh, they did not smile
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  Speaker 1: when he smiled, and Kristen could not help seeing it
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  Speaker 1: became him well to be a little less merry. He
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  Speaker 1: looked well too, in a kind of traveling dress, a
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  Speaker 1: long blue, close fitting outer garment men called cote hardy,
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  Speaker 1: and a brown shoulder cape with a hood which was
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  Speaker 1: thrown back. Now The cold air had given his light
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  Speaker 1: brown hair a yet stronger curl. They sat and talked
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  Speaker 1: for a while. Simon had been at formal through and
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  Speaker 1: had gone over to Uringard almost daily. They were well there,
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  Speaker 1: all feld as well as they dared. Look that she
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  Speaker 1: should be Aromborg was at home now. She was a
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  Speaker 1: fair child, and lively twill be over one of these days,
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  Speaker 1: the year that you were to be here at Nonasetter
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  Speaker 1: said Simon, by this the folks at your home will
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  Speaker 1: have begun to make ready for our betrothal. Feast yours
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  Speaker 1: and mine. Christen said not, and Simon went on. I
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  Speaker 1: said to Lavern's I would ride hither to Oshloe and
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  Speaker 1: speak to you of this. Christin looked down and said, lo,
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  Speaker 1: I too, would fain speak with you of that matter
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  Speaker 1: Simon alone. I saw well myself that we must speak
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  Speaker 1: of it alone, answered Simon. And I was about to
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  Speaker 1: ask even now, that you would pray Lady Groa to
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  Speaker 1: let us go together into the garden for a little
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  Speaker 1: Christin rose quickly and slipped from the room without a sound.
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  Speaker 1: Soon after she came back, followed by one of the nuns.
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  Speaker 1: With he. There was a door leading from the parlor
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  Speaker 1: out into an herb garden that lay behind the most
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  Speaker 1: westerly of the convent buildings. The nun unlocked the door,
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  Speaker 1: and they stepped out into a mist so thick they
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  Speaker 1: could see but a few paces in among the trees.
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  Speaker 1: The nearest stems were coal black. The moisture stood in
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  Speaker 1: beads on every twig and bow. A little fresh snow
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  Speaker 1: lay melting upon the wet mold, but under the bushes.
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  Speaker 1: Some white and yellow lily plants were blooming already, and
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  Speaker 1: a fresh, cool smell rose from the violet leaves. Simon
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  Speaker 1: led her to the nearest bench. He sat a little
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  Speaker 1: bent forward, with his elbows resting upon his knees. Then
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  Speaker 1: he looked up at her with a strange little smile. Almost,
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  Speaker 1: I think I know what you would say to me,
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  Speaker 1: said he. There is another man who is more to
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  Speaker 1: you than I. It is so, answered Kristen faintly. Methinks
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  Speaker 1: I know his name too, said Simon, in a heart tone.
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  Speaker 1: It is here Lon Nicholson of Hussbie. After a while,
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  Speaker 1: Christen asked, in a low voice, it has come to
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  Speaker 1: your ears. Then, Simon was a little slow in answering,
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  Speaker 1: you can scarce think I could be so dull as
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  Speaker 1: not to see somewhat. When we were together at Yule,
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  Speaker 1: I could say not then, for my father and mother
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  Speaker 1: were with us. But this it is that has brought
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  Speaker 1: me hither alone this time. I know not whether it
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  Speaker 1: be wise of me to touch upon it. But methought,
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  Speaker 1: we must talk of these things before we are given
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  Speaker 1: to one another. But so it is now that when
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  Speaker 1: I came hither yesterday I met my kinsman, Master Oystein,
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  Speaker 1: and he spoke of you. He said, you two had
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  Speaker 1: passed across the churchyard of Saint Clement's one evening, and
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  Speaker 1: with you was a woman they call brinhild Fluga. I
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  Speaker 1: swore a great oath that he must have seen a
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  Speaker 1: miss and if you say it is untrue, I shall
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  Speaker 1: believe your word. The priest saw aright, answered Christin, defiantly.
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  Speaker 1: You forswore yourself, Simon. He sat a little air. He asked,
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  Speaker 1: know you who this brynhild Fluga is? Kristin. As she
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  Speaker 1: shook her head, he said, Moon and Bardson set her
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  Speaker 1: up in a house here in the town when he wedded.
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  Speaker 1: She carries on unlawful dealings in wine and other things.
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  Speaker 1: You know her, asked Christin mockingly. I was never meant
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  Speaker 1: to be a monk or a priest, said Simon, reddening.
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  Speaker 1: But I can say at least that I have wronged
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  Speaker 1: no maid and no man's wedded wife. See you not yourself?
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  Speaker 1: That tis no honorable man's deed to bring you out
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  Speaker 1: to go about at night in such company. Herlon did
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  Speaker 1: not draw me on, said Christin, red with anger. Nor
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  Speaker 1: has he promised me aught. I set my heart on
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  Speaker 1: him without his doing, aught to tempt me. From the
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  Speaker 1: first time I saw him. He was dearer to me
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  Speaker 1: than all other men. Simon sat playing with his dagger,
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  Speaker 1: throwing it from one hand to the other. These are
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  Speaker 1: strange words to hear from a man's betrothed maiden, said he.
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  Speaker 1: Things promise well for us too, now, Christin. Christin drew
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  Speaker 1: a deep breath. You would be ill served should you
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  Speaker 1: take me for your wife, now, Simon, Ay, God Almighty
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  Speaker 1: knows that so it seems, indeed, said Simon Andresen. Then
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  Speaker 1: I dare hope, said Christen, meekly and timidly, that you
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  Speaker 1: will uphold me, so that Sir andres and my father
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  Speaker 1: may let this bargain about us be undone. Do you so,
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  Speaker 1: said Simon. He was silent for a little. God knows
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  Speaker 1: whether you rightly understand what you say? That? Do I
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  Speaker 1: said Christin? I know the law is such that none
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  Speaker 1: may force a maid to marriage against her will? Else
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  Speaker 1: can she take her plea before the thing I trow
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  Speaker 1: tis before the bishop, said Simon, with something of a
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  Speaker 1: grim smile. True it is I have had no cause
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  Speaker 1: to search out how the law stands in such things,
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  Speaker 1: and I want well you believe not either that twill
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  Speaker 1: come to that pass. You know well enough that I
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  Speaker 1: will not hold you to your word if your heart
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  Speaker 1: is too much set against it. But can you not
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  Speaker 1: understand tis two years now since our marriage was agreed,
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  Speaker 1: and you have said no word against it till now,
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  Speaker 1: when all is ready for the betrothal and the wedding.
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  Speaker 1: Have you thought what it will mean if you come
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  Speaker 1: forth now and seek to break the bond? Christin? But
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  Speaker 1: you want me not either, said Christen. Ay. But I do,
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  Speaker 1: answered Simon curtly. If you think otherwise, you must even
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  Speaker 1: think better of it. Herala Nikola son and I have
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  Speaker 1: vowed to each other by our Christian faith, said she,
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  Speaker 1: trembling that if we cannot come together in wedlock, then
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  Speaker 1: neither of us will have wife or husband all our days.
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  Speaker 1: Simon was silent a good while. Then he said with effort.
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  Speaker 1: Then I know not, Kristin, what you meant when you
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  Speaker 1: said here Lon had neither drawn you on nor promised
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  Speaker 1: you ought. He has lured you to set yourself against
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  Speaker 1: the counsel of all your kin. Have you thought what
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  Speaker 1: kind of husband you will get if you wed a
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  Speaker 1: man who took another's wife to be his paramour, and
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  Speaker 1: now would take for wife another man's betrothed maiden. Kristin
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  Speaker 1: gulped down her tears. She whispered, thickly, this you say
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  Speaker 1: but to hurt me? Think you I would wish to
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  Speaker 1: hurt you, asked Simon in a low voice. Tis not
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  Speaker 1: as it had you, said Kristen, falteringly. You were not
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  Speaker 1: asked either, Simon. Twas your father and my father who
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  Speaker 1: made the pact. It had been otherwise, had you chosen
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  Speaker 1: me yourself. Simon stuck his dagger into the bench so
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  Speaker 1: that it stood upright. A little after he drew it
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  Speaker 1: out again and tried to slip it back into its sheath,
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  Speaker 1: but it would not go down. The point was bent.
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  Speaker 1: Then he sat passing it from hand to hand as before.
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  Speaker 1: You know yourself, said he in a low tone and
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  Speaker 1: with a shaking voice. You know that you lie if
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  Speaker 1: you would have it that I did not. You know
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  Speaker 1: well enough what I would have spoken of with you
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  Speaker 1: many times when you met me, so that I had
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  Speaker 1: not been a man, had I been able to say
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  Speaker 1: it after that? Not if they had tried to drag
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  Speaker 1: it out of me with red hot pincers. First, I
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  Speaker 1: thought twas yonder dead, lad, I thought I must leave
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  Speaker 1: you in peace, awhile you knew me not, I deemed
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  Speaker 1: twould have been a wrong to trouble you so soon after.
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  Speaker 1: Now I see you did not need so long a
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  Speaker 1: time to forget. Now now, now, no, said Kristen quietly.
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  Speaker 1: I know it, Simon. Now I cannot look that you
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  Speaker 1: should be my friend any longer friend. Simon gave a short,
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  Speaker 1: strange laugh. Humph, do you need my friendship now? Then
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  Speaker 1: Kristin grew red. You are a man, said she, softly,
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  Speaker 1: and old enough. Now you can choose yourself whom you
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  Speaker 1: will wed. Simon looked at her sharply. Then he laughed
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  Speaker 1: as before, humph, I understand you would have me, say,
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  Speaker 1: tis I who ah I am to take the blame
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  Speaker 1: for the breaking of our bond. If so be that
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  Speaker 1: your mind is fixed, if you have the will and
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  Speaker 1: the boldness to try to carry through your purpose, then
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  Speaker 1: I will do it, he said. Lo at home with
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  Speaker 1: all my own folks, and before all your kin save one,
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  Speaker 1: to your father. You must tell the truth even as
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  Speaker 1: it is, if you would have it, so, I will
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  Speaker 1: bear your message to him and spare you in giving
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  Speaker 1: it in so far as I can. But laverns Bjorgelsen
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  Speaker 1: shall know that never with my will would I go
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  Speaker 1: back from one word that I have spoken to him.
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  Speaker 1: Kristen clutched the edge of the bench with both hands.
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  Speaker 1: This was harder for her to bear than all else
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  Speaker 1: that Simon Darra had said. Pale and fearful, she stole
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  Speaker 1: a glance at him. Simon rose, now must we go in?
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  Speaker 1: Said he. Methinks we are nigh frozen, both of us,
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  Speaker 1: and the sister is sitting waiting with the key. I
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  Speaker 1: will give you a week to think upon the matter.
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  Speaker 1: I have business in the town here. I shall come
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  Speaker 1: hither and speak with you when I am ready to go,
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  Speaker 1: but you will scarce care to see aught of me meanwhile.
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  Speaker 1: End of chapter seven