Great Britain -- History -- Henry VII, 1485-1509 -- Fiction; Historical fiction
Through the street alone, into the outer street near the river, a poor
street also, filled with a great clanging noise. Men-at-arms poured
by, going for some reason to the Tower. When they were passed he met a
country cart, two girls, sisters, seated and a boy walking beside the
horse. They had strawberries and they were crying them. “Strawberries!
Strawberries! Make you young again! Strawberries!”
Down a cross street he saw the river and it was running sunset gold
with beds of violets. He entered a poor house where lodged sailors’
wives, and here he sought and found Morgen Fay. “Come with me! I want
to show you something.”
After a moment of silence she moved toward him and they went out
together. They went through the street, a tall man and a woman very
poorly clad, tall almost as he, and of a rich beauty. There was a great
sunset this eve, bathing London and Thames and these two.
Diccon Dawn opened the door. They entered the workshop. “This place is
now mine. I do not know if you know it, but I am a smith in gold and
silver.”
Jankin had brought and left upon the table a loaf and cheese, a pitcher
of ale and a platter heaped with strawberries. Moreover there was water
provided and candles in the stand and he had swept the room. All the
tools of this trade were about; at the back stood the furnace. The
room faced the south and the west, and through the window streamed the
glowing light. They entered, they drank a little water, then stood and
faced each the other.
She spoke. “We came away upon the ship together, two mortals in the
most merciless danger. ‘That cannot be helped!’ I thought, after the
first astounding when all the blood went from my heart and my knees
bent under me. The _Vineyard_ shook us down together like two leaves
in London. ‘That cannot be helped,’ I thought, ‘but now the wind will
drive the one north and the other south!’ ‘Lodge at the Old Anchor,’
says _Vineyard_ master. I go there, and I find you there before me.
Still the wind does not rise. But now it must!”
“You have gold,” said the other. “I saw him to whom we owe more than
gold give it to you. There is still lodging at the Old Anchor. Return
there if you choose. I will walk with you. You shall lodge as you have
lodged, and I as I have lodged. But this house is now mine. Lodge here,
Morgen Fay!”
“No! Now at last we speak together! Now at last!”
“Now at last!”
She stood away from the table, he nearer window. Gold and red sunset
was behind him, a gold and red pool upon the floor between them, and a
rosy light struck her--face, head and throat.
It was again--it was again!
She cried, “Cell at Silver Cross, and you on your knees before heaven,
and I the ape!”
He put his hands before his face. “All heaven was mine!”
“Dressed so, like the great picture, and with my fingers drawing or
slackening cords that made the blue mantle to wave and lights to
brighten. Oh, God--oh, God!”
“It is so, yet they brighten.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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