tailieunhanh - The Armourers' Prentices

The home of the Birkenholt family was not one of the least delightful. It stood at the foot of a rising ground, on which grew a grove of magnificent beeches, their large silvery boles rising majestically like columns into a lofty vaulting of branches, covered above with tender green foliage. Here and there the shade beneath was broken by the gilding of a ray of sunshine on a lower twig, or on a white trunk, but the floor of the vast arcades was almost entirely of the russet brown of the fallen leaves, save where a fern or holly bush made a spot of green | 1 CHAPTER ONE. CHAPTER TWO. CHAPTER THREE. CHAPTER FOUR. CHAPTER FIVE. CHAPTER SIX. CHAPTER SEVEN. CHAPTER EIGHT. CHAPTER NINE. CHAPTER TEN. CHAPTER ELEVEN. CHAPTER TWELVE. CHAPTER THIRTEEN. CHAPTER FOURTEEN. CHAPTER FIFTEEN. CHAPTER SIXTEEN. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. CHAPTER NINETEEN. CHAPTER TWENTY. CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY The Armourers Prentices By Charlotte M. Yonge CHAPTER ONE. 2 CHAPTER ONE. THE VERDURER S LODGE. Give me the poor allottery my father left me by testament with that I will go buy me fortunes. Get you with him you old dog. As You Like It. The officials of the New Forest have ever since the days of the Conqueror enjoyed some of the pleasantest dwellings that southern England can boast. The home of the Birkenholt family was not one of the least delightful. It stood at the foot of a rising ground on which grew a grove of magnificent beeches their large silvery boles rising majestically like columns into a lofty vaulting of branches covered above with tender green foliage. Here and there the shade beneath was broken by the gilding of a ray of sunshine on a lower twig or on a white trunk but the floor of the vast arcades was almost entirely of the russet brown of the fallen leaves save where a fern or holly bush made a spot of green. At the foot of the slope lay a stretch of pasture ground some parts covered by lady-smocks all silver white with the course of the little stream through the midst indicated by a perfect golden river of shining kingcups interspersed with ferns. Beyond lay tracts of brown heath and brilliant gorse and broom which stretched for miles and miles along the flats while the dry ground was covered with holly brake and here and there woods of oak and beech made a sea of verdure purpling in the distance. Cultivation was not attempted but hardy little ponies cows goats sheep and pigs were feeding and picking their way about in the marshy mead below and a small garden of .