中古时期英国23

When it was all over and Becket had got everything he wanted, a dam broke and a tearful wave of emotion swept through him. Becket dismounted and flung himself in front of the King's horse. The King got off his own mount and walked over to his old friend, who'd become his bitterest enemy, and bodily lifted him up, put one foot in the stirrup and hoisted Becket back into the saddle. They then rode over together to the end of the field to the royal tent, where the King announced that henceforth they were finally reconciled and that he would now be a most kind and most generous lord. After the peace was publicly announced, Henry asked Thomas to ride with the court awhile, but Becket declined. This turned out to be mistake number one. The King had wanted to catch the moment, hold it a little longer. His good mood could vanish as quickly as his bad temper could reappear.

谈话结束后，贝克特得到了想要的一切。心墙倒塌，怆然泪下的情愫划过心头。贝克特下马，伏在国王的马前，国王也下马，走向他的老朋友。虽然成了他不共戴天的敌人，亲自扶他起身。一只脚踩在马蹬上，将贝克特托起至马鞍上，然后，他们共驾齐驱，走到草地尽头的王室帐篷。国王在那儿宣布，他们从此和好如初。于是他便成了最仁慈宽容的君主，在公开宣布和平相处后，亨利请托马斯与其同行。但贝克特谢绝了，这是他的第一个错误，国王本想抓住这次时机，维持这段友谊，他的心情就如四月天般阴晴不定。