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the wood beyond the world-第14部分

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unkindly; and now thou threatenest me again; and no less unkindly。
But whatever were thy need herein before; now is there no more need;
for my Mistress; of whom thou wert weary; is now grown weary of
thee; and belike will not now reward me for drawing thy love to me;
as once she would have done; to wit; before the coming of this
stranger。  Therefore I say; since I am but a thrall; poor and
helpless; betwixt you two mighty ones; I have no choice but to do
thy will。〃

As she spoke she looked all round about her; as one distraught by
the anguish of fear。  Walter; amidst of his wrath and grief; had
wellnigh drawn his sword and rushed out of his lair upon the King's
Son。  But he deemed it sure that; so doing; he should undo the Maid
altogether; and himself also belike; so he refrained him; though it
were a hard matter。

The Maid had stayed her feet now close to where Walter lay; some
five yards from him only; and he doubted whether she saw him not
from where she stood。  As to the King's Son; he was so intent upon
the Maid; and so greedy of her beauty; that it was not like that he
saw anything。

Now moreover Walter looked; and deemed that he beheld something
through the grass and bracken on the other side of those two; an
ugly brown and yellow body; which; if it were not some beast of the
foumart kind; must needs be the monstrous dwarf; or one of his kin;
and the flesh crept upon Walter's bones with the horror of him。  But
the King's Son spoke unto the Maid:  〃Sweetling; I shall take the
gift thou givest me; neither shall I threaten thee any more; howbeit
thou givest it not very gladly or graciously。〃

She smiled on him with her lips alone; for her eyes were wandering
and haggard。  〃My lord;〃 she said; 〃is not this the manner of
women?〃

〃Well;〃 he said; 〃I say that I will take thy love even so given。
Yet let me hear again that thou lovest not that vile newcomer; and
that thou hast not seen him; save this morning along with my Lady。
Nay now; thou shalt swear it。〃

〃What shall I swear by?〃 she said。

Quoth he; 〃Thou shalt swear by my body;〃 and therewith he thrust
himself close up against her; but she drew her hand from his; and
laid it on his breast; and said:  〃I swear it by thy body。〃

He smiled on her licorously; and took her by the shoulders; and
kissed her face many times; and then stood aloof from her; and said:
〃Now have I had hansel:  but tell me; when shall I come to thee?〃

She spoke out clearly:  〃Within three days at furthest; I will do
thee to wit of the day and the hour to…morrow; or the day after。〃

He kissed her once more; and said:  〃Forget it not; or the threat
holds good。〃

And therewith he turned about and went his ways toward the house;
and Walter saw the yellow…brown thing creeping after him in the
gathering dusk。

As for the Maid; she stood for a while without moving; and looking
after the King's Son and the creature that followed him。  Then she
turned about to where Walter lay and lightly put aside the boughs;
and Walter leapt up; and they stood face to face。  She said softly
but eagerly:  〃Friend; touch me not yet!〃

He spake not; but looked on her sternly。  She said:  〃Thou art angry
with me?〃

Still he spake not; but she said:  〃Friend; this at least I will
pray thee; not to play with life and death; with happiness and
misery。  Dost thou not remember the oath which we swore each to each
but a little while ago?  And dost thou deem that I have changed in
these few days?  Is thy mind concerning thee and me the same as it
was?  If it be not so; now tell me。  For now have I the mind to do
as if neither thou nor I are changed to each other; whoever may have
kissed mine unwilling lips; or whomsoever thy lips may have kissed。
But if thou hast changed; and wilt no longer give me thy love; nor
crave mine; then shall this steel〃 (and she drew a sharp knife from
her girdle) 〃be for the fool and the dastard who hath made thee
wroth with me; my friend; and my friend that I deemed I had won。
And then let come what will come!  But if thou be nought changed;
and the oath yet holds; then; when a little while hath passed; may
we thrust all evil and guile and grief behind us; and long joy shall
lie before us; and long life; and all honour in death:  if only thou
wilt do as I bid thee; O my dear; and my friend; and my first
friend!〃

He looked on her; and his breast heaved up as all the sweetness of
her kind love took hold on him; and his face changed; and the tears
filled his eyes and ran over; and rained down before her; and he
stretched out his hand toward her。

Then she said exceeding sweetly:  〃Now indeed I see that it is well
with me; yea; and with thee also。  A sore pain it is to me; that not
even now may I take thine hand; and cast mine arms about thee; and
kiss the lips that love me。  But so it has to be。  My dear; even so
I were fain to stand here long before thee; even if we spake no more
word to each other; but abiding here is perilous; for there is ever
an evil spy upon my doings; who has now as I deem followed the
King's Son to the house; but who will return when he has tracked him
home thither:  so we must sunder。  But belike there is yet time for
a word or two:  first; the rede which I had thought on for our
deliverance is now afoot; though I durst not tell thee thereof; nor
have time thereto。  But this much shall I tell thee; that whereas
great is the craft of my Mistress in wizardry; yet I also have some
little craft therein; and this; which she hath not; to change the
aspect of folk so utterly that they seem other than they verily are;
yea; so that one may have the aspect of another。  Now the next thing
is this:  whatsoever my Mistress may bid thee; do her will therein
with no more nay…saying than thou deemest may please her。  And the
next thing:  wheresoever thou mayst meet me; speak not to me; make
no sign to me; even when I seem to be all alone; till I stoop down
and touch the ring on my ankle with my right hand; but if I do so;
then stay thee; without fail; till I speak。  The last thing I will
say to thee; dear friend; ere we both go our ways; this it is。  When
we are free; and thou knowest all that I have done; I pray thee deem
me not evil and wicked; and be not wroth with me for my deed;
whereas thou wottest well that I am not in like plight with other
women。  I have heard tell that when the knight goeth to the war; and
hath overcome his foes by the shearing of swords and guileful
tricks; and hath come back home to his own folk; they praise him and
bless him; and crown him with flowers; and boast of him before God
in the minster for his deliverance of friend and folk and city。  Why
shouldst thou be worse to me than this?  Now is all said; my dear
and my friend; farewell; farewell!〃

Therewith she turned and went her ways toward the house in all
speed; but making somewhat of a compass。  And when she was gone;
Walter knelt down and kissed the place where her feet had been; and
arose thereafter; and made his way toward the house; he also; but
slowly; and staying oft on his way。



CHAPTER XVII:  OF THE HOUSE AND THE PLEASANCE IN THE WOOD



On the morrow morning Walter loitered a while about the house till
the morn was grown old; and then about noon he took his bow and
arrows and went into the woods to the northward; to get him some
venison。  He went somewhat far ere he shot him a fawn; and then he
sat him down to rest under the shade of a great chestnut…tree; for
it was not far past the hottest of the day。  He looked around thence
and saw below him a little dale with a pleasant stream running
through it; and he bethought him of bathing therein; so he went down
and had his pleasure of the water and the willowy banks; for he lay
naked a while on the grass by the lip of the water; for joy of the
flickering shade; and the little breeze that ran over the down…long
ripples of the stream。

Then he did on his raiment; and began to come his ways up the bent;
but had scarce gone three steps ere he saw a woman coming towards
him from downstream。  His heart came into his mouth when he saw her;
for she stooped and reached down her arm; as if she would lay her
hand on her ankle; so that at first he deemed it had been the Maid;
but at the second eye…shot he saw that it was the Mistress。  She
stood still and looked on him; so that he deemed she would have him
come to her。  So he went to meet her; and grew somewhat shamefaced
as he drew nigher; and wondered at her; for now was she clad but in
one garment of some dark grey silky stuff; embroidered with; as it
were; a garland of flowers about the middle; but which was so thin
that; as the wind drifted it from side and limb; it hid her no more;
but for the said garland; than if water were running over her:  her
face was full of smiling joy and content as she spake to him in a
kind; caressing voice; and said:  〃I give thee good day; good
Squire; and well art thou met。〃  And she held out her hand to him。
He knelt down before her and kissed it; and abode still upon his
knees; and hanging down his head。

But she laughed outright; and stooped down to him; and put her hand
to his arms; and raised him up; and said to him:  
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