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the wood beyond the world-第15部分

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to his arms; and raised him up; and said to him:  〃What is this; my
Squire; that thou kneelest to me as to an idol?〃

He said faltering:  〃I wot not; but perchance thou art an idol; and
I fear thee。〃

〃What!〃 she said; 〃more than yesterday; whenas thou sawest me
afraid?〃

Said he:  〃Yea; for that now I see thee unhidden; and meseemeth
there hath been none such since the old days of the Gentiles。〃

She said:  〃Hast thou not yet bethought thee of a gift to crave of
me; a reward for the slaying of mine enemy; and the saving of me
from death?〃

〃O my Lady;〃 he said; 〃even so much would I have done for any other
lady; or; forsooth; for any poor man; for so my manhood would have
bidden me。  Speak not of gifts to me then。  Moreover〃 (and he
reddened therewith; and his voice faltered); 〃didst thou not give me
my sweet reward yesterday?  What more durst I ask?〃

She held her peace awhile; and looked on him keenly; and he reddened
under her gaze。  Then wrath came into her face; and she reddened and
knit her brows; and spake to him in a voice of anger; and said:
〃Nay; what is this?  It is growing in my mind that thou deemest the
gift of me unworthy!  Thou; an alien; an outcast; one endowed with
the little wisdom of the World without the Wood!  And here I stand
before thee; all glorious in my nakedness; and so fulfilled of
wisdom; that I can make this wilderness to any whom I love more full
of joy than the kingdoms and cities of the worldand thou!Ah; but
it is the Enemy that hath done this; and made the guileless
guileful!  Yet will I have the upper hand at least; though thou
suffer for it; and I suffer for thee。〃

Walter stood before her with hanging head; and he put forth his
hands as if praying off her anger; and pondered what answer he
should make; for now he feared for himself and the Maid; so at last
he looked up to her; and said boldly:  〃Nay; Lady; I know what thy
words mean; whereas I remember thy first welcome of me。  I wot;
forsooth; that thou wouldst call me base…born; and of no account;
and unworthy to touch the hem of thy raiment; and that I have been
over…bold; and guilty towards thee; and doubtless this is sooth; and
I have deserved thine anger:  but I will not ask thee to pardon me;
for I have done but what I must needs。〃

She looked on him calmly now; and without any wrath; but rather as
if she would read what was written in his inmost heart。  Then her
face changed into joyousness again; and she smote her palms
together; and cried out:  〃This is but foolish talk; for yesterday
did I see thy valiancy; and to…day I have seen thy goodliness; and I
say; that though thou mightest not be good enough for a fool woman
of the earthly baronage; yet art thou good enough for me; the wise
and the mighty; and the lovely。  And whereas thou sayest that I gave
thee but disdain when first thou camest to us; grudge not against me
therefor; because it was done but to prove thee; and now thou art
proven。〃

Then again he knelt down before her; and embraced her knees; and
again she raised him up; and let her arm hang down over his
shoulder; and her cheek brush his cheek; and she kissed his mouth
and said:  〃Hereby is all forgiven; both thine offence and mine; and
now cometh joy and merry days。〃

Therewith her smiling face grew grave; and she stood before him
looking stately and gracious and kind at once; and she took his hand
and said:  〃Thou mightest deem my chamber in the Golden House of the
Wood over…queenly; since thou art no masterful man。  So now hast
thou chosen well the place wherein to meet me to…day; for hard by on
the other side of the stream is a bower of pleasance; which;
forsooth; not every one who cometh to this land may find; there
shall I be to thee as one of the up…country damsels of thine own
land; and thou shalt not be abashed。〃

She sidled up to him as she spoke; and would he; would he not; her
sweet voice tickled his very soul with pleasure; and she looked
aside on him happy and well…content。

So they crossed the stream by the shallow below the pool wherein
Walter had bathed; and within a little they came upon a tall fence
of flake…hurdles; and a simple gate therein。  The Lady opened the
same; and they entered thereby into a close all planted as a most
fair garden; with hedges of rose and woodbine; and with linden…trees
a…blossom; and long ways of green grass betwixt borders of lilies
and clove…gilliflowers; and other sweet garland…flowers。  And a
branch of the stream which they had crossed erewhile wandered
through that garden; and in the midst was a little house built of
post and pan; and thatched with yellow straw; as if it were new
done。

Then Walter looked this way and that; and wondered at first; and
tried to think in his mind what should come next; and how matters
would go with him; but his thought would not dwell steady on any
other matter than the beauty of the Lady amidst the beauty of the
garden; and withal she was now grown so sweet and kind; and even
somewhat timid and shy with him; that scarce did he know whose hand
he held; or whose fragrant bosom and sleek side went so close to
him。

So they wandered here and there through the waning of the day; and
when they entered at last into the cool dusk house; then they loved
and played together; as if they were a pair of lovers guileless;
with no fear for the morrow; and no seeds of enmity and death sown
betwixt them。



CHAPTER XVIII:  THE MAID GIVES WALTER TRYST



Now; on the morrow; when Walter was awake; he found there was no one
lying beside him; and the day was no longer very young; so he arose;
and went through the garden from end to end; and all about; and
there was none there; and albeit that he dreaded to meet the Lady
there; yet was he sad at heart and fearful of what might betide。
Howsoever; he found the gate whereby they had entered yesterday; and
he went out into the little dale; but when he had gone a step or two
he turned about; and could see neither garden nor fence; nor any
sign of what he had seen thereof but lately。  He knit his brow and
stood still to think of it; and his heart grew the heavier thereby;
but presently he went his ways and crossed the stream; but had
scarce come up on to the grass on the further side; ere he saw a
woman coming to meet him; and at first; full as he was of the tide
of yesterday and the wondrous garden; deemed that it would be the
Lady; but the woman stayed her feet; and; stooping; laid a hand on
her right ankle; and he saw that it was the Maid。  He drew anigh to
her; and saw that she was nought so sad of countenance as the last
time she had met him; but flushed of cheek and bright…eyed。

As he came up to her she made a step or two to meet him; holding out
her two hands; and then refrained her; and said smiling:  〃Ah;
friend; belike this shall be the last time that I shall say to thee;
touch me not; nay; not so much as my hand; or if it were but the hem
of my raiment。〃

The joy grew up in his heart; and he gazed on her fondly; and said:
〃Why; what hath befallen of late?〃

〃O friend;〃 she began; 〃this hath befallen。〃

But as he looked on her; the smile died from her face; and she
became deadly pale to the very lips; she looked askance to her left
side; whereas ran the stream; and Walter followed her eyes; and
deemed for one instant that he saw the misshapen yellow visage of
the dwarf peering round from a grey rock; but the next there was
nothing。  Then the Maid; though she were as pale as death; went on
in a clear; steady; hard voice; wherein was no joy or kindness;
keeping her face to Walter and her back to the stream:  〃This hath
befallen; friend; that there is no longer any need to refrain thy
love nor mine; therefore I say to thee; come to my chamber (and it
is the red chamber over against thine; though thou knewest it not)
an hour before this next midnight; and then thy sorrow and mine
shall be at an end:  and now I must needs depart。  Follow me not;
but remember!〃

And therewith she turned about and fled like the wind down the
stream。

But Walter stood wondering; and knew not what to make of it; whether
it were for good or ill:  for he knew now that she had paled and
been seized with terror because of the upheaving of the ugly head;
and yet she had seemed to speak out the very thing she had to say。
Howsoever it were; he spake aloud to himself:  Whatever comes; I
will keep tryst with her。

Then he drew his sword; and turned this way and that; looking all
about if he might see any sign of the Evil Thing; but nought might
his eyes behold; save the grass; and the stream; and the bushes of
the dale。  So then; still holding his naked sword in his hand; he
clomb the bent out of the dale; for that was the only way he knew to
the Golden House; and when he came to the top; and the summer breeze
blew in his face; and he looked down a fair green slope beset with
goodly oaks and chestnuts; he was refreshed with the life of the
earth; and he felt the good sword in his fist; and knew that there
was might and longing in him; and the world seemed open unto him。

So he smiled; if it were somewhat grimly; and sheathed his sword and
went on toward the house。



C
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