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the wood beyond the world-第18部分
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Nay; friend;〃 she said; as he handled his sword…hilt; 〃it must be
patience and wisdom to bring us through; and not the fallow blade of
one man; though he be a good one。 But look! below there runs a
stream through the first of the plain; and I see nought for it but
we must now rest our bodies。 Moreover I have a tale to tell thee
which is burning my heart; for maybe there will be a pardon to ask
of thee moreover; wherefore I fear thee。〃
Quoth Walter: 〃How may that be?〃
She answered him not; but took his hand and led him down the bent。
But he said: 〃Thou sayest; rest; but are we now out of all peril of
the chase?〃
She said: 〃I cannot tell till I know what hath befallen her。 If
she be not to hand to set on her trackers; they will scarce happen
on us now; if it be not for that one。〃
And she shuddered; and he felt her hand change as he held it。
Then she said: 〃But peril or no peril; needs must we rest; for I
tell thee again; what I have to say to thee burneth my bosom for
fear of thee; so that I can go no further until I have told thee。〃
Then he said: 〃I wot not of this Queen and her mightiness and her
servants。 I will ask thereof later。 But besides the others; is
there not the King's Son; he who loves thee so unworthily?〃
She paled somewhat; and said: 〃As for him; there had been nought
for thee to fear in him; save his treason: but now shall he neither
love nor hate any more; he died last midnight。〃
〃Yea; and how?〃 said Walter。
〃Nay;〃 she said; 〃let me tell my tale all together once for all;
lest thou blame me overmuch。 But first we will wash us and comfort
us as best we may; and then amidst our resting shall the word be
said。〃
By then were they come down to the stream…side; which ran fair in
pools and stickles amidst rocks and sandy banks。 She said: 〃There
behind the great grey rock is my bath; friend; and here is thine;
and lo! the uprising of the sun!〃
So she went her ways to the said rock; and he bathed him; and washed
the night off him; and by then he was clad again she came back fresh
and sweet from the water; and with her lap full of cherries from a
wilding which overhung her bath。 So they sat down together on the
green grass above the sand; and ate the breakfast of the wilderness:
and Walter was full of content as he watched her; and beheld her
sweetness and her loveliness; yet were they; either of them;
somewhat shy and shamefaced each with the other; so that he did but
kiss her hands once and again; and though she shrank not from him;
yet had she no boldness to cast herself into his arms。
CHAPTER XXII: OF THE DWARF AND THE PARDON
Now she began to say: 〃My friend; now shall I tell thee what I have
done for thee and me; and if thou have a mind to blame me; and
punish me; yet remember first; that what I have done has been for
thee and our hope of happy life。 Well; I shall tell thee〃
But therewithal her speech failed her; and; springing up; she faced
the bent and pointed with her finger; and she all deadly pale; and
shaking so that she might scarce stand; and might speak no word;
though a feeble gibbering came from her mouth。
Walter leapt up and put his arm about her; and looked whitherward
she pointed; and at first saw nought; and then nought but a brown
and yellow rock rolling down the bent: and then at last he saw that
it was the Evil Thing which had met him when first he came into that
land; and now it stood upright; and he could see that it was clad in
a coat of yellow samite。
Then Walter stooped down and gat his bow into his hand; and stood
before the Maid; while he nocked an arrow。 But the monster made
ready his tackle while Walter was stooping down; and or ever he
could loose; his bow…string twanged; and an arrow flew forth and
grazed the Maid's arm above the elbow; so that the blood ran; and
the Dwarf gave forth a harsh and horrible cry。 Then flew Walter's
shaft; and true was it aimed; so that it smote the monster full on
the breast; but fell down from him as if he were made of stone。
Then the creature set up his horrible cry again; and loosed withal;
and Walter deemed that he had smitten the Maid; for she fell down in
a heap behind him。 Then waxed Walter wood…wroth; and cast down his
bow and drew his sword; and strode forward towards the bent against
the Dwarf。 But he roared out again; and there were words in his
roar; and he said 〃Fool! thou shalt go free if thou wilt give up the
Enemy。〃
〃And who;〃 said Walter; 〃is the Enemy?〃
Yelled the Dwarf: 〃She; the pink and white thing lying there; she
is not dead yet; she is but dying for fear of me。 Yea; she hath
reason! I could have set the shaft in her heart as easily as
scratching her arm; but I need her body alive; that I may wreak me
on her。〃
〃What wilt thou do with her?〃 said Walter; for now he had heard that
the Maid was not slain he had waxed wary again; and stood watching
his chance。
The Dwarf yelled so at his last word; that no word came from the
noise a while; and then he said: 〃What will I with her? Let me at
her; and stand by and look on; and then shalt thou have a strange
tale to carry off with thee。 For I will let thee go this while。〃
Said Walter: 〃But what need to wreak thee? What hath she done to
thee?〃
〃What need! what need!〃 roared the Dwarf; 〃have I not told thee that
she is the Enemy? And thou askest of what she hath done! of what!
Fool; she is the murderer! she hath slain the Lady that was our
Lady; and that made us; she whom all we worshipped and adored。 O
impudent fool!〃
Therewith he nocked and loosed another arrow; which would have
smitten Walter in the face; but that he lowered his head in the very
nick of time; then with a great shout he rushed up the bent; and was
on the Dwarf before he could get his sword out; and leaping aloft
dealt the creature a stroke amidmost of the crown; and so mightily
be smote; that he drave the heavy sword right through to the teeth;
so that he fell dead straightway。
Walter stood over him a minute; and when be saw that he moved not;
he went slowly down to the stream; whereby the Maid yet lay cowering
down and quivering all over; and covering her face with her hands。
Then he took her by the wrist and said: 〃Up; Maiden; up! and tell
me this tale of the slaying。〃
But she shrunk away from him; and looked at him with wild eyes; and
said: 〃What hast thou done with him? Is he gone?〃
〃He is dead;〃 said Walter; 〃I have slain him; there lies he with
cloven skull on the bent…side: unless; forsooth; he vanish away
like the lion I slew! or else; perchance; he will come to life
again! And art thou a lie like to the rest of them? let me hear of
this slaying。〃
She rose up; and stood before him trembling; and said: 〃O; thou art
angry with me; and thine anger I cannot bear。 Ah; what have I done?
Thou hast slain one; and I; maybe; the other; and never had we
escaped till both these twain were dead。 Ah! thou dost not know!
thou dost not know! O me! what shall I do to appease thy wrath!〃
He looked on her; and his heart rose to his mouth at the thought of
sundering from her。 Still he looked on her; and her piteous
friendly face melted all his heart; he threw down his sword; and
took her by the shoulders; and kissed her face over and over; and
strained her to him; so that he felt the sweetness of her bosom。
Then he lifted her up like a child; and set her down on the green
grass; and went down to the water; and filled his hat therefrom; and
came back to her; then he gave her to drink; and bathed her face and
her hands; so that the colour came aback to the cheeks and lips of
her: and she smiled on him and kissed his hands; and said: 〃O now
thou art kind to me。〃
〃Yea;〃 said he; 〃and true it is that if thou hast slain; I have done
no less; and if thou hast lied; even so have I; and if thou hast
played the wanton; as I deem not that thou hast; I full surely have
so done。 So now thou shalt pardon me; and when thy spirit has come
back to thee; thou shalt tell me thy tale in all friendship; and in
all loving…kindness will I hearken the same。〃
Therewith he knelt before her and kissed her feet。 But she said:
〃Yea; yea; what thou willest; that will I do。 But first tell me one
thing。 Hast thou buried this horror and hidden him in the earth?〃
He deemed that fear had bewildered her; and that she scarcely yet
knew how things had gone。 But he said: 〃Fair sweet friend; I have
not done it as yet; but now will I go and do it; if it seem good to
thee。〃
〃Yea;〃 she said; 〃but first must thou smite off his head; and lie it
by his buttocks when he is in the earth; or evil things will happen
else。 This of the burying is no idle matter; I bid thee believe。〃
〃I doubt it not;〃 said he; 〃surely such malice as was in this one
will be hard to slay。〃 And he picked up his sword; and turned to go
to the field of deed。
She said: 〃I must needs go with thee; terror hath so filled my
soul; that I durst not abide here without thee。〃
So they went both together to where the creature lay。 The Maid
durst not look on the dead monster; but Walter noted that he was
girt with a big ungainly sax; so he drew it from the s
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