the wood beyond the world-第15章

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lest　the　beast　might　yet　have　life　in　him　to　smite；　but　he　left　his
struggling；　his　huge　voice　died　out；　and　he　lay　there　moveless
before　the　hunter。

Walter　abode　a　little；　facing　him；　and　then　turned　about　to　the
Lady；　and　she　had　fallen　down　in　a　heap　whereas　she　stood；　and　lay
there　all　huddled　up　and　voiceless。　　So　he　knelt　down　by　her；　and
lifted　up　her　head；　and　bade　her　arise；　for　the　foe　was　slain。　　And
after　a　little　she　stretched　out　her　limbs；　and　turned　about　on　the
grass；　and　seemed　to　sleep；　and　the　colour　came　into　her　face　again；
and　it　grew　soft　and　a　little　smiling。　　Thus　she　lay　awhile；　and
Walter　sat　by　her　watching　her；　till　at　last　she　opened　her　eyes　and
sat　up；　and　knew　him；　and　smiling　on　him　said：　　〃What　hath　befallen；
Squire；　that　I　have　slept　and　dreamed？〃

He　answered　nothing；　till　her　memory　came　back　to　her；　and　then　she
arose；　trembling　and　pale；　and　said：　　〃Let　us　leave　this　wood；　for
the　Enemy　is　therein。〃

And　she　hastened　away　before　him　till　they　came　out　at　the　thicket…
side　whereas　the　hounds　had　been　left；　and　they　were　standing　there
uneasy　and　whining；　so　Walter　coupled　them；　while　the　Lady　stayed
not；　but　went　away　swiftly　homeward；　and　Walter　followed。

At　last　she　stayed　her　swift　feet；　and　turned　round　on　Walter；　and
said：　　〃Squire；　come　hither。〃

So　did　he；　and　she　said：　　〃I　am　weary　again；　let　us　sit　under　this
quicken…tree；　and　rest　us。〃

So　they　sat　down；　and　she　sat　looking　between　her　knees　a　while；　and
at　last　she　said：　　〃Why　didst　thou　not　bring　the　lion's　hide？〃

He　said：　　〃Lady；　I　will　go　back　and　flay　the　beast；　and　bring　on　the
hide。〃

And　he　arose　therewith；　but　she　caught　him　by　the　skirts　and　drew
him　down；　and　said：　　〃Nay；　thou　shalt　not　go；　abide　with　me。　　Sit
down　again。〃

He　did　so；　and　she　said：　　〃Thou　shalt　not　go　from　me；　for　I　am
afraid：　　I　am　not　used　to　looking　on　the　face　of　death。〃

She　grew　pale　as　she　spoke；　and　set　a　hand　to　her　breast；　and　sat　so
a　while　without　speaking。　　At　last　she　turned　to　him　smiling；　and
said：　　〃How　was　it　with　the　aspect　of　me　when　I　stood　before　the
peril　of　the　Enemy？〃　　And　she　laid　a　hand　upon　his。

〃O　gracious　one；〃　quoth　he；　〃thou　wert；　as　ever；　full　lovely；　but　I
feared　for　thee。〃

She　moved　not　her　hand　from　his；　and　she　said：　　〃Good　and　true
Squire；　I　said　ere　I　entered　the　thicket　e'en　now　that　I　would
reward　thee　if　thou　slewest　the　quarry。　　He　is　dead；　though　thou
hast　left　the　skin　behind　upon　the　carcase。　　Ask　now　thy　reward；　but
take　time　to　think　what　it　shall　be。〃

He　felt　her　hand　warm　upon　his；　and　drew　in　the　sweet　odour　of　her
mingled　with　the　woodland　scents　under　the　hot　sun　of　the　afternoon；
and　his　heart　was　clouded　with　manlike　desire　of　her。　　And　it　was　a
near　thing　but　he　had　spoken；　and　craved　of　her　the　reward　of　the
freedom　of　her　Maid；　and　that　he　might　depart　with　her　into　other
lands；　but　as　his　mind　wavered　betwixt　this　and　that；　the　Lady；　who
had　been　eyeing　him　keenly；　drew　her　hand　away　from　him；　and
therewith　doubt　and　fear　flowed　into　his　mind；　and　he　refrained　him
of　speech。

Then　she　laughed　merrily　and　said：　　〃The　good　Squire　is　shamefaced；
he　feareth　a　lady　more　than　a　lion。　　Will　it　be　a　reward　to　thee　if
I　bid　thee　to　kiss　my　cheek？〃

Therewith　she　leaned　her　face　toward　him；　and　he　kissed　her　well…
favouredly；　and　then　sat　gazing　on　her；　wondering　what　should　betide
to　him　on　the　morrow。

Then　she　arose　and　said：　　〃Come；　Squire；　and　let　us　home；　be　not
abashed；　there　shall　be　other　rewards　hereafter。〃

So　they　went　their　ways　quietly；　and　it　was　nigh　sunset　against　they
entered　the　house　again。　　Walter　looked　round　for　the　Maid；　but
beheld　her　not；　and　the　Lady　said　to　him：　　〃I　go　to　my　chamber；　and
now　is　thy　service　over　for　this　day。〃

Then　she　nodded　to　him　friendly　and　went　her　ways。



CHAPTER　XVI：　　OF　THE　KING'S　SON　AND　THE　MAID



But　as　for　Walter；　he　went　out　of　the　house　again；　and　fared　slowly
over　the　woodlawns　till　he　came　to　another　close　thicket　or　brake；
he　entered　from　mere　wantonness；　or　that　he　might　be　the　more　apart
and　hidden；　so　as　to　think　over　his　case。　　There　he　lay　down　under
the　thick　boughs；　but　could　not　so　herd　his　thoughts　that　they　would
dwell　steady　in　looking　into　what　might　come　to　him　within　the　next
days；　rather　visions　of　those　two　women　and　the　monster　did　but
float　before　him；　and　fear　and　desire　and　the　hope　of　life　ran　to
and　fro　in　his　mind。

As　he　lay　thus　he　heard　footsteps　drawing　near；　and　he　looked
between　the　boughs；　and　though　the　sun　had　just　set；　he　could　see
close　by　him　a　man　and　a　woman　going　slowly；　and　they　hand　in　hand；
at　first　he　deemed　it　would　be　the　King's　Son　and　the　Lady；　but
presently　he　saw　that　it　was　the　King's　Son　indeed；　but　that　it　was
the　Maid　whom　he　was　holding　by　the　hand。　　And　now　he　saw　of　him
that　his　eyes　were　bright　with　desire；　and　of　her　that　she　was　very
pale。　　Yet　when　he　heard　her　begin　to　speak；　it　was　in　a　steady
voice　that　she　said：　　〃King's　Son；　thou　hast　threatened　me　oft　and
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