the wood beyond the world-第16章

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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：　　〃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…bo