the wood beyond the world-第17章

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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。



CHAPTER　XIX：　　WALTER　GOES　TO　FETCH　HOME　THE　LION'S　HIDE



He　entered　the　cool　dusk　through　the　porch；　and；　looking　down　the
pillared　hall；　saw　beyond　the　fountain　a　gleam　of　gold；　and　when　he
came　past　the　said　fountain　he　looked　up　to　the　high…seat；　and　lo！
the　Lady　sitting　there　clad　in　her　queenly　raiment。　　She　called　to
him；　and　he　came；　and　she　hailed　him；　and　spake　graciously　and
calmly；　yet　as　if　she　knew　nought　of　him　save　as　the　leal　servant　of
her；　a　high　Lady。　　〃Squire；〃　she　said；　〃we　have　deemed　it　meet　to
have　the　hide　of　the　servant　of　the　Enemy；　the　lion　to　wit；　whom
thou　slewest　yesterday；　for　a　carpet　to　our　feet；　wherefore　go　now；
take　thy　wood…knife；　and　flay　the　beast；　and　bring　me　home　his　skin。
This　shall　be　all　thy　service　for　this　day；　so　mayst　thou　do　it　at
thine　own　leisure；　and　not　weary　thyself。　　May　good　go　with　thee。〃

He　bent　the　knee　before　her；　and　she　smiled　on　him　graciously；　but
reached　out　no　hand　for　him