the wood beyond the world-第20章

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hand　and　said　breathlessly：　　〃Now；　now！　there　may　yet　be　time；　or
even　too　much；　it　may　be。　　For　the　saving　of　breath　ask　me　no
questions；　but　come！〃

He　dallied　not；　but　went　as　she　led；　and　they　were　lightfoot；　both
of　them。

They　went　the　same　way；　due　south　to　wit；　whereby　he　had　gone　a…
hunting　with　the　Lady；　and　whiles　they　ran　and　whiles　they　walked；
but　so　fast　they　went；　that　by　grey　of　the　dawn　they　were　come　as
far　as　that　coppice　or　thicket　of　the　Lion；　and　still　they　hastened
onward；　and　but　little　had　the　Maid　spoken；　save　here　and　there　a
word　to　hearten　up　Walter；　and　here　and　there　a　shy　word　of
endearment。　　At　last　the　dawn　grew　into　early　day；　and　as　they　came
over　the　brow　of　a　bent；　they　looked　down　over　a　plain　land　whereas
the　trees　grew　scatter…meal；　and　beyond　the　plain　rose　up　the　land
into　long　green　hills；　and　over　those　again　were　blue　mountains
great　and　far　away。

Then　spake　the　Maid：　　〃Over　yonder　lie　the　outlying　mountains　of　the
Bears；　and　through　them　we　needs　must　pass；　to　our　great　peril。
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　l