the wood beyond the world-第21章

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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　sheath；　and
there　smote　off　the　hideous　head　of　the　fiend　with　his　own　weapon。
Then　they　twain　together　laboured　the　earth；　she　with　Walter's
sword；　he　with　the　ugly　sax；　till　they　had　made　a　grave　deep　and
wide　enough；　and　therein　they　thrust　the　creature；　and　covered　him
up；　weapons　and　all　together。



CHAPTER　XXIII：　　OF　THE　PEACEFUL　ENDING　OF　THAT　WILD　DAY



Thereafter　Walter　led　the　Maid　down　again；　and　said　to　her：　　〃Now；
sweetling；　shall　the　story　be　told。〃

〃Nay；　friend；〃　she　said；　〃not　here。　　This　place　hath　been　polluted
by　my　craven　fear；　and　the　horror　of　the　vile　wretch；　of　whom　no
words　may　tell　his　vileness。　　Let　us　hence　and　onward。　　Thou　seest　I
have　once　more　come　to　life　again。〃

〃But；〃　said　he；　〃thou　hast　been　hurt　by　the　Dwarf's　arrow。〃

She　laughed；　and　said：　　〃Had　I　never　had　greater　hurt　from　them　than
that；　little　had　been　the　tale　thereof：　　yet　whereas　thou　lookest
dolorous　about　it；　we　will　speedily　heal　it。〃

Therewith　she　sought　about；　and　found　nigh　the　stream…side　certain
herbs；　and　she　spake　words　over　them；　and　bade　Walter　lay　them　on
the　wound；　which；　forsooth；　was　of　the　least；　and　he　did　so；　and
bound　a　strip　of　his　shirt　about　her　arm；　and　then　would　she　set
forth。　　But　he　said：　　〃Thou　art　all　unshod；　and　but　if　that　be　seen
to；　our　journey　shall　be　stayed　by　thy　foot…soreness：　　I　may　make　a
shift　to　fashion　thee　brogues。〃

She　said：　　〃I　may　well　go　barefoot。　　And　in　any　case；　I　entreat　thee
that　we　tarry　here　no　longer；　but　go　away　hence；　if　it　be　but　for　a
mile。〃

And　she　looked　piteously　on　him；　so　that　he　might　not　gainsay　her。

So　then　they　crossed　the　stream；　and　set　forward；　when　amidst　all
these　haps　the　day　was　worn　to　midmorning。　　But　after　they　had　gone
a　mile；　they　sat　them　down　on　a　knoll　under　the　shadow　of　a　big
thorn…tree；　within　sight　of　the　mountains。　　Then　said　Walter：　　〃Now
will　I　cut　thee　the　brogues　from　the　skirt　of　my　buff…coat；　which
shall　be　well　meet　for　such　work；　and　meanwhile　shalt　thou　tell　me
thy　tale。〃

〃Thou　art　kind；〃　she　said；　〃but　be　kinder　yet；　and　abide　my　tale
till　we　have　done　our　day's　work。　　For　we　were　best　to　make　no　long
delay　here；　because；　though　thou　hast　slain　the　King…dwarf；　yet
there　be　others　of　his　kindred；　who　swarm　in　some　parts　of　the　wood
as　the　rabbits　in　a　warren。　　Now　true　it　is　that　they　have　but
little　understanding；　less；　it　may　be；　than　the　very　brute　beasts；
and　that；　as　I　said　afore；　unless　they　be　set　on　our　slot　like　to
hounds；　they　shall　have　no　inkling　of　where　to　seek　us；　yet　might
they　happen　upon　us　by　mere　misadventure。　　And　moreover；　friend；〃
quoth　she；　blushing；　〃I　would　beg　of　thee　some　little　respite；　for
though　I　scarce　fear　thy　wrath　any　more；　since　thou　hast　been　so
kind　to　me；　yet　is　there　shame　in　that　which　I　have　to　tell　thee。
Wherefore；　since　the　fairest　of　the　day　is　before　us；　let　us　use　it
all　we　may；　and；　when　thou　hast　done　me　my　new　foot…gear；　get　us
gone　forward　again。〃

He　kissed　her　kindly　and　yea…said　her　asking：　　he　had　already　fallen
to　work　on　the　leather；　and　in　a　while　had　fashioned　her　the
brogues；　so　she　tied　them　to　her　feet；　and　arose　with　a　smile　and
said：　　〃Now　am　I　hale　and　strong　again；　what　with　the　rest；　and　what
with　thy　loving…kindness；　and　thou　shalt　see　how　nimble　I　shall　be
to　leave　this　land；　for　as　fair　as　it　is。　　Since　forsooth　a　land　of
lies　it　is；　and　of　grief　to　the　children　of　Adam。〃

So　they　went　their　ways　thence；　and　fared　nimbly　indeed；　and　made　no
stay　till　some　three　hours　after　noon；　when　they　rested　by　a
thicket…side；　where　the　strawberries　grew　plenty；　they　ate　thereof
what　they　would：　　and　from　a　great　oak　hard　by　Walter　shot　him　first
one　culver；　and　then　another；　and　hung　them　to　his　girdle　to　be　for
their　evening's　meal；　sithence　they　went　forward　again；　and　nought
befell　them　to　tell　of；　till　they　were　come；　whenas　it　lacked　scarce
an　hour　of　sunset；　to　the　banks　of　another　river；　not　right　great；
but　bigger　than　the　last　one。　　There　the　Maid　cast　herself　down　and
said：　　〃Friend；　no　further　will　thy　friend　go　this　even；　nay；　to　say
sooth；　she　cannot。　　So　now　we　will　eat　of　thy　venison；　and　then
shall　my　tale　be；　since　I　may　no　longer　delay　it；　and　thereafter
shall　our　slumber　be　sweet　and　safe　as　I　deem。〃

She　spake　merrily　now；　and　as　one　who　feared　nothing；　and　Walter　was
much　heartened　by　her　words　and　her　voice；　and　he　fell　to　and　made　a
fire；　and　a　woodland　oven　in　the　earth；　and　sithence　dighted　his
fowl；　and　baked　them　after　the　manner　of　wood…men。　　And　they　ate；
both　of　them；　in　all　love；　and　in　good…liking　of　life；　and　were　much
strengthened　by　their　supper。　　And　when　they　were　done；　Walter　eked
his　fire；　both　against　the　chill　of　the　midnight　and　dawning；　and
for　a　guard　against　wild　beasts；　and　by　that　time　night　was　come；
and　the　moon　arisen。　　Then　the　Maiden　drew　up　to　the　fire；　and
turned　to　Walter　and　spake。



CHAPTER　XXIV：　　THE　MAID　TELLS　OF　WHAT　HAD　BEFALLEN　HER



〃Now；　friend；　by　the　clear　of　the　moon　and　this　firelight　will　I
tell　what　I　may　and　can　of　my　tale。　　Thus　it　is：　　If　I　be　wholly　of
the　race　of　Adam　I　wot　not　nor　can　I　tell　thee　how　many　years　old　I
may　be。　　For　there　are；　as　it　were；　shards　or　gaps　in　my　life；
wherein　are　but　a　few　things　dimly　remembered；　and　doubtless　many
things　forgotten。　　I　remember　well　when　I　was　a　little　child；　and
right　happy；　and　there　were　people　about　me　whom　I　loved；　and　who
loved　me。　　It　was　not　in　this　land；　but　all　things　were　lovely
there；　the　year's　beginning；　the　happy　mid…year；　the　year's　waning；
the　year's　ending；　and　then　again　its　beginning。　　That　passed　away；
and　then　for　a　while　is　more　than　dimness；　for　nought　I　remember
save　that　I　was。　　Thereafter　I　remember　again；　and　am　a　young
maiden；　and　I　know　some　things；　and　long　to　know　more。　　I　am　nowise
happy；　I　am　amongst　people　who　bid　me　go；　and　I　go；　and　do　this；　and
I　do　it：　　none　loveth　me；　none　tormenteth　me；　but　I　wear　my　heart　in
longing　for　I　scarce　know　what。　　Neither　the