the wood beyond the world-第23章

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King's　Son　had　been　more　than　ever　instant　with　me　to　yield　him　my
body；　threatening　me　else　with　casting　me　into　all　that　the　worst
could　do　to　me　of　torments　and　shames　day　by　day。　　I　say　my　heart
failed　me；　and　I　was　wellnigh　brought　to　the　point　of　yea…saying　his
desires；　that　I　might　take　the　chance　of　something　befalling　me　that
were　less　bad　than　the　worst。　　But　here　must　I　tell　thee　a　thing；
and　pray　thee　to　take　it　to　heart。　　This；　more　than　aught　else；　had
given　me　strength　to　nay…say　that　dastard；　that　my　wisdom　both　hath
been；　and　now　is；　the　wisdom　of　a　wise　maid；　and　not　of　a　woman；　and
all　the　might　thereof　shall　I　lose　with　my　maidenhead。　　Evil　wilt
thou　think　of　me　then；　for　all　I　was　tried　so　sore；　that　I　was　at
point　to　cast　it　all　away；　so　wretchedly　as　I　shrank　from　the　horror
of　the　Lady's　wrath。〃

〃But　there　as　I　sat　pondering　these　things；　I　saw　a　man　coming；　and
thought　no　otherwise　thereof　but　that　it　was　the　King's　Son；　till　I
saw　the　stranger　drawing　near；　and　his　golden　hair；　and　his　grey
eyes；　and　then　I　heard　his　voice；　and　his　kindness　pierced　my　heart；
and　I　knew　that　my　friend　had　come　to　see　me；　and　O；　friend；　these
tears　are　for　the　sweetness　of　that　past　hour！〃

Said　Walter：　　〃I　came　to　see　my　friend；　I　also。　　Now　have　I　noted
what　thou　badest　me；　and　I　will　forbear　all　as　thou　commandest　me；
till　we　be　safe　out　of　the　desert　and　far　away　from　all　evil　things；
but　wilt　thou　ban　me　from　all　caresses？〃

She　laughed　amidst　of　her　tears；　and　said：　　〃O；　nay；　poor　lad；　if
thou　wilt　be　but　wise。〃

Then　she　leaned　toward　him；　and　took　his　face　betwixt　her　hands　and
kissed　him　oft；　and　the　tears　started　in　his　eyes　for　love　and　pity
of　her。

Then　she　said：　　〃Alas；　friend！　even　yet　mayst　thou　doom　me　guilty；
and　all　thy　love　may　turn　away　from　me；　when　I　have　told　thee　all
that　I　have　done　for　the　sake　of　thee　and　me。　　O；　if　then　there
might　be　some　chastisement　for　the　guilty　woman；　and　not　mere
sundering！〃

〃Fear　nothing；　sweetling；〃　said　he；　〃for　indeed　I　deem　that　already
I　know　partly　what　thou　hast　done。〃

She　sighed；　and　said：　　〃I　will　tell　thee　next；　that　I　banned　thy
kissing　and　caressing　of　me　till　to…day　because　I　knew　that　my
Mistress　would　surely　know　if　a　man；　if　thou；　hadst　so　much　as
touched　a　finger　of　mine　in　love；　it　was　to　try　me　herein　that　on
the　morning　of　the　hunting　she　kissed　and　embraced　me；　till　I　almost
died　thereof；　and　showed　thee　my　shoulder　and　my　limbs；　and　to　try
thee　withal；　if　thine　eye　should　glister　or　thy　cheek　flush　thereat；
for　indeed　she　was　raging　in　jealousy　of　thee。　　Next；　my　friend；
even　whiles　we　were　talking　together　at　the　Well　of　the　Rock；　I　was
pondering　on　what　we　should　do　to　escape　from　this　land　of　lies。
Maybe　thou　wilt　say：　　Why　didst　thou　not　take　my　hand　and　flee　with
me　as　we　fled　to…day？　　Friend；　it　is　most　true；　that　were　she　not
dead　we　had　not　escaped　thus　far。　　For　her　trackers　would　have
followed　us；　set　on　by　her；　and　brought　us　back　to　an　evil　fate。
Therefore　I　tell　thee　that　from　the　first　I　did　plot　the　death　of
those　two；　the　Dwarf　and　the　Mistress。　　For　no　otherwise　mightest
thou　live；　or　I　escape　from　death　in　life。　　But　as　to　the　dastard
who　threatened　me　with　a　thrall's　pains；　I　heeded　him　nought　to　live
or　die；　for　well　I　knew　that　thy　valiant　sword；　yea；　or　thy　bare
hands；　would　speedily　tame　him。　　Now　first　I　knew　that　I　must　make　a
show　of　yielding　to　the　King's　Son；　and　somewhat　how　I　did　therein；
thou　knowest。　　But　no　night　and　no　time　did　I　give　him　to　bed　me；
till　after　I　had　met　thee　as　thou　wentest　to　the　Golden　House；
before　the　adventure　of　fetching　the　lion's　skin；　and　up　to　that
time　I　had　scarce　known　what　to　do；　save　ever　to　bid　thee；　with　sore
grief　and　pain；　to　yield　thee　to　the　wicked　woman's　desire。　　But　as
we　spake　together　there　by　the　stream；　and　I　saw　that　the　Evil　Thing
（whose　head　thou　clavest　e'en　now）　was　spying　on　us；　then　amidst　the
sickness　of　terror　which　ever　came　over　me　whensoever　I　thought　of
him；　and　much　more　when　I　saw　him　（ah！　he　is　dead　now！）；　it　came
flashing　into　my　mind　how　I　might　destroy　my　enemy。　　Therefore　I
made　the　Dwarf　my　messenger　to　her；　by　bidding　thee　to　my　bed　in
such　wise　that　he　might　hear　it。　　And　wot　thou　well；　that　he
speedily　carried　her　the　tidings。　　Meanwhile　I　hastened　to　lie　to
the　King's　Son；　and　all　privily　bade　him　come　to　me　and　not　thee。
And　thereafter；　by　dint　of　waiting　and　watching；　and　taking　the　only
chance　that　there　was；　I　met　thee　as　thou　camest　back　from　fetching
the　skin　of　the　lion　that　never　was；　and　gave　thee　that　warning；　or
else　had　we　been　undone　indeed。〃

Said　Walter：　　〃Was　the　lion　of　her　making　or　of　thine　then？〃

She　said：　　〃Of　hers：　　why　should　I　deal　with　such　a　matter？〃

〃Yea；〃　said　Walter；　〃but　she　verily　swooned；　and　she　was　verily
wroth　with　the　Enemy。〃

The　Maid　smiled；　and　said：　　〃If　her　lie　was　not　like　very　sooth；
then　had　she　not　been　the　crafts…master　that　I　knew　her：　　one　may
lie　otherwise　than　with　the　tongue　alone：　　yet　indeed　her　wrath
against　the　Enemy　was　nought　feigned；　for　the　Enemy　was　even　I；　and
in　these　latter　days　never　did　her　wrath　leave　me。　　But　to　go　on
with　my　tale。〃

〃Now　doubt　thou　not；　that；　when　thou　camest　into　the　hall　yester
eve；　the　Mistress　knew　of　thy　counterfeit　tryst　with　me；　and　meant
nought　but　death　for　thee；　yet　first　would　she　have　thee　in　her　arms
again；　therefore　did　she　make　much　of　thee　at　table　（and　that　was
partly　for　my　torment　also）；　and　therefore　did　she　make　that　tryst
with　thee；　and　deemed　doubtless　that　thou　wouldst　not　dare　to　forgo
it；　even　if　thou　shouldst　go　to　me　thereafter。〃

〃Now　I　had　trained　that　dastard　to　me　as　I　have　told　thee；　but　I
gave　him　a　sleepy　draught；　so　that　when　I　came　to　the　bed　he　might
not　move　toward　me　nor　open　his　eyes：　　but　I　lay　down　beside　him；　so
that　the　Lady　might　know　that　my　body　had　been　there；　for　well　had
she　wotted　if　it　had　not。　　Then　as　there　I　lay　I　cast　over　him　thy
shape；　so　that　none　might　have　known　but　that　thou　wert　lying　by　my
side；　and　there；　trembling；　I　abode　what　should　befall。　　Thus　I
passed　through　the　hour　whenas　thou　shouldest　have　been　at　her
chamber；　and　the　time　of　my　tryst　with　thee　was　come　as　the　Mistress
would　be　deeming；　so　that　I　looked　for　her　speedily；　and　my　heart
well…nigh　failed　me　for　fear　of　her　cruelty。〃

〃Presently　then　I　heard　a　stirring　in　her　chamber；　and　I　slipped
from　out　the　bed；　and　hid　me　behind　the　hangings；　and　was　like　to
die　for　fear　of　her；　and　lo；　presently　she　came　stealing　in　softly；
holding　a　lamp　in　one　hand　and　a　knife　in　the　other。　　And　I　tell
thee　of　a　sooth　that　I　also　had　a　sharp　knife　in　my　hand　to　defend
my　life　if　need　were。　　She　held　the　lamp　up　above　her　head　before
she　drew　near　to　the　bed…side；　and　I　heard　her　mutter：　　'She　is　not
there　then！　but　she　shall　be　taken。'　　Then　she　went　up　to　the　bed
and　stooped　over　it；　and　laid　her　hand　on　the　place　where　I　had
lain；　and　therewith　her　eyes　turned　to　that　false　image　of　thee
lying　there；　and　she　fell　a…trembling　and　shaking；　and　the　lamp　fell
to　the　ground　and　was　quenched　（but　there　was　bright　moonlight　in
the　room；　and　still　I　could　see　what　betid）。　　But　she　uttered　a
noise　like　the　low　roar　of　a　wild　beast；　and　I　saw　her　arm　and　hand
rise　up；　and　the　flashing　of　the　steel　beneath　the　hand；　and　then
down　came　the　hand　and　the　steel；　and　I　went　nigh　to　swooning　lest
perchance　I　had　wrought　over　well；　and　thine　image　were　thy　very
self。　　The　dastard　died　without　a　groan：　　why　should　I　lament　him？
I　cannot。　　But　the　Lady　drew　him　toward　her；　and　snatched　the
clothes　from　off　his　shoulders　and　breast；　and　fell　a…gibbering
sounds　mostly　without　meaning；　but　broken　here　and　there　with　words。
Then　I　heard　her　say：　　'I　shall　forget；　I　shall　forget；　and　the　new
days　shall　come。'　　Then　was　there　silence　of　her　a　little；　and
thereafter　she　cried　out　in　a　terrible　voice：　　'O　no；　no；　no！　　I
cannot　forget；　I　cannot　forget；'　and　she　raised　a　great　wailing　cry
that　filled　all　the　night　with　horror　（didst　thou　not　hear　it？）；　and
caught　up　the　knife　from　the　bed　and　thrust　it　into　her　breast；　and
fell　down　a　de