the wood beyond the world-第24章

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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　dead　heap　over　the　bed　and　on　to　the　man　whom　she　had
slain。　　And　then　I　thought　of　thee；　and　joy　smote　across　my　terror；
how　shall　I　gainsay　it？　　And　I　fled　away　to　thee；　and　I　took　thine
hands　in　mine；　thy　dear　hands；　and　we　fled　away　together。　　Shall　we
be　still　together？〃

He　spoke　slowly；　and　touched　her　not；　and　she；　forbearing　all
sobbing　and　weeping；　sat　looking　wistfully　on　him。　　He　said：　　〃I
think　thou　hast　told　me　all；　and　whether　thy　guile　slew　her；　or　her
own　evil　heart；　she　was　slain　last　night　who　lay　in　mine　arms　the
night　before。　　It　was　ill；　and　ill　done　of　me；　for　I　loved　not　her；
but　thee；　and　I　wished　for　her　death　that　I　might　be　with　thee。
Thou　wottest　this；　and　still　thou　lovest　me；　it　may　be
overweeningly。　　What　have　I　to　say　then？　　If　there　be　any　guilt　of
guile；　I　also　was　in　the　guile；　and　if　there　be　any　guilt　of　murder；
I　also　was　in　the　murder。　　Thus　we　say　to　each　other；　and　to　God　and
his　Hallows　we　say：　　'We　two　have　conspired　to　slay　the　woman　who
tormented　one　of　us；　and　would　have　slain　the　other；　and　if　we　have
done　amiss　therein；　then　shall　we　two　together　pay　the　penalty；　for
in　this　have　we　done　as　one　body　and　one　soul。'〃

Therewith　he　put　his　arms　about　her　and　kissed　her；　but　soberly　and
friendly；　as　if　he　would　comfort　her。　　And　thereafter　he　said　to
her：　　〃Maybe　to…morrow；　in　the　sunlight；　I　will　ask　thee　of　this
woman；　what　she　verily　was；　but　now　let　her　be。　　And　thou；　thou　art
over…wearied；　and　I　bid　thee　sleep。〃

So　he　went　about　and　gathered　of　bracken　a　great　heap　for　her　bed；
and　did　his　coat　thereover；　and　led　her　thereto；　and　she　lay　down
meekly；　and　smiled　and　crossed　her　arms　over　her　bosom；　and
presently　fell　asleep。　　But　as　for　him；　he　watched　by　the　fire…side
till　dawn　began　to　glimmer；　and　then　he　also　laid　him　down　and
slept。



CHAPTER　XXV：　　OF　THE　TRIUMPHANT　SUMMER　ARRAY　OF　THE　MAID



When　the　day　was　bright　Walter　arose；　and　met　the　Maid　coming　from
the　river…bank；　fresh　and　rosy　from　the　water。　　She　paled　a　little
when　they　met　face　to　face；　and　she　shrank　from　him　shyly。　　But　he
took　her　hand　and　kissed　her　frankly；　and　the　two　were　glad；　and　had
no　need　to　tell　each　other　of　their　joy；　though　much　else　they
deemed　they　had　to　say；　could　they　have　found　words　thereto。

So　they　came　to　their　fire　and　sat　down；　and　fell　to　breakfast；　and
ere　they　were　done；　the　Maid　said：　　〃My　Master；　thou　seest　we　be
come　nigh　unto　the　hill…country；　and　to…day　about　sunset；　belike；　we
shall　come　into　the　Land　of　the　Bear…folk；　and　both　it　is；　that
there　is　peril　if　we　fall　into　their　hands；　and　that　we　may　scarce
escape　them。　　Yet　I　deem　that　we　may　deal　with　the　peril　by　wisdom。〃

〃What　is　the　peril？〃　said　Walter；　〃I　mean；　what　is　the　worst　of　it？〃

Said　the　Maid：　　〃To　be　offered　up　in　sacrifice　to　their　God。〃

〃But　if　we　escape　death　at　their　hands；　what　then？〃　said　Walter。

〃One　of　two　things；〃　said　she；　〃the　first　that　they　shall　take　us
into　their　tribe。〃

〃And　will　they　sunder　us　in　that　case？〃　said　Walter。

〃Nay；〃　said　she。

Walter　laughed　and　said：　　〃Therein　is　little　harm　then。　　But　what　is
the　other　chance？〃

Said　she：　　〃That　we　leave　them　with　their　goodwill；　and　come　back　to
one　of　the　lands　of　Christendom。〃

Said　Walter：　　〃I　am　not　all　so　sure　that　this　is　the　better　of　the
two　choices；　though；　forsooth；　thou　seemest　to　think　so。　　But　tell
me　now；　what　like　is　their　God；　that　they　should　offer　up　new…comers
to　him？〃

〃Their　God　is　a　woman；〃　she　said；　〃and　the　Mother　of　their　nation
and　tribes　（or　so　they　deem）　before　the　days　when　they　had
chieftains　and　Lords　of　Battle。〃

〃That　will　be　long　ago；〃　said　he；　〃how　then　may　she　be　living　now？〃

Said　the　Maid：　　〃Doubtless　that　woman　of　yore　agone　is　dead　this
many　and　many　a　year；　but　they　take　to　them　still　a　new　woman；　one
after　other；　as　they　may　happen　on　them；　to　be　in　the　stead　of　the
Ancient　Mother。　　And　to　tell　thee　the　very　truth　right　out；　she　that
lieth　dead　in　the　Pillared　Hall　was　even　the　last　of　these；　and　now；
if　they　knew　it；　they　lack　a　God。　　This　shall　we　tell　them。〃

〃Yea；　yea！〃　said　Walter；　〃a　goodly　welcome　shall　we　have　of　them
then；　if　we　come　amongst　them　with　our　hands　red　with　the　blood　of
their　God！〃

She　smiled　on　him　and　said：　　〃If　I　come　amongst　them　with　the
tidings　that　I　have　slain　her；　and　they　trow　therein；　without　doubt
they　shall　make　me　Lady　and　Goddess　in　her　stead。〃

〃This　is　a　strange　word；〃　said　Walter　〃but　if　so　they　do；　how　shall
that　further　us　in　reaching　the　kindreds　of　the　world；　and　the　folk
of　Holy　Church？〃

She　laughed　outright；　so　joyous　was　she　grown；　now　that　she　knew
that　his　life　was　yet　to　be　a　part　of　hers。　　〃Sweetheart；〃　she　said；
〃now　I　see　that　thou　desirest　wholly　what　I　desire；　yet　in　any　case；
abiding　with　them　would　be　living　and　not　dying；　even　as　thou　hadst
it　e'en　now。　　But；　forsooth；　they　will　not　hinder　our　departure　if
they　deem　me　their　God；　they　do　not　look　for　it；　nor　desire　it；　that
their　God　should　dwell　with　them　daily。　　Have　no　fear。〃　　Then　she
laughed　again；　and　said：　　〃What！　thou　lookest　on　me　and　deemest　me
to　be　but　a　sorry　image　of　a　goddess；　and　me　with　my　scanty　coat　and
bare　arms　and　naked　feet！　　But　wait！　　I　know　well　how　to　array　me
when　the　time　cometh。　　Thou　shalt　see　it！　　And　now；　my　Master；　were
it　not　meet　that　we　took　to　the　road？〃

So　they　arose；　and　found　a　ford　of　the　river　that　took　the　Maid　but
to　the　knee；　and　so　set　forth　up　the　greensward　of　the　slopes
whereas　there　were　but　few　trees；　so　went　they　faring　toward　the
hill…country。

At　the　last　they　were　come　to　the　feet　of　the　very　hills；　and　in　the
hollows　betwixt　the　buttresses　of　them　grew　nut　and　berry　trees；　and
the　greensward　round　about　them　was　both　thick　and　much　flowery。
There　they　stayed　them　and　dined；　whereas　Walter　had　shot　a　hare　by
the　way；　and　they　had　found　a　bubbling　spring　under　a　grey　stone　in
a　bight　of　the　coppice；　wherein　now　the　birds　were　singing　their
best。

When　they　had　eaten　and　had　rested　somewhat；　the　Maid　arose　and
said：　　〃Now　shall　the　Queen　array　herself；　and　seem　like　a　very
goddess。〃

Then　she　fell　to　work；　while　Walter　looked　on；　and　she　made　a
garland　for　her　head　of　eglantine　where　the　roses　were　the　fairest；
and　with　mingled　flowers　of　the　summer　she　wreathed　her　middle
about；　and　let　the　garland　of　them　hang　down　to　below　her　knees；　and
knots　of　the　flowers　she　made　fast　to　the　skirts　of　her　coat；　and
did　them　for　arm…rings　about　her　arms；　and　for　anklets　and　sandals
for　her　feet。　　Then　she　set　a　garland　about　Walter's　head；　and　then
stood　a　little　off　from　him　and　set　her　feet　together；　and　lifted　up
her　arms；　and　said：　　〃Lo　now！　am　I　not　as　like　to　the　Mother　of
Summer　as　if　I　were　clad　in　silk　and　gold？　and　even　so　shall　I　be
deemed　by　the　folk　of　the　Bear。　　Come　now；　thou　shalt　see　how　all
shall　be　well。〃

She　laughed　joyously；　but　he　might　scarce　laugh　for　pity　of　his
love。　　Then　they　set　forth　again；　and　began　to　climb　the　hills；　and
the　hours　wore　as　they　went　in　sweet　converse；　till　at　last　Walter
looked　on　the　Maid；　and　smiled　on　her；　and　said：　　〃One　thing　I　would
say　to　thee；　lovely　friend；　to　wit：　　wert　thou　clad　in　silk　and
gold；　thy　stately　raiment　might　well　suffer　a　few　stains；　or　here
and　there　a　rent　maybe；　but　stately　would　it　be　still　when　the　folk
of　the　Bear　should　come　up　against　thee。　　But　as　to　this　flowery
array　of　thine；　in　a　few　hours　it　shall　be　all　faded　and　nought。
Nay；　even　now；　as　I　look　on　thee；　the　meadow…sweet　that　hangeth　from
thy　girdle…stead　has　waxen　dull；　and　welted；　and　the　blossoming
eyebright　that　is　for　a　hem　to　the　little　white　coat　of　thee　is
already　forgetting　how　to　be　bright　and　blue。　　What　sayest　thou
then？〃

She　laughed　at　his　word；　and　stood　still；　and　looked　back　over　her
shoulder；　while　with　her　fingers　she　dealt　with　the　flowers　about
her　side　like　to　a　bird　preening　his　feathers。　　Then　she　said：　　〃Is
it　verily　so　as　thou　sayest？　　Look　again！〃

So　he　looked；　and　wondered；