the wood beyond the world-第26章

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each　other。　　But　they　noted　that　four　brisk　men　lay　without　the
booth；　and　across　the　door；　with　their　weapons　beside　them；　so　that
they　must　needs　look　upon　themselves　as　captives。

Then　Walter　might　not　refrain　him；　but　spake：　　〃Sweet　and　dear
friend；　I　have　come　a　long　way　from　the　quay　at　Langton；　and　the
vision　of　the　Dwarf；　the　Maid；　and　the　Lady；　and　for　this　kiss
wherewith　I　have　kissed　thee　e'en　now；　and　the　kindness　of　thine
eyes；　it　was　worth　the　time　and　the　travail。　　But　to…morrow；
meseemeth；　I　shall　go　no　further　in　this　world；　though　my　journey　be
far　longer　than　from　Langton　hither。　　And　now　may　God　and　All
Hallows　keep　thee　amongst　this　wild　folk；　whenas　I　shall　be　gone
from　thee。〃

She　laughed　low　and　sweetly；　and　said：　　〃Dear　friend；　dost　thou
speak　to　me　thus　mournfully　to　move　me　to　love　thee　better？　　Then　is
thy　labour　lost；　for　no　better　may　I　love　thee　than　now　I　do；　and
that　is　with　mine　whole　heart。　　But　keep　a　good　courage；　I　bid　thee；
for　we　be　not　sundered　yet；　nor　shall　we　be。　　Nor　do　I　deem　that　we
shall　die　here；　or　to…morrow；　but　many　years　hence；　after　we　have
known　all　the　sweetness　of　life。　　Meanwhile；　I　bid　thee　good…night；
fair　friend！〃



CHAPTER　XXVII：　　MORNING　AMONGST　THE　BEARS



So　Walter　laid　him　down　and　fell　asleep；　and　knew　no　more　till　he
awoke　in　bright　daylight　with　the　Maid　standing　over　him。　　She　was
fresh　from　the　water；　for　she　had　been　to　the　river　to　bathe　her；
and　the　sun　through　the　open　door　fell　streaming　on　her　feet　close
to　Walter's　pillow。　　He　turned　about　and　cast　his　arm　about　them；
and　caressed　them；　while　she　stood　smiling　upon　him；　then　he　arose
and　looked　on　her；　and　said：　　〃How　thou　art　fair　and　bright　this
morning！　　And　yet　。　。　。　and　yet　。　。　。　were　it　not　well　that　thou　do
off　thee　all　this　faded　and　drooping　bravery　of　leaves　and　blossoms；
that　maketh　thee　look　like　to　a　jongleur's　damsel　on　a　morrow　of
May…day？〃

And　he　gazed　ruefully　on　her。

She　laughed　on　him　merrily；　and　said：　　〃Yea；　and　belike　these　others
think　no　better　of　my　attire；　or　not　much　better；　for　yonder　they
are　gathering　small　wood　for　the　burnt…offering；　which；　forsooth；
shall　be　thou　and　I；　unless　I　better　it　all　by　means　of　the　wisdom　I
learned　of　the　old　woman；　and　perfected　betwixt　the　stripes　of　my
Mistress；　whom　a　little　while　ago　thou　lovedst　somewhat。〃

And　as　she　spake　her　eyes　sparkled；　her　cheek　flushed；　and　her　limbs
and　her　feet　seemed　as　if　they　could　scarce　refrain　from　dancing　for
joy。　　Then　Walter　knit　his　brow；　and　for　a　moment　a　thought　half…
framed　was　in　his　mind：　　Is　it　so；　that　she　will　bewray　me　and　live
without　me？　and　he　cast　his　eyes　on　to　the　ground。　　But　she　said：
〃Look　up；　and　into　mine　eyes；　friend；　and　see　if　there　be　in　them
any　falseness　toward　thee！　　For　I　know　thy　thought；　I　know　thy
thought。　　Dost　thou　not　see　that　my　joy　and　gladness　is　for　the　love
of　thee；　and　the　thought　of　the　rest　from　trouble　that　is　at　hand？〃

He　looked　up；　and　his　eyes　met　the　eyes　of　her　love；　and　he　would
have　cast　his　arms　about　her；　but　she　drew　aback　and　said：　　〃Nay；
thou　must　refrain　thee　awhile；　dear　friend；　lest　these　folk　cast
eyes　on　us；　and　deem　us　over　lover…like　for　what　I　am　to　bid　them
deem　me。　　Abide　a　while；　and　then　shall　all　be　in　me　according　to
thy　will。　　But　now　I　must　tell　thee　that　it　is　not　very　far　from
noon；　and　that　the　Bears　are　streaming　into　the　Dale；　and　already
there　is　an　host　of　men　at　the　Doom…ring；　and；　as　I　said；　the　bale
for　the　burnt…offering　is　wellnigh　dight；　whether　it　be　for　us；　or
for　some　other　creature。　　And　now　I　have　to　bid　thee　this；　and　it
will　be　a　thing　easy　for　thee　to　do；　to　wit；　that　thou　look　as　if
thou　wert　of　the　race　of　the　Gods；　and　not　to　blench；　or　show　sign
of　blenching；　whatever　betide：　　to　yea…say　both　my　yea…say　and　my
nay…say：　　and　lastly　this；　which　is　the　only　hard　thing　for　thee
（but　thou　hast　already　done　it　before　somewhat）；　to　look　upon　me
with　no　masterful　eyes　of　love；　nor　as　if　thou　wert　at　once　praying
me　and　commanding　me；　rather　thou　shalt　so　demean　thee　as　if　thou
wert　my　man　all　simply；　and　nowise　my　master。〃

〃O　friend　beloved；〃　said　Walter；　〃here　at　least　art　thou　the　master；
and　I　will　do　all　thy　bidding；　in　certain　hope　of　this；　that　either
we　shall　live　together　or　die　together。〃

But　as　they　spoke；　in　came　the　elder；　and　with　him　a　young　maiden；
bearing　with　them　their　breakfast　of　curds　arid　cream　and
strawberries；　and　he　bade　them　eat。　　So　they　ate；　and　were　not
unmerry；　and　the　while　of　their　eating　the　elder　talked　with　them
soberly；　but　not　hardly；　or　with　any　seeming　enmity：　　and　ever　his
talk　gat　on　to　the　drought；　which　was　now　burning　up　the　down…
pastures；　and　how　the　grass　in　the　watered　dales；　which　was　no　wide
spread　of　land；　would　not　hold　out　much　longer　unless　the　God　sent
them　rain。　　And　Walter　noted　that　those　two；　the　elder　and　the　Maid；
eyed　each　other　curiously　amidst　of　this　talk；　the　elder　intent　on
what　she　might　say；　and　if　she　gave　heed　to　his　words；　while　on　her
side　the　Maid　answered　his　speech　graciously　and　pleasantly；　but
said　little　that　was　of　any　import：　　nor　would　she　have　him　fix　her
eyes；　which　wandered　lightly　from　this　thing　to　that；　nor　would　her
lips　grow　stern　and　stable；　but　ever　smiled　in　answer　to　the　light
of　her　eyes；　as　she　sat　there　with　her　face　as　the　very　face　of　the
gladness　of　the　summer　day。



CHAPTER　XXVIII：　　OF　THE　NEW　GOD　OF　THE　BEARS



At　last　the　old　man　said：　　〃My　children；　ye　shall　now　come　with　me
unto　the　Doom…ring　of　our　folk；　the　Bears　of　the　Southern　Dales；　and
deliver　to　them　your　errand；　and　I　beseech　you　to　have　pity　upon
your　own　bodies；　as　I　have　pity　on　them；　on　thine　especially；
Maiden；　so　fair　and　bright　a　creature　as　thou　art；　for　so　it　is；
that　if　ye　deal　us　out　light　and　lying　words　after　the　manner　of
dastards；　ye　shall　miss　the　worship　and　glory　of　wending　away　amidst
of　the　flames；　a　gift　to　the　God　and　a　hope　to　the　people；　and　shall
be　passed　by　the　rods　of　the　folk；　until　ye　faint　and　fail　amongst
them；　and　then　shall　ye　be　thrust　down　into　the　flow　at　the　Dale's
End；　and　a　stone…laden　hurdle　cast　upon　you；　that　we　may　thenceforth
forget　your　folly。〃

The　Maid　now　looked　full　into　his　eyes；　and　Walter　deemed　that　the
old　man　shrank　before　her；　but　she　said：　　〃Thou　art　old　and　wise；　O
great　man　of　the　Bears；　yet　nought　I　need　to　learn　of　thee。　　Now
lead　us　on　our　way　to　the　Stead　of　the　Errands。〃

So　the　elder　brought　them　along　to　the　Doom…ring　at　the　eastern　end
of　the　Dale；　and　it　was　now　all　peopled　with　those　huge　men；
weaponed　after　their　fashion；　and　standing　up；　so　that　the　grey
stones　thereof　but　showed　a　little　over　their　heads。　　But　amidmost
of　the　said　Ring　was　a　big　stone；　fashioned　as　a　chair；　whereon　sat
a　very　old　man；　long…hoary　and　white…bearded；　and　on　either　side　of
him　stood　a　great…limbed　woman　clad　in　war…gear；　holding；　each　of
them；　a　long　spear；　and　with　a　flint…bladed　knife　in　the　girdle；　and
there　were　no　other　women　in　all　the　Mote。

Then　the　elder　led　those　twain　into　the　midst　of　the　Mote；　and　there
bade　them　go　up　on　to　a　wide；　flat…topped　stone；　six　feet　above　the
ground；　just　over　against　the　ancient　chieftain；　and　they　mounted　it
by　a　rough　stair；　and　stood　there　before　that　folk；　Walter　in　his
array　of　the　outward　world；　which　had　been　fair　enough；　of　crimson
cloth　and　silk；　and　white　linen；　but　was　now　travel…stained　and
worn；　and　the　Maid　with　nought　upon　her；　save　the　smock　wherein　she
had　fled　from　the　Golden　House　of　the　Wood　beyond　the　World；　decked
with　the　faded　flowers　which　she　had　wreathed　about　her　yesterday。
Nevertheless；　so　it　was；　that　those　big　men　eyed　her　intently；　and
with　somewhat　of　worship。

Now　did　Walter；　according　to　her　bidding；　sink　down　on　his　knees
beside　her；　and　drawing　his　sword；　hold　it　before　him；　as　if　to　keep
all　interlopers　aloof　from　the　Maid。　　And　there　was　silence　in　the
Mote；　and　all　eyes　were　fixed　on　those　twain。

At　last　the　old　chief　arose　and　spake：　　〃Ye　men；　here　are　come　a　man
and　a　woman；　we　know　not　whence；　whereas　they　have　given　word　to　our
folk　who　first　met　them；　that　they